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// Chapter 4 
// Story: Secrets and Lies 
// by Metaphor 
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	All Celestia could feel was a constant stinging on her cheeks as her tears were flash boiled by the intense flames. She wished there was another way, anything that would spare her from the task she had just completed...and yet there was nothing. Her most faithful student Twilight Sparkle was gone and now she would have to spin yet another web of lies to cover up the deed she had committed. It would have been easier if it had been like her previous student, but Twilight had done so much, achieved so many goals and reached the hearts of so many ponies...including her own.

Celestia could remember ever instance she had done this stretching back millennia into the dark and forgotten past of Equestria. Each time it had been a struggle but she had been able to brush that aside, reassuring herself that it was for the safety and continued future of her subjects. This time, however, as the fires had consumed Twilight she had even wished it had been herself that stood in Twilight’s place. She had always tried to distance herself as much as possible but the lavender unicorn had meant more to her than anything else on the planet.

As Twilight’s scream suddenly stopped Celestia felt part of herself roll over and die. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes, keeping her magic steady for a few more moments before finally letting it fade. As she did the heat quickly subsided and the deed was completed. She couldn’t look up; she didn’t want to face what would stand before her. She had seen it many times before, alicorns she had seared in white hot magical flames stood before her, their faceless expressions that would forever haunt her dreams. And now Twilight’s face would join them. She took little comfort in the fact that this sacrifice would bind the dark power to the Dias, helping to control and limit their influence across Equestia.

She shed more tears as memories of old began to resurface. Her first meeting with Twilight during her entrance exam to her school was forefront in her mind. Back then she had simply seen a pony who would eventually fit the requirements of the task she had just completed; but as time had gone on she had become so much more. Reuniting her with her sister, defeating Discord, proving her strength by becoming the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony alongside her friends. She had done so much, conquered so many foes. It pained her to know that Twilight would never know just what she had saved Equestria from.

Alicorn magic, it was both a gift and a curse as far as Celestia was concerned. It gave her the power to command the sun and the moon, it extended her life to a point reaching infinity, it gave her power that was beyond the imagination of anypony in Equestria. And yet she and her sister had chosen not to use it, for with it came a terrible price. Both she and Luna had trod that path in the deep dark past of Equestria; a world that had been filled with nightmares and dark beings beyond imagination. The two sisters had ruled with an iron hoof, they had killed anypony that stood in their way and ponykind had lived in fear of them.

What had caused them to change? In truth Celestia couldn’t remember; her long life awash with fractured memories. Of course nopony alive knew of these dark secrets. Records of those times were kept locked and secured within the castle vaults that only she and Luna could open. They had constructed a lie and woven it into the very fabric of pony society; Hearth’s Warming Eve. None of it had happened, the events of Hearth’s Warming simply a way of transitioning their rule from darkness to light. Celestia still felt a little shame in truth, blaming her subjects for the time of darkness and suffering and claiming that she and her sister had rescued them all. Still it had worked and even after centuries the facade still held.

There had of course been slips in the lie; her sister’s transition into Nightmare Moon had been one. A blind eye to jealousy and suffering had nearly toppled the peace they had both tried so hard to create. And yet Twilight had saved the day, the pony she had just sentenced to death. Yet more problems had occurred when Sombra had discovered the existence of alicorn magic. Twice he had nearly brought about a reign of darkness but twice he had been defeated. To think that she had initially planned on sacrificing Cadence, Celestia shuddered. When Cadence had been transformed into an alicorn the magic Celestia had expected to fill her body hadn’t been that of the previous transformations. She still couldn’t explain it but without her unique control over the power of love Sombra would not have been defeated that second time. And so it fell to Twilight.

“I’m so sorry Twilight...” she murmured to herself as she finally looked up.

There before her stood the charred statue of a pony, its features no longer recognisable but Celestia knew who it was. As she continued to look her mind began to replace the charred flesh with that of Twilight’s true forms. Her short styled mane and tail. The wings she had yet to fully bring under her control. Her face...her...Celestia couldn’t picture it. She felt a wave of panic wash over her, why couldn’t she picture her face? That ever smiling and joyous face? Fresh tears flowed down her cheek as she finally crumpled into a pile on the floor.

