The Alicorn of the Stars

by mushrumluver

Chapter 18- Ovan and Nova (Part 2)

The Alicorn of the Stars
Chapter 18 – Ovan and Nova (Part 2)

~Starshine Manor~

Duran suddenly drove his spear towards one of the chains links binding Twilight. “Kachink!” the sound of the chains shattering echoed throughout the room shocking Twilight of the sudden turn of events.

“Why?” Twilight asked puzzled with Duran’s actions.

“Now you owe me twice…” he replied coldly.

“I don’t get it. Why are you helping me?” Twilight continues to ask while looking at Duran’s eyes directly.

“Just get out of here. I’ll just pretend that you caught me off guard with your magic and all. Now Go!” he ignored the mare’s questions as he turns away from Twilight’s eyes.

“But what will happen to you if they knew about this?” Twilight asked feeling a bit of concern for the stallion.

“Aren’t you listening? I said go before I change my mind.” He continued to ignore Twilight’s inquiry as he slowly steps away from.

“O-ok… “Twilight heeded the stallion’s words as she slowly steps towards the exit of the room “Thanks.” Those were her final words before she finally left the room leaving Duran with the unconscious henchpony.

Twilight wandered around the underground hallway finding an exit or some sort of hint. But after seeing the place, she can’t help herself but be amazed seeing the massive structure that is constructed underneath a once majestic manor. The ancient stone walls held together like bricks stood for thousands and thousands of years without corroding the entire structure. The ever extending hallways lit by consistently placed torches placed on the walls proved that finding a way out in no easy task. Without other choices left she treaded along the massive hallway unknown what lies ahead.

With her aimless wandering, she suddenly found herself in front of a massive stone carving. Upon her closer inspection, she could depict some images that she found disturbing. Within the carving she saw an alicorn in the center along with two other smaller alicorns forming a triangle-like formation. Below them were carvings of ponies worshipping the three alicorn on top. Encircling the trio were six vaguely familiar carvings. But what she found most disturbing is the carving in the farthest corner of the carving. Although vague, it depicted a massive entity watching over the entire carving. Watching them with its malicious stare but it was also depicted that the six pieces, encircling the three and the ponies, acts as some sort of barrier separating the entity and the rest of the stone carving.

While Twilight was entranced by the massive stone carving, several footsteps coming from the opposite end from where she came was soon heard. Twilight quickly look around the room hoping to find somewhere to hide, to her disappointment, it was her and just the stone carving was all in the room. The group of ponies soon found her and pointed their spears towards her attempting to seized her back.

“What are you doing here?” one of the henchpony said.

“Just looking around?” Twilight replied slowly backing away from the group of ponies.

“Aren’t you that prisoner?” the group started stalking her attempting to corner her.

Without hesitation, Twilight suddenly teleported herself behind the group and ran towards where the group of henchponies came from, leaving puffs of smoke in the henchponies sight giving her a makeshift distraction for an escape.

Running as fast as she can, she soon found herself endlessly running along the hallways of the massive underground structure. She soon heard footsteps coming from behind, and unlike Applejack or Rainbow Dash, her stamina wasn’t as high as those two. She soon found herself running out of breathe slowing down in the process. Looking around with no sign of an exit, she continued to run forward. Hearing the henchponies’ footsteps getting louder and louder and their voices as well, she was soon forced into a dead end with no escape. She leaned against the wall as she braced herself for combat until suddenly a hoof came from the wall and grabbed her dragging her inside the wall.

The henchponies soon came to the dead end finding no trace of Twilight. Puzzled with her suddenly disappearance, they soon dispersed in attempts to find their escaped prisoner.

Twilight soon found herself muffled in a dark narrow passage. She struggled herself to get free removing the hoof from her mouth. The moment she turned around she was shocked to see none other than Ovan himself.

---

~Cloudsdale~

With Twilight’s safety all in her mind, Rainbow Dash mindlessly wanders her thought away from the competition.

The first event was declared to be a rally race along with its mechanics. The race starts with one of the two dashes along a straight path at the end of the path lies a huge button signaling their partner to start their course. The other course contains more curves and hairpin turns compared to the first one and the end of the course, another button is pressed to signal the other member to go race back from where they started. The first four to finish the course will be entitled to participate in the semi-finals.

