Dreams and Shadows
“Sister, may I speak with you a moment?” Celestia turned away from Her attendants and looked up. Luna was standing in the doorway, looking as though she had not rested in days.
“Of course, Luna.” Celestia turned to Her attendants. “We will discuss this matter some other time.” The attendants nodded and filed out of the room, nodding slightly towards Luna as the younger pony entered. “What troubles you?”
“Well... I am not sure, to be honest. I was trying to get some rest this afternoon when...” Luna hesitated, looking around the room and pawing at the ground.
“When what?”
“I... I had a dream.” Celestia blinked. Part of Her wanted to dismiss Luna for disturbing Her about dreams, but another part of Her knew that some dreams were not to be taken lightly.
“What kind of dream?” She asked.
“Well, there were these two... things. I can’t really describe them, but they seemed familiar, somehow. Anyway, the things seemed to like each other, I would say like a parent and child but it also felt like they were siblings. They seemed happy, and I was happy.
“But then... something happened. I don’t know what, but something caused a rift to form between them. I tried to help them, but they wouldn’t listen to me. They hated each other, and they fought and argued with each other until... they died.” Luna shivered. “Both of them, dead because of their disagreement. I couldn’t do anything and I felt so... powerless. I’ve never felt powerless in dreams before.”
“Why do you say that?” Luna backed up, looking around the room with shifty eyes.
“I, uh... may have dabbled in dreamwalking, a little.” Celestia frowned.
“Dreamwalking is a dangerous skill, Luna; one may end up sealing their soul inside another pony if they are not careful. I possess more power than most ponies do, so I don’t have to worry about that happening, but you are not as strong as I am and may be at risk.”
“I’ve been careful," Luna replied, pawing at the ground with one hoof. "And I’m just as powerful as you are.”
“I never meant that you weren’t powerful, just that you were untrained. I will teach you a few different techniques that can help you if you ever decide to dreamwalk again.” This did seem to lighten Luna's mood slightly, the younger mare giving Celestia the faintest hint of a smile.
“I... Thank you, sister.”
“Now, was there anything else in this dream of yours besides these things dying?”
“I... well, there was one last bit... after they died, I heard a word. You and I have met a lot of ponies, and usually words in dreams sound like somepony you know, but not this one.” Celestia raised an eyebrow at this.
“You think someone else may have infiltrated your dreams?” She asked, at which Luna shook her head.
“No, of course not. That would be impossible.”
“Very well. What did this... whatever you heard, what did it say?”
“Don’t.” Celestia frowned; even some Eldar She had encountered had been more specific when dispersing prophecies. She shook Her head again and turned away.
“It’s probably nothing, but I would recommend avoiding dreamwalking for a few weeks. If this happens again, tell me and I will help you set up some mental shields.”
“Thank you, sister.”
“Is there anything else that is troubling you?” Luna was about to answer when a messenger burst into the room.
“I am sorry to disturb you, Empress,” the messenger said, bowing. “But the commander of the Sentries of Fillydelphia just sent in this report.” The messenger produced a small note and passed it to Celestia. She scanned through it quickly before closing it and looking up at the messenger.
“Thank you for your message. You are dismissed.” the messenger bowed and left.
“That’s another thing,” Luna said. “I don’t like it how ponies act as if I am not here. A simple ‘hello’ would suffice, but no, they seem overly fond of you.”
“Oh don’t complain about that, Luna; they appreciate you in their own way, it’s just that my status as Empress can be a little overbearing.”
“But I am your Warmistress. You said ponies would respect me in the same way they respect you.”
“As I said, the ponies of Equestria do appreciate what you do for them.” Celestia had hoped that this would be the last of it, but Luna was persistent.
“I don't see them building me statues or singing praises in my name, at least without you being brought up in the process.”
“Luna, that seems to be a rather... petty outlook on life.” Luna scowled at this.
“I would just like ponies to recognize me more." she said. “Is that too much to ask for?"
"Give it time, Luna. I would love to discuss this more, but we have more pressing issues.” Celestia raised the note up to Luna’s face. “There have been some disturbances near Fillydelphia, and they have requested my presence in case things get out of hoof.”
“I could go.” Luna said, bouncing on her hooves slightly. Celestia thought for a moment.
“No, it’s best if I go; I have had more experience in this sort of matter.”
“But how am I supposed to learn if you go and take up anything that may present a challenge to me?”
“I don’t want to just drop you into a situation that you could not handle; the best method is to ease you into this so that you do not overreact under stress and do something irrational.” Again, Luna's scowl returned
“Well you did a fine job easing the Legions into their tasks. It seems like you have more confidence in their abilities than mine.”
“That’s enough of that!” Celestia snapped. “I have the fullest confidence in your abilities, else I would not have given you control of the second force in the Diamond Dog Wars. And what of the rebellion in Canterlot? Do you think I allowed you to handle that just because it amused me? I do trust you, Luna, but I am also older than you and my status as Empress means I must consider everything that may hurt Equestria. Say, for instance, you overextended your power and ended up getting a lot of ponies hurt; the consequences could end up crippling Equestria for months if not years, and you would stand a very good chance of getting yourself hurt.”
“And for whatever reason that can’t happen to you?”
“I never said that. It could happen to anypony, even me. You may be able to handle this situation fine, but there’s that chance that you won’t that I cannot risk.” Luna opened her mouth to protest, but Celestia raised Her hoof to silence her. “We’ll have no more arguing on this point. You will stay here and keep the government running. Do not follow me unless I specifically ask for you to come. Is that clear?”
“... Perfectly.” Celestia nodded and exited the room, followed by Luna. Two attendants noted the sisters and hurried towards them.
