Luna was, if not happy, then at least content. Oh she knew that their position was more precarious now than it had ever been, and it hadn’t escaped her notice that most of the army was grieving for those lost in the recent battle. Still, her task of negotiation with the dragons had gone as well as it possibly could have, considering all the facts. In addition, she had arrived in time to singlehoofedly save a not-inconsiderable portion of her army. To her mind, nothing felt as good as seeing ponies look to her for salvation and then to promptly deliver it.
Then too, there was the dark part of her mind, with which she was far too well acquainted, that took some pleasure in seeing Twilight Sparkle humbled a little bit. It wasn’t a large part, and she certainly mourned Fluttershy’s death, but neither could she deny that that part of her existed and was darkly pleased.
Tempering that good mood was the fact that her daily self-portraits had reverted from showing her younger self to showing the Nightmare. And, if anything, it appeared to be growing more distinct and crueler as the days passed. However, with the confidence she gained from the admiration of her ponies, she felt equal to the challenges she faced. And what a new and intoxicating feeling that was.
For the general strategy meeting she had offered up one of the unused rooms in the building she had chosen for her dwelling. It was on the top floor, with one broad wall of windows looking out onto a city square below. When it had been found the room had held within it a broad circular table of stone cunningly cured and treated to look like dark wood. Chairs surrounded the table, similarly designed, though Luna had had cushions placed atop them to ameliorate the discomfort of sitting directly on cold hard stone. A modern military table rested against one corner of the room and held refreshments and heated thermoses for tea or, for those souls that dared go against the herd, coffee.
As ponies filed in Luna reflected ruefully that this might be the largest gathering of ponies and other beings with which she was acquainted since before her banishment. She only wished that it was for a happier reason.
Despite his injury, Shining Armor was the first to arrive, still looking shell-shocked either from that injury or from whatever he had discussed with Twilight. Applejack followed close behind, ready to catch him if he stumbled. Apparently the two had become friends at some point during Applejack’s long hours on the training field.
Rainbow Dash and Gilda came in next. Both looked exhausted, but in Gilda worry competed with that exhaustion while in Rainbow Dash the exhaustion was simply subordinated to a simmering rage. She was the only pony to attend armed, for she still had not removed the bloodstained Ebonite gloves. The air sparked as Dash found a seat. Gilda followed in Dash’s shadow and her eyes reflexively examined the room for threats before being drawn like a lodestone back to Dash.
Rarity slipped in a moment later, and a worried frown covered her face as she shepherded a vacant looking Pinkie into the room. Spike followed after, worried about Rarity in turn. The remaining three free dragons, Thraxus, Iolite, and Sim came in his wake. Iolite looked uncertain about having been invited to this meeting while Sim wore its customary equanimity.
Thraxus, on the other hoof, scanned the room with purpose and he nodded in satisfaction when he saw Rainbow Dash. He strode purposefully over to her.
“You spoke last at Fluttershy’s funeral,” he said.
Slowly, Dash dragged her eyes down to regard the small red dragon that spoke to her. From where she sat behind Thraxus’ back, Luna could see his wings shiver at the full weight of Dash’s regard. Though to his credit, he did not flinch.
“You spoke as well,” Dash said at last. “You called yourself her enemy.”
“You called yourself her sister,” he returned. “And you swore vengeance.”
“Yes.”
“Tell me. By watching you, will I learn what manner of pony she was?”
“No. But-“ she broke off and turned to Gilda, her eyes begging the griffon to find the words she couldn’t.
“We will offer tribute to her, perhaps,” Gilda said, struggling herself. “It isn’t what she would have wanted. But it’s all that those who miss her most can give.”
Dash nodded. “Yes. For her, we do what she would never have asked.”
Thraxus considered this, then nodded himself. “I find myself bereft of meaning in her absence. I will see this tribute that is to her, but not of her, and perhaps in doing so I will come to understand. I will fight at your side.”
“You spoke for her,” Dash said. Then she nodded to the chair on her left, on the opposite side from Gilda. Thraxus took his seat, next to her and apart from the other dragons, and they did not speak again.
It had been a strange interaction, to be sure. Though she did not know the other pony well, Luna was concerned for Rainbow Dash’s state of mind. Still, it seemed she’d managed to bind another of the dragons more closely to their cause. Perhaps that would do them all some good.
While Rainbow Dash and Thraxus were speaking, Sunlit Rooms had made the long trek from her room downstairs up to the conference room. That left only one absent pony from those who were meant to attend. Seeing no cause to force the others to wait in discomfort, Luna spoke up.
“Those who have arrived should feel free to help themselves to the refreshments in the back. We will begin in a few more minutes when everypony has joined us.”
Some members of the gathering made their way across the room to munch on the snacks and pour themselves some tea. As they did so, Sunlit Rooms quietly commented to Luna, “I can’t recall Twilight Sparkle ever being late. It’s very peculiar, that she should be the last to arrive.”
“I know Twilight values punctuality, but surely even she can’t be on time all the time,” Luna said frowning.
“Oh she absolutely can,” Rarity put in, leaning closer so she could speak softly. “In fact, if she isn’t here in three minutes I’d send out a search party or rouse the guard because something must be seriously wrong.”
Fortunately, a search part did not prove to be required. Two minutes later Twilight skidded into the room, obviously out of breath from having run over. Everypony turned to stare at her.