In the special area of the coliseum, Princess Celestia is seen standing there along with two of her Royal Guards. Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts, approaches her from behind.

“You have certainly outdone yourself this year captain.” Princess Celestia praised Spitfire.

“Thanks, but this idea came from Soarin’ including that we make this year’s competition to be team-based skills. He also said that this event is to see that if each team knows the strengths and weaknesses of each other.” She replied.

“Is that so? Well I’m looking forward for this year’s results.” The princess replied turning her attention back to the course.

“But what about ‘him’?” Spitfire asked.

“I don’t want them to get suspicious. By pretending that I haven’t noticed their actions, we might get this chance to capture their leader.” Celestia replied

---

“I’ll be the starter, since we know that you’re more skilled when it comes to corners and stuff. “ Silverstar told her plan to her partner.

“Yeah sure…” Rainbow Dash nonchalantly replied with the concern for Twilight still lingering in her mind. Soon after her replied she proceeded towards her designated position without saying another word to her partner.

“I wonder what’s wrong, she would usually argue with me.” Silverstar started to notice her partner’s strange behavior “Well as long as she does her part.” She ignored Rainbow’s plight and headed towards her starting position as well.

---

~Grovetown Inn~

“Ugh…” Fran finally gained consciousness after getting shot that day. She suddenly got up but the pain from yesterday’s wounds seared throughout her body. She noticed that the wound is already dressed and bandaged the moment she touched her wound. Looking left to right, she found herself in a familiar place.

“You’re already up huh?” Sharpeye entered the room.

“Y-You’re back…” Fran replied feeling a bit of relief from seeing a friendly face as she laid herself back to the bed.

“Normally I’m supposed to get mad at you for disobeying orders, but I’ll save it for later” Sharpeye placed a bowl of fruit on the desk nearby. “What happened? “

“She was there…” Fran replied “They got Twilight Sparkle”

“Who is this she?” the stallion’s expression turned serious upon the mention of Twilight’s involvement. “What happened to Twilight?”

“Remember the robbery at Canterlot Treasury? The same mare who infiltrated the facility works for the Signers. “ Fran explained “and she lured Twilight towards the Manor. The moment I saw her she pulled out some sort of weapon and the next thing I know I’m back here.”

“I see.” Sharpeye closed his eyes for a second trying to connect the pieces.

“I’m sorry, that’s all I know. If only I wasn’t caught off guard.” Fran started to blame herself for her failure. “So did you managed to contact the boss?”

“Barely, I suddenly got this disturbing feeling so I came back, the next thing I knew you were down for the count all bloody and messed up.” Sharpeye regretfully told Fran his side. “But I still managed to send a message to her Majesty, I hope that reinforcements come soon.”

“I’m really sorry for this mess-up.” Fran apologized.

“It’s all said and done but what concerns me is the projectile that hit you.” Sharpeye pulls out a bullet-like object and showed it to Fran.

“What about it?” Fran asked curious over Sharpeye’s concern.

“Well, it’s made of dragonbone, same as my arrowheads. With such rare material, I’m more concerned on where she got this.” Sharpeye replied observing the bullet.

“You think Nova has connections to the higher-ups of Canterlot?” Fran asked.

“Let’s not jump into conclusions yet. Hopefully that’s just your imagination, but still it could be a possibility.” Sharpeye replied.

---

~Starshine Manor~

“Let me go!” Twilight said while pushing the blue stallion away from her.

“Shhh! They can still hear us.” Ovan told Twilight while looking at the wall Twilight came from. The wall seemed transparent from their side. With just the stretching hall in sight, Ovan rubbed his hoof on his forehead feeling a huge relief.

“After what you did to me, how dare you show your face here? Why are you here? Are you following me? How did you know these ‘secret’ passages?” Twilight suddenly became ballistic pushied her hoof against the stallion’s chest while asking him a series of questions

“Wait calm down, i’ll get to that soon.” He grabbed Twilight’s shoulders gently “but right now we need to get out of here.” He looked towards the path opposite of the wall.

