Asch continued to stagger through the trees in his pursuit of the fleeing God-General. He began to curse at his legs for still being so weak from his close shave with death, and it didn't help that he could now hear the sound of galloping getting closer behind him. Without stopping he turned to consult the mare that had charged into the fray with him.
"So what's your name? I don't think I caught it back there." Asch asked while keeping his eyes forward to follow Sync's footprints.
"The name's Rainbow Dash, Best Young Flier in Equestria!" Rainbow beamed with pride.
"Hmmm. That seems like it will be very useful for what we're going against. Are you experienced in fighting?"
Rainbow simply chortled at the question. "Does a black belt sound experienced enough for you?"
Asch nodded in silent approval, all the while forcing his legs to pick up the pace. The beams of the moonlight began to come into view and soon a clearing was reached. Asch and Rainbow stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the decrepit castle looming over them.
"He must have ran inside." Asch surmised.
Rainbow Dash's eyes shrank in her head. "*Gulp* I-I think we should wait for the others. Y-you know, because it might be a... an ambush!"
Asch could see the logic behind that, but he couldn't stop from noticing the complete 180 in Rainbow Dash's tone. "So what's with you all-of-a-sudden? You seemed rather confident just a moment ago."
"Let's just say this place doesn't exactly bring up the feeling of sunshine and butterflies..."
Asch simply shrugged and awaited the group that was mere moments behind them.
--------
The night sky was in full splendor at the midnight hour in Canterlot. Princess Luna was softly smiling while staring up at her work. The return to her duties still managed to lift her spirits even two years after her cleansing from the dark powers of Nightmare Moon. She quickly collected her thoughts and returned to her desk. While Princess Celestia usually handled public affairs and was the face of the government, Luna was perfectly content with her position as an overseer of the wheels of progress. She began to look over some of the documents that were organized on her desk. There was a bill proposing new drainage gutters be added to the side streets of Manehatten, some mild disturbances in Baltimare, and reports of a trio of thieves. This last one caught Luna's eye. Apparently there was a group of three pegasi that were reported to have committed several robberies in the past few weeks. Their names were known, but there was little on their background. The group apparently called themselves "The Dark Wings". Luna put the other two items on the back-burner as she began formulating how to deal with these ruffians. If there was one thing Luna couldn't stand, it was anypony that caused unrest in Equestria. She was beginning to look for a pattern in the sightings, when a sudden wave of energy caught her attention.
"What in mother's name was that?" Luna asked to nopony in particular as she trotted to the window. Luna focused her connection to magic in order to identify this sudden anomaly. This energy was certainly a foreign one, but it was one she had felt mere hours ago. "This is that 'hyperresonance' that Luke mentioned before." Luna was certainly intrigued that such a destructive power was felt by her again, but as she focused harder, she could feel something different. Very few ponies know this, but alicorns are capable of doing more than just identifying a magic with their immense power, they were also capable of feeling the emotions and desires felt within the aura of the user. Right now, Luna could feel an intense loneliness, coupled by the desire to protect another, and a desire for revenge that bordered on blood-lust. When she had felt this power from Luke, she had felt the same desire to protect, but there were no such feelings of anger or hatred, and the loneliness was instead replaced by an intense bond with his friends. Luna then remembered that Asch was capable of hyperresonance as well, but her thoughts were interrupted by a bright golden flash behind her.
"Luna, did you feel that?" Celestia asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
"Yes I did. Sister... just what was that feeling of friendlessness? It felt so... full of despair."
Celestia shook her head. "I do not know sister, but something tells me that the Element Bearers, as well as those two humans, are in great danger."
Luna could tell where Celestia's concerns stemmed from. "I am sure that Twilight Sparkle and her friends are just fine. They have been through much in their short time, and these humans seem to be capable fighters."
"I know, but there is something that I cannot shake. I could feel this power coming from the Everfree Forest, and while I was searching for more information from the magic, I felt something else."
Luna raised an eyebrow at this new bit of information. "Something else, Tia?"
"I could feel... an intense hatred, but it was not the same one from that surge. This one felt like it was simply resting; gathering power and calculating it's actions. This power, Luna... it... frightens me."
Luna was visibly shocked at her sister's rendition of this power. There were very few things that could make Celestia feel true fear, such as the fear of loosing her loved ones. But this feeling of terror that Celestia emanated was not just fear for her student, but fear for her own safety as well. Luna tried to find the words to comfort her. "Tia, I'm sure that everything will be fine. However, we should probably send a deployment of troops in order to investigate."
"No." Celestia responded resolutely.
"No?" Luna echoed.
"Whatever this power is, it is beyond the magic that any soldier could ever hope to defeat. This is a matter that I must attend to. Even if fear claws away at me, I must hold onto my courage for the sake of my student and my kingdom."
