Far to the north on the border between Equestria and the Crystal Empire lies a mountain range, the mighty Crystal Mountains. Although contrary to their name, they are in fact comprised of dirt and stone just like any other mountain. But unlike other mountain ranges, these held a special surprise.
Princess Luna flew through the frozen air, her horn alight to show the way as her magic warmed her joints. Her mind flashed back a thousand years, back to the time she and her sister had made a similar flight to confront Sombra…
“Sister!” Luna called out over the howling winds, the snow and hail pelting her body mercilessly. “Sister! We must rest to gather our strength for the coming battle!”
“I will not rest until his head is on a pike!” Celestia roared as she poured more energy into her powerful wing strokes. “I should have known… I should have known…!” She muttered again and again.
Luna sighed, Celestia had been beyond furious when they had learned what the northern king had done, what he had become. They had taken flight immediately, pushing themselves to fly as fast as possible, the sight of that single brave crystal pony burned into their minds pushing them faster than ever before. That was until the storm came.
“We know you want vengeance against his crimes, but we will fail if we’re not at our full strength!” Luna cried out as she fought to stay near her sister.
“Luna! Every second wasted is another second those ponies suffer! I will not continue to fail them!” She yelled back, her sore wings causing her to slow just enough for Luna to catch up.
“Tia, you couldn’t have known what was happening! Discord caused trouble for a lot of cities, and we lost contact with nearly every country! We both know we had too much at stake to send guards out to the other lands!”
Celestia shook her head, “We should have done so sooner, the moment we felled Discord!”
“Done what!? Send battle weary guards across the continent, away from their worried families?!” Luna gestured widely, implying the impossibility of those actions.
Celestia snorted in contempt, “If doing so could have prevented Sombra from committing his atrocities, then so be it!”
Luna flung herself in front of her sister and pushed against her, shoving her back in the air several feet. Celestia steadied herself in the brutal winds after a moment before glaring at Luna.
“Listen to yourself! You’re furious, I am too, but you have to think for once! You’re the one always telling me to calm down and think objectively, and now I’m telling you! If we get there and lose, how much longer would those ponies suffer?! How far would he spread his filthy reach?!” Luna pleaded.
Celestia winced at her words, the truth cutting deeper than the numbing chill. “I…”
Luna sighed, “Come, Sister, we must rest. We’ll make camp and gather our strength as we wait out the storm.”
Celestia nodded and dove down beneath the clouds to the mountains with her sister to find shelter for the night.
Luna cleared her head of the memories as the sight of a familiar peak faded into view through the storm. She veered off to the left and dove down; the sands of time haven’t been kind to the mountain. The once familiar crevices now broken to pieces, boulders ground to dust as wind, snow, and ice carved out new valleys and caves.
She smiled though, as she landed on a familiar outcropping, magic older than her and her sister combined preserving the stone against time immortal. Ancient runes and designs were beautifully entwined within themselves as their magic worked to prevent any snow from hiding the platform.
Luna turned her gaze toward the massive cliff of the mountain, where a pair of ancient doors sealed away the outside world. They were beautifully crafted with a most caring hoof, but their material was unique to the rest of the world. Their color was a golden bronze, while the strength of the metal and stone was tougher than diamonds.
She placed a hoof against the doors, their warmth coming as a slight surprise against the chill of the mountains. Suddenly over the howling wind she began to hear ancient mechanisms whirring to life, the grind of steel on stone reverberating through her skeleton as the ageless doors dutifully opened, and just as they did a thousand years ago, took her breath away…
Luna and Celestia stared in awe at what greeted them inside, the enormous hall made the doors look tiny in comparison. Statues and designs carved and molded from pure gold lined the great hall while an unknown light source illuminated the entirety of the hall.
“It’s… It’s just beautiful…” Celestia commented as she began to come down from her shock. “To think, such master crafters have been here the entire time, and we had no idea.”
