Chapter 23: Eclipse
Luna flew alongside her sister as they journeyed back to the Crystal Empire for what she hoped would be the final battle. With Celestia beside her, she did not think that they could fail, but Luna had been confident before, and that had left her an injured mess on the snowy ground. The wind grew chillier the further they flew, and Luna watched Celestia raise the sun after Luna set the moon. Her magic waned a bit, but she would have strength enough to defeat Sombra if it was the last thing that she did.
“Luna, when we near the Empire, call upon the moon,” Celestia instructed her.
Luna whipped her head towards her sister. “What? But…it should not be visible in the day.”
“I know…but if both the moon and the sun are up, then we will be at our most powerful.” Celestia banked lightly to the left. “Have your moon pass before my sun. We can call it the solar eclipse. It will darken the day and may provide us extra cover when we arrive.”
“You would allow that?” Luna asked.
Celestia’s eyes softened. “If it means it will help us defeat him, then yes. Besides, I think it is time the ponies had the opportunity to see both the moon and the sun together.”
“Tia…” Luna shook her head, touched by her sister’s offer. They would reach the Empire near noon, when the sun and moon would be the highest. “Thank you,” she said and flew ahead, her heart a little lighter now that she knew she would have the astral body to help her as well. Maybe beneath the moon’s light, Sombra would remember—
Luna shattered the thought fiercely. You cannot think like that. A moment of hesitation could cost you your life and Celestia’s as well. He had his chance to turn away from the Nightmist, but he did not.
Yet, even as the wise words repeated in her mind, she couldn’t help but think of the late evenings she and Sombra had spent together. She could still hear his soft voice and feel his tender touch.
His kiss.
Luna sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. Mother and Father both told me I had to do this, and Celestia as well. I think I am the only one who can really defeat him. If I falter now, we will never win.
She banished the memories of their loving moments and replaced them instead with his hate and betrayal. Images of his snarling face, the glowing amulet, and the battering mist flooded her mind. He could have killed her with that amulet or with the Nightmist. He had sold his soul to that demon and left the poor ponies captive to his madness. There was nothing that would redeem him now.
Luna looked ahead and watched the sun rise higher in the sky. She searched the black, crystallizing ground and felt a light tug at her magic, as if something was trying to draw her attention. She resisted at first, until she realized what she felt. “Tia!” she called and waited for her sister to turn. “Wait here for a moment. I thought I saw something.”
“What is it?” Celestia asked with worry.
“Just…wait.” Luna folded her wings and plummeted towards the dirt. The wind whipped past her and caused her to start to spiral downward. Just when the ground seemed too close, she flared her wings and landed lightly at the foot of a cave. She hurried inside and walked towards the back. It was a cave she had visited when she had played hide-and-seek with Celestia when they’d been foals.
That seemed so long ago.
She stopped and lit her horn to help her search. It took her only moments to see the red and black amulet lying on the ground near her hooves. Luna swallowed and reached down for it. It was not something she wanted to use, but Sombra’s tempting words of how much more powerful she would become if she just took in a little more magic kept taunting her ears. The amulet held a flicker of her magic; she felt she could control it if it was needed in the fight to come.
Silently, she hid it between her chest and her regalia. It would stay safe for now, and it meant she would not have to wear it; at least not yet.
Luna flapped her wings and rejoined her sister in the sky.
Celestia flew towards her. “What was it?”
“Nothing, just my imagination,” Luna told her simply and took the lead. Whether Celestia believed her or not, she didn’t know, but her sister did not question her, for which she was grateful.
The hours passed, and as the sun reached its apex, Celestia nodded to Luna. Luna glanced at the shimmering sun and reached for her moon. Slowly, the beautiful orb came into the sky, mostly invisible at first, but as it reached the sun, a dark spot appeared over the fiery astral body. Slowly, the moon moved across the surface of the sun and sent the land into darkness. A beaming ring started to form around the moon, but the longer Luna watched it, the more it threatened to burn her eyes.
Her magic flared to life, and she took in a deep breath of relief. She looked across the land and saw the onyx spiral of the once Crystal Empire protrude into the sky. “Remember,” she told Celestia, “I will take the unicorns. You can have Sombra…for now.”
“Be careful, Luna.”
“You too, Tia.” Luna flapped her wings and took the lead, leaving Celestia to go higher into the sky.
Luna used her more sensitive night vision to spot the first of the unicorns rushing towards the border of the Empire, as if he thought to stop her. Luna almost laughed as her eyes turned white.
