A Hunter Amongst Ponies

Star Swirl the bearded a stallion any unicorn studying magic knows. His work in the field of magic unrivaled expect for the two goddesses of the sun and moon. However only a select few knew of his greatest gift and his greatest curse he was a prophet. From the moment he gained his mark his life and the lives of those around him changed forever. He foretold of the dark king’s raise to power, the corruption of the moon and its return and those who would restore her. His fate to never bare the elements, the return of the mad god, and how he would meet his end. He now lies on his death bed wheezing painfully for the life giving air he needs as his closest and oldest friend holds his hand giving him comfort in his final hours.

He slowly and painfully looks over to the solar princess Celestia heartbroken at her state. Her normal motherly smile replaced with a mournful frown tears poring form her purple eyes. Her sorrow two fold having just banished her sister. Now her dear friend dying right before her and powerless to stop it. Her corporial mane laying flat against her coat and fiery red with so much of her magic used up her ethereal multi-colored one no longer present. Star Swirl always like it much better this way in his opinion made her look far more mature than that pastel rainbow she liked so much. And if he had to be honest made her look far sexier and dangerous even with that motherly smile of hers maybe even more so because of it. Her pure white coat usually so clean was marred by numerous bandages and blood stains her battle with Nightmare Moon having only taken place barely a day ago and she was recovering slowly having not even removed her tattered dress too overcome by grief.

Giving her hand a weak squeeze getting her attention he spoke softly his voice cracking and rasping from sickness. “I’m sorry Tia had I the strength to aid thee I….”

“No! Star do not blame thy self thou dist warn us not to fight the Nightmare and we did not listen.” Celestia cut him off.

The solar princess leaned in tenderly nuzzling his cheek as she held his hand tighter whispering to him. “Tis our fault for trying to reason with our corrupted sister. Tis our fault we are in such shambles. Let it not worry thou we shall be fine save thy strength.”

“Saving my strength or not Tia I know I die before the sun sets this day.” Giving her a sad smile he nuzzles her back. Setting up right once more she returns his smile equally sad. “Thou always have be right don’t you Star?”

Chuckling weakly his smile becomes more gleefully. “Thou know it sun flanks.”

Celestia’s cheeks brighten with a rosy tint slightly embarrassed by the old playful nickname. “It’s been a long time since thou last called us that.”

Star strokes his bread thoughtfully as he thinks. “Hmm…some twenty years or so if my memories right.”

“Twenty-three” Celestia answered with a small smirk.

“Ha! Now who always has to be right?” The dying stallion let out joyous laughs the first ones since his sickness had taken hold. It was cut short when he began coughing painfully bringing his free hand to his muzzle to cover it. Celestia leaned down and carefully strokes his grey mane feeling helpless. His coughing slowly fading slowly pulled his hand away from his muzzle bright red blood covering his palm as a little more stained his lips. Celestia grabbing a damp cloth cleans the blood from his lips then his hand new tears springing from her eyes.

“Fret not Tia I have known this day would come since I was clot I am at peace with my death.”

“We wish thou had been happy with thee’s life my friend.”

“Who said I wasn’t Tia? But it’s the future that concerns me now…” His wrinkled face frowning deeply in concern a look that Celestia knew all too well.

“What does thou mean Star? Thee has already told us how to purify our sister and the trails the new bearers must undertake. What could have thee so worried?”

Turning his head to her he makes direct eye contact with her something he didn’t do often despite being her closest friend. Eyes are the windows to the soul or so they say but to Star Swirl they were so much more. Especially when those eyes belong to an ailcorn they become a window to the infinite depths of power to those talented enough to access it. As he did once again the future became clouded his visions of the new element bearers always held true. The lesson they would learn the life events that would shape their destinies and the density of Equis all held firm. The how’s the whys and who’s however were always shifting and shrouded in shadow. It was something he could never understand how fate could be set in stone as it had been since time began only to change so wildly when Luna would return. The flow of time ever shifting from her return to the birthing of a new alicorn only for all the future beyond that to become impossible for him to see. Letting out a deep frustrated and tired sigh he forced himself to set up in bed and rest his back against the head board Celestia helping get comfortable. She waited patiently for a few moments letting her friend catch his breath the small excursion leaving him winded.

