Light Fades Fast

Standing in a prominent position the city library was a sight to behold. Built during the height of prosperity the structure had large powerful columns supporting a grand entry way. As Lsy walked underneath the veranda he glanced at the two statues on either side of the entrance. Once the marble statues had lovingly been crafted into the very image of the two princesses. With Luna’s banishment three centuries earlier, the statue of Luna had been defaced, breaking off the princess’s horn and wings. And yet, the statue was in pristine condition compared to that of princess Celestia. Her statue had been an object of hate for many long years, since she abandoned the city. All that remained of the statue was a crumbling body, the head and wings had long since been destroyed. Covering the entirety of the statue was a thick layer of graffiti. Lsy turned away from the sad guardians and entered through the massive oak doors.

For years the library had stood as a center of knowledge and activity for the city. Now the dimly lit interior reflected an abject sense of abandonment. Slowly Lsy walked to the front desk where an ancient unicorn worked, his greying red hairs dancing in the light of a candle upon the desk.

Looking up the unicorn regarded Lsy, “Well Lsy. Been a while hasn’t it? You come to read or sell?”

“Just here to read today Oliver.” Lsy looked at the many rows of tomes lining the wall. The moldering scent of the decaying books hung in the frigid air. “Say why don’t you try heating this place a little more? You’re scaring away any ponies that want to read.”

“Have to keep it unheated. Don’t have the budget these days." The pony stared out the windows, "Say what's with the commotion in the square? Weren't you at the festival?”

Lsy's head dropped sadly, "The competition started out all right but the storm picked up. It didn't take long to call off the competitors but one of them-" Lsy paused, shaking with the vivid memory, "-one of them didn't make it. We all saw Silver fall to the ground but it was too late. There was no saving him..."

The old pony frowned at Lsy, "That's a shame. I always thought that competition was a little too dangerous." Oliver's eye's opened with recognition as though seeing Lsy for the first time, "Say why did you come here anyway Lsy?" Leaning forward the pony whispered, staring at Lsy's promise mark, "There always seems to be mayhem when you come around. Maybe you came here to curse me like SIlver?"

"I'm an earth pony! How in creation do you think I'd put a curse on any pony eh? A coincidence Oliver, a coincidence! I'll have you know I came to read up on my history. So, are you going to let me in or not?"

"History eh?" Smiling the unicorn pointed at a heavy tome laid on the desk, its’ yellowing pages open to a passage. “Read off the first sentence for me Lsy.”

Lsy rolled his eyes and snorted, “Oh come on Oliver! You know I can read.”

“I know you can but it is library policy. Don’t want to lose my job. Go on…”

“'In the years since the introduction of the furniture industry, the city has prospered and numerous support industries have begun to grow…'”

At this Lsy was cut off by the old stallion’s glare. “That’s not what it says Lsy. Reread that sentence for me.”

“What? No I won’t say it. No pony says that word anymore. You want me to be cursed?”

“You want to read my books, you read the passage the right way.”

“Fine! But I blame you if I get struck by lightning! 'In the years since the introduction of the furniture industry, Sarapona has prospered and numerous support industries have begun to grow.'”

“There you go. Enjoy your stay.” Smiling the unicorn handed Lsy a candle. “Strange how a candle maker forgets to bring a candle to the library! Remember to bring one next time Lsy!”

“Sure. Sorry for assuming you actually would light the library!” Lsy picked up the candle, one of his own, and walked down the many rows of books.

After a good hour of searching Lsy found a few promising books and found a lounge chair in the corner of the library to read. The first volume was a particularly moldy journal written almost two centuries before. The author was the famous unicorn Moon Wind who started many hospitals in the city. Carefully Lsy opened it up and began to read.

“On the one hundredth anniversary of the princess’s banishment,

Today I received yet more evidence to bolster my theories. In regards to the phenomenon, symptoms in the populous appear to be worsening. Despite my best efforts to diagnose the situation, none of my treatments have been successful. Upon examining over five hundred older fillies and colts only five exhibited promise marks. Twenty years ago the number would have been closer to four hundred. These disturbing results are only the beginning of the symptoms. Despite knowing exactly what they want to do with their careers and exhibiting proficiency in those trades no marks appeared. Neither medicine nor magic had any additional effects.

