The Price of Harmony Ch18

Chapter 18
Aftermath

                With the eternally stationary sun still resembling dusk, Star Bolt and Niether sat around a campfire just outside of the remains of a still standing building. As they sat there with nothing short of depressed looks on their faces, Applejack came out of the building as she helped Roseluck over to Niether’s side, “Now you just rest up Rose. That busted up leg of yours won’t heal if ya keep strainin’ it.”
Roseluck sat down and looked at the cast on her front left hoof as she smiled, “Thanks Applejack. Sorry I can’t help you three inside. I wish I could be more helpful.”
Applejack shook her head, “It’s alright… Rarity Zecora and I got things covered inside, so you just focus on restin’ up.”
All of a sudden, Rarity stood at the doorway as she called to Applejack, “We need more bandages! Applejack, could you be a dear and find some for us?”
Applejack nodded her head and replied, “Alright I'll be right back!”

                 As Applejack rushed off, Star Bolt looked at Roseluck and asked, “So… how are they?”
Roseluck looked down in depression as she replied, “Fluttershy is awake, but she is in a lot of pain. And Pinkie… hasn’t even woken up yet. All I can say is that it doesn’t look good… for either one of them.”
Star Bolt nodded his head, “I understand… I’ve seen bigger and stronger soldiers take much smaller hits then that and die on the spot. I'll say this though; they are determined to stay alive. What about the princess?”
Roseluck replied, “I don’t know… they were working on her as I left. I can only imagine the pain she is fee…”
Just then, Rainbow Dash landed next to the fire with Spitfire on her back. As soon as she laid Spitfire on the ground, Niether rushed to her side, “Spitfire! Is she alright?”
Rainbow Dash replied, “Well… she isn’t wounded… but…”
As Star Bolt approached Spitfire as she sat up and continued staring at the ground with an expression of sheer terror. As Star Bolt looked at her face he spoke, “Spitfire?... Spitfire?... Spitfire!?!”

                 After emphasizing her name, Spitfire shifted her eyes to Star Bolt but her fear riddled expression stayed the same as Niether looked at Rainbow Dash, “Were there any others?”
Rainbow Dash shook her head with disappointment, “No… I combed the entire city but she was the only one I could fi…”
“Dead...”
When she was interrupted, Rainbow Dash stopped talking as everypony’s attention went to the traumatized pony as she continued, “They’re… Dead… all of them… Dead… I… I saw it happened as I tried to get away… he… he turned them into sand… he destroyed them before they had a chance to flee… all of them… dead…”
Star Bolt looked at Rainbow Dash and asked, “Was she like this when you found her?”
Rainbow Dash nodded her head, “Yea… she was trapped in a collapsed building. Luckily the back corner of the place held out long enough for me to get her out.”

                 Spitfire continued, “Dead… Soarin… Cloud Chaser… Sky Stream… all of them… none managed to get away… I… I’m the last…”
Star Bolt sighed, “Post traumatic stress… it very common when a pony experienced battle for the first time… especially when she’s as close to the center as she was.”
Rainbow Dash asked, “Well… how do we treat her?”
Star Bolt replied, “We don’t… it’s along the lined of having a terrifying nightmare and being on edge for a while. All we can do is let her rest and hope it didn’t dig too deep into her subconscious.”
Rainbow Dash looked at the traumatized expression on her face as she replied, “But… what if it did?”
Star Bolt trotted back to where he was sitting then sat down as he replied, “Then she will never be the same… either she will be like this forever… or she will be too afraid to do things she used to.”
Rainbow Dash looked back at Spitfire as she sighed in worry, “Captain… it’s ok… your safe he…”
“No… nopony is safe… his sand will seek you out in buildings… his spikes will catch you without mercy… he will devour all…”

                 As Spitfire went silent, Applejack galloped to the group carrying a bunch of bandages she had gathered from a destroyed hospital. As she approached the group, she saw Rainbow Dash and spoke, “Oh… I didn’t know you were back Rainbow Dash… did ya find any other survivors?”
Rainbow Dash shook her head as she pointed out Spitfire, “No… just her… She isn’t wounded… but she’s still in bad shape.”
Applejack nodded her head, “Oh… well if she wants to get looked at too, then she should come inside with us. But I hope she doesn’t mind if we tend to Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy first. They aren’t doin’ so well.”
Spitfire didn’t acknowledge them as Star Bolt answered for her, “No… she’ll be fine right here with us… it will be better that she doesn’t see the others anyway… it could worsen her own condition, if she knew fully what the dark alicorn could do…”
Applejack nodded her head as she trotted back inside and replied, “Well... All right then. If ya need us, we will be in here. Once we finish we will come back out.”

