Dear reader! Whether you are new here, archive-reading and whatnot, or you are already someone who has been with us for quite a while, I would like to say a few words that I believe are best kept close to mind.
-This is an MLP quest. And more importantly, none of us are gratuitously cruel. So good things will happen on this quest, and I hope that enough good things have already happened to prove that.
-This is also a horror quest, so bad things will happen. Bad things might happen to good characters if you are not able to protect them, and you most certainly will not be able to intervene if you lack the tools to do so.
-And finally, this is a quest in which you jostle with powers greater than yourself, with all that it entails.
Please, do keep those things in mind as you go forward. But ultimately, this is also a quest in which it is hoped we all have fun! So if any of the above points is not exactly your cup of tea, or somehow make the experience as a whole "not worth it", then this quest might not be for you. Which is fine! Individual tastes are a thing, so don't think any more about it if you don't want to read anymore. And regardless, I hope you have a lovely day!
Readers should take their own mental health into consideration when voting and not subject themselves to triggering narrative elements like rape or constant mental torture of a friend just for the Greatest Good of a world that doesn't exist.
If those are fine for you or Regrettable is even more triggering, then GREAT! More power to you. But you aren't a bad or selfish person for picking the option that keeps the characters you've emotionally connected with safe. [REDACTED for spoiler warning]
This is a high intensity quest that doesn't hold back when it comes to horror and negative consequences. Take care of yourself.
Also, a thought occurred. Bird—as The Baldomare—mentioned a "her" that could teach us how to hide from the Master. On the one hand, the Vagabond is possible, though I'm not sure they would be in the Mansus. There is, however, another "her" we've theorized we might run into higher in the Mansus, who would almost certainly be capable of hiding from the Master. Her senses are, after all, quite keen.
Yes, though in the game at least you don't reach it just by climbing the Mansus the usual way. The Peacock Door is the highest you can go normally, and opening the Tricuspid gate requires a ritual. Or something, it is, as ever, not entirely clear.
I wonder if we might have climbed more if the masters orders were different.?
Usually were ordered to do things in the real, not the Mansus after all.
Perhaps things would have been better if they had been even more hands off? Push us to find our own paths and methods to solving problems while providing knowledge and direction occasionally?
Or been more direct and hands on? We spent a lot of time doing damage control for our fellow cultists. Jade whistle, comet feet, Starry.
Spent a lot of time talking to the family. A hell of a lot. I'm glad of it.
Reading instead of exploring the mansus. Looking for books instead of exploring the mansus. Not that we havent had great success there.
Failed rituals...
I'm up for hitting the mansus more, but... hm.
Asking Jade or Rarity to explore when they are leveled up and free could be juicy. They are weaker but the woods should be safe enough.
Sometimes I wonder how things would have gone if we didn't take the "married" malus. it has enriched the story in many ways, being both blessing and curse... but it also took at least as many actions as our actual mansus efforts, if not more.
...Also it stopped us from seducing Rarity or Comet Feet, which is obviously bad. And I can't even be mad at Stormchaser and Silky for it!
About the "looking for books instead of mansus", that's a bit unfair. We mostly searched for books with servant actions, and those don't really count.
And the books had the advantage of raising both our lores AND the cult's, while the Mansus only helps US.
...honestly, with us having been learning under the master for more than 10 years, I'm a bit annoyed that Velvet didn't just... basically know EVERYTHING about the woods by then.
…So if I'm understanding this process right, it seems like Velvet could, if we rolled really well on locations, crash all the way to the peacock door? If the first climbing action immediately finds and crosses the Spider Door, then we run into a two—or three, if we throw all five actions at just scaling—part area minimum, and then the last one finds the next door? I think that follows the process correctly.
Man, imagine the Master's face if they decide Glory isn't a viable solution, then one turn later we tell them that we've passed the Peacock Door. Not that we would get to see it, but still.
That's my hope, really. Yes, with 5 actions we COULD, in theory, actually reach to the next NEXT door. It probably won't happen, but it could.
More likely, what will happen is
1)2-3 points on shattered stairways (I'm still not certain if, to FIND and explore a 2 point area we need 2 or 3 points. As in, if we spend a point JUST to find an area, without making progress on it)
2)1 point for the door at least. Maybe more if we fail to understand the door, I'm sure we'd never consider crossing it without understanding it.
3)remaining points on whatever is beyond the door. If we get hurt and still have points we'd move back to a lower area, either Blank Plains/Orchard, or the Woods.
We kinda need to become Long in a way that leaves us free of acting in the Wake (so not Lantern long, for example, or any long that gives up their body in the ascension) AND one that leaves us with a body that can at least LOOK like a normal mare, and not a monster (so, for example, not Carapace Cross, and maybe also not Forge or Grail Longs, I think they look distinctly unnatural, though maybe we could fake normality with raw weight of lores like Moth or Forge, or make an artifact/ritual for it...).