The stallion launched a red blast, but Luna banked far enough to easily avoid it. He tried twice more, but Luna dodged them all and flew straight towards him. She saw the fright in his eyes as he stumbled back to escape, but Luna’s sight went to his red necklace. She sent a tiny blast of magic towards it and watched as the silver light consumed the crystal and cracked it in half. As the necklace broke, the stallion’s red eyes cleared, and he staggered sideways to the ground.
Luna landed briefly beside him to make certain that the attack had not done something worse, but he slept peacefully, just as Mystic Topaz had done.
“Sleep, and be safe,” she told him then took to the sky again. She stared at the ponies who were still chained and who now huddled together at the sight of their Princess. Luna focused briefly on them before turning her attention to the next unicorn. This one didn’t even have the chance to attack before she broke the mare’s necklace and rendered her unconscious.
Two unicorns chose to ambush her together. Red and black light shot into the sky and aimed to strike her wings and side. Luna spun and danced in the air before either spell could touch her. She somersaulted backwards and dove towards them, two orbs of magic shattering their necklaces.
They dropped limply to the ground.
That’s four. I don’t know how many are left, but I have to find Quill.
And yet, she could not leave the crystal ponies unattended. It hurt her to see how their coats no longer shimmered, but she and Celestia would fix that.
She flew towards the gathered ponies and sent her magic to their chains. The moonlight shattered the onyx crystals, freeing the ponies from their bondage. They cried out in alarm and gratitude.
Luna found Ambersong amongst them, and he motioned sharply to her. She almost flew past but second guessed herself when she remembered the vital information that Blue Belle had brought to her and Celestia.
Luna landed quickly at his side, taking down a fifth unicorn in the process. “Blue Belle is safe,” she told him.
Ambersong’s eyes widened as he sighed in relief. “Thank goodness…There were ten unicorns in all that I saw, along with Quill. Sombra did something to her yesterday that made the unicorns turn their devotion to him. I think if you remove her, then you might free the other ponies without wasting too much of your magic.”
It was Luna’s turn to sigh. “That is very welcome news. I—”
“Look!” a mare screamed.
Luna turned and looked into the sky in time to see Celestia release a solar blast at the palace balcony. The golden beam slammed into the crystals and sent them flying into every direction. One even hit a unicorn and sent him bouncing across the ground. Luna grimaced but then gave a cry when she saw that Sombra still stood on the shards of the balcony. He was surrounded by a black and purple shield. Even at this distance, Luna could hear his malicious laugh.
“Fool!” he shrieked and sent the black magic flying at Celestia. Smoky tendrils reached out for the sun Princess. Celestia was caught by two, but she managed to free herself, and she flew higher above Sombra to prepare another attack.
Luna couldn’t bear to watch. She turned to Ambersong and pointed at the ponies. “Get them to safety, now! We’ll take care of Sombra and the unicorns.”
“Princess,” Ambersong said before she could fly away. “He’s hidden the crystal heart. If you can bring it back, and the ponies here see it—”
“Then it will give them the hope to ignite it and protect the Empire,” Luna said.
“No,” Ambersong replied, shaking his head. “You will give them the hope they need to activate it because they will know you are fighting for them.”
“I’ll try, Ambersong, I promise.” Luna nudged him towards the ponies. “Go. I will find you after the battle.” She kicked off of the ground and returned to the darkened sky, searching for the betrayer, Quill.
She must be near the palace. I doubt she would stray far from Sombra’s si—oh!
Luna ducked as magic streaked just above her head. She searched the ground until she found a sixth unicorn building up another attack. Luna took the offense and fought back. Her magic hit the stallion in the chest, but did not quite shatter the gem. He rolled and struggled back to his hooves, but Luna swooped down too fast and freed him from his bonds. She started to flap into the sky when something hit her hind leg.
Luna yelled in pain and twisted around in the sky to find the perpetrator. It didn’t take her long to spot a tan pony with brown mane and tail. Quill stood near the spot where the crystal heart had once resided. The pony’s eyes gleamed red as she splayed her legs and waited for Luna’s attack.
“Quill!” Luna shouted. “Stop this!”
“I must do as my master commands,” Quill replied in a dead-pan voice.
Luna’s stomach twisted. Sombra had decided to take complete control of her as well it seemed. The only problem was, Quill had already revealed her treachery; she was no victim, she had just gotten swept up in her own game.
Another blast cut through a section of Luna’s mane and severed several strands from her head. She watched in surprise as they floated around her face then burst into flames. Luna swatted them away with a scowl and looked down as Quill cackled.
“What is the matter, alicorn? Where is your great magic?”
