//------------------------------// // Trading Blows // Story: Homecoming // by seeker9709 //------------------------------// Millions upon millions of sparks joined together in a tidal wave of pure energy. The bubbling stone shattered, hundreds of pounds rock and mineral disintegrated in a fraction of a second, as a bore of energy surged hundreds of feet into the sky. One simple spark of ignition, and magic that could fuel an entire city for a month exploded in a second. Twilight watched as the ponies who had been lunging for her with hoof, sword, and magic alike were thrown back in an instant. Even she was blinded momentarily, the veritable nuclear force of fire, sound, and power leaving a rainbow of spots dancing in her vision. The very city seemed to groan and flex beneath her, more and more stone bending and cracking. Her magic kept her anchored in place, but magically reinforced hooves wouldn't mean anything if the already fractured ground gave out. The crushing weight of the power she wielded was almost suffocating, as a bore of pure magic 15 feet across opened in front of her, as raw, burning energy spewed forth. The warmth of her healing ribs burned like a hearth, as bones were instantly sealed by magic, but power continued to radiate throughout her body. Her hair stood on end and her cutie mark even began to glow as her magic began to surge out of control. Panic and fear was palpable in the air as dozens upon dozens of ponies were rocked by the tsunami of force. The lucky ponies on the ground tumbled, rolled, and crashed into one another. Others were sent flying into the battlements, instantly knocked unconscious or sent careening into a multitude of directions. Screams of terror were accentuated with the crashing of metal and cracking of bones. One unicorn struck the stairs with such force his momentum launched him higher into the air. Twilight watched as he tumbled and fell up the long staircase, before being launched through the palace gate and out of sight. Some fliers had managed to stop or pull back in time thanks to Shining Armor’s frantic warning, and were merely buffeted through the open air. It was not gentle, some were sent tumbling through the air, but Pegasi were no strangers to storms. Despite some minor burns for those too close to the source, several would recover within seconds, half a minute at the very worst. Those who did not slow in time seemed to crumple as the energy struck their bodies. Limp bodies careening in every direction, the pegasi and thestrals were sent scattering into the wind. One was launched straight up, hundreds of feet as even his tertiary feathers were blasted of the now bad appendages. The Thestrals were treated to a far harsher rush, they being gentler fliers. Some had wings dislocated with harsh snaps of tendons and cartilage, while others slammed into the stony walls of the castle, a few held in place by the wave of force caused by the explosion. Twilight failed to suppress a wince as she saw a thestral's neck snap backwards so quickly, she was certain it had been broken. As the unfortunate pony tumbled towards the edge of Canterlot, Twilight sent a beam of magic through air. It twirled like a bolo, wrapping around the stallions body, and latching onto the edge of the city and dangling him high above the forest below. She didn't even know if he was alive, but he deserved more than to just fall into the forest and be crushed by several tons of stone. She turned her attention back to the torrent of energy she had created. She crouched down, focusing her magic as tightly as she could in an attempt to slow the surge. The rushing, burning sensation before her was mirrored inside her small body. Her insides seemed to twist as she attempted to control the magic which threatened to tear the courtyard apart. It was all she could do to stay rooted and keep the opening from spreading across the entire courtyard. A groan was squeezed from her lips as her horn ignited in an attempt to cut off the magical flow. She couldn’t even take a step for fear she would be sent flying away just as the others had. ‘No, please stop!’ She could barely even think the words, as the burning in her chest spread across her entire body. She could physically feel her internal temperature rising, and the strain on her legs grew heavier with each passing second. Her knees shook as the pressure threatened to crush her to the ground. Only the enchantment on her hooves ensured she could stay grounded, but as the stone began to crack beneath her, she wasn’t sure even that would save her. Steam began to drift off of her body, as beads of sweat were instantly consumed by the furnace of heat that surrounded her. The loosely cauterized cut through her damaged ear felt as if it would tear open again, and tears streamed through barely opened eyes. ‘I’m losing control!’ The rift before her began to widen, consuming more and more of the courtyard and opening to eventually swallow the hundreds of ponies outside, and maybe even the castle. 