Epica: The Fall of Harmony

by DaNumbahZer0

Symphony of Destruction

A terrible eruption rang out into the night sky, reverberating in every stone wall of the castle. Powerful bouts of magic exploded and ricocheted repeatedly, leaving the once proud throne room in piles of rubble and stained with blood as the battle raged on into the night. Shattered debris of painted glass carpeted the rich cobblestone floor, creating beautiful reflections on the walls as malevolent spells tore through the air, crackling and popping as they connected either with flesh or rebounded off a nearby wall.

Grotesque figures morphed through the entrance of the throne room, clashing against the steel blades and unicorn horns of Celestia’s finest. Her Highness stood side-by-side with her younger sister to aid the guards against this opposing monstrosity, tearing through the beasts’ ranks with their Godlike abilities. Their manes were ruffled, their royal fur lay caked in blood and wore a fine layer of soot and ash, tainting the majesty of their glorious regality. Yet in the same light, the sisters never appeared truer to their esteemed titles as rulers of Equestria than they did now as they fought alongside their loyal and faithful subjects to defend their great capital.

The battle was quickly beginning to seem hopeless. No matter how many of the fiends met their end to the Princesses and the Royal Elite, more took their place. Fatigue was quickly wearing on the defenders as they frantically moved to force this malevolence back from whence it came. Something would have to be done soon or all would be lost.

“Shield your eyes, my sister!” Celestia ordered as she spread her mighty wings and ascended into the middle of the cavernous room. Luna did just as she was told, warning their companions of her sister’s plan. Not a second too soon either, because the instant that all their eyes were closed tightly, Celestia cast a blinding light into the room. It was as though the sun itself had become some beaming chandelier in the great room, blinding all who failed to hide their eyes well.

It worked. The intruders all rolled and wailed on the hard ground, clasping their misshapen hands across their eyes. Those that were just now entering the room met their demise quickly as Celestia charged, running them through with her mighty horn. Luna followed suit, summoning the Elite to make haste and follow as well.

They tore down the winding halls of the castle, blasting foes and helping the remaining royal guards to vanquish the onslaught of demons. No creature so vile would be receiving mercy from the Alicorn rulers on this night. Too many lives had been lost. Too many families would be severed. Too many innocent lives torn or lost in the sea of this raging storm to be worthy of mercy; the princesses would make quite certain of that.

Corpses of demonic beings lay scattered throughout the palace. Their infernal stench stifled the once pure air. These were the beasts of Tartarus. The royal siblings recognized their foes from the very second they laid eyes upon them. Off and on throughout the centuries, creatures such as these had managed to pry their way through the gates of oblivion to wreak havoc on this peaceful world, but never in numbers like this. This was no mere coincidence. No, there was no mistake about that. Someone or something must have broken through the powerful seals that held the gates of Tartarus shut. This was particularly disturbing to the Alicorn rulers. Whoever opened this portal to their world must not only be wicked beyond comprehension, but also powerful beyond imagination. Even with all their might, Celestia and Luna could never have torn a rift large enough to allow such an impressive opposition to slip from the depths of the Never to roam free to do their insidious bidding, thus the being responsible for this unbridled tyranny would undoubtedly be even more powerful than the sisters. That fact lingered heavily on Celestia’s mind. Who could have such raw power? Time alone would answer this sadistic question.

The group fought tooth and hoof through the infestation and arrived at the twin oak doors leading into the dining hall. The room was barricaded with powerful enchantments, but they were enchantments that the regal sisters recognized. It took only a touch of rainbow magic and the doors were forced open. The room was clear. Lifeless bodies of cretins covered the plum-colored carpet and earthy stone floor. The long oak tables were in disarray and propped messily on their sides. The scarring across the tabletops and charred edges would indicate that they were used as cover in whatever ruckus that took place here. Rustling beyond a nearby barrier had the princesses and their battalion on the tips of their hooves and ready for a fight.

