//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15 - Waxing Gibbous 
// Story: Night Reigns 
// by tursi 
//------------------------------//

Nightmare Moon watched the demolition with growing unease, her eyes darting about as she expected Celestia to leap from the destruction at any instant. Her magic projected a detection spell across the entire clearing, as well as some of the forest beyond, keeping track of every motion. She was tense and her magic was primed; she was ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Suddenly she detected a surge of strong magic just to the side of the clearing. She wheeled and arched her body as she channeled the charge, then threw herself into the attack as she launched a powerful blast of magical energy at the source. Without a moment's hesitation she followed the blast, winking above the source as she began to gather energy for a second attack.

It was just a unicorn standing below her, and he dropped into a bow. Sterling Honor's voice caught her off guard. "Your Majesty, my apologies for startling you. I stand ready as backup, nothing more."

Nightmare Moon stared at him. This magic was surging at a level that she'd only felt once before, long ago in the Crystal Empire...

The Crystal Empire was a magical city in the far north of Canterlot. It was a striking city built entirely from translucent crystal that gleamed equally in both sunlight and moonlight. It was known to possess a powerful magic that stretched over all of Equestria, but it had come to light that it had been taken over by a cruel unicorn who had enslaved the citizens for his own purposes. There was no question of unseating him to free the ponies there.

Celestia and Luna were hovering side by side, horns glowing and stern determination on each of their faces. Before them, the dark-furred unicorn stood defiant on a balcony of black crystal. "King" Sombra, as he called himself, was a striking charcoal grey unicorn, standing half a head taller than the average pony and wearing a regal red cloak and ornate golden crown. In another world he might have been very handsome, but here his good looks were ruined by the cruel sneer on his face, the cruelly curved crimson red horn, and the magic leaking from the corners of his eyes.

"You fools," he told them. "Stand down. If I fall, all the Crystal Empire goes with me."

"No, Sombra," lectured Celestia. "Your rule is over. Step down and release the Crystal Empire. Equestria is under our protection now."

Luna had frowned, but as Celestia was the elder, she always led. Instead of adding her words, she strengthened her resolve and flared her horn even brighter.

Sombra shook his head. "Never!" he responded, his tone indicating that discussion was over. The glow around his horn intensified and he aimed at the Princesses. As a unit Celestia and Luna fired their own magic, sending a powerful combined beam racing towards the renegade King.

They had deliberately chosen not to use the Elements of Harmony, so as not to drain their power unnecessarily. Celestia had noted that as powerful as King Sombra was, he was just a unicorn, while Celestia and Luna were landed alicorns. The two of them had formed an attack spell intended to mirror the effects of the Elements of Harmony without needing to invoke them.

But it was different than with Discord. Discord had barely noticed the attack and had been turned to stone while he was still laughing at them. Sombra was different. He roared as if in pain, and his entire body glowed bright. There was a sudden blast of magic from the balcony that carried his roar outward, knocking Celestia and Luna back and off balance, and it carried to the very edges of the city.

As they regained their wings and got their balance again, the balcony was empty. But Luna noticed first, and cried out with horror. "Sister, look!"

The ponies of the city below them were frozen in their places, and worse, beginning to fade away. As the two looked on in disbelief, the buildings themselves began to follow.

Luna dove first, trying to scoop up a young unicorn who stood frozen at the top of a staircase. But she had become like a ghost, Luna could not touch her. So it was with another Celestia tried to rescue. The two looked around in dismay. 

"What do we do?" asked Luna, frantically. "Do you know a spell that may help?"

"I... I don't know," responded Celestia. She hovered a moment in indecision before speaking again. "Try to hold them here!"

They flew upwards together, and focused all their will into a holding spell, hoping against hope it might buy them time. But although the magic stretched out around them, there was no apparent effect. They looked at each other frantically.

It was all over in just a couple of minutes and as the last structure faded away, Celestia let her magic fade. She dropped her head, closing her eyes.

