Dark days

by Dashie4747

Final judgement

Chapter 10: Final

The wind howled and bellowed like it was in pane. The rain seemed to dance around the Celestia’s balcony. Standing on it was a dark alicorn peering in at the sun princess. The lightning flashed brightly as it darted around the cold surroundings. Celestia’s balcony door swayed open and shut without disturbing the princess inside.

Celestia sat at her desk in her room as the chaos of the changeling attack played out below her. She stared down a picture which she held between her hooves, the silent member of clashing armour coming from bellow the castle. Celestia seemed completely oblivious to the struggle happening outside her tower. She looked at the picture for a few long moments before speaking to what appeared to be nobody.

“You always where good at sneaking up on me” Celestia said as her head finally turned behind her. At that very moment it seemed Nightmare had emerged from the balcony, her dark main trailing behind her with grace and power. A serious yet menacing smile was stretched across her face like she was ready to take the moment. Celestia didn’t bother to make a run for the door. Instead she looked at Nightmare with a warm smile as if to welcome her uncertain demise.

“So long have I waited for this moment” Nightmare spoke as she approached Celestia slowly. “So long have a longed to see this happen and now”, she paused before standing almost above Celestia,” I will finally have vengeance”. Nightmare spoke in a cold tone as if she was part of the storm outside yet princess Celestia didn’t flinch or move from where she was. Instead she continued to stare at Nightmare like she was still Luna.

“I don’t care what occurs today sister .All I can say is that I still love you”. Suddenly anger took over Nightmare as a burning sensation struck deep within her. Fury seemed to radiate of Nightmare as she looked away from Celestia.
“Get up!” Nightmare ordered and Celestia did just that. The two stood in the ore of the storm that took place outside.

“Now fight me!” Nightmare bellowed lowering her horn and readying for combat. Magic already sparking of her horn as the look of rage fuelled her power. Celestia did not move nor did she lower her horn. Instead she attempted to look into Nightmare’s eyes with the same warm smile she had when Nightmare had arrived. Nightmare didn’t allow full eye contact to occur as she knew what Celestia was doing.

“FIGHT ME!” she bellowed in rage as she held back the beam of magic until Celestia was ready but Celestia didn’t move. Celestia began to walk calmly towards her sister before stopping just in front of her. She spoke quietly but loud enough for Nightmare to hear her. “I will not fight you sister” said Celestia. Nightmare could no longer take it anymore. She unleashed her anger as she fired the beam of magic towards her sister. There was a loud flash as Celestia was catapulted to the other end of the room landing hard on the floor. There was a loud crash as the floor tiles crunched under Celestia’s impact.

Nightmare beamed a menacing yet remorseless smile. She approached her sister who still lay on the floor conscious but unwilling to get up. “Get up and fight me!” Nightmare bellowed in anger once more at her fallen sister. Celestia didn’t move but instead turned her head to face Nightmare. Her expression didn’t describe hate or pain but love for her. Nightmare only became more enraged by this dragging Celestia to her feet with her magic. Celestia didn’t once try to resist but allowed Nightmare to throw her like a doll. A beam of magic struck Celestia once more as she fell to the floor in pain. The storm clouds outside howled as if they were cheering her on.

“All my life” Nightmare begun as she threw Celestia across the floor once more with her powerful magic, “all my life I have lived in the shadow of you. Even since we were young I always ended up feeling like second best. All this time I’ve had to bow down to you even when I thought I was in the right. Even now I bet you feel like you are better than me, don’t you sister?” Nightmare said in an angry voice. Although this time when Nightmare spoke it wasn’t only anger that spoke it was pain as well, the purest form of sadness. Celestia looked up at her angry sibling standing over her with vengeance in her sister’s stride. All the time Celestia kept the look of forgiveness on her face. “I never meant you to feel this way sister, I am so sorry for that” exclaimed Celestia with a glint in her eye that said that she would always forgive her sister.

