Luna ran through the blackened halls, her breath coming in pants as she skidded around a turn, her shoulder clipping the stone. She could hear the echoed hooves behind her as she ran, that cold, dark laughter reverberating through her skull. It was a laugh she knew all too well and one she thought she had escaped long ago. “Dear Luna. Where do you think you can run?” laughed the voice, sounding closer than before. Luna didn’t answer, preferring to continue running, her dark blue magic lighting her way. The last thing she remembered was going to sleep and then waking up in this place. Her shoulder clipped another corner as she rounded it, this time drawing blood. Luna had already tried to fly, but whenever she rose more than seven feet off the ground, the black ash that floated above her would burn her wings. She was afraid. She was terrified. And the horrible beast that chased her knew it and used it to her advantage. The smoke curled around her legs as she ran, leaving dark streaks in her blue fur. “You cannot escape me dear Luna.” taunted the voice as it shrank into the distance. Luna emerged into a pitch black room and she struggled to see what was in front of her. She stopped when she heard stone grate against stone behind her. She was sealed in. That could only mean… “You cannot escape from yourself, dear Luna.” laughed Nightmare Moon as she glared down at Luna.
Twilight was placing books back into their spots on the shelves when a gray blur burst through her front door, skidding to a stop mere feet from her. Twilight turned and looked at the pony in shock, unsure whether to attack or flee. When she saw that it was only one of Luna’s night guards, she relaxed and resumed placing the books back on the shelf. She was even more surprised when the guard stamped his hoof in impatience, his disciplined training preventing him from speaking out until the princess had addressed him, no matter how dire the matter was. She turned to look at him, eyes wide at the outburst from the guard, but regained her composure enough to answer him. “Yes, what is it?” she asked, placing the book she had been holding back in the stack. “Princess, I have urgent news from Canterlot that must be relayed to you at once.” said the guard, saluting at her recognition. Twilight rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed by the guard’s rather bland personalities, though she had met some who were actually rather fun to be around. “Yes, what is it?” asked Twilight, not bothering to hide her annoyance at his interruption. His next words froze the breath in her chest, it’s icy fingers clenching around her heart.
“Princess Luna has been captured by Princess Celestia and sealed inside of a cursed mirror.” said the guard, the exhaustion evident in his features. “What?” asked Twilight, not really believing the pony’s words, but she was sure he was telling the truth, no matter how much she didn’t want to believe it. “I can’t believe Celestia would so far as harming her own sister. She truly has lost her mind.” thought Twilight before getting a hard glint in her eyes. She turned back to the guard, her regal manner in place for the situation at hand. “Guard, I want you to go gather the other elements and bring them back here, but leave the element of Loyalty alone. I do not wish her here with the others.” ordered Twilight, choosing not to involve Rainbow Dash, as she did not want to leave the chance for Winter and Chrysalis to be left alone. She was not worried about Chrysalis betraying them for she had actually grown to trust the changeling, but rather, she was worried that Celestia might try to do something to Winter in her absence and felt more comfortable having Rainbow there. The guard nodded and galloped back through the door, leaving a planning Twilight behind.
The guard returned several minutes later with Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy in tow. They all looked as shocked as Twilight had so she assumed the guard had already told them what he had told her. “Twilight, tell us this ruffian is lying about the princess.” said Rarity as she shut the door behind her. “I’m sorry Rarity, but It appears that he is telling the truth. I just hope that Luna’s disappearance doesn't have anything to do with the mass kidnappings going on around Equestria.” said Twilight as she gathered the items necessary for her spell. “B-but this is Princess Luna, sugar cube. She wouldn’t be beaten so easily, not even by Celestia.” said Applejack. “Unless Celestia got to her when she wouldn’t be expecting an attack.” said Twilight, drawing the magic circle on the floor, the edges already crackling with the energy that she was pouring into it.
