//------------------------------// // Chapter 26 // Story: Shadow of the Sun // by Starwin //------------------------------// Shadow of the Sun By Starwin Chapter 26 The glowing ring of light that bridged the boundaries between dreams and the waking world began to shrink. As the light moved along the floor the dream realm of nighttime Ponyville was replaced with the white stone of the palace throne room. Soon the light would be gone and Twilight, Rarity and Luna would be plunged back into the dream, becoming sleeping monsters once more. "There must be something we can do!" pleaded Twilight. "Some spell, some magic!" Celestia watched the three ponies with sad eyes but she did not answer. "Please! We have to try!" "While magic can transcend between worlds, I am afraid that from inside the dream there is little we can do," answered Celestia at last. "The power of the Elements, combine with the disruption in the æther, have let you open a window into the waking world. However, without help from the outside that window will soon close." "But surely you must be able..." began Rarity. "I am stone," interrupted Celestia. "I cannot cast even the simplest of spells." The ring contracted again. The light passed over Celestia's back. As it did, she became half stone once more. "There is little time left. I am sorry my little..." Twilight had to step away as the edge of the golden light raced forward over Celestia, fully returning her to stone once more. "No..." whispered Twilight. She had to fight the urge to run forward and embrace her mentor. The golden edge of reality moved over Twilight’s hoof and she felt the flames return. She pulled away and the flames extinguished. Twilight, Rarity and Luna backed against one another, the ring shrinking rapidly around them. There was no place to run, no place to hide. No spell that Twilight could cast to keep them here. In a moment more their minds would be back in the dream and their bodies would be monsters of fire. The ring shrunk ever smaller. There was hardly any place for them to stand now. A loud crash across the room dragged Twilight's attention away. The doors to the chamber stood open. Standing in the entryway, chest puffed out wide and a heroic grin across her face stood... "The Great and Powerful Trixie!" proclaimed the blue unicorn confidently. "And Spike!" announced Spike, emerging a second later from the doorway, looking like he was slightly out of breath. "We got here as fast as we... Woah!" Spike stopped dead in his tracks taking in what must have been a very strange sight before him. "Look out!" cried Rarity. For a moment, Twilight felt confused, until four blazing nightmares, that had once been Twilight's friends, raced around the golden circle. The fiery ponies galloped and soared towards the entrance, their screeches filling the air. "Stop!" shouted Twilight. "Leave them alone!" However the nightmares did not stop, nor did they seem to hear. Trixie ran one way, wailing as Fireshy and Blazejack chased her. Spike ran the other direction with Flamebow Dash and Nightmare Pie, who still continued to hop, right on his heels. "Twilight we have to do something!" cried Rarity. "What can we do? If we leave this circle we'll be just like them!" exclaimed Twilight. The boundaries of reality squeezed inwards again. The golden edge crawled over Twilight's leg. She felt the burning sensation of the flames as her true appearance became visible once more. The sight of the flames reminded Twilight of something. Her eyes snapped up to Spike and she knew what to do. Using all the concentration she could manage, Twilight turned her horn towards Spike. Magic flickered around the small dragon and with a pop, he suddenly grew much larger. It was the same spell she had used to get them through the firestorm so many days ago. Caught off guard by the sudden growth, Spike skidded to a halt. The two nightmares chasing him crashed into his back and rebounded off. He turned towards them as Flamebow and Nightmare Pie got slowly back to their hooves, looking dazed. "Spike! Grab them!" shouted Rarity. Spike nodded and scooped up the two nightmares, holding them tight under his massive arm. They struggled and bucked but could not escape. "Trixie! Lead them towards Spike!" Trixie changed direction, galloping across the room as fast as she could, rushing towards Spike. However, less than a dozen hooves away she stumbled and tumbled forward, crashing face first into the stone floor. Her momentum carried her forward, sliding across the smooth surface and between Spike's legs. A moment later, the two Nightmares collided with Spike and he wrapped them up in his other arm. The four ponies struggled but could not get free. "Well, that works too," announced Trixie, brushing herself off as she trotted over to the shrinking circle of light. "Not... For... Long..." grunted Twilight, the effort of the spell taking its toll on her. "You need to get out of here," said Rarity. "This ring of light is all that is keeping us from becoming just like them. Once that happens you'll have six nightmares and..." her eyes