Chapter Twenty Three: Sacrificing The Sun
~BlackRoseRaven
Ponies stared incredulously up at the sight: Luna, in all her glory, stood framed against the stars upon the Tyrant Wyrm's head, her gaze the baleful, eldritch eyes of Nightmare Moon. The Wyrm's own eyes glowed with terrible sapphire fire as ponies and Nibelung both looked at one another, whispering in fear and disbelief before Scrivener Blooms snarled and leaned down, blue mist bursting from his jaws as he asked coldly: “Did you think there would be no price to pay? We even heard that some of our servants were killed... our servants, who protect you!”
“Patience, beloved.” Nightmare Moon said gently, and Scrivener rumbled as he lowered his head slightly in submission, and the winged unicorn standing atop his skull smiled slightly, her eyes filled with the terrible cunning of her dark alter ego but Luna's own powerful passion as well: it was like both sides of her had mixed and mingled together. “We are here to show you that we are generous. That we are kind. That we are compassionate. We do not ask a high price... one is far less than many. And any unicorn will do... whether you are loyal to us or not, I am sure you can see reason here.
“You see, my husband desires a horn. I desire this as well... and one of our precious prosthetic horns simply will not do. Oh, they are powerful, yes... but not nearly as strong as a real horn. They may crack with use, and they cannot be used for fencing, only for magic. They will be serviceable and invaluable in aiding us with the creation of our Moon Blessed, with granting miraculous powers to the ponies we find worthy...” Nightmare Moon licked her lips slowly, her eyes half-lidding even as whispers and snarls sounded from the crowd. “But they are still not the real thing. We require the real thing... we require it given willingly.”
“Wait, Luna, what are you doing?” Celestia shouted, looking pleadingly up at the two as she shook her head fiercely. “What kind of madness is this? Depriving a unicorn of their horn, of... of magic... it's too cruel, too monstrous! It would be like cutting the wings from a Pegasus, the hooves from an earth pony... would you take those things as well?”
“Only if they force my horn.” Nightmare Moon replied quietly, and a shiver passed through the crowd as the dark-coated winged unicorn continued coldly: “Besides, sister, look at the hypocrites and murderers behind you. At least five of my servants of the night are missing. I have heard that any pony who had supported me in the past has been insulted and attacked unless they had a change of heart today. My Moon Blessed were assailed in the street by whom I thought was a friend. Fluttershy, beautiful Fluttershy, is under protection of demons because someone tried to break into her cottage and she is terrified! I ask for one sacrifice, to make my point clear: that I will seek justice if wrong is done, but I can be merciful to those who demonstrate a sense of honor, a sense of strength that I am hoping these other pathetic miscreants will learn from.
“But if no one is willing or brave enough to step forwards...” The dark-coated winged unicorn flicked her horn upwards, and the enormous tree of the library rumbled, one of the branches raising higher and making the balcony that rested across its mighty boughs creak and grind, before thick vines formed and twisted down from from the branches, forming into deadly nooses as the winged unicorn said coldly: “Then I will exact my payment in equal blood. First at the gallows, and then in the torture chambers. They wish to see fear and suffering? I will do them one better and let them experience it.”
“Luna, stop!” Twilight called, looking up fearfully as she shook her head, and after a moment, Nightmare Moon's eyes subtly changed back to Luna’s as Scrivener looked down, seeming to hesitate at the sight of the terror and sorrow in the violet mare's eyes. She stared up at them, and they looked back before she clenched her eyes shut, then slowly opened them and whispered: “Take my horn. If it'll stop all this, take my horn.”
“No!” Celestia shouted, even as Luna began to open her mouth, and the ivory equine shivered and shook her head, stepping in front of Twilight and glaring up at Luna... but there was fear beneath the anger, desperation beneath the disgust. “Don't do this, sister! This is not the way to fix things and solve problems, you do not have to pursue-”
“They treat me, us, as monsters! They wish for a monster, then I shall give them the dark empress they seem to think I have been setting myself up as, when all I wish is to peacefully tend to my desires and protect the ungrateful fools!” Luna shouted back, and Scrivener Blooms snarled even as he lowered his head so Luna could better glare down at her big sister, a shiver of rage passing along her spine. “And look, even now, it is my friend, the one pony who I can trust above all others to be beside me, who offers herself as sacrifice! Not one of their own day-lit kind, not one of your precious subjects sister, but my beautiful, darling, sweet Twilight Sparkle, even though I see her door cracked from hooves striking it, the windows of this library broken, and the stains of tears upon her cheeks from what they have done to her!”
Celestia was silent as Luna breathed hard in and out, snarling down at her big sister... and then the ivory equine looked up and whispered: “You're right, Luna. They are my subjects... and you are my little sister. And... I can't fight you. I can't reason with you, but I also cannot bear to fight you anymore, not... not anymore. And this crown... these responsibilities...”
She trembled, and tears slowly leaked down her cheeks, her rainbow mane sparking quietly as she looked up silently and Luna looked down, accusing, furious, only to be sated by one thing and one thing alone. Slowly, Celestia looked over her shoulder as Twilight shook her head silently and offered a weak smile, beginning to step forwards... and then Celestia turned quickly back towards Luna and said quietly: “They're my people. Take my horn.”
