Canterlot Palace
May 1, 8:59 AM
Sky stared incredulously at the scene before him. It was unbelievable. Ludicrous. It was just plain stupid.
Which, for the second time in the last twenty-four hours, made perfect sense.
Sky stood agape before the towering palace gates. They loomed over him, as if to look down in contempt. But to Sky’s surprise, the doors were wide open. A glowing magic veil stretched across the opening, but in what may have been the most absurd sight he had ever beheld, an enormous zipper split the magic barrier in two, and the two sides of the magic wall swayed like curtains in the breeze. ‘Wonder of the unexpected’ to be sure.
And, what was more, Ace and Scope were nowhere to be seen. Looks like they got in, though I doubt it was the way they expected to go.
Sky turned back and gazed across the skyline of Canterlot. Against the clear blue sky, distinct plumes of smoke rose in small columns to the heavens. Sky’s mind grew hot in frustration. How can anyone look at that and think that they’re “protecting” Equestria!? He’s causing all that pain and destruction!
“But Ghost sees you as the greatest contradiction in Equestria. So much power, but you never use it to its fullest potential.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Sky asked, opting to go vocal with the voice in his head.
“Discord didn’t tell you everything that was written in that journal. If he had, he would have told you that Ghost wrote that he despises you because you remind him of Celestia. The legend of your victory over the Chimera has demonstrated your power, but you hold it in. You don’t use it to further yourself or your status.”
“Hello?” Sky scoffed. “This is Equestria. The self-proclaimed capital of Harmony and Friendship. Where does he get off with these thoughts of self-promotion and conquest?”
“Because, Sky Streak, he does not look see the future of Equestria in the present: he sees it in the past.”
There was a moment of awkward silence. “That’s the most confusing thing I’ve ever heard,” Sky managed at last.
“Ghost does not care for Equestria is now. In his mind, the foundation for making Equestria great is not the present, but the past.”
“Okay,” Sky began with a touch of irritation, “we’ve established that you’re good with riddles. So can we drop the double-talk and cut to the chase with this? I know that Ghost is the heir of Storm Emblem, who was a…servant, I guess, of Princess Luna. And his line has vowed revenge on Celestia for some trumped-up charge of cruel treatment of Storm Emblem.” He traced the smoky outline of Canterlot again. “But how does that play into Ghost’s plan for his ‘great Equestria’?”
“For the answer to that question, you will need to ask Ghost yourself.”
The curtains of magic swayed open invitingly, but a cold wind blew out, causing Sky to recoil and shudder. Once the gust of air passed, he turned again to the gates, only to be met by a lavender pegasus mare staring back at him in surprise.
“Blitz!” Nova yelled, bounding towards him. She threw her forelegs around his neck as she reached him. “You’re all right!”
“You sound surprised,” Sky deadpanned. But as she held him, he couldn’t keep the corners of his mouth from turning up in a soft smile.
“Hush, you,” she shot back, pulling away. “I’m glad you’re okay, but listen: I couldn’t find Mystic,” she continued, a mix of disappointment and panic on her face. “She wasn’t in the throne room, and I went to the royal quarters, but nopony was there, either. I looked for any of the royal guards to ask them, but I could hardly find any, and what few there were didn’t seem to know anything.”
“Not good,” Sky said, drawing away from her and staring into the palace. “Ghost might have managed to get her down into the vault. And if he has, we may be too late.”
“But…but she might not be there!” Nova stammered, though she was clearly shaken by the possibility that they had failed.
“I think that if Ghost had succeeded, we’d know,” Sky continued, “so I think we still have time. Though it’s not much. Listen, I’m going to the vault to face Ghost. I need you to keep looking for Luna. If you find her, tell her what’s going on and have her seal off access to that vault.”
“But what about you?” Nova protested.
“That’s a good question,” Sky admitted. “And to be honest, I’ve only really thought this out to a certain point, so I’ll just have to make it up after that.” He offered her a confident smile, though the face she gave him was anything but pleased.
“You can’t go alone! Ghost has to be expecting that! He’s hoping for that!”
The look of surprise on Sky’s face was genuine. “You actually thought I was going to face him by myself? You should know better than that.”
“What?”