Unmindful of their stares she shouted triumphantly, “I’ve found her!”
Only one other pony immediately followed that train of thought. Luna leapt across the table and wrapped her hooves around the smaller pony in a display of intimacy that would have startled them both in another circumstance. “Wonderful! How? Where? When can we bring her back?” Loosening her grip slightly she tugged Twilight toward the table. “Come. Sit and tell us everything.”
“It’s not all good news,” Twilight cautioned as she took her seat on Luna’s right. “But at least we know more than we did.”
“I think we’d all appreciate some context before you tell us your discovery,” Shining Armor said. “If I correctly recall what you said on the train, then she” is probably that missing princess. Celeste, was it? But I’m not sure I remember everything of importance.”
“Celestia,” Twilight corrected automatically. “Right, not everypony, sorry, everyone” she corrected with a nod to the dragons and Gilda, “knows about this, especially our new allies over there. I’ll provide a quick explanation of the situation.”
“I’ll do it,” Luna broke in. “The beginning anyway. It seems only fitting.” She took a deep breath and thought for a moment about the best way to explain everything. Finding her opening, she began. “As some of you know, I am not the only alicorn. I had – have- a sister. Originally Equestria was a diarchy and we ruled together. A disagreement caused me to be absent from Equestria for 1000 years.”
Twilight shot her a sharp look at this euphemistic way to refer to the Nightmare. Luna raised an eyebrow and Twilight subsided, realizing that it would do no pony’s morale any favors to know that full truth. Though the look on her face spoke volumes about her discomfort with that circumlocution.
Satisfied, Luna continued. “I only returned a few years ago. Much of my time up until six months ago was spent getting up to date on the modern world while my sister continued to run the government. We had a… discussion about the cause of our conflict long ago. As a result, my sister decided that I should be given a turn to rule without either her oversight or her reputation to weigh me down. She cast a very peculiar spell, one that I believe Twilight should be able to explain better than I can,” Luna said, passing the story over to Twilight.
“Ah, right, yes.” Sitting up straight, Twilight assumed a lecturing tone. “As most everyone here knows, immortal magic is different in kind than that accessed by mortals. The relevant difference here is the source of immortal magic. Spells and free magic depend on the energy within a mage and are limited by what their body can draw in from the natural world and process to become their ‘type’, for lack of a better word. This is a fundamental limit to how much magic a mortal can use at one time.”
“Most of us are, I believe, are familiar with that basic theory of magic,” Sim said impatiently, “you may continue.”
“I’m not,” Applejack cut in with her trademark bluntness. “But I think I got the gist of it. Go on then, Twi, what does all that magic theory actually mean?”
Clearing her throat, Twilight continued. “Essentially, immortal magic doesn’t have that ‘type’ limitation. Immortals can use the magic of the natural world without converting it to their type first. This means that it can be incredibly powerful. However, Immortals still have to reside in a body, and that places limits on how much power they can safely use. Celestia cast a spell that made everypony forget that she had ever existed, but to do that she burned out her ability to use immortal magic. It’s like,” she paused, searching for the proper comparison. “It’s kind of like pouring gunpowder into a train engine. There might be a burst of speed, but the engine itself is going to be destroyed.”
“So what actually happened to the poor dear when she cast that spell?” Rarity asked.
“We’re not entirely sure,” Twilight answered. “I think she’d planned to burn herself out to a certain degree. I suspect she planned to hide in a mortal body and keep an eye on things while she recovered her ability to use immortal magic. Instead, it seems as though burning herself out caused her to split in two, and at least part of her consciousness went with her connection to immortal magic. That raises really interesting questions about the nature of magic and its connection with personality and the soul. For instance–“
“Perhaps the new lines of inquiry can wait for later, Twilight?” Luna interrupted, noting the glazed looks on everyone else in the room except Sim.
Twilight collected herself. “Right. Anyway, Celestia’s immortal magic managed to get a message to Luna asking for help, and since then we’ve been trying to find some way of locating her.” She grimaced. “When we weren’t trying to deal with this situation anyway.”
“Which is the limit of my knowledge. Now, I presume your earlier excitement means that you have some progress to report on that front?” Luna couldn’t quite keep the impatience or the hope out of her voice.
Agitation ate into Twilight, and she rose to start her customary pacing. “Earlier, Shining Armor revealed some facts about my past which had been unknown to me. The precise nature of those revelations is personal, but the upshot of it was that I deduced that I had had a powerful memory spell placed on me for the entire time I was under Celestia’s tutelage.”
“Surely I would have noticed if anypony had put a memory spell on you, Twilight,” Spike said. “After all, we were hardly ever apart and since I’m a dragon they couldn’t just place one on me as well.”
“If I’m right it was placed on me mere days after you were hatched, Spike. In fact,” she added sadly, “you’ve never known the Twilight that hatched you. My mind, my personality, my everything was shaped and formed by that spell. Still, that spell only had one purpose and that didn’t have anything to do with you. So, the love I feel for you, little brother, is entirely my own. You’re not getting out of being family that easily.” She paused in her pacing and ruffled Spike’s head spines with her hoof, an act possible only because he was sitting on the floor.
“I’m glad for that, at least,” Spike said, though he looked more concerned than relieved. “So what was the one purpose that the spell was meant for?”
