Chapter 13 - The Filth
“Is that all, murderer?” Falk jeered as Lyra crashed down hard in the marble floor behind him.
I had only been able to stand and stare as Lyra—before the words had even completely left the Captain’s mouth—had growled and jumped at his throat in cold rage. He hadn’t even moved as he deflected the blades flying towards him with a wing, catching the unicorn with his other wing and throwing her over his shoulder.
Lyra... did what? I couldn’t take my eyes from Falk as he turned around towards Lyra as she tried to get up, dismissing me with a snort.
Put the mare she loved in flames, Clockwork, Nightmare Moon chuckled. I thought the Captain was pretty clear with that.
“I thought more of you, Lyra.” Falk pressed the tip of the dagger mounted on his hoof against Lyra’s helmet, with a flick sending it flying across the room. With a loud clatter that shattered the silence in the room, it bounced until it came to a rest against the stairs leading to the throne. He pressed the weapon against her throat, meeting her glare with a thin smile. “I genuinely did.”
She smiled weakly, still glaring at him. “Cut the bullshit, Falk,” she grunted, spitting in his face. “Just be done with it already. End it.”
No, I growled in my mind, pushing her away and shake my head. You’re still trying to throw me off balance! Lyra did no such thing!
He chuckled softly, gripping Lyra’s chin with the tip of his wing and forcing her head up as he wiped away the saliva from his cheek with the other wing tip. “Oh, what makes you think that I lied, Lyra?” he asked gently. “One of the brightest minds I’ve ever had the pleasure to get to know.” He lowered himself down, still talking loud enough for everyone to hear, even if the words were directed towards the mare on the floor. “Fluently speaking, reading and translating Old Equestrian. A magician able to challenge the princess herself in knowledge about the old arts.” He paused and motioned towards the hands on her back. “A master technician and smith.” He shook his head. “You could’ve been standing in the front lines that would bring Equestria into a new era, but instead—”he pressed the dagger closer, drawing the first drop of blood“—you became this.”
Oh, she did. The tears wouldn’t stop rolling down her cheeks, but she never looked away. Not even when the guards knocked the door down did she looked away. Nightmare Moon laughed coldly. The guards were shocked; Falk even emptied his stomach on the spot. But Bon Bon’s screams paralyzed them; they could only stare in despair, unable to save her life. She didn’t stop screaming until her body was nothing but smoldering ashes.
I. Don’t. Care! I snarled, taking a grip around my Rainflower Blade with my magic. You’re lying. There’s no truth behind your words!
Lyra just glared up at him, before her eyes softened some. “My sorrow pushed me towards what I became, just as yours lead you down this path.” She looked down at the dagger pointing at her throat, grimacing in pain, before it turned to a sad smile as she looked up at him again. “It won’t bring Snow Fall back, Falk. Not in the way you’ve pictured. Nothing can bring her back as Nightmare Moon makes you believe.”
He looked down at her, the smile on his face vanishing. For a moment, it looked as if he would withdraw his trembling dagger from her throat. His wings dropped down, releasing the grip around her chin and slowly hitting the floor. “Snow Fall...” he whispered, blinking. Then he snapped back, giving Lyra a hard slap across the face with his wing. “Don’t you dare take my daughter’s name in your filthy mouth!” he screamed in anger, pressing the dagger against her throat, a thin tendril of blood running down the steel.
She didn’t even seem to flinch from the hit, smiling sadly with blood dripping from a split lip. “She can’t bring her back from the dead, Falk. Nothing can. Not even the strongest power in the world can bring somepony back from the grasps of death. Not without a great toll.”
“What do you know, murderer?” he snarled, leaning down with a twisted smile. “You didn’t have your heart ripped out by cold talons, you ripped your own heart out. You didn’t have to find the cold, lifeless body of the one meaning the world to you in the middle of the woods after days of searching, you set your love on fire and watched her burn all by yourself. You didn’t have to plan the funeral of your own daughter!” He lifted his wing for a second hit, his smile turning grim. “No, there was nothing left after you burned her. Luna have promised me that my daughter will return with her. The goddess will bring her back to life, give her the chance to live again.”
She scoffed at him, spitting up blood in the process. “Your daughter won’t come back alive, Falk. Your daughter will wish for nothing but death if you—”
“Silence!” he snarled, hitting her again. “You know nothing! Luna’s return is inevitable; nothing can stop it! No one can!”
“I can damn well try!” I growled, leaping towards him as I unsheathed my blade, pointing its tip at him.
My growl turned into a grunt as he turned around and hit me hard in the abdomen with the back of one of his wings while I was still mid-air. The force of the impact pushed the air out of my lungs and sent me flying in the other direction.
“You can’t do anything to stop it, apprentice!” he jeered as I crashed down onto the hard marble, bouncing once before I slid to a halt halfway to the wall. The magic field around my Rainflower blade disappeared, sending the blade flying in another direction, away from me. I looked up from the floor, gasping for breath with tears of pain running down my side. “Why even—”
“He’s not your opponent,” Lyra growled and kicked his leg away from her throat. She pushed up on her hooves, a sword suddenly appearing in her working hand. “I am.”
He blinked in surprise as he looked down at his hoof, before he glanced up at the unicorn with a grim smile. “Gladly.” He laughed as he leaned forward some. Flaring out with his wings, five curved, sickle-like extensions emerged from the armor along his wingbones. “Time to end what we started so long ago.”
“What we started so long ago?” she mocked, slowly starting to circle around him. “You mean when Bon Bon chose me over you? After you had cheated on her and knocked up that slut?” She laughed. “Falk, you burned that bridge. You completely destroyed her trust. She would never take you back after that.”
I could see that a few of the guards took a step forward as she turned them her back, but the captain motioned with his wings for them to stand down. “I burned that bridge, Lyra?” he growled, taking a step closer, making the circle smaller. “At least I didn’t burn her!”
Lyra’s ear twitched, her eyes narrowing as she took a step further forward, nearly standing muzzle to muzzle with him. “You don’t know the truth about what happened, Falk. But trust me that you will, should Nightmare Moon return.”
“Her screams were true enough!” He lunged forward, dropping down on one knee and sweeping his wing towards her upper leg.
“As was her pleading that I should end her torment!” she screamed out, ramming her sword into the floor and stopping his metal-clad wing with it. Not missing a beat, she pushed herself off the floor and stomped down hard on his wing. “Don’t speak as if you know what happened!”
He screamed in pain as a loud, sickening snap filled the room. Growling, he closed his eyes and flared up with his wing, sending Lyra toppling over onto the floor. Taking a step back, he slowly moved his wing, grimacing in pain before he let it drop to the floor.