...and this is assuming we need to become Long before becoming "more". Beyond the Tricuspid Gate we're presumably as close to the Glory as it's possible to get, and there's no Hours around to stop us from doing whatever we want in there (presumably), so it's at least possible that becoming Long and becoming Hours might have the same requirements, at least until someone first reaches the Glory.
There's technically other ways, but that's the "traditional" one. Basically you prepare yourself for immortality by changing your body/soul, then pass through the gate that no mortal is capable of passing, bask under the direct, unfiltered light of the Glory from the highest point of the Mansus, and once you go back your changes are complete.
DLCs added other methods. I posted a spoiler box with lots of info about the "traditional ascension" a few pages back, not sure if you saw it. In addition to that there's a few other methods, like reverting to the race before humanity (Carapace Cross, bug monsters basically), another change related to Heart I don't know much about, entering the House of the Moon and becoming part of the "reflection" of the Mansus (you're not Long, but you're still something "more" or at least "different" than a mortal), you can offer your everything (reason, passion, health, life) to the Elegiast and then come back from Nowhere as a Winter Long, you can get a rival and copy the corrivalry, becoming an Edge Long (or instead become one of the little flames of destruction that worships the Wolf...), and there was something about becoming a "gate" for your faithful to pass through in a Knock ascension, but I know little about that one yet.
Sometimes I wonder how things would have gone if we didn't take the "married" malus. it has enriched the story in many ways, being both blessing and curse... but it also took at least as many actions as our actual mansus efforts, if not more.
...Also it stopped us from seducing Rarity or Comet Feet, which is obviously bad. And I can't even be mad at Stormchaser and Silky for it!
They have by far created the most restriction on what we can and cannot do. Limiting our freedom assuredly. I cant find it in my heart to look down on it though. Good stories require stakes. And personal emotional steaks can be the tastiest.
Also Stormchaser technically got Selene to winter two so that's at least one action saved from him.
With just HALF of those we can get through the Spider Door Equivalent, and the rest would likely be enough to explore 2 to 4 locations in other areas!
...as a reminder, though, we get a mental malus if we can't explore "new" areas each turn, so while I want to reach the Spider Door we also want to leave at least a few "unexplored" areas for later.
...as a reminder, though, we get a mental malus if we can't explore "new" areas each turn, so while I want to reach the Spider Door we also want to leave at least a few "unexplored" areas for later.
That Malus is based on our understanding that only through exploration of the Manaus can we attain victory, so if we actually fully explore the Mansus it should go away or become something else.
I mean, we kind of are seizing power in the Wake, what with establishing ourselves as an authority figure in Ponyville, and whatever we might do in Canterlot. Also, I think Bird said something about people not being able to help us in the Mansus? I can't remember.
I mean, we kind of are seizing power in the Wake, what with establishing ourselves as an authority figure in Ponyville, and whatever we might do in Canterlot. Also, I think Bird said something about people not being able to help us in the Mansus? I can't remember.
Yeah I...thought that lore alone wasn't a good enough reason. I can only hope that blitzing through the Doors without looking into any of the locations along the path doesn't have negative consequences (And that we don't abandon exploring said locations for the sake of reaching the Glory faster once we reach the latest door)
That does remind me, when we are going to start reaching for our SH Sacrament? Now probably isn't the BEST possible time but, theoretically, we could spend three actions on achieving it at any point in time. The only issue is whether we want the potential benefit of mastered pericognition or the safety of Baldomare's journey. Personally I think we should always take our own personal sacrement but I may be in the minority here.
Yeah I...thought that lore alone wasn't a good enough reason. I can only hope that blitzing through the Doors without looking into any of the locations along the path doesn't have negative consequences (And that we don't abandon exploring said locations for the sake of reaching the Glory faster once we reach the latest door)
That does remind me, when we are going to start reaching for our SH Sacrament? Now probably isn't the BEST possible time but, theoretically, we could spend three actions on achieving it at any point in time. The only issue is whether we want the potential benefit of mastered pericognition or the safety of Baldomare's journey. Personally I think we should always take our own personal sacrement but I may be in the minority here.
You walk into yourPrincess Luna's YOUR room, slamming the door shut with a burst of magic.
You did it. You managed to pull it off. Keeping up the lie is getting harder by the second, but you still did it.
Your children barely managed to keep up the lie for long enough. But still, you were able to summon them. The Royal Guard, the capital's Guard, every last pony who was awake and on duty, and who looked like they could fight back. It wasn't an organized summons, and you are sure they will realize something is wrong before the night ends, but all that you really care is that they are currently inside the castle waiting for an "urgent pronouncement" from you the Princess. All that you care is that they are not in place to defend the citizens of this damned pony city.
Your husks, the "trusted guards" you had take up their posts in a temporary fashion, have probably already abandoned their stations to begin their move on the city itself. They will spread out the word to the other drones throughout the city, or so you instructed them, so that your orders spread together with the chaos, and every last hidden changeling joins in on the hunt.
