//------------------------------//
// The Value Of One's Word 
// Story: Synthesis of the Atheist 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Forty Nine: The Value Of One's Word
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna Brynhild didn't want to wake up. Waking up would mean facing the world, and her failures, and everything she felt responsible for. And that simply felt like too much to ask of anyone: pony or Valkyrie or something even more... how could anyone hope to face the world after such a spectacular failure as the night before had been?
Instead, she stayed in the silence, in the darkness, hidden away and trembling quietly. They could have done more... should have done more. Scrivener had been willing to embrace his own corruption, become a monster, but she had stayed back... she should have drank deep instead, bathed in the corruption, become Corrupt Luna again. If she could turn back time, she would give in entirely... become a monster alongside her husband to stop Thesis. Because the alternative that she knew she had to wake up to... it was so much worse.
And the pony who had given the most up for them, at the end of the day... it had been Ersatz Major. In spite of everything that had been broken about her, whether she had been insane or not... she had truly loved Scrivener Blooms as family. She had thrown herself between him and Thesis, died on top of her cousin, a unicorn protecting her slave-hoof relative, proving that everything she'd said... maybe it was true. No, not all that crap about justice and revenge... but maybe everything else. That she cared. That Scrivener's family hadn't been all bad. That maybe, just maybe, Tia Belle...
Luna shuddered and looked down, then looked up silently as a gentle hoof touched her back. Nightmare Moon was now seated beside her, scarred features strangely gentle as she smiled lovingly down at Luna, a monster that whispered in a compassionate, soft voice: “Now, Luna Lightblade, Luna Brynhild... there's no need for these tears. You live, and Scrivener lives. You hide away here in the darkness, but it's pointless: no matter where you lock yourself away in the abyss and the shadows, you know that you only hurt yourself. Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle both yearn for you. You're being silly, and worrying them more... go, go on. Go to the surface.”
“No. I am not ready. I am afraid... I am... I feel like a failure.” Luna whispered, and Nightmare Moon shushed her gently, but Luna only gritted her teeth and turned her head away with a snarl. “And what does thou know? Thou art nothing but... pain and suffering and darkness; nay, thou art not darkness, but sadism and masochism all wrapped tightly up in twisted flesh and serpentine coils and demon's fangs! What does thou know of what I feel? Thou cannot fathom this agony in mine heart!”
“To hurt over Ersatz Major is foolishness. That is all.” Nightmare Moon replied calmly, and Luna tried to pull away, but Nightmare Moon slid her foreleg up around her, hugging Luna forcefully but almost lovingly against her body as she smiled down at her, saying soothingly in her ear: “If you must feel for her, then feel happy, my sweet... did she not die a worthy death? Is she not free from her own suffering, and her own foolishness? There is no need to hurt over such a miracle.”
Luna laughed dryly at this, keeping her head turned away as the dark entity of passion continued to hold her close, shivering and hating how this awful creature inside her was actually... comforting her. And then she clenched her eyes shut as Nightmare Moon murmured softly: “And besides, you have learned a valuable lesson from this, have you not? No longer can you or Scrivener Blooms afford to hold back... Thesis is too powerful. And too... deranged.”
“Deranged.” Luna muttered, and she shuddered as this derailed her train of thoughts and any possible insults she had been about to spit at the dark entity. That was something else she direly didn't want to think about: a sane opponent was one thing, but Thesis... he was narcissistic, resorted quickly to violence when argued with, didn't understand the value of life or even that other people seemed to have minds and viewpoints of their own. She didn't want to imagine the kinds of delusions that plagued Thesis' mind... or what kind of sordid beliefs guided him.
It sickened her to think of what Thesis' reaction had been to killing Ersatz had been. Over her many years alive, she had seen incredible cruelty; she had seen innocent lives butchered and destroyed and taken away by creatures that had taken pleasure in it, or simply dismissed them as unimportant or expendable. She had seen monsters that had enslaved and killed like they were doing righteous work, and twisted sadists who took pleasure in tormenting and ripping apart the very souls of their victims, to leave nothing but a hollow and broken shell behind. She had met inquisitors, torturers, killers, destroyers, and their betters and worsers... and yet nothing twisted her stomach so much as what she had seen in Thesis.
It was because Thesis was a child. Thesis seemed to know, even with his broken and malformed moral compass, that what he was doing was wrong. And yet all the same, for narcissism, for his idea of greater good, with the excuse of 'chemicals' and 'emotions,' he went ahead and did it anyway. He had killed, then seemed honestly upset... and when they had refused to sympathize with him, screamed threats that he would kill them all. And Luna knew that... he would have. He would have butchered them all, if his emotions had seesawed just a little further, and regretted it even as he'd done so... yet for some twisted, horrible reason that Luna still couldn't wrap her mind around, he would have done it anyway, and then justified it. And killed anyone who didn't agree with him... who didn't... comfort him.
Luna shook her head slowly, and Nightmare Moon rubbed her back gently before saying softly: “There is much ahead to face. There are many worries large and small to nip you, and threaten to work their way into your heart and mind. Don't let them, my sweet... instead, turn to our most beloved. There is hope there, for the future... much hope.”