“I suspect, thought I don’t know, that it had two functions.” Twilight’s face twisted with distaste. “First, it redirected all the love and care I had for my family to the caster of the spell, wiping out any memory of my family in the process. Second, it encouraged an artificial focus so that I would develop an, in retrospect unhealthy, fixation on the caster.”
Shining Armor gasped. “So that’s why–“
“Yes,” Twilight cut in, shooting him a glare that clearly said she expected him to keep quiet.
“And the reason you’re telling us this – the reason that it matters,” Luna said slowly, “is that the pony that cast the spell was…”
“Yes,” Twilight said again. “It was Princess Celestia.”
“No!” Spike exclaimed, sitting up straight and staring from Luna to Twilight and back again. “Come on, Twilight, the Princess wouldn’t do that. She just wouldn’t. She raised us, remember? She cared about us, and she showed that over and over again. How many times did she hold us when we were feeling scared or spoil us with gifts and attention? I can’t believe that that was all a lie!”
“I don’t–“ Twilight’s voice trembled and nearly broke. She dropped heavily into her seat. “I don’t understand it either, Spike. I didn’t want to believe it. It just seemed like a possibility I should check. What I found doesn’t leave much room for alternative interpretations, at least not that I can see.”
“And what did you find?” Luna asked severely. “For I too find it hard to believe that of my sister. Though I doubt you would have brought mere conjecture here.”
Twilight forced herself upright and continued her explanation. “After the Celestia cast the spell to make everypony forget her, I found my head aching, growing worse each time the name ‘Celestia’ was mentioned. The two spells were at cross purposes and very nearly tore my head apart in the process of struggling for dominance. The spell of forgetting was likely stronger, but the obsession spell was more precisely targeted and it was supplemented by the wards against memory spells that I had in place around my home. They were so equally matched that neither could fully resolve, and my poor brain was simply collateral damage.”
“So when you had me breathe fire in your eye it unintentionally cancelled out both spells,” Spike said, understanding dawning.
“Right,” Twilight said, nodding. “However, having a spell contorting my thoughts for most of my life left its mark.” She looked physically ill and as she continued more than a few of those gathered shared that sentiment. “Specifically, it marked my brain. It’s actually possible to trace the scaring in my brain tissue where the spell forced certain mental pathways on me. As awful as that is, it means that while the dragon fire cleansed away the magical traces of the spell, it couldn’t remove the physical traces.”
Sim’s was the first, and possibly only one to understand Twilight’s point. “I see. Since the spells were equally matched when they fought in your mind you know they are inverses of one another. One of the spells led to the dissolution of the caster. So, with a reconstruction of the other spell you could use the magical trace to track the caster of the other spell. Though to recreate a magical trace from physical evidence in a living brain would be nigh on impossible.”
A hint of pride flickered across Twilight’s face. “Why do you think I was two minutes late?”
Sim’s eyes widened. “You managed this? In less than a single day?” It sat back on its tail. “It seems I underestimated you Twilight Sparkle.”
“Magic I can do. Other things,” she hesitated memories of recent events clearly replaying themselves behind her eyes. With an effort she pushed them back. “I have trouble with other things. But magic works. I found the trace and tracked it.”
“So where is she?” Luna demanded.
“When we first arrived here you told me, Luna, that magic flows here,” Twilight said, speaking quickly now that her tale was reaching its end. “Like the tides it flows to and from that spire in the center, sometimes erupting from the top of the spire to spread even further. I thought at the time that there had to be some form of wellspring beneath the crystal spire to provide the impetus for that flow. I’m now convinced of that, because when I followed the trace I found Celestia’s immortal magic had been drawn deep beneath the spire.”
“Of course she would have been drawn to Hvergelmir. Where else would loose immortal magic go?” Sim’s words tickled the back of Luna’s mind, but, frustratingly, nothing quite became clear.
“You will have to explain,” Luna said stiffly. “What is Hvergelmir?”
Sim peered around, apparently startled at not being understood. “You haven’t told them? But no, you asked the question. Do you truly not know why we’re all here?” Sim asked incredulously.
“My absence from Equestria was not entirely voluntary. As a result, certain memories are missing, particularly those near in time to that absence, such as some details from the conflict with Sombra,” Luna admitted reluctantly. “I recall only that there is something important about the magic of this place. This has plagued us for the past six months. Now that we are allies I look forward to a proper answer.”
Sim glanced around again and found confusion and curiosity in every face save Thraxus’. The newly small ancient red dragon was the only other being old enough and with a clear enough memory of the past to possess the knowledge they sought, and he did not seem inclined to speak. Luna’s heart fell as she watched avarice fill Sim’s eyes at the realization of its position of power.
“I will answer,” it said, “but first I have a question of my own. A personal one, for my own benefit not that of the nation of dragons. It should cost you nothing to answer.”
“You would hold your knowledge hostage even in the face of our mutual foe?” Luna asked, her tone low and dangerous.
“I would,” Sim acknowledged. “It is the deepest wish of my heart, and a simple question at that.”
Luna snorted. “Ha! As if that makes it better. Fine, ask your question. But know that we will not forget this.”
Sim took a deep breath and spoke with a desperate urgency. “As most of you know, I am not a natural dragon, but a simulacrum of one. I was built seven generations and untold millennia ago, presumably by an immortal. Princess Luna, once known as a goddess of art and music and sculpture, am I the product of your creative genius?”