And hopefully, Canterlot will be burning before you finish your own preparations to leave.
But you have to be quick…
Because this light.
This damned light.
It's growing much, much faster than you thought it would. Exponentially, almost. You can tell at a glance that this effect is being much stronger on you than it is being on your children, to the point that you now think your lies will crumble even before theirs.
You have no idea how much time you still have. But know that it might only be minutes, instead of the hours you thought you would have. Which means that you have to leave this place right now.
So, you set out to work. As the light cuts through your lies and your body and your mind. Gathering the things you absolutely cannot leave behind and destroying the rest.
You upend the chest where you had slowly been gathering plans for the future. Plans relating to defenses of the pony cities, blackmail material that was slowly being collected, information about magical beasts from more distant lands. You collect what is most important and set the rest into flames.
The light grows stronger, more quickly than ever before.
Your horn flickers to life as you bring out all the valuables you had stolen. Priceless magical artifacts you had pilfered with your "royal authority", magical scrolls that you did not even have time to read yet, and jewelry that had been produced by the perfectionist hoof of pony savants. You collect the artifacts and nothing else, they at least will be useful in the coming war you will fight.
The light CUTS through your brain, dissolving Princess Luna's form into nothingness, spreading through your body as if you were dry timber to the light's fire.
You stumble, falling to the ground as your body refuses to keep up the lie, breathing in gasps as the very world pulls your body back into its original shape. You can barely think straight for a few seconds as the light fills your head.
But you force yourself back on your legs, your eyes moving desperately towards the still-cocooned form of Celestia in the middle of the room.
You drag yourself to her, your thoughts warring with the growing light as you try to rein your concentration into the necessary spells. Y-you… you have to undo the cocoon, a-and your have to blast her with another dose of mind-numbness for the trip… a-and you…
... and you have to…
You don't have enough time.
The last thought that runs through your head is that you should just run and leave everything behind. To Tartarus with the Princess. Damn your children. Nothing will really matter if you are still here when the light-…
…..
…
.
"Ah…"
You let out a soft gasp, the golden light that has filled your brain leaking out through your wide-open eyes.
…
You remember everything.
- - -
- - -
- - -
You are Princess Celestia, and you are fine.
You have found your sister.
You have been spending every day with your Luna.
You are happy.
Everything is fine.
That is the truth you are currently living in.
"Sister dear, could you help me lower the moon again?"
Your sister asks you, her soft voice as soothing as a night breeze.
"Of course, Lu," you answer, the horn on your head shining a bright golden light as you move the heavens.
And being able to look at her smile makes it worth it. It always makes it worth it.
Knowing that you two are finally back together makes everything worth it.
…
"Sister dear, could you help me raise the moon again?"
Your sister asks you, her soft voice as clear as the first star of the night sky.
"Of course, Lu," you answer, the horn on your head shining a faint golden light as you move the heavens.
And you watch your dear sister's content smile, the two of you sharing a moment together as you work your magic.
You are happy. You feel like you are about to fall asleep, but you are happy. Because you are helping your sister. Because she is here with you.
And you understand why she is asking you to do this, you understand why you haven't seen her try to move the moon yet. She is just shy. She is just a bit nervous. After all, she has been away for so long. The two of you have been separated for so long.
But she is here now. She is here, and you two are together.
And you will continue moving the heavens for her, for as long as she needs.
Because you two now have all the time in the world.
Finally…
…
"Sister dear, could you help my make the starts tonight?"
Your sister asks you, her sweet voice as caring as you always remembered it to be.
"of… course… lu…" you say, every breath coming out in an exhausted whisper, your horn flickering with a tired golden light as you move the stars for your beloved sister.
But still, you have a smile on your face.
It doesn't matter that you haven't slept in… you are not sure how long. It doesn't matter, because your Luna is here with you. And she promises you that you will be able to sleep soon.
And you are so very tired…
You are tired from the thousand years you spent without her. From the thousand winters spent alone, from the thousand springs that passed you by while you felt incomplete. From the endless time that passed in a crawl while you felt that aching emptiness inside of you.
You tried to be strong. You were as strong as you could, while the two of you were away. But Luna had always been the strongest one. The strongest, and bravest, and the one who would push you into action whenever you hit a roadblock. But still, you tried your best to be strong, even though being strong was tiring.
Even though you had to be strong for such a long time, all by yourself...
But not anymore.
Because she is here.
You may be tired. You may be hurt. You may still be feeling cold from the long months you spent looking for her all over Equestria. But even that was much better than those thousand years. Compared to them, that little time passed in a flash. All of that pain feels like a distant past, now.
Because now. She. Is. Here.
And you can feel her. Even when she is not in the room with you, you can still feel her. You can still feel it, that soft link that connects you. That soothing melody that… that your hearts, your spirits, your souls sing to each other.
So yes, you are tired. You are tired, and your body aches, and a tiny part of you realizes that… that you can't really remember something… something that feels important.
But still, all of that is worth it.
You can be as tired as you want now.