A collective gasp ran through the crowd, and Twilight Sparkle looked in shock at Celestia's back, then up at Luna with horror as the younger sibling twitched back in surprise... then slowly frowned before the ivory winged unicorn straightened and stood proudly, amethyst eyes filling with determination and a strange, calm majesty spreading through the Queen of Equestria as she said clearly: “Take my horn. You have no better offer, no better candidate. If it will quell your anger against Ponyville, my life is forfeit, my horn is yours. But in return... give the ponies what they desire. Remove all your servants from this town, let them fend for themselves... listen to the words of Equestria. Of... your people, my people, our people. Sister... please. Please...”
Silence spiraled outwards, whispers and whimpers spreading through the crowd as Luna looked silently up... but the ponies were quiet. The unicorns stood with their heads bowed as if trying to hide their horns, Twilight was shaking her head mutely in disbelief, and only Celestia had her head raised high. Luna closed her eyes, considering, feeling Nightmare Moon receding completely as Scrivener rumbled indecisively... and then finally, the dark-coated winged unicorn opened her eyes and said quietly: “I am sorry, sister. Very well. Since no others have stepped forwards, and thou shall not permit Twilight to sacrifice herself... come.”
“No, please... oh please, don't...” Twilight said weakly, stepping forwards... but Celestia only smiled faintly over her shoulder before she leaned down and kissed the purple mare's forehead softly, and tears spilled down Twilight's cheeks as she shuddered and whispered: “I don't want to lose you...”
“You won't. You won't.” Celestia soothed gently, and then she smiled softly and bowed her head forwards, quietly tapping her horn against Twilight's. “I love you like a daughter, Twilight Sparkle. I'm more than willing to part with this... to save the lives of these ponies, and more importantly... to save you. I've learned the greatest thing you can do with your power... is to give it up to save another's life.”
Twilight could only stare weakly, shaking her head slowly as Celestia turned and spread her wings, then leapt upwards, flying past Luna to land silently on Scrivener's back... and the Tyrant Wyrm rumbled as Luna gazed over her shoulder towards where Celestia lay. Scrivener's eyes, meanwhile, roved over the crowd with disappointment before he looked at Twilight with sympathy... and yet for all the tears, the emotions, the sorrow in her heart, for all her pleading... Twilight stared up at Luna and Scrivener with loss and love and sorrow, not with hatred or anger. Not for them... even as they turned slowly, striding back down the way they had come, with Celestia curled silently up between the jutting bones of Scrivener's back.
Slowly, Twilight turned... and a hoof smashed into her muzzle, knocking her staggering backwards before she snarled, tears falling from her eyes as a voice shouted: “This is your fault!”
Other ponies shouted at her, other ponies began to swarm in... and Twilight arched her back with a scream of raw anger, a shockwave of force blasting from her horn and knocking ponies sprawling across the square, making the riot halt before it could even begin before she leaned forwards and shrieked: “Any unicorn could have raised their horn and given it up! Anyone could have stopped them, tried to reason with them... I lost Celestia too, and she meant more to me than she means to any of you! And I tried, I tried, I tried to give up my horn... what's happened to all of you?”
“It ain't us... who changed. It's you.” Applejack said coldly, picking herself up from a few feet away... and Rainbow Dash gritted his teeth as he stood up on his own hooves. And as the crowd of ponies began to stand, among them she saw Pinkie Pie, deflated and gray, trembling as tears fell from her eyes and Pinkamena snarled at any pony that came too close to them, and she saw Rarity and Spike edging hurriedly away from the crowd, and she saw others she had thought she'd known, thought had been friends... “You stay away from us, Twilight. You ain't wanted here, not no more... get out of town. Get out of Ponyville. Go to Luna and Scrivener, maybe you can watch them bury Celestia. God help us, because we just lost the one pony that could have stood up to those two, that balanced this whole country. Because of you... because you were Celestia's weakness.”
Twilight trembled, shrinking back, shivering and breathing hard as tears spilled down her cheeks as she stumbled backwards until she was pressing against the door of the library... and then she turned and shoved through it, staggering inside as Applejack snarled and shouted: “I think I speak for everypony when I say you got until sunrise to get out of town! Then I'll break that door down myself if I have to... you betrayed us! You ain't our friend!”
Twilight shivered inside the library as she heard other yells from the ponies outside, but they didn't make sense as she staggered across the room... and ran right into Discombobulation, looking stupidly up as the Draconequus gazed silently down at her before the winged unicorn lunged upwards and hugged him tightly, burying her face against his scaled body and beginning to cry in earnest. And the chaos entity sighed quietly as he awkwardly hugged her against him, shushing her gently as he looked down at her silently and murmured: “I'm not very good at this.”
But the winged unicorn only clung to him as she cried, and Discombobulation looked at her with sympathy as he hesitantly stroked through her mane and kept her close until she wore herself out, finally curling up and trembling a bit as the Draconequus gently guided her to sitting back on the floor before he dropped to his knees, reaching up to grasp her shoulders quietly. “Listen to me, Twilight Sparkle. We've had good times and bad, laughs and tears and all sorts of memories. But like any television show I have to go on hiatus. Or perhaps... sabbatical is a better word, but then again that makes it sound both as if I was intelligent and had something to do. Really... I need a vacation. Time off. An escape.”
