When Snow Falls

by Prophet Of Doom

Chapter 35: Loyalty

Nightmare Moon slumped back in Celestia’s throne with an exhausted sigh. It had been four days since her attack on Ponyville. Four days since Twilight and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony had inadvertently eluded her. On her return to Canterlot, news that Luna had given her pegasi guards the slip had only fuelled her rage. A rage that was increased and somewhat quelled when she reached the walls of Canterlot castle. Does in Canterlot had all been brought into the castle as commanded but Hoofly’s residents had mostly escaped by train, and several that had been captured alerted the residents of Canterlot of Nightmare Moon as they were brought into the grounds of the castle.
As Nightmare Moon landed on the battlements, getting ready to lash out at the first poor soul who she came across, she heard the sound of cheering. Looking over the battlements, she saw the residents celebrating Celestia’s return, mistaking the glow in the distance for an imitate sunrise. She made a great show in revealing herself to them, dashing their newly formed hope. Then took delight in watching their faces turn to horror when they learned that the glow was Ponyville, well and truly ablaze.
However, this was only a temporary respite. With three alicorn princesses still to deal with, she needed to increase her strength and secure her position. Prostrating herself before her new subjects, she claimed to have eliminated Luna and Twilight. She then offered them their freedom, if they could prove their loyalty. But this had taken time and a lot of magic.

Nightmare Moon rubbed her temples with a hoof as she heard the great doors to throne room open.
“I thought I said that I had finished for the day!” She growled loudly.
The sound of hoof-steps filled the hall, as a pony dared approach her uninvited, “Oh? Don’t you want your magic, my queen?”
Nightmare Moon looked up to see Twinstar walk up undaunted, placing a saddlebag on the ground, “where have you been, Twinstar?”
“The vaults of this castle are quite vast, my queen,” She replied plainly, adjusting her glasses in her arrogant fashion. “It took a while to locate what you wished for.”
Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow at this. Whilst it was true that the vaults are vast in size and it would take and looking through them for a single scroll would have taken time, it appeared that Twinstar had enough spare time to find and put on the formal gown she was wearing. And for a pony that had supposedly spent four days underground, her coat and mane were well groomed.
“So, you have it?”
“Yes, my queen.”
“Good,” She said raising from the throne. “The Alicorn Amulet, though powerful, is starting to reach its limitations.”
“With this,” -Twinstar levitated an old battered scroll from her side- “Alongside the Alicorn Amulet, none of the remaining alicorns will be able to stand against you, my queen.”
“This better be so,” She said, now casting an intimidating shadow over Twinstar. “For your sake.”
Twinstar responded with a confident grin, which irked Nightmare Moon further. She put the school to one side and pulled out the jar of red paste that her new ruler had used four days previous, whilst defeating Celestia, “This spell calls for a lot of magic, which we’ll need to siphon from Equestria itself, my queen.”

Nightmare Moon nodded and then turned to the handful of sentries in the room, “Guards, leave us!”
The sentries bowed and then departed. As they did so, Twinstar began drawing several runes of magic in a ring on marble flow. Nightmare Moon meanwhile studied the scroll. Once satisfied, she looked to see Twinstar had finished and was waiting for her, “Are you ready, my queen?”
Nightmare Moon passed the scroll over into her magic, “This better work, Twinstar. I do not have time for any failures.”
Again, she responded with a confident grin, beckoning her into position as she stood a the centre of the ring of runes. Twinstar then proceeded to lay out the scroll open on the floor and studied it one last time. Then standing upright, she threw her head back with her horn glowing a bright green.
The runes on the floor glowed the same green. Magic from the ground itself started to flow to Twinstar’s horn, gathering in a large mass at its tip.
It then left her horn and surrounded Nightmare Moon. Lifting her off the ground and completely engulfing her in a green ball. It then slowly changed colour to a bright white and then slowly to a menacing indigo.
Then the magic started to dissipate and the mare slowly floated back onto the marble.

Nightmare Moon opened her eyes, getting adjusted after the bright magic, “Did it work?”
“See for yourself, my queen,” Twinstar replied, pulling a mirror from her saddlebag and holding it up for Nightmare Moon to see. She took a moment to admire her reflection and her new feature, wings of an alicorn. She spread them out wide and flapped them a couple of times.
Oh, I’m going to enjoy theses Nightmare Moon mused. But not as much as the power.
She felt magic swell through her body, at levels she had never experienced before. It was intoxicating.
“You look very intimidating, My queen.”
Nightmare Moon looked back at Twinstar and decided to put her claim to the test. Flashing her horn, a dark cloud started swelling above her head, which rumbled with thunder. Seeing this Twinstar started to back away, “M….my queen?”
As the cloud grew larger, it started to crackle with electricity. Then without warning, a thunderbolt shot out clean over Twinstar’s head. Striking her saddlebag and sending it cascading down the throne room. Landing in a smouldering heap.
“I haven’t used that spell in over a millennium,” Nightmare Moon giggled. “What do you think of it?”
“Very unnerving, my queen,” she replied, wiping off a bead of sweat.
“Do not threat, Twinstar. It will destroy your complexion,” She cooed. “Besides, you have done very well. Deserving of special recognition.”
Twinstar smiled triumphantly and bowed deeply.

This smile was quickly removed by a hoof harshly smashing her across the face. The shock of this sent Twinstar sprawling on her side, the taste of blood in my mouth, “M…m…my Queen!?!”
Nightmare Moon looked down at her with the coldest of eyes, “Do not get complacent with your position, Twinstar. Your usefulness can end at any time.”
Anger flashed across Twinstar’s eyes, “And you, my queen, need to learn the basics of trust and loyalty!”
Nightmare Moon kept her eyes locked on Twinstar’s, as she tilted her head to one side, “Loyalty?”
The mood in the air in an instant turned dark and Twinstar felt anger that surpassed her own, “What can you teach me about loyalty?”
Nightmare Moon took a step towards the downed mare, sending said mare into a panic, desperately dragging herself from the approaching alicorn, “Of all ponies, WHAT CAN YOU TEACH ME ABOUT LOYALTY, TWINSTAR!?!”
Twinstar managed to get to her hooves and galloped to the doors. Reaching them, she found them to be held shut with magic.
“YOU betrayed Equestria. YOU betrayed Celestia. YOU EVEN BETRAYED YOUR OWN DAUGHTER!!” -Nightmare Moon continued her slow pace down the room- “So tell me, Twinstar. WHAT CAN YOU TEACH ME ABOUT LOYALTY!?!”
Twinstar now started beating desperately against the door, tears now filling her eyes. Then the sound of approaching hoof-steps ceased, causing her to freeze. With tears streaming down here face, Twinstar slowly turned around.
Nightmare Moon stood tall with her wings outstretched, a much larger cloud swirling above, lightning arching across its surface. Her face was malice incarnate and then far more terrifying for Twinstar, turned into a gentle smile, “I thank you, Twinstar, for all that you have done for me.”
A mighty thunderbolt rang out of the cloud and the mare once known as ’Twinstar’ ceased to exist.

Comments

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rip Twinstar