• Published 16th Sep 2013
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Midnight Star - Nebula Star



Experimenting with magic can be dangerous, and when Twilight Sparkle accidentally pulls another pony's soul into herself, it nearly costs her everything she holds dear.

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Chapter 12: Battle in the Realm of Chaos

Midnight Star
By Nebula Star

Chapter 12: Battle in the Realm of Chaos
***

Celestia stared on in horror as the fragments of the Elements of Harmony fell into the churning emerald fires below. It was true that the real Elements of Harmony lived in the hearts of everypony and so could never be destroyed, but without those artifacts wielding the power of the Elements was nearly impossible. Not even she could hope to wield the elements without the artifacts. While she possessed a great understanding of them, not all the elements were as strong in her as they once were. In fact, Celestia didn't think that there was anypony who had a strong enough connection, as well as true enough understanding of the Elements of Harmony to wield them without the artifacts. Except perhaps one... Only Twilight had both.

Through her friends and her studies she had come to know the elements, and with their help she had become strong in all the values for which the elements were named. It had been that understanding as well as the strength of the elements within her that had triggered her transformation into an alicorn. The spell she'd corrected had been a catalyst, a way to help her come to that understanding.

But Twilight was trapped within Midnight. Without her, the artifacts had been the only way. Celestia couldn't even fight without her magic. And while the others were all brave and strong in their own ways, they couldn't hope to match Midnight's power. There was nothing they could do... They'd lost.