Nightmare Moon's eyes glittered, and Luna grimaced up at the creature before shaking her head quickly and looking away, muttering: “I am not ready yet. And nor do I believe the kind of help thou desires to bask in is the kind of help that I require at this moment, Nightmare Moon. Thou art acting like we have actually achieved something here. Like nothing was lost. Like...”
Luna clenched her eyes shut, and Nightmare Moon smiled softly as she pulled her close, murmuring in her ear: “Doors close, but they are flimsy things... we can open them again, with the right tools, or the right application of force. I do not think of this as a loss... I think of this as a... a chance to explore another outlet of power...”
Nightmare Moon licked her lips slowly, and Luna trembled before slowly staring up at her, whispering: “Hast thou gone insane? No, thou cannot even consider-”
“Imagine how powerful we would become. Magic, that depends so much on a horn, so susceptible to the powers of others and our own failings... not like the corruption that flows in our husband's blood. And we become so powerful, with it flowing in our veins...” Nightmare Moon murmured, voice seductive, eyes alluring. “Is it not destiny? From the very start, we were attracted to Scrivener Blooms... let him in, while keeping all others out. From the very beginning, we slid into place together side-by-side, did we not? It was all too perfect... I think this is destiny. I think this is what we were meant, truly, to be...”
Luna shivered and turned away, breathing hard in and out before Nightmare Moon smiled softly at her, then slowly drew backwards. The sapphire mare felt the creature's presence fading, but didn't dare look back, any more than she dared to let her mind think about all the things that Nightmare Moon had just silently promised...
She sat alone in the endless darkness, eyes tightly closed... before looking up in surprise as a voice said softly: “There you are. I've been looking all over for you, Luna.”
“Scrivener.” Luna murmured, looking silently over her shoulder at the stallion, in his strange, subconscious shape. They looked at each other for a few moments, and then Luna trembled a little before she scrambled to her hooves and ran over to him, and he caught her in his strong limbs and hugged her fiercely close.
They held each other tightly, and there was silence for a few moments before Luna buried her face against his neck, breathing slowly and shivering once. Then she gritted her teeth before whispering: “Damn everything, Scrivener Blooms. Damn everything.”
“I know. I know.” Scrivener murmured quietly, and then he pulled her a little closer, and Luna sighed softly, taking comfort in their bodies pressing together even as she silently beat a hoof against his chest, making him wince a bit before he said finally: “We should... we should try and wake up, Luna. It's not going to be any fun but... we have to at some point.”
“Not yet.” Luna murmured, and Scrivener smiled faintly before she looked up into his eyes and said softly: “I am sorry.”
“No, you don't have to be. I'm sorry that... you had to be the one protecting me again.” Scrivener said quietly, and Luna laughed faintly and shook her head slowly, before the stallion silently kissed her forehead, just beneath her horn... a horn Luna couldn't really feel anymore, even in the dreamworld. “We'll... we'll both do better next time, how about that?”
“Aye. I agree.” Luna nodded, bowing her head against him silently for a moment, and then she sighed and added quietly: “But I still do not know whether or not I am ready to go back to the surface, Scrivener. Hast thou been there yet? Hast thou braved...”
“No, hell no.” Scrivener replied, and Luna couldn't help but laugh a little despite herself, glancing up at him as he looked back down at her. “I spent most of my time... well... thinking, trying to pull myself together and... looking for you. It's... yeah. I mean, it is easier down here. You know that I wish sometimes we could just... dream forever. No more obligations, no more moral guidelines, no more worries. We could be whoever we wanted to be, do whatever we wanted to do... we could... live happily ever after.”
Luna closed her eyes. It was compelling, always so compelling... and all the more so now that Twilight was linked with them, too. She thought after everything that had happened, her precious mare would understand very well why she and Scrivener spent so much time in the nightmares, no matter how twisted and strange they could become...
Twilight Sparkle... maybe that was part of why Luna was so scared of going to the surface. She and Scrivener had been badly hurt, and that damage would have reflected onto Twilight, who was in such a sensitive state right now. She didn't want to think of the kind of state that Twilight might be in... she didn't want to face the idea that... their child...
The sapphire mare swallowed thickly, then closed her eyes tightly and shivered once before Scrivener silently stroked one of his claws over her face, saying quietly: “If something like that happened, you and I both know we would have felt it. And we'd both be there at Twilight's side immediately, wouldn't we?”
The winged unicorn nodded without hesitation, and then she sighed softly and closed her eyes before murmuring: “Aye... and... I realize that we have been selfish, too, have we not? Thinking of ourselves and each other, leaving Twilight to suffer...”
“Twilight... I don't think she was hurt as badly as us, somehow. I know that when we get battered, she feels it too, but... I haven't seen any glimpses of her. And we've been down in these shadows for a while now, haven't we?” Scrivener said quietly, and Luna nodded hesitantly before they met each other's eyes. “But you're right, too, and I shouldn't just... make excuses for us. Let's go then. Let's go find Twilight and... make sure she's okay.”