“Um, what… are you doing Twilight?” mumbled Fluttershy. “I’m drawing a teleportation circle. Even I don’t have enough power to teleport us deep into Canterlot castle. If what the guard said is true, than the supposed mirror should be in a storage room in the back of Canterlot. I’m going to teleport us there so that we can go into the mirror and save Princess Luna. You girls don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to.” said Twilight. Then she felt a hoof on her shoulder and turned to see Applejack standing next to her with Rarity and Fluttershy at her back. “Ya know we’ll always have yer back. Ah just wish ah knew where Pinkie Pie had gone off to.” said Applejack as she followed Twilight’s directions to step into the middle of the circle. At this the guard remained silent, which Twilight found odd, even for a guard. Rarity, Fluttershy, and the guard followed suit, stepping into the circle. The purple energy flashed once and then they were gone, only to reappear in a dusty old room.
Twilight felt it before she saw it. The mirror sat against the back wall, its jagged black edges almost appearing as if they were tearing into the darkness itself. Its smoky glass surface seemed to absorb any light that approached it, and Twilight made sure not to touch it. But it was the powerful dark magic it gave off that scared her the most. It exuded it and if she wasn’t mistaken, she swore she could here wicked laughter coming from it, almost taunting her. Fluttershy had backed against the wall, the atmosphere around the mirror terrifying her. Rarity put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder and eyed the mirror warily. The guard walked up to it and gestured to the smoky black surface. “This is the entrance into the nightmare realm in which my lady, Princess Luna is trapped. In order to save her, you will have to enter this realm of your own free will. Then you will have to face your greatest fears to earn the right to escape.” said the guard.
Twilight nodded and approached the mirror, hesitantly approaching the mirror before placing her hoof in it and stepping through the glass, reluctantly followed by Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. The guard then watched as all four ponies entered the mirror before letting a small smile escape his façade, his magenta eyes flashing maliciously. White fire surrounded him before encasing him completely. After the smoke cleared, Celestia stood there, her white carapace glinting in the few rays of sunlight that managed to enter the room. “Oh my dear, dear Twilight, what a fool you are.” said Celestia before turning her back on the mirror and sending her hind leg through the glass, shattering it. “I will not let you stand in the way of my plans anymore. Of that I will make sure.” laughed Celestia before exiting the room, leaving the remains of the mirror lying where the shards of glass had fallen.
Twilight could barely see as she walked through the fire blackened halls. She had panicked as when she had come to because she could not find the other girls. The only thing lighting the way were torches that lined the walls and she cautiously followed them. When she stepped out into the open, she was able to see much better. Somehow she had managed to find her way to the hall of stained glass, the sunlight shining through the windows, making spectrums of color. She saw princess Celestia sitting in front of one of the mirrors, looking up at it with tears in her eyes. Twilight felt she had to comfort her and went over to where she sat. “Princess.” said Twilight, shocked by the emotion in her voice. The princess’s head snapped up and her eyes soon found Twilight, who had taken a step back at the sudden action. The princess’s eyes flared with anger and her voice was colder than the far north when she spoke. “How dare you come back here, traitor.” she growled, taking a forceful step towards Twilight. “What do you mean, princess?” asked Twilight. “You commit such atrocities and then dare to return to Canterlot.” snarled Celestia. “But what I have I done to deserve your anger?” asked Twilight, fear in her voice.
“What have you done? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? MY SISTER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!!” cried Celestia, her mane flaring like the sun. Twilight cringed back at those words, her blood ice cold in her veins. “B-but, Luna was still alive when I last saw her.” argued Twilight. She didn’t see the hit coming until she was knocked to the floor, a bright red mark appearing on her face. Celestia was shaking her hoof and she had a dent in her golden sandal. Twilight spit up blood from the hit and looked at Celestia disbelievingly. “Don’t you dare say her name you filth. You don’t deserve to say it. She tried to defend you; tried to prove that you were innocent of such treachery as the murder of the Element of Kindness. And you stuck a knife in her back.” said Celestia, a tear rolling down her face. It sizzled when it struck the floor, a scorch mark appearing where it landed. “She’s right Twi.” mumbled an angry country twang.
