Warm golden light shone through the great windows of the throne room in discernible beams, creating an astonishing myriad of colours as they passed through the beautiful stained glass. Spotlights of lucent sapphires and cobalt like those of the sparkling cerulean lakes and effervescent streams of Equestria under the summer sun, danced with striking corals and radiant hues of pink in an entwining and enrapturing ballet of light and colour. The windows lined the elongated room and stretched upwards towards the apex of the room, as if yearning for the heavens and the mysteries of the stars, and as such the entire room was an awe inspiring spectacle that would bewilder and captivate anypony unfamiliar with the majesty of Canterlot. For example, the two royal guards, standing resplendent in shining golden plate mail, at the foot of the glorious carved gilded throne held an air of professional nonchalance and assertiveness; that displayed the adoptive cavalier attitude one could show towards a phenomenon like this, which you could see on a regular basis. However this room was unique unto itself and even the rest of the palace in its entirety could not match the bespoke majesty of it; except perhaps one room in particular, the mysterious air of which hung in it, furnishing it with an ethereal beauty. The section under reference is a specialist wing of the Grand Library, devoted entirely unto the magnanimous pioneer of magic Star Swirl the bearded. Of whom it is said, mentored and tutored the great founders of Equestria. Princess Luna of Equestria had been spending an increasing amount of time within those scrolls and tomes of late, however now a revelatory discovery had forced to seek out her sister; who had been wandering the gardens of the palace on this bright summer morning
"Won't you even hear me out sister?" asked Luna beseechingly, her voice melancholic but beautiful. Her elegant brows furrowed as she attempted yet again to stress the importance of her appeal to the elegant figure walking beside her. Celestia's pace faltered for the briefest of seconds as she sighed, reiterating the retort she had used during the entire stroll through the Canterlot Gardens they had just returned from. It was around mid-morning at the height of the summer, and the vivid emeralds had heightened and brought out the jade in her mane which fluttered ephemerally in the light cooling breeze from the open windows. Shimmering with an other-worldly light and cascading in great asymmetrical waves down her curved neck. And when she spoke, it rang out like a chorus of golden bells and lapped around the surroundings with its regal bearing.
"I understand perfectly what you are implying Luna, and I have to stress yet again that such permanence will never be required again, should our will prevail. And if anything does arise, can we, the rulers of Equestria, in this unprecedented golden age of peace not deal with it accordingly?"
The rhetoric caught Luna off guard and her usual eloquent speech was temporarily reduced to stammering by the strength of her companions conviction, and dare she think 'bone-headedness' to coin a layponies term, especially in the face of a matter of such import. However this was only momentary and the younger princess soon regained her decorum.
"You know I would never dispute that sister. However, I feel that it is my duty as a protector of the realm to deal with this."
Celestia smiled graciously as she extended a feather wing over Luna and puller her into a loving caress, her long black lashes framing joyful cerise irises.
"Sweet sister, you take yourself too seriously. Whilst I pertain that a sense of responsibility and honour is healthy, I also digress that a pony's happiness is paramount. Perhaps you are finding your royal appointments a little taxing? If you wish it, I will arrange for you to visit one of the fiefdoms for a while. You need to make some friends sweet Luna."
At this Luna had to stop herself from recoiling violently and gracefully stepped away, pivoting her head to look Celestia in the eye.
"You think I require friends? Thou insults me dear sister, I maintain plenty of amiable acquaintances, the magnitude of this is most dire and I pray that you attend to it at once."
Celestia, rather than taking offense at the veiled repulsion simply sent a sweetened knowing smile at her sister, as was her custom in the majority of situations.
"I meant besides the members of the Night Guard, again I am led to believe that you require a moratorium of appointments."
There was a dull silence perforated only by the echoing sounds of the pair's hooves as they proceeded through the winding corridors of the palace, which stood in stark contrast to the lush gardens and menagerie, with the gleaming marble floors. Occasionally the pair would pass a member of the Royal Guard, who would bow as they passed; the Prussian-blue hairs of the golden Galea bristling as they lowered their head. Each time the two princesses would incline their heads in acknowledgement and continue on. As they moved into a more centripetal corridor, the floors became adorned with a luscious crimson carpet which extended indefinitely around the many bends and rooms linking to the main thoroughfare
After what seemed like rather long time where the two sisters simply walked in a comfortable silence, the elder pony, who stood taller than her sibling by a good head, began to feel the effects of the conversational void and the inclination to strike up more dialogue began to rise. Eventually, her serene voice rang out, startling the younger princess who had been lost within her thoughts.
"Luna, if it means that much to you…"
The reply was instantaneous, telling Celestia what the topic of Luna's thoughts had been throughout the calm.
"It does, I wouldn't have raised the point if I hadn't believed so sister…"
"I know as much, do not fear. Does this mean you are now willing to tell me why you spend all of the time when you are not otherwise occupied locked up in that dank and dusty room you call an alchemy lab? And don't think that I haven't been informed of your frequenting the Library either. Remember that only those with my express permission may enter the Star-Swirl wing."
Luna's retort was dignified, yet cutting, delivered with a side smirk to insinuate that Luna's authority counted for as much as Celestia's own; which in the days since the end of Luna's banishment as the 'mare in the moon' was not without basis.
Again, Celestia had merely smiled at her sister, which had prompted Luna to launch into a detailed account of various tomes and incantations she had encountered relating to various aspects of magic that had gone unnoticed and forgotten since days long gone by. One particular area that had caught Luna's attention was a form of demi-conjuration, in which magic could be funnelled into an object to alter the physical and magic properties of it. It was a effectively transmogrification, and whereas imbuing inanimate objects with magical energy was common, and the manipulation of properties as transformations was something that middle-ranked students of magic could attain, this was something entirely different. For with this kind of magic, one used an object as a basis, but the result was the conception of something on an entirely different level. It was in effect the creation of an autonomous self-replenishing magic that could be extended over a seemingly infinite distance once established. A crude example of this being that if the caster wished, imbuing an orange with magical crystallites on a waning crescent moon, would cause oranges picked on a waning crescent moon to be crystalline in nature and while still edible, be preserved for exceptional amounts of time; as well as being extraordinary decorative at the same time.
Luna spoke with great passion about this and the pertaining specifics, with special emphasis on the fact that once established it was self-sustaining with no drain on the caster. As a matter of fact their involvement would be unnecessary once completed, with the exception of reversing the spell if such a need ever arose.
Luna carried on, her tourmaline eyes sparkling and her verdant mane glittering, and before long the two had reached the immense double doors of the throne room. Here Celestia had to intercede, lest Luna elaborate on matters for the remainder of the day. As the two unicorn guards standing erect and proper outside the doors lowered their heads, their horns began to glow with a purple aura, and the two doors slowly began to grind open to reveal the majestic room beyond.