“It's not over yet!” A very familiar voice suddenly sounded, seemingly from all around them at once. They all looked around for the source, the pony they all longed to see. Then a little cloud of magic separated itself from Midnight. She looked at it with mild surprise then watched as it zipped over to right in front of Celestia and the others. It flashed brightly in the shape of a familiar magenta star with several white stars around it. When it faded, there standing before them facing Midnight, was Twilight Sparkle.

~~~

“Sparkles, how nice of you to finally join us,” Midnight said grinning. “I was hoping for a real challenge.”

Twilight gave her a cold look. She'd only been able to free her mind from Midnight and with it, her magic. Midnight's spells had been strongest when it came to her taking back control of her body. So instead she had separated herself from Midnight; though it had meant leaving her body behind for now.

“Twilight?” She heard Spike's voice from the door of the Library behind her. Then she heard the sound of his footsteps running toward her. “Twilight!” He exclaimed.

Twilight spun toward him eyes widening. “Spike wait don't...!” But it was too late, Spike had already jumped at her reaching out to hug her as he'd often done in the past. To everyone's surprise he passed right through Twilight and with a startled yelp, went over the edge.

Reacting almost instantly, Twilight's horn glowed, catching him with her magic just in time. Pulling him back up onto solid ground she set him down again by Celestia and the others. They were all dumbfounded. Twilight was there, but at the same time it seemed she wasn't physically there. She could tell they didn't understand.

“Twilight? Is that really you?” Applejack asked in much the same tone as when she'd reappeared after her alicorn transformation.

“It's really me girls,” Twilight told them, giving them a reassuring smile. “I finally managed to free myself from Midnight's spell, but she still has my body. I've manifested myself as an ethereal form of pure magic for now, but I don't think I can stay like this forever and I don't really want to try,” she explained. “I need to get my body back, but I can't do it alone; I need all your help.”

“But who the hay is this Midnight Star!?”

Twilight looked back at them. “She's... well, she's another version of me. I accidentally brought her here from an alternate world. I'll explain everything later,” she promised.

“What do you need us to do, Twilight?” Rarity asked sounding hopeful.

She looked at them all, “I need to know you're still behind me... Despite all that's happened, I need to know I still have your support,” Twilight said trying to express how sorry she was for all that Midnight had done to them.

“We're with ya Twi!” Applejack assured her and she and the rest of her friends stepped forward showing there support. All except one.

“Rainbow...” Twilight said softly, feeling her heart sink. She turned toward the blue Pegasus and went over to her, seeing the torment in Rainbow's eyes.

“It's your fault...” She said softly as Twilight reached her, the shock of that revelation clear in her voice. “You brought her here? It's your fault.”

Twilight's eyes filled with tears, she couldn't deny the truth of those words, it had been an accident but that didn't make it any less her fault. “Rainbow... I'm so sorry for what Midnight did to you. She... she made me watch,” she said, her voice weak. “I wanted to stop her. I tried to stop her. I begged her to stop...” With a sniff Twilight shook her head. “Rainbow, I promise you, I will do everything in my power. I will find a way! I'll fix this... You will fly again Rainbow. I promise, you'll fly again!” Twilight told her with conviction. “Please, have faith in me.”

For an agonizing moment Rainbow just continued to stare at her; then finally she looked away, unable to meet her eyes anymore. “Ah shoot, Twi, you know I've got your back,” Rainbow said finally then looked up and smiled weakly. “You are my friend after all.”

With tears in her eyes Twilight smiled thankfully. “I will fix this,” she promised once more.

Rainbow looked away but nodded. “I know you'll do everything you can...” She said softly but it was clear she didn't think there was anything Twilight could do. “But first you need to get your body back, right?”

Smiling understandingly Twilight nodded.

“Well I'm with you, Twi; we're all with you.” She said firmly.

Finally knowing her friends were behind her, Twilight turned back toward Midnight who has just waited and watched the confrontation, taking some twisted pleasure in their pain. Seeing Twilight look her way again though she cocked her head oddly to one side. “Are you done?” She asked sounding a little bored. “Can we fight now?”

Twilight glared at her. “Midnight Star, you stole my body! You hurt my friends! You attacked Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and threatened all of Equestria! I will not hold back!” Twilight told her as she began to draw out her magic, filling herself with the mystic energy.

Midnight laughed at her threat. “Well, hopefully you'll at least provide more of a challenge than your mentor,” she taunted.

“You keep telling me that I don't know my own potential,” Twilight said as she reached deeper, drawing out more and more of her magic, more than she'd ever held before. “Well I'm nothing if not a quick study!”

Midnight grinned wickedly and the next instant she exploded into a cloud of energy. It was magic that Twilight had seen before; magic used by Nightmare Moon. But unlike when she'd seen it then, Midnight's cloud form was an even darker indigo and instead of small bright points like stars, there were points of pure black, stars of darkness, throughout the cloud.

Twilight watched as the cloud expanded filing the area. Also unlike when she'd confronted Nightmare Moon, this time she sensed exactly what Midnight had done. She was attuned to magic like never before and she'd felt the spell take shape that had transformed Midnight. Calling on her own magic, she did the same.