More disturbing than the marks is the exponential increase of disease, especially in the slums. Whereas I used to see one or two ponies a week with diseases of poverty now I am seeing ten. Administering the usual treatment is ineffective. The only cure seems to be a series of strong spells. I will describe them in detail and my initiatives which I believe will curve this trend…”

Lsy closed the journal, trying to absorb what he had read. If what Moon Wind said was true then ponies in this city had been without promise marks for over two hundred years. Lsy quickly picked up the next book, a rather thick tome with a bright blue cover and gold letters reading A Political History of Sarapona. Lsy smiled at the shimmering gold letters. This book was written forty years ago and yet it its’ author had the courage to put the real name of this city on the cover. Must not have been too superstitious. He began to read the chapter titled, The Great Abandonment.

“The early history of Sarapona was recorded quite faithfully over the years making the first few chapters of the text very easy to research. However, an incident which occurred one hundred and sixty four years ago has forever altered the course of history. As time passed, the predictions of Moon Wind regarding promise marks began to come true. The populous grew restless as pony after pony failed to receive their promise marks. An emergency census was called to address the issue and it was found that only two fillies in all of Sarapona were in possession of one.

In addition, a series of diseases began to sweep across the city. The symptoms were awful and, for the first time in the history of Sarapona, fatalities due to disease were reported. The medical corps could no longer control the overcrowding in the hospitals and many ponies were sent away to without care. Then on June 1 the unthinkable occurred. A young colt had died from a particularly nasty strain of illness. Once news broke out, a riot started in the marketplace and spread throughout the city. The June 1 rioting tore down the fragile government of Sarapona. After a truce was established the council of elders was disbanded and a group of citizens elected a new committee which in turned elected a new mayor.

Fearing the worst had come upon Sarapona, the mayor decided to visit the princess and request her personal action to stop the curse. Here we find a gap in the history, as of yet no documentation of the mayor’s visit has been recovered. We do know that after the mayor returned, the townspeople believed more strongly than ever that Celestia had abandoned them. In the ensuing months, Sarapona disbanded from Equestria and Sarapona’s misfortunes continue to this day…”

Lsy had heard many stories of how the city became separate from Equestria but none like this one. So, Celestia had not even been in the city when it was decided she abandoned it. And what could have caused the citizens to lose hope and disband from Equestria? Lsy could not imagine what would bring the ever-benevolent princess to leave an entire city to its’ horrible fate. There was a deeper meaning behind this and he was bound to discover it.

For hours Lsy poured over the texts, trying to glean any useful information. Despite his best efforts not a single text offered up a solution. Lsy pondered the implications and remembered Oliver's words. Perhaps it has to do with magic. Could all this misfortune be due to a curse? What kind of dark magic would have the power to possess an entire city for centuries? I need to look up spells. And yet, Oliver isn’t exactly going to let me waltz into the unicorn’s private section of the library. You need unicorn magic just to open it and it’s said to curse any pegasus or earth pony that tries to enter.

“Urgh I just don’t know anymore!” Lsy stood up and prepared to make his way home. He frowned out the window at the raging storm. The wind had drifted copious amounts of snow against the shops and the steps of city hall were completely hidden from view. Maybe I’ll take Crescent up on her offer, tonight’s going to be miserable. Slowly he weaved his way through the shelves candle held tightly in his mouth. He glanced up and gave a start. On the second floor just above him a white figure laying on the floor. Strya.

Without even considering the consequences Lsy galloped to the stairs and made his way towards her. In a matter of seconds he stood in front of her, breathing hard and panting around the candle holder. Strya lay atop a pile of faded cushions staring out of the large round window, her porcelain body reflecting the snowflakes falling fast outside. Forgetting the candle Lsy opened his mouth to speak and the holder dropped. He flinched expecting it to fall but was surprised to see a ring of pale blue magic holding it suspended in the air. Slowly it set itself open the floor.

Strya turned to Lsy frowning, “Why do you come to me again Lsy? You know who I am, what I do.”

Lsy stamped his hoof on the stone floor and it echoed among the lonely rows. “So what if I did. It’s not like you’re easy to ignore Strya. Especially after what you did this morning.”

“And what was that Lsy?”

“Don’t be coy with me! I saw you take him.” Lsy’s voice began to falter, “I…I saw you take him away. He was so young, why didn’t you save him instead?”