“Show yourselves!” Princess Celestia ordered in a voice eerily malicious of her normal demure demeanor. Even Luna shifted, slightly nervous from the hint of malice in her older sister’s tone.

“Princess?” A strong but familiar voice questioned, revealing him from the hunkered position he had taken behind the makeshift cover.

“Captain, I am glad to see you are still with us,” Celestia said, letting the powerful glow of attack dissipate from her horn, “Are there others?”

Dozens of members of the royal guard began popping up and showing themselves, revealing that nearly all of Shining Armor’s battalion was still alive and well. Many looked as though they had been to Tartarus and back, but none seemed mortally wounded.

“Boy, are we glad to see you your highnesses!” Shining exclaimed, coming out from behind the table and bowing to the princesses.

“We don’t have time for pleasantries and formalities, Captain. As you are well aware, the castle is under siege.” Celestia pointed out matter-of-factly, motioning to the blanket of dead bodies that covered her dining hall.

Shining nodded in agreement. “Yes, your highness. We’ve been driving them back all night, but it seems as though no matter how many of these—things—we slaughter, more take their place. I’ve never seen anything like them before. It’s like…. It’s like they are straight out of…”

“Straight out of the bowels of Tartarus,” Celestia cut in, “that is correct, Captain. There is no doubt about their origin. What we need to know is who unleashed them and why. Have you come across anyone or seen anything that is giving these creatures direction? This cannot be a rogue and feral effort.”

Shining bowed his head in near disbelief, “No Your Majesty. We haven’t seen their leader.... or even anypony that even remotely seems in control of these monsters. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to any of their attacks. They just keep coming, and their only clear intent thus far is to kill anypony that stands in their way.”

The Princess grimaced in deep thought. They have a greater motive. Someone MUST be leading this assault. But for what purpose?

“Is Princess Cadance safe?” She asked with a hint of her normal sweetness in her words.

“Yes, Princess, she is currently on the far side of room caring to the wounded. We’ve been very fortunate to not lose anypony so far.”

Celestia nodded solemnly, striding purposefully into the heart of the room. “Indeed, Captain, you are very fortunate. Many of us have not been so lucky tonight.”

A grave silence fell across the room. It was if all the warmth and happiness had completely fallen away, leaving nothing except grief and despair in its wake. The guards continued barricading the room. Those that weren’t helping to fortify their defenses were hurrying to the aide of their wounded companions. Luckily, Shining Armor and his crew were alright with the exception of a few bumps and bruises.

Cadance appeared from the far end of the room, walking gracefully, but with a fire in her step. Determination burned in her eyes like molten hot magma. “I have done all that I can. The injured guardsmen are going to be just fine, nothing but scratches in the scheme of things. Princess Celestia, what are we going to do? We cannot keep fighting like this! If we do the only thing that will come of it is more pain and suffering.”

Celestia bowed her head. Her lips trembled with unrivaled rage. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was right. This foe they faced was powerful beyond comprehension. Sure, the Royals had the magical ability to vanquish the waves of demons that were burning Equestria’s capital to the ground, but even they had their limits; this cannot go on like this any longer. She knew what had to be done.

“Luna,” Celestia called, beckoning her younger sibling to her side.

“Yes, my sister, what is it?”

“We won’t be able to hold out much longer like this. We are going to need to fall back.” Her words fell upon her subjects’ ears like an avalanche.

“WHAT?! You’re saying we should just give up? Just give into this monstrosity that threatens to—“ The indigo-furred mare lost her words in the racing emotions contorting her sister’s face. “Sister…. We mean no disrespect, but….”

Celestia raised her hoof to quell her sister’s racing thoughts. “It is not something I want to do, little sister, but we have to think of the good of Equestria. Canterlot is lost. There is nothing left to save here.”

Cadance, Shining Armor and the rest of the guards shook with disbelief. How could the Princess give up of them like this? How could she make the decision that would make all their fighting so meaningless?