Nightmare looked down at her damaged sister. For a moment it was as if she was reluctant to want to fight her sister anymore that revenge wasn’t the option after all. There was something within her telling her to forgive Celestia yet a more powerful side telling her to take her opportunity when she has the chance. Nightmare glanced down at Celestia before levitating her once more.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it” she said with her anger returning to make up lost time. Nightmare then flew Celestia crashing against a wall sending cloud of dust to engulf her room. Cracks outstretched across the entire wall as Celestia closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall. Tiredness and sadness had taken her over more than the pain that engulfed her body. Suddenly there was a clatter of metal against the tile flooring. Nightmare’s glance fixed on Celestia’s crown that had fallen off after Celestia had passed out. She gazed at it for a moment and then at her sleeping sister. There came a loud cackle of laughter as Nightmare turned her head behind her to the balcony doorway.

Chrysalis stood with a menacing yet proud look on her face. She stepped out of the darkness of the door way and towards Nightmare who stood before her.
“You’ve done well my dear, how vengeance tastes?” asked Chrysalis. “Sweet” said Nightmare sharing her menacing grin. They both walked out onto the balcony and looked at the city bellow them. From above the chaos looked worse than it had done from bird’s eye view. The low hum of changeling wings shimmered across the surroundings as more and more Changelings zoomed in on the city.

“Look at this; I would never have been ever to do this without your help. I am truly thankful” said Chrysalis and with that she bowed her head to Nightmare while adding, “The future princess of Equestria”. Nightmare smiled as she embraced the chaos that occurred bellow her like it was a living thing. She closed her eyes before looking down at the struggling ponies bellow.

Rainbow dash and Applejack though of the changelings back to back as they lashed out furiously at the attackers but even there efforts seemed in vane as gradually the changelings overpowered them knocking them both to the ground. Rarity backed off as more and more changelings cornered her in. Pinkie pie tired her party cannon at the invaders disorientating them for a short while but even for her the dense amount of the invaders had worn her out as well. Flutter shy began to slow down with the rate of her strikes to the enemies as even her had begun to get warn out. Shadow Night watched as the royal guards as one by one they fell as well. “Come on! We can hold them of! Just stay together!” yelled shadow in desperation. The swarm had seemed to consume the resisting army in a cloud of darkness.

Nightmare looked out over the succeeding army. “It was only a few days ago in which you freed me from my imprisonment and now we come to the final stages” Chrysalis said while turning away from the stormy clouds that covered the sky above. Chrysalis walked forwards and picked up Celestia’s crown placing it on her head once again. She closed her eyes and grinned menacingly. She spun around quickly to face Nightmare who had been looking at her sister who leant against the wall.

“Now, finish her off” said Chrysalis with an evil smile. The wind seemed to howl even loader now as the shutters of the balcony rattled violently. Nightmare looked down at her sister who lay soundly against the wall. Her vengeance still longed for her to finish of her vengeance with a grad finale. All the times Nightmare had felt shadowed out by her older sister now came to this moment. There felt an overwhelming urge to do it but deep down she was unsure whether she should. Nightmare lowered her horn as the finally burst of magic built up. Just before Nightmare was ready to fire Celestia opened her eyes to face Nightmare. Her eyes showed nothing but sure forgiveness and a look to say, “I’m sorry sister”.

“Do it!” yelled Chrysalis in joy to see her most dangerous enemy fall to the hooves of her sister. Nightmare continued to look at Celestia who stared her directly in the eyes. For a long while there gazes where locked. Suddenly Nightmare was thrust into multiple flashbacks that flashed before her in a flood of memory. At first the flashing images was nothing but a blur but gradually they began to show events along Luna’s life. At first it was Luna and Celestia when they were young fillies playing harmlessly in the shadow of Canterlot. It was almost like present Nightmare could feel the actual memory. She felt herself reach out as she realised her longing to once again share the happiness she once had. As fast as it had appeared the memory move on to Luna turning into Nightmare moon for the first time and being banished to the moon. Nightmare cringed again at the sadness of being locked away in her far away prison, a blur of the distant memory past and a memory of Luna with Twilight Sparkle as they talked and laughed to each other in joy. Nightmare smiled at the happy memory she had shared only to be reminded of how she treated Twilight when she was imprisoned. Nightmare struggled to pull herself out of the fixated trance she was forced as her anger and vengeance gradually transformed into sorrow and guilt.

