The Magic Of Sacrifice
A creamy yellow hoof paws at the stone tiles, "W-we shouldn't be doing this..."
A scoff, "Shut up, okay? I don't need this right now."
Cerise eyes darken in anger, "Hey, don't be an asshole just because she's right."
Lavender fur bristles up, "Don't you dare try to make me the bad pony in this! You were all for my idea when I said it!!"
"I didn't know it'd be some crazy shit like this!!"
Pink hooves clack together, "Can't we just be friends?"
Both turn, "You stay out of this!"
Orange ears flatten down, "Ah don't give a damn that yer a princess, or that yer a Wonderbolt, Ah will buck both of ya'll's teeth down yer damn throats, if ya don't stop this bickerin'!!
Silence.
Alabaster hooves take a few hesitant steps, "Let's not do this, Twilight. I think that this is a dreadful idea. You know I understand this better than our friends do. This magic is taboo, and for very good reasons, I'm sure. It's dangerous, and all Unicorns are taught that. You know this..."
Twilight turned to Rarity, "But that's just it. I'm not a unicorn anymore...I'm an Alicorn."
"Darling, Alicorn or not, you're still delving into dark magic. This is something you simply cannot control."
Twilight looked at all of them, "We are literally a few hoof steps away from becoming Alicorns. I'm tired of staying behind in my 'precious castle', while you girls continue risking your lives in battle!" She stomped a hoof, "The 'Magic of Friendship' isn't working in this day and age. We need real power. What's more powerful than six Alicorns, each bearing an Element of Harmony??"
Applejack stepped forward, "Twi, the power ya have wasn't just given ta ya. Ya earned it. Ya spent hours, months, YEARS, ta become an Alicorn. We didn't. That kinda power wasn't meant for us."
"Yeah," Pinkie agreed. "It's like opening a present that wasn't meant for you."
Twilight looked at each of them, "Then what did you girls come here for?"
"Because we care about you..." Fluttershy replied quietly.
"And you're our friend and leader. We'd follow you to the ends of the world." Rainbow Dash added.
Twilight smiled. A typical answer from the Elements of Kindness and Loyalty.
"Girls, we've been together for a really long time. While some of my methods have been a bit...unorthodox, I have never led you astray, have I?"
The five mares slowly shook their heads.
"Then please, trust me on this..."
The others looked around at each other, putting themselves under a silent oath. They looked back to their leader and nodded. Twilight smiled before turning away from them. A flash of her horn summoned a thick, leather bound spell book. She used her magic to turn the pages until she found the spell she was looking for. She walked up to a black marble statue of what appeared to be an Earth Pony, and looked into it's eyes,
"And it is foretold, that Ubenox, the son of the universe, shall answer the ones who can defy the natural, and seek out his greatness. Give unto him, your blood as an offering, so that he may let his power flow through your veins."
Twilight summoned a small knife with her magic, and sliced the skin above her horseshoe open. Each pony took a turn giving a bit of blood to the bowl in front of the statue. It's eyes began to glow white.
"Set me free, set me free! I have so much power to give to thee!" the statue whispered the mantra giddly.
"Ubenox, I release your shackles that bind you to this form, to offer us your blessing!"
The statue cracked and light poured from it. The ponies shut their eyes until the room darkened again. They opened them to take in the form that stood in front of them.
Ubenox's build and size made Bulk Biceps look like a young colt. His fur color was split vertically down the middle, his left half a shade of endless black, and his right half a near blinding white. His mane and tail flowed like an Alicorn's, and was a shade of deep blackish-blue. Images of planets and star clusters swirled around in his fluid mane and tail. He had an energetic smile on his face as his teal eyes settled on the group.
"Such fresh young faces! To what do I owe this pleasant sight?"
Twilight cleared her throat, "Greetings, Ubenox. I'm sorry to have awoken you-"
The deity belted out a deep laugh, "Worry not, young Alicorn. You have done what many ponies will not ever do. You all have defied the natural. You have turned your back on what everypony deems 'reality', and strove for something greater! The universe has turned it's gaze upon you, and has sent me to answer your call and reward you!"
"Twi...are ya sure about...this?" Applejack questioned. "Ya know...we probably can win without it."
Ubenox stared the orange mare down, "Win? It? I am not an 'IT', and you will not address me as such again."
Applejack averted her gaze, "Yes sir."
"Now...win what?"
"There...um...is a war going on, Mr. Ubenox, sir." Fluttershy answered in her usual soft tone.
"Yeah!" Dash jumped in. "Our ponies are dying! The war against the Darkworld and the Elements of Insanity is destroying Equestria!"
"The land is sufferin' somethin' fierce." Applejack added. "Us Earth Ponies can't get the ground ta give us food. Famine is everywhere."
Pinkie's ears drooped, "And the morale is so low...fighters and citizens alike are committing suicide left and right. We don't know what to tell them to keep them going. They can't win this war if they can't win their internal battle."
"The overall destruction has caused Twilight to use dark magic, and come to you." Rarity finished.
"Dark Magic?" Ubenox shook his head. "Young Unicorn, this is not dark magic. It is simply POWERFUL magic, and is only meant for those who fully understand my great powers." He stomped a hoof, and the gravity suddenly increased, causing the six ponies' knees to buckle and force them to the ground.
"Such powers can bend and alter what those may think is reality, bringing all of existence to it's knees! Not just ANYPONY can be allowed to hold such power in their hooves!!"
He stomped a hoof again, and the gravity returned to normal. They all rose back to their hooves. He focused on Twilight.
"Do you understand, young Alicorn?"
Twilight nodded, "I do, Ubenox."
"Then what do you ask of me, ponies?"
