I still can’t get used to this… the thought passed through the mind of the mare. Her wings flutter uncontrollably as she looks around in the spacious, deserted ball room. It looks much thêm sinister at night.
It all started four days ago, somewhere in the endless maze beneath Canterlot. Something emerged from the depths. And now it haunts the Castle. When the ponies of Equestria sleep the sleep of the just, a tall, dark shape wonders through the hallways of the Castle. The mare knows. She was the one who encountered the unknown force first. Well, that’s not entirely true…
Those poor Royal Guards were the first. But they could not tell anypony what they saw. The tiếp theo shift has found their dried out shells in the morning. Nopony could determine what caused their untimely demise. The case stirred the calm water. Numerous rumors and gossips started to take their flight from mouth to mouth.
thêm Royal Guards were attacked. Skeletons and armors welcomed the rising sun tiếp theo day. The white skulls on the floor distorted into an everlasting grin, their empty eyeholes apathetically looking into the light.
The lâu đài was soon filled with fear. Two attacks in two nights. This cannot be a coincidence! Nervous looks, locked doors and deserted hallways were the signs of the approaching dusk. When darkness enwrapped the majestic building, like a hungry timberwolf, strange whispers travelled with the winds. The mare has heard it too. That lifeless voice sent a cold shiver down her spine.
Yet, she kept patrolling the hallways. Since Princess Celestia and Luna were out of town, handling royal duties on the East, it became the mare’s responsibility. Her name was Twilight Sparkle.
The young alicorn entered the large ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. She’s alone. The Castle’s dominated bởi deadly silence. The thick walls reverberate Twilight’s hoofsteps as the purple mare continues her way in the gloomy light originating from her horn. It is the only nguồn of light and it seems very small compared to the size of the premise. Her áo, áo khoác bristles up as she feels the fear forming a solid ball in her stomach, slowly coiling up on her throat.
You wanted this! Twilight reminds herself. Indeed. She ordered everypony in their quarters, including the Royal Guards. She did not want any thêm casualties. Twelve was enough. Everypony looked up to the youngest of the Princesses, for hiển thị such courage.
Twilight glances at the empty thrones in the gloominess. That’s where Celestia and Luna used to sit. For a moment, the young alicorn feels so lonely and small. She remembers the past: her coronation, the joy, the excitement… the newly found bonds. New duties, new responsibilities, new expectations.
Although she was allowed to stay in Ponyville, nothing was the same. Everypony treated her different. Most of them showed nothing but fearful respect, since she’s become royalty, but she got a lot of frowns as well. Even her relationship with her Những người bạn has changed. They’ve never đã đưa ý kiến it, but they have been a little thêm distant with her. For a while, Twilight thought everything will return to normal; however that illusion was soon crushed bởi no other ngựa con, ngựa, pony than Celestia herself.
The Solar Princess requested Twilight’s presence in Canterlot. She and her sister Luna wanted to teach her thêm advanced magic. Even though Celestia said, that everything will change, Twilight has always looked up to the regal white alicorn, as her mentor and a motherly figure. She couldn’t say no. The purple mare knew she had to take her place among the Princesses sooner hoặc later and the days of pretending that nothing has changed are numbered.
When Twilight returned to the capital, she was desperate. At first she thought she won’t see her Những người bạn at all. As instead, she could get together with the girls a lot thêm then she expected. Their friendship has survived Twilight’s life-altering transformation, and grew thêm powerful than ever before. Her bond with his brother, Shining Armor and his wife, Cadence has become stronger as well. But they are all gone now.
It’s been three hundred years, since Twilight Sparkle has become a Princess. She has learned the way of the alicorn. Her powers evolved quickly to a level where she could actually rival Celestia in a spell contest. She has earned her place among the rulers of Equestria. Her task is to fill the night skies with countless flickering stars.
But this night is starless. Desolate. Cold… lonely. Twilight roams the infinite maze of hallways of the Castle. She hunts. She knows what to look for. She’s seen it last night for a glimpse. The young alicorn idles in the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. She misses Celestia and Luna. She misses her friends. They must have gotten the message bởi now! They will be here tomorrow! But where’s the Sun and the Moon? Twilight thinks.
