Of Love and Loss

by tom117z


11 - Broken Armor: Part 2

The city was in chaos.

As Princesses Twilight and Luna descended on the Crystal Empire they could immediately see the cause of the problem. Creatures made from some type of black ooze swarmed from the palace as civilians ran through the street to escape the oncoming onslaught of hellish monstrosities.

The Crystal Guard were doing their best to combat the creatures, and a few unicorns were holding their own within a shield surrounding the Crystal Heart, protecting it from the grasp of Sombra’s abominations. However, they were vastly outnumbered and losing ground fast.

So it was a great relief when a giant swarm of Pegasi and Thestrals from both the Solar and Lunar Guard regiments began to descend down onto the city and pick off several of the creatures attacking the unfortunate crystal ponies.

Hope filled the hearts of the crystal ponies as behind those reinforcements the two princesses of the sun and moon were clearly visible. Princess Luna was adorned in a silver set of royal combat armour with a crescent moon displayed proudly on the helmet and chest piece. Twilight herself was decorated in armour coloured a mix of gold and lavender, somewhat reminiscent of her brothers old captain of the guard armour. In the place of a helmet her crown stood proudly atop her head just behind her sleek horn, the image of the Element of Magic with the sun in the background graced her chest piece.

Push the fiends back to the depth from whence they came!” Luna’s royal canterlot voice boomed across the city, shattering more than a few pieces of crystal. “Leave none of the abominations standing!

Luna followed her exclamation by swooping down through one of the empire’s grand highways leading directly to the palace and unleashing a devastating lance of magic through a large group of the faux alicorns.

Twilight stayed close to her side.

“Luna, we have to get to the palace. Shiny and Cadance are likely still inside!” Twilight called out to her counterpart.

“Indeed, along with the source of this infestation,” Luna responded as she came to a halt and hovered above the crystalline structures. “I suggest we take a couple guards each, and the rest push back against the horde harassing our subjects.”

“Agreed,” Twilight nodded, turning towards a few nearby Pegasus Solar Guards. “Private Shield, Lieutenant Strike, you two are with me.”

“Captain Vespertilio, Private Eidolon, you accompany us also,” Luna spoke to two nearby Thestral guards. “The rest of you, defend the empire!”

With all orders given the majority of guard actively began to reinforce their Crystal Guard counterparts and beat back against the creatures with their reinforced numbers. And yet all could still see a seemingly endless amount still exiting the palace.

The princesses and their guards shot past most of the hostile creatures and ploughed straight into the horde surrounding the Crystal Heart.

Twilight reared back and cracked her hooves down onto the floor, creating a shockwave of arcane energies that ripped several creatures apart on contact.

Luna on the other hoof conjured up a large javelin which she immediately pierced through several of the creatures. While the weapon itself did little as it completely bypassed the creature’s vulnerability, the enchantment quickly dispelled the dark magic holding the creatures together. After the two princesses and their guards were done all that was left was a large pile of sickly black goo which began to quickly dissolve into nonexistence.

While several more quickly exited the palace to replace their fallen brethren several of the guard, seeing the opportunity the princesses had created for them, quickly moved up to the palace and cut the creatures down.

The unicorns within the shield gave the princesses grateful nods as they were able to relax slightly since their shield was no longer being constantly pounded upon by dark magical constructs.

“You’ve done a magnificent job so far,” Twilight complimented the ponies within the shield. “But you have to keep the shield going, the Crystal Heart cannot fall into the hooves of Sombra’s constructs.”

The unicorns gave a more determined nod of assurance, they felt far more confident now that a couple dozen guards were surrounding them and the heart itself.

As a few more creatures exited one of the palace’ entrance ways Twilight quickly turned and lit her horn a dangerous lavender, sending a single bolt through several and sending them to the same end as all of their brethren who had encountered the sun princess.

Twilight motioned for Luna and their four guards to follow as she quickly made to enter the central structure.

The journey up the stairway into the palace proper went eerily by without incident, aside from the corpses of the unlucky few caught their by the creatures as they swarmed out.

As they entered the entrance hall however, they discovered dozens of the creatures emerging from further in the palace, all making toward the doorway.

Private Shield swiped his sword cleanly through the nearest one as the others continued to descend onto them.