Luna nodded, and then the two embraced tightly before the mare took a slow breath and whispered: “But I will need thee by my side, Scrivy. I will need much, with... with my horn...”
“We'll figure it out.” Scrivener promised quietly, and Luna wouldn't have believed those words from anyone else... but from him, they resonated with truth, and she nodded slowly and gazed up at him with trust in her eyes before he smiled faintly, taking her face gently in his claws and kissing her forehead softly. “I'll see you on the surface.”
Luna nodded again, but she lingered for a moment, watching as Scrivener faded into the darkness around her, before she bit her lip and trembled once. She still didn't want to leave... but she knew she had to. For Twilight Sparkle, for Scrivener Blooms, for... herself. She had to face this, no matter how much it would hurt. No matter how much it scared her.
Luna Brynhild took a slow breath, then rose her head and closed her eyes... and there was a sharp, immediate pulse of agony before her eyes snapped open even as her vision became dark blurs, as she coughed and trembled, almost convulsing once as she fell backwards... then gritted her teeth as she blinked rapidly and gasped harshly once, another shiver wracking her body before she whispered: “Damnation. Oh, damnation.”
She blinked blearily as the world faded into view around her: she was laying in bed, but as she shifted back and forth slowly, she realized she had no idea... where the hell she was. The ceiling was listless gray: not the library ceiling, certainly not the ceiling of her room at home, and not a hospital ceiling, either...
She tried to sit up a bit, and cursed quietly in pain, shivering once as she fell back on the bed and coughed weakly. Her whole body throbbed, but her head... her head felt worse than simple pain. Luna trembled as she reached a hoof slowly, carefully up, and swept it over her skull... and felt nothing. No familiar tap against her horn... nothing but...
She moaned in her throat, then swallowed thickly before cursing and forcing herself to sit up, trying to concentrate on something else, anything else, out of what almost felt like desperation. Her mane spilled over her shoulders, and she frowned at this feeling before reaching up and brushing it back... then staring and shivering as she realized it was light blue hair, not... ethereal energy. So that meant her magic...
Luna swallowed and looked hurriedly away, turning her eyes back and forth... but there wasn't much to see. A slate-gray room, almost a cell, with a large crystal lantern on one wall casting almost-eerie light over the area. There was a table across the room with a single chair, covered with bandages and medical instruments and... and with a single jar on it, where, floating in the red, was... was...
The mare turned her eyes away, almost gagging... before she looked up in shock as a soft voice asked: “Do you need help, Mistress Luna?”
In the open doorway, a Nightmare stood, looking at her with soft compassion. Luna's eyes couldn't entirely focus on it, though... it was blurry. In fact, most things in her vision seemed a little... skewed, disjointed, like she was looking at things through a fisheye lens. Or like, while her back had been turned, the entire world had gotten all twisted upside down and now... now...
The Nightmare leaned forwards almost with concern, and Luna shook her head before asking weakly: “Where am I? Where is my husband, and Twilight Sparkle? Celestia and...”
“All is well, Mistress Luna. We are in Subterra, and this is the Cathedral of Small Mercies. Our version of a... hospital, if you will.” the Nightmare soothed, and then it smiled kindly as it stepped forwards. “It is very new... not yet even half complete. But while sparse, it is irradiated with energies that we believe will help you and your husband heal.
“Scrivener Blooms is in the room next to yours. Twilight Sparkle is being watched over by Selene herself in the Pool of Tears, to keep her body stable and regenerating. She has spent the past week there, healing and refreshing herself, sleeping often.” the Nightmare said softly, and Luna looked up in surprise. “Yes. It has been some time.”
“Damnation.” Luna muttered, and then she sighed tiredly and lowered her head before prompting: “And... what of Celestia, then? How did we even come to be in this place?”
“The Dawn Bringer has recovered well. She has been staying in Subterra, and checks in on you often, as do the others.” The Nightmare smiled softly after a moment. “Much bad has happened, but we are finding solutions for all that threaten us, Mistress Luna. Do not fear.”
Luna only shook her head slowly at this, then she shivered as she carefully began to shift herself out of bed, but the Nightmare quickly strode forwards and said quietly: “No, please do not move yet. You are not strong enough... you and Lord Scrivener almost died. I shall have demons bring him here to you, Mistress, and I shall summon the healers and the Dawn Bringer. Selene and Twilight Sparkle will also be eager to see you.”
“And what about... my son? Antares Mīrus... and... and Ersatz Major. What of Ersatz Major?” Luna asked quietly, and the Nightmare hesitated... something that told Luna much, as she closed her eyes tightly and fought back a tremble. Then...
“Ersatz Major died, and her body was brought with us to Canterlot. I am sure the Dawn Bringer will be able to tell you more.” The Nightmare halted, then added softly: “But do not fear. The Destroyer, Pinkamena, Burning Desire and your loyal servant Hevatica have taken it upon themselves to find a way to... mend this folly.”