Twilight met his gaze, "I wish to turn the five ponies that stand behind me to be turned into Alicorns, so that they will rise when they are needed."
A heavy pause filled the room.
"Alicorn, before I bestow this unto you..." he threw a glance at the ponies behind her, "Are you sure this is what you seek?"
Twilight inhaled, "I do."
His eyes started to glow, "Then accept my blessings, and bear witness to my powers..."
The room began to tremble. His body quickly burned brighter than the sun. There was a burst of energy and light, that faded into dark...
-MLP-
*tap tap tap*
Spike grunted and rolled onto his back.
*Knock Knock Knock*
Spike rubbed his eyes, "What is it?!"
"Sir, the Captain of The Guard requests your assistance." a muffled voice responds. "Our Majesty...she is-"
"I'm coming."
Spike quickly hopped out of bed. The years had done well for the drake. His body was chiseled muscle, and he stood at a towering 11 feet. He threw on his robe and made his way out. Two Earth Pony guards stood on each side of him and followed him down the long corridor. He headed towards the two tall doors with four Unicorn guards looking at them. From the other side, angry screams and the sounds of things being tossed could be heard. Spike lumbered up to the doors and banged on them.
"Who dares to knock on my doors?!?!" a strong voice boomed out.
"Milady, it is your humble guardian, Spike!!"
"What do you want, dragon?!"
"I request permission to enter your bed chambers!!"
Silence.
"Enter!!"
Spike made his way inside, careful not to let the guards see the inside of the bedroom. He shut the door and looked around. The bedroom was in shambles, piles of paper were tossed about. A lot of the furniture was broken and strung about the room. The mattress was flipped, and had a small blood splatter on it. But the mare Spike was looking for, was not here. He stepped over and around the rubble and made his way to the shifted bookcase, which led to a secret passage way. He crept in and down the stairs. At the bottom was a steel door that had been left ajar.
"My Queen? Are-"
"Drop the act, Spike. You know nopony has ever been down here."
Spike pushed the door open . Twilight sat in front of five Alicorn statues. Her mane and tail were unkempt. Her feathers were ruffled, and her wings hung lazily and drooped across the floor.
"Twilight..."
The lavender Alicorn slowly craned her head to look at him. Her eyes were puffy and reddened from tears of anguish, regret and sorrow. Spike took a seat next to her and draped an arm over her.
"Don't keep beating yourself up over this..." Spike spoke. "There was no way you knew this would happen..."
"But it did...and now..." Twilight looked up. Spike followed her gaze.
Five statues were posed in front of them. Alicorns, reared up with their wings splayed, and peaceful smiles on their faces. Each one representing the pony encased inside of them.
Applejack.
Pinkie Pie.
Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash.
Rarity.
Each of them looked so powerful, so graceful. Beauty and Strength carved into ivory. Twilight walked up to Rarity's statue. She placed her head on her chest.
*Tha-thump.....tha-thump.....tha-thump.....*
"It was dangerous, and I knew it..." Twilight stated bitterly
"Twilight-"
The lavender Alicorn spun around, "How long?..."
Spike looked at her, "What?"
"How many times have I raised and lowered the sun and the moon? How many nights have I spent in this room? How long have I ruled Equestria as it's queen? How many years has it been since I-" she cut herself off to hold in a sob.
The dragon averted his gaze elsewhere, "Twilight, don't ask me that..."
Twilight narrowed her eyes, "Not how many years...how many millenia has it been?"
Spike didn't answer.
"HOW MANY MILLENIA HAS IT BEEN SINCE I WISHED THIS ON THEM?!?!?!?!?!"
"TWELVE!!" Spike roared back. "12,000 years since I've held Rarity in my arms! 12,000 years since I've had one of Pinkie's amazing cupcakes! 12,000 years since I've sat down and had a few mugs of hard cider with Dash and AJ! 12,000 years since I've heard Fluttershy call me a 'cute baby dragon' just to mess with me!"
Twilight shrunk under his glare.
"They were my friends too, Twilight Sparkle! One of them was my lover!" He stood up, "So don't think you are the only one this hurts!" he lumbered over to her, "Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle never saw their sisters again! Never got to show them their cutie marks! Scootaloo never saw her idol again! Never got to show her how she looked in her Wonderbolt outfit! Pinkie never got to see the Cake Twins graduate Flight and Magic School!! The animals of the forest will never again know Fluttershy's love!!"
New tears formed themselves in Twilight's eyes. Spike sighed and scooped the Alicorn up into his arms,
"But...you cannot let this burden sit on your shoulders forever, Twilight. It's going to be the death of you."
"Forever..." she whispered. They both looked at the statues.
"They will rise when they are needed..." she whispered with a sudden epiphany.
Spike put Twilight down and she walked back to the statues. A determined smile crossed her face.
"I'm going back to Ubenox." she stated. "And I'm going to set them free."
"But how?" Spike questioned. "They were supposed to rise when they were needed. If not during the war, then when?"
"If there is no queen to rule Equestria, they will have to rise to take over."
Spike shook his head, "But in order for that to happen....you would have to..."
"Yes, Spike." she cut him off, with a sad smile on her face. "But they gave their lives up for me. It's time for me to return the favor..."
"I'll go with you."
"You'll do no such thing." Twilight dejected. "They won't know of anything in these times, and they will need your guidance."
A lone tear started to make it's way down his cheek. He walked up to her and knelt before her.
"It has been an honor to serve you, my Queen."
Twilight placed a hoof on his shoulder, "I have but one more request for my number one assistant. Something from me to them." She glanced over at them.
"What is it, Twilight?"
A soft, sad smile appeared on her lips, "Spike, take a letter..."