The Heart of the Sun

by keithsterling

chapter 4

Fresh blood slowly drips down from the very tip of the black crystal shard as the body of the unconscious Princess Celestia continues twitching with the fleeting signs of life. At the base of the black crystal shard, Fantasm stands as if he was frozen by very powerful freeze spell. While inside this unicorn stallion’s mind, defiant and heartbroken Somnus attacks Fantasm wildly while slowly depleting his precious magic energy that protects him from the corruption. He is blinded by his pain and sadness.

Eventhough he was angry at his mother Celestia for lying to him about the diary she wrote, he never wanted her killed. He wanted his mother he love so much to reassure him that whatever he read in the diary meant nothing and her love toward him was stronger than ever. But in his mind, it was too late to make-up with his mother because she is now dead; killed by his own hoof. The only thing left to do is seek vengeance for his mother and defeat Fantasm at any cost; even his own life. Somnus, breathing heavy continues his reckless attack against Fantasm who simply dodges out of the way of his attack and waits for him to exhaust every bit of his magic energy.

Meanwhile back in the Crystal Caverns Luna, Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy carefully lift the unconscious Celestia off the black crystal shard. They set her down on the cavern floor in front of her younger daughter Princess Blueberry, who without being told falls into her routine of medical treatment processes and begins to patch up her mother’s wound with the rolled bandage now tightly around her mother’s mid-section.

Blueberry floats a small phial out of her first aid saddle-bags of what looks like salt crystals. She steps on one end of the phial with her hoof, breaking the seal and begins to float it back and forth in front of her mother’s nose. Before long, Celestia’s eyelids fly open revealing her light purple eyes again.

“By my light, that stuff smells so horrible!...get it away from my nose!” Celestia exclaims as her nostrils contract reflexively pushing away the floating phial with her bare front hoof.

“Blueberry?” Celestia said a bit confused as she lifts one of her wings up and notices the bandage wrapped around her mid-section. She nuzzles Blueberry lovingly to thank her for wrapping up her wound and bringing her back to consciousness.

“Where’s Somnus at?” Celestia inquires worried looking around for him, hoping she’s not too late to save her only son from Fantasm.

“Over here your highness!” Rarity calls waving her hoof at her

Celestia runs over to Somnus’s frozen body and begins rubbing her snout up and down the side of his neck trying to get him to react to her touch, when that didn’t stimulate him; she begins to nuzzle him with some force behind it and once again fails. As her last ditch effort to stimulate her son, she does something she had not done since he was a newborn unicorn colt and she begins to lick his face.

She remembers when she was in bed after giving birth to him at the Canterlot city hospital when the nurse would leave her newborn colt with her in her room. She would carefully float the newborn colt from his crib into her front hoofs and hold him. Everytime she licked his small face with her tongue his tiny horn would begin to glow causing some random objects in her room to float for awhile. After numerous attempts to get him to react to her, Celestia’s features fall fearing she was too late to save her only son.

“Could his mind be so focused on doing battle against his shadow form Fantasm...That no amount of physical stimuli will break his focus?” Celestia thought as her heart soars knowing she is not too late to save her son.

Celestia calms her own mind and relaxes every muscle in her body. With her mind and body now focused on the task ahead of her, her horn begins to slowly charge up with her magic aura. When it’s fully charged, there’s a bright flash causing Celestia’s eyes to glow solid white. Much like her own sister’s ability to step into the dream world of other ponies to help them fight their nightmares, Celestia can enter the awakened mind of any pony to try and change their mind about something. She refuses to use this ability on any pony that way because she wants the pony to choose for themselves. But in this case, her baby needs her and it’s the only way to break through his minds defense.

Back in his mind, a nearly exhausted Somnus continues his battle with Fantasm as his shadow waits patiently for the young unicorn stallion to use-up the last of his energy. He hasn’t long to wait. The incurably sad young stallion’s magic bolt suddenly stops as he collapses to the ground, exhausted. A fanatical glee comes across Fantasm’s face as he begins to descend onto the helpless stallion. Tears begin to fill his eyes knowing that no-one is coming to his rescue and he will spend the rest of his long life as a puppet to this evil puppet master.

