Chapter 22: Despair
The Gift of Life
Four days later...
Celestia dragged her hooves along the ashen covered grounds of a massive, open field. The sky was dark overhead and tinted red, while bursts of electricity shot through the storm with alarming frequency. Ash fell from the sky, spawning from a burning city off in the distance. Many buildings were alight, and the massive castle spire that sat in the center of the city only stood at half of its original height.
“Ember City,” Celestia muttered to herself.
As she glanced around, bodies of mutated Flutterponies and Equestrian ponies alike lay strewn out across the field. Some had been tossed to the side in massive piles, the corpses burning and leaving a repulsive smell to hang in the air. Others sat impaled on spears sticking out of the ground, the bodies sliding slowing down the shaft as the minutes dragged on. Celestia gagged, and quickly picked up her pace towards the city.
“I need to find out who did this,” Celestia said to herself. “But more importantly, I need to find out where my father is.”
Celestia completed her trek across the reeking battlefield, and she cautiously stepped through the battered gates of Ember City. The heat from the burning buildings was nearly overwhelming, and the sound of the thundering roar of the fire caused Celestia to grit her teeth before pressing forward.
She looked up and down the wide streets of Ember city, but Celestia found no trace of Sol within the streets of the city itself. She looked through burning buildings, and she searched through the many scorched parks that were scattered throughout the city, but all she could find was more death and fire. Finally, she had to give up her search, and she soon found herself at Ember City’s castle gates.
Celestia walked through the gates, and noticed that the gardens behind the castle walls had not escaped the wrath of the fire that consumed the city. Magnificent willow trees that have stood for more than two millennia were now consumed in the inferno. Not even the animals that had inhabited the gardens were spared.
Off to her right, Celestia saw the remnants of the spire’s top as it lay splintered across the gardens, completely obliterating part of the wall that surrounded the castle.
“So much destruction,” Celestia whimpered to herself. “Death on this scale - how can it even be possible?”
“It is possible, my dear,” replied a condescending voice from behind Celestia.
Celestia whirled around towards the source of the voice, and came face-to-face with a creature she had never seen before. He had the body and tail of a snake-like dragon, but he was also made up of a host of other creatures. His arms resembled that of a lion’s paw for his right, and an eagle’s talon for his left. His right leg looked similar to that of some kind of lizard, while his left leg resembled that of a donkey. He had two different wings, one that looked like it belonged to a bat, while the other looked like it belonged to a pegasus. His head resembled a pony’s head, but it was elongated and deformed, and he had the two mismatched eyes that had haunted Celestia ever since she first came into contact with the Element of Harmony.
“You... You’re....” Celestia stuttered, gazing up at the towering monster.
“Hi, my name’s Discord,” he said, sticking his lion’s paw out. “I don’t think we have met properly before.”
Celestia merely stared at him, the expression on her face turning from disbelief to a glare. Discord pulled his paw back, and levitated himself so it was as if he was lying on a sofa.
“Aw, why the long face?” Discord asked. “Don’t you like what I did with the place? It keeps us nice and cozy during those cool, winter nights.”
“What did you do to the Flutterponies?” Celestia asked coldly.
“So quick to place the blame,” Discord said, falling from his invisible sofa. “And so serious. Isn’t what I did here at least a small improvement?”
Celestia stared at him, gritting her teeth together. Discord sighed.
“I only improved their quality of life,” he said, walking up to Celestia and lowering his head so their eyes met. “It was so difficult for them to find love in this world, you know. They would spend, perhaps, centuries looking for the Flutterpony of their dreams. They always craved for love, but they could only find what they craved in one other Flutterpony.”
Discord flicked one nail out of his claw, and used it to drag underneath Celestia’s chin.
“Now, to find love, all they have to do is take it.”
“What do you mean by ‘take it?’” Celestia asked, reeling her head back from Discord’s touch.
“Well,” Discord said, standing straight up and scratching under his chin, “I guess they just need to find a source of love radiating from another equine, and then feed off of it.”
“Like a parasite?” Celestia asked, taking a step back.
“That is such a drab word. I like to think that they are more like needy family members.”