'I can’t turn it off. Stop damn you! She tried exerting force over the point of exit, but like cramming her hooves over a spigot, beams of power shot off in different directions. One struck the side of the mountain, melting a hole straight through the peak, while another blasted off the top of Celestia’s personal chambers. Through the rush of sounds, she could begin to hear screams and cries of alarm as the widening flow of magic spread closer and closer to those on the ground. Some attempted to rise and retreat, only to be flung brutally into their comrades and and join the scattered rubble that was swept back. She could just barely see Shining Armor surrounding himself, Cadence, and a few others in a small bubble, but it flickered where it stood. Two guards tried to help him stand, but his legs were limp from where Twilight’s daggers has cut. There was desperation in his eyes, that much she could see. He looked afraid. He looked like a pony who knew he was about to die. Twilight grit here teeth so hard she thought they might shatter. ‘I only wanted to use this if Celestia was here, but I need a conduit.’ She tried to unfurl the flaps of her saddlebag, but it was like trying to thread a needle with her tail. She could barely manage to undo one of the clasps to reveal a large oval object wrapped in a fine black drawstring bag. The top of the object barely peaked out from the magically expanded pocket. Before she could even attempt to remove the object, she saw another surge of light from the corner of her eye. Her head whipped around to see yet another geyser like the one before her. Her heart sank, this one was so bright it was visible clearly through the flaming pillar before her. At first she thought another bore had opened in the city, this one directly in the center of the castle, but something was different. This wasn’t the same furious energy as was in front of her. Instead, it was… radiant. A brilliant gold, pure and soft. She felt the burning pressure around her diminish, as a strange warmth filled the air. Twilight felt the tug of her magic lessen as she was caught up the enrapturing sight. She could see others starting to turn to look along with her. Resplendent magic furled high into the air, coalescing into a shining orb a hundred feet above Celestia's ruined tower. Warmth filled Twilight as the gazed upon the light, replacing the turmoil that had only moments ago seized her. Light refracted off of the orb as if it was liquid... 'No,' Twilight realized, 'It is liquid. Liquid magic!' The golden orb grew larger, as auric magic streamed upwards like a reverse waterfall. From the tower came six beams of light, red, blue, orange, green, purple and pink. One after another, which ethereally flowed through the air like loose bundles of cord and began to orbit the pool of mana. Brilliant, glistening rings spinning and twirling into a six-pointed diamond around the glistening sphere. Twilight couldn't help but look on in wonder. She had never seen something like this, and the radiating warmth seemed to fill her heart and soul with a feeling she couldn't quite place. Her mind was called back to when she was a filly, she had sat with Celestia one morning as the elder Alicorn raised the sun. The same resplendent feeling that had filled her heart now gently caressed her panicked and fevered mind. That same wonderous euphoria feeling flowed through her again, almost enough to cause her to gasp. A commotion broke out amongst the guards as the magical storm slowed, and the divine light strengthened. Their chest plates began glowing, the Day Guard’s star-shaped aquamarine gems began shining with a teal glow, while the Lunar Guard’s tanzanite shone with an almost silvery-blue hue. Even Shining armor seemed surprised, his purple gem casting a ghostly magenta. A soft hum began to fill the air, calling Twilight back to the present. The rings were tightening spinning, gyrating around that golden orb of light. Something was happening, the magical energy was rapidly growing, and Twilight realized suddenly who’s power that was. Desperately she tried to avert her eyes from the light, but it was as if she was moving in a dream. She just couldn't tear her gaze away. She gingerly lifted a hoof, not even realizing she was no longer magically anchored to the ground, and slowly reached back to try and remove the object from her pack. The limb uselessly dragged at the bag’s edge, as her enraptured mind couldn't focus on anything but the sight before her. From that same tower came another brilliant light. Soft and warm, the light rose into the sky as a pony took flight, soaring high above the incandescent magic. Twilight couldn't even make their ponies features, but they were bathed in glorious light just as sublime as the ethereal magic that gathered into the night sky. Unable to react, she watched as the gyrating rings of light collapsed into one another, forming a band around the now perfectly symmetrical orb. It was then, a lone voice called out. “She’s here, it’s the Princess!” ‘No...’ More voices joined in the clamor, from heartfelt cries of relief, to whoops and cheers. The clanking of metal could be heard as ponies rose to their feet, cheering louder and louder as their Princess joined them amidst the broken battlefield. Celestia flew high, higher above the swell of magic, almost reaching the hazy dome of Twilight’s spell-craft. Celestia’s eyes were closed as if she were deep in thought, her expression strangely neutral as shimmering sparks seemed to rain down from the tips of her wings. Glowing with all the beauty of her heavenly element, Celestia’s wings furled around her body, exposing only her horn and face as brilliant white power focused directly on tip of the appendage. No Barely able to focus, Twilight reached out with her magic, grabbing one of her blades in a desperate grasp. Gritting her teeth, she pulled with her magic and the knife sliced through the air along her side. The pocket exploded, and the collapsing expansion-spell sent dozen of items flying across the demolished plaza. The largest of which fell mere meters away. An oval object lay on one side, idly shifting and rolling on the uneven ground. It was medium sized, eight inches tall and still held in the simple black bag. Twilight desperately tried to grab it in her magic, but her grip was too slippery and un-controlled to move it properly. It was a firm object, but she couldn't risk crushing it with her magic flaring out of control. Slowly the stone began to slide towards her, nudged forth by magic that just barely managed a grasp, but Twilight knew she was too late. Hundreds of feet in the air, surrounded by a symphony of color, Celestia’s horn shone like the noon-day sun. The Alicorn tilted her horn down, as magic poured out in a torrent and struck the radiant circle. The orb of magic, too pure to even be called golden, who’s brilliance surpassed that of even the purest of diamonds, compressed in on it self for a fraction of a second before expanding in fiery brilliance like the dawning Celestia’s sun. The ring burst outwards, reflecting with the beauty of a thousand rainbows, as it expanded all across Canterlot. Every pony it passed over felt their breath catch in their chest’s, even Twilight, as they felt a magical grip encompass them for a brief moment. As the light passed over the guards, a soothing feeling filled them to their core. As if they felt the warm embrace by a loving mother, gentle hooves promising to whisk them away somewhere safe. They forgot their fears, bruises, and cuts as a wave of pure harmony washed over them. Several laughed as the radiance passed through them, leaving them feeling washed and renewed. Twilight, on the other hoof, was buffeted back and sent sprawling on her hind end. The bag was released from her loose magical grasp and rolled several feet passed her. She reached out desperately with one hoof to catch it, but failed to catch the egg, missing it by inches. Trying desperately to right herself, Twilight held back the bile in her throat as her head ached and world spun for a moment. Her horn throbbed and pulsed, almost like a second heartbeat. She reached up to cradle the appendage, but pulled away at the sound of hissing. Her horn was hot to the touch, singing her fur as her hoof came into contact. An effect Twilight had never experienced nor even heard of, but she hadn't the time to consider what it meant. The sharp pains in her chest had returned, but they felt muted compared to several minutes ago. The bones had knit back together, but the lingering ache remained. With some effort she found unbroken footing and lifted her torso but was unable to fully stand. Her back right leg felt sluggish and she couldn’t rouse the muscles to bare her weight. As she finally lifted her head, only then could she register the silence around her. The millions upon millions of sparks, geysers of power that filled the city and flowed beneath it’s stone, stood scattered and frozen in mid-air as the wave of power flowed across the city. Individual motes of light floated idly in the air like snowflakes, gently pulsing with their soft glow. The air was still, the magical sparks hovering and softly winking all around her and across the city. A golden glow surrounded Canterlot for a full mile, with a brilliant golden ring slowly gyrating around the whole of the city and mountain. To a far off viewer it would almost appear as if the city had been placed in a giant snow-globe, as magical sparks hung and pulsed amidst the stillness within. There was no breeze rustling through the streets, no roar of energy, not even the faintest sparkle or hum of magic. Twilight was painfully aware of her gasping breaths and the faint gurgle in her throat that clawed it’s way out with every movement. As her eyes swept across the cityscape behind she was empty streets and houses lit up by the soft golden light. Tenderly, like a gentle whisper, a realization crossed Twilight's mind. 