The rolling scarlet carpet became bordered with rich golden embroidery here, and silver and white-gold filigree was worked into the pile in meticulously crafted designs. The resulting effect was almost as astonishing as the craftsmanship of the room itself.
"That is all well and good Luna, and I am sure it was discovered in good faith. But I am not entirely sure with what you claim to pertain to with this. Perhaps Twilight Sparkle would be more intrigued with these possibilities than I." Spoke Celestia, her mane now offset with the delicate pinks due to the prevailing light.
"It would appear you have missed my point Sister, but I will elucidate once more if you will be so beholden as to listen." Replied Luna, her voice composed and laced with royal majesty, so that in this here room it no longer sounded haunting and melancholic, but sang like an orchestral symphony with highlights of a silver clarinet and trilling flute but also deep and regal liken to the strokes of a cello, deep as the ocean.
"Thou spokest of enemies earlier my sister, and it is that to which I pertain to in this matter. I am sure you may have noticed by now, but our enemies waken around us and I wonder how long until the rest will follow suit."
"Our enemies Luna? They waken you say? I think you may have let your imagination roam on this one sweet child." Luna looked indignant at the mellow laughter following that remark.
"I wish that you would not mock me so sister, already the kingdom has been beset by our oldest foes, Sombre arose from the frozen depths of the north, and Discord himself returned from the beyond. Just how long until the other rise again. Imprisoning them heart and mind will achieve nothing, they are too powerful and will always find a way to return. In your heart you know this to be true do you not?"
"What do you suggest then? Are we to kill our foes? I think not Luna, our compassion and mercy is what separates us from the likes of them. Or are you already forgetting that you yourself once stood as they do, and it is only the empathy we have shown that allows you to stand here today."
Luna looked abashed by the retort; her long lashes fluttering as a pale colour rose to her cheeks.
"You know I was not myself sister, how long will you continue to hold that against me…."
"Luna" Celestia spoke softly, once more draping a feathered wing over the younger's flank. "I hold nothing against you, and have never but wished for harmony between us. I know of the deep resentment you once felt. But I hope that we could have put that behind us many moons ago."
"I, I would never suggest that we kill anyone sister. That is why I looked into this magic, and also why I require your assistance in this matter."
"Tell it to me then, make me understand so that we can move onto lighter topics then."
"It requires" and Luna paused for a fraction of a second as she suppressed a shudder "containment magic."
"Containment magic? And what has led you to the assumption that I have knowledge of such things?"
"It was just a feeling I had sister, and considering how I have no knowledge of such magics, the only one in Equestria who may have any idea of the fundamentals would be yourself."
Celestia hummed as she mulled over what Luna had just proposed before asking a question.
"I may have some inclination, but I would ask what you would need it for. What do you intend with this, for I warn you that it is not a fair task."
"I would only have expected as much. What I would ask, is that you help me in the initial developments of this. Using Star-swirls techniques, I believe it would be possible with containment magic's to create a magical prison residing within an autonomous crystal."
"You would have us create a prison from magical crystal? May I ask then, how you would find crystals of such disproportionate size? And I fail to see how this differs from Discord's current detainment."
"You misunderstand me sister. I do not speak of a physical confinement, but rather due to the properties of the prison, a prison for the soul. After the creation of the initial prison, one could remove the soul and coalesce it forcefully into a single crystal. The body would disappear from the physical plane, and the soul and conscience be placed in sub-material stasis. They would be aware of nothing."
"That seems a little extreme Luna. If this is what you were so excit…"
"That is only the basics. And it is not as cruel as you may believe. It is possible to resurrect the occupant of the prison; all you would need is the soul crystal. From that you could reconstruct the physical form and reinstate the soul into the form."
"Luna, I am not entirely sure what you are getting at…"
"But that is not all! It would not even require any magical input from us. As the creators of the prison, all we would have to do is come into contact with the soul crystal with the intent of resurrecting the soul. Once that happens the magic releases the soul, and it is as if nothing will have transpired. The individual in question will not even be aware of anything that has happened since the moment they became confined."
Surprise was evident on Celestia's face with the prospect of what this might mean. If they could pull this off, it was a very likely conclusion that Equestria would never face turmoil of any kind again. It also meant that Equestria's enemies could not plot against her whilst in exile and that harsh extreme measures would not have to be taken. Simply put, it was a masterful feat of ingenuity and Celestia was astonished that Luna would have gone out of her way to have put so much thought and effort into such a matter. Especially since it would involved a great amount of reminiscence into a traumatic past that she knew Luna regretted and still felt shame for.
"What you say. I approve most whole heartily and I give it the greatest of precedence."
The smile that shone on Luna's face at having convinced the elder was magnificent and coupled well with the excitement that became the proud younger sister in her comeliness.
"You honestly think of this as an opportunity that will better us all?"
"I do Luna, a most attractive prospect indeed. And I think it only befitting that we begin at once, I will need you assistance in this matter. Although I ask only that you do not question me on the nature of the magic I shall contribute, I task you with the conjuration as I will require all of my concentration."
Luna, elated with the swiftness of the matter merely nodded her head serenely as she instructed one of the guards on the inside of the throne room's doors to fetch some materials from her lab.
He disappeared at a measured trot, his hooves echoing yet slightly muffled and Luna watched him go until he disappeared around a corner.
By the time the guard returned, the sun had risen to its fully glory and shined radiant in the noon sky. Luna and Celestia had been deep in conversation during that time, and had even saw fit to send a summons to Shining Armour, who was otherwise preoccupied with the training of the new Unicorn corps on the fields just outside of the capital. Acknowledging the return of the Pegasus, that had bore the news that the Captain of the Guard was on his way, along with the acceptance of the Earth pony bearing the materials Princess Luna had requested.
Luna auspiciously inspected the crystals with a meticulous eye to insure they remained in good shape, before turning to Celestia, her dark mane flowing around her head as she turned.
"This is what shall form the basis sister." Manipulating using levitation as she said thus, the cluster of crystals that altered between shining like the sun, and like the moon.
"I have grown these crystals over the course of many weeks in my lab. Unlike normal crystals they are imbued with pure sun and moonlight I have collected alchemically, and cultured with a blend of magic-science."
"Excellent Luna, a most magnificent specimen. Shall we proceed?"
Luna nodded before adding
"Pray, just give me a moment to identify where I need to channel the prerequisite magic to fuse the instilled light with the crystal and summon the ephemeral form."
Celestia looked on silently as Luna poured over the crystals, turning them over and over in the air casting a practiced eye over every square inch. Celestia flicked her wings out, gracefully preening any ruffled feathers before folding them back against her body.
"Done" stated Luna matter-of-factly "I am ready whenever you are my sister."
"Then let us begin."
The horns of the two Alicorns began to glow in unison, Luna's with an aura of silver and Celestia's with a golden light.