“Go find Princess Luna, Nova,” Sky ordered. He walked past her towards the palace gate. “We have to find her first.” His head turned back again, and his eyes glinted with the grave nature of the situation. “Promise me you’ll find her!”
“I—I promise!” she said, startled by his sudden stoicism.
“Alright, then, no time to waste!” He spread his own wings and launched himself into the waiting grasp of the walls of the castle, leaving Nova outside before she could say another word. She’d never be able to go if I didn’t leave. She’d never admit it, but she’s scared. I can see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. And she’s perfectly right to be. She’d be crazy if she wasn’t scared. I just hope she has the courage and determination to push through it.
Sky whizzed along the familiar corridors of the palace, but, as Nova had indicated, it seemed that he was mostly alone. He saw no servants, no royal guards…it was as if the entire palace was asleep. Or had been evacuated.
The rumble of a distant boom came to Sky’s ears. He hoped it was nothing worse.
The light billowed in the windows as Sky passed them, but more than the glare of the sun, Sky was aware of the foreboding feeling of darkness as he raced for the secret vault. I just don’t get it, he thought. How can Ghost think that this is protecting Equestria? This goes against everything that I believe in, so how can he believe in it?
The hallways narrowed as he headed for the north wing of the palace. The passage was familiar to Sky, who had traversed the path nearly every day for the past year. However, he had never done so with the urgency and sense of impending doom that weighed upon his mind now. Luna was missing, and a mad pony was desperate to find her and use her in his sinister plot. His friends had been manipulated into thinking he was a villain and had attacked him. His truest love lay in a hospital, perhaps never to wake up again. He couldn’t be blamed if he felt like the entire world was imploding.
Finally, he turned a corner and paused for a moment. The hallway ahead of him ended abruptly with a familiar sight for him: a solitary doorway, covered by a magic barrier. Sky had never really considered it before, but now he realized that it was indeed a magic seal. And every day, he had used the same method to open the same door.
But he had never imagined that another method might open a different door.
“The entry into the vault is protected by an impenetrable barrier,” Discord had told him. “It was designed so that only a specific kind of alicorn magic could open it. Well, chaos magic, too, but I digress. Anyways, alicorns have always possessed a highly concentrated amount of magic power. As a result, they can channel magic spells from almost any part of their bodies, not just their horns. You would need to be able to cast a magic spell from your hooves to open the door.”
“Blitz, you got your magic from Twilight Sparkle, right?” Ace had asked. “She wasn’t an alicorn when you gained your powers, was she?”
No, Sky answered his thoughts. But she is now.
He hurried over to the door and placed not one, but both of his front hooves against the barrier, causing it to glimmer brightly for a moment. Another boom, only closer this time. Ace, can you hear me? Scope?
No response.
Sky closed his eyes and said a silent prayer: Twilight, give me strength.
Then he performed a spell that was impossible, save for those touched by the magic of an alicorn: he channeled magic through his hooves, directly into the magic seal. The barrier did not shine, glow, or undergo any other kind of dramatic change; it simply ceased to block his path.
Sky couldn’t help but smile a bit. Princess Celestia’s gonna kill me when she finds out I know about this now.
A third boom. A banner hanging nearby swayed as the sound shook the wall from which it hung. Again, Sky reached out to his partners. Ace? Scope? Where are you guys? What’s going on?
Blitz! The sound of Ace’s voice rang in his mind. Even in Sky’s head thoughts, the unicorn sounded exhausted. There you are! Hurry up and get down here!
Even without hearing anything aside from Ace’s voice, Sky was perfectly aware of the chaos surrounding his unicorn commander. It was like a distortion, or an abundance of static filling their psychic link. What’s all the commotion?
It’s Boulder! Ace shouted back. He’s protecting Ghost! An extra set of hooves sure would be nice to help deal with him!
Sky didn’t need any more of an invitation. His wings burst open wide as he launched himself into a dive down the tunnel. The tips of his wings came within millimeters of the narrow walls of the corridor, causing sparks to dance in his wake. I’m on my way! he answered. Just hang on!
But before he could even finish his message, the static of conflict detonated into an earsplitting ring, loud and piercing, like a dozen emergency sirens raised an octave in pitch. Sky staggered, stumbling down a flight of steps as he reeled from the sudden outburst. His senses were slow to recover, but his wits hadn’t lost a step. Ace? Scope?
