Nightmare Moon was towering over Antares, he was being held by some sort of magical tentacles, which was something Antares utterly powerless against. The two stayed there for a couple of seconds, Antares was trying to find a way to escape from her magic but he needed to find a way to catch her off guard. Antares was going to speak when the alicorn opened her mouth.
''You know it's a pity to have to dispose of you, you have great potential.'' She smirked.''But sadly I can't have any distractions at the moment.'' She began to power up her horn
Antares had already thought of a way to get out of this knot, but he needed to delay.''Wow look at Celestia flying towards you.'' he smirked
Nightmare Moon turned her head only to see nothing, that split second of hesitation was all that Antares needed. In one swift move, he cut one of the tentacles with his wing and punched her right in the face with his freed hoof. He then leaped back using her as a wall.
Antares landed a few feet back straight on all fours, while Nightmare Moon fell stumbling backward, barely catching her balance. She smirked at her opponent.''Well played Antares, well meet again.''
With that, she turned into smoke and passed through him before he could react. Antares fell onto the grassy floor suddenly feeling tired from the short encounter. He tried to ignore how she knew his name and just crawled back onto a tree.
''Well at least I gave Twilight some time.'' he uttered as he suddenly passed out.
Antares woke up half an hour later to a sound of growling. As he opened his eyes he saw a timberwolf standing right in front of him growling at him. Antares instinctively got up and stretched his metal wing out as it was his only weapon. The two circled each other, Antares was ready to lunge at the wolf when it suddenly sat down and tilted its head. Antares was surprised at the wolves expression, he realized that it was friendly. Zecora told him that not all timberwolves were hostile, some were nice. Antares moved towards the wolf slowly.
''It's ok I'm not going to hurt you little one.'' he spoke in a soft voice as he walked closer to the wolf. In response, the wolf started wagging its tail. Antares eventually got right next to the wolf and sat facing him.
''Hey there bud.'' Antares said as he lifted his hoof to touch him. The wolf backed away.''Don't worry I'm not going to hurt ya.'' The animal then put his head on Antares hoof and started liking it.
The timberwolves tongue tickled Antares and filled it with green saliva.''Hey!'' The wolf kept on licking his face until he was on the ground laughing.
''Ok, ok that's enough I have to go somewhere.'' Antares said as he got up and started walking away in the direction where Antares remembered Nightmare Moon going. As he was walking he noticed that the timberwolf was still following him. He looked down at the timberwolf, it was like it was smiling. Antares turned to face the timberwolf.''Sorry but again I have to go.'' Antares turned around and kept following the blue trail that seemed to be leading him to the old castle.
But the timberwolf just kept following him. Antares groaned in annoyance, he tried to ignore the wolf's obnoxious panting. Then an idea came to mind, he picked a stick off the ground and waved it in front of the timberwolf.''You want the stick?'' Antares threw it as far away as possible in the opposite direction. As Antares hoped, the timberwolf went back in to follow the stick.
''Glad that's settled, now back to following clues.''
Antares kept following the trail until he started to hear chatter.
''See, I never leave my friends hanging.''
Antares peeked behind the branches to see that across a bridge was Twilight and 5 other mares that he recognized from the library. The group was walking towards the mostly destroyed castle.
Antares took his time to ponder on what to do, he knew that Nightmare Moon would be there any minute. And he was correct, the castle filled with dark blue light as he heard the mares gasp. Antares saw another blue light emit from the other part of the castle. He followed his gut and flew over and he flew over the bridge and behind the castle. There he saw Nightmare Moon on a small step, and Twilight in front of her.
Nightmare Moon started laughing maniacally as she stomped on the floor destroying what looked like the elements of harmony. Twilight gasped at the sight, Nightmare moon just laughed again even harder.
''Oh you little FOAL, thinking you could defeat me!'' As she went on with her speech Antares silently crept behind her ready to tackle her, he just needed to wait for the right moment to strike.
''Now you will never see your princess or your sun, the night will last FOREVER!'' Nightmare Moon laughed once again once she finished her speech.
Twilight stood there frozen, unsure of what to do when she heard her friends call out from the stairwell. Then a spark ignited within her and she knew what to do.
Antares, on the other hand, was still unsure if he should strike, he wanted to get at the alicorn so bad but he needed to follow his orders. Antares knew that Sarg had eyes and ears everywhere and even if he wasn't able to see or heard him now, he knew that he would eventually find out. Then he heard Twilight begin a speech
Then he saw Twilight standing next with her friends looking confident all of the sudden.''Because the spirits of the elements of harmony are right here.''
Then it hit Antares, the real reason why he was sent here and why Twilight was sent here. Somehow Celestia knew that Twilight was one of the elements of harmony. But how did she know that she would meet the other five here? Antares thought about this for a second, but then he saw Nightmare Moon.
''NO, I'M NOT GOING TO BE DEFEATED BY A BUNCH STUPID FOALS.'' She cried as she was ready to teleport out of the castle, Antares took action he didn't care anymore. He lunged out from behind the broken wall and cut off her horn with his wind then wrapped himself around her neck.
''Their not foals, they're the elements.'' He said as a rainbow swirled around both of them.
Antares then saw a white light that blinded him completely.
Twilight on the other hand, got up and looked at the crown above her.
''Gee Twilight I thought you were talking a lot of hooey.'' Said Applejack as she looked at her newfound friends.''But I reckon, we do represent the elements of friendship.''
''Indeed you do.'' Said Celestia, as the sun came up once again. The bearers bowed before the princess except for Twilight who went up to her and hugged her teacher.''Princess Celestia!''
''Twilight Sparkle.'' She returned her hug.''My faithful student, I knew you could do it.''
Twilight looked up at her mentor with confusion.''But you told me it was all an old pony tail.''
Celestia just smiled.'' I told you-you needed to make some friends, nothing more.'' She continued.''I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return, and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her. But you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart.'' She turned to face where Nightmare Moon had been defeated.''Now if only another will as well.''
Celestia started walking towards the alicorn on the floor.''Princess Luna.'' The mare on the ground gasped as she opened her own eyes for the first time in a thousand years.'' It has been one thousand years since Ive seen you like this''. She kneeled in front of her.''Time to put our differences behind us, we were meant to rule together little sister.''
Twilight and her friends gasped.''Sister?''
Celestia got up.''Will you accept my friendship?''
Luna looked down and then gave her sister a big warm hug.''I'm so sorry, I've missed you so much big sister!.''
Celestia returned the hug.''I've missed you too.'' She said as both their eyes started to swell up with tears of joy.
Meanwhile in the corner of the room was Antares regaining consciousness.''Ahhh, damn it!'' He said loudly as he got up.''My back hurts like a-.''
Then he spotted Celestia and a mare he didn't recognize.''Who the hell is that?''
Finally finished this chapter. Now the story is going to move forward, yay!
