Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies.
But as time went on, the older sister became full of greed. The ponies relished and played in the day she brought forth, but shunned and slept through her younger sister’s beautiful night. One fateful day, the elder unicorn refused to lower the sun to make way for the night.
The younger sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the old one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Star. She vowed that she would bathe the land in eternal sunlight.
Reluctantly, the younger sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her older sister, and banished her permanently in the sun. The younger sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since.
Twilight Sparkle blinked multiple times. She read through the passage once more. “Nightmare Star… most powerful magic… Elements of Harmony… banished into the sun… responsibility for both sun and moon?” This legend brought much confusion to the young unicorn. Thoughts filled her head, trying to sort out from her own teachings with the conflict this book was giving her. “I have to tell the Queen.”
Twilight scanned her room and hollered out, “Spike!” No response. She called out again. A reply came back to her.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” It came to no surprise to Twilight that loud clatter and sounds of objects falling down the stairs as Spike appeared before her. Her little draconic companion was holding a present in his hands. “Tada! I just finished wrapping that old copy of Predictions and Prophecies you had for Moon Dancer!” He waved the gift in the air proudly.
Twilight sighed, using her magic to pull the book out of Spike’s grasp. “Spike, we don’t have time for that sort of thing right now.” She laid the book on a nearby table. “I need you to write a letter to the Queen.”
Spike grumbled a little in disgust, but reluctantly grabbed some parchment and a pen. He looked at her, ready to take the letter.
Twilight cleared her throat, “My dearest mentor, my continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover an old text of the New Lunar Republic. This text contains all the official markings and credentials, but never before have I come across a text that is so misconstrued from the truth!”
Spike continued to write as quickly as possible. “Mis..con...sss..”
Twilight’s ears pulled back at the awkwardness. “Uh.. inaccurate?”
He was still struggling.
“Ugh!” She groaned in frustration. “It’s really really wrong!” Glaring back at Spike, she waited until he was caught up before continuing. “It is my urgent request to discuss with you these Elements of Harmony, ‘suns’, and ‘moons’ are.”
Twilight paused for a moment. A hunch had began to muster insider her. Moon Dancer’s gift glowed with Twilight’s magic and was unwrapped.
Spike looked up and gasped in shock. “Twilight! What are you doing!?” His remarks were ignored as she opened the book,
“Elements… Elements… E… E… Aha! Elements of Harmony! See… Mare in the Sun?” Her curiosity began to run wild in her head. Turning the pages, she found the next topic and began reading.
“Myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria. Defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the sun. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring forth the rage of the entire sun, heralding the end of all things.”
Spike was looking through the letter so far, half listening to what she had to say. “I dunno, Twilight. Queen Luna's a little busy getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration. You know she has a lot of preparations to do for that. And it’s like, at the end of this month. I don’t think this is that important.”
Twilight looked up and gulped. “The Summer Sun Celebration? Spike! Do you know what this means?” She put down the book and rushed to Spike.
He looked up at her with a dumbfounded look, “No, not really.”
Twilight looked out through her window at the city below. The cold wind of the surrounding underground caverns rushed in and blew out the candles that provided the only source of light in her home.
“The candles!” Spike exclaimed. He cautiously rushed over to where he last saw the closest candle and spat fire onto the wick, reigniting the light. Twilight tapped her hoof impatiently, giving Spike an unsettling glare. The young dragonling reached for his pen once more and gave her a nod to continue.
“For the mythical mare in the sun is in fact Nightmare Star and she is about to return to Equestria. Please help me separate these facts from fiction as the fate of Equestria could hang in the balance! Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” Spike wrote as quickly as he could before finishing the signature.
He handed it to Twilight to review and she scanned it for any mistakes and grammar inconsistencies. With a satisfactory expression on her face, Spike engulfed the letter in a magical flame. “There, it’s on its way. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
“Oh, I'm not worried, Spike. The Queen trusts me completely. In all the years she's been my mentor she's never once doubted me.”
In a short instant, Spike gave out a loud belch of flame. The flame cleared to reveal a new letter with the Queen’s signature emblem wrapped around it.
“See?” Twilight replied, “I know the Queen would want to take immediate action.”
Spike opened the letter and began to read it aloud, “My dearest, most faithful student Twilight. I can see you have discovered one of the oldest tales since the Republic was established. Indeed there is both fact and fiction within what you have read. This discussion must be continued muzzle-to-muzzle. Please meet me in my chambers of Moonhaven. My guards will be expecting your arrival. Signed, Queen Luna of the New Lunar Republic.”
Twilight’s ears perked up and her eyes began to glisten with excitement. “Just the answer I was expecting! Let’s get going, Spike!”
However, Spike had not finished reading. Twilight looked back at him, but was puzzled by his change of mood and tone. “P.S. Under no circumstance will you mention Nightmare Star or the mare in the sun but to myself and to whomever I authorize. Come with haste.” The mood fell to a much more serious level.
