Michael and his angels fought....
"YEs.Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes!!!!" cried the little one as she jumped around her mentors feet.
Michael had prevailed and the battle was won in the realms of heaven.The cheering resounded everywhere!
"Yes. We won." said one of the two sisters, the eldest looking down on the jumping little cherub, who had also fought hard and well in he battle. She smiled sadly. The elder had been created just a little before, so she had naturally become the little one's teacher.She thought how close the little one had come to being a distraction during the battle...
How could she and her sister have ever doubted before?
"If we had not remembered our lessons." Celestia said and her sister responded.
"Pure focus on the goal."said Lunara."Besides....Cadenza had been there to protect the little one, even though little Twilight thought it her job to protect us!"
"Celestia and Lunara! Now! The King has come!"cried Twilight.
He set up his throne and began to acknowledge the work, the heroism, to hand out rewards and positions adding to the stewardship of those who had come through this trial, and judgement as well.
Judgment....
When the immortals see the absolute truth and "doubt", there is not much wiggle room.
"All these happy throngs surrounding Celestia and Lunara! "Twilight came up and held her teachers' quaking hands with assumption."How excited you must be, I saw how hard you fought, the tears is your eyes through the strain!"
Though when Cadenza looked into the elders' eyes, knew better.
"Please! Cadenza...."begged Celestia on behalf of her sister and her.
"Little one...please come with me..."she said with faltering smiles trying to lure little Twilight away from the two sisters' limp grasps.
First judgement: the evil one, in chains and his angles. Their penalties were obvious
"IMPOSSIBLE!"They said in the voice of the singularity, the screams of the engines of hate."LET THEM HAVE THEMSELVES AND HAVE YOU? IMPOSSIBLE!!!!....I DEMAND WHAT IS YOUR REAL GAME? I WANT TO KNOW!"
"I wish with all my heart...you could...."said the King.*
Celestia and Lunara looked away biting their lips as it, singularity, was cast out.
...next came the others. Ones that had hidden in the kings throne, where they had been clinging and hiding.
"You knew better...action come out of faith though you claim to believe you did not go into battle as your belief should have let you act. I would have given you the strength and as these witnesses before you testify, not a hair on your head would have been hurt.It shows you never believed....."The King said.
"We have done wrong."said the appointed leader."We cannot redeem our mistake. Point out where you want us to go and we will wait there for judgement, maybe we can do something right."
The King pointed out a small world," In the spiral arm of that galaxy, third planet from the sun, an isle of the northern part of a greater isle separated by the Celtic sea."
"Green shall be our color, we shall always value gold's color and the first growing thing we find shall be our banner!" said the Little folks king.
"We do not agree!"
"Then leave the King's presence to wander, the high vaults, not the deep darkness, inspect every aspect, and I want to hear your answer when I call for you." said the King.
"Oh, oh!"laughed Twilight."I think he'll call Michael to honor him now!"
That's not what happened, instead the king began to list of names.
"Step forward: Ramandu, Coriakin, Alatar and Pallando,Curumo, Olórin, Aiwendil...."and many others."....Celestia and Lunara.... "
"That's you!" Celestia found the little one squeezing her hand and began dragging her sister and her to the front.
They stumbled along making her way to the front. Celestia shakily stealing glances with her sister, trailing, at her. Though afraid of what might happen Twilight's hand was a great comfort.
Cadenza tried to remove but dared not come forward for fear of not being called.
"Surely the king of all things has some great reward to give you and your sister for how bravely you fought!"Twilight as she still clung to her mentor smiling.
Celestia and Lunara look at each other and chuckle nervously at irony.
At last to the front. Twilight, bobbing on the balls of her feet clueless of the nervous air around her as Cadenza watched nervously from the crowd. The other great ones look to the sisters with sympathy.
The King began to speak.
"All of you, well done!
You fought well in the battle. You fought with skill and dedication. You protected the backs of your fellows and lifted up and strengthened the weak, yet kept focused on the on the important things and maintain your duty...why did you then doubt?"
At this; Twilight's hand clenched around her mentors as she looked up confused towards her mentor "Doubt?" she mouthed the word . Celestia would not meet her gaze, so ashamed she was. Twilight then knew, "It's true...."
