Upheaval: Reckoning
Chapter 50: Mirror to the Sky
Sky Mirror Lake.
To Twilight Sparkle, the name was...too simple for what had transpired and will transpire there. There was a sense of weight around the place, now that she stood so close to it. Even the air felt slow and heavy as she breathed it in. Standing on top of an elevated position, with some rocks and trees to serve as cover, she was able to see a portion of the lake itself despite the structure General Gravitas had built around it. Remarkably, the water had not frozen solid. Even from a long distance, she could see the gentle rippling across its surface as a breeze blew from the north.
As only befitting its name, the waters of Sky Mirror Lake displayed a sheen that was clearly magical in nature. The sky above them was still covered with dark gray clouds, with the early morning light struggling to shine through. The water showed that scene with equal clarity, as if there were two skies in that spot. Even with the rippling, the image was still perfect. Twilight could see even see individual clouds on the surface of the water.
A few weeks ago, this would have been a breath-taking, smile-inducing sight, even with the changeling presence. But knowledge of the Old Kingdom put a dark twist in Sky Mirror Lake's beauty. For the water to reflect images so well meant that it reflected light very well, which meant that very little, if any at all, reached beneath its surface. Just how dark were the depths of Sky Mirror Lake? She tried to imagine the place: a lightless, watery grave for the Old Kingdom. She doubted that even fish would reside in the crumbling ruins; if there were even fish in Sky Mirror Lake to begin with. Whatever lived in the water had to adapt to near total darkness, that and the power of Oceanus being so close. She wasn't sure she wanted to meet those things.
Behind Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had gathered around Fluttershy, still trying to convince her that they could find another way to draw out Gravitas and his allies. The royalty, and Black Rose, stood just a short distance away, eyeing the structure around the lake.
A few minutes ago, Fluttershy had been explaining her "Eye of Fear". It was difficult to hear in more ways than one. First, to learn the Fluttershy, of all ponies, held the power of one of Oceanus's lieutenants was nearly impossible to believe. Second, when she saw that her audience included her worried friends and a trio of very serious-looking royalty, Fluttershy's brave suggestion crumbled into a stammering explanation. Half embarrassed for having such an audience and half ashamed of having to tell them about the nature of her "stare", she squeaked and mumbled until Twilight swore it looked like Prince Terrato was about to explode.
It wasn't Prince Terrato's scowling impatience that made Twilight wary, however. It was Black Rose's knowing smile. Black Rose listened to the whole explanation as if she had suspected it along. She was supportive of the slowly forming plan, which made Twilight even more suspicious. What was it going to take to put this mare out of balance? To make something happen that she didn't have as part of her plan?
Twilight did her best to rein in her frustration. Her enemy was just a few feet away from Princess Celestia. This was a veritable shipwreck within sight of land. There was an upside though. She wasn't sure if she was actually seeing it or if she was only wishing too hard to see it, but Black Rose did seem a bit tired. She spoke confidently as she always did and she moved with the same grace, but, now that Twilight could see her personally instead of through magical images, the smaller details became more obvious: the slowing of her speech, the heaviness around her eyes...There was also something wrong with the aura of magic around her. It was much more powerful, as was expected, but it was also clearly less stable.
Twilight felt the urge to attack. There was weakness here, a vulnerability she had not noticed before. Black Rose's defences were not perfect and her Thorns were back in Canterlot. She glanced at the royalty. They must have noticed too. There was no way they couldn't. Perhaps Princess Celestia was so focused on General Gravitas that she couldn't be bothered to gauge the enemy right before her. Perhaps Prince Terrato was too involved with his former student to take advantage of the situation. As for Princess Luna...there was something odd going on with Princess Luna too. While her siblings looked towards the structure that Gravitas had built around Sky Mirror Lake, Princess Luna was staring intently at its waters, as if seeing something that nopony else could. Twilight shook her head and focused on Black Rose again. Did she dare? What if this was a chance? If she tried, would her friends quickly guess the situation and jump in? Would the royalty help her? She let a front hoof drag against the ground in anticipation and worry. When she heard the sound of the snow scrunching at the motion, she swiftly regretted that move.