She didn’t lose any time. Before I could blink, she was up on her hooves again, another sword circling her in her magic field. Without missing a beat, she started galloping towards him, her hand moving down towards the sword still sticking up from the floor.
I quickly looked around me, my hastened breathing finally starting to return to normal. The door leading to the hallway had been opened, but the ponies that had accompanied us were kept back by the guards. Every other eye in the room was on the two combatants. Most of the nobles had moved as far away as possible, nearly covering the walls, while the guards who didn’t hold the intruders back seemed unfazed about it.
It wasn’t hard to find the Rainflower blade, lying in clear sight where it had landed, the nobles that had stood there now scattered. Before I could grip after it, the sound of metal meeting metal made me snap my head back to the fighting.
Falk had parried both swords with his wounded wing, protecting his body with it. With a grimace of pain and a grunt, he flared out with his wing, sending the swords flying across the room. Without missing a beat, he whirled around and bucked Lyra hard in the chest, sending her flying in the other direction. Before she had even landed, he had turned around against and started galloping towards her, the screeching sound of his metal-clad wing dragging in the floor filling the room. After a few second, the sound of Lyra crashing into the wall, narrowly missing one of the windows, drowned all other sound.
Do you still think you can stop me, Clockwork? Nightmare Moon mused as Lyra weakly lifted her head, her eyes unable to focus as she looked in the direction of the charing pegasus. Lyra didn’t stand a chance against him. What do you think that you can do?
In the blink of an eye I had scurried to my hooves, the Rainflower blade already in my grip of magic. I could hear someone scream my name, but I didn’t care as I flung the sword towards his back. Surprise him! I snarled with heated voice. I followed the sword’s path with my eyes as it rocketed towards its target.
Falk must have heard the scream as well. In the middle of a step, he spun around to face me, his damaged wing flaring up to protect his body in the blink of an eye. He barely flinched as the blade dug into his flesh to the point where I could see nothing but the hilt.
Come again, Clockwork? Nightmare Moon mused.
“You’ve got spine, apprentice.” His voice wasn’t more than a growl as he slowly moved away his wing, revealing the blood-splattered face thereunder. He grinned grimly at me. “I’ll give you that. A fool, but a—”
He stopped mid-sentence, his grin turning into a grimace of pain. From the wound, black smoke started to emerge, and the armor around the blade started to melt.
With a violent twist of his wing, he sent the Rainflower blade into the floor. Looking at the still-smoking wound, his expression slowly turned grim again. After a few moments, he looked at the blade on the floor. Taking a step forward, he brought a hoof down, shattering it into pieces with one, hard blow.
“The last time I saw that blade, I had it locked away deep into the prison armory.” His voice was dangerously low as he turned around to face me. “We had taken it from you before we started the torture.” He slowly started to walk towards me, His wounded wing dragging in the ground next to him. His eyes didn’t leave me for a second. “Oh, I was there when Foible tortured you. I could see the smile on his face as your scream broke down into helpless sobs. I could see the joy it brought him to completely break you down.” He laughed coldly as I took a step back from him. “Are you afraid, Apprentice? You should be. What he did is nothing compared to what I’ll do to you. Because this time you won’t be needed. I can rip you to pieces, keep you clinging onto life by nothing but a thread. I can have you brought back to full physical health again, just to find new ways to break you down.”
“You leave him alone!” Tearing my eyes away from the pegasus, I noticed one of the guards running towards him. While galloping, she unsheathed her blade.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Falk stop and look at the mare charging him. He slowly turned to face her, taking half a step forward. The mare tried to stop when he turned towards her, but the momentum she had built up made it unable for her to do so before it was too late. Using her momentum against her, Falk brought up a hoof and smashed it into the side of her head, sending her into the floor with a sickening crack. She dropped the grip of the sword, sending it flying towards me.
I could only watch in horror as he took the few steps up to her. With a flick of his hoof, he forced the buckled helmet of her face. The illusion quickly faltered, revealing Honey thereunder, painfully trying to catch her breath.
“Your marefriend, Apprentice?” he asked with cold voice. He looked up at me with a smile, placing a hoof on her throat and pressing down slightly. “Or, should I say ex-marefriend?” With one quick motion, he brought his hoof up in the air, before he rammed it into her throat with full force.
Her eyes widened in shock, a sickening gurgling filling the room as she desperately tried to get air through her crushed airways. Blood spread over the floor around her as she flailed with her limbs, her front hooves trying to stop the bleeding. Before my eyes, her movements got weaker and weaker, until they stopped completely, her eyes slowly glazing over.
Before the scream of pain, hatred and anger had even escaped my throat, I had started galloping towards him, my magic flinging out towards each and every weapon in the room. Falk just smiled as he started cantering towards me, his intact wing flaring out to his side.
With an eruption of magic, fueled by the fire that burned in my veins, I took a hold around every weapon in the room and flung them towards him. His eyes widened and he tried to desperately stop his movement, just like Honey had done only seconds ago. With a growl, I leaped towards him, the weapons all closing in to—
“That’s enough!”
Shining’s voice suddenly filled the room, and both I and Falk were surrounded by pink bubbles. Blinking, I couldn’t do anything but stare in despair as the weapons just bounced against the shield surrounding him, harmlessly falling to the floor. With scream of anger, I threw myself against the shield surrounding me, trying to break through and reach Falk’s throat. A wave of pink light erupted from where I hit, quickly spreading over the shield.
Staggering backwards, I didn’t take my eyes away from the other bubble and the pegasus smiling grimly at me from it. Taking another step backward, I jumped towards the shield again. And again. And again. Every time I hit, the pink wave spread around the shield, but it wouldn’t bulge under my assault.
“Release me, Shining!” I growled as the unicorn in question stepped in between the two shields, glaring down at me. “He killed Honey!” I leaped towards the shield again, with a result as futile as every other time. My breathing was heavy, and pained. “He had me tortured!”
Shining looked at me with a pained expression. Shaking his head, his expression hardened. “Killing him would only mark you as a murderer, Clockwork. You wouldn’t be better than him.”
“I don’t care!” I screamed, throwing myself against the shield one last time, this time falling down on the floor. Panting heavily, I tried to get up, only to falter down into the floor again. “He... he killed Honey. He...” I could feel the tear starting to run down my cheeks. “You can’t do this, Shining. I don’t care if it would make me a murderer! He killed Honey!”
“I can and I will.” His voice was hard as he took a step closer to my bubble, pointing his hoof towards Honey’s lifeless body. “Do you think she would want to see you hanged for murder, Clockwork?”