“Tia I have told you a great many things about the future but there are somethings you must know that frighten me to the core of my being even more so than death…. I cannot see beyond the crowning of the student….”

Celestia blinks a few times she had known Star since he was colt he had always bragged that he could see all things past, present, and future. A gross exaggeration to be sure however never not once in his life had he ever admitted to not being able to see.

“What does thou mean Star thee said that we needn’t worry beyond that point and thus no point in telling us about it.”

Dropping his head looking down at his sheets “I lied… I was afraid…afraid for you for all of Equis. When the stars aid in bringing Luna back to you she will bring something back with her. Something that I fear may change all fate for Equis.”

Celestia was speechless what was he trying to say that she should have killed her sister? Or was he warning her of something else entirely? Why couldn’t he see beyond the ascension? Her thoughts were interrupted once Star Swirl’s grip became vice like.

“Tia...I haven’t much strength left and I must give you my very first and my final prophecy. The prophecy that has haunted me my entire life. Tell no pony of this keep no records of this promise me this Celestia.”

The look on his face scared her that was something that never happened. He had always been the serious type and more than a little arrogant and not once cowardly in anyway. But to see him so wracked with fear unnerved her taking his hand in both of hers she gently nodded.

“I promise Star Swirl.”

He couldn’t help but smile at her whenever she dropped the royal we he knew she was paying attention to what was happening. Griping her hands tightly he lowered his head once more as he channeled every ounce of magic he could muster into his horn. The room glowed with magical power and would blind any pony other than the royal alicorn setting beside him. All the books in his room the sheet on bed his bread, Celestia’s mane her wings even the few loose bricks in the walls shifted and floated slightly from the display of power. Raising his head slowly he opened his eyes only for them to shine bright green as he entered what would be his final prophetic trance. When he spoke it was with the power of the eons thousands of voices speaking as one.

“Born in darkness and nursed by pain, became spider queen’s bane, grey as the stone that been its home, in the darkness the light shines, the one that meets time, on the full moon’s light, it shall be the greatest blight, blood and fang, tooth and claw, the flesh of all shall enter its maw, sun and moon when smiles its boon felt for miles, in the forest bonds forged, among the snow a shattered gorge, body of beast soul not in the least, touched by the dead it knows no end, it bares the marks of pain its spirit forever shamed, heavy the crown upon its head as it weeps for the newly dead, redeemer or destroyer, monster or messiah lost one in need of peace, its torment shall never cease.”

As the power left his body everything returned to its place many small thumps as he slowly slumped over Celestia catching him his eyes wide, blank, and lifeless. Again tears begin staining her cheeks pulling him close to her and burying her face in the crock of his neck as she cried loud and shamelessly screaming in misery his body no longer drawing breath. Hearing the mournful cries of their princess servants and nobles alike rush to the door of Star Swirl’s room their hearts breaking at the sight before them. Celestia cried for what seemed like hours to her before she could regain any of her composure. Pulling his body away from her and tenderly closing his eyes with her delicate fingers and planting a kiss on each on them.

“I shall miss you my faithful student…my dearest friend…Star Swirl”

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It was a cold but clear winter’s day when Celestia spread the late Star Swirl’s ashes among what use to be the castle gardens. Now nothing more than ruined stone and glass a giant head stone for him. Celestia knew this was his favorite spot of the castle he left no will but she was plenty confident he would approve. As she finish she looked to the destroyed castle she had considered rebuilding but there were too many recent and painful memories and knew she couldn’t stay here.

“We’ve gathered everything you requested from the castle your majesty we can depart whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you my little pony we shall leave at once.” Celestia place the urn that once held the ashes of her friend on the ground and walk past the guard that escorted her. She had very nearly recovered psychically from the battle with her sister a few weeks ago and her mane had returned to its multi-colored ethereal state. But her mind was still very troubled. The loneliness that was still ahead of her the grief of losing her friend and sister in nearly the same day would have broken any other mare. Not Celestia though she couldn’t afford to be broken not when she had so much to do. Stepping into the royal carriage she pause to look at the castle that had been her home for nearly 300 years and now she would be returning to the castle of her parents the pain of their passing to the next realm having dulled enough to return.

“Sister…I shall see again on the longest day of the thousandth year.”