Chapter Thirty Nine: Daring The Abyss
~BlackRoseRaven
Winter lasted an unnaturally long time, thanks in part to the North Wind gleefully spilling back and forth across Equestria, freezing and spreading snow all over the country. Luna didn't bother to rein the ice spirits in, letting them have their fun as long as they didn't attack any encampments... she had no problem with them drawing out the winter months, but did not wish to start any unnecessary skirmishes, either.
New Equestria tried to make a push towards the southern reaches of Luna's territory, but even there winter had spread its icy claws, and the used-to-warmth soldiers found it difficult to push over the fields speckled with frost and snow as biting cold whipped past. The push was massive... but doomed to failure from the start with the troops so demoralized and terrified and made weak from the cold, and Celestia simply ordered their defenses reinforced before she sent out several squads of hardened soldiers to lock down two supply roads at choke points near their territory. It left the soldiers starving, without fuel for fires, without new clothes or ammunition, and Celestia had felt coldly-pleased with herself as the encampment of 'loyal' New Equestria soldiers cannibalized itself before the survivors dragged themselves across the field, pleading for mercy.
Luna and Scrivener practiced strange compassion with the enemy troops when they surrendered, something that often bothered Celestia: first, the strongest and healthiest were singled out, and taken to be 'retrained' alongside other new recruits, where they would either learn to be loyal to the Kingdom of the Night, or die... if they were lucky. Secondly, those in moderate condition, or who were obviously conscripts or drafted ponies, were given the option to swear fealty to Luna, then be placed on work crews at their old homes, to help convert encampments and cities into places that would be more welcoming to the armies of the night. Luna didn't like forcing ponies to fight for her, but she also knew that every pony had to help her cause in some way. This seemed like the best option.
Lastly, however, were the weak, the infirm, the dying, the sick: Luna seemed to take a dark pleasure in offering them a new life in exchange for their loyalty... and those who accepted, Luna had killed, then raised as undead minions for her army. She and Scrivener Blooms had both begin exploring darker arcane arts... and while Celestia disagreed morally, she had to agree with Luna's logic. As they claimed more territory, they needed more soldiers whose loyalty would not be questioned: her undead would provide all that and more.
The Greater Nightmares, some of her demons, and resurrected Twilight Shadow were both able to raise the dead in various forms, as were the Moon Blessed... and Luna had also begun to consider training unicorns who were loyal to her not just in combat magic, but in darker arts as well. Some were very interested in the necromantic arts, after all... it would be a shame not to put their talents and curiosity to full use.
When Luna and Scrivener returned from their 'diplomatic visits' across Equestria to Enstasis, Luna had been able to personally begin overseeing the training of the first class of necromancers. Working alongside demons, Greater Nightmares, and Twilight Shadow, they were able to share her darkest magics with dedicated unicorns, whose powers they often supplied with a few drops of blood from Scrivener Blooms. That alone was enough to drive the weaker mad, however, with visions of destruction and the Black Verses, and they had to be slain... while the stronger gained greater focus and enhanced strength.
By spring, when the snow melted away to mud and grime and the cold was replaced by dreary rain and humid winds, New Equestria thought it could gain back the advantage... instead they were horrified when a battalion that had been marching to try and take control of thought-neutral territory had been attacked by hordes of grinning undead while Luna herself and Twilight Shadow had both stood and watched calmly and analytically from above. Flesh-eating ghouls, clawing and life-sucking wights, skeletons and undead knights still wielding weapon and shield had torn their way through the troops... and when they had tried to turn and flee, they had been met on the road by Scrivener Blooms in full glory, the Tyrant Wyrm wading into the battle with hunger and dark joy burning in his eyes.
The unit had been completely annihilated: the few who survived the battle made a quick meal of by Scrivener... and in this case, he had not fed off their minds but devoured them almost greedily. The taste of metal and flesh crunching in his jaws had mixed with the delicious sensation of their emotions going wild with agony and horror, their pain his pleasure, and he had delighted in the feeling of gorging himself off both spirit and body.
Luna had smiled lovingly, while Twilight had looked apprehensive until Scrivener had met her eyes, sharing the delicious emotions with the Lich, letting her feel what he felt, his reasoning, his hunger, his emotions filling her up and making her understand as she'd shivered in surprise and... bliss. It was war, and they were destroyers... and more and more, Twilight was believing what Luna and Scrivener said: there was no crime in enjoying their work, no matter how terrible it might seem... no matter how awful and dark it might be.
They returned to New Equestria with their findings, and Celestia helped them analyze the data they came back with to break down the strengths and vulnerabilities of the various undead they could create. The whole plan had bothered her, but at the same time, she was pushing her concerns aside for them... and more than that, there was an undertone of dark interest despite herself. It was fascinating, after all: realms of magic that had always been forbidden to explore before now, the dark allure enhanced by the research they were doing and the ever-interesting puzzle of how to enhance the value of their military and strategy.