Receiving no answer, he called out into the emptiness of his mind with increasing desperation. Ace! Answer me!
Nothing.
He nearly forced himself to dash ahead when his senses recovered just enough to reveal that all around him, the entire corridor seemed to be shaking. The sound was fading, but given the volume that it was still rattling around with, it must have been quite the blast that had caused it in the first place. And to Sky, it was a haunting reminder of the night the Chimera had used the earthquake to threaten the entire city.
Beads of cold sweat began to form against Sky’s skin. It’s just theatrics, he told himself. Ghost is just trying to psych you out!
But another thought was quick to follow. Even so, Boulder’s power is immense, and if he puts his magic into it, there’s no telling what he might be capable of. A dozen images of his friends flashed before his eyes, all lying helpless on the ground before Ghost’s cruel scowl, with Boulder standing obediently at his side.
“Never.”
He bounded ahead, hooves skipping along every stair. The jolt of every step stoked the intensity in his brain as he closed in on the final confrontation before him. The staircase grew dark, lit only by the glowing crystals embedded in the ceiling of the corridor.
“Hold, Sky Streak.”
Sky skidded to a stop in spite of his sense of urgency. What? he demanded angrily.
“You go to a fight, but you are not prepared for it. I hope to change that for you.”
I don’t really have time for this, Sky fired back. So, if you don’t mind…
“Why are you afraid of your darkness?”
Sky snorted aloud. He was anxious to reach the chamber, but he couldn’t help but be amazed by the question. Why? Because it tempts me to give in to evil. To become the thing I’m trying to destroy.
The voice sighed. “No, Sky Streak. If there is one thing you need to learn, it is that the darkness is not your enemy. It is as much a part of you as the light is.”
Huh?
Sky suddenly felt a dramatic shift in the voice’s tone. “Ghost has gone too far, but you refuse to go far enough. Neither of you truly understand the darkness.”
That was enough for Sky. You know, I’ve had voices in my head talk about the darkness before. I’m kinda sick of it.
“You’ve heard others speak of it, but you’ve never actually heard the truth.”
The fires of Sky’s mind had settled in the moments since he had begun to banter with the voice. The dim ambient light of the stairwell had served to further calm his emotions. But he could not shake the appalling feeling that came at the voice’s statement. Princess Luna told me about the darkness. You wanna tell me she was lying?
“No,” the voice admitted, “but it’s obvious she didn’t tell you the whole truth.”
Sky arched an eyebrow curiously. He didn’t like the direction of the conversation, but something urged him forward. And what makes you say that?
The voice didn’t hesitate with an answer. “Because she doesn’t fully understand it herself.”
The irony of the statement wasn’t lost on Sky. Dunno if you’ve noticed, but she just happens to be the Princess of the Night. She kinda knows the darkness. A lot better than you do, I bet.
“I’ve seen a great deal over a long time, Sky Streak,” the voice explained, apparently unfazed by Sky’s taunt. “And I’ve had even longer to think about it all. The truth that Princess Luna does not understand is the same reason she struggles to move beyond her own past.”
A total silence pervaded for a space of time. The voice had struck at the heart of Sky’s quest, intentionally or not. It was only after a minute or two that Sky became aware of his own silence. And what truth is that? he asked at length.
“Light and dark have suffered from unfair stigmas. Those who stand for good cling to the light, while evildoers dwell in the darkness.”
It seemed logical enough. Yeah, so?
“Isn’t that just a rather ridiculously shallow way of thinking?”
I prefer the term ‘practical,’ Sky corrected. Evildoers are tied to the darkness because that’s where you usually find the scumbags: in the shadows and dark alleys. They fear the light because it exposes them for who they really are.
“Ah,” the voice answered, “but that means that the ‘evil’ of the darkness exists only because it was brought there by someone. The darkness was not inherently evil, was it?”
His eyes grew wide as the words took hold. That’s…that’s what Princess Luna…
Then Sky was struck by yet another startling thought. You know, now that I think about it, I don’t think even I fully understand what the dark actually is.