Because for the first time after a thousand years, you have finally regained the ability to rest.
And even though you have not gone to sleep yet, Luna has promised that you will… soon…
So, you wait. And you raise the sun, and you raise the moon, and you dot the sky with stars every time she asks.
Because your dear sister is back. And that is all you have ever really wanted.
…
…
…
"I… w-h-h-at-t… I a-am… a… monster…!"
A voice, a rasping, hollow, sickening voice rings out through the night.
You open your eyes.
And for a moment, you almost think you are in a nightmare.
You are inside Luna's room, that is the first thing that comes to mind.
You are inside your sister's room. It is night. Luna is nowhere to be seen.
And there is a monster on the floor, right next to you. Thrashing, and writhing, and saying something in pained whispers as it claws at its own face while fumbling on the ground.
"We… not this…! … blameless…!"
You try to move. A leg, a hoof, your neck, anything. But you realize that you can't.
Because you are exhausted. Your body is exhausted. You can feel how much your body is struggling to do as little as keep your eyes open. To do as little as keep your heart beating. Every last muscle of your body is in pain, moving your wings is unthinkable, and for all that your body is begging for oxygen your lungs can't handle anything more than pained and wheezing gasps.
And Luna is nowhere to be seen.
"I… I can't… I won't…!"
The monster gets on its hoofs, moving as if it wasn't accustomed to its own body. It looks at you, and you can see it is crying.
You recognize it. You recognize her. The leader of the shapeshifters, the monster you exiled from Equestria all those centuries ago.
You look down, finally realizing the second reason why you can't move. You realize you are surrounded by a cocoon, a sickly green hardened mucus, with only your neck and head out of it.
You immediately understand what just happened… what has been happening all along.
And Luna is nowhere to be seen.
"No… No…! I-I will not b-be punished… f-for the crime of e-x-xisting…!"
The monstrous mare says something, something that you can't understand, before flying out through the window on trembling wings.
But you don't really care about that.
Because. Luna. Is. Nowhere. To. Be. Seen.
The monster… she tricked you.
A-and you… part of you doesn't really care. To be honest, you don't even know what you are feeling right now. If you are even feeling anything at all.
Because you don't mind being tricked. You don't mind suffering. You don't mind waiting, or holding your tears, or forcing yourself to be brave, or spending a thousand years alone because you weren't a good sister.
Right now, you don't care that the monster tricked you… You have already been slighted, and offended, and tricked in a hundred ways throughout a thousand years. You don't really mind suffering that much anymore.
But you do care… you do care how she tricked you. You do care what she tricked you about.
Because… because if Luna was here, if it turned out that the two of you were being tricked, and used, and manipulated… then it would be fine. Because then you would still be back with your sister. Then the two of you would still be together.
But…
B-but…
But if the Luna you found… was the monster… then it means… then it means that you still haven't…
That you still aren't...!
You feel like something inside of you Is very close to breaking.
You…
You don't know what you are feeling.
You need answers.
[Princess Celestia has taken one wound to mitigate -10 points of exhaustion.]
[Princess Celestia has taken one wound to mitigate -10 points of exhaustion.]
[Princess Celestia has taken one wound to mitigate -10 points of exhaustion.]
Your push into your body.
Deeper.
And deeper.
AND DEEPER.
Your mind goes numb from the pain you are feeling. You feel the taste of blood on the back of your mouth, as you force the instrument that is your body into moving through sheer force of will. You feel the earth magic inside your legs flare up, the feathers of your wings tremble, and your horn light up as you force your whole body to just go.
And soon enough, you feel your strength returning to your body. A painful strength, one that feels as if you had burning lumps of iron pushing your limbs from without, instead of your muscles moving your body from within.
But you don't care. You can't think straight. You can't feel straight. You just need to… you just need to confirm one thing before your mind decides in what direction it wants to fall, and maybe shatter like glass.
With a heaving effort, you force your legs outwards, the cocoon around you cracking and breaking like a rotten egg.
You stumble out of it, not even noticing the mixture of droll and blood leaking out of your mouth. You stumble out of the cocoon, your legs almost failing underneath you as you… as you what? You try to look for Luna, but you don't even know where to begin. You don't even know how to begin. Your mind too scattered to think with even the tiniest sliver of logic.
All you can comprehend right now is that you are in your sister's room, and that a monster was here while your sister is not.
Not knowing what to do with that information, and even less sure of what to do next, you trip your way to the nearest window. Some dark corner of your brain understanding that you should at least try to look for your sister "somewhere else", and that the expanded vista of a window could perhaps help.
You nearly trip and fall out of the window, your hindlegs barely keeping you in place as you lose your balance.
7 or higher: "The Paragon of Harmony walks upon Equestria. None shall find her wanting."
6: "The morning sun comes, and the horrors of the night flee from its bright gaze."
5: "Bowed, but unbroken. Shaken, but still determined. The sun's light was warmer, before, but its light is still there."
