And Pitiless As The Sun

by BuffaloBrony

Chapter 3 - Lord of the Everfree

“Princess Celestia. Luna. So pleasant to see you again.” The massive manticore’s voice reverberated with raw power.

“Lord Cernunnos,” Celestia spat back with undisguised hostility. “I wish I could say the same.”

Cernunnos chuckled.

The two Princesses stood not far from the barren waste caused by Twilight’s last spell. A dozen Royal Guardsponies flanked them, watching their monstrous counterparts warily.

Lord Cernunnos was a massive manticore that towered over the two Princesses and their guards. He was roughly twice the height of a normal manticore, and the scars of many battles marked his dark-furred body. A pair of hydrae flanked him as his honor guard.

Luna leaned close to Celestia. “Who be this?”

“You don’t recognize me?” rumbled Cernunnos, as he examined Luna closely. “I’m wounded that you’ve forgotten one of Nightmare Moon’s most trusted lieutenants. Surely you are glad to see that I have prospered in her absence.” He paused a moment, pulling back from her youthful form. “Unlike yourself.”

“I have nothing more to do with Nightmare Moon,” Luna whispered.

“I know. To be honest, had I realized she could be defeated so easily upon her return, I would have intervened to aid her.” Cernunnos chuckled merrily. “I thought she was made of sterner stuff. By the time I realized her weakness, it was too late.”

“Lord Cernunnos. Why have you come here?” Celestia asked impatiently, bristling.

Calm yourself, Celestia thought. You have to find out what caused this. You have a duty to all your little ponies to end this.

“Why, the same reason as yourself,” he replied. “The death of one Twilight Sparkle. Former student of yours, Celestia?”

“What!” Celestia raised a hoof in surprise.

“Your student willingly violated the ancient Compact between you and I with her final war spell,” Cernunnos said calmly. “I merely came to verify her death personally. In fact, we can leave this whole messy business behind us - if you would just allow me to consume her body so that I may be certain of her utter destruction. Cernunnos smiled a huge toothy grin. I’d gladly ignore the rest of these unfortunate events and reinstate the Compact if you would just grant me this minor boon.” Cernunnos's grin widened fractionally as his voice dripped with false sincerity.

“How DARE you come here and lie about such things! Never! You will NEVER EAT TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Celestia screamed with rage that shook the air around her. The Royal Guards surrounding the Princess tensed.

Luna looked over at her sister curiously. “Sister, before we say anything more, perhaps you should enlighten me regarding this Compact of which Lord Cernunnos speaks.”

“Oh, Celestia,” Cernunnos smirked, “you haven’t even told your own sister of the bargain you made regarding the Lands of the Everfree? Oh, that is to laugh.” Cernunnos chuckled. The hydrae behind him hissed their amusement.

“’Tis but a simple thing, little Luna,” Cernunnos continued. “After Nightmare Moon was locked away a millennium ago, Celestia found herself unable and unwilling to continue the war. Raising and lowering both the Sun and the Moon herself, fighting the Lunar Remnants, and rebuilding her precious Equestria was far too much for dear Celestia to handle all at once. She faced the very real possibility of losing the war, even after defeating Nightmare Moon. She chose to end the war instead. She cut a deal with the most powerful Lunar Remnant warlord remaining: me.

“I controlled the largest organized group of Lunar Remnants. We held the majority of the land around the old capitol and Pony Sisters castle in the name of Queen Nightmare Moon herself, even after her banishment.

“In exchange for peace, Celestia swore an oath under the Old Laws that the lands I held at that point were to be under my control. All the remaining beings that followed Nightmare Moon were to flee her Equestria into my lands, where they would be free to live out their days without fear of vengeance from Celestia or her armies. In return, I would keep my old allies from attacking her precious little ponies.

“Of course, I soon realized that I didn’t want to be a micromanaging tyrant like Celestia. Instead, I decided my domain would follow the oldest of the Old Laws, the laws of nature itself: of Tooth and of Claw, of Blood and of Talon. Every being, every animal, every plant is free to take whatever they can in my domain – from the land, from the sky, and from each other. I let the rains fall and the magic flow freely in my lands, and I allow everything to grow as it will. That’s why my lands are known as the Everfree Forest.