“Send word to the Sentries; I shall bring them aid.”
...
Four Legions had been called up; Celestia and Her Guard, The Empress’ Chosen, the Trottingham Knights and the Iron Hooves were now camped outside Fillydelphia. The structure of the Legions had not changed, but the ponies that comprised them had been strengthened since the war in the desert; longswords had replaced the gladius, and Celestia had produced a large amount of Mark II “Teutonic” Field Armor to replace the heavier and more exposed Centurion armor. Now Her Legionnaires could move faster and battle larger foes with less risk of injury, greatly increasing the effectiveness of Her armies.
The city itself was small, numbering close to twenty thousand ponies, with a forest to the south and a river leading to a large bay. The most prominent feature was a small citadel facing the river, and a wall surrounding the city was under construction. Celestia had found a small inn near the army and had called Her commanders together.
“When you told me of disturbances, what exactly did you mean?” She asked, conjuring a map and laying it out on a nearby table.
“It started last month.” said the commander of the Sentries of Fillydelphia, a tan unicorn with a small scar on his left cheek. “At first it was nothing much; a fire here and there, chickens or sheep disappearing for a few days. Then ponies started disappearing, and when they came back they... they seemed changed.”
“How so?”
“Well, physically they were fine, but I heard reports from my soldiers about them acting cold and distant.”
“Perhaps there is something corrupting ponies inside the forest.” Commander Morningstar of the Empress’ Chosen said.
“Let us not jump to corruption just yet.” Celestia said. She scanned the map again before looking at the Sentries’ commander. “What have you done so far?”
“I’ve mobilized the Legionnaires in case there is a revolt, and a curfew has been put in place.” he replied.
“There will have to be more done. Speak with your captains and have them start patrolling the forest.” Celestia looked to the commander of the Iron Hooves. “Assist in building fortifications in case there is a fight. I shall remain at the citadel.”
“Yes, Empress.” the commander said with a nod.
“I do not wish to infringe upon your will, Empress.” Morningstar said. “But might I ask what you wish of my Legion?”
“I will discuss that matter at a later moment.” Celestia answered. “For now, I say that you remain vigilant and watch for anything suspicious.”
“Yes Empress.” Morningstar bowed and exited the room. Celestia looked to the rest of the assembled commanders.
“Is there anything else you wish to discuss?” She asked.
“No, Empress.”
“Very well, you are dismissed. I will head to the citadel now.” The commanders bowed and left while Celestia gathered up Her map. She focused the energies of the Warp before a pop filled the air and She was standing outside the citadel, catching the Legionnaires protecting it off guard.
“Oh! Empress!” The first Sentry stammered, regaining his composure. “I- We didn’t expect you to arrive so soon!”
“Remember to remain vigilant, for perhaps that’s why you are having these difficulties.” She dusted Herself off and faced the citadel. On closer inspection, it was in need of repair; the stones were weathered and lose, a layer of moss covered the rock, and numerous holes from bird’s nests dotted the wall. “Who is in charge of maintaining the citadel?”
“No one, really; that citadel hasn’t been used since Hearth’s Warming. The commander wanted to renovate it, but we haven’t had time or funds to do so. We’ve just been using it for storage.” Celestia nodded before Her horn shimmered. A thin stream of Warpflame wrapped around the citadel, burning away moss and any signs of roosting birds.
“This should be a start. I shall contact the Iron Hooves and have them repair this citadel once they are finished with the walls. Now, if you would be so kind as to show me around the citadel?”
“Oh, of course, Empress.” The pony blushed and escorted Celestia towards the main gate. As they walked, Celestia noticed a few scratchings on the walls, but paid no mind to them. “Again, we apologize for the poor condition of the citadel.”
“It shall be fixed. But enough about the citadel, tell me a bit about you.”
“M-me?”
“Yes, I like to know a little about my soldiers; it helps to build trust and understanding between us.”
“Oh, thank you. Well... my family always lived in Fillydelphia. Started off as missionaries, going from town to town talking about... well, about you, I guess.”
“I presume this was before I arrived at Everfree.”
“Yes. Well, we settled here and helped the town get set up, and we would have left if Discord hadn’t shown up and you hadn’t defeated him. I wanted to see if there was anything I could give back to you for saving Equestria, so I joined the Sentries.”
“Interesting. Do you have a family?”
“Just my sister and mom, but I wanted them to stay in Manehattan until all of this is over.”
“A wise choice.” Celestia looked around the interior of the citadel and saw more scratches on the walls. Her curiosity piqued, She leaned in close to one scratch and saw that it was a carving of a two headed alicorn, wings spread outward and one head slightly darkened by smoke. “What do these carvings mean?’
“Well...” the Legionnaire said, giving Celestia an embarrassed glance. “Some of the ponies here really think you and your sister are...”
“Gods?”
“Yes. They carve those little icons here and there, saying that it purifies the building... We could tell them to stop, if you’d like.” Celestia frowned, squinting at the markings on the wall. Part of Her was ready to tell the guard to have anypony carving religious icons in Her name arrested, but another told Her to hold back and let these ponies do as they pleased. Both had their disadvantages, one encouraging heresy and another distancing Her from Her subjects even more. She sighed, thousands of terrible outcomes flowing through Her mind
“No... I will decide at a time when Fillydelphia is not in danger.” If Lorgar is still alive, he’ll have all the more reason to want me dead. She remained silent for a moment, looking at the carvings in the wall.
“Is something wrong, Empress?” the Legionnaire asked.
“No, just... just memories, that’s all.” She pulled back and turned to the other pony. “Continue your tour.”
“Yes, Empress.”
...
