//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: Recognition // Story: Nightmares Are Tragic // by Jordan179 //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon coalesced into her physical form on the dais of Princess Luna's old personal audience chamber, the Elements clutched about her and held firmly in her telekinetic grip. Twilight appeared before her, coughing from her rougher ride, looked up, and gasped in horror to behold the nightmare alicorn. An ion cloud built around Nightmare Moon. Lightning flashed, thunder rolled through the chamber. She was utterly terrifying, and she knew it. Twilight stood, and gave one small strangled scream at what she saw before her, what she clearly knew she had to face alone. Then her eyes narrowed as she grunted in determination. She looked squarely at her foe ... .... Luna could see her expression clearly, see how she feared, but also how the fear had been pushed down, replaced with sudden resolve. Cold and calculating resolve ... this was all so familiar ... she'd seen that look before ... ... Time slowed as Luna felt the same cold resolve sweep over her ... she had to know what this meant, who Twilight was ... things she would never know if Twilight died here and now ... Some strength came back into her. Her spirit stood up straighter in its bonds. She knew this was no dream, that this was her only chance to ever figure it out, that she had to think and act quickly or Nightmare Moon would simply strike down the little stargazer. Twilight lowered her head and forequarters, stamped the ground twice. Strange, thought Luna firmly. She's not frightened. She should be frightened. Maybe she has a spell prepared to shield, or even worse, to deflect our ion bolts. She's seen them used before. We must try to verbally shake her resolve. Her mind supplied the appropriate lines. "You're kidding," said Nightmare Moon in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?" Twilight stamped her hoof again and launched herself into a full charge. We must respond with our own physical attack, thought Luna. Leave the elements on the dais, though, she might try to take them from us. She envisioned a blind charge, calling upon all the primal instincts of ponydom. Now! Nightmare Moon launched her own charge. She was far larger and heavier than was the little lavender unicorn. I will gore you and then trample you into a mass of bleeding fur, the better to greet your companions! the Nightmare gloated. I hope that look meant what I imagined it did, Luna thought to herself, Please, little stargazer, please have a mind as keen and a courage as cool as I believe! They were almost upon her. Twilight's horn was glowing. She means to strike us with magic and momentum, Luna thought firmly, but our own superior might both magical and physical will allow us to prevail. The Nightmare agreed with her, and built up a shield in front while using the rest of her magic to enhance her own horn. Luna's hopes almost vanished as the Nightmare's horn almost touched the lavender unicorn. Then Twilight vanished in a flash of teleportation. Nightmare Moon caught herself up in astonishment as her charge passed through empty air. The alicorn whirled to witness the little mage reappear on Princess Luna's own dais, right in the midst of the Elements. Well done, thought Luna to herself, as hope returned to her heart. Now, can you realize that you need to take them to your friends? The little mare looked a bit wobbly at first, then concentrated, ignoring the distraction of her foe to focus on her magic. What do we do? demanded the Nightmare. She has the Elements! We can still win, thought Luna loudly. But we must be careful. She may have attuned herself already and be hoping to draw us in close ... hang back ... Twilight's horn glowed. The Elements rose, glowing with the same spectrum as Twilight's horn. She was probing them -- no, she was pouring her own magic into them! No! cried the Nightmare. Your advice is bad ... she is attuning the Elements now! We must stop her! It seized full sensory and motor control, no longer fully trusting Luna's tactical understanding. We don't dare teleport into this! thought Luna. This time the Nightmare agreed with the caution, and chose a different method of transportation. Nightmare Moon became a mass of plasma, streaked across the room, shot down to materialize right in front of Twilight, right in the midst of the Elements. A quick ion bolt slapped the little mage away. Twilight yelped as she was flung halfway across the room, thumped and slid painfully on her back on the stone floor. But she sat up grinning. The Nightmare Alicorn looked down to realize that the Elements were now arranged around her in pentagram, and were still glowing with Twilight's own magic. She's attuned them! Nightmare Moon realized with horror. Five of them, to herself, using her own soul as the sixth element! How ... how can she be that powerful? Twilight's remained grinning, but her expression grew intent as the energies of the five Elements joined. A barrier sprung up in the air, trapping the Nightmare Alicorn. "No ..." Nightmare Moon cried. "No!" The energy built ... pressed on the Nightmare ... ... and faded away to nothing. No, groaned Luna to herself. She's failed. Twilight crouched, gasping in disbelief. "But ..." she said. "where's the sixth Element?" Nightmare Moon laughed in relief at her own escape from death, with malice at her foe's failure. She quickly stamped the ground, emitting a pulse of paramagnetism tuned to resonate with the crystals housing the Elements. They shattered, dissipating into their surroundings. Twilight sat down, horror-stricken. It was evident that she knew she'd lost. Gloat, urged Luna desperately. It's the one thing that will utterly break her spirits! She felt the Nightmare's assent. Oh, little stargazer, Luna thought to herself, you'd better think quickly now. This is all I can do for you. "You little foal," taunted Nightmare Moon. "Thinking you could defeat me? Now, you will never see your Princess, or your Sun! The night will last forever!" The Nightmare laughed cruelly, flaring up her mane, using it to gather a vortex of plasma, pumping her power into it, increasing the capacity of the stored charge. This bolt will burn you where you stand! Twilight could only sit and watch her oncoming doom, a look of utter despair in her eyes. She clearly had no further plan. I'm sorry, Luna thought to herself. I wish I could have come to know you. I wish I'd never summoned this Nightmare. She strained at her bonds, experimentally, but it was no use. She would be helpless to watch, as the Nightmare cut down this young mage, murdered all her potential, and then went on to murder the potential of all Ponykind. Muffled voices sounded from the stairwell. Twilight's ears perked up, her head turned around. Luna could feel the pulse from Twilight as the mage finally manifested her element. The sixth Element ... Magic ... it felt very familiar, but not at all like her sister ... Twilight turned on her foe. Luna sensed something ... someone ... someone she hadn't sensed since ... "You think," she said with a scornful smile, "you can destroy the Elements just like that?" Nightmare Moon recoiled before the force of Twilight's gaze, then focused her own malicious gaze full upon her. Luna felt the spirit behind the unicorn mage's great purple eyes. Recognized it, at long last. "Well you're wrong!" said Twilight, as the other five champions surged up the stairs into the chamber, coming to her side. Dusk? Luna thought in astonished wonder. Dusk?!!! Nightmare Moon might have heard her, had the Nightmare's attention not been entirely focused on the foe. "Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" A tremendous pulse of magical energy filled the room, emanating from Twilight and returned, amplified by each of the other Champions. DUSK!!! It was a silent cry of utter joy. Love swelled within her. Her spirit felt huge, the bonds suddenly light, no more tangible than tissue paper. She flexed, and they burst asunder. She was free, at least within her own mind. The Nightmare still controlled her body, but it now had no power over her spirit. And the Nightmare had not yet noticed.