//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6: Stand Aside 
// Story: The Alicorn King's Glare 
// by LightOfTriumph 
//------------------------------//

Twilight slowly told her friends everything that she saw, and there was a long silence.

The reactions of her five friends were varied. Rarity's jaw was on the floor, aghast at the evil she had just heard. Around the part about Clover's suicide, Fluttershy had started softly crying, it didn't look like she was going to stop anytime soon. Pinkie Pie had her head down on the table, mane slightly deflated, her nose buried in her hooves. Applejack had put her hat to her chest and had her eyes closed, as if she just heard about the death of a good friend. Rainbow Dash, however, was stone faced. It was hard to tell her emotions on the matter.

At least it was until she kicked over the table (along with Pinkie), and barreled toward the door. "WHERE IS HE?!!"

Fluttershy and Applejack leaped up and restrained her. "Whoa there, Missy."

"Rainbow Dash, stop!" Fluttershy cried.

"Did you hear what Twilight just said?" Rainbow Dash was squirming to get out of her friends' grip. "He tortured his subjects! He killed an innocent mare! He drove his friend crazy! He hit his daughter, our princess! You can't expect me to just sit here and wait for him to show up and hurt somepony else!"

"Yes," Twilight Sparkle said firmly. "There's nothing we can do right now but wait. Anything we try to do to the mirror runs the risk of activating it. That could easily turn us into vegetables or what's worse, let him out. We have to think of a plan."

Dash slowly came to the conclusion that Twilight was right. With one final burst of anger she kicked the wall, and then she took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Twilight reassured her. "No one has ever managed to land a significant blow on Seraphim Glare without losing themselves in the process. But I won't let that happen to me, and it will be a lot easier with you girls at my side." Twilight held her hoof out. "If you're with me."

Without hesitation, Rainbow Dash threw her hoof in. "Aren't I always?"

Applejack was soon to follow. "You weren't expectin' me to sit this one out, were ya?"

Fluttershy shakily put her hoof in, "Whatever you need me to do, I'm here for you Twilight."

Rarity gracefully followed, "As am I, as far as I'm concerned this 'Glare' fellow can't be dispatched soon enough."

"You need to ask? There's no way I'd miss something as exciting as this!" Pinkie Pie completed the circle. "Bring it on!"

A mysterious pulse radiated between Twilight and her friends. Twilight smiled. That pulse gave her hope.

There seemed to be a commotion in the halls. Guards were running past the door in a frenzy. Civilians were being ushered past the door. Twilight heard her brother roar over the crowd. "All right boys, move it! Get to the front gates! This is not a drill!"

"What the hay is goin' on?" Applejack said.

"Shining Armor?" Twilight and the other five rushed to join the guards.

Shining caught site of them, and didn't stop walking. "Twily, we need you six to stay back, you guys are our last resort. We don't know what we're up against here. We don't want to waste you guys fighting something we might be able to solve ourselves."

"Because that's likely," Flash Sentry strode quickly next to his captain. 

"You knew what the job meant when you enlisted, Sentry," Shining said.

"I'm not denying that," Flash responded, "Just saying this is still a boneheadedly stupid plan."

"That why you're so hesitant?" Shining grinned at his Lieutenant.

"No way," Flash grinned back. "That's why I'm right with you."

Shining let out a chuckle. "Where are the princesses?"

"Celestia and Luna are barricaded in the throne room surrounded by several of our scariest looking recruits," Flash answered. "Your wife is headed to Canterlot under royal guard- Again, I ask why?"

"After what she just told me," Shining responded as though the thought were weighing heavily on his mind, "She's staying out of danger."

"Cadence told you?" Twilight said, forgetting for a moment what was going on.

"Yeah," Shining said, with an enormous goofy smile on his face. "Can you believe it?"

"Congratulations to the both of you!" Twilight said cheerfully.

"Oh yeah!" Flash tapped his forehead with his hoof. "And your Archmage sister is standing directly next to you heading with us to the battle that very few, if any, of us will make it out of alive. Shouldn't she be getting into position right now.?"

Shining Armor regained his composure and turned to Twilight. "Twily, I need you to wait in front of the throne room. Make sure the fight doesn't come to the two sisters. We'll do our best to slow him down."

"Wait," Twilight said, fearing and knowing the answer to the question she was about to ask. "What's happening?"

"New report from the town square," Flash answered. "Two of our boys turned to ash"

Shining Armor put his hoof on the door. "He's here."





The town square was silent. It was surrounded by ponies staring in awe at the two figures that were walking toward the castle gates. A group of shaking guards were standing in front of the palace doors.

Seraphim Glare walked through the crowd with a kingly smile on his face, head held high as if this was some sort of royal parade for him. Around his neck there was a gold chain, from it dangled a small gilded mirror. The hooded figure beside him stayed silent. Her head tilted toward the ground.

They approached the guards. "Stand aside," Said Glare's hooded companion.

"Y-You aren't welcome here," a guard said feebly. "If you don't turn back I will be forced to-"

"You will do nothing," Glare said with confidence.

The guard immediately fell silent. Squinting in horror at the brightness of Seraphim Glare.

"You will sit there and you will do nothing," Glare continued. "You will do as all other creatures of darkness do, and that is cower before my light. I am here to rebuild the kingdom I once had, and nothing will stop me from doing so. If you wish to live to see my utopia, you will do as my daughter says, and stand aside."

There was a long pause. And then with great fear, and great shame on their faces, one by one the guards made way for the Alicorn King.

He was stopped at the door by two crossed lances.

