The Legend Of Harmony: The Eternal Eclipse

by Radiant Eclipse

Chapter 13: Verity

“Changelings!” Chetyre bawled out in a loud voice. “Channel your Magic! Prepare the goo-spell! Open fire!

Before they could even blink, the heroes could already see a massive wall of green, magic projectiles dashing towards them. Like rain coming in single drops, this seemed completely unavoidable.

But just before it hit them, Celestia cast a white force shield around them, protecting them from any harm and letting the spells just break up when they came in contact with it.

“You brother taught me this very useful spell once after the first invasion of Chrysalis.” Celestia explained Twilight joyfully.

“Yeah, that's definitely him.” She giggled, before focusing back as the force field disappeared.

“Subjects!” Chetyre commanded his soldiers irately. “Attack!”

Like the cow herd Applejack once subdued, the changelings were rushing towards them in an attempt to ambush them, like a avalanche intending to consume what lies underneath it..

“Here's the plan!” Twilight explained her friends hastily. “You hold the little ones at bay, while I'm knocking some common sense into Chetyre. Got it?!”

Her friends nodded, showing confidence and trust in her. Without hesitation or fear, all of them galloped towards the changeling storm flood, ready to face them and overcome them like so many threats before they surpassed.

But just as Twilight was about to hit them, she teleported herself behind them, causing the front line to stumble, because of surprise and confusion, bringing the entire ambush to an halt, even though the rows after it simply jumped or flew over them and continue their attack the ponies were prepared for.

Just some feet away from Twilight was already the Changeling Prince, who rushed towards her and channeled magic energy in his horn, and with one strengthened, swift strike, he hit her as well magically amplified horn, causing both trying to wear each other down, leaving them in a standoff.

“The faster you quit this, the easier this will be for all of us!” Twilight yelled at him with bad temper, but Chetyre did not seem to care.

“Same to you...” He replied sarcastically.

“Don't you see that you cannot trust an evil force like him?!”She questioned him in bewilderment.

“I only see an unfathomable amount of love in front of me I and my queen want to deliver our people on a silver tablet.” He argued grumpily.

“The only thing you will deliver them is an inevitable doom!” She aggressively tried to convince him. “You seem to not care for you subjects at all!”

“How dare you question me?!” Chetyre furiously scrutinized her. “What do you know about the methods we make use of to care for your people?! What do you know about a species that is born with the inability to truly love; born in the position of a love-milker, having to take something from others in the futile attempt to become whole, born as a parasite on the face of this world?!”

Hearing these words, Twilight Sparkle was utterly shocked. Chetyre described his race not as the evil creatures they were apparently, but a desperate kind that wanted to become more like the ponies themselves.

“I will never give up in my search to find a way to end this curse. I am venerated to give my people what it deserves, the best, and I will always protect them, and something like you, pony, will not get in my way!”

Twilight comprehend his words, but did not give up and clenched her teeth, using more power and slowly bringing him to his knees.

“I see the truth in your words, and I honestly feel sorry for you, but I can't let this happen. Not now and not in this way! I admire your will, but you must understand... That I will never give up protecting my friends, as well...!”

As she bawled her statement out loud, she succeeded Chetyre and made him become unbalanced on his two hind legs. Trying to regain balance, he could already see her sharp horn swinging in his direction like a blade, and not having to see his upcoming ache in his eyes, he closed them in fear.

The only aspect that was threatening about the changelings the others had to face was their number. Their combat skills were very lacking, as driving themselves against something different was nearly literally all they were capable of. But just, because of outnumbering the ponies at least twentyfold, they were a recognizable threat.

But just like the 5 fillies once managed to overcome a huge number of changelings before, now with the assistance of the skilled princesses and Spike, they quickly managed to gain the upper hoof, knocking them off one by one and in groups.

Rarity and the princesses blinded them with their magic while they were moving, making them slam into each other or flat out dash into a solid wall. Pinkie Pie, unsurprisingly, took her party canon and several pastries to shot at her opponents, causing them to fall on the ground and eventually enjoy their delicious cupcake.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were not so softly on them and pasted them harshly with strong punches, severe kicks and numbing clouts. Fluttershy, over the curse of the battle, was in a defensive position and cowered, barely doing anything, but arguing in a whisper with the changelings.

