Chapter 20
Forgiveness
Princess Luna released herself from the gentle embrace of her own lunar magic and placed her hooves on the firm marble ground of her chamber. With closed eyes, she appeared in a marvellous blue shine. Her eyes snapped open and caught sight of the group of ponies that have been saved from Soul Tearer before.
Applejack shot her a confident glare while Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash left the room hastily, without saying any words of welcome to the Princess of the Night. Only the farmer and Shadow remained.
Princess Luna's eyes wandered back and forth between these two. Something had to be wrong while she was gone. “What is the meaning of this, Applejack?”
Instead of the farmer, the former member of the Nightcrawler stepped forward. There was no sign of respect or fright but of lust to fight. “My Princess, I’m afraid we won't stay down any minute further. We already assumed that Captain Soul Tearer might not return, so we settled a plan to retrieve Twilight Sparkle. I used the abilities of some former Nightcrawler member and traced the source of the weird magic around the valley of Los Pegasus back to Demon's Run. We will go there and convince Twilight Sparkle to come back with us.”
Shadow was braced himself for the worst but the frighting reaction of Princess Luna never came. She just stared at him. Carefully, she licked over her lips. “Then your desire shall be fulfilled.”
Applejack's and Shadow's eyes widened. This was the only answer they didn't expect. “What?”
Princess Luna raised her magic and swiped the curtains of the little balcony away. In a rapid step, she walked onwards and looked over the railing. Countless soldiers that had fought once under Soul's lead were camping in the throne hall. They were already sharpening their weapons and polishing their armour. Every single of them was ready to go into war.
Shadow and Applejack followed her. The orange farmer leaned over the railing and watched the lines of soldiers. “Why are we standin' here? We want to go as fast as possible!”
Princess Luna didn't turn or shoot them a glare. She reared up at the railing and enhanced her voice magically. “FELLOW SOLDIERS OF THE NIGHTMARE LEGION! HEAR UPON THE WORDS OF THE NIGHT! TWILIGHT SPARKLE HAS FALLEN BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE LOSS SHE HAD TO COPE WITH. I WANT EVERY ONE OF YOU TO HELP US BRING HER BACK WITHOUT HARM.”
The soldiers looked at each other in confusion in the same way as Applejack and Shadow did. One of the soldiers stepped forward. He wore a brightly decorated armour. Many medals and ribbons decorated his chest. “Welcome, my Princess. I think I can speak for my fellow friends when I ask you for the purpose of this mission. It seems to be a little bit too much to send an entire army to retrieve a single mare. Why such hard measures?”
Applejack wanted to ask the same question but before she could raise her voice, the Princess already continued in her normal voice. “I understand your doubt. But Soul Tearer had warned me that Twilight won't be alone. I can't let any more of the Elements of Harmony fall. They have to be reunited if we want to bring this mistress down.”
The stallion underneath the balcony turned around to judge the expressions of his subordinates. Quickly he faced the Princess again. “Why do we need the Elements? Captain Soul Tearer's power is unrivaled. He is far more powerful then any magical artifacts!”
Princess Luna sadly shook her head. Her gaze was filled with sorrow and regret. The soldiers could read her thoughts but the Princess continued nevertheless. “I'm afraid that Soul Tearer won't assist us any further. He has to cope with different matters right now. So we need the Elements, even if their power seems to be gone. There is hope that they could work.”
Insecurity was the major expression in the faces of the soldiers. But the stallion in front cleared his throat and pounded his hoof against his chest. “In honor of our Captain we will assist and fight under your lead.”
The other soldiers got rid of their confusion and followed the stallion. They raised their hooves and shouted in unison. “FOR THE NIGHT WE SHALL FIGHT! THE NIGHTMARE SHALL BE VICTORIOUS!”
The stallion in front smiled and looked direct into the eyes of the Princess. “We will begin the preparations now. In the next two hours we will be able to move out.”
Princess Luna nodded, satisfied. But Applejack wasn't pleased by this answer. “We ain't gonna wait that long! Twilight could be goin' anywhere else while we are waitin'!”
A wide smile formed upon Princess Luna's lips. “I didn't expect you to wait. I will bring you there immediately. The Legion and I will follow as soon as possible. You have to convince Twilight before we arrive...”
Applejack nodded and she and Shadow got wrapped in Luna's magic. While they got ripped out of the chamber a young stallion sneaked into the lines of the soldiers. Blaze jumped quickly into a fully packed chest and hid. His eyes peeked out of the chest, he waited for his chance. “This time I will help Soul in a battle... and nopony will stop me...”
Princess Luna turned away and walked to her bed. She pulled a golden chest from underneath the wooden framing and opened it with her magic. A sheepish smile grew on her face.
