Lunacy of Love

by Akashic Brony

Chapter 18 Longest Night

The emergency war council had been called upon immediately after they had left the theater. Only half of Equestria’s military officers were able to be assembled in the dead of night. Spike recalled the Council Chamber had once been arranged in a circular sun, Luna’s was arranged in crescent moon formation that faced Luna and her chiefs of staff. In the center was a circular map table of Equestria, with many chess pieces upon it. The Wonderbolt elite, Earth Pony infantry, the Pegasi air force, Unicorn Mage Corp, and remnants of the Night Guards were all represented to at least some to degree. He spotted Rainbow Dash in her Wonderbolt Captain outfit and Twilight sitting to the side but felt no energy to approach them. Spike sat beside Luna, wondering why he conveniently had a seat. He saw a faced-down name plate and gripped it with a claw.

Fancy Pants placed a hoof to stop him. “Leave that alone, lad.” His eyes gestured toward Luna.

Spike nodded then saw Luna’s expression. Her confusion, pain, was written bold. He wanted slap himself. The seat had obviously had belonged to Nightshade. He, too, however felt it, yet something was odd. Why was he so hurt, it seemed to be more than the betrayal of a friend. His own confusion there was palpable. His relationship with Nightshade was like a blooming flower so suddenly trampled into the dirt. He considered why he thought they had a ‘relationship’. It then occurred to him it had sparked in his mind immediately of a romantic relationship. He surrendered and slumped his head against the table for a moment. He allowed himself a distraction.

One of the Earth Pony captains was without armor as she walked to her seat, yawning.

Fancy Pants grimaced. “Captain Blueberry Frost, why aren’t you in uniform?!”

Blueberry smiled and spoke with a southern Equestrian drawl. “Cus I like to be naked when I’m bucked. Especially when I’m asked to fight airship size class dragons with tooth picks.”

Fancy Pants became red faced in both embarrassment and anger. “Insubordination!”

Blueberry blew a tuft of her hair with a snort. “Yeah, it’s true though… I heard we’re warrin’ with d’em damn dragons.”

Fancy Pants sneered. “There’s still decorum here.”

Blueberry pouted. “That’s something that stick in the mud Nightshade would say.”

Luna announced without passion. “Captain Nightshade hast turned traitor, she is to be executed on sight.”

“Whaaa? Well, that sucks almost as much as a vampony. I guess we serve up the silver lances then.” Blueberry tapped Fancy Pants chest plate. “Don’t get yer moustache in a twist, my armor is under repair. I trotted miles to even get here.” She proceeded to find her seat.

Spike had gotten out of his slump by the audacity of that captain. An Earth Pony with the distinction of Captain was obviously something else. He then realized he was a dragon in a meeting of ponies and in no position to complain.

Fancy Pants flicked through the pages of a clipboard. “Here they are, all the officers we could mobilize in the immediate area. Some of them are from reserve regiments. The rest are too far to summon.”

Luna gestured with her muzzle at a white unicorn sitting in the ranks, raising her eyebrow as she did so. “We see your wife among them.”

Fancy Pants hesitantly spoke. “Fl-Fleur, has led troops before. I can attest to her skill.”

“It is well, Equestria shall require all that we can muster. However, art thou certain? Pieces upon the board art not safe.”

Fancy Pants grimaced. “It wasn’t my idea, my beloved Fleur was insistent. She wants to keep me safe.” He continued furling his moustache. “Plus, I do believe I’m a piece, too, aren’t I?

“Indeed.” Luna levitated another bishop piece onto the map table pairing it with another.

Spike grimaced at the metaphorical representation. It was exactly what Nightshade had railed against. The cruel calculations of battle, the trading of pieces, and the treatment of the lives of soldiers as commodities, it all made his stomach churn. Yet, besides Luna, he examined the countenance of her face. Stern and severe, Luna wasn’t her playful self. His disgust was vanquished by the ache he saw in her downwards crescent frown. He thought then of the legions of dead that haunted her psyche. Who would want her position knowing what it entailed? What strength had she that allowed her to hold her calm?

The Council Chamber was filled with fretful clamoring.

Luna hit her hooves against the table like a courtroom gavel. She projected her voice. “Guardians of the republic!” After the side chatter had dissipated, Luna lowered her voice and let her words echo in silence. “The watch towers of our westernmost borders burn brightly in the night: heralds of our coming destruction. Upon the morn, the spear tip of Aldred’s armies shall reach our capital and our throats. If we should meet them with half strength, we will be lost.”