“Sky Streak, we all carry our own light and darkness within us,” the voice answered. “The light is the collection of our strongest virtues and deepest convictions, while our darkness is the sum total of all our greatest desires and most terrible fears. Neither is evil by itself; it is merely much easier to arrive at evil through one’s darkness. It is just as possible to be evil in the light as it is to be good in the dark.”
Sky’s head was spinning. The voice seemed to have the answers to all the questions Sky ever had about Princess Luna, the light and darkness, and even the purpose of his quest. What?
“Think of it like this: your light is directed towards helping others. It gives you a purpose. But your darkness is directed towards yourself: it gives you your personality. However, the dark’s natural affinity toward one’s own self can transform into selfishness and narcissism, which lead to their own evil.” With each word, the voice seemed to grow larger and larger, to the point that Sky wondered if it was still just in his head, or if the sound was echoing through the chamber.
But then why not just banish it altogether? Sky asked. It causes so much trouble; it hardly seems worth it.
“The darkness is not evil. It makes you who you are, just as the light does. Every day is measured by both light and darkness. The day is not complete without the daylight and the dark of the night. You are the same. You can try to live only by the light, but by doing so, you limit yourself.” The voice broke, and Sky felt a sudden pang of pity. It was obvious that he spoke from the tragedy of experience.
After a moment, the voice resumed the thought. “Those who try to run from the darkness only condemn themselves to run for the rest of their lives, because they are only trying to run from themselves.”
What are you saying? Sky managed at last.
“You fear the darkness because you’ve seen the worst of it. That is why you chose to join the Alicorn Guard, is it not? You believed that if you wholeheartedly devoted yourself to helping others and guiding Equestria into a bright future, the darkness would have no place in you.”
The words stung Sky’s heart, as each syllable scored a bull’s-eye on the truth. The voice continued. “But you have failed to recognize that there is also a good side to the darkness. Each one of us has our own darkness, but remember that it is yours! It is who you are when you are alone; in your most intimate moments. The darkness cannot be evil unless you choose to be evil. You know your own desires and fears. They are a part of you. Don’t let them control you: use them.
“Always remember, Sky Streak: Equestria exists in both the day and night; the light and the darkness. Shouldn’t you do the same?”
Will it make a difference? Sky asked.
“That depends on you,” the voice replied solemnly. “If you choose to exist in both the light and the dark, then you will not flinch when confronted with either. And you also fight with all of yourself, instead of just half. But again, that depends upon your willingness to use both sides.”
It was a confusing concept. Light and dark, good and evil, and dealing with each of them. Sky wasn’t too good with abstract ideas, but somehow, this one seemed to make sense. Perhaps his encounter with the Chimera had granted him insight into the reality of light and dark. Maybe the voice just had a good way of explaining it. But whatever it was, Sky nodded in comprehension.
All of myself. I think I got it. Thanks.
When the voice spoke next, there was a smile in its voice. “Then what are you waiting for? The enemy awaits!”
The final few steps flew beneath him in a blur. Finally, his descent ended, opening into a wide, sparsely lit room. Dust rose up around Sky as he slid to a stop a few meters from the staircase entry. Unlike the quarters for the Alicorn Guard, this room had been entirely furnished; transformed from its once cavernous state into a mysterious museum of mythical artifacts from time long forgotten. The lights around each display seemed to illuminate the nearest item, unable to shine its glow in any other direction, causing the magic items around the room to stand out unnaturally in the surrounding darkness.
And yet, as Sky’s vision grew accustomed to the dim light of the vault, he became intensely aware of two other beings standing in the room with him. One was the blank, soulless body of Boulder. And the other, standing at the far wall and facing away from Sky, a unicorn whose every breath seemed to draw the darkness into himself, as though he craved it…
“Ghost,” Sky said evenly. His voice seemed to ring in his own ears, but the sound died in the air.
Boulder twitched as he spoke, but made no move towards the pegasus. A soft chuckling reached Sky’s ears from across the room. “Can you feel it, Blitz?” Ghost whispered. “This is it: the final battle. You and I have come quite a ways to reach this point. You, with your pitiful ideals,” he spat in disgust, “vainly clinging to a delusional hope that Celestia’s desire for peace and harmony will guide Equestria into the future. And then,” he continued, turning around dramatically, his eyes wild like a crazed madpony, “here I stand, at the precipice of victory! At last, Blitz, here we are! All our struggles and trials; now, one of us will see the fruition of our labors! Here, at this, the summit of destiny!”