“W-What? Wait, I... I need you more than ever now, Discombobulation. I... it feels like I just lost most of my friends. I... I don't know who I can count on anymore, I don't know what's going on or...” Twilight shivered a bit, staring weakly up at the Draconequus, but he only smiled kindly and stroked gently under her muzzle. “What do I do without you?”
“The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try and take over the world... at least, the worlds of those closest to us.” Discombobulation squeezed her shoulder gently, then he straightened and grimaced a bit, rubbing slowly at his chest. “It's not that I never plan to come back. It's not that I won't be there if I can... but I can't be here all the time any longer. Both my urge to wander, to be free, to be a little chaotic... and I am a coward. A great, big, scared coward, questioning the integrity of... certain parties and... well, I want to wait for things to settle down.”
He paused, shaking his head and muttering: “That didn't make a lick of sense. Let me put it in clearer words.” Discombobulation tented his fingers together, leaning forwards and saying gently: “The circus has to move on from town-to-town. You know that one day, around the same time each year, it'll come back into your life... but no matter how much you love the festival, the rigged games, the sugary sweets, and the clowns... well, okay, maybe not the clowns... all the same, the circus is going to move on. Has to move on... but one day, it'll be back.”
He reached out, petting her head gently and looking down at her with kindness and honest affection. “I like it here, Twilight Sparkle. I like you. I even like Luna and Scrivener and Pinkamena, even if they've gone a path I'd rather not walk myself. But I need to clear out while things settle down, much like a criminal crossing the border. I promise that I'll come back, though... and I'll even bring you a sombrero, and maybe a chihuahua, and some other delightfully-stereotypical items.”
Twilight only looked up at him silently, and then she shook her head slowly and smiled weakly as she asked finally: “I can't come with you, can I?”
“No. You...” Discombobulation hesitated, then he reached up and gently flicked the charm hanging from the ivy collar around her neck, saying softly: “I think you know where you belong, Twilight Sparkle. I don't agree with it, perhaps... but what do I know? Keep safe for me, though, will you? I'd hate to come back and find we missed each other due to a series of unfortunate events.”
The violet mare nodded slowly, and then she closed her eyes, breathing deeply... but when she opened them, Discombobulation was gone. She looked back and forth, trembling a little, but already knew she wouldn't find him... and yet all the same, she couldn't help but drop her head forwards, whispering: “I... I miss you already.”
Twilight shook herself out after a moment, trembling a little still, but focusing herself on what she had to do. The anger she had seen in the eyes of Applejack and Rainbow Dash... the way the whole town had chosen her as their scapegoat... she gritted her teeth, knowing that her situation was serious, no matter how much she wanted to doubt they would do anything severe to her. But at the same time, she was terrified, because the ponies were so scared... and when scared and pressed into a corner...
She shook her head quickly, clearing her thoughts as she grabbed a satchel and tossed the few things she wanted to keep into it. She thought about Pinkie Pie, but knew Pinkamena would take care of her... but what worried her more was Rarity and Spike. It would be a dangerous side-trip, but she felt it would be necessary... and as she strapped the bag on, she took one last look at the library over her shoulder, staring over the books and papers before closing her eyes and whispering: “One day. One day I'll be back and... everything will be okay...”
Twilight shook her head out quickly, then headed for the door and opened it a crack, peeking out. The ponies had left, however, and it was dark out... but for extra protection, Twilight flicked her horn, concentrating on a simple spell that made the colors of her body fade and deepen. She had picked it up from Luna, one of her simpler polymorph spells, but useful for situations where she had to be careful... and the winged unicorn hurried out and across the square, wincing at the sound of her own hooves as she rushed into the dark city streets.
She tried to stick to back alleys, grinning bitterly at the irony: now the well-lit streets were what she was afraid of, especially those where ponies stood guard, or where taverns and businesses stood. Thankfully, it wasn't too difficult for her to reach Rarity's boutique with minimal risk, and she knocked hurriedly on the door before leaning up to look through the window, whispering: “Rarity! Spike! It's me, Twilight... I just need a second...”
She thought she saw movement for a moment, and Twilight frowned a bit through the window; it was hard to tell because there were no lights, no sounds, no... nothing. She hesitated, then finally reached down and tried the door... and when she found it unlocked, her heart skipped a beat in her chest before she quietly slipped through and into the boutique.
The starlight shimmering through the windows glinted off the gemstones that laced outfits here and there, and other crystals that had been left out, including a basket that glowed almost like a lamp with a ghostly phosphorescence... and the winged unicorn looked at this apprehensively for a moment before she carefully started forwards across the floor, calling worriedly as her eyes focused in on the dark, open door at the back: “Rarity? Spike?”
No answer, no reply, no sound, and Twilight grimaced before she concentrated, her horn lightly up and casting a soft glow in front of her, helping her find her way forwards. She felt a chill crawl up her spine as she stepped hesitantly into the connecting hall that led through the back of the boutique to Rarity's home, looking at an ajar door in the side of the hall before she shook her head quickly and hurried onwards to the shut door at the end of the corridor.
It was locked, and Twilight frowned at this before she bit her lip and lowered her horn. The glow around this increased as she concentrated on a spell, her eyes locking on the crystalline doorknob, seeing herself reflected in it... and then her eyes widened as she realized there was a second shape in the doorknob as well, slowly leaning over her-
Twilight cried out and kicked backwards on instinct with both rear hooves, and it caught a large earth pony in the chest, knocking him flopping onto his back with a shout of surprise before he rolled quickly to his hooves, snarling at her. A knife glinted in his jaws, and Twilight's eyes widened in horror as she scrambled back against the door, her horn glowing as she shouted: “G-Get away from me!”
