//------------------------------//
// Nightmare's Apex part 2 
// Story: Dark Terrors 
// by Dragon Angel Knight 
//------------------------------//

Nightmare's Apex Part 2

Luna regained awareness slowly, as if someone had put layers and layers of thin cloth over her face and was taking them off one by one. Blinking rapidly, her vision finally cleared enough for her to be able to take stock of the situation. 

Looking around, Luna saw nothing but a desolate grey wasteland. Looking up, Luna nearly broke down in despair. Floating in the void above her was the planet she called home, Yggdra. Weeping openly, she collapsed in the crater she now found herself in. She was on the moon once again. Why, she did not know, but the knowledge that Celestia, Twilight, and the rest of the Elements had deigned to banish her again for some crime or another left Luna heartbroken and miserable.

Hours later, or maybe days, Luna could not tell, the Lunar alicorn began to feel pulses of dark magic coming from somewhere on the moonscape. Getting to her hooves, she began to walk in the direction of the pulses. Again, the passage of time was lost to Luna, for after what seemed like an eternity, she came upon a castle built into the side of a mountain. 

Even though Luna had quite literally been there and done that in her long life, she felt awed in the presence of the castle. Walking towards the drawbridge, Luna felt the pulses of magic grow stronger and more frequent. Then, as if struck, Luna stopped, her coat paling.

"Welcome, Luna!" Nightmare Moon said with a cruel smile from the other side of the drawbridge.

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

"What's going on Princess?" Twilight asked as she, Spike, the other Elements of Harmony, and Queen Chrysalis were escorted to the infirmary.

"Yes, what is so important that your guards felt the need to attempt to steal me away?" Chrysalis asked with a huff, "This had better not be about the damn wedding, because I have already drafted and sent a formal apology to both you and Princess Cadence."

In yet another surprising show of insight, Pinkie said, "It's Luna."

The others snapped off any retorts to Chrysalis they may have had. Even Chrysalis seemed cowed by that simple statement of fact. 

Celestia looked at Pinkie and nodded, saying, "Luna has fallen ill. The cause is Nightmare Moon."

"I thought Twilight and the others beat her, though," Spike said from beside Rarity, "How?"

"Nightmare Moon is like the other side of a coin that she shares with Luna," Twilight said with a sudden burst of understanding, "All we did with the elements was bring Luna's real personality to the forefront while Pushing Nightmare Moon to the back, right Princess?"

"Yes, my faithful student," Celestia said somberly, "Shortly after she began dream walking, I was alerted to what was happening by one of Luna's Night Guard. I have seen her body flickering between Nightmare Moon's form and her own since I arrived here in the infirmary.. Luna is fighting for her very survival, but I fear that if Luna loses, Nightmare Moon will lock her away so deep in the darkness that not even the Elements will be able to help."

"If that's the case, then why are we even here?" Chrysalis asked, irritated.

"Because we're the ones closest to Luna," Pinkie replied evenly, "She knows each of us by name. She's helped us deal with our problems, one by one. Hay, she's even started dating one of us, right Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash blushed heavily and uncharacteristically mumbled out, "Yes."

Smiling, Celestia nodded and said, "Yes. Insightful as always, Pinkie Pie."

Spike, catching on then continued, "And because of that, you think we can help her, right, Princess?"



`~`~`~`~`~

Luna crashed into the ground. She had been fighting against Nightmare Moon for eons by this point, her will to fight being bolstered by thoughts of her loved ones and friends whenever she thought about giving up.

"I'd ask again whether or not you'd give up, little moon," Nightmare Moon said as she appeared above Luna, "But I already know the answer. It almost seems as if you enjoy fighting me like this."

Struggling to her hooves, Luna launched a bolt of moonlight in the direction of her foe, then striking out with a buck that could shatter diamond behind her as Nightmare Moon appeared there with a flash.

"I don't like it, Nightmare," Luna said panting heavily, "But I know what is going to happen should I fail."

Laughing manically, Nightmare Moon got back up and shot towards Luna, locking horns with the smaller alicorn.

"You don't get it do you?" Nightmare asked, "I've already won! Your body is beaten, your magic is all but used up! The only thing left to break down is your mind and I will truly return and bring forth my eternal night!!"

Luna's legs began to buckle heavily as Nightmare Moon pushed forward. Her legs gave out and Nightmare Moon lashed out with her magic, flinging Luna across the moonscape, the small alicorn bouncing as she hit the ground.

Luna struggled to her hooves once more and saw Nightmare Moon readying enough magic to level Canterlot three times over. She hung her head in defeat, just wishing to see her friends one more time.

`~`~`~`~

Spike was the first to hear the call. He went over to Luna's side and touched his head to hers and said, "Luna, keep fighting. We're all here for you. Come back to us, please..."

`~`~`~`~

Luna raised her head in shock. She thought she had heard Spike's voice, encouraging her to keep fighting. But it was so hard for her to continue. She had almost nothing left... Tears began to form as Nightmare Moon's attack came ever closer.
`~`~`~`~`

Chrysalis heard the call next. She sat next to Luna's other side and said, "I don't know what you think you're doing moon flank, but you'd better get that thing in gear. You still owe me that treaty, damn it."

`~`~`~`~

There it was again! Nightmare Moon could have sworn that another voice had been heard, encouraging the faltering moon princess to keep going. It was all pointless though, as she forced her magic into an even larger blast. The way she saw it, if it was worth doing, then it was worth over doing. And what could be more worth doing than finally getting revenge against Celestia and her precious Elements? But first things first. 

`~`~`~`~

Fluttershy heard the call. She fluttered over to Luna's side, sitting next to Spike and said, "You helped me, so now it's my turn to help you. Please, keep fighting."

