The Shadow of Twilight

Twilight Sparkle slowly exhaled, inhaled, then exhaled, her hoof extended, using the calming method Cadence at taught her. "Alright Twilight, you can do this. Equestria will be happy, you've adopted a wonderful filly, you're married to the love of your life/mentor, and you're well groomed, you can do this." She smiled, fixing her mane. "I hope Celly thinks I look good." She twitched, before calming herself once more. A rapping then sounded on the door of her bedchambers, "Who is it?" Her voice chimed, though she could guess who it was.

"Who do you think it is Sparkebutt?" The angelic voice teased, as the door opened. Celestia's ethereal mane had been tied into a long braid, her fur carefully scrubbed by the royal groomers. She wore a flowing emerald green dress with a gold trim, her crown dainty held on her head, her regalia polished to a shine, "You look lovely Twilight." She smiled, nuzziling her wife. Their relationship had grown slowly at first. A few glances, hooves touching when reaching for an object, flushed faces. It had taken a little prodding from Luna in the dreamworld (causing damp sheets), and some not-subtle-hints from Cadence in the waking world, for them to finally confess their feelings for each other. And now, they had a child.

"Where's Amber?" Twilight asked, pecking Celestia on the cheek, her own dress, a royal purple with gold trim spun as she turned around. They had adopted their daughter, a young Unicorn named Amber Dawn from Sunny Skies Orphanage. She was about two years, seven months, and four days old. Amber had a, fittingly, amber colored coat, an azure mane, forest green eyes, and, surprisingly, her Cutie Mark, a sun rising over a horizon. Both Celestia and Twilight had theorized that it represented that Amber would be able to whether anything that came at her, every dark night must give away to the rising of the sun on the horizon.

"Right here mommy!" Amber giggled, popping out from behind Celestia, hopping into the room. She wore a simple light blue dress, her light pink (by request) regalia glistened on her body. She embraced Twilight, smiling.

Twilight returned the hug, "There you are." She chuckled, "Come on, we have to get going, Equestria's gonna get to know our little angel." She fixed Amber's mane, as she stood next to her wife, "Ready?" She whispered.

"Always dear." Celestia replied, kissing Twilight gently, before separating, and holding the door open, "Equestria awaits my dears." She smirked, as the two exited, Twilight trotting next to Celestia, while Amber half-trotted, half-hopped behind the two elder Alicorns. "They'll love her." She reassured Twilight, nuzzling her, as the door to the courtyard came in sight.

"I know." Twilight smiled, placing a hoof on the door, turning to the two, "Ready?" She asked, Amber and Celestia nodding eagerly. Twilight exhaled, before pushing the door open. The sound of excited chatter could be heard from the gather ponies, who fell silent once the Royal Couple+1 entered. Twilight cleared her throat, and calmed her nerves, before magically magnifying her voice, still getting the hang of using the Royal Canterlot Voice, "Citizens of Equestria, thank you for coming. I know you all were overjoyed when Prin-Celestia and I got married," A low mummer of agreement echoed throughout the crowd, "But now, we have welcomed a new member to our family. We have adopted a wonderful little filly." She turned to her daughter, nodding, "May I present to you, Princess Amber Dawn!" The filly in question shyly trotted out, as a mix of applause and AWWs broke out through the crowd.

The various attendees each came up to the three, congratulating the Royal Couple on their new addition, some to coo at Amber, who blushed and thanked them. The overwhelming joy erased all worry from her mind, which is why she did not notice four suspicious ponies making their way through the crowd. They each wore jet black armor with silver trim, a hood obscuring their heads, and a silver mask covered their faces. Time seemed to slow down as they drew close, a metallic sound coming from their sides. One came up to Celestia, who shook hooves with the pony, before a shocked look came over her face, and she gurgled.

Twilight turned, "Celly, what's wrong?" She asked, shaking her wife, who seemed to have gone into shock. One of the four now came up to her.

"Twi-Twighuahh." Celestia gurgled, as a red liquid slowly poured out of a hole in her chest. She fell, as Twilight caught her in her hooves. Twilight's eyes widened, a jagged ebony blade lay in Celestia's chest, as a crimson pool slowly grew under her, staining Twilight's hooves.

"Celly..." Tears slowly fell down Twilight's cheeks, as she bit her life, "Celly, hold on, MEDIC!" She cried out. The crowd, having realized what was going on, began to panic, some rushign towards the Royal Couple, others bolting to the gates, in a stampede of hooves. "Just, hold on Celly, don't leave Amber, don't leave me." She sobbed, as Celestia's once lustrous mane started to dim. "Please...." She begged.

"Twi....light. I..." Celestia let out labored gasps, her eyes looking wildly around, as she let out a whimper, "I l....love..you." She smiled, before her head titled back, and her crown slipped off, clattering against the cold floor. The skies, which had been sunny before ,seemed to darken, as rain began spilling on the courtyard. That was when a shrill cry brought her back to her senses, as she looked up. One of the assassins had Amber held in his grasp, a blade to her throat. "Am...Amber! Let her go, please!' She begged, tears flowly freely as she cradled Celestia's body, her blood-soaked hooves holding her close. "I'll....I'll give you the Kingdom, you can take me prisoner, I don't care, just please, let her go."

The masked figure pondered this for a second, as the rain soaked him, the filly squirming in his grasp, "Let her go eh? Good idea," He dropped the filly, keeping her there, "I'll let her go from this life." He raised his hoof above her head, and, to Twilight's horror, brought it down with a resounding CRACK! He drew his blade, "Now, to unfinished business." He smirked, now standing infront of the sobbing Twilight.

Twilight glanced at his blade, then at the broken bodies of her wife, and, resisting the urge to vomit, the body of Amber Dawn, before she lowered her head, "Do it, I have nothign left to live for." She sobbed The assassin growled, before swiftly bring his blade to Twilight, slashing her.

As Twilight's vision dimmed, the figure said one more thing, "Long Live Sombra." As she fell on Celestia's body, her life ebbing away, one last thought registered in her mind, as darkness crept into her gaze.

I know that voice.

As the four assassins trotted away, the bodies of the Royal Family laying in a pool of crimson, the rain fell harder, as if weeping, not just for the slain family, but mourning for Equestria. They had not lost just two rulers, but, two of the most compassionate souls on Equis. Darkness had fallen on Equestria.

But what is dead, may never die, but rises again, harder, and stronger.