Though surprised, Luna’s expression softened. Sim had not been lying when it’d said that this question was for personal, rather than national benefit. “That’s what you wanted to know? Now that we are allies you could have simply asked at any point; I would not have refused you an answer. However, I am confident that I did not make you.”
“Do you know which immortal might have done so?” it pressed, almost pleading. “Is there any way for you to determine that?”
“The immortal magic in your soul,” Twilight put in. Everyone turned to look at her. “Remember, back when you showed me your soul, I could detect the immortal magic, but the traces appeared to have been worn away over your generations. Perhaps Luna could see something I could not.”
Luna sighed. “If it will not take long, I would be willing to examine it. The rest of you should feel free to stretch your legs as we take a short break.”
“The suspense is going to kill me,” Spike muttered. “I’m not sure how many more revelations I can take, and I bet there are still a few more to come.”
Still, he and the other ponies, dragons, and griffon seemed to appreciate the opportunity to move around. Some drifted to the food table, while others left the room in search of a restroom. Soon only Twilight, Luna, and Sim remained clustered around on arc of the table.
“So, how exactly am I to examine your soul?” Luna asked.
In answer, a blue glow surrounded Sim and a deep hum emanated from within its chest. It opened its mouth and glowing ball of blue light emerged. The physical light it put out was minimal, but to Luna’s magical senses the ball blazed like a bonfire.
“Impressive,” Luna commented despite herself. She called up her immortal sight to allow her to fully parse the magic before her. “Now, give me a moment to find the immortal magic components.”
“They’re here and here,” Twilight said. She had already cast the spells that would allow her to examine the soul in detail and now she cast another that would provide a harmless marking to guide Luna to the important areas.
“Ah, yes. Thank you, Twilight. Let me see.” Luna peered closely at the components Twilight had indicated. Sure enough, the Archmage had successfully located the immortal magic. However, as Luna looked closer she was surprised by what she saw.
To her eyes immortal magic should have been tinted in the colors of the immortal that cast it. A brilliant yellow for Celestia, deep blue for herself, the light green of wind for Warlord Aquila, and so on for the others. Sombra’s dark black was especially distinct, even if there was something off in his immortal magic, as if it was not quite truly immortal magic or he didn’t quite know what it was that he was using.
The colors of the immortal caster should have been present, even if the markers that Twilight would have had to use were too faint to detect. However, the magic she saw in Sim’s soul was nearly colorless. Out of curiosity, Luna poured more magic into her sight, trying to determine if there was even the faintest glimmer of color. At last her efforts were rewarded with the barest hint of light blue the exact same shade as Sim’s scales. Pensive, Luna allowed her spell to fade and sat back.
“Well, Princess Luna?” Sim asked. “What did you see?”
“I suppose you should simply call me Luna, might as well start getting used to it,” the princess said. Twilight did a double take, clearly remembering the conflict they’d had over respectful modes of address. Sim, though, just looked confused.
“May I ask why?” it said carefully.
“The immortal magic within you is not the work of another,” Luna said. “It is yours, just barely, but it’s there.”
Whatever Sim had been expecting to hear, that was not it. “I cannot be an immortal. I have aged, died, even. How can I be the seventh generation of my kind if I am an immortal?” Anxiety colored its tone and its tail lashed the back of the chair as it spoke. “This must be some kind of mistake.”
Luna shook her head slowly. “You are not quite an immortal yet, but you are on the very cusp of ascension. I can’t answer everything, but I suspect that your original thought was correct. Another immortal fashioned you to be mortal a very long time ago. Over the years, you drew closer and closer to what is necessary to ascend, and in the process you have begun to claim the immortal magic contained in your soul.”
“You know the steps for a mortal to ascend, to become an immortal?” Twilight asked. “I suppose Celestia implied that it was known in her letter, but I thought she was speaking metaphorically of some mystical process.” Twilight’s eyes were alight with curiosity, something Luna was pleased to see, after the toll the revelations about Celestia’s memory spell had taken on her.
Luna was also surprised to realize that Twilight’s curiosity did not engender feelings of fear. She’d come to trust the other pony far more than she would have expected. Twilight was not Sombra. Despite the similarities in their magical talents, they had made very different choices in their lives and it was on those choices that Luna could depend.
Glancing around, Luna confirmed that the other ponies and assorted beings were out of earshot. She leaned in and gestured for Twilight and Sim to do so as well. Cautiously, they did so, watching Luna with unabashed curiosity.
“I can say this only to the two of you. All immortals know what it is that separates us from mortals. While there is no set process, we do have a good idea of what might have to occur for a mortal to ascend.”
She stopped speaking. Sim and Twilight glanced at one other in confusion and then back to her. “So what is it,” Twilight asked intently. “What does it take to ascend?”
Luna smirked and sat back. “Oh I can’t tell you that until and unless you actually ascend. But since you both might someday, I can at least admit to you that a process exists.”
“Argh!” Twilight groaned as she sat back in her chair. “That was cruel, Luna, to dangle knowledge in front of me and then take it away.”
Sim, however, was still looking down thoughtfully. “There is a process, and you say that I hover just on the edge of completing it. I wonder…” It looked up, face entirely seriously. “I will have to think on this. Will you permit me a brief moment alone?”
“Of course,” Luna waved casually. “I think Twilight and I could use a break and a drink as well. We’ll take five and then when everyone comes back it’ll be your turn to tell us what you know.”