New Equestria denounced Luna's new tactics, but even though some of the few remaining neutral territories listed towards New Equestria with these recent discoveries, at the same time, it created a ripple of terror that spread throughout the war-torn nation. Fear for what Luna was truly capable of, that further demoralized the New Equestrian soldiers, that made even Kvasir hesitate and Sleipnir disgusted... but at the same time, smile faintly as he sensed Luna's victory not far away.
New Equestria began to gather its forces to prepare an attack against the only vulnerable location within their reach: Queensland, just above Central Equestria. There were several large supply hubs there, as well as a rail system that Luna was using to ship supplies through the nation. Troops had recently been shipped out before a cargo train had come in a little too fast to one of the loading stations and derailed itself, blocking up the shipping line and giving New Equestria a minor window of time where a large portion of Queensland would be undefended while reinforcements were forced to march in from other regions.
New Equestria made its move with an enormous army of soldiers, determined to bring down the supply houses and destroy as much of the rail line as it could, and Celestia immediately called for reinforcements from around the nation... but unbeknownst to both sides, the furious dragons had decided to mount a revenge attack of their own. Feeling cheated because of Twilight Shadow's return despite her proclaimed 'death,' and after a long winter with little action for the enormous reptiles, they went against New Equestria's orders to stay back for now and instead assaulted Crystal Champagne's barony.
The attack, a convergence of dozens of dragons coming from across Equestria, was unexpected, senseless, and razed an entire city to the ground; it was only through sheer fluke that they hit several storage warehouses as well as a transport yard, crippling their ability to feed their troops and move supplies and soldiers. The dragons had minimal casualties, but the distraction forced Celestia to split the reinforcements heading for Queensland up to help drive off the still-rampaging dragons.
Worse, the attack on Queensland was successful: New Equestria leveled supply buildings, blew up miles of railway, and killed off several waves of Luna's soldiers before staging a tactical retreat. The two freak victories swelled morale and pride in New Equestria, left Kvasir stunned and even Sleipnir impressed... but also enraged Luna and Scrivener Blooms.
Victory became horror as the news went out: Luna and Scrivener were taking to the field themselves in retaliation, their course taking them directly towards the battalion that had destroyed Queensland. New Equestria quickly sent out warning to them, and the soldiers eagerly dropped into hiding, the leaders of the group of over a hundred ponies and Nibelung high on the triumph they had already achieved and ready to immortalize themselves by killing the King and Queen of the Night and ending the war.
Luna and Scrivener seemed to vanish instead of attacking, however, and the war leaders had scouts dispatched to search the area for any traces of them. Two scouts returned after only a few hours, reporting that they had found no traces so far, and the battalion commanders decided to set up camp for the night. They were overeager for battle, and it blinded them as the scouts that had returned smiled to each other and calmly waited for the encampment to quiet down that night... and then Luna and Scrivener shed their polymorphed forms as night deepened and darkened and soldiers around them slept.
They started quiet, killing the sleeping soldiers one-by-one before Luna and Scrivener traded soft smiles and headed calmly out into the encampment. With all the attention focused outwards, they were able to kill a surprising number of soldiers before the alarm went up... but the siren was drowned shortly out by the terrifying roar of a Tyrant Wyrm before the Black Verses echoed through the night...
They left one of the commanders alive, crying and insane among the corpses, still shrieking orders to his soldiers as if they could hear and obey him before the two had begun their return towards Enstasis. The terrors of what had happened were witnessed by Kvasir in a scrying glass, and he had cursed... then realized with repulsion that this could be an opportunity. It disgusted him, horrified him, but he recognized the route that Luna and Scrivener Blooms were taking, a mostly-abandoned stretch of road in the neutral, empty borders between New Equestria and Dark Kingdom territory... and the god had scurried off to find the one mare he knew would take this mission no matter what, loathing what he was doing and yet knowing this was their one chance... that one way or the other, this would decide several very important things.
Scrivener Blooms smiled as he strode beside Luna, his cloak whispering around him, his glasses resting low across his muzzle as he glanced over them towards her and said in an amused voice: “So okay, okay. It was... refreshing. But Celestia's going to lecture us when we get back.”
Luna only laughed, however, her leather outfit polished and gleaming beneath the blue skies and the merry sun overhead, hooves kicking up a bit of dust from the winding, long-abandoned road they were walking along as they passed through the shadows of a few particularly-tall trees growing at the side of the road. “Oh, but our loyal First Concubine always lectures us, yet at the same time, she shall understand. She is just looking out for us, Scrivener Blooms... 'tis funny, how thou gets so chastened by words and yet have no qualms about facing the worst of violence...”