“Forgive me my dear mother, for I am now lost to you...If I just didn’t find that book...none of this would have happened...I wouldn’t be this shadow’s play thing that could destroy all your work...I am sorry, mother.” Somnus sadden as he dissolves into tears.

Suddenly the sound of running hooves grabs Fantasm’s attention. In the distance running towards him at full speed was a bright yellow light in the shape of an older Alicorn mare. Her face etched with determination.

“Huh!” Fantasm exclaims as he is struck by one, two and three yellow bolts that sends him flipping helplessly backward away from the helpless stallion. As the Alicorn skids to a stop next to the stallion, he looks up at the figure with tears in his eyes.

“Mama,” Somnus said. His voice barely audible as she lowers her head and runs her snout through his mane before placing a kiss on his horn.

“Yes, baby...mama is here and she will not allow that shadow to take you away from her ever.” Celestia said very determined as her yellow magic energy begins to swirl around her hoofs getting stronger and stronger the faster it spins.

“Uhhh...” Fantasm moans shaking off the shock of the powerful bolts Celestia fired at him.

“You! (Pointing his hoof at Celestia) Why do you not die like a good little Alicorn princess your highness and let me have that son of yours!” Fantasm said indignantly as his eyes show murderous intend toward Celestia.

“I will never allow another member of my family (pointing her hoof at Somnus) to become corrupted...Now or ever.” Celestia said fiercely charging up her horn to its full power.

“Is this the love you speak of your highness? Or is it your need to redeem yourself after you failed to save your beloved from the darkness?” Fantasm said sarcastically as it caused Celestia to temporarily lose focus, as tears stream down her cheeks reliving the last moment of her husband’s life as Dream Eater was born right in front of her.

“No (shaking her head) I will not fail our son...Like I did his father.” Celestia staunch as she releases the most powerful beam ever destroying all traces of Fantasm in her son; or so she thinks. Releasing the trapped Alicorn spirits who quickly gather around the drained Somnus and using their own magic they restore his magic energy to full.

In the cavern with a grateful smile on Celestia’s face she collapses the very power she used to enter her son’s mind and drains a tremendous amount of her own magic energy. But with her baby now safe she falls peacefully asleep to allow her magic to recover.

“Princess!” Twilight calls worried as Blueberry places her ear against her mother’s chest and hears her heart beat.

“Shhh.” Blueberry said softly placing her hoof against her lips.

“She is sleeping.” Blueberry said softly again

A moment later Somnus’s body stirs from its frozen state as his spark returns to his light blue eyes. The first one to approach him was his younger sister Blueberry who does a quick medical assessment of him. Once satisfied she winds-up her hoof and smacks Somnus squarely on his chin.

“Ouch! What was that for little sister?” Somnus inquires rubbing his chin with his hoof.

“That big brother is for scaring my cutie mark off me in that bed chamber.” Blueberry said sourly as she walks back up to him again.

“...and this is for...welcome home big brother.” Blueberry said happy as her eyes moisten with joy, rubbing her snout against his neck delighted to have her big brother back.

“Thank you little sister.” Somnus said thankful but with hidden guilt as he wraps his front hoofs around his little sister in a loving embrace and kisses her on her horn.

Soon Twilight and her friends who were standing nearby watching this tender scene unfold of little sister welcoming back her big brother join in on the celebration. On automatic reflex Blueberry, Twilight and her friends, bows to Princess Luna as she approaches her nephew. The dark purple alicorn mare is normally a hard pony to read as she is really good at hiding her emotions, but this time a huge smile was on her snout happy to have her nephew back.

“Welcome home Somnus.” Luna said her voice full of emotion as she wraps her wings around Somnus in a caring embrace.