                 A few hours later, as things seemed to calm down inside the Building that housed the wounded; Princess Twilight exited the building with her torso covered in bandages while Rarity helped her. As soon as Princess Twilight sat down next to the fire, she looked at Rarity and smiled, “Thanks… I'll be fine from here.”
Rarity, nodded her head, “Just remember not to strain yourself darling. I know you want to see how everypony else is doing but you have lost a lot of blood, and you’re lucky to still be alive.”
Twilight nodded her head as she replied, “I… well, I think that Princess Celestia would want me to check up on everypony if something happened to them so, that’s what I’m going to do… If Zecora still needs your help then feel free to go back inside, Niether and Star can help me if I need anything.”
Rarity nodded her head as she went back inside, then Star Bolt spoke, “It’s good to see you out and about princess. Ho…”
“Star… could you not call me princess? While Zecora was working on me, my mind started to go over what the dark alicorn told me… and… I think he is right.”
“…What!?!”

                 Princess Twilight lowered her head in depression as she continued, “Well… Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are… were immortal royal alicorn… and Princess Cadence was born an alicorn… but I… I became one only because I studied magic for most of my life. Maybe I don’t dese….”
“Shut up!”
Princess Twilight was surprised by Rainbow Dash’s remark as she continued, “Twilight… you worked your body to the bones to get where you are now with magic. So what if you didn’t have wings at birth… BIG DEAL! If I were to wake up one day with a horn… would you look at me any different? No! Since when are we going to agree with what that monster says anyway? In my eyes, he isn’t even a pony so he has no room to claim his position over anypony, pegasus, alicorn or any other. You’re our friend Twilight… and in our eyes, you’re a princess.”
Without saying anything, Twilight looked at Star Bolt who only smiled and nodded his head in agreement with Rainbow Dash’s words, then she looked back at the ground and smiled with tears of happiness, “Thank you… I’m… I’m happy to have friends like you, to help me through these hard ti…”

                 Before Princess Twilight could finish her words, a small cloud of magic flew in from nowhere and turned into a scroll that appeared right in front of her face. As soon as Rainbow Dash saw it, she asked, “A letter from Spike?”
Princess Twilight used her magic to unroll the letter and raise it up so Rainbow Dash and her could read it silently to themselves. As they both finished it, Princess Twilight’s magic that held up the letter faded causing it to fall to the ground as she sat there with nothing but a shocked expression on her face, “S-Spike…”
Rainbow Dash sat down as she started talking with distress, “But… it can’t be… it just can’t… m-maybe it’s a mistake…”
Twilight lowered her head as tears started to pure down her face, “It isn’t… Spike wouldn’t make a mistake like this… he wouldn’t even joke about something like this…”
After waiting a few more seconds for Twilight to explain what the letter said, Star Bolt grew impatient as he picked up the scroll and laid it out so he, Niether, and Roseluck could read it too. It said:

Dear Princess Celestia

                 I don’t know how to say this but I'll just say it straight out… WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!! When we noticed, the sun didn’t set this evening we knew something was wrong… but not long after a large black cloud flew overhead and covered the sun. At first, we thought it was normal, so a bunch of weather pegasi went up to move it… but none of them returned. All we could hear were screams overhead; before long wavy vines shot down and started attacking everypony in town. Luckily, Big Mac, The Cutiemark crusaders, and a few other residence barricaded us in the library… but as I’m writing this, we can hear the loud banging; it’s the cloud trying to get inside. I think Princess Twilight had a spell on the building from a thunderstorm that is holding him back for now… but I don’t think it will last much longer. So I’m writing this to tell everypony there; DON’T COME AFTER US!!!

                 I don’t know what this thing is, but even if I did… I don’t think you could make it here in time to help. I wanted to tell Princess Twilight that I have always enjoyed my time as her assistant, and to tell Rarity that, well… I wish thing could have been different. Apple Bloom and Big Mac want to tell Applejack that they have faith in their sister. Sweetie Belle wanted to say she had faith in both Rarity and Star Bolt. And Scootaloo says that Rainbow Dash can take this thing down without a problem so she isn’t worried. I want to say that all of us who are here right now have faith in Princess Twilight and her friends, and we all know that no matter what, you can beat this thing, hooves down. I want to repeat myself since I’m sure, some of you are rearing up to come and save us… but DON’T! The barrier just now broke and we can see, what looks like sand seeping in the crack under the door. We wish you luck and know that you will win against this thing, but for us in Ponyville, there is no hope.