It was then that Celestia felt something; a faint twinkle of magical energy. She paused and looked up from the ground, her eyes going wide in amazement at what was happening. From the tip of Twilight’s horn a faint purple coloured magical glow was pulsing at a slow regular beat. As she watched it began to speed up, the pulses getting faster and faster by the moment. As the pulses reached a peak Celestia felt a sudden shiver run down her spine as the magical feeling changed. Before her eyes the glow changed in colour, going as black as night before a faint purple glow began to surround it. In a flash the glow expanded, ripping its way across Twilight’s form and encasing her in a black mass of energy.

Celestia sprung to her hooves, backing away slightly as she eyed the scene before her. Slowly the black mass began to fade, sinking into Twilight’s burnt form like a sponge absorbing water. There was a pause, a moment of silence, and then it started to happen. All across Twilight’s body her burnt skin began to transform, purple fur sprouting from all over her body. Her mane and tail also began to grow along with new feathers across her wings. Celestia watched in shock at what was happening, how was it even possible?

As the final patch of lavender fur was filled in Twilight stood still for a moment, her eyes closed and her body almost lifeless. At length her lower jaw moved slowly, taking in a gulp of air as her chest heaved heavily. Celestia couldn’t contain herself, she didn’t know how it had happened or even why, but it had. She rushed forwards, pressing herself hard into Twilight’s form as she embraced her.

“Twilight! Oh Twilight…” she cried, tears almost streaming down her face.

The lavender alicorn didn’t respond for a moment but when she did it sent a shiver down the white alicorn’s spine.

“Hello Celestia…” replied Twilight, her voice flat and filled with hatred.

Celestia pulled back immediately, almost stumbling over the edge of the Dias in her haste. Twilight still had her eyes closed but as she opened them Celestia wished she hadn’t. A pair of glowing green eyes with red pupils met her gaze, the edges of them giving off wisp like clouds of purple smoke. Celestia lowered her head, glaring back at the pony in front of her.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle, your faithful student and Princess of Equestria,” replied the lavender alicorn, “Why? Don’t recognise me?”

“You’re not Twilight, what have you done?”

“I haven’t done anything Celestia.”

“Don’t call me that!” snapped Celestia, the white alicorn giving a short snort as she spoke.

“But you always tell me to,” replied Twilight as a smirk spread across her face.

Celestia stamped her hoof, “I will ask again, what have you done with Twilight?”

“I think what you have done is more important here Celestia, I know all about what you’ve done here…what you’ve done in the past. The real reason you turn ponies into alicorns, we are nothing more than husks to be used to seal away the power you are afraid of. Well Celestia I have news for you, I’m not afraid of such magic, in fact that magic you fear just saved my life…a life you just tried to take from me.”

Celestia’s eyes widened slightly, “No…you didn’t?”

“Didn’t what?” chuckled Twilight, “Decide to live instead of dying? I trusted you Celestia, ever since I was a foal I looked up to you like a second mother. I did everything you asked and then more. I protected Equestria from crumbling into dust…and this is how you repay me?”

“I never wanted…”

“That didn’t stop you though did it? Well Celestia, let me tell you something…I’m not going to let you continue this road of sacrifice. I will stop you right here and right now…and Equestria will praise me for it!”

Without waiting a mass of black magic formed at the tip of Twilight’s horn. Celestia barely had time to respond as the torrent of magic screamed towards her but somehow she managed. Her own magic lunged forwards, slamming into the mass that approached her, and for a moment the pair were locked in a struggle that neither seemed capable of breaking.

“Even after expending so much magic only a moment ago you’re still able to resist…impressive,” commented Twilight as she absently licked her lips.

“I will never bow to the darkness again! Never!” replied Celestia as she struggled to keep her footing.

“You don’t need to bow Celestia…you just need to die!”

As if commanded by her words black spots began to appear on the floor all around Celestia. At first she didn’t seem to notice, her vision locked on Twilight, but as they began to move her eyes flicked to the nearest one. She didn’t have much time to observe them though as long wisp like black tendrils shot from the spots. Although they had no physical mass the magical tendrils still packed a solid punch. One struck Celestia across her neck, the tendril vanishing into thin air as it hit but not before it delivered a powerful magical blow to the alicorn.