“Why does that thought not reassure me?” Luna muttered, and then she sighed quietly and prompted: “And Antares? My son? I remember seeing my daughter in those last few moments, I... I have this sense that she is well, but what of my son?”
“He has visited.” the Nightmare said after a moment, and Luna frowned at the careful way it spoke, before the smoky mare bowed her head and excused herself quickly with: “I must fetch the healers. I will return shortly, Mistress Luna. Strength to you.”
With that, the Nightmare vanished, and Luna sighed despondently, trembling under the thin sheets and not knowing what to think, or what to feel, as she let herself slowly slump back into bed. Her wings fluttered weakly, and her mane spilled around her face, but did nothing to hide the large, thick patch over her head, covering the hollow where a horn had once proudly stood.

Antares Mīrus sat silently back beneath an alien, taper-covered tree. He was in a quiet corner of Subterra that resembled a lush forest, grown and tended to by wilder nature demons. Very few of the plants that grew here could be found anywhere else around the mortal world... but the exotic beauty wasn't the reason that Antares came out here. He came here because it was where he could be alone with his thoughts, and away from the rest of the world.
His birthday had been a week before Nightmare Night, and for the first time, it hadn't been a remarkable event: they had all been so busy with everything, and with his wings gone, even he'd almost forgotten about it. He'd gotten some well-wishes, and a few small gifts, and some other odds and ends... but then, on Nightmare Night, Ava and Meadow had surprised him at the tavern with a rum-filled cake and a promise of endless ale and they had gotten drunk and gorged themselves stupid and he'd... he'd forgotten completely about everything else.
While his parents had been watching the play, he'd been eating and drinking and celebrating. When Ponyville had gone into lockdown, he and Meadowlark and Avalon had been stumbling drunkenly in the opposite direction, laughing and cheering, just ahead of the wave of demons and others spreading word through Ponyville. Avalon had wafted off home, and Antares and Meadowlark had gone back to her apartment. And while his parents had been dying, they'd been having sex, paying no heed to all the sounds and ruckus outside that had just sounded like... Nightmare Night.
So he'd woken up in the morning with Meadowlark, hung over and feeling a little stupid, but stayed with her peacefully. They'd had a great breakfast. He'd felt wonderful. He loved her. And then they decided to go to the library to see what had happened, but the moment they'd stepped outside, he'd seen the Starlit Knights on patrol and the demons silently striding around, and he'd known something was wrong too late to do any goddamn thing to help.
He remembered heading to the library, and finding a large portion of the square sealed off as demons inspected things. He remembered seeing Aphrodisia: he remembered her flinging him to the ground and pinning him as she cursed at him furiously. He remembered finding out what had happened to his parents, and that only an hour before Selene had been here with her cadre of chosen ones, and they had taken almost all the ponies he gave a damn about and brought them to Subterra.
Antares looked silently back and forth, then he sighed softly: Avalon and Meadowlark hadn't even told Apps about the surprise party. It was a little thing compared to everything else, but at the same time he knew that the single little detail... if someone had told Apps, Apps would have definitely told Pinkamena what was going on. Everyone would have known where they were, and Antares doubted he would have gotten half as drunk as he'd been. Apps would have eaten most of the cake herself, after all. And Apps would never have let him get so drunk he'd forget about his family, or let him get away with breaking his promise.
He punched a hoof against the ground, trembling, not knowing what to say or do. All he knew was that he hurt like hell and he was mad as hell and he didn't know what he could do to make things right. His mother had lost her horn: if losing his wings had been painful, he knew he could only begin to fathom what it was like for his mother to have lost her horn.
The glossy-black unicorn looked down silently, then punched the ground again and clenched his eyes shut. Meadowlark was back in Ponyville, and Avalon was hiding somewhere, as full of shame and self-loathing as he was, he guessed. He could barely bring himself to go and visit his mother, or his father, or Twilight... Twilight, who... who looked at him with disappointment that hurt more than he could ever properly put into words. And yet he knew that he deserved it.
Antares shuddered a little: he had no idea what was going on right now with anything else, either. There were even whispers among the demons that the Prince of the Night, their so-called 'savior,' had just gone and shown his true colors, like for all these years before he had been faking everything, lying about his honor, his desire to do good. There were rumors abound and Antares didn't know what to do... he felt like that stupid kid again, who kept screwing up all the time and letting his Mom and Dad down until he finally managed to pull his act together...
So maybe that was what he had to do again, then. Get his act together, one way or another, and stop all this stupid... messing up. Letting his parents down because he couldn't balance being out there on his own and acting like an adult with... not letting down the ponies who had raised him.
Antares breathed silently in and out, then he glanced up quietly as a shape silently pushed its way through the tapers ahead, and he relaxed after a moment. It was Atrus, the Wrath demon looking at him calmly before he said in his soft, serious voice: “Your mother and father are awake. They and the Dawn Bringer have all requested your presence.”
