//------------------------------// // The approaching army // Story: Dark days // by Dashie4747 //------------------------------// Chapter 8 Much like she had felt before, Twilight woke with a sudden pain in her head and slightly disorientated. Although she was no longer tired after forced to perform a spell she felt drained of energy. She looked around the room slowly to see it was her room. Twilight sighed in relief about the thought of being away from her prison. Her room was clean with her furniture all in place. The sound of birds chirping happily outside of her window comforted her a great deal making her Re-resting her head on the pillow .She closed her eyes again for a little while before getting up. All the pain and stress that she had felt from the prison had gone but the eerie silence that accompanied it still lingered in the air around her. Before long Twilight had given up trying to back to sleep and was up looking for her friends. She walked out of her room when suddenly being greeted by a giant patch in her ceiling. It had already been patched up by wooden planks that crisscrossed across the once gaping hole in her ceiling. Twilight stared at it for a moment before looking round the room for Spike. She found him curled of around a bunch of nails and planks sleeping soundly. Twilight looked at her slumbering friend, she had never been so happy to be home in her life. She gently picked him up and brought him to his bed besides hers. "Feel better?" said a voice from behind her. Twilight turned to see it was Celestia. There was a huge smile across her face and she seemed relieved to see her however something was different about her. Her hair no longer swayed majestically as it once did and her smile seemed weak almost as if she didn't have the energy to stand. Twilight gazed back before running over to hug her mentor. Tears of joy began to form i her eyes. "I though...I would never...be able to see you again" she exclaimed still sobbing between speech. Celestia hugged back soothing her "it's going to be okay" and "we're home now". There hug lasted for over a minute before they both retracted there embrace, a smile still printed on their mouths. "Thanks for saving my friends princess, if it wasn't for you I would still be in that awe-full place" said Twilight with great gratitude. "My dear apprentice, you know I would risk everything to save my subjects as well as Equestria itself" Celestia said, her voice showing subtle hints of tainting. "What are you going to do about Nightmare moon?" asked Twilight still worried that the enraged alicorn where still out there planning and scheming. "I'm not sure Twilight, the most I can do is try to prevent them from taking control of our major cities" Celestia said, a hint of worry in her voice. "She's still in there you know, you know how much Luna loves you. I think somewhere deep down inside her she still does and always will". Celestia looked away from Twilight's gaze and into the distance. Twilight could feel her sorrow deepen by the second within her and it made Twilight feel sorrow as well. Twilight watched as she saw a tear run down Celestia's cheek for the first time. She only felt that there was one thing to do. Twilight once again embraced with Celestia hugging her tight. Celestia did nothing but rest her chin against Twilight's shoulders. Although towering over Twilight she still managed to embrace with the unicorn. For the next few moments silence filled the room as they shared there tears of sadness and for a long while it was as if everything was okay again. Suddenly twilight's door flung open and two royal guards followed by a high ranking army general of the Equestrian army. Twilight and Celestia wiped there tears away as they prepared for whatever news was brought. The general didn't hesitate to break into the news. "Princess, we have received news of a huge uprising coming from the North West Mountains west of the city of Canterlot" "Chrysalis and Nightmare" Celestia asked rhetorically. He knew what the answer was really but wanted to be sure. "I'm afraid so mam" said the general. He had a cutie mark in the form of a shield and was light grey in colour. Celestia began to walk towards the door and nodded her head to Twilight to signal her to follow. The royal guards, Celestia and Twilight all exited her house. A séance of duty seemed to linger around them. Because it Equestria was under attack they were ready to defend it no matter what. Fools they were to think they could stop me from rising once more. Foolish they were for think that they could spoil my plan. At this very moment I feel my strength gathering. The might of the army behind me is too large to be defeated once more. There is no love to stop me this time. With my combined power with yours we can crush the elements of harmony. Once my army swoop down and take over this land me and you will be the ones who take our prize, our rightful place as rulers of this land. Revenge my child will be sweet and glorious. The rift is almost emptied itself of changelings and soon we will be ready to advance; First Canterlot, then PonyVille and finally Cloudsdale. All will become vessels of my future empire. Our previous attempts might have failed once but not this time. The odds are in our favour Chrysalis stood on a large mountain range giving the perfect view of Canterlot in the distance. Her wings outstretched as she slowly prepared to take flight. Standing behind her was Nightmare, the same evil glare that Chrysalis shared. Nightmare listened intently as Chrysalis walked about how her invasion was going to work this time. In all honestly Nightmare didn't care. Her thrust for vengeance was like a ranging bomb fire waiting for the fuss to be lit. Although Chrysalis's intents where to seize the city of Canterlot with her army, the enormous army that hovered patiently for orders. Nightmare couldn't count the number of changelings that came out of the rift after the spell but she could guess that was more than a few million. The floating army flew busily in a giant ball collecting in the rich air they had not breathed in Months. All Nightmares life when she was known as Luna she felt like she had been stuck in Celestia's shadow. To her it wasn't fair. Today will be the day that she will have her reckoning her vengeance against her sister. Nightmare knew that she had completely different motives then Chrysalis. Chrysalis as for power but Nightmare was for revenge. She couldn't wait for the moment to arrive. The sky seemed perfect for the clash that was soon to come. Nightmare looked out at the sky and then to the horizon where the sun was gradually rising. It will soon be Nightmare who also raises the sun soon. There was one thing holding Nightmare back that she didn't really expect. Something she couldn't repel because it was always there. That thing she had always felt but been too afraid to show it to the world and to Celestia. It was forgiveness. Nightmare quickly shook of that feeling. She couldn't just forget about what Celestia had done. She was going to continue with her plan with Chrysalis and her mighty army. As Nightmare gazed out at the surrounding future war zone she couldn't help feeling the same feeling of forgiveness crossing her body liking it was bursting to come out. It was like another part of her was trying to break free from her powerful grasp but couldn't because of Nightmares current power levels. Whenever she looked out and remember the memories she had with her sister she felt it again. Yet some part of her welcomed the new force. It was like a curse that was also a blessing. Nightmare continued to try to block out the feeling. "Not this time" she though.