The earth pony paid her no heed, running forwards with a snarl, and before Twilight could get over her shock he crashed into her and tackled her backwards through the flimsy door, knocking her sprawling into the kitchen beyond. Twilight shrieked and shoved at him as the earth pony lashed his head to the side, bringing the knife on a wicked, wild cut at her that sliced through her shoulder and then ripped through the ivy collar around her neck, digging a thin gash along her throat before both her rear hooves slammed into his stomach.
He groaned, dropping the knife as his eyes bulged, hugging himself before Twilight swung her horn forwards with a snarl of fear and desperation, and a telekinetic blast hammered into the earth pony and sent him flying backwards, shoulder and front leg striking the broken door-frame with a sickening crack before he crashed backwards into the hall with a scream of misery. He crawled to his feet, tears in his eyes as his disjointed, broken leg hung limply, and then he staggered around in a circle and fled even as Twilight crawled to her own hooves, shivering in terror before she shouted: “Spike! Rarity!'
She turned, charging for the stairs leading up to the second level and Rarity's bedroom, unaware that her collar had fallen from around her neck or even that she was bleeding from the wound in her shoulder before she plowed through the door... and stared stupidly, finding the bedroom ransacked and disheveled. A note lay on the bed, though, held in place by a large piece of crystal... and Twilight trembled as she approached this, her horn glowing as she looked down and read in a whisper: “'To whoever finds this letter... please forgive us. But Spike and I are not on anypony's side, and don't wish to become involved in any conflict. We've tried to remain neutral in Ponyville... but Ponyville, sadly, seems intent to divide all people in it between one side or another. The last straw was watching as our dear friends turned on each other... as that bond of friendship between us all was broken, and we were threatened to either help Ponyville's soldiers or be treated as if we were helping Luna, Spike and I have decided to leave. We don't know where we're going, but all we need is each other: we plan to start a new life somewhere in this wild and wide Equestria, and we only ask that we are left alone. Please don't come looking for us... there's nothing left for us in Ponyville anymore. Sincerely, Rarity.'”
Twilight closed her eyes tightly, shivering for a moment... and then she looked up sharply as she heard voices downstairs, her eyes widening as a pony snarled: “-kill her and send a message to Nightmare Moon after what she did to Fig!”
Another pony replied with something in a cautioning hiss, and Twilight didn't stay to listen, instead bolting towards the windows and flicking her horn downwards as it gave a sharp pulse, glass exploding outwards before she leapt into the night air and spread her wings, flapping them hard to propel herself into the sky. She heard yells from below, looked over her shoulder fearfully as she saw Pegasi take to the air and chase after her even as she flew as fast and hard as she could towards the edge of Ponyville, and then she cursed as she glanced back and saw them gaining, gaining, gaining... and then her eyes widened in shock as a Nightmare appeared out of the darkness beside one sprinting through the air, its red eyes blazing as it grinned and bit at the Pegasus, making it rear back in terror and lose course.
The other Pegasus winced, then shrieked when a second Nightmare appeared ahead, charging past Twilight and straight towards it through the dark sky, and the Pegasus twisted himself violently downwards and lost control, rolling through the air until he crashed into the field below. And both Nightmares laughed as they cantered through the air in a circle to fall in step on either side of Twilight, gazing towards her affectionately as one said kindly: “Come with us, Twilight Sparkle. We will heal your injury and then take you to Enstasis and our Masters. We feel your longing and your sorrow, but do not worry... soon, you will see that everything is for the best. They will help you belong again.”
And Twilight was only able to nod, trembling, turning her eyes forwards and finding herself hoping with all her heart that the words the Nightmares spoke were true.
Celestia awoke silently, blearily, in a circle of red runes, in a stone, empty room. Pain ached through her entire body, and her mane had lost all its color, once nothing but ivory locks that cascaded down along her neck and shoulders. Her tail hung limply as well, and the equine shivered a little as she stood up and rubbed slowly at her aching skull.
She looked down at the runic circle beneath her, studying it, but her vision was bleary and her head hurt too much to make much sense of anything. The chamber she was in was windowless, the single door leading out steel, there was no visible source of light... and yet there was light all the same, a faint glow pulsing seemingly in the air itself. It was enough to see by, as she hesitantly stood.... then shivered a bit and glanced down, breathing hard as she reached nervously up again and touched her head.
This time, her hoof brushed against the base of her horn... and she frowned a bit, stroking her hoof up along it, realizing it felt... numb. She leaned forwards, concentrating... and although it hurt so badly she fell back on her haunches and a wrench of nausea rolled through her stomach, her horn lit up with a golden glow for a few moments before sputtering out.
She slowly dropped back on her stomach, breathing hard and then grimacing a little as she realized there was splatters of dried blood over the floor as well... but she couldn't concentrate. Couldn't remember much, apart from the fact she had held a conversation... deeply important on her way back to Enstasis. That Luna was angry, and sad, but determined... and the ivory equine shivered a bit before she looked up as the door opened and Scrivener Blooms leaned in, then smiled a little. “You're awake. Good. Luna will be here shortly, she's just making sure we put your horn in a safe place for now, while we prepare the next ritual.”