Sincerely yours,
Spike, and the rest of Ponyville

Star Bolt sat back depressed as he spoke, “Princess Celestia… he didn’t even know that we were already hit…”
Roseluck started to cry as she buried her muzzle into Niether’s neck, “Daisy, Lily, Carrot Top, June Bug, they’re all gone…”
Niether consoled her as he looked at Star Bolt, “It’s been about nine hours since he left here. Ponyville is about three hour away by flight… meaning…”
Star Bolt sighed, “He stopped at every town between here and Ponyville…”
Rainbow Dash’s expression went from shocked to worried as she immediately took to the sky and flew as high as she could. Then she slowly glided back down and landed next to the fire as tears started to roll down her face, “Cloudsdale… it’s gone… the city… is… is on the ground in ruins…”
as the group went quiet, Spitfire spoke in her trauma, “He… he will continue… he will finish everypony off… until… until we are extinct.”

                 Niether looked at Star Bolt and asked, “Any ideas commander? You faced him and many other challenges before… any plans?”
Star Bolt sighed as he stood up, “Not a single one… something like this… I haven’t the slightest clue. It’s getting a little late… I had better go see if I can find us some food or something. Maybe a walk will help me think.”
As Star Bolt went into the ruins of Canterlot, he started thinking about everything that had happened, before, during, and after the disaster. He tried thinking of everything he could do to help, but no matter what he thought of, he had no leads on how to fight Osiris. As Star Bolt continued trotting, he managed to find a saddlebag, a few stocks of vegetables and some hey that survived the fall. Then just as he started picking some wild onions that were growing in the riverbed, something caught his eye as it shined in the bottom of the flowing stream. Star Bolt reached into the water, he found out that it was Luna’s crown, and next to it, the other two crowns, Celestia’s and Cadences. Looking around a little more, and he even managed to find Shinning Armor’s sword hilt.

                 After retrieving all of the artifacts belonging to the fallen prince and princesses, Star Bolt put them all in his saddlebag as he held Princess Luna’s crown in his hooves, “Luna… I… I never even got the chance. I never got to tell you that… I love you…”
Siting on the riverbed with her crown in his hooves, Star Bolt held it close to him as he sighed, “If only things could have been better. If only… he could be hurt, by magic, the elements, or even the Lightning Or…”
just then Star Bolt thought about something, “Wait… Weapons phased through him… he could reflect magic… but… the Lightning Orb and The Elements of Harmony actually touched him… and when I used the lighting orb the second time… he actually… THAT’S IT!!!”
Star Bolt quickly threw Princess Luna’s crown into the saddlebag as he stood up and started sprinting back to the camp as fast as he could.

                 As Star Bolt arrived back where the others were, he saw Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Niether, Roseluck, Spitfire, Rarity, Applejack and sitting around the fire with expressions that showed they all know about Ponyville. Star Bolt quickly approached them as he spoke up, “I know how to defeat The Dark Alicorn!”
Everypony looked directly at him as he continued, “When you used The Elements of Harmony against him it didn’t work right? It only threw him into a wall. And when I used the Lightning Orb against him, it did affect him but only by surprising him. But maybe the elements aren’t meant to defeat him… maybe they are only meant to subdue him… you know weaken him enough to defeat. The second time I used the Lightning Orb against him he cringed. That means he felt it!”
Twilight tried to speak, “Yea but…”
“If we find some way to hit him with The Elements of Harmony and hit him with the Lightning Orb at the same time… maybe we can find a way to defeat him.”
Applejack tried to speak, “Good plan, bu…”

                 Star Bolt in his fit of excitement continued, “The best way to do this would be to hit him where it hurts. Niether! You know how to get to Eden right?”
Niether replied, “Well yea, but we…”
“Perfect! Once we are in Eden we can challenge him to a fight and face him all at once. His ego will allow us to get the chance to do that much.”
Rarity tried to speak next, “Commander Pi…”
Star Bolt interrupted again, “I know that Ponyville is a great loss… but I bet with this plan we can at least…”
“STAR BOLT!!!”
Star Bolt finally stopped talking as he looked at Princess Twilight after her call, “It’s a great plan… and we are all for it… but… We can’t use the elements.”