“No! I’m not moving from this spot till you answer my question.” Twilight being persistent stood her ground.

“Fine! But there’s one thing you’re mistaken about, Fran is not my girlfriend, we’re just friends.” OVan replied.

“Right… as if I’ll believe that. Now answer my question. How did you managed to get here?” Twilight brushed off Ovan’s resuming back to her inquiry.

“Well, I used to live here.” Ovan sighed.

“I know that, I have heard that this manor was used to be named Starshine Manor. What I mean is, how did you get through all of the guards inside this ‘place’?” Twilight shook her head.

Ovan turned away from Twilight, as he sighed, “My brother and I used to play around this ruins when I was just a colt. We almost do things together, that is until that day he sacrificed himself to save my life.” He said with a painful sorrow in his face.

“I’m sorry… I was just so confused, There were lots of things bugging me the moment I came here. I’m sorry that I tried to take it out on you.” Twilight approached Ovan, remembering all her time with her brother as well and on how both of them were the same when it comes to their older brother.

“That’s okay…” he turned back to Twilight “It was all in the past.”

“But these ruins, they kind of like know a lot of this Cosmos, just what is he anyway?” Twilight turned her attention towards the room she saw the large carving.

“The truth is, my family was part of the Signers.” Ovan said with a straight face.

“What?!” Twilight shocked hearing the sudden revelation. “But that means…”

“No no no…” Ovan waved his hooves.”That’s not it. Back then Signers have never done something like this, we were just protecting Cosmos’ power until the Foal of Prophecy arrives. That was until ‘he’ came.” His face turned grim the moment he mentions the particular pony.

“But the history books said that Cosmos was evil. He tried to destroy Equestria.” Twilight confused trying to fit Ovan’s story with the books she has read.

“He is not really downright evil, he was just tempted.” He slowly shook his head. “besides the power that we were guarding was his power before he was corrupted. But like I said the Signer’s role changed ever since ‘he arrived.”

“You mean Nova?” Twilight realized “Come to think of it, he has the same last name as you do? I mean what is he? How is he related to you? I mean Ovan, Nova; his name is like a jumbled up version of yours”

“That I do not know why. He came out of nowhere, possessing incredible powers; Powers that could somehow rival that of the princess. All I know is he must be stopped.” Ovan replied.

“The truth is, i kind of fought him yesterday.” Twilight said

“You fought him?” Ovan’s eyes widened shocked to hear that.

“Yes” Twilight looked down in shame “His powers surpassed mine. He just tossed me around like a rag doll and catching my spell like some ball.” She closed her eyes “if only Princess Celestia were here she could—“

“I wish either both of them could confront him, but knowing him, he won’t take that chance. He’ll flee the moment he hears at least one of the regal sisters is personally coming for him.” Ovan sighed “We won’t get anywhere; we have to get out of here right now.” Ovan started walking towards the way he came from.

“No we can’t, we have to go back.” Twilight grabbed Ovan’s shoulder and turned him facing her.

“What?! Why?!” Ovan confused and shock as he asked.

“There is somepony here I want to save.” Twilight looked at him straightly in the eyes.

“Who in Equestria is that? There’s no pony here but us and those Signers.” Ovan replied.

“Well he kind of saved my life, if it wasn’t for him I won’t probably get here.” Twilight replied. “Please, help me…”

“But…” Ovan tried to reject Twilight’s suggestion but seeing her all sad and worried over this pony, he changed his mind. “Okay… Just this one pony. Normally I won’t be doing this, but since you did say that he saved you then I guess it’s time to return the favor”

“Thanks.” Twilight turned back towards where she was locked up followed by Ovan “You’re not such a bad pony after all, if it weren’t for ‘that’”

“I told you, she is not my girlfriend. She’s simply a good friend of mine” Ovan strongly replied.

“Whatever now let’s go!” Twilight hid her smile from Ovan as they left the hidden passage and onwards back hoping to find Duran.

---

“You do know what happens to ponies who betray us right?” Paine cracks the whip in her hooves as she floats left and right in front of Duran.