4: "The clouds are too heavy, too numerous. The sun is still there, but we cannot reach it, and it can no longer reach us."
3: "Will the sun ever rise again? It might have forsaken us. It might just not care anymore."
2: "The sun blazes with wrath. Her will shall no longer be denied."
1: "Dawnbreaker has come. If the Moon will not rise, then the Sun will never set."
0 or lower: "The Sun was divided, and this is its wound."
- - -
You feel something crack inside of you.
You have already been sad before.
You have already been angry before.
So, you know that what you are feeling isn't exactly any of that.
It feels like… a mixture of impotence… and emptiness…
And HATE.
Because as you look down at Canterlot, as you look down at your beloved city lit up in flames, you finally understand that…
That nothing you do will ever be enough.
That you will never be enough.
Because you had friends, once. Mentors, apprentices, peers.
And they all died.
Because you tried your best to guide ponykind. You suffered, and you labored, and you dedicated every last waking second of your life, for. One. Thousand. Years. Just to guide them, to lead them, to keep them safe from harm.
And right before your eyes, you can see how well that went. You can see your city on fire. You can see just how much you have failed them.
Because you have a sister… you had a sister? No, you have a sister. You can still feel her, you still know that she is out there somewhere.
And yet… she is not here. You failed her one thousand years ago, and you failed her less than one year ago. You have failed her twice now, as an older sister, and as a friend, and as her other half.
So, this thing you are feeling…
It is the amalgamation of all of that. All those failures, and all that disappointment, and all that mourning, and all that pain that is solidifying in your guts as you realize that in all this time you have not yet done a single thing right.
You…
You can't…
You don't…
…
You're done.
…
You are done playing nice.
You look down at the burning landscape of Canterlot, your tired eyes idly noticing that the scenery before your eyes is getting brighter and brighter.
You are too exhausted to realize the sun has raised itself. Too tired to see that it has marched towards the top of the sky, positioning itself above you like an impossibly large and distant crown.
But still, the extra light is welcome.
Because thanks to it, you can see a dark dot on the far horizon. The distant silhouette of a monster.
One that committed the impudent transgression of wearing your sister's appearance before you.
You don't notice how some of your feathers are letting out black plumes of smoke, as you spread your wings.
You follow after the shapeshifting monstrosity on wings of fire.
- - -
Catching up to the monster is hard. Your body protests your every movement, and the creature flees from you like its life depends on it.
Because it does.
Catching up to it is hard. But ignoring its pleas, the confusing gibberish it spouts about Crimes and Parents, and her professed innocence, is much a much easier task.
Why, you almost can't hear or see anything to begin with, over the ringing in your ears and the red in your eyes.
[Chrysalis' second roll: 37 + 50 (Combat: The Changeling Queen) + 20 (Engorged with Love) = 107]
[Overflow: Celestia – 37, Chrysalis – 0]
[Rolling Chrysalis escape… attempt failed]
You slam down on her, flame covered hooves striking against her back as the two of you tumble into a descending spiral. The two of you corkscrewing towards the ground, the winds pushing hard against your face as your try to get a grip on her.
As you try to crush her with your legs.
"No! Please! There was no Crime! I remember now, I nev-"
"QUIET!"
The fumbling monster disentangles herself from you, her carapace bruised and burned where you tried to grab at her. But still, she escapes from your deadly embrace, her wings fluttering away with urgency as she tries to run, or rather fly, away from you.
You flap your wings, flames billowing around you for a moment as you arrest your momentum.
You are back on top of the monster before another thought crosses your head.
You think the monster is crying as she shouts at you.
[Chrysalis' second roll: 86 + 50 (Combat: The Changeling Queen) + 20 (Engorged with Love) = 156]
[Overflow: Celestia – 37, Chrysalis – 78]
[Celestia suffers one wound (-50 to Chrysalis' overflow)]
[Rolling Chrysalis escape… attempt failed]
"We were not monsters, we were beautiful! I swear! It was the moths who bit away at our skin until they had holes! It was the Axe th-!"
"I SAID TO BE QUIET!"
You lunge at the thing, your chests colliding in midair as you once again try to stop her from fleeing, wrapping your legs and wings around her as you try to force the two of you to fall.
But the monster lunges at you as well, this time. A tortured scream escapes your exhausted body as you feel a sharp pain on one of your wings, the monster's fangs buried deep into it as she tries to escape from you in a maddened frenzy.
The pain is too great. You let go of her, your anger burning even brighter.
And then you realize you are holding back. For Equestria's sake, that is, not the monster's.
[Chrysalis' second roll: 14 + 50 (Combat: The Changeling Queen) + 20 (Engorged with Love) = 84]
[Overflow: Celestia – 128, Chrysalis – 35]
[Chrysalis suffers two wounds (-100 to Celestia's overflow)]
[Rolling Chrysalis escape… attempt failed]
The landscape around you becomes brighter.
The sun becomes brighter.