turned to Luna. “And other things to worry about, I’m sure.” "There is a way to keep us here," said Luna softly after the momentary pause left in the air by Rarity. "As my sister said, the elements gave you a window between worlds that is slowly closing, but we can keep it open. We just need magic from both sides. We need to multicast." "But we can't!" proclaimed Rarity. "Trixie is the only unicorn here that isn't a nightmare and both you and I have tried to multicast with her and failed." "Twilight has not yet tried," said Luna. Trixie let out a laugh. "I hardly think that Twilight and the Great and Powerful Trixie would be... Compatible," said Trixie. "Besides, she is already busy maintaining a spell." "Rarity..." grunted Twilight. "I have to try, no... Other... Choice..." "But the nightmares!" exclaimed Rarity. Twilight glanced at her. "Oh... Oh, no, Twilight I can't! I've never cast anything like that before!" Twilight didn't look away. "Oh, alright! But hurry!" Rarity's horn began to glow and a second aura wrapped around Spike. He became even larger, stronger. The nightmares struggling in his arms became still, seeming to realize that their efforts were in vain. Twilight's horn stopped glowing and Rarity's faced tensed. The spell held but Spike was slowly getting smaller once more. "We have to hurry," said Twilight, panting a little with the effort of the previous spell. Trixie bent her head forward and her horn moved through the golden light before touching Twilight's. "Focus on keeping us here," instructed Luna. "Think about both worlds, of the dream and of reality." Both Trixie and Twilight closed their eyes. Magic sparked at their horns and their faces tensed with concentration. Flickers of electricity jumped back and forth. Then a burst of energy erupted in a shockwave that made the room ripple. The force of the failed multicast knocked the two unicorns apart. Trixie was flung away, sent rolling across the ground. Twilight was propelled backwards, colliding with Rarity and knocking her out of the circle of light. The moment the white unicorn left the ring she burst into flickering orange flames. Spike instantly returned to his normal size, releasing all of the nightmares he had been keeping back. "Trixie!" shouted Twilight, clambering back to her hooves as the circle shrunk down even smaller. "Hurry! We have to try again!" Fire rolled over Twilight’s hooves, there was no longer enough room for her to be untouched by the waking world. Trixie staggered back to her hooves, looking dazed. Behind Trixie, Twilight could see her four nightmare friends turning and charging towards them. Any moment they would reach Trixie and she would become a nightmare and all hope would be lost! Trixie began to gallop as hard as she could, her path slightly erratic. Twilight thought that she would trip and fall again but she managed to stay upright. She was almost there when Rarity, ablaze with nightmare fire, charge past Twilight, headed right for Trixie. The unicorn was surrounded on all sides. There were nightmares behind her as well as ahead, blocking her path. And all Twilight could do was watch helplessly. Then, several things happened at once. In a flash of light, Trixie suddenly vanished. The nightmares collided in a tangle and with a pop, Trixie appeared right in front of Twilight, looking just as surprised as Twilight felt. "But... I didn't..." said Trixie in astonishment. "I did," said Nightmare Moon. Both Twilight and Trixie looked at the tall dark mare standing beside them in surprise. Luna had stepped out of the circle of light and become her true self once more. Parts of her body still flickered in and out of existence as though she wasn’t really solid. "A trick Twilight used against me the very first time we dueled." Twilight opened her mouth to ask why but Nightmare Moon cut her off. "Hurry, there is not much time, they are still coming!" Sure enough the nightmares had regrouped and now five of them were bearing down on them. Trixie nodded and stepped forward. Only a tiny golden circle was left. Flames burned all across Twilight’s body so that only her head and neck were left untouched. Once again Trixie put her horn against Twilight's. "We can do this," said Twilight, feeling the fire crawling up her neck. "I know we can." Trixie closed her eyes. Sparks jumped between them. Twilight could feel the spell faltering, starting to fail again. She tensed, concentrating harder, trying to force the spell to work, yet this only seemed to make it worse. The nightmares raced closer, their hooves outstretched, reaching for Trixie. The fire was at the base of Twilight’s head now. Their time was almost up and yet the spell still wouldn’t work! Twilight, didn't understand. She didn't know why she couldn't multicast with Trixie when it was so easy to do it with... Her friend... In a moment of insight, Twilight finally realized what was missing, what multicasting really needed to work properly. It was not enough to just be compatible or to practice for years on end. Friendship, multicasting also needed friendship! "Trixie!" shouted