Strya sighed and looked down, “This is why I do not hold ties with others. You always assume me out to ruin your happiness. You never once stop to think. I couldn’t have saved him Lsy. If I had the entire balance of nature would have been thrown off.”

“It’s already thrown off! Look around you Strya! This city…the ponies that live here, we’re cursed! I’ve been reading how for centuries your little ‘balance of nature’ doesn’t exist here. Do you think it normal for fillies and colts to be dying every day? Is it part of the greater plan to have incurable disease running unchecked through the streets? Are you, an alicorn so naive to believe that an entire city of ponies with no promise marks is normal? If you do then you are a fool Strya!” Lsy stood huffing with rage.

Strya turned back to Lsy, her blue eyes sparkling in the candlelight, “I am no fool Lsy! Of course I’ve seen the signs! For centuries now I have come here and seen firsthand the effects of this imbalance. But what am I to do? I must do my duty, even when it feels so very wrong.” She broke out into tears then and continued, “I didn’t want to take that poor stallion today. But his light had nearly gone out. I cannot deny that! I wanted to so help him so much it hurt.”

Lsy stared at the little mare’s tear streaked face he moved quietly forward and lay beside her. “His light, what do you mean?”

“Every pony in this world has a light that surrounds them. The…the brighter a light the farther from leaving they are. But when their light is nearly faded I must…I must snuff it out. The scythe… the scythe leads me to them. But it wasn’t right… his light should have been as bright as yours.”

Carefully Lsy placed his head on Strya’s withers and whispered, “It’s all right. I don’t blame you Strya. I should never have spoken so harshly. You cannot help but do your duty. I’m so sorry.”

Strya was shocked by the stallion’s touch. She had not been comforted in such a way for over a thousand years. Embarrassed she leaned over and sobbed into Lsy’s back. For what seemed like ages she stayed savoring the stallion’s warm, earthy scent. Finally she gained her composure once again and broke away. “You may stop touching me now Lsy.”

Lsy lifted his head, flushing violently, “Sorry Strya, I just couldn’t let you cry all alone like that. I wouldn’t be a proper gentlepony you know.”

“I don’t think any gentlepony would go around embracing the symbol of death Lsy. Sorry, but I do believe you failed on that regard.”

Lsy flushed even deeper and stood, Strya following suit. The little mare blushed herself, “Thanks, I needed that Lsy.”

She then stood up straight and continued, “I agree with you completely, the balance has been upset. It seems we are the only two ponies in the world that care to notice. Therefore, I propose we work together to solve this mystery. Perhaps between the two of us we may come up with a solution. What do you say?”

“Of course. I know we can stop it together!”

Strya smiled at him and lifted her scythe. Together they set off down the stairs and through the books.“Where do you propose we start? What did you learn from the books?”

“Not much, I’m ashamed to admit. It seems the problem with the promise marks dates back over two hundred years and no pony back then understood it either. As for the unprecedented amount of disease, well that goes back nearly as far. Apparently no pony remembers why we split from Equestria or even if princess Celestia really abandoned the city. I think we could find some answers in magic but they don’t exactly allow earth ponies into the unicorn’s library.”

“Well now that is quite interesting. I have always taken ponies from this city but I believe the occurrences started to increase dramatically around that time. I would not know about diseases, my job does not involve treating ponies. As for Celestia…” She stamped her hoof. “I don’t care what that mare does. She is no friend of mine!”

Lsy stared at Strya confused. He would have thought that alicorns all got along but that didn’t appear to be the case. “What about the magic Strya?”

“I know much magic but I have never heard of such an unusual curse. I will check this section of the library you speak of. Perhaps I will find some answers there.”

They approached the main entrance and stopped. Strya turned to look at the door. “Lsy do you think any of the elder ponies might know something?”

“Yes, but you aren’t suggesting Oliver are you? He’s so cantankerous. He wouldn’t tell me anything if I begged him to.”

“Not him necessarily him but what about the others? Why don’t you go and speak to some elders, learn all you can from them? Meanwhile I will turn to the books and see if there isn’t some magical explanation for all these occurrences.”

“Sounds good but where will we meet?”

“I will see you at your stand tomorrow at sunset.” Smiling Strya turned and walked back into the library. Lsy continued past the doors into the stormy night.