Shadow of the Sun
By Starwin
Chapter 19
The group of friends stood in shocked silence, unable to find words to convey their horror. Princess Luna had suggested the unthinkable, to bring back one of the greatest dangers Equestria had ever faced. She wanted them to willingly unleash a monster that desired nothing more than eternal darkness. She wanted them to change her back into Nightmare Moon.
“You… you’re joking, right?” stammered Spike at last.
“I have given much thought to it,” explained Luna. “I cannot move the Sun, although I do have the power to block it with the Moon. Equestria will be shadowed in twilight, but it will be better than it is now. Yet I cannot do it as I am. I have tried, but the Moon will move no further.”
“And y’all think Nightmare Moon’ll be able to do it?” asked Applejack. Luna shook her head.
“To be honest, I do not know,” answered Luna. “After all, we share much. Her strength may be just as feeble as my own.”
“So than turning you back into Nightmare Moon might not even help?” asked Rarity skeptically. The friends shared an uncertain glance, none of them seemed to think this was a good idea.
“I don’t think it will even work,” said Twilight seriously. “I mean, the Elements of Harmony restore balance. How can they even do what you’re asking?”
“I do not know, Twilight Sparkle,” answered Luna. “But, as with my sister, we must try. I am willing to sacrifice everything I have, everything I am, to save Equestria.” The group lapsed into silence. After a long moment, Trixie spoke.
“I say you do it,” said Trixie. The five ponies and Spike turned to stare at the light-blue unicorn. “Think about it, if we do nothing, how many ponies will suffer? If the elements don’t work than we are no worse off then we are now.”
“I don’t like this,” said Applejack. “And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Trixie is right. We have to do somethin, and unless you think you can move the Moon on your own Twilight…” Applejack smiled apologetically.
“I don’t like the idea of bringing back Nightmare Moon,” added Fluttershy softly. She shrunk away as Twilight turned to her. “But, um... Whatever you think is best…”
“And you can always change her back if things get crazy,” chimed in Spike. “Well, you know, more crazy…”
“Pinkie,” said Twilight after a long moment of thought. “Any twitches that tell you this is a bad idea?” Pinkie Pie stood still for a long moment. She opened her mouth as if to proclaim something, then closed it, then opened it again. At last, she just shook her head.
“Nope, I’m not getting anything,” said Pinkie. She lifted a hoof and examined it. “Nothing at all.”
“I still don’t like this,” said Twilight at last. “But you’re right, we have to try something.”
“I am glad you agree,” said Luna. “Nightmare Moon on the other hand will be less… cooperative. Getting her to help will be a challenge all its own, but I know you are up to the task.” Twilight smiled a little sheepishly, unsure if she actually was up to said task.
Taking their silence as agreement, Luna lifted a hoof and pushed open the iron door. At first it seemed like there was only darkness on the other side but, as they entered the room their eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light.
This room was unusually dark and Luna warned them to watch their step as they entered. Through the shadowy light, Twilight could make out small details of the room. It seemed to be rounded and the floor sunk down in the center, as if it were some kind of pit.
Luna trotted around the room. A moment later her horn flared with light, bathing the room in a shimmering white glow. Twilight could see that she had been mostly correct. The center of the room was indeed lowered, although not as deeply as she had thought at first.
A few hooves from where Twilight stood the floor dropped down like a step. A large circular ring of stone made up the first tier. Below it, a similar small ring made up the next step, and below that still another. Four steps in all between the main floor and the center of the room which was lowered by at least a dozen hooves.
“What is this place?” asked Spike curiously. Twilight had been so taken with the room she had not thought to ask.
“This is the…” Luna blushed slightly “…the Lunar Observatory,” said Luna. “My sister had it built not long after I was… sent away. It is a focusing room of sorts. While I was gone my sister used this room to bring the night and… to watch me…”
“Watch you?” asked Applejack uncertainly. Luna nodded. “How, uh, exactly?”