By that time, his mother stirs from her slumber and joins in on the welcoming back of her son. With that done, the group turns towards the exit of the Crystal caverns following Twilight who is the only pony that knows the way back out of the cavern.

A rose of indignation forms on Somnus’ face as he’s looking at the black crystal shard in front of him that his mother was almost killed. Soon his angrier face changes to a face growing haggard with worry. Is this who he really is; a monster who would take the life of his own family if he should lose control of the shadow again? On cue, a large pale pink feathered wing wrapped around Somnus, the wing belongs to his mother Celestia who has returned to her son’s side after sensing something was wrong with him.

Its two days later, back in the Canterlot royal palace, the still recovering Princess Celestia lays on top of her bed in her bed chamber doing her overdue paperwork. Her royal messengers come and go from her room carrying correspondences to every corner of Equestria like well oiled machines. It comes to a grinding halt when the representative of the Crystal Empire in Canterlot, Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight arrives in her mother’s room. This day Blueberry doesn’t come baring any kind of correspondences from her cousin Cadance or her Crystal Empire. She has come in the function of a medic pony to check out how her mother is healing after being displayed like some kind of morbid fence topper.

“Greetings mother.” Blueberry said respectfully, bowing to her mother as she blushes and she dismisses her royal messengers with a wave of her hoof.

“Blueberry? Please stop that, I am your mother for bucking sakes.” Celestia said a bit embarrassed as she gestured with her hoof for her daughter to stand back up.

“(Chuckle) you train us to do that, Mother.” Blueberry said amused as her mother finally figures out she was just playing with her to relax her, so she can check her bandages for her.

“ (Sticks her tongue out at Blueberry) you are a terrible little pony...But it’s too late to send you back to where I got you from. Anyway how can I have three foals of my own with only two? (Chuckle)” Celestia said pleased with the diversion as she floats her half empty inbox back onto her desk.

“Ready Blueberry.” Celestia said as she lay down on her side so her daughter can begin to check her bandages for her. With that she uses her magic to remove the two bandages revealing the almost fully healed holes in her mother’s underside and back.

“I would say give it a few more days, mother, so your natural alicorn healing ability will completely seal the wounds.” Blueberry explains as she replaces the two bandages on her mother’s underside and back.

“Thank you dear; By the way, have you seen your brother? He has not come to visit me yet.” Celestia comments lying back on her belly floating a small tray with a small tea pot and tea cup over to herself from a nearby table.

“Unfortunately, I have not mother...I’ve been busy all day in the palace hospital giving the first shots to the large number of foals born this season from the different royal servitors in the palace.” Blueberry explains as Celestia’s ears drop.

“I understand, but I have one more question for you dear.” Celestia comment as Blueberry stops and listens to her mother.

“What I am about to asks you, I know is beyond your training. But I trust your judgment, dear.” Celestia said as she takes a deep breath and Blueberry shakes her head.

“What is your assessment of your brother’s mental state after what happened to him?” Celestia inquires as Blueberry sits down in front of her mother to think.

“I would say Somnus is a badly damaged unicorn stallion. While the shadow was in control of his body he was forced to do things he normally doesn’t...He tried to kill you twice...he was forced to raise a weapon against his own older sister and he was forced to try to corrupt me his younger sister...with all those bad things that happened to him, how can any pony remain sane...especially a pony that runs off honor, loyalty and trust like Somnus does.” Blueberry explains as the normally sweet tea Celestia drinks at this time, now tastes very bitter indeed.

At that same time, back in the Royal Palace garden looking once again at his reflection in the reflecting pool was Prince Somnus. But this time, looking back at him was not his reflection; it was the smirking face of Fantasm. His maniacal laughter echoed loudly in the back of Somnus’s mind, slowly enraging him, until he fired a magic beam from his horn into the pool splashing water on himself.

“Shut up! Cease your wretched laughing! I will never become you again! I am Prince Somnus Silverlight! Only son of Princess Celestia Silverlight! Ruler of the Sun throne of Equestria!” Somnus yelling at the distorted image in the water.

