Secrets and Lies

by Metaphor

Chapter 2

The corridor was long and dark, the only light coming from the glow that radiated from both Celestia’s and Twilight’s horns. Spider’s webs clung to the ceiling and dust laid on every surface, each hoofstep sending a small cloud of it into the air. Twilight could feel a chill running down her spine, what was this place? Where was Celestia taking her?

Celestia herself hadn’t spoken since they had set hoof in the corridor; the white alicorn had simply kept walking, Twilight having no option but to follow her deeper into the unknown. After a time the passage widened slightly and came to a stop at the top of a flight of spiral stairs, Celestia didn’t pause though as she led Twilight down the steps. Twilight could only surmise that they were now inside the mountain that Canterlot was built onto but even so she couldn’t be entirely sure.

At the bottom of the stairs was a large room, or at least Twilight assumed it was, she couldn’t see more than a few meters in each direction. Celestia finally came to a stop and swung her horn to the side. As she did a small orb of magic flew off and struck a small object on the wall, the magic seeming to ignite something as a trail of light quickly spread around the room illuminating it for all to see.

Twilight looked around with building trepidation; the room wasn’t like anything she had seen before. Cages lined the back wall, the metal bars rusted and sharp. Along the walls lay old cabinets, each one rotten and crumbling where it stood. In the middle of the room was a large circular pattern that was sunk a few inches into the ground in the centre of which sat a series of large metal loops and chains that were securely fixed to the brickwork.

“What…what is this place?” she murmured quietly but even this was loud enough for Celestia to hear.

“It is the Dias of Control…an ancient place built years before the pony civilisation as we know it was founded. Come!”

Celestia stepped forwards into the room, Twilight hesitatingly following her.

“I don’t understand, what do you mean? What is this place for? Why haven’t I read anything about it in my books?” she asked quickly.

“You haven’t read about it because the existence of this place is a secret known only to myself and my sister…and one other,” replied Celestia as she stopped.

Turning slowly Twilight could see the tears that were starting to form in Celestia’s eyes. She blinked slowly, Twilight seeing emotion in her face for the first time since their initial meeting in the throne room. She looked sad, ashamed even, but why?

“Princess?” she asked slowly as she took a step towards her.

“I’m sorry Twilight but Luna is right, this is the only way…”

Twilight didn’t have a chance to respond as Celestia’s magic flared to life. She felt herself encased in it, the yellow glow surrounding every inch of her body. Normally Twilight would have trusted Celestia to the ends of the world but right now she was terrified. She struggled against the magical grip but found herself incapable of moving even an inch. As Celestia’s magic touched her horn her body reacted swiftly. Her own magic flared to life, pushing back against the oppressive feeling that Celestia was slowly forcing on her. If she hadn’t have been so panicked the brief magic duel may have been a little less one sided but this time Celestia had the upper hand. With a final flurry of purple sparks Twilight’s magic was forced back and Celestia’s own magic sealed around the base of Twilight’s horn.

Twilight’s eyes flashed to Celestia, the white alicorn stood in front of her unmoving.

“What…what is going on? Princess? What are you doing?” she asked quickly, her voice panicked as her breathing began to increase.

“Please don’t resist Twilight…this is the only way…I’m sorry…”

Twilight felt herself being picked up and a moment later was placed down again in the centre of the room. At the same time the rusted chains came to life, wrapping themselves around her body as large manacles snapped closed around her hooves. Twilight couldn’t help but cry out as the chains wrapped around her, each link biting into her fur and wings as they secured her to the floor. As the final chain clicked into place the magical field around her vanished although the glow of Celestia’s magic never left her horn, keeping her magic silenced.

Twilight immediately began to fight against her bonds, each movement bringing a new pain as she quickly realised that any amount of movement caused the chains to dig into her skin. She looked back at Celestia her eyes pleading for release and answers. What was going on? Why was Celestia doing this? Was she being punished? But if so what for? What had she done wrong?

“I can see many questions on your mind Twilight,” said Celestia in a mournful tone, “My only regret is that I could not do more for you when you needed me the most. I can only hope that everypony will eventually be able to forgive me for what I must do.”

“What...what do you mean?” asked Twilight nervously as she looked back at Celestia in fear.

Twilight never received a reply from the alicorn before her. The room seemed to shudder, creaking emanating from every piece of cracking brickwork. Twilight could feel the sudden rush of magical energy surging into the room, and more importantly into the circular pattern beneath her. On the ground a series of runes began to glow, the stones themselves beginning to fade from view as a well of mana began to rise up from the floor. A final look at Celestia was all that Twilight could manage before it happened.