The monster's eyes go wide open as she looks at your horn, and the sight nearly blinds her.
You continue to beat your wings, thick droplets of blood flying out of the bite-shaped wound with each flap, the pain almost as unbearable as the red-hot headache you have coming from your horn.
But still, you will your neck to bend towards the monstrous shapeshifter, angling your horn so it will be aimed at her.
The incandescent thing that explodes out of your horn evaporates the blood on your wound as it flies towards its target.
And the sound is so deafening that you can't even hear your scream over it. The light so bright that you don't even notice the dark-green shield the monster raises around her body from her horn.
You just keep aiming your hatred, your very essence at her, materializing it as an incandescent beam that now links the two of you.
[Chrysalis' second roll: 39 + 50 (Combat: The Changeling Queen) + 20 (Engorged with Love) = 109]
[Overflow: Celestia – 77, Chrysalis – 35]
[Chrysalis suffers one wound (-50 to Celestia's overflow)]
[Rolling Chrysalis escape… attempt failed]
You keep letting out your anger, the deafening roar of your magic screaming against your ears as the thick line of pure white heat continues extending from you to the monster.
You can feel the magical shield the mare is projecting, the sickly green bubble she has around her, crack and buckle under the incandescent pressure of your hate.
You can feel that it is cracking, but you don't feel like that is happening quickly enough.
With a flap of your wounded wings, you fly higher, still keeping the indescribably destructive spell pouring out towards her. You fly upwards until you are between the monster and the overhead sun.
You channel the burning orb at your back as if your body is a magnifying lens, and you add it to your hatred.
And the monster, hidden behind the green shield but now hopelessly outmatched, slams against the ground.
You keep the creature pinned there, as you pour more and more of the heat down at her.
You don't care that your wrath is setting the very ground around her on fire.
You don't care that the air itself around you is burning, that a heat wave centered on you is expanding in all directions.
You don't care how the dark green shield, your foe desperately curled up behind it, is slowly being pushed down into the ground, an expanding crater of ash forming around it.
[Chrysalis' first roll: 4 + 50 (Combat: The Changeling Queen) + 20 (Engorged with Love) = 74]
[Overflow: Celestia – 72, Chrysalis - 35]
[Chrysalis suffers one wounds (-50 to Celestia's overflow)]
[Celestia has slain Queen Chrysalis.]
And you don't stop until she dies.
You don't stop until the green shield flickers out, a dark stain appearing within the bright beam of white that is coming out of your horn only for a moment. The stain vaguely resembling the monster's shape.
But again, only for a moment.
And still you don't stop.
Until the crater of ash, the one that had formed around the monster's shield as it was pressed into the ground, turns into one of glass.
Until every last bit of green on the ground, far, far below you, is turned into cinders.
Until the blinding white of the heat that is emanating from your horn burns away even the memories that you have of the monster's appearance.
And only when your tiredness overshadows your anger, and you feel that your horn is about to crack, do you finally stop.
That is... until you gather enough of your energy to return to Canterlot.
Because you will clean it. You will cleanse Canterlot of the monsters. And then you will cleanse Canterlot of your failures.
And then you will find out where your sister is.
And if anything, or anypony, dares to stand between you and her, you shall do things that will make what you just did to the shapeshifter monster look like a mercy.
This you swear...
- - -
- - -
- - -
You are Lady Velvet Covers and, even though it is night, you are wide awake.
You are not sure you would have been able to sleep, even if you were trying to go to the Mansus.
You are not sure if there is a single pony asleep in town, to be honest.
The town was already on the brink of panic, after the disappearances from one week ago. And of course, you have been way too busy in regards to that. You were busy trying to keep order around town, helping where you could or just being there when you could not. You were busy trying to keep the cult from doing anything stupid.
You worked on it. Heavens, you are still working on it.
But still, you are not entirely sure what to do now… nopony is. Everypony is holding their breath, to say the least.
Because three days ago... the whole world was awakened in the middle of the night to the sight of the sun at its zenith.
And Ponyville in particular, due to its privileged position, was able to see that the faraway Capital that you could always see perched on the mountain was... you, and everypony else in Ponyville, immediately saw that Canterlot was on fire.
That was three days ago. But still, nopony knows what has happened yet. The trains have stopped. Communication has died out in the blink of an eye. And not a single pegasus who flew to the capital has returned yet, and everypony hopes it is because they stayed there to help... to help with whatever happened there.
Nopony knows what is going on. Nopony knows what to do.
So, you are continuing your efforts in trying to keep the order, in trying to keep everypony calm.
And deep down, you just want to see your family through it.
However, none of that matters right now. At least, not at this exact moment. You will still be worried about all that when morning comes, of course.
But right now, you have something else on your mind… because you have just sensed Baldomare entering your estate. So, you have extricated yourself from your husband's embrace, sneaking away from your room at the tip of your hoofs, praying that you don't disturb his already light sleep, and you are making your way downstairs to see her.
