Author's Note

No clop, but keep your tissues.

The Last Sunrise of Canterlot.

"Tia, it's time," Ares called into the darkened room.

A shifting of blankets was heard in the darkness, and soon a bedraggled Celestia slowly wandered out of the darkness. Her eyes were red, and wet steaks stained her coat. The mare had been inconsolable for the last few days, and the last night had been the worst of it. He'd stayed with her even though it had cost him several hours of sleep, but honestly it was the least he could do for her given the situation. He loved sleep, but he could make it up later; Celestia's mental health wasn't something he was going to be pushing off for later.

The two walked down the empty corridor, the silence only broken by the occasional sniffle from the white alicorn. Ares rested a wing over her back, pulling her closer as they approached the courtyard. He'd promised he'd help her see this through, and he wasn't going to back out.

The two alicorns entered the crowded yard, many familiar faces greeting them. The one time Bearers of Harmony along with several family members, inlcluding several recently aquired husbands. At the rate things were going, Twilight would be the only one without, but given her situation, the stallion understood her reluctance. No one wanted to go into a relationship knowing they'd bury the one they were dating.

Scattered amongst the carriages were pegasi and unicorns, many wearing the ceremonial armor of Equestria. The stallions were quiet, though they seemed anxious, nervous. It was the first time the Lord of Metrocity had sanctioned the use of the armor in a public function, and while it may not be the last, it was proof to the ponies just how important this event was to Celestia, and thus to them. They stood straight and proud, though a few bore red eyes; no one had any doubts about what they would be doing on this trip.

Luna sat beside Ares' personal carriage, the door open for her sister. The others piled into various other vehicles, while Rainbow Dash stubbornly refused to enter one, soon taunting the griffon tom she was currently courting into a, 'preliminary test of endurance' as the polychromatic mare put it. Twilight shook her head at the ridiculous by-play, already seated inside Ares' carriage.

Celestia entered it, and the other two alicorns piled in after her. She sniffled a bit more, even hiccupped as the carriage began its journey. Twilight and Luna merely sat in silence, not certain how to comfort the white mare, while Ares never removed his wing from her back. It was really all he could do at this time, anyway.

The journey was uneventful, done under cover of the early morning darkness. No chances were taken though. Each carriage was guarded by a squad of Fortitude's thestrals, capable of seeing even in the low light while a squad of Ares' own changeling guards were holding onto each carriage, both to provide support, and to switch with the thestrals on the return trip. Both groups had excellent low light vision, and the group would likely be back in Fortitude, Ares' own country, before the sun was even clearing the horizon.

They landed softly on an open hill that had an clear view of Canterlot in the distance. Ares scowled at the sight as he exited from the carriage; the surrounding lands were under almost constant attack, several fires raging here and there. The skeletal remains of the town of Ponyville could be seen between them and the mountain, while long trails of smoke rose from the far east, likely the city of Manehatten burning. He heard several of the younger mares choking back sobs, seeing their homes in such case, but it was the heaving white alicorn that had his attention at the moment. She stared at the empty city on the mountaintop, tears running down her face. She choked back another sob, Luna nuzzling her and attempting to offer any consolation. Twilight was silent though, holding an openly weeping Apple Jack, the farmer having managed to spot the pillaged remains of Sweet Apple Acres even from this distance. The orchard wasn't burned, the wood instead harvested for use by the minotaurs in use of small woodworking crafts and burning.

Ares snorted at the idiocy. They were burning a food source now, having taken all the fruit from the trees. Did they not realize what they were doing? The reports he'd gotten only further cemented his low opinions of the minotaur and griffon leaders; salting fields, razing orchards and vinyards, destroying farms on the premise that the ponies would never be able to take the land back. Each report was another nail in their own coffin, and all of his military leaders agreed. Even now though he could see the Minoan army. They were a large dark shadow moving over the mountain's path, taking their time as they knew the city had been abandoned weeks prior.

