Twilight's eyes opened in the dusk of her room. She wasn't certain what had woken her up.
Then she heard the sobbing, coming from Luna's room.
Twilight sighed. After the summoning demonstration at the Court the Princess had been sleeping much better. She'd slept through the night for several days straight. Yet now this... and for the third night in a row!
Twilight climbed out of bed, lit her horn, and crossed to the door which she had deliberately left ajar. Looking in, she saw Luna huddled under her covers, eyes tight shut and shivering. Trotting over to the bed Twilight carefully straightened out the blankets, and then climbed in and settled herself facing Luna.
Gently, she reached out to place a comforting hoof on the Princess's shoulder. Normally, just the contact alone would calm the Princess down, allowing her to relax enough to get back to a restful sleep. But not tonight.
SISTER! Luna suddenly bawled, practically in Twilight's face.
After a brief stunned moment, Twilight decided her head was still attached to the rest of her, and got down to serious thought.
She was really beginning to worry, and felt strongly that she should call in an expert. Yet the only one she could think of was Celestia, and for some reason Luna didn't seem to want to discuss this with her. Possibly it was because of the dream she'd been having. Twilight knew Luna's position on dreams: they were private and it was absolutely unacceptable for someone privy to a dream's content to reveal it without the dreamer's permission.
But where does that leave me? Twilight wondered. I don't even know what this dream is about!
She wanted to comfort Luna, wanted to hug her, sing her a lullaby, anything to relieve whatever suffering she was going through. But none of that would solve the real problem.
She frowned, a thought occurring to her. Maybe she couldn't walk anyone else's dreams without Luna's aid, but with Luna herself it might be different. Luna had led Twilight in the dreamwalking spell more than enough times for Twilight to be certain she could invoke it herself. Maybe all Twilight had to do was fire it up and hope that Luna's need for comfort would draw her in?
After all, Twilight thought, Luna trusts me to dreamwalk with her. She knows I've learned to treat what I see as sacrosanct. The worst Luna could do was kick Twilight back out of her dream. And then I go to Celestia! Twilight decided.
She nodded to herself. Okay... let's do this!
Shifting herself closer, Twilight leaned her forehead against Luna's, their horns just touching. She shut her eyes. Concentrating, she thought her way through the dreamwalking spell, making sure she had it right. She softly spoke the words to herself.
And then she triggered it.
The transition was as abrupt as usual. Twilight found herself standing in a dark, echoing chamber on a cold stone floor. High above, the Moon was visible through a rent in the ceiling, its cold light falling upon the floor. It picked out two figures, one standing in the shadows closer to Twilight but facing away from her, little more than a tall outline in the dark.
The other was a white, crumpled heap lying motionless on the hard floor.
"Princess Celestia!"
Twilight put a hoof to her mouth. She hadn't intended to speak, but her voice was already echoing from the distant walls. She rushed forward to throw herself on the body.
She recoiled instantly. It was ice-cold, lifeless and stiffening.
"Princess Luna..." Twilight whispered. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know this was what you were dreaming! I know I shouldn't be here, but I wanted to help..."
"Well, well, well!" The figure standing beside her said in a chilly, heartless tone. "So it has finally worked! Our bridge to freedom has arrived!"
"Uh... Princess Luna?" Twilight slowly looked up.
Into gleaming dragon eyes and bared fangs.
"Guess again, Acolyte!"
Twilight backed away in horror. "Nightmare Moon?"
"We are gratified thou remembers!" The night-dark shape pursued her, its horn glowing a vicious green-blue, its night-shod hooves ringing on the flagstones. "We were wondering how long it would take thee to attempt the spell, to bring thyself here... our dear friend, Twilight Sparkle!" She laughed cruelly. "Oh, Luna, dear friend Luna, we only wish to help thee! And so you have brought thyself here -- into our dream! In thy dream we could but hint and suggest! Here in ours we have thee at our will! We shall make of thee an instrument of that will! None will suspect sweet, innocent, bookish Twilight, until the day when you are very close to our dear sweet Sister..."
"NO!" Twilight screamed, the Canterlot Voice kicking in.
"Noooo?" Nightmare Moon echoed, in feigned surprise. She smirked. "But this is our dream! All shall be as we will it!"
"Think again!" Twilight lowered her horn and launched a spell. A storm of fireworks went off in Nightmare Moon's face.
"HA-HA-HA-HA! We really must teach thee to be more original, Acolyte!" Nightmare Moon's horn blazed, her levitation magic closed upon the frightened figure of Twilight Sparkle hunched before her.