Twilight turned and saw Applejack walk up to her, her face an unreadable mask, save for the angry tears that rolled down her face. “Fluttershy just wanted to help you. She knew you had anger issues and still tried to help. And you crushed her skull for it, you monster.” growled Rainbow Dash, kicking Twilight in the stomach. She felt another kick and another, but all she could feel was shock, no pain. “Yeah, you’re a monster and Princess Luna tried to help. And you killed her. Such a monster you are, you naughty pony.” chanted Pinkie Pie as she bounced around Twilight, her mane flat. “How could you, you horrid fiend. I can’t believe I was ever friends with such a beast.” scorned Rarity, her eyes livid with emotion. “But I’m not a monster. I didn’t do any of that. I swear.” said Twilight shakily, her voice cracking. “Monster, monster, monster, monster.” chanted every single pony in the room, their maniacal grins threatening to split their faces in half. Twilight just slumped to the ground, her resolve broken and her emotions rampant. She sobbed into her forelegs, trying to drown out the shadows’ taunting. But they wouldn’t stop and she feared… she was actually starting to believe them. “This is just a nightmare. This is just a nightmare. This is just a nightmare.” Twilight repeated over and over, trying to counter the shadows, but it was too late. “And I just want to wake up.” sobbed Twilight. She was so heartbroken and distraught that she did not see the light building just behind her, piercing green eyes looking in.
Rarity’s vision was clouded until a bright light appeared, temporarily blinding her. When she could see clearly once more, she was shocked to find that she was in her boutique. But, something was wrong. It was run down and several of the roof boards were sagging, threatening to cave in. Her once beautiful purple and white paint was now a sickly brown as rot set into the wood. The once proud dress clad mannequins were long since broken, their heads and legs strewn about the room. She was about to run throughout the boutique to see if anything else was damaged, but she suddenly found herself lifted off the ground by a pair of strong hooves. “I thought we told you to stay out lady. This ain’t your building no more.” said a gruff voice as she was dragged towards the door of her boutique.
“But this is my boutique. I paid for every board used to build this place.” cried Rarity, trying to tear herself away from the hooves of the older stallion. “It hasn’t been yours since your clothes line sank. Not even a commoner would buy your service and you went bankrupt. We told you we would be tearing this place down today and I expected you to leave peacefully. Apparently it’s going to have to be the hard way.” said the stallion as he pushed open the doors and threw her outside into a mud puddle that just happened to be there. Her pristine white coat and perfect mane were soon ruined by the dirt and she tried desperately to shake it off. “Rarity.” said a voice like ice. Rarity turned and was shocked by what she saw.
Her father and mother stood there, flanked by Sweetie Belle and they were all giving her frosty glares that seemed to burn right through her. “You are a disgrace Rarity. You have sullied this family’s name with your horrid attempts at fashion.” said Rarity’s mother, disgust obvious in her voice. Rarity’s eyes started to water, her emotions bubbling up inside her. “B-but, mother…” stuttered Rarity, trying to force the words that would not come. “Do not speak to her. You no longer have the right, pheasant.” spat her father, shocking Rarity with his words. Then her father helped her mother into the carriage waiting behind them. Soon the only one left was Sweetie Belle, who was eyeing her sister with disdain. “S-Sweetie, mom and dad didn’t mean that right? They’re just joking… right?” begged Rarity, the tears coming freely now. Sweetie just turned her head and hopped into the carriage, turning to speak before the door closed behind her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t speak with filth.” said Sweetie, swinging the door shut behind her.
The carriage started rolling down the road, picking up speed almost unnaturally as it sped along the road. Rarity started chasing after it, her hooves pounding painfully against the stone as she tried to catch up with the speeding carriage. But it seemed to just keep getting further and further away, no matter how quickly she ran. The fact that tears were blurring her vision didn’t help, which is why she didn’t see the pothole before her hoof caught in it, causing her to fall into the mud once more. She watched as the carriage drove off, taking her family with it and leaving her alone. But that wasn’t what caught her attention. She had turned her head back to her boutique once more when she noticed a faint orange glow coming from its direction. So she had the opportunity to watch the culmination of all her dreams and efforts go down in flames. “No. NOOOO.” cried Rarity, tears streaming down her face. She was so distraught that she didn’t realize that a pure white glow was surrounding her body.