“Violence doesn't even hurt that much anymore. Words ignore everything and hit right here.” Scrivener paused and patted his chest with a slight smile, and Luna gazed at him with a quiet laugh and a slow nod. For a moment, they only looked at each other, and then their eyes met, thinking not of the carnage that had lasted almost the entire night, but instead of one-another, their love, their pride, their pleasure...
They began to lean forwards, eyes sliding closed... and then, just as their lips brushed, a cold, disgusted voice said from the sparse forest: “So you two really are so far gone that's become your idea of a good time, huh?”
Scrivener glared over his shoulder as Luna's eyes narrowed coldly, stepping slowly to the side to see Applejack striding calmly into the road, a golden, shell-shaped helm dangling by a strap around her neck, thick plate mail covering her body with gleaming, silver crosshatch blades built directly into the golden metal plates that protected her forelegs. Her hooves were sheathed in steel, edged boots, and her eyes glared at them with cold disgust as her braided hair and tail twisted back in the wind. “Arrogant enough to be walking around big as day despite the fact your kind is better off slinking around like the cowards you are under the cover of night... but I'm glad. I'm glad you are, it makes getting to stop you and end this war all the sweeter.”
“You really think that you can take us on?” Scrivener asked distastefully, turning towards her and stepping forwards with a cold grin as his eyes glinted, unholy blue light shimmering around his chestnut irises. “And you call us arrogant.”
“Oh, I ain't alone, don't worry, Scrivener. Rainbow and I flipped for it, and he's gonna keep Luna busy while my friends and I take you down. Pissed me off at first but then he promised that he'll just break you, he won't kill you. I get that pleasure.” Applejack said coldly, and then she grinned and winked at Luna as the winged unicorn snarled at her furiously. “See you in a few minutes, sugarcube.”
Luna began to open her mouth before her instincts howled a warning, and she looked up too little, too late, before a black-armored blur of rainbow speed shot across the ground and smashed into her, carrying her backwards with a snarl before she slammed her rear hooves down and threw the Pegasus that had bodily rammed into her hard upwards as she reared back, gasping in pain as sharp edged armor tore against her body and flayed both leather and the front of her coat.
But no sooner had she thrown the Pegasus off then Rainbow Dash smoothly shot high into the air and another Pegasus crashed to the ground in front of Luna, expertly using its momentum to spin around on its front legs before it slammed both rear hooves into Luna's upturned chin, the force of the blow shocking her and knocking her flying into the air before a third Pegasus shot down from the skies and rammed an elbow straight into her stomach, sending her hurtling backwards. Her eyes bulged, saliva and blood shooting from her jaws as she sailed limply through the air... and then a final winged pony shot along the ground and suddenly twisted upwards to slam his hooves into her body in a savage, full-body uppercut, knocking her rocketing up into the skies only to be met by a vicious tomahawk from Rainbow Dash.
She was knocked hurtling backwards, but the winged unicorn spun herself, wings spreading as her starry mane and tail burst into blue flames as anger and adrenaline flooded her, eyes glowing ivory with rage as blood and drool dripped from her mouth... and Rainbow Dash grinned, his own eyes blazing with fury as he hovered easily in his black, sharp-edged plate mail, the three identically-uniformed Pegasi flying up into the air around him, posing in their orange and red-lightning-streaked uniforms, tinted goggles over their eyes. “How do you like my stunt team, Luna? Wonderbolts, schmunderbolts... we're the Thunderbolts, not just the best damn fliers in Equestria but the most elite, most dangerous assault team you'll ever meet!”
“And thou shall all die with that mantle.” Luna hissed, leaning forwards as her eyes flashed, and the Thunderbolts immediately formed a defensive line just below Rainbow Dash as Luna's body twitched, her sapphire-flame mane flaring dangerous, electricity crackling in the air around her before she roared furiously: “Traitorous scum! I made thee and I shall destroy thee!”
Scrivener Blooms was leaning forwards, his claws clenching against the ground, a snarl on his face as he felt Luna's pain... and moreover, Luna's rage, as he raised his head and opened his jaws to shout... then only stared as Applejack only grinned at him as trees shattered loudly behind her and two green dragons plowed out of the forest, only a little smaller than full-fledged adults but terribly fast-
One leapt forwards, lunging past and almost overtop Applejack as the earth pony mare calmly fitted her helm into place, and the dragon's claw lashed out and slammed into Scrivener, knocking him flying backwards to crash into a tree with enough force to send cracks rippling through the wood. He gave a curse of pain and fell forwards as Applejack shouted to the dragons as the second ran past her: “Don't let the bastard transform! Forget about what he looks like, hit him with everything you two got!”
Scrivener looked up just in time to see another talon slam forwards, smashing him back against the tree as one of the twenty-foot tall dragons grinned darkly, its eyes blazing before its brother slammed a claw down, hammering across Scrivener's face and upper chest. They snapped at him greedily as their claws raked into him, Scrivener howling in pain as he was smashed back against the tree, feeling his bones creaking, his scales ripping, his body being steadily crushed as Applejack watched with contempt.