Celestia stared at Discord, and took another step back.
“Where is Queen Chrysalis?” she asked.
Discord began twisting his arms in multiple directions, elongating them and getting them tied into a bowtie. He shrugged his shoulders, and then magically returned his arms to normal.
“As of right now,” he said, “I have no idea where she is. She isn’t too happy, though, and she seems to be very hungry.”
Celestia’s face fell, and tears started to well up in her eyes. She charged her horn and took one more step back.
“Where is my father?” she asked.
Discord drifted his gaze to behind Celestia. Celestia slowly turned around, and let out a sob. A clothesline hung in front of the castle doors, and Sol’s pelt could be seen dangling from the line. Celestia took two steps forward before her face plunged into the cobblestone ground.
“One down, one to go,” Discord said.
~~~
Celestia didn’t realize that she had been screaming until she was sitting straight up in her bed. She shivered, and her coat felt damp. She looked around, and realized that she was still in her room. She heard shuffling under some covers coming from next to her.
“‘Tia, are you okay?” Luna asked.
Celestia was panting, and she quickly hopped out of her bed. Luna watched her in silence, her turquoise eyes glimmering slightly in the darkness of their room. Celestia looked over at the clock that sat between their beds.
“Sorry, Luna,” Celestia said, rubbing her eyes. “Just a bad dream.”
Celestia turned and made her way for the balcony. She heard the covers rustle once more, and then heard the soft clop of Luna’s hoofsteps as she joined Celestia out the door and onto their balcony. Celestia held the door open for Luna, and when the cool night air made contact with her skin, Celestia shuddered.
Luna had taken a seat at the edge of the balcony, and she was gently resting her head on the railing. Celestia closed the door behind them, and walked up next to Luna to take her seat.
“You know,” Celestia said, “you don’t have to be awake with me right now.”
“I know,” Luna said, “but that doesn’t mean that I am not going to. For all of the times you have helped me with my nightmares, ‘Tia, it is only kind of me to do the same.”
Celestia eyed Luna with concern.
“Luna, you should go back to sleep. You get very little of it as is.”
Luna laid her head against Celestia’s neck. Celestia returned the gesture by wrapping a wing around Luna, and resting her head on top of her’s. The sun started to rise over the western mountains, bringing a pink tinge to all of the lands around Everfree. In the distance, the storm that had dominated the Eternal Valley’s skies was still present and more menacing than ever.
“‘Tia, what did you dream about?” Luna asked.
“I-it was only a dream, Luna,” Celestia said.
“‘Tia.”
“It had to be a dream. T-there is no way-”
“‘Tia.”
“I-if it wasn’t a dream, then that would mean... No. No, it was a dream. T-that is the only explanation.”
“‘Tia!” Luna said, raising her voice.
Celestia stopped babbling. Luna was staring up at her with soft eyes, and she gently nudged her nose against Celestia’s neck. A slight breeze started to pick up, and Celestia started to breathe easier as Luna snuggled against her. She kissed the base of Luna’s horn, and slowly a tear slid down Celestia’s cheek.
“Luna, I-” Celestia stuttered, sniffling. “I had a dream with the chimera in it. The one Sunfire spoke of. H-he had those mismatched eyes that I have been haunted by since touching that Element. I heard his voice.”
Celestia paused and coughed.
“I was in the Ember City in the Eternal Valley, and it was burning in a fire that had not spared any section of the city. Buildings were scorched, trees were charred, and not even the animals that inhabited the city could escape the inferno. I made my way throughout the whole city looking for our father, only to find no trace of him.
“I made my way to the castle to check if he was there, and that is where I confronted the chimera. He calls himself Discord, and the description Sunfire gave of him was not an exaggeration. He spoke to me in such a condescending voice, as if everything he was doing was a mere game.”
Celestia paused again and choked, and she shut her eyes as more tears streamed down her face and onto Luna’s mane.
“I-I asked him where Auntie Chrysalis was, and h-he told me that she had succumbed to his magic, and had been transformed into one of the beasts. I-I then a-asked him where D-daddy was...”