She was aware of the gasps of her friends as she became a cloud of energy as well. Unlike Midnight's however, her cloud was a deep blue violet that faded to the soft warm glow of a coming sunrise near the edges, and throughout it was the twinkling light of thousands of stars.

“Oh! Pretty!” Midnight taunted, her voice seemingly coming from everywhere at once. “You're really living up to your name Sparkles!”

Twilight ignored her. There were two things she realized about this cloud form: first of all, it would be very difficult to fight in this form as she didn't think there was much that could harm them while they were like this. The second was that her essence, her soul, was spread evenly throughout the cloud.

She wasn't sure why Midnight had taken this form, as they clearly wouldn't be able to fight. Then it hit her. Midnight was testing her, seeing if she could figure out what to do. She was seeing how well Twilight could adapt to new situations.

Focusing Twilight considered the problem. They couldn't really fight like this, but if she re-materialized her ethereal form Midnight could materialize anywhere and ambush her. She had to force Midnight to materialize first. As attuned to magic as she was she was pretty sure she could force Midnight back into physical form, but to do so she'd have to condense Midnight's essence down into a small enough area. But how could she do that? Then an idea came to her and she acted on it immediately.

Rapidly expanding her own cloud form she engulfed Midnight's, using her magic to contain her. Then bit by bit she began contracting, crushing Midnight's cloud down within her own; packing her like a snowball. Midnight tried to resist, but Twilight put all of her strength of will into her efforts. Finally she felt that she'd condensed Midnight's essence enough and, casting a spell, she forced her to re-materialize.

Midnight looked startled to be back in physical form but before she could react Twilight materialized as well, and grabbing one of Midnight's hind legs with her magic she flung the other mare at one of the floating pieces of Ponyville floating over the sea of emerald flames.

Midnight hit hard and Twilight winced, realizing a moment too late that every injury she inflicted on Midnight she was inflicting on her own body. She'd have to be careful and try to weaken her without seriously injuring her.

Midnight recovered quickly from the impact however. “Oh, this is exhilarating!” She exclaimed as she got to her hooves. Then Twilight saw her horn and eyes glowing with a, by now, familiar dark glow as black crystals began emerging from the shadows by her hooves and creeping up her legs. They flowed around her body with little rhyme or reason, covering her in crystalline armor as chaotic in design as the world around them. She cocked her head to one side again as the last of the crystals spread across the side of her head and halfway across her face giving her an even more deranged look than normal. “Finally, an opponent that actually poses a threat!”

Seeing Midnight don her armor, Twilight instinctively did the same. Seeming to materialize out of pure light, her armor was designed after the armor of the royal guard but without the helm, though it was finer crafted in appearance. Golden in color, it also bore the magenta star of her cutie mark in the center of her chest. In truth the armor wouldn't do anything to protect her, it was as Ethereal as she was, but it was a natural reaction.

Then Midnight launched herself at Twilight, horn glowing. A barrage of destructive chaotic bolts tore through the air at Twilight, but she was ready. With a flick of her horn a shield wall formed in front of her blocking the spells with ease. Then Midnight herself smashed through the shield.

Twilight had little time to maneuver, but she didn't have to. With a flash of her horn she vanished, reappearing on the piece of road Midnight had just launched from and casting a binding spell counter attack. Midnight spun around in the air, locating her easily and deflected her spell. She attacked again, this time summoning the chaotic flames from below and channeling them into a powerful stream that lunged towards Twilight like an angry burning snake.

Twilight stood her ground as her horn glowed brightly and a bubble formed around her. The flames impacted on the surface of the barrier with terrible force. It cracked under the onslaught, but even as it did sparks of energy shot across the surface, mending the cracks as soon as they appeared.

Twilight maintained the barrier a few moment's more, but it was a terrible drain on her magic. She'd have to fight smart if she was going to win this; she couldn't afford to just block Midnight's attacks directly, it would be better to evade them. With a final burst of energy Twilight pushed back the flames long enough for her to teleport a second time, reappearing directly behind Midnight in the air, already casting a binding spell.

Midnight vanished with a flash, teleporting as well. But Twilight sensed exactly where she'd teleported to and with another flash she was again behind Midnight. Twice more they teleported, each time matching each others movements. Finally Midnight spun towards her grinning as they both came to the conclusion that they wouldn't be able to gain the advantage through teleportation.

Twilight just managed to dive out of the way as Midnight cast another destructive spell toward her, then had to roll to one side as another bolt burned through the air forcing her to run with Midnight in pursuit. Twilight spun and rolled, whipping through turns, pushing her wings to the limits of their agility as she evaded Midnight; leading her through the floating pieces of the town while evading the deadly bolts of her spells.

Midnight's spells were dangerous though, and Twilight had to be extra careful to stay away from her friends or any parts of Ponyville that held houses of the town's residents. Midnight clearly didn't care if she injured or killed somepony in the crossfire.

