Dark Sun Arising
Upheaval: Breaking Point
Chapter 45: Dark Sun Arising
"Listen closely, Twocolt. You are the only one I can rely on to carry out the order's goals. Can I trust you to do so despite the risk and can you trust me to have Equestria's best interest at heart no matter what?"
"Of course, my lady! I can't back down or fail after coming so far! Tell me what to do and it's done!"
Twocolt's answer, so confident when he gave it to Lady Bright Flame, weighed heavily upon him as he galloped the streets. He had abandoned his post in order to do this. That proved more difficult than how he had expected it to be. There was the threat of punishment of course. Dereliction of duty was a serious offense in the Legion. But he feared the thought of what would happen to the others more. His fellow legionnaires could very well die because he wasn't there to do his part.
"Applejack will soon be called to join her friends. Once this happens, you must make sure that you are nearby to observe them. Be brave, Twocolt, you will witness frightening things. Keep a close eye on Twilight Sparkle, and whoever tries to aid her when she falls. One of her friends will produce a black orb, and use it. It is of the utmost importance that you get that orb. They will be distracted by this time. When you see it glow purple, knock out whoever has it, and get it. After that, escape."
"I don't understand, my lady. What is so important about this black orb?"
"It is a tool of assassination that Terrato has planted among the chosen. I do not know which, but I know that he has convinced one of them that it is a harmless mana battery. Will you do this, Twocolt?"
"I will, my lady."
Twocolt didn't understand how his mission could possibly affect anything regarding the plot against Princess Celestia, but he was only a low-ranking stallion within the order. Of course, he didn't have the knowledge, or vision of Lady Bright Flame. He was no leader. He was never going to see what ponies like her saw. But he had his faith, and he had his loyalty. He could put these things to good use by trusting in her.
It wasn't easy looking for a single group of ponies in a city under attack. A blizzard had whipped up from out of nowhere earlier, leaving him paralyzed with fear. It was only later that the blizzard abated slightly so he could move again, albeit with some difficulty. He had heard that the chosen were formed into a squad of their own, and stationed by the northern gates. That was his destination.
Several explosions rocked the nearby streets. 'From within the city?' he thought in horror. Despite the danger, he headed for the source. Twilight Sparkle's power was obvious enough during her sparring sessions. It could be one of her spells going off as it was quite close to the northern walls.
"Once you have the orb, retreat to our meeting place."
"But, my lady! The rest of the order was caught there!"
"The Legion believes that the order has been eradicated completely. With an attack in progress there will be nopony there. I will be waiting anxiously for you in that place. Please, don't let me down."
Those words spurred Twocolt on despite the horrible cold and the danger. Lady Bright Flame was waiting for him. If he failed, or ran away now, she would be waiting there until dreadful feeling that nopony was coming crept up on her. He would never be able to face her or himself again.
He froze when he finally approached the northern walls. "You will witness frightening things" was correct. Past the northern walls, within the city itself, was a forest. The trees had trunks made out of shadow, and dark flames for leaves. Battling this field of monstrosities were several ponies. There was Applejack, and Twilight. They were fighting to protect a collapsed pony from the writhing mass. He fought back the urge to jump in, and help out, especially when Applejack was doing her part despite being recently injured. But he couldn't show himself now, he had a job to do. He could only hope that his friend would come out of this battle much better than she did the last one.
Then, came that great clash.
In one moment, Twocolt was watching the group slowly be overwhelmed by the mass of tentacles, especially a big one that somehow kept bouncing off something rather than crushing them. Twilight suddenly fired off a massive spell so bright that he had to close his eyes. Somepony cried out, followed by another explosion. After that was silence.
"Enough!"
A brilliant sunburst dazzled Twocolt further. With a grunt of pain, he shut his eyes. When the glare faded, he shook his head, and blinked.
After that, he simply stared.
Princess Celestia herself hovered above the chaos. Confronted by the sight of the alicorn he had been secretly serving despite the dangers, he momentarily forgot what he was supposed to do. This was a day of reckoning for the traitorous leader of the Equestrian Legion. Princess Celestia wasn't alone as well. Enormous gouts of white flame, each shaped like a winged pony, materialized near her. Finally, things were going to be set right. Sun Gazer had succeeded. Despite the losses, Lady Bright Flame's cause was about to be won.
'Wait. The assassination device! Where is it? I have to get it!' Twocolt searched frantically. As Lady Bright Flame had predicted, the other ponies were distracted. There was the black orb, in the claws of their dragon friend. With everypony looking at the princess, he snuck up on his target. A swift, and measured blow to the head, and the dragon was down. Before it could roll from the dragon's limp fingers, he grabbed the orb with his teeth, and ran. Just as he thought he was about to make a clean get away, an all too familiar voice call out for him.
