//------------------------------// // Ascending // Story: A Debt to the Stars // by Sereg //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Ascending   Right galloped towards Canterlot as fast as she could, thinking that the peacefulness was ominous. She pulled her companions along at breakneck speed across the grassy plains as trees pruned into spheres atop trunks whizzed past and the houses of Ponyville shrank behind them. She narrowed her eyes as a large, dark shape grew in front of her. She gasped as she stared at the apparition in front of her, also travelling towards the mountain, and slowed down. “By the moon!” she whispered.   “What is it, Right?” asked First as he turned away from Ponyville.   Right raised a hoof. “That,” she whispered. “That monstrosity!” She shuddered.   Solemn lifted a hoof to her narrowed eyes as she peered out of the wagon. “I’ve never seen a snake that size,” she said, her eyes widening. “It is thicker than an adult alicorn is tall! And it hath wheels!” The creature continued to chug along its tracks and whistled as steam rose from a tube on its head.   “I trust not monsters with wheels,” growled Star as he folded his hooves. “What kind of horrors hath Celestia unleashed upon this land?” whispered Right as she slowly shook her head. “Not  even in the Everfree or during Discord’s reign did we see a snake like that! We should slay it!”   Solemn placed a hoof on Right’s back and shook her head slowly. “We know naught about this creature. Let us focus on our duties as Luna’s loyal subjects for now.” “And suffer us not to slay every monster we happen across,” said First as he rolled his eyes.   Right nodded. “Of course. Let us continue!”   (/)   Soon the ground became increasingly rocky and steep and the cart shook ever more violently despite Right’s reducing speed. “Here is where we abandon the cart,” said Solemn as she flew out. “Can we make it up in time or should we find shelter for Star?” asked First. “We can if we use our Luna-given gifts,” said Star with a smirk. Solemn turned towards First and said, “I shall carry thou. I am strong enough and thou hast no other way up!”   “What about Star and Right?” asked First.   Star snorted. “I have mine own way up. I am not that weak.” He jumped out of the cart and walked over to the rock face. He placed a hoof against the rock and began to walk vertically up the cliff. Right faded from view and her barding disassembled and floated up after him. Solemn slowly undid some of her bandages until they trailed into a pile on the ground and then carefully wrapped them  around First. The crystal skeleton dangled below her as she flew towards the city.   “It helps that not only am I stronger, thou hast lost weight,” Solemn teased.   As they reached the mountain peak, a looming shape in the distance began to take shape in the fog. Great towers stabbed through the darkness, becoming more distinct with with their approach. As they drew nearer, the massive spires became visible, and the true scale of the City of Canterlot was revealed. The four stopped dead in their tracks, stunned by the sheer size and majestic beauty of Equestria’s capital city.   “Such opulence!” gasped Right. “Is this how Celestia celebrates whilst her sister is unjustly punished!?”   First lowered his head. “What taxes does Celestia inflict upon the poor for this?” They landed and slipped into the shadows, dodging a beam of light. Keeping out of sight of the pony who was shining it, they crawled through the bushes. They darted from one patch of darkness to the other, staying out of view. They approached the gates and settled into the nearest patch of foliage.   “Hark! A night guard!” said Right, pointing to a grey unicorn in dark barding. “Shall I call him into service as his Commander?”   Solemn shook her head. “They may be the night guard, but we know not if they hath allied with Celestia.”   Right nodded. “Of course. We should perform reconnaissance.”   First raised a hoof and pointed. “What ... is ... that!?”   They turned to look at what First was pointing at.   “It ... resembles a pegasus … except that if I knew no better, I would say  that thou had turned him, Star. And then he got stuck halfway through transforming into a bat,” said Right.   They continued to stare, open-jawed, at the fanged, bat-winged form of the pyrippus. “By yourself tonight, Under?” the pyrippus asked the gate guard. “Apparently Lance is sick, Sudden,” came a groaning reply. “I’ll ask them to send you some company when I reach the barracks,” promised Sudden. The four interlopers continued to stare as Sudden walked past and turned a corner. Seeing a pony with such odd features left them with open jaws.   “I did never make that!” whimpered Star Swirl.   “We believe thou, Star,” said Solemn. She narrowed her eyes. “Yet it seems that much hath changed while we were in space. We need to perform more reconnaissance.”   “And to build up thy strength,” added First with a nod.   “Suffer me to feed thou a guard!” said Right as she waved a hoof. “If he is with Luna, it shall be his duty and if he is with Celestia, he is the enemy.”   “Fine,” sighed Star Swirl, slumping. “I am hungry. I shall feed on him, yet I shall not drain him.”   “I expected naught less from thou.” Right smiled.   “And I shall feed on naught with fangs,” Star added, sticking his tongue out. “Resemble I a filthy cannibal?” He gave a grin at his joke which then faded. “Of course not, Star,” said Right, rolling her eyes as the corner of her mouth twitched. “I am serious. What manner of strange pony possesses fangs? It is far too peculiar for a living pony!” Star added. “Worry o’er it not! He shall make a fine meal!” Right disassembled and floated over to the unicorn night guard which stood watch at the gates. She slowly pulled his spear out of his harness, her eyes narrowing in concentration, and slipped it between his strap and his body. She then jerked it down to quickly slash through the straps holding his barding together. The stallion’s barding fell apart, slipping down and entangling his legs.  He turned to see what was going on and tripped over it, falling on his face with an, “Oof!” His coat shifted from grey to pink. The pieces of Right’s barding quickly knocked away the remnants, including his helmet. His body began to turn white as they wrapped around him and strapped themselves to it.   The stallion frowned and said, “Make haste, Star! He resists!”   Star Swirl jumped out of the bushes and clamped his fangs around the stallion’s neck. After drinking, he licked the fang marks closed and stared into the stallion’s eyes which dilated and stilled as Right left his body.   “Who is thy Commander?”  Star pressed his face against the guard’s and stared into his eyes.   “Prince Shining Armor,” came the dull reply. “He’s technically still the Commander. He’s still deciding who to appoint as his successor.”   “A Prince and a Commander at once?” asked Solemn as she raised an eyebrow.   “And what manner of name is ‘Armor’?” asked Right, cocking an eyebrow. “Art they a warthog?”   “Who recognises thy Commander as the reigning Princess of Equestria?” asked Star, narrowing his eyes.   “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule together. Technically Princess Celestia is in charge during the day and Princess Luna is during the night,” replied the guard in monotone.   “What!?” cried Solemn, rearing back.   “That makes no sense!” said Right as she widened her eyes.   “Ask him o’er Nightmare Moon,” Solemn suggested with a twirl of her hoof.   “As you wish, but this one is fighting quite hard. I will not be able to ask too much. What happened to Nightmare Moon?” asked Star Swirl as he pressed his face harder against the guard’s.   “She was defeated.”   “What!?” cried Right, rearing back.  “How!?”   “How was she defeated?” asked Star Swirl as he stepped forward.   “The Bearers of the Elements of Harmony defeated her.”   Right stomped a hoof. “Traitors!”   Solemn sighed. “It looks like we have more dangerous enemies than we thought. We have not what it takes to defeat Bearers of Harmony.”   Right growled. “Not since the Elements were stolen from us.”   “Now, what do we do?” asked Star as he turned towards Solemn.   Solemn shook her head. “We may require aid. For now, there is too much we know not. Let us continue to investigate.”   “Where?” asked First, lifting a hoof in emphasis. “Star cannot enter the palace, for it counts as a stable and he cannot expect invitation from any who bed there. He is also too weak for us to leave him.”   “We shall remain in public areas for now,” said Solemn, lowering her head. “Even vampires are free to go there.”   “We know naught o’er this city!” First objected as he stepped forward. “How shall we find a public area?”   “The Statue Garden was not in Old Canterlot. It must have been moved yonder,” said Star, pointing through the gate. “Solemn should be able to see it if it is here and where to find it from the air.”   “Good!” cried Right. “Let us go yonder and bask in our past glories!” She lifted a hoof to the sky.   