//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: War of the Moon (or Thanks MA Larson for the inspiration // by WildmoonNH //------------------------------// Drakengard had become a sea of activity - Morning Star and the Sand brothers researching a new mining site, Desert Sun helping Hatchet at the forges, Night Ash touring the Crystal Empire, Violet Force and Silver Shimmer assisting Slurry with the cloud cover, all bringing the bustle of a castle to the ears of its current ruler, Lapis Umbral. The Shadow of the Moon savored the background noise as he prepared a small back room for a transport ritual. He had told everypony he would only be gone a few hours, even if the trip to and from would be instantaneous. The preparations, alas, were not. Following a tattered scroll uncovered in the mess he made during his inspirations, he traced out a circle on the floor with chalk. He then carefully drew a pentagram inside the circle, all five points touching the circle. He then added sigils inside each point, coordinates for a very different journey. He wrote two names in the center of the pentagram - his own, and his target's. As a final focus, to the right of the names he drew a triangular symbol - the mark of Cerberus. The circle was then dusted with charcoal and ashes from the forges. Ensuring all inscriptions correct, he then centered himself within the circle, a hoof on four of the points. Whispering a few words, he closed his eyes and began casting with his horn. The circle glowed an ominous, deep red, the pentagram a silvery blue. The sigils each had a name to be spoken aloud, only making the lights brighter. He then lowered his head, permitting the tip of his horn to connect to the fifth point of the pentagram...... And with this all in place, a gout of blue and red flames swept him to his destination... a place few ponies would ever dare to venture, and even fewer to do so willingly. The realm of Tarterus. He stood before the magnificent wrought-iron gates, molded to look like thorned ivy coating a manor fence. Cerberus, the giant three-headed bulldog guarding the gates, snoozed peacefully as the alicorn approached, not sensing Lapis as any form of threat. One eye from the nearest head opened and looked him over; it blinked once before closing again, the hound returning to all three of its dreams. Umbral then launched over the gates, the guardian none the wiser or concerned. Tarterus held dangers that even alicorns feared - monsters mutated by the ambient evil, devils dancing and setting things aflame, and denizens terrorizing new arrivals. Anypony who ended up here would be subject to tortures of whatever grand sins tipped their internal balance to darkness; even someone as long-lived as Umbral could not fathom his fate should he be sent here. He'd hoped he could follow Father and Mother to the stars.... His wandering thoughts halted when he found his target. In an open field ahead he could see a huge stallion and a minotaur whipping a gray unicorn, shouting orders as it strained to pull a rusted plow across a dry plain. The plow would inch forward, the unicorn would strain, then be whipped savagely by his handlers. The rusty, rotted harness clung to him like a diseased barnacle, the plow brown and pocked. The unicorn tried desperately to catch his breath but only felt the bite of the whips anew. Lapis dipped a wing and swooped down to the field, startling all three to a halt. "Goz, Mez.... I see you have yourselves a new toy." The stallion smirked. "Umbral of the shadows - you haven't been by lately. Thought we were friends, right Mez?" The minotaur nodded. "So we're breaking this unicorn in- boss told us he enslaved ponies for millenia. So we get to 'slave' him for a millineum!" he whipped the unicorn, who reared and...snarled at them. "Sombra," Umbral said simply. "Yeah, that's his name," Goz affirmed. "Strange that he doesn't talk. Growls like a wolf, snarls like a panther, grumbles at us calling him 'slave'....." "I'll make you two a deal.... I can make him speak." "You know how to fix that? Seems that's how he was in life." Mez looked at the unicorn, who snarled in protest. "Oh, he knows some words, just none that apply to his new vocation." Goz frowned, skeptical. "you're not gonna help him with his punishment, are you?" "Of course not. Two minutes is all I ask. I promise I will not fix the plow or the harness." The two demons looked at each other and shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Couldn't hurt." Goz admitted before backing off. Mez leaned on the plow to watch and listen. The