"I'm sorry sir," said Flash Sentry. "It costs a bit for a castle tour."

"That's right," Shining Armor was casting a powerful barrier spell on the door. "And I'm afraid the castle is closed for the night regardless. Please come back tomorrow around ten AM."

Glare stared at the two soldiers with some amusement. "You do realize that you're both committing suicide?"

"Yep," Flash said. "But you see, we have a job to do, namely keeping you out. We will probably fail at this. But the one thing I can say for certain is that no one is going to say is that we let you."

"We're the guard," Shining chipped in. "The last thing we do is stand aside."

This inspired the other guards to take up arms. Their fear replaced with a sense of duty, over fifty lances were pointed at Seraphim Glare.

The Alicorn King gave a cold laugh at this situation. "Bravo, gentlemen! Bravo indeed. You all are true servants of the light. I enjoy seeing loyalty. It's so easy to turn. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you shall all be living to see my utopia. The bad news is that you were right. You will fail to protect this castle." Glare turned to his companion. "Leave them alive, I may have use for them later."

"Yes, father." Wings erupted from the coat. A horn glowed under the hood. The hooded figure released a magical force so intense that it sent all the guards flying back twenty feet from the door, shattering the barrier spell, and slamming Shining Armor and Flash Sentry against the door frame.

Glare was about to walk into the castle when he paused. He turned to the crowd, and summoned a bit from the saddlebag of a spectator. He placed it upon the unconscious body of Flash. "For the tour."

As he walked into the castle, two walls of fire erupted from the ground. One around the Crystal Palace, and one around the empire itself.





Twilight and her friends saw the door open. "This is it! Get ready!"

Rainbow Dash noticed the hooded figure. "Who's she?"

"I'm not sure," Twilight said. "Just stay on your guard."

Glare and his companion stopped to examine the six. "Now, father?"

"Not yet," Glare replied. "What I have in store for them shall take some time, and I must discuss things with your sisters."

There were two loud cracks through the air, and Twilight felt two gusts of wind blow past her. The doors to the throne room exploded off their hinges, as if impacted by a wagon.

Glare and the hooded mare were now in the throne room, staring at the two princesses.

"Hold it!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she and the others started to rush in.

"Stay back, Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia yelled. "We wish to speak to our father."

Twilight held the others back, unsure of what was going to happen.

Glare stared at his daughters, a longing nostalgia in his eyes, "It's good to see you girls."

The sisters stood silent.

Glare looked out the window at the night sky. "Luna, I must ask. Where did I go wrong with you? Why would you bring about this darkness twelve hours a day?"

"The night is my pride and joy," Luna answered firmly. "It's a peaceful time of rest. Not all darkness is evil, Father."

Glare let out a sharp laugh. "Is that so? You know, Luna, in my years of exile I sill managed to see what was going on in my kingdom, and on one of your 'nights', I caught the most charming little song. How did it go...?" Glare let loose an evil grin. "Ah, I remember. Nightmare Night...."

Luna was stunned at hearing her father sing. "Stop it..."

"What a fright.."

Tears were beginning to well up in Luna's eyes. "Stop it..."

"Give us something sweet to-"

"STOP IT!!!" Luna shrieked as she leaped at her father.

Seraphim Glare batted his daughter aside like she was a fly in the air. "Luna!" Celestia screamed as she rushed over to her sister.

"The darkness is evil, Luna," Glare said, walking up to the throne as if he owned it. "There are no exceptions. As you figured out yourself it will only lead you on a path to despair."

"T-the only place I found despair," Luna said weakly, a fresh burn on her cheek, "was down the path you lead me."

Glare looked solemnly at his daughters. "That hurts me, Luna."

"Hurts you?!" Celestia was furious, rising up to her hoofs, spreading her wings out. "You deserve all the pain you could possibly receive! How many ponies lives have you destroyed?! I have lost subjects, friends, and nearly my own sister to your cruelty, and I am ashamed to share your blood!"

A tear rolled down Glare's cheek, it quickly evaporated into steam. "All I have ever wanted in this world was to keep my daughters happy." He took off his pendant and handed it to the robed mare. "Please, Light, do so."

The hooded figure cast a spell on the pendant and it expanded into the golden mirror. It landed next to the throne, and beams of light shot out from itinto the eyes of the two sisters.

"Star...?" Celestia said, seemingly in a trance. "I just came by to... visit... how's.... Clover?" She fell to the ground. A warm grin on her face.

"Sombra..." Luna said quietly. "Sombra... please.... don't lose yourself to him." Tears streamed down Luna's face.

Twilight watched in horror as she saw the two princesses fall. She looked up at Seraphim Glare with an emotion she had little experience of. Hate. "Alright, girls," Twilight growled. "Let's send this monster back to his mirror where he belongs!"

They were about to charge in when steel bars blocked the doorway to the throne room.

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie said.

"What in tarnation?!"

"What's the matter, Seraphim?" Rainbow Dash cried through the bars. "Too scared to face us?!"

"This..." Glare looked bewildered. "Was not my doing."

"I'm afraid it was mine..." A familiar voice seemed to be coming from all around them. "Sorry I'm late everypony, but I'm here to help in anyway I can. By the way, I don't think sending him back to the mirror will work this time around, Twilight Sparkle. We'll need a more permanent solution."

"Wait," Glare was looking around him for the source of the noise. "If you are on their side, why lock them out from the fight? Trust me you'll need all the help you can get. From my position, this makes no sense."

"Make sense? Ohohoho..." 

There was a snap and a familiar figure appeared in front of the bars.

"What fun is there in making sense?" said Discord.