'Empty...streets?' The thought registered after a moment. Potent as her spell-craft may have been, it was meant to ensure that sleeping ponies would remain asleep through the magical-harvesting process. Once their magic was drained to the spell’s cut-off point, they would be placed in a soft-coma till it was fully deactivated. Unfortunately, some had awoken during Twilight and Luna’s battle, no doubt light-sleepers or ponies burning the midnight oil, who were unfortunate enough to be awake once the process began. The degree of power within the spell’s effect ensured that the average pony would not remain awake for long, but the jarring process would surely be remembered and felt for days afterwards. And yet, Twilight now gazed upon bare roads. Her spell had been completely halted, but the magical sparks hadn’t dissipated. Why… The magic should have gone somewhere. Anywhere. The most logical conclusion was it would dissipate and scatter into the atmosphere, but Twilight ensured that the magic would flow in a sort of closed-loop. It would return to it’s origin point, or merely be guided back into the magically-reinforced fissures she had carved. So why had nothing happened? “They are safe now, Twilight.” A voice called, as Twilight flinched at the sudden sound. The voice seemed to come from everywhere, all around Twilight. It was not harsh, nor was it angry, but firm and almost held a touch of sadness. The sound of a heavy wings called her attention back to the castle, the effort of turning causing her head to swim as she fell onto her haunches in a half sitting-half lying down position. She couldn’t quite tell of she was seeing spots, or it was the glowing sparks in the air, but the Alicorn appeared to sparkle and glow as she descended gently towards the shattered grounds. Her enormous plumage of white wings fully extended as she landed with a soft clink of her golden shoes. "I will not let you hurt my little ponies anymore." As Twilight beheld the Elder Alicorn Princess she understood, in part, what it must have been like for Luna just before she had been restrained. Celestia's radiant plumage and coat gleamed in the light of magic, but her regalia shown like a lighthouse in the dead of night. Twilight brought a hoof to cover her eyes. She was barely able to see the alicorn past her blinding light. The large plate-like necklace the alicorn wore glowed like it had been pulled from a forge, seeming to flow across her shoulders in a liquid state rather than simply resting on her neck. What's more, it seemed to have grown larger. The metal had spread across her entire chest, climbing halfway up her neck. The metal had seemed to unfold from itself. The normally smooth ring was now segmented and layered like scaled armor. Instead of arrow-head shaped plates, the metal flared outwards with golden feathers that decorated her shoulder blades, and seemed to fold protectively over the pinion feathers of her wings. The amethyst gem in the center seemed larger, now with a dazzling rainbow of color shining through. Twilight barely resisted the urge to lean in closer for a better look at what she saw. The lights weren't merely shining or dancing, they flowed within the gem. Moving and intertwining in a way she didn't understand. A perfect dance, as the magic ebbed and swirled within. She stood at the front of her guards, some still rising to their hooves with renewed strength, or perhaps even reverence, at the appearance of their elder Diarch. Twilight's attention was caught as she studied the group. The collecting of ponies seemed smaller, somehow. Several dozen ponies had been knocked unconscious by the battle and resulting explosion, but every pony she could see was standing, or at least conscious. The number seemed wrong though, as if she was looking a two-thirds, or even half the number she had seen only a few moments ago. "They have been taken away from here." Celestia's voice rang out as if reading the unicorn's mind. Lavender eyes locked with Twilight's, the alicorn's unyielding gaze scrutinizing the smaller mare. “Everypony in this city has been taken somewhere you cannot find them, and there they will stay until this matter is been resolved.” Her voice was as still as her body. The alicorn hadn't taken a single step since she arrived, still standing firmly between Twilight and the still battered guards. The unicorn shifted in place, trying to rise to her hooves, but her now wounded back leg slid out from under her with a sharp twinge of pain. Pain severed the lock Celestia had on her gaze, as Twilight realized the wound she had inflicted on herself. The uncontrolled blade cut so deeply through the straps on her pack, she had inflicted the same wound Luna had given on her opposite flank. The cut was thin but easily a quarter, if not half an inch deep. The dripping blood was concerning, but the stream was slow and it proved no major arteries had been nicked. Adrenaline was slowly giving way to radiating pain, but she wouldn't bleed out. Not for little while at least. A