“Ah, yes, I had nearly forgotten. Yes, though you didn’t provide the information I sought, you have certainly paid a more than fair price for what I know. I will tell you everything when I return.” Sim rose from the table. Rather than join the other beings around the refreshments, it glowed blue for a moment and then undulated directly through the window and up into the air.
“Well, that was quite an exit,” Twilight remarked. “Still, I can blame it for needing a moment to think. That was quite a bombshell to drop. So, if it’s on the edge, where would you say I am on the path to immortality?”
“You’re 32.456% there,” Luna answered drily.
“Thanks.” Twilight rolled her eye.
“So far as I know, it’s never actually occurred, despite being technically possible,” Luna said more seriously. “I don’t know if you will ascend or precisely how that might occur. I just know that you have the potential and what general steps it would take. Now come on,” she added, rising from her seat. “I need another cup of tea and I suspect there’s quite a bit more talking to do,”
“Whatever you say, princess.” Twilight rose as well and the two trotted over to the tea.
***
Fifteen minutes later the meeting reconvened, with Luna easily taking the lead.
“I hope you are all refreshed and ready to continue. Now, we payed your price, Sim, and I think you judged it fair. Tell us what you know.”
Sim, for its part, was still bemused by the recent revelations. However, at her words, it nodded and rallied its attention to the matter at hoof.
“Very well. As Twilight reminded us, the magic of the natural world suffuses everything we see. Immortals can draw on it directly, while mortals innately draw that power into themselves so that they can convert it into a form they can use. This is true for creatures like unicorns and dragons, who use magic intentionally, and for griffons and earth ponies, who tend to use magic intuitively.”
“What about pegasi?” Gilda asked, glancing over at Rainbow Dash.
“A mix,” Sim said. “Flight is innate, but the weather control that they display has to be controlled intentionally. Anyway, all the natural magic that every living thing uses has to come from somewhere.”
“Yggdrasil’s grove,” Twilight put in, looking interested. “At the far southern tip of the world Yggdrasil, the immortal of the ents, tends the world tree. Or is the world tree. The books aren’t exactly clear.”
Sim nodded. “Quite. It can be hard to tell the ents from their trees sometimes, but the difference hardly matters for our purposes. The world tree has roots which reach below the underside of the world and branches that stretch through the firmament to drink in the light beyond. It spreads that light to our world as natural magic.”
“This is fascinating, but I don’t understand the connection,” Twilight said. “The southern tip of the world is as far away as it’s possible to be. What does any of this have to do with the Crystal Empire?”
In the moment of hesitation before Sim spoke, Luna felt a premonition of what was to come. The knowledge waited just on the tip of her mind, still clouded by the fog that hid the events surrounding the Nightmare. Now, though, she could almost make out shapes in that fog, and those silhouettes were frightening beyond measure. After all this time there were still truths from the Nightmare that she dared not face.
Sim had kept speaking, not noticing her discomfort. “Tell me, Twilight, how many poles does a magnet have?”
“Two, of course, but why-“ she broke off, eyes widening in shock as she understood what it was getting at. “There was another source of magic here. Another world tree? Is that what you’re saying?”
Sim shook its head. “Not a world tree, but a wellspring of magic. Hvergelmir it was named long ago. Luna sealed it to prevent Sombra from claiming it back then. I do not know how. I would not have thought it could be done.”
“It was the two of us,” Luna said as hazy memories swam forward in her mind. “Sombra had gained control of the Crystal Empire and we knew that could not stand. Celestia and I used the Elements of Harmony, trusting that they would do something to help. They sealed away the Empire, Sombra, and I must suppose Hvergelmir as well.” A phrase floated to the forefront and Luna uttered it. “We gave up half the magic of the world to save the rest.”
“So you did,” Sim said heavily. “A decision you made for all of us. I will not deny that I was with the rest of the world in calling for your head at that time. Even with a thousand years to get used to it, I haven’t become accustomed to having half the magic that I once did.”
“I do not remember the incident to recall whether or not I judged it to be worth the price at the time,” Luna said honestly. “I will only ask that you defer any headhunting until after Sombra is dealt with.”
“Wait wait,” Twilight broke in, and Luna chuckled at the foal-like wonder on Twilight’s face. “Don’t tell me that with the return of Hvergelmir the magic of the world will double? We’ll all have access to twice as much magic as we do now? What wonders could we make with that much power?” she wondered dreamily.
“I’m sure you’ve wondered how Starswirl the Bearded and the other ancient mages accomplished some of their feats,” Luna said. “Now you’ll have your chance to match them.”
Twilight looked as though she was about to run off and become performing experiments immediately, but Applejack spoke and her words brought everyone back down to Equestria.
“That’s all fine and dandy,” she said, “but it’s under Sombra’s control now, ain’t it?”
That burst the burgeoning enthusiasm as quickly as a needle at a balloon party. There were heavy sighs around
the table and many dropped their gazes to their laps.
Rarity glanced around. “Forgive me, but I’m not exactly the best at magical theory. What does it mean when we say that Sombra controls it?”
Silence greeted her question. Everyone first turned to look at Sim. It raised its claws in protestation. “Don’t look at me. I don’t know why Luna, and Princess Celestia apparently, found it necessary to seal it in the first place.”
