Celestia walked through the halls of Canterlot. It was very late in the night and the soothing atmosphere was almost hypnotic. She had wandered through these halls for almost a thousand years. She had been in every secrete passage, every corner and every room of this gigantic castle. She had made thousands of friends and few enemies during her reign. On her way back to her spire, she remember all the fun times she's had meeting the generations of ponies. She would befriend one, and it would lead to a friendship that would stay in their family for several generations. She's seen young stallions, anxious to serve their princesses and from a klutzy cadet, to a hard boiling general.
Arriving back at her spire, she took one final glance around her room. approaching her mirror, she used her levitation to remove it and behind the mirror was a hornhole which only she could open. Once inserted, the wall started giving off a light yellow glow. The walls were giving off the sound of grinding stone and the wall revealed to be a secret room where her old golden armor was placed. Not wasting any time, she immediately started to put on one plate after another. She paused to look at her reflection on her helmet, it had been 600 years since she last put it on, during the second gryphon, nopony even remembers it happening and there are few historical references to it, with only Celestia's eyes as witness to most of the events that happened in the early years of Equestria. Celestia finally put on her helmet and left her room. She slowly closed the door behind her as she took one last glimpse of it.
She spread her wings and took a quick flight towards the Canterlot garden maze. She was going to pay somepony a visit before her leave. Landing at the very heart of the maze, Celestia furled her wings behind her back and took in the sight of it all. She looked around to see the very heart of the garden, it was filled with flowers and trees radiating the starlight from the sky. At the base of a bone white oak tree that was the oldest thing in the garden, was a tombstone. Celestia approached slowly approached the tombstone.
Davios Sunbright
Beloved prince and son of Equestria.
May you find the peace in death, that I could not give you in life.-Alexander Crystal King
"Davios..." She spoke tearing up. "My child, I've never forgotten about you...Know that you've always been in my heart. You've given me strength when I had none. The nights where you slept under my wing, the days you beamed with joy and happiness, that all could thrive and prosper from. It it this is what has given me purpose in life." She stepped closer and kissed the tombstone. "I have always been proud of you and I look forward to our reunion."
Keristrasza had drawn magical runes all over the courtyard, it was all a necessary part of the ritual. Luna, Cadence, Skyla and Twilight had their own markings to stand on, they would be completely drained of all their magic. There was a chance that they would be robbed of their powers forever. They could only hope that it would be returned to them.
"All the preparations have been made, are you prepared to fight Starfall?" The Dragon queen asked, approaching the Alicorns that were in the middle of their goodbyes.
Celestia looked a bit annoyed that she would barge like that in between her friends and family. "I am." The ponies went to their assigned places and waited for it all to start.
Keristrasza wasted no time on starting. Celestia stood in the middle of the runic markings where all the others had gathered. The eyes of the Dragon queen started glowing with a magical surges erupting as she focused her magic. A dark magical cloud started to take shape as she spoke a language that neither Luna nor Celestia could comprehend. The runic markings began to give off an intense black,red and green glow. From the markings, you could make out that it was an upside down star inside of a circle. More and more runes started appearing until their light started to envelop the whole courtyard. The five marks that the princesses and queen started to transfer a magical beam, with the colors of light blue, pink, night blue, purple and red that was draining them of their magical powers. Celestia felt an unmeasurable amount of pain as she was overwhelmed with power, such as she had never felt before. her body gave off a blinding golden light that made the elements look away until a powerful slam could be felt on the ground. As their eyes cast back at the princesses, they saw that the golden light subsided back to its source. Luna and the other alicorns were standing up from losing their strength, their power was the divine gift from the Lightbringer, it was a part of their being. Without it, they are greatly weakened. Luna got back on her hooves and saw her changed sister, she was passively emitting radiant magical surges. Luna just watched in awe at her mothers powers fused into one being.
As the ponies and dragon queen also gathered themselves up, a sudden clapping could be heard...
"Marvelous display, to bad you don't put this much effort during the summer solstice." The voice of Starfall echoed throughout the court. The ponies and dragon queen all shoot their eyes towards the castle roof, where he was sitting and hiding in the shadows. A mocking laughter echoed as he disappeared into the darkness. "Do you think you can vanquish me? I have to admit, I'm curious to find out." His voice originated all over the place. Fluttershy had hid herself behind her friends, while the alicorns were desperately trying to locate him.
"Starfall you have to fight it! Don't let Legion control you!" Skyla called out, frantically looking at every corner of the court. From nowhere, he appeared right in front of Skyla, thats when all the ponies saw what he had become. His wings had been colored black and his eyes were dripping with bloody tears coming from his red eyes.
"Foolish child, do you belive words can save him!?" A telepathic voice came from the winds as a gust of wind started blowing heavily.
Celestia fired a bolt of magic that hit Starfall, sending him flying over the castle walls, down below to the river flowing down the mountain. Starfall only laugh at the muzzle attack and fell directly towards the ground, creating a crater.Flying down to face him, Celestia readily awaited for him to come out from the ground. "I will not allow you to hurt anyone else Starfall, I will free you from Legion's corruption or die trying."
"I think I prefer the latter. Very well, you seek to challenge me, I will grant you my personal ATTENTION!" An shadow bolt erupted from his hand and was launched towards his aunt. Celestia countered the attack by nullifying the darkness within it, rending it a mere windy breeze. Starfall unfurled his wings and flew up to the sky, the clouds had blocked off the sky and the sun was out of view. Celestia quickly followed her nephew and charged another bolt that hit him directly, yet he was unphased, like it had no effect on him.
Fire started to rain from the sky, heading directly towards the alicorn, Celestia carefully dodged or destroyed the meteors that were thrown towards her. "Let us help you Starfall! You need to stop this madness before its to late!" She called out, hoping the boy would see reason.