“Princess, I’m sorry, but what good will that do?! You can’t be serious.” Shining Armor spoke with respect, but his eyes wavered with the pain of betrayal. Celestia allowed him to brand her with his emotions. It left welts in her soul that would scar her for many years to come. Inside she prayed that one day her faithful subjects would understand her decision.

“I assume you have some sort of plan, your highness?” Cadance approached, embracing her husband in the warmth of her wing.

“I do,” she responded curtly, sighing as she collected her thoughts, “Luna, you must go. Find Twilight Sparkle and protect her with nothing less than your life, understood?”

The princess of the moon and stars nodded solemnly, “Yes, Sister we will do everything we can to keep her safe.”

“Good. Shining Armor, you and Cadance will use the ancient passageways under the castle to escape the city, take as many of the wounded with you as you can. We want to get as many ponies out of here as we possibly can.”

The prince was taken aback. He didn’t know of any underground passageways out of the castle. “But Princess, what do you mean? What passageways?”

“Cadance knows them and she also knows the incantation to open them. You may want to let her lead this one, Captain.” He nodded his approval and turned to his wife.

“But what about you, Princess, where will you go?” Cadance pleaded.

“I shall fly west towards the mountains. If I’m right, an old friend just may be willing to help us. And maybe, just maybe, his aid can make a difference in this brewing war.”

War. That’s what this was, wasn’t it? Equestria had gone over a thousand years since the Great Wars. There had been times of unrest, chaos, discord even, but nothing like this. This was the real thing. The smell of burning buildings and the lingering blanket of fear draped across the country were sentiments of this unfavorable disaster. Never in all the years that Princess Celestia ruled over the magical world of Equestria could anypony have predicted this, though. It was a war between the living and the damned; Heaven against Hell; Equestria versus Tartarus, and Tartarus had drawn first blood with its wicked, lusting fangs.

Luna’s eyes grew wide. She can’t possibly mean…. “Tia, you mean to call upon him don’t you?” The distant look clouding her sister’s pearly eyes said it all. The pain and longing welled up in her shimmering rosy orbs, drawing but a single streak along her battle-stained muzzled.

Celestia smiled. “It’s our only hope, little sister. If the sun shall ever rise over Equestria again to banish this darkness, it must be done.”

Luna looked on in desperation, “But Tia, he could kill you! Please, let Us come with you!”

Princess Celestia shook her head solemnly, casting her shimmering mane about gently, “Where I go, you cannot follow, little sister. This is something I must face alone. And more importantly, Twilight Sparkle must be protected. She and the other elements of harmony must not fall into harm’s way. If they do, I fear the worst for them and all of Equestria. Go to her, Princess Luna. She needs you much more than I do.”

Luna bowed her head. Her body shook savagely with pent up emotion, but she knew in her heart that her sister spoke only the truth. Tears streamed from her tightly shut eyes as she grew past her trivial denial and into a grave acceptance of what had to be. Four powerful little words burned in her heart. I love you, Tia.

“Alright everypony, does everyone know what their mission is?” Celestia called, her eyes scanning the faces of her subjects. Nothing but fiery determination burned within each eye of her audience as they nodded. “Alright, we mustn’t waste any time, let’s get a move on. Good luck everypony and—“

The sound of stone grinding against itself cut the princess short as the stomach churning sound radiated through the dining hall. The vibrations caused chandeliers to come crashing down. Guardsponies dashed and ducked to avoid the falling debris before Shining Armor and Cadance fired up a defensive aura, deflecting the glassy shower. The wall on the north side of the room was ripping in half, contorting in ways that rock could not do without magic, bending and crackling as the wall was torn apart. A thick cloud of dust flooded the room, cloaking everyone in a blinding haze. Through the smoke a single voice was heard; a terrible wicked cackling echoed insidiously throughout the hallowed halls.