And Luna, meanwhile, was twitching in pain from the beating Scrivener was taking, distracting her as the Thunderbolts shot back and forth around her, harrying her with quick attacks as Rainbow Dash stayed back before he rose his hooves and whistled sharply, and immediately two of the the Thunderbolts lunged backwards before shooting forwards as another dove low when Luna lashed her horn out and shot a blast of lightning at him, the Pegasus easily evading this before he rolled in midair to shoot upwards and curl around, then slam savagely into Luna's back as the other two Thunderbolts shot forwards and smashed firmly into her wings, making her shriek in pain as they twisted awkwardly and her back bent further... and then Rainbow Dash shot down and slammed himself bodily into her head, her eyes widening in shock as blood flew from her muzzle, her jaw gaping open as she felt her vertebrae creaking and her legs kick once before she toppled backwards, flipping violently as she was launched over the head of the Thunderbolt that had struck her from behind and Rainbow Dash snorted in disgust.
Scrivener gargled as he felt Luna's agony fill him before he roared furiously as his horn blazed with sapphire light, and a blast of force ripped from his body, powerful enough to make the dragon brothers flinch backwards and send cracks tearing through the tree behind him. Branches shook and tore loose, falling around in a hail of wood before Scrivener vanished from sight in a burst of sapphire light, and he reappeared on the road a moment later below Luna before she could hit the ground, catching her on his back.
She cursed in pain, clenching her eyes shut before looking up as the Thunderbolts shot down towards her, her horn swinging backwards, grinding against Scrivener's and sending up a burst of sparks as instinct, fury, emotion, and what was less a plan and more a wild scream of revenge ripped through their minds-
Scrivener snapped himself upwards, bucking and launching Luna into the air as she spread her injured wings and flapped them once, snapping her horn forwards, surprising the Thunderbolts before Luna's horn ripped into the chest of the mare in the center, making her scream in agony as the other two Pegasi shot to either side, both turning to stare with shock as their teammate was carried higher on Luna's horn, the winged unicorn grinning through the blood that spilled over her face as her horn glowed, blue fire spilling into the body of the Pegasus before she spun around and savagely flung her into the arms of one of her teammates.
He caught her, sailing backwards with a grunt even as the mare stared up at him with agonized fear, steam boiling off her form and out of the awful wound in her body, and then Luna gave a savage grin before she simply flicked her horn, and the gored Pegasus shrieked as she bloated hideously for a bare moment before exploding in a burst of crimson and azure flame, coating her unfortunate teammate in her steaming blood. He stared down at his hooves in horror, his jaw working, before he began to scream, going into hysterics as the other Thunderbolt and Rainbow Dash could only stare in horror as Luna threw her head back and laughed...
Scrivener's horn glowed as the dragons and Applejack charged towards him, the male snarling as he backstepped and his entire frame began to glow and spark with energy before one of the green dragons pounced towards him with a roar... but instead of slamming down into Scrivener, the male's body expanded with a shockwave of energy into his full Tyrant Wyrm size, head lashing upwards and crashing his horns across the face of the green dragon to send it flying backwards. Applejack cursed, barely leaping out of the way before she shouted in fury and growing fear, as the Tyrant Wyrm slammed down onto its feet and stored towards them: “Hit it, hit it with every damn thing you got!”
The green dragon still on its feet lunged forwards, aggressive and yet desperate now; the foe, after all was suddenly bigger than it was, terrifying despite the cracked, enlarged wounds over its body, but the dragon knew no other way out than to destroy its foe. It began to raise its claws... and then instead it shrieked as one of Scrivener's own strong claws seized it around the throat before he twisted and slammed the dragon down into the ground with the ease he would crush a child, shouting furiously: “Insolent whelp!”
He brought his other claw slashing down into the dragon's features, making it howl.. then scream in agony as Scrivener leaned down with a snarling grin, the dragon's scales beginning to rot and putrefy as he poured his corrupting influence into the beast, the sand around him beginning to melt and blacken into mire at the same time before the green dragon's brother ran forwards and slammed into the Tyrant Wyrm, knocking it staggering backwards before Scrivener flinched when the beast scored a lucky bite against his face, ripping away a chunk of scale and flesh. Instead of blood, however, dark corrupted matter spilled down, and Scrivener Blooms only laughed as he rose his head slowly up as the green dragon spat and snapped its head back and forth with a hiss of shock, steam pouring out of its jaws as the monster said hungrily: “Yes. Hurt me. Excite me.”
The dragons slowly readied themselves, foam dripping from the jaws of one as its half-melted face twitched, one of its eyes blinded and the scales gray and peeling slowly away from rotting, dark flesh... the jaws of the other steaming as it snarled but shivered, half-quailing even as it rose itself up. And Applejack could only stare in disbelief, not knowing what to do or say as Scrivener Blooms grinned darkly, his claws digging into the mire around him that was spreading through the road, making the ground ripple and distort... no! “Watch out!”