“Wait, what? But...” Celestia frowned up at him, and Scrivener gazed at her softly as the ivory equine attempted to look up, whispering in denial: “But my horn...”
“May I?” Scrivener asked quietly, stepping forwards... and Celestia stared at him for a moment, drawing her eyes over him. The half-pony, half-wyrm shape, but much of it veiled by the black cloak he had taken to wearing that covered his forelimbs and much of his body... a black cloak splattered with stains of blood. The chestnut eyes behind glasses with false lenses, disarming despite his size... despite the claws visible instead of hooves sticking out of the sleeves of the cloak, and the long, serpentine tail that twisted out of the back of it, and the exposed, scaled haunch...
She shivered for a moment, leaning forwards and feeling ill, and Scrivener leaned down and frowned a bit, asking quietly: “Are you alright? Do you want me to numb you?”
“You're a monster.” Celestia whispered, but there was no venom in her tone, no hatred, not even any resentment, and Scrivener smiled faintly before he nodded slowly once, and the ivory equine's amethyst eyes glimmered. “You and sister... you did take my horn. But you replaced it...”
“Of course we did, sister.” Scrivener said gently, and he reached forwards, quietly brushing Celestia's mane back from her eyes as he looked at her with kindness, with softness, with affection. “Luna and I would never want to leave you... incapacitated in any way. We care about you, deeply. So we gave you the best we had available.”
Celestia shivered at this, and Scrivener smiled softly down at her as he slowly brushed her mane back again as the crystalline, almost-transparent white horn shimmered faintly. The tip was rounded, thickening towards the base, not as long as her old horn had been, and around the bottom of the horn was a circular, tight leather holster, stitching securely holding this down in place against her skull. The very base of the prosthetic was cemented into the empty base that had been left behind after they had removed her horn and its roots. “You'll feel better as you adjust. It shouldn't be as hard for you as it was for Cowlick, at least... you have a natural horn-base. I did too, you know, at least when I was a pony... I was a hornless unicorn, remember, not just an earth pony.”
The ivory winged unicorn only stared up at Scrivener wordlessly, and then he glanced over his shoulder with a smile as the door pushed all the way open and Luna strode inside, smiling lovingly as she whispered: “Big sister... oh, 'tis so good to see thee recovering so fast! I fear that Scrivy and I cannot tarry long, the ritual my servants are preparing must be completed quickly... but come, we shall guide thee to thy quarters. Can thou stand?”
Celestia only shivered in the runic circle as memories flashed back... of Scrivener Blooms and Luna standing over her, the two Moon Blessed Ross and Cowlick nearby with matching, calm smiles on their faces, and Nightmares of enormous size standing eagerly nearby. All clustered in this little room, her laying in the circle, feeling her strength sapped from her body, feeling herself being numbed, both of them making promise after promise to her as she had descended into darkness...
She groaned quietly, and Luna nodded slowly, glancing towards Scrivener and saying gently: “Numb her, husband. Then we'll carry her to her room, and she may rest.”
“N-No, I'm... I can walk.” Celestia whispered, and she shook her head, shivering a bit as she carefully pushed herself to her hooves, trembling a little. She began to stumble, but in a moment, Scrivy was beside her, catching her against his strong body as Luna hurried to her other side, and Celestia bowed her head forwards, murmuring: “You didn't kill me...”
“Sister, I could never kill thee... never, ever.” Luna sounded almost hurt, but she tried to smile faintly all the same before sighing softly, and Scrivener nodded as he carefully dropped low. Celestia grimaced, then flushed deeply as Luna half-pushed her older sister gently to slip onto Scrivener, before the male grunted as he stood up with an easy flex of his limbs. “Do not overexert thyself... thou art injured, and not thinking straight. I know... this will be a difficult period of adjustment.”
Celestia half-clung to Scrivener's back, her lower lip trembling, feeling weak and helpless and scared and a thousand other things she didn't want to feel as Luna strode out into the hall first, and Scrivener followed second, easily carrying the enormous equine on his broad back as Luna continued quietly: “But thou shalt adjust... and it will please thee to know that after I sent two Nightmares to ensure Twilight was safe, I ordered the rest of my servants out of Ponyville. Twilight herself is currently resting at our old home in the Everfree Forest, where she will be secure... the Nightmares have agreed to guard her there, and give her time to think. But she is safe, I wish to stress that, so thou does not stress in worrying for her.”
“I... I am glad then.” Celestia whispered, looking down and trembling a little as she clung to Scrivener's back, then she closed her eyes and dropped her head against the back of Scrivener's neck, wanting to sob, to cry, to scream... but most of all, wanting to sleep, to feel the embrace of nothing but darkness around her before she gave a weak, ironic laugh.
Luna looked at her curiously, but Celestia only shook her head in response, and the dark-coated winged unicorn hesitated before saying quietly: “I have asked my Moon Blessed to look after thee. Ross and Cowlick were friends, were they not? And they still can be and still are.” She smiled encouragingly, looking across at her sister, but Celestia only shivered disconsolately against Scrivener's back. “I also shall put my Greater Nightmares at thy disposal, unless thou would protest.”
