The Taking of Tartarus

by Rakoon1

Cold Loneliness, Part IV - The End of Winter

When Twilight gave for herself, she was in a place that she recognized as Unicorn Range. She suddenly heard hoofsteps and saw Ingrid appearing. She was very joyful and with a real smile that could be seen in her face. The young Princess of the Light Kingdom was quite surprised to see how happy Ingrid had been, questioning how she could have become the Snow Queen. She knew that memory was the key and followed her.

They continued walking for a few seconds and then Ingrid stopped suddenly and her happy air quickly became a shock air. Twilight looked to where she was looking and was shocked too.

It was Celestia who was accompanied by a young unicorn stallion (the same one that plagued Ingrid’s memories after she froze her sisters). They seemed to be very happy. Twilight managed to see the love that was going on between them. She smiled, realizing that Celestia, like all ponies, had felt in love. But her thoughts were interrupted by Ingrid who exclaimed:

"What’s the meaning of all this!"

That made Celestia and the stallion to turn and see Ingrid.

"Ingrid?" Celestia asked, while she and the stallion rose up. "What are you doing here?"

"The question is what are you doing here?" Ingrid said, advancing, with her voice starting to get filled with anger. "With the stallion I love."

That made Twilight to gasp. Celestia and Ingrid were in love by the same stallion?

"Ingrid, I didn't mean this to happen in this way" the stallion said. "But I just like you as a friend. Celestia is the mare I really love."

"No, Day Glow, it can't be" Ingrid said. "We knew each other first. We created a link first. I love you."

"I know this must be very painful to you, but believe me" Day Glow said. "I also thought that you and I could be more than just friends. I really did. But I met Celestia and I fell in love."

"No, no…" Ingrid said, turning her back, trying to pretend that she hadn’t listened what he had said. "It can't be true."

Seeing that her older sister was suffering terribly and feeling sorry for her, Celestia moved a bit towards her and said:

"Ingrid, sorry, my sister, I didn't mean to..."

"Who are you calling sister?" she asked, turning to Celestia, full of anger. "You're not my sister. You're a traitor!"

"No, Ingrid…" Celestia said, trying to calm Ingrid down. "Please, let's just talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about" Ingrid replied. "I have nothing to talk to you. In fact, right now, I just want you gone."

And, having said this, Ingrid charged her horn with magic, much to Celestia and Day Glow’s shock. It was then that Ingrid shot to Celestia a white magic beam. That made Twilight cover her mouth with the hooves and hold her breath.

"No!" Day Glow exclaimed.

And he put himself in front of Celestia and he received the damage of Ingrid’s attack, right in the heart.

"Day Glow!" Celestia shouted.

Ingrid was also in shock with what happened. Day Glow fell backwards and Celestia caught him, smoothing his fall.

"No, please, Day Glow, say something!" Celestia exclaimed, as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Celestia..." he said weakly, while lifting his hoof and passed it through her face. “I love you..."

Celestia put her hoof on his and said:

"I love you too. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

But Day Glow, due to Ingrid’s attack, began to freeze. Seeing that, Celestia said:

"No, no ... No!"

She tried to use her magic to stop the freezing, but to no avail. Day Glow became completely frozen and then he shattered into many pieces.

"NO!" Celestia exclaimed, full of deep sadness.

Seeing that, Twilight couldn't even react. She had never seen Celestia that way.

Celestia then turned to Ingrid with her eyes full of tears and asked her sadly:

"What did you do, Ingrid?"

Still stunned by what she had done, Ingrid felt an immense pain in her heart, which led her to hold herself in a way to be able to contain the pain she was feeling. All that made snow beginning to fell and then she was surrounded by it with a strong wind. When everything stopped, Ingrid had disappeared.

When Twilight found herself, she was in what appeared to be the top of a mountain, where there were a snowstorm, perhaps caused by Ingrid’s sadness, who stood nearby crying.

"Why did he do that?" she asked, while whining. "Why did he sacrifice himself for her? Why did he love her and not me?"

See Ingrid, Twilight couldn’t left feeling sorry for her. She couldn't imagine what she must had felt. Now she understood why she ran away after she hit Blue after he saved Twilight. He made her remember that horrible memory.

So Ingrid rose up, stopping her crying, and then said:

"It doesn't matter. He is dead, as well as Celestia to me. She's going to pay. She's going to pay for all this."

The storm intensified and Ingrid shouted:

"She's going to feel the anger of the Snow Queen!"