A shimmering outline of a prism began to radiate outwards from the crystal, sustained by and manipulated in the air courtesy of Luna's magic. And from the centre of Celestia's horn, a thin snaking tendril of multi-coloured light streaked towards it. Upon connection it began to fill the transparent container with what seemed like a liquid rainbow that wasn't quite there. For what seemed like an eternity the two stood there silently although in reality only a few minutes transpired, magic flourishing and rushing forth from them. The guards stood stricken, enraptured by the enfolding spectacle, jaws agape at the powerful magic unfolding; this reality bending, universe changing magic that could be achieved when two deity-esque God-Princesses worked together for mutual gain.
What happened next changed the course of Equestria forever, and it was all over within a matter of seconds. To those in the room, time seemed to slow to the stage that a grain of sand within an hourglass would have appeared to fall like a snow flake. With a whispering sound and a thin puff of smoke a roll of faded parchment with a neat red ribbon, stopping the message from unfurling, appeared in the air above Celestia and began to fall. The two princesses did not notice this impromptu delivery, engrossed as they were by the working, but the guards stood in horror.
When it impacted with Celestia there was slight whispering sound, and then the unthinkable happened.
As Celestia's concentration slipped the beam of light from her horn retracted and then shot out again, towards Luna. The golden light then rotated, forming a long coiling chain, streaking towards the younger princess, who looked up to see the chains quickly approaching. In her mind, a flashback of 1000 years ago rose to the surface unbidden. She mouthed but one word, why, to think her sister would banish her again.
"Celestia!" She cried aloud, her voice cracking under the strain as the chains began to wrap around her form, constricting and bathing her in a sharp glaring light.
A terrible snapping form resounded throughout the room like a peal of dark thunder, and the links in the chain feel to the ground, naught but ashes.
Luna stood, tears streaming silently down her face, and around her a strange shape hung like a shadow in the fog. It was dark and terrible and radiated a power that would make even the bravest recoil. It stood taller than Luna, and enshrouded her like a mantle of darkness, blacker than the deepest night, but for an impenetrable haze of ghostly blue. The guards in the room began to quake, they recognised the peril they now stood in.
The shadow of Nightmare Moon dominated the room, with Luna standing in the centre of the swirling darkness separate from it, yet clearly the source of the dank and suffocating presence. The light in the room seemed to diminish and lose its vibrancy. The voice that came when Luna opened her mouth to speak was not her own, and it possessed a chilling quality that bit to the bone and left not an inch free of the terror it inspired in the beholder.
"You..." That statement hung in the air, festering, stagnating. "You would banish me again..? Your own kin, flesh and blood. I would rent you bone from sinew were it not for the mercy thou had shown me. And now, in our moment of triumph, you attempt to dispose of me for an eternity. I have spent, an age, waiting, watching. Sister, you think I had not thought on this petty banishing magic you used to dispose of me?"
"Luna! Stop this!" Cried Celestia in desperation, with the withdrawal of Luna's magic the prism had begun to pulsate with a dangerous looking energy, and now she struggled to keep it under control by herself; unsure of whether she could afford to let it go, to apologise to her sister for her lapse in concentration. Her pleading eyes had begun to sparkle with the rising tears, this was most unprecedented as Celestia herself could not recall the time when such emotions had ruled her. Seeing them, Luna appeared to withdraw into herself, the shadowy darkness condensing and rushing into her body. Crystal rivulets still ran down her face, and she whispered the one word once more before she pressed her eyes together to clear them, as if collecting herself, before taking off at a gallop.
Celestia swung her head around in panic, her mane floating through the air in the same arc her head followed. Shouting as she did so,
"Luna! Please stop! There has been a terrible misunderstanding…" But before she could complete the sentence, she had to turn her attention back to the prism that was rapidly spiralling out of control. From what she could gather, it had received enough magic to begin to sustain itself, but in its incomplete state it threatened to collapse in on itself, creating a spiritual void and dragging the souls of every pony within a 100 league radius into a non-existential prison, Celestia included. While she desperately wanted to apologise, there were greater things to deal with right now, and she wasn't entirely sure if she could succeed on her own.
Luna raced past the guards at the door before they could comprehend what had just happened, and just as she passed them, her mane flailing wildly, fragments of Celestia's desperate cry to Luna reached their tufted ears. However, due to the diversion which mercilessly threatened to extinguish all of Canterlot, the only words the guards heard were…
"Stop! …Terrible!"
And with the haunting image of Nightmare Moon still fresh at the forefront of their minds, they automatically assumed that the worst had come to pass and the wicked Mare in the Moon had returned to devour all and bring Eternal Night. Naturally, they heard Celestia's call to be an abrupt order to apprehend the fleeing perpetrator.
Quickly spinning on their hooves, golden lamina's of steel clanking metallically; they gave chase to the fleeing Luna.
Looking over her shoulder, Luna gasped in surprise to find two ponies of the royal guard chasing her down at a dead sprint, one, an earth pony, was significantly faster than his companion; a Pegasus who could not adequately give chase due to the corridors not allowing room for flight. Her breath already came in ragged shreds, and she abruptly began turning corridors in an attempt to lose her pursuers, to no avail. No matter how fast she galloped or how many corners she rounded in this labyrinthine palace, she seemed to run into yet more ponies of the guard trying to chase her down. She knew what they desired, to subdue her and drag her on her knees back before her sister, who would then imprison her in solitude and isolation once more. Luna could not allow that to happen, she was not entirely sure if she could endure another thousand years. As she hurtled throughout the palace, a growing trail of destruction grew in her wake, as ornate vases were flung to the ground by the tunnel of air behind her, and rich tapestries were torn from the walls to be trampled by the pursuing guard. Luna realised that she had to get out of the palace, out of the city if that were possible, and to do so as quickly as was physically possible. In a matter of a few minutes she was completely breathless and growing steadily more desperate. Her pursuers and would be assailants now numbered around five or six ponies, and from what she could ascertain from her fleeting glances there were two unicorns, a single Pegasus and a number of Earth ponies.
Taking what she hoped was the final corner, the crimson carpet slipped under the duress she place on it and she tumbled rather than ran around the corner into a large antechamber with a marble archway in place of a conventional door. Large stained glass windows lined the ovular room, and the only exit lay directly opposite from the entrance. An exit, in which a single shadowed silhouette stood framed.
Luna rolled, tucking her wings delicately against her flank which now shone and was slick with sweat, using her momentum to propel herself back onto her feet, skidding to a grinding halt.
"Shining Armour!" she gasped, "You have to help me, move aside please…" her voice was begging, and Shining Armour came forward a step into the light.
"Luna! I mean Princess, what's going on? Why do you look so distressed?"
As he finished his statement the troupe of guards dashed into the room, eye's narrowed and forcing Luna to spin and back away towards the wall, panting and looking frightened.