But that did not help when one of them appeared in front of her on his hind legs and snarled, ready to tackle her, but just before that happened, Spike slammed his head against his belly, making him fly through the air into the next cider barrel.

“Watch it, Fluttershy!” He begged her worriedly, to which she nodded and backed off a little under the protecting size of Celestia and Luna.

Just as Chetyre prepared himself for the most dolorous of all pains, nothing happened. He opened his eyes to see what was wrong, and too his shocking surprise, Twilight stopped her attack just one, mere inch before she would hit him.

She just positioned herself normally and continued her sentence she apparently did not finish in the first place. “...But I will never harm somepony to accomplish that.”

Chetyre could just gaze at her discomposedly. Frightened and with uneasy eyes, he looked into hers and tried to fathom her incitation.

“Y-...You...” He was only capable of speaking out in his state of inner panic.

“Look around you. There is no need for havoc and violence. We don't want to get in a struggle with you or your race.” She tried to argue with him, but she hit deaf ears.

“As changelings would ever fear a fight with ponies. We are a proud and strong race, standing skillful against our opponents 'till the last breath. You are affronting me and my entire race. I will whip you off a str...” He tried to threatened her in anger, just as he got interrupted by a particular pink pony, who appeared out of nowhere from behind Twilight's back.

“Hey, Twilight. We are finished here. What about you?” Pinkie asked her agitatedly.

“Wait! What?!” Chetyre questioned her, only to look behind their backs and see the result of his subjects' attack.

Most of them were just resting on the ground while feeling dizzy, while others stuck with their heads in various objects, and some of them were taking a nap with their full and with crumbs polluted tummies, happily digesting their overdoses of cupcakes.

Chetyre gazed at this mess with utter shuck as his expression. He tried to bring his feelings into words, but impossible was this task like Pinkie Pie's logic defying actions, and the only words he could speak out after a minutes where. “What in the hay?!”

He facehoofed himself in shame, and he mumbled the following to himself. “I knew we should have invested in actual combat education...”

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie said happily as the rest of the group assembled themselves behind Twilight, while taking a cupcake from behind her back and handing it to him. “You look so sad. Why not taking a cupcake? They'll always make you beam, hi hi.”

Chetyre first gazed at the cupcake, than into the eyes of the pink pony, before he was struck by an inner lightning an slowly backed off.

“No... Not you... Not that infantile, walking sugar overdoses, again.”

“Hmm? What is the matter?” She questioned him, before a similar lightning struck her as well, though she got actually shocked by it.

“Hey! I know who you are. You are the cutie who of sorts copied me!” She yelled joyfully. “Come on, come on! Show me if you improved! I want to see myself!”

And immediately, she was already jumping around him in joy, making him feel dizzy and feel ashamed at the same time.

“Please... I'm begging you... make her stop.” He begged Twilight.

“Pinkie!” She ordered her like a dog owner. “Sit!” And indeed she did that.

“But wait!” Pinkie Pie realized. “You look different. You know with all that hair, spiky wings, chest plate, curvy horn, actual eyes and stuff.”

“Yeah...” He sighed. “I'm a prince, so a special form of adolescence hit me.”

“Ado... what-thingy?” Pinkie Pie asked him in confusion.

“I became older, got it?!” He asked her in anger and annoyance, to which she nodded understandingly.

“I sincerely don't want to disrupt your reunion...” Celestia made a point. “but I think we lost focus here.”

“Princess Celestia is right.” Twilight stated keenly. “There is still one problem left to solve.”

But instead of attacking him, she pointed at Chetyre's former army. “This is the result of your efforts. Your people are defeated, completely in vain.”

“There is more of us...” He yelled at her, but she interrupted him and simply continued what she had to say.

“There won't be any if you continue to assist Pariah! You and your subjects will be done for!”

Chetyre became anxiously silent, and continued listening to Twilight's words.

“I don't like to repeat myself, but I will. He is not your ally. He will destroy everything. Us, the world.... and you alongside the changelings. Look around you and finally comprehend. This isn't the actual act of his supposed revenge, no, this is just a foretaste. And if a foretaste is already such a ravage, what do you think his actual powers will cause, once he regains his soul?!”