“Follow the stream of them, it shall lead us to the source!” Luna advised.

The next few minutes were a blur for the group of ponies. They hacked, slashed and blasted their way through what seemed like and infinite amount of the monstrosities. Luna’s javelin weaved through creature after creature as Twilight ripped and tore at them with her magic, burning through them with the power of the sun behind her.

Tragically, Lieutenant Strike was grabbed by one of the creatures and dragged into a large group. By the time the others had killed them all there was little left of the unfortunate Pegasus.

Despite the death of their squadmate, before long they had tracked the endless stream of shadowy alicorns back to its source, an open doorway leading down into deep dark depths. Despite the sound of fighting still sounding throughout the palace, on their approach to the doorway the flow of creatures seemed to stop. Now it was just them, and whatever laid beneath.

“I don’t remember this being here,” Luna muttered.

Twilight looked on into the darkness, “Cadance had mentioned something about discovering a sealed off section of the castle.”

“In my experience, things are sealed off for a reason,” Luna said.

“This place is ancient Luna,” Twilight responded. “The history that might be in there. Wouldn’t you be a bit curious?”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “What is that modern saying? Ah yes. Curiosity killed the cat.”

“Ah, fair enough,” Twilight had to concede Luna’s point. “I only hope Flurry Heart didn’t run into any ancient evils in her exploration.”


Flurry Heart looked on in horror as she saw her city in turmoil. Too many ponies laid dead in the streets. She even, at one point, saw a foal.

Dead at far too young an age.

However, it seemed the worst of the fighting in the city itself had died down. She managed to show up and help out some civilians against a few of the hideous creatures that were like something out of the young alicorn’s worst nightmares, but for the most part the Solar, Lunar and Crystal Guard regiments had managed to wrest control of the city back.

Now that she approached the palace she could see that a great many guards were watching the doorways for any sign of the monsters coming out.

“What is going on here?” Flurry asked a nearby Thestral stallion.

“Your highness!” The guard saluted. “I did not think you would be back.”

“My city is in danger.” Flurry stood tall. “Of course I came back.”

“Of course you highness, no offence intended.”

“None taken. Now, what happened here?” Flurry asked.

It was a member of the Crystal Guard, a mare, that responded. “They found something in the castle. Now all Tartarus is breaking loose.”

“Princess Twilight and Princess Luna are already inside,” The Thestral said. “It seems that while the fighting in the city has died down, it is still quite fierce within the confines of the palace.”

“Then I am going inside,” Flurry proclaimed.

The mare looked panicked, “Princess you can’t! It is too dangerous.”

“I can handle myself! Not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but my family is in there!”

“But-“

“I am going inside,” Flurry stated simply.

Ultimately Flurry Heart was the alicorn princess, so there was little the mare could do to stop her.


Twilight and Luna gawped at the giant obelisk within the previously hidden library. So prominent was it that Twilight, for the first time ever, barely even registered the masses of ancient texts stored within.

They had left their three remaining guards at the top of the staircase to guard it while they dealt with the source of the infestation.

But now…

“What is this?” Twilight asked nopony in particular.

“Definitely Sombra’s creation,” Luna nearly growled. “His stench is all too recognisable.”

Twilight studied the object curiously, before sadly looking at the many corpses of the guards and scholars previously inhabiting the chamber, lingering momentarily on Flash Sentry.

“So, what do we do?” Twilight asked towards Luna. “We can’t leave this thing here to create more creatures to terrorize the empire.”

“Then we finish it!” Luna proclaimed.

Nodding, Twilight lit up her horn a bright lavender just as Luna lit hers also. Together they charged up a powerful beam of destruction magic channelling the sun and moon in unison. So great was the energy channelled that the ground at their hooves began to burn and freeze respectively. And then, as one, they unleashed their magic towards the obelisk and smack against it violently, causing it to glow brightly under their combined strengths.

Only for the sinister laugh of King Sombra to echo from it.

“Fools.”

Dark magic from the obelisk seemed the flow down the princesses’ magical beams as their eyes widened in equal horror. Before they could break the connection the dark magic contacted their horns and entered their skulls, their eyes glowing a bright green as the spell took hold.

