//------------------------------// // Seeds of Harmony // Story: Colours of Dusk // by AlphatheGriffin17 //------------------------------// For a long, long moment, no one said or did anything. Like they were trying to process the sight unfolding before them, the implications of what it meant. At last, Spike broke the spell. "We need to get out of here, now." He was trying very hard to keep the tremble out of his voice. "Get everypony out of the castle and get them away from here, fast." "You can't be serious," argued Ember. "We can't just leave these things to-" "There's nothing we can do!" Spike shouted, making her recoil in shock. "You hear me? Nothing! Those things are going to break loose and that'll be it! Our only chance is to run!" The cracking was growing louder. With it came new sounds. Growls that made their bones shake. Hissing that sent shivers into their very cores. The waking sounds of things ancient and long held captive, finally breaking free. Instinctually, every single one of them recognised that feeling. The fear pierced them to their very core. So they ran. Ran straight up the stairs to the other side of the gorge. Those who could fly hurried to the castle to help with evacuating if need be, with the exception of Selena who stayed with her fellows. The Element wielders and princesses were steadily helping one another to stand. They still looked groggy, with bandages across varying parts of their bodies but they were alive. That was something at least. "That was a rumbling beyond compare," said Zecora when they neared. "What in the world is happening out there?" "The Beasts!" Spike cried. "The crystal holding them is breaking open! They're getting out!" "No…!" Celestia was trembling, pure terror etched on her face. "No, that can't be…" "It must be, sister." Luna closed her eyes with a grim expression. "I can feel it. That same power from before, but a thousand times worse. It could only be them." "Please tell me that's not what I think it is." Shining Armour came hurrying up from the lower part of the castle, Sting floating in his shield behind him while also hauling Sombra. "I felt that from down there." "There might still be a chance," said Cadence. "If Sombra and I both use the crystal spell, use the Elements again, we might be able to seal them away or at least delay them." "Have you seen Sombra?" Shining gestured to his charge. "The poor guy still barely has enough strength to stand, let alone use magic." "Then I'll do it!" insisted Cadence. "We can't just let them get free! Come on!" She ran outside, the Elements all following behind her. They went to stand at the top of the cliff, looking down below to where the crystals were situated. They hurriedly moved into formation behind Cadence, her horn glowing in time with the necklaces and crown. The rainbow magic manifested, culminating on her and she performed the spell. It covered the entirety of the crystals. For a few seconds, the crystals began to repair. The cracks knitted back together and the battling, the roiling misty shapes emerging from them seemed to be pushed back. All of their faces were exerted in concentration, putting everything they had into it. Then, there came the roar. That same enraged roar from the Everfree Forest, what felt like a lifetime ago. But it was joined by other horrendous sounds. Screeching. Croaking. Hissing. Bellowing. Howling. All of it coming together in a cacophony of torturous sound that almost forced them to their knees. A blood red paw of mist burst from one of the crystals. It swiped at the magic, severing its connection. Other limbs appeared - a burning blue claw, a gleaming serpentine tail, a sickening amphibious tongue, an enormous black cloven hoof -, all of them thrashing and writhing, forcing the spell back where it came from. Cadence's eyes widened when it shot back into her horn and sent her reeling, skidding across the ground. "Cadence!" Twilight was there, helping her up. "Are you okay?" "Fine, I'm fine," she murmured. She shook her head and forced herself to stand. "We… we have to try again. Come on, this time." Dusk tried to speak. "I'm not sure that will-" "No, don't you dare, Dusk Noir. Don't you dare!" she cut off. "Come on. Have faith, remember? We can do this. It was working, we have to try again!" "Cadence." Celestia's voice was quiet, yet it was heard by all. "The power of six of them together is too great." Cadence's breathing heightened. "Then get the Amulet. W-We can use that with the crystal spell, with the Elements. If it worked for Fallen, then we can-" "It's gone," Spike said morosely. "Tube took it and it broke after we destroyed his robot. No way we can use it now." "Then what do we do?!" she cried. "Auntie, please! That spell