//------------------------------// // chapter 8 // Story: The Rising of the Brothers of Light and Dark // by Dark Dienen //------------------------------// Darkheart sat up, the rubble of what had once been a wall falling around him. ‘I’ll be feeling that later,’ he thought, shaking the bits of rubble from his head. He turned to glare at the Ursa as it strode towards him confidently. “You got lucky that time,” he said, “but don’t expect to do so again!” The Ursa’s grin seemed to widen a fraction. Darkheart tilted his head oddly at the action, but quickly shrugged it off. He had just hit a wall at an alarming speed and that was bound to make him not notice a few things. Without wasting a moment more, he lifted himself into the air with a great flap of his wings and launched himself at the Ursa with renewed vigor. The Ursa lumbered forward, delivering a heavy swipe towards the alicorn. He effortlessly dodged it with a bare adjustment to his wings. Darkheart traveled towards the Ursa, his speed increasing with each flap of his wings as he barreled towards his objective. As soon as he was within range, he folded his wings to his side becoming a living missile. Darkheart impacted the massive beast with a massive clap of sound, sending the Ursa staggering back a few steps. With a flap of his wings, Darkheart regained altitude as he recovered from the blow. “Not so tough now, are you?” he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. The Ursa turned to glare at the alicorn, before lifting its lips in a half-smile and snorting in reply. Seeing this, Darkheart’s wings faltered for a moment as his mind processed this information. He wanted to dispense of the idea and call himself ridiculous for even thinking it. Yet, this was Nightshade he was dealing with. His depravity, much like his ambition, knew no bounds. There were no depths he wouldn’t stoop to to accomplish his goals, even going as far as to go against the very idea of magic and robbing that what makes life sacred. Darkheart was brought out of his reflections by an angry growl. He would’ve berated himself for his carelessness had he the time. As it was, he barely had time to look up to see the blow that would strike him. He used the time he had to brace himself as best he could. Fortunately, he was saved the trouble by a golden aura enveloping the paw before it struck him. The held paw was flung to the side, the Ursa going along with it. As the Ursa landed with a heavy thud, the makeshift armor clanking and falling off in pieces. “Letting your guard down, brother,” Whitelight’s voice gently chided with traces of teasing lining it, “That’s a touch careless of you.” “Never mind that,” Darkheart snapped, pointing to the Ursa, “perform a scan on the Ursa. The one that searches for magical traces.” Whitelight shot a puzzled look towards his brother before he closed his eyes in concentration, his horn glowing in response. As moments passed, his face shifted from concentration to horror to righteous indignation. Upon seeing his brother’s eyes, Darkheart had his answer. “HAVE THEE NO SHAME NOR DECENCY, NIGHTSHADE?!” Darkheart shouted, his voice rivaling thunder, “IS NOTHING SACRED TO YOU?!” “When I fight,” the Ursa answered rising in Nightshade’s smug tone, its voice sounding much like rocks tumbling down a cliffside, “I fight to win.” Darkheart scowled at the insult, his hair bristling slightly in response. “White, can you dispel the magical binds that tie wills of the unicorns to the Ursa?” he asked in a hushed tone just low enough to be heard by his fellow alicorn. “Yes, but there are one hundred and seventy-eight magical streams attached to the Ursa’s aura,” Whitelight said, his voice managing to sound impressed in spite of the circumstances, “It will take time. Time we do not have, I’d like to add.” “Do it,” Darkheart said in a tone that brokered no argument, keeping his eyes on the beast as it was still gaining its footing, “I shall hold him.” “Darkheart…” “I shall hold him,” Darkheart stated in the same tone, his horn lighting in a violet aura that could rival the night sky. From the corner of his eye, he saw Whitelight open and close his mouth several times. It was as though he were mentally having every argument about how bad an idea this was, but unable to find another option. In truth, Darkheart was less than thrilled about this himself, but it was the only way. Where he was the strength, Whitelight was finesse, and the both of them knew it. Darkheart was brought out of his thoughts as a single hoof touched his wither. He glanced back, finding Whitelight giving him a sorrowful look that touched his own melancholy. “Be careful, brother,” Whitelight