Fate

What was death? The end? The start of something new? Another life?

The man had pondered this for many thousands of years. Although he was just that, death, he never truly understood it's meaning. He was never meant to though, and he knew this, but his mind could never shoo the question away.

Sighing, he continued his walk toward the once great Canterlot city gates. Now they laid collapsed on the ground, still burning with seemingly endless flames. Nature had slowly begun reclaiming its lost land, it's vines tearing through the sturdy stone wall that had once protected the city.

He stopped briefly at the gates, gazing at the broken city before him. The houses had long since crumbled into times cold, dead hands. A few houses had remained standing, they held nothing, just a hollow carcase. The man continued his walk forward.

His feet softly thumped against the crumbling stone streets that had once been bustling with ponies going about their day. Now it was but a wasteland, holding the lost souls of those who could not find refuge within the ground.

Occasionally he would see one of these souls. He paid them no heed as they mindlessly floated about. They held no memories of the life they had once lived. They were simple, empty orbs.

He continued on, faster at the sight of the castle. The castle, it had been the literal center of all of Equestria, now it looked much like its cousin, deep in the everfree forest. Its walls had already fallen, although nature was no accomplice in it's destruction. It was pure hatred and rage that tore away its supports. The bones of the loyal soldiers defending still lay, as a eternal reminder of what ended the reign of the pony princesses.

He walked through the broken remains of the gate. It too had been burnt down, just like all of its faithful protectors. The man stopped, staring at a skull. He looked deeper. To his surprise, inside the skull was a soul. A small flickering, dim golden light. This soul had held strong for almost fifty years, a long time in this realm. However, it was slowly fading away. The memories held inside had begun to deconstruct.

The man looked glumly at the slowly fading soul. He closed his eyes, there was nothing he could do. It would crumble and fall, just like the city its mortal body once resided in. He lowered his head in respect, whoever this pony was had a very strong mind. It was all for naught.

He opened his eyes and continued on towards the castle. He still had a job to do. As he neared closer to the castle doors he recalled what he was doing here. Pony-kind was always destined to fall this way, there was no stopping this. It was the way fate wanted it, and it was the way it would happen. However a certain pony had decided she would not listen to fate. Once she had heard of her kingdoms impending destruction, she had tried so desperately to stop it. This had only turned the gears of fate faster, she had achieved the opposite.... she had lost. She wouldn't accept defeat though, to this day she still fought against her destiny. Trying to keep her kingdom alive... if only she'd just look outside, and see that it was already dead.

The man sighed, he once knew the mare. She had been so kind... so understanding. He had thought that when this day came she would accept it. Instead.... instead she broke down. She lost her mind trying to save her little ponies. She started ordering the guards to execute civilians who she thought were the culprits. When her sister had confronted her it got worse. Her sister tried to get her to stop, telling her what she was doing was wrong. This only angered her, fueled her rage. Before Luna could even finish she was struck down... defeated, but not dead. Luna had long since left this realm, her body left behind on the floor of Celestia's throne room. Once news came out that Luna had been killed, it turned to chaos. Ponies rebelled, guards turned on guards, chaos. Discord... Discord returned to his own place in the universe. Not that the man knew where that was. Once Celestia learned of her guards betrayal she grew furious. She ordered the elements of harmony to her throne room. They were all oblivious, she trapped them inside. They could only watch as Celestia brought the full power of her sun down upon the lands of Equestria, scorching every single pony to dust. There screams echoed across all of Equestria. Families huddled together in their final moments, before being disintegrated by the sun. The elements had refused to listen to Celestia, and declared they would purge her of the evil that had possessed her. They warmed up their elements, only to be struck down by Celestia. She killed them, all of them. Each and every one. Once they laid dead on the ground she took their souls, trapping them inside a spell that would forever hold them against their will.

The Man was jolted out of his gruesome memories by a golden shield. It was preventing his access to the castle. He simple put his hand to it, pushing against it. After a few seconds the shield shattered. Its pieces falling to the ground before the magic slowly faded away.

He continued on into the castle. Looking around, he saw the castle was well preserved. Unlike the outside, the walls and floors stayed intact. The sunlight shone through the windows, making the room look truly beautiful. the room he was in led straight to the throne room. The other hallways branches off to some unknown part of the castle, but he didn't worry about that. He had a job to do.

The man approached the throne room doors and put his hands against them. He could feel her on the other side of the door. He could feel her sorrow. Looking to the ground he slowly applied pressure to the door. The doors hinges squeaked in protest as the door slowly creaked open. The light from the hallway streamed through the open door, lighting the throne room.

Upon raising his head, he saw the throne room to be in complete dis-repair. Unlike the hallway behind him there was no sunlight coming through the dirtied old windows. The roof had crumbled away, leaving a large open hole. The walls had many cracks running around, interlocking with each other. The pillars that once stood strong and proud had long since fallen.

And above all the destruction, stood the throne. A large white alicorn sitting atop it. She was staring directly into the mans eyes. The man looked back into hers. Although instead of surprise, they showed grim acceptance. They stared at each other for awhile, looking each other over. Celestia finally spoke.

"I never wished for any of this to happen, you know." She never averted her eyes "I didn't want them all to die....." The man looked around the room for a split second. "Do not worry, I have already sent them on their way" She smiled as she looked into the sky. "They have gone to the afterlife, leaving me here, as I deserve" She looked back to the man "Why are you still here?" she asked softly "I just told you they are gone, I have released my spell on them"

The man simply sighed "It is not them that I have come for Celestia" He said glumly as he unsheathed his sword. A great sword with a yellow glow surrounding it.

Celestia's eyes widened "B-but I am immortal, death has no claims to me"

The man heaved his sword up to his face, eyeing the sharp edges "There are no exceptions in death, not even for one such as you."

Celestia jumped up from her throne "W-why? Why can I not stay here?!" She yelled at the man "Why would I be immortal if death had claims over me?"

"You were granted your immortal status by fate" The man said still eyeing his sword "You had a job to do, and now it is finished. As is theirs-" he pointed to the remains of the elements, simple bones scattered across the ground "-and Equestria's. Fate has declared it, and declared it is" He finished pointing his sword at Celestia. His expression took on one of sadness "Please Celly... don't make me do this... just come to me and accept your destiny, as the rest of Equestria has"

Celestia's face contorted in anger "Accept my destiny?! I shall do nothing of the sort! Your fate does not decide what I can and cannot do! I decid-" Celestia gasped, a sudden, sharp pain lanced through her chest, she looked down, seeing the sword stuck in her chest. She looked back to the man, horror displayed on her face. "N-no..." She slumped to the ground, groaning in pain.

The man gripped his sword, ripping it out of Celestia's chest. "I'm sorry..." He sighed looking at Celestia's dying form. As her struggle for air began to quell, The man felt a single tear role down his cheek. He looked away from Celestia's now dead body "I'm so sorry...."

He walked out of the throne room, and out of the castle. Upon leaving he noticed the skull he had found earlier, the soul residing in it had turned white, devoid of everything it once held. The man closed his eyes in respect once more before walking off.

After all, he still had a job to do.

As Fate had decided...