One of the dragons began to look towards Applejack, and Scrivener leaned forwards with a growl as he grinned wider, the blue light burning higher in his sockets as the mire exploded upwards over the dragon brothers, thick blankets of mud and muck and corruption bursting over both the beasts and disorienting them, clinging to them like rapidly-hardening glue to bind them into place as they panicked. One managed to rear backwards, ripping itself free of the mire even as it clawed at the sticky, burning substance covering it, but the other was not so lucky, its front limbs not budging, its tail and hind legs almost convulsing as it tried to drag itself away as its head snapped back and forth... and then Scrivener's jaws seized into its throat as he growled like an animal before twisting his head briskly and yanking downwards.
There was a sickening crack as its neck snapped and a burst of blood as his teeth sank through the scales and into its throat, before the male ripped backwards, finishing the job as the green dragon shrieked and keeled forwards into the erupted mire, Applejack staggering backwards in horror... and beside her, the dragon's brother looked up, trembling, then it roared furiously and charged forwards as Scrivener's eyes flicked up before they flashed as they met the irises of the green dragon, feeding off its pain, its rage, its humiliation, its despair...
The dragon staggered in its charge... and then the Tyrant Wyrm lunged forwards, seizing it around its long neck and by the back to slam it savagely down onto its side. It clawed at him, ripping gashed along his chest as one wing flapped... and then Scrivener's claws tore down, tearing into its body and its head before his fangs lunged down, biting again, again, again at its neck as his horn glowed darkly and corruption spread through the dragon. It shrieked uselessly, spasming on its side... but fell still as Scrivener rumbled, bestial and greedy, slowly raising his head with a savage, primal grin.
Applejack staggered backwards... and then leapt to the side in horror as something crashed to the ground before her, before her eyes bulged in shock at the sight of a headless Pegasus. A moment later, the head fell from the air, and she looked up just in time to see Luna smash into Rainbow Dash.
The pale blue Pegasus was knocked backwards with a gargle, his armor dented and broken, tears streaming down his blood-splattered face before Luna's hooves smashed back and forth across his features, the stallion unable to do a thing to defend himself before the winged unicorn easily flipped and smashed one of her rear hooves in a graceful bicycle kick under his chin, knocking his head back and sending him plummeting on an arc as Luna let herself fall into a dive before suddenly corkscrewing herself and twisting to intercept him halfway to the ground, smashing into his body and sending broken pieces of armor flying in all directions. Rainbow Dash was knocked flipping wildly through the air, unable to catch his balance before he crashed loudly into the road and skidded through the dirt, rolling a few times before he flopped on his side, and Applejack cursed as she stumbled backwards, staring helplessly up as Scrivener Blooms stepped slowly forwards.
He leaned down, grinning... and Applejack began to raise a foreleg, trembling, before her eyes met Scrivener's. His eyes flashed, and a moment later a bright spark went off her in her mind before she was filled with agony, screaming and staggering backwards as all her worst memories ripped through her mind, grabbing at her face before she collapsed forwards as Scrivener leaned down and whispered almost affectionately: “Yes, you should blame yourself, Applejack. It's all your fault your parents died. And it's all your fault these ponies and dragons died too... and it's all your fault that Rainbow Dash, and you, and everything else you care about will die or be corrupted as well...”
“Screw you!” Applejack snarled desperately, standing up and lashing a crosshatch blade out even as tears flooded down her face, and Scrivener only grinned as the small blade tore a scratch along the scales of his muzzle, the earth pony looking up at him with horror, with hate, with fear and panic as Luna smiled coldly and slowly dropped down to land gently on Scrivener's head, looking with cruel entertainment down at the mare. “You're the monsters here, n-not me! I ain't falling for any of your goddamn tricks!”
“Interesting. She has some kind of mental protection, it shielded her from the worst of the damage...” Luna said softly, leaning forwards with a curious look before her eyes locked on the golden helm, nodding thoughtfully. And then she smiled kindly as Applejack snarled up at them before the winged unicorn strode forwards, walking to the end of Scrivener's muzzle to lean forwards and smile almost kindly down at the goldenrod mare. “Now that I am calmer... I realize it would be folly to kill thee or Rainbow Dash. Go. Leave. Return to Ponyville, just what thou art... a failure. Be miserable and wretched, so-called 'hero.' Go back home. I am not cruel enough to take thee away from thy family... I am not kind enough to end thy suffering existence.”
Scrivener chuckled quietly as Applejack stared up at them, breathing hard before she shoved her helm back and off, snarling at the two as Scrivener rose his head and turned away, Luna still smiling to herself on his muzzle as the earth pony mare shouted: “Don't you turn your back on me! We ain't done here! W-We ain't done yet, you freaks!”