With that, Twilight came out of her memory, returning to the place where her memories and Heartbeat were.

"So, Princess, did you find anything?" Heartbeat asked.

"I don't want to believe what I saw" Twilight said. "It was ... surreal."

"What?" asked Heartbeat, curious. "You're killing me with curiosity, you know?"

But Twilight didn't had time to say anything, because there was a green and red light and an orb of the same color appeared, starting to go to the vacant spot on the shelves. It should be a new memory. After it had settled, Heartbeat used her magic to bring it to her and, closing her eyes, she accessed to its content and then said:

"Oh no... Ingrid is on the Light Kingdom about to fight against Goldy, Miror Coat, Blue, the Light Guard and your friends, Applejack and Rainbow Dash."

That was bad. They had to stop Ingrid from freezing the Light Kingdom. If she managed to do it, she was sure the Lord of Chaos would take control of that world. Twilight thought up a way to stop Ingrid. She concluded that the only way was if she realized her mistakes. She looked around and then she saw a yellow orb. According to what Heartbeat had said, this color represented joy. Then she had an idea.

"Quick, Heartbeat" Twilight said. "Gather all Ingrid’s happy memories as you can. We're going to stop her."

"Yes, sir, ma’am, sir” Heartbeat answered, making a salute.

At the border, Ingrid began to fight against all those who were challenging her. But it seemed that even the combined strength of two generals (since Mirror Coat was there having joined to fight her after his defense has been surpassed) and two Elements of Harmony were not match for the strong magic of the Snow Queen. Alone, she managed to freeze half the guards and could defend herself from any attacks that theyr launched against her.

"Take that!" Rainbow Dash said, trying to kick at Ingrid in mid-air.

But Ingrid created a barrier that defended her from Rainbow Dash’s attack and, with her magic, she threw her to the ground. Applejack went to her and ask her:

"Rainbow, are ya okay?"

"I think... so" she replied, standing up and massaging the head. "But she knows how to throw ponies with great strength."

One of Ingrid’s attacks came towards them, but Mirror Coat appeared and defended them with his own defensive barrier.

"I suggest you to save your comments for after the fight" he said to the two mares. "If we survive to it."

Ingrid kept attacking, freezing ponies, one by one. She then saw Blue and recognized him as the one who protected Twilight. Seeing her, memories about Day Glow appeared suddenly on her mind, including that when he sacrificed himself to save Celestia from her rage attack. She could not allow Blue to be alive, because he was the one who made her remember the reason that made her become the Snow Queen. She began to prepare a final attack against him, while avoiding the attacks that were directed to her, but then a voice said:

"Stop, Ingrid!"

She stopped her attack and looked, as well as the others. Twilight approached flying, along with Heartbeat on her back, with the last bringing her saddlebags.

"Twilight?" Blue asked.

"But what are they doing here?" Golden Paladin asked.

"Ah don't know, but Ah think Twilight has somethin’ in mind" Applejack said. "Ah know that look pretty well."

"Good, I bet she managed to find a way to stop this crazy princess" Rainbow Dash said.

Standing a few hooves away from Ingrid, the Snow Queen told to Twilight:

"So you finally decided to stop hiding behind your bodyguards. But it doesn't matter if you hadn't. After all, I could pass for them anyway."

"This has to stop, Ingrid" Twilight said. "You have to stop."

"No, not as long as there is light that can threaten me" Ingrid said. "Not while I'm suffering."

"But your suffering can end, Ingrid" Twilight said. "Don't you understand? Freeze this world will not make you forget what happened to Day Glow."

Listening Twilight mentioning the stallion she loved, Ingrid became atonic.

"How do you know about Day Glow?" she asked.

"When you hit Blue after he protected me from your attack, your soul became vulnerable and that enabled Heartbeat and I to go in there" Twilight said. "I know why you made this. I understand the reason."

Ingrid did not answer immediately, having been completely surprised that Twilight have been able to get into her soul and find the reason of her suffering. But, refusing to show any weakness, she regained her composure and said:

"If you know, then you understand why I have to do this."

"No, Ingrid, you don't" Twilight said. "What happened is in the past. There is nothing you can do to change it. You can keep blaming Celestia for what happened, but that doesn't justify that you have to hurt others."

"I just remove the obstacles that lie between me and my goal" she said. "I have no other choice."

"What about all the innocent ponies who were caught in the crossfire?" Twilight asked. "Don't you realize that your magic is feeding of your sadness in such way that you ended up losing control over it?"