“Never become me again?...You---are--me and I--am y-o-u!...deny it all you want until you die, your highness...it will change nothing. Sleeping deep beneath this noble exterior...beats the heart of a black hearted villain...who will sooner slit his own mother’s throat or destroy his whole family for a taste of raw power.” Fantasm said foreboding as menacing laughter echoes in Somnus’s mind and soon becomes silent.

“NO!” Somnus shouts dropping his head as tears run down his cheeks splashing in the water of the reflecting pool.

A moment later, his mother Celestia arrives in the palace garden after being told by one of the Royal unicorn guards on patrol that the Prince was yelling at his reflection in the pool. Curious, Celestia got dressed and headed down. Her golden horseshoes clicked noisily on the path quickly walking down where her son was. In the distance she spotted her son, his body was hunch over his face etched with sorrow.

She quickens her pace to get to him eventhough it hurts to do. Before Celestia could say anything to her son, he ran up to her and begins to pound on her chest and gold collar with his front hoofs. All the time saying something she couldn’t quite understand through his tears. Instead of trying to stop him from pounding on her, she let it continue, until the pounding slowed and all together stopped. She looks down to see her son Somnus, his head pressed against her chest, as tears run down her collar.

Celestia, speaking softly feeling it was the only thing she could say as she unfurled her wings and wraps them around her distressed son trying her best to comfort him in his time of need “I am sorry, baby.”

With that Somnus steps back, breaks away from his mother’s embrace, his face scarlet and swollen from crying. His unhappy face soon changes to a face flushed with indignation and his voice strained “Why mother? Why?”

Celestia looked at her son, her face drawn in confusion. She has no idea how to answer her son’s question she inquires “Why what, baby?”

The question his mother asked carries him to the edge of impatience and he looked at her with a withering stare “Why did you have me, mother? A pony who’s heart is as black as a villain...How can I be the son of the beloved Sun Princess...the bringer of warmth and light...my heart is cold and unfeeling...I bring cold and loneliness...How can I be your son?”

A stricken look appears in Celestia’s eyes as she begins to cry, she speaks with a wooden and lifeless monotone “Somnus please stop it...you are my son and you were born to the beloved Sun Princess...that brings warmth and light...you don’t bring cold and loneliness and your heart is not as black as a villain.”

Celestia continues as she moves towards him and he begins to step back “But quite the opposite you bring hope to those you help and the blessing of both the moon and the sun to those ponies who feel that their pleads were not heard...your heart is as warm as mine and as bright as the sun I represent...as for why I had you (touching her heart with her hoof) my heart told me to and my heart has never lead me astray.”

“But mother! I am a cursed pony! Unworthy to have a mother like you or a family like the Silverlight’s or Princess Luna.” Somnus said still full of doubt as he refused to allow his mother to get close to him.

“(Pointing her hoof at Somnus) you stop that right this instant, Somnus! Your father was cursed just like you! But he never let his curse define who he was...he let his actions speak for him. Because of that, he won the hearts of four Princesses of Equestria and one of those Princesses became his wife...in return he gave that princess three foals she could share her boundless love with.” Celestia said boldly as Somnus still refused to let her get close to him and ran off.

“How can I help fight an enemy that is using my own son’s doubts against him? How can I call myself mother, if I can’t help the one pony that needs me the most?” Celestia said discouraged slamming her front hoofs on the ground as a snarl of agony spreads over her face from her injury.

“But, I know one thing...I can't give-up on my son Somnus...He needs my help, like his father did and there’s no way, I am going to fail him like I did his father; my heart will not allow me.” Celestia said confident as she heads back to her room to recover.

Comments

[Cyonix]

Hey there! I've reviewed your story here! ^^

[keithsterling]

10916224
This was just a quick story I put together., brony9216.
The truth is I had no idea how the story would come out.
Went I wrote it .