Celestia had been gone for about a day, and already Luna was bored. Administration work was easy to complete, so once those tasks had been finished she found herself with nothing to do. She lay on her bed, her armor set off to one side and a small feather resting on her forehead.
I’m right about your sister keeping you on the sidelines. The voice said. Luna had gotten used to the voice's presence within her thoughts. She kept reminding herself to speak to Celestia about it, but with each passing day she continued to push that time off, reasoning that she could continue to handle the annoyance without distracting her sister further.
I know, but she must have other reasons.
She feels threatened by you, and does not want you to be able to unleash your power. Think for a moment; the times when she keeps you repressed are when you are capable of being a commander, of showing these ponies your true majesty.
True.
And then she passes it off as trying to keep you safe.
Well, she is right-
No she is not; you have just deluded yourself to the point that you can only see her as being in the right. Open your mind a little, and you can see through her deception.
No... Celestia has watched over me and protected me since I was a filly. She has saved my life countless times in the past, and I doubt that she would ever try to deceive me.
Parents often lie to their children to shield them from the truth.
She is not my mother.
Do you honestly believe that, or do you prefer to say that instead of believing the truth.
She told me to never call her “mother”, and I don’t think she qualifies as my mother.
Do you know why she doesn’t want you to call her that? Do you know the truth?
... Yes I do.
No you don’t; your beloved sister, whom you place so much trust in, was once a brutal dictator that drove her sons into rebellion. She had them slain in cold blood, completely cut off from their pleas and suffering.
No, that’s not true... that can’t be true... Celestia would never-
Look past the delusions, you know that what I say is the truth.
... And what if it is? My sister is not that kind of mare anymore.
Maybe she isn’t... but do you really want to risk the chance that she may still be the dictator her sons failed to overthrow?
... No. I shall try to curb her power and take more responsibility for myself.
I will assist you should anything else arise. Luna could feel the voice’s presence leaving her, her legs and wings twitching slightly as it left. Again, she thought she heard a small voice calling up from her subconscious, but passed it off as nothing out of the ordinary.
I think I’m overreacting... I just need some more responsibilities, that’s all.
...
Celestia finished strapping Her armor back on and stepped out of the citadel. A light drizzle had begun sometime during the night, and Celestia stood still for a moment to allow the rain to refresh Her senses.
“Empress.” She turned and saw Morningstar approaching, a small jar resting between the commander’s pauldrons. “I do not wish to intrude upon your presence, but some of my soldiers made a discovery.”
“Oh? Show me.” Morningstar bowed and placed the jar before Celestia. She picked it up with Her telekinesis and examined it; it was filled near the brim with green slime, and small bits of black could be seen floating around. “Where did you find this?”
“A scout spotted something in the trees. When they went to investigate, they found nothing except this. No hoofprints and not much in the way of magic residue, so whatever they saw must be able to fly.” Celestia opened the jar and inspected the slime closer. It smelled of honey, and it glowed slightly when She applied energy to it.
“I have never seen anything like it.” She said, returning the slime to the jar. “Now, I have a task for you.”
“What, your Majesty?”
“I cannot tell you, at least not by speaking; the possibility that there may be spies amongst us is too high.” Celestia’s horn shimmered and a small scroll floated out of a pouch on the side of Her armor. “Take this, and do not show it to anypony except your captains. Do whatever is necessary to keep my orders out of sight from those that would exploit it.”
“Yes, my Empress.” Morningstar bowed and left, tucking the note beneath a pauldron before leaving. Celestia turned and began walking through Fillydelphia, using a quick Warp Manipulation to disguise Herself and walk in peace.
As She made Her way through the town, She observed all the ponies going about their daily activities. As they could not see through Her disguise, they went on with their tasks completely oblivious to the Empress amongst them. Farmers and traders peddled their wares in the street while mothers tended to young foals, and small groups of fillies and colts played between the various stalls and stands. Celestia smiled as She watched Her subjects; to see them happy, even in times of uncertainty, made Her know that She was succeeding as their ruler.
After almost half an hour of wandering, something flashed past the corner of Her eye, catching Her attention; a shadow beneath one of the buildings, appearing and vanishing in an instant, completely unseen to all except Celestia. She maintained Her disguise until She was out of sight of the main street, and once She was out of sight She lowered Her disguise, drew Her sword and advanced into the alley.
“You have failed to escape my vigilance,” She growled, hoping that whatever it was that She had seen was within earshot “Now reveal yourself so that you may face your judgment.” She swept Her gaze across the shadows, but saw nothing. She advanced further, keeping Her movement to a minimum to prevent Her armor from giving away Her position.
She continued on until something struck Her in the side. Green energy washed over Her armor, and She staggered from the force of the impact. Celestia whipped Her head around and fired a blast of lightning towards Her attacker, Her target yelping in surprise and pain at Her attack connected. Celestia collected Herself and faced Her attacker, sword at the ready in case it was still capable of fighting back.
Her target was a pony, or at least looked like one. Instead of a coat it had rows of chitinous scales, with holes dotting the carapace. Two insect-like wings sprouted from the creature’s back, and its tail was similar in appearance and texture to seaweed. The creature possessed a curved horn and blue compound eyes, and it hissed at Celestia through a mouth of fangs.
“What are you, and why have you come here?” Celestia said, lowering Her sword and aiming it at the creature’s throat.
“We are the Swarm.” it hissed. “This is our land, and we shall claim it from those that would steal it.”
“They have stolen nothing, but continued infiltration shall see you and your ‘Swarm’ destroyed.”
“We are indestructible. You cannot scatter us.” The creature glowed with green energy before exploding, showering Celestia with green blood and bits of chitin. Celestia deactivated Her sword and inspected the remaining bits of the creature, passing Her horn over what She could find.