you used before, the one to seal away Wrath inside his Host. W-We can buy you some time, maybe we can use that in conjunction with the Elements to lock them away again. That will work, won't it? Celestia?" The princess didn't respond. Her eyes were locked on the roiling, seething mass unfolding beneath her. The crystals steadily breaking open. The powers locked inside them spilling out. Formless gatherings of energy, steadily manifesting into limbs, faces, eyes. "CELESTIA!" Luna's Royal Voice snapped her out of it. "Cadence is right. We have to try, for the sake of Equestria and our subjects!" "Yes… yes, of course." She shook her head and managed to steel herself. "Let us begin then." They moved back into formation, this time with Celestia standing alongside Cadence. Once more, the Elements began to glow and project their magic. Their energies were channelled towards the two princesses. Normally, Celestia's spell would take time to prepare but she hoped the Elements would give it something of a boost. It was all they had left now. The rainbow magic centred on them, they cast their spell together. Once again, the crystals started to return to their unbroken state and the Beasts collectively aired their disapproval. It was enough to shake their very bones, but they pressed on. Celestia willed them to be sealed away, to return back to where they came from. This sentiment was shared by the wielders. Sweat was pouring down their faces, their expressions the picture of intense concentration and focus. "Come on… ya varmints! Heel, now!" grunted Applejack. "Bad beasties, bad!" yelped Pinkie. "Back in your kennels!" "Not… letting you hurt them… or anypony else!" cried Fluttershy. "I will not… abide by this!" Rarity spat. "Back, I say!" "Think you can just… throw your weight around?" Rainbow snarled. "I'll… show you!" "You're not… getting out!" shouted Twilight. "Not now… not ever!" "Ray…!" Dusk hissed through gritted teeth. "If you can hear me… help us! Come on!" After an agonisingly long minute, it seemed to work. The limbs were receding and the crystals looked almost intact. For a fleeting moment, Celestia dared to hope that it was enough. That they had just averted disaster. And then, it all fell apart. With a juddering, world-trembling burst of demonic energy, the Beasts pushed back. Not only did they break the spell, but the resulting shockwave sent them all flying back. It caused parts of the castle to fall away, made the trees of the surrounding Forest bend. Those on the other side had to crouch low to the ground as it passed over them. The cracks appeared again. Those terrible limbs grasped blindly at the ground. Some of them clashed against one another, fighting for some kind of dominance. But they were becoming more and more substantial by the second. "We have to go, right now," said Shining. "No, we can't!" insisted Cadence. "We can't just let them emerge!" "You saw what happened, Cady! There's nothing stopping these things now! Let's just go and-!" "And what, Shiny? We could barely stop one of them and it was only partly formed. What do you think will happen when six of them get out, eventually seven? It won't matter how far we run or where we go, they'll find us and we'll be really helpless! This, right here, right now, this is our only chance!" "Sister…?" Luna looked at her sibling. "Is there anything else we can try?" "I… I don't know," she murmured. "I'm sorry, I… I truly don't know." A keen sense of hopelessness began to spread across them. They knew exactly what they were up against and none of them had a solution. The worst possible scenario was coming to fruition and they were powerless to stop it. Dusk gazed into the centre of the loose conglomerate of Demon Beasts, still battling one another during their emergence. Was Ray still in there, somewhere or had Wrath already consumed him, like he almost had before? Did his friend have any knowledge of what was going on outside his crystal prison, what that power had been used for? He hoped not. He'd already been through enough. He felt a hoof on his shoulder, followed by a wing wrapped around him. Twilight had joined him and before long, so did the rest of their friends. They all looked just as fearful and apprehensive as he felt. At the very least they weren't alone in it. Whatever was about to come, they would be here to face it together. They joined in a group hug, taking whatever comfort they could in it. "Dusk, your Element…" Rarity stared in astonishment. "How are you using it?" "What do you mean? I'm not…" He trailed off when he looked down at his chest. The jewels of Unity were shining. Brighter than they had ever done before. More than that was what he felt from them. A radiance, a warmth that was unfamiliar