Luna gritted her teeth and sent a tentative blast towards the unicorn. Quill didn’t budge, but a ruby and white shield sprang up before her and caused Luna’s spell to bounce away. The unicorn’s eyes darkened and she bared her teeth. “You shall not hurt my King!”
The attack she released was stronger than one Luna had ever felt before, save from an alicorn and Sombra. Twisted rays of ruby cords snaked out to snatch her up. Luna dodged them and used her shield to send several spiraling in another direction. One did manage to snag her leg, but she broke free with a wave of her horn.
Quill growled at her and took a step back.
“I’m sorry,” Luna muttered and descended upon the unicorn. Her magic and hooves lashed out together. Both shattered Quill’s shield and sent her flying backwards into a palace support. Luna landed on the ground and strode towards her with her head raised. “I would give you a second chance, but you are as much to blame for Gemfyre’s demise as Sombra.”
Quill laughed and rubbed her twisted leg slowly. “You will regret destroying us, Princess.”
The unicorn shouted and raised her horn. Black and red smoke spiraled around the tip and hissed towards Luna. At first, there was nothing but an ebony cloud, but then something burst from its hideous depths. The face of a snake lurched forward, bearing foul fangs and crimson eyes.
Luna gasped and flapped away from its snapping mouth. She spun in place and dove beneath its lithe body. But the snake followed, nipping at her heels. She bucked and caught one of its ruby eyes. It exploded, and the snake gave a shriek before reeling back. Luna turned and flew after its retreating form. She was just about to drive her horn through its neck when its tail snapped out.
“No!” Luna yelped as the smoke wrapped around her and pinned her bad wing to her side. She struggled and cursed as the spell tightened, as the Nightmist had done to her in Sombra’s palace.
The snake lowered its massive head and opened its mouth, purple poison dripping from its fangs. Its hold tightened until Luna could scarcely breathe.
Quill calmly approached her. “Long live King Sombra,” she sneered and nodded to the snake.
Luna twisted and pointed her horn directly at Quill. “Long live Queen Gemfyre,” she hissed and sent the power of the moon directly at Quill’s chest. The magic burned into the mare’s necklace, melting the clasp and causing the ruby stone to crack in five places. Quill shrieked in agony before collapsing to the ground. At the same time, the snake burst into meager wisps of smoke.
Luna fluttered to the ground and eyed Quill’s still body. She knew she could not leave Quill there lest she awaken and try to fight back.
With wings flared, Luna stood over the mare and sent her magic swirling around Quill’s body. Starlit chains bound her hooves together and wrapped around her horn, just as the possessed Mystic Topaz had done to her.
“You will face your sentence,” Luna decreed and turned. She saw four unicorns walk towards her, but none of them wore the red glow in their eyes any longer. A white mare, Moonstone, Luna presumed, limped along and looked at the carnage with a mix of shock and confusion.
“Where are we? What has happened?”
Luna relaxed a little. “The Crystal Empire. A dark unicorn took hold of you, but you have been freed. Go.” She pointed to the remaining crystal ponies who were still trying to break their bonds. “Go free them and get them to safety.”
“They’ll…they’ll think we’ll hurt them,” one of the unicorns said.
Luna bit her lip. It was true, but maybe…She stared at them then tossed her magic to each one, creating an illusion of the armor that the lunar Canterlot guards wore. It would serve their purpose for now and hide their identities. “They will think you have come with us. Claim yourself as Celestia’s guards, and they will welcome you.”
“Thank you, Princess,” they said as one and turned away, all but Moonstone.
“My brother?” the young mare asked.
“He is safe,” Luna replied. “I will bring him to you once we have freed the Empire.”
Lightning crackled above them, and Luna turned in time to watch Celestia fall from the sky.
“Tia!” Luna shouted, but her sister caught herself and flapped awkwardly to level herself. Several burnt feathers streamed behind her.
She’s hurt… Luna touched her regalia but shook her head. No, now was not the time to use it. She would be patient and only call upon it at the last possible moment.
“I’m coming, Tia,” she whispered.
Luna drank in the energy of the moon and followed her sister into the sky. She looked at the crystal palace and saw Sombra unleash another horrible spray of black magic at her sister. Celestia repelled it, but it still knocked her backwards; she couldn’t get close.
Luna licked her muzzle; Sombra had yet to notice her. She glanced briefly at Celestia then changed directions to try to get around Sombra to where she would remain hidden
She spread her wings wide and called on the moon to aid her. With Sombra’s back turned, Luna sent a moonbeam at him. He must have sensed it, for he turned to block it, but not fast enough. Her beam cut through his shield and threw him against one of the ebony walls. Sombra hit hard and fell to the ground, giving Celestia time to break through his latest attack and fly towards him.