“What about calling our friends and allies?” asked Twilight.

“They would not mobilize in time,” said Fancy Pants sadly.

Luna waved for attention towards the map. She levitated the pieces surrounding Canterlot away. “The operation shall commence thusly. We hereby commit all combat vessels to the immediate evacuation of Canterlot and surrounding cities.”

Murmurs filled the room. Many officers looked towards each other, others frozen in place as the news was still setting itself in.

“What?” Even Fancy Pants spun in his seat.

Rainbow Dash spat. “Whoa, we’re running without a fight?!”

Twilight nervously twiddled her hooves. “Luna, what do you have planned?”

“We have but one recourse. Here our capital, Canterlot, brimming with gems and loot of our royal treasury: a trap shall be set. We will enact true sorcery and summon Meteor, the ultimate spell of death and doom. A star shall fall, and so will Aldred Draconic armies.”

A unicorn from the Mages Corp choked. “Meteor is a myth! It supposedly would destroy the world! You’re going to kill everypony!”

Luna laughed hysterically. “Nay, we would kill everyone! We would rather see the world burn than to lose our beloved land. Are ye satisfied to see thine families as food to feed hungry dragon mouths? Do ye love thy friends and families enough to spare them this future? Art thine thoughts mirrored to match mine? Yea or Nay?!” She stared down every captain that had rose from their seat.

“This is insane!”

“This is madness!”

Luna’s lips curled up in a smile. “This is lunacy!” She pounded on the table. “Now, yea or nay! Raise thy hooves if yea!”

Spike watched in shuddering shock as hooves slowly rose.

Pain, pain, pain, it jolted through Rarity’s body. She last remembered being knocked unconscious by Nightshade, now she felt a pain unlike any other she had experienced. As her eyes adjusted she realized her lack of control over her body… she was in another dream, riding a foreign body. Her legs outstretched she was in a compromising position on an opulent gold bed. She saw a familiar cast of characters again. Besides her was Clover the Clever and Starswirl the Bearded.

She felt herself and her host scream out in agony. Then came smaller set of screams, the cries of an infant foal. The pangs of pain were from birth.

“Congratulations, Princess Platinum, tis a healthy filly,” smiled Clover, cleaning the foal with a wet wash cloth. He gingerly delivered the newborn into Princess Platinum’s hooves.

The small babe stopped bawling as it embraced its mother.

Breathing heavily Princess Platinum smiled. “Our beautiful girl,” she rubbed muzzles with Clover. She then intoned with a mixture of anger and affection. “Never again, one foal is enough. I am want to hurt you for doing this to me.”

Clover tugged his cape collar. He pleaded. “My beloved, could we talk about this later?”

Starswirl gave a hearty laugh and light punch to Clover. “Guess you’ll have to find a cloak for the ole’ dagger?”

Princess Platinum rubbed the belly of their foal causing it to giggle. “Months of misery, now comes pure happiness. Our child, the product our blessed union, tis more beauteous and more rare than the most sparkling diamond.”

“Tis well, with the wars over at last we can welcome new life in the wake of such death. The fates be kind, this foal shall grow without knowing strife or conflict: never to wield a lance or fire a bolt in anger or hate.” said Starswirl, lighting his pipe.

The foal coughed as the smoke wafted towards her. The foal began crying.

Clover, snatched the pipe from Starswirl. “Sorry, you’re going to have quit smoking should you wish to be the god father.”

Starswirl reached out longingly. “My pipe weed!” He frowned and grumbled, crossing his hooves. “You might as well kill me.” The old wizard drooped. Even the tip of his wizard’s hat fell forward.

The unicorn foal stopped crying as the shine of Starswirl’s bells caught her eye. She giggled as she tugged on the bell like a cat. The bell chimed as she playfully struck it, causing Starswirl to learn forward.

The three laughed as the foal played. Finally, Starswirl gently took back his hat. “Now, little one those bells aren’t baubles for you to play with.”

“Let her have one, you old goat,” said Princess Platinum.

Starswirl snorted. “See here, those bells are for serious demon detecting.”

Clover grinned deeply. “Give her one, you old goat.”

Starswirl huffed. “Is that anyway to speak to your mentor and master?” Finally his frown turned against their smiles and he gave another hearty laugh. “Oh well, confound it! She shall have a bell, but I’ll make one worthy of her.”

The foal struggled to reach for the bells again. Princess Platinum observed the foal, she took a cloth to rub a black spot from the otherwise pure white foal’s flank. She thought it to be a patch of blood and afterbirth. She grimaced as the mark would not disappear despite her rubbing.