And passed through it. It was an illusion.
"What!" Nightmare Moon's head swung up, and saw a distant lavender form disappearing into the shadows.
Wards, Twilight thought as she ran, summoning one of each kind to her rear. She felt a bolt of ice-cold energy sizzle the air inches from her tail, destroying the ice ward. She flung another up in its place. She felt a wash of heat as the flame ward took the brunt of a hit. The poison ward was next. She didn't have a lot of time. Soon enough Nightmare Moon would try an attack she couldn't ward against, or grab her in a levitation spell...
Door! Twilight thought to herself. I need to find the door. I need to leave this dream, and fast!
In the darkness of the hall she didn't realize how far she'd already run and she nearly brained herself against the main doors of the chamber. Frantically she shoved one open, threw herself through the gap, and bodily shoved it closed.
And found herself in the glowing, star-filled void.
That was easy, she thought. Way too easy!
Still, she knew she only had a few moments to act. Calming herself, she swiftly thought through the cancelling spell and then triggered it.
And found herself back in Luna's bed, her muzzle pressed against Luna's, her heart racing. She felt the Princess's soft breath on her face... it smelled like vanilla.
"Princess!" she whispered. "It's Twilight! I need you to wake up now! Wake up, Luna!"
The Princess's eyes snapped open, an inch away from Twilight's. Glowing dragon eyes.
"Guess again, Acolyte!"
Twilight flung herself backward, toppling heavily out of the bed.
Flinging away the covers, Nightmare Moon rose tall and proud. She leapt from the bed to land heavily on the floor, cracking the tiles. Shadows swirled around her, forming into the night-dark armor and helmet. Her horn blazed with power.
"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Freedom at last! We are restored to glory! And we thank thee, Twilight Sparkle, for creating the bridge that has brought us back from the dreamworld we have been imprisoned in! As a sign of our gratitude, we shall not destroy thee! We shall lift thee up to glory! All shall know the name of Twilight Sparkle, Acolyte of the Lunar Court, and Deliverer of Nightmare Moon!"
The bedroom's main doors crashed open, and the nightmares guarding it hurled themselves inside. Their glowing eyes stared up in shock, taking in the tall black alicorn that whirled to face them.
"Nacht!" Twilight called. "You've got to stop her! Princess Luna has become Nightmare Moon again!"
The nightmares took a few tentative steps forward. For a horrified moment, Twilight thought they were going to kneel in supplication. Then Nacht looked at Twilight and seemed to come to a decision. He barked an order at Skaad, who took to the air and launched straight at Nightmare Moon.
TREACHERY! She screamed. WE GAVE THEE LIFE!
Nacht turned and raced toward Twilight. He grabbed her up in his jaws and flung her bodily though the smaller door, into her room. Then he swung to join the fight.
Gasping, Twilight slammed on a levitation spell. It wasn't quite enough to slow her sufficiently, and she smacked roughly into Spike's small bed, spilling the dragon onto the floor.
"Gahh!" he shouted, struggling out of the blankets. "I'm up! I'm up! What's going on?"
"It's Luna!" Twilight gasped. "She's become Nightmare Moon again! We've got to get out of here!"
"Well w-w-what are we waiting for?" Spike said, trembling.
They both ran for the door leading to the hallway outside, squinting in the noonday sunlight that filled it as they ran down its length. As they passed the doors to Luna's bedroom they could hear massive thumps and crashes from within. A sizzling bolt of power cut the air over their heads.
Down the corridor Twilight saw a squad of white-coated Royal Guard come racing around the corner. And then a very welcome sight: Princess Celestia herself, very much alive and well, charging up the corridor and giving her own guards a run for their money.
"Princess!" Twilight called. "Look out! Luna..."
"We sensed it, Twilight!" she shouted. She raced past, calling over her shoulder: "You know what to do! Get to the landing pad! Gather the Elements!"
"But Princess..."
GO!
The echo of the Canterlot Voice rang up and down the corridor's length. Instantly, the sounds of battle in the bedchamber ceased.
SISTER?
Through the doorway Nightmare Moon stalked, eyelids slitted against the sunlight. Her eyes widened at the sight of Celestia.
"Dear Sister Mine!" Nightmare Moon said, with acid viciousness. "How kind of you to present yourself before us! Surrender! Kneel before us! We shall be merciful!"