At the sound, Black Rose suddenly looked back and straight towards Twilight, as if she had felt the stare on her. To Twilight's dismay, that annoying, confident smile widened just a little bit more. The message was perfectly clear. Come and try. Black Rose didn't need to use words. Twilight felt the chance, that ghost of a chance, quietly slip away. She would have to wait until Gravitas was dealt with.
"Is everypony ready?" Terrato asked. He addressed the question to all of them, but his eyes were on Fluttershy.
"Yes," Fluttershy replied. Twilight expected at least a minor tremble in her voice, but there was none to be heard. The rest of her friends looked like they weren't ready, seeing as Fluttershy had refused their offers, but they nodded anyway. Twilight had her own misgivings about the plan, but she didn't quite share in the fears of the rest of her friends. She saw Fluttershy digging into that book back in the hidden archives. She was the one who had to pull Fluttershy away from a book about the terrible things done in the Old Kingdom. It only seemed wrong to have to expose somepony as gentle and kind as Fluttershy to danger, but, perhaps, the greater wrong would be to try and hide her away while everypony else fought.
Twilight looked to her side and towards Pinkie Pie, who was also not bothering to talk Fluttershy out of it and also the one who was enthusiastic about the archives. "You're not going to talk Fluttershy out of this plan?" she asked.
Pinkie shook her head vigorously. "No," she said. "It's tough not being able to help as much as you want to." She looked wistfully at Fluttershy. "I'm not taking this away from her. I just hope I get a turn later."
Oddly enough, Twilight felt like smiling despite Pinkie Pie wishing that she'd be thrust into danger too.
"Well, it looks like there ain't anyway we can talk you out of this," Applejack said. She clasped Fluttershy's front hooves with hers and looked at the pegasus imploringly. "Just promise me you'll stay safe, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy answered with a sad smile. "Applejack, I can't," she said. "Not without lying."
A moment of silence passed as the others moved back and let Fluttershy stand between the royalty.
"Don't sound like you're making farewells," Terrato told the pegasus sternly. "You're off to accomplish a mission, not off to the gallows."
"Y-yes, your highness!" Fluttershy said. She trotted over to stand between Terrato and Celestia. "I'm ready to start!"
The stern look turned to approval as Terrato spread his wings. "Alright. There is no way Gravitas is not yet aware that we're nearby. He's likely pissed that none of the alicorns he sent took out their respective targets. Fluttershy, do you need to actually stare at somepony to use this Eye of Fear of yours?"
"I...I 'm not sure." Fluttershy looked away when the frown returned on Terrato's face. "I don't think so. I think I can just use it from afar and he'll notice."
"You think?" Terrato asked.
"W-well, I've never tried it before."
Terrato's frown deepened. "Are you sure you can even use it on command?" he asked.
The glower from the prince was slowly eroding Fluttershy's carefully built up courage. "No...but I really think I can...even if I hadn't before and..."
"Big brother let's just give her a chance," Luna said. "Nopony knows much about Lok'horus's abilities. She's doing all of these things by instinct."
"It sounds like a wonderful little gamble," Black Rose said.
"Damn it, Rose..." Terrato growled. "Alright, we'll fly a little closer and then see what Fluttershy can do. Luna, stay with the other Elements of Harmony and make sure they can join in as needed."
All of them nodded again as Terrato, Celestia, and Black Rose, flew off with Fluttershy.
For Fluttershy, it was as if the cold was clinging to her feathers as she took to the air. Her wings felt stiff and each flap felt like the wind was trying to push her away. She looked to the alicorns around her. None of them seemed to be experiencing the same trouble. She knew why too. There was no powerful wind blowing her back or oppressive cold weighing her down. It was fear that was pushing her back, fear of General Gravitas and those other alicorns who were out to destroy everything, and it was doubt in what she could actually accomplish that was weighing her down. She would have been happier flying through an actual blizzard than dealing with these feelings, but she flew gamely on.