Then Twilight saw a piece of the road ahead and dove at it as an idea came to her. At the last second she back-winged and planted her hooves on the stone, then pushed off again at an angle that would carry her just above Midnight.

A bolt of energy seared the air just under her, striking the stone she'd just pushed away from and it exploded. Twilight felt the shock-wave of the explosion as she saw Midnight looking up at her seeming impressed. Then Twilight cast a spell forming a web directly in front of Midnight meant to catch her and bind her once more. She saw it and flared her wings trying to change direction, but she was moving too fast. She couldn't maneuver to avoid it. The web wrapped around her like a net as she crashed into it binding her in place.

Midnight wasn't done yet however. With an angry cry, she shattered the web with a powerful spell of her own; the force of which knocked Twilight away tumbling through the air for some distance before she was able to recover.

When she did though, she saw Midnight was nowhere to be found. Reaching out with her mind she tried to locate her again by sensing her magic.

Light flared and Twilight sensed a terrible amount of magic energy coming toward her from behind. Slightly panicked she did the first thing she thought of; she exploded, once again taking cloud form and expanded into a ring, letting the deadly spell pass through the center.

Midnight reacted instantly. Taking cloud form as well she engulfed Twilight's form, trying to do as Twilight had done. Before she could however Twilight materialized on her own and teleported herself away, reappearing on a nearby rock with a tree growing out of it.

Midnight didn't follow through teleportation this time. Instead she materialized and dove at Twilight, laughing manically as she began casting an endless barrage of deadly bolts. Twilight had to leap out of the way as the first of the bolts annihilated the rock she'd been standing on. Then the chase was on again; Twilight swooping, diving, and rolling to avoid the chaotic bolts. They passed by the town hall, narrowly avoided Sugar Cube Corner, and then wove their way through the floating fragments of the town all the way out to Sweet Apple acres. Midnight raining down destruction the entire time.

On an impulse Twilight turned sharply around one of the floating rocks, momentarily hiding herself from view. As soon as she was out of sight, she took cloud form again and quickly pressed herself against the side of the rock. As expected Midnight came zipping around the rock at full speed, too fast to notice the small star-field cloud hugging the side of the rock. As soon as she was passed, Twilight materialized again and dove after her, casting a spell to stun her.

Midnight must have sensed her attack however, because at the last second she snap-rolled to one side, narrowly evading Twilight's spell. Then the chase was on again, but this time with their roles reversed. Twilight was in pursuit casting spell after spell at the manically laughing Midnight. As little experience Midnight had with flying, her recklessness and mad disregard for her own safety more than made up for it. She spun, dove, twisted and otherwise contorted her body through maneuvers that made Twilight dizzy just watching. She managed to stay in pursuit however as Midnight wove through the floating debris of the town.

Then she dove under one of the larger pieces of the road floating over the emerald flames. Twilight followed right on her tail. She sensed the spell being cast, but it was already too late. In revenge for earlier Midnight had cast a net spell of her own and Twilight couldn't stop herself in time. She slammed into it and felt it wrap around her, binding her in place.

She knew she had to escape quickly, but just shattering the spell as Midnight had would take a tremendous amount of energy that she couldn't afford. Instead she tried something else; sensing how the spell was made she began picking the pieces apart, dismantling the spell. Within a second the net dissolved around her.

It was almost too late.

Midnight's attack, in the form of a enormous fireball was roaring through the air straight for her. She wouldn't be able to get out of the way on her own so she tucked in her wings and let gravity move her instead. She dropped like a stone, barely avoiding the deadly orb and then opened her wings just in time to pull out of the dive before plunging into the emerald flames below.

A deadly bolt, narrowly missing her flank told her it was her turn to run once more and she quickly began evasive maneuvers trying to lose her pursuer.

Twilight couldn't keep this up much longer though. She didn't have a physical body, but the strain on her magic was still taking its toll and she felt as if she'd been flying for hours. Midnight on the other hoof seemed to be thriving.

There was a flash in front of Twilight and suddenly Midnight was there, horn glowing. Twilight began to evade but it was too late. Midnight's spell caught her hind leg and she felt herself being thrown downward. She was too tired to recover; she tumbled helplessly head over hooves not knowing what she was heading toward. Then she hit, slamming down on her side and rolling several feet before finally skidding to a stop. Her ethereal form may not have substance to anypony else, but the world itself still existed in the Ethereal Plane on which her magically created body existed and was still just as hard.

“Twilight!” Several voices cried at once and suddenly she was surrounded by her friends. She'd landed on the bit of ground that was still attached in front of the Library where they had begun. Midnight was laughing manically again as, surrounded by her friends, Twilight climbed back to her hooves. She looked up as Midnight landed on one of the nearby floating rocks, she was nearly gasping for breath and Midnight didn't even seem tired.

“You can't win against me, Sparkles!” Midnight shouted across the gap, her confidence clear in her voice as the nearby floating stones began orbiting around her and the emerald flames swirled up into the sky. “This is my world now! This is my realm of chaos!”

Author's Note:

Minor revisions as of 9/29/2014