Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus

by thedarktome

Chapter 37 - Action In Snow (Interlude)

Author's Note:

Hello, everyone! Sorry, I've been really busy these last few weeks. But I have not forgotten about any of you. The goal was to have this story finished by Christmas, however, pressing situations, including a car accident have derailed those plans. The new deadline will be the end of January 2024.

Anyway, enjoy this interlude! Next three chapters will have more action!

Arcadia followed Narmeelah higher and higher into Psera's darkened skies, filled with the violet of her own power. They seemed to be in the middle of a hurricane, with wind blowing to and fro, whipping her mane back and forth. It wasn't enough to distract her from the real problem at hoof.

Narmeelah, walking ahead of her, using her magic to build a stairwell out of the rubble of Psera to the sky above it all. She could make out all of Snow from here. The destruction of her home seemed endless. Stars above, how would they get over this?

"I do not believe you know the entire story of Psera, Arcadia Nova." Narmeelah turned around at a step and faced her nubile granddaughter.

"I feel I know what would be considered important to know," Arcadia replied.

"Oh, but the most important part of the story is the one that is never shared." Narmeelah extended the bridge higher and higher into the sky, with them on it. Certainly the highest Twilight's ever been. She could see the entirety of Psera up here. The entire rune that Narmeelah drew up, she could make out its shape.

"Then please share this tale with the rest of the class," Arcadia insisted.

"Oh, I plan—"

"Actually..."

A large beam of magic, spewed forth from Arcadia's horn slamming into Narmeelah and launching her off the platform.

In a flash Narmeelah teleported behind Arcadia, nonplussed and unamused. She hovered in the thundering, darkened skies, watching as Arcadia turned around and faced her with hatred.

"We've already done enough talking," Arcadia said. "You've played your hooves hundreds of times while millions have suffered because of them."

Narmeelah said nothing, continuing to hover before the eyes of Equus' army, Arcadia, and the eyes watching the cameras.

"So," she finally spoke. "You wish to die first then."

"The only thing I wish for..." Arcadia used her magic to pull her blade from its sheathe. "Is for your manipulation and reign over Equus to end. We deserve our freedom from you and today, we will have it."

Narmeelah flared open her wings, aglow with power. "Then you will die trying!!"

The platform Arcadia stood upon illuminated with runes, runes she immediately recognized and teleported away from before they combusted, igniting the sky with dirt, fire and debris.

"Mom!!" Dawn shouted.

Secretary Manny's Voice shouted over the comms. "Get the Queen to safety now!"

"Move! Move! Move!" With Dawn in between them, the Elite Guard quickly began their mission. The army ran through the tunnel, beneath the fight through the cracks above.

A large violet beam shot from the smoke towards Narmeelah. A mere raise of her hoof curved Arcadia's magic around and into a nearby tilted building, igniting it.

A thunderous explosion shook the ground, almost knocking the running ponies to the ground.

"Oh, Arcadia." Narmeelah combusted into a mass of stars when Arcadia teleported behind her and swung her sword upon where she stood. The blade passed through harmlessly.

"You truly believe you'll be the hero the world needs you to be."

"I don't need to be a hero." Arcadia teleported when Narmeelah swiped at her with sharpened wing feathers, and reappeared behind her, facing the back of her head.

"I just need to buy time." She fired once again into Narmeelah's back, seemingly her weakness.

"Ugh!" Narmeelah was propelled from the sky towards the ground once again. This time however, the impact lifted a cloud of dust, forcing Dawn to cover her face.

Arcadia looked to the sky in the distance, to the thousands of dots heading in their direction.

"Her army," Arcadia whispered to herself. She quickly lifted her Comm Block. "Here they come in the distance! Warm up the—!"

A large tube of rock suddenly shot up from the ground and slammed into Arcadia from the dirt. Thinking quickly, she teleported away before she'd find herself in between a rock and a hard place when it smashed into the remains of a tower she hovered in front of. The impact was enough to blow straight through the building and out the back, raining dirt and debris onto the ground.

"Look out!" Rainbow Dash zipped forward and swept a few soldiers to the side before they would find themselves beneath an H-beam.

"Oh yes, your dear project." Narmeelah floated from the smoke with her hooves out. Dust and dirt lifted from the ground, gathering around them.

Dawn tracked the cloud with her eyes, eating away their cover until they were exposed. They could make out the army from the ground, breaching Snow's skyline. Narmeelah was too entranced by her fight with Arcadia to notice them. They kept moving.

The dust gathered and compressed into hundreds of individual spikes, aiming at Arcadia.

"I know all about it," Narmeelah iterated.

"How surprising." Arcadia crossed her hooves and spread her wings. A large rune formed between her and the building she hovered in front of.

The spikes spewed forth, with a destination for the pony Narmeelah now called her enemy. Arcadia swung the rune around and held it before her like a shield. The spikes disappeared inside, then she rotated the rune around and fired them back.

They passed through Narmeelah harmlessly.

"I'm impressed, Arcadia," Narmeelah admitted. "Not many even know of Pelothian Magic. I'm surprised you know how to use it."

"Then perhaps you don't really know what I can do after all."

"Perhaps. But it's nothing I haven't seen before. You'll still suffer this day, and watch as this world burns."

Narmeelah glowed a bright gold, a single star in the sky Arcadia prepared herself for. She winced, glancing down to the wound in her chest that still hasn't healed. It seemed Narmeelah's magic not only creates, but destroys as well. It ate away at her essence, the magic that brought Arcadia back to life. Unable to be replaced in its usual timely manner. She'd have to be careful.

It was good she had a backup plan.

Narmeelah hovered there in a suit of her own, striking similarities with Celestia's. Helmet, wing guards, full armor. Complete with a steel blade sparkling with diamonds, a stark level above Arcadia's own.

"You have a plan in motion, same as I." Narmeelah lowered her mouth guard to protect her face. Arcadia could see herself. Facing down her final enemy.

She positioned herself. Magic ready and sword unsheathed, posed for battle.

"I know all about your plan," Arcadia replied.

"Not everything. But you are really close, I'll give you that much." She looked to the army taking up positions on the ground. "Why don't we take this somewhere more... Private?"

In a flash, Arcadia and Narmeelah teleported all the way from Snow to the Center of Cop, facing each other on opposite sides of the rune. It was large, the battleground dark, flashing with violet lightning from the clouds above. Surely it would rain soon, and mix with the blood of the fallen within the hour.

Dawn raised her hoof and called into the Comm Block, "Mom!... Arcadia!"

"Your mother will be fine, Queen Dawn!" Celestia shouted.

Luna pointed to the cloudy sky, flashing with Violet lightning and filled with high winds, whipping at their manes and tails.

"I can't say the same for us!" She shouted.

The Pserateps, the ones whose eyes were filled with stars and minds overtaken by Narmeelah's magic. They were aiming for Snow. An entire army shooting their way down onto them. The sky darkened with their silhouettes, mixing with the torrential rain pelting them from high above.

They were here.

Dawn raised her Comm Block and continued running forward with her escorts. "Psera! IHT! Prepare yourselves! Today, we take back our home!"

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

The previous stories all had a tragedy tag. Why doesn’t this one have one?

[thedarktome]

11793595
That's a good point. I think i ran out of space to add it. But based on current trends, I need to add it.

[thedarktome]

11793595
Fixed.