All the bells on Starswirl’s hat and cape suddenly started ringing.

The happy smiles disappeared.

Clover readied his horn towards the door. “Are Windigos are attacking?! My beloved, protect our foal! Guards defend, the Princess!”

The door guards saluted and scurried out.

Princess Platinum cried. “Not here, not now. I thought the dead legions were all vanquished!”

Starswirl’s bell started chiming, madly bouncing. The old wizard slowly turned his head towards the foal. Cautiously, he readied his staff. His eyes grew wide as he saw the foal’s mark. “Tis a demon! Sombra’s curse lives!”

Princess Platinum then saw her foal’s eyes aglow. She shielded the child with her body. “Nay, tis my child!”

Clover shoved Starswirl to the side before his staff discharged. “What are doing?!”

A spell bolt blasted a hole through the bed a hoof away from Princess Platinum’s foal.

Clover glared at Starswirl. “Step back!”

Starswirl snarled. “Tis a demon, an abomination!”

“Tis a foal, our foal!” cried Princess Platinum.

Clover planted his hooves down. “Starswirl, I don’t want to fight you, master. Please begone from this place.”

Starswirl shook his head. “A foal’s soul born with a demon is inseparable. Tis a demon. Its destiny is destruction! Keep it, and thou shall keep a manticore by the toe. As sure as the sunrise, you’ll meet your demise.”

“No one shall harm our child!” Princess Platinum pulled the foal to her.

“I am sorry,” said Starswirl, charging his staff.

Spike found in the end only he, Fancy Pants, and Le Fleur had not agreed to Luna’s proposal. With the majority in agreement, Luna had sent the other Captains to spread the word. She sat calmly as she moved pieces on the giant map model of Equestria.

“Luna, what the buck?” asked Spike.

“Sir Spike, calm thyself.” Luna dispassionately shifted more pieces from the map.

Fancy Pants ripped his chest plate off and threw the armor clattering to the ground. “Madam, I took up my position to protect Equestria, not destroy it.”

Le Fleur nodded. “This is pure craziness! I heard Meteor was myth!”

“It’s M.A.D.” said Twilight.

Spike had noticed Twilight was among those who rose their hooves. He was amazed how she convinced Rainbow Dash to raise hers after whispering in Rainbow’s ears.

Spike spouted in her direction. “Twilight, what the buck? I saw you raising a hoof.”

Twilight sighed. “Spike, stop swearing. Calm down. I’ll explain.”

“This better be good, madam. I’m about to walk,” said Fancy Pants.

Luna growled. “If thine loyalties are as loose as Nightshade’s, then walk! Twilight Sparkle, explain to them nothing!”

Spike appraised Luna’s expression. Her facial muscles were taut from stress, and strands of her mane were loose from the wafting current of her hair. He took several deep breathes. “That’s not fair. You said I shouldn’t put blind faith in you though.”

Luna gasped then softened her features. She sighed and turned to Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle, thy mind seems to be most keen if thou presume to know mine. Explain to them. I shall fill in that which you miss.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “It’s M.A.D. Mutual assured destruction, Luna doesn’t intend to actually destroy the world. She intends to threaten Aldred with the possibility if he moves his army. Two opposing forces will come to compromise instead of destroying each other.”

Luna added. “During the Lunar Rebellion, I warred with my sister. Twas only when Nightmare Moon took me did I summon eternal night. During the majority of the conflict, the battles were fought through conventional means, though we had the capability to do more.”

Spike raised a claw against Luna’s logic. “Just like you said that assumes both parties are rational, but when you became Nightmare moon that logic was cast aside. Aldred is grieving over the loss of his son.”

“Sir Spike, dost thou truly know thy uncle?”

“He wouldn’t sacrifice his son just to get a war. Aldred, told me about my father and how he was forever sorry for destroying that village.”

“The proof enough is that Aldred broke the timeline of his ultimatum and dragon code. He cares nothing for justice. Twas a millennia ago I knew Aldred to be unshakeable honorable. He hast changed. Now, only the threat of death can dissuade him.”

“You’re wrong,” Spike grumbled, fighting to hold back a snarl. “I spoke with him. He told me how my father had entered dragon rage and how he had fought to stop him.”

Fancy Pants sighed. “Regardless, our western watch towers are all ablaze. I’m sorry lad, but there’s no other possibility.”