Celestia staggered slightly, her magic momentarily faltering and allowing Twilight to press the advantage. More tendrils whipped up around her, snapping forward to strike her. Each one left a searing black mark across her white coat and each one nearly caused the alicorn to cry out in pain. It was almost as if they were sapping her strength as with each hit she could feel herself becoming weaker. This was the moment Twilight had been waiting for, summoning every ounce of magical power she had she forced it into the beam that was still holding steady between them.

The sudden pulse of magic raced towards Celestia, the alicorn not able to withstand the sudden rush. With a scream of pure agony Celestia was hit full force by Twilight’s magic, the very air itself appearing to turn black as the explosion echoed off the stone walls. Twilight shook her head slightly, lightly rubbing a hoof against her temple before approaching the scene before her.

Celestia lay on the ground, her body charred with magical energy that still seemed to dance around her body. Her left wing had been virtually torn to pieces and thin trails of blood lines her white coat. Twilight stopped in front of her, chuckling slightly to herself as Celestia tried to move but found that all she could do was glare coldly.

“Now now Celestia, is that any way to look at your prized student? I could have killed you just now so you should be grateful, I’m not like you.”

Celestia just coughed slightly, still trying to move from her position on the floor. At the tip of her horn a small ball of magic was trying to form but in her condition Celestia was having immense trouble. Twilight shook her head again.

“Really Celestia? Still trying to resist? Haven’t you learned yet that I’m now more powerful than even you?”

Twilight walked closer, stopping right next to the alicorn. She knelt down, using a hoof to grip Celestia’s chin and turn her head to face her. For a moment she just looked into Celestia’s eye, the ruler of Equestria still looking defiant despite her position. Twilight sighed and removed her hoof, Celestia’s head slamming back to the floor with a thud. Celestia gave a grunt at the impact but managed to avoid crying out. She shut her eyes, trying her best to focus her magic, when suddenly she froze. Something had grazed her horn, sliding from the base to the tip of the long structure. Her eyes snapped open to find Twilight lightly resting a hoof against her horn.

“If you insist on resisting this much I’m simply going to have to silence you aren’t I?”

She didn’t say anything else as she raised her hoof. Celestia realised too late what she was about to do but even if she had she would have been too weak to prevent it. Twilight brought her hoof down heard, slamming her full weight onto Celestia’s horn. A sickening crack of bone breaking echoed around the room as Celestia’s horn splintered into a million pieces beneath Twilight’s hoof.

For a moment Celestia could only stare wide eyed but as the pain finally reached her brain she could do little else but scream. Twilight took a shuddering breath, almost revelling in the pain Celestia’s scream embodied. Looking down the shattered pieces of Celestia’s horn lay lifeless on the floor. The broken stump attached to Celestia’s head was fizzling slightly but as Twilight watched the fizzing stopped and the broken horn fell silent. Twilight grinned, Celestia wouldn’t be casting any more spells…ever.

Her own magic flared to life as she gripped Celestia’s tail and dragged her across the room. One of the old cages at the back of the room swung open and Twilight mercilessly threw Celestia into it. The cage door didn’t have a lock but as she closed it she levitated a few rusted bars from a nearby cage into view and wrapped them around the bars to hold the door shut. Without magic it was doubtful Celestia would be able to undo the metal twist ties. She looked at her former mentor, the alicorn curled up on the floor sobbing pitifully into her hooves.

“Huh! Pathetic, is this all an alicorn is capable of? Perhaps your sister will prove to be more interesting.”

At these words Celestia jumped, opening an eye and looking up at Twilight through the bars.

“Stay away from my sister…don’t you dare hurt her…” she sobbed quietly.

“Hurt her? Oh I’m not going to hurt her…at least not straight away. I’m going to humiliate her, torment her and belittle her first…then depending on how she acts I may just kill her. Only time will tell.”

Twilight grinned once more and turned her back on Celestia. Even as the white alicorn kept throwing quiet threats at her she didn’t turn around. She had other things on her mind…