With that, the gazes swung over to Luna. She shook her head. “I don’t remember. It’s bad, obviously, but I can’t say exactly how. Perhaps something to do with the control Sombra now exerts over the dragons?”
“That could well be it,” Sim agreed.
“And if he controls the dragons,” Luna continued, “despite their superior magical defenses, then I feel confident in guessing that he controls the griffons as well.”
“He does,” Twilight confirmed, though she stumbled at the memories explaining brought to the fore. “During the… conflict a week ago the griffons fought with an unnatural level of coordination despite repeatedly losing their chain of command.”
“What happened to their chain of command?” Thraxus asked, displaying interest in the proceedings for the first time.
“I did,” said Rainbow, grimly satisfied. Thraxus nodded in approval and relaxed back into his seat beside her.
Twilight ignored the digression and continued. “In addition, the speed with which they mobilized their army is only plausible if we assume they knew of our ambush the second it was sprung. It couldn’t have been a trap that they prepared ahead of time because then they would have been ready earlier. And if they only learned that they needed to mobilize the army when the first troops made it back, then we would have had time to make it back to the city without fighting.”
“So Sombra has under his control the dragons, the griffons, and presumably the nobles and soliders Blueblood brought with him from Canterlot,” Luna summed up. “Not to mention the power and skill necessary to control that many entities and to hide it from my sight. And, if we leave him alone, he is guaranteed to control half the magic of the world through Hvergelmir, whatever that means.” Frowns and fear greeted her as she scanned the room. “Have I missed anything?”
“Actually,” Shining Armor said hesitantly, raising his hoof. “I think there is one more thing. Sombra’s favorite trick is seems to be taking control of others and he’s likely already possessed some ponies. How do we know he hasn’t controlled anypony crucial from our army?”
“Yeah, that meanypants could be controlling somepony in this very room, hahaha.” Pinkie’s playful light hearted manner of speech was so jarring that many in the room flinched before even processing her words. It was made all the more eerie by the fact that she hadn’t moved. She sat still, in one place, staring at the floor with her mane a dull flat shade that was such a far cry from its usual vibrant bouncy glory.
“And if somepony,” she chuckled, “if somepony had been, like, kidnapped or something – or would that be ponynapped since that somepony isn’t a goat after all? Teeheehee.” Her laughter was terrible to hear, scraping on the ears like cutlery on porcelain, so devoid of its usual heart.
Twilight clearly couldn’t bear it anymore. “Pinkie, what are you–“
Pinkie grew louder, the false cheer in her words more pronounced, but she still stared at the floor, utterly unmoving. “And if that silly pony was taken by the griffons, who were themselves, hahaha, possessed by that dirty rotten no good Sombra, why she might get possessed by him too. Isn’t that just the silliest thing you ever heard, you guys?” With a final broken giggle-snort, she fell silent.
No pony moved or knew what to say. Pinkie’s meaning had been clear but it was hard to believe Sombra had already claimed one of their own, and so long ago at that.
Finally Luna, feeling that somepony should say something, assayed a question. “Pinkie, do you mean to say that Sombra has taken control of you?” A heartbeat passed and everyone held their breath. Almost, it seemed no answer would be forthcoming.
Suddenly, Pinkie’s head shot upright. Her eyes were wide and stared unseeing across the table and out the windows. Though she wasn’t looking at anyone in particular, the gathered beings felt an oily consciousness ooze out of her and slide its obscene regard across their fur, feathers, or scales. Her mouth opened, like a yawn and further yet, muscles grotesquely contorting in an un-Pinkie like snarl.
A voice came from Pinkie’s open mouth, but it was not her voice. This voice was deep, melodious, and seductive in its supreme self-confidence. “I had hoped to stay hidden for longer, but the little element lies restive in my grasp.”
“Sombra!” With the reflexes of a soldier, Shining Armor was the first to react. He dove down on the table, unmindful of his injured head, and cast a bolt of energy directly at Pinkie Pie. Just in time, Twilight brought up the familiar pink shield and Shining’s spell splashed harmlessly off it.
“Careful Captain,” Sombra remarked, his voice ringing with amusement. “You wouldn’t want to harm the poor innocent in my gasp. She’s aware of what is occurring. If only you could hear her screaming, well, I couldn’t say what you’d do. I admit,” he continued, “I had considered driving her to attack until you were forced to kill her, but one dead element is sufficient for my needs.”
“You bastard!” Rainbow Dash was in the air now, gathering energy, but unable to strike without harming Pinkie in the process.
He chuckled. “Indeed, I am not the kindest of ponies. However, neither am I needlessly cruel. I have come here with an offer, one born of kindness, and I believe it will tempt you most of all.”
“I want nothing of yours,” she spat, sparking in the air.
“Not even the return of Fluttershy?” he asked slyly.
“Impossible,” Twilight protested. “No spell can bring the dead back to life.”
“True, but my specialty has ever been mental magic. Those favored few who chose to join me willingly dwell in a paradise of their own devising, while I use their bodies in this poor hard world.” There was a sense that, had Sombra been there himself, his hooves would have been spread, wide and inviting. “That is my offer to all of you. Accept me, and your every wish will come true.”
“But it’d be a lie.” Applejack said simply. “And I have no wish to live in a lie.”
“Even if you could see your parents again? You could grow up with them, never worrying they or your grandmother might die. A family complete as it was meant to be.” The oily regard flowed across the room again, touching each in turn.