“I will show you,” answered Luna. Her horn glowed and something up near the ceiling moved. Twilight looked up and noticed that the same tiered design cut into the hole in the floor was repeated in the ceiling.
Bright sunlight suddenly poured into the room. However, it was focused down to the lowered center. It took Twilight a moment to realize what she was looking at.
“The Sun!” exclaimed Twilight in surprise. “It’s not just sunlight it’s an image of the Sun!”
“Yes,” replied Luna. She used her magic to slide the trap door in the ceiling shut. The image of the Sun vanished, but Luna’s light spell kept the room from going dark. Gracefully, Luna used her wings to glide down into the center, where the Sun image had been projected. “Even though it was made for the Moon, the Sun works just as well. From here could my sister… visit me, as it were, each night.”
“So what are we doing in here?” asked Pinkie, still looking around. “Not that I’m complaining this room is awesome! Look at all the little stars carved into the walls!”
Twilight had to look again, indeed, she had missed the fine detail of the stars. They were not just carved into the walls but the floor and ceiling as well. This room didn’t just show the Sun and Moon it was a map of the sky.
“As I said,” explained Luna. “This room is a focusing chamber. Raising the Moon during the day is no easy task. Here the burden should be lessened slightly.
“There is something else I must ask,” Luna’s eyes fell on Twilight, “for the safety of everypony. You must bind me.” Twilight opened her mouth to argue but Luna did not even need to speak to convince Twilight. They were about to bring back a terrible evil, bindings were the very least they could do.
Twilight’s horn glowed again and heavy iron chains materialized into existence. They wove themselves into the floor before snaking over Luna’s body. A shackle locked into place around each of her legs, while a fifth belt bolted into place around her middle so that she couldn’t open her wings.
The friends spread out around the upper level, looking down at Luna. Pinkie Pie stepped forward and nodded to Twilight. The lavender unicorn returned the nod, although there was no possible way she was ready for this.
“I really hope this doesn’t work,” whispered Twilight to herself.
“This is our best hope, Twilight Sparkle,” announced Luna. Twilight blushed a little, not thinking that the princess would have been able to hear her. “You may begin when ready.”
Twilight nodded and closed her eyes. She could feel the element of magic flicker inside her. The sensation was not what she had been expecting. Unlike the throne room it was not a bad feeling, not like something was about to go wrong, it was more like an incomplete sensation. She could sense Pinkie at her side, as well as Applejack and Rarity and Fluttershy. She could even feel Spike and Trixie to some degree. But it didn’t feel the way the elements should feel. It was like they were searching for the rest but couldn’t find them.
At last, unable to join anymore elements, Twilight felt the magic well up inside her, though diminished significantly from how she remembered it feeling. The powers of the two elements focused through her. The light that shone out of her was not rainbow but simply a mix of red and green.
The energy reached out from Twilight and wrapped around Luna. The light circled the mare in a wrapping arc, moving faster and faster until she was hidden in a cocoon of colored light.
Yet, Twilight could tell it wasn’t working, the spell wouldn’t take hold, the elements wouldn’t do what she was commanding them to do. Bringing back Nightmare Moon was so against their nature that asking such a thing of them was impossible…
Twilight felt a sudden tug and her breath caught in her chest. Twilight could feel the spell starting to go wrong. With hardly even the slightest effort, she stopped the elemental energy. Instantly the blaze of light around Luna evaporated, sending the room into darkness once again. The only sound was that of Twilight and Pinkie panting like they had been galloping as hard as they could.
Twilight’s whole body felt tired and sore. It was an unpleasant sensation that neither magic nor the elements had ever made her feel like this before. Although, at least this time the elements hadn’t tried to suck out her life force. Even still, it hadn’t worked. And right at the end it had almost felt like something was about to go terribly wrong.
“What… is… this?” asked a hissing voice from the center of the room. It was a voice that made Twilight shiver. She couldn’t believe it, somehow, it had worked!