said, flying to a still standing portion of wall. Darkheart turned back to the now standing Ursa, his stance at the ready. Darkheart charged in for an aerial assault upon the Ursa, his horn lowering as he flew. With a flare of his horn and his magic, Darkheart conjured a battering ram in front of him and hit the possessed Ursa with enough force to shove it back a few feet. However, the Ursa managed to stand its ground, swatting a giant paw at the ram. Seeing this, Darkheart dispelled it and flew out of range of the attack. He darted back, coming just within range of the Ursa’s swipe before veering away from his paw. As he turned, he fired a magical salvo at the Ursa, causing it to falter as he rammed into it with his hooves. Unfortunately, the Ursa reacted more quickly than he had anticipated and smacked him with a paw. He was promptly rammed into a wall and pinned there, slowly but surely crushing him. As Darkheart struggled against the pressure, unable to gain proper leverage, he decided another tactic might be necessary. “What’s the matter, Nightshade? Too cowardly to finish me off yourself?” The Ursa chuckled, still applying pressure. “Do not take me for a fool. I am aware of what you are doing and it will not work. After I crush you, I fully intend on taking care of your white companion trying to sever the influence of our weapon.” Hearing that statement, the invisible barrier of Darkheart’s control snapped. He lit his horn with every ounce of available magic he could gather in a second, almost splitting his horn in two. “No,” he answered in a cold tone, “you won’t!” With that, he fired his salvo point-blank range at the Ursa’s muzzle, freeing himself from the paw. His vision started to alter, but he failed to notice it. All that mattered was stopping that Ursa before it would hurt anything else. Arcane winced in pain, a forehoof going to his horn. “Codger, you alright?” Twister asked, shifting herself slightly to look at the elderly unicorn. “I felt a shift in the magical field,” he answered, rubbing his horn, “as though a great dam of power had been unleashed.” “Is that a good thing?” Twister asked uncertainly. “I am uncertain,” Arcane answered, his tone shaky, “it felt...corrupted. And for me to feel it as I did, I am certain a great many unicorns present did as well.” The thing that alarmed Rune the most about that was the tone of Arcane’s voice. If there had been one thing he could count on from Arcane, it was his stoicism under fire. In that moment, he sounded almost afraid. That did more to shake Rune than anything else. “Think it could be Nightshade?” Twister asked. “I....do not know,” Arcane stated, “what I do know is that anything with that power, we should be wary of.” Rune silently gulped, fearful of anything on the receiving end of that power. Darkheart lashed out with one magical assault after another. As soon as one had been charged and released, another was sent hurdling after it like stars in a meteor shower. With every strike he placed, it still would never be enough. They needed to be stopped, they needed to be punished, they deserved… Stop. Darkheart blinked, finding himself somewhere that seemed both strange and familiar at the same time. There he spotted the figure of a horned, winged pony. Although his features were hazy, Darkheart knew that he was the focus of the pony’s attention. This is not the way, Darkheart heard, knowing the larger pony had said it. It is what must be done, a new voice answered, causing Darkheart to turn to face the source of the new voice. He was faced with a dark figure, whose coat was ink black and whose eyes glowed red. He must face justice! Justice can only be claimed when it is tempered with mercy, the first figure replied. Would they show mercy? Would they be so willing to stay their hooves? They must be stopped! And when does the bloodshed cease? How many must perish at the sword before peace can be restored? As many as needed, the second figure answered coldly. That is not for you nor I to decide, the shadowed pony answered, turning its attention once again to Darkheart. Darkheart became silent, the slight tingling of power residing in him. He knew this was a mere fraction of what was available and what he could do were he to have access to all of it. With but one word, it would be his to command. However, Whitelight appeared in the forefront of his mind. Whenever Darkheart saw his brother he had a smile on his face, seemingly making the days brighter just by being present. As he pictured how easy things would be if he accepted the mantle of power, one single thought stood above the rest: ‘Would it be worth it?’ He had his answer before the question was ever asked. Darkheart found himself back in the fortress once more. The Ursa laid sprawled in front of him, trying to raise himself onto his paws. He spared a glance towards his horn, finding the aura had darkened to a darker shade of violet. With a sigh, he snuffed the power from his horn and turned his eyes towards the wall his brother was placed. “How close?” Whitelight’s answer came in the form of his magical aura intensifying with brightness. “Almost there,” he answered strainingly. “This is not over,” the Ursa stated, attempting to rise from the rubble it had been placed along, “Hear my words, this is far from over.” Darkheart felt more than he saw of the magical release of his brother. It was immensive, as though a dam had just been released, yet as calming as a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. Darkheart shook ruefully as Whitelight greedily gulped for air. “It’s finished,” Whitelight said between gulps of air. Darkheart nodded in understanding, flying to be alongside his sibling. He leaned in so Whitelight could use his body for support. Even though Whitelight could possibly do so much more with his magic, it had been a good many years since he had strained himself in that manner. Whitelight smiled appreciatively at Darkheart and placed a wing on his withers for support. They heard Nightshade’s amplified laughter coming from the tower. “YOU THINK THIS WAS MY ENDGAME?! YOU THINK IT MATTERS THAT THE BEAST IS FREE?! IF IT CAN’T SERVE MY PURPOSES UNDER MY INFLUENCES, THEN IT SHALL SERVE THEM WITHOUT IT!” The Ursa shook its head back and forth, as though its vision were clearing for the first time. He looked at the alicorns with confusion in its eyes. “There’s no need to fear us,” Whitelight said, his voice calming, “You are now free.” The Ursa narrowed his eyes at the two alicorns and let loose a bellow that shook the fortress. Darkheart and Whitelight folded their ears against their heads to protect themselves from the onslaught of sound. Darkheart opened his eyes just in time to witness a massive paw as it came crashing down upon them. He didn’t remember the flight through the air, but he did feel the crash of the impact. The first thought to jump into his mind was the state of his brother. Frantically, he looked about, finding Whitelight laid four hooves away. He seemed a bit scuffed up from the fall but was otherwise unharmed. Darkheart breathed a sigh of relief as he checked his own health. His right wing was a bit sore and would keep him grounded for the immediate future, but otherwise he was intact. Those thoughts were put on hold as he heard another bellow from the fortress as the Ursa Major was further collapsing the wall that stood between him and the alicorns. “I was afraid of that,” Whitelight muttered, rubbing his forehead at the base of his horn, “The Ursa had been under their influence so long, his mind is feral.” Darkheart looked upon the fortress as the Ursa glared upon them with hate filled eyes. He turned his eyes to what lied beyond them and saw masses of ponies upon a hilltop witnessing the scene with varying degrees of worry. He then looked upon his brother, seeing him wearied and barely able to stand. “We have to end this.” Whitelight looked upon his brother with shock. “You don’t mean…” “Yes, I do,” Darkheart interrupted, not wishing for Whitelight to finish that statement, “Brother, look at us: My wing is injured and can’t be used and I dare not use any magic, even if it could help. You can’t even stand unaided and none of the ponies up there are experienced to do what is required to salvage the beast’s mind.” Whitelight’s expression became pained as he silently pleaded with Darkheart. “As it is, that beast knows only rage and seeks only oblivion. We are the only beings on this plane who can grant it peace and keep it from hurting anyone else.” He turned to face the ground, unable to look his brother in the eye. “I do not like it any more than you do, but we have no other choice. If it makes you feel better, you can blame me for this, but we have to do this.” He felt a feathery appendage touch his withers as he turned to face the smiling tearful face of his brother. “This error belongs to both of us,” he said, his voice quiet and serene in spite of the circumstance, “We’ll both shoulder the blame for this.” Darkheart favored his brother with a small smile before the sounds of the wall crumbling brought them from their moment. “We best act with haste, Dark.” Darkheart answered with a curt nod as he closed his eyes to focus. “Hey, what’s happening?” Twister asked as the area around the pair of alicorns was engulfed in light. “To be honest, I’m