//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: A Spell Broken // Story: The Shadow Within // by Alcatraz //------------------------------// "Guards!" barked Malevolent. Two guards ran in as fast as they could, almost stumbling over one another in the urgency to get into the throne room. "Yes, My Queen?" Uttered one. "Keep an eye on those six, have some of your men watch them. I can sense they're going to be trouble, they almost got the drop on me. Assign plain-clothes guards to Ponyville to keep an eye on them. Report any plot of treason to me!" "Y-, yes your Highness" stammered one of the guards before they both clambered for the exit. All five of her former friends and assistant had escaped, leaving only the former Princesses in her company. After that whole escapade with trying to turn Twilight back to normal, she'd have to be more careful. An awkward silence hung in the room between the three, almost as though Malevolent is expected to say something. Both kept their heads hung in both shame and fear of getting punished for speaking out against the Queen, passing the time until somepony said something. An unforseen amount of minutes passed by before the head guard came running in. "Your Majesty! Rioting has erupted in ponyville! The five ponies whom escaped got back to town were met with unabated anger at having failed to stop you." "What's the report on the ones who tried to stop me?" "They're all holed up in their respective houses, and the Rainbow one and dragon are staying at the yellow mares house." "Send out another half dozen guards to join the ones in Ponyville keeping an eye on the other five. If hasn't died down by the end of tomorrow you'll have ME to answer to!" Malevolent could see the reaction in the guards face, akin to having your gut drop in fear next to wetting yourself. This exerted a satasfying grin from the Dark Queen XXXXXXXXX "You sad, sad little pony. Whatever makes you think you can break our hold on you, hmm?" remaked the floating entity, swaying side to side with those eerie, Sombra-esque eyes. Twilight was in a battle for control of her own mind, the inky black shadow leeching its way from the growing blackness on one side, to the glowing white of the side Twilight stands on. It was disappearing quickly, and Twilight knew she needed to do something before she got completely corrupted. "You're evil, and good always trumps evil! We defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, even Sombra! What makes you so special, what makes you think you can defeat ME of all ponies!?" The hovering cloud of smoke swam in circles around Twilight, taunting her. "You're weak, as is everypony else. You especially because of your new title and duties. How could you ever expect to live up to Celestia's legacy, let alone surpass it!?" Twilight is just about fed up with its antics. "She chose me because she has faith in me, and believes I can do what she does and more! Why else would she have chosen me?! You... Whatever you are, you're NOTHING!" spat Twilight. "You leech off the fear and loathing of other ponies, using them for your own selfish gain! You're nothing but a parasite that should be burnt off with an ember!" The entity hissed at the assault of words and receeded back into it's shadow, stopping the spread of and even the visible line of creeping shadow shrank back. XXXXXXXXX "Uhhn!" grunted Malevolent, keeling over moments after the guards had left the room. Celestia and Luna both looked at her, only to notice whisps of smoke coming off the Queen and themselves. Celestia looks to Luna and simply mouths "She's fighting it", and getting an acknowledged nod from Luna. They both had a plan in mind... Three days later. "Is that all the news you have for me?" "Yes, My Queen. The rioting has subsided, but you should know that there's been rumors of an uprising. Rest assured we are doing everything we can to discoruage such a treasonous act." reassured the guard. *clang* *clang* "Your Majesty, do you hear that? Sounds like the two captives trying to remove their irons!" The internal mind battle between the Shadow and Twilight had caused the bonds nullifying the princesses bonds and magic to weaken because of the drop in power, accompanied by a weeks worth of magical energy build up in the two allowed them to secretly remove their magic-cancelling rings and in turn, the rest of the iron. Their plan relied on them keeping the illusory spell activated. Running into the throne room, Malevolent witnesses the two engaged in battle with short-swords plucked from the sword-and-shield coat of arms that the Queen