"Luna!" Celestia called, "My sweet Luna! Please! Remember who you are! Fight this, Luna! I am here for you! I will not abandon you again!"
"Wasted breath, Sister! We are Nightmare Moon! We have been restored! And we shall never relinquish our power again! Never!"
"Then I will stop you! You will not escape me!"
The two alicorns stalked around each other, looking for an opening.
"Thou couldst never defeat us!" Nightmare Moon jeered. "Knowst thou why? Because thou never knew when to really start fighting!"
"And you when to quit!"
"Princess!" Twilight shouted, horrified.
Celestia didn't even look round.
WE GAVE THEE AN ORDER, TWILIGHT! GET OUT OF HERE!
She flung herself at Nightmare Moon, her horn blazing. Nightmare Moon responded in kind. The corridor was suddenly filled with a blast furnace of titanic energies, viciously charring the wall on the one side and completely shattering the tall windows on the other.
Twilight suddenly felt herself grabbed up by one of Celestia's guards and hustled away from the fight at top speed.
"Celestia! Luna!" Twilight screamed, as the battling Princesses slipped from view around a corner.
The guards quickly brought both her and Spike up to the landing pad. There they found the Royal Golden Chariot standing in readiness, its flyers already harnessed up. The guards quickly put Twilight and Spike aboard, and without waiting the flyers snapped out their wings and took off. In seconds, the Palace and Canterlot itself had fallen far behind, as the flyers winged their way downwards toward Ponyville through the brilliant afternoon sunlight.
There was a massive explosion, and Twilight looked back to see an entire upper wing of the Palace blown out in a cloud of dust and falling masonry.
And then the worst possible thing happened.
The Sun died.
It faded rapidly, from pale yellow to burnt orange, to ember red. The sky fell to pale dusk, a chill settling over Equestria. And then the Sun went out completely, becoming a black, dead disk hanging in a starless night sky.
"Celestia!" Twilight gasped, her eyes wide and filling with tears. She grabbed the Chariot's railing to keep herself from sliding helplessly to its deck.
"My lady!" Spike whispered, clinging terrified to Twilight's leg.
And the Moon rose ascendant, a cold, merciless orb glaring from the cold dome of the eternal Night.
The flyers maintained discipline, never slackening for an instant, yet Twilight was certain she saw them glancing at the sky every now and then as the Chariot plunged onward through the sudden night.
The Chariot arrived in Ponyville shortly thereafter, touching down in the Town Square near the Golden Oak Library. Twilight somehow found the will to get up and step down onto the hard-packed dirt. Spike numbly followed her.
"Spike," Twilight whispered, "Find Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow. Have them meet us here. Guards!" she called to the flyers. "Please go and find Applejack and Fluttershy. Bring them safely here!"
"Yes, ma'am!" the lead flyer replied, and the Chariot lifted off again.
As Spike darted away on his errand, Twilight turned to the Library. Barrelling through the door, she raced across to the glass-covered table holding the Element regalia. She threw open the cover so hard that it cracked crosswise. She grabbed up the Magic tiara and placed it on her head, then scooped the other Elements into a box and brought it with her to wait outside.
She stared worriedly at the distant outline of Canterlot, high on its mountain. So far there had been no sign of pursuit, but she couldn't expect Nightmare Moon to wait long in following her.
"Twilight!" It was Rarity, racing up the street from her Boutique. "What's happened? Spikey came running in, told me to meet you here and ran out!"
She looked at the box in Twilight's hands, the tiara on her head. And then saw the look in her eyes.
"Oh, no!" She put a hoof to her mouth, eyes wide. "No no no!"
Pinkie and Rainbow were next to arrive. And in a few moments the Chariot returned carrying Applejack and Fluttershy. Wordlessly, Twilight handed out the Element necklaces for them all to put on.
Only then did she trust herself to speak, in an emotionless, tightly controlled monotone.
"Celestia is dead. Luna has become Nightmare Moon. And we're the only thing that can stop her now."
She pushed past their stunned faces, and addressed the guards.
"Thank you all for your aid. However, this isn't a fight you can help with. We need you to clear the Square, evacuate everyone. Then spread out through the town, warn everyone to stay well clear of the Square so no one gets hurt!"
"Understood, ma'am! But call on us if you should need us. We'll be ready!"
She nodded, and the guards departed. Then she sent Spike -- protesting mightily -- to hide himself safely in the Library. Finally, she returned to the other ponies to wait.
They were not kept waiting long.