                 Star Bolt chucked at the remark, as he replied, “What do you meant you can’t use the elements… of course you can. I’ve seen you use them before.”
Rarity spoke next, “You’re right about that Mr. Bolt… but now…”
Star Bolt looked at the depressed expressions on the groups faces as, Zecora stepped forward, “So sorry to be such bearer of bad news, but with a strategy like that, we are sure to lose. I did all I could, but I’m sorry to say… that Pinkie and Fluttershy… have both passed away.”
Star Bolt was shocked, “What?...”
Applejack stepped forward, “The metal shards in their bodies dug too deeply for us to save them. We did all we could, but… Pinkie Pie passed about five minutes ago… and Fluttershy… Just now. Even the two element they were wearin’ were damaged and stopped glowin’. There’s no magic in them anymore.”

                 As Star Bolt sat down trying to absorb this new information, Rainbow Dash spoke up, “So… how do we defeat him without all six elements?”
Star Bolt sighed, “We don’t…”
Rainbow Dash looked at Star Bolt as she continued, “But a few minutes ago you said…”
“I know what I said! But… without all six elements… my plan is completely useless. We have no hope in defeating him now…”
“So you’re going to just give up! Just like that!?!”
Star Bolt sighed as he stood up, “No… I’m not. Niether! I know every country in the world and every route to take in each. Now tell me… How do I get to Eden?”
Everypony gave him a surprised look as Roseluck replied, “You’re still going to go?”
Star Bolt nodded his head, “Twice now, I’ve seen my world come crashing down in ruins. The second time literally. Nevertheless, I survived them both… I’m not going to give that… Thing… the satisfaction of taking my life from me while I hide or run in fear. I’m going to face him head on… and if I die, so be it!”

                 Niether stood up, “Well you won’t face him alone! I’m going too.”
Star Bolt shook his head, “No you’re not… you’re going to stay here and take care of Roseluck… Luna died before I could tell her I loved her. Even if she knew, it doesn’t change the fact that I never said it to her face… I have to live with that regret for the rest of my life, but I won’t let you bear that feeling too.”
Spitfire stood up, “I’LL GO!!!”
With a surprised expression on everyponies’ faces, Spitfire trotted up to Star Bolt and continued, “Everypony I cared about, to include my Wonderbolts are all gone! I have nothing left to fight for… so… I’m going to fight for you! You saved my life a while back, so I’m going to return the favor. Am I scared? You bet, but I won’t let him finish me off while I’m grounded. Therefore, I'll follow your lead commander! Once a Wonderbolt, always a Wonderbolt.

                 Star Bolt smiled as Applejack stood up, “I’m goin’ to! Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom are gone, but I ain’t gonna let that monster get away with it. So I'll follow your lead too Commander.”
Rainbow Dash smiled confidently, “You did manage to hold your own going one on one with that alicorn… so I guess I'll lend a helping hoof too. Especially since Cloudsdale will also need to be avenged. And I’m never one to trot away from a challenge.”
Rarity nodded her head, “Spikey Wikey and Sweetie Belle said it themselves that they had confidence in us… so I’m going too. It’s time to teach that dreadful creature some manners.”
Zecora stepped forward and spoke, “If I have to fight, then for my friends I'll do. So ready yourself Star, because I will go too.”
Finally, Twilight stood up and began trotting towards Star Bolt as she spoke, “I think I know why Princess Celestia likes you so much. Even when things seem their worst, you will say or do something truly amazing that will motivate others to follow you. I know I’m not much of a princess, but if you will have me, then I'll go and fight alongside you. I think that’s what Princess Celestia would want.”

                 Star Bolt looked at the group and added, “You know it’s gonna be dangerous…”
Applejack replied, “We know.”
“We are going in without a plan.”
Rainbow Dash replied, “Plans are overrated anyway.”
“The chance of us winning is at least a million to one.”
Twilight smiled, “Then that means there is still a chance.”
Star Bolt smiled as he looked back a Niether and replied, “Looks like it’s settled then, we will all go to Eden, and show him that we may not be immortal, but we will fight as if we were.”

                 Niether looked at Roseluck as she nodded her head, “With my leg like this I can’t go… but, you should at least tell them how to get there… it would be better this way.”
Niether nodded his head as he looked back at Star Bolt, “Alright… The fastest way to Eden would be to take the Arion Pass through the Gorgon Mountains.”
The Gorgon Mountains? That’s on the other side of the Griffin Kingdoms.”
“Yes… and not too far from the gates of Tartarus too. Nevertheless, once you get there you should see a dark trench that runs along a massive mountain. In that trench is where you should find the entrance to Eden. It will be covered in mists.”
Star Bolt took a sheet of paper from the saddlebag and wrote down the instructions, “Got it.”