Nightmare quickly snapped back into reality as still had her horn ready to fire at her fallen sister. Celestia’s power seemed almost fully drained as she barely managed to lift her head. Chrysalis had begun to become inpatient as Nightmare continued to look at her helpless sister. “What are you waiting for? Finish her now!” yelled Chrysalis in the anger of the moment. Nightmare turned and faced her companion replying with a simple word, “no”.
Chrysalis looked at nightmare in confusion, anger now beginning to form within her expression.
“What? Remember the plan my dear we must complete every part of it!” she said in frustration by Nightmare ignored her. Instead she looked longingly at Celestia who intern looked back.
“No, I was wrong to listen to you. All this time I did what you said just so I could get revenge, but revenge isn’t the answer!” Nightmare said now turning to face the infuriated Chrysalis. She continued while gradually approaching Chrysalis.
“I was too focused on revenge to see that it was my sister who had forgiven me and protected me all this time not only that she is sorry for what she did” Nightmare continued as her anger now focused on Chrysalis.

Chrysalis’s rage had now reached breaking point. The usually calm and precise alicorn queen was now an enraging inferno of anger.
“If you’re not going to kill Celestia, then I will”! With a quick movement of her head chrysalis aimed her horn towards Celestia who still lay on the floor semi-conscious. The changeling queen’s horn glowed with magic as it bubbled up into a high concentration of energy and magic. Just as Chrysalis fired her magic at Celestia, Nightmare thrust herself between the ray of magic and her sister. At the same time Nightmare beamed her own ray of magic which quickly intercepted chrysalis’s magic. There was a loud crash as both rays of magic clashed together forming an artificial mini light storm in the middle of Celestia’s room. The two rays struggled to retain control and they both beamed as much magic as she could against one another. The intensity of the magic caused an array of light that lit up the room in a bright lightshow of sparks and electricity.

Nightmare channelled all her magic through her horn and against Chrysalis’s causing Chrysalis to fight back even more. The beams of magic stayed central as both Nightmare and Chrysalis used all their power against one another’s force. The sound of the battling beams of energy was a loud cracking sound that echoed across the entire tower. Nightmare closed her eyes in a hope she could channel even more energy to push back chrysalis but with little luck. Suddenly chrysalis’s beam of energy began to gradually push back Nightmares ray of magic causing her to scowl as the pain of the magic being drained from her had begun to take effect. Chrysalis gradually pushed the central collision of magic closer to Nightmare as she fought on to protect her sister. Nightmare’s glace shot to Celestia who had attempted to get to her hooves. She returned Nightmare’s glance with a feeble smile which said “I’m proud of you”. Then Celestia closed her eyes and rested her head against the cold wall.

Nightmares eyes widened as her sister gradually closed her eyes. “No!” she kept thinking as she tried to concentrate on her magic but the side of Celestia had caused her to lose focus. Chrysalis’s ray of light was almost touching nightmare which made Chrysalis grin as victory was almost in her grasp. Nightmare closed her eyes in a last attempt to throw back chrysalis’s magic and save her sister. Suddenly all her memories came back to her once again accept this time they were mainly of Luna. They all flashed by all at once but the main memory that lasted in her head was when Celestia had forgiven her after being defeated by the main six. That same memory lingered in her head as she remembered the exact feeling she had felt that day, “forgiveness”.