In a flash of lurid green light Nightmare Moon appeared, hovering majestically in the air above the Town Square.
"Raight, y'all!" Applejack yelled angrily. "Charge 'em up!"
The Elements glowed, the six ponies' bodies were limned with power, the forces they summoned threw out arcs of brilliant light linking them all together, and from the heart of the Element spell the spiral rainbow of Friendship Magic blasted toward Nightmare Moon, wreathing her in a maelstrom of redeeming light...
... which faded way, having absolutely no effect.
"Didst thou think we learned nothing in all this time?" Nightmare Moon cackled trimphantly. "These trinkets have no power over us now!"
"That was our best shot!" Rainbow gasped. "What do we do?"
Applejack exchanged a look with Twilight. "This door swings both ways, don't it?"
Twilight nodded. "The Shadow Elements, everyone! Quick!"
With less certainty but with the strength of desperation, they summoned the dark writhing streams of shadow energy, feeding them to Twilight, who shut her eyes, focused...
And made her most heartfelt wish come to life.
A blaze of sunlight filled the square, blinding in the gloom. From it Princess Celestia emerged, whole and unharmed, her eyes alight with glowing power, her horn lowering to take aim at Nightmare Moon.
"Princess Celestia!" Fluttershy cried, overjoyed. The other ponies likewise gasped in wonder and relief. The strength of their wish for the vision to be true redoubled the dark energy feeding into Twilight's spell.
Only Twilight's face remained cold and haggard, as she rapidly sought a next move.
Even Nightmare Moon was momentarily distracted by the realism of it. Her mouth opened wordlessly, her eyes stared. "Sister! You are..."
She realized the truth just as Twilight took advantage of her distraction, plus the extra power she had, to fling a materialization spell.
A razor-edged blade sang through the air, slicing off Nightmare Moon's horn at the roots. Just as a thousand pounds of heavy chain landed on her, bearing her bodily to the cobbles of the Square, crashing in a heap.
The ghostly image of Celestia faded away, into the shadows it truly was. Twilight couldn't help but gaze up at the proudly kind face of her beloved mentor one final time.
"Did we teach thee nothing, Acolyte?"
Twilight looked back just in time to see Nightmare Moon shrug off the chain as easily if it was cotton thread. She rose up, her horn flashing into wholeness once again.
"Never take thy eye off the enemy!"
Brilliant green fire flashed out. It caught Rainbow, who had just taken off to throw herself at Nightmare Moon, and blasted her across the Square to land in a charred heap.
Twilight tried to summon up wards to defend the others, and then a shield. But the Element link was broken, its power draining rapidly away. And she barely had any of her own power left to work with.
Fluttershy was next, immolated where she lay huddled and shivering on the cobbles. Then Applejack was crushed when the haywagon that she'd ducked behind for cover simply upended itself on top of her. Pinkie tried to pull one of her lighting exits, and was suddenly frozen in a block of ice. Which then shattered.
Rarity looked helplessly at Twilight. "Goodbye, dahling..."
Twilight shut her eyes. She couldn't shut her ears from the scream.
She waited her turn, hearing Nightmare Moon tread forward to stand next to her.
"No, dear Twilight!" The chill voice took on a silky tone. "We said we would not destroy thee. We have other plans for thee..."
Twilight opened her eyes, and saw Nightmare Moon gazing down at her intensely.
"We shall keep thee as a pet, for these long cold winter nights. A warm toy to give us compansionship and pleasure. Thou wouldst like that? Hmmm?"
Twilight felt the spell driving its hot, invasive warmth through her mind, so calming, so soothing, so appealing...
NO!
She swung a forehoof, slapped Nightmare Moon's muzzle. And she channeled the dark rage she felt into a counter-spell, reinforcing her sense of self-worth, as she turned and ran across the cobbles, expecting at any moment to be struck dead by Nightmare Moon's magic.
"Feisty!" Nightmare Moon called. "Never mind, we can be patient. We have all the time in the world! The Night is now Eternal!"
Twilight stopped, turned, and faced her alone, without the Elements and without hope. Yet she had one final card to play...
The Death card.
Shutting her eyes, she ran quickly through the Summoning spell, not bothering to invoke the containing runes. If this worked, she didn't care what happened to her. There was an eruption of whirling sepulchral fire. A massive form hovered in the darkness over the Square, cackling madly.
"Oh yes! YES! No wards! No barriers! Nothin' to stop me! Now we bring the pain!"