Her friends… she often thinks about the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The original ones. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, cầu vồng Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack… they are long gone, the sands of time swallowed them centuries ago. Yet, their essence is still here, through their descendants. Twilight has been Những người bạn with every generation. Slingshot’s little filly especially reminds her of the old Rainbow…
Twilight shakes her head. She got Mất tích in her reminiscing. The lavender mare takes a step forward, but the blood freezes in her veins, for the mysterious villain she was searching for is standing in front of her, at the other end of the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. A tall, bony silhouette in black robes. Skinny legs, curved back. A strange, dark aura billows around the body of the apparition. Twilight suppresses a scream but then summons upon her courage.
“Who are you?!” she các câu hỏi sternly, flaring her wings.
“Oh, bạn don’t know me? I certainly remember you, Twilight Sparkle…” a raspy, soulless voice giggles.
“Why did bạn kill all those guards?!”
“The circumstances have changed, since we’ve last met…” the devilish apparition whispers.
“I asked bạn a question!” Twilight calls out vigorously and stomps her hoof on the marble floor.
“You’ll become something different soon… and I will be no more.” the black cacodemon growls abstractedly, still ignoring Twilight’s questions.
“ANSWER ME!!!” the purple alicorn shouts, her voice drops at least an octave and reaches the regions of the Royal Canterlot Voice.
In her anger, the light coming from her horn gets brighter and slowly fills the ngôi vua, ngai vàng room. The apparition removes the mui xe and her features are now visible. bởi looking into those piercing green eyes, the young Princess recognizes the thin figure in front of her.
“Still don’t remember who I am?”
“Chrysalis!” Twilight gasps in shock.
The appearance of the changeling Queen is different. Her green hair swirls around her like seaweed, her entire shape is skinnier her ribs stick out, her fangs and teeth are larger and that sinister black aura around her is blurring everything within a small radius. Only her big dragon eyes are the same.
“You seem surprised…” Chrysalis coughs heavily. “You shouldn’t be… do bạn know what fifty years of tình yêu deprivation does to a changeling?! It’s a miracle that I’m still alive...”
“More like a curse!” Twilight exclaims.
“Do not worry… It won’t be long until your last enemy from the past will turn to dust… I think you’re going to miss me in some ways… Soon, I will be the last one who knew the original Bearers… your friends… When I’m gone… There will be nothing to remind bạn of them anymore…
Twilight’s features turn steely, but she fights with her tears. The words of the changeling Queen sting and burn like acid.
“You’ve killed those guards haven’t you?!” the lavender alicorn các câu hỏi coldly, missing the relevant part of what Chrysalis said.
“I needed to feed… and since I cannot feed on tình yêu anymore… I must consume the flesh instead… to delay the inevitable…”
“You will pay for this!” Twilight declares.
“Don’t make promises bạn cannot deliver…” Chrysalis coughs again. “Besides, I’m not here to fight bạn Princess…”
“Then what do bạn want?!” the lavender alicorn exclaims loudly, only realizing now, how heavy is the changeling’s breathing.
“I want bạn to see something, before I go…”
“And how are bạn planning to make me do what bạn want?” Twilight smirks and her horn charges up with magic.
“Hah…simple. bởi telling bạn where your beloved Celestia is and what she’s about to do...” the changeling Queen laughs weakly.
The satisfied grin melts away from the lavender mare’s face.
“What do bạn mean?”
“If bạn want to see it for yourself, then I suggest you’ll be at the foot of the Vatum Mountain, tomorrow dawn.”
“Hah, how stupid do bạn think I am? That’s 4600 miles away from here! Should I travel there, so bạn can just waltz in and take over?” Twilight snorts.
“I don’t have much time left… my magic’s leaving me fast…” a series of heavy coughs shakes the queen’s fragile body. “I can feel it… therefore I have no such plans… But I’ve made an interesting discovery as I wandered the land… Be at the Vatum tomorrow dawn… there bạn will find Celestia and Luna…”
“What did bạn do to them?” the purple mare shouts vigorously and grabs the changeling’s neck.
The queen’s body seems so fragile and soft, and as Twilight eyes interlocks with hers, the alicorn sees no hidden intentions. The Princess of the Transition releases her after a few seconds. The black creature coughs violently again, gasping for air.
