Prelude to - Rise of the Undying Swarm
Prelude to - Rise of the Undying Swarm
Luna limped over what remained of a stone dwelling, all around her the once great city lay in ruins. The devastation before her made her heart drop. Pieces of what was once perhaps a score of ponies laid scattered in around a half-dead Netherbeast. Jagged protrusions lanced out of its blasted torso. Even without its lower half the colossal fiend's earthy body glowed with life. Moving as stealthily as she could with a broken hoof the exhausted Luna advanced, her rune encrusted blade floating, ready to strike. A loose stone alerted the massive skeletal creature. Its draconic eye whipped around to glare at her with unbridled hatred and it laughed. The wrongness of its deep hollow voice stung her ears. Hooves grinding into the stone Luna hurled herself at the savage construct, putting an end to its incessant laugher as she sheathed her greatsword its bulbous eye. Its body convulsed once before stilling.
Luna shivered as she retrieved her magical blade. Even after countless countries she hadn't become desensitized to the grotesque thing, it still made Luna shiver. The creature's savage claws could mince a pony in an instant, similar ones had torn her to shreds by them a century past.
Than again, dying was never pleasant and always messy for an immortal, but what followed after was—. Cringing visible she shook off the terrible imagines.
Picking her way carefully Luna continued past the now dead monstrosity, each step agony for the battered pony. The region was cluttered with the less fortunate, the dying, the dead. The once great city laid broken, giant twisted stone pillars jutted out of craters where the Stonebinders had shattered the rocky ground. Nothing grew in the area, only rock and dust were left in the wake of a Desolation. She progressed painfully slow, having to circumvent the misshapen cavities where Netherbeasts had formed out of dirt and stone.
The pungent stench of death and decay permeated the air. A gentle breath carried with it the cries of pain and moans of the dying. Can we really call this day a victory? No, there were no victors, only the dead and those that wished they were. Smoke filled the battle ground, trailing the awful scent of burning flesh and sulfur. Several skeletal mounds of bone and stone were molten hot or were consumed by flames, the Ashbringers had done their work well.
Luna quickened her paced. I-I'm alive Clutching her broken hoof to her breast she hurried to the castle. I'm really alive.
She didn't know if she should be happy or not. It was risky when she lived, if she had died she would have just returned to that hellish place. Now she would have to willingly return to that place of endless torment and flames. What if she didn't... what than? Would the others hunt her? Drag her back to that place?
She didn't know, but they were traitorous thoughts.
Luna arrived at the ruins of the ancient castle. Like every Desolation the six had agreed to meet there if they survived the battle. Oddly only one pony awaited her in the throne room. Celestia. Where were the other four? Did only two of them survive this time? That hadn't happened before. This battle had been so savage she wouldn't be surprised. The enemy was becoming ever more desperate for victory.
No, before Celestia five mythical blades were driven point first into the stone tablet, only hers remained. If they had died their blades would have vanished, to await their return at the dawn of the next Desolation. All were beautiful pieces of art, flowing ornate blades inscribed with pulsing runes of power. Each was unique to its master. These swords were far beyond that of any old magical blade, they were power incarnate. Priceless.
Celestia stood, looking every part the princess covered horn to hoof in her gleaming shardplate of gold and white, the setting sun turning her into a silhouette.
"Sister?" Questioned Luna tentatively.
Helm in her hoof Celestia glanced back over her shoulder. She looked barely out of her filly hood, her silky mane flowed with power framing her stunning face. Any other pony would have missed it, not Luna she knew that heart crushing pain in her sister's glossy eyes.
"What is it, sister? Where is everyone?" Luna demanded to know.
"They have gone." Replied her calm, regal voice, although she hadn't ruled in centuries she still held her royal mannerisms. "We may believe this a blessing. None died this time."
That's it. The battle is over. She would have to return to that place where they were held prisoner between Desolations. A place outside of time. The place that was neither life nor death, only pain. Luna struggled to remain standing. When had she become this pathetic. "I-I can't go back there. Please, don't ask this of me." She was shaking as she finished. "Please." Luna felt broken by the confession, the last of her strength leaving her, she sat every muscle trembling. How many years had she endured? Centuries? No, eons untold she had endured. Even now she could feel the flames licking at her muscle, fat, then turning her bones to dust daily. The hooks that pierced into her flesh, binding her in that place as the flames did their work. She could smell her skin burning away. She could smell it!
"No. I will not ask you to go back to that place. I mean not to return as well. None of us will." Celestia didn't need to turn around for Luna to hear the crack in her sister's voice. Celestia was broken. As broken as Luna and neither had the strength to return. "Your element, leave it."
"What?" Luna didn't understand. What does her element have to do with any of this.
"I will seal them. Here, in the castle. Should we need them again." She announced finally turning to face Luna fully. She look tired, as tired as Luna felt. "I waited for you. I wasn't sure if you had survived. I had thought—" She cut off turning her head in a slight grimace.
"What of the Desolations? Surely we can't expect the commoners to hold them back on their own." Luna looked into her immortal sisters eyes.
"We will bind them to the Tree of Harmony. Together with the elements it will have to be enough to ward us from the Desolations." Celestia sounded doubtful, but she was desperate. They all were.
Luna moved up to the circle of shardblades. With one last look at her own she buried it in the solid stone tablet. It bit into the stone as smoothly as through a thin cloth. "What do we do now? The commoners look to us for safety and guidance. We cannot merely abandon them."
Celestia peered back down at the gathering survivors outside. "We lead them into a better future."
"What well we tell them?" Wondered Luna as she joined her sister.
"Nothing. None must know what we have done here today."Celestia said with dry finality. "We will strike Desolations from history."