“Or you, Luna, could be given a world without a Nightmare. Wouldn’t you like a world with that sin wiped clean, where you were forever beloved by all?” As it had been when she first spoke with Sombra, his words carried more weight than they should have. Against her will, Luna found herself wondering what the world he could create for her would be like, if only she accepted his offer.
Sombra, meanwhile, was still speaking. “Captain, how would you like a world where your sister never left and you had no need to become a solider? Wouldn’t you prefer a kinder world, where you need not leave your pregnant wife for six months to face darkness at civilization’s edge?”
They should not have listened, but they could not bring themselves to stop him. On Sombra went naming desires hidden deeply within each pony, offering all they might want on a silver platter. All they had to do was surrender this world. This world which had treated them cruelly, had sundered families, bestowed irremovable regrets, and inflicted abandonment and betrayal with abandon. Why not simply let it go? Why not give over this world and let him fashion them a better one?
He came at the last to Twilight. “For you, Twilight, I have a special offer. Immortality and a chance to work with me to uncover all the hidden knowledge of the world. I offer you a chance to rule at my side and shape all that will be.” Slowly, as if fighting great resistance, Pinkie’s body extended a hoof to Twilight. “I see in you my younger self, and it would be a terrible waste to send all that fine potential into slumber.”
“That is quite enough.” Sim’s voice was not loud, but it cut through Sombra’s seductive murmurings as well as a shout of rage. “You will not have them, not like this.” The serpentine dragon glowed blue as it gathered its magic. Then a wave of light flowed from its body, washing over the gathering. Where the light spread ponies shook themselves, as if coming out of a deep sleep.
That comforting light made visible the shadowy tendrils that had spread from Pinkie as Sombra spoke. Thick and dark they were, with mouths that whispered pleasant lies to all. Luna had seen their like the last time she had spoken to Sombra and she cursed herself for not remembering.
“Sim is correct,” she said, embracing her magic. “No influence spell will bring us to you.” She let loose a wash of sunlight from her sister’s mantle and nodded in satisfaction as the tendrils burned and the last of the manipulative magic was cleansed away.
Sombra did not even blink at having been caught out. He spoke again with perfect equanimity. “I expect no responses now. After all, I am always around. Just know this. If offered the chance, the little pink mare through whom I speak would give anything to accept.”
Sombra’s retreat was palpable, like a drawing of poison from a wound. Painful, yes, but as it left it was possible to breathe deeply and freely once more. Pinkie’s mouth closed and her blue eyes dropped back down to the floor.
In a tiny voice, foreign to her natural state but infinitely more appropriate for her morose affect, Pinkie whispered, “help me.”
Rainbow reached her first, though the other four were scarcely far behind. They wrapped her in their hooves and wings, as if hoping their love and closeness could push back the darkness.
“Say something,” Rainbow begged, “something as you, not as him.”
Pinkie was silent, that one plea for help and her earlier warning had exhausted her strength. Now that Sombra was not speaking through her she sat silently once again.
While the five of them clustered together, Luna noticed that Shining Armor had risen and walked slowly to the door. He knocked twice and one of the guards outside peeked in.
“Sir?”
“Send for two more guards,” he ordered. “We need somepony to escort miss Pie to the gaol.”
“You can’t,” Rarity gasped.
“Sombra can speak through her,” he said tiredly. “Presumably he can listen and act through her as well. She can’t stay here while we’re planning his defeat.”
“Of course not!” Rarity was affronted. “But I hardly think Pinkie is a danger to us. Remove her if you must, just not to some dingy gaol.”
“No, he’s right.” Luna’s tone brooked no argument. “We have disadvantages aplenty, and we cannot accept more out of misplaced sentiment.” She softened slightly. “We will see to it that she has every comfort that can be provided, but she cannot be allowed to roam free. Does this suit, Pinkie?”
A brief, barely perceptible nod came from the possessed pony. When additional guards, clad in white and gold armor, entered moments later she stood without complaint and allowed them to guide her from the room. The guards, in a testament to their professionalism, asked no questions about being ordered to confine an Element of Harmony, nor about the order to make her as comfortable as possible.
With Pinkie gone the room felt colder. Safer, yes, the potential for the cruel regard of Sombra was gone. But even possessed and with her spirit broken, Pinkie was still the Element of Laughter and a warmth radiated from her like heat from a baker’s oven in the depths of winter. That comfort was gone now and in its place desperation threatened to bubble over.
“So,” Luna said, drawing focus and trying to alleviate fear with planning. “We have positively confirmed that Sombra can possess ponies. If we don’t come up with an answer to that, we might as well head home.”
“Why don’t we? Head home that is.” Applejack looked around the room, gauging responses. “I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but from where I’m sitting this ain’t a fight we can win. He’s already got everything he wants here, except beating us. We head home, resupply and reinforce our troops, and face him better prepared.” She paused for a second, then continued in a quieter tone. “Besides it’s been a long six months and seeing my kin would do me a world of good. I bet most of your troops’d feel the same way.”
“We don’t have that kind of time.” Twilight’s frustration was writ plain on her face. “Our best chance is to strike before Sombra fully masters Hvergelmir, if he hasn’t already. Besides, Celestia’s here and I’ve got questions for her.”
“No, Applejack might be right,” Shining Armor said, his words trailing off thoughtfully.