A lone pegasus approached him, cloaked in camouflage armor suited for prairies and lowlands. The armored stallion bowed, reaching into his bags and producing a single gem, an activation rune etched into the center. He set it on the hill, backing away and moving to speak with his fellow soldiers while Ares watched the white mare's reaction.

"The city is empty?" she asked, staring at the gem before her.

"Changeling infiltrators have confirmed it, while diamond dog dig-teams have checked the underground hideaways you described to us. They evacuated a few stragglers. Otherwise the city was already a ghost town," Ares answered. "I've had a few thestral teams moving valuables out every chance they get, but most of what's left is just marble and gold stuff. Easily salvaged later. The vault is inside the mountain itself, and inaccessible without the proper knowledge of spells. After this, they won't even know where the vault is. The digger teams are ready to begin the moment it settles, and they and the changeling teams with them will move and collect whatever is recoverable."

Celestia nodded, levitating the gem in her aura. She watched the city, moving to take her place at the front of the gathered Equestrian soldiers. They stood at attention as Celestia approached their commander, the scarred mare turning and giving her princess a sharp salute despite her prosthetic hoof. Celestia nodded thankfully, attempting to wipe away a few stray tears before she spoke.

"The minotaurs have taken our homes from us, and burn them. They have taken our livelihoods, our resources, and in some cases those we held dear. Minotaur culture dictates the capital city of their enemies to be the target of the most foul desecrations they can think of, from the defacing of public monuments no matter their purpose to the enslavement of any beings unlucky enough to be caught there. They are moving up the mountain even now, taking their time as they know we've already left. I, I saw this city built from day one, I chose that mountain in the distance as the new point of hope of our country. It was a shining symbol, visible to all the cities of the land, it was my life's work, it was my home. It-" Celestia stopped, choking back sobs as she turned back to the city shining on the mountainside. A few clicks sounded behind her, historians and the one journalist Ares had allowed to come with taking pictures of the city. They would be the last photographs ever taken of the Capital of Equestria.

She stomped her hoof, the ground cracking at the force as her fury took the place of her sorrow. The alicorn's mane began to crackle with power.

"I built that city, I poured over a millennia of hope, I spent thousands of sleepless nights so that it would shine like my sun. I bled, I cried, I did everything I needed to in order to make certain Canterlot would endure!"

"I WOULD SOONER DESTROY CANTERLOT MYSELF THAN TO ALLOW THEIR HOOVES TO DIRTY THE STREETS OF MY HOME!"

With a roar of rage, Celestia activated the gem, and across the way, a small burst of light could be seen in Canterlot. It was joined by a few others, tiny pinpricks of light that spread throughout area where the city and mountain met. The sound reached them next, a loud bang, followed by several other rumbling explosions. Twilight choked, her mother pulling her close even as the older mare wept at the sight.

Canterlot fell.

The mountain shelf it sat upon crumbled, several large chunks of rock breaking away and rolling down the mountain, followed by an echoing crack as half the city followed suit. A few towers fell from the gleaming castle, and then...

Celestia screamed in rage, her horn blazing as her mane whipped about her, blown about by the force of her aura. Even her eyes began to shine, as she looked into the skies above. A light appeared above, and Ares watched impassively as a meteor fell from the sky, yanked out of space by the incensed alicorn. With a swing of her head, the aura around the flaming rock faded, but it was already done. The meteor struck the mountainside trail, leaving several large chunks of the path to follow Canterlot. They watched as hundreds of minotaurs fell to their deaths, their cries unable to reach the group on the distant hill.

The white mare collapsed, her fury spent as she took in the sight of the empty mountainside. It was gone, everything she'd built, everything she'd worked for. Tears poured from her eyes as she laid sprawled on the ground, her wings hanging limply and her barrel heaving with her sobs. She cried in front of her student, she cried in front of her sister, she cried in front of the stallion that had been doing so much for them, she cried in front of her soldiers. Her soldiers that even now stood behind her, watching as their unassailable sovereign was laid low by unfathomable sorrow. They didn't move from their positions though, holding to attention as their training demanded.