"....my word has always been true and everything I have said, I have always done...so as it sands now, by all laws I must make a judgment."
There was a sound, of unhappiness. The color of purple flashed to the foot of the throne.
Celestia looked down with alarm at her empty hand.
"Please no! Don't send Celestia away! Please don't send her into the dark....the evil one went into the dark, they aren't as smart or clever as he...how will they fare? Please I don't doubt you! I know all you do works for good....Please, I'll take Celestia and Luna's place! Send me instead! I'll go..I'll g..I'll." she then broke down crying.
Those in judgement wanted to reach out and comfort the crying cherub but they were unsure, looking between her and the King on the throne.
What the King did next was something truly shocking. He quietly came down of the throne and knelt down beside her. He reached out and held her.
"Shhh...."
She started with surprise.
"I will not destroy our friends."
She then relaxed.
"Look at this little one!"As he called for everyone's attention." For the love of her friends she would take punishment in thier sted!"he looked down at her."I am so proud of you! You have surpassed my expectations and would have done what I plan to do...this won't do!"
She looked at him wide eyed.
"...so I will do one better! When I start my mission...I will ask my father permission and, as she has done them, I will take the punishment for my friends, but I will do this:I will do it for them before they are my friends...before they even know me!"He said with a grin.
Cadenza was relieved. Twilight would not be cast out. "Whew!"
"Go on stand with your friends I will come to them shortly."
As the King mounted his throne again she went over to the others, the others, relieved, congratulated her and expressed their gratitude at having their fear assuaged.
Having sat down, he called each one he gave them there duties.
Some were to tread the sky.
Some were to rule people.
Some were to be guides and advisers.
He looked sadly at Curumo as he gave him his commission.
At last, it was the turn of the Two sisters Celestia and Lunara.
"I have given, to you, greater power. You are to be born into a race of powerful beings, but the last of thier kind...you will take over from a younger race their commission, for they tire... I fear for that world lest it should be burnt up or flattened. I keep calling to them, but they are stubborn. You will take from the council their commission...
You Celesstia, shall raise and lower the sun.
You Lunara, I rename Luna shall raise and lower the moon.
The creatures there will have at least one natural allocation that you already possess.You will rule them together,discussing every decisions thoroughly, wisely, remembering to show them what love is like by loving each other.
Do not forget what I tell you, Celestia...should you falter though, I will send help.I will send Olórin to teach you both.
Both of you!
Remember he will be older and more fragile so don't be rough!
Celestia...you can have cake sometimes, but not all the time...it will only make you fat!"
"What is cake? What is fat?"
"Cake.Fat.Don't allow the thorns of the world to choke out the important things in your garden!"
"Luna."Luna straightened herself and looked into his face."Your loyalty to your sister is admirable.She saved you from the evil one by leading you into good paths and you followed. You, I give the task of learning forgiveness and salvation."
"I can do it!"
"Love your sister."
Then he came to Twilight."Twilight, you are to go to the same world as your mentor."
There was another unhappy cry as Cadenza raced to the front.
She wrapped her wings around Twilight.
"Please! Don't send Twilight away! I love her!"
"...Cadenza...she has an important job she has to do!"
Cadenza's mouth began to quiver as if she would cry.
"Are you willing to go to the same world as her?"
Cadenza look down at Twilight.
"Yes.."
"Very well then! You will go ahead of Twilight and after Celestia and Luna.You will learn love! You will defeat an enemy with love and your wings.
You will be part of Twilight's family!"Cadenza bowed low.
"Now, Twilight..."
She looked up at him.
"I have something special for you to do?You know what it is?"
"What sir?"
"You are to seek out the truth....for with the truth is freedom."
"I will work night and day and seek out all truth..."
"(sigh)I know..."he looked down at her till she felt ashamed.
"There is only on great truth I want you to find Twilight...."
"Oh!Oh!What is that?"she said bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"No...greater....love....."
Author's Note
There we go...in the spirit of the Silmarillion and Dawn Treader I feel.
*Paragraph paraphrased from Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