But Celestia gave no response, only shrugging a little as she closed her eyes, and Luna frowned a bit at this, then shook her own head and murmured soothingly: “Celestia, all shall be alright. Scrivener and I... we are truly indebted to thee for this gesture. We are honored by it, and humbled by thy commitment to thy people-”
“They aren't my people. They're just... ponies. I thought... it would make a difference...” Celestia sighed quietly, shivering a little against Scrivener's back. “I never have made a difference, have I? I just... caged them. Protected them, yes, but a cage is a cage and they all thought they would have me to depend on forever and...”
“Celestia, you're not thinking straight. You're badly injured, you have no energy right now, you need to recover your strength and concentrate on healing. Your gesture tonight was heroic, though...” Scrivener soothed, looking ahead down the dark-stone hall and nodding slowly as Luna smiled encouragingly at her sister. “You saved them. Whether or not they deserved to be saved, you gave yourself up to us... to save them. It's enough to make Luna and I bow our heads to your opinion, your requests... it's why we withdrew our servants from Ponyville, even from much of Equestria, asking them to stay out of towns if the towns didn't want them there.
“I really am impressed, and... deeply honored, that it's your horn I'm receiving.” Scrivener continued gently, and Celestia felt nausea roll through her system even as she listened with sick fascination. “I hope your nobility and your sense of honor will rub off on me, because... Luna and I have been thinking, now that we have this castle, our Moon Blessed, our Greater Nightmares and many other things... and we think maybe we have been giving in too much to our desires. But now that we have this horn... we're going to take things slower, more consideringly. We're going to try and stay to ourselves here in Enstasis, and forget the past, leave Ponyville alone. Leave all of Equestria alone... it's your daylit kingdom, after all.”
“They won't take me back, Scrivener. My life was forfeited to you and my sister...” Celestia shook her head slowly, bowing her head against the back of the male's neck as she whispered: “If they hurt Twilight after I saved them all, tried to save her... what did I really accomplish?”
Scrivener and Luna fell silent until they reached a set of enormous golden doors, and Luna opened these with a flick of her horn, Scrivener carrying Celestia into halls beyond that almost glowed, lit by beautiful, ornate silver lamps that hung from the ceiling above. The walls and floor were made of ivory marble, the design regal and gorgeous as Scrivener headed up a short flight of stairs and through an open, crimson door into a circular, spacious room, red curtains pulled over an enormous set of windows that gazed out towards Ponyville in the far distance, a huge, circular bed with a bevy of cushions and blankets dominating the center of the room.
Scrivener and Luna helped Celestia into this, the white winged unicorn doing little to move herself as Luna frowned deeper and Scrivener grimaced a bit. Celestia only laid on her side on the bed, her eyes closed, her head resting just beneath the pillows before Luna sighed softly and said quietly: “Sister...”
Celestia didn't respond, only closing her eyes slowly, and Luna and Scrivener traded a look before Luna finally shrugged a bit and leaned down. She gently kissed her sister's cheek, and Scrivy leaned in a moment later, repeating the affection before he took a slow inhale, then breathed a stream of sapphire mist out over Celestia's features.
She trembled a bit, but neither moved nor fought the effects as she breathed the blue smoke in, feeling it numbing her mind, lethargy and a faint wisp of longing overtaking her as she slowly fell into sleep. Luna and Scrivener stood for a little while over her, gazing down at the ivory equine before the dark-coated winged unicorn grimaced and turned, murmuring: “She has made her choice, beloved. She chose them... and now fears they will reject her. 'Tis funny, isn't it... especially with how when I look at her, I think that most of all she longs to be part of our family. Part of us... thou, and I, and Twilight.”
Scrivener only nodded slowly, then he turned and fell into step beside Luna as they exited the bedroom and strode down the steps as the female continued quietly: “I pity her. I feel such sympathy and love for her, I truly do... and I feel bad for taking her horn, but the example must be made clear, and we must show that we will not give quarter not special treatment to anyone, be they pony, friend, foe, or otherwise.”
The male grunted and nodded, and then Luna smiled as they exited the private quarters, halting for a moment outside the golden doors as she added gently: “And sister was right, as well... what better horn than hers? I would give thee mine own if I could, but thou will not take it... her horn is the next best choice by far. Thou art already powerful... and in this past year, as we practiced and developed thine abilities, and as we finally got thee to take to the air, great miserable coward, we have become... unstoppable. This horn... this horn will guarantee we are supreme. And when we are supreme...”
“We can have everything we want. Although since we already do, I suppose that means a lot of sitting back and simply...” Scrivener paused, his eyes roving upwards as he smiled at the Moon Blessed striding down the hall towards them, licking his lips slowly. “Enjoying.”
“Now, now, Scrivener. We're here to help Celestia, not you.” Cowlick said mildly, grinning despite herself as her blue eyes gleamed with vitality and strength. A white, spiraled horn stood up from her head: in reality a prosthetic, but it worked almost as well as Ross's, and was sheathed in an enamel that made it look like the real thing instead of crystal as she bowed her head towards him, the golden piercings that adorned her ears, her nose, and one eyebrow glinting as her messy auburn mane fell around her ivory features. “You'll have to wait until later.”
“But don't worry. We always have you both in mind.” Ross added softly, very different from the pony he had once been, his voice cultured and strong and intelligent as his amber eyes almost glowed. He smiled over at Cowlick, reaching a hoof out to touch hers gently, and she looked back at him lovingly as he added quietly: “I want to thank you again for bringing my beloved into our fold. For letting us serve you, and letting us stay together.”
