The Battle

by Nevermore

Conflict

Chapter Three: Conflict

Why?

Celestia paced inside the chamber that Nightmare had locked her in. More a cell than a chamber. High stone walls rose all around her, a small tightly barred window was high above. She could see her former comrade’s shadow outside the door, watching her every move.

It all came so suddenly. Luna’s return, Sunrise’s sudden appearance, Twilights letter. They all took her by surprise.

She stopped pacing.

I should have been prepared.

She stomped her hoof on the stone floor, causing an echo. The shadow outside stayed still.

I should have known she’d return! She is my sister, almost as strong as me. She created that spell; she would know how to reverse it.

Celestia face-hoofed. How could she have been so ignorant?

She paused her thoughts, trying to justify everything to herself.

I was in mourning. I was repairing a shattered empire. I was…..

She groaned. All this was doing was bringing back memories, memories of he who now stood guard over her.

The memories broke through the physiological dam inside her heart, loosing their power on her mind.

She started to cry. Soft sobs at first, but gradually turning into loud wails. Her long flowing mane dimmed, from being without the sun. Tears streamed down her face, adding to a growing puddle on the floor beneath her.

Why is this happening to me? Haven’t I been through enough?

She cried out, but for her, there was no one to cry out to, no power higher than her that she could seek for comfort.

After a while, she started to calm down.

Enough of that! She yelled at herself mentally. Your people need you! Twilight needs you!
She paused, and then face hoofed again.

Except SHE’S out there, and I’m in here!

Angry, Celestia hoofed the ground, wishing there was something in the cell to break.

Her anger subsided as a plan began to form in her mind.

Not much of one really..

She straightened herself, and, standing up, seized the door with her magic, and with a grunt, tore it from its steel hinges. Sunrise turned, to catch a bolt of fiery light from Celestia in the chest. He was thrown to the end of the hallway, rolled a few times, coming to a stop in front of the stairwell.

Celestia, panting from exertion, walked out of her now demolished cell. The old stonework couldn’t handle so much raw power. The energy left over from the door, wreaked havoc on the room. Shattering the steel bars on the window, cracking the walls, and leaving large craters in the floor.

Regaining her breath, she walked to her unconscious commander.

His breastplate was melted, his front legs were bending at awkward angles, yet his eyes remained open.

She sighed.

Its time you remembered.

* * * * * * * * * *

One thousand years earlier:

She could feel herself rising. With great speed, she left the atmosphere of their blackened world.

The…pain…

Luna could feel herself screaming, as the light burned her flesh. Searing white-hot agony drenched her body, causing her to writhe within the light, exposing more of her already blackened body to the unrelenting brightness.

And then it was over. She lay in a freshly made crater, broken, bleeding.

For years she laid there, slowly regenerating her being.

But those long years were not without gain. She had a plan.

It was beautiful. In her eyes, un-failing.

But in Luna’s eyes, she only saw more heartbreak for her beloved sister.

Nightmare scoffed at her, every time Luna asked her to stop this. To end it.

The spirit of the Nightmare was outside her now, not wanting to share the great pain Luna endured.

Centuries passed.

Over the years, Luna’s body began to re-form. Muscles and sinew grew where flesh was melted. Her coat began to return, a dark midnight blue.

She was finally herself again.

Gingerly, she got to her hooves. After hundreds of years, she was very unsteady.
But after many failures, she could walk again.

But her body wouldn’t run, or fly, or cast any spells. Re-growing half your body is taxing.

The Nightmare began to notice that Luna was returning to herself. Her fragile self.

It began to watch Luna, waiting for the right moment.

Many years passed, each day Luna’s strength returned. Every year she could do more, she could run, even cast spells.

But all was not good.

The Nightmare struck.

It had patiently waited, and now, as Luna tried to cast her reversal spell, its waiting was rewarded.

It swooped at her, slamming her mind, threatening to collapse it where she stood. The spell fizzled and went out.

Luna groaned, falling onto her side.

Why hello again.. Did you miss me? Because I missed YOU.

“Get OUT!” Luna screamed, flaring her horn, tore the Nightmare from her mind, the pain in her head dissipating.

She stood again, legs spread, waiting for another possession.

She heard a deep cackle. The sound came from all around her, but it also came in her head.

“Why would you do this?” Luna asked her counterpart. “You told me that my sister, we would be equal!” Luna yelled.

“She would never be equal to you.” Nightmare sneered. “You are Weak! You will never be noticed, always the bottom rung! No pony or creature will ever look to your night for comfort or peace. They will only see you as you are now!”

The Nightmare cackled. “As I am.”

“You lied to me. How many other ponies have you destroyed?” Luna said voice full of anger.

“Countless.” The Nightmare whispered. “All will perish at my hand!” It screamed, the blue mist writhing, and rising high above the night Princess.

“By MY hand, they will live!” Luna screamed, horn blazing. Using her great blue wings, she took off, but in the moons thin atmosphere, she could not gain purchase on the weak air.

She landed, and tried to track the incorporeal form around her, but there was nothing.

She was alone.

Luna roared angrily, tears flowing. She blasted the moon countless times in her anger, releasing the bottled up sadness.

She collapsed, having used up her strength. She lay in her crater, weeping.

“I am so sorry…”