“The Compact is the reason why the Everfree still exists, long after all of the other old woods have been swallowed by Celestias’s ‘civilization,’” Cernunos spat.

“For the past millennium, Celestia has kept her word that neither she nor her agents would do anything to disrupt my domain, In return, I have minimized the actions of my subjects in hers. There have been the occasional mishaps, but overall the Compact has been upheld.

“At least until recently. Celestia’s little ponies now grow too bold, traipsing in and out of the Everfree with barely a concern. Still, I held to my side of the Compact, trusting that Celestia would eventually tighten the reins on her little ponies again, as she has always done in the past. But yesterday, the Compact was broken in a manner I could not ignore.

“One of your little ponies interfered in my woods. A little pony twice honored by your own hooves for defeating your enemies, Celestia. She took something unearned from one of my chosen, and gave it to another undeserved. And when my subjects attempted to reclaim that which was stolen, she fled back into your lands with it instead of facing proper justice in mine. ”

“That is your excuse for attacking Ponyville in the dead of night, as a coward? For murdering all those ponies? For killing Twilight?” Celestia was agape. “A theft? How can that be any reason for so much devastation?” Celestia trembled with rage.

“It is all the reason I require,” Cernunnos replied. “The Compact was broken by your ponies. Anything that has happened after that is merely the result of your failure to uphold your promise.”

Celestia stood still, very still. Enforcing her portion of the Compact – policing her ponies - was indeed one of the terms they had established a millennia before. It hadn’t been an issue for generations -- few ponies dared enter the Everfree, and fewer still could do anything that would violate any of Cernunnos’s laws, but still…

I failed my duties. I killed Twilight and Ponyville.

“Who was the pony that violated the Compact, Lord Cernunnos?” Celestia asked quietly. “What did she do?”

“Well, Twilight Sparkle did use war magics on my lands and subjects,” Cerunnos said drily.

“This land isn’t part of your Everfree,” Celestia replied in a calm tone that did little to hide the rage building within her. “Twilight was defending Ponyville from your monsters.”

“See that over there?” Cernunnos gestured towards a charred scrap of brush. “That burnt little wisp next to all the corpses of my subjects? That IS part of the Everfree. My domain, destroyed by your student. I could call that a violation of the Compact, should I so choose.”

“Lord Cernunnos, thy words offend mine ears,” Luna retorted angrily. “Any action that Twilight took was in direct defense of hearth and heart. Thou cannot claim offense thusly.”

“Luna, I long ago lost any care for what my words do to your ears,” Cernunnos thundered back. “I was once a loyal subject to the magnificent Nightmare Moon. As far as I can tell, she died when Celestia exiled her, and the pathetic foal that has come back wearing her flesh is merely the palest shadow of her former glory.”

Celestia’s patience cracked. "You know full well that nothing Twilight Sparkle did is a violation of our Compact. Even in YOUR lands, self defense is allowed. You still have not told me who you think committed a crime. I will not stand here and listen to another word from you unless you get to the point, Cernunnos.”

“Very well then,” Cernunnos bristled. “I am led to believe by witnesses that the pony’s name was Fluttershy. What she stole is a life.”

Celestia burst into harsh laughter. “Fluttershy? Stole a life? Your witnesses have grown soft-headed, Lord Cernunnos.”

Then she fell silent. Her expression hardened as fury filled her. Shimmers of heat danced across her vision, making the entire world swim in front of her. Her Guards rustled, tense.

“And so your pathetic lies collapse. Fluttershy is no more likely to murder somepony than she is to join the Wonderbolts. She is the very embodiment of Kindness.” Celestia’s rage, bright and hot as the Sun she moved daily, burned in every word. “I ask thee one last time, Cernunnos. Tell the truth, or feel my wrath. Why did you treacherously attack Ponyville?” Celestia’s Royal Canterlot Voice rung strident in morning air.

“You dare accuse me of treachery, when one of your chosen stole from me and another murdered my subjects?” Cernunnos’s batlike wings flared in anger.

“Enough!” Luna broke in. “Be still!”