Solemn shrugged. “I have no better ideas.”   Star returned his gaze to the guard’s eyes and said, “Thou saw naught.”   (/)   They slipped back into the shadows and slowly crept towards the stone garden. Solemn led the way, followed by Right, First and finally Star.  They wound their way through the alleys as Right cursed the low quantities of dust to muffle their hoofsteps, pressed against the walls, away from prying eyes, eventually stepping into the clearing where the stone sculptures of Equestria’s history were displayed. “Ah, Lieutenant Victory,” Right sighed as she gave a small smile and stroked the side of the statue of an earth mare bearing a flag. “Thou were my finest officer.” She cocked her head as she turned towards the adjacent statue. “I recognise not those three fillies though.”   “It seemeth as though Celestia hath enlarged her collection,” said First.   “Yet where art our statues?” asked Right as she walked up to First, raised an eyebrow and turned her head from side to side.   “I see them not,” said Solemn. “And the one that should be upon this pedestal is also missing.” She narrowed her eyes. “Wait. This one resembles ...” She slowly walked forward and lowered her head. She scowled as she read the plaque. “There is a more important statue than ours missing,” she growled. She then raised a shaking hoof and pointed at the plaque.   “What is it?” asked Right.   “Dost thou not recognise it?” asked Star, his voice quivering.   First started backing away. “No ...” he squealed. “No! No! No!”   Right’s eyes widened and then narrowed again as her face contorted into a vicious snarl. “Discord!”   “Discord’s escape changes all,” said Solemn. “Before him, without the Elements of Harmony, what are we but insects? We need the aid of another Cosmic.”   “If another Cosmic could take down Discord, They would have done so,” said Right. “He is too dangerous.”   “We need not go for a living Cosmic,” suggested Star.   “Then who!?” asked First. “Havoc, so we can use his father issues!?”   Solemn shook her head. “Not his father. Draconequi art too unpredictable. He may not help us. If Discord is indeed loose, which we need to check ...” She gazed at the others meaningfully.   “True.” Star nodded. “Assumptions can be dangerous.  And I see no sign of his chaos.”   “Better to be sure, I guess.” First shrugged. “The lack of screams is a good sign.”   “On this, I shall trust your judgement, Solemn.”   Solemn nodded and continued. “If he is on the loose, we need an alicorn.”   First took another step backwards. “Thou cannot mean ...”   “His teacher, yes,” said Solemn. “Yet more reason to check. Let us not fight evil with evil if the first evil need not be fought.” “We would not want that!” Right nodded with widened eyes. Star Swirl frowned. “Celestia and Luna said that Morning Star’s power was lower than Discord’s, but that his attitude was somehow even worse! Is this not the opposite of what we desire?”   “He was able to control Discord once before,” said Solemn. “Perhaps with our aid, he can do it again. And we can use him. He can be bargained with.”   “Hast thou lost thy mind!?” First suddenly gasped.   “Yes,” replied Solemn. “It was pulled out mine nostril, but I can still use it. What option do we have? Bargaining with Celestia?”   The others laughed bitterly.   “Let us take another day,” suggested First. “Thou admit that we need to check if Discord is truly loose and Star cannot risk exposure to sunlight. We should make camp. I could build  a hospital.”   “I shalt be fine,” said Star. He slowly sunk into the ground.   “We can camp in the caves,” said Solemn. “We have not time to build a hospital, nor would doing so be stealthy enough for our mission.” She shot a glare at First.   (/)   The next morning, Applejack and Big Mac inspected the site of the cart theft. Applejack narrowed her eyes as she stared at the dirt. The earth of her farm had been disturbed. There were skid-marks across her farm. She moved her head slowly, scanning the area and then pointed at a hoof-print. “They were ponies what did this. More than one.”   “Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. “Four.”   “Where we gonna get another cart?” asked Applejack as she turned to face her brother. “I hope they get those thievin’ varmints. But ‘till then, what’re we gonna do?”   “Could buy one.” Big Mac shrugged.   Appleack shook her head. “No way, no how! Not ‘till we’re sure as sugar that the last one’s gone for good.”   “Could borrow one,” was Big Mac’s next suggestion.   “An’ who can I borrow one from?” asked Applejack.   “Miss Harvest is close.”   “Carrot Top!?” asked Applejack. “She’d love for me to owe her a favour!”   Big Mac turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow.   She sighed. “All right. I’ve learned mah lesson about askin’ for help. I’ll ask her.”   (/)   Applejack turned her head from side to side, but while the fields had plenty of carrots, nopony was in sight. “Just where is that carrot farmer!?” Applejack asked herself as she walked through the surprisingly empty fields towards the building with a large carrot on top. As satisfying as it was to one-up the vegetable farmer, they still held neighbourly affection for one another and it was concerning for her to be conspicuously absent. She reached the door and knocked. She waited and the door slowly opened to reveal a bleary-eyed Carrot Top. “Landsakes!” cried Applejack as she reared backwards “What happened to yah!? Yah still in bed at this hour!? Are yah sick or somethin’?”   “I don’t know,” replied Carrot Top. “I just feel really tired for some reason. I don’t know why.”   “Well, I was gonna ask yah if I could borrow yer cart, ‘cause some thievin’ varmints went an’ stole ours, but I think yah need to see a doctor.”   “I think you’re right, Applejack,” said Carrot Top.   “You’re agreein’ with me?” asked Applejack, raising an eyebrow at the mare who claimed to be her eternal rival. “Yah must be really sick! Let me help yah git to the hospital!”   (/)   Right glanced back and forth to make sure that nopony had seen her. Satisfied that she was alone, she ducked into the cave entrance. One would never expect that a dark hole in a patch of gloomy, grey rock would lead to chambers lined with crystal. “I have the last ingredients for First’s potion,” she informed Solemn.   “And what of what goes on in the castle?” asked Solemn. “What hast thou discovered?”   Right shook her head. “It is worse than we feared. Celestia still rules. This is clear. Yet I found a sleeping pony who appears to be Luna. She roused not long ago, but ...” She shook her head again. “I understand not. Something terrible must have happened. There is a stained glass window depicting her defeat by six ponies.”   “The new Bearers of Harmony, perhaps?” asked Solemn.   “Perhaps.” Right nodded. “We have not a stained glass window. Luna is either addled, under Celestia’s mind control or an imposter. All that is clear is that she is in trouble and needs our help. We cannot abandon her to her fate! We need to rescue her!”   Solemn lowered her head. “We know not how to do that. We need to simply continue with Nightmare Moon’s plan and hope that Celestia’s defeat and the return of the Eternal Night will free her.” “I saved the worst for last,” said Right. “I witnessed the true extent of Celestia’s treachery while spying on her throne room.” (/)   Celestia sat on her throne, tapping her hoof.   Suddenly, there was a pop and a flash of light and a creature of mismatched body parts appeared in the room.   “You are late, Discord,” said Celestia.   Discord snapped his fingers and the hands of the clock spun backwards. “No, I’m not,” he said. “My parole meeting only starts when I arrive. So, whenever I get here, that must be 2:30.”   “I have been giving you a lot of leeway, Discord. You’ve mostly contained yourself, but being so dismissive of these meetings is not the best way to convince me that we are no longer enemies.”   (/)   “She has allied with Discord!” gasped Solemn. “No disaster can be greater!”   “I know,” replied Right. “We must cleanse this evil.”   “By any means necessary.” Solemn nodded. “I am still uncertain about using Morning Star,” said Right. “It seems wrong to recruit one whom our Princess hates.”   “I am also uncertain,” replied Solemn. “Yet with Discord free and allied with Celestia, we need all the help we can get.” “Dost thy whispering mean that Right hath returned?” asked the voice of First.   “Yes! I am here!” Right replied. She followed Solemn deeper into the cave where First was stirring a bubbling potion.   “I have the last ingredients,” said Right as she dropped some soap, almonds, apple seeds and nightshade on the floor.   “Good,” said First. He added the objects to the pot and continued to stir. “That should do it. Solemn, I need a crystal piece. Then it shall be ready.”   Solemn ripped a chunk of crystal out of the wall and dipped it into the potion before pulling it out again. Then she picked up a vial and filed it with the liquid before corking it. “Is it ready?” she asked. “Can thou do it?”   “Star and I will be able to do it if we work together.”   “Then the question is, should we?” asked Solemn. “Let us fetch Star and find out.”   (/)   They snuck back into the sculpture gardens and stomped on the section of ground into which Star Swirl had sunk.   He rose from the ground and said. “That was the most refreshing rest I have had in o’er a thousand years. It is good to rest in Equestrian soil once more.”   “That is good,” said First. “I have prepared the potion. And a crystal.”   “Good.” Star Swirl nodded. “And now I have seen that Discord is not only free but an ally of Celestia,” said Right.   “No!” gasped First.   Star narrowed his eyes. “Then we cannot waste time.”   “Art thou certain this is a good idea?” asked Solemn. “He is ... dangerous.”   “We need him,” said Star “And once we have the Elements back, we shall be able to get rid of him again if necessary.”   “And what of Laughter?” asked Solemn.   Star’s eyes narrowed and he tightened his lips. “Celestia found five bearers in hours. It shouldst not be hard to find a Bearer of Laughter to make friends with in comparison.”   “How are we  going to get into Tartarus without being caught?” asked Solemn.   “We escaped Mortis before,” replied Star. “We shall do it again.”   “Mortis should be old,” said First. “He shall be past his prime.”   Right shook her head. “Yet more experienced. We cannot pretend this shall be easy.”   “Agreed,” said Solemn. “We need a plan if we art to battle an alicorn.”   “I am the military mare,” said Right. “We need to strike hard, fast and disruptively, We shall be lucky if any of us makes it out unharmed. Let him not use his scythe under any circumstances. Here art what we shall do...” (/)   They dove back down the mountain, jagged rocks rushing past below them and returned to the cart. Star, Solemn and First climbed in and Right took off once again and carried them over the plains while they jostled from the high-speed bumps. In the distance, the forest slowly grew larger as they approached  Tartarus.   “Remember that we need to get there before the Sun rises, Right,” said First as he glanced nervously at Star.   “And it shall be dangerous to wait another night,” added Star.   “Not that far now,” replied Right. “We can make it.”   The ground below their creaking wheels turned barren and desolate despite bordering the greenery of the Everfree. They slowed their approach and stopped behind a particularly large boulder. They crawled out of the cart and unhitched Right before darting between shadows. They hid behind large, grey, misshapen rocks as they approached the gates, sneaking along the crack –filled plains of ash. They stared over a boulder.   “That is a filly!” gasped First.   “Better for us,” said Right.   “Indeed,” agreed Star. “She shall not have grown into her power. It may be unfortunate that we need to fight a filly, but remember, she is still an alicorn.”   “I like this not,” First grumbled.   “Underestimate her not,” said Solemn.   As they approached, the large, three-headed dog rose from its slumber and growled. The alicorn filly turned towards the dog and said, “What is it, Cer--?” Her fur stood on end. She turned to face them and cried, “Abominations!”   Star tossed his head and a field of ice formed around the filly and her dog, icicles pointing up and away.   Solemn walked around the boulder. “That was easier than I did expect.”   The filly’s coat shifted to a light yellow and her mane became a fluffy purple. Then her eyes began to glow.   Right rolled her eyes and turned her head to face Solemn. “Thou had to say it.”   The filly flung her wings open, tearing the ice apart. She launched into the air and bounced between shards of ice while they were still on their ascent, kicking them towards the four friends.   Star raised a curved, circular shield of pink magic and the ice bounced off it, but the barrier cracked under the assault. The cracks rapidly ran across the shield which shattered under the strain and an icicle sliced through his skin. “You broke mine barrier!” he cried as his skin sealed up again.   “You ruined my paperwork and HURT MY DOG!” A panel of rock from inside the gates slid up and a large, wickedly hooked scythe with a handle of what seemed to be rotting wood floated out. “Taste silver!”   Right jumped onto the handle, pinning the weapon to the floor. “No, you dost not!” she growled.   Star teleported Solemn directly behind the filly and the pegasus grabbed the alicorn in her bandages.  The filly squirmed and struggled as the bandages tightened and her flesh began to rot away. “Now, Star!” Solemn cried.   