As Celestia trailed off, she broke into sobs that racked her body against Luna’s. Luna rubbed her cheek up against Celestia’s neck as tears started to slide down her cheeks. She wrapped her hooves around Celestia’s legs and held it tight.
“We haven’t gotten a letter from Daddy in four days,” Luna whimpered, burying her face into Celestia’s coat.
As the sun rose higher into the sky, there was no sound coming from Everfree City. Birds were not singing, ponies were not audibly advertising their wares to the other ponies walking by to work, and the thudding of wooden swords was absent from the practice range. Luna coughed and took a deep breath as she looked up at Celestia.
“We need to tell Mother,” she said.
Celestia looked up towards the sky, and saw that the day was becoming brighter.
“The day court s-should be started soon,” Celestia said.
Celestia and Luna rose to their hooves, and they quickly made their way out of their room. Celestia had a wing extended around Luna as she led them around the corners of the castle towards the throne room. They passed by guards and maids, each one giving them a questioning look. A few of the ponies tried to reach out to help the princesses along, but Celestia pushed them out of the way.
As Celestia and Luna rounded the last corner to the throne room, a loud bell rang out through the city. It pierced the walls of the castle, and a cold chill ran down the back of Celestia’s spine. It was the same bell that had rung when Sunfire was found outside of Everfree’s gates. A pegasus hastily flew over them, and he pushed open the doors to the throne room. Celestia and Luna entered after him.
The pegasus landed at the base of the throne, and gave a deep bow. Galactica looked down at the pegasus, her eyelids drooping and her cheeks discolored and wet.
“Your Majesty,” he said, “A column of Flutterponies and ponies have arrived at our front gates. Many look to be injured, and General Forza is at its head.”
Galactica perked up, and stood from her throne.
“Forza is at the head of the column?” she asked. “Is there any word of Sol?”
“No, Your Majesty, nopony has spotted King Sol.”
The light that had begun to fill Galactica’s eyes faded, and she slowly sank back into her chair.
“Please bring Forza here as quickly as possible,” Galactica said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the pegasus said with another bow.
When he left, Celestia and Luna stepped forward. Galactica forced a smile, and rose from her throne again so she could hug her daughters. They returned her hug gratefully, and when they did not let go, Galactica kissed the base of each of their horns.
“What is it that troubles you?” Galactica asked.
“Mother,” Celestia began, “I-I think we should wait until Forza comes in.”
The look on Galactica’s face was grim, and the grip she was holding onto Celestia and Luna loosened. Her gaze turned towards the throne room doors, and after a moment they opened to allow Forza through. Celestia and Luna broke the embrace with Galactica, and stood to the side of her.
As Forza approached Galactica, more tears started to run down Galactica’s cheeks. Forza’s eyes looked hollow and grim, she was missing an ear, her ornate armor was shredded and stained red, and her wings were brutally tattered. She stopped before Galactica, silent and unmoving, and Galactica stared back into Forza’s eyes.
“I have failed you, Queen Galactica,” Forza said quietly.
“What happened to...” Galactica trailed off.
“I watched them,” Forza began. “I watched each of them die before my eyes. I watched as Static was trampled by one of those behemoths, crushed under the weight of the beast’s massive limbs. I watched as Reaper was torn apart by two of those bucking mutants. And I watched as Sol was burned alive under the magic of the chimera. I watched them all Galactica.”
Forza sank to her knees and stared at the floor, and Celestia and Luna stared at Forza with their wings hanging limply at their sides. Galactica opened her mouth, but quickly stopped as Forza began to speak again.
“We were ambushed inside of the city, just when we thought things were safe. Some of those Flutterponies that we had picked up in our march changed into the mutants, and they started slaughtering us in our sleep and opened the gates. The mutants poured in by the thousands, over the walls and through the gates. Our entire army was massacred in under an hour.”
Galactica took a step back, tears falling freely down her face. She shook her head side to side, and shifted her gaze anywhere but in Forza’s direction.
“Are... Are the ponies that came with you all that is left?” she asked. When Forza didn’t answer, Galactica turned and stared out across Everfree.