Luna was torn with what to do. She felt truly nervous about whatever this power was that Celestia felt, but she couldn't bare the thought of losing her sister. "Wait, Tia. Twilight is a friend to me as well, and this kingdom is ours. I will not stand idly by while you leap into the fray. Whatever we face, we face together."
Celestia offered a warm smile and nodded to her younger sister. "Thank you, Luna. Let us depart immediately."
Both alicorns charged their magic, and warped themselves to the skies above Canterlot. As gravity began to tug at them, they both unfurled their wings and took flight.
"So Tia, where did you sense this power?"
Celestia kept her determined gaze focused forward, offering only one word in response. "Home."
--------
Luke and the others finally made it to the clearing, all of them relieved to find Asch and Rainbow Dash unharmed.
"Asch, why did you run off like that?!" Luke yelled at his original.
"Calm down, Replica. Sync must have ran into this castle, so I've been waiting for you to get here so we can attack together." Asch calmly responded.
Luke looked intently at the castle. Its walls were becoming overgrown with the local fauna and the roof was collapsed in a few places. "Something doesn't feel right about this, Asch. It seems like Sync knew where to go."
Asch placed a hand to his chin as he considered this. "You may be right. This forest doesn't exactly have many landmarks to follow. Perhaps this is their base of operations."
Twilight came to a quick deduction. "So if this is their base, then it must also be where their using fomicry."
Fluttershy's eye began to twitch as she processed this information. As some of you may know, unicorns entered a state called a "rage shift" when their anger reached a boiling point, such as when Twilight's mane burst into flames during the Pinkie Sense incident. Fluttershy had a similar quality when she was pushed to her very, very high limits, which her friends appropriately named "Flutter Rage". Fluttershy's eye was still twitching, but her voice was an almost emotionless calm. "So what your saying is, this is where they've been hurting all those poor little animals...?"
Luke was too frozen from his earlier experience with Flutter Rage to give a response, but Asch put it bluntly. "Yes. They've been capturing animals and replicating them. Most of the originals have probably perished."
This was the final push for Fluttershy. With a face of pure rage that could make Nebilim cower in fear, she flew at a blinding speed through the door while roaring in pure rage. The others could only stand there in silent shock for a few moments.
"Sh-should we go after her?" Rarity asked.
"Y-yeah. I'm worried what will happen to her if she runs into Sync." Luke answered.
"Ah reckon she's not the one we should be worried about if that hoedown gets started." Applejack remarked.
With that, the entire group made their way inside the castle, following the fresh hoof prints to find Fluttershy. The trail took them up a large stone staircase to a pair of large wooden doors that kept them from progressing any further. Pounding on the doors with thundering force, was the pegasus that until a few minutes ago was passing out from simply witnessing a fight.
"RRRRRAAAAAAHHH!!! OPEN... UP... THIS... DOOR!!!" Fluttershy shouted with enough anger to send a chill down the collective spines of the group.
"F-Fluttershy, you need to calm down!" Derpy advised.
"S-scary..." Asch muttered.
"You can say that again." Luke whispered.
Fluttershy sighed to calm herself, but her anger was not so quickly extinguished. "I-I'm sorry everypony. I just can't let them get away with hurting these innocent little animals. I followed that green haired one up here, but before I could get in, that Legretta woman closed the door."
"So that merciless woman is here too..." Rarity said.
"Well, at least we know where they're hiding. Oh! Maybe they're keeping us out to throw a surprise party! Like that time that you all threw one for me on my birthday in Applejack's barn!" Pinkie exclaimed.
Everyone else in the group was silent, save for a few facepalms/hoofs. Asch recollected his demeanor and moved to the door. "At any rate, both of them are injured and hiding. We should break in and finish them both off."
Fluttershy twittled her hooves nervously. "Um... Actually, I got a glimpse at another person in there."
"Reckon Ah didn't see that comin'. What did the fella look like?" Applejack asked.
"Well, he had this long brown hair, and he had a beard... and I think I saw a big white, gold, and black sword at his side."
Asch froze halfway through striking the door. "This man... was he addressed by the others in any way?"
"I think I heard Legretta call him 'commandant'."
Asch trembled for a moment, laughing hysterically at his good fortune. "Perfect... I can end him and the God-Generals in one swoop! Van will finally know my vengeance!"
Twilight's legs began to shake once she heard his name. "L-Luke? Does he mean...? Is that really...?"
Luke's demeanor turned into one of serious determination. "It has to be... Master Van is here."
Everypony gasped at this revelation. They would soon come face to face with the leader of the two humans that attacked them. Luke wasted no time joining Asch at the door.
"On three." Luke commanded.
"One..." Asch began to count.
"Two..."Luke continued.
"Three!" They shouted in unison. Drawing back their swords for a powerful stab. "Sonic thrust!" Both humans shouted."
*Crack!*
The combined force of the attacks splintered the door outward, allowing them to enter. The room was a decaying hall that resembled a throne room. Inside, both Sync and Legretta winced in annoyance that they had managed to break through.