not certain,” Arcane answered, “I’ve never seen nor read of anything like this.” Rune watched silently, wondering what was going to happen. The light slowly dissipated as the two beings turned into two balls of energy, one white and the other black. They floated into the air as they merged into one. What emerged from the combining of the energies was a single being. The best term to describe him was unique: he had two coat colors, separated down the middle. Upon his right side, he was black and on his left he was white. His mane and tail were billowing like grey fog. However, the strangest feature about him were his wings. He had six of them and they were white upon his right side and black on his left side. “Creature,” said the being in a voice that could shake the earth and calm the seas with but a single syllable, “I have no wish to harm you, but I shall not stand idly by whilst thy tear the world asunder. Leave now and thou shalt be spared.” The Ursa roared at the being and charged for it, heedless of the consequences. “If that is how it must be, then so be it. May thee find the peace denied to thee in life.” With that, a massive ball of white and black swirling energy amassed on the tip of his horn and he shot it at the Ursa. It pierced the Ursa, through hide, hair, muscle and bone. The beast’s momentum slowed, eventually he skidded to a halt as his body dragged along the ground. The beast’s eyes fluttered closed as he went still. The being turned his attention to the ponies, who were all standing wide eyed in shock save for Twister who also had her jaw slack as well. His eyes peered at the ponies, like two stars of darkness and light as they flickered slightly. Just as he had turned, he became a ball of energy once more that split into two as it landed in front of the ponies. Rune saw the energies take the forms of the alicorns he had seen earlier, although more bruised and beaten than they were earlier. The darker of the two seemed worse for wear while the lighter only seemed exhausted. “Okay, wow!” Twister said, still slackjawed, “Just...WOW!” Darkheart gave a smirk. “Commander Twister rendered speechless? That has to be some kind of record.” As he finished that, the two of them were slowly becoming encased inside something resembling crystal. “Are you two alright?” Rune asked, becoming worried. “Fine...exhausted…” Darkheart replied, losing himself in unconsciousness. “Forgive us,” Whitelight said, barely able to keep his eyes open, “it has been some time since we exerted ourselves in this manner. We shall be fine after a respite. In the meantime, you have other matters to attend to.” With that, the two were engulfed in a mass of crystal. “Wh..what just happened?” Twister asked, as though she seemed uncertain of speaking. “I might be mistaken, but I believe that to be a form of defense to protect them from harm, much like a turtle with its shell,” Arcane stated, seemingly a bit shocked from what had occurred. “Pardon me, sir,” Glaive stated meekly, “but isn’t it tortoise?” “Never mind that,” Rune stated, “like the pony said, we have other matters attend to. Glaive, you and I…” “Nope!” Twister said, turning her fiery red eyes into his green ones, “You came from battling an Ursa about ten minutes ago. While most of your injuries might have been healed, that ali-whatchamacallit said nothing about restoring your energy. Now, Arcane is going to take you to the medics, you are going to get yourself some rest, and you are not going to give anyone any trouble about it!” Rune briefly thought about arguing, but the look in her eyes convinced him otherwise. It seemed to be genuine worry coupled with raging fury. It told him that he was going to do as she said, whether he complied with it or not. It was made worse when she leaned in, their noses touching as her eyes bored into his. “Am I making myself clear, General?” she asked, her voice eerily calm. “Yes, ma’am,” he squeaked. “Good,” she said, shifting her gaze to the troops behind them, “Pegasi and unicorns, create a perimeter around the fortress. Anything coming out of it, give it one chance to surrender! If it doesn’t take it, kill it! Everyone else with me, we search that fortress from top to bottom! Leave no stone unturned! Arcane, take Rune to the medics and help secure the perimeter!” With that, the various ponies began to bustle about following her commands. As Arcane went to support Rune, he leaned closer to the unicorn. “Arcane, there’s times when that mare scares me,” he whispered. Arcane glanced about quickly before replying in the same hushed whisper. “I’m certain that just about every stallion here will agree with you on that observation.”