had placed atop the throne. "My Queen!" Luna managed to say from the sword handle inbetween her teeth. "This white heathen is plotting to reclaim the throne! She took me aside in your absence and told me her plan, hoping I would be persuaded!" "Drop your weapons this instant and back into opposite corners, NOW!" bellowed Malevolent. With angered breath, she addressed the both of them. "Luna, you did well to inform me of this treachery. You, however, Tia, shall be executed." The Queen bent down to pick up one of the swords between her teeth. XXXXXXXXX "Leave Celestia alone you monster, LEAVE. HER. ALONE!" spat Twilight. She could see everything that's happening, albeit unable to stop it much to her chargrin. All her view consisted of was the field of view through the eyes of Malevolent. "I'm not going to kill her, you are my dear!" Cackled the Shadow. A wide grin spread on Twilights face. "No. No I am not. And you can't make me either because I won't let you!" XXXXXXXXX "Wait!" Interrupted Luna. "Since I informed you of this treachery, may I do the honors?" "Oh? You wish to end your own sister?" "Consider it her just desserts for sending me to the moon for a thousand years!" Luna raised the sword in the air, ready to strike down her sister. "No! I wOn't LeT yOu!" The voice sounded like is was a mix of Twilight and Malevolent. "I wO't LeT YoU!" "Malevolent regained enough control over the emerging Twilight to scream out "DO IT!" at Luna. Luna brought the sword down over Celestia, but Malevolent lept in front of the blade, and it connected with her horn, creating an explosion of diseased, rainbow-hued black, green, and purple light from the horn. When the blinding light cleared, Twilight felt herself embraced in the hooves of none other than Luna and Celestia. "W-what happened?" "Hush now child, everything is going to be alright." "What are you talking about? I let evil get the best of me. I don't deserve these wings or title anymore; I'm just a disappointment to you now." Twilight hung limply, bawling her eyes out into Celestia's mane. "I held close that I believed what we had would last forever, and after all the moments we spent together this proved to be true. The Twilight that I knew still resided in there, and you were willing to throw yourself in front of a sword to protect those which you care about. Don't you remember?" Twilight's eyes widened with realisation. "Only an act of love could turn me back to normal..." "I was afraid you didn't hear that, but it looks like you did and I'm glad. You proved your worthiness to the title and wings, you've done more than enough to keep them." With a half hearted chuckle and embracing the princess in a hug her own, Twilight asks; "Could you even take them away from me if you wanted to?" "Well, why did you think I had Fluttershy reform Discord? I did say I had use for his magic." said the goddess with a cheeky wink. "But no, once this kind of magic is performed then It's not exactly easy to... Just forget it, I don't want to ruin the moment!" guffawed Celestia, exerting a hearty laugh from Twilight and Luna too. "Twilight Sparkle, thou should rejoin ones friends in Ponyville. They would be more than excited to see you." "Of course, but there's something that's bothering me. Where did the Shadow go?" asked Twilight, looking up to Celestia with a quizzical look. "We... are not quite sure. After all the denizens of the moon were freed of the Shadows clutches and Rarity turned back to normal, the only other source would have been the armor that got shed from Luna when you peeled the Shadow away from her. That somehow followed you home and the rest is history. Hopefully it is no more, for everypony's sake." She nodded in agreement, giving a hug to Luna and Celestia then flying out the door. She noticed a few guards splayed out on the ground, and some coming to wandering what in the hay just happened. She can't help but feel sorry for what happened, what she essentially did to them. Twilight's friends would be overjoyed to see her back, just hoping they can forgive her for what she was made to do, and letting evil get the best of her. The flight back to Ponyville was a long one, but it was much needed to help clear her head and gain some thinking space. Touching down in front of Golden Oaks and knocking on the door she hears a familiar voice. "G-go away, T-Twilight isn't here!" "Just open the door, Spike!" She said with a soft giggle. Spike opens the door with moist eyes and an ear-to-ear grin, throwing himself at Twilight. "I missed you so much! never leave me again!" "Don't worry, I won't."