Duran all chained, with his front hooves stretched out towards the ceiling with each hoof shackled and chained and his back hooves shackled on the ground. He looked at Paine with deep disdain as she lashed out the whip in her hooves intensely after each rhetoric question.

“Do you know I had to leave my precious Nova for this?” she lashed out another thunderous whip towards the shackled stallion.

He screamed in pain as the thick leather whip slashed his body. His body is already coated with several whiplashes, bruises and burns as well. The pain was already searing and tearing his body.

“Look at you now… If you just closed your eyes then you’re probably having some hay right now.” the fellow henchpony that was with him earlier frisked him. “And this is of the what you did earlier..” he suddenly clenched his hooves and delivered a swift yet powerful punch right in Duran’s face. “Oops, I already punched you earlier that, but I don’t mind having doubles.” He laughs out loud afterwards.

“Nice punch there…” Paine swiftly glanced over to the stallion beside her. “If you just followed orders…” She pushed the handle of the whip against Duran’s cheek smirking at the pony’s pain for her pleasure.

Running through the ever-extending halls, Twilight and Ovan suddenly heard screams echoing throughout the halls. Twilight’s concern grew the moment she realized the source of those painful cries. They quickly rushed towards the sound; they soon saw a lit room. As they approach the room they noticed about two shadows were creeping underneath the slightly opened door and actively moving. Twilight decided to take a peep before entering the room to avoid herself from jumping towards the wrong room.

Her eyes widened in shock to see none other than Duran, battered, bruised and chained and in front of him are two familiar ponies giving out punishment. Struggling with her thoughts to either jump in or wait until the two tire out, she became hesitant with herself.

“Is something wrong?” Ovan whispered while looking out for any incoming guards. They were most fortunate for getting that far without spotting any guards but Ovan didn’t want to push their luck, although he agreed to aid this pony but deep inside, he somehow regretted that action for back then they were near the exit.

With her mind made up, she stormed the room catching the two off guard. She quickly jumped and pinned Paine to the ground. As the stallion tried to subdue Twilight, she blasted him with a spell sending him crashing to the wall. She violently stared at Paine pinned on the ground.

“This is a surprise…” Paine smiling back unfazed with the mare’s sudden attack.

“Twilight! I told you to get out of here!” Duran raised his voice.

“Not without you… You saved me now it’s my turn.” Twilight replied still trying to catch her breath due to the sudden action.

“Too bad I’m not here to stick around.” Paine suddenly kicked Twilight in the mid-section flipping her over. She immediately rushed towards the exit until a blue beam from outside blasted her back in.

“At least tell me when you’re going to attack.” Ovan went in the room “Fran?” he shook his head upon realizing that the bound pony was a stallion and not a mare. But still he was surprised of the huge resemblance, same green coat and same purple mane. “Is this the guy?” he turned to Twilight.

“Yes…” Twilight replied while shattering the chains with her magic. “Now let’s go…” She soon said after shattering the last bindings.

The moment Duran tried to stand up, the pain of his injuries jolted throughout his body sending him back on the floor. “I c-can’t, I’m sorry that I took your time. I told you to get away from here. Now you’re dooming us all.” He said trying to resist the pain.

“No, we’re getting out together.” Twilight rushed to the stallion’s aid, she carefully slung Duran’s hoof over her shoulder and tried to carry him and drag him away from this place. Being a mare, Duran’s weight proved to be a burden Twilight may not handle alone. The thought of being captured struck her mind but she paid no heed to that thought as she continuously drags Duran towards the exit of the room.

“I have a better solution.” Ovan approached the two of them gaining the attention of both ponies.

---

“It’s soon going to be complete.” Nova stares at the red and darkening horizon as the sun goes down. The darkness of the night starts to slowly embrace the lands of Equetria. He turns his attention towards a shining blue orb surrounded with several golden rings with an emblem symbolizing the sun in its center. He channeled magic into his horn giving it a dark blue glow “We’re leaving soon; I fear that our business here got us too much attention to our enemies.”

“It seems that your prisoner has escaped, along with that ungrateful bastard and of course ‘he’ is here as well” Paine’s voice soon reached the stallion’s ears.

“This day is going to be…” Nova smiled his usual evil grin “Perfect…”