A pair of eyes opened in the darkness. The pupils were nothing more than slits and the emerald irises glowed with their own pale green light. There was a sudden jingle of chains and a snarl of discontent. Silvery light flared in the center of the room and Nightmare Moon stood before the ponies. She was just as terrifying as Twilight remembered, the midnight black coat, the pointed fangs and the terrible dragon like eyes that glowed with a sinister light.
Nightmare Moon tugged at the chains, trying to free herself, but they would not come loose. Her horn glowed, trying to break the manacles that held her, but she seemed unable to do so.
“They are enchanted so that only I can open them,” announced Twilight. Nightmare Moon’s gaze suddenly snapped to Twilight.
“You!” hissed Nightmare Moon, her eyes narrowed. She stopped struggling. “Why have you brought me back?”
“We have brought you back to ask for your help,” said Twilight. Nightmare Moon let out a cold, in-pony laugh that made Twilight shiver.
“Help?” said Nightmare Moon. “Why would I possibly ever want to help you?”
“Because Equestria is in danger!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. “The Sun has stopped moving and we…” Nightmare Moon’s eyes shifted to Pinkie and the pony lapsed into silence.
“The Sun has stopped, you say,” said Nightmare Moon thoughtfully. “I am not the keeper of the Sun. You want my dear sister.” A smile spread across Nightmare Moon’s face. “Ah, but if you have brought me back then something has happened to Celestia.”
No pony answered. The smile was wiped from Nightmare Moon’s lips to be replaced with a scowl.
“I will not help you,” said Nightmare Moon.
“But Equestria!” cried Fluttershy.
“Has shunned me,” snapped Nightmare Moon. “They do not want my night, nor my dreams. They crave the Sun. And it would seem now they have all they could ever want of it.”
“Please,” begged Twilight. “You’re the only pony with the power to help.”
“I told you, silly foal, I cannot move the Sun,” said Nightmare Moon. “You can beg all you want but I cannot change that.”
“Well, we don’t want’ca to move the Sun,” said Applejack. Nightmare Moon looked confused for a moment.
“We would like you to raise the Moon,” said Rarity. “And block out the Sun. It is almost there already. You only have to move it a bit further.”
“An interesting proposition,” said Nightmare Moon softly. “But why should I? What is in it for me?”
“Uh, helping out Equestria, of course?” said Spike. Nightmare Moon laughed at the very notion. Pinkie did not join in.
“That is hardly a good enough reason,” said Nightmare Moon. She tugged at her chains. “And what will you do with me once I lift the Moon into place? Send me away, burry me back inside my prison?”
“We cannot let you roam free,” said Twilight, trying to sound apologetic. “Your very existence is driven toward suffering.”
“Than you give me no reason,” said Nightmare Moon. “You simply waste my time.”
“Well, I can give you a reason,” said Trixie. Her horn glowed softly, her magic flickered and an instant later the trapdoor in the ceiling began to open. Brilliantly bright sunlight poured into the room, filling it with harsh yellow light. Around Nightmare Moon an image of the Sun reappeared on the floor as the rays of light blazed down upon her.
“What are you doing!” demanded Nightmare Moon, trying to shrink away. Yet she could not move as the chains bound her in place. Desperately her eyes searched for some hint of shadow she could reach. However, there was no such place within her reach.
“Stop it!” pleaded Nightmare Moon.
“This is what everypony in Equestria is going through,” said Twilight seriously. She did not like the sight before her, she did not like this at all. “Raise the Moon and you will not have to endure this light any longer.”
“I will!” exclaimed Nightmare Moon. “I will! I will! Make it stop.” Twilight’s horn glowed and instantly the room was plunged back into darkness.
The dim sliver of light remained, where the trap door hadn’t closed all the way. Nightmare Moon lay upon the floor, her breathing fast and uneven. Her eyes, filled with hate, were locked upon the ponies and for a long moment she did not move.
