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// Chapter 2: Blood Pact 
// Story: Power Of Truth 
// by Onyourleft 
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The Day Of The Comet


To say that Princess Twilight was in a state of distress would in fact be the understatement of the century. The Princess of Friendship in her storm of worry had most likely worn a channel into the crystal ground upon which she was pacing. Even after hours of nervous muttering and cold sweat, she would not stop. Her apprentices had attempted to calm her down, but their attempts had been fruitless. Even her best friends had stopped by, the result was no different.

Twilight's mind was controlled chaotically by her fear and guilt. She had never crossed Celestia like this before. Her mentor, Princess, and mother figure, had always been there for her. How could she do this to her? Even if Celestia had not given a direct order (which she rarely ever did), Twilight should have respected her wishes. But, something was different. This time, Twilight could not turn away, or let it go. She was like a fish, stuck upon a hook of truth. Once she had latched onto the truth, she could not let it go, it just was not her. She had to do this.

Again, the questions and anxiety kicked in, sending her resolve and logic to the depths of her mind. She continued her pacing, not reacting in the least to the three mares in her doorway. All of Twilight's agitations all lead to the question: What would happen after?. This single terror haunted her intelligent mind, locking it down, and preventing her from doing anything productive.

Meanwhile, Starlight, Trixie, and Sunset stood by in quiet concern. They all had tried their best to cheer up their immensely depressed mentor, but nothing, not even Sunset's return, had lifted the weight. For the past week, whenever Twilight had not been pacing, she had been laying out a complex and remarkable plan of how to keep Celestia away from the vault, should she arrive. This single distraction was in fact not a distraction at all, it was a reminder.

All of Twilight's friends had attempted to coerce her out of her castle, but had failed in full. The only option left was to wait for the inevitable. The mane six, excluding Twilight, had all left to prepare for the comet. They all hoped to witness the monumental event, and to watch the comet as it would soar above. Twilight had lost such desires. All that mattered was that she found out the truth.

Starlight sighed and turned away from the pitiful scene. She and the girls loved Twilight more than anything, so it hurt to see her in such distress. However, Starlight was not one to stand by and watch things fall apart. She nudged her two companions with her magic, and motioned for them to follow her out of the room.
“We need to talk.” Starlight's voice was low and lined with concern. “I doubt that anything truly horrible will come out of this event, but we need to be prepared just in case.” As she spoke, Starlight led the small group into their private section of the castle. This was most likely the only place where she felt truly safe talking in private. Their private wing was a recent addition. It had been constructed right after Starlight had been accepted as Twilight's student, and by god it was magnificent.

The wing itself was shaped like a large bowl. It had a skylight dome ceiling that was made of glistening glass panels, enchanted to pour out rays of sunlight. The floor in contrast to the normal crystal of Twilight's castle, was instead constructed of opaque wood, that tended to remind one princess of a certain home. The enormous room was divided into four sections. The first was a beautiful library, filled to the brim with all sorts of books on magic. The second section was an enchanted training arena. This area was littered with dummies and targets, magical enhanced, so they could survive the onslaught that seemed to constantly assault them. 

The third room, which could only be described as a laboratory, was stock full of rare ingredients and expensive lab equipment, all glistening in the artificial sunlight. The final sector contained a simple bedroom, with three beds and matching wardrobes inside. Each bed was engraved with a cutie mark that would match with its own wardrobe. 

The overall artistry and design of the wing was nothing short of breathtaking. Rarity had truly outdone herself on this one. Each individual room or sector had a retractable roof, as to allow the magical sunlight (or moonlight) to shine upon any area when necessary. The wing was perfect.

Starlight settled down at a library table, and waited patiently for her friends to get comfortable. She did not wish to be interrupted. Especially when the topic at hand was so sensitive. Starlight had already made some incredibly radical decisions in regards to how she felt about Twilight Sparkle, and she was hoping that her fellow past villains had reached the same conclusions. Trixie and Sunset discarded their signature mage cloaks, tossing them onto one of the many vacant tables. Starlight considered removing her own cloak, but she threw that thought out the window, she would hopefully need its contents later.