High concentration of Warp energy, and apparently some connection to a hive mind. She reached out with Her powers in an attempt to connect to the creature’s hive mind, but failed to do so. She pulled Her powers back in and looked around, searching for any more that may be watching. Sensing none, She closed Her eyes and focused, concentrating enough Warp energy to teleport to the main camp. The only significant change to the camp was the absence of any tent belonging to the Empress’ Chosen, but She was not worried about that. The ponies on watch were not startled by Her appearance, coming to attention as She advanced into the camp.
“Empress.” Celestia saw the commanders of the Iron Hooves and the Sentries of Fillydelphia rushing to Her. “What news do you bring?”
“I was attacked in town by some creature resembling a pony.”
“But we swept the town several times over!” the commander of the Iron Hooves cried.
“I have no doubt that you did, but whatever it was that attacked me has found a way to slip past your patrols, possibly using cloaking spells or shapeshifting. It spoke of a ‘Swarm’ and that this land was theirs and we had ‘stolen’ it from them.” She looked at the commander of the Sentries. “What do you know of this?”
“Nothing, Empress; this land was unoccupied when the first settlers arrived.”
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Well... I wasn’t there, so maybe something got overlooked.”
“Begin searching through records for anything that may be of value. In the meantime I want this town closed off; anypony or anything that attempts to leave must be arrested and brought to me.”
“There may be more of these creatures waiting for us to make a move.” the other commander said.
“I know. Give me a few days and I can develop a spell to trace them, but until then increase your patrols and have sentries placed where they can observe everything. And make sure that all fortifications are fully prepared in the event of an attack.”
“Yes Empress, but would it have been easier if the Empress’ Chosen had not been dismissed?” Celestia gave Her commanders a hard look.
“They were needed elsewhere. You seem to doubt your abilities if you think you cannot build a simple wall with three Legions.”
“We- we weren’t doubting our abilities, Empress.”
“Then show more conviction when discussing your tasks. You are dismissed.” the commanders bowed and left, calling out orders to nearby captains and sergeants. Celestia surveyed the camp once more before closing Her eyes and opening Her soul to the Immaterium.
...
“Luna...” Luna awoke from her nap and looked around. At first she saw nothing, but soon the spectral image of Celestia appeared, the older mare wrapped in golden light.
“Sister, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing at the moment, but I need your help.” the specter said. Try as she might, Luna failed to prevent a small smile from gracing her lips.
“What is it?”
“I believe that something is trying to infiltrate Fillydelphia, but I do not have the proper spells to detect them. I want you to go down to the archives and search for anything that might be of use.”
“Okay.” Luna rose from her bed and left her room, heading towards the royal archive with Celestia’s image trailing behind her. She could have teleported, but Celestia discouraged teleportation inside the castle, fearing that it might lead to somepony hurting themselves or unleashing some creature.
“So... How is Fillydelphia?”
“Not as bad as I had originally anticipated.” Celestia sighed. “Perhaps I should have listened to you and allowed you to come and lead the forces here.” She shook Her head. “It doesn’t matter now. What is done is done and I cannot change that.”
“No, no you can’t.” Luna looked away from her sister, hiding a scowl.
“Don’t worry, Luna; I will find some way to make it up to you.”
“Thank you.”
“But what of the situation here?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, if that’s what you are worried about. The ambassadors from the Crystal Kingdom arrived the other day, and they seemed rather worried.”
“What makes you say that?”
“They said their ruler attempted some spell to win the affections of a mare, and he has been neglecting his duties.”
“Interesting... I may be able to offer some advice on how to remedy the issue, but I do not want to babysit entire nations.”
“Perhaps we could look up a remedy while we’re searching for the detection spell you spoke of.”
“I will leave that task with you.” Luna nodded her acceptance and kept walking. It had been a slow day, and the halls of Everfree Castle were quiet. Luna did not mind the quiet; it allowed her time to think and gather her thoughts, something that the constant pressure of ruling a nation and her sister’s presence did not allow for. “Sister, is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong.”
“Luna, you’re being evasive. Tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, sister. I am tired, that is all.”
“Luna, if there is anything troubling you then by all means tell me-”
“There’s nothing wrong with me!” Luna shouted, slamming her hooves against the floor and glaring at her sister’s avatar. “Why do you always think something’s wrong with me whenever I stay silent? I’m fine and there is nothing you need to worry about!” Celestia stared at Luna in shock, one leg raised in the air as if She was prepared to flee.
“Luna, I only-”
“No, forget it. It doesn’t matter anymore.” Luna continued walking, looking away from Celestia to hide her glare. Celestia was silent, Her image drifting along as Luna made her way towards the archives.
Standing guard before the archives was a young unicorn, dressed in the silver and blue armor of the Lunar Knights. He fidgeted around in his armor a bit, as if it were too large for him, and glanced around nervously before Luna approached.
“Do not worry, soldier.” Luna said. “It is only me.”
“I know, my lady.” the unicorn said. “Just.... well, this is my first time guarding the archives by myself, and.... well, I got a little nervous.” he blushed, causing Luna to smile.
“What’s your name, soldier?”
“Um, Silverlight, my lady. I’m a sergeant in company four.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Sergeant. Now, I need to search for information, so would you be so kind as to let me in?”
“Oh, of course!” Silverlight’s horn shimmered and the door opened. “If there is anything you need, I’ll be here.” Luna nodded her thanks and entered, Celestia’s avatar vanishing for a moment before reappearing in the center of the room.
“I do believe that pony has a crush on you.” She said.
“What makes you think that? I have listened to what you said and have not gotten ‘personal’ with anypony.”