“I only know of the diamond dogs who live in tunnels and caves, but this was built, not carved like the diamond dogs.” Luna said as she stepped up to her sister to examine the statues. “These statues are of pony design, for the most part at least.”
The golden statues, though great in detail, did not resemble any type pony they knew of. At best they appeared to be either pegasus or earth pony, but the wings resembled more of a bat, the ears were too long, and ponies didn’t have fangs.
Celestia hummed in thought, hoof to her chin. “Perhaps we should meet with them?”
Luna was about to agree but was interrupted as a thunder of voices rushed up to them from the far end of the hall. They followed the sounds at a brisk trot and followed them down a long staircase, each step carved and spaced exactly as the last. As they continued they began to recognize the sound of a song. They smiled to each other and they rushed deeper into the mountain, excitement welling up in their chests.
They stopped at the base of the stairs, the exit led into a massive cavern. It looked like the entire mountain itself was hollowed out, massive pillars of metal and stone disappeared into the darkness overhead, while impossibly far below they submerged into an ocean of lava.
Crossing the entire cavern were countless stone paths and bridges, just as meticulously crafted and carved as everything else they’ve seen so far, each one part of a massive network of paths and stairs leading to hundreds of different tunnels. But from one tunnel nearby they hear a new song start up.
They gave each other a look and took flight, crossing over and into the tunnel. They stopped just inside as the wonderful carvings gave way to rough stone that was recently carved away. They made their way forward as the song continued. Celestia and Luna stopped when they found who, or what, was singing. They looked just like the statues from before, but in life they were something else entirely. Their fur was of a darkest blue, almost black in some cases, and each one seemed to have the strength of a hundred ponies. Their hooves were shod with horseshoes made of that odd metal the door was made of, cutting through the stone like bread. They arrived in time to see them work to the beat of the song, singing about their race's skills in mining and combat.
“I wonder how skilled they truly are…” Luna commented.
“Shush!” Celestia chided.
The next several lines of the song began detailing the depth of the mountain, how they mined the ores and gemstones, followed by singing of their great feasts in the past
“I would really like a feast right about now.” Luna commented, the thought of food making her stomach churn.
“Same here, although we should also make contact and speak with their leader for permission to wait out the storm.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
The mine was filled with a pair of terrified shrieks and roaring laughter. The thestrals stopped their activities and looked to investigate. They saw Celestia and Luna smiling in embarrassment and one of their own laughing like mad. Coming to the same conclusion they each belted out more laughter of their own.
“The name is Night Wing, been following you two for a while to see if you were a threat.” He said.
Luna was holding a hoof to her beating heart, “To sneak up on me is a feat in itself.”
“Thanks, we take a number of precautions; damned dogs keep trying to steal our tools and with other monsters in the mines after us for food we’ve had to train ourselves to survive. Follow me; I’ll take you to the elders.”
“Thank you.” Celestia said as they made their way out of the mine, the bat ponies behind them raising their voices in song once more, the entire mine echoing their chorus of victory and strength.
Luna shook her head of the Nostalgia, coming to a stop before one of the newer additions that stood before her. A statue stood twice as large and three times as immaculate as the others in the grand hall. Looking closely at its perfection indicated that it was carved from the same material, a diamond of the deepest blue.
So entranced she was that she failed to notice she wasn’t alone. “Welcome back, Your Majesty.”
She turned to see an elderly thestral garbed in fine robes standing behind her. “Still sneaky as ever I see.”
He smiles mirthfully, “Indeed! We pride ourselves in our stealth, on top of our mining operations and forging, as we have been for generations. Oh, where are my manners, my name is Kraden, one of the Council of Elders.” He said with a bow.
“I am glad your people are still prosperous after all these years.” She said, bowing in return.
The elder seemed to glow with the praise, “Thank you princess, however, some of our more recent generations are growing restless, and I’m glad you came when you did.”
He began to stride deeper into the chamber, Luna following behind. “What do you mean, restless?” Luna inquired.