The young stallion nodded a little, climbing to his hooves and rolling his shoulders before he glanced at the faded scars on his back. But he was getting used to not having his wings anymore: his balance was back to normal, at least, even if his agility wasn't quite the same. And the lack of them made quickly crossing larger distances... a little more difficult. “Okay. Thanks, Atrus... it's in the new district that's being built, right?”
Atrus only nodded in reply, then turned and disappeared back through the forest, and Antares sighed a little and shifted a bit on his hooves before following. He somehow wasn't surprised that despite the size of the lumbering demon, Atrus had already vanished... then again, the Wrath demon wasn't really one to stick around for small talk.
The stallion made his way carefully through the small jungle, stepping carefully around creeping vines and the more dangerous-looking plants before he reached the hedge wall that surrounded the edge of this forested area. He reached up and rested a hoof against the purplish leaves, waiting for only a moment before the hedge wall shuddered, then twisted itself slowly apart, branches and leaves both working themselves out of the way to form into a wide, circular window that Antares was able to step carefully through and back out onto the streets of Subterra.
The living hedge-wall closed tightly up behind him, and Antares nodded once over his shoulder before he turned to begin down the street. He kept his head down, only nodding a little in response to the few greetings he received, trying not to let his mind wander too much... trying not to let shame weigh him down so much or turn him into such a coward that he would give in to the urge to simply turn and hide from his own parents.
All the same, it took him almost forty minutes to trudge to his destination, as he lingered now and then on the road, or purposefully took longer routes to avoid being seen. He felt anxious and paranoid and simply... unhappy. He didn't know what to do or say or how he could make up for everything that had happened... all he knew was that he was going to have to look into the eyes of his parents, explain what had happened if they didn't know already, and somehow put up with that disappointment again, over a stupid mistake and a broken promise and... not being there.
He reached the Cathedral of Small Mercies, and gazed up over it silently: it was a large, dome shaped building... or well, it would be. Only half the dome was complete so far, and only part of the framework of immense pillars being built around it, which weren't simply for decorative purposes but which would eventually all be equipped with mirrors, to better focus the energy shining down from the crystals above towards collector dishes being set up over the cathedral's surface.
Antares breathed slowly in and out as he walked quietly down the stone path towards the open doors, licking his lips apprehensively as he strode into the mostly-empty front. There were only one or two furnishings in place, and part of a framework that would eventually divide what was mostly one expansive room into several, but for now it was just one big – thankfully empty – area.
He made his way towards the steps at the back and made his way slowly up towards the level he knew his parents were on, lowering his head a little and feeling like a scared, ashamed foal. He had to stop on the third floor to take a breath, before going up to the fourth and striding into the corridor, glancing up at the bustle of Nightmares hurrying in and out of a room just down the hall.
Antares took another breath, then made his way to the room and silently knocked once on the wall as he leaned into the doorway. He looked inside to see Celestia sitting beside a pair of beds that had been pushed together, with his parents in them, tucked up under sheets and propped up with pillows.
They gazed at each other silently, and then the two Nightmares in the room both simply vanished from sight, and the glossy-black unicorn sighed quietly as he stepped inside and closed the door, half-thankful for the privacy, half-wishing they'd stayed, if only to hopefully... delay the inevitable a little longer. He looked silently at his parents as Luna and Scrivener gazed back at him, and then Celestia spoke up softly: “It's... good to see you, Antares. How are you feeling?”
“I'm fine. What about...” Antares couldn't quite make himself finish the sentence, biting his lip before he shook his head slowly, sighing softly and looking silently over his parents and Aunt. Celestia was healthy and strong, her scarf draped around her shoulders, her chest not showing any sign that Thesis had nearly ruptured her heart.
Luna was battered, blue mane tied tightly back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face, uneven bangs half-hiding the patch on her forehead from view. Scrivener, meanwhile, still had one foreleg wrapped in bandages, and he was bruised and sallow, but he seemed to be recovering a little faster than the sapphire mare was.
There was silence for a few moments, and then Luna cleared her throat and said quietly: “Celestia has been telling me that... thou wert enjoying a celebration with Avalon and Meadowlark. Particularly with... Meadowlark.”
“I... yes.” Antares whispered, bowing his head silently, and Luna and Scrivener traded looks before the winged unicorn sighed quietly, even as the glossy-black young stallion looked up and said pleadingly: “Look, I just-”
“Nay, speak not. Thou art twenty four years of age, Antares Mīrus, and... 'twas at thine own request that we did not have a great gathering, as we have every year before. We honored that as... I am aware that to force good cheer after thy wings...” Luna smiled faintly and looked down. “Well, thou deserved time to adjust. Nor am I upset that thou wert not there to fight... I... it is a stroke of fortune. After what Thesis was able to do myself, friends and family... after he... murdered...”
Luna shivered a little, then she shook her head and her features hardened a little, looking over at the young stallion. “That is not what upsets me. I am glad for it, but I am upset that thou broke thy promise to me, and hurt thy cousin as well... 'twas a childish mistake so I shall lecture thee like a child, Antares, for running off to get drunk with two of thy friends and not only leaving thine own family out, but failing to come to the play.”