Shadow of the Moon then slipped away from the two oni to face the former King of Shadows and tyrant of the Crystal Empire. He had heard many stories of how insane Sombra was, but he also knew that Sombra was a very intelligent mage. This king would not have ruled as long as he did had he not put so many contingencies, trips and safeguards in place! The alicorn stifled a curse toward the new hierarchy as he stood before Sombra, who raged that this pony did not bow before him like an obedient lackey. "Sombra, former King of the Crystal Empire and traveller of shadows, I have come to speak with you." Sombra snarled and pawed the ground. "Your mind is at war with the shadows you once embraced so that you could subdue thousands, some of whom still have nightmares of you." Sombra growled in irritation. "I shall 'get on with it'. You have something you no longer need, something that does not aid you in your new duties. I will take those shadows back under my control and you will have your mind back. Have we a deal?" Sombra roared possessively. No intention of surrendering what he had earned in life. "Pity," Umbral said after Sombra stopped protesting. "You really didn't have a choice in the matter." Sombra's horn sparked, and his eyes began to glow. Umbral did not move. "Your powers are worthless here." Sombra roared again, straining to cast. Lapis simply reached out with his own magic and encased the mad unicorn's horn. "You mastered the magic of shadows. Used their power in ways no-one thought possible," The alicorn commented, siphoning the shadows and magic away. Sombra bucked and spasmed, his whinnies and screams echoing across the field. "Enslaved a civilization for thousands of years. Hid it. You made the shadows your own.” Goz and Mez shrugged at each other as Lapis continued to drain, eyes locked on the doomed soul as he continued to thrash and resist. No mere unicorn - even one with such strong intellect and magical controls - could resist the magical might wielded by an alicorn, even the youngest of the Royal Family. “But they are not yours, anymore." The Shadow of the moon closed his eyes and "watched" the shadows enter his mind. The pulsing sphere of darkness hovered in his mind's eye, though waiting instructions. "Black is the Night," Umbral began in Ancient Equestrian. "Blacker than the Night. Blacker than the scorched walls of a Tarterus Tomb on a shadowmoon midnight." The sphere materialized before him and split itself into six pieces, each blob circling him in curiosity. "I am your Master now!" The Shadow of the Moon announced. "Reveal yourselves to me!" The first blob lunged for his face, shaping itself into a pony-sized dragon. Its bite snapped at his horn and clawed at his mane, but its very nature made every strike pass through him. He did not flinch. "Feral shadow, rage and might, passion, Bloodlust, the call to fight." The shadow stopped its raging and lost form, flowing over his body like a fog. The second blob darted around his head, making no sound and staying toward the edges of his vision. He did not worry. "Stealth and silence, hide from their eyes, Can they find you? Let them try." The shadow stopped in midair and lost form, sweeping over his body like mist. Another blob hovered directly before him, morphing into a monstrous beast and roaring in his face. He did not spook. "Spawn of nightmares, unknown, unclear - touch all who oppose you with their darkest Fear." The shadow burst into a thousand tiny spiders and clambered onto his body. The fourth blob hovered a moment before charging. It swept over the alicorn's face, stinging his ears and eyes. He did not sneeze or cough when it swept past his snout and he "Tasted" the shadow - the taste of dewdrops before sunrise. "Senses strengthened, be my guide, none shall be lost, nor can they hide." The shadow melted over him. The fifth one bounced about in the air, first as a bird, then a frog, then a butterfly, then a scorpion. It then formed a small pony, alternating between each race, amusing itself as it stopped as a tiny shadow image of Umbral. The alicorn was amused but unmoved. "Of Changeling skill, bending perception, fool every sense, as my Deception." The shadow spread itself like a giant blanket over his shoulders. The final shadow loomed above, slowly dropping into reach of the Shadow of the Moon. It unexpectedly burst, bits of it bouncing all around. Umbral did not react. "What once was whole, split it asunder! Destruction through fire, anger, thunder!" The last shadow gathered itself only to explode again, falling over Lapis like shattered glass. Sombra finally slumped, spent. Umbral paused to savor the shadows that now roamed within him. It felt familiar, correct. He took a single, deep breath, and the grays of his coat darkened anew. He remembered now. These were some of his duties, likely stripped of him when he left Canterlot. Luna controlled the light of the moon and the mysteries of the night. Umbral, however, was her darkened mirror. The shadows of the night. The darkness of the night. The reason that Equestria feared the night. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly. His gaze returned to Sombra, who could barely raise his head. Mez raised his whip to strike, but an icy glare from Lapis halted him. The alicorn returned his eyes to Sombra, who was almost to all four hooves. "What... happened...." he whispered. "It seems that a common unicorn who thought he could control the Shadows learned that the Shadows came to control him," Umbral explained quietly. "This power was not meant for you, though I will compliment you on how well you wielded it, even if crazed into megalomania over such." "My Empire....." Sombra said simply. "Was yours - you even took it away from the Family for a thousand years. Slaves lost in stasis as you were banished to frozen wastes to fester." "My.... Empire...." he repeated. "No longer yours - you were shattered like a sculpture at the hooves of an alicorn, two unicorns, and an infant dragon." Goz and Mez laughed at the demise. Sombra lowered his head. "I...." "You have a new career here, Sombra. Plenty of time to remember what you have done. The judgment may feel harsh, but someday you will embrace your deeds." Umbral nodded to Goz and Mez before leaping into the stormy skies of Tarterus. Sombra said nothing more until the whip called him back to the plow. From there, the eloquent and elaborate curses from the prisoner only made Umbral proud. Circling the field so that Sombra could swear more venom and destruction, the alicorn merely flaunted his restored ability by dissipating in a scatter of shadows. -------------------------------------------------------- Twilight teleported herself outside of the library, draped in the disguise that Fluttershy had brought her. The drape easily covered her unwieldy wings and the hat even flopped over her horn. She hated that she would have to sneak through her adopted town just to get an errand or two run, but until that crowd dispersed..... She took a very deep breath and let the fresh air invigorate her. Perhaps that's something she gained with her new form - what stories that are written of alicorns is that they possess traits of all three ponies. Being outside must bring out the earth pony in her. She took a few moments to savor the fresh grass behind the library before moving on. She wanted to wander the market that morning, just to take in the conversations and get some variety in the pantry. Spike could prepare all manner of meals, but sometimes he just lacked the imagination. A not-so-subtle hint of some cookbooks on the counter might help. Then again, he's usually the one to remind her to eat. To further disguise herself, she purposely memorized her shopping list and practiced putting things in her saddlebags with her mouth instead of her magic. She deliberately ordered a set of plain saddlebags for this occasion. Everything would be perfect! "Hey Twilight!" Pinkie Pie bounced right by her, completely seeing through the disguise. "PINKIE~!!!" Twilight protested, her enormous sunglasses falling away. Heads turned, Twilight's name catching attention. The poor alicorn stood there with the hat still on her head, but once again faced with half the town bowing to her and a few trying to sing "Behold, Behold" on her behalf. Pinkie turned back to her friend with a bright smile, not realizing what she had done. Twilight just gave her happy friend a disapproving glance before teleporting home, leaving the disguise in the middle of the street for the others to fight over. -------------------------------------------------------- Rarity and Fluttershy kept a regular routine - one afternoon a week at the spa. Fluttershy always needed time to relax away from all her animals, Rarity a break from her dressmaking. The two didn't have to chat as Lotus and Aloe worked on the two ponies' backs, including Fluttershy's fragile wings. Both sighed in contentment as they were pampered, giggling at the simultaneous relief. "I can never get enough of this," Rarity sighed again as Lotus pushed deeper on the unicorn's shoulders. "and it's good to have company when I'm here." "It's no problem," Fluttershy