Luna’s wings beat lazily, the efficient motions more than enough to keep her at a hover. “Are my sisters war-mages in place?” She asked, despite her own senses revealing they were. There were traditions, a way things like this should be done.
“The teachers from her school have taken up their positions backing up the Solarguard unicorns.” Death Mark said. Her own ebon bat-like wings were not quite as adept as holding a fixed position in the sky.
“No doubt I will have their nightmares to tend to after this as well.” Luna sighed. “So be it... Flight leader, send the signal”
As impressive as some of the ritual magic modern mages could perform as a group were, Celestia had been extremely lacking in maintaining the art of war casting in their ranks.
Death Mark knocked an arrow and released it. Within moments it shrieked, igniting into a brilliant burning streak as it raced across the sky.
“Please provide overwatch for the teachers. Sister will be most upset if she loses any of them.”
“By your will.” Death Mark saluted, folded her wings and plummeted from the sky.
Luna tracked her descent, taking in the aftermath of the blighted clouds. The once beautiful forest below had become a tangled dome of deadly thorns and lashing vines. A conventional assault would be a bloodbath, and not one her guards would be on the favourable side of the balance sheet. No, this required more drastic measures to deal with.
Some daring pegasi were drawing closer. Strictly speaking, they were inside the exclusion zone, but the cameras they held made her pause. With a look, she stilled the guards that were set to remove them.
Despite everything, a feral grin crept onto her face. First the duel with dearest Twilight, and now this. She would get to be the hero her ponies needed, and this time they would see it. They would appreciate her.
Luna made a show of drawing Starfall. Its enormous mass moving to her whim as she swung it around, gaining speed. She caught it, spinning her whole body as she threw it with all her empowered might. It rocketed towards the ground like the falling star it was. To showy for real combat, but more than suitable for the front page of a newspaper.
In the last instant, Luna released her magic from it. Everything lurched towards it, Starfall’s incredible weight fully felt for the first time in more than a thousand years.
The titanic impact shook the world, the land would bear this scar for millennia at least. In an eruption of debris and dust, most of the forest was simply gone. The heart of the corruption, utterly destroyed.
The surviving blighted, those too far from the impact sight, fled straight towards the burning spells of Celestia’s semi-proficient mages.
The cheer warmed Luna’s heart. She turned to perform a victory display, augmenting it with her magic so all in sight could see. Celestia might be known as the kind and wise mother figure, but from today forward, all would know it was Luna that would slay the monsters that would dare hunt ponies.
With her magic, she recalled Starfall, the now glowing star raced up to her waiting hoof. She raised her weapon high. She was going to relish every moment of this. Who knew how long it would be until the next incident when Tia would let her play with Starfall.
Why did so many have to suffer for her to truly be herself? She would have to see if she could at least get Cadance into duelling for fun.
Here and there, Nightguards dove from the skies or leapt from shadows intervening to save daypony lives. As expected, the two forces worked marvellously together when both could play to their strength. Just as she had intended.
As fun as it would be to join the fray, she would be more use heading to the next strong point and arranging a repeat performance. She returned to the ground to prepare to move on. Teleporting with Starfall out always caused problems. Teleporting that much mass caused so much magical disruption it could render most unicorns for miles around unconscious. The sound alone might shatter stone if it was close enough.
Alighting on the ground, she returned her favoured weapon to the depths of her shadow. The flashes of solar magic nagged at her horn. Even the mild pain could not dampen her mode. Today they were firm allies, undoubtedly on the same side, but that did not mean it was pleasant to be near powerful spells that opposed her aspect.
Deliberately, she drained her Alicorn power away from her horn. The magical world around her reduced to only a few hundred body lengths in width. Much better. She retrieved a flask from her shadow and drank deeply. Near frozen water provided a refreshing delight, banishing the last lingering discomfort of the solar magic.
A deep breath carried the scents of blood, death and fear. The sweat of the ponies mixed with the enticing foulness of the repulsive blighted. Blades clashing with hardened flesh merged with the roar of fire added to the screams, making a tempting serenaded.
I’m still a monster. Luna pulled the enhancing Alicorn magic from all her senses, leaving her perilously vulnerable. The shifting wind rustling the fragrant grasses and the sun's warmth on her back was a very different experience than the allure of the sounds of battle.
If she let herself, she could pretend today was just a delightful summer's day. It would be too easy to lose herself in willful daydreaming. [iThat would only be hiding from who I am.
Magic vibrated along her horn and bent to her will. She still followed the older teachings, none of the modern mathematics based formula or runic arrays.
Her mind's voice sang of her destination as her imagination painted an image of it. Magic was an art, not a science, despite what Twilight would say.
A trail of smoke approached, and in a puff of magic, it transformed into a simple scroll.
She caught it with a wingtip, pausing her spellcraft.
Return to Canterlot immediately. Something has come up, we need to talk.
Celestia.
She started her spell from the beginning, this time envisioning her chambers in Canterlot.