“Mom I... seriously?” Antares looked incredulous, mouthing wordlessly before he looked blankly back and forth, like this was some kind of joke. “You're not mad at me for... for not being there to help in a goddamn war but you're mad at me because I broke a stupid promise and Ava didn't tell Apps about the surprise-”
“Aye, I am!” Luna shouted suddenly, and Antares leaned back in surprise at her anger, as she sat up and glared at him furiously. “Aye, 'tis a small promise... but if thou disregards such a simple thing as 'insignificant,' and cannot live up to the simplest expectation, then what must I think thou will fare with a larger, more volatile promise? And damnation, Antares! Truth goes hoof-in-hoof with honor, and thy word, when given, must always be honored no matter how large or small! Our word is the most fragile and the most powerful thing we can give to another, our promises must be treated as sacred!”
Antares leaned back in shock, mouthing wordlessly again before he said finally: “But... I... I mean... Mom, come on-”
But Luna only shook her head vehemently... then groaned loudly and grasped at her skull, and Scrivener winced himself even as he reached awkwardly over to half-embrace her and soothe her. Celestia sighed softly, but she gave a small smile as she glanced up at Antares, saying quietly: “Promises aren't to be made lightly, Antares Mīrus. To friend, family, or stranger. Any promise you make you have to honor... that was taught to you as a child, ingrained in you. Your mother and I are so strict about this because... we know the cost of broken promises well. And honor is both the strongest shield, but your most fragile, delicate treasure. We just don't want to see... this becoming habitual.”
“I'm... just... living my life. It was just a mistake...” Antares couldn't help but defend himself, and then he clenched his teeth before looking up angrily and saying sharply: “Come on! I can't believe that you're serious, I... I'm an adult, and I made a mistake, and what, you think I can't stand being held accountable for that, so instead you yell at me for a broken promise, for upsetting Apps? Look, I did something stupid but... but I'm going to make up for it and-”
Luna shook her head slowly, and Scrivener sighed quietly as he dropped his head forwards, not even knowing what to say. And after a moment of studying them, as his emotions settled a little, Antares felt embarrassment flush his cheeks as he dropped his head and murmured: “I mean... I'm... I am sorry. I just... it's hard to believe it's that important, or what's really bothering you right now.”
“At the end of the day, all we have to rely on, to put our faith in, is our family and friends. We are strong because we can trust each other... because we can trust in one-another.” Celestia said quietly, looking down, and Antares looked at her before he trembled slightly: she looked calm as ever, her tone was gentle... but there was a spark in her eyes of locked-away fury, and a flex in her muscles that told him that anger was burning through her whole body. “It's the one advantage we have always boasted over the enemy. Look at Thesis: even his fellow Replicants only follow him out of fear, and would turn on him given the chance, show loyalty because of terror. Loyalties like that can be easily twisted, or simply discarded if it no longer suits them.
“They won't try and save each other, and they likely can't work together outside of what they've been trained in. But we know each other, inside out. I can fight beside my sister without giving her orders, as one with her, because I know her. I trust her. I trust that I can turn my back and without a doubt, she will be there to protect me.” Celestia said softly, turning her eyes to Luna silently. “Sometimes it's the little things, Antares, that matter the most. Never, ever forget that.”
Antares lowered his head silently, nodding once, and there was silence for a few moments before Celestia glanced over towards Luna and Scrivener, saying gently: “If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Antares, why don't you walk with me? Your parents need to heal, and we should talk about some things, including some new duties you're going to need to be able to attend to while your parents are... resting.”
“Resting.” Luna muttered bitterly, and then she cursed under her breath and dropped her head forwards, murmuring moodily as she glanced up at her bangs: “I had forgotten how much I loathed my stupid mane. 'Tis stupid. And gets in my eyes.”
Scrivener only smiled faintly, reaching up and squeezing her shoulder slowly, and Antares hesitated as Celestia approached before he nodded and murmured an awkward goodbye. Scrivener and Luna both turned their eyes towards their son, but neither spoke as Antares turned and let Celestia usher him out the door, closing his eyes and taking a single deep breath as they stepped out of the room.
Celestia gave him a moment, and the two looked at each other before Antares looked up and said finally: “I am... I really am sorry. I never meant...”
“I know. Antares, you're... well, you're a little confusing, and a little confused about what you want, too, I think.” Celestia smiled after a moment, reaching up to touch his shoulder gently. “And your parents do need time alone to heal. But while they heal, and while Twilight recovers as well... you and I and Sleipnir have work to do.”
“Is Twilight okay?” Antares asked quietly, and Celestia nodded once, the stallion smiling faintly as he looked down. “She's really upset with me still, isn't she?”
“We're all a little upset with you, Antares. But we're all also willing to overlook that to make sure you're okay, and to work beside you for the benefit of everyone. That's what family does.” Celestia said softly, and Antares smiled after a moment as he glanced up and nodded a little, before the ivory mare turned and led him down the hall, continuing quietly: “Right now, we're vulnerable. Alongside your parents, Morning Glory, Burning Desire, and Pinkamena are all currently deployed. Sleipnir is still injured, spiritually as well as physically.