“I didn’t do anything... Just be there and bạn can witness their farewell...”
Chrysalis grinds her teeth and seemingly struggles very hard to charge up her twisted horn with magic. She eventually succeeds and vanishes with a green flash, leaving dark smoke behind.
Once again, alone in the gloomy ngôi vua, ngai vàng room, the purple alicorn idles on the same spot for several minutes, pondering over what Chrysalis just told her. Their farewell? What did she mean bởi that? What if it’s a trap? What if they’re in trouble?
Twilight quickly sizes up the situation. She must leave within an giờ to reach the mountain of Vatum in time. She must go alone; an armored escort would only slow her down. That means she cannot wait for her Những người bạn to arrive to Canterlot. The young Princess knows she’s already decided. She wouldn’t be Twilight Sparkle if she wouldn’t go. She takes the risk of rushing into a trap. But what if Celestia and Luna are in trouble hoặc hurt? She must go. The lavender alicorn knows it has to be that way.
*** ***
Twilight flaps her wings violently as she soars through the night skies as fast as she can. She still has a large amount of distance to cover till she reaches her destination, but she knows the night will give in to the dawn soon.
*** ***
“Are bạn ready?” the white alicorn asks with a gentle smile on her face.
“Yes. I am ready. Let’s do this together. For one last time.” the younger mare các câu trả lời as her horn is encased in a cyan magical aura.
Luna lowers to Moon. Celestia’s horn charges up with golden magic as she raises the Sun. The two sisters’ smile at each other, their eyes interlock in the beautiful sunrise.
“Breathtaking…” Luna whispers as she gazes at the trái cam, màu da cam sky on the horizon.
“I’ve sent the message, letting Twilight know. I am ready to go. What about you?” Celestia inquires.
“Just a few thêm minutes.” a resigned sigh escapes Luna’s chest.
“Do not worry, sister! This is merely another path… not the end.” the solar goddess says warmly, placing a comforting hoof on her sibling’s shoulder.
“I know.” the cobalt alicorn smiles back.
“Come. It is time.”
*** ***
Twilight Sparkle arrives at the foot of Vatum. The tall mountain towers over her as one sinister mass, ready to collapse on her. A legend says, that the mountain possesses a strong magic. Whoever reaches the hàng đầu, đầu trang will be granted one wish. Their ultimate desire. However nopony has ever reached the peak of the Vatum.
“Over here…” a weak voice murmurs.
Twilight follows the nguồn and recoils in shock, because the owner of the voice is Chrysalis.
“How did bạn get here so fast?!”
“This old changeling still knows a few tricks bạn don’t, child…” Chrysalis replies, then coughs violently.
The purple mare looks at her with a mixture of curiosity, pity and despise.
“Why did bạn bring me here?”
Chrysalis doesn’t say a word anymore, but points toward the smaller rock tường beside them with her shaky hooves. Twilight furrows a brow, but trots there. She leans against the rocks and when her head emerges on the top, she spots Celestia and Luna in the valley. The Princesses are standing immovably, bolt upright, eyes closed, arms extended. They flare their wings and bathe in the sparkly sunrise.
“What are they doing?” the young alicorn mumbles.
“I told you… this is their farewell from this world…” Chrysalis whispers, while she lies down on the rocks tiếp theo to Twilight.
“What?! What do bạn mean? I don’t understand…”
“It’s quite simple…” the Queen coughs then gasps for air.” Everything consists of energy… Theirs is running out… just like mine…”
“They’re going to die?!” Twilight calls out desperately.
“They are preparing their soul and mind for the departure, yes. It will happen within minutes.”
“No! No! It can’t be!!! I’d know!” the lavender mare cries, as teardrops form in the corner of her eyes. She senses that Chrysalis is telling the truth.
“Perhaps, they wished to cause bạn less pain bởi leaving bạn in the dark, child.” the Queen throws in.
“No! They’d never!” Twilight screams and jumps on the rocks; she flutters her wings and flies toward the Princesses. Chrysalis moves closer as well.
“Yes… yes! Go to them Twilight Sparkle” the changeling exclaims in anticipation. “I want to see the misery of bạn three one last time! Just like in the old days! Just like with Cadence! We leave this realm together, Princesses!