“Yes, I've grown to like this a lot. There's a lot of responsibilities, many commitments... but so much pleasure, and now I'm able to do so much more than I ever could in the past...” Cowlick added softly, stretching her wings out and admiring them before she bowed her head respectfully to Luna and Scrivener as they smiled benevolently down at her. “I've gotten used to not having as many memories anymore, to things being a little... numb. It's a blessing, not a curse. Although it's annoying that I have to share every last goddamn little thing with you both and Ross isn't as cute as he used to be.”
Scrivener laughed quietly and Luna rolled her eyes with a sigh, but she was smiling as well before she said mildly: “Well, worry not. Thou does make it tempting to erase thy mind entirely sometimes, Cowlick, but... I like thee the way thou art. And Ross is Ross, articulate or not.”
“Ross is Ross.” the male Moon Blessed agreed, smiling, and then he hesitated for a moment before asking curiously: “Are you sure you want us to look after Celestia when you're both going to be... under the weather for a little while?”
“Yes, Ross, thou hast my thanks for the concern but Celestia is more important to attend to now than us.” Luna bowed her head politely, and then she glanced at Scrivener, adding mildly: “And upon that note, we had best depart. The ritual by now has likely been prepared and 'tis important it is not delayed. Remember, treat Celestia as thou would treat myself or Scrivener, understood?”
Both Moon Blessed bowed their heads respectfully, and Scrivener and Luna smiled before turning around and heading calmly down the hall. As they walked, Luna smiled wider, gazing towards Scrivy and saying softly: “Remember how she used to treat us, Scrivener? So angry with us despite us fulfilling her wish, doing what was necessary to save precious Ross... but after she became Moon Blessed... after a day or two of understanding the world from her new perspective... she understood. She became thankful, and kind, and willing to do her duties without complaint. They adore us.”
“In the past I would have questioned the morality of it, argued with you if only for the sake of argument... but now... I like it. I see myself, how this is good. Sure, we skirt morality... but she's happy. Comfortable. Strong. There's nothing wrong with any of those things, is there?” Scrivener smiled himself, nodding to her and making Luna gaze up at him adoringly, the black pearl glinting in her melded collar. “And we can make more... and with Cowlick one of us, she's so eager to help, to design better things for us, to see Enstasis the very best it can be...”
“Truly it is a blessing. Truly we are blessed, despite... losing Ponyville, we will gain so much more... and one day, Ponyville will understand. For now, I know, contentment and control. Mastering our desires as we achieve our dreams and aspirations.” Luna replied softly, nodding as they stepped onto a curving staircase heading down. “Oh, handsome master Scrivener Blooms...”
“Beautiful goddess Luna Brynhild.” Scrivy replied tenderly, his eyes almost glowing behind his glasses, and Luna looked at him adoringly as they made their way down the steps and through the castle of dark desire. Demons and servants of shadow passed them, bowing their heads respectfully to the two who had eyes only for one-another, striding their way towards what felt like the first step towards a much-greater destiny.
It wasn't long before they stepped into the enormous courtyard at the center of Enstasis known as the Garden: a massive, hundred foot wide rectangle almost double that distance in length, the ceiling high above enormous and curved like that of some immense cathedral. Enormous supports ran along this roof, many of them sparking with powerful magic that added to their strength and stability: directly above this courtyard, after all, stood the central spire of Enstasis, and the massive, octagonal tower needed all the additional support it could get.
The Garden itself was floored with the fertile, dark soil that Scrivener's presence in full Tyrant Wyrm shape created, and beautiful ivy crawled up along the stone walls, majestic dark blue and black blooms growing along these thorny tapers. Other flowers and blossoms of white, ebony, and dark azure swayed here and there over the ground, and Scrivy smiled slightly through the wide field: there were brambles and other ivies as well, and only part of the field had been cleared, he saw... the very center, where a circle of ornate runes had been traced in blood and gray ash along the dark ground, where four enormous Nightmares stood.
They were Greater Nightmares: imbued with Luna's magic, they did not fear the sun or the day, and were more powerful than their 'younger siblings,' as they often called them. They all bowed their heads respectfully as Scrivener strode calmly into the circle and laid himself down while Luna sat at the outer edge, asking her servants gently: “Are we ready to begin?”
“Yes, Mistress.” one of the Greater Nightmares murmured, and Luna smiled as another slipped out of the way to reveal an ornate silver chest secured by a heavy lock. “As you requested, we brought it here immediately...”
“Good.” Luna smiled slightly, only needing to concentrate slightly as her horn glowed, and the chest clicked several times before the lid opened, a burst of steam hissing up from inside and a rack filled with dangerous-looking tools popping upwards before a horn that was dripping with red liquid lifted from the depths of the chest, Luna saying softly: “Celestia still lives, and the horn can sense this... but it has been soaked in my husband's blood, and thus has begun to 'sense' him as well, so to speak. It will recognize him as its new master soon enough...”
She licked her lips slowly as Scrivener smiled slightly over his shoulder at Luna, and she sat back on her haunches, gazing down at him lovingly as he rested inside the circle before her eyes roved up to the Greater Nightmares, ordering calmly: “I shall feel my husband's pain during this process, even with these runes muting and disrupting our link, even with him under lethargy from thy magic. Do not halt thy work no matter what happens, understood? Not until the horn is safely and securely set in Scrivener's skull.”