But nopony was left to see her smile. Applejack's sight had faded but returned immediately when they arrived in Demon's Run. She looked around herself and found her friends standing next to her. They were taken by surprise by Princess Luna's magic and looked confused at their surroundings. Only Twilight was missing to complete the Elements.
Demon's Run had changed since Soul Tearer's magic has raged above the soil. The grey dusty earth was gone. Luscious green meadows stretched as far as the sight reached. It was almost a tropical forest that has grown around the four white boulders.
Applejack's friends looked at her in a questioning manner. But without any words she walked towards the four boulders. The others followed her close by. When Applejack got closer she noticed that two of the boulders were almost destroyed while the third one with 'Death' written on it was surrounded with a dark mist. Strong magic was streaming out of its core. Only the boulder with 'War' written on it remained unchanged since the past two years.
Rainbow Dash hovered towards Applejack and hesitatingly tugged at Applejack's tail. “How did that happen?”
Applejack let her gaze wonder between the boulders and sighed. “Princess Luna had teleported us here. She agreed that we can look for Twilight on our own.”
Fluttershy and Rarity looked each other for a brief moment before the white fashion designer closed in to Rainbow. “Just like that? I can not believe that she would allow something like this!”
A faint, creepy but familiar voice rang through Applejack's ears.
"The giant tree... go into the cave and see what you will find.”
Applejack shook her head, but she didn't look at her friends. She looked into the far distance and searched for something. “She didn't... Princess Luna will follow us along with the Nightmare Legion to assist us.”
Rarity cocked an eye and wiped her mane back. “Why should be this dreadful Nightmare Legion for use to us? We don't want to hurt Twilight!”
The orange farmer's expression changed, a huge frown grew on her face while she raced past her friends and headed into the forest. Her friends looked in concern at each other but followed her immediately. In mid-run, Applejack shouted her answer towards her friends. “Princess Luna had told us that Soul had warned her about Twilight. He told her that Twilight won't be alone.”
While Applejack accelerated, Fluttershy was barely able to keep the pace. She panted with every single wing flap. “But this would be an whole army! How many ponies should be there? You know that I'm afraid of crowds...”
Applejack rolled her eyes and dashed further forward. She headed without response towards a giant tree. It's roots grew over some boulders that were covered in moos. The roots spared the place right under the trunk and left space for a cave between the boulders. Applejack hit the breaks and slid over the grass. Her hooves could barely decrease her speed by rubbing over the ground, but she managed to stop right in front of the slope of the cave entrance.
The others dashed into each other in the attempt to stop in time. They shot past Applejack and didn't stop until they reached the dark within. A dark and creepy feeling shot down their spines, and they felt something gazing at them.
But the only audible sound belonged to Applejack's hooves. She closed the gap between them and nudged Rarity's shoulder. The fashioner looked at her in confusion before she finally got the hunch. “Oh yes, right. I can do light.”
Rarity ignited her horn in a bright light and enlightened the cave around them. From within the cave looked much deeper. It looked like it was there since ancient times. Fluttershy shivered despite the lack of sound. But in the moment she realized that the ultimate silence isn't as absolute as she thought, climbed fright her spine up. “Girls? I think we are not alone...”
Applejack paid her almost no attention while she walked past the timid pegasus. “Twilight! Come and show yourself!”
Her shout died away in the depth. For seconds there followed nothing but stillness, until the sound of a hoofed being got closer to them.
Pinkie Pie's face lit up. She bounced to Applejack and flashed her brightest smile. “Twilight! I'm so happy you're back! We were all very very worried about you. And I mean really worried like you would be worried about a foal or a plate of cupcakes in the oven.”
Applejack's expression didn't change, she just glared into the dark and waited for the being to appear. Its eyes came slowly into light. They reflected the incoming sunlight and revealed their colour. Everypony hoped for Twilight's purple eyes but their hopes would be diminished.
Dark plain eyes met their sight. They got closer with every resounding step until the being was fully visible. Shadow ignited his horn to protect them from harm. He didn't know who the pony in front of him was, but it was evident the others did.
Pinkie Pie paled at the sight of the gruesome stallion in front of her. He stood there without his armour. Nothing reminded of his old self despite of the marks that decorated his neck. They were the only remain of the incident that took his life away.
Applejack's knees began to shake when she recognized Phalanx. Two years ago, she had seen him die. She wondered why she was shocked at all, since Soul Tearer had returned as well. Still shaking, she stepped further towards Phalanx and sighed deeply. “So, Twilight really did manage to resurrect ya. How does it feel to be alive again?”
Phalanx smiled at Applejack's appearance, she hadn't changed since they walked together to Demon's Run in order to stop the Lunacy. “Nice to see you again, Applejack. It has been quite some time.”