"Baldomare…?" you ask, as you enter the dining room to the sight of the mare struggling to open a bottle of wine. "Baldomare, what happened… what is going on?"
"What happened?" she says, not looking up from the bottle, "I'll tell you what happened. Having a body sucks, that's what happened! A unicorn would be dropping down in exhaustion right now, but do you have any idea how hard it is to open a wine bottle as an earth pony?"
"What? No, I mean…"
"I know what you mean. And the answer is that you don't want to know. And even though I know that won't stop you from trying to find out, I'm not telling you," she says, and you wince slightly at the intensity in her voice.
Because you are not sure if it is because, like she said, she is just tired. Or if she is just on her usual spiel of not telling you things "you are not ready for". Or if she is… actually angry at you for…
"I'm not angry, Velvet. I just…" she puts the bottle on the table, an uncharacteristically frustrated sigh escaping her lips after a few moments. "Listen, just…"
Your horn lights up, and you uncork the wine bottle with a flick of magic. You are not sure if your expression is apologetic, or regretful, or anything else. But still, Baldomare seems to be avoiding looking at you, bringing the bottle to her mouth without even bothering to reach for a glass.
"Listen, Velvet, just go to the club… You will miss that purple friend of yours if you don't get there soon."
Your eyes go wide at that, and you immediately run out of the dining hall, galloping towards the exit of your estate as silently as you possibly can.
Such is your rush, that you don't even listen to what the Name says, what she whispers to herself as soon as you leave the dining hall.
- - -
You ran to the Wildhoof Club as fast as your hoofs could take you. Forgoing the stealthier ways, and only sticking to the shadows that were in your path, so you could get there faster.
But when you entered the club, your heart dropped to your stomach.
Because the club was closed. It was closed, and much more worryingly it was empty.
You don't know what you were expecting. You are not really sure if you expected a crowd of survivors, or for your Master to be present and call for a meeting, or… or for there to be any signs that you actually succeeded. You don't know what you expected, but you certainly did not expect to see this…
You certainly did not expect to see nothing.
But still, your nose, your Edge-senses, told you that there was a modicum of activity in the club. In the underground part of the club, that is.
You felt six ponies. Six ponies and a monster, near the White Room.
Or rather, five ponies and a monster near the White Room.
The sixth pony was inside that snow-filled place.
The five ponies were busy putting away items and supplies.
The monster sensed you, because of course it did. It was standing guard before the White Room itself, after all. But whether if it was because of respect or your rank, the monster permitted you to enter it.
But not before telling you something with its bone-chilling voice.
"The Master has decreed that she be taken to Manehattan, since this town is already under suspicion. I shall take her as soon as the others are done with their tasks."
And when you entered the White Room…
Well, for starters, you realized you had never entered that place before.
But when you entered it, you saw her.
Or rather, you saw the large urn where she was being kept. The binding glyphs around it telling you that the urn had another denizen, at first, before being repurposed to transport… to transport Twilight Sparkle.
And when you opened the urn and looked inside of it, within the freezing and dark confines of the White Room, you saw…
You saw that Twilight Sparkle was there, curled up inside the large urn.
And she was bound.
And thin.
And trembling in cold, and fear, and so many other things.
With a large part of her horn missing, with marks that made you think it had either been snapped off or bit off.
"H-hello…? I-is anyp-pony t-there…?" was all she could say, weakly flailing as she looked up towards you.
And you were not sure if it was a blessing or a curse that you could see in the dark, if it meant that you could see the terrified expression she had on her face.
"P-please… h-help me…"
You felt like you left a part of you behind, after you left the White Room.
But while you were in there:
[] You lit up your horn, and you told Twilight that… (WRITE IN what you will tell Twilight Sparkle. If you light up your horn, she WILL see you, with all that it entails)
[] You did nothing. You just closed the urn and left. (Twilight Sparkle will NOT see you, and you will NOT tell her anything)
-Comet Feet will not permit Twilight Sparkle to be released.
-Comet Feet will not disobey his orders to transport Twilight Sparkle to Manehattan, which he will do not long after you leave the White Room.
-There is no point in just saying something to Twilight without lighting your horn. She will recognize your voice.
-The Master has decided to keep Twilight as a prisoner, for the value you have told her that the young unicorn has, and will treat her as such.
On the following morning, hearing gossip that the Expedition had returned, Rarity looked for you.
She asked how it went, telling you how everypony was being so tight lipped about it. Nopony knows what happened, nopony managed to get a story about the cultists that returned.
You told her that you didn't know either, to your dismay.
But then, she asked you about Twilight, and if you at least know if your friend... if she was rescued. If she is fine.
She asked you if your plan worked.
And you told her that...
[] You lie to Rarity. Twilight Sparkle was not found. You can only hope that she is alive, now… (cd 60. Rarity will believe in you, if you succeed, and think that her friend has perished. She will not pursue that thought any further, but you do not know how she might react if she later learns you have lied.)