Rarity’s dream continued… Spell bolts flew as Princess Platinum screamed. Clover matched Starswirl’s every attack. Starswirl drew his mana from a limitless pool and was stalwart in defending and unstoppable in attacking. Clover dodged a dozen deaths as the duel was fought; however fleet hoofed or adept he was, Clover slowly started succumbing from exhaustion

Princess Platinum shrieked. “Stop this! You’re friends!”

“How many battles have we fought together?” Starswirl cried blasting a barrage of bolts. “Pain be me that we must now fight against another! See sense, apprentice!”

“Children are innocent! I would sooner die than let you take my daughter!” Clover deflected what he could not dodge.

“I taught you well,” said Starswirl, grimacing.

“Too well.” said Clover, huffing.

“I didn’t teach you everything,” said Starswirl as he charged his horn and staff. “Ultima!”

The mighty magic’s charging alone caused the room curtains to fly, but before the spell was fully readied, a piercing beam came, and Starswirl crumpled over as it hit him. His wooden staff fell rattling to the ground. Both Clover and Princess Platinum looked to see the beam’s source: their foal with glowing eyes and a smoking unicorn horn. The foal then reverted back to giggling. Princess Platinum was too stunned to stop it as it crawled towards Starswirl’s corpse. The foal began playing with the bells.

Princess Platinum spoke in monotone. “What shall we do?”

Clover spoke haltingly with glazed-over eyes. “Starswirl bade us farewell after bestowing his congratulations on our new foal. He was named the god father. In the feast afterwards, he spoke of a mad expedition to treat with the fallen ones. We tried to convince him otherwise but failed. Travelling on, he was never seen again.”

Princess Platinum cried. “I meant our foal.” She stared scared at the child as it swatted the bells with its hooves.

Clover took Starswirl’s staff and threw it into the fire place. “I shall administer daily exorcisms… it will never remove the taint, but we can reduce it. In several generations, even the dark mark will disappear from the skin, leaving only the corruption within.”

Princess Platinum began crying. “By Faust, what have we done? Starswirl was more than our friend; he was family, all save bloodlines! He saved us so many times!”

Clover’s face twisted. He took hold of Princess Platinum crying with her. “We protected our child.” Clover gave a look at the foal flicking the bells. “Our foal is innocent… it merely saw Starswirl as an obstacle to… its play… Perchance with patience we might instill… morality.”

He handed her relevant charts and reference books when she asked. He refilled her ink well when it ran low. He hung upon the tiniest movements of her facial muscles as she scribbled numbers upon a piece of parchment. The night wore on as they both labored without pause. Working with Luna somehow reminded Spike of late nights by Rarity on her various projects. Luna’s ball of spell light even glowed like the little lamp inside Rarity’s sewing machine. He was an assistant, an accessory, to her great intellect.

Spike voiced his fears. “They have Rarity, I’m not sure why.”

Luna busied herself with more numbers. Using a Neighponese abacus she tallied and did math. “Our immediate concerns lie with Aldred and his armies. Until the Changelings deliver unto us the details of Amorpheus’ death, we have no method of killing the Revenant.”

Spike grimaced accepting Luna’s logic. His hurt burned with concern about Rarity. She was captured, and he felt her absence more than ever. What tortures would she be subject to? Part of him wanted to fly off in a blind search. Years ago, he might have, but he knew now they needed to reason out a plan.

In the cold Council Chamber, icier still was Luna’s demeanor. She worked with mechanical precision. Spike provided the ink that was the oil to her mind’s engine. Lost in his own thoughts, he neglected his duty. Luna dabbed her quill to find no ink, but she was so wrapped up in her trance she wrote onwards to a paragraph before she noticed.

“Sir Spike?” Luna gestured with her quill.

“Sorry, I got it.” Spike took a well he filled in advance and traded it with the empty one.

Luna spoke, acknowledging Spike as he filled her ink well. “When will thou sleep?”

“When you do.” said Spike.

“I shall be with thee soon enough. In the morning, once I am finished I shall ask Twilight Sparkle to review mine math. Rest, Sir Spike, there are but some more calculations I must make.”

“What math are you doing?” Spike asked.

“The trajectory of the Meteor spell could be set so that some life shall be left in the world, perhaps so another species might rise from the ooze. Ha, they might walk on two legs!” Luna giggled like a mad mare.

Spike recoiled. She had reached ‘Twilight’ levels of freak out. “Umm Luna, you don’t actually intend to end the world, do you?”