“I'm not yet back to full strength, either. That leaves you in the role of defender, Antares... if we suffer an attack from Thesis or any of his other Replicants, you are going to have to be the one to meet his forces.” Celestia continued as they turned down the steps, and Antares grimaced a bit at this. “Discombobulation has gone to find Discord and hopefully get his help in keeping an eye on things, and Cowlick tells me that Shining Armor will be happy to assist. And of course the Starlit Knights are at your disposal... but many of them aren't prepared or equipped to deal with a threat like the Replicants. And I understand now I might only be kidding myself if I say that any of us are ready to deal with this level of threat at all.”
“That's why you moved my parents here... not just so they could better heal, but because to get to them now, Thesis will have to go through Subterra and Selene.” Antares said quietly, and Celestia nodded in response, not seeming surprised that Antares had caught on to that detail. The stallion lowered his head quietly, biting his lip for a moment before he asked finally: “How long until you and Sleipnir are on your hooves? And what happened to Morning Glory and the others?”
“Sleipnir is healing slowly, but in a few days he'll be back to normal. I shouldn't take much longer, but... I'm going to have to perform some intense magic over the next few days. That, and it's not like what happened in Ponyville is going to be overlooked by the Royal Council... I've already been summoned to an inquiry, and my steward keeps threatening to resign.” Celestia smiled a little. “But I suppose that I've been taking advantage of his... kindness... a little over these last few years.”
Antares nodded a little, and then he hesitated before looking up at the mare, saying quietly: “You didn't really answer my question about Morning Glory and Pinkamena.”
“And Burning Desire. They, along with Hevatica, volunteered for a special mission. Hopefully they'll return within a week's time, but... I don't quite dare say anything for sure.” Celestia said softly, shaking her head slowly. “I'm not going to tell you where they are. They're doing something that I shouldn't be encouraging, and yet I hope that it has good results. Because if they succeed... the benefit will be tremendous.”
“But they could all die.” Antares said almost disbelievingly as his eyes read into Celestia's veiled emotions, and when Celestia only calmly nodded again, the stallion mouthed wordlessly before he whispered: “What could be worth risking... no, even better question. What could seriously threaten Morning Glory? Those are three First Tier demons, and Hevatica's no pushover herself, even if she falls way lower down on the power scale. You didn't... they're not going to Clockwork World or after Thesis, are they?”
“Like I said. I would prefer not to say.” Celestia said in a level voice, and Antares winced a bit before the ivory mare smoothly continued, firmly steering the subject away: “Besides, what you need to focus on is protecting both Ponyville and Subterra. If anything attacks us over the course of this week, large or small, you need to be prepared to deal with it. Whether from the rear echelon or on the field yourself, that will be your decision to make.”
“Who's in charge of Ponyville's defenses right now, if Sleipnir is out of commission?” Antares asked finally, and Celestia gave the slightest grimace before Antares stared disbelievingly at her, halting in the massive, empty area on the bottom floor of the cathedral. “No. No, no. No way. You're kidding me, you have got to be kidding me.”
“Kilby Kwolek is a highly-valued member of the Starlit Knights. She's proven her leadership skills consistently in the past and she knows Ponyville's defenses forwards and backwards. The others have little problem taking orders from her, whether they're pony, Nibelung, or demon.” Celestia said carefully after only the slightest hesitation, and Antares thought she was reassuring herself as much as she was trying to reassure him... and having little success with both. “She'll also listen to you-”
“No she won't.” Antares muttered, and then he sighed and nodded grudgingly, adding finally when Celestia gave him a pointed look: “Okay, it makes sense. Shiny will listen to her, too. And if Discombobulation and Discord are wiling to help out, they can net Ponyville pretty well with the help of the Knights... I think I'll let Cowlick handle that, and maybe leave Ava and Meadowlark in Ponyville as well. I don't... I don't think Thesis will attack there again, though. He's definitely going for my parents, so... I want to concentrate my attention where they are.”
“Yes, but you have to be on your hooves for more than just Thesis, Antares. I'm asking you to be responsible for defending from any major attacks from any of our enemies... feral dragons, wild demons, Clockwork Ponies or roving, barbarian bands of Nibelung or bandits that might sense weakness.” Celestia said quietly, and Antares grimaced a bit as he nodded a little, following the mare as she started towards the doors leading out of the cathedral. “And if I'm busy with the Royal Council or other affairs, you may have to deal with Kvasir, or other emissaries from Valhalla or... less-pleasant places. We have many allies who need to stay informed of the situation as it continues to develop.”
Antares winced at this, and Celestia sighed softly as they came to a halt outside the cathedral, looking down at him with more gentility in her eyes now, whatever anger was left fading slowly away. “This is a lot for you to shoulder, I know. But there's no one else right now, Antares, who can handle these duties, and what I'm talking about is all nothing but possibility... it's very likely in a few days, everything will be back to... Sleipnir and I will be strong enough to deal with things, and others will begin recuperating and returning. Twilight will recover and... your parents will... they'll find a way to get back on their own hooves soon.