Sunset, who was more socially aware than Trixie, read Starlight's face like a book. Whatever the topic of today's discussion was, it was indeed serious. 
“So, you wanted to talk in private. Here we are.” Sunset chimed, slight suspicion sneaking its way into her tone. “And this better not be about the essay due tomorrow, because I will not let you copy me again.” Starlight opened her mouth to retort, but decided better of it.
“As unfortunate as that situation was, it is not the topic of today……… What we need to talk about is the emergency plan. Or in other words, what we will do if Celestia retaliates.” The lilac mare purposefully paused for dramatic effect. She then observed the adjacent mares, as they reacted.

Sunset seemed to lose her previous smile, and had her eyes clouded with deep thought. Trixie fidgeted in her seat, but to Starlights surprise, gained a look of determination, before stating,
“I do believe this situation needs to be addressed. I will not allow any harm to befall Twilight. She is acting in the right, and even if she wasn't, she does not deserve any form of suffering.” Her eyes had an iron gleam, and Trixies lack of using the third person left Starlight and Sunset gaping. Never before had either of them heard her talk without it.

Sunset recovered first, and brought her jaw back into its rightful place. She then addressed Trixie, her interest piqued by the blue mares speech.
“Trixie, I don’t mean to pry, but I have never heard you talk outside of the third person before. I thought it was some sort of condition? And since it isn't, why have you always talked that way? And why have you stopped now?” Sunset tilted her head in a cute and curious manner, mirroring Starlights foalish appearance of confusion. Trixie sighed and seemed to lower herself in her seat.

“I stopped talking in the third person, because I no longer need to.” Her eyes blinked back tears. “I apologize in advance. This topic is not light.” Trixie released another sigh, but this time her entire aura seemed to reflect the action. “My family always told me I was worthless and would never amount to anything. So I started to tell myself that I was great, because no one else would.” The hot tears were now flowing free and deathly silent out of her eyes as Trixie opened up the heavy gate to her heart. 

Never before had either of the mares seen such emotion from Trixie. She had always held up such a convincing mask, that even her own friends had been fooled. None of Trixies friends save for Twilight, had known about her past. It was her closely guarded secret. Trixie had put her past in a vault, locked the door, and threw out the key. Then she threw the vault in the ocean and proceeded to barricade the shore. No pony was meant to know.

The mares sat in reverent silence, allowing Trixie to get a hold of herself. Though Starlight and Sunset had countless questions, including: Why reveal this now?, they held them back in respect. Their friend deserved time, and they would provide it. Starlight raised her hoof and placed it on Trixies shoulder, and Sunset reflected the action. Her friends' loving support flowed into her, and Trixie raised her head high, ready to speak.

She gave a genuine smile before sitting up straight and clearing her throat.
“I kept using my name all the time because no one else seemed to use it. I was an unwanted nobody, and I feared that I would remain that way forever……… That was until I met Twilight Sparkle. She asked me the same question that everypony asks, and in a tired fit of emotion, I told her everything…….. It was not Twilight's hugs or my ability to tell somepony the truth that freed me. It was what she said after………. She said, ‘Trixie, I am sorry that you have felt that way. But you don't need to fight and claim to be great and powerful, because you already are……. You are a strong and beautiful mare. I have and will always see that. You don't need to convince anypony else or yourself of that fact.’” After repeating Twilight's response, she fully broke down. Not the slow cold tears of sadness, but warm tears of joy.

Sunset and Starlight both gave Trixie a heartfelt and painfully long hug. They both understood that it was never easy to relive the pain of the past.
“We both love you Trixie, just the way you are. What Twilight said was true, and you should never forget it.” Sunset whispered, slightly tickling her friend's ear. They all held the group hug for a little longer, savoring the precious moment.
 