I’m sorry, Luna thought as she followed her sister down to where Sombra struggled to pick himself up. She watched him but started to frown.
This was too easy.
The Nightmist had been more brutal with her before.
“You think you can defeat me?” Sombra snickered and looked at them. “Fools, pathetic fillies. My magic far surpasses yours.”
Luna hovered in front of him. “Surrender, Sombra. You know you cannot defeat us together.”
Sombra’s dark eyes met hers, and he gave a slow shake of his head. “So this is how it ends? You, fighting at your sister’s side, against me? You know what will happen if you let her continue as the head Princess of Equestria.”
Celestia frowned and glanced at her. “Luna, what is he talking about?”
“Nothing,” Luna spoke curtly. “That’s enough, Nightmist. You will not twist my mind any more than you have already tried to do. I give you this one warning; release Sombra and the Empire, and I will spare you.”
Sombra laughed so hard that tears came to his eyes. “How sweet. What if I offer you this? Surrender to me now, and I will not enslave every pony of Equestria and bring them under my dark magic. You agree to be my prisoners, and I will withdraw my power from the Empire.”
“You lie,” Luna snapped. She called her magic to her horn. “Last chance.”
“For you,” Sombra countered and brought his hooves down violently on what remained of the balcony. A split appeared in the crystals and raced up the side of the palace. Luna frowned and watched it. The crack neared the top, but stopped before it reached the peak. Luna glanced at Sombra in confusion until she heard a loud snap. Suddenly, hundreds of black crystals broke free of the palace and started to rain down upon them. A sweep of Sombra’s dark magic leant speed and strength to the falling shards.
“Tia!” Luna shouted as she brought up her shield and tried to dodge the crystals. Celestia did the same, but several still broke through and cut them both. One streaked across Luna’s right wing, and she shrieked in pain. Celestia’s cry echoed hers as two shards ripped into her legs.
Panting, Luna twirled in the sky and flew straight for Sombra. He attacked her next, threw a wave of darkness rippling towards her. It hit her shields and sent her wind milling backwards. Before she could recover, black smoke wrapped around her body and wings just as the snake had done.
Luna gasped, feeling the tendril start to crush her feathery appendages. She yelled and heard an echoed cry above her as Celestia was bound tightly in place. Her pink mane and tail streamed around her as she struggled to free herself. Luna managed to wiggle a hoof free and reach out towards her sister. “Tia!”
“Luna!” Celestia yelled. Her horn lit up, glistening gold. The sun Princess struck at the tendril but could not seem to shatter its hold on her. Suddenly, the smoke squeezed and jerked Celestia towards Sombra.
“No! No! Stop!” Luna yelled as her dear sister was dragged in front of the King.
Sombra sneered up at Celestia and narrowed his red eyes. “You never trusted me and never gave me the opportunity to prove myself.” He jerked his head to the side and the tendril flew in the same direction. Celestia was hurled violently against the ebony wall. Her body impacted and created a crystal outline of her limp form. Celestia whimpered in pain, especially when the tendril grasped her again and pulled her back to Sombra’s side. “You tried to take Luna from me.” Celestia was thrown again.
“Stop it!” Luna sobbed as her sister’s head hit the crystals.
“You turned her against me,” Sombra went on, ignoring Luna’s pea. Celestia’s body struck the palace a third time, eliciting a cry from the battered mare. “You will never take her from me again!”
“Let her go!” Luna screamed at Sombra. He’d raised the tendril to thrash Celestia again, but he gave pause and looked up to Luna with a frown. Celestia dangled limply in the smoke, her head bowed. Luna’s heart hammered in her chest. One misspoken word and she could lose her sister forever. “Sombra, I’m begging you, don’t hurt her.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked darkly. “All she ever did was judge me and try to tear us apart.”
“She didn’t understand you as I did,” Luna insisted gently, trying to sooth his anger. “She was misguided, yes, but that doesn’t mean you have to hurt her.”
Please listen, Luna whimpered to herself. Sombra…my Sombra, listen to my plea. Let her go…I can’t…I can’t lose her too.
Sombra swallowed hard and squeezed the smoke a little harder. “You tricked me,” he told Luna. “I would have given you everything, and this is how you repay me? I love you!”
“If you love me, you will free my sister,” Luna said. “If you love me, you will release this Empire and become the stallion you once were.” She struggled a little in the smoke and reached for him. “Find the strength to resist that demon within you and be with me again. Become the good Sombra that saved me so long ago.”