“AJ, we... we can't win. We gotta go. We gotta go.” Rainbow Dash whispered, and Applejack turned before she stared in misery at the battered, broken condition of the Pegasus, as he breathed slowly in and out, trembling and shaking his head weakly. His armor was broken, one of his wings was snapped and hung at an awkward angle, and he was cradling a limb against his chest as he looked at her with a tremble of terror in his eyes. “We gotta go.”
“I... b-b-but...” Applejack shivered, looking back towards Luna and Scrivener as they halted by the corpse of a dragon... and then the mare moaned in horror, staggering backwards as Scrivener leaned calmly down and bit into the stomach of the corpse, Luna once more standing astride the Tyrant Wyrm's head and gazing down with terrible love and adoration. “Oh, I... oh g-god...”
She staggered around in a circle, then stumbled hurriedly towards the forest, breathing hard, her eyes wide and terrified, her helmet bouncing against her breast as she broke into a disjointed run, and Rainbow stumbled and shambled after her, tears streaming along the stallion's own face. He kept thinking of the Thunderbolts... two of them had been former teammates, former friends, but Spitfire had been reduced to nothing but a bloody smear and Soarin' had been... screaming, and then Luna had simply flown over to him and... and...
The mix of pain and memory made him stagger to the side as nausea flooded him before he vomited miserably by a tree, and ahead, Applejack halted and shoved her hooves against another tree before she dropped her head forwards and simply screamed, trying to get out the whispers of poison, of failure, twisting their way sinuously through her mind. They had been utterly obliterated... and she had once been stupid enough to think that she could take on something that powerful, that horrendous...
She punched the tree once, twice, thrice, then dropped her head forwards and tried to scream... but all that came out was a whimpering wail as tears flooded down her cheeks. They had failed... they had failed so horribly...
And back at the road, Scrivener Blooms had settled comfortably down, feasting on the corpse of the dragon. Luna was now curled up between his slowly-moving pistons of bone, her expression soft, her mane and tail of blue fire slowly fading and becoming starry, ephemeral locks once more as she smiled to herself. They had faced down two opponents they had dreaded most in all the world and defeated them with ease after the initial shock had worn off... after the initial... weakness.
Memories surged up: of Ponyville, of Applejack smiling, dressed as a scarecrow on Nightmare Night and trying to help her make a good impression on ponies. Of Rainbow Dash, then a mare, grinning embarrassedly as Twilight quietly explained the situation to Luna. Of a white wedding... of training on a battlefield... of fighting alongside them... of watching them die to try and save their family, friends, and country.
Luna shifted quietly, and Scrivener Blooms rose his head, rumbling softly as he looked over his shoulder at her, but she only shook her head slowly and murmured without needing to glance up: “'Tis nothing, beloved. Go ahead, fear not for me. Finish thy meal... it will strengthen thee. Dragon's blood and dragon's strength... 'tis nothing compared to thy power, but every drop matters. And it helps us both heal, more importantly.”
Scrivener nodded slowly, returning to eating even as he felt the memories twist quietly through his own mind. It didn't take him long to make a meal of the beast, however, and once he was done, he turned his eyes to the other dragon... but it had half-sunk into the black mire and reeked of rot, and so Scrivener only sniffed disdainfully before he leaned forwards and breathed a blast of blue smog over it, the scales charring and the body melting and rotting all the faster before he turned and began to trudge easily down the road towards Enstasis.
There were no other surprises waiting for them: likely in part because there was little foolish enough to dare attack Scrivener Blooms in that shape, even with a few wounds still faintly-visible over his form. But now, New Equestria clearly knew their power... both because of their retaliation against the battalion as well as their defeat of Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
In fact, Celestia was waiting outside for them in her full armor, Twilight Shadow looking relieved as Scrivener calmly strode up the dark road that led to Enstasis through the Village of the Damned, the growing settlement of night-allied ponies. They both looked up not with anger, but with thankfulness and compassion, and Luna and Scrivener both appreciated this more than either of them could say.
Scrivener calmly walked inside, not shrinking down as he ducked through the enormous portcullis, and then pulled both massive double doors open to their widest before striding calmly down the hall, Luna still riding on his back and Celestia and Twilight following behind the Tyrant Wyrm as he finally emerged into the vastness of the Garden. Here, Luna finally leapt off and Scrivener rumbled softly as he settled himself down and curled up... and smiled despite himself when Luna strode over to him and slipped herself into her forelimbs even as Celestia said quietly: “We were very worried about you both. Not just because of your reckless attack, but because of the ambush we heard rumors about from Ponyville... but you didn't kill Applejack, nor Rainbow Dash.”