Twilight, over the roar of the magical storm raging around their horns. "I want you to be my friend!" "I..." said Trixie uncertainly. "I... I want to be your friend too!" Suddenly, Twilight felt a very strange sensation take hold of her. It wasn't the same as multicasting with Rarity. It was different somehow. She couldn't explain it but it almost felt like making a new friend. A warmth, a happiness, that came from knowing there was another pony out there that you could rely on, that would help you and be there for you when you needed them. The world seemed to slow down to a stop. The closing nightmares froze in mid air. Even the flames on Twilight’s body seemed to have become still, as if they had been turned to ice. Then the spell clicked and the storm of whirling magic became a focused multicast spell. In one jolting instant motion returned to the world. A light as bright as the Sun erupted outwards, spilling across the room. For a moment everything turned into blinding white, then, slowly the brightness began to recede. All of them now stood in Ponyville, but above them was the ceiling of the throne room in Canterlot, rather than the night sky. They existed evenly balanced between worlds. Twilight and Trixie pulled apart. A thread of shimmering gold connected the two unicorns together. They were no longer maintaining the spell, yet its effects continued to linger in the room. The floor around Trixie's hooves was still stone, encircled in a golden ring of light, similar to the one that had kept Rarity, Luna and Twilight in reality. Celestia however appeared to remain stone. Like Trixie the floor around Celestia’s hooves was of the castle, rather than Ponyville. It seemed that the spell didn’t have the power to change her back a second time. Twilight looked at her a little sadly, but Rarity drew her attention away. "You did it!" cried Rarity, hurrying forward. "I've never seen anything like that before. It was amazing!" "Why did you help us?" asked Twilight, turning to look at Luna. The dream had changed her back too. "I thought you wanted all of us to be your nightmare army." "I never said that," answered Luna. "I just needed you and your friends to use your elements on me, something I knew you would not willingly agree to." "You mean you didn't turn all these other ponies into nightmares?" asked Rarity. Luna shook her head. "I was trapped here in Canterlot. Until you showed me the tunnel out I had no way to leave," explained Luna. "Although, I think I may have inadvertently been the cause. My desire to return to being Nightmare Moon was so strong that it began to spread to others." "Like some kind of flu?" asked Spike. “I guess that is a fair comparison," answered Luna. "Okay," said Twilight. "So you made them nightmares by mistake, what about me and my friends? Can you change us back?" Luna shook her head. "It doesn't work that way," said Luna. "I can’t simply change you back. The spell will end when it’s requirements are meet." “And what requirements are those?” asked Rarity. “When the Sun sets forever,” said Luna with a weak smile. "Well, that's just great," said Trixie, rolling her eyes. "So there is nothing we can do for them?" asked Spike. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder to the four ponies stopped in their tracks behind them. Each pony’s eyes were dull, as though they were asleep. Upon each of their backs sat a rider. "What's wrong with them?" asked Trixie, waving a hoof in front of Applejack's eyes. "Why are they just standing there?" "I don't know," said Twilight with a shake of her head. "They were like that before, in the dream. I think I was like that too at one point." "And me as well," reminded Rarity. "I thought it was Sweetie Belle on my back. But it was something else… something I can’t really describe." Rarity gave a shiver. “It gives me the chills just thinking about it.” "They are controlled by fear," said Luna calmly. "Fears for those they care about. Fear for those they cannot protect. Fear for themselves. They have let their fear consume them." "So how do we help them?" asked Spike. "Twilight was able to just yank mine off my back," said Rarity. “Maybe you can do the same for the others?” “A temporary solution,” said Luna. “For a while you can hide from your fear, or even deny it, but in the end, it will always catch up with you again.” Rarity glanced around uncertainly as though she expected Sweetie to pop out of the shadows some place and leap at her. “But it can be done?” asked Twilight. Luna nodded slowly. “Yes and no,” answered Luna. “I hate when somepony says that,” mumbled Spike. “What’s so hard about just saying yes or no?” Luna’s glare found him but she continued addressing Twilight’s question. "You can use your magic to help your friends escape their fears for a time," explained Luna. “However, those fears will not be gone. Removing them completely will prove... Difficult… maybe impossible, it is hard to say. Only by facing and overcoming your fear can you ever hope to regain control. However, for the moment a spell should be