The servants of darkness nodded, then all four bowed their heads, and Luna stepped back with a warm, affectionate smile down to Scrivener Blooms as the runic circle began to glow, the male's breath catching in his throat as he felt waves of tiredness begin to spread through his form, gazing lovingly, trustingly at Luna for a few more moments before he began to settle slowly to the ground. Pain sizzled along his spine and through his limbs, and yet he barely noticed... what he was aware of most was excitement, even as the strength was sapped from him, as a dullness pervaded his senses and even breathing started to grow difficult.
Luna swayed slowly on her haunches, breathing hard herself as she fought to stay on her hooves, Celestia's horn bobbing weakly in the air beside her before two of the Nightmares stepped forwards as several dangerous-looking tools lifted out of the chest behind them, both smiling calmly...
And Luna grinned even as pain flooded through her own head, but it only made her feel alive as Scrivener lay, bound by magic in the circle of runes, his eyes half-closed in both pain and pleasure as streams of blood ran down Luna's own face from the base of her horn and Celestia's removed horn floated beside her, trembling in her telekinetic grip as she whispered: “It is a step towards perfection... a step towards greater glory...”
She was barely aware when one of the Nightmares guided her around the circle so she could guide Celestia's horn forwards... she half-fainted from the pain when one of the Nightmares began to attach the roots of the horn into the base still in Scrivener's skull, as the poet gargled a bit in the glowing circle, but Luna laughed even through the agony, even as blood continued to drip along her features, her eyes glowing with insane, ravenous light as electricity sparked through her mane... and it seemed like minutes, not almost an hour, before Luna looked up and stared down at her husband as the Greater Nightmares all stepped away from the circle, the lethargy spell ending as Scrivener shivered in the mire... and then slowly looked up from beneath a splatter of blood as Luna licked her lips slowly in delight.
An ivory horn gleamed from his skull... and when he rose his head, it was the face of a unicorn as mighty, as proud as she or Celestia had ever been. He gazed across at her, at the blood that smeared her features as she trembled a bit and grinned, breathing hard, the pain and pleasure making her feel insane and lightheaded, the feelings beginning to infect and twist into Scrivener's own body as he saw her... and saw himself through her eyes.
And then Scrivener arched his back and flicked his horn upwards, and a blast of lightning erupted from it and into the ceiling, arcing violently back and forth between the magically-protected pillars and making him grin in delight as the Greater Nightmares stared in awe and Luna leaned back in delight, watching as a swirling blue-black aura shrouded Scrivener's horn before the white spire slowly began to turn ebony, with the faintest tinge of copper-crimson. Luna watched it awe as Scrivener rolled his head on his shoulders, his white mane swirling backwards before he grinned slowly. “If I was supposed to be weak after this little surgery... I can't wait to see what it's like when I feel strong again.”
“Do not stress thyself though, husband... the horn could be rejected or damaged, after all. Give it some time... it is not often a horn changes masters.” Luna replied tenderly, and then she smiled slightly, glancing over her shoulder at the Greater Nightmares, who were all standing and looking eagerly over the two. “In time, thou shall all be rewarded. Rewarded... wonderfully. For thou has done admirably... as only I could trust thee to do. Yes, my beloved pets... Scrivener and I shall head up to our room, to sleep, to rest, to relax. Tend to Celestia. We shall call if we need thee.”
The Greater Nightmares nodded, then vanished one-after-the-other from sight, and Luna smiled in delight before her eyes roved to Scrivener, adding warmly: “The horn must adjust to thee, and thy body must adjust to the horn. But we are doing much better than I had expected... I feel a little... insane, perhaps, is the right word, but I feel good, too. Strong. We shall need time, oh, but I do not expect much. Because as I see... Celestia did give her horn with full willingness to us. We... we must do something for her. We must reward her as well.”
Scrivener nodded slowly, the two gazing at one another, their eyes meeting... and then widening in surprise at the power of the images, thoughts, memories that shot through one-another's mind, as if their link had become even stronger now. They both staggered a bit from the sheer force of it, and then stepped forwards... and when their horns gently touched, sparks sizzled between them, pleasure and emotion and so much more twisted between the two, and they both released gasps of delight before they gazed into one-another's eyes.
For a few moments, they both breathed quietly... and then they leaned forwards, kissing firmly for a moment, feeling one another's pleasure, passion, tongues dancing and Luna almost whimpering in her throat as Scrivener breathed blue mist into her jaws and growled in delight... and then their mouths parted, heads dropping forwards as they nuzzled one another. Scrivener kissed slowly along the collar melded to Luna's neck as Luna buried her face against his throat, shivering in delight as she whispered: “Celestia has given us a greater gift than she knows. A far greater gift, yes... we will make her stronger, too. We will make her special.”
Scrivener only nodded slowly in response, not needing to speak as he closed his eyes before Luna slipped forwards, and they embraced tightly... two dark entities in the Garden of Enstasis, eager to delve into all the forbidden secrets of their kingdom of the night. And Scrivener's new horn gleamed blackly as Luna's collar almost glowed around her neck, a testament to the lengths the two would dare go for one-another's pleasure and power.