Starfall only replied by creating a hurricane to tear her apart. She couldn't let a hurricane fly past her, even if she would outfly it, Canterlot could be damaged by the hurricane. She channeled her magic to banish the hurricane to the void. Her horn started to give off a slight sting of pain as teleportation of such a magnitude cost a lot of her strength, costing her precious time she did not have to waste.
"Are you alright, Aunty? is your new powers to much for you too handle?" Starfall asked mockingly, knowing that her powers could eventually kill her. Celestia narrowed her eyes in anger towards him. Starfall suddenly lost control of his wings, like they were being forced to unfurl back to his back. Due to the lack of flapping, he started to lose altitude, and he fell towards the ground once again, but this time, accompanied by a humongous golden beam that burned his skin and made him feel excruciating pain. Enraged, Starfall freed himself from his aunt's telepathic hold of his wings. "Enough! I tire from these games!" Teleporting out of her sight, The young prince appeared behind his aunt and was going to strike her with his own fist. Quickly reacting, she created a golden shield to take most of the impact, making her hit the ground in impact, causing a massive tremor. Celestia drowsily flew out of the creator and felt a wet sensation in her muzzle. She touched her hoof towards her nostril holes and saw blood was slowly coming out of it. but it was not the result from the attack, but the shield she put up.
"You break my heart, Starfall. Your mother and I have always thought you to be the new hope of this world, We thought you would mend this world's wounds and bring peace to it, by fusing with Legion, you have turned your back on everything we've ever done for-"She did not get a chance to speak another word before she was sent flying through the fields due to direct contact with a sinister purple lightning strike.
"What I ever did, I did to make you both proud." He cried out as he kept launching black magic at her. "Tell me how proud you are Aunty!" He shouted, never letting go of the sight of his aunt reeling in pain. "Tell me...TELL ME!!!" Relenting in his assault, he summoned a grand storm that would strike down directly under him. A massive blue beam the size of a village, hit the ground, devastating everything in its path.
A thick layer of dust covered the ground, there was no sight of the princess. Starfall kept his guard up and slowly examined the giant hole in the field.
"So thats our plan of attack? I doubt I have enough power to subdue him, even with our powers combined." Celestia added in to the Dragon Queen's plan.
"Yes, it is true, even with our powers combined we still don't have enough power to bring him down...Thats why I brought this!" Keristrasza opened her hand and revealed a vial containing a strange glowing liquid.
Luna and Celestia looked in awe at the vial. The others looked at it more out of interest. "WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS!?" Luna blurted out, in surprise. Celestia was lost for words, she waited for the queen's explanation.
"I have had this vial in my possession for tens of thousands of years, it is the only thing standing between us, and certain doom."
"I'm sorry Dragon Queen, but what exactly is inside this vial?" Twilight asked, stepping closer and getting Keristrasza's attention.
She smiled. "Long ago, when this world was young, there was a well that contained a strange and mystical glowing water, legend has it that it was the very source of life in the world, without it, the world could not exist...This water had a unique effect on the earth, if a single drop would touch the ground, the soil would be forever be a flourishing garden of life, acting outside of the laws of nature. but, if a living being ever drink the water, they would be either granted magical powers if they had none, and if they are natural magic wielders, they would be immeasurably empowered for a short period of time. With everyone channeling their powers into Celestia, drinking the vial of life would literally give her the powers of a goddess."
"Do not hide from me aunty, I can still hear your heart beating and I mean to correct that!" Starfall said, flapping the dust away from the area. A bright light could be seen at the very bottom of the hole. "There you are!" He dived down head on, thinking Celestia a easy kill. A blinding beam shot up towards the sky, tearing up the ground and removing the thundering clouds. Starfall was sent flying out of the carnage. He was grievously injured from the attack.
Flying out fully revitalized, Celestia channeled her powers into another attack. Starfall was also quick to recover and charged his hands with a sinister black and red energy. Their magic connected and they were both equal in power, neither had the advantage and they were both channeling limitless powers to fight the other, while Starfall could not defeat her, he did see that his aunts magic was starting to literally dissolving her being. Celestia also saw how her wings were the first to be turned into some for off golden ash.
"You cannot hold out forever Celestia, even with all your powers, I am still stronger!" The prince cried out. Thinking his victory was moments away.
"I do not need to defeat you!" She called out. Starfall was confused by this, out of instinct, he turned around and saw The Elements of Harmony, all formed up and with their attack launched and on its way to strike down the fallen prince.
The rainbow beam of power hit the prince, but he was far from over. "Insects, you seek my demise? it will be the downfall of you all!" The magical beam was being slowly corrupted. It started turning gray and black, making its way back to the source of the elements. He was countering Celestia with one hand and corrupting the elements magic the other. He was still too strong to be brought down. Celestia was the one to lose ground for each second as she was slowly withering away. Their plan had failed and now he was going to defeat them all in a single move. "I. Triomphe! Thinking his victory was sealed, and with the ponies disparaging that they had lost, something happened that nopony had expected. A loud howl could be heard. The human and the ponies all threw their eyes towards the charging wolf. It was Frosthowl... He ran towards the beam of power that was battling his aunt. He jumped and pushed Celestia out of the onslaught waiting for her. "NO!" Starfall called out. Before the beam hit Frosthowl, his concentration was broken, making his black magic disappear into thin air, however, the magical beam channeled by Celestia, hit him right on as she was still standing and focused. He was launched directly towards the nearest mound. The corruption of the fallen prince had disappeared, giving the elements a straight shot towards the weakened prince. The elements of harmony made direct contact with his body, but everything else went dark for everypony present.