`~`~`~`~

Luna heard Fluttershy's soft voice. It gave her enough strength to light her horn in a teleportation spell and blink out of existence just before the spell hit.

"We're not done yet!" Luna cried as she rushed Nightmare Moon, defiance in her eyes.

`~`~`~`~

Rarity heard Luna's cry in her heart and said, "Don't give up! We're all here waiting for you, Luna!"

`~`~`~`~

Nightmare Moon's eyes went wide in shock as Luna charged her and struck. There was more force behind that single buck than everyone before it. It just shouldn't have been possible for Luna to recover like that!

"W-what is this?" Nightmare Moon asked in a panic.

`~`~`~`~

Pinkie smiled when she heard Luna's call. She sat down Next to Chrysalis and said, "C'mon, Luna! I've got a party to plan after this! And I can't do that if the guest of honor is asleep!"

`~`~`~`~

Luna smiled happily and gave a jovial laugh as she struck Nightmare Moon with a blast of magic from her horn, sending the dark mare flying.

"I'm looking forward to it, Pinkie Pie!!"

`~`~`~`~

Applejack heard the call and sat down next to Pinkie. She sighed and said, "I need ya'll to come back now, y'hear? Ya still need to help me with Applebloom dang it, and I intend to make you keep that promise!"

`~`~`~`~

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened even more as she fell to the ground. Luna shouldn't have been this powerful! Not in her own Nightmares! This was HER realm, not Luna's, her darkness, her thoughts and power, NOT LUNA'S!!

So how was this alicorn, barely larger than a filly, still beating her, mistress of darkness, empress of nightmares, and the Mare in the Moon?

Nightmare Moon braced herself as Luna came at her once again, giving no room for retaliation.

`~`~`~`~

Rainbow Dash heard the call, slightly louder than anyone else. She sat down next to Spike, close to Luna's head and said, "I'm not good with this kind of stuff."

Rainbow sighed, then continued with a blush, "When I first saw you, I thought you were really cute. I wanted to ask you out then and there, but something in my head held me back. I figured I didn't have a chance with a mare as awesome and pretty as you, let alone a princess, so I didn't say anything. And when I finally did say something, you said you wanted to give it a shot. So, Luna, please, come back. I want to see how far we go. But I can't do it alone."

`~`~`~`~

Luna's heart swelled as she heard Rainbow Dash's words. She smiled and looked towards the planet hanging in the void above the moon.

"I'll be home soon, Rainbow Dash," Luna said, "I promise."

`~`~`~`~

Twilight heard the call next. She sat at the foot of the bed, next to Celestia. She rested her head on her mentor's shoulder.

"You helped me come to terms with who I am," Twilight said, "I would be proud to call you Aunt. Or, if it happens, Sister."

Celestia looked down at Twilight in shock as Twilight looked up with a blush. Twilight nodded and Celestia nuzzled her student, a blush coloring her own cheeks.

`~`~`~`~

Nightmare Moon looked truly terrified as Luna kept getting stronger and stronger. No matter what the dark alicorn tried, nothing worked, at least not for very long anyway. Luna kept up the assault, forcing Nightmare Moon to come up with incredibly desperate ways to avoid the attacks. That didn't work all the time, however, so the mistress of nightmares still took quite the beating from her light counterpart. 

Luna whispered softly, a single tear falling, "I would be proud to call you Sister, Twilight Sparkle."

`~`~`~`~

From her spot next to Twilight, Celestia heard the call, perhaps even more strongly than Rainbow Dash. She dipped her head for a moment, then rose up and began to sing.

"lulay moon princess, good night sister mine.
Rest now in moonlight's embrace
bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth,
through cloud and through sky and through space!!
Carry the peace and the coolness of night,
and carry my sorrow in kind!
Luna you're loved so much more than you know,
forgive me for being so blind...."

`~`~`~`~

Luna and Nightmare Moon fought for ages longer. The former had an incredible advantage, due to whatever was feeding her power. The latter was beaten, bruised, bloody, and broken. 

Just when it seemed that Luna would finish Nightmare Moon off, the dark alicorn bellowed in rage.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" she screeched, halting Luna in her tracks, "I AM THE ONE WHO RULES HERE, NOT YOU!"

"That is where you are wrong, Nightmare Moon!" Luna shouted evenly, "This is naught but a nightmare. One crafted by you, yes, but a nightmare in MY mind all the same!"

"NO!" Nightmare Moon screamed, "I WON'T BE BEATEN LIKE THIS!!"

The dark alicorn rushed Luna. Luna locked horns with her and pushed back, neither giving any ground to the other.

"You have lost, Nightmare Moon," Luna said evenly.

"Not yet, I haven't," Nightmare Moon replied with venom in her voice. Bringing a foreleg off to the side and sweeping it behind Luna's legs, she brought Luna to her knees. As Luna fell, her horn cut across Nightmare Moon's muzzle.

Laughing, Nightmare Moon began to stomp Luna into the lunar dust. She kept going until she thought that Luna was well and truly finished, then backed off, a triumphantly manic grin on her face.

"Finally!!" She crowed, "Finally I am free!"

Luna began to stir, drawing Nightmare Moon's attention once more. The dark alicorn watched in fear as Luna got back up, completely unharmed.

"H-how?" Nightmare asked, "How are you still here?!"

"We are evenly matched here, Nightmare," Luna replied, "I cannot end you, and you cannot end me, for to do so would spell certain doom for the other."

"N-no," Nightmare said fearfully as Luna advanced on her, "S-stay back!"

Luna continued her advance and eventually came close enough to embrace Nightmare Moon. When she did, Nightmare stopped struggling and began to sob uncontrollably. Nothing was said between the two, as nothing was needed. When Nightmare Moon stopped her sobbing, there was a brilliant flash of light.

Then, Luna woke up.

`~`~`~`~