"Nonsense" Ingrid said. "I have complete control over my powers. Don't allow a brat like you, who barely discovered her potential, to tell me that I don't have control over my magic!"

"Look around!" Twilight exclaimed. "You're making the world covered by your winter, not only Equestria. Your magic affected this world in such a way that eventually affected the matrix of four Generals of Order. This will not only affect the pony world, will affect all Creation. The Lord of Order will be too weakened to face the Lord of Chaos. He will not to be able to protect his work. Billions and billions of lives will be at risk."

Twilight's words seemed to affect the little compassion there was still in Ingrid. She began to realize that Twilight was right. She was getting out of control. She had to stop it. She couldn't let her revenge harm innocent lives.

"Don't listen to her" the Lord of Chaos’ voice said in her mind. "She just wants to save all those who you froze, including your sisters. She wants to save the ponies that betrayed you and caused you immense suffering."

Unfortunately, the Lord of Chaos’ words seemed to affect her even more. Ingrid exclaimed:

"No! Celestia and Luna have to pay! Celestia took the stallion that I loved from me and asked Heartbeat to arrest me. Luna was at her side. She stood that traitor. They deserve to be frozen!"

"I'm sure Celestia made what she made because she didn't want you hurt other ponies and yourself" Twilight said. "Luna helped her for the same reason. After all, I'm sure they still love you."

"YOU LIE!" Ingrid yelled.

"No, I'm not lying" Twilight said. "I know Princess Celestia. She took care of me and taught me everything I know about magic. She showed me the path that I’m walking now. Ingrid, Celestia didn’t lose only you. She also lost Luna once. She banished her to the Moon after Luna refuse to leave the day rise up and she saw her become the Nightmare Moon, in the same way you turned into the Snow Queen. And when Luna regretted everything she did, Celestia received her with open hooves, happy to retrieve one of the sisters she had lost. I'm sure she will be happy too if you come back to her. And I think you know that."

After saying that, she waved to Heartbeat and she, with her magic, made about half a dozen of yellow orbs coming out from her saddlebags. She sent them to Ingrid and made them surround her. Ingrid looked confused to the orbs and, through them, she began to remember all the happy memories that she had with her sisters, all the games that they did together, all the laugher they gave together, all the joy they lived together.

Remembering all that, Ingrid felt an overwhelming feeling of warmth in the heart. She managed to feel once more love and compassion. Extending her forelegs, she grabbed one of the orbs and then embraced it, saying with a smile:

"My sisters."

That orb began to shine brightly just like the others and their light began to melt quickly the ice that was around. The guards who had been frozen were unfrozen, for their great happiness. Ingrid landed, while the orbs disappeared inside her. Twilight landed too, with Heartbeat jumping to the ground and then she said to Blue, Golden Paladin, Mirror Coat, Applejack and Rainbow Dash:

"I think it's all okay now."

"Wow!" Blue exclaimed, approaching Twilight. "Simply, Wow! You're wonderful, Twily."

"Ya bet" Applejack said to Twilight. "Ya jest defeat’d the Snow Queen."

"Well, Applejack, I didn't beat her" Twilight said. "I only made her realize that what she was doing was not right."

"It doesn't matter" Rainbow Dash said. "That was awesome!"

"Indeed" Golden Paladin agreed. "Princess, you managed to warm the Snow Queen’s cold heart, something that neither Heartbeat could do."

"Because I could not access to her soul" Heartbeat defended herself. "The only thing I could do was imprisoning her and look that even that took some work. And don't forget that Princess Twilight just managed to sympathize with Princess Ingrid thanks to my empathic abilities."

"I have to admit" Twilight said. "I couldn't have done it without Heartbeat."

"It has its logic" Mirror Coat agreed.

"You see, even Mirror Coat agrees" Heartbeat said.

That made everypony loose a laugh. Twilight turned and saw Ingrid looking at her. Twilight went to her and, when she got there, Ingrid asked her:

"Do you really think Celestia and Luna will forgive me after all I've done?"

"Of course" Twilight replied. "The only thing you have to do is show your repentance and undo everything you've caused."

"I think, for that, I will have to come back to the castle of my sisters" Ingrid said.

"And I think I can help you with that" Twilight said, turning to Heartbeat. "Heartbeat, how's your speed?"

And, when she had just finished answering, Heartbeat appeared right in front of her, answering:

"Now that you warmed Princess Ingrid's heart, a lot better."