"Twocolt! What are you doing?"
Applejack's confused call sent a pang of guilt through Twocolt's chest. He didn't look back lest he catch sight of her face. He had to do this. The cause was far more important than any friendship. For Equestria, and for Lady Bright Flame, he would cast aside everything else.
The mere sight of the reunion between Princess Celestia and Twilight was warmth seeping into Applejack's body. The cold winds of the Northern Barrier Lands gave way. However, it was difficult to fully enjoy the sight. She was still worried about that black orb. The others, save for Vanguard, hadn't noticed. She couldn't blame them. Princess Celestia reminded them of home. Seeing that tender hug between teacher and student made it seem that everything was about to become better. Surely, this was the turning point of their fates.
Applejack looked back in time to see Spike fall face-first to the ground. Behind him was an earth pony. Despite the armor, she easily recognized who it was. "Twocolt, what are you doing?" she asked. Her friend simply grabbed the black orb and ran. The others didn't even seem to notice. She moved to chase after him, to make him explain, but she could only take a few half-hearted steps, then look back to Princess Celestia. She couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness in this situation. She walked over to Spike, who was waking up…again. "You okay, sport?" she asked.
"Ow…" Spike rubbed his head painfully. "What happened?"
"Uh…somepony hit you from behind, and made off with that thing you were holding." Applejack pressed her lips together. She wasn't lying, but even omitting details made her feel uncomfortable. Still, she didn't want to mention Twocolt to the others until she got to the bottom of this.
"Of all the--"
Applejack didn't hear the rest of Spike's words. In the next moment, she didn't hear anything else. A cry of pain from a voice she never expected to hear it from was all she could pay attention to. Her head snapped towards the sound while her heart hammered against her chest. "Princess Celestia?" she murmured. Celestia didn't hear her. It didn't seem that Celestia heard, or saw anything past Twilight.
Celestia's face twisted in pain as she looked down towards her chest. Twilight's hoof was black, and had touched where her heart was. Magic, like a barbed blade of ice, pierced her coat, and flesh until her very heart felt cold. "Twilight…" The words caught in her throat. When she tried harder to speak, all that came out was a weak, gasping whisper. "Twilight, why…?"
Twilight withdrew her hoof, and stepped back. The hoof she had pressed against Celestia's chest was coursing with dark-colored magic, which extended from it like an immaterial dagger. White light, the color of Celestia's magic, flowed through the thing like blood. Without her support, Celestia fell forward, and collapsed on her knees. "Please rest assured, Princess Celestia, that your student is as faithful to you as she has always been." It was Twilight's lips that moved, and her voice that made the sound, but somepony else was speaking. Celestia's eyes widened. "I would even say that her faith is even stronger. She has witnessed your folly, but she has not wavered."
"Who are you?" Celestia asked. She said the words between shallow gasps. Her colorful, flowing mane was slowly transforming into a soft pink. Without the magic that summoned them, the Equi Ignei quickly dissipated. The others galloped towards her.
The black-armored pony with them advanced with a two-bladed sword in his mouth, "Twilight Sparkle" shook a hoof at him. "I'm just a guest in this house, Vanguard Clash," she said. "The owner won't appreciate finding it in ruins when she comes back." Vanguard stopped, and glared at her. She turned towards Celestia, and gave a slight bow. "I believe we've met already, your highness. My name is Black Rose. Well, a temporary fragment of Black Rose to be precise. A simulacrum, if you recognize the term. No need to panic. In a few minutes, Twilight Sparkle's body will reject me, and we will exchange places once more. I will return to the soul jar I gave Spike, and she will have her body back. Of course, I will keep this power I've just taken."
Applejack glanced behind her.
"Wishing you had chased after him, Applejack? No need to feel guilty. You would have run into the rest of me, and I would have had to kill you. You chose wisely by staying here."
"Celestia!" A thunderous roar caused everypony to flinch as Terrato came flying towards them. He raised a hoof to strike down "Twilight Sparkle", but Celestia raised a hoof to stop him.
"Terrato, you mustn't! Twilight is…" Celestia winced as she tried to get up. Her legs wobbled and refused to support her.
Terrato's rage gave way to a tender concern. "Celestia, are you hurt? What did she do to you?"
"She will live," Black Rose said. As she spoke, the white light that had enveloped her hoof spread to envelop the rest of her. "I've taken everything else, but I left behind enough to let her keep her immortality."
"This was your plan all along." Terrato growled.
"Yes," Black Rose said. "I never wanted to kill Princess Celestia. When you came upon my plans, it was true that they required that I kill her, but I was still refining my methods to avoid that. You always have been so passionate, beloved. I love that, even if it translates to murderous rage at times." Her expression brightened. "From now on, I will be Equestria's sun. It will be a united Equestria that I will shine upon, not this fragmented mess." She turned her gaze upon Celestia. "Why so shocked and sad? I have relieved you of a burden you should have never carried. When I have accomplished all of my plans, I hope that we can all put these terrible proceedings behind us, and move on together."