“This murder would be justified!” I screamed out, unable to look at her body for more than a second. “He’s a traitor to the crown! He ordered me to be tortured, he—”
“A murder is never justified, Clockwork,” Shining growled, interrupting me. “Nor are the crimes Falk has committed. Once all of this is over, a court of law will decree his penalty in accordance with Equestrian law.” He looked me into the eyes a moment longer. When I didn’t make any motion towards speaking, only glaring up at him, he turned around to face the captain. “And you.”
“Always the knight in white armor, Shining?” Falk mocked, pressing a hoof against the shield. “You know as well as I that no court would judge Clockwork guilty of murder after what I have done.” He laughed coldly. “Not that it’ll ever go that far. You’re too late! Luna will return, and Equestria’s rightful ruler will descend down and smite the unfaithful!”
Shining didn’t move a muscle, only looking at the pegasus. After a couple of seconds had passed, and Falk’s smile had slipped slightly, he spoke up. “For your crimes against Equestria, its inhabitants and the throne, all in accordance with Equestrian’s oldest laws, a council has been created.” Falk’s smile disappeared completely, his face turning white. “I, Shining Armor, represents the Equestria Guard, Gust Calm Wind is representing the people, and Quillon is representing Equestria. As elected leader of this council, I hereby strip you of your titles, powers and all your assets, which will until further notice be under the power of the throne. Furthermore, this council will take the position as Captain of the Royal Guard, until Celestia has declared your successor.”
Falk looked as if Shining had given him a hit in the face, visibly shaking. “You... you can’t do this!” He quickly smiled again, his confident returning in the blink of an eye. “Not that it matters. Luna will return, and then your council will mean nothing! Once the sun sets and the first ray of moonlight is visible on the night sky, you’ll all tremble in her presence!”
Shining looked at the former Captain for a second longer, before he turned his back and walked up to Honey’s corpse, releasing the shield around me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here earlier, Clockwork. I wish I could’ve done something.”
I didn’t answer him, still lying on the floor. With tears still running down my cheek, I looked away again, still unable to look at her. Instead, I closed my eyes and just cried.
You’re to blame for her death, Clockwork, Nightmare Moon cooed softly in my ear. If you hadn’t insisted on this futile quest in stopping me, she would still be alive.
I tried to weakly push her away, her words causing me to give out a cry. No. That’s not true. She... we couldn’t let you win! I... I never meant for...
So instead you sacrificed her, Clockwork? Allowed her to die for what you thought was the right thing to do? I could feel a cold hoof run down my spine as she laughed softly. But it’s not too late to join me, Clockwork. I can give her back to you. All I need is for you to speak those simple words. You’ve done more than Equestria could ever have asked of you. Why pain yourself further? Give up, Clockwork. All will be forgiven.
“Clockwork!” Suddenly a pair of hooves were wrapped around me and I was tugged upwards into a soft coat. Blinking the tears away from my face and looking up, I saw Spot looking down at me, tears rolling down his cheeks. “It-it’s going to be okay,” he said softly.
I just blinked, staring up at him in confusion as a few of his tears dripped down onto my face. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the tears returned to my eyes. “I-I killed her.” I didn’t want it to be true. “I-I was the one leading you here. If I hadn’t been so stupid... so impatient.” I slumbered down into his coat, my tears dampening it. “Why couldn’t I just stand behind and allow Shining to take care of it from the start? I-I’m just a clockmaker’s apprentice. Nothing else.”
“You... you’re much more than a clockmaker’s apprentice, Clockwork.” He lifted my head slightly, turning me towards the room. “It takes more than an apprentice to rally ponies like this. You opened their eyes to what happened. Honey... she was very proud over what you had done.” He slumbered down slightly, still holding me. “I couldn’t stop her. I tried to hold you back, but... she tore out of my grip. I know how much she meant to you, and... I’m sorry, Clockwork. I tried.”
All these years, Clockwork. He’s been watching the two of you, never able to work up the courage to talk with you. Thinking that it was something deeper between you and her. Nightmare Moon chuckled. Were they even more than... ‘friends with benefits’ for you, Clockwork? Did you ever picture a future together with anyone of them? Or were they simply just your friends, ponies that you occasionally shared a bed with?
I blinked and looked up at the bigger earth pony. Carefully I lifted up a hoof and patted him on the shoulder. “You’re both important to me, Spot. I’ve been blind, haven’t I?” My voice was thick, and I still had tears running down my cheeks. “But don’t blame yourself. You did what you could. I... I was the one leading you here in the first place. It was my stupid quest to revenge Pendulum that got her killed.”
He looked down at me with a thin, sad smile, his tears dripping down on me. “But it’s over, right? We won? We can go back to normal, right?” He hesitated, his smile slipping away as new tears emerged in his eyes. “Or... as normal as things can return too.”
I wiped my nuzzle with a hoof, not looking away from him. “I...” I blinked, my head turning towards the throne and the shard I knew laid thereupon as a cold laugh echoed in my mind. “No... we’ve not won.” I hurried up to my hooves, nearly toppling over.
“Clockwork?” Spot looked after me, hurrying up to his hooves as well. “What’s the matter? Shining got Falk and have taken his place, it must be—”
“Filthy is still free. I... overheard their conversation. He’s going to the princess to make sure that the sun sets. As soon as it does—” I turned towards the throne, wiping the tears out of my eyes. “—Nightmare Moon will be free.”
Just lay down and cry again, Clockwork, Nightmare Moon mocked with a laugh. It’s too late to stop Filth. All you’ve done is in vain, it won’t stop my return. Mourn her death, but be relieved in that you’ll soon be with her again.
I gritted my teeth, hatred and anger flaring up in me. There will be time for mourning once I’ve stopped you, Nightmare. Maybe I’ll find solace in knowing that I defeated the monster who’s behind her death.
Suicide is not the answer, Clockwork She laughed coldly. Just wait a few more minutes, and I’ll end it for you.
“Shining,” I called out, turning towards the group of ponies that had gathered around Honey’s body, ignoring Nightmare Moon’s mockery. “We don’t have much time, it’s not over yet.” The unicorn turned away from the body, facing me. I couldn’t make myself look at her body, once again looking away. “We’ve to get to the Princess. Filthy is there, and if the sun set now...” I shook my head. “I don’t know the details. We need to stop him and get the shard to the princess.”
Shining nodded, before he turned around and started giving out orders. As the first groups of guards started to move to obey his commands, rallying together the cult members and make sure that none of them were armed, Lyra moved around the body and walked up to me.