A horrific, all-to-familiar spell.


Twilight awoke with a start. She was confused, not remembering passing out.

“Luna?” Twilight called out.

Sitting up, Twilight took in her surroundings; Twilight was in a graveyard, fog had rolled in and the ancient-looking cemetery seemed to stretch on forever.

“Welcome,” a familiar voice spoke.

Twilight jumped to her hooves and shot around to see the figure of Sombra leaning up against a large gravestone.

“It has been a long time, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Actually, I don’t think we’ve met,” Twilight growled. “Sombra is dead. You are nothing more than a magical construct he left behind, a spell.”

“I am his will, my will, made manifest from beyond the grave. That is enough,” The tyrant grinned.

Twilight studied Sombra’s manifestation. “This spell, it is like the one you placed within the door. Showing a pony’s worst fear?”

“Not quite, but close,” Sombra replied. “There are some things I thought you should see…”

Twilight looked at her surroundings, seeing only gravestones for miles.

“Where are we?”

Sombra’s smirk turned vicious. “The future.”

Luna awoke within the Canterlot throne room, knowing full well how she got there.

“Sombra!” Luna shouted as she got to her hooves. “Show yourself, I am in no mood for your games!”

“But I thought you liked frequenting the world of dreams?” Sombra said as he appeared, sitting on the throne.

“This is not the world of dreams, but a sinister manifestation of yours,” Luna rebuked. “Now, get off that throne.”

“Twilight’s throne, you mean?” Sombra said shot back. “While you sit in the shadows, as usual. Nothing has changed, Nightmare Moon.”

“If you think to twist my mind as you did so long ago, you will fail. I am no longer Nightmare Moon. I have made peace with my mistakes.”

“But have you?”

“I have,” Luna affirmed.

“Then why are you afraid to tell her?” Sombra asked with a brutal edge.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Don’t you?” Sombra said condescendingly. “You love Twilight Sparkle. But you are so afraid to admit it. How pathetic.”

“Shut your mouth!” Luna angrily tried to grab Sombra with her magic, but he simply vanished, and reappeared behind her.

“Good to see some things never change,” He deadpanned sarcastically as Luna spun to face the tyrant once more. “You know, I don’t intend to plant seeds of darkness within you, like I did before. That ship has already sailed, the time of Nightmare Moon is long past.”

Sombra grinned. “But there is another.”

Luna looked Sombra in the eyes, “What do you mean”?

“She is already on that path, perhaps she just needs encouragement?” Sombra began to laugh, and then disappeared into nothingness.

Lightening cracked as Luna heard somepony behind her, she spun yet again, expecting to see Sombra.

But the sinister figure sitting on the throne was not Sombra, but somepony else Luna knew. She looked different, much like Luna had done so long ago, but like Luna she was still recognisable as the pony she once was.

“No,” Luna squeaked in horror.

“The future?” Twilight deadpanned in disbelief.

“Well, perhaps not the literal future, Equestria isn’t one giant graveyard,” Sombra chuckled. “But it showcases some important facts.”

“Facts like what…?” Twilight raised a curious eyebrow.

“This,” He simply stated, his horn glowing as the graves around them began to morph.

They now had names.

Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Mi Amore Cadenza and Celestia were all written on the various graves with their cutie marks carved into their stone surfaces.

“W-what?” Twilight stuttered, eyes wide.

“You couldn’t save them Twilight,” Sombra sneered. “You couldn’t save Celestia, and you won’t be able to save them. They will die, you will live. Alone.”

“No! You are lying!” Twilight shouted.

“You know it is true. You are immortal, and will lose everypony. Just accept your miserable existence for what it is!”

“N-no…” Tears began to roll down Twilight’s cheeks as she looked down onto the gravestones.

“You wield a sun that isn’t yours, you are alone Twilight. You will lose everything. Friendship has abandoned you, Equestria has abandoned you. Why protect it? Why protect something that does nothing but take from you?”

“I’m a princess… I have a-“

“Duty?” Sombra rolled his eyes. “Equestria cares nothing for you. Why submit to them, when they should submit to you? You could be so much more, Twilight.”

“B-but, Luna. Her grave is not here, she will-“

“Will what, Twilight Sparkle?” Luna’s voice sounded from behind the sun princess.