“I know, but all rulers draw admiration from their subjects, even romantic admiration. I admit I have experienced the phenomena several times during my life, and personally I find it a bit distracting.”
“So, should I just tell him to give up and find somepony else?”
“Just let him live out his fantasies; eventually he’ll move on to something else, and if he does become too forceful remember that you are much more powerful than any mortal.” Celestia looked around the archives. “I should spend more time organizing this place better; that way I’ll be able to find information faster.”
“Perhaps I could find somepony to assist you.”
“Thank you. Now, I must begin my search.” Luna nodded and began to pull scrolls and books from the shelves, flipping through several before showing them to Celestia. The two sisters worked in silence, and the pile of discarded scrolls grew in size as the day dragged on.
“So... Sister?”
“Yes?”
“I was thinking the other day that... maybe I could take on some more duties.”
“That is a discussion that shall have to be put off until a later date.”
“But Sister-”
“No, Luna; I have more pressing issues to attend to than your duties. We shall discuss this matter once I return to Everfree.”
“Sister, I really think we should discuss this now; if I don’t have any authority over Equestria, then how can I be an effective ruler?”
“You do have authority, Luna.”
“I mean real authority; everything has to go through you, you always get the recognition for everything, everypony talks about how mighty and graceful you are, but nopony ever talks about me. It’s like I don’t even exist.”
“Luna, we've had this discussion before; the ponies of Equestria do love you.”
“Well, they certainly don’t show it. I’m tired of being shoved off to the side by everypony. I want to show them that I am capable of, but you haven’t given me a chance.”
“Luna, I know that this is important to you, but you must remember to place Equestria’s best interests before your own ambitions. You will have a chance to show your greatness, and I am willing to guide you so that you may reach your full potential. But you must be patient first; power just does not come to you, you must earn it.” Luna was silent, choosing to return to her search rather than respond to her sister. Several more scrolls joined the already substantial pile, and Luna’s frustration began to mount as time wore on.
Look at your sister; see how she ignores your pleas for equality? the voice said. Not wanting to risk having Celestia find out about the voice, Luna merely nodded and continued searching. Celestia did not notice anything, too focused on Her own search to pay attention to Luna.
“Have you found anything yet, Luna?” Celestia asked.
“I think so...” Luna rolled out one scroll to analyze it closer. “It needs some modification, but I think it is close to what you need.” She levitated it in front of Celestia’s avatar, allowing Her to inspect it.
“Yes, this will suffice. Send it to me so I can write up changes.” The image of Celestia shimmered and vanished, leaving Luna alone once more. The younger sister rolled the scroll up again and teleported it to Fillydelphia, the parchment disappearing with a pop.
You have your evidence; now cast your judgment.
...
Celestia finished modifying the spell Luna had provided. It was crude, and would only last for a brief instant, but it would be enough to defeat the disguises of any infiltrators so Her Legions could deal with them. She rose, summoning Her armor and sword in case there was an attack, and turned towards the west. Closing Her eyes, She reached out into the Immaterium, searching and noting any irregularities.
So far so good... A few infiltrators, but they should be easy to take care of. Celestia focused and quickened the spread of the spell. I suppose, once this is done, I should think on what Luna was asking for.... At least Horus didn’t complain. She paused for a moment. ...Yes, yes he did. She sighed and continued Her search. I’m being nostalgic again; I’m sure Luna will be able to-
She was caught off guard by a massive amount of feedback. Contacts of infiltrators exploded across Her senses, hundreds upon hundreds of them scattered across Fillydelphia, even some amongst Her Legions.
“Frak, they’re too many!” She dismissed Her spells and made Her way down from the citadel, activating Her power sword as She descended. Her ears could pick up the sound of fighting, so She quickened Her pace.
There was an explosion as part of the wall nearest to Her caved in, showering Her in debris. Through the hole came five of the creatures, all chattering amongst themselves in some strange language as they sized up Celestia. This hesitation proved to be their undoing, as Celestia launched a blast of Warpflame and incinerated three of them before charging forward, Her sword sweeping through the survivors with ease. The threat neutralized, Celestia flew through the hole and rose into the air to get a better assessment of the situation.
Below Her, Her Legions were trying their best to fight back against the swarm, but the surprise attack had caused them to break up into smaller, less forceful groups. Their armor was helping them immensely, holding off many blows that would otherwise be lethal, but it was still bulky enough that the enemy was able to evade many of the Legionnaires’ strikes. Celestia prepared to join and rally Her forces, but a bolt of green energy struck Her between Her wings and knocked Her from the air. Power rippled across Her armor and She struggled to right Herself, finally recovering before She could hit the ground.
High-power spell, designed to stun not kill... Celestia constructed a shield and charged upwards. Several more bolts of energy arced over the edge of the citadel, but with Her power at full Celestia could easily bat away the attacks. She rose over the top of the citadel and whipped around, sword at the ready for anticipated attacks.
“Ah, so the great ‘Empress’ of Equestria will grace me with her presence.” The speaker was much like the infiltrator from the day before, only as tall as Celestia and dressed in dark armor. She smirked as Celestia landed, the Empress raising Her sword in preparation for an attack. “I didn’t even believe some of my scouts when they said you were here, but it seems I am mistaken.”
“Enough with the pleasantries, abomination!” Power rippled down Celestia’s sword and armor, Her wings flared in an attempt to intimidate Her foe. “You have attacked my subjects in their homes, and now you shall suffer for your insolence!”
“Insolence? Me? I am merely taking back what is rightfully mine.” Celestia’s opponent stared Her down, unfazed by the Empress’ show of power. “And if you were intelligent, you would order your soldiers to stop fighting and go home.”