replied with an audible smile. "Thank you for asking me to come with you." "You're always so terribly busy with your menagerie - how do you keep track of them all?" "Most of them have names," she quietly replied, "and many of them just appreciate the attention. They get food, shelter, and if someone is hurt or gets sick, they know they have someone to turn to. If they lived in the Everfree Forest, it would be a lot harder for them." "I'd also like to say you keep everything around your cottage so clean otherwise, even with so many creatures. I only have Sweetie Belle and she's a walking disaster." "The animals understand that if it stays clean, they'll be happier. It's not that hard, really." The two relaxed as the twins continued the massage. Fluttershy had gotten quiet, so Rarity's ears lazily swiveled about for gossip. "... Hoity Toity was in town, wonder what Rarity cooked up for him..." "Saw him at the Library, probably wanted a Royal favor....." "He likes Rarity's work, why wouldn't he stop there? Just ask her...." "Maybe he just wanted to gawk at the Princess." Rarity frowned. She didn't even know Hoity Toity was in Ponyville, much less at- "Hey Twilight!" Shouted a voice from outside. Rarity rolled off her couch and bounded for the door, Fluttershy right behind. As they shook the cucumber out of their eyes they spotted their friend glaring in their direction before teleporting away. The continuing commotion only confused the two. "Why did she leave?" Fluttershy whispered. "Well, she had time to see Hoity Toity....." The unicorn's eyes narrowed. -------------------------------------------------------- Despite the dark sunglasses covering her blind eyes, Night Ash could still "see" much of the breathtaking architecture of the Crystal Empire. Every building, every spire - she could "feel" the cool of each crystalline structure, the voices chiming off each facet like busy music. Her ears twitched in time with the sounds, her heart making up lyrics. What a beautiful place! She would be sure to thank Lapis for his suggestion to come here. Her cloak kept most of her stripes hidden, but no need to hide her horn. She preferred the simpler disguise. It was enough to keep the natives from asking questions, and keep any identifiers of her to a minimum. She had lodging in place and received a recommendation of a jeweller in the Empire whose expertise covered exactly what she needed - six ornate silver necklaces. The inn had recommended her to Malachite Braid, a talented jeweller who had picked up her trade once the Empire was free. Her storefront glittered with all manner of accessory, stones set in gold, silver, platinum, and sometimes in other crystals. Night Ash "marveled" at the complexity of work, just in what patterns her senses could bring. She trotted into the store to place her custom order. The store itself bustled with tourists, ponies from many other towns or cities. This would be perfect cover for the zebra, she would not stand out! She hoped she carried enough barter for the necklaces, knowing that the price tag for these will be steep, but Master Lapis promised it would be well worth the price. A red-headed non-native earth pony trotted up to Night Ash. "Welcome to Malachite Braid's jewellry! I'm Fire Ruby, how may I help you?" Night Ash mentally gathered her rhymes. "I've traveled far to this crystal spire, seeking an experienced jeweller for hire! A custom craft of high expectation so my lovely land can make dedication." Fire Ruby noted that she was indeed talking to a zebra. "Wow, I didn't realize zebras had their own land! Tell me more." "Farasipunda is my homeland, one that ponies and zebras planned! Stare not at my stripes nor at my horn, your eyes see correctly, I am unicorn." "Farasipunda... I'll have to look it up," Fire Ruby responded. "But you were interested in a custom piece?" "Six custom designs, quality silver mined, and diamonds of bluish gray inlined. Silver traced with patterns and hints, a simple tribute to the Elements." "'Elements'?" Fire Ruby queried, "As in a tribute to the Elements of Harmony? Wouldn't you want more color, or at least clearer diamonds? Or gold for the necklaces?" "My request specific and clearly made - or must I speak with Malachite Braid?" Fire Ruby paused. "Of course, I shouldn't question a customer request. I'll have her over here in a moment." The red-headed mare hurried off. Night Ash didn't mind the questions, but Master Lapis said this wouldn't be too much of a chore. Guessing this "Fire Ruby" was an apprentice, the unicorn zebra awaited Malachite's attention.