Twilight slowly turned around, “Luna?”

She didn’t notice Sombra vanish into nothing.

“Do you love me, Twilight?”

“W-what?”

“Just tell me the truth,” Luna said softly. “Do you love me?”

She could no longer hold the truth in.

“Yes! Luna I do,” Twilight approached the blue alicorn. “You’ve been there for me. I do love you, so very much.”

“It is beneath you,” Luna said coldly.

“W-what?” Twilight uttered, wide eyed.

“You are a princess of Equestria, love is beneath you. If you seek such frivolous pastimes instead of pursuing your duties, then you do not deserve that crown. If Tia was here, she would be as ashamed as I. You are a tool that has outlived its usefulness.”

“A tool? Celestia cared for me…”

“You were her weapon!” Luna shouted. “Nothing more. And even less now.”

“Luna,” Tears dropped to the dead grassy ground. “You can’t mean that. Please!”

Luna looked as Twilight in disgust, “I could never love somepony like you.”

Something snapped.

Silence reigned as Twilight closed her eyes, her breathing steadied and the tears began to dry up.

“So… after all I have done. This is my reward? This is what I get?” Twilight said in a monotone voice.

“What are you snivelling about?” Luna spat.

“I am doomed to be alone,” Twilight's voice began to twist into something sinister as her fur turned a much darker shade of purple. “Rejected and abandoned by all.”

“Twilight?” Luna began to back away in terror.

“So be it.”

Twilight’s eyes shot open, slitted pupils homed in their pray as Princess Luna froze in fear. Violent dark magical energies flowed through Twilight’s horn as she fired one devastating lance at the other princess, wiping Princess Luna from existence in one swoop.


Flurry Heart burst into the chamber as dark magical energies swirled around it. She immediately spotted Twilight and Luna standing completely still, their eyes wide and green as the obelisk forced itself inside their heads.

“Oh no you don’t!” Flurry shouted as she unleashed a magical pulse that dispelled all dark magic in the vicinity, forcing it to retreat back into the artefact.

Twilight and Luna, with their connections severed, dropped to the floor painfully. Both of them slowly opened their now normal eyes as they groggily got back onto their hooves.

“What… happened?” Twilight rubbed the base of her horn.

“Aunty Twilight, Luna!” Flurry Heart shouted as dark magic began to pulse from the obelisk and several faux alicorns began to form.

Princess Luna looked away from the two other alicorns and towards the obelisk, which was now damaged.

“Twilight, we damaged it, but the two of us were not quite enough. Sombra designed this monstrosity to last.”

Understanding lit up Twilight’s face, “But there are three of us now.”

“My thoughts exactly!” Luna grinned. “Flurry Heart! The three of us, together we can end this!”

Flurry nodded, lighting up her horn a brilliant golden hue.

Luna and Twilight both lit up their horns also, and all three princesses channeled their strongest magics and fired them towards the obelisk just as the creatures finished spawning.

The three beams condensed into one as it impacted the artifact, which began to crack rapidly before shattering into countless shards.

A pulse of dark magic shot out as all the creatures began to disintegrate into nothing, their source of power destroyed.

As the dark energies died down, the three princesses were left in a quiet room, panting from the exhaustion of the energy used in the final strike.

“Well… that went well,” Flurry Heart said. “Are you two alright?”

“We’re fine!” both answered at once, both lying through their teeth.

“Well good, because I have a question…”

Twilight and Luna looked at Flurry expectantly.

“Where are my parents?” Flurry asked.


The palace throne room was deathly silent as the three princesses entered it. Nearby guards held their helmets to their chests and offered condolences as soft sobbing could be heard from in front of the throne.

Flurry Heart screamed as she saw what was wrong, and rushed forwards to the scene.

Twilight felt numb. All feeling left her as she stared at the sight before her.

It had to be a bad dream.

It just had to be.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she realised that what she saw was far too real.

She saw Flurry Heart and Cadance cradling over a dead pony, tears rolling down their faces as they begged him to wake up. To open his eyes one last time.

Twilight thought back to the graveyard, and how it had already begun to become reality. Her brother was gone.

Shining Armor was dead.