For As Long As I Live

The afternoon sun shines through the window and warms the fur of the one who stares out at the sky. She stands alone within the quiet hall of ponies of the past. As she returns to her wanderings she examines the many paintings, stain glass images, and sculptures that line the hall. So many faces. So many lives. So much unknown.

Finally, she reaches a massive room with a throne near the back. It sits on a raised platform with stairs leading up to it. A crimson red carpet leads to and up the steps and the throne which is covered in royal purple cushions. Hanging from the ceiling and walls are tapestries of purple depicting a six-pointed star surrounded by five others.

Her throne, her palace, her kingdom. Or were they? She recalls another with many thrones. A land guarded by herself and others. She never truly wanted to be a princess. Even now the position only brings loneliness and separation from others. Should any pony really stand above the others? This life only takes and rarely gives. That which is given is hardly ever desired and that which is desired is soon lost. Such has been the life of the one called Twilight Sparkle.

The dark images of death return as ravenous beasts seeking another meal. They torment her mind and taunt her with those of the past who are now long gone from her life. Faces, voices, names, love. All are absent once again from the horrifying images. She watches them live and die before her eyes as she has so many times before. Yet Twilight hardly flinches.

I am pained by loss and it wounds me still to witness it again in my mind. I wish not to be haunted by the past but have I become as one who has been wounded so greatly that they no longer feel the pain?

Why did she no longer feel the pain and fear as she once did? Had she resigned to her fate? Twilight continues her trek through the massive palace alone. Her pace is slow and time seems to drag on. The world seemed as empty as her heart.

After what felt like hours of wandering she finally comes across another pony. Yet what she sees before her terrifies her more than the images that fly through her head even now. Before her is a very elderly white unicorn with a thin grey mane and tail. Though he does not wear the armor of the Royal Guard, he wears a much lighter shirt with its emblem. Despite his decrepit appearance, Twilight instantly recognizes him.

Before her is her ever faithful watcher, still performing his duties even now. The site elicits the fear and terror that has plagued her for so long. Tears well up in her eyes and she puts a hoof to her mouth in disbelief.

You are not supposed to die. I gave you an order not to die. Why must you leave me as all the others did?

She stares in fear and disbelief at the aged pony trembling and wanting to flee the scene in a vain attempt to flee the sands of time that so often have washed her away with them as they cleanse the world. But the pony knows her all too well. He sees her fear and eases it with a simple smile of comfort.

“Forgive me Princess. I did not mean to frighten you.”

Twilight tries to speak, even to move, but stands silent inwardly pleading and begging the sight before her to be a nightmare or imagination constructed out of her fears. Yet the scene remains and Silver Spear retains his aged self. He wanders over to a window and stares out at the setting sun.

“Life works in cycles,” he says. “The sun and moon rise and set at their appointed times, as does everything else. Some things will see many cycles while others must treasure the one they receive. Each cycle is precious no matter how many times you may be allowed to go around. Have you treasured yours Princess?” He turns to the princess still bearing the smile of comfort. “I know I have.”

Twilight says nothing. Her voice betrays her and leaves her in silence and her legs refuse to move at her command.

Of course I have treasured it. Or…I have tried to. Such an endless cycle has grown lonely. I wish for this to end and free me of this torment.

Silver Spear slowly makes his way over to the princess and puts a hoof to her faces, gently wiping away the tears that stream down. Twilight places a hoof of her own to hold his against her cheek.

“I swore to be here for you so you would not go through this alone. I swore I would not let you continue your cycle alone if mine should end before yours. I will…continue…to…”

The elder guardian sways and Twilight catches him just before he falls to the floor. She holds him in terror as his breathing becomes shallow and ragged.

“No. No. Do not leave me. Stay with me! Help! Somepony help!”

Her screams of anguish echo and reverberate back to her ears. She continues to hold her guardian as her students, now tall and full grown, enter the hall and aid their teacher. The three take Silver Spear to a room and the students begin to treat him with their magic. Twilight watches in horror as a helpless foal, unable to contain the tears that have once again flooded her eyes.

The horrid images return as she watches so many from her life die right before her eyes. Whether slain by an unseen force or swept away by the sands of time, she has seen them all die. And now, she will witness yet another.

Do not take him from me. Do not let him die as the rest. He swore to be by my side that I would not be alone. You cannot take him as you took so many others!

After an hour of magical treatment, Silver Spear stabilizes and opens his eyes. The siblings step aside as Twilight rushes to the bedside thankful that he would not be taken from her just yet. Yet her faithful guardian’s words does little to ease her mind.

“Forgive me…Princess.”

“Think nothing of it. You are alive and well. You have nothing to apologize for.”

Silver Spear smiles at the lies she speaks to herself and gives a pained chuckle. “When I first saw you, you were the most beautiful pony I had ever seen. Even now, you still are.”

Twilight feels the rush of blood as she blushes at the statement. “Nonsense. You speak too highly of me.”

The unicorn puts up a hoof to wipe away another stream of tears as he continues. “I wanted to be by your side at all times and that desire only grew stronger when I first saw you suffer from the shadows of the past.” Twilight cringes slightly at the mention of her torment. “I wanted to protect to so you would never have to suffer. I’m afraid I failed in that.”

“Do not say such things,” Twilight rebuked, holding his hoof to her cheek as before. “You performed your duties admirably without fault.”

Silver Spear’s smile grows even through another cringe of pain. “Do you remember the vow I gave when I offered to become your personal guard?”

“Of course. I will never forget that day.”

Silver Spear looks back at Helios and Selene. “I pass this vow on to you two. As long as she should live, she shall never be alone.” He looks back as Twilight and recites those sacred words of his.

“For as long as I live, you will not forget, you will not be lost, you will not fear, you will not be alone. I will always be here, until the day that I die.”

With those final words, Twilight feels his hoof go limp and looks to see his eyes closed with a large smile on his face.

“Silver Spear?”

He is resting now. He is not dead.

“Speak to me.”

He cannot be dead. I am still here and he swore to be by my side, always.

“Please wake up.”

Twilight lays across his chest waiting for him to awaken and comfort her once more. Instead, a torrent of memories flood her mind as they have before. This time however, they are the lost memories she spent a lifetime trying to recall.

Princess Celestia, my teacher, and Princess Luna. Princess Sisters of Equestria who gave their lives to restore harmony at the final betrayal and fall of Discord. Shining Armor, my brother and prince of the Crystal Empire, and Princess Cadence, his wife and the Princess of Love. Each who fell defending the Crystal Empire from the return of Sombra. Spike, my loyal assistant who was like a little brother, who also fell to Sombra. My mother and father, who passed away with the sands of time. My friends, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. All who passed before me with the sands of time. Thank you Silver Spear. You have helped me reclaim myself and banished the darkness in my heart. Just as you did not leave me alone, I too will not leave you alone.

She speaks one last thing to the students who stand in the room with her. “You are now the new guardians of Equestria. Keep the vow you have taken in your hearts and do so to all ponies of the land. Perhaps we can play again one day.”

Helios and Selene look at one another to see that they each possessed a mighty set of wings along with slightly longer horns. They can say nothing as they marvel at the change. The light of the setting sun has now faded and they stand in the darkness of the night. As they look back at their teacher, they see a simple dull purple unicorn with a grey mane laying across Silver Spear. Did she ever know or realize how old she truly was? And now she had passed on her alicorn magic to the siblings which led to her final breath. They stand for a moment attempting to comprehend the situation and smile.

“Thank you Princess for everything,” Helios says.

“We promise to guide the ponies as you guided us and guard them as he guarded you,” says Selene.

“For as long as we live.”