Unfortunately the moment had to end. Starlight desperately needed to say her piece before Twilight could leave her trance. 
“Now. Let's get to business……. We all owe everything to Twilight……. She is our teacher, princess, friend, and more. We will do nothing short of anything for her.” She attempted to pierce the souls of those present. Though Trixie’s revelation was a good sign, what Starlight had planned was intense, and would push their loyalty to the limit. “I want us all, as friends and as loyal followers, to join in a blood pact. A pact that will forever bind us, so we can keep Twilight safe.” The air in the room dropped into the negative range, as the implications of this pact hit home. 

A blood pact, especially one sealed by magic, was for life. Entering one was incredibly rare, and was only used by the most loyal (or radical) of followers. The last recorded time a powerful group of ponies had entered a blood pact had been during the Nightmare War. This request from Starlight was nothing short of insane. It spelled eternal servitude and unquestioning belief in a single pony. Though all of them in truth did owe their lives to Twilight, a blood pact was on another level. Starlight began nervously chewing on her right hoof.

“I’m in.” Sunset did not hesitate to answer.
“I am also in.” Trixie was only a second behind.
Starlight was stopped dead in time. She had hoped they would agree, but if she was honest, she had expected at least a little bit of outrage and/or resistance. Total, confident agreement had not been expected. She gazed into the eyes of her friends, searching for the same determination and love she felt. She was not disappointed.
“I knew by how you approached the topic that this was coming. I am more than willing to join in this pact. And before you ask, yes, I know all the implications.” Sunset seemed to challenge Starlight with her gaze, unwavering and certain.

Trixie only nodded in response.
“Well. There is no use in wasting time.” Starlight withdrew a dagger from her still attached cloak. Sunset raised an eyebrow at this, most likely wondering why she would have a weapon like that on her. Luckily, no questions were asked. No more time was to be wasted.

Each mare slit their hoof and allowed a small pool of blood to form. They then put their hooves side by side, allowing the blood to be dispersed among all the hooves. Finally, the three mares ignited their horns, and using advanced and ancient theories, connected their souls together. The air pulsed steadily with restrained magic, its smooth yet unpredictable flow held prisoner by the present mages. Their horns continued to glow more and more bright with every passing moment as their connection grew.

Sunset Shimmer had never felt anything quite like this in her entire life. Even while under Celestia, such ancient magic had never been implemented. The severity of the situation which she had previously understood, seemed to exponentially grow. Yet all was not dark and uncertain. The connection she now had with her friends was astounding. She felt as if they were all one pony, brought together by harmony and blissful magic. 

The overflow of ecstasy was almost too much for Sunset. For a moment, the orange mare allowed herself to bathe in the music and power, slowly closing her eyes. Succumbing to the seductive peace of oblivion was the primary risk, and Sunset was standing on the edge of the cliff. Luckily, her ever attentive mind violently smacked her in the face, and reminded her why she was doing this. Or more, who, she was doing this for.

After what felt like an eternity, physical chains of pure mana locked the mares together. The chains glowed with each of the mare's respective auras, intertwining to form beautiful ropes of light. They seemed to sing as they released soul magic into the cold and empty air, causing a milky hum to echo off the walls. It was an elegant and terrifying scene.

 Each mare in turn began to recite the spell that Starlight had previously laid on the shiny wood table. The binding words were in the ancient tongue. They all silently thanked Twilight for her boring history lessons. The words made little sense, but judging by the runes that seemed to faze into reality, the spell was working. The chanting stopped as the final nail in their coffin was prepared. The end lines would seal the blood pact. No going back. They would protect their savior and each other with everything they had. Only death shall break the chains. The mares with tears of love in their eyes synchronized and slammed the hammer down. 

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Twilight was ripped violently from her thoughts as the castle violently shook. Her hooves beneath her vibrated and spazzed out of control as the power of the (earthquake?) intensified. The princess, after her brutal swing back to reality, was quick to assess the situation. 



Walls are holding steady. No risk of castle collapse.