And, with a look of horror on his face, Sky watched as Ghost lifted the Shards of Nightmare Moon into the air before him, laughing like a maniac as he did. “The Elements of Harmony have been returned to their place of origin and cannot be used against me!” he screeched. “Celestia dared not stand against her sister when she returned from the moon after one thousand years! When I return these to Princess Luna, none shall dare oppose her, and Equestria shall be restored to her greatness once more!”
“What makes you think that Luna will even accept those fragments?” Sky countered. He summoned images of Princess Luna, her smile as dazzling as the night sky full of stars. “She’s not the same pony that succumbed to jealousy and envy a millennium ago. She’s moved on.”
For the first time since Sky entered the chamber, Ghost turned his eyes upon the pegasus. They were bloodshot, but even more than that, they were wild with something that Sky could only have referred to as insanity. It made his skin crawl. “If I have learned anything in this life, it’s that you cannot escape the past,” Ghost said, his voice calm and natural—a distinct contrast with the visage upon his face. “Even now, it repeats itself. Celestia hoards all the attention for herself, giving no respect to Princess Luna. It is Celestia’s own apprentice that has been crowned as the newest princess of Equestria. It wouldn’t surprise me if Celestia set it all up just to usurp Luna’s throne and give it to her precious student.”
With every word, Sky felt his self-control stretch more and more, until he didn’t think he could stand it. Twilight Sparkle was one of the most gracious and sincere ponies he had ever met. To think that she would be part of any kind of ploy to steal Luna’s throne was asinine. And that wasn’t even considering Princess Celestia’s record of benevolence and goodwill towards all ponies, especially Luna. “You’re out of your mind,” Sky growled from behind clenched teeth. “Princess Celestia has always cared for every pony of Equestria, especially her sister. Don’t you understand why she had to do what she did? She did it to protect everypony, not to eliminate a rival!”
“Enough!” Ghost bellowed. “Arguing with you like this is pointless, what with your mind having been muddled by Celestia’s whisperings. So allow me to explain. I did tell you that if you wanted a full explanation, then you’d have to stop me, didn’t I?”
“You did,” Sky admitted, “though it was with someone else’s mouth.”
“So it was. But you’ve done so well, I think you’ve merited a bit of what I promised you.” He sat down, and his once craze-filled eyes seemed to return to normal. Boulder followed suit, though his eyes remained fixed on the light blue pegasus. Ghost laid the dark fragments of Nightmare Moon’s armor at his side and cleared his throat before continuing. “Though I must admit, you’ve learned far more than I ever expected you to find out, so I’m not entirely sure where to begin to avoid rehashing something you already know.”
What is it with villains and having some kind of insatiable need to monologue? Sky wondered to himself. But a certain desperate longing had risen in his brain; an ache in his chest that needed to be addressed. “Why, Ghost? Why go to these extremes? What good comes out of this?”
“Hm?” Ghost murmured. “Oh, Blitz, you think far too narrowly. You think I’m in this just for Princess Luna? You obviously underestimate my noble intentions.”
“I’m sure I do,” Sky deadpanned.
Ghost ignored the comment. “It’s true that my family has borne a grudge against Celestia for one thousand years—”
“Wrong,” Sky interrupted. “Your family has had a grudge for about four hundred years. Before that, I think your family was quite content with Princess Celestia’s rule.”
That comment did not go unnoticed. Ghost’s face twisted into a mask of rage, and the deep purple glow of his magic swirled around the chamber for a few moments before he reined in his emotions, and his magic subsided. “Believe what you will,” he said at last. “But if you believe that our long-standing dislike for Celestia is the sole fuel for this enterprise of mine, you’re sadly mistaken. I have not forgotten the vows I took when I entered the Alicorn Guard, Blitz. I swore to do whatever it took to protect the land of Equestria, and I intend to keep that oath.”
Sky looked around. As he did, he spotted the unmoving forms of Ace and Scope, lying prone behind him in the left corner of the room, opposite where Boulder now sat. “And this is how you plan to do it? Forgive me if I’m not seeing it.”