"Why have you done this?" Fluttershy asked. "What did Princess Celestia ever do to you?"
"This is not revenge, Fluttershy. As its bearer, you should recognize kindness when you see it." Black Rose turned towards Spike. "Speaking of kindness, you have my utmost gratitude for yours, Spike. This would have failed if you had used it with while Twilight possessed so much as a modicum of power to guard against me, but your timing was simply impeccable. I will remember this day, I assure you." Arcs of black electricity coursed through Black Rose. She smiled, and looked at her hoof. "Right on schedule. Now, excuse me, I have a few more things to take care of before this day is done."
There was a flash magical energy, and the arcs of black electricity mixed with the white glow. Twilight's body fell like a marionette with its strings cut as the energy flew off. Twilight's friends surrounded her while Terrato followed the streak of black and white magic with his gaze. He looked as if he was about to follow. Instead, he flew over to Luna, and lifted her gently to his back with his magic. 'So you've been wearing yourself out while your two siblings made foals of themselves, hmm?' he said softly. 'You're starting to make me think that you should have been eldest, Luna.'
"Uh…" Twilight, the real one, groaned.
"What happened?" Twilight asked. She quickly noticed Celestia. "Princess!" she exclaimed. When she got to Celestia's side, she turned her attention towards her friends. "What happened? Why is she here?" Her eyes narrowed even as the first tears started to drop from her face. "Who did this to her?"
"Twilight, it was…" Applejack hesitated. She looked behind her again, then towards Spike, who had fallen to his knees in shock. She opened her mouth to try again, but she shut it without saying a single word, and looked away.
"Are you hurt anywhere, your highness?" Fluttershy asked. She tried to look over Celestia, but couldn't see any sort of wound. Celestia clutched at her chest. She tried one more time to stand, but her vision dimmed, and blackened completely.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out. "Do something, Fluttershy! Please!"
"There's nothing the medic can do," Terrato said. "Celestia will live, so calm down. In case everypony's forgotten, there's still a battle to deal with."
Twilight turned towards Terrato. "She's your sister! How can you stand there as if she just slipped, and fell?"
The others cringed, but Terrato's face was a stony mask, and he didn't even look at Twilight when he placed Celestia on his back with his magic. "No more standing around, legionnaire," he said. "There's more fighting to be done."
A burst of light filled the sky above them. It was coming from a great pillar of sunlight emerging from somewhere in the city.
"Black Rose blooms once again," Vanguard said softly.
Twilight stomped at the cracked pavement repeatedly with her front hooves. "Why?" she sobbed. "We've been fighting so hard, but we can't seem to protect anypony!"
Twocolt galloped through the streets, thankful that Applejack had not decided to give chase. The orb felt warm, and the magical power within it made him uneasy. He made it to the order's old meeting place. The lack of greeting from Verdant made his chest ache briefly. When he reached the secret chamber, he found Lady Bright Flame waiting there as she had promised. He dropped to his knees and transferred the orb from his mouth to his front hooves to offer it. "My lady, I have it. Just as you asked!" he said proudly.
Bright Flame responded with an utterly radiant smile. She took the orb, and gazed at it lovingly before returning her attention to him. "Thank you so much, Twocolt. You have done more than your part in saving Equestria for doing this." She closed her eyes after that.
Blood rushed to Twocolt's face. He couldn't find anything to say to that. Even the questions he had thought of asking dribbled away. To his surprise, the purple light surrounding the orb rose up, then flew away in a bright streak. A second later, a streak of black electricity mixed with white light struck the orb. Whatever the light was, the orb couldn't contain it. It shattered like glass, sending shards flying everywhere. Twocolt raised his forelegs, gritting his teeth when a couple of shards bit into his flesh. "Lady Bright Flame!" he called out.
Bright Flame was completely unharmed. Not only that, she was suffused by the white light. When she opened her eyes, the same white light shone forth from them. "I will not forget this, Twocolt," she said. Her voice reverberated within the chamber, and the walls began to crack. The aura of light around her intensified, and shot upward, burning through the ceiling completely. His heart pounding, Twocolt looked up, and saw the sky from where he was. "You have done me a great favor, and I always remember my debts. I must go for now. There are a few more details for me to take care of."
Twocolt looked on breathlessly as Lady Bright Flame's coat changed from yellow-tinged white to completely black. Graceful, feathered wings sprouted from her back, and her mane went from golden to a deep crimson. Had Lady Bright Flame transformed into an alicorn? How was that even possible? He said nothing as she took off, leaving him to stare at the sky as the pillar of light that had illuminated her gently dissipated.