“Shining Armor?” Luna prompted.
“A fighting retreat,” he suggested. “You get a message to Duke Fancypants and tell him to gather every solider he can and meet us on the way. We lure them south, to galloping gorge, say, and when our two armies unite we turn and destroy his forces. Then we can walk into the crystal spire and face him with the princess, the Archmage, and an army.”
“I’m not certain Equestria will remain stable if we remove all the soldiers. There’s been signs of serious unrest.” Rarity was concerned, but then, she’d been the one receiving most of the messages from contacts around Equestria.
Shining Armor shot a look at Luna. “Unrest can be dealt with later. Given the threat we’re facing, if we lose there won’t be any second chances.”
“There absolutely won’t be any second chances.” Twilight jumped in. “That’s why I don’t think leaving is a good idea. Send for reinforcements, absolutely, but we should stay near Hvergelmir where we can actually make a difference.”
“I would advise for heading back to Equestria,” Sim said. “As it is, we are outmatched by Sombra’s army, to say nothing of his own powers. In addition, if he is not completely free from his prison, it is possible his power to command minds will diminish with distance, though we would still need to be wary of his influence.”
“A valid concern. Tell me, Sunlit Rooms, how fast could the army be prepared to march?” Luna asked.
Though she jumped at being addressed so suddenly, Sunlit Rooms managed to respond promptly. “Yes Princess. To prepare all necessary companies and collect the supplies from our stores would require three days.”
“Two,” Twilight corrected. “We only need two days. I’ve made some improvements to our departure protocols. I still believe staying is the best course of action, but I will defer to your judgement, Luna. Mine has been faulty of late.” She grimaced, but the lure of planning allowed her to push on. “We still need some counter for Sombra’s mental control. It will do us no good to flee if half our army defects in the process.”
“Sombra went to a great deal of trouble to ensure that I, specifically, did not notice his control of the dragons or the griffons for as long as possible,” Luna said thoughtfully. “He tricked the dragons into imbibing his taint and we don’t know how he claimed the griffons. For us he made offers supplemented by that mental influence spell he favors. I don’t think he would have done that if he could simply claim most of my army directly.”
“The natural mental defenses of most living beings are nothing to sneeze at,” Twilight said, ever at home with magical esoterica. “As we saw from his earlier attempt on us, he obviously weaves influence spells into his offers, predisposing the victim to accept. He had to make the dragons eat his magic because without that I doubt he could even use magic to influence them. I doubt the dragons would have accepted his offers without those spells to sway their minds.”
“I suspect you are right about that,” Sim acknowledged.
Twilight nodded. “That still does leave the question of how we protect the troops from influence spells and keep them from making deals with him.”
“What if we told the truth?” Luna offered simply. “We let the soldiers know that our enemy seeks to gain dominion over them through poisoned gifts and trust them not to accept Sombra’s offer. His influence spell emanated from Pinkie so as long as we keep her contained he will hopefully be unable to use that. Finally, we know that I can see his magic in both dragons and griffons. I have not examined Pinkie with my true sight, but it stands to reason that I would be able to see his possession of her as well. In light of that, I can fly over the army every day to check for anypony that has proved weak to temptation.”
“That might prevent him from gaining a beachhead among our troops,” Shining Armor said slowly. “But, even if we find individuals as they are converted, we may find our army dwindling dangerously rapidly. Is there magic that could simply block him out or cure ponies that have been possessed?”
“A pony’s natural mental defenses are stronger than anything Luna or I could apply to the whole army, so I don’t think we could magically defend against voluntary possession. The measures Luna has proposed should be sufficient to prevent involuntary possession. As for curing an afflicted pony,” Twilight shook her head, “it’s a tricky problem. Given enough time I might be able to do something, but there is a serious risk of doing permanent mental damage. Plus, if the pony signed on willingly and Sombra kept his end of the bargain with that utopian illusion they might just sign right back up.”
“So we go with Luna’s plan, put our trust in the fortitude of Equestria’s soldiers.” Shining Armor laughed. “Well as their captain I can’t say they don’t deserve that trust.”
“I reckon we’ll be alright,” Applejack put in. “They’re good folks, they won’t let Equestria down.”
“So, if we have a plan,” Sunlit Rooms said hesitantly, “I should get started. There’s a lot to do if we want to leave in three – two days.”
“Indeed, I think this meeting has gone on long enough.” Luna stretched her wings and hooves, long since gone stiff from sitting for so long.
The others, as if just realizing how much time had passed, began to move as well and a little chorus of pops and cracks rang out as they worked the kinks out of tired joints and limbs. Through the window, the afternoon sun had faded toward evening and it was nigh on time for Luna to set the sun and raise the moon. Lights had come on inside the room at some point. Sconces cleverly hidden in the wall had rotated out and dispensed mage-light when the room grew too dim.
“Well, I think that was productive. We have our plan and our tasks. If there is nothing else, then this meeting is adjourned,” Luna said, standing up.
“Actually, Luna, I’d like a word with you and Rarity in private after the others have gone. I have a small thought that might give us an advantage.”
Luna barely suppressed a groan at the thought of more talking, but she knew that Twilight’s thoughts were always worth listening to. The others looked curiously at them for a moment before Luna dismissed them with a gesture.
“Very well, Twilight and Rarity please stay. For the rest, make haste. We leave for Equestria in two days’ time.”