“Of course,” Ghost conceded. “You see, this has been growing for some time. When Nightmare Moon returned, was Celestia able to stand up to her by herself?” He paused for a moment, apparently awaiting an answer. When he received none, he continued. “No, she did not. When Discord escaped from his imprisonment, did Celestia stand up to him? No? How interesting.”
A sinking feeling fell into Sky’s stomach as he listened. “And then Chrysalis and her changelings attacked at Shining Armor and Princess Cadance’s wedding. Did she protect her subjects then? Oh, no,” he said in mock sympathy, “she was beaten by Chrysalis and imprisoned. Must’ve been a freak accident, because we all know that infallible Celestia could never be beaten!”
Ghost scoffed. “No, the freak accident was that even after both Celestia and the Elements of Harmony were unable to save Canterlot, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance were somehow able to defeat the changelings with the power of love—something the changelings feed on! And Celestia didn’t even try to save the Crystal Empire from Sombra’s shade…she just left it with her star pupil, who almost failed! Oh, and let’s not forget about her most recent misadventure, when she was powerless to stop a magic that Discord had haphazardly planted a thousand years before!”
Sky listened, not moving a muscle. The veil had been pulled back, and the truth of Ghost’s mind had finally been revealed. “Don’t you see?” he asked. “Under the rule of Celestia, Equestria has begun to crumble. Enemies from without have no fear of us, and will continue to attack and invade us until we give them a reason to fear.” He lifted the fragments of armor at his side into the air with his magic again and chuckled. “And here is their reason.”
Sky blinked. The puzzle was clear at last. And as horrible as it had been to hear, Sky was confronted with an even more terrible revelation: he couldn’t deny a word of it. Celestia hadn’t been able to protect Equestria from any one of the near-catastrophes that had befallen the land of late. Nightmare Moon had hidden her. Discord had circumvented her and, later, captured her. Chrysalis had defeated her.
Even through the midst of his confusion, Sky clung to the belief that Ghost just couldn’t be right in his actions, but…how he could he argue with him when he was right?
“You see, Blitz, you and I aren’t so different,” Ghost cooed, apparently seeing Sky’s wavering. “Equestria is attacked so often because it is vulnerable. We appear weak because we are weak. But we don’t have to be. Luna could make us strong again. We could strike terror into the hearts of our enemies and make our home secure again. And you and I…we thrive on conflict. We need it. I’ve seen it on your face countless times whenever you were recounting the action from your missions. Your eyes light up when you remember the thrill of battle. It excites you; makes you feel alive. And I am the same way.”
A sigh interrupted his speech before Ghost started again. “But in this time, under Celestia, battle is not acceptable. War is an activity of the night. And because of that, we don’t belong in the day. We belong to the night. But while you stubbornly cling to the sunlight of day, fighting against your own nature, I have embraced the night. And it has made me complete.”
Sky hadn’t expected this. He had expected to come into the chamber, magic blazing, have a knock-down, drag-out brawl with Ghost and Boulder, put an end to Ghost’s schemes in a dramatic victory, and save Equestria. But here he stood, his will crumbling as he struggled to push back Ghost’s all-too-convincing argument that Celestia was no longer fit to rule Equestria. He stamped the floor in frustration, furious at himself that he could find no argument to counter Ghost.
He closed his eyes. He had thought that his many conversations and arguments with Scope had made him into a superior debater, but here, in the midst of his greatest confrontation, he came to realize how woefully deficient he was in that department. This isn’t about light and dark...this is about right and wrong! I could really use some help here!
Behind him, Ace was silent. Scope did not speak. Sky gritted his teeth, trying to will himself to find something to say in response.
Then, as his determination finally began to give way, a small, quiet voice spoke to him from out of the distant light of his past:
“Oh, but Sky, you can’t do everything by yourself. That’s why we have lots of friends. Everypony can help in some way. That way, no one has to do it all.”
Ah, of course. He flung his eyes wide open again, his will restored. Thank you, Fluttershy.
“See, that’s the problem with you, Ghost,” Sky said at last. “You’re so consumed with hoarding power that you miss the big picture.”
Ghost arched an eyebrow, and his eyes seemed to light with a deep violet flame. “As usual, you’ve got a response. Can’t say I’m surprised.” He shrugged; a gesture that would have been comical had it not been for the solemn nature of their debate. “So, just what is that big picture?”