She stopped just before me, looking at me with teary eyes, before she sighed. “I’m sorry, Clockwork. Honey... she was a good mare. You have my condolences.”
“I... thank you.” I could feel my eyes starting to tear up again.
“It’s okay, Clockwork,” she said softly, patting me on the neck with a hand. “Don’t be ashamed over your sorrow.”
I turned my head to look at the broken body. She had always been taller than me, but now... Her lifeless body looked so small. “It was my fault,” I whispered, looking at her eyes. Someone had moved down her eyelids to cover the glazed-over eyes. “If I hadn’t persuaded us to go in here... If I had just waited for Shining... but it’s too late now.”
“Don’t get stuck on the ifs, Clockwork.” She started walking towards the body, and I found myself walking with her. “Not of this is your fault. You didn’t start this fight. You didn’t want to get involved. You’ve simply made something great in the situation you found yourself in.” We stopped before the body and she turned her head towards me. “Without you, Equestria would’ve been plunged into darkness without anything to stop it.” She placed her hand on my neck again. “You’ve paid a high price, Clockwork.”
Looking down at the body, I didn’t answer. It looked as if she was simply asleep, ready to spring up at any moment. If it wasn’t for her crushed throat and the pool of blood she laid in, that might’ve been the truth. Kneeling down, I gently kissed her forehead, whispering the only three words that came to mind: “I’m so sorry.” I stood like that for a moment longer, before I rose again.
After a few moments, Spot joined me in silence. I don’t know how long we had stood there, just looking down at her, before Shining walked up to us. Clearing his throat softly, he turned my attention to him. “My condolences, Clockwork. I cannot tell you how much your loss saddens me. I know this might sound cruel and cold-hearted right now, but as you brought to our attention, we’ve still one thing left to do. A wounded guard returned, bringing the news that they’ve found where Filthy is. I’ve had Falk stripped of his armor and weapons; for now I’ll put him in the custody of Gust and Quillon. I’m going to the princess’ chamber to stop Filth, and I want you to come with me and end this chapter once and for all.” He looked at Spot and Lyra. “All of you.”
I looked him dead in the eye, before I nodded. “I’ll follow you there, Shining. I can mourn later.” I looked at Spot. “We both can.”
Spot was quick to nod, even if he didn’t leave me with his eyes. Lyra, however, looked at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to go, Clockwork. You’ve done more for Equestria than could be asked from you. If you need it... take the time to mourn.”
“I can’t, Lyra,” I said and shook my head. “Not knowing that that monster can return. If she return... then Honey’s death would be for nought.” I looked up at Shining. “Where is the shard?”
Raising an eyebrow, he craned his neck backwards to open a small saddlebag, shifting to reveal the shard lying therein. Without a word, I levitated it up to myself. A cold hoof ran down my spine as my magic touched the shard. “That such a small thing can cause so much pain,” I said softly, spinning it before me. It felt like if it was made out of some sort of metal. The sleek, midnight-blue surface with small silver ornaments looked a bit like glass, and I found myself questioning if it would shatter if I were to throw it into the ground.
“Pendulum entrusted it for you to deliver to the princess, didn’t he?” Lyra asked softly.
“Yes.” I nodded and looked up at her. “The day he died.”
“That settles it then,” Shining said and nodded and levitated the saddlebag to me. “You’ll be responsible of the shard until you can pass it to Celestia, just as Pendulum entrusted you from the start.”
My eyes returned to the shard, a soft laugh echoing in my head. With a shake of my head, I shut the sound out and placed the shard in the saddlebag. As my magic left the hold around the shard, the hoof disappeared from my back, leaving a feeling of cold on my back that disappeared after a few seconds. Looking back at Shining, I nodded. “Let’s go then, before it’s too late.”
“The guard reported that they had met resistance outside of the Princess’s chambers.” Shining turned around and started walking, slowly working up his pace to a gallop. “That’s where we’re going.”
Lyra, Spot and I, together with five guards, fell in behind him as we quickly made our way through the throneroom and through the door Filthy had disappeared through earlier.
⌚
“Lay down your weapons, and no-one will be hurt,” Shining said with calm tone, taking a step towards the five armor-clad guards standing around the door. “Falk has already fallen. It’s over.”
The guards looked at each other, before three of them took a step forward, bringing up their bloodied swords. The stallion furthest away from us quickly dropped his sword and turned away, galloping in the other direction as quickly as his legs could carry him. The last guard looked after him, before she looked at the three guards who had readied themselves. With an uncertain expression, she readied herself for combat as well, bringing out her own bloodied sword.
Shining looked at the guards, slowly bringing out his own swords. “I’ll give you one more chance,” he said just as calm as earlier, steadying himself. “Lay down your weapons, and no-one will be hurt.”
“Equestria’s true princess will return,” one of the mares said, taking a step forward and pointing her bloodied sword at us. “Luna’s return will come with the moon! Nothing you can do will stop it!”
“Then so be it.” Before the words had even left his mouth, Shining rocked forwards, this three swords flailing out towards the guards.
Flailing out with my magic, I took a hold around the sword dropped by the stallion who had taken a run for it. I smiled slightly as it levitated up above them, before I sliced it down against the stallion closest to it. He screamed out in pain and surprise as it hit against his heel, his sword dropping towards the ground as his magical field evaporated around it. Before it hit the marble, I had changed my magic field to it instead, slashing against his knees. He staggered to the floor, three of his four legs wounded.
I turned my attention towards the next enemy, Shining having already sliced down two of them in a similar manner. Lyra held the last one, a stallion, in her hands, forcefully throwing him across the hallway. His desperate scream ended abruptly as he he hit the wall behind me with a sickening crack, followed by a soft thud as he hit the floor. All in all, it hadn’t taken a minute.
“Take care of them,” Shining said to the guards that had followed us as he sheathed his three swords. “Disarm them and take them to the others, we’ll take care of Filth.” He turned around towards the door as they hurried to fulfil his orders. “Lyra, Clockwork, Spot. Let’s go.”
We walked up to him as he brought up a hoof to check the door. He shook his head. “It’s locked,” he stated, before he spun around and promptly bucked the door open with his back legs. Without a word, he walked into the princess’s chambers.
I looked at Spot who looked back at me with a raised eyebrow, seemingly surprised. I just shook my head and walked after Shining, and Lyra who had followed him close behind.
The spacious room we entered looked like someone had combined a bedchamber, library and a study. Bookcases covered the entire left wall from the marble floor to vaulted ceiling, their shelves filled to the brim with thick, ancient-looking tomes. A few of the tomes had been taken from the shelves and now laid in a small mess together with a pair of soft-looking, purple cushions close to the hearth that adorned the middle-part of the right wall. Closer to the windows stood an unmade circle-bed, the purple and golden blankets laying on the floor where they had been thrown.