“Nay, but Nightmare Moon would.” Luna stared off to the side at the set of silvery armor that could only fit the form of the demon. The armor glistened on the table. “Our enemies must believe that we art capable and willing otherwise our deterrent would be useless. Thou might see a falling star soon, make a wish.”

Spike said, sorrowfully. “I wish you could stop, Luna! You don’t have to do this.”

“Do I not?” Luna hissed harshly. “Nightshade was right; I do treat the intrigues of power like a cruel game. A queen is still a piece upon the board. I am as much a piece as I am a player.”

Spike winced. The wounds of Nightshade’s betrayal were still bleeding. “I don’t understand Nightshade; if she could see you right now, she would know she was wrong. It’s not that you don’t care enough, you care too much. You’re not a piece, no one is. You’re Luna.”

Luna sprawled out on the map table. “And this is me. Statecraft is my forte. Faust help me, I am incurable.”

“Managing Equestria is just a thing you do. It isn’t you!”

“Who else, then?! Sir Spike, look upon this map. Dost thou see another piece that mine eyes have missed?”

“I do… me. I could do it. If I could control my dragon rage, my demon, I could fight off Aldred.” Spike took a knight piece and placed it on the map.

Luna took a hoof to remove it. “Sir Spike…thou may not be able to revert.”

Spike pushed back and set the piece back. “Neither could you if you became Nightmare Moon.”

Luna wrestled with Spike over the piece, sliding it back to herself. “Thou art not enough even in dragon rage. Aldred has experience where thou hath only twice invoked thy power.”

Spike tugged back. “I won’t win, but I could buy you more time.”

Luna pointed to the bin of pieces. “Thou art brave, alas there have been many a grave dug for the brave. Your uncle is far the stronger.”

It clicked in his mind, Luna referred to Aldred as his ‘uncle’. “Wait, Luna, how do you know Aldred is my uncle? You said you knew nothing of my parents…”

Luna frowned. “Sir Spike, I found Aldred amongst the ruins of a village with his mouth around the throat of another dragon. Nothing is known save what Aldred said. The story he told me and you could very well be truth, or it could be a lie. Aldred would be the only witness. History is writ by the victors with the blood of the slain.”

Spike rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. “—and Aldred won the duel with my father.”

“You surprised him back at the Peace Summit but in a pitch battle Aldred would rip thee to shreds. I am personally acquainted with his style of fighting. Twas I who left the scar on his flank when he sought to collect me like a gem in his collection.”

“Hold a moment, Aldred told me it was my father who fell in love with a pony and went on a rampage when he was rejected…”

Luna’s eyes sharpened. “Did he now? Interesting, he gave his story as your father’s… he told me that your father had succumbed naturally to his instincts.”

Spike pulled his head frills in frustration and let out groan through grit teeth. “I guess I shouldn’t believe in all that’s written and less of what I’m told. So, I don’t even know now why my father died.”

“Do not seek answers from Aldred. He would exploit thy hesitation in battle.” Luna levitated a knight piece and placed it besides the queen.

Spike recognized her symbolic gesture. “So you’ll accept my help?”

“Sir Spike, thou art the last piece I would want to place upon the board. Please, forgive me. Must history repeat? Sanguine Soul… now Spike…”

Spike pulled her close, wrapping his wings around her. “Don’t talk like I’m gone already.”

Luna leaned against Spike, resting her head against his chest. “Sir Spike, the sun shall soon rise and herald the fall of us all.”

“Then let us hold onto this moment like our last.”

Luna huffed in between gentle breaths. “I am glad… thou art mine knight…”

Spike held Luna for moments more until he noticed she had fallen asleep in his embrace.

Spike carried Luna to her chambers. The guards saluted and tapped their lances. The bat pony guards made Spike slightly weary. He relaxed though realizing only a small circle had defected with Nightshade.

He gestured to Luna sleeping in his claws. “Could you see her to her chambers?”

The guards shook their heads. “Knight Spike, we are not permitted to enter the Princess’ chambers.”

Spike raised a brow. “And I am?”

“You don’t know?” The guards choked for a moment. “... The Princess has a list of special individuals with that privilege. You are on it.”

“Who else is on that list?”

“Her sister, Princess Celestia, … should she ever return… and there was… Captain Nightshade due to her role as Princess Luna’s life-keeper.”

Spike sneered at Nightshade’s mention but afterwards his expression turned to a sadly frown. “Nightshade’s betrayal… how does that sit with you?”

The bat pony guards bowed. The right guard sighed. “Though it is not our place to say… we are confused. We suspect it’s enemy mind control... it must be, there is no other way.”