and yet welcoming. And the Element wasn't the only thing glowing. He glanced to see Shining, a faint shimmer coming from his chest. The same with Sombra, Luna, Celestia, Cadence, Spike, Ember, Thorax, Gilda and Zecora. He looked across the gorge. It was hard to tell because of the Beasts, but the same was happening to those on the other side. Strongheart, Trixie, even the four henchponies had it. They all looked just as bewildered as the rest. Dusk recalled the words of the tablet. The Seeds of Harmony… he looked at Twilight at the same time, a glimmer of inspiration mirrored in her eyes. "Have we just had the same thought?" he asked. "I think we might have!" she squealed. "But do you really think-?" "I mean, it's possible. They were never found at the Tree, were they?" "No, of course not! First you, then Foresight, but they're of the Tree. They have to be." "Which can only mean that…" Dusk's grin spread across his face. "Yes. Yes!" "Uh hey, eggheads?" Rainbow asked. "Mind sharing with the class?" "The tablet," said Twilight excitedly. "It talked about the Seeds of Harmony, right? Well, we thought that meant the Elements but what if they're not? Or rather, not our Elements of Harmony. What if it's just the one? What if…?" "Unity is the Seeds," finished Fluttershy with a gasp. She stared at the jewels. "Just like a regular tree! Maybe that's why they were never at the Tree itself. They were spread, like any seed would be." "And seeds need ta be nurtured and cared for," added Applejack. "Given the proper nutrients, the right soil, food and water. With all we've been through, all that Element has seen, I'll bet them seeds are just right fer plantin' now!" "Wowie!" Pinkie jumped with excitement. "One Tree of Harmony is great already, but seven new little seedlings? Imagine what it could do!" "My goodness!" cried Rarity. "Could that really be it? But then what do we do with them?" "First, let's get them back where they belong," said Dusk. "Twilight, take us back to the Tree and get the Elements returned. Celestia, bring Samore's crystal from where Shining left it and see about placing it near the others. Luna, bring everypony on the other side of the gorge to the cave. I have a feeling we'll all need to be there for this to work." "But Dusk, are you certain that it will?" asked Celestia. "This is a lot we're risking." "We don't have any other options, Celestia. Whether this doesn't work and the Beasts kill us all or we don't try and they kill us all anyway, what difference does it make?" He managed a smile. "Just one more time, let's have a little faith." She gazed back at him for a moment, then returned the smile. The moment she vanished, so did the rest of them. Twilight teleported the vast majority of them into the cave, where there was fortunately enough room. They all spread out while the wielders once again returned their Elements back to the Tree. It shone with brilliant light, just as the walls of the cave started to shake. The Beasts seemed to sense that something was happening. Partially formed limbs and jaws barged and shoved past each other, trying to get at them. They drew back against the Tree, which started to thrum in their presence. The Elements in its branches shone and a field of magic was projected outward in a bubble. It forced the Beasts back out, but it didn't stop them from bashing against it anyway. Moments later, Luna appeared with the remainder of those gathered. Strongheart and Trixie immediately ran to join them, while the henchponies looked apprehensive. "Why is it that the Princess of the Night has trapped us here?" demanded Selena. "Is this your idea of making us accept justice?" "It's our only chance of stopping this," replied Spike. "Trust us, we know what we're doing." She quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" "Um… actually, not so much," Spike admitted. "But what else is there?" The four of them looked at each other. None of them seemed to have an answer for that, except for Osteo. The answer was one they could have expected. "Well, if this is where we are to face our end, then we'll make it a glorious one!" he declared. "A battle against the Demon Beasts themselves! This is what the Way of the Beast has prepared me for and at last, it's here. I face it gladly!" "I suppose…" Selena let out a sigh. "It's not as if running would do us any good at this point. What do you say, girls? One last ride?" The twins nodded without hesitation. Snick placed a clawed hoof on Selena, while Slash nudged her side. The four of them came to take their places alongside them. The glowing from them all seemed to intensify with their proximity to the Tree. Celestia soon appeared, panting heavily. Luna came to help her to the Tree. "I was able