Before I had time to take in any real details in the room, the sound of voices drifting to us from the balcony caused both Shining and Lyra to run towards the other end of the room. Spot and I followed them close behind.
“...so just let the sun set, and you’ll have your sister back, Celestia. She misses you.” Filthy had his back turned towards us, half-lying in a soft cushion.
“Just as I missed her.” Celestia laid in a similar manner on a cushion on the other side of a small table. She looked strained, her otherwise wave-like hair now nearly straight, and she had a grimace of pain and sorrow. “But the monster that would return if I was to let the sun set is not my sister, and not the princess you so desperately want to believe she is.” Her calm, collected voice had no traces of the feelings clear in her face. “If she was, do you really think that she would’ve ordered you to hide her return for me? Do you think that I would’ve locked that shard, the only piece left of Nightmare Moon’s armor, into my deepest vault instead of return my sister to me?”
I could hear Nightmare Moon hiss inside my mind as I saw Celestia. As if the princess could hear it as well, she looked up at me, meeting my gaze with warm, tired eyes.
“Nightmare Moon is just the stuff of legends,” Filthy said casually, waving with his hooves as to wave her words away. “A tale that mothers use to scare their children into behaving.”
“More than a legend, Filthy,” she said without taking her eyes away from me. “A nightmare coming to life. I erased her from history nearly a thousand years ago with the hopes that she would be forgotten and that my sister would be able to return in peace once her time would come. Tonight, you’re about to release that nightmare again. So I beg of you, end it before it’s too late. Do what I couldn’t bring myself to do, and crush that shard—” her eyes wandered over us all, stopping for a moment at my saddlebags, before it stopped at Filthy “—before you bring forth a monster worse than your worst nightmares. This time, I won’t be able to stop her, and Equestria will succumb under her hatred.”
Filth shook his head. “The only thing I’ll bring forth is your sister, Luna,” he said softly. “Can’t you see it? I do this for your sake. For Equestria.”
“She promised to bring back your wife, didn’t she?” I could see a tear forming in her eye. “She promised to bring your wife back to life.”
“She promised me that she would bring my beloved Sapphire Drop back to life as reward for my services against the throne and Equestria.”
“Okay, that’s enough!” Lyra suddenly took a step forward, lifting Filthy up with a grip around his neck, completely ignoring his protests. “Princess,” she said and bowed slightly towards Celestia. “If you excuse me.” Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and pressed Filth against the wall, her hand now holding him up against his throat.
Shining took a step forward, his mouth open, but stopped in the middle of a step as Celestia softly shook her head. “Continue, Lyra,” she said softly, grimacing. “He needs to hear it from someone who’s endured it.” As Lyra turned back to face Filthy, an expression shifting between being grim and melancholy, she added. “But please, try not to hurt him.”
Lyra loosened the grip slightly around Filthy’s neck, glaring up at him. “What Nightmare Moon has promised you is not a reward, it’s a curse.” Her tone was dangerously low, filled with venom and hatred. After a few seconds, her gaze softened slightly. “Do you know who I am.”
“You’re a mad mare!” he yelped out, fighting to get free from the mechanical hand that held him up. “You burned your own wife to death! I’ve heard the stories! Release me!” He flailed harder with his front legs, desperate to get free.
She lifted him away from the wall, only to grin grimly and ram him harder into it again. “I did something much, much worse than burning my wife to death,” she growled, completely silencing him. He didn’t move at all, looking down at her with terror clear in his plain face. “I brought her back from the dead. For you to fully understand what I did, and why you should be very, very grateful that Clockwork stopped you before it was too late, I’ll have to go back and tell you what happened.” She lifted him away from the wall again, this time dropping him into the floor. “And I’m not happy about it!” she screeched out, ramming her hand into the wall, causing the area around her hand to crumble. Leaning down, she took a deep breath and looked him dead in the eyes. “This... this is something I should take with me to the grave. I’m ashamed for what I did, and I regret it with every fiber of my body and soul. Out of pure pity, I’ll tell you about my crime, so that you can find comfort in that you didn’t have to endure it.”
Taking a deep breath, she started talking. “Nearly three decades ago, I was an ordinary mare. I was young, had the fortune to study at the university here in Canterlot. I was adapt in many fields, and had a bright future staked out in front of me. But most importantly, I had my wife. She could bring a smile to my face just by looking at me, and our home always smelled of freshly cooked caramels. There I stood, at the top of the world, always striving forward.” She took a deep breath, her shoulders slumbering down. “It started innocently. A cough in the middle of the night, one or two in the days. After a week, she started coughing up blood. The doctors took her in for the night, took tests and reassured me that everything would be okay, she just needed rest. I didn’t trust them. Not seeing how they looked at me, pity and sorrow clear in their eyes. So I pressed on, and after a while the doctor confirmed my suspicion: it was fatal. They couldn’t do anything, but didn’t want to say anything to her about it. She didn’t have more than a few weeks to live, but they wanted to give us that last time together.”
She shook her head. Even as the first tears started running down her cheeks, her voice was steady. “I couldn’t accept it. Why would I? I was young, I could do everything! I didn’t tell her, instead searching deeper and deeper in the libraries. Deep inside, I knew my search was fruitless. I hated myself for searching after a cure that didn’t exist instead of spending the last time I had together with her. But how could I face her, knowing what I knew? Then one day... I found it. A tome, written in Old Equestrian, buried deep in a pile of books that had been seemingly untouched since the library was built. Inside it, I found the answer.”
She paused to take a breath, wiping the tears away. “That night, I sat by her side as her breathing became difficult, speaking softly to her. Words of love and compassion, promises that I would make everything well again. She tried to protest, begged me to let her go, but I couldn’t. How could I? She was my everything. Barely had she taken her last breath before I began the ritual I had found in that wretched tome. And it worked. It brought her back to me. Looking up at me, she didn’t cough as she had done for the last weeks. Her breathing came as normal as it ever had.” She shook her head again. “But I was a fool, thinking it wouldn’t come with a cost. As I wrapped my hooves around her, pulling her close into my embrace, she whispered my name. With a bright smile, I looked at her. It didn’t take long to realize that something was wrong. With only two words, she crushed every ounce of happiness in my body: ‘Kill me.’. I couldn’t do anything but stare at her. I didn’t understand. She was well again. She was alive! Why would she want me to kill her?”