Two of the guards sprang forwards, a Unicorn with his horn aglow and the Pegasus, legs outstretched in a headlong dive. From the Unicorn a beam of brilliant white light darted forth and the Pegasus barrelled forwards with the intent of forcing her to the ground. However in response the darkness sprang forth from Luna like an arrow from a bow, again forming the terrible outline of Nightmare Moon, and deflecting the bolt of light from the unicorn directly into the chest of the Pegasus, who was flung backwards into his comrades, knocking them to the ground unconscious.
The Darkness swirled around in an oscillating dance as Luna turned to Shining Armour, her eyes sparkling with tears once more, pleading to be given passage. However, Shining Armour merely planted his hooves on the ground, bracing himself and seeing only a terrible foe of Equestria that he must vanquish.
"Vile Scourge!" He cried, as he prepared for battle. "I don't know why you have returned, but you may not pass here. Not while I yet stand!" And with that a bolt of energy shot forth from him, aiming straight for the centre of the darkness; which merely absorbed the impact, closing around it and smothering its brilliance. A wicked looking bolt of lightning arced involuntarily out from Luna at his point, rending the air and accompanied by a booming clap of thunder. Electric blue, it violently struck Shining Armour head on, hurling him into the nearest wall with a sickening crunch as several bones snapped under the impact. As he slid to the floor, his head slumped to the side and his eyes rolled back to show the whites. Immediately, the darkness immediately retreated into Luna once more, and horrified, she ran over to the still form, only letting herself breathe once she knew he yet drew breath, heavily injured and unconsciousness, but nothing he wouldn't live through with adequate provisioning and care.
With a clamour, a fresh batch of guards, all unicorns, galloped in from the entrance Shining Armour had been blocking glancing quickly at the havoc around them. With a moan, the guards from before began to lever themselves up, all except the Pegasus who remained still. Luna quickly swung her head from side to side, her options receding in front of her very eyes as the Unicorn prepared a magical barrage. Rather than be caught in a crossfire of magical projectiles Luna elected to survive through a hasty and entirely irrational act, and with a cry threw herself out of the window; accompanied by the sound of tearing wings and shattering glass.
Shards of coloured glass flew past Luna's eyes, and she shut them against the suddenly blinding light and also in the hopes of protecting her eyes from the jagged fragments that had tore through her wings in several places leaving bloody furrows that burned with a torturous fire. She could feel the wind rushing past her and knew she was falling, opening her eyes against the air pressing against her face she saw Canterlot stretched out below her like a glorious mosaic. Buildings appearing to be little more than tiny coloured squares and the ponies scurrying around like ants. Luna attempted to snap open her wings to halt her descent, but a blinding pain shot through her left flank and a hail of feathers drifted off in the currents of the air. Her graceful wing looked twisted and tattered, incapable of sustained flight, and her attempt to do so caused her to flip over; her eyes when straining could see the cavernous opening she had thrown herself from and the ponies who had pursued her still stood there in shock. Before her eyes they set off at a gallop to alert the rest of the city guard.
Desperately, and with great pain, Luna used her working wing to flip herself back over, the ground rushing up at her at an alarming rate. Spreading out her wing in an attempt to slow her descent worked to some extent, as when she fell meteorically from the sky the impact enough was enough to break several ribs, but not enough to kill her. The flowers of the royal gardens however did not fare so well and now lay broken in the colossal crater caused by Luna's impact. Dragging herself out of the hole, Luna cried out in pain, desperation fuelling her, as her body would normally have given up under such pain and duress.
Taking a moment to check herself for any serious damage, Luna limped slightly towards the city, her mane and tail flaccid and tangled and a few loose feathers scattering behind her. By the time she reached the steps that joined the front of the palace to the entrance of the gardens Luna was managing to walk normally again, although this was more down to tolerance of pain rather than general durability. Golden guards paced the area in front of the palace, evidently Luna thought to herself the alarm had not spread this far as of yet. Composing herself, so as not to alarm any passersby's or catch anything more than a fleeting glance, Luna walked with royal grace towards the city; appearing to not have a care in the world, bar the occasional droplet of blood that would roll off the tip of one of her feathers and stain the ground beneath her hooves, sanguine against the stone.
For a moment Luna dared to hope that she could pass this far without being noticed, but just as he reached the first step in the grand stone staircase leading down into the city a raucous cry split the air.
"Halt! In the name of the Princess!"
Tears began to run down Luna's face yet again, leaving streaks in the dust that peppered her skin, the indignation at being hunted like an animal in the name of her sister; she was their princess, how they could debase her so was beyond her imagination.
Without turning to face this newest threat, Luna bolted down the staircase at a dead gallop, almost losing her stride by tripping numerous times. Only her wings allowed Luna to maintain her velocity at such a sharp decline, occasionally diverting her balance to ensure she remained upright.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Luna glanced hesitantly around trying to gauge the quickest route to a gate out of the city. From above her the sound of hooves rang out against the stone, forcing her to choose a direction at random. Behind her a motley crew of guards were in hot pursuit, involving not only the palace guards with their full golden embossed armour, but members of all the different ranks with the varying trimmings and details on the armour.
Feeling her breath begin to grow short again, Luna shot off into the maze of backstreets that made up the city of Canterlot. Many of the buildings were made of yellowish sandstone, others whitewashed blocks of stone, a large majority of the housing was painted in bright colours that reflected the diversity of the ponies that dwelt there. All of these ponies looked shocked as the blue comet sped past them, followed by the cacophony of metal and hoof-beats that was the pursuing force. Many a pony was shunted roughly aside by the heavily clad enforcers, and squeals of terror could be heard as they stampeded through the streets.
In an attempt to lose them, Luna deliberately started towards the market quarters of the city, a place where a bizarre array of assortments could be found, anything from apples to forgotten relics.
After a few minutes navigating the tight back alleys, which stood shaded from the midday sun, Luna burst out into the central market place. Only to find that there was already a small squadron of guards waiting there on high alert for any sign of her, Luna felt her heart sink as once again the alarm was raised and the guards began to charge her, expertly navigating the occupants of the market and the stalls that littered the place like a forest.
Without time for a reprieve, Luna quickly set off into the elaborate mess of ponies, her ribs screaming in protest and her left wing slowly numbing, drawing a faint line of blood across anything it came into contact with. Hearing the guardsponies cursing at the futility of their pursuit, Luna was encouraged to dare to hope of escape; the same throng of ponies making her life so difficult at this moment, may also be her salvation. At the trot she was moving at, Luna dropped to her flank suddenly, sliding underneath the wooden frame of a booksellers stand, startling the life out of the pony manning it as she whisked by its legs, disappearing past the canvas hung as a backing to the stand.
Pushing herself up on the other side, with dirt and sand grinding painfully into her wounds Luna saw the shadows of the guards' race by on the other side and immediately began to retrace her steps in the opposite direction.