“Thank you.” Twilight Shadow mumbled awkwardly, and Luna softened at this as she turned around and finally made herself comfortable. The Lich looked up at her quietly, and Luna gazed lovingly back before the violet mare smiled when the dark-coated winged unicorn gestured at her gently, saying quietly as she strode towards them: “It means a lot that you didn't kill them. And I think, tactically-speaking, it was better, too. It sent a very clear message to Ponyville... that you're not scared. Not at all. And with the state that they returned in...”
“You did very well.” Celestia agreed quietly, looking hesitantly over them as Twilight crawled into Scrivener's forelimbs to curl silently up with Luna, the Tyrant Wyrm smiling a little before he glanced down as Celestia asked softly: “May I... see?”
“Only if you do us a favor... go and take your armor off, and tell the Moon Blessed to ensure we are not disturbed tonight.” Scrivener replied softly, smiling slightly, and Celestia gazed up at him with concern before he leaned down and soothed gently: “We have scored a revenge and a victory today. The world will not fall apart overnight without your watch, Celestia, at least not tonight. I... I would like the company of those special to me tonight though. Luna and I both, but... me especially.”
He smiled awkwardly, and Celestia softened as she gazed up at him. A ruthless Tyrant Wyrm, with enough power to level the nation if he so desired... and yet here he was, almost stumbling over his words despite the fact that he was her King, and she was First Concubine. Inside herself, she felt a flutter, a strange sensation, a warmth... and then she nodded slowly, saying softly: “Of course, Scrivener Blooms.”
The male smiled as Celestia turned, then she glanced over her shoulder and added with a small smile of her own: “You should try being more assertive though, at least in that size and shape. You have no problem standing up to enemies, after all... it's funny how shy you are, how much I see the old you... when you're with us.”
Scrivener only smiled awkwardly as Celestia turned and left, and Luna laughed as Twilight rested her head against the dark-coated mare's chest, curled comfortably up in Scrivener's forelimbs and giving her own soft look after the ivory equine.
When Celestia returned, Scrivener met her eyes without her needing to ask when she sat in front of him and gazed up at him kindly, linking their minds... but the first thing she saw, she felt in her mind, was Scrivener Blooms: there was no sense of up or down, making it impossible to tell how they were positioned but it felt like he was above... strengthened when she felt him kiss her forehead gently, his claws on her shoulders as he murmured a soft, wordless 'thank you' to her...
And then memories surged into her mind, images, violence: she saw, felt, and understood everything that had happened. Every last detail surged through her mind, both Luna's memories and Scrivener's own, understanding and knowledge filling her up as she breathed slowly in and out before straightening and looking up... and there was a sharp twist, a blink, before she saw herself curled on one side of Scrivener, Luna on the other, Twilight curled in front and against them, doting, loving, with a statue of an immense Tyrant Wyrm behind them with three mighty figures carved from glowing stone around it, the lowest a winged unicorn, the highest some unfathomable creature that stood atop the Wyrm, the middle halfway between mortal and... something else...
There was a flicker, and Scrivener cleared his throat as the link broke, glancing awkwardly away as Celestia looked up at him curiously before he mumbled: “Drawing... book... idea. Luna... has a... picture she wants to draw for a book I want to write that's... yes.”
“I will forever marvel over what an awful liar you are in matters such as this, Scrivener Blooms.” Celestia said gently, and Twilight snorted in entertainment before the Lich winced when Scrivy irritably brought a single claw up and ran it over the stitching across her back, making a loud, awkward stretching sounds even as the stitches held in place.
Luna smiled slightly as she looked up, and Celestia became more serious as she lowered her head thoughtfully, saying quietly: “But I do not like what has been revealed. If that helm did permit her to resist your mental attack... it's very possible that they're designed specifically to block out your abilities. After all, the Black Verses must be heard in order for them to work. I admit it's very strange to find myself saying this, but if they were to take away that ability... it could prove devastating for our side. It's your most effective way to mete out damage to large groups and take away the advantage of numbers, after all. However, all the same... if they do block out the Black Verses, then perhaps the helms also block out sound, which would provide us with a different vulnerability to exploit.”
“But 'tis unlikely that they will mass produce these helms. 'Tis far more possible that instead they will give them to the superior officers and those who they will train to specifically engage my husband.” Luna added thoughtfully, and Celestia smiled slightly, glancing over at her little sister and nodding slowly in agreement. “But that worry aside, as thou sees, my husband and I were more than a match for the foes we faced. Hopefully New Equestria will take a lesson from this and not seek to send so pathetic an ambush after us again.”
“You and brother took more of a beating than I had expected to see as well, though.” Celestia pointed out, and Scrivener winced a bit as Luna glowered a little, Twilight looking up in slight concern before the ivory equine smiled a little. “Don't worry, Twilight. Neither of them are hiding any serious injuries... but all the same, I think it will be a humbling reminder not to underestimate their opponents, no matter how powerful they are.”