Fluttershy was galloping from a terrible shadow that was relentlessly hunting her. She kept glancing over her shoulder as the shadow was gaining more and more on her, returning her gaze back on the path ahead, she saw a dim light ahead as the trees were were narrowing it for her more and more, taking one final jump to safety, she tumbled across the ground and landed on her side as she surrender to whatever was chasing her. A murky mist started to take shape from the dead trees. Fluttershy was screaming in terror, she was dreading what monster would appear from the shadows. Surprisingly, it took the shape of a goat. Fluttershy's shivering stopped as she took a deep relieved breath.
However, she was wrong to think that the threat was over. Before she could stand up, the goat turned around and revealed to be a monstrosity with seven eyes and seven horns. It quickly changed back to its previous murky form of mist and shadows "Do you see now the false nature of safety? Fear is the ultimate form of control and power. Witness my truth and see the reality of life!" The forest disappeared in a quick swipe, Fluttershy however was still covering her eyes from the shadow. taking in a few quick glimpses, she saw that the ground had been replaced with a surface of water, which she was sitting on. Jumping up in fright, she could see terrifying creatures from the depths all circling around her and praying on her fear.
A loud laughter could be heard as the manifestation of fear was enjoying its easy prey. "Behold the truth. As light dimmers, so does courage veins, and at the bottom of the ocean, even light must die...Now show me what you truly fear!"
Rainbow Dash was flying around in a sky, empty of blue or a sun, it was only pure darkness, there was no ground or sky, no winds and no clouds. "Show yourself you no good worm!" She said unsure and nervous whilst, boxing the empty air. She was anxiously awaiting an answer from whatever had dragged her here.
"Insolent filth, you stand tall and secure on the ground, confident and arrogant in the air, but I will show the dark and depressing reality of life. and you will come to doubt your abilities"
The rainbow maned pegasus gave a confident smile to the bodiless voice. "Oh yeah, what are you gonna do!?" She talked back at the ancient spirit.
A trembling laughter shook the void. "We will see if you can keep up this facade, I will take great pleasure from this...To make things more interesting, every second in the real world that you are here will feel like a year, we will see if your friends will save you before you go insane..."
The pegasus scoffed. "My friends will help me get out of here, then I'm going to kick your flank to Canterlot all by myself!"
The laughter echoed once again through the void "We will see how long your resolve lasts, because the clock. Starts. Now!"
The malicious Aspect of Despair was feeding off the fear and doubt from the lesser ponies, subjected to its corruption. The power absorbed from the ponies now fuels to create an ever greater source of nourishment. The shadow of despair found its victim, one very vulnerable to the emptiness of life.
Applejack was reliving an event that she had almost completely forgotten... The death of her parents.
She was seeing the whole thing from a birds eye perspective, she couldn't look away, no matter how hard she tried, Applejack could not look away. Something was forcing her to see it all happen. She saw her parents running in what used to be the everfree forest. Timber wolves, once again were threatening the lives of kin. They had always been sneaking in to apple acres in search for easy prey. This time they found it in the form of a baby Applebloom and Applejack as a little filly. Their prey was an easy one had their parents not shown up to mislead the timber wolves and give their offspring enough time to escape. In the end, they were corner and knew their time had come...
Applejack was horrified and completely shell shocked. She saw her parents being pounced on and viciously being torn apart by wolves who were drenching themselves on their blood and flesh, some were fighting about the large pieces of meat by grabbing it and pulling it two separate sides until it tore off. A blue and black shadow appeared to her side that took the shape of Applebloom as a filly. "Do you see now how the world works?" The voice of Despair spoke in a tone that radiated hopelessness. "Stallions...Mares...and Foals...None escape the grasp of death...My death won't be any different." Using its powers, Despair conjured up the image of a younger version of Applejack, mourning the death of her sister and friends on the day that they were attacked and Crimson saved them...But this version of the story was changed to leave her as the only survivor, with her sister and friends all lying bloody in the cold ground. The two Applejack's merged into one. Their grief, sorrow and despair became all consuming...
Rarity was sitting in her room back at Canterlot. She could not remember how or why she was in here to begin with. Then the door swung open...
"Rarity, are you finished with the wedding dress soon?" Luna asked, looking around for the finished dress.
Thats when it hit her... Today was Starfall's big wedding with Princess Skyla, and she hadn't even begun on the design óf the dress. Rarity panicked and resorted to the only thing she could do at that situation. "Oh yes, but ofcourse, its being finished as we speak, I'll have it brought to you before nightfall!" She proclaimed. Luna gave the mare a acknowledging smile.
"Thank you Rarity, Starfall and Skyla are very grateful for help. I will be on my way now." The Lunar princess closed the door behind her as she left the room.
The moment that the door close, Rarity threw herself to her silk closet and frantically started looking for the best quality that she had, after a few seconds of searching, she remember that she had to first create the designs for the dress, so she threw herself to her drawing board and started making skits for the bride's dress. To her surprise, she was quickly coming up with one of her best and most extraordinary designs. "Yes! This will be my best work in my life!" The design was finished in a flash and it was time for her to start sowing together a fabric that was sitting on the desk on beforehand which mysteriously just appeared, but Rarity had no time to argue with her fortune, so she started up the machine and had her hooves were at their optimal precision. This dress was going to be her most important work in her life, her reputation and name was in the line, if she would ruin the dress or make it into anything but absolute perfection, she could never show her face in Equestria ever again.
As the loud machine was working, the door creaked open...A small and frail colt at the age of 3 years old, he had the same white fur coat as his mother and a darker blue hair then his father. The colt reared its head to see what all the commotion was all about. "Mommy...Is everything okay?" He asked timidly before coughing small droplets of blood on the floor. Rarity did not answer, she was far too busy to care for her sickly child when she had to get the dress done. "Mommy...I don't feel so good." The colt was drowsily staying on his hooves before collapsing on the ground. The young colt's body was the same temperature as a furnace, he was shivering and freezing from his weakened state. The lack of empathy wasn't helping either. Even despite her son collapsing on the ground, Rarity kept her complete focus on her work
Unbeknownst to her, her reflection in the mirror was watching it all happen...The face of pride was smiling at the mare's vanity, it was formidable enough to suit its needs for nourishment, making it grow in strength and power.