"Sister!" cried Luna. "You must not give up! We can defeat this spell, we need only to work together!"

"It's too late, Luna," replied Celestia dully. "We have failed."

Luna flew closer to Celestia, putting her face in front of her sister's. "Then we will retrieve the Elements of Harmony and try again! We must not stop! We can still save them!"

Celestia looked around. Where the gleaming city once stood was now only an arctic wasteland, devoid of any sign of life. "It's over, Luna," she said. She turned abruptly, beginning to fly away. "Time to return to Canterlot."

Luna was incensed. She chased after her sister and looped around in front of her, blocking her path. "I will NOT give up on them!" she shouted. "Re-activate your magic NOW!"

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Use your senses, Luna! Can you feel anything left? We lost. We can do no further good here!"

"WE MUST TRY!" shouted Luna. "I will not LET you give up!"

Celestia's magic flared abruptly, her mane flaring into flame, her eyes similarly displaying a fire that flared outwards. "I SAID WE'RE GOING HOME, LUNA!" she shouted, her wings spread wide. The elder alicorn dominated Luna for size, and Luna actually shrank back at the display of anger.

Celestia looked at her for a moment with those eyes of rage, and then her magic faded again and she only looked sad and tired. "I'm sorry, sister," she said quietly. She then wheeled hard and gave her wings several powerful flaps, retreating at speed.

Luna watched her until she was just a speck in the sky, then looked around the wasteland herself. Several tears wet her cheeks, and she turned for home. "I'm sorry too," she said quietly.

Sterling Honor was still bowing before her as she came back to the present, not comforted in the least by the memory. She studied the Captain for a moment, considering his loyalty. How he gained the power could be sorted out later. If they worked together, they could finish the ruins off more thoroughly than waiting for the earth ponies to knock it down. At last she nodded.

"I was not aware that you possessed such power, Captain. In that case, you and I will perform a final sweep once the guard has finished the first pass."

He said something about being honored, but by this time she was already circling back towards the ruins. Sterling followed along, although as a unicorn he was confined to the ground. Nightmare turned her attention to the destruction, seeing that the first foyer had already been leveled. She scanned the ruins for any scan of activity, but she felt nothing and circled impatiently.

"Captain Sterling Honor!" she shouted. "Do you sense anything?"

"No, your Majesty," he replied immediately.  "First phase should be complete very soon."

She flew an orbit around the ruins, reaching out to sense deeply. There were faint traces of the ancient magic that once filled these halls, but nearly drowning that out was a stronger, recent magic which was localized to just a few areas. She knew it well and there was no mistaking it now – Celestia had been here. But with no response to so much destruction, she must have left already.

Nightmare was frustrated and worried... Celestia could have gone anywhere. Now she could just be waiting for the right time to strike. But if that was so, why was she waiting at all? None of it made sense.

She looked down at Sterling again. If he remained as loyal as he was... keeping him nearby would afford her some measure of protection. Certainly Ulfrid would allow no harm to come to her, either. She considered carefully... she trusted both, though Ulfrid was a mystery and Sterling clearly had some secrets as well.

Her head lifted as a shout came from the bald-maned sergeant, and Sterling called up to her. "First phase demolition is complete, your Majesty. Should we move in?"

Nightmare looked over the ruins again. The first level had been reduced to dust – she recognized the footprint of the atrium where the Elements of Harmony had once been stored. She could sense no signature of them now, however. She nodded down to Sterling. "Have the unicorns widen the field. You and I will go in and use a compression spell to flatten the tower, then pull the catacombs up. The earth ponies should draw back, we will leave a rather large pit."

Sterling communicated the orders to the Sergeant, who barked the orders in a loud, terse voice. As the ponies began to move, she circled the ruins again, casting her senses outward into the woods. She could sense nothing, but the Everfree Forest was not like the rest of Equestria and was as likely to absorb magic as respond to it. She knew that she could not reach very far.