“A ruler does not back down to idle threats. These are my ponies you are attacking, and this is where they have made their homes.”
“Yes, but you never bothered to ask where these ponies made their homes, did you?” the intruder took flight, insect-like wings buzzing as she rose into the air. “We took these lands for ourselves long ago, but then your precious ‘subjects’ came along and began building their city.”
“If you truly cared about this land, then you would have been more assertive when the settlers first arrived. But now you have lost your claim, and your attempted ‘eviction’ is no more than an invasion.” Celestia charged forward, bringing Her sword over Her head for a downward strike. Her opponent dodged out of the way and fired a blast of energy, green lightning sparking off one of Celestia’s pauldrons. Celestia whipped around and fired Her own blast, Warpflame rippling through the air but failing to bring down Her opponent. The two leaders circled, launching attacks at each other to test their strengths.
“I am disappointed, Empress,” the intruder said, landing on the edge of the citadel while Celestia prepared for another attack. “I heard rumors about your martial skills, and yet you can barely keep up with someone like me.”
“Do not be so confident in your abilities, abomination!” Celestia bellowed. “Your power is leagues behind mine, and despite your speed you stand no chance in breaching my defenses.”
“Maybe that’s not my plan.” the intruder fired another blast, smirking. “You see everything in terms of strength. You are nearsighted, delusional even.”
“And I suppose you are the one to lecture me on how to govern my subjects?”
“Why not? I am a queen in my own right, and I seem to be doing a better job than you.” Celestia growled and raised Her sword, using it as an improvised lightning rod to conduct more power for Her next strike. A concentrated beam of lightning shot from Her sword, and although Her opponent managed to dodge most of it, several small bolts struck her and threw off her flight pattern, allowing Celestia room to charge forward. Her next strike did not connect, for a blast from Her opponent struck Her in the gut and knocked Her back. Her opponent recovered and tackled Celestia, knocking the two to the ground and causing Celestia to lose Her grip on Her sword. Celestia swung Her leg around and knocked Her opponent off, the infiltrator landing with a crunch on the ground a few yards away.
Celestia was the first to recover, Her armor providing extra support as She pulled Herself back to Her hooves. She reached out with Her telekinesis, trying to grab Her sword, but Her enemy pinned the weapon to the ground with a hoof. She attempted to apply more power, but a strike from Her opponent caused Her spell to change and fire harmlessly into the air. Power interruption? Very interesting. She drew in more power and fired a concentrated beam at Her opponent. The enemy countered with a blast of her own, green and gold energy slamming into each other with a small explosion. Celestia strained, pouring as much energy into Her attack She could safely manage, but the two beams barely moved. Finally, She deflected part of Her attack against the ground, the resulting explosion knocking Her and Her opponent back. Celestia’s armor sheltered Her from serious impact, while Her enemy’s light frame allowed her to recover easily. The only new development was that Celestia’s sword was now free and within reach.
“You are outmatched,” Celestia said, pulling Herself to Her hooves and grabbing Her sword. “Surrender while you still can.”
“No,” the creature hissed, rising into the air. “Because if I do surrender, what good will come of it? You revel in war, and you would willingly wipe out those that would try and take back what is theirs.”
“You think I’m the one who instigated this war? If you knew I was here, why didn’t you come to me? We could have reached an agreement, and this bloodshed could have been averted, but you attacked my subjects instead. You’ve already shown that you do not care about this land, so you must have some other motive.” Celestia was interrupted by a blast from Her opponent, green tendrils of energy wrapping around Her legs and leaving Her unable to move.
“What would you like me to say, huh?” the enemy stalked closer, smirking. “That I staked this land out long ago, waiting for your idiotic subjects to come blundering in? That, when the time was right, we would sweep through and feast on their hopes and dreams? You would like that explanation, wouldn’t you?” Celestia glared at Her opponent before attempting to draw power in for an attack. However, the bonds holding Her to the ground glowed briefly, and Her spell cut out.
“Power limiters?”
“Why yes; it makes taking prisoners, if needed, much easier than simply overpowering them.” Celestia’s glare darkened before an idea came to mind: a variation of Her dream-infiltration spell, only reversed to allow information to be drawn out instead of implanted.
“So, all of my spells are limited, yes?” Her opponent looked at Her, confused.
“Yes, of course. Any spell that you or any other unicorn might be able to cast is limited.”
“Ah, but you made one mistake,” Celestia’s horn glowed. “I am not ‘any other unicorn’.” Celestia released Her spell, a small white beam racing from the tip of Her horn and striking Her opponent between the eyes. Information poured into Celestia’s mind: Her opponent's name, origins, even the size of her army. Smiling, She released Her spell, Her opponent collapsing to the ground like a shelter with no support.
“What... What did you do to me?”
“Just a simple mental probe; I was able to peek into your mind and learn everything I wanted to know. I knew of an entire race that was more skilled at such tricks, but you wouldn’t know of my previous travels would you, Metamorpha of the Changelings?” Celestia’s opponent’s eyes shrank to pinpoints. “Oh, something the matter? Don’t like other ponies mentioning your name?”
“I-I...”
“That’s not all I know. I also know that your entire motivation is based off of lies and deception. It took me a bit of effort, but I learned a very interesting bit of information: you and your brethren were created by Discord, shortly before I disposed of him.”
“You’re... you’re lying!”
“I rarely lie.” Celestia smirked. “Although from your reaction, it seems that you did not know this to be true. Possibly a mental block either on Discord’s behalf or yours. Although, I imagine that it would be traumatizing, to know that your entire life is merely a charade made up by corrupted forces for their own amusement.”