She paused for a moment, looking up at the bright sky. “I refused. How could I do such a thing? That morning, I woke up to a scream. In the kitchen, I found Bon Bon lying in the floor of her own blood. She only screamed, the blood flowing from the wounds she had slit open with the knife now lying in the pool. I tried to stop the bleeding, but I couldn’t do anything. I could only stare as she bled over me and herself, but... she didn’t die. She wailed to me over and over again, begging me to release her, to kill her.”
She glared down at him, pushing her hand in her chest. “She cried in my chest, told me about the horrors she had witnessed, the unbearable pain she felt. That was when it dawned to me. I hadn’t healed her. I had locked her soul into her body. She had died, the pain of her last moments still haunting her, the only thing fresh in her mind. It pressed out all her other feelings, until nothing remained but the suffering. So I did the only thing I could think about. To destroy the bindings, I had to destroy the object her soul was locked to. I slowly told her what I was going to do, and she practically begged me to do it. As I rose from the floor, my heart heavy, she took a grip around my hoof with her still bleeding front-hooves, pulling me down for one last kiss. Looking me into the eyes, she begged me to continue on with my life, to never give up, to be what I could become. She wasn’t angry at me, didn’t feel any hatred. In that small moment of time, our love had pressed away the pain she felt. Then it came back, and she tried her best to keep the screams away as I hurried to gather everything flammable in the house, placing it in a pile. After placing her body on it and giving her a kiss on her forehead, I put the pile aflame.”
She had given up trying to wipe her tears away, her voice now wavering slightly. “I watched as she burned. I heard her screams as the flames started burning and consumed her body. I fueled the fire with my own hatred over what I had done. When the guards kicked down the door, I didn’t even look at them. I couldn’t look away from her burning body. Even when there were barely anything but bones left, the screams filled the room. Then, she turned her cranium towards me, whispering two words as it started turning to ash: ‘Run, Love.’. And I did.”
She nailed him down with her gaze, her voice turning hard again. “Is that what you want, Filthy? Have your wife feel the agony and pain she did the moment of her death? Never able to die, living through that hell? Because no doubt Nightmare Moon would reward you with bringing her back. If nothing else so for her own amusement as you slowly break down.”
Filthy just looked up at her, his eyes wide. He had scurried back closer to the wall, his face growing paler and paler for every sentence. Now, when she had finished, he worked his mouth, unable to say anything. His body trembled as he shook his head, unable to look away from her as he found his voice. “N-no,” he whispered, his voice weak. “Luna wou-would never do such a thing!”
“No, my sister would never do that,” Celestia said softly, looking up in the sky. “She would sit down and tell you why it’s impossible, just as I did the night you came and begged me to do something. But the monster who’ve promised your wife back, she would without a doubt do it. Nightmare Moon has played you for a fool, Filthy. She has used the pain of you and all your followers to get what she wants. Luckily for you, me and all of Equestria, some ponies were brave enough to stand up against it.” She shifted her gaze down to me. “Clockwork, was it?” I blinked and nodded. “You’re carrying the shard in your bag, correct? Show it to me.”
I hurried to obey her, levitating it out of the bags and placing it on the table. She looked down at it, tears starting to form in her sad eyes. Then her expression changed, and she looked up at me with determination. “I was a fool, keeping it as a reminder of what I had done. I knew of its power, but I thought that locking it away in that vault would keep it safe.” She shook her head. “I was wrong. Clockwork... I’m sorry that my sentimentality has brought you such pain, and once this is all wrapped up I will make sure to repay you. All of you. But, for now, I’ll ask of you to destroy the shard.”
“Destroy it?” I asked, levitating it to me again. Pendulum did say she would know what to do. I nodded at the thought and looked at her, a thin smile on my lips. You’ve brought me a lot of pain, Nightmare Moon. Looks like I was the one to end you after all. “It’ll be my pleasure.”
“The power harvested inside it has already started eroding it. It’s not as durable as it once was. All it takes is for you to stomp down on it, and it’ll all be over.”
No! You can’t do this! I forbid you! I smiled softly as Nightmare Moon’s voice filled my mind, panic clear in her voice. I levitated the shard to the floor. I... Don’t listen to them! They don’t know anything! I can bring her back to you, no tricks! She’ll be just like she was before you walked into the throne room, I promi—
Stomping down my hoof, her voice was drenched out by a loud crack as the shard shattered under my hoof. When I lifted my hoof again, smiling as the wind took a hold of the dust that now was the only remains of the shard, her voice was gone.
Celestia looked after the dust as it scattered to the wind. When they had disappeared out of sight, she dropped her head, a few tears rolling down her cheek. She closed her eyes, and the world around me darkened in the blink of an eye as the sun was replaced by the moon in the now midnight-blue night sky. A few moments later, the light from lamps, placed evenly around the balcony, lit up our surroundings.
We stood still for what felt like hours. From the city below, the sound of the inhabitants hurrying to their homes reached me. Filthy had risen to his haunches, now looking between Lyra, Celestia and me, seemingly about to break down at any second, a few tears rolling down his cheek. Slowly, Celestia’s breathing returned to normal instead of the strained breaths that had been before, her hair slowly getting more colorful and flowy.
“You shall have great thanks.” Opening her eyes, she gave us a warm, serene smile. “All of you. Nightmare Moon’s return would’ve brought great pain and misery to Equestria. At this point of time, nopony would be able to stop her. I’ll make sure that, in time, each and everyone of you will get rewarded for what you’ve done. But, for now, I assume there’s still things to be taken care off before this can all be left behind.” She turned her eyes towards Shining Armor, looking him up and down. “Shining Armor, was it? Your sister has spoken warmly about you.”
Shining blinked, before he fell on a knee. “Yes, Your Majesty. Shining Armor at your service.”
“If anyone here should kneel, Shining, it should be me before you, the ones saving Equestria.” For a second, her smile became amused, before she shook her head. “I don’t like the idea of asking any more favours, but right now I’m afraid it’s necessary. I want you to find Captain Falk and bring him here, I need to discuss the matter about the sect.”
“I’m afraid that Falk isn’t Captain anymore, Your Majesty,” Shining said, looking up at her. “In accordance to the old laws of Equestria, a council has been created to overthrow the former captain after his treachery against the crown, as well as breaking a numbers of laws, one of them being to apply torture on Clockwork here—”the smile on Celestia’s lips slipped at the last word, and she looked at me, seemingly shaken“—the council consist of myself, Shining Armor, as representant of the Equestria Guard, Gust Calm Wind as representant of the people and Quillon as representant of Equestria. I’ve been elected as the leader for the council, and personally stripped Captain Falk of his titles, powers and assets. Until you’ve declared a successor, the council will be acting as the Captain of the Royal Guard.” He rose from his kneeling, swiftly shifting into a salute instead, bringing his hoof to his forehead. “At your service, Your Majesty.”