With the orbit completed, she flew closer to Sterling Honor.

"All is ready, your Majesty. I await your command."

She merely nodded, and flared her horn. Sterling's horn likewise flared to life, and the two of them stepped under the shield to remove the rest of the ruins.

-----

The destruction had completed without incident, and Nightmare Moon reflected upon this as her hooves touched down upon the balcony to her quarters. She was so tense that she literally jumped as a soft, deep voice called to her from the room.

"Do you feel better after your excursion, my Liege?"

Nightmare Moon relaxed a little, and stepped into the room with a smirk. "Ulfrid, it is not wise to startle me at this time."

The wolf was already in a deep bow as she laid eyes upon him, although he rose as she nodded to him. "My humblest apologies, Your Majesty. But what would cause such nervousness in our Princess?"

Nightmare snorted. "So it shows?" she asked.

"With apologies, my Liege, several have noticed. None who would be disloyal to you, of course."

"Of course." Nightmare snorted again and made her way to a large, royal purple cushion, where she settled herself down so that she could look out the balcony. Ulfrid approached her and sat nearby, facing her. "Indeed, there is a concern that weighs on my mind heavily," Nightmare continued.

Ulfrid nodded gently. "The return of the solar princess."

Nightmare's jaw dropped and just as quickly her anger flared. "What do you know of this?" she demanded.

Ulfrid dipped his head low and spoke in a gentle voice. "It is my duty to be aware of what transpires."

Nightmare frowned, but allowed herself to relax a little. "I suppose I should be more surprised if you did not know something that was going on. I sensed her magic at the ruins of our old castle. But she was nowhere to be found."

Ulfrid smiled softly. "I should not be too concerned, your Highness."

Nightmare frowned again. "She comes to destroy me, Ulfrid! Why should I not be concerned?"

Ulfrid bowed deeply. "You are most safe in Canterlot, with the guards amongst the skies and the troops on the ground. Of course, you also have your loyal servant watching out for your best interests."

Nightmare Moon smiled gently. "Your loyalty is most appreciated, dear Ulfrid.  But you will forgive me if I take some precautions into my own hooves."

She lowered her head, pointing her horn at the opening to her balcony. A stream of magic blasted out, and a moment later a protective sphere began to take form around the tower. It spread slowly from the initially targeted point until it surrounded the entire tower, and then Nightmare allowed her horn to fade. Her head came up again, and she smiled. "That will grant me some measure of comfort. It will take strong magic to penetrate this shield and any attempt will give me fair warning."

Ulfrid smiled softly, having waited quietly during the spell. "But you will isolate yourself?"

"You may pass through the shield Ulfrid... it would amuse me to have some warning of your comings and goings for once." She laughed softly. "When things are more calm, we will revisit this."

It was quiet for a few minutes. Nightmare fretted, her gaze frequently going out the balcony towards the sky, while Ulfrid sat patiently. At last he spoke again, his voice soft.

"Do you truly believe that your sister means you harm?"

Nightmare started, and turned her gaze towards him slowly, meeting his eyes and holding them. After a long minute she looked away again, dipping her head towards the floor. "I do not know," she replied at last. "She banished me for a thousand years, and then I banished her. She has broken free of my spell, but I do not know why she did not come directly for me as I did for her." She sighed softly, looking aside a moment before looking back to Ulfrid. "I dare not take that chance. She must not reach Canterlot at any cost."

Ulfrid stood, and immediately dropped into another bow. "I am confident that all will turn out for the best, my Liege. Your creature will now see to his own part in ensuring that it is so."

Nightmare smiled gently. "Take no unnecessary risks, dear Ulfrid. Friends are in short supply these days."

Ulfrid stood and smiled warmly. "I serve," he assured her, then turned and exited the room without a further word. The door closed quietly behind him.

Nightmare sighed softly, and watched the closed door for a few moments before turning her attention back to the sky beyond her balcony. "You do, my friend, better than any I could ever have hoped to know."