“Shut up.”
“You are little more than a construct, plodding along according to a mental suggestion: no free will, no way to determine who you really are, and it has turned you into a parasite.”
“Shut up!”
“You have no power to speak of, and I know that you and your forces are doomed. And here you are, wrapped up in your belief in having what you feel is yours when in reality you cannot claim descent from anything.”
“SHUT UP!” Metamorpha fired a spell at Celestia, green energy sparking off Her armor and pain stabbing into Her limbs. “You’re trying to destabilize me, throw me off guard so I’ll make a mistake.”
“You made a mistake when you decided it would be a good idea to fight me.” Celestia began to draw in more power. Her bonds glowed with energy, and the power limiters kicked in and nearly drained Her, but She pressed on and drew in more power, energy crackling around her and her horn glowing bright. “You see me as an average pony, that I am just another charismatic and delusional ruler. But you are mistaken.” There was an explosion of power as Celestia broke free of Metamorpha’s spell. She rose into the air, reactivating Her sword and raising it over Her head.
“I am more than just a pony; I am only four words away from being a true goddess.” Celestia dove towards Metamorpha, sweeping Her sword towards the changeling queen’s head. Metamorpha attempted to dodge, but she clipped Celestia’s armor in her attempt to escape. There was an explosion as Celestia struck the masonry beneath Her, sending stones and Her opponent flying. Celestia drew in more power and a wall of fire enveloped the citadel, temperatures rising to levels that would have killed lesser beings.
“You are nothing!” Celestia bellowed, Her voice echoing over the city. “You are no more than a child lashing out against forces you could never understand! I am the Bane of Chaos, the Anathema, the Light of the Immaterium and Beacon for all whom travel its currents! I am the Empress of Ponykind, the mightiest being to have ever walked the land, and I shall smite you and purge your pathetic race from this earth for daring to challenge my power!” Celestia landed, advancing towards the fallen form of Metamorpha. The changeling queen tried to pull herself back up on her hooves, but Celestia stopped that by pinning Metamorpha to the ground with a hoof. She raised Her sword and swung, a single stroke being enough to sever Her enemy’s wing. For her part Metamorpha did not react, instead glaring up at Celestia.
“You think my death will bring you victory? My changelings outnumber you, and they will overpower your pathetic legions even if you intervene.”
“I don’t have to. I sent one of my legions away, the Empress’ Chosen, to sweep a wider perimeter, but they will return should they find nothing. Once they return, I will have enough troops to easily destroy any attempts to resist.” Celestia smirked. “For somepony who claims to have had scouts here, you seem to have overlooked that factor.” Before Metamorpha could react, Celestia grabbed the changeling and hoisted her into the air.
“You say that this land is yours?” She said. “Go and claim it.” With that, She hurled the wounded changeling queen off the citadel. Metamorpha retained her composure, although the loss of her wing meant she spiraled as she fell. Celestia watched as Her enemy hit the ground, a crunching sound being enough to tell Her that Her enemy was disposed of.
Now, I have a war to win.
...
The changelings pressed their attack, but several knots of Legionnaires had formed and were now giving the invaders heavy resistance. Those that were not assaulting the besieged Legions took to the streets, pursuing civilians in their rush for dominance. Some of the ponies managed to fight back, but with no real experience they were simply overwhelmed by the changelings.
It was in this moment, when Fillydelphia’s ponies were in the most danger, that the Empress’ Chosen returned.
Commander Morningstar ordered the Legion to halt, one thousand ponies in gold and pink armor stopping at the edge of the forest. They stood in silence, taking in the scene before them. Some changelings spotted the assembling Legion and prepared themselves, but with the others battling the other Legions there were not enough Changelings to adequately stand against the Empress’ Chosen.
“Soldiers of Her Serene Majesty!” Morningstar shouted, pacing in front of the assembled Legionnaires. “Today the Empress has called us forth to smite Her hated foe! These abominations mock Her greatest design, and they desecrate that which has been dedicated to Her Holy Name! As Her chosen messengers, we will show these creatures the true might of the Empress; they shall be purged and their souls cleansed with the holy fire of retribution!” There was a cheer, followed by the sound of swords being drawn.
“Forward, children of the Empress! Smite the wicked and purge the realm of the unclean!” Another shout rose from the Empress’ Chosen before they charged, one-thousand ponies rushing forward with weapons raised. The changelings prepared to counter the charge, but the cries and chants from the charging ponies unnerved some and caused them to break. Some of the larger changelings tried to maintain order, but they failed before the Empress’ Chosen struck the line.
With a roar, Morningstar and the Legion plowed into the changelings. Longswords split chitin and flesh as the ponies pressed forward, the bodies of the dead and dying being trampled under armored boots. Legionnaires tackled changelings, stabbing and beating anything they could reach, and soon the gold and pink of the Empress’ Chosen’s armor was stained with green. More and more changelings began to break, a small retreat turning into a rout as the ponies surged forward.
“Split into individual companies!” Morningstar shouted. “Sweep this town clean of corruption!” Morningstar turned and charged towards a group of changelings, dozens of Legionnaires following.
“I tread the path of Righteousness.” Morningstar chanted, stabbing a changeling in the face. “Though it be paved with broken glass, I shall walk it barehooved.” Another changeling fell, forelimbs removed by a mighty strike. “Though it crosses rivers of fire, I will pass over them; though it wanders wide, the light of the Empress guides my step!” One of the larger changelings found its head removed from its neck, crushed beneath Morningstar’s hooves.
There was a flash of light, causing Morningstar and the Empress’ Chosen to stagger back slightly. Not that they should have worried, for Celestia stepped forward, Her armor and sword shining with power. Morningstar and the gathered Empress’ Chosen kneeled, their heads hung low in reverence to the Empress.
