Chapters "Princess, I believe you forget that I have taught you all you are capable of. Do not raise your voice further. I merely wish for your welfare. You are blinded by your glory and adoration. Do not listen to those that merely wish to forge a rift between your sister and yourself. They have their selfish motives that they are furthering by such actions. Make peace with your sister. Banish not Princess Luna from her kingdom, but instead, exile Nightmare Moon's dark shadow from her heart. I can merely advise you, Your Highness. This will not end well."
"Enough! I have had enough of your praises for Luna. I will do whatever I deem correct for MY kingdom. My ministers and friends had warned me of your treachery, but I had paid no heed to them. It seems I have trusted the wrong pony. I can not believe that I ever believed you to be my Master, my mentor. Do not dare to show your face in Canterlot again. You are hereby exiled to the wastelands bordering Equestria. Never, must I hear of any pony having seen or heard of you again. Leave!"
"Very well Your Highness, as you wish. I give you my word that nopony shall ever see or hear of this starry cloak or this flowing beard, nor shall they hear the words spoken from this mouth. But you too, Your Highness, shall suffer your great downfall. Your pride shall be shattered, not by one who is powerful and revered, but by a jester, a joke, of your own creation. One you shall scorn and overlook in jest, shall be the one that causes your ruin. This too, I promise, Princess."
"Come now, Master Starswirl, I mean not such words, as I say in rage. I beg for your forgiveness and implore that you not will such a fate on this land. Stay, Master, and give me a chance to earn your pardon."
"Ah, Princess, do you truly believe you can buy my mercy in such a manner? Forgive your sister. Pledge you will not banish her. And I may stay."
"You ask for the impossible, Master. I cannot, I will not, let my kingdom suffer under the shadow that lurks outside the windows. I must rid this Nightmare, come what may."
"Therein lies your pride, your hamartia. It is not merely your kingdom, but also that of the one that you deem the Dark Shadow. Realise this, and learn to feel the emotions in the heart of your sister. The Nightmare shall fade away like it never was."
"The Princess of the Night is indeed dead, and curse me as you will, but I must expel this evil from Equestria. If you wish to leve, you are welcome to do so. Your presence is now merely a hindrance to my goal. I was sorely mistaken, and you have proved, beyond all doubt, that you are a foe of this land, no less than Nightmare Moon.
"Go forth, sentry, and bring back the Wise One! Say the Ruler begs for Mercy. Say She implores for His assistance. Go!
"Your Highness, I intend no offence, but the wastelands of the border of Equestria, have many a unconquerable stream and invulnerable summit. I am but a mere guard, committed to the service of Your Highness. How may I , a lowly servant cross such indomitable landforms?"
"Go, and beg for His clemency. Only He may help you."
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"Come. Show your face, young one I have been expecting you."
"Master, the Princess begs for your mercy, and implores for your assistance. I come as a messenger, to take you back to the Castle."
"You have travelled far, sentry. I welcome you into my humble abode. Will you not enter?"
"We must hurry Sir. I am required to return to the castle before sundown tomorrow."
"That is yet far away. Enter the cave. Will you not honour this senile one's wish?"
"As you wish, Master...What is this feeling of joy I feel in this little hollow? My heart swells with love for each pony of this land! What is this feeling, O Master?"
"This cave, young stallion, is one where this kingdom was born. Have you not heard of the Three Tribes? The tale of Heart's Warming Eve. You feel only the remnants of the magic their companionship formed, centuries ago. It is the Strongest Magic in Equestria. The Magic of Friendship. Go now sentry, tell your Princess of the lesson you have learnt here. Implore her to change her mind. Tell her of this love you feel in your heart. I shall walk with you, for a part of your journey."
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"Tell me, sentry, do you see that flash of light?"
"Yes Master. Why, it seems to be expanding! I do not understand. What is this?"
"It has been two days since you left Canterlot, has it not? It seems the Princess has wearied of waiting. We must hurry. The fate of Equestria lies in the balance. Quick, stallion! Follow the Light!"
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"Master, even at this pace, it will be days before we reach Canterlot."
"You speak the truth. We must take the shorter route, through air."