“Well, I suppose it’s not such a bad thing, but they want to go out and explore the outside world. Not all of them mind you, but enough to form a sizable club dedicated to learning of what lay beyond the mountains, and we simply don’t have enough books to quell their interest.”
Luna looked him over carefully, “But that’s not what worries you, is it?”
Kraden avoided eye contact, “No, not the slightest. Myself, and the other elders included, believe that our absence from Equestria and the world at large caused the races to forget us, or worse, fear us.”
“And you think these other races would harm the thestrals that venture out?”
“Yes, your majesty. We have enough worries as it is with the diamond dog attacks on our supplies to worry about several of our clan being mistreated because their different.” Kraden said with a hint of depression in his voice.
Luna pondered for a moment, ‘It sounds like what they need is just some publicity to help them integrate with the rest of Equestria, but how?’ Her eyes suddenly lit up as the answer came to her.
“I may have thought of a solution, Elder Kraden. Gather the council, I wish to hold a meeting.”
Kraden smiled in relief, “Yes of course, right away!”
He led her to a large room, the key defining feature being that of a large, round table carved from the stone of the chamber, as though the stone was removed from around it. The six chairs spaced around it were fitted with gold and gems alike, each as immaculate yet unique as the other. Lining the wall were various tapestries, some for decoration, others for virtues the clan stood for such as honor, mobility, stealth, and strength of kinship.
The door soon opened and Kraden ushered in the other elders, each bowing to her in turn as they moved to their seats. Kraden took his own seat and cleared his throat, “Today we welcome the return of Princess Luna of Equestria to our humble abode.” This earned a few chuckles and a polite welcome from the others.
“As we have discussed previously, some of the youths wish to go out and see the world beyond the caverns of our home. We have been against it, but the princess has come up with an idea. Princess, if you will?”
Luna took the opportunity to step forward a moment and presented her idea, “It would seem that the only thing really needed is to familiarize the public of your existence. I am sure that if one or two of these youths were to live in a small town not far from our own castle they would be able to experience everyday life in Equestria without having too much drama that accompanies a larger city.”
“And you would assist with sleeping arrangements, food, and other necessities?” One of the elders asked.
“It would be my pleasure to help provide, as for living arrangements I am thinking they could live with my sister’s student, she has a few spare rooms and I think she would relish the opportunity to help your clan integrate into society.”
The elders began to murmur to each other as they discussed the pros and cons of such action, several looking her way with thoughtful looks before turning back to their comrades. After a few more moments they returned to their seats and focused on Luna.
Kraden stood from his seat, “We have come to an agreement. We will send one to this town you speak of. We also agree that in the interest of being prepared should the worst happen, she will be one of our most capable combat specialists. Her skills are unmatched by any here, and we believe she would be able to handle herself well. Besides this, we think her personality will greatly assist with the integration process as well.”
Luna nodded in approval, “I doubt there will be a need for combat but better prepared than not. If there is nothing else I shall inform my sister of this development so she may prepare her student. I suggest getting ready for her departure as well. What is her name?”
Kraden stepped forward proudly, “Her name is Faina, my great granddaughter.”
Princess Celestia sat upon her throne in Canterlot, sipping her favored tea as she mentally prepared for a long day of petitions that await her. She set the tea down with a sigh, usually she would be sharing her morning with her sister, but she had already left for the northern mountains to get back in contact with the thestrals that lived there.
Her musing was interrupted by a flash of light to her left on a small stand usually reserved for various documents, to see a scroll written in a deep blue ink. Recognizing it as her sister’s writing she plucked it from the stand and unrolled it.
Her eyes darted from left to right as she scanned the missive, a smile forming on her face. “Well, this should prove to be an interesting challenge for Twilight.” She said as she began writing her own letter to her student. A few minutes later she sent it off in a burst of magical fire, and as she expected a reply came soon after.