Twilight was dangling in a cocoon just above her mentors throne in Canterlot, she woke up horrified to see changelings everywhere. There were pods in the entire roof with innocent mares and children all being drained out of their love for one another. Twilight did not understand, how did she get captured and where were the princesses?
"I see somepony has woken up a bit to early!" The voice of Queen chrysalis haunted her in her cocoon. "Do you like my work? Look around you, I managed to take over Canterlot without a hinge and I killed your precious Prince Starfall!" She laughed and fell backwards in utter enjoyment of her victory.
"Where is- Where is Princess Celestia! What have you done to her you monster!?" Twilight spat back at the changeling queen.
Chrysalis glanced behind her. "What ever do you mean? I've simply helped her see things in a different light." From the shadows, emerged a changeling version of Celestia, now a mindless slave to Chrysalis. The changeling queen let out another fit of laughter as she was rubbing her victory in her captors face.
Twilight narrowed her eyes, she was furious and full of hatred and it felt like her fuming breath was enough to melt the cocoon, but instead, she was trapped, the only thing she could do was mash her hooves against her prison whilst the queen was watching her little fit go down and she was laughing even more seeing her futile attempts to smash the cocoon.
"WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE I AM GOING TO DESTROY YOU!!!" She roared at the top of her lungs, filled with unending hatred.
The manifestation of hatred and pride now was feeding its younger head, Anger. The shadow absorbed everything the ponies had to offer and turned it quickly into more potential power to bending anger from the terrifying pink pony that was the biggest threat to reality and it.
Pinkie pie was jumping around in a voidless space, with no ground or sky to keep her sane, it had appeared that she did not mind the bleak and spooky atmosphere. She was humming a tune to herself as she was prancing around. Anger quickly stopped her in her tracks as it took the form of Starfall right in front of her. "WHY ARE YOU SO HAPPY?!" The form roared out, almost catching on fire when it did.
Pinkie laughed at the image. "Silly, why do you look like Starfall?"
Anger was not one to prone on patience as its name suggested. It quickly changed its image to a simple shadow to avoid getting any more comments of its appearance. "Answer me!" It called out once again.
The pink mare laughed again at Angers...anger. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm in a weird place with my friends with me, Its just like the good old days when we used to go on super fun adventures! Do you want to hear about?"
Anger hovered quietly before speaking again. "You consider them your friends?" Pinkie nodded very anxiously.
"The bestest!"
If Anger had a mouth for the time being, a smile would be present. "Then tell me why you are always the one that they always do their utmost, to avoid?"
Pinkie was confused for a moment. "Huh, what do you mean?"
"You may be on friendly terms with your so called friends, but whenever you try to reach out to them, they see you merely as a distraction, a blight, a pest to be removed!"
Pinkie's ears shot down as she was slightly disappointed. "Hey thats not true, my friends love me and would never do anything to hurt my feelings!" She protested.
"Do not deceive yourself child, I see beyond time, space and reality, I know existence and true face of all living beings, let me show you how your friends feel deep inside about your presence."
The empty void took shape of a scene that played years ago, when she first started hanging around fluttershy. "Don't worry about meany gilda, your aunty Pinkie Pie will take care of everything." After she had left, the voice of Fluttershy started to appear without her moving her lips. ´´I wish she would stop patronizing me, If she would only just once treat me with a little dignity. Pinkie was about to protest out to this vision, but another one appeared. One with Rainbow dash trying to avoid Pinkie pie at all cost so she could be left alone. "But..." She was cut of again as another vision appeared, one with her and Rarity at the meeting party when Twilight first settled in Ponyville. ´´I can't believe I'm around a 4 year old filly who can't sit still for a second!´´ The voice of Rarity spoke with her accent. "That never happened!" She protested out.
"Oh it did, at least she thought it, and there is more!
The vision of Pinkie jumping into a crystal mud bath with a belly dive and seeing Twilights rection. "Pinkie Pie! Honestly!?" She shouted out. ´´Sometimes I wonder why I even bother bringing her along´´ She thought, and Pinkie could hear every word of it.
"I have told you nothing but the truth, your friends do not love you as much as you imply, the truth of the matter is that you are nothing but convenient for them as the element of laughter and cheap entertainment. Anger saw how the pink mare was becoming more and more vulnerable to its influence.
"Are you telling me that my friendship with the others has been nothing but a lie!?" She asked out loud
"Yes"
Slowly, Pinkie started to breath more quickly until she let out a scream of utter rage. Kicking and destroying everything in the vicinity of the paused vision.
Anger seeing its purpose has been fulfilled, vanished into thin air before letting out one last victorious laugh.
Starfall was in the darkest corner of his mind, released from the chains of guilt, he was once again conscious to what was happening. He remember that he had been frozen with guilt over the image of Frosthowl dying as a cub in his arms...A nightmare more horrific he could not imagine. But freed from the illusion, he could now take control of his body again.
"Did you really think your sins would be washed away, just because my illusion has worn off? Do you not understand the futility off what you are embracing? Let me show you the horrors unleashed by your kin! His mind once again was influenced by the dark and ancient presence. A loud agonizing sound of screeching metal was shattering the fragile prince's mind. He felt as his whole being was being torn asunder. Every moment felt like an excruciating eternity. He saw the images of soldiers screaming out in agony as their body parts were scattered in the battlefield, he saw a school full with human children was blown up in a blink of an eye, killing hundreds of innocence. "Do you see now? You were made for self-ruin and destruction! Starfall couldn't fight off the pain, he was reaching the point when he would do anything to stop the pain. As it felt like he was seconds away from submitting, a cleric sound of absolute serenity strung, releasing the prince from the Ancient's grip.