                 After he wrote down the instructions, Princess Twilight asked, “Alright so we should probably get ready fo…”
Before Princess Twilight could continue, the area around them turned dark as the sun slowly set behind the horizon. As the ponies looked at the setting sun, Rainbow Dash spoke, “What the? I thought that Princess Celestia was the only pony who could raise and lower the sun.”
Princess Twilight thought to herself for a few seconds, “I wonder who… wait… do you think the Dark Alicorn would raise and lower the sun?”
Star Bolt replied, “He said something about being the top scientist in Eden… maybe he still relies on the day and night like everypony else. If so then that means we can actually rest easy at night… although we should still take in consideration that he may still attack though, even at night.”
Niether looked at Star Bolt with curiosity, “Commander? You say he told you that he was a scientist in Eden?”
Star Bolt nodded his head, “Yea… those were his words exactly. Why?”

                 Niether thought to himself then replied, “Hmm… no, just a coincidence. Never mind.”
Star Bolt looked at Niether with confusion before continuing. “Oh… By the way, do you know if there was any leads as to who my parents were? The dark alicorn said something about me having a strong heritage, and being the son of The Cutters.”
Niether shook his head, “The Cutters? Hmm… sorry to say, but there is no records of who your parents were. Even today, that remains a mystery. The closest thing to a clue that anypony has ever dug up was a rumor that you were the son of the god of war. But that was just a statement made my Commander Orem after the Nightmare Crusade.”
Spitfire asked, “Commander Orem? You mean he’s that old?”
“That old?”
Spitfire continued, “Commander Thor Orem was the griffin who warned us about The Dark Alicorn’s escape.”
Niether smiled, “Oh… no, no, Commander Alfarinn Orem. He was the griffin commander over a thousand years ago. Hmm… I wonder if there’s any relation.”

                 Before the subject could stray further from his original question, Star Bolt continued, “Well… whatever he meant, it doesn’t matter anymore. The only pony I know from the cutters to have foals was Serenity Mist, AKA Blade. But then again I never had the pleasure of meeting The Reaper. Oh well it doesn’t matter now anyway.”
Princess Twilight looked into the sky as the moon slowly rose, “Well what do you say commander? Should we search for supplies? They may help us when we leave here.”
Star Bolt nodded his head, “Good idea, Everypony split up, gather what can help, preferably food, water, and medical supplies. A rope and axe may come in handy too.”
Applejack thought to herself, “If I didn’t know any better… I'd say you’re enjoying this.”
Star Bolt smiled, “Well I was a wanderer for two years… maybe I’m just used to this kind of lifestyle.”
The group then split up and started gathering supplies for the next day’s quest.

                 As the sun rose the next morning, Star Bolt spent the entire morning on the highest hill in the valley putting something together as Princess Twilight approached the hill, “Um commander we… oh…”
Princess Twilight was surprised to find six graves at the top of the hill. Each one was marked with something that belonged to the ponies buried there. One had the shattered element of laughter, the next the cracked element of kindness, then the broken sword of the Crystal Empire, next to that, the Crown of the Crystal Princess, and finally on the end, The crown of Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. After positioning Princess Luna’s crown perfectly on the grave, Star Bolt took a step back, “I… I had to do something for them… they gave their lives trying to stop this monster.”
Princess Twilight approached the center of the area and bowed in respect to all of the graves as she replied, “I know they would be happy to know you cared so much.”
Star Bolt smiled, “The last time I did something like this, it was for my commander.”
Twilight asked, “Commander Mist right?... I read about him, some say that the Mist and the Sparkle family had some relation… who knows you could be my ancestral uncle or something.”

                 As Twilight tried to make him laugh despite their dark setting, Star Bolt couldn’t help but smile, “Funny… I was called an uncle once back then too…”
Twilight noticed a tear rolling down Star Bolt’s face as she tried to change the subject, “Um… Commander? Everypony is ready to go. I only came up here to see if you were ready too.”
Star Bolt smiled, “Yea… one second.”
Star Bolt sat down his saddlebag and pulled out his old cloak as he unlatched the royal guard armor he was wearing and tossed it aside. After putting on the cloak and putting his sword halter back on, he smiled, “So… how do I look?”
Twilight smiled, “Like the old wanderer who stumbled into Ponyville a few months ago.”
Star Bolt smiled, “Funny… I feel like I did back then… only this time. I’m not running.”