The one and only chapter.
It was a cold and rainy night in Canterlot. all the citizens were at home enjoying a cosy fire and spending quality time with their families. The royal library was quiet and you could hear the raindrops dancing from the sky and down into their own demise on the hard roof.
Inside the library were things you always expect to find in such a place, books,parchments and quills. Within those books were all kinds of stories ranging from the most innocent of childrens bedtime stories, to the great histories of wars once fought in the proud land of Equestria.
The library was dark, but there in the darkness there was one tiny ray of light breaking through the motherly embrace of shadows. The tiny ray of light was sprouting from a small candle that was on the brink of its lifespan. The small candle had only one duty, to cut through the dark so the purple filly could read her book. This little filly was a very special one. She had been chosen by the ruler of the land to be her protege. The little filly was excited about the whole thing, perhaps a little too excited.
The small candle was struggling on its last breath, it wanted to pierce the dark so the filly could read all night. But nature is cruel, once you reach your end you have to let go. The candle died and its tiny ray of light was gone. The shadows wasted no time taking back what once belonged to them.
Without the light to aid her. The little filly could no longer read, she worked her way down on the floor and cast a little spell. From her horn a gentle purple light was born, it grew into an orb and it hovered close to her. The orb had only one purpose, to light the way so the filly would not stub her hoof on something that was hidden in the shadows. The little filly did not fear the dark, but she was unable to read through the womb of shadow which had enveloped the library.
Then suddenly from the nightsky a mighty ray of light pierced the heavens with a loud boom and it banished the dark from the world. Momentarily the world was bathing in light. The little filly was frightened not by the light but by the boom. The life of the purple orb faded into nothing and vanished from the world of light.
The shadows showed no mercy to filly,they devoured her and left her for whatever cruel fate the world had in store for her. In the dark the filly stubbed her hoof, it hurt and she fell to the ground. Fate is like a child anything that can make it laugh, it wants to see again.
A mighty book from the upper shelves fell from the sky and slammed the little filly in the head. Her eyes grew heavy and she fell into the darkness of her own mind.
The little filly was all alone, the womb of shadows had encased her. And it seemed like no rescue were to come. The shadows were frolocing, they were dancing around the filly. Celebrating their their luck in taking down a bringer of light. But as fate had made them, they were not evil. The shadows weeped for the filly. They wished for a light to aid her, but none came. From the shadows a dark acolyte emerged. It took the little filly in its grasp and carried her away.
The ice in the towels had only two duty in its life, to reduce the swelling and to lessen the pain from the lump protruding from the little filly’s head. The little filly awoke someplace she did not know, it was dark. And the little filly was scared, what was the cold thing on her head?
Where was she?
Those were the questions she wanted answers to.
Suddenly a bright ray of light flooded the room. Before her stood an old stallion, he was smiling at her.
“You should not be in here all by yourself little one.” His gentle words carried wisdom. Wisdom that only the oldest could acquire.
The little filly gazed upon the stallion. He was old, his wrinkles revealed that. And if that was not enough to convince the little filly, his long gray beard was more than enough. His coat was a faded blue, his eyes yellow and on his flank, a pair of book which was bathing in the light created by a single candle.
The old stallion removed the now wet,cold towel from the little filly’s head.
He smiled at her and said. “It looks like the lump have swollen down. How are you feeling, little one?”
The little filly looked at the old stallion and said. “ I feel fine, but where are we?” The fear in her eyes was hard to miss.”
The old stallion placed a hoof on the little filly’s shoulder. “Well to answer your question little one. This is my room, I found you passed out on the floor. I carried you back here so I could treat your injury. You don't need to fear, I'm not here to scare.”
The little filly smiled at the old stallion, she grabbed his hoof and hugged it tightly.
This caught the old stallions attention and he smiled.
“You are a very special little one. But at this hour little ones should be asleep.” The old stallion place the little filly on his back. “I will take you back to your chamber, little one.”
They arrived outside the little filly’s chamber, the filly jumped down on the ground and opened the door.
“Good night little one, perhaps we will meet again.” The old stallion said with a warm smile.
He begun to walk back to the library. But he came to abrupt halt when the little filly told him to wait.
“What is your name grandpa?”
The old stallion chuckled. “Ohohohoh. My name is Starswirl. Starswirl the Bearded.”
The little filly walked up to the old stallion and hugged his leg. “My name is Twilight. Thanks for helping me Starswirl.”
The old stallion nuzzled the little filly and said. “It was my pleasure Twilight. Now hurry to bed. You don't want to be tired for your lesson with Celestia tomorrow.
Twilight walked inside her chamber and climbed into bed.
I wonder how he knows the princess. I will ask her tomorrow. Twilight thought before slipping into the world of dreams.
The next day had arrived and Twilight was telling her mentor and friend Celestia all about what had happened in the library.
“How nice of him to help you. What was his name? I would like to thank him for looking after you.”
“His name was Starswirl the Bearded.”
“Starswirl the Bearded you say?”
“Yes, that is what he told me.”
“Well then I’ll go down there and thank him later. Now Twilight todays lesson is over and it is very hot outside. So how about we take a dip in the pool? We could take another shot at learning you how to swim.”
“Jippie!” Twilight rushed ahead of her mentor.
Celestia giggled at the sight. But there was one thing concerning her. Starswirl the Bearded had been dead for 1990 years. He had passed away a thousand years before she had sealed her sister in the moon. Celestia sighed at the reminder of her sister and a small tear escaped her eye. A dark blue handkerchief wiped her tear away and Celestia heard a faint whisper.
“It was not your fault, child. Now cheer up you have somepony waiting for you. right?”
Celestia’s eyes darted around the room. But there was noone there but herself. A dark blue handkerchief laid by her hooves. She unfolded it and gazed upon it. A crescent white moon surrounded by darkness was printed upon it. She held it close to her chest and a few more tears made their way down her muzzle. She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath.
“Thank you Starswirl. I don’t know how you do it. But please never stop.”
She walked out of the room and towards the pool. Where Twilight was waiting.
Starswirl the Bearded had only one duty left in his life. It was to comfort an old friend until the day he is no longer needed. He would be there for her until the end of time if he had to. So deep is his loyalty. And even though his mortal body was long gone. His immortal soul would never fade.
Author's Note
Here we go again.
Another silly oneshot.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