It took a second for Celestia to recognize that he had stopped talking. Looking over at him, the serene smile returned as if it had always been there, even if I could see how she still frowned slightly from when she had looked at me. “How is the situation out there, Shining?” she asked after a moment. “Are the guests safe?”
He nodded sharply. “The sect members have been gathered under the watchful eye of the remaining royal guards and the loyal ponies we had the luck to find in the lines of the gang leader Pocket Slip. Every guest and servant not a part of the sect has been given a guard to escort them home.”
“Pocket Slip, Shining?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, her eyes darting to me for a second. “What is one of the thief gangs doing here?”
“They answered our call for help,” Lyra interrupted before Shining could answer. “It’s thanks to them this was possible. Without them, Clockwork and I wouldn’t be able to get to Shining, and even if we would, we would’ve been outnumbered against the sect and the guards who only acted on orders.”
Celestia nodded. “Then I’ll make sure they get properly rewarded for their proven loyalty.” She blinked as I grimaced slightly, turning her calm gaze fully to me, one eyebrow raised. “Or maybe they’ve already been promised something, Clockwork?”
I nodded awkwardly and swallowed down the lump of fear that had formed in my throat. “They insisted on half of the castle riches,” I said softly.
She smiled at me, and at once I felt at ease again. “A low price to pay for the safety of my subjects,” she said softly. “You can tell Pocket Slip that his mares and stallions are allowed to take half of the castle’s riches, as long as they stay away from the royal library.” She turned her gaze towards Shining. “Or I think that my student would be very upset, don’t you?”
He chuckled lightly, before he straightened some, an amused smile still on his face. “Yes, that would’ve made Twily pretty upset.” He looked at me, and then back at the princess. “But I think I’ve another solution to this, Princess. Among the sect members were a lot of the upper class, both nobles and business stallions. As part of the punishment for treachery against the crown, they’ll be stripped of both their titles and assets. The royal gold chambers would overflow with these riches, so why not use it to pay the gang with? Let them loot every home of half the items, and it should pay them better than the castle. Moreover, You wouldn’t have to worry about moving new ornaments to the castle and only have to move half the items to the royal chambers. Both sides would win on it.” He winked. “I can personally make sure that every book have been moved from the houses before they get access.”
She looked at him for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, before she nodded. “Give Pocket Slip that as an offer, Shining. If he decides to loot the castle instead, I’ll accept that.” She frowned for a second. “Tell me, Shining, how does the force of the guard look like right now?”
“It’s hard to say, your majesty,” he said, looking up in the sky. “We can’t take for granted that all the sect members that are part of the guards were here tonight, and testing every guard will take time.”
She nodded again. “Then I want you to put forth the offer to Pocket Slip that each and every of his thieves are welcome to directly join the guards, with Pocket himself as officer over the group that would be assembled. They’ve more than proven their loyalty, and I’m personally going to sign the paper freeing them of every crime they’ve committed in the past.”
“I’ll make sure to pass that on to him,” he said as he looked down again, glancing at Lyra. Shaking his head, he smiled. “I’ll also make sure to let those willing to join us patrol tomorrow morning, together with the guards confirmed to not have been involved with the sect, giving us time to check the rest of the guards. However, I assume the guards will have to promote some extra officers for the training that will be required.”
“Those are problems we work out once this have all been solved, Shining,” she said and waved a hoof. “For now, I want you to have the sect members identified and placed in custody inside our prisons. If anyone protests or refuse to cooperate…” She sighed. “How you get them into custody isn’t for me to decide. Once I’ve recovered enough to be present, a court will decide their fate.” She looked over at Lyra. “Lyra Heartstring. I want you to accompany Shining and make sure that everything is going as it should, as well as talking Pocket Slip down if there is any problems.” Her eyes walked to Filthy, sitting on his haunches and just staring into the distance, tears rolling down his cheeks. “And take him with you. Place him in prison together with the rest.”
Shining quickly saluted before turning towards Lyra. She nodded and took a hold of Filthy, lifting him up in the air. He didn’t even seem to noticed as he stared forward with empty eyes. She turned towards me. Looking at me, she opened her mouth as to say something, before she closed it again and shook her head. Turning to Shining, they walked into the castle again.
Celestia looked after them as they disappeared, before she shook her head. Maybe it was just the light playing me a trick, but as she turned her gaze towards Spot and me, I could swear there were tears in her eyes. As she motioned towards the sofa before us, however, every trace of the tears were gone. “Please, sit down,” she said softly. “We’ve much to talk about.”
I quickly did as was asked from me and sat down on the couch, Spot sitting down next to me. She looked at us for a moment, before she shook her head and looked up at the midnight-sky. “I want to apologize to you, Clockwork,” she said after a moment of silence. “You’ve suffered more than most over my sentimentality to keep the shard. Words cannot begin telling the anger I feel at myself over having caused one of my subjects so much pain.” She smiled sadly and looked down at me. “But let me tell you that Pendulum would’ve been proud over you. He talked long and warmly about you during his visits here. Always so proud over your quick progress in the art of clockmaking.” I felt a lump forming in my throat at her words, and as I didn’t answer she looked over my shoulder down towards the city below. “He even requested the great bell to be named after you, as well as the smaller bell to be named after his late apprentice Silver Bell.”
I looked over my shoulder, the clock tower dimly illuminated by the moonlight. The sad smile on my lips, as well as the feelings of pride that had erupted in my chest at her words, slowly died out as I shook my head. “But it won’t matter now, will it?” I asked softly, looking at the two clock-faces I could see from the balcony. “Pendulum is dead. Only he knew how to assemble the clockwork. Without him, it will just be an empty shell, the bells hanging there but nothing to ring them.”
“Don’t you worry about that, Clockwork,” she said softly. She smiled brightly as I looked back at her. “The day before his death, Pendulum was here for a visit about the clock tower. Not only that, but he happily told me about the pride he felt in the decision in making you to a journeystallion.” She winked at me. “He also so happened to tell me that you would easily be able to create a masterpiece that would put every other masterpiece ever created in the guild to shame. He also forgot the keys to the clock tower and a small, important-looking cogwheel behind.”
“Pendulum would never forget something like that,” I said quietly.