The orange farmer licked over her lips and shot him an evil eye. “How does it feel to die? Was it nice to relax with Soul in hell?”
For a short moment, the undead stallion was dwelling in his memories. “At first I was afraid, but the fear quickly faded and was replaced by a liberating feeling. I felt free from any burden. It felt good. I'm afraid that I have to tell you that I kind of met Soul. But you won't be pleased with the circumstances. I'm wondering why do you have such sinister thoughts?”
Applejack didn't really react, her expression hadn't changed in any way. “It shouldn't bother ya why I'm askin'. Just answer mah question and tell meh.”
Phalanx cocked an eye and watched the group of ponies in front of him closely. He stepped a single step forward before Shadow stopped him with a blade made of shadows. It hovered in front of Phalanx’s neck, ready to strike. Phalanx looked at the agitated unicorn and smiled. “I see, you are a vigilant one. Than I should tell you what I had seen.”
His gaze darkened, it felt colder then before in the huge cave when Phalanx began to tell. “I walked together with other lost souls towards the place where the gods decide whether you go to hell or to heaven. The whole walk was peaceful and quiet, but at one point there was a terrible noise. The noise of two powerful enemies fighting. I looked upwards and caught sight of the demon that watched over hell and two ponies fighting him. I couldn't believe my eyes... The ponies were able to fight him back... able to push him down and finally able to defeat him. There was a pale pegasus mare but she didn't fight. She just watched them and looked sensually at the other one, she almost drooled at his sight. My gaze wandered to the black fighting pony. His coat was burning and his eyes were ignited in a blood red. Until this point I haven't recognized him, but the pony was definitely Soul.”
Applejack's coat tensed up when her entire body began to shake. “What was the thin' he fought?”
Phalanx hesitated for a short moment, but his sorrowful eyes already told Applejack that his next sentence might change the impression she got of Soul. “I can't tell for sure, but I believe that this thing might have been hell's guardian. It is the mystical being that keeps the dead inside. Soul and this pale pony have been working together in some kind. They killed the guardian and escaped from this wretched place. Many fallen souls has left hell since than. But none of them out of their own, something or somepony has helped them to flee.”
Applejack hissed at his words despite their weight. She rolled her eyes and spit at the ground. “Since ya are here, ya should be able to think of a pony that might have done somethin' like that!”
The undead stallion shook his head and closed his plain eyes. “It is true that Twilight has messed with dead souls and she has to pay for her sins sometime in the future. But the magic that dragged the others to the world of the living was fairly different. I never felt something that powerful except of the Princesses, Discord and Soul. This magic felt incredibly evil and full of blood lust.”
Rarity looked bashfully at the ground, she couldn't think of anything to say.
“I believe that the pony who dragged back so many souls might be this mistress they were talking about.”
Rarity's head snapped back upwards. The voice sounded so familiar but she hadn't heard it for a seemingly eternity. A lavender unicorn stepped out of the shadow, her horn was already ignited and aimed for the blade of shadows.
Shadow's magical weapon dispersed into thin air and returned to its original form. Phalanx shook his head when he was freed from the threatening blade at his throat.
Everypony stared at Twilight. It was definitely their Twilight, but her appearance was changed. The innocent shine in her eyes was gone, she looked more mature but darker as well. The shades in her longer mane has darkened along with her eyes.
Fluttershy was the first to ask the question that raged through everyponys mind. “Uhm, how do you know about this mistress, Twilight?”
Twilight licked her lips and proceed to walk next to Phalanx. She swung her hooves around his back and laid her own head at his neck, where she could see his scars. “It is not like I was living under a rock all this time. Before we arrived here again we met a strange pony named Pestilence. We talked and he told us about a ominous mistress who want to change the world. I thought that this was just another cult, but something was different about this pony. I decided to leave before the situation escalated. He got me suspicious, so I decided to do some research and it came out like there was more behind this cult than I thought. It seems like this Pestilence was more than just an earth pony. He seems to be a member of the four apocalyptic ponies. I made an exit for good before he could hurt us. But he gave me one important information. He told me that Soul has returned. So where is he? I want to ask him something.”
Applejack turned her gaze immediately away from the dark unicorn and her pegasus companion. But Shadow didn't flinch and stood his ground. “I'm sorry, but you won't be able to speak to Soul any longer. It seems like he has no longer the will to fight along with us and pursues his own goals. Which is the very reason why we are here. Soul won't assist us in the fight against this mistress anymore. So we need the Elements of Harmony back together. Otherwise we don't even stand a chance.”