“I was sucker-punched.” Luna said grouchily, and Celestia sighed a little before striding calmly forwards and slipping herself comfortably up into the male's forelimbs, golden chains and adornments jingling gently around her. “Besides. That lesson has been learned double by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I do somehow hope, though, it will teach them that instead of fighting us, 'twould be far better if they would join our side... they are strong, after all, even if Applejack is...”
She grimaced a bit, breaking off and shaking her head slowly as Scrivener rumbled and leaned down, nuzzling Celestia softly, and the ivory unicorn smiled quietly as her fiery mane swirled gently up against the male, heating and kissing along his muzzle as she looked thoughtfully ahead and murmured: “Violence is a strange way to attempt to make friends, little sister. But I fear that with what I saw... with what I felt when Scrivener's memories entered my mind, mixed with what he drew from Applejack when he fed off her...”
She quieted, looking up into his eyes as Scrivener gazed back down at the ivory mare, their horns giving a faint, synchronized glow. Understanding, trickles of emotion passed back and forth between them... not as clear as Scrivener could trade emotions and thoughts with Luna, and even Twilight if he concentrated hard enough.. but they were learning to share more and more. Celestia was growing closer to him, and they both smiled softly at this before Scrivener said softly: “She feels that it's us or her. She doesn't understand that we are not pushing... we are only pushing back.”
Celestia hesitated for a moment as she glanced away... and then finally, she looked up and reached a hoof up to gently press against Scrivener's chest, gazing up at him with trust, with loyalty, and with calculating determination as she said softly: “Then perhaps, on the heels of this victory... we should finally make an attack of our own. A true attack...”
Scrivener and Luna both looked curiously at Celestia as Twilight glanced up with a frown, the Lich saying slowly: “But Celestia, I mean... we're clearly winning the war as it is. Most of your strategies so far have forced New Equestria to stumble into trap after trap, and our borders are almost completely secure. There are spies in our ranks, demons and Nightmares not loyal to us and ponies passing on information, but we've been catching and keeping tabs on many of them... including a few who don't realize that we're letting them pass information on for us.”
Celestia nodded slowly, then she said quietly: “And we have exploited plenty of openings. But the mark of a true tactician isn't in waiting for an opening, it's in creating our own... and over the months I've studied New Equestria's forces, I've isolated several vulnerabilities that we can attack and use to bait them... and in all likelihood, leave themselves open for an attack to their metaphorical throat, the Temple of the Sun.”
Luna leaned forwards intently at this, grinning slightly as Twilight tilted her own head, the Lich asking curiously: “But... then why didn't you tell us about this before, Celestia? We could have ended this war sooner, and brought all this bloodshed to a halt... I mean, I know between us, our strategies can be ruthless, but like Luna I know we all want peace. We all want her simply to be in her rightful place, and for the ponies to back down and acknowledge her...”
Celestia smiled a little at this, but she didn't argue... because now, she had come to honestly understand and believe Twilight's words. They weren't just spoken out of devotion and love, but because she had seen for herself now that when Luna cared for something, she gave it all her heart... and Luna cared for Equestria. Cared for the ponies... which was part of the reason why she became so vicious when New Equestria pushed against her, putting the lives of those she cared about into jeopardy, forcing her to act against the ponies she saw as her own people. “Because I thought that New Equestria might give in peaceably. I did not think they would hold up such a vicious campaign after the long winter... but they do not understand how weak they are, how frail their forces are, and how much they are putting at risk. Now, we have to end this.”
“What about Ponyville? They might keep fighting us.” Scrivener Blooms pointed out quietly, and Celestia nodded slowly at this, sighing softly as she rested her head quietly against the scales of his broad breast.
“Which is the other point that continues to bother me. Sleipnir and Kvasir... we... have to defeat our brother, and destroy the god. We have to bring down Ponyville... and I do not know if that means razing it or simply taking down its spiritual leaders.” Celestia said quietly, shaking her head slowly and grimacing a bit. “Perhaps that's the real reason I was hesitant to bring this plan forwards... because I didn't want to deal with the issue of destroying that once-perfect little town and all those poor innocents...”
Twilight nodded slowly, closing her eyes, and Luna rubbed gently along the Lich's back before she looked up and said quietly: “But that is an issue for the future, Celestia. For now, tell us of thy plan and its details. There are many weapons we have yet to truly put to the field as yet, after all... but it would be nice if thou had a way to ensure we did not have to go to such extremes as I am prepared to.”
Celestia nodded calmly, looking over the others before she smiled up at Scrivener Blooms as he squeezed her a little closer, letting this enormous creature she had once thought of only as a monster comfort her with its embrace. She looked at Twilight Shadow, a Lich, a creature she had once believed could only come from the lowest of filth, to Luna, looking so much like Nightmare Moon. How things had changed... and herself either most or least of all, as she began to quietly lay out her plans to these creatures of darkness and shadow for the destruction of New Equestria and the domination of the country.