The white alicorn reared back, her horn aglow with more magical energy than Twilight had ever seen. As she brought her front hooves down to the ground her horn gave a spark and the magical charged jumped towards its target. Twilight screamed as a pain like nothing she had ever felt before overtook her senses. Every part of her body burned like she had been trapped in a furnace and the smell of burning fur filled the air as Twilight’s body was wreathed in flames. Yet this was only the beginning. Hotter still the flames burned, heat upon heat as Celestia’s magic took on the power of the sun. Twilight was locked in the middle of it, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to do anything as her senses were overloaded with fear and pain.

Am I going to die? Please no...somepony...anypony...save me...

Nothing replied to her thoughts and slowly her mind faded to black.

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“Hello? Can anypony hear me? Where am I? What’s happening?”

Twilight called again and again into the darkness that surrounded her but she was only greeted with silence. It felt like an eternity since she had arrived in this place and yet the darkness was new to her. She felt cold, a shiver running across her body as she turned around and around on the spot like a mad pony.

“So good to finally meet you in person Princess,” spoke a sudden low voice, the tone carrying hints of amusement.

Twilight jumped and spun around but found nothing but endless black.

“Who are you? Show yourself!” she demanded, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke.

“You wound me Princess, to think you’ve forgotten about me so soon. Very well...”

Twilight felt something wash over her, a sudden feeling of dread and fear as she slowly turned once more. Behind her stood a grey coloured unicorn although most of his coat was covered by the set of plate armour or the long red cape that cascaded down his back. On his face was a small smile, his green glowing eyes half closed as he looked at her with an amused expression. Twilight’s own eyes went wide, her legs frozen to the spot as she stared back at him.

“...Sombra...” she said quietly.

“Yes Princess it is I,” replied the unicorn with a roll of his eyes, “I’m quite astounded it took you so long to recognise who it was. I have after all been visiting you most evenings.”

“You...so that’s what the dreams were about?”

Sombra raised a hoof to his forehead, lightly tapping it against the black crown that rested there.

“And you’re supposed to be the newest Princess of Equestria? I had expected a little more intelligence than that you being Celestia’s ‘prize student’ and all.”

Twilight snorted, annoyance and anger starting to overtake the fear in her mind, “What do you want Sombra?! What is this place?”

“Still as clueless as ever I see, very well I shall spell it out for you. You are mere seconds from death.”

Twilight backed away slightly, stamping her hoof on the ground as she tried to remain calm. Sombra meanwhile just chuckled.

“Oh fear not, I’m not here to kill you,” he continued with a slight smirk, “That little task has already been claimed by another party, your dear precious Princess Celestia.”

“Lies!”

Twilight felt her rage boil over and her magic reacted. A flurry of magical bolts flew from her horn at Sombra but the unicorn didn’t even move. As the bolts reached him they merely passed straight through, his form waving like smoke on a breeze before reforming again in front of her.

“Honestly Princess, did you really think such a thing would work here?” questioned Sombra in a disappointed tone, “And resorting to violence so soon, I thought you cared about friendship.”

“I have no interest in being friends with you Sombra!” replied Twilight her voice shaking slightly as her mind tried to work out what to do next, “What do you want?”

“Like I said Twilight Sparkle, you are moments from death, burned to a cinder and your ashes tossed to the wind. It’s such a pity really; there is so much undiscovered potential in that body of yours.”

“If I’m moments from death what am I doing here?”

“Oh a good question at last,” replied Sombra with a slight chuckle.

A moment later his magic flared into life and an image appeared between the pair of them. A dimly lit room illuminated by a bright burning flame in the centre. The image was still, like a picture, and yet the flames danced back and forth around an object in the middle of them. As the image zoomed in Twilight felt her stomach lurch, it wasn’t easy to see but for her it was easy to tell. A pony stood in the middle of the flames, her body wrapped in chains and head held high as she screamed at the ceiling. The fur across her body had been completely burned off, the rich reddish brown colour of burnt flesh covering her instead. Her tail and mane were no longer visible, both evaporated by the flames around her. On her back, stretched out and rigid in pain, were the charred skeletal remains of a pair of wings.

Twilight backed off, shaking her head violently; it was her! Just then her memories resurfaced, the message from Celestia, the long walk down the darkened corridor, the look of regret and sorrow in her mentor’s eyes. Her breathing began to quicken but as much as she tried she couldn’t pull her gaze away from the image before her.

“Remember now?” asked Sombra as he stepped round the image and approached her, “I forget how fragile the mind can be when it’s in denial.”

“W-Why...?”

“Why? Why is Celestia doing this? Another fine question, I do have the answer but you may not like what I have to say.”

“I...I...t-tell me...”

Comments

[Ahrazell]

what the crap? this is both dark and epic at the same time, keep it up!

[Nocturnal Soul]

Huh ? What the buck is Celestia doing ? And why ? I hope Sombra's explanations will come quickly.

[Alpha123]

Celly!!! Im starting to hate you!