Ares watched as a few shed tears, others just staring at the bare mountainside as if unable to comprehend what they were seeing. The stallion knew many had been in the battles, that many had lost friends and family to hold this city, to protect this country. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of ponies were killed trying to hold back the unrelenting hordes of the minotaurs and griffons. He nodded to a lone thestral to his right and the soldier moved, removing the trumpet from his side and blowing a tune, one that the alicorn thought was fitting for the occasion. Several ears twitched at the sharp sound, turning to the thestral and the alicorn as Ares closed his eyes, the old song bringing words to his lips.

["Day is done, gone the sun...

From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky...

All is well, safely rest.

God is nigh"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WChTqYlDjtI)

The group turned back to the mountain, holding each other tightly as Ares moved to the shuddering form on the grass. Whispering softly, he pulled the mare up, wrapping a wing around her and leading her away from the group in the direction of the carriages. It would be difficult, but he would pull Tia through this. It was something he'd sworn to himself since an old friend left him. An old mare, unable to cope with the losses incurred by her familyso many centuries ago.

'Death is always hardest for those who have to carry on, and alicorns...alicorns need to carry on for eternity.'

<-(0)->

The ride back was just as quiet, though Ares could hear tears being shed from several of the other carriages. Even the chariots bearing the Equestrian soldiers was the origin of a few sobs, the reality finally reaching a few of them.

'For others, it may not be till tonight, or even a week in the future. I'll talk to Twilight, have her offer some counseling. Mirrored Heart has always been good at getting ponies to open up. If they can accept a changelings help, I'm sure she could help a few of them.'

A shaky sigh drew his attention back to Celestia. The mare was no longer crying, instead staring off into the far side of the carriage. Twilight had moved to a side seat, uncomfortable with her mentor staring a hole above her head. She slumped a bit more as she stared off into the distance, leaning against the grey stallion. Her eyes were empty of emotion, showing only fatigue and a desire for the day to be over. The carriage landed with a slight bump this time, having landed on the stone pavers of the courtyard. The alicorn stallion shifted Celestia off of him, allowing Luna to support her while he stepped out into the afternoon sunlight. The blue mare floated her sister out after him, settling the numbed mare on his back and allowing him to carry her. Ares stopped for a moment, watching the Royal guard dismounting from their own chariots, a few hugs and supporting hugs being passed around even between the Equestrians and his own troops, one of his own inviting a group to a bar for drinks.

Ares smiled weakly at the sight. The gold-armored guards would keep their armor for the rest of the day, allowed to display their patriotism and pride for their country openly. He turned back to his current mission. He had a mare to watch.

The day was already cleared of activities, and he carefully set the exhausted alicorn on his bed. She stirred, opening an eye and watching as he climbed into bed next to her, giving her a loving nuzzle as he pulled her into his side with a wing.

"Thank you," she muttered, pressing into his side.

Ares kissed the top of her head, smiling softly.

"There's nothing to thank me for. You know I've come to care for you and you know I watch over my subjects. The ex-equestrians would be devastated if something were to happen to you, as would your sister, and your student. As would I now."

"I mean come on, who else puts up with my morning breath? Luna just wants my science and tech knowledge, and Twilight just likes having paperwork and books to play with. Only you actual want me. Or at least my body."

"I know you mean well, Ares, but not now," the white alicorn muttered. "I just want to pretend today didn't happen."

"Well, I'll be here for when you realize it did," he said, trailing light kisses from the base of her horn to her ear. It flicked, and she shifted, rolling onto her side and away from him slightly. She stared at him with tired eyes for a few breathes, watching for him to try making a joke, to attempt to change the topic, or to attempt to cheer her up through more carnal means.

Instead he rubbed his nose against hers before settling into the bed beside her, perfectly content to just sit beside the grieving alicorn mare. The two drifted off to sleep soon after; one from emotional exhaustion, and the other from the exhaustion of supporting someone through the most difficult time of her millennia-long life.

'Sex is a great thing, but the most important part of a relationship is guiding your other through the deepest pits that they may find themselves in.'