Celestia’s eyes were still locked on Forza, and slowly she sat back on her haunches. Her hooves began to shake as her eyes began drifting around the room. Luna had laid herself on the ground now, and her hooves were covering her face while her body was racked by her silent sobs. The muscles in Galactica’s wings were clenched tightly together, and she was quietly muttering to herself.
“Where is the chimera now?” Galactica asked.
“He will be here by nightfall,” Forza said, raising her head enough to gaze at Galactica.
The throne room stood still while everypony barely dared to breathe. Galactica turned back to Forza, her gaze hardened and her eyes dark. The atmosphere within the throne room became almost unbearably dense, and Celestia began to inhale deeper breaths while tears clouded her vision. Galactica took a few steps towards Forza.
“Where is Queen Chrysalis?” she asked.
The first sign of sadness glimmered in Forza’s eyes, and slowly tears started to trickle down her cheek and onto the floor. Galactica sighed.
“Please take Forza to the medical ward,” she said to one of the guards. The guard hesitated at first, but upon a second glance from Galactica he trotted up next to Forza. “Also, one... one of you alert Captain Firemane and start the full evacuation of Everfree. We only have seven hours until nightfall, and I want as many ponies out of Everfree as possible.”
“Yes your majesty,” the guard said with a bow. He then helped Forza to her hooves, and escorted her out of the throne room. Galactica turned her attention to Celestia and Luna.
“Celestia, Luna, pack your bags,” Galactica said. “You will be leaving with the evacuation to stay in Hoofington.”
“No!” Luna shouted. Her teeth were grinding together in her mouth while tears slid down her face. She had jumped back onto her hooves and her wings were extended to their full length. “We will not abandon you here. Not after what Discord did to Daddy.”
“Discord?” Galactica asked, raising an eyebrow.
Celestia rose to her hooves and stepped forward in front of Luna. She coughed, and opened her mouth, but only silence to escape her lips. Her hooves continued to tremble under her weight as she searched Galactica’s eyes.
“I-I had a dream last night,” Celestia eventually said, “o-or more of a vision, where I was in Ember City looking for our f-father. I met the chimera, a-and he told me his name was Discord. He told me about what happened to Auntie Chrysalis, and w-what happened to Daddy.”
Galactica frowned, and closed her eyes while she shook her head back and forth. She began pacing in front of Celestia and Luna, the veins from her wing muscles starting to visibly protrude from her skin. Celestia sat back on her haunches, and her eyes drifted to the floor.
“You two still need to leave the city,” Galactica said as tears were streaming down her face. “You are the only successors to the crown, and... a-and I cannot have both of you killed if Discord manages to defeat me.”
“We have as much a right to stand and fight against him as you do,” Luna said, standing next to Celestia. Her entire body was visibly shaking, and she panted as she spoke, “You said yourself that, p-perhaps, the ponies of Equestria do not n-need us anymore. Why don’t we make a stand and fight against Discord? There is a b-better chance we will be victorious if Celestia and I at least help with the defenses and evacuation.”
Galactica stopped her pacing and stared at Luna. Celestia stared, too, and then quickly turned her gaze back to Galactica. Galactica looked at the floor and shut her eyes. Her teeth ground in her mouth, and she stomped heavily on the floor, cracking one of the tiles.
“Okay, Luna,” she said, “you and Celestia may stay.”
Nopony smiled. Galactica sniffled, and then managed to straighten her posture as she strode past Celestia and Luna. Luna had folded her wings back against her side, but she was still audibly panting from her outburst.
“Celestia, Luna,” Galactica said quietly, “please meet with Captain Firemane to organize the defenses and evacuation of Everfree. I have some other matters to attend to.”
Galactica teleported out of the room, and Celestia and Luna stood staring at the throne room doors.
~~~
Celestia looked out across Everfree towards the city gates. Scores of ponies were exiting through the massive gates, and were making their way along the wall of the castle to exit the Everfree forest by its eastern trail. The city remained deathly quiet as the sun slowly moved across the skies overhead.