to place Lust with the rest while they were distracted," she told them. "She's starting to break free too. Whatever we intend to do, we need to do it now." "Fine by me. Alright, now what?" asked Gilda. The words barely left her mouth when the Tree shimmered again. The six Elements shone, coloured beams for each one connecting to each of the jewels in Dusk's necklace. One respective for the pony they belonged to. They hovered up, suspended in their light before floating gently towards each of them. The jewel for Fluttershy stopped in the air near her. Thorax seemed drawn to her and the glow in his chest strengthened when he stood next to her. Strongheart went to stand with Applejack when her jewel reached her, as did Gilda with Rainbow Dash. Pinkie and Zecora grasped each other's hooves as their glow intensified. Spike placed a protective wing around Rarity, as did Ember for the both of them. Twilight was flanked by Cadence and Shining, along with Celestia who spread her wings around them all. Luna went next to her sister, but stood nearest to Dusk and Sombra, supported by her student. Trixie embraced both princess students while she stood between them. The henchponies found themselves in the centre of all parties, united by their own bizarre but no less powerful friendship. The jewels hovered in place, then began to spin rapidly. Faster and faster, shining like miniature stars. The beams of light from the Tree radiated from them, directed out of the mouth of the cave and hitting the crystals that imprisoned the Beasts and their Hosts. They all winced from the collective cry that went up from the Demons. Even through the brilliant light, they could see them fighting against whatever the Tree was trying to do. They had endured millennia and they weren't going to be put down so easily. And in that moment, Princess Celestia saw something in her mind. As if the Tree itself was communing with her. Not with words, but an understanding. A realisation of what was happening, what it was trying to do. What she had to do. "I see," she whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek, unseen by the others. "Well then… whatever the cost." Without another word, she teleported out of the cave. There was no doubt they noticed her leaving, but she couldn't hear their cries or their calls for her to return. It was for the best, anyway. If she did… she didn't think she'd be able to do what came next. She flew before the roiling mass of Beasts, cringed at the sound of their mingling shrieks and roars. Something right out of her worst nightmares. Right now, the spell of the Tree only had them briefly confined. For what it was trying to do, it needed one last thing. Something only she could do. She drifted into the path of the magic, preparing herself. The spell hit her with an intensity she'd never experienced before. It was so much more than the Magic of Friendship by the Elements. It was the warmth of companionship, but also the bitter loneliness of isolation. The intensity of love, but also the burning fires of hatred. The understanding that for all that for the brightest light, there was the deepest darkness. This wasn't about stopping that, however. Not banishing it or sealing it away. At last, at long last, it would be brought together. As one. "I'm sorry!" she shouted into the storm. "I'm sorry for all that I've put you through, Hosts of the Beasts! Those present and all who came before you! For so long, I wish there'd been another way and now… now there is. Know this: you will be the last." The magic thrummed throughout every fibre of her being. It was like blazing warmth and numbing cold, blissful pleasure and unspeakable agony all at once. Like it was alive and using her as a focus, Celestia felt the tree's magic course through her body, taking her own magic along with it, all of it culminating in her horn. It was more power than she'd ever felt before in her long life. It was the power to bring about change. She knew what it would do once released… and she welcomed it. "The cycle… ends now!" With a smile, Celestia performed the spell. The same one she'd used to entrap Beasts in generations of Hosts. But the Tree took it and did something she could never have conceived of. Those seven seeds levitated around her in a brilliant circle, then shot towards the seven crystals. They sank into the ground before them, burrowed deep within it. At the same time, the energies of the Beasts were pulled in with them. The hateful eyes and thrashing limbs were pulled back into their respective masses, vanishing from sight. With one, last effort, Celestia put all she had into the spell. Channelling it through her very essence. As she did, the ground began to crack and split open. First came