"Commandant! We must leave at once!" Legretta shouted at a robed figure sitting at the throne, just barely obscured by the shadows.
"No Legretta. They are our honored guests, and must be properly greeted." A deep and scholarly voice responded.
"That voice..." Luke muttered. "So it's really you..."
The figure at the throne stood up and stepped into the moonlight, revealing a tanned face with long brown hair.
Van responded with a soft smile. "So it seems that you were sent to this place as well. And your inferior original has joined you."
Asch growled in anger. "How dare you call me inferior!"
Van ignored the outburst. "At any rate, why have you come here? Do you intend to interfere with my plans again?"
Luke's voice became saddened. "Why? Why are you still trying to create a replica world? We stopped the Score of Final Judgement!"
"Fool. Do you really think you accomplished anything at Eldrant?"
"W-what?"
"Yulia's Score may not have been fulfilled. but there is another Score..."
Luke was now frustrated. "What are you talking about?! The other Scores never talked about any of this!"
Van chuckled lightly. "Maybe the ones on Auldrant, but that does not account for the Score of Equestria."
It was now Twilight's turn to be stunned at what Van said. "B-but that's impossible! There aren't any Scores in Equestria!"
Van looked down on the unicorn with a mixture of loathing and pity. "Your kind has been living in ignorance for generations. The Score has been controlling your lives and you never even noticed it."
*SHHPOMF!*
Two large figures suddenly teleported into the center of the room. The royal pony sisters eyed down the man at the throne cautiously, but still angrily. Celestia then spoke to the mysterious human. "What nonsense are you speaking about? Our lives have been our own."
A smile returned to Van's face. "Ah... So you must be the Child of the Sun that it spoke of." He paused while turning to Luna. "And you must be the sister, the Daughter of the Moon that allowed her jealousy to turn her into a beast of shadow."
Luna trembled at his knowledge of her past. "H-how do you know this...?"
"Luna! Don't listen to him!" Celestia begged.
Van returned to his position of looking down upon the ponies. "The truth is quite simple. I read of everything that has occurred on this world, and all that will be."
"L-lies!" Luna blurted.
"So you still deny my words? Fine then." Van then pulled a lever that parted the walls behind him, revealing a large stone with letters that were impossible for anyone to decipher by simply looking at them. "This stone holds the written version of the Planet's memory."
"Impossible..." Celestia murmured.
"Perhaps an example will help you understand." Van turned to the stone and held up his hands to it's surface. As his hands glowed with a bright light, he began reciting the events recorded on it. "N.D 2020, The One who would seize glory shall fall from grace, waking in a world of peace and harmony. The Light of the Sacred Flame shall enter this world, finding it as his final resting place. N.D 2021, The One who would seize glory shall bring about calamity to the world of harmony, bringing about the end of the Planet's memory. Don't you see? This world shall be liberated in but a year's time."
Celestia struggled to find words to challenge Van. "Who... Who is 'One who would seize glory'?"
"That would be me, Vandesdelca Musto Fende."
Twilight turned to Luke in confusion. "I don't understand. You said his name was Van Grants."
Luke's voice was trembling from the premonition of the Score. "It... it's Ancient Ispanian. It translates to 'The One who would seize glory'."
"And 'The Light of the Sacred Flame'?"
"Is me..." Luke answered solemnly.
Van looked upon his former student with sadness. "It pains me that such vile things were spoken of in this Score, Luke. Join me, and together we can bring about an end to the Planet's memory without the need for such sacrifice."
Luke regained his composure once more. "No. The Score is just a prediction, one of thousands of possibilities. I choose to fight for this world, and any that you want to destroy!"
"As do I." Asch joined.
Van chuckled at their sentimentality. "It seems I cannot dissuade you. However, I do not have time for such trivial fighting. Legretta, Sync, we take our leave."
Celestia hovered in the air and charged her horn with magic. "You will not leave to threaten the lives of my subjects!"
Celestia unleashed the magic in her horn in the form of a sphere of energy that flew directly at Van. But rather than attempt to dodge or block, Van simply began singing. "Croa riou ze tue riou rei neu riou ze." Just before the sphere collided, a dome like shield appeared around Van and the God-Generals. The two forces met, and a cloud of dust filled the area around them. Moments passed, and the dust cleared to reveal the intended targets of Celestia's wrath were unharmed.
"An impressive display, but we have places to be. Legretta!" Van ordered.
"Yes, commandant." She replied.
Just as Celestia began approaching them, a bright flash of light blinded the group, giving Van and the God-Generals the opportunity to escape.
"Over my dead body!" Celestia shouted.
"Tia... You're actually really angry." Luna nervously commented.
"I'm sorry. I lost control, but I'm fine now." Celestia assured.
"So what do we do now?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Luke calmly stepped towards the fonstone, the stone that Van read from, and turned to face the others. "Now... we fight for our future!"