Twilight cuddled closer together with Phalanx. He closed his eyes in pleasure and moaned while she licked the spot behind his ear. “The Elements are lost forever. We might be strong as a team but the magical essence inside the Elements is lost. We couldn't banish Discord back if he got free. How should we even deal with the Apocalyptic Ponies? We are just small lights in the play of the eternal fire of the sun. Sadly, I wasn't able to contact Princess Celestia yet.”
Shadow's and Phalanx gaze mirrored in each other. Both of them looked dull and empty at each other. Only slowly, the following words left Shadow's mouth. “We don't have too much to worry about the apocalyptic four. Soul Tearer has successfully killed two of them and seems to tag along with the third. Only one of them is left. And I do believe that together with the Nightmare Legion and Princess Luna we might be able to defeat her and her mistress.”
Phalanx flinched by Shadow's words, something seemed to bother him but his tension fell when Twilight continued. “By killing them, you mean he absorbed their power. Am I right?”
Applejack's heart began to race. Twilight was always the smartest one of them, but Applejack would had never expected her to have the right hunch right on the spot. “Soul has consumed the power of Pestilence and Famine. He even made a deal with Death, so there is only War left. If we attack them by surprise we might have a chance.”
Twilight hissed and snarled for a short moment before she give in to a small laughter. “So your all powerful and glorious coltfriend won't help you and now you are asking me for assistance in your selfish plans? I'm happy as long as I'm together with Phalanx! None of you helped me when I needed you the most! Why should I help you now?”
Rarity couldn't bear it anymore, tears ran down her white cheeks. With all of her power she had to bite her lips so that she didn't had to cry. “I'm so sorry, Twilight! Everything is my fault! I've turned away from every single of you and only cared for my well-being. I was so selfish and naïve. Not until Soul returned I from the dead, I could see clear again. He showed me that not even death could stop him from assisting his friends! Please accept my apology and give us a second chance...”
Twilight hesitated before she spoke. Her eyes drifted away from the group of ponies in front of her. “You think it is that easy? Just by saying sorry? You want me to throw everything away! I want risk my or Phalanx’s life in the meaningless attempt to defeat immortal beings!”
Rarity's tears were followed by Pinkie Pie's tears. Rainbow Dash caught sight of them and made a quick decision to ease the mental pain of her friend. She shot downwards and landed with a loud dumb thud right in front of Phalanx and Twilight. “We are the Elements of Harmony! It doesn't matter if we have some fancy magic or not! It is our duty to save the ponies of Equestria no matter what happens. If we fail everypony has to suffer, including you!”
Twilight gnashed with her teeth. Rage built up inside of her. Once more ponies tried to suppress her and to bring her under. But before she was able to blare her opinion out, she was interrupted by Applejack. “Ya think that ya made everythin' right and we are all wrong? How about your turnin' of mah brother into a monster? How should Ah forgive ya? And nevertheless, Ah'm standin' in front of ya and ask for your help!”
The lavender unicorn slipped down the pegasus back and looked bashfully at the ground. How could she almost forgot about her practices?. Memories of the torture Spike had to endure flashed in front of her inner eye. A single tear dropped down her cheeks. Her legs couldn't support her weight anymore and collapsed. Phalanx lowered himself and comforted the weeping unicorn. Everypony’s heart was aching at the sight of Twilight. But only Fluttershy made her way towards Twilight and laid a comforting wing around her back. “It’s okay, Twilight. We all forgive you and hope that you will forgive us. We can start from the beginning when all this is over and enjoy each others company again. Please Twilight... return to us... everypony is missing you.”
Twilight raised her head and looked with her bloodshot eyes at the caring pegasus in front of her. “Girls... I really don't know what to say, but you have to promise me something. Please accept Phalanx as he is. I may have returned him from the claws of death, but he is my Phalanx. The Phalanx he has always been.”
Applejack turned around to check the reaction of the others but every single of them nodded with a gleeful smile on their lips. Twilight got back on her hooves and dragged Fluttershy along with her, only to enclose every single of them in a bone-crushing hug. Only Shadow and Phalanx continued to stare at each other vigilantly.
Phalanx's and Shadow's ears perked up in the exact same moment. At the same time they pointed their gaze to Twilight and gaped at her. “There is something coming! I can feel a rumble in the ground!”
Applejack got free from the warm embrace and raced towards the exit. The others followed her immediately. In mid-run, the orange farmer knew who is coming along. “We don't have to worry! It will be just Princess Luna and the Nightmare Legion!”
The ponies reached the surface, and one by one they they decreased their speed and trotted further until their walk came to a halt. Their gazes were pointed towards the horizon. Applejack was right about an approaching army, but it wasn't the Nightmare Legion. A gorgeous mare was leading the army of ghosts towards the cave.
Her name is... War