“My Lady.” Morningstar said. “We are humbled by your presence. What is your command?”
“Rise, Commander.” Morningstar and the others did so. “You have served well, and your zeal has allowed you to rout the enemy.” Morningstar smiled; seeing the Empress pleased at the Legion’s accomplishments was a warming feeling.
“Thank you, Empress. It is by your word and power that we are able to serve. Command us now, so that we may purge all that desecrate your holy name and cleanse the world of their filth.”
“Yes... yes of course. Carry on.” Morningstar frowned slightly; Celestia seemed rather crestfallen, as if She was distressed by Her Legion’s faith. Morningstar was willing to relent if the Empress asked, but some of the younger soldiers might be more resistant.
“My Lady, is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. Carry on.” Morningstar bowed and signaled to the other Legionnaires, the ponies departing to find more changelings.
...
Fighting dragged on for the rest of the day, but with their leader dead the changelings were not able to mount a significant defense. The other Legions were able to reorganize, and with the momentum of the Empress’ Chosen’s charge they were able to break the heaviest resistance and rout the changelings.
Celestia Herself broke off from the fighting as the day began to wane, finding a small spot away from the city to be alone. Using a quick Warp manipulation She was able to drown out most of the sounds of fighting, closing Her eyes and allowing other sounds to flow into Her mind. She remained that way for some time before something landed on Her left shoulder.
“Hello Philomena.” Celestia said, opening Her eyes and turning to face Her companion. The bird chirped a response and stroked Celestia’s neck with her beak. “I’m troubled, if you really wish to know; some of my followers see me as a deity.” a chirp. “Well, there are many issues with that; for one, accepting their worship may get to my head, and I’d become no better than the Ruinous Powers.” Two more chirps. “... No, I don’t know that, but it is still a very real threat.” Celestia sighed and fluffed Her wings.
“I remember when my powers first manifested; I was traveling near my home and staying at a small village when a rival village attacked. Normally I would have just grabbed a weapon and fought back, but something... snapped. I don’t know what, but that night my powers manifested, and I destroyed the enemy with the might of the Warp.” Celestia sighed again.
“The feeling... Philomena, you know what it’s like to feel absolute joy, right?” Philomena nodded in response. “Well, that was nothing compared to that night, standing alone with the powers of the Immaterium coursing through me. I felt like a god, able to determine the lives and deaths of all mortals, and... it was intoxicating.
“Of course, like an idiot I returned to the village, preparing to revel in the worship of those I presumed were ‘weaklings’. I marched in and began making demands, and I joked around saying that I would smite them if they didn’t carry out my wishes.” Philomena chirped in confusion. “Oh, anything a young male would wish for; food, drink, pleasure, a good fight, that sort of thing. I was so full of my own ego that I began to think of traveling the world and ruling as a mighty god.
“But then I opened my eyes... and I saw her.” a chirp. “She was a little girl, probably only a few years old... I opened my eyes and I saw her cowering in fear, weeping for her family. I tried to calm her, tell her that I could protect her with my powers, but... she screamed at me, called me a monster, a freak. If anyone else had been as drunk on power as I was, they would have killed her as an example for the others. I might have even done so. But... something held me back. I don’t know what, but something did; maybe it was an old memory, maybe it was simple pity, maybe it was influence from a true god, I’ll never know. But something held me back... and I broke.” Celestia sighed and looked down at the ground.
“I ran as far as I could, far away from any other humans. I hid myself in a cave to the south, and I stayed there for almost a year. I wept many times, terrified of what I had become. I even tried killing myself, but the Warp had so infused me that I could not. I planned to seal myself off from humanity, in hopes that they would never have to deal with a monster like me.” A few chirps.
“Yes, something changed. I was still alone, when an old woman stumbled by my hideout. I was tempted to leave her and continue hiding, but it was dark and she was clearly lost. I invited her to stay with me for the night, and I shared what little food I had with her. As the night wore on, she told me she had been searching for someone, a chieftain or leader of immense skill and power. She said she had seen a vision of him, a mighty king wrapped in light marching through the darkness. I told her that it was a bit absurd, that such a king could exist, but she said that he must.” a chirp.
“She said that she had seen a lot during her life, no small task considering that the world had not developed much during those years. But she told me of many horrors and atrocities she had seen humans commit, horrors I would confirm during my travels, and she said that such a king could stop them and bring order to the world.
“She left soon after, but her desire to find her king continued to bother me for days. For the longest time I thought her hope was absurd, but soon I began to see things differently; a strong leader could unite humanity into a mighty force of order and stability. I used my newfound powers to reach out, just a quick pique in my curiosity to see if men were willing and able to be united.
“That was when I saw the truth and met the Lords of Chaos, and I knew that my powers were not here by accident; the Dark Gods were far worse than anything I could have managed, but I could lead humanity against them in time. So I set out with a new view on life, and that has brought me here.” a chirp.
“... I could have declared myself God whenever I pleased, but I still had images of that little girl all those centuries ago. I knew what would happen if I ever let myself go like that again and... well, it scares me.” Philomena was silent for a long time, but chirped a few more times before stroking Celestia’s neck.
“Yes, perhaps moderation is best. I think I should sleep on this.” Celestia rose, preparing to head back to Fillydelphia. “Return to Everfree and tell Luna that I shall be returning.” Philomena squawked a few times and took off, landing in front of Celestia.
“I don’t understand; what has happened with the Crystal Kingdom?” a few chirps. “Well, I’ll discuss the matter with Luna once I return.” a few more squawks.
“Luna’s done what?”