Emerging from the chaos, much to Luna's distress, a number of the squadron from before had remained behind to ensure the fugitive wouldn't backtrack, as she just had. Realising the importance of her error, Luna acted before they had chance to respond to her sudden appearance. Raising herself to her full height, Luna began to run straight towards the bemused looking guards. In the instant before she reached them, Luna kicked off with her powerful hind legs, launching herself into the air. Mid jump, as she reached the height of the guards helmets, Luna used her working wing to twist in the air, bringing it out and then under. This manoeuvre caused the hard cartilage in her other wing to collide with the jaw of the foremost guard, impacting so forcefully his head jerked back and his helmet flew off, and the heavy-silver shoed base of her front right hoof to smash into the eye of the second guard. As the two staggered together, Luna flew overhead and tumbled painfully to her feet after hitting the ground. Turning, she saw the one she had kicked in the eye flail wildly, his own hooves connecting with the third and final guard as he reared up, which would cause quite a nasty concussion.
Luna then began to transverse the bustling square, noticing under her feet the mottled tiles of the great mosaic under her hooves, she knew from experience that from above it depicted the ancient image of her and Celestia raising the Sun and Moon, but down here in the street it merely blended together into indiscernible blurs.
Picking her way around the ponies, Luna had to expertly side-step and avoid the many obstacles in her way, whilst also remaining on high alert so that if she were noticed she would have enough of a head start to escape again. Passing by a grand sculpted fountain, Luna passed a small yellow filly with a coiffed magenta mane dextrously collecting apples that had scattered from an upturned box. She thought about stopping to be of assistance, but the peril she still rested in and the sharp glare the small pony through her way quickly deterred her.
"There she is! After her!" The shout came from close by; the guard had been obscured by the apple stand and rushed around it to cut off her escape as number of others galloped up from behind at the alarm. Luna began to feel the cold terror rush through her system again, apprehension clouding her thoughts, but she couldn't give in. She would not go back to that desolate rock, not in a million years, let alone a thousand.
With a cry Luna jumped the apple stand, the small filly crying out in anger as the carefully collected apples now scattered again, after Luna's hooves barely cleared the stand, clipping the box with enough power to upturn it. Dashing off in a general westward direction, Luna disappeared once more into the confusing back alleys of Canterlot.
Had she been of solid mind, what Luna saw in the western streets would have greatly distressed her. This was unlike the Canterlot she knew, and much unlike the clean and happy city Celestia purported to rule over. Ill looking ponies lay huddled in doorways riddled with lice and shuddering against the shadows of the looming ramshackle buildings. Smashed ceramics and litter crowded the streets, and the paved roads had degenerated into naught but dirt tracks. Behind came the snorting of the guard, and as Luna hurtled through the streets twisting and turning randomly through the excessively narrow and choking streets, she could visibly see the ponies there shrink back in terror. What she could not deduce was whether this was fear of her, or rather she suspected the presence of the guard; what atrocities these ponies had suffered in the name of sister she could not fathom.
Once gleaming paintwork laid peeling and dirty, greasy looking strips coming away from the walls and lapping at the bare earth. Subliminal anti-governmental messages plastered the walls in illiterate scrawls, and paintings of Celestia were carelessly defaced.
The further Luna plunged into the slums, the more shame she felt at her ignorance of the cities plight, and the heavier her heart began to weigh down. Everywhere around her stagnated in its mouldering and poverty was clearly rife as young fillies fought over stale crusts of bread. The narrow streets forced the guards to run in single file and as such Luna began to outpace them but just as the hope began to grow that she may lose them, she spotted off to her right another pair of guards. One of them was slighter than the other and had his back pressed towards the wall, and the other was fervently giving orders until Luna raced by them. Her legs began to burn and she heard one of the pair join the column, this was an impossible endeavour thought Luna to herself, she may be able to outrun and outsmart a couple of guards but they were innumerable and that pure fact seemed to make them insurmountable.
The dust that rose from the roads stung her eyes, and Luna carried on regardless, forging deeper and deeper until suddenly she burst forth into daylight like a rocket. She was unsure of how much time had elapsed, but before her now rose the great golden gates of the city.
"This must be the western exit" she whispered to herself as she started forwards at a gallop. However as she did so, a heavy portcullis slammed down in her path, cutting her off from her escape. From the gatehouse a trio of guards sprung forth at the same time that the column of breathless guards exploded from the slums into the open. Luna was surrounded, and she knew it.
"Thou darest to assail your Princess! Hath you no shame!" She cried as they warily formed a ring around her, entrapping her within a perimeter of heavily armoured and aggressive stallions.
"We are most displeased with how thou conduct yourselves! Stand down!" She ordered in her most authoritarian tone as a last chance gambit, slipping back into her old habits she had worked so hard to correct once her subjects in Ponyville had informed her that she was linguistically obsolete.
However this was to no avail and the ring began to tighten around her. Luna's distress was clear, and she could feel a madness rising in her and threatening to swallow all rational thought. In her head a silken voice whispered venomous things, Kill them, and kill them all...
"N-no… silence thy-self…"
Do you not want to dissect them? To take them apart piece by piece? They are most fascinating ssspecimens…"
"Why would I want to do such a thing, hath you no restraint?"
The speed with which the guards tightened their circle began to slow as fear spread among their ranks. They were not sure what was happening, but a malevolent black mist had begun to rise from the princess's body and begun to take form in front of their eyes as Luna herself muttered nonsensical things to the air, her eyes darting from side to side in fear.
Because it will be fun. They are our subjects after all…
"O-our subjects?! Whatever do you mean, stand away. I do not wish to hear more of your blasphemies…"
Oh but you do… I know, after all, I know all of your hearts desires… Would you not just revel in the chance to perform a vivisection to find what makes these foals so loyal?
"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Luna's voice rose to an ear-splitting crescendo, and the guards stood rooted in place as the dark fog twisted and contracted before rushing down to cover Luna's form. There was a sound like pealing thunder and a flash of light that forced the guards to close their eyes less they be blinded and rendered sightless. When they opened them, the magnificent and dark Nightmare Moon stood before them, her black form gleaming and mane flowing like a river of night sky. However with each passing second that they looked on in fright, the form seemed to flicker and diminish. Looking to each other for courage, they collectively surged forwards. Nightmare Moon's eyes flashed dangerously, a glowing silver, and from her sprung forth a might bolt of lightning that crackled and shook the ground. It struck the leading pony and the two either side of him and flung them away, they hit the ground heavily and skidded to a halt their breathing shallow and tongues lolling, alive, but badly injured.
However, this assault did nothing to stop the remaining ponies, which slammed into the ominous wall of darkness taking her down to the ground with their combined momentum. For a second they seemed to have succeeded in subduing her, but then the shadows surged forth in a fearful torrent pushing them away in a great wave, creating tracks in the ground as they all slid away. On the ground Luna lay writhing in pain, and after a brief minute she forced herself to her feet regardless of the pain, her hooves stained with her own blood which now ran freely from opened gashes in her flank and wing.