A voice beaming with hope and full with light was singing in the prince' mind. "Do not fall into darkness child, your loved ones are need of your help!" ´The dark corners of his mind was slowly subsiding as he felt more in harmony with his being. He did not understand where this new angelic voice came from and who it was.
"Who...-Who are you?" Starfall asked mesmerized. The ground beneath the prince was changed to a lush grassy plane, the dark and murky void sky was banished and replaced with a shining sun glowing giving warmth and comfort to the prince. the cold and dead feeling of emptiness was gone and a fresh scent of flowers and crisp mountain air was felt in the young prince' lungs. Restored to his former self, the prince felt his strength return to him. The voice did not reveal itself in a physical form, but its presence was clearly felt.
"Starfall, as we speak, Your family and friends are in danger, by the same evil that seeks your enslavement now works to corrupt their spirits."
in awe of the creature of immense presence of serenity, The prince knelt down, humble to be present by such an entity. "How can I save them? I could not even keep my spirit pure from that accursed fiend." He kept his gaze directed towards the ground, the wind changed its direction and a warmth could be held on his shoulder, like hoof touching upon it.
"My beautiful prince, you do not realize that there is so much more to you then you know. You are not the vessel of evil that you think you are. You are my grandson, my cherished hope for not only this world, but many more. I have faith in you that you can save them." Starfall opened his eyes and only saw white furred hooves before he felt a kiss on his forehead. As everything was slowing fading away, he could still hear the final words by the Lightbringer. "Remember that, which grants you light in life." At that moment, the prince' mind was finally clear and freed from everything that was weighing down on the young mind. Starfall focused his mind to free the elements of harmony. He could feel their pain and suffering.
Starfall saw Fluttershy crying and screaming in fear in the middle of a misty and reflecting still ocean. Her hooves were covering her eyes, from witnessing the terrible monstrosities that were circling her. A golden light enveloped Starfall, a light similar to that of the dawn. The illusion of fear was quickly fading away, yet Fluttershy was still huddling around her own tail.
"Aunt Fluttershy! Snap out of it!" Starfall called out.
"No! I...I'm afraid." She whimpered.
"That is a lie, I know that in your heart you are the braver pony that you make yourself out to be."
"NO, NO NO! ITS NOT TRUE!" She cried out, still refusing to open her eyes.
"I am telling the truth, aunty, I've heard stories of you standing up to mean dragons who caused trouble to Ponyville, most ponies would not even dare to be anywhere near close a dragon, let alone standing up to one. You could do it because you had to courage to stand up for your friends and family!" Fluttershy's shadow, seemed to be splitting off from her, like there was a darker force at play. "But I need you to be braver then ever before. They need us, aunty. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow dash, Pinkie and Rarity are all in need of our help."
The shadow emerging from Fluttershy was forcefully ripped off as it vanished into thin air. She slowly removed her hooves from her eyes and slowly emerged from behind her mane. "Starfall?" She spoked, finally freed from her fear.
"Fluttershy! Thank the Lightbringer!" Starfall flew over to his aunt and embraced her into his arms and in turn, she embraced him back. "I was afraid that you had given in to fear." Putting her back on the grassy ground, Starfall saw the dried tears in Fluttershy's eyes.
"You don't need to worry anymore Starfall, but you are right, our friends needs us and a true friend helps a friend in need." She spoke with a glimmering smile that brought newfound courage to the Prince of Equestria.
"I promise you, Aunty, I will save our friends, but now I will send you back to the real world." With a final wave of his hand, Fluttershy was gone from the illusionary world. Starfall stood back up at his full height and prepared himself for the next obstacle.
Starfall's presence reemerged in a pitch black world where there was no ground to stand on. He fell a few yards, but quickly started to flap his wings to regain his altitude. Scanning the sinister world, he could not find Rainbow Dash anywhere. He could sense her, but he could not see her. Something that Starfall quickly noticed however was that his wings were getting very tired quickly. He had only been flying for a few seconds but he felt like his mind was about to go crazy from the exhaustion. Understanding that he couldn't keep up his flying, his eyes starting to glow bright gold once more, The prince removed the illusion of Doubt and saw that behind the darkness, there was a safe wheat field leaning with the wind. He landed safely on the ground and looked up towards the beautiful blue sky and saw the cyan pegasus flapping endlessly.
"Aunty Dash!" Starfall called out, but she did not answer, she just kept focusing on keeping her altitude. Starfall tried to use his magic to teleport her down to the ground, but when he did, a mysterious force would shield her from his magic. Starfall was still exhausted from the few seconds of flying and it felt like his wings were paralyzed, but that did not sway his resolve. Flapping his wings once again, he could only barely leave the ground with his weakened wings. For every moment that was passing by, it felt like an eternity to reach. He was keeping his gaze fixated on the flying mare. Trying to reach her and save her from the Illusion of Doubt. However, in a ironic turn of events, Starfall was quickly beginning to doubt his own resolves that was a moment ago strong and sturdy. He was gaining more and more height, but he didn't know if he had enough strength to reach her. "Aunty Dash, Please, you have to break free from this illusion! I...Need you!" He cried out, he saw that the mare was still ignoring him. "Aunty!" Starfall had stopped in a specific point in the air because his wings could no longer fly any higher, he was at the point of literally falling to his doom. A few more seconds passed and his wings gave away, Starfall's entire body fell to doubt and was paralyzed to stop his fall to the ground. Thinking this to be the end, Starfall closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.