"This should be far enough," Prince Terrato said.
The four of them now hovered in front of the fortress-like structure. They were still a good distance away, probably around half a mile. Fluttershy looked towards Terrato, who was hovering in front of her. It was only now did she realize that she was going to rely on him to most for protection. She didn't trust Black Rose and Princess Celestia, while doing much better and certainly willing to protect her, was still not at full strength. The prince was intimidating, unfriendly and outright rude, but she had to admit that, having him in front of her was reassuring.
"When you're ready, Fluttershy," Princess Celestia said. She had a more reassuring tone than her brother, but Fluttershy could tell that the princess was also expecting much of her.
As for Black Rose, Fluttershy didn't even want to look at her. The mare had a smile full of traps. If Fluttershy caught a glance of that now, she would never be able to do anything. Instead, she closed her eyes. Whether she called it "the Stare" or "Eye of Fear", she needed it now. 'Please,' she pleaded inwardly. She remembered the other Fluttershy, chained away in some dark hole underneath her cottage. It could just be a dream, but she was willing to grasp at anything at this point. 'I need you now.'
"You can't break these chains! Not anymore!"
The words of warning flashed within Fluttershy's mind. What did that other Fluttershy mean? The more she thought about them, the less that time seemed a dream. She focused on that image of herself, locked away, chained more tightly than an anchored airship. 'Break these chains...' she thought. She felt drawn to the idea. The image of her looked up and she wasn't sure if she was still imagining things and willing the image to look up or if she was actually staring at that place again. The look in her other self's eyes told everything. There was no going back on this. She willed those chains to break. Prince Terrato asked her if she could use it "on command". She knew she could if she just accomplished something within her. This was it. Instinct was all she had to guide her, but she knew that doing this would accomplish something. The links began to shake.
"Not anymore!"
The warning resounded in her head again. "Anymore" meant that she had done so before. Whenever she had needed it, she had used this ability. When the need passed she locked it away. Perhaps she had done no better than what Princess Celestia had been doing, desperately ignoring a n necessary part of her life. That had to end here, just as the barrier had to end. That other Fluttershy, whether it was Lok'horus, some side of her, or something else, should not be chained and locked away. She tried to imagine herself tugging at them as hard she could. She didn't see her hooves actually touching them, but she could see them beginning to strain.
Then, a loud clinking noise, like a metal link snapping, brought Fluttershy out of that image. Her eyes opened so quickly that the alicorns around her, all of whom were staring at her now, looked surprised.
"Fluttershy?" Princess Celestia asked. "Are you alright?"
"I-I'm fine," Fluttershy said weakly. She didn't feel anything different. Her eyes weren't tingly or anything, not that they ever were whenever the Stare came on by itself. She couldn't even look at Prince Terrato now, let alone even suggest to him that she was having no luck with trying to bring out the Eye of Fear. She turned her attention back to the walled structure that sheltered their enemy. Why did they even have to lure Gravitas out? He came to this world to kill all ponies, only to hole up by a lake as if he was the victim. She pressed her lips tightly together, resentment starting to build from within. The only thing worse than a murderer was a cowardly murderer. She could imagine a big, heavily-muscled alicorn, easily four or five times her size, cowering in a corner or hiding under a desk because the minions he sent all failed and he was the one now being attacked. This is supposed to be an Eternal Herd general? A cornered rat would have more dignity.
"Fluttershy!" Princess Celestia's voice, normally soothing and reassuring, brought Fluttershy up short. She looked hastily at the princess, an apology already at her lips even though she had no idea what she was doing wrong. What had happened? And how long had she been just hovering there just staring? The princess didn't look upset, however, she looked both pleased and concerned. "You've done well, Fluttershy," Princess Celestia said, when she saw the Fluttershy was now paying attention. "Well, and enough. Are you alright?"
"That was...enlightening," Black Rose said. "This little gamble has certainly paid off."
"We're going to discuss this some other time," Terrato said darkly. He turned his gaze back to the structure by the lake.