“But this is also a way for you to prove yourself. That you can handle these responsibilities, and make up what happened before.” Celestia stopped and smiled faintly. “And yes, I am honestly more concerned about your broken promise than the fact you didn't participate in the battle, and I believe your mother wasn't trying to make you feel like a child, or treating you like one on purpose. Nor is she so shocked by what's happened she's focusing on the wrong things or trying to deny what happened, much as... as I am sure she wants to and I wouldn't blame her for. Your word is your bond. The size of what you promise doesn't matter: the fact you promised is what is key here. Remember that, Antares.”
The glossy-black stallion nodded after a moment, meeting the ivory winged unicorn's amethyst eyes before he asked quietly: “What about... Mom's horn?”
“I'm keeping it soaked in her blood for now, mixed with a few other... substances.” Celestia said softly, shaking her head slowly. “But it was... the base of her horn was almost destroyed when it was knocked loose, and there was... there was a lot of damage to her skull itself, which we have to let heal around a... ring... that was implanted, to stop the bone from growing into place in that hollow.”
Antares shivered a bit at this thought, swallowing thickly, before Celestia said softly: “Luna and Scrivener and I have discussed our possibilities. Because of their soul link... one possibility, if all else fails, is that Luna's horn will be given to your father. His base is complete and intact, the horn itself simply never developed. But even with their soul link, Scrivener wouldn't be able to use Luna's magic very well, and we have no idea how his body might react. The horn might very well be rejected.
“What we're mainly hoping for is... to find a Greed demon. Not Burning Desire, he's not strong enough... but one with a little more power or connection could make a contract with us, and provide us with the means to fix Luna's horn.” Celestia continued, and Antares frowned uneasily. “Yes, it would be dangerous. We would have to be very careful, and offer it something... worthwhile. But it's also one of our best chances.”
Antares looked down, and then he shook his head slowly and murmured: “There's no magic, no... cure, no nothing else? Aunt Tia, I thought... I mean...”
“Our horns are nearly indestructible, but it's a double-edged sword, Antares.” Celestia replied with a faint smile, shaking her head slowly. “Alicorn is incredibly difficult to work with, and some say it even possesses a life of its own. That this material isn't... precisely sentient... but has a spiritual force within it, which is why we can channel magic through our horns, and why they're bonded to us, which is why you don't often hear about graves being plundered so that ponies can steal horns from unicorn corpses. It's also why if your mother held onto her horn and concentrated, she could call up some of her magic. Perhaps even at a distance, she could still 'command' her horn, so to speak.”
Antares nodded and looked up silently at Celestia, who shook her head slowly. “On that note, Antares, perhaps you could do me one more favor, while I deal with my own problems and spread word about the duties you'll be taking on over the next few days. In the Thorn Palace's archives, there should be records regarding an extinct race of undead creature called 'Velites.' I'd like you to gather up some of the information on them, if you would. They were one of the few beings capable of corrupting a unicorn's horn to their own ends.”
The stallion nodded hesitantly, then halted and asked, not knowing why: “So it is possible to... take another pony's horn and make it your own?”
“Yes, very. In the old days, unicorn enchanters and conjurors often augmented their powers by using wands or staves with alicorn cores, or even went so far to use a full horn itself as the keystone of a magical instrument.” Celestia said softly. “Graves being robbed were common, to the point where the crypts of honored unicorn dead had to be guarded, and unicorns regularly had their horns removed or destroyed after death to prevent any abuse of their bodies, and replaced with decorative crystal, silver, or even simple wood. Some artificers also came to believe that the soul of a unicorn resided in their horn, and that by keeping the horn 'alive,' it granted a kind of immortality... so they would have their own horns removed, and use the as the power cores for golems or other large-scale constructs.”
Antares looked up in disbelief at this, and then Celestia smiled and shook her head slowly. “If you're interested, I'll tell you more stories tonight, Antares, and your mother knows quite a few as well. Even about unicorns who implanted multiple horns throughout their bodies, but... that has never turned out well. Go on now. See to that research, and we'll speak again soon.”
“I... alright, yeah. Okay, Aunt Tia.” Antares nodded uneasily, shifting a little before he bit his lip as Celestia turned and calmly began to stride away, the stallion simply standing in front of the cathedral for a few moments longer before he called impulsively: “Can you find alicorn anywhere else, apart from a unicorn's horn?”
Celestia glanced over her shoulder, then she smiled a little and replied: “You can't find it anywhere, but you can make it through alchemy... but it's not a process a pony like you should be interested in, Antares. Even the cruelest person would have trouble stomaching what is necessary to do so... and it would never be quite the same as one of our horns. Our horns are special.”
Antares nodded hesitantly, and then Celestia turned away and strode off, and the stallion frowned a little at the ground before he opened his mouth again... but the mare was already gone, and so he was left with his unanswered questions, standing in silence for a moment longer before shaking his head and hurrying forwards, readying himself to try and live up to the tasks set before him... and promising silently that this time he'd remember the value of his word.