"STARFALL!" His eyes shot open and saw Rainbow flying towards him with a incredible speed. The sun was at the mare's back, light a beacon of hope, she reached out her hoof. Before Starfall hit the ground, He grabbed her hoof and was saved from his fall. But the moment he thought he was safe, His feet was back on the ground and Rainbow Dash was completely gone, nor could he sense her. The wind blew at the prince' back and he knew in his heart that she had broken free from the terrible shackles of doubt. Seeing his aunt freed, he focused towards the next illusion.
The prince of Equestria reappeared in what looked like a gray and blue version of Apple orchard. The crops were dead, the trees had shed all their leaves and the house itself was torn up and old. Starfall could sense the presence of Applejack, yet he also felt a thick sorrow in the air that was making it very hard to breath. Scanning the dead farm, he saw off in the distance a crying orange filly with a hat similar to that of Applejack. There was no doubt in his mind that it was her. "APPLEJACK!" Starfall called out. He ran towards the orange mare off in the distance, but as he ran, the scenery changed, the apple orchard disappeared and was replaced by a snowy forest, the everlife forest. Starfall reacted to the sudden change and stopped running. As he looked around, he quickly forgot about his goal to free Applejack, instead another figure emerged off in the distance, one of a bleeding white wolf. Starfall ran as fast as he could to save the poor injured wolf. As he did, his form changed from his late teenage self, to a child version of himself, yet the prince did not acknowledge this change.
Starfall finally reached the wolf and quickly started to focus his powers to start healing the wounds, but despite how much the young prince tried, he could not even get his hands to glow with magic. The child prince, started to give in to despair, thinking it was all hopeless. He had started to doubt his own abilities and barely had the strength to stand up, let alone healing a wolf several times his size. The wolf winced and cried out in a high pitch tone that made the prince anguish in its cries for help. Finally, the wolf's breath started to fade away until it stopped moving at all. Starfall could feel how its life was quickly drained and until it was completely gone. "I...- I couldn't save her." He said tearing up. "I...Am worthless...I am nothing." The boy started crying. He felt like his world had collapsed on him and there was no hope in going on. Starfall crawled closer to the body of the wolf and cried into its fur.
After several long minutes of crying, the boy felt like the pain had faded away. Sitting with his back leaned against the wolf, he started remember what he had originally came here to do "Applejack..." And at that moment, he realised that this was all an illusion. Starfall clenched his fist, with his eyes narrowed in newfound determination and hope, he broke free from the grasp of Despair and shattered the illusion, revealing Applejack and two dead ponies who shared similar traits to her. Starfall knew of her tragic childhood where she lost both her parents in a timber wolf attack. He had asked the question once or twice how and when it happened to Granny Smith. Starfall slowly approached the still filly. Starfall was about to put his hand on the filly's shoulder, before a sturdy force field kept him from intervening. The only one who could break the field was Applejack.
"What you witnessed, Applejack, was a tragedy nopony should ever have to suffer." She did not even flinch at his comment. "But we all grow stronger from our experiences in life, you have endured one of the most terrible things in life, and from it you grew up to become such a wonderful and strong mare. You value the hard and difficult concept that is truth, when living life with lies is so much easier, yet you still are able to do it." Applejack was still not looking up at Starfall, but she was showing signs that his words was reaching her. Starfall used his own magic to remove the sight that was in front of the filly and replaced with a gravestone that had a bouquet of flowers at both their graves. "Your parents would've been very proud of you if they could see you today, and so am I to call you my aunt and to have you in my life to teach me right from wrong."
Drops of tears hit the ground as Applejack was starting to sniffle and breathing more and more hastily, untill she also gave out a cry of grief. She started to cry like a foal at her parents graves. Starfall finally seeing his aunt returning to him, threw himself at her to comfort the transformed mare. "Its okay to cry!" He announced with her in his arms, whilst also sharing a few sympathetic tears over his own grief. Applejack tried to talk, but she just kept stuttering her words and unable to form a sentence. "Shhh its okay.- Its okay you've held it in for a long time now, let it all out!" In a blink of an eye, Applejack was gone from his arms. Starfall felt a slight sense of joy returning to his heart as he saw how he helped Applejack with her pain and grief.
Sometimes, all anyone needs is to let out their pain and share a good cry with that someone they love and trust. Before Starfall left this illusion, he wiped away one of his own half-dried tears from his face.
Starfall found himself in a house he had never seen, but the decorations around the house was only known to him by one and that was Rarity...Also there was a few pictures of her and Fancy Pants. Starfall slowly made his way up the stairs towards what he assumed was his next destination. He could hear the loud noise of a sewing machine, a sound he was more than familiar with in the company of Rarity. "Aunty Rarity!?" He called out, hoping to get a response. He opened the door to the room that was making the sound. The second he touched the doorknob, a flash blinded and transported him to his bedroom where there were several pristine white and red tuxedos dressed unto human shaped manikins.
"What was I doing again?" He asked himself. The door swung open and there stood...Vigile.
"Starfall, you're gonna be late for your own wedding ceremony!"
"Vigile!?"
"I don't wanna hear any excuses, soldier! Get your ass to the throne room, its my job as best-stallion to get you there, no matter if you're the king or prince of Equestria!" With Vigile urging the prince to keep moving, whilst pushing him, he made it to the throne room where he could see his entire family waiting for him and several ponies who have all gathered to witness this occasion. He took his place by Vigile, Frosthowl and Spike who all stood there as his closest friends. The prince couldn't help but to smile at such a joyous occasion. The birds chirping melody was sung and everyone's eyes was averted to the large doors of the throne room with two ceremonial guards opened the door with their magic. At the large doors stood Shining Armor and Skyla in her wedding dress. Her beauty was out of this world and paralyzed the prince in astonishment. She delicately made her way towards the altar where she separated from her father. As she approached Starfall, she stared into his eyes with a smile that seemed to reflect back at her. His heart was racing and he could not remember the last time life was looking so brightly towards him. He hoped this moment would last forever.