Fluttershy could only blink. Well and enough? But she hadn't even done anything! What happened and-!
A distant boom, like a massive and powerful thunder strike jerked Fluttershy's attention back to the walled structure. That was followed by the heavy crunch of armor plates crashing to each other. Instead of seeing the distant fortress, she found herself staring at what appeared to be an ornate...pillar, as wide as the trunk of an oak and easily six feet long. She noticed unreadable markings all over the silvery metal. The weapon strained violently, as if it was still trying to get to her. She glanced to her right and found the bladed point of a spear doing the exact same thing, the weapon barely touching the tip of her ear.
Something warm began to trickle down the back of Fluttershy's ear, slowly making its way to her neck then down her shoulder. Her heart jumped from steady to frantic in an instant as she took in the scene unfolding just inches away from her. To her front, Prince Terrato had slammed into an enormous alicorn, one even bigger than he was. The prince's hooves were an enormous shaft of silver so dangerously close to pounding her skull into paste. To her right, both Princess Celestia and Black Rose had blocked the thrusting spear of a golden armored alicorn, this one hardly any bigger than Princess Luna.
A second boom erupted from behind them. Fluttershy gasped, realizing that it came from where her friends were, but she didn't dare look away from the deadlock in front of her.
Then, with an angry grunt, Prince Terrato shoved the bigger alicorn back for several feet. The smaller one retreated and hovered next to its companion. "Not even a word of greeting, General Gravitas," Terrato said. "Royalty doesn't get you anywhere these days, it seems."
General Gravitas, the big one with the pillar as Fluttershy noted, wasn't looking at Prince Terrato when he replied. First, he turned towards the smaller alicorn. "Fulmen, join Ridentem and censure Princess Luna. Kill the mortals with her. I will deal with these ones." Fulmen, simply nodded and then winged his way towards where Princess Luna and the others were. Once he was alone, Gravitas turned his gaze, not on Prince Terrato, but Princess Celestia. "It was a sad time for the Herd when the fall of Lexarius was discovered. Sadder will it be when it becomes known that Princess Celestia has fallen further still." His deep voice went from a solemn monotone to an angry snarl. "How dare you show yourself to me while consorting with a vessel of the firstborn's power? You wretched little filly, forever shall his majesty be shamed for fathering two wicked children!"
"Open your eyes for once, brute!" Celestia retorted, her tone's sharpness easily rising to match Gravitas's fury. She gestured to Fluttershy with a foreleg. "This 'vessel' is called Fluttershy and she also happens to be the bearer of the Element of Kindness. Before you is proof of what the mortals truly are: potential for both good and evil bound together by a will that's free to choose! Destroying them is a mistake even a foal should be ashamed of making!"
Gravitas did pause and stare at Fluttershy intently. His ice-blue eyes narrowed as he did so. "It is true, the Element of Kindness does reside in this one," he said. He sounded calmer now, but his voice remained stony. "My duty is clear. The Elements of Harmony must be freed of their prisons and returned to the Herd."
Celestia's eyes widened for a second before narrowing into slits. Fluttershy could swear that she saw the princess flush in anger. "By my father upon the Throne, Gravitas! If you thought any less, you would drain the minds of those around you!"
Gravitas answered with a frontal charge, his weapons sweeping at them in a wide arc. Prince Terrato flew ahead to intercept the blow while Princess Celestia held Fluttershy in a telekinetic grip and flew out of the way. Black Rose had already circled behind Gravitas, her horn surrounded by both golden and black magical energy.
"Celestia!" Prince Terrato called out as he struggled against the enormous weapon. "Get her back to the rest of the Elements and help Luna with those two! Rose and I will take this one down!"
Princess Celestia didn't reply, but she was already swooping towards where Princess Luna and the others were. Her telekinetic grip disappeared as soon as Fluttershy began to flap her own wings. Below them, clouds of dust partly obscured the violence still playing out. She could hear the loud bang of metal hitting stone as well as an odd "HOOO HOOO HOO", as if somepony had stuck his head inside a metal barrel and was laughing and echoing inside it. Celestia landed just in time as Fulmen arrived and Ridentem moved to stand next to him.