Applejack could hear the wind whistling around her, but everything else was pitch-black, the smoke stinging the back of her throat as she walked. She could see a glow in the distance and started walking towards it. When she saw what it was she started galloping. The orchard was burning.
Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh were running about, frantically trying to put out the fires that raged on despite their efforts. Whenever they put out one tree, the fire would simply restart on another one. Applejack tried to help, but the flames would not bend to her will, and she doubted they would bend to anyone else’s, maybe not even a magical one. So she watched as their farm turned to ash and black snow began to rain down on top of them. She walked back towards what was left of the barn, the timber now charred and broken. Big Macintosh sat tending to a serious burn that Apple Bloom had received while trying to put out the fires. Granny Smith just eyed Applejack angrily, her usually kind eyes hard. “Where were ya young lady?” demanded Granny Smith. “Ah was just trying to help out Twi. Ya know she can’t take on princess Celestia all by herself.” answered Applejack and she was quickly rewarded with an angry glare from Big Mac, who had just finished tying the bandage around Apple Blooms leg.
“And what about yer family, ya too busy playing with yer friends to help them.” said Granny Smith, pointing a hoof at the remains of the apple farm. Applejack tried to respond, but was cut off by Granny Smith once again. “THAT’S OUR LIVELIHOOD OUT THERE. THAT ASH AND CHARCOAL IS ALL THAT’S LEFT OF ALL WE HAD.” yelled Granny Smith. Applejack just dropped her eyes, too ashamed to meet her Granny’s gaze as tears streaked down her cheek. “I-I’m sorry, Granny.” mumbled Applejack. “Sorry doesn't regrow trees, young lassie. Sorry doesn't rebuild barns. We put our everything we had into this farm and when it needed you most, you weren't here to protect It.” said Granny Smith. “T-that’s alright. We can just rebuild like at the Apple Family reunion. Once an Apple, always an Apple right?” said Applejack. The three other ponies just looked at her like she was crazy. “AN APPLE, ya have lost any right to be called an Apple. Ya abandoned yer farm, yer family, and yer land, all so ya could go play with yer friends. Ya don’t deserve to be called an Apple.” said Apple Bloom, looking up at Applejack with hateful eyes. “EEYUP” agreed Big Mac, his eyes no less angry. Applejack could no longer hold the tears any longer and fell to the ground sobbing and not one of her family tried to comfort her, their cruel grins spreading as their bodies contorted into shadows that sank into the ash. Applejack’s face was buried in her hooves, so she didn’t see the white snow that began to fall.
Fluttershy was lost in the forest, whose limbs tried to reach out and grab her. The dark was everywhere and every sound made Fluttershy jump as she called out for the other girls. She stopped when she saw an injured rabbit laying on the trail and knelt down to look at it. “Well hello there mister bunny. Are you hurt?” she asked in a soothing voice. She stopped when she heard the sound of limbs breaking behind her and turned to see a hydra staring hungrily down at her, its draconic eyes attempting to freeze her in place. But she had already rocketed past it, the bunny clutched tight in her forelegs as she ran. The hydra wasted no time in storming after her, its snapping jaws reaching for her with each pass. Fluttershy was frantically looking for a place to hide when she saw the entrance to a cave up ahead. She ran faster than she ever had before and dived into the cave, the rocks cutting her as she slid along the stone floor. The hydra stopped before the entrance and tried to fit one of its heads in, but the entrance was too large, so it waited.