Star jumped into the air and sunk his teeth into the alicorn’s neck. Star’s eyes rolled back at the taste of alicorn blood. Was it possible to drain an alicorn dry? Even a foal? He was tempted to try. Yet that was not what he was there for. This filly was not going to become his collateral damage. Once she stopped twitching, he dropped her to the floor. Solemn removed her bandages as Star licked his lips.   First ran over to her and inspected her body. “She is regenerating,” he sighed in relief. “She’ll be fine. How feel thou, Star?”   Star paused to consider the question. “Amazing,” he answered. “The best in o’er a thousand years.”   “Art thou ready?” First asked.   “Huh!” cried Star. “As if it were possible for me to fail now!” He led them through the gates and began drawing lines in the ash. First began to add lines of his own and soon they had an intricate, angular pattern on the floor. The pattern was an elaborate series of concentric circles crossed with lines at precise angles.   Star Swirl levitated over the potion and poured it onto the ground where it fizzled and seeped into the cracks. He then placed the crystal in the centre of the pattern.   He looked over at First, who grit his teeth and nodded. They knelt and glared at the pattern as they shook with concentration. Star’s coat stood on end and sparked. Their eyes turned green as purple ether leaked out in phantom flames of effervescence. The purple flames danced wildly as they continued to shake and they grit their teeth even harder. The pink aura around Star Swirl’s horn shifted to match the new colours as darkness bubbled.   New cracks split the ground and heat and sulphur poured out. Their eyes and noses burned from the heat and acid. Ash rose into the air and coalesced into a cloud of blackness, rebuilding the one they once belonged to. A large, emaciated, withered alicorn stallion took shape before their eyes and regrew his flesh. There was a final flash of purple and green and the wrinkled stallion moved.   He turned his head to look around and then lifted his hoof to his face. Upon seeing it, his eyes widened in horror and he stepped back. “Bhoidos!” he cried. A yellow light surrounded his horn and a mirror formed in front of him. He took one look at his reflection and screamed, smashing the mirror.   “Art thou well?” asked First, cocking his head and darting his eyes nervously between his friends.   The alicorn spun his head to face First, his teeth gritted, his eyes narrowed and what there was of his lips curled in rage. Then he blinked, his expression softening as he raised an eyebrow. He nodded and the chamber was filled with yellow light once more. “There,” said the alicorn. “Now we’ll be able to understand each other. Why have you given us this putrid body? Not only is it unacceptably ugly, we feel like a mere hybrid rather than the greatness we are! Still, that can be fixed.” He threw his head to face the ceiling and the chamber was filled with yellow light once more. “Speak to me, Venus, Greatest of all Planets! Your true avatar, The Perfect Being, has come home! Let me use your power once again!”   The brightest dot in the night sky flashed. The light in the chamber brightened to almost blinding intensity as the alicorn bulked up and his wrinkles smoothed away. A ball of light surrounded him and spun, streaking like an intense wind as it howled. Spokes of radiance poured out and shimmered as electricity crackled. Beams of brilliance poured out of the sphere and the scent of sulphur intensified. As the heat rose, more of the floor was reduced to ash and then molten glass as smoke rose and shone with its own heat. A ball of yellow light jumped out his chest and danced around him as it pulsed and wobbled as a liquid. He rose into the air as the centre of the glow burned more intensely and the orb of yellow light split into nine pieces whipped around him in an ever-changing cascade. The glow grew even more intense and rapid before being absorbed back into his chest. He sprouted a white coat of perfect sheen and his mane billowed as a pool of liquid, golden sunlight. His cutie mark was a black, crowned heart with arrows pointing to it. He glowed and the four friends were stunned by his beauty. “KNEEL, SUBJECTS!”   They dropped to their knees before the order was even finished.   “EMPEROR MORNING STAR, THE GREATEST OF GODS, HAS RETURNED!”   (/) Meanwhile, far to the north, in the Crystal Palace, another alicorn’s cutie mark faded to a dull grey.