"Good, because I need you to take us to Canterlot" Twilight said.

Then Heartbeat took Twilight, Ingrid, Golden Paladin and Mirror Coat to Canterlot. They entered in the throne room, where there the frozen two alicorn sisters, as well as the captain of the Royal Guard and some guards, were. Ingrid advanced to her sisters and told them:

"I beg you so sorry, especially you, Celestia. I didn't want things coming to this."

And then she charged her magic and, combining it with the love she felt for her sisters, she began to absorb all the ice surrounding the throne room. Soon everything started to unfreeze, including the guards and their captain and then Celestia and Luna. When unfrozen, they saw Ingrid who smiled at them. Realizing that they had recovered her older sister, Celestia and Luna embraced her. Feeling the warmth of the hug of her sisters, Ingrid closed her eyes of contentment, while continuing with her magic of absorption.

All the snow and ice in the castle, in the city and across Equestria began to be quickly absorbed by Ingrid. All the ponies were immensely happy to see that dark winter dissipating and the warmth returning to their hearts. While this was going on, the plants that had been frozen were coming back to life, as well as the music of nature, and the magic of the Cutie Marks started to shine once more with the hearts of ponies unfreezing. Even Leaf Mane’s matrix was unfrozen. This made the affected Generals recover quickly. Ingrid’s magic continued until it reached the Crystal Empire, where Cadance and Shining were unfrozen and the Oasis of the Heart recovered the beauty it had before. In Canterlot, Heartbeat felt it and said:

"Finally! I can feel my power coming back completely!"

"That's because everything Princess Ingrid made was undone by her magic" Mirror Coat said. "Even the Crystal Empire."

"That means Cadance and Shining Armor are back to normal" said Twilight, satisfied. "Heartbeat, could you take Gleaming Shield back to the Crystal Empire?"

"Right away" she said. "I’ll be back in a few seconds."

And she went out quickly and, true to her word, Heartbeat returned after about fifteen seconds.

"I'm sorry for the delay, but I had to wait that Gleaming had said her goodbyes to Star" she said.

"It's okay" Twilight said, dropping a laugh.

The three alicorn sisters ceased their hug and then approached and Celestia said:

"Twilight, I can never thank you enough for what you did."

"It was nothing, Princess Celestia" she said. "I was just doing my duty."

"No, you did much more than that" Luna said. "You reunited us with our older sister, freeing her from the anger she had."

"Yes, for that I will be eternally grateful to you" Ingrid said. "And I can start my regret telling you where Tartarus is."

"Wait, you know where my prison is?" Golden Paladin asked.

"I can still feel the Lord of Chaos’ presence" Ingrid said. "Can I use this to tell you where he is and, consequently, Tartarus."

That made everyone exchange glances and smiles. Finally they could reclaim what was taken from them.

The Lord of Chaos saw it through the mirror and said:

"Damn you, Ingrid. I can't believe even the Snow Queen didn’t serve me to anything. On top of that, they are coming here."

He thought for a while and then he giggled and said:

"So? This will not do any good to them. They can have this place. It doesn't matter. It won’t be useful if it is empty."

And, having said that, he got up, made her mirror disappear and then he headed to the solitary. He advanced through the corridor until he had reached the cell with Golden Paladin’s Cutie Mark. He pointed his hand and the door easily crumbled into dust and the Lord of Chaos came in.

It was dark in that cell, immensely dark. However, it could see an equine figure at the center of that cell. He was kneeling, with lots of gold chains locking him on the legs, trunk and snout.

"Look at you, all confined" the Lord of Chaos said. "Apparently, Golden Paladin had restricted your movements in a way that even the other Generals didn’t do with their respective villains. These chains are his unbreakable chains, the ones he used to arrest the villains of Tartarus in their cells. However yours are special. It takes a lot more than the key to get them out. Luckily for you, I have exactly what you need."

Raising his hand, he created a sphere of darkness, saying:

"The Wraith might not have been able to fulfill his mission, but at least gave me what I needed to set you free: the darkness of the General of Peace, something I got when the Wraith put Golden Paladin under his influence."

And, having said that, he released the darkness to the chains and, with this, they simply disappeared.

"I hope your revenge will be quite delicious to you" the Lord of Chaos said.

And, having said this, he came out of the cell, while giving a laugh and disappearing.

The villain that he had freed rose up and opened his eyes, revealing two eyes that glowed with a dark blue light.