“Celestia! Luna!” the young alicorn calls out, while being deaf to the words of the queen.
The solar Princess turns around. She’s shocked bởi the sight of her most faithful student, but she doesn’t show. Luna is the same, observing the events with an apathetic expression. Yet their eyes hiển thị everything. That wounded look in their eyes tells everything without words. Twilight sees it. Chrysalis sees it too. And the changeling knows her plan worked. She managed to cause pain for the Princesses one last time.
“Farewell, Twilight!” Celestia smiles gently.
“No, don’t go! Please don’t go!” the lavender alicorn begs, almost blinded bởi her tears.
Before she could reach the Princesses, their body starts to shine. It get’s brighter and brighter. Celestia turns into pure white sunlight, Luna collapses and becomes stardust.
They were once majestic alicorns, now two luminescent tendrils of magic. They coil around each other then head for Twilight. She glides softly in the air. Her eyes widen as she touches her left cheek. She feels warmness, infinite tình yêu and wisdom.
We will always be with you…
The young mare hears Celestia’s and Luna’s voice at the same time. The two magical tendril swings around her neck then soars through the skies. A bright explosion blinds her, and when she opens her eyes again, everything is calm.
Twilight lands in the middle of the small valley and gazes upon the sky for several minutes. She cannot comprehend that they're gone forever. Celestia and Luna, her mentors, her friends, her mothers… are no more…
A mixture of sick coughs and laughter reroutes her attention. Chrysalis falls on the ground and cannot get up anymore.
“Oh yes… this was priceless…” the changeling rattles. “Your pain… is like honey to my soul…”
“THAT’S WHY bạn BROUGHT ME HERE! THIS WAS YOUR SICK PLAN ALL ALONG, bạn MONSTER!!! I’LL DESTROY YOU!!!” Twilight screams on the Royal Canterlot Voice, foaming with rage.
She grabs the light, fragile body of the Queen and raises her hoof to cú đấm her.
“Ha ha ha ha ha! You’re too late for that…” Chrysalis coughs violently.
Her entire body trembles bởi a series of seizures. An ngọc lục bảo green tendril of magic escapes through her horn. The last drop of her magic. Chrysalis laughs one last time, then she collapses into black smoke and dissolves in the air.
The young alicorn realizes she’s holding onto thin air. With Celestia, Luna and even with Chrysalis gone, her past is officially closed, with no reminder left. The changeling Queen was right about that. Twlight feels numb, because she could not even comprehend fully what just happened.
Then the thought occurs: The Princesses did not just simply raise up a friend, a daughter, a Princess. They’ve trained a successor. Somepony beyond the shadow of doubt. Somepony who will take up their mantle.
Twilight Sparkle looks around slowly. She’s alone bởi the foot of the Mountain of Fate.
*** *** ***
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
First of all I think these two songs describe the feel of this story the best:
1.The Launch bởi Trevor Rebin (Armageddon OST)
link
2. To The Stars bởi Randy Edelman (Dragonheart OST)
link
In second: this fanfic is based upon a dream I had on Saturday night, on the 25th of May, 2013. The dream included Twilicorn, a dark, demon-like force in the lâu đài and most importantly: Celestia’s and Luna’s farewell scene. I quoted Twilight when I’ve written: “No, don’t go! Please don’t go!” I remember she đã đưa ý kiến exactly that in my dream. I’m also very specific about Celestia and Luna turning into something that I could best describe as sunlight and stardust. Also, I’m sure about the ending scene that Twilight was standing at the foot of a tall mountain alone. Furthermore, this was a great opportunity to convey my thoughts on the whole alicorn Twilight concept.
When I woke up, I immediately wrote down what I could remember and later filled out the holes. I have to admit that when I woke up from this dream I felt pretty sad, like an important part of me was missing. That feeling stayed with me all day, until I could manage to get rid of it. I know it sounds silly, but I felt like I should share this with bạn guys.
Oh, one thêm thing: Although I designed this story to be a onetime headcanon ball, I already have ideas for a sequel, so if bạn liked this story arch, please let me know if you’d welcome another part.
Thanks for reading!