Princess Celestia stepped forward and was ready to proceed with the wedding. Whilst Celestia was speaking, Starfall glanced over his best-stallion, friends and family. He could see his mother sitting at her throne watching the whole thing with tears in her eyes. Starfall was also very happy to see the friendly neighbourhood ponies of Canterlot greeting him along with a few citizens from Ponyville.
"-And do you, Princess Skyla, take Prince Starfall to be your husband?"
"I do!" Her eyes sapphire blue eyes stared directly into the prince' eyes. She levitated the golden ring whic made its way unto his ring finger.
"-And do you, Prince Starfall, take Princess Skyla to be your wife?" Vigile stepped forward with the ring and presented it to the prince. Starfall turned around to pick it up from the royal cushion and held it within the grasp of his fingers. As he was about to levitate the ring and give his answer, he saw that all the elements of harmony where here except Rarity...She was the only one missing. Why would Rarity, out of all mares miss out on the day of his wedding, Lightbringer knows that she would drop anything to be one of the bride's grooms. The crowd of ponies started to mutter amongst themselves as the prince was taking his time responding to a question with only one answer. Skyla also started to look worried.
´´RARITY!"
The prince now remember it all, he knew the exact reason why she wasn't here. Because this was all another illusion given of by the sinister shadow of Pride. "I...- I can't marry you Skyla, because this is all a LIE!" He cried out. He could feel a burning desire to stay in this world of constant happiness, but what would the point of life be if there is no hardship. It is hardship that allows joy to exist. "BEGONE FIEND!" With a mighty roar, the world shattered and Starfall found himself in Rarity's sewing room with her son on the ground and her eyes on a terrible mess of a dress that looked like a rag cloth that was stitched a million times over. "Lightbringer's mercy..."
Starfall ran towards his aunt and tried to shake her out of her state, but the moment Starfall was about to grab her, He was flung back with a magical barrier that protected Rarity from any outside contact. The same also happened when he tried to pick up her son. "Rarity, how can you sit and work while your son is laying in floor, in need of his mother!" Rarity did not respond, her eyes were still completely focused on her work. "Do you not see what Legion is doing to you? He has forced you to forsake what you love! He has clouded your mind and blinded you from what really matters in life..." Starfalls own words started to have an impact on himself, as he more and more started to take in his own advice. "You're family...Friends, they all love you unconditionally, and so do I..." for a moment, you could see a hesitation in Rarity's sewing. "Do not turn your back on everyone who loves you...on Sapphire Star." At that point Rarity stared into the mirror, her eyes starting to tear as she realized what she had done. The mare kicked her work chair away and threw herself at her son, Immediately taking him back to his room. Starfall followed and saw how Rarity saw caring for her sick son. She was levitating a spoon with medicine whilst her son laid in his bed, unlike a moment ago, he was awake and smiling, So was Starfall, happy to see everything back as it should be. As he was preparing to leave, he glanced back at the room and saw that Rarity and her son were gone.
Starfall reappeared to what looked like the inside of a volcano. He quickly scanned his surroundings and was cacious for anything that could pop up and harm him. though his hopes of finding Twilight were slim as she was not in this particular illusion. "Aunty!" He called out and spun around, trying to find any lead to what to do.
"YOU!" The voice of...Starfall called out. The prince turned around to see the spiting image of himself with a angry frown. "Do you have any idea what you have done!?" He called out. Starfall was shocked to see his clone in such a state. "Because of you, I lost everything!" He called out. The prince stood silent, not knowing what to do. "Do you have nothing to say for yourself!?" He cried out again.
"I have done nothing!" The prince called out.
"Thats precisely the problem! You should have saved him, you should have been accepted what we truly are and destroyed the humans! Because of you, VIGILE IS DEAD!!"
Starfall was taken back by the accusation, there was nothing he could do to save Vigile, in the day he was but a mere human. "I couldn't have changed it, I can't use my magic during the day! I was powerless to stop them!"
"Powerless...POWERLESS? YOU HAD ALL THE POWER IN THE WORLD!!! The clone charged at Starfall who didn't have a second to defend himself. Before he knew it. The clone was using its own powers against the prince, not only choking him, but fusing them together. Starfall did his best to resist the merging, but he was no match against his own hatred. "Because of you, I lost EVERYTHING!" Starfall's shadow started to fuse into him until he eventually fully absorbed the real one.
Starfall opened his eyes and they were burning with a renewed sensation of anger. As he stood up from the ground he found himself at the edge of Everlife forest. Quickly looking around for the human that took Vigile's life, and it did not take long before he found him.
Hephaestion was staring directly at him, with a devious smile. "I hope you do not mind if I dispose of this first?" He said, lifting up the body of Vigile and incinerating into ash. Starfall roared in absolute anger and charged directly towards Hephaestion. Ready with a punch with enough strength and force to literally obliterate his body. But the conniving human blinked out of sight, leaving the ground to take the hit. A giant earthquake followed as he struck the ground. From the impact, a humongous crater was born. about hundred feet wide and deep. Starfall quickly searched for the human. "Did you really think I would battle someone with your power?" He mocked. "You can't kill me if you can't find me."
"SHOW YOURSELF!!!" He cried out. A whistling sound from above the crater. Starfall quickly looked up and followed with charging up a disintegration beam that literally tore up the ground and scarred the upper crusts of the crater. Melted sand and rock flowed down as Starfall spread his wings and flew up again, still on the hunt for his enemy. Hearing how Hephaestion was calling out to him in one dilibert path, Starfall followed until he reached an abandoned and gray looking Canterlot castle. Starfall used his power to single handedly tear open every roof in the entire city, thinking that he was inside of of them. He quickly let the roofs drop down ontop of their previous place. Starfall saw at the corner of his eye, Hephaestion at the castle balcony. He immediately turned around and flew towards the castle. But instead of tearing it apart, he decided to confront the human. crashing through the stained window, Starfall saw his enemy waiting for him in front of Starfall's throne.