Chetyre bit his lips and looked nervously around him. What he could see was a shrouded, brownish-yellow sky, dried grasses and deteriorated buildings. If this was just the beginning, what nightmares could be the end?

“I... just want the best... for my... people...” Chetyre spluttered in discomposure.

“Then allow us to proceed.” Twilight explained him with a gentle voice. “We, with the Elements of Harmony, are your one and only chance to see the next sunrise. I understand you want the best for your subjects, but right at the moment, it's not strengthening them with love, but being able to make it through all of this.”

Chetyre, trying to digest all of her words, looked into the cloudy sky with a sorrowful gaze. Having taken his time to think about it, his horn began to glow, and he seemed to mimic lip movements without actually speaking.

He stopped and suddenly, the sky began to fill itself with masses of changelings. Even those who were just defeated by the ponies were dashing into the air or going on hooves, heading towards the Everfree Forest.

Chetyre breathed in heavily, before slowly walking past Twilight, but not before gazing into her eyes one last time. “Please. Don't make me regret this, po.... Twilight...”

And immediately, he joined his forces and flew into the air, escaping from Ponyville and allowing the guardsmen to catch a break.

“Was that some sort of... telepathy spell to make them chicken out?” Rainbow Dash asked Twilight in bewilderment.

“Yes.” She replied happily. “At the end, he gained faith in us. And now it is in us live up to his faith.”

“Hey!” They suddenly heard from out of nowhere, but soon, they managed to see two figures and realized that they were Cadance and Shining Armor.

“Hey brother, hey sister!” Twilight welcomed them.

“Thanks.” Cadance replied while still breathing heavily. “Did you just see that? The changelings just backed off.”

“Let's say that Twilight is just very good in making things clear. “Luna complimented her in her own, odd way.

“Alright...” Shining Armor responded in confusion, but positively. “But what now?”

“Hey...” Fluttershy just noticed. “Isn't that... Discord?!”

She saw the silhouette of the draconequus standing on the next rooftop, with pride like he always does, but soon, that figure collapsed and fell from the building.

“Help!” She yelled, before careering towards him and trying to catch him, which only resulted in slightly thwarting him, as he was too heavy for her to carry. Luckily, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who sneaked behind Shining Armor and Cadance, were on spot just in time and allowed Discord to fall on them, which made them groan a little bit, but knowing that they softened his fall immensely, they swallowed the pain down.

“Help successfully accomplished. But still no Cutie Mark.” Apple Bloom reported.

“Didn't I tell you to bring them to Sweet Apple Acres?!” Applejack yelled at Shining Armor.

“W-well I did, kinda... but they just seemed to follow us.”

“Yes.” Scootaloo said while she helped her friends crawling from under Discord. “We just can't let our friends do all the work while were are just sitting their. We've got to help.”

But Fluttershy did not care about any of these differences and sat down right next to the almost unconscious and very weak Discord, gently stroking his cheek.

“I am sorry, guys. It was just... too much.” He used his remaining power to explain himself, but was stopped by Fluttershy.

“Quiet, my dear friend. You did very well, and I am so proud of you.” She complimented him while comfortingly stroking his snout with her own, which he enjoyed very much in his situation of weakness.

“Thank you...”

Everypony gathered themselves in front of Discord, intending to help him.

“We've got to get Discord out of here.” Rarity insisted, to which everypony agreed.

But before they could even begin, something changed. The ground was beginning to fill itself with a black, freezing veil, whose path they tracked back to the exact same rooftop Discord fell from, only to see its very origin.

Standing on the same stop where Discord stood was the nemesis of harmony itself. The dark pony that lead to this deteriorating chaos in the first place.

“No... it can't be... not now...” Twilight mumbled nervously.

“Here, near the end of this light-flooded world, the darkness is my ally...” Ray told them seriously, while the veil consumed him from bottom to his top, just before once again, this surreal, menacing red light began to glow in his eyes.

“Now let us decide the true ending of this story...”

Comments

[Galicorn]

, just

[Radiant Eclipse]

2698100 Hihihihi :3 Thank you so much :3

[AtTheCrimsonFckr]

2698576 i hate cliffhangers