Ponies were hauling every valuable item they could carry on their backs. Saddle bags and backpacks were filled to the brim with supplies loaded down every pony that crossed through the gates. Some ponies looked behind them at the city, taking in the last of its sight before they made their departure. Somepony flew up behind Celestia, and his armor clanked as he made his landing.
“How goes the evacuation?” Firemane asked.
“Only one fifth of the citizens have been evacuated,” Celestia sighed, and looked up towards the sky. Dark clouds skirted across the sky lazily. “By the time Discord arrives, we will only have evacuated half of the population. Sixty thousand ponies will have to remain trapped inside of the city.”
Firemane shivered, and he asked, “I don’t supposed there is any way for us to speed up the evacuation?”
“No, these ponies are already over burdened with their supplies,” Celestia looked at Firemane, and slightly ruffled the feathers of her wings, “If we push them too hard, they may not have the energy to reach safety before the Flutterpony mutants catch up to them.”
Together, Celestia and Firemane watched as ponies continued to shuffle through the gates. Celestia examined each of their faces, and saw the confusion and sadness present as they looked at each other and the city behind them. She turned, and made her way back across the castle grounds to the keep itself. Firemane quickly followed behind her.
“You should go with them,” Firemane said, quickeninghis trot so that he may walk even with Celestia.
“I will not abandon you,” Celestia said, opening the door to the keep, “and I will not abandon my mother and my sister.”
“You are Equestria’s last hope for the future, Celestia. You should not throw your life away so willingly.”
As Firemane closed the door behind them, Celestia stopped walking, and whirled around to face him.
“How can I be Equestria’s last hope for the future?” she asked.
Firemane bit his lip. He skirted around Celestia, and Celestia followed his movements until they were both perpendicular to the walls.
“You and Luna both. What if you all fail here? What if you can’t stop Discord here at Everfree? The ponies of Equestria can’t lead themselves against a power so strong. Their will and moral have been wavering, and the light of power that had shined so brightly before has nearly faded out. They will merely succumb to the will of Discord if you lose.”
Celestia stared at the floor, and kicked one of her forehooves in front of the other.
“I’m sorry, Firemane,” she said. “We have to try and stop Discord here.”
Celestia leaned forward and planted a kiss on Firemane’s lips. He returned the gesture, but only for a brief moment. He stared into her eyes, and searched her face.
“What about us?” Firemane asked.
When Celestia remained quiet, Firemane’s face fell. He still searched her face more, and the apologetic glint that shimmered in Celestia’s eyes did not ease pain that reflected in his eyes.
“What about what we have, Celestia?” he asked again. “What about the ring? What about our marriage? What about our future?”
Celestia refused to speak, and she averted her gaze when Firemane’s became hardened. He gave her one last look before he said, “Oh,” and turned away and continued to walk down the castle hall.
Celestia raised her hoof up and opened her mouth, but she was interrupted by a flash of light behind her. She turned, and saw that Galactica had teleported herself next to her.
“Hi, Mother,” Celestia said, her eyes drifting to look behind her in Firemane’s direction.
“Hey, Celestia,” Galactica replied, glancing over Celestia. “Where is Firemane going?”
Celestia grimaced, and redirected her eyes back to Galactica.
“H-he wants me to leave with the rest of the ponies who are evacuating.”
“He is worried about you,” Galactica said, walking past Celestia in the same direction as Firemane. Celestia followed next to her, and her hooves slightly dragged along the floor.
“I know,” Celestia said, “but I can’t leave, not with Discord still approaching.”
Galactica and Celestia continued to walk on in silence, and soon they rounded a corner that led to the castle’s war room. The castle felt dark, and when Celestia looked out one of the windows to her right she saw that the clouds that had been covering the Eternal Valley were now making their way towards Everfree. She grimaced, and quickly returned her gaze to the war room door.
Celestia opened the door for Galactica, and then followed in after her. Forza, Luna, Firemane, Sunfire and a few of the castle guards were huddled around a table that sat next to the massive map of Equestria. On the table was a map of Everfree City. Galactica stopped Celestia before they walked any closer to the group.
“I need to speak with you before we proceed any further today,” Galactica said.