“Please go away. Please go away. Please go away.” thought Fluttershy, holding the bunny close. She didn’t see its evil grin, or how it’s fur was turning black. “Poor Fluttershy, so afraid of your own shadow.” taunted the shadow. Fluttershy dropped it and backed further into the cave, the jaws of the hydra still awaiting her at the other end should she try to flee. “Who are you?” she whimpered, covering her eyes with her hooves. “Oh, who am I? Well, your nightmare I suppose. Of all the ponies who entered my domain. Of all the fears I have come across. Yours is by far the most pathetic.” laughed the shadow as it moved along the walls. “I-it’s not p-pathetic.” she whimpered. “Oh really, so being eaten by a monster of the Everfree is the worst thing imaginable. THAT is your worst fear. I have seen ponies that fear of being left alone, ponies that fear dying alone without ever knowing love. And yet you say that yours is a terrible fear.” growled the voice. “You are PATHETIC.” snarled the voice.
“And yet she has the strength to face you, Nightmare.” said a softer, more gentle voice from behind Fluttershy. A tall regal navy blue alicorn stood protectively over Fluttershy, her wings spread in a threatening manner. The shadow backed away, fear in its eyes. But then it started to smile; a toothy, predatory smile that scared Fluttershy. She crawled towards Winter, not even bothering to stand. “Ah, a new alicorn; how is it that knowledge of your existence eluded me all those years ago?” asked Nightmare Moon as she appeared from the shadows. “I do not know what you are talking about, for I do not know you aside from the tales my friends have told me. However, I do understand your abilities, vile as they may be. And, with the correct spell, they are easily counteracted.” said Winter before lighting her horn. A powerful white light enveloped her and Fluttershy before they disappeared from the cave, a furious Nightmare Moon shouting into the shadows.
Twilight cowered beneath the accusing glares of the shadows as they danced about her, continuing their horrid chant. She was shaking violently from the fear that had filled her, and would not have noticed the hoof on her shoulder had the gentle voice not called out to her. “How strange it is to find a princess so easily cowed by lesser beasts.” said a bemused blue alicorn as she lifted Twilight to her feet with her magic. Twilight was too stunned by the sudden appearance of the alicorn to say anything, and instead watched as she turned towards the shadows that were now cowering against the wall, afraid of this powerful being. “This domain may be yours, but a heart strong and true can pierce your illusions. You hold no sway over me, as I know of your trickery. Now be gone filthy abominations, before I reduce you to dust.” said Winter icily, eyeing each of the shadows. They all promptly disintegrated and disappeared, not wanting to risk the alicorn’s wrath. Twilight was just looking between Winter and the shadows, a dumbfounded look on her face. “How?” she stuttered. Winter just looked amused at this as a spell began to form on her horn. “I would love to explain later, but I am afraid that we have more important matters to attend to. Such as gathering the others.” she said, igniting the spell and causing them to disappear.
Rarity was shivering in the now heavy downpour that had started shortly after her boutique had finished burning. The pony that had thrown her out had stayed to mock her, speaking of how she was a failure at everything she attempted. She didn’t listen though, as his words would not deepen the already black pit in her stomach. Her family had ridiculed her, her boutique was destroyed, and her career was all but nonexistent. How could she possibly feel any worse? She then heard hoof steps coming up behind her and let out a sigh. “Please just go away. I highly doubt anything you say could make me feel any worse than I already do.” said Rarity. She jumped when she heard light laughter. She turned and found herself looking up into the joyous face of a navy blue alicorn. “I have heard that you are quite the dramatic. But that was a little over the top, don’t you think?” giggled the alicorn as she turned to face the creature. “Be gone apparition. You are no longer wanted here. Go and tell your master what danger she has brought on herself.” she said as the creature faded back into the darkness. “But… how are you…” started Rarity, only to be cut off by the bright flash of Winter’s spell.