sufficient.” “Okay,” answered Twilight with a nod. She tried to think back to when she had bucked not-Spike from her back. She tried to remember what it had felt like to yank not-Sweetie off Rarity. It had been so easy both times. Yet knowing what she was facing now seemed to somehow make it harder. She turned to Fluttershy who was the closest. Of the fears, the bunny seemed to be the smallest, so perhaps he would be the easiest to remove. “Here goes nothing,” whispered Twilight. Her horn began to glow as her spell took hold of Angel Bunny. Slowly Twilight began to lift the creature from Fluttershy’s back. It hissed and its tiny claws grabbed hold of her mane, keeping it in place. Twilight strained under the effort, yet the little monster would not let go. “Perhaps two is better than one here,” said Rarity, stepping up beside Twilight. She placed her horn to Twilight’s and in an instant the fear, that took the shape of Angel Bunny, was almost completely pulled off. Yet it would not let go. The thing still held tight to a single strand of Fluttershy’s mane, even though it was now suspended five hooves up in the air. “Sometimes,” said Trixie. Twilight felt a third horn join the multicast. “Three is even better.” The moment Trixie joined them, the bunny instantly vanished into a puff of smoke without so much as a peep. With the fear removed Fluttershy gave a little shiver. “Oh my, I was having the most terrible dream…” began Fluttershy. She was interrupted as the other fears suddenly abandon their ponies. Each little monster scampered off in a different direction. “Don’t let them get away!” cried Spike. Twilight redirected their spell across the room. The beam of light turned towards the shadowy Scootaloo that had been on Rainbow’s back. The moment the spell made contact the fear exploded into dust. As it vanished Rainbow, like Fluttershy, seemed to come out of her trance. “What the… what’s going on… where are we?” asked Rainbow looking around in a daze. At the far end of the room the cake twins were making for a crack in the door. However, Rarity was able to guide the spell in a great sweeping motion to them before they could escape and they too were washed away. Pinkie gave a shiver and a twitch. “Oh no!” exclaimed Pinkie in a sudden panic. “We’re falling out of the sky!” “Last one!” grunted Twilight, as she swung the spell towards not-Applebloom. However, before the spell could wash it away, the fear leapt out the window and was gone. Yet, Applejack still seemed to return to her old self. “Twilight?” asked Applejack in confusion as she looked around the room. “How the hay did we all get back here? The forest!” exclaimed Applejack suddenly. “What happened to the Apple forest!” “Apple forest?” asked Pinkie in excitement. “You mean a forest made from apples?” “No Pinkie I think…” interjected Twilight. “That sounds totally and completely and fantastically and amazingly, awesome-ly!” exclaimed Pinkie. “No Pinkie, it was a regular old forest,” said Applejack. “But you know, filled with giant apple trees… in the middle of a desert. But that ain’t the point! It was on fire and…” “A giant flaming apple forest!” shouted Pinkie with delight, as though she had never heard of anything so incredible in her life. Applejack put a hoof to her face in frustration. “Don’t worry AJ,” chimed in Spike. “After the nightmares took you they all just kinda left and the fires died out. They did a lot of damage but there is still a lot of forest left.” Applejack let out a sigh of relief. “I made my way back here as fast as I could but…” Spike looked up uncomfortably at the ceiling. “I don’t know if you guys have looked outside lately…” “Why? What’s outside?” asked Rainbow Dash curiously. “The Moon is falling out of the sky,” answered Trixie almost too calmly. The unicorn turned her eyes accusingly towards Luna. “She just tossed me aside like I was nothing when she came for us. Then she left me behind when she took Pinkie and Rarity with her.” Luna did not look away from Trixie’s gaze, nor did she dispute the claim. “I couldn’t take the train back,” continued Trixie. “But traveling on my own I was able to teleport my way here. Every time I got a little closer to Canterlot, I notice that the Moon had become larger in the sky.” As Trixie said it the ground gave an ominous rumble. The palace shook and dust streamed down from the ceiling. Fluttershy let out a squeak of terror and ducked behind Rainbow Dash. “Now it fills the whole sky above us,” said Trixie, looking upwards at the ceiling as though she could see the Moon through it. “I don’t know how much longer we really have.” They all stood silently for a long time. None of them really having any idea as to what they should do. “Do you think…” began Spike at last, breaking the awkward quiet. “Do you think we could use the Elements of Harmony?” Twilight touched the crown upon her head, she had almost forgotten it was there. “I don’t know,” said Twilight after a moment. “But I think it is worth a try.” “The west tower has the best vantage point,” offered Luna. “If you wish to try, then we should go there.”