The other guard had a red glint Spike recognized to be vampiric. He spoke with woe. “Nightshade was the best of Captains, countless are those she has saved. Our loyalty lies with Princess Luna.”

Spike had seen Nightshade breaking off Amorpheus’s fear attack: mind control wasn’t it. This further confounded him.

The guards coughed and continued. “The Princess must care for you very much to permit you on that list.”

“Yeah.” Spike looked at Luna sleeping.

He saw her smiling as her hooves snuggly clung onto him. Something within him knew Luna might have even planned to have him carrying her to her room. With Rarity and Twilight he had his experiences with geniuses. Her head was aglow with ideas like the many stars in her mane. Seeing their breakdowns showed amidst the shine there was darkness.

Swallowing his fear and carrying his head high Spike strolled into Luna’s inner sanctum.

There was a massive bed in the center with curtains that simulated the night. Appropriately Luna had an open glass roof to her moon that let light in. The other main furnishing piece was an ornate wooden work desk. Setting Luna softly upon her mattress, Spike inspected the desk. Cluttered with the bureaucratic forms, to be stamped, were various books concerning modern culture, fashion, and etiquette. It came into stark light then the alienation Luna suffered from. Displaced by a thousand years, she had to learn what others knew naturally from growing up. Spike blushed then when he saw another book: ‘How to Woo Your Stallion in Six Easy Steps’.

“Sir Spike, why art thou in mine chambers?” Luna called out. She was blinking her eyes awake from her light nap.

Spike smirked. “I asked the door guards… apparently I have special privileges?” He grabbed the book from Luna’s desk and showed it to her. “Predatory dating guides? Luna, you are like to plans what Twilight is like to checklists.”

Luna asked, plaintively. “Thou art not mad?”

Spike sat down on the bed with Luna. “I’m certainly mad. You could say crazy; after all I’m in love with you.”

“Spike?”

“Luna? No Sir?”

Luna sighed. “For tonight, let us forswear our titles, our races, and even our responsibilities. Hold me and let us embrace as two souls.”

“We can do that.” Spike had carried Luna to her room, he had stayed late with her. Her exhaustion was as much his. The tension of adrenaline was finally releasing its grip of him.

Spike wrapped his wings around Luna and they snuggled together against the cold. Her fine fur was a thin layer to the inner warmth of her blood rushing through her veins. Blending their heat and counting each other’s heartbeats, they slowly drifted to dreams.

The sun stung her eyes. Rarity wondered whether last night’s events had been a terrible dream. However, when she felt the dirty ground where she awoken, it came into sharp focus. She did not lift her head, but she saw that she was upon a mountain overlooking Canterlot. The high altitude had currents of chilly morning air.

Rarity heard two voices. They could only be dragons who were conversing, she could tell by the volume of their voices. Even as casual, talk their sound vibration shook through her body.

“So Aldred, I’ll ask thee release them as per our bargain.”

“They are still recovering. I will once the sun rises. I want to see your prize.”

“Thou may look but naught else. The mare is not to be harmed.”

“What is so great about this one?

Rarity felt the furnace of Aldred’s breath as the dragon snorted. It was the exact opposite of the morning cold, and the hellish heat choked her. She, however, dared not make a sound as she endured it.

The other dragon hissed. “Mine plans art my own.”

“Clever, she’s only pretending to be asleep.” Aldred moved a giant claw and tapped the ground where Rarity lay.

Rarity couldn’t help but yelp.

Aldred chortled. “So you think you can divine my plans by listening?”

Rarity rose. “I thought you were giving us until the next moon to find the culprits that murdered Garble?”

Aldred snorted. “In military strategy, it is insane to announce the time table of an attack.”

Rarity gulped. Had the dread dragon planned to attack all along? “What about dragon code?”

“I am the leader of the Dragon Dominions, He who Swallows the Sky, I render ultimate judgment in matters of code.”

Rarity took in her surroundings. She saw there other sleeping bodies besides her. She saw Amorpheus and Nightshade among them. “I found the culprit!” She shouted. “Your son was killed by that monster!”

Rarity pointed a hoof at Amorpheus.

“Of course, I engineered it. It troubled me when Garble lived. I had expected the whelp to fall in battle with Spike. Somehow, even losing and embarrassing me further, Garble survived.”

Rarity shivered. “Why?”

“His death gives me the excuse to invade Equestria.” He stretched a wing to the horizon.