She stumbled, her legs quivering as if questioning if they could support her much longer. However, she was a princess of Equestria, one of the most powerful beings to ever walk the earth and she would be damned if this were to be her undoing. No matter how many swelled the ranks of her enemy, no matter the pain or the wounds they would inflict on her, she would remain standing until her last breath. Gasping for breath, Luna's eyes watered as she shook. Around her the guards began to regain their senses and slowly prepared for another assault, Luna did not know if she could withstand another attack. After all, she stood alone, surrounded by foes with not a friend in the world; she cried tears of both hurt and woe to be so.
This was the end she concluded, with more than half the guards now back on their feet Luna was drained and outnumber, she had to give it her all, even if it would result in her demise. Rearing up, she prepared to charge.
"Princess!" cried a voice from above, causing Luna to recoil and plant her hooves back on firm ground, what was the source of this interruption, had more ponies come to gloat at her disgrace?
A pair of pegasi hurtled towards her, dark blurs against the bright sky, their wings not feathered but rather covered in a thin purplish membrane which were more reminiscent of bat wings than the graceful plumed bird wings. Their hides were dark in tint, one a murky grey and the other also grey but for a sickly green hue when his exposed flank was struck by the sunlight. The two thundered towards the ground, creating a dust cloud on impact, obscuring themselves and Luna from the royal guards. The armour they wore was plate and styled the same as the regular guards, except it was a darkened metallic purple and shone with a dark light instead of a resplendent one.
"Aegis! Thunder!" Luna exclaimed agape, the two ponies of the Night Guard looked at each other in concern at Luna's ragged breathing.
"My lady, are you hurt?" asked the one with the green sheen, clearly perturbed by the state of his charge.
"I am fine thank you Captain, but you shouldn't have come…"
"Nonsense princess!" interrupted the second guard "It is our duty to protect you at all costs!"
"Midnight Thunder is right my lady, we have come to get you out of here."
By this point, the particles of dust obscuring them began to clear and settle and their discussion had to be cut short, as they were certain the next wave of attacks would proceed the minute it cleared. They were not wrong; a trio of golden clad guards surged forwards before the dust had fully cleared, only to collide with violet defenders. Midnight Thunder lashed out with his front hooves, rearing up to combat a single opponent, whereas the captain of the Night Guard being larger in stature tackled two opponents at once, flipping one onto its flank with a powerful uppercut with his wing and sidestepping the other, only to strike with his hind legs, bringing the pony to its knees. After this, the guardians of the princess Luna beat off wave after wave of golden assailants which attacked relentlessly while their comrades rested their strength. And while the valiant defence remained strong, their strength began to wane, pure numbers overwhelming the astounding valour they displayed.
"Does it never end" muttered Thunder, his chest now heaving and slick with sweat that ran down from under the metal plates of his armour.
"Stay strong!" called his commander as he struggled with yet another guard. "Reinforcements will come!"
The guard he was locked with smashed his helmet down onto Aegis' own, laughing victoriously in his face.
"You think your Night brethren will come to your aide dark one? Where do you think the rest of the guard are! We have already rounded up your puny sub-ordinates, callous foal!"
Luna looked on, powerless to help in her current state; it was taking all of her strength just to remain standing, when something miraculous occurred. For a second, a shadow seemed to pass over the sun, and in its wake darted a number of scrawny looking ponies. Across their faces were tied rags dyed black, obscuring their identities and around their flanks black bandages obscured their cutie marks. They resembled bandits and galloped forwards with a great hooting and cajoling that shook the air causing the battling factions to split apart, the royal guard now unsure of what to do.
"Come quickly!" The newcomers shouted in unison "Follow us if you wish to live to see another night!"
This was all the invitation Luna and her protectors needed and summoning all of their remaining strength with the resolve of the desperate began to run towards them. One of the bandits leaped onto the back of his comrade, using him as a platform to launch himself higher into the air. As he reached the highest point in the arc, he dropped a spherical object from his jaws which had been wrapped in the black rag he had removed to do so. As it hit the ground, a bilious cloud of smoke arose with a ghastly stench, causing those within the proximity of the localised explosion to gasp and cough, momentarily blinded by the smoke which stung their eyes. Through this ran Luna and her guards, their eyes closed and breath held, upon feeling the air clear around them they opened their eyes to continue running without losing any speed.
Back into the alleys of the slums they ran not knowing where they fled to as the seemingly endless maze of streets and alleys were identical. Luna and the guard were joined by the street ponies that had aided in their escape, who urged them in increasingly random direction with shouts from behind. After they passed what seemed like the same dilapidated building for the third time in a row, they turned yet another corner to be faced with reinforcements of the Royal Guard heading straight towards them. It was just one pony, but in these tight quarters it would be a simple task to overpower the fractious and exhausted escapees. With a yell one of the street ponies ran up a slight slope to the right and using that she jumped into the air and propelled herself off the wall to land in front of Midnight Thunder who had taken the lead, turning them away from the on comer and away from the pursuers, continuing to run onwards and deeper into the city.
"Follow me close now guard. Lest all is lost" And with that she sped up, forcing the pace of the group to increase an in attempt to stay together. After several confusing turns and twisting streets, they ran into an empty alley which was barricaded at the other end by a high brick wall, too high to jump. However the lead pony did not slow down until she reached the wall, skidding slightly she picked up the large metallic cover of a hole in the ground. From it arose a stench unlike any other, and after a quick smile, she jumped directly into it disappearing into the darkness. Luna and the Night Guards halted, unsure of how to proceed in this situation. From the rear, a bold young stallion trotted up, bowing as he presented himself to Luna.
"You must go now my princess, these will lead you out of the city. My companions shall guide you and keep you safe. You have my word."
The guards were not as easily convinced as they converged upon the pony until his back pressed against the wall.
"Please" he begged his voice straining and sweat dripping down his brow, "time runs short. You must go!"
"Midnight Thunder! Lambent Aegis! That is enough. Your princess demands this of you, we must trust this one, and for the help he has given he may be afforded that much"
The stallion nodded quickly, still worried by the menacing demeanour of the Night Guard. After a quick glance at Luna, they nodded their acknowledgement of the command. With a smile, the rags now discarded the other two street ponies, both Earth ponies, jumped down into the hole with a hoot and a muffled splash could be heard over the muted laughter that followed their descent.
A great clamouring came from the street behind them, the royal guard must have been following them from the cacophonous panting and clanging that rapidly approached.
"Go now!" pleaded the remaining street pony, his red face pleading with the princess. With whispered thanks, the royal princess herself stepped into darkness and was swallowed by the hole.
"Captain" said Thunder quietly, his voice soft "It was an honour serving with you."