Suddenly there was an undiscovered urge to fight within her as a new source of energy took over Nightmare. Nightmare’s expression fixed on determination as she focused on defeating Chrysalis. A new stronger source of magic and energy had now begun to be channelled through her horn. Chrysalis stared in horror as her magic had been over powered by a sudden burst of magic. Chrysalis screamed in terror as the central beam of magic struck her with force she never though existed. With a sudden explosion Chrysalis was thrown from the tower and plunging to the battlefield beneath. Just before she struck the ground she vaporised into a cloud of green magic that seemed to seep away into the ground.

Celestia’s crown lay on the bedroom floor just where chrysalis had once stood. For the first time in what seemed like weeks there was silence. Celestia woke up suddenly gasping for breath as she stood up and stretched her wings out. She felt all her magic had been returned and could only remember the faint memories of what had just happened moments ago. Her gaze scanned the room and then fixed on Nightmare who lay motionless on the floor.
“Oh no” muttered Celestia as she ran to Nightmares side. The room looked was almost completely wrecked with shards of stone and tile covering the floor.

“Sister wake up” Celestia said as she shock Nightmare frantically. Although it was Nightmare who had turned against Chrysalis, Celestia knew deep down that is was Luna who had provided the energy to stop her. Celestia lowered her horn and touched in gently against Nightmares forehead. A bright light shimmered at the end of her horn and causing the magic to seep into Nightmare. Slowly but surely Nightmare opened her eyes and faced Celestia.

“We did it sister, we stopped Chrysalis” said Nightmare with a feeble smile across her face. Celestia grinned down at nightmare. Although once they had been enemies now it was as if they had always been friends. Suddenly an ore of magic began to from around Nightmare as she gradually began to form back into what was once Luna.
Luna lay in the hooves of Celestia who looked at her proudly. Not a single trace of anger was shown in her expression.
“Celestia, I’m so sorry I…” Luna was interrupted by Celestia who stopped her before she could finish.
“No sister, I’m sorry. If I hadn’t punished you so harshly maybe this might not have happened. For that I am deeply sorry”
Luna stared up at her sister barely being able to withhold her tears. An overwhelming sense of relief filled both of them as the reality finally struck. The storm was finally over. The two siblings embraced as the raging storm outside had begun to recede. The clouds gradually began to clear and the heavy rain also reduced into a light shower. As Celestia and Luna retained there embrace, Twilight finally pushed open the door and landed flat on the floor panting.
“Wow that’s a lot of steps” she murmured to herself still trying to catch her breath. She looked up to see Celestia and Luna sitting within the broken room in a tight embrace. Twilight smiled as overwhelming joy overcame her.

Bellow the battlefield fell silent as the once millions of attaching changelings had vaporized into dust. The royal guards started around in confusion as all at once the changelings vanished into nothing. Suddenly Applejack burst into joy screaming out the words,” We did it!” There was a roar of cheers as the once fallen royal guards now got to their hooves in triumph.

Celestia, Luna and Twilight walked out onto Celestia’s balcony as they looked out at the cheering freedom fighters. They stared out as the sun hid behind the mountains and the few clouds that where left. Luna turned to Celestia who continued to stare out at the crowd of ponies cheering.
“Never again” Luna said as her gaze also trailed out to the mountains bellow.
“Never again” repeated Celestia and she smiled warmly at the two closest ponies in the whole world to her. Chrysalis's spell which had been cast on Celestia was finally broken and Chrysalis was also defeated. As they looked out a bunch of fireworks where lit and the brightly coloured explosions lit up the city in an array of colour. The weather was calm and the storm had passed, what was once an uncertain future was now a hopeful path to a new beginning. The future now looked bright.

The end

Dark days: by Dashie4ever
Thank you for reading this far. Apologies for the wait and thanks again for reading :).

Comments

[Xaldon Ajide]

well that was anticlimactic

[Jirodyne]

That was.... Different... Unique... Short...

[sum41stoner]

In my opinion, you rushed the ending a little, but I won't complain.