Princess Luna had conjured a crescent-shaped blade of silvery radiance. She was panting and sweating, her eyes focused entirely on her enemy even as Celestia went to stand next to her. Twilight Sparkle's horn was glowing while Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash had their weapons drawn. Even Pinkie Pie was holding on to that piece of slate she was constantly carrying. All of them were covered with dust and snow and sported a few small cuts from flying stone shards on their faces and legs.
"Not even one enemy casualty," Fulmen remarked. Fluttershy shuddered at the calm tone. He spoke as if he was a parent coming home to find the chores not yet done. "I had expected you to perform better than Caro and Culmen, Ridentem."
"Apologies," Ridentem said with a chuckle. "They actually know how to assist each other and the tiny princess is surprisingly capable."
"No excuses." The broad-bladed spear whirled around Fulmen, golden arcs of electricity running up and down its length.
"I had expected Gravitas to find no more use for his head than a spot to hang a champron," Celestia said. "But I refuse to believe that all his troops are the same. Tell me honestly, Fulmen Lancea, will you kill these ponies solely because somepony told you to?"
Fluttershy glanced towards Celestia. She could understand at least trying to reason with these two, but it didn't make much to understand that they were not going to back away. The bigger one, Ridentem, bounced on his hooves, displaying a great deal of agility for somepony so huge and bedecked in armor. He was covered in thick, brass-colored plates, his face covered entirely by something that looked both like a champron and a mask. The eye holes were upturned and the mouthpiece was curved so that this monstrous alicorn looked as if he had a permanent, disturbingly jolly smile on his face.
It was the smaller alicorn, Fulmen, that Fluttershy really doubted would have any point to give other than the one the rest of his spear was attached to. Like his companion, Fulmen was so covered in his bronze-colored barding that it was impossible to see his face. Unlike Ridentem, his champron didn't seem to have any eye holes or a mouth piece. It looked as if his head was encased in a single piece of bronze plating, shaped to resembled a scowling pony head. His bright red mane, like a lighter-colored version of Terrato's deep red flames, blazed from the top of the helmet and down the back of his neck. Fulmen was small enough to stand completely under Ridentem's shadow, but he was the pony in front and, despite Ridentem's barely-contained excitement, the bigger alicorn didn't so much as put a hoof past Fulmen. There was an unyielding stance to the way Fulmen stood that was enough for Fluttershy to understand that they would have to destroy these two or let them do their jobs.
Ridentem raised his massive hammer, slowly whirling it above his head. When he took a step forward, however, Fulmen raised a hoof to block him. "You wish to hear my thoughts on this matter?" he asked. "I'm surprised. I had heard that Princess Celestia listened only to what she wanted to hear."
Princess Celestia's horn glowed and a blade of golden light began to materialize in front of her. She took no step forward however, and her face remained calm. "That was true," she said.
"Then let me make my stand in this clear." Fulmen pointed the tip of his spear at Fluttershy. She braced herself, fearing that those bolts of electricity might shoot out towards her. No lightning bolt came. "The mortals are and have always been only one thing: a problem. One that has been indulged rather than dealt with as any problem should be. This is not even unique in that regard. Your father, before his cycle, called for the closing of the void rifts when they first appeared, but some of the elders insisted on studying them. The problem grew as a result, but his gallantry ultimately saved us all. You are young, princess, which is why you speak and make stands as if these events are new and unique when, in reality, the same old truth is playing itself out yet again."
"And what truth is that?" Celestia asked. The sunlight blade she had been holding low now levitated right in front of her face.
"The politicians make the mess, the soldiers clean." Fulmen lowered his hoof and stepped forward. "Ridentem!" he barked.
"Are we done talking?" the other alicorn asked. His hammer whirled even faster to match the growing excitement in his voice.
"Yes. Let's solve this problem."
The hammer stopped whirling and the spear lowered to aim for a heart as both alicorns charged.