“Well?” demanded Trixie impatiently. “Are you going to raise the Moon, or do we need to remind you what it’s like out there.”
Twilight felt a terrible pang of guilt. She couldn’t stand the thought of putting any pony through that again. Trixie’s horn began to glow. Twilight was just about to tell her to stop when a second, ghostly blue glow filled the room.
Nightmare Moon’s horn was ablaze with magic, yet her horn was not the only thing glowing. The carved stars in the walls also shown with light. Twilight looked on in wonder at the sight around her.
The stone floor below Twilight’s hooves trembled. It felt like an earthquake. The other mares in the room move uncomfortably as the room shuddered.
Nightmare Moon’s eyes opened wide, her gaze burning with magic and power. Suddenly, the room became darker still so that they all seemed to be standing in the night sky, surrounded by a field of stars.
“Look! Look!” cried Pinkie Pie. Twilight followed her friends hoof. Among the stars was an image of the Moon. Yet unlike the starts, this Moon, moved. It was clearly made of magic, yet, Twilight was sure it must represent the real moon outside.
“She’s doing it, the Moon is eclipsing the Sun!” cried Applejack. “Just a little further and it will be covering it!” However, the moment Applejack announced this, the floor suddenly stopped shaking. The room seemed to grow lighter once more and the image of the Moon winked out of existence.
Twilight pulled her gaze away to see why Nightmare Moon had stopped. The midnight black mare was still on the floor in the center of the room. The magical glow on her horn had extinguished and only the small ray of sunlight kept them from being in total darkness.
Parts of Nightmare Moon shifted in and out of reality, as if she were fading away.
“It seems fate is against you,” said Nightmare Moon with a dark smile. Her form suddenly faded away, leaving Luna in her place. The Princess of the Night collapsed in exhaustion. Twilight and her friends rushed forward, descending down the strange steps in leaps until they reached her side.
“Luna!” exclaimed Twilight. As she reached the dark mare, Twilight’s horn glowed and the chains unlocked themselves and vanished back into nothingness.
Luna’s eyes opened slowly, they had once more become their normal dark blue color, the slits having vanished and the eerie glow gone completely.
“I am fine,” said Luna, although her voice sounded very weak. “Did it work?” Twilight shook her head very slightly. “Did… did I hurt any pony?”
“No,” said Twilight quickly. “No, Nightmare Moon lifted the Moon, but she faded away before it could cover up the Sun.” Twilight directed her gaze upwards. The trapdoor was still in place so that they couldn’t see the Sun. “She faded away before she was done.”
Luna frowned.
“Did it even reach the Sun?” she asked.
“We’d have to open it up and see,” said Applejack also looking up.
Without waiting, Luna’s horn glowed and the trapdoor suddenly opened. Blazing light rushed in, eager to wash away the darkness. The friends flinched as the sunlight hit them, and Twilight reacted, casting the shield spell around them.
“That will have to be enough for now,” said Luna. With a great effort, Twilight followed Luna’s gaze to the floor. The image of the Sun had indeed returned, however, a tiny part of the Sun was indeed eclipsed by the Moon.
“It worked,” whispered Twilight in disbelief.
“As well as any of us could have hoped,” said Luna. She struggled, trying to stand but could not manage it. “I fear do not have the strength to move it any further. I need to rest before we try again.”
The friends escorted Luna back to her chambers. Twilight saw the princess to her bed while the others waited outside. The instant Luna put her head down she drifted into sleep. Quietly, Twilight crept out of the room, closing the door behind her.
“Well, what do we do now?” asked Applejack. The friends looked to Twilight for answers. But it was Spike who gave them a reply.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m pretty tired too,” said Spike with a stretch and a yawn. “The last time we got to rest was back at the train and that feels like ages ago.”
“Yeah, the Great and Powerful Trixie could do with a little beauty rest,” announced Trixie.