“I found it odd as well. Especially seeing the small paper he forgot as well, without anything written on it other than ‘Clockwork’.” She smiled and shook her head. “Pendulum was always one step ahead of everyone else. A dangerous chess player, knowing exactly when to sacrifice his pieces to trap his opponent. I think he knows what was about to happen, and left the keys and cogwheel for you, knowing very well how it all would turn out in the end. He wanted the clock tower to become your masterpiece. A masterpiece far above every other masterpiece; something that’ll never be exceeded.”
He... did he really leave... I looked back at the clock tower, tears forming in my eyes. Did he believe that I could assemble the clockwork for it? That I could finish what he started? He knew that I would come here with the shard. Was he sure that Celestia would give me the key and cogwheel? I shook my head and looked back at her, wiping a tear away. “He... he did know,” I whispered. “He left the shard in my hooves, but... I never opened the envelope he’d given me to post, and in my search for revenge I forgot it on the tavern where they took me in for the night.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow as she leaned back slightly. “I know that you’ve been through a lot since his passing, Clockwork. I hope I don’t ask for too much if I ask you to tell me what truly happened, at least from your eyes. I think I’ve a lot of ponies to talk with before I’ve gotten a clear picture over it all, but I think you would be the best one to start with.”
I nodded slowly and looked up at the sky. The moon smiled down at me, the calm night helping me to collect my thoughts, before I looked down at her again and begun telling my story, what I had lived through since the day Pendulum died.
⌚
“...but do not mourn over him, for that is not what he would’ve wanted. Instead, rejoice in the knowledge that while his body is dead, his spirit lives on, guided by the sun, the moon and the stars towards the afterlife,” the young stallion finished softly, closing the book he had hold in his magic field and looked up at the few ponies who had gathered. He looked at each and one of us, lastly looking at me, before he lowered his head. “Let us pray.”
Lowering my own head slightly, I looked at the newly-dug grave. Pendulum’s last resting place. A few flower bouquets lay on it, and even in the daylight had a candle been lit in a small lantern. No tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked up at the tombstone. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t have any tears left.
It was a simple tombstone, as it had been requested in his will. It read his name, title and years of living. Following the tradition, his cutie-mark had been engraved above it all, but beside that there was no kind of decorations.
The priest looked up at us all again, smiling sadly. “Leave with peace in your hearts, my foals, know that Pendulum now is in a happier place.”
I could hear how some of the attendants rose from their places at the priests’s word. Most of the ponies who had attended the funeral were guildmasters and their apprentices, but there were also ponies Pendulum had helped through his life. I, in the position of his apprentice, had been placed closest to the ceremony as the deceased's closest relative; Pendulum had never had any children, and both his parents were long since dead.
Looking away from the tombstone, I could see how Spot looked at me with a worried gaze, fiddling his hooves slightly. Behind him, Celestia looked between us with an amused, although sad, smile as she rose. Further down, I could see both Rose and Gust, the later holding the former under his wings as she cried out against his chest. To my right sat Lyra, looking down in the ground with a few tears running down her cheeks. Next to her sat Shining, looking at the grave with tears in his eyes.
One by one ponies started to leave. A few of them, mostly ponies from the guild I had met before during one of the annual gatherings, stopped by me to give me their condolences, as well as congratulate me for my rising to journeystallion. Some of them even going so far as to say that they couldn’t wait to see what masterpiece I would come up with. After a while both Lyra and Shining had left as well. Following them close were Rose and Gust, the former giving me a tight hug and informing me that I was always welcome to the Prancing Pony if I needed somewhere to stay or somepony to talk with.
Once everyone had left, leaving me, Spot and Celestia alone at the grave, Spot softly nuzzled me. “We should go as well, Clocky,” he said softly. “I-I know it’s painful for you, but...” he trailed off.
“Not yet, Spot,” I said quietly, the lump I felt in my throat making it hard to speak as I nuzzled him back. I floated up my pocketwatch and twisted it in the sun’s light. “There’s one thing left.” I gazed towards the clock tower in the distance, the clock-faces showing me that it was only minutes left.
The morning after the gala, when I had finished telling Celestia what had happened after Pendulum’s death, she had given me the key and cogwheel he had left behind me. I had walked there directly, collapsed on the floor and slept there until it was nearly evening. As soon as I woke up I had gotten to work with the clockwork within. Day and night I had worked with it, only taking small breaks for a nap or to eat the food Spot had made his task to come to me with.
I smiled sadly at the thought, nuzzling Spot once again. He had been there with me all day and night. Looking at me when I worked, without saying a word. Occasionally, he would leave to buy food, quickly returning with bread and fruits, sometimes a pie, and water to drink to it.
We would sit down, and he would tell me about what he had heard during his brief visit outside. He told me about how Pocket’s gang had ceased to exist, him now being an officer in the guard and nearly every pony that had once been in the gang following him in the choice of joining the guards. He told me that the council of the guards believe that most of the sect members had been flushed out, and planned on starting their trials once the ceremony for everyone who had lost their life protecting Equestria had been done. He told me about how most had heard about the event that had taken place during the Gala and the heroes who had stopped it, even if we couldn’t help but share a chuckle at how wrong they saw it.
He also told me about the nickname the ponies of Canterlot had given the clock tower.
Clockwork Tower. Nicknamed both after the great bell, but also after the apprentice who had decided to finish his master’s masterpiece. Who had practically locked himself up there to finish it. And finished it I had, after a lot of hard work.
My smile turned brighter as the great bell slowly started ringing, soon followed by the smaller bell. It was the first time Canterlot had heard them strike, ringing in a new hour. They tolled for Equestria and those who had died to protect it. For what felt like hours they struck in harmony.
The first toll of Clockwork Tower.
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- TheFoxern · 102k words · 48 3 · 1.6k views
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Wow just wow this was a really good fic. I need to find mor similar to this one.
Fantastic! This story is great! How is it possible for this to be so unknown? I will be recommending this to everyone. I do wonder though, why bother making this a pony fic? Almost every aspect was AU down to what they wear. If you changed a bit of wording and two-ish pieces of lore it would be a stand alone story. In anycase, it's a great work and I'm gald I found it!
5639656
Thank you for your kind words.
I guess that the biggest reason I made this a 'pony' fic is that it's a lot easier to write something for an 'existing' world, than to create your own from scratch. In this way, I didn't have to explain the royalty or characters already put into the universe.
Furthermore, at the time of writing this, I was still interested in the community and, to an extent, it's easier to get it read through it. Or, well, so I thought.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
5640633 I suppose I can see that. I would likely do that as well, if not for those reasons then for the exposure it would get from the fandom. I would never have found this if not for that. Thanks for writing this!