The prince crept a smile. "You have nowhere else to run, you may try and avoid me, but I will catch you!" He spoke with an amused tone.
Hephaestion did not move. "I suppose that you are right, very well then, have you vengance and be done with it!" He said, accepting his fate.
Starfall fumed and gathered all his strength, all his power, all his hatred and anger and focused it all into his fist. The ground and sky quaked as the prince roared out and launched himself towards Hephaestion. For a second, the illusionary world switched from two different ones, one with cocoons and with Twilight and Pinkie all staring in horror at the prince. The powers that Starfall had unleashed was making the illusion unstable. The moment he saw this, he dropped down on his hands and feet on the ground. Starfall finally snapping back to reality, felt how his anger and hatred were causing him extreme pain, groaned and stammered as he was trying to regain control of his body.
"What are you doing!? DESTROY HIM!!" The voices in his mind called out.
"Lies! He is already dead...and so Is Vigile!" Starfall cried out.
"If you do not obey, I will destroy us both! Starfall's hands glowed with golden light. Starfall stood back up and plunged his hands inside his body. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" The voice called out.
"Purging myself from you!" there was no gaping hole in his chest, his hands were merely effecting Starfall's spirit. "I am no longer your slave Legion. I will tear you out from my very being, even if I have to be removed with you!" The voice did not even have a chance to reply before a midnight black shadow was being torn out of the prince' body, clinging on to him like a spiders web to its prey, though Starfall was no helpless prey. With his hands emerging out of his chest, the shadow was forcefully torn of his body and Starfall felt a terrible burden vanish. He fell halfway on the the ground until he managed to catch one hand on the ground. His breath was increased from the strain that he put himself on, and as he looked up at Hephaestion, the illusion dissipated and with it, he could see Pinkie and Twilight staring at him.
"Starfall?" Twilight asked as she stepped closer and closer.
A happy smile spread itself across his face. Seeing his aunt Twilight and Pinkie safe from harm. The prince threw himself at his aunts and embraced them both with his wings. "Thank the Lightbringer I did not harm you!" He cried into their shoulders, but when he leaned his head back, he quickly saw that they were gone...
Luna flew through the ravaged field, had this conflict taken place anywhere else, there would have been many lives lost in this terrifying display of power. She had been greatly weakened and so had the other princesses been, but Twilight, with the help of her brother was able to stand with her friends and other elements. But Luna had been so used to her natural affinity to magic that being completely drained of it left her unconscious for a while.
Several minutes passed and finally, Luna saw her sister and the others, unconscious in the ground, with her body slowly evaporating into a golden light. "TIA!" Luna called out as she dove down. Quickly landing by her side and picking up her limp body, she could see her sister waking up.
"Luna?" She asked in a quiet and drowsy voice.
"Hush, sister, you are...Gravely wounded." She spoke, with tears dripping down her face.
Celestia looked up at her sister, seeing her cry. "Forgive me sister...For wronging you of happiness."
"Shh, its okay, its okay, you didn't do anything wrong." Luna whispered as she embraced her sister and hold her head close to her chest.
"No it was my fault, if it wasn't for me-" She could barely breath between her breaths as she was halfway crying, but trying to stay strong for her sister. "I should have foreseen it, but I was blinded by the praise of our subjects...But now, you have friends, you have a family and you have son who all love you...I have lived a long and happy life with several generation of virtuous and kind-hearted ponies. Some who I had the luxury to call me closest friends, but I...I have a son and husband that are waiting for me...In the other side." Luna's eyes were blinded by her own tears. She couldn't take another breath as she was desperately trying to withhold from crying out loud. Celestia's body was almost fully gone, only her head remained as her body was turned into golden glowing dust. Her horn started to glow faintly and from it, the darkness of it all vanished. Celestia leaned her head towards the rising sun. "The sky...Its beautiful..." And with that, Celestia closed her eyes. "I was so glad that I could see the sunrise...One last time..." Her voice echoed as her existence faded away, leaving Luna alone, trying to catch the golden energy that levitated up towards the sky...
"No...Tia, NO!" Luna buried her head in her hooves sobbing as she did, she let out a shriek of pain one the pain finally hit its focal point. The Elements had all woken up in time to see the tragedy, They all looked away, with tears of their own and grief in their hearts.
-Starfall was in no mood to play hide and seek with the ancient spirit again. "What do you want, War?"
The emptiness of Starfall's mind fused to combine a physical form for War, one that looked like Alexander. "I see that our influance has faded and that my brothers hold on you is no longer."
"Yes, I am free from your corruption. I will no longer heed your call, Now BEGONE, before I unleash my wrath!" Starfall spat at the spirit.
War nodded. "Very well, but know this. You have done nothing to change the outcome our my return, infact I would say that now, you have sealed our return to this world, but for now, I will leave you with this." War touched Starfall's forehead with its finger. "See this as a farewell gift, believe us, it is better to live in the shadow of lies than burn in the radiance of truth!"
Four Days later, Canterlot Castle
An incomprehensible chatter could be heard. Starfall's eyes were drowsily adjusting themselves to the light and he could see movement that he could not make out what it was.
"You guys look, hes waking up!" A feminine voice called.
"Honey, are you alright!?" A blurry dark shape helped him lean up in his bed.
Starfall's vision started to return to himself, and as it did, a shocking realization hit him. "Who...Who are you...Who am I?" He asked as he stared, terrified at a room filled with ponies that he could not recognize.
End of Act IV