Applejack sat staring at the ground. The ash swirled around her hooves, leaving gray patterns in her fur. She sighed once more and looked up at the sky, which was now as gray as the ash had been. So she was a bit surprised when she saw a river of blue come towards her from across the orchard. She looked towards the source and her jaw almost dropped as she watched an alicorn come waltzing up to her, leaving a trail of fresh plant life in her wake. Applejack stood and tried to trot over to the alicorn, but was stopped as tendrils of ash wound themselves around her hooves. She tried to pull free, but they only wound themselves tighter. “It would appear that your fear is more reluctant to release you.” said the alicorn as she broke the tendrils with her magic. Applejack was just about to say something when Winter cast her spell and teleported her to meet the others.
They all found themselves in a dark throne room lit by only a few torches. “Princess Luna.” cried Twilight as she ran to the fallen alicorn’s side. “Twilight Sparkle, you must run before she catches you.” whispered Luna, too weak to move. “It is too late for that already.” said Nightmare Moon as she materialized from the ash and shadows. “You have come to the place of your defeat, Elements. And for that you will pay dearly.” growled Nightmare Moon as she cast a lethal spell. But it was stopped by a light green shield. Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes at Winter, who glared right back. “No, you must run. She will kill you.” cried Luna in desperation, trying to get to her hooves. “She will not lay a scratch on me, for I rob her of the strength needed to defeat me.” said Winter, her form flickering in the dark. “Winter, what’s happening to you?” asked Twilight, shocked by Winter’s slow disintegration. “This was but a spell to rescue you, so I cannot remain to finish this.” she said before turning to Luna. “However, I can give you the key to her defeat. To defeat your darkness, you must rob her of the one thing she wants most from you, dear Luna. The one thing she feeds on to survive.” said Winter before vanishing altogether.
Nightmare Moon’s spell continued onward, only to be stopped by a combined shield of Twilight and Rarity’s magic. “What did she mean, Luna? What is it that you keep giving her?” asked Twilight, grunting from the strain of upholding the barrier. “What I keep giving her… that she needs to survive. What did I need as Nightmare Moon?” wondered Luna before truth rang in her head. “Fear.” she whispered, already walking towards the dark specter, which backed away, unsure of what was happening. “It was my fear. My fear kept you alive even after you were gone.” said Luna as a crack of light appeared on Nightmare Moon’s body. “I… don’t know what you’re talking about.” said Nightmare Moon, her back hitting her dark throne as more cracks spider-webbed across her body. “Yes, that’s it. When all else was healed by the Elements, it was my fear of what would happen that sustained you. My fear of not being accepted, of being rejected even for what you had done.” said Luna, her voice filling with the courage needed to best this beast. Light was pouring out of Nightmare Moon’s body now and was illuminating the darkened room.
Luna got right into Nightmare Moon’s face, causing her to flinch away. “And without my fear to feed you, you are nothing but a ghost of my past.” said Luna, a triumphant smile on her face. Nightmare Moon smiled back at her before taking a few steps back. “Well done, my dear Luna. It would seem that you have trumped your final restraint. I wish you luck in the battle to come, for you will need it.” whispered Nightmare Moon before her body exploded, engulfing the five ponies in its glow.
Celestia looked up as she noticed the bright flashes of light coming from the stained glass windows. But she did not cry out in panic, and instead wore a victorious smile. “It is time we end this sister. I gave you a chance to turn your back on this dark path, but you have chosen to stay upon it. Now it is time for you to pay the consequences.” said Luna in the royal Canterlot voice as she was flanked by Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy, who had also appeared in the room upon Nightmare Moon’s defeat. But Celestia did not back down, nor did she appear worried in the slightest. “I am afraid that you are mistaken dear sister. For it is you who will wish for my mercy soon enough.” said Celestia, taking a step forward from the conference table, her mind already connected with the hive. “And why would that be, sister?” asked Luna, already taking a defensive pose.
But she did not have time to attack, because at that moment, the windows shattered inward as a cloud of changelings poured in from the outside. Twilight had only seconds to cast her teleportation spell before they were overwhelmed. But they were still able to hear Celestia’s last words and those words sent a chill down their backs.
“For tomorrow the war shall begin and all who oppose me shall be crushed. And nopony will be spared.” said Celestia as she watched her foes disappear.