She unrolled it and smiled serenely once more, the words of her ecstatic student happily accepting the responsibility, as well as listing numerous activities she and her friends could do to help the young thestral make plenty of friends.
She plucked another blank scroll from the stand and penned another letter, this time addressed to her sister detailing Twilight’s decision in the matter. With a final flash of magic the scroll was gone, leaving Celestia to finish her tea. That was until the throne room doors were thrown open and Prince Blueblood strode in arrogantly.
“Auntie! I demand my staff be fired and replaced at once! One of the maids improperly folded the sheets of my royal bed!”
Celestia’s eye twitched as her serene smile was forced to remain on her face, silently wishing she was with her sister.
Luna stood patiently in the conference room awaiting her sister’s response. Kraden had left to inform his great granddaughter of the news and the other council members dispersed to inform the rest of the clan in preparation for a farewell.
A scroll suddenly appeared in a burst of magic, which she caught in her own aura. She quickly unfurled it and grinned at the good news. With another burst of magic she stored it in an arcane pocket. She turned and headed out back into the main entrance hall, where hundreds of thestrals had gathered.
They made a path for her as she strode toward the front where a mare in a traveling cloak was hugging Kraden and several others presumed to be her family. She was wearing a wide grin and giggling in excitement as she said her farewells, her family calling out their own well wishes that seemed to echo through the chamber as hundreds of others offered their support as well.
“Quite the farewell.” Luna commented as she neared.
The mare, Faina, blushed in embarrassment, “Oh, um, thanks!”
“No need to be embarrassed, this is a great opportunity for you and your clan, I’m sure everyone is very proud of you.” Her statement was met with echoes of agreement from those gathered. “Got everything you need?”
Faina nodded, “Yep, got some gear that might come in handy, extra warm clothes for when I go outside, snacks, and a few pictures and stuff.”
Luna smiled, “You know, not all of Equestria is covered in snow.”
Those within hearing distance furrowed their brow in confusion, “You mean not everything outside is really cold?” Faina asked, voicing the questions of many.
“It seems there is much for you to learn. I think finding out for yourself would be best, don’t you?” She nodded, “Well let’s be off, we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
“Who?” Faina asked as Luna’s horn began to glow.
Luna winked at her, “You’ll see!” there was a bright flash and both Luna and Faina were gone from the chamber.
Author's Note
I hope you all enjoyed this, it was really fun writing and I'm already half done with the next full chapter, where the focus of the story changes to Faina. Also because this is a Russian name I'm unsure how its pronounced, my DnD group has been pronouncing it as "Fee-Anna"
Fun Fact: when making the character for DnD I image searched "Evilest Bat Pony" and the cover image was the first result. It was decided that her personality should be based on that.
Chapter 1: Dark Ending, Non-Canon
Author's Note
Because this was to be the back story of a character I wanted to be one of those "happy, fun to be around remorseless killers who gets joy from the death and pain of others" I had originally written this for the end of chapter 1, starting right after the last bit of the song section when she steps inside the mountain for the first time since her banishment. It goes without saying that I settled on being neutral for the time being, but we'll see how things go.
It also details what would have happened should they ever be overrun by the diamond dogs, which in this universe are more in line with what you would think of goblins.
Also in the canon story line she does not have a younger sister Ana, sorry. Maybe I'll bring her back as a childhood friend, we'll see.
Chapter 1: Dark Ending, Non-Canon
Luna flew steadily through the eerily quiet Crystal Mountain Mines; compared to the last time she was here everything appeared to have fallen into disuse. Mighty machines and massive mine carts now lay on their sides in ruin, overcome by rust as they slowly deteriorated.
She hovered in the center of the main chamber, the maze of paths and bridges littering the floor of now cooled lava, the darkness pressing in on all sides. She focused her eyes along the walls of the massive cavern, soon finding a cave with a bit of light in it. She flew through the tunnel and was met with much the same, all the wonderful devices and beautiful works of art had been destroyed long ago. He hoof kicked something as she headed into the light. She looked down and illuminated the floor, she was standing among the remains of long dead bat ponies.