the trunks, then the branches that blossomed from the crystalline structures. They grew and grew, rising up and up until… It was beautiful. More tears flowed down Celestia's cheek, as she let herself be gently lowered down. The light was starting to dwindle now. For the first time in a very, very long time… she was at peace. The light was also fading for those still inside the cave. Those nearest Celestia, namely Luna, Twilight and Cadence, noticed at once when she left. They'd tried to follow, Luna especially, but the Tree's spell had intensified and held them in place. When it ended, they all had to take a moment. They'd never felt so drained by a spell like that before. But that didn't stop Luna. Whatever her sister had just done, nothing would keep her from her side. Mere fatigue wouldn't stop her. She willed her body onwards, staggering out of the cave's mouth and she was struck dumb by the sight. The others gradually came to join her, gazing around in awe. There they stood. Seven new Trees of Harmony. Not the same as the original. Each was of a different shape and mingling of colour. The one at the very centre was the colour of Dusk's fur, yet tinges of red found its way along the trunk and the branches. The same went for all of them. Each a colour of an Element of Harmony, mixed with that of the Beasts. Yet there was no sense that these were prisons, straining to keep in their charges. More like vessels that had been given a new kind of life. They all waited for some sign that the Beasts would emerge again, but it never came. And at the centre of this new glade lay Celestia, limp upon the ground. Her once-spotless white fur was now marred all over by burns, her flowing mane had lost its ethereal lustre and now rested motionless against the dirt beside her. All care of this new phenomena vanished from Luna's mind and she hurried to her sister. She wrapped a foreleg around her, propping her head against it. "Tia? Tia, can you hear me?" Luna shook her head feverishly. "Please, speak to me. Please!" With great effort, Celestia's eyes cracked open. They found her sister and a hoof gently raised to touch her cheek. "Lu-Lu…" she murmured. "Is… is it done?" "It is," she replied, her voice trembling. "We have done it. Whatever it is, we've done it." "Good… then…" Celestia let out a sigh. "Then, that's all… Luna, I…" "Don't say such things. Cadence! Cadence, quickly!" she cried. "We need a healing spell!" The Princess of Love hurried over, along with Twilight. The rest of them stayed close, but kept their distance. The ponies among them watched with eyes already starting to shimmer, hoping against hope that this wasn't actually happening. Even the non-ponies seemed to feel the weight of the moment. Those closest to their pony companions did what they could to provide some measure of comfort. Cadence knelt next to Celestia and cast her magic. It didn't seem to have any effect. Celestia's breathing was getting steadily weaker. She tried again. Nothing. "I-I don't know what's happening," she said frantically. "Th-This should be working, but-" "It clearly isn't!" snapped Luna. "My sister needs help! Zecora, come at once! Give her something, anything!" The zebra hurried over, rifling through her remaining potions. But she was stopped again, by Celestia's shaking hoof. "There's… nothing to be done…" she whispered. "The spell… it took… everything. My time… has come, Luna. I'm… I'm sorry…" "Y-Your time…?" Luna's lip trembled. "No, no. You can't leave me. Please, Tia, there… there has to be something." "But Celestia…" Twilight gripped her hoof as well. "Y-You can't… I mean, you're not… you're not…" "I am, Twilight. I'm… I'm dying… but please, understand…" She cupped Twilight's cheek. "I am glad… it… it had to be done…" "BUT WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE YOU?!" Luna's voice could have shaken the mountains themselves. "You're my sister! You've already given so much! You didn't have to do this! Please… please don't go. Don't leave me alone…" "Luna…" That graceful, loving smile came again. "You're not alone. You… you never will be. I… I love you…" Luna choked on a sob. "And I love you. Please, don't go, please…" "Twilight… I'm sorry for… for being such a poor teacher… for trying to decide… your destiny for you…" She brushed Twilight's cheek. "That destiny… is your own now and… I know you will be… magnificent…" "I forgive you," she whispered, her own tears falling now. "I-I forgive you. Just please… hold on…" Celestia smiled again. "Thank you… my faithful student…" Her breath rattled in her throat. Her eyes flickered shut and her head fell. No matter how much her sister, her student or her niece called her name, she didn't respond to it. She never would again.