In the distance Rarity’s eyes focused. What appeared to be dark clouds were swarms of flying dragons spewing smoke. Her ears could even hear their caws.

“Look upon all the dragon lords assembled in righteous wrath, never have I seen an army so united. A fool, Garble was, but he was much beloved in my Dominion. Garble’s kindness and weakness made him popular. Many of the dragon elders even saw him a surrogate son. With his death as my rallying cry, I have doubled my army enough to conquer Equestria, The Griffin Kingdoms, Zebrika, and the entire world.”

Rarity gasped. “You’re a-a-a…” She struggled to find a word to even approach the horror of Aldred’s cruelty. She remembered seeing the giant dragon cry. “I saw you cry! Were those all crocodile tears?!”

“A minor eye irritation, I had to rub sand in them just to fake the tears, I had to rub even more for the stupefying state funeral. I would not mourn that moron. My son was a disappointment. He was undeserving to be my heir. How absurd you think I care for that whelp. I do not need an heir. I am deathless.”

Nightshade had arisen, snarling from the sidelines. “Don’t you have enough power with so many dragons?”

Rarity began crying again. “Why?”

Aldred laughed. “I may have once cared, but, now, your petty morality does not concern me. The enemy of immortality is boredom. It amuses me to see ants struggle. Does it frighten you to know this?”

She could not even begin comprehend the utter monstrosity of Aldred. It was the basic instinct of parent to protect its young. Filicide was against moral and natural law. As her tears took to the ground, Aldred gave his biggest laugh of all.

The dragon’s lips opened to a toothy grin. Each of his fangs were the size of Rarity, and they glistened with menace in the morning sunlight. He flicked out his tongue and licked his lips. “Your despair delights me.”

Rarity fought through her tears. She stomped her hooves unto the ground. “You’re underserving to have been Garble’s father and Spike’s uncle! You’re a demon. You’ll be stopped! Equestria and the world will be your enemies!”

Aldred smile only widened. “I welcome their challenge. They will surrender or become fodder, or they’ll be forced to be fodder. Either way, with the size of my army I cannot lose!”

“Aldred, thou hast thy war. Leave her be. She is needed for my plans.”

Rarity turned her head to see the other dragon besides Aldred. While not as large, the ebony beast had herself a presence that equaled Aldred’s. The black dragon snarled.

Aldred examined a claw of his with bemusement. “Chitania, all dread me. That is why I am called Aldred. I do not like your tone. This is where you have erred. You know entirely too much to be left alive.”

Chitania snapped her fangs. “Aldred, thy truest self art worse than the demon that resides in thy heart. Thou beat the beast by becoming a bigger monster. We would be glad to rid the world of thee. Do not provoke mine wrath.”

Aldred mockingly copied her speech patterns. “That is not how thou pleads for thy own life.”

The dread dragon poured fire at his ebony counterpart. Chitania countered with her own deluge of flames. The blazing blasts canceled each out, but not before causing the rocky ground of the mountain top to become molten glass.

Aldred chortled. “Our powers are matched… be mine. Let us drown in lust as we drown the world in flames.”

Chitania huffed. “Devil, I hath not the time to destroy thee now. Should that thou cross mine path, though rest assured, I shall show thee death.” In a flash of green flames her form shifted to that of a Changeling Queen.

Rarity was herded away by the guards led by Nightshade. She saw that Nightshade, in turn, was led by this unknown Changeling Queen. Rarity recognized the demonic appearance, yet this Queen was different from the model she had in her head from the infamous Chrysalis. A ghost blood crimson mane flickered with power like Luna’s. Instead of bright white stars, dark stars animated her hair. The dots of black holes captured the light instead of emanating it.

Chitania stopped and smiled. “Captain Nightshade, we are glad to welcome thee.”

Rarity noted Chitania spoke in the royal ‘we’. Whatever evil it was, it reminded her of Nightmare Moon: ancient and most likely very powerful.

To Rarity’s disgust, Nightshade bowed. “Yes mistress, I bring with me Rarity and my finest guards.”

Chitania nodded. “In the new order, they shall be our Honor Guard. We will treasure their service.”

Amorpheus bowed as well. “My queen, I am at loss why you saw fit to rescue me at the cost of revealing our inside agent.”

Chitania chuckled. “We value our subordinates. In equal measure, we reward and punish.” She waved a hoof. “Captain Nightshade, bring our prize. Soon this land shall be bathed in blood. If we are to save these fools, we must hurry.”