From beyond the blackness of the gaping gouge in the wall the malevolent laughing halted and began to speak, “What a very sentimental speech, your highness. It’s too bad some of your faithful servants won’t be around now to carry out your foolish plot.”

Snap. A string of magic slithered through the air, casting itself amongst a group of guardsponies. Before anypony could take a final breath the thread of magic combusted with unbridled force. Seven ponies lay lifeless on the cold stone floor after the explosion. Their armor melted and disfigured by the blast.

The ponies gaped in disbelief. Celestia’s eyes were wide, trembling in the wake of the murder of her followers.

“SHOW YOURSELF, YOU MONSTER!” The royal Canterlot voice roared through the dusty haze, spewing venom in every word as Celestia snarled.

“As you wish, Princess,” the voice mocked.

  The sound of powerful wings pummeling the air licked at their ears, and torrential bursts of wind burst through the corridor, clearing a line of sight to the open wall. There stood a tall and twisted creature of mismatched entities; seemingly a mishmash of different creatures merged into one unified being. As the draconequus entered the room, all the hope and determination ceased to exist. It was as if his mere presence was able to sap the very life from the room, leaving everyone desolate and hopeless.

The regal sisters stared in disbelief. How was it possible that he had escaped his stone prison? “Discord?!” They shouted in unison

The dark draconequus let a smile slither into place. Snap. Another explosion rippled through the air, laying several more of the guards to rest in charred and molten armor.

They could do nothing but gawk in disbelief. Since when was Discord able to so mindlessly wreak havoc and take lives? It made no sense. He was the embodiment of chaos. Disharmony. Not death and—

“Destruction.” The monster plainly said, though his voice seemed laced with poison as it fell upon their ears.

They all stared on in horror, quizzical looks flashing upon their faces in the sight of this new enemy.

“I am Destruction. It took several millennia to escape my untimely entombment in the fiery bowls of Tartarus, but here I stand before you, Celestia, and I shall see to it that Equestria shall never again see the light of day as you so nobly put it. This world is mine now, and no one shall stand in the way of me and my unholy army.” The draconequus finished with a sickening smile.

“What is it that you want, draconequus?” Celestia dared to ask, standing tall in the wake of the fire and flames.

“Manners, Celestia, manners. My name is Destruction, your highness. Not ‘draconequus’ as you so rudely addressed me, and I merely wish to see your world crumble beneath you. To watch as your flame flickers before it is extinguished. I am the harbinger of death, the bringer of destruction and pandemonium.” Shivers raced down their spines. The alicorns’ wings trembled edgily at their sides. The monster raised his clawed hand to click away life in another fiery explosion.

Celestia responded, casting a destructive spell of her own. It exploded against the draconequus’ flesh. A direct hit.

“Luna, GO!” She hollered, casting a blast through the ceiling to the open sky. Her sister hesitated, shaking herself from the rattling situation, but soon sprung into the sky, disappearing into the night.

“The rest of you, go! Hurry!” Cadance hurriedly cast her enchantment, opening the floor into the secret passageways underneath the castle, leading the remaining guard and her husband to safety underground before sealing the pass behind them.

Celestia then spread her mighty wings and with a powerful thrust, rocketed into sky. As she looked back she could see the smoke starting to clear. In the twirling swirls of fading smoke the draconequus stood unscathed, with but a twisted smile across his lips….

Author's Note:

Admittedly, I feel like this chapter is a little rushed.... But it was written after completing the following two chapters to give a little insight as to what was going on in Canterlot during the course of the story lol I will probably edit it later, but I do hope you all enjoy it as is until then :)

Comments

[Inferno demon Dash]

A new foe huh? This should be fun Damn...so I'm guessing all of Discord's kind are Gods? Unless there are only two, or at least they are the last two then Equestria is bucked.....wow. Hmmmm........wonder how he escaped, more so if the Goddess of the Sun and the Moon could not open the gate, how did he? This seriously has my view and so many questions to still be spoke, shit. Can't wait for more.