Celestia looked at Galactica with a puzzled expression, and took a few steps back. Galactica glanced behind her, and then lowered her head to be level with Celestia’s.
“Do you love your sister?”
Celestia gasped, and said, “Of course I love Luna.”
“And do you always try to do what is best for her?”
“Of course!”
Galactica glanced over at Luna. Celestia followed her gaze.
“What is the matter, Mother?” Celestia asked.
“No matter what happens, Celestia,” Galactica said, “no matter what trials you face, no matter what difficulties you encounter, I want you to promise me one thing, and one thing only.”
Celestia looked at Galactica with big eyes, and Galactica stared back at Celestia. Galactica’s eyes were glazed over and dark, and the soft gaze that was always present had all but vanished. Celestia shivered.
“Promise me that you will always love your sister, no matter what the condition is.”
Celestia’s mouth hung open, but no words escape from her lips. She searched Galactica’s face, and then she directed her focus over to Luna who had begun to point at a specific part of Everfree. Her eyes fell to the floor.
“Of course, Mother,” Celestia said. “I will always love Luna, no matter the circumstance.”
Galactica nodded, and she led the two of them over to the table. Celestia took her spot in between her mother and Luna, and looked over at the object Luna was pointing at.
“We should accumulate the majority of our forces here,” Luna said. “If we were to garrison our walls with mostly unicorn soldiers, and then garrison pegasi soldiers behind the wall, it will be the most effective way to halt the mutant Flutterponies from over taking our walls quickly.”
Luna started moving unicorn soldiers to be set on top of the outer wall of Everfree, and lined them up so that they were evenly spaced on either side of the gate. She then moved pegasi soldiers to stand behind the unicorn soldiers behind the walls. When the last pegasi soldier was moved into place, Luna sniffled and took a deep breath.
“It’s a straightforward plan,” Forza said as she began spreading the soldier statuettes out, “but we are going to need to reinforce other parts of the walls as well. The mutant Flutterponies will try to come from every angle to get into the city. If we garrison the eastern, northern, and southern walls with small enough forces, we should be able to hold out against the onslaught long enough.”
“Long enough for what?” Celestia asked.
“We are collapsing part of the eastern wall as we speak,” Forza said. She looked like a walking skeleton in her shredded armor, and her once beautiful eyes still remained dark and hollow. “We are going to continue the evacuation in another direction while we hold off Discord’s forces.”
Firemane shifted in his spot, and pointed at all of the earth pony statuettes that were staying behind the inner wall.
“What are the earth ponies going to do?” he asked.
“If we lose the outer wall,” Forza said, “all of our forces will retreat to behind the inner wall and repeat our tactics.”
“And if the inner wall is breached?” Galactica asked.
“Let us hope it does not come to that,” Forza said quietly.
“Right, then,” Galactica said, frowning. “Begin garrisoning the walls, and redirect the ponies to exit through the eastern wall so that we may close the gate.”
~~~
Celestia paced back and forth in the safety of her own room. She was alone, but she was growing impatient as the sun continued to become lower in the sky. Occasionally she would stop and perk her ears, but return to her pacing when no sound persisted in the dead silence that followed. Finally, as she was heading for the door to her room, there was a knock from the otherside. Celestia galloped the rest of the distance to the door and opened it.
“Hi, Firemane,” Celestia said, swinging the door wider to let him enter.
“Hey, Celestia,” Firemane said, stepping through the door and giving Celestia a kiss on her cheek. “You wanted to speak to me?”
“Yes, I uh...” Celestia stuttered as she shut the door. “I wanted to talk about us, a-and what may-”
Firemane held a hoof up to Celestia’s lips.
“I should apologize for my behavior earlier,” he said. “How could I have expected you to leave?”
“Firemane...” Celestia started.
“No, you should stay here. I want you to stay here, and I know you want to stay here.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow as Firemane lowered his hoof.
“It’s not because you are a valuable asset to the defense of this city,” Firemane said, “and it’s not because the added magical support of another alicorn could defeat the most deadly enemy Equestria has seen for over a century. It’s because if we do fail, and if we cannot hold Everfree, then I would rather die with you rather than knowing that neither of us will see each other again.”