Earthquakes near ponyville are unlikely, so this is most likely a magical repercussion.

Princesses too far away to be the cause. Discord is at Fluttershys. The comet, even if it came early would not cause this type of quake.

Logical origin: My students


Once she had the problem pinpointed it only took her a moment to uncover a solution. Reaching out with her magic, she found her students. Though she could not determine what spell they were performing, she gathered that it was extremely powerful, and unstable at that. Twilight used her wings to fly out of the danger zone, and into the clear air. Once she had her bearings, she gathered her magic, determined the location, and teleported to her students.

Twilight did teleport somewhere, but it was definitely not to her threatened friends. For some reason, she was being blocked. She did not know how or why, but in the instant she recognized she was not where she was supposed to be, she was off by hoof. When Twilight was halfway to the Student Wing the tremors ceased. Even though this was a good sign, it only made Twilights pace quicken.

Moments later, Twilight burst through the doors to the SW. Frantically searching for her students, and possible danger. What she found was not what she expected. Seated at a library table were Sunset, Starlight, and Trixie. Each held a book in their hoof as they wrote their essays. Twilight cautiously walked forward. Could this be a changeling trick?
“Twilight! It’s nice to see you out of your room!” Starlight exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s been waaay to long since you have left your little cave. I was starting to worry about your complexion.” Sunset leered, smirking while she spoke. Trixie gave a little snort of concealed laughter, before pretending to work.

Twilight blinked. Rubbed her eyes. Blinked again, and was still not satisfied. The explanation she could conjure up, was that she had imagined the whole thing. She mentaly facepalmed. Her friends were right, she was letting the stress get to her. Shaking her head, she seized the last vacant seat. After one last confused glance at the girls, she pulled her own papers through a portal, and began to diligently work. Everything seemed to be fine. 

Though Twilight's senses were picking up on intense magic and possible cover up spells, she ignored those improbable thoughts. She had enough to think about already, her fatigue and weary mind were most likely to blame anyway. Shutting down her magic, Twilight began to finally focus on her mound of late paperwork. Maybe her next friendship report could be on paranoia, and why all your friends should avoid it. She picked up her quill and began writing. For all she knew this could be her last report. 

The depressing concept was stabbing her productivity in the back. Luckily, she would not have to wait long for a distraction. BAM! A purple dragon who had been successfully  stealing gems from the lab looked over at the four mares, eyes wide. A guilty and nervous smile awkwardly rose up, as he simply stated:
“Well. I guess no dessert for me tonight huh?” He simultaneously set down his purloined goods, and scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. The only response he received was the hysterical laughter of the adjacent mares.

Twilight was rolling on the ground in overwhelming amusement. She cleared her slightly teary eyes, and managed to bump into Trixie, who for some reason gave her a very hearty hug. She mentaly shrugged and melted into her friend's embrace. Starlight and Sunset were still laughing, pointing at the now scarlet dragon. Twilight’s fears melted away. Everything was going to be alright.

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“Will the comet be enough master?” A hooded figure asked, his deep voice ricocheting off the black stone walls of the fortress. He had addressed a tall and burly looking pegasus, who’s only immediate response was a low growl.
“You doubt the council? Foolish mage, you believe not in what is hidden.” The stallion seemed to spit the words out, venom rolling out alongside his hideous voice. No pony scared the dark mage like Starkill Shadow. His existence to most was nothing but legend.

The two continued to slowly glide, the mage cowering behind his superior. After an eerily silent march they finally reached a pair of large doors, each decorated with dark crystals and eclipsed suns. The doors were levitated open by the mage, allowing his armored master to enter unhindered. Starkill’s armor clinked and swayed as he strutted into the vast room. The lowly mage bowed deeply before taking his place by the door. He had no wish to be any closer.