Sky rose to his hooves and began to pace. “You’re right; Celestia hasn’t always been able to protect Equestria on her own. But you know what? She didn’t have to, because she made sure that Equestria didn’t have just one hero: it has dozens. Hundreds. Thousands. She didn’t try to hoard all the power to herself—she spread it around all of Equestria. That’s the Power of Harmony: knowing that you never have to stand alone. There’s always someone else ready and willing to stand by your side, no matter the danger.
“And you know,” Sky continued, “you were also right about how I love battle. You’re absolutely right. It’s such a rush. I guess part of it is that I’m a pegasus, but whatever,” he added with a shrug.
Or maybe that’s just my darkness.
“And,” Sky continued, “maybe you’re right that conflict and war aren’t fit for the daytime. But last time I checked, one half of every day was the night! So I don’t have to choose one or the other! Because no matter if it’s the day or the night, I know that Equestria dwells in both! So what I do to protect her in the night is the same as protecting her during the day!” Sky stepped forward, a confident defiance surging through his mind. “I don’t belong to just the night, or only the day. The sun and moon share their rule over the land, and likewise, they both have my allegiance, and my love.”
He blinked as he finished. Huh…it felt really good to say that.
And as he stared at Ghost, shaking in anger at his lecture, Sky noted a change in his own emotions. Ghost was still his opponent, but he was no longer the dark menace of his dreams. Now, he was revealed as a disobedient child, and Sky was consumed by a deep sense of disappointment, but an equally powerful feeling of determination to make right what had been made wrong.
“Now, Sky Streak, let us fight together, you and I. Lend me your strength, and I shall give you mine.”
Sky smiled grimly. You know, I’m generally not too trusting of voices in my head, but right now, I think I’ll take any help I can get.
“You idiot!” Ghost screamed, his normal purple color turning to a bright shade of red. “You cannot reconcile the night and the day! They are the exact opposites! Light and dark! They cannot coexist! If you claim to love both, then you stand at odds with yourself!”
“Funny you should say that,” Sky replied, “because I read something like that in Storm Emblem’s journal. And I think I understand it now. The sun and moon both perform the same task: they provide light for Equestria. The sun is brighter, which leads most ponies out into the light of day, where they can see what lies before them. But at night, when the moon comes out, it doesn’t shine as brightly, but that just means that it doesn’t hide the stars like the sun does. You see, Ghost,” Sky continued, confidence growing as words came to him almost without thought, “there is no Princess of the Dark. Luna, just as her sister, serves her subjects by providing light to guide the way. You can just see more of the light show when she’s on duty.”
“You read—” Ghost stopped short, and the rage on his face was unmistakable. “You imbecile! You were in my home! How dare you! That is sacred ground to my family!”
“Then you should get better locks,” Sky retorted.
Ghost spat in rage, then locked gazes with Sky. “Enjoy your last few moments of life, Blitz,” he growled, “because once I’m through with you, the darkness will be eternal and complete. The light will have no place in Equestria!”
Sky’s eyes levelled and his muscles tensed into a battle position. “You want darkness? Then you’d best find your own princess, because you sure can’t have Princess Luna. She’s too busy with the light.”
“Well spoken,” said the voice in his head.
Thanks. Now comes the hard part.
“Enough!” Ghost shrieked, his eyes twice as crazy as Sky had seen them before. “If you’re so ready to protect the light, then you’ll have to fight for it! So, Blitz, show me what you’ve got!”
Sky almost managed to take off towards Ghost before an enormous shadow closed in on his right. He barely managed to break into an evasive roll that took him outside of the impact zone, but the shockwave from the blow forced him through the air until he crashed into a nearby wall.
“Oh, you thought you were facing me?” Ghost taunted. “I’m afraid you have one more challenge to overcome if you want the privilege of fighting me, Blitz. And I saved the best for last.” He grinned crookedly and nodded toward the hulking earth pony, who rose from the dust of his attack and stared at Sky, his eyes little more than dark pools of a distant, violet pulsing magic.
Oh. Right.
Sky rose to his hooves, returning Boulder’s unnerving stare. Well, he said to the voice, here we go.
He charged.