Celestia leaned forward closer to Firemane, but as their lips were about to touch, Everfree’s horn sounded in the distance. They both paused, and their ears swiveled in the direction in which the sound was emanating from. Some shouts rang out in the city, and the horn sounded a second time.
Celestia and Firemane gazed into each other’s eyes, and they brought their lips together in a desperate embrace. They held each other for a few moments longer, and they cringed when the horn sounded a third time, breaking from their kiss. Celestia swore under her breath.
“And so it begins,” Firemane said.
Celestia and Firemane galloped out of Celestia’s room, and made their way through the castle and out onto the ramparts of the inner wall. Celestia’s blood ran cold when she saw the sea of black bodies making their way over the treetops of the Everfree Forest. The mutant Flutterponies covered the tops of the forest as far as Celestia could see, and far more were lazily floating above canopy. Their blue eyes and wings stood out against their black bodies, and the buzzing that emitted from the Flutterponies that flew was nearly deafening.
Firemane’s mouth hung agape, and he said, “May Sol save us from this horror.”
More horns started to ring out through the city as guards began rushing to the walls to take their positions. The walls were lit up in a multitude of colors from each of the unicorn guards charging their horns, and pegasi guards flew from the castle grounds to land behind the unicorns. Celestia scanned the horde of mutant Flutterponies, but she found no sign of Chrysalis.
The mutant Flutterponies stopped their advance towards the city, just out of range from any magical attacks from the unicorn guards. The buzzing of their wings quieted, only to be replaced by the ominous, uniform thudding of the Flutterponies’ upon the trunks of the trees and the ground. Dread coursed through Celestia’s body.
A flash of light appeared next to Celestia, and Galactica soon stood between her and Firemane.
“How many do you think there are?” Galactica asked. Her wings were already extended, and when she spoke there was an underlying coldness to her voice.
“I-I don’t know, Your Majesty,” Firemane said. “Ten thousand?”
Another flash of light appeared in front of Galactica, Celestia, and Firemane, and Discord’s red eyes floated before them. Red mist trailed from the corners of his eyes, and he released a deep, menacing cackle that sent a cold chill down Celestia’s spine.
“Hello, everyone!” Discord said gleefully, “I seem to have arrived a little earlier than expected. I hope that isn’t an inconvenience.”
A third flash of light emitted next to Firemane, and Luna appeared. She immediately charged her horn, and Celestia glared at the talking illusion.
“Oh, good, the foal arrived,” Discord said sarcastically. “Now that you are all here, there is something I would like to say to all of you.”
Galactica, Celestia, Luna, and Firemane all remained quiet and stared at Discord’s illusion. When there wasn’t a response from anypony, Discord scoffed.
“You are such a drab, serious bunch,” he said. “Very well then, I will make this plain and simple, Galactica. Surrender the Element of Chaos or I will tear your precious Everfree City to the ground, turn your daughters into an ugly wool coat, and then turn you into my personal chocolate milk fountain.”
Celestia’s eyes widened, and Galactica stepped forward and charged her horn.
“I suggest that you return to whatever hole you crawled out of, serpent,” she said.
Discord grinned, and then broke into a fit of laughter.
“I am a draconequus, you silly pony,” Discord said, and coughed as he quickly regained his composure, “But you look to be hell bent on keeping that little Element of yours. Have it your way.”
Discord’s illusion vanished, and Celestia watched as the first of the mutant Flutterponies took to the air and made their way for the gate. Firemane was the first to leave the ramparts, and took flight towards Everfree’s main gate. Galactica was the next to depart, leaving in her wake a flash of light from the teleportation spell. Celestia looked over at Luna.
“Good luck, sister,” Celestia said.
“You, too, ‘Tia.”
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1904516 I actually had finished a LoTR marathon a week prior to writing this chapter. I was getting all pumped to see the Hobbit with my friend who was back from the Marines, and, I must say, I was not disappointed.
I'm not sure why it showed up late. Perhaps an FiMFiction glitch.
Oh, shhh...