hum of magic called Twilight's attention forward. Golden magic encircled Celestia's horn and Twilight was struck with a gust of wind, nearly sending her tumbling head-over-heel. Dust and small debris cleared around her in a hundred foot radius, but Twilight recovered from the shock, ducking low, only sliding several feet back. She was slowly pushed against a large chunk of shattered stone. She wrapped a hoof around it, averting her eyes to avoid being blinded by particulate which stung at her face and neck. Just as suddenly as it had started, the gust stopped. Twilight cracked an eye open to see Celestia still standing a ways away. Dust-devils scattered and mingled in the air with the solemnly hanging lights, and but the alicorn had taken her eyes off Twilight for the first time since appearing. She stared into the air with narrowed eyes, and Twilight followed her gaze. Ethereal golden light floated through the air, hard to see against the backdrop of magic already dominating the sky, but it seemed drawn into the already existing motes of magic. There gazes met again as they came to the same conclusion. 'The spell is still active.' Twilight did her best to keep the surprise off her face. With the mechanism interrupted, she didn't even understand how magic was still being drawn. It clearly wasn't attacking the source, Celestia's body, but ambient magic was being drawn in. She could feel in the back of her mind that it was still active, but something had interrupted it's processes. Tentatively she reached out with her own power, trying to touch the spell. As magic tried to flow from her horn, sparks shot from the tip in a flurry of colors as a wave of nausea came over her yet again. "Bad idea..." She croaked. Her head swam for a moment, now accompanied by a high, barely audible ringing. Twilight inched backwards, still leaning on the rock for support. Anything to keep as much pressure off her right side as she could. 'Hopefully that will give Celestia some pause.' If the Alicorn rushed her now, there would be no hope. Celestia was anything but hasty though, which meant she had at least a few seconds to come up with a plan. Risking a glance behind her, Twilight spotted the draw-string bag a little more than ten feet away. It was nestled between several chunks of rock. 'There you are.' Relief swept through her. The object appeared to be in tact. From this distance at least. Without thinking, she reached for the bag telekinetically. Instantly a sharp pain drove itself between her eyes like a dagger. Her head whipped back like a hammer blow as even more sparks shot from her horn. As they collided with the stone, small bursts of elemental magic fizzled and crackled across the ground. Flames danced across the ground in front of where Twilight had stood, a burst of rapidly growing crystals spread across an abandoned great shield a few feet away, and several sparks coalesced into a snowball that landed only a few paces from Celestia. Twilight felt the pulsing in her horn grow stronger, causing her to fall backwards. As she rolled across the ground the ringing in her ears grew louder and the air seemed to shake around her. Her entire forehead suddenly began to ache as she tried to cradle her head, groaning under the building pressure in her cranium. 'Something's wrong. I have to move, now!' She heard the shifting of armor as she turned away from the front of the castle, solely focusing on the bag just a few feet away. With one hoof she reached out, pulling and dragging herself across the broken ground. Through the ringing and humming the sounds of hoof-steps echoed behind her. Not the pounding of armor, but a gentle clinking. Slow, cautious, but even. The fine tinkle of golden shoes. "No, no, please no." She muttered, as she tried to locate the bag again. Too many spots danced in her vision to clearly see, but she knew it was close. The idea of the approaching alicorn terrified her, and she kicked out and pulled desperately. 'Why? Why isn't it reactivating?' Twilight's thoughts were as desperate as her movements. 'The spell should re-power itself to maintain the flow of energy.' She felt a shadow fall over her and couldn't help but turn to see what, or who, it was. 'What is taking so long?' Over a mile away, down empty streets and across the villas of Canterlot, passed stores and shops locked up tight, for almost no-pony was there to see them. Far down, at the southernmost point of the mountain, a mare lie under the pale moonlight. Her chest rose and fell with soft, gentle breaths, but nary a muscle twitched or a hair of her mane moved. Nothing within her would rouse, nor did she will it to, allowing silence instead to consume her. 'Where am I?' A feeling, barely a though, flickered in her mind. In the stunning quiet around it, it was almost loud. Her thoughts were empty, but a serene feeling began to flow through her. She felt dust tickle her nose, and through closed eyes she saw shadows cross her. 