With the blizzard completely gone, the city's defenders now pushed against the wolven. Scaling ladders were unhooked, and thrown down. The wolven that had managed to climb up were slowly surrounded, then slain.
This battle proved to be Bastion City's costliest yet. Dead ponies were scattered along the walls, and nopony could keep count of the legionnaires who had fallen towards the wolven, who tore through them almost instantly. Blood and feathers rained upon pony and wolven alike as pegasi struggled for control of the skies while bolters shot many of them down. Spells rippled through the air followed by explosions, and the howls of wolven. Ugly, red splotches covered the fresh fallen snow.
From her vantage point, Black Rose surveyed the battle with a smile. This was the Legion she still loved. No matter how desperate the battle, nopony ran away screaming, or cowered in a corner. It was time she rewarded their courage. She didn't miss the sight of the giant wolven standing among the rear lines of the enemy. Fenrir had spotted her. He knew what was going to happen next. "You sent Nightmare Moon against the city thinking that her being outside the pact was to your advantage. I admire both your honor, and your cunning!" she called to the King of Wolvengard. Her voice, soft as it may be, was carried by the power of the sun. It cut through the clamor of battle as easily as sunlight cut through morning mist. Several legionnaires look towards her in surprise, and awe. "I too am not part of the pact. Fitting that what you believed was your greatest advantage has become the downfall of your army."
Black Rose raised her hoof. Sunlight gathered around it, transforming into a dazzling orb of golden radiance. With a flash of magic from her horn, the orb exploded so brilliantly that it was as if the gray clouds that covered the sky had parted to let the sun shine through. The spell was more than light. Hundreds of golden beams arced from the burst, and streaked towards the wolven. Wherever one struck, a silent explosion flared up, consuming everything around it in flame. Howls and panicked shouts went up as chaos broke out within the wolven army. Siege equipment, and supply wagons burst into flames. The wolven hit directly simply disappeared, leaving not even traces of ash. Those caught at the periphery fell to the snowy ground, howling in agony while their fur caught fire. "Long live the Legion," she whispered. She flapped her -now true- wings once, and let a teleportation spell carry her away. Despite his losses, Fenrir would not break the pact. That much she was sure of.
'Tomorrow will be my first sunrise, beloved. My dawn will herald a new age for Equestria.'
"Sally forth!" Dreadstep shouted. He didn't need to. Everypony still capable of putting one hoof in front of the other was rushing to bring the fight to the wolven. The gates swung open, and the Legion stormed out with fearsome battle cries, and neighs.
"Long live the Legion!"
"Equestria!"
"For our prince!"
Dreadstep glanced at the sky. The pony responsible for this miraculous turn of events was gone. A single spell from the black alicorn decimated Fenrir's forces as if the very sun itself had attacked. The wolven were scattered, and disoriented. Many of them had been blinded by the light, and the others were so confused that they were lunging at allies. The ponies broke through their ranks as easily as one could crush a few twigs.
With a dolorous chorus of howls, the wolven began to retreat. Enraged ponies pursued them while bolts rained upon them with impunity. Everypony understood that each wolven slain meant more time for them to recover. It could very well be centuries before the wolven ever dared to cross their borders again. Victorious cries followed as the ponies eventually broke off pursuit. Even Dreadstep, who always looked to the future with a degree of pessimism, had a grin on his face as he turned towards his officers. The city was saved. This was victory. The others grinned back at him, and raised their hooves in exultation.
"We crushed those wolven mongrels!" one pony yelled, tears streaming from his eyes.
"The Legion is invincible!" cried another.
The sight of the prince approaching him brought Dreadstep up short. On Terrato's back were two unconscious ponies, and he was accompanied by Vanguard Clash's temporary squad. The grim look on his face said it all.
This wasn't a victory yet.
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One note, you often use will, when you should use would. Just a thought.
Oh you KNOW he dead!
I like how the line between the good guys and the bad guys is very blurry.
Take that, Celestia, you ignorant foal of a princess. May you remember this moment for the rest of your days. Given your track record, however, I question whether you'll actually learn anything from it. Having said that, I do hope Black Rose burns herself out, because this kind of treachery cannot stand. I'm all for 'the end justifies the means,' but there's such a thing as 'taking it too far.'
This was all so very intense and I loved every minute of it.
*clap* *clap* *clap* *clap* well done spike i hope you feel good about yourself
Well, it's mostly due to the fact that the dysfunctional alicorn family won't talk to one another aside from Luna and Celestia is having a mental breakdown and descent into paranoia while also being exceptionally dumb. So, really, considering Celestia and your friends are alive, you're doing a magnificent job.
6225343 It's as if they've learned nothing; every stereotype in the show says that black is evil.
...
I just offended myself.