Rarity cried out. “Who are you? What do you mean save? Aren’t you trying to destroy Equestria?”

Chitania smiled. “Thou art most brave to challenge Aldred. Would thee sacrifice thyself to save thy friends and family?”

Rarity raised a brow but, nevertheless, answered. “I would.”

Chitania gleefully patted Rarity on the head. “Glorious! Then all is well, sacrifice. We will bring about salvation to all!” She maniacally laughed.

Rarity yelped as a net was cast over her. Pulling it were four Night guards. She gave a glare at Nightshade, who led them. Nightshade recoiled and looked away.

“Amorpheus, cast a cloaking spell upon us!”

Amorpheus fired his horn, and a bubble of energy enveloped them.

Lifted into the air, Rarity painfully pondered where she would be taken. Rarity’s curiosity, though, was more directed towards her captors. She had only a cobbled assembly of facts about herself that would warrant her taking. Visions she had about her past life confused her. She rubbed her foggy and hurting forehead.

Rarity had heard some hostages falling for their captors in some perverse mental syndrome. Chitania had challenged Aldred and even decried the dread dragon. Rarity wasn’t fool though Chitania’s ‘salvation’ seemed to imply something untoward. Aldred’s evil was at least tangible. She feared the unknown that was Chitania’s plans.

Flying close to her, Nightshade drew Rarity’s attention as her wing briefly touched her through the net. In the moment, Rarity swore she could see a wink. So brief it was and unaccompanied by a smile, Rarity questioned her eyes. Gripped by deepest despair, she hung onto it as some spark of happy hope. Tempted to cry again, her thoughts turned to Spike and their moments together. It warmed her and helped reignited some of the fire in her spirit preparing her for the dread that was to come.

Author's Note:

In possibly another war, another time, another universe...

Comments

[FumaFam101]

Soooo.... I'm guessing Nightshade a double agent? I have mixed feelings about Luna wrecking her now.

[Thebravenorse]

I love the 300 movie reference! So.... Nightshade was just pretending to be a double agent for the bad guys, so that she could get close to Chitania, and maybe find out what Chitanias plans are, but she is still on Equestrias side? Or maybe... after hearing Spike confess his feelings for her, she had a change of heart! Gosh... this chapter was a total mind fuck, but also truly amazing. Also, Aldred is like the... WORST FATHER EVER!

I've been waiting a long time for you to draw a picture of Naponean, and he looks epic! Great job on this chapter, dude!

[DanvilleBengal]

It's official---immortality leads to madness, regardless of which side of the fence that you reside.....I guess when one doesn't even have to worry about death, it it just business that one can do God knows what to countries and people

No wonders mortals have the privilege of death.

Seriously, Luna is insane, Nightshade looks to be somewhat off-her-nut (I don't believe in her 'betrayal', I sense BS or a hoax), Aldred is an evil lunatic.
Spike's immortal on account that he's a dragon, but it seems that he's the only sane immortal in this mess.

I wondered where the title had finally earned its pay==LUNANCY OF LOVE---Somepony has been offically insane..

[Wolfcape]

Hm I'm glad Aldred has more character than just "Big, scary and vengeful". I knew a "weak" son would be an utter disappointment, but I still took the revelation of his plot as a twist.

I like Nightshade as a character, and her bowing to somepony else than Luna just doesn't suit her. No way. So, I'm pretty happy Rarity could catch that wink. However, her end motives are still questionable. Does she know she's driven Luna to the brink of insanity?
And of course, Luna. She still appears to possess rational thought despite the apparent betrayal, though evidently keeping her feelings inside under layers of logic cannot turn out well...

Looking forward for more

[Snicket]

This is story is hard to pin down. Once I think I have it figured out, the author throws a curve ball and everything is once again a mystery.

So it is better to wait and see rather than make assumptions.

Though I must ask. Where is Princess Celestia? I figured she was in Canterlot, but was on the sideline for some reason. Now we learn that's not the case. Her absence does raise a few questions.

[Thebravenorse]

5063661 Read his other stories to find out about Celestia. Their all in the same universe :)

[Snicket]

5071631
So the whole thing is one continuous story?

JESUS! I have some reading to do.

[Akashic Brony]

5074405 Yup!

Reagle and Zaza have their own story. Zig Zag Love
*secret* the last chapter is about to be released soon to complete the saga.

Dented Armor and Larvi have a tale to tell as well. Hole Hearted
Fully completed.

[Eonflare]

So, Aldred's willing to kill a civilization because of boredom? Someone needs a hobby.