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// Incantations, Potions, and Spells 
// Story: A Mare's tale 
// by MapleTreeway 
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Hours passed endlessly as Luna muttered and chanted and did any Dark Appeal that she recollected in her mind’s eye.

The first thing she did was magically conjure a bowl and a dark blue fire that did not burn the floor or anything around it, and put in some water and ingredients and let it boil with an occasional stir to it. A few moments later she extinguished the fire and put the potion in a beaker and forced the potion down Twilight’s blue lips. Princess Luna hoped it would be enough to postpone the strikes for as long as a few hours. 

It worked, and at that time she chanted and worked magic upon the slain Unicorn in front of her with ease, as if every word that danced from her mouth came from a well recited and memorized poem. 

In two hours time, the Twilight’s body turned back to her normal shade of purple, her eyes turning from blood-shot back to lavender, and her Mane and Tail turned back to the neatly brushed black with purple streaks. Luna smiled, although it was short lasted for a moaning sound of pain escaped from the body that lay before her. 

Luna knew that time was of essence even more dire than before, for the inner attacks started to take place. The Princess hurriedly fixed every Dark Spell that came to mind upon Twilight – but it was not enough for it to ward off attacks. 

It then occurred to Luna that Twilight needed to be helped then and there. “But how am I going to do it?” she mumbled. She pondered every way possible that wouldn’t harm either of them, but to no avail – the only option for her to save Celestia’s student was for her to…

“Sacrifice my own life with the Darkest Magic known to ponies.” Princess Luna sucked in a lung-full of air before she chanted a Spell making her horn glow a Midnight Black instead of turquoise. She pointed her horn at Twilight’s body as her eyes transitioned to that of slits, and her whole body shook. 

A bolt of red flew out of the horn and Luna felt as if she was thrown into fire! Her whole body charred and turned black from her hooves up. She ignored the pain as best as she could but gasped for air as the Spell took toll on her neck while the only good-outcome ate at Twilight. 

I hope my sister thanks me someday for what I’m doing for her, Princess Luna thought trying to maintain the Spell. 

A few moments later, Twilight’s whole body returned to normal and the attacks wore off reluctantly. When Luna thought Twilight was whole and well again, she released the Spell and shrieked while she did it. Falling to the floor exhausted and barely alive, she weakly saw Twilight regain consciousness and look at her with astonishment and horror etched on her face. 

Luna put up her hoof with effort and said softly, “You are well again Twilight Sparkle. My sister will be thankful for that,” she saw Twilight tear up and continued. “Don’t feel bad, I did it for you because I wanted too. Don’t think this is your fault – it’s not. It was one of my many faults, but this one was for a good cause. Just promise me that you’ll never ever read A Mare’s Tale again – promise me!”

Twilight nodded from where she lay unable to speak. Luna nodded in return and said, “My time has come to leave. I will join with the moon again and dance among the stars, like a little filly. But I don’t want you following, or my sister. I want to be free from all of this and not see you for many, many years – understood?”

Twilight nodded again. 

“So long,” whispered Luna as her body crumbled up mysteriously into ashes. Twilight yelled painfully and started to cry. 

This isn’t what I wanted; I didn’t want her to die!  She thought. I didn’t want her to die…