"Likewise Soldier. You have our thanks. You shall not be forgotten" replied Lambent Aegis, his voice seeming thin and stretched, his eyes clouding with tears. With that Aegis strode forwards and dropped down to join the others.
With a sigh of relief the remaining street pony kicked the cover back over the hole, barring the daylight from the escaping fugitives.
"Hey Guard" he called to Midnight Thunder who stood rooted, looking at the street.
"Yeah?" he replied monotonously, not really thinking about anything apart from the battle ahead.
"Guess you ain't all that bad."
Thunder tilted his head as he looked back at the street pony, removing his helmet as he did so, a long and untrimmed black mane flowing out as he did so.
"You neither, ruffian" he replied with a smirk "Get going."
"Thanks" and with that the street pony was gone over the wall behind him, his knowledge of how to navigate this place aiding in his escape.
Midnight Thunder inhaled as he firmly planted his hooves on the ground, steadying his breath, and calming his mind. He knew this would be his last stand. But for his friends, his country and for his princess, he would gladly lay down his life.
"My princess…" he whispered to himself "…Luna… I am sorry to have failed you."
The Golden clad guards came around the corner, eyes ablaze with righteous fury and the anger possessed of those who smite the cretins rejecting a tradition established in a thousand year reign.
"For a new Equestria!" Midnight Thunder shouted as a battle cry as he sprang forth into the insurmountable foe, mane streaming as the powerful stallion ran forwards.
Darkness engulfed Luna as the daylight slowly disappeared above her, the circular cover sliding in to bask them in the loving darkness. Around her feet cold water sloshed, blessedly cool after the heat of the chase and cleansing her dirty blood stained hooves. As her eyes adjusted naturally the darkness, she shrank back in disgust; it was not as she had initially assumed a trickling underground stream, but the fragrant waters of the Canterlot sewers they stood in. Luna lifted her hooves up in dismay, not wanting to leave them in the filth for any amount of time.
She could hear Lambent Aegis' breathing as it came closer to her, the slight splashing as he waded toward her. In the murkiness, his flank seemed to gleam with the sickly green tint, down here in the blackness it possessed some form of luminescence and helped Luna to orientate herself in this new environment.
"My lady" he began, and Luna did not need to be able to fully see his face to discern that once again he was concerned for her wellbeing.
"I'm fine thank you Captain" she said heavily, she was still racked by pain and weariness, but she was a princess and she would not allow herself to show such weakness, especially in such a critical situation.
"Hey! Up here" came a voice from behind them, in the gloom Luna could make out two of the ponies that had jumped down here before sat on a stone walkway above the water level, which was much more of a sill than a proper form of promenade. As Aegis and Luna began towards them, the third and final member of the remaining street ponies trotted out of the haze along the walkway.
"Way's clear for now" she stated simply "we need to get moving 'fore they start lookin' proper".
As Luna pulled herself up quickly before Aegis could attempt to assist her, she brought herself to bear with this mare. For a moment the young mare met Luna's gaze eye to eye, before respectfully lowering her head. As she did so Luna took a moment to glance over her and her companions, the chase and entrance into the sewers had caused them to lose their disguises and so they now stood as a normal pony of Equestria might. The mare, proudly displayed a cutie mark of a telescope on her flank, although it looked to be more of a reconnaissance device than an astronomy device. Her companions, a slender slight stallion barely full grown displayed a net on his pale brown flank and the other stallion, a pallid sandy pony looked to be cheerful from his stockiness and mark of a 'feather on a stick'. Spy Glass, for that was the name the mare gave to Luna upon request, introduced her companions as Fisher and Feather Fancy; which Luna thought was an incredibly effeminate name for quite a boyish pony. Nevertheless, the minute introduction were complete they began to walk at a slow pace, so as to rest themselves into the system of tunnels running beneath Canterlot. Once Luna's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she realised there really was not much worth seeing down here, a slight disappointment considering until only a few moments ago she had been blissfully unaware that Canterlot even had sewers. Grey stone stretched on as far as the eye could see; broken only occasionally by a side passage or heavy iron sluice gate. The party carried straight on though, conversation kept to a minimal, Aegis and Luna being too preoccupied with trying to understand just what had transpired in the last few hours. Fisher and Fancy chatted amiably, but after Fancy had burst into a fit of raucous laughter after a muted remark from Fisher about mare's in heat, and Spy Glass shot them a truly terrifying glare silence hung over them.
Luna was unsure of how long they carried on like that, but when they eventually reached an opening, the light streaming in to drive away the darkness, the sun was no longer high in the sky and was beginning to set.
Suddenly the ground dropped away, a severe incline causing the waters of the sewers to cascade into a torrential waterfall; it appeared that these sewers ended directly at Canterlot's limits, and being a city built into the mountainside that meant they now came directly to the edge of a mountain cliff. There was a narrow path winding down the mountainside, barely wide enough for a single pony to walk, dropping away to little more than a single hoofs width in some areas; and that seemed to be the only way down.
Looking out over that incline, the entirety of Equestria stretched out before the group as the setting sun began to bathe it in fire, a pinkish aura extending across the fields and seeming to deepen to oranges and reds the longer they stood and watched.
Here Spy Glass halted the group and turning to face them from where she led made an ultimatum.
"This is as far as we may go Princess."
"What?" demanded Lambent Aegis, disarmed by this sudden abandonment and dereliction of duty on their behalf, the way he saw it, all ponies were sworn to the protection of the princess, and right now that meant escorting her to safety.
"What in Equestria do you mean, this is as far as you go?"
"Calm down captain…" Luna whispered, feeling fainter by the minute and looking to the mare "I am sure Spy Glass has a reasonable explanation for this…"
Spy Glass bowed in response to the support Luna showed her and continued on, looking pointedly at the pair as she did so.
"It ain't certain how things fare in the city, and it may be that we be needed to get more outta here, if you catch my drift. Might be more of you fancy folks that want out 'fore Celestia takes you down."
Lambent Aegis at this point seemed to realise what she was getting at, and began to nod along.
"Of course, of course. Give my thanks to your superior, you have been most useful. Oh, and continue to do what you all do best."
"Captain?" asked Luna, clearly confused by this transaction a look of bemusement spreading across her pained face.
"Is there by some chance, an accord between yourself and these ponies? Have you come across their kin before?"
"O'course he has Princess" butted in Fisher, his voice nasally and grating, "he's a Guard, royal or no. All guards know about us Republicans." Adding a wide grin to complete his addition.
"Republicans?" Luna began, her confusion only deepening.
"Now is not the time My Lady, I will explain to you at some other time if it still pleases you. For now we need to get moving again."
"Of course Captain, as you wish."
Aegis turned to Spy Glass upon Luna's consent, strictly focused in the matter at hand and how best to handle it.
