//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: The Meeting Within the Night, and the Dawn Without a Sun // Story: Alicornian Magic // by FlameSwordedLink //------------------------------// A/N: Yep, this is going to be a strange chapter. Chapter 3: The Meeting Within the Night, and the Dawn Without a Sun Isn't it funny how things can turn out better when they happen the exact opposite of how we had planned them to happen? Luna awoke trapped in marshmallows. Freeing herself, and eating somewhere around a hundred marshmallows, Luna went out of her room. She promised herself to eat the rest of the marshmallows later, and headed to Twilight's quarters to what she had seen in Celestia's dreams. "Twilight, I'm here to report," said Luna, looking around for the lavender mare. She spotted her sound asleep and decided to leave her a message. She found a quill and some parchment to begin writing, a little sad that she could not be trusted by her sister to know that she is going to turn her into a monster. She began to write: Dear Twilight, I have found what you are looking for, and 'Tia does in fact love you. Also, thank you for the surprise in my room. It was most delicious! Anyway, I am going to try and gather some supplies for you. I'll see you at breakfast! ~Luna Kitchen, 0545, Sunrise in Forty-Nine Minutes Celestia groggily strode into the kitchen, and upon seeing two alicorns in deep discussion, she decided that today was going to be very bad for her. She sat on the opposite side of the table of them and waited for her breakfast to be served. When breakfast was served, which was a strawberry crepe covered with whipped cream, and a fruit salad on the side, Luna and Twilight finally noticed the bedraggled princess. "Good pre-morning, 'Tia!" Luna said enthusiastically. Celestia groaned. "Celestia, if you think that you're going to run away after offering help, you better realize that it will never come to fruition. If you want, you could just go on a journey with me while Luna watches over the kingdom. Right Luna?" Twilight asked, looking at the princess expectantly. "It'll cost you more marshmallows," stated Luna. After that a giant mountain of marshmallows fell on top of Luna, making her wonder where Twilight gets all of them so quickly. "That's sufficient enough...." "Now, with that taken care of, you two should probably let morning come." As soon as Twilight said that an alarm went off, signifying it to be time to raise the sun. "And I have perfect timing, as usual." With that, Luna's horn flared up to lower the moon. As Celestia did the same, but to raise the sun, a look of shock came upon here face. "Sister, something's wrong, what is it?" Luna asked cautiously, as she knew her sister was fragile during this state. "It's the sun. The sun is now...black. Something happened to it and know it's black, which means that our subjects will think that Nightmare Moon has returned! We must do something!" Celestia said, crying out in sadness and frustration, for she knew of no pony who could solve the problem. "Princess, it's so simple! Don't you understand that this must be the cause of a warning from the past? There was once an ancient book by Star Swirl that said, 'She who raises the black sun will be cursed to endure endless pain, sent back before her time, and forced to live as a monstrosity. The only cure, a blade from old, forged through light, and left in darkness, used to pierce the very soul. Come to me, I shall say, before it is too late. I have the answer, but you must come hither.' You have to come with so that we may find him!" After Twilight finished, Celestia realized she had no choice. Little did she know Twilight omitted a part, a part that she did not want to say. It read, "Even though the answer is clear, only a strike from true love will smite the fear. Raised upon a silver pedestal, a book of wisdom seems to shine. It's only secret is the purifying of one's heart. The hero must use it, and forge the blade. They must forge their own heart into it, so as to help the cursed, for it shall never knowingly hurt those the hero loves most dear...." In the Forest of Nidas, 0700, Sixteen Minutes After Sunrise "So it has begun," began Star Swirl, his voice of great authority. "The final battle between good and evil has finally started. The clock counting down, waiting to strike zero. Our only hope, a mere purple alicorn whose magic is unlimited, but at what cost? The ones we hold most dear are stake, but this war will not be fought using blades, hooves, teeth, or magic. No, instead it shall wield the heart, are one weakness. It shall give us near insanity, and make even the strongest of colts cry. Only those who do not possess feelings will be protected, but they can still be hurt my everypony around them." The mighty alicorn turned to head inside, looking at the sun. "One may only hope that our only savior can realize this before it's too late, and gets to me soon. The sword which they require still waits for them, but lies hidden to no pony but them. Only time will tell if they are worthy enough to step forward and take the sword, a bridge between time, dimension, and space. With it they may do anything, yet no pony knows what makes it so, nor do they know how it is designed to work. Fire, ice, sand, rain, lightning, darkness, light, and spirit. All of these shall be needed to slay the evil once and for all." With that, Star Swirl went back inside his humble abode, where he could grow younger as he pleased....