"Hello, Fred."
Fred's many eyes swung down, saw Twilight cowering far below him.
"Mistress?" he rumbled, surprised.
"I need your help, Fred. You can do what you like with me after, but I need you to help me stop... her!"
The demon pivoted slowly like a mountain on a turntable. He saw Nightmare Moon rising in the air to face him, chuckling coldly. "Hello again, Fred! Hast thou come back to play with us? To amuse us?
The massive demon cowered in fear. "Cor! It's her again! Sorry, Mistress, count me out!"
"Please, Fred!" Twilight sobbed. "I don't have the power to stop her! And there's no one else left I can call on!"
"Well, what do you expect me to do? She's the one that got me sent down to the bottom of the roster last time!"
Twilight gasped, helpless and forlorn.
Then she spoke, her voice suddenly level and calm. "What about that little trick you told me about?"
"What little trick?" Fred asked, his eyes trying to watch both her and Nightmare Moon at the same time.
"The one you told me about. The one you were certain would have finished her off but you didn't get the chance to try it last time. You said all it needed was a little extra power..."
She looked up at him through her tears. Her horn blazed. "Don't worry. I've got your back!"
"Seriously?"
She just looked at him.
He nodded, and shifted his many eyes to focus on Nightmare Moon. A hill-sized fist smacked into a cliff of palm.
RIGHT, LADY! He rumbled menacingly. YOU AND ME IS GONNA HAVE A WORD!
Nightmare Moon's eyes went wide. Then she lowered her horn to strike.
And fireworks went off in her face, momentarily blinding her.
They were followed by Fred, who fell on her in a blaze of fire and a whirlwind of claws and teeth.
Twilight watched tensely, never taking her eyes off Nightmare Moon in the roaring, crashing melee of fire and smoke. Every time the dark mare tried to focus, to aim, to fight back, Twilight used every firefly and materialization spell she knew to keep her distracted, off balance. And the disadvantage soon began to tell on her. The night-dark armor was stripped away. The starlit mane was shredded to fibers. Her horn was shattered by a massive swipe from Fred's claw. Still Nightmare Moon fought on, refusing to give in.
And then, just for a moment, the glowing eyes faded, becoming small and terrified. They swung to Twilight helplessly. And then they suddenly became stern and commanding.
"Strike, Twilight!" Luna cried. "Strike now!"
"But, Princess!"
STRIKE!
Sobbing, Twilight launched what little power she had left in a blast of freezing cold fire. It caught Luna, knocked her unconscious.
And a moment later Fred finished it.
Nothing was left but a heap of charred embers on the cobblestones. In the night sky overhead, the Moon blazed briefly, then went dark, leaving the sky totally empty and black.
There was silence in the Square.
Fred came to a sudden halt. He rose up in shock as if he couldn't believe it was all over. Then he swung to look at Twilight.
She sat forlornly on the cobbles, waiting her turn. There was a long, dangerous silence.
"Thank you for that, Mistress. It was a long time coming, believe you me."
Twilight nodded silently.
"Surprised to hear meself say it, I actually think I've had enough for one night!" The demon looked around, and up at the ink-black sky. "Wish I could do more for you, Mistress, I really do! Well... if you wouldn't mind," he said. "I think I'd like to be banished now!"
"But I can't!" Twilight said. "I didn't invoke the spell properly!"
"Sure ya can, Mistress!" Fred smiled down at her. "All you gotta do... is just say the word!"
She looked up at him, managing a weak smile. Then she spoke the banishing phrase. And was alone in the night-dark square.
Except for Spike, who stumbled out through the Library door and tottered over to her, scared and speechless.
And for Derpy, who trotted over from the storefront she'd been hiding in. "Hey, Twilight!" She sat down next to Twilight and put a companionable hoof around her.
After a few moments, Twilight sighed.
"I can't stay, Derpy," she whispered. "This... this is all my fault. There's no way I can explain that to anyone here. Would you... would you at least tell them all what happened? They deserve to know the truth."
Derpy looked at her, and then nodded. "Yep. I will. Write to me?"
"Huh?"
"From wherever you go," Derpy said. "Just so I know you got there okay. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone! If the letter's addressed to me, I don't have to share it with anypony!"
Twilight hugged her. "I will, I promise!"
Derpy hugged her back happily. Then she looked up, past Twilight. "Oooo, look! Bats!"
Twilight looked up. And saw what looked like the entire army of nightmares descending on the Square.
"Oh no..."