Just then, a door at the opposite end of the library burst open, the doors clattering loudly against the walls to either side. There stood a midnight blue mare, eyes burning brilliant moonstone white.
“Celestia, you have gone too far” she said in a quietly understated voice that carried more menace than if she had simply shouted.
“Little sister” she sneered, “I wondered when you would turn up. Isn’t it appropriate we should meet where I defeated you last time you had ideas above your station?”
“Sister, I was drawn here by disturbances in the dream realm, disturbances such as I have never seen before, and never want to again. I beseech you to stop.”
“Beseech? Have you any idea how out of touch you sound?” Celestia goaded.
“This is not you talking, Sister. Please fight off this demon that has possessed you, before you and Equestria pay too high a price.”
“Hah! I beat you before and I will beat you again Luna. Keep your muzzle out of my business and get back to painting pretty patterns in the sky that nopony ever sees; this does not concern you.”
“Sister, I draw my power from the moon and the stars. It is true that my power is at its strongest when the moon is risen, as is yours when the sun is in the sky, but if you recall, it was the stars that undid your magic and aided my escape from imprisonment in the moon. Their power is eternal and I, as Mistress of the Night, draw my immortality from them. This is because they are always in the sky; night and day, even though you can’t see them.
No matter how strong the sun may be, you can only ever be in your element for one half of the day, so when the moon rises, you are at a disadvantage. I confess I did not know this is how you maintained your power, and it is abhorrent to me.”
Celestia twitched a little uneasily but still maintained her dominant stance.
“And what exactly do you intend to do about it, little sister?”
“Please Sister, see reason and give this up. I will not fight you.”
Twilight gasped. Those were the exact words she had heard Celestia say to Nightmare Moon just before their epic battle a thousand years ago that had led to her being imprisoned in the moon.
Celestia lowered her horn menacingly to face Luna.
“Sister, you are placing the Guardian in a dichotomy” reasoned Luna, “It cannot both provide you with immortality if at the same time you are using its power to injure any of the Element Bearers, especially the Element of Magic. You have seen how it has withdrawn its power from the Elements of Harmony, so that they cannot be used against you, and I will wager it has also denied you the power to attack the Element Bearers too, as the only sensible way to stop its own power being used against itself.
Stop and think Celestia; even if you can muster some power against me, you will be no match for my magic, and if you try to direct your power against the Element Bearers, then the Guardian will prevent you. You can only lose a combat against us Celestia, any of us.
I say to you once more, stop what you are doing and shake off this demon. Become my beloved Sister once again.”
“Be careful little sister; I ruled alone for a thousand years and Equestria did not fall. I suggest you choose your next words with care. You will not be able to draw on the power from your precious stars if you are locked underground and don’t ever see the sky again.”
“Do not suppose to threaten me, Sister” retorted Luna, visibly bristling. “Or any of those standing to defend Equestria from you. You are not yourself.”
“You have made the mistake of challenging me with the sun in the sky and at my command” said Celestia coolly, “Your disadvantage is too strong”
Luna strode forward assertively until she was placed firmly between her sister and the Element Bearers, clearly not prepared to give an inch.
“Take a look outside, Sister. You will see both sun and moon in the sky, the advantage you believe you have is not real.”
“You have tricked them into trying to defeat me?”
“No Sister, to help you.”
“I do not believe you” asserted Celestia coolly, sizing up her sister through her demonic red eyes, “I will not send you to the moon his time. I have a deeper purpose for you now.”
“Disrobe yourself of your magical vestments Celestia, before you do something you will regret.”
“Regret is for the weak” she replied contemptuously as the six friends looked at each other, fearful of what would happen next.
Celestia’s horn began to glow, but Luna was on her guard and anticipated it, projecting a stream of blue magic towards her sister. Celestia’s deadly beam of energy met hers and the two magics locked in combat once more as they had last done a thousand years ago. Luna held her ground, determined; not the demonic Nightmare Moon of then, but now the more calculating of the two.
Celestia’s anger was tinged with uncertainty and although she had fired off magic against Luna, it was out of rage rather than tactical planning. It had been a bad move and if there was any truth to what Luna had said, she would lose. In a flash, her face became a mask of uncertainty. Perhaps her sister had been right?
She fought, but could feel that the magic wasn’t there. Whether this was due to the doubt Luna had planted in her mind or whether it was in fact true, she suddenly realised she could not win. She looked at Luna and could see her tears glistening down her midnight blue muzzle in the reflection of the light from the magical energy. In a frightening moment of clarity, Celestia suddenly realised that although her sister had not wanted to turn on her, she would none the less continue until she, the Sun Princess was vanquished.
How had this got so far out of hoof?
Would Luna banish her to the moon or the sun?
She would find out as soon as she woke up. If she ever woke up again.
Celestia was thrown back in a blinding flash, her crown flying off and spinning to a stop some distance away from her motionless body.