[] You tell Rarity that something has happened. Something terrible. But that you can't tell her what it is because… cult secrets. You ask her to keep trusting you. (cd 100. Rarity will continue trusting you, if you succeed, and temporarily push off her efforts to find and save Twilight.)
[] You tell Rarity the truth. They have Twilight Sparkle, she is a prisoner of the cult, but there is nothing you can do right now. Your greatest effort will be to make sure that last line sticks on your friend. (cd ???. Rarity will agree with you, if you succeed, that there is no way to save Twilight right now, and will follow any directions you give on how to move forward.)
[] Leash Rarity. (No CD. Rarity will be Leashed into a minion, and will not question your decision. There may be complications once you decide to un-leash her)
-Velvet Covers cannot presently think of any way that she can immediately save Twilight.
-And that is exactly what Rarity will want to do, if she learns of Twilight's fate and you fail to convince her to stay calm. She will try something, she will most likely fail, and the cult will take care of her accordingly.
-Each option (except for leashing) involves telling Rarity more parts of the truth (less "Lies We Tell"). But each option (except for leashing) is increasingly more difficult to reveal to Rarity, and STILL make sure she doesn't do anything rash. Each option, also, has a worse negative effect if you fail (except for the Leash, which will not fail).
-Your current bonus includes the unused "Attention of the Laws: Grail", and will be a Grail Diplomacy roll.
-The main thing to keep in mind is that Velvet wants to help Twilight very much. But there is no way to do that right now. And since Rarity was expecting news about Twilight after the expedition, you must tell her something right now, knowing that the truth will make Rarity attempt to act "heroically" on the spot.
-It is impossible to talk to Comet Feet (that will also be true to the coming Turn).
And regarding yourself, what do you think about all of this?
[] Whatever happened, you trust the Master. (Your future actions will be geared towards aiding the cult, as it previously was).
[] You will wait and see. Find out what happened first, then trace your own conclusions. (Your future actions will be geared towards discovering what happened on the expedition, and later determining what to do).
[] No survivors returned. Twilight is now a cult prisoner. Canterlot is on fire. Something happened, and you can already tell a line you are not willing to cross has been crossed. (Your future actions will be geared towards, eventually, saving Twilight and leaving the cult).
-As mentioned, Velvet Covers does not know what happened on the expedition.
-However, you (the readers) do. So, if rebelling is your preferred course, Twilight will be the initial motivation ("casus belli"), and Velvet will sediment that desire as she learns more.
-The simple, harsh evidence of how Twilight was treated (with a horn snapped to avoid magic or escape) already tells Velvet Covers that the Master has no intentions of releasing or conversing with Twilight Sparkle. She is a prisoner, and you very much doubt you will be able to "petition" the Master to release Twilight, even if it is to place her under your "custody".
-Since Twilight Sparkle is a GOOD FRIEND, Leashing her will NOT be enough to make her complacent. If Twilight was already a Confidant, and your Leash made her a Minion, that might have been a possible course of action. But as things stand, that is not available to you.
Vote in plans.
And I advise to focus on the immediate vote. However, seeing how this relays the last of the Changeling Assault aftermaths, I will be more open to detailing how the coming Turn will look like. To a certain extent, that is. This vote is this vote, and next vote is next vote.
I assume that should be "will not"
What we say to Twilight, will anyone else be able to listen in?
Right now, I'm leaning toward promising Twilight help, telling Rarity the truth, and prepare to leave the Cult. Immediate priority is to rescue Twilight, secondary is to get in contact with Princess Celestia safely and reveal that Luna is safe and cared for.
So, the question is: will anyone else hear what we will say to Twilight? Or are we strong enough at Moth?
Because it is one thing if we will be overheard, another, if we are free.
Also, given how Twilight is treated, I would go for betrayal. Even given the state of Celestia; just not an immediately open one. We can march with Luna, as we have planned.
Preparations, both ours and Rarity's, however, probably should start a little earlier.
Leaving aside that this only makes us enemies and really has no benefit for us and only risks for ourselves and our family... Celestia's reaction will probably be to burn us. We're the reason all of this happened.
Leaving aside that this only makes us enemies and really has no benefit for us and only risks for ourselves and our family... Celestia's reaction will probably be to burn us. We're the reason all of this happened.
We cannot leave Celestia in this state for 4 turns, for many reasons.
- It's terribly cruel
- as long as we keep Selene hidden from her Celestia will stay unhinged which isn't good for anybody in Equestria
- odds are good that she will manage to find us anyway, and if she does and we haven't revealed Luna to her willingly, we absolutely will be killed.
I um... Yeesh. At least that d6 wasn't a 1 or 2? with the -1 it would have needed a 6 to not be shit. Maybe we should have had Chrysalis not do the worst possible thing. Oof.
I have to wonder if this is the point that emergency trigger to return Luna to adulthood is well justified. Innocence is a thing, yes, but I don't think she'd want to stay a child if it keeps this shit up. And the changelings are gone.
so that's at least one action saved from him.