“There are guest chambers not far from here,” suggested Twilight. “We should be able to find enough beds for everypony.”
Twilight led the way to the rooms a few floors below. There were more rooms than they needed so they each got to have their own bed and their own room, even Spike. They bid each other good night. Although it was still daytime outside this was as close to night as they had come for a long while. The others made for their rooms, however, Twilight paused at her door and stood there thoughtfully.
“Twilight, dear,” asked Rarity. Twilight jumped a little. The others had all gone into their rooms, but Rarity was still in the hallway. “You are going in to rest, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” said Twilight absently. “Yeah, I just need to go check something out first.” Rarity frowned. “Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”
Without another word, Twilight hurried off.
Twilight found herself back at the throne room. She knew she should be getting sleep like her friends, but she simply couldn’t rest yet. There was so much more she needed to know, so much more she had to investigate. Something was still bothering her, well, many things were still bothering her. But there was something in this room that Twilight couldn’t let go.
Slowly, Twilight approached Celestia once again. The strange sensation washed over her again and she tasted the metallic flavor in her mouth. The coldness was still there too, although not as bad as before.
As she had done previously, Twilight circled around Celestia, moving behind her and staying a good distance back. The scrape marks on the floor were still there, yet Twilight needed to get closer to examine them. Taking a deep breath of chilled air, Twilight forced herself forward.
The cold bit into her like teeth and she had to clamp her jaw shut to keep from crying out. Each step was worse than the previous one, but Twilight forced her way forward.
At last she stopped next to the scratches in the floor. The biting cold became slightly more tolerable the moment she stopped moving. Twilight touched the grooves with her hoof. The statue had definitely been moved, but why? Why move it just a few hooves forward? Unless… maybe it was covering something?
Instinctively, Twilight tried to use her magic to move the statue, but nothing happened. Remembering that she couldn’t cast magic here. Gritting her teeth, Twilight took the last few steps to reach Celestia. She had almost expected gale forced winds and numbing cold to slam into her as she advanced, yet, those last few steps were actually the easiest. In fact, Twilight was sure it had gotten slightly warmer this close to Celestia.
Twilight put out a hoof and touched the stone form of her mentor. Maybe she was just imagining it, but the stone felt… warm? Moving even closer, Twilight put her whole body against the statue and urged it forward. Slowly, with a low scraping sound, Celestia began to slide along the floor.
Twilight hadn’t needed to push the statue very far before she discovered that she was right! Celestia had been moved, well, moved before Twilight had moved her again. Somepony had used her to cover something! Where Celestia had been, was a hole not much larger than a hoof or two, punched into the floor.
The hole was perfectly round and clean cut around the edges. Something had blasted through the floor but done so in a way that hadn’t otherwise damaged the ground. Twilight looked down the hole but she couldn’t see where it went.
Pondering the hole, Twilight wondered what was at the bottom, how deep it went, and what had made it? What she needed was more light. Almost reflexively she tried to cast a light spell. However nothing happened and it took her a moment to remember that she couldn’t work any magic here.
She looked up at her mentor as if trying to ask her what she should do now. Then Twilight noticed something else, something she had missed before. Above her was a second hole, also perfectly round, but also obviously not built into the room. Twilight wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but she thought that it had to be directly above the hole she had found beneath Celestia.
Twilight returned her focus to the hole in the floor. What had made it? Why cover it up? It didn’t make sense. Twilight looked up again to the hole in the ceiling. Two of them. Why were there two of them?
Twilight was sure now that they were aligned with each other. Twilight’s eyes turned back to the rest of the room, looking for anything else she might have missed the first time around. It wasn’t long before she found a third hole, just above the throne. There were also fourth and fifth holes to either side, half way up the walls. And finally a sixth hole, once again directly opposite the one above the throne.
“Six holes,” whispered Twilight to herself. Her eyes widened in sudden realization. “Six elements…”