“I WILL NOT BE STILL!” Celestia boomed. “THIS MONSTER ATTACKED MY LANDS AND KILLED MY SUBJECTS. HE IS THE REASON MY FAITHFUL STUDENT IS DEAD!”

“Only because you broke the Compact.” Cernunnos gave a dangerous grin. “The blood of your ponies and my subjects is on YOUR hooves, Celestia.”

“Please stop!” Luna pled hopelessly.

Celestia snapped. “YOU WANT TO SEE BLOOD ON MY HOOVES? THEN HOW ABOUT YOUR OWN!”

A gold-shod hoof lashed out, slamming Cernunnos in the chest with surprising force. He staggered back, rage contorting his face. Pumping his wings mightily, he sprang into the air.

“You would dare strike me during honorable parlay?” Cernunnos roared. “TO ARMS, EVERFREE! CRUSH THE TYRANT!”

The hydrae rumbled towards the Princesses, their hissing heads weaving side to side. Six Royal Guard pegasi surged into the air as one. Unicorn horns flashed as the Royal Guard unicorns teleported themselves between their princesses and the charging monsters.

Celestia’s horn lit with energy even as she launched herself into the air, looking for Cernunnos. Luna took wing a beat behind her.

“Sister! What were you thinking?” Luna cried. “You broke parlay! Now it will be war. Do you have any idea what you have done?” Celestia ignored her and kept climbing into the air, searching for her foe.

Below her - the battle unfolded. Celestia could see the pitifully thin line of six Royal Guard unicorns accept the charge of the hydrae, sacrificing themselves to allow the princesses to get safely airborne. Almost as one, the unicorns teleported again - appearing behind the hydrae. Almost, because one unicorn wasn’t quite fast enough. Blood sprayed as three hydra heads tore the unfortunate to pieces.

A flash of gold-edged wings flickered below Celestia as Royal Guard Pegasi dove into the combat with their wing blades. Most of the slashes were inconsequential against the thick hides of the beasts, but two hydra heads screeched as the flashing blades tore their eyes out.

Celestia banked right, narrowly avoiding Cernunnos’s claws as he dove on her. The manticore lord adjusted his dive and slammed one of her pegasi out of the sky with bonecrushing force. The pegasus struck the ground limply, never even twitching.

“Cernunnos! Now you die!” A brilliant line of light flashed from Celestia’s horn and struck Cernunnos, searing deep into his flesh. He roared and leapt clear, even as his tail impaled a Guard unicorn. The manticore’s poison was superfluous as the massive stinger rent armor with ease. The unicorn went down screaming, hooves tangled in his own entrails.

The Royal Guard pegasi dove in again, all aiming for hydra eyes. Two of the hydra heads were smarter and faster than the pegasi expected and timed their counterattacks appropriately. Snapping jaws and choked screams announced the demise of two more Guards, even as two more hydra heads thrashed and roared blindly.

A Royal Guard unicorn lowered his head and charged with a glowing horn, slamming it deep into the chest of a hydra. The hydra roared and clawed at the dazed unicorn embedded in its chest, even as the wound glowed with a fierce light. Exploding in a gout of blood and gore, the hydra’s remains collapsed onto the unfortunate unicorn. The Guard was buried in a mountain of suffocating rubbery flesh.

Celestia’s horn lit up again, another ray flashing at Cernunnos. The manticore dodged nimbly and swept a mighty claw at a distracted Guard unicorn. The massive claws cleaved the Guardspony in twain. Cernunnos leapt into the air again as a blue beam from Luna passed beneath him.

The last two remaining Guard unicorns exchanged glances. The remaining hydra was badly wounded but still dangerous. The Knight Captain watched as the other unicorn pawed at the ground, thundering into a charge. The horn of the charging Guard unicorn glowed a bright and cheery pink while the Knight Captain launched a volley of glowing bolts as a distraction.

Another choked scream ripped through the air as Cernunnos caught a circling pegasus in the wing. The crippled pegasus fluttered to the ground helplessly, before a blue-white glow from Luna’s horn enveloped him and stopped his fall.

Then Cernunnos dove at the distracted Luna.

“NO!” Energy lanced out from Celestia’s horn. It cleaved Cernunnos like a flaming broadsword even as his tail struck true.