Sombra slowly lowered Celestia but did not quite release her. His eyes took on a slightly less insane hue, his face twisted with conflict. “Luna…” he whispered. He took a step towards her.
Suddenly, his entire body convulsed and he lurched forward with a hiss. The red returned to his eyes and he looked upon her with such hate, that Luna actually trembled. “You will not fool me again! It has always been about you and what you want. You never cared for me! You only cared for those who hated and despised you! You would have me give up everything because of your false love! I am no one’s servant! I am no one’s pawn! Death to the alicorns!”
He lifted the tendril and hurled Celestia, not at the wall, but towards the jagged onyx crystals lining the ground. He threw his head back, cackling madly in triumph.
“TIA!” In a panic, Luna desperately imagined her silvery shields. Much too slowly, they started to embrace her, maneuvering between her and the smoke. Sombra’s laughter died off the moment Luna pushed her shields against his power. His face twisted in disgust as he fought to keep control, but Luna didn’t stop. With a shout, Luna dissolved his hold.
Luna folded her wings and dove after Celestia. Her sister fell limply, her hooves practically swaying in the air. Luna reached out, watching the crystals reach up to pierce them both.
Oh Moon, please let her be alive. Please…don’t take my sister from me! I do not care what may happen between us; just do not let her die!
With a grunt, Luna leaned forward and grabbed Celestia, her wings fighting to keep them both aloft.
“Tia!”
“Luna?” Celestia groaned. Her sister grimaced and spread her wings, catching them both before they reached the ground. Celestia’s face and body were battered, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Still…she was alive.
Tears of relief stung Luna’s eyes, and she gripped Celestia’s face gently with her hooves. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“Never,” Celestia murmured. She gave a crooked tired smile then coughed. “We have to end this.”
Luna nodded. “We can stop him…Together.”
“Together,” Celestia whispered back. She looked up to Sombra and her eyes turned white. Instead of flying towards him though, she flapped backwards, causing the stallion to frown. Luna joined her sister and lifted her head and hooves to the moon. Celestia did the same to the sun and drank in its power. As one, they looked down at Sombra with glowing eyes, their horns so bright that they threatened to blind him.
“No,” Sombra and the Nightmist cursed.
Luna built up the magic until she felt it ready to burst. She and Celestia exchanged a look and attacked as one, sending solar and lunar beams streaking towards Sombra. The golden and silver magic twisted around each other as they reached out to the evil King.
“NO!” Sombra screamed as the power slammed directly into his chest and consumed him in a raging inferno.
Luna felt her heart lurch at the sight of it, and she dropped several feet in the sky.
Sombra…Sombra, I’m sorry. She wanted to go to him…to hold him before the magic took him from her forever, but she knew it was no use. There would be nothing left of him if the magic had struck true.
Luna waited anxiously beside Celestia as the cloud of their magic started to clear. She squinted at the balcony but could see nothing of Sombra. Her heart fell, and she swallowed hard as she tried to fight back the pain. “Oh Sombra.”
“I’m so sorry, Luna,” Celestia said wearily as she hovered nearby.
Luna swallowed the lump in her throat and looked back at the balcony. Her body felt weak from using the lunar beam, and she knew Celestia must feel the same, especially after her beating. It had been their last resort, and, sadly, it had done as they had hoped.
Or so she thought…
Black smoke started to curl around the spot where Sombra had stood. It grew in size quickly, picking up speed as purple and green smoke joined it.
Luna felt her relief turn to dread.
“Tia…” she moaned.
The smoke, whatever it was, started to laugh, but it wasn’t Sombra’s voice. It was some kind of unearthly sound that sent chills down her back; it was the true voice of the Nightmist.
Luna grasped onto her shields and turned to tell Celestia to do the same, but the smoke flew at Luna before she had the chance.
Luna yelped and wrapped her power tightly around herself in a silver chrysalis, diverting the smoke and sending it flying off in another direction. She grimaced, waiting for the dark magic to pass. Nothing was left on the balcony save a charred spot on the ground where Sombra had stood.
Luna shook herself and turned in her orb to find her sister.
The black haze spun in a wild orb in the sky, much to Luna’s surprise. She had thought it had dissipated! She looked frantically around for Celestia, but she couldn’t find her sister anywhere.
“Tia?” she called nervously.
When there came no answer, Luna glanced back at the smoke and saw it start to take a new form.
A dark hoof with crimson regalia broke forth followed by ebony wings.
Two red, serpentine eyes stared down at her from within the cloud of smoke, just above a gleaming, sharp-toothed smile.
A cold, unforgiving laugh started to build inside the cloud, and as Luna watched in horror, the Nightmist took its next host.