"Through air? But how... Master? We are flying?"
"Run Guard! Fast! Follow me!"
"It must be done, Master Starswirl,"
"Your Highness is erring gravely. An exile shall only serve to empower the envy and fury in the Astral Princess."
"I must disagree with you, Master. Nightmare Moon must be stopped. This is the only way. The Elements of Harmony..."
"The Elements of Harmony, as Your Highness is aware, may not be handled by only one pony, however powerful. Even with the power of two princesses, the Elements were barely restrained. It is not possible, nor advisable for Your Highness to wield them alone."
"I must attempt it. For Canterlot. For Equestria. For all my subjects."
"Your Higness, there must be an alternative. Your sister..."
"My sister! My sister is dead! It is a monster that is haunting Equestria. What ruler, what ruler, cannot assure every mother in her kingdom, that the sun will rise on the kingdom, come morrow?"
"Your Highness, your sister is not dead. She merely..."
"Not Dead! You were there, Master, when Nightmare Moon herself said that she was gone. She is gone, Master Starswirl... Gone..."
"Your Highness, I cannot pretend to comprehend your sorrow, but I beg, do not do this. Nightmare Moon shall return with a vengence if you banish her from Equestria. You cannot do this, Princess."
"Silence! What spell, pray, has that wretch put on you, to change your mind thus? How has she bewitched you to speak on her behalf? I believed you wished for the benefit of all of Equestria. I have indeed erred, erred, in the comprehension of you, Master! You always favored the Dark one, as our mentor, as our teacher, as our friend! You, do not know, no will you ever know, what I am capable of!"
Immortality is a curse. A curse to live forever, and witness the consequences of the actions your have committed. Mayhaps it is my oversight that has today caused this agony to Equestria. Had King Solaris not desired me to be the Princesses' instructor, the Sun Princess perhaps would not feel this terrible covetousness towards this kingdom. Such wistful thinking, however, will only lead to a tangle of musings and ramblings. I must not let minor obstacles such as this, hinder me and render me unfocussed. This cave...This cave comprises the most powerful magic in all of Equestria and beyond. Where it all began. The commencement of Equestria. The Meeting of the Three Tribes. The Princess had indeed forgotten the Essence of Equestria. Founded of friendship and camaraderie, the kingdom was now torn apart, due to a lack of compassion between the two Sisters. Woe is me, that I should ever live to see this day! The Elder, had let her pride conquer her heart, and the Younger, that had once admired and adored her sister, found the tendrils of envy invading her soul. I have watched from afar, yet spoken not a word of protest, lest it rift this fragile bond further. Forgive me, O sisters, that I have wronged you. I have failed in teaching you about the Spirit of Equestria, the lifeblood, that courses through the veins of each pony, skilled may you be in the Magical Arts.
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The Princess is afraid. She fears for her kingdom, albeit, not for her sister. She fears the unknown. She fears the aftermath of her actions. The Moon Princess is not yet banished. She will not exile her, until a wise one, one she trusts, deems that it will not further harm this delicate land. She wishes for me, to communicate that it is indeed safe to expel the Younger, without tipping the balance.
"Princess, this is draining your power far too much! Please, I beg you, cease this foolishness!"
"M..Master...Please...Help!"
"Very well Princess, I shall bind the Nightmare in ropes of light. But you must be quick to use your magic on her.
The darkest night,
And deadliest pain,
With this cord of light,
You will be slain!"
"Forgive me Luna. I must do this. Forgive me...."
"Your Highness! No! Your magic alone is not enough to feed the elements! They are draining the magic of objects around them. The plants are withering. Look!"
"I banish Thee, Nightmare Moon to the Moon for a thousand years. May you never been seen in Equestria until the Summer Sun rises a thousand years hence!"
"Your Highness has done it! Your Highness has saved Equestria!"
"Sentry, where is Master Starswirl?"
"He was right next to me Your Highness. I do not know..."
"Master? What have I done to you? What is this new form you have taken?"
"Cursed in your pride,
And blinded in vanity,
The faithful at your side,
Lost his sanity,
Now you pay the price,
For wrongs you have done,
You've played your dice,
And the jester has won."