'Light. There is light.' Her ethereal mane was still, but felt something touch it. No, something was taken off of it. Something brushed across one of her wings, and something large was lifted off her rear legs. Was she buried? No, she was under her night sky. Under the glow of her moon. She could feel it's coolness touching her with the gentleness of a butterfly's wings. Cool and calm, a delicate feeling kissed her wilted body, her pores drinking in the soft magic. She willed her mind to action for just a brief moment. To understand what had just happened. She had been trapped, yes? Hopelessly trapped. Locked into a battle against herself. Her own magic used against her. She remembered a unicorn, solemn at first, then angry, then sad. She had also been sad, then angry as well. She had been inside... a building? A prison? She couldn't recall, but her moon hadn't been able to touch here there. Not like now. Something began to shake her. Dreamily, one eye lolled open, just enough to gaze upon her moon through bleary vision. High in the sky, Luna's beautiful moon shone down on her numb and still form. Steam seemed to rise from her body, but Luna felt the cool sensation of the moon's touch caressing and easing her mind. A memory stirred in her mind. Anger. Anger and determination had filled her. A glowing wall surrounding her, a glyph of power slowly deteriorating, runes etched across cracked walls that began to fade and flicker as they died. A scream echoed in her mind. Not one of pain or fear, but determination. Her voice, her scream. Had she been fighting? Her gaze was suddenly forced away, her head swiveling despite her exhaustion. She saw a pony staring at her. Two ponies. Their lips moved, but no sound reached Luna. The one holding her head was the color the noon-day sky and surrounded by a rainbow, the other was grey and wrapped in gold, while their shadow stood far behind. They hurt her eyes to look at, and she lazily turned her gaze up to her divine element again. Beautiful and true, her moon's glow wrapped her in sweet rapture. Slowly her gaze was pulled away as her head fell downwards and she felt her cheek rest against the ground. There was a building she could see, a once large building, now shattered and broken. Bits of strewn metal marked the path from it to her, the entire wall having been torn asunder. The roof had partially collapsed, but a soft glow emanated from inside. Pale blue, with a magenta core. Something hung in the air, drumming with life and magic. She could barely make it out, but she recalled the sensation of her horn crashing into something. Yes! She remembered the barrier walls faltering. They had begun to flicker and fail, as golden light had poured through the gaps in broken plaster and sheet metal. A beautiful feeling filled her, sweet and harmonious. It gave her courage and strength. She had driven her horn through the barrier that surrounded her, and shattered it like glass. Then she'd felt open air, cast into the arms of her night sky. The sweet numbness that covered her entire body was the greatest joy she could have asked for. 'I can rest... for just a moment. Just a few...' A shadow flickered over her again, as the rainbow in the sky ran towards the building, and disappearing out of sight. Grey and gold knelt beside her as her eyes flickered to a close. She saw the soft glow again in the distance. The pale cerulean glow faded and evaporated into the sky. A shiver seemed to pass through the glyph which echoed in the air. It pulsed again and again like a dying heartbeat till only magenta remained. 'Only the magenta?' The thought pricked at Luna. For a moment, she began to raise her head until something else touched her mind. Something stronger, yet serene. A beautiful voice that filled her, making her feel as if she slept on the softest cloud in the sky. "Come now, Princess, this is no time to fight. The stars are so bright, and your moon so pure. It would be a shame to leave them, wouldn't it? Sleep. Just a little longer, won't you?" Beautiful words that caressed her mind like the light of the moon. Peace filled her, clouding her mind as the prickling thought vanished. The shadow stroked her mane gently, and she felt as if her cares and worries were brushed away with each passing hoof. Her lips widened in a gentle smile as she closed her eyes. Only the darkness and her moon remained. That, and the voice of the shadow bidding her to sleep. "There there, Princess. Rest now, and play in your dreams. My dreams are comin true tonight. Soon, we'll be able to play in them together. Forever. It will be such fun Princess, and when that day comes the fun will never, ever, end." As Luna slept, the shadow departed, followed quickly by his pony, as magic slowly stirred beneath the city and within the mountain. As the primary magic source was found again. As a low humming began to emanate in the air around the magical symbol. Light and power stirred, a single shrill-note began to fill the air, and a magenta glow filled what was left of the warehouse once more.