“Gentlecolts, I do believe the time is upon us!” Starkill Shadow smiled like a madpony, allowing his fangs to gleam in the moonlight. The rest of the council remained in void silence. All nine chairs but one were occupied. While the council had originally been rumored to belong only to unicorns, this fact had been obliterated by the return of Starkill. No pony really knew who or what the council was anyway. They only ever appeared as shadows, constantly shifting and altering in appearance. This protected the council, but also gave them a constant facade of power. No pony besides those present could hold shadow form.

Starkill strutted over to his seat and licked his lips while he observed those present. Though he was not the most powerful among the council, he was undoubtedly the most dangerous. His gaze caused the shadow forms to shimmer and fade, revealing the ponies beneath. The council members were quick to repair the damage, but the message was clear. Starkill was here, and he was to be feared and respected. They thought they were somepony? Wrong. They are nothing but worms.

“The comet will pass in an hour's time, and our King will finally be free.” His sentence ended with a maniacal laugh that sent chills down everypony's spine. “I have been listening to the winds, and they tell a tale of doubt……… You believe that because you failed once that you will fail again?” His grin had turned into a disgusted sneer as he finally sat upon his throne. “Your failure last time almost cost us our secrecy. You were foolish to release him before the time was right……. I urge the halfwit who allowed this travesty to step forward.” The pegasus’ tone was dull and ice cold. This was not a request, it was an order.

“This mistake was the fault of the entire council. I apologize that……” The council member's sentence was cut short as a bladed feather impaled his throat, slicing straight through the shield of powerful magic the mage had created. His body stood erect and as still as a statue before slumping to the ground. All eyes traveled to Starkill, their ears twitching at the tsk tsk that originated from his black mouth.
“A true follower of the dark never apologizes, it is a sign of weakness……. I do believe the problem has been solved.” The silhouette of Starkill appeared to spread across the whole room, suffocating all present.

Once he felt like his point had gotten across, Starkill Shadow seated himself once again. The death had not been necessary, but oh it had been fun. Power was never given, it was seized. He knew that if he wanted to return he had to make a robust entrance. Judging by the fear emanating from the majority of the council, his plan had succeeded. He mentaly took note of the few who remained calm and composed, they would be important for the end game.

“Back to the topic at hand. I expect that all the necessary preparations have been made?..... Good. We will not receive another chance like this. So unless you want to waste a couple thousand years gathering power, do not make a mistake.” With everything in place, all Starkill had to do was sit back and wait. His old friend would take care of the weak council members when he arrived. The Second Sun had to be strong. The war that had been postponed for a thousand years was set to resume.

Starkill knew that it would regrettably take time. Luckily enough for him, he had all the time in the world. Another thing he had to thank Sombra for. After a thousand years, waiting a year or two would feel like nothing. His mind drifted to Sombra’s brother, no doubt he would play a role, he just did not know what. On that note, a certain magenta alicorn flew across his mind. She was a wild card indeed. He wondered how much she knew. No doubt Celestia hid the truth from her, that manipulative ass of a pony. He snorted in resentment. 

The rest of the council was engaged in meaningless conversations, none of which applied to Starkill in the least. He rolled his bored eyes and wondered if he could get away with killing another of the weak ones. The idea collapsed as he realized that all their power was necessary. His eyes then rediscovered  the mage attempting to hide by the door. Any other day he would have killed this lowly whelp, however he was apparently competent enough to aid in the kidnapping of one Twilight Sparkle, so he decided to allow him life.

Miniscule shooting stars began to glide by the tall windows of the room, signaling the approach of the comet.
“The hour nears, let us take our places.” An elderly unicorn who spoke from the far side of the table declared. “All hail the King. May he reign eternal.” All present repeated the line. Truly the time had arrived. King Sombra was coming home, not in part, but in full. All the power, all the cunning, all the dark knowledge. It would be glorious indeed.

A final evil smile danced across Starkill's features. He honestly shouldn’t be killing off the members of his cult, but he couldn't help himself. He relished his power. After a thousand years of hiding, he could finally stretch out and be free. The old gang was getting back together after all. He let loose a low cackle, filled with malice and sinful desire. He was back, and soon Sombra would be as well.