Her eyes widened in horror; had the Nocturne been attacked? Was it a disease that killed them all off? What happened to the race of such noble creatures? She closed her eyes for a moment and payed her respects to the remains, then headed deeper into the caves in hopes of finding out what happened.
She had soon become lost in the extensive cave system, but before she decided to teleport back to the main entrance she heard the sound of laughter, and screams. Horrid, blood curdling screams. She rushed ahead to aid those in peril, all the while the sound of a young mare’s laughter echoed off the walls.
When she entered the next chamber she was met with a gruesome sight, several diamond dogs lay dead in pools of blood, their throats ripped open, while another was on the ground in a broken heap, begging for mercy. Another giggle directed Luna’s gaze toward the left, where a young thestral, just past foal hood but not quite a full mare, was trying on different horseshoes with a casual air, as though her coat wasn’t dripping fresh blood as she licked it from her lips.
“Why should I show mercy to diamond dog scum? I think all those years in the past where we would simply send you beasts running was mercy enough.” She turned back around, her hooves now ending in thestral steel claws. She flexed them experimentally, watching them spark against themselves with satisfaction. “But no, you had to keep coming back with more and more dogs. I don’t know how you filthy beasts overpowered us a few generations ago, perhaps they were too merciful and didn’t really fight back. I’m sick of being your slave. I thought I could grin and bear it, take the beatings, survive. But beating my sister to death because you were bored?”
Luna looked to the other side of the room; another young mare lay chained and beaten, her smaller form marking her still a foal. She narrowed her eyes in focus as she examined the body, she was still breathing!
“You see, that was when I realized something. I can either die a slave, or die for our freedom. I think you realize by now, but I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.” She plunged her clawed hoof into the dog’s chest, easily tearing through flesh and bone as she carved him open.
While she was distracted, Luna hurried over to the wounded mare, her horn lighting up as she stood over her prone form.
“You’re too late, you know. Nothing can save her.” Luna glanced up at the young bat pony, slightly surprised at being found out already. The bat pony was standing over the diamond dog, staring into his open chest.
“I have to try.” Luna responded, returning her focus to the young foal in front of her. She let the healing magic seep into the younger bat pony. The flesh slowly nit back together as her breathing began to strengthen. “My healing magic is more potent than most, she’ll live.”
The other mare let out a pained gasp, Luna looked up to her. She was standing as she was, but tears were flowing down her muzzle and mixing with the bloodied carcass as she tried to hold back her tears. “She, she’ll live?” she was wracked with another sob, “But look what I did… I thought she would die so I wanted to die too! I wanted to be killed fighting them but I won! How am I supposed to live with all this blood on my hooves?!”
Luna frowned, “Taking the life of another is never easy, you must learn to live with what happened. If smiling and laughing helps bear the burden, I would suggest doing so. Live on for your sister; find solace in the fact that by taking their lives, hers is saved. Make the sacrifice of your innocence have meaning, and you’ll be okay.”
She looked up to Luna for the first time and offered a small smile, “So in other words, I’ll never forget what I did here.” Luna smiled softly in confirmation, “I take it your speaking from experience?”
“You could say that.” Luna cut off the flow of magic, the foal now in a stable condition as she placed her across her back. “Are there any others?”
“No, it’s just us and these dogs, the others were taken away a few years ago… our parents among them.”
Luna sighed, “Let’s get out of here then, I’ll teleport us to Canterlot and get you both looked after. I’ll inform the guard what happened and set about liberating your people from their bindings.”
She made her way toward the exit of the cave before pausing and looking to the bat pony, “I don’t think I’ve introduced myself, I am Princess Luna.” She said, holding out her hoof.
“Faina, and my younger sister Ana.” She said, grabbing Luna’s hoof with her own.
“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Luna said as her horn shown bright, and with a flash they were gone, leaving behind the decayed remains of a once great civilization.