Luna gasped as the poisonous stinger deeply punctured her ceremonial barding, but the sound was nearly lost to the roar of pain from Cernunnos. One of his bat wings was sheared off by the blow, his side aflame and spurting blood. Plunging towards the ground, his descent ripped his stinger free from Luna, and Luna’s eyes rolled up in her head as she lost consciousness. The glow surrounding the crippled Guard pegasus dropped, and he fell to the ground with a sickening crunch.

Celestia’s horn glowed as she snatched Luna from gravity’s clutches. She thought for a moment about Lord Cernunnos, realizing that she still had sufficient time to arrest his fall.

Celestia’s eyes were pitiless as she watched the roaring Cernunnos plummet to his doom.

On the ground, the last hydra lay dead, a hole seared cleanly through his torso. A dead unicorn lay partially beneath him, her torn and crushed Royal Guard armor no longer disguising her petite pink frame.

Celestia gracefully landed, placing the unconscious Luna on the ground. The two surviving Royal Guard pegasi circled overhead as her Knight Captain approached. Celestia ignored him, pouring healing magics into her sister’s torn side.

Luna’s eyelids fluttered open. “Celestia?”

“Ssh, Luna. It is going to be all right.

“Your Majesties, we have a problem.” The old unicorn pointed to the Everfree Forest, and the wave of monsters. “It looks like the scouts were right.”

“Run!” Celestia cried.

Luna yelped as Celestia unceremoniously lifted her with magic and sprinted towards Ponyville. A pegasus flashed overhead, racing to warn the town.

The Knight Captain stood alone in the field, his horn glowing a deep red. The last remaining Royal Guard pegasus was dueling a pair of manticores in the sky. An endless host of monsters poured out of the Everfree, eager to avenge their lost Lord Cernunnos.

It’s all my fault. Luna was right. I could have prevented this. I SHOULD have prevented this.

The Knight Captain looked over his shoulder at her. “Run, Princess! If you die, Equestria dies with you!”

Celestia turned to face the horde. She saw the Royal Guard pegasus explode in a mist of blood and feathers in a manticore paw.

Her rage exploded. Light, hot and bright, shone from her horn as she poured energy into a spell. The air around her crackled with heat.

Fighting monsters here is a death sentence for my little ponies. Twilight already proved that. My poor Guardsponies proved it, too.

But I am NOT a little pony...

The air around her grew hotter. The glare was blinding. At the same time, Celestia could see the light everywhere else growing dimmer. The sun in the heavens above her grew colder as she funneled its very power into her spell. In her rage, in her grief, she did not care.

No more of my ponies will be hurt by these monsters!

The glare from her horn was painfully bright, and the heat unimaginable. Celestia knew she should stop the spell, it was growing too powerful, even for her prodigious talents. Something else was pushing her on though...

Tiny sparks whirled from a little lavender filly’s horn, her face screwed tight with concentration. Suddenly the room lit up with a cheery burst of light.

Celestia's spell released. Energy flashed out in all directions.

The wave of light and heat touched the monsters charging at her, burning them to ash before they could even scream. It poured over the fallen form of her Knight Captain, converting him to a wisp of smoke. It continued onward through the Everfree forest beyond, obliterating everything it its path.

The heatwave touched the racing pegasus Guardspony behind her, vaporizing him as he tried to warn Ponyville of an army that no longer existed.

The light streamed across the library in Ponyville, still filled with Guardsponies and survivors. In testament to the power of Twilight Sparkle's protection spells, the hollow tree survived almost three full seconds of the onslaught before it too was incinerated, annihilating all the occupants as they screamed.

The blast of light and heat continued outward - destroying all before it. It touched distant Canterlot high on its mountain. Stone ran and melted like wax, and Canterlot slid into oblivion.

Everything Celestia’s light touched was burned away in a moment of titanic rage. Everything except two figures, alone in a graveyard of heat and ash.

Luna screamed, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”

Celestia turned to see her Luna's blue-green eyes filled with shock and horror.

Then Celestia felt the world spin and fade to black.

Luna’s right. It’s all my fault. I killed Equestria.

Comments

[mrmayortheiv]

[raphael8264]

Holy shit...
This fic...
It's...so...awesome! *squee*