"It bothers me to ask this of you, but may we encroach on your services once more before your return Spy Glass? We require a guard, this will be indefinite I am afraid; at least until we either reach a place of safety or rest a hundred leagues away. I know that your full strength is required in the city, but this is a matter of the utmost urgency. I am sure your superiors will understand."
Spy Glass' face clearly showed her disgruntlement at the request, but under the circumstances she could hardly do anything but grant it.
"Fancy" she snapped "Go with them until they will it otherwise, I expect them to get out nice 'n' safe. You know the drill."
"Yes ma'am" he hollered, setting out onto the mountain track.
With that, Fisher and Spy Glass turned and disappeared back into the darkness without another word, leaving Luna and Aegis with no other choice but to follow the softly singing pony down the mountain side.
By the time they had reached the bottom, they were all breathless from exertion, it had been a treacherous path and only the wiles of the Pegasus Lambent Aegis had allowed them all to make it down in one piece. After he had pulled Feather Fancy back onto the path after the cumbersome pony slipped for the third time in a row, they had decided it would be best to place all of their attention on not falling to their deaths. It may have been simpler to fly, but Luna was still injured from earlier battles and as such could not even manage a glide, and Feather Fancy being an Earth pony couldn't fly at all. As they collected their thoughts, feeling relieved and slightly less pressurised, the crimson orb that the sun had become sank below the horizon, bathing the land around them in would be sometime before they had enough light to travel by, if indeed the moon rose at all today and the stars had not yet begun to twinkle into life.
With regards to whether Luna could just raise the moon for them, she had softly explained that it was an autonomous act these days, after Celestia had been left to deal with it on her own during the days of Luna's exile as Nightmare Moon, she had been forced to develop a way of the process occurring subconsciously so that the strain didn't kill her. As such, it was still technically Luna that raised the moon each and every night, but it was only her magic that did this and not her waking thought. This is why at certain times, the moon shone less bright or not at all.
Under these conditions they had been walking a general southern direction when they ran across a set of rail tracks, and an incredibly slow moving train. With a quick glance between them, they all snuck onto the train by opening what appeared to be a storage container. Using this, they managed to proceed away from Canterlot at a speed they would not have been able to match even if they were in good health.
The container they rested in was filled almost to capacity with metallic looking apparatus, mostly looking like junk but with the occasional important looking piece of machinery.
After a good hour or so passed, the train pulled by a quaint looking station slowing its pace to a standstill while it let what few late night passengers there were off at their homes.
Luna looked on tiredly as Aegis turned to Fancy and began heatedly discussing something in hushed tones. Fancy seemed to be quite content to just ride the train, but Aegis maintained that if ponies were to still search for them it would be along such a main thoroughfare and the Pegasus guard may even halt all trains at checkpoints to search for them. As such it was decided that the train must be abandoned and a point of safe-haven reached before the dawn. The only place that Fancy could think of was the close by Everfree forest, as suggested when they stealthily disembarked as the train pulled away revealing the "Welcome to Ponyville" sign displayed on the platform.
With no other options available, and the ancient seat of power for Luna and Celestia within that very forest, the three ponies silently made their way through the town of Ponyville. Not a single soul was in sight, and the streets appeared abandoned in the darkness.
The moon had not risen, and the majority of the sky had clouded over with heavy looking storm clouds, meaning that the only light they had was from a few dispersed stars here and there.
For some reason, Luna seemed to get more and more disheartened as they passed between the shadowed buildings, as if each step represented the loss of something close to her heart. Lambent Aegis just looked at her concernedly as he walked along side her, but she appeared not to notice, being far to intent on absorbing every last inch of eloquent facades and simple yet bold structures.
One particular building caught Luna's eye, and she paused in the street to look at it for a lengthy amount of time. It stood apart from the rest and was circular, resembling a carousel or merry-go-round. Rising up it split into multiple tiers, each with a lace brocade of the finest craftsmanship hanging down over the clouded windows. Several fleurs-de-lis were engraved into the elegant stonework above the arching door and windows, and they themselves were offset by beautiful carved patterns running around the entire building in a thin strip.
Luna sighed as she looked upon the heavy embroidered curtains covering the windows instead of the plain wooden shutters of the other building, perhaps this building represented something to her that she had yet to find within her own life and seeing it this way, flying into exile caused her heart to ache.
Lowering her head dejectedly Luna walked towards her companion that had stopped and turned to look at her in concern, smiling slightly but not sincerely she urged them to continue. After that they reached the edge of the town relatively quickly and without turning to look back they passed the last of the buildings, the only thing before them now the track and darkened fields to either side. In the distance loomed the boughs of the Everfree forest, which swelled in size as they got closer, becoming more menacing although this was due to the twisted trunks and branches of the trees rather than the impermeable darkness that leaked from within.
The entrance itself seemed to beckon to them, the trees parting for the track that ran between them providing an aisle for people to wander up and into the forest, mostly, never to return.
Pausing, Lambent Aegis took a moment to examine the ground just inside before deciding there were no hidden dangers immediately present to harm the princess. Ushering them onwards they took their first steps into the forest; hooves become muted with the heavy cover of damp foliage sticking to the ground.
Suddenly Luna shuddered, feeling a great energy surge through her, and with a glimmering light, the form of a great necklace began to materialise around her throat. Luna stood, almost as disgruntled by this as the visibly agitated Lambent Aegis, Fancy seemed not to notice, being far too terrified of his surroundings than the spectacle unfolding before his eyes.
Aegis rushed to her side, to offer whatever assistance he may with this sudden magical interference; but it was an unnecessary gesture as the moment he did so, the necklace assumed its full form and hung down on Luna's neck.
It was a stunning piece, made from pure silver and gilded with segments of white-gold around the delicate looking chain, from it hung a sapphire in the shape of a tear drop embedded into a crescent moon made of silver set with tiny crystals around the sapphire. The metal shone and gleamed like the moon, and was captivating in its beauty, but the sapphire did not, instead it seemed to absorb the light, drowning in sorrowful depths that sucked in emotions and gathering tears into a great sea. Overall then, the necklace seemed to shine with a great beauty, but it was a melancholic one, suited to one that has lived through great sorrow and feels undying regret for something they can never set to rights no matter the strength of their repentance.
"Princess…" asked Lambent Aegis softly, causing Luna to respond in an equally hushed tone.
"I am not sure Aegis."
No answers were going to be revealed in their current predicament however, so they continued to move deeper into the forest, dragging the terrified earth pony behind them.
The quiet became almost deafening as the leaves swallowed more and more of the sound of their hooves, eventually descending into a silence that made them seem like wraiths, as they were swallowed up by the gloom; venturing forth into the unknown, fleeing from an enemy that would push against them on all sides, with nothing but hope of escape and each other to comfort their minds.
They had survived many a fight this day, but the real fight loomed on the horizon and it would not be pleasant one, with great loss for everypony involved. This was just the beginning.