With that, Twilight Sparkle and Spike left her home within the underground. Twilight grew more concerned about who this mare in the sun character was and why the Queen had such a serious tone about her. There were many questions that Twilight wanted answers to, but she had faith that Luna would be able to clarify her findings. If what the legend said was true, Equestria was on the precipice of a truly cataclysmic endeavor. Her heart pounded with more weight in her chest as she galloped toward the Moonhaven’s royal castle.
Author's Note
Hey guys! Glad to get this finally started. Quick heads up! We're starting very similar to the beginning of the pilot episode as a means for a clean slate. From the end of this prologue, it will dramatically split off into its own, independent story. See you all in the next chapter ;)
With Spike on her back, Twilight galloped through the tunnels of Moonhaven. It was a very dimly lit city and entirely underground. Outside of her bedroom’s window, was the central district of Moonhaven. The underground opened up into a massive cavity which the capital was founded in. Thousands of ponies lived here who had sworn fealty to the Republic. The name of Moonhaven was very complimentary to how decorated the city truly was. The aquamarine luster of the city lights gave with them an aura of serenity. These lights were given off by bioluminescent plants that illuminated most of the roads and common areas within Moonhaven. Queen Luna resorted to these plants since using fire in mass would pollute the underground.
The ventilation system put in place uses two massive holes that travel to the surface at the roof of Moonhaven’s cavity. Smaller shafts split off and spread across the entirety of the city, including primary tunnels and roadways that lead out of the city. By the time the air entered the cavern, it was cold and filled with moisture. Puddles were amuck on the trails and practically every building was coated in a thin layer of dew. Most of civilization has grown accustomed to this after many generations of living in the underground since the temperature and moisture was fairly consistent throughout the year.
Most of the homes were built of massive rocks and boulders, sealed together with cement. However, Twilight wasn’t keen on the thought of how different her home was to the others. The privilege of being under Luna’s mentorship came with much more benefits, such as a large home with two stories. She felt a family of four would be much more appreciative of living in her quarters, but the Queen insisted. Most of the other ponyfolk of Moonhaven were not as fortunate with homes, having a maximum of two rooms: a bedroom and a living room.
As Twilight and Spike ventured forth to the castle, three ponies ahead of her flagged her down and hollered out, “Twilight!” It was a few of her friends from school.
Twilight dug her hind hooves into the ground to a halt. Mud splashed forward onto her body slightly.
Her friend Twinkleshine giggled and continued, “Moon Dancer is having a little get-together at the Lunarfall Reservoir. Wanna come?”
The urgency in Luna’s letter gave Twilight a tough feeling in her gut. She remembered about Moon Dancer’s party, but hopefully even she would understand later why this is a bad time. “Oh, sorry girls,” Twilight began to beat around the bush, “I got a… lot of studying to catch up on.”
Not wanting to make this more awkward than what it has become in the mere seconds of replying, Twilight bolted forth. Spike was a little surprised and pulled at Twilight’s mane just to hold on.
Twinkleshine and her partners watched in disgust as Twilight ran away. She sighed, “Does that pony do anything other than study?”
As Twilight approached the castle, she looked at the guards. They glared at her with a fierce, scolding look. The guards were always this way. It was as if they didn’t trust anypony who they came across on duty. But, with a nod of their head, they sheathed their polearms and permitted her entry into the Queen’s domain. She gulped and trotted inside with a bit more caution with each hoofstep.
Once inside, the two came across a grandiose hallway with a large stairwell at the end of the room. Massive corridors on each side of her were partially open and would groan, rather than creak as the wind seeped through. Banners hung from the ceiling of the New Lunar Republic in a navy blue and the emblem of the Republic in a tarnished silver. Only the light coming through the stained glass windows gave way to an abandoned setting for this castle. Each of those windows represented famous ponies of Equestria’s history.
The corridor behind her slammed shut, startling the two of them. The door’s echo bounced over and over like a pebble seamlessly skipped over the Lunarfall Reservoir. Spike’s breathing became quick and shallow upon gathering what composure he had.
“Well,” Twilight muttered, “the Queen is in here.”
Twilight Sparkle began moving forward through the long hallway. Busts of equine royalty were placed on each side of the walkway. Even paintings of others were mounted on pillars and the walls.
What was most impressive about this building, was how well noise was blocked from entering. Outside, the constant hum of the ventilation fans powered by the pegasi could be heard across Moonhaven. In here, there was not a lively sound to be heard. Only the wind through the corridors and the drips of water from the cave’s condensation gave this castle any life for the ears.
Spike kept scanning his surroundings as if he was being watched. “Remind me again why Queen Luna lives in a run down castle like this?”
“Oh, Spike.” Twilight sighed, “The Queen has always been busy with one thing or another. I’m not sure she even has time to tidy her own castle up.”
They climb the stairs and take a right. Throughout the castle, hallways felt more and more lengthy as if they were wandering in an endless maze. Cobwebs were caught by Twilight’s muddy hooves. Wiping them off, she set focus on finding L--
“This way, Twilight.” A shrill whisper swept across her as she gasped, “Follow my voice…”
She didn’t know if Luna was just getting some sort of enjoyment out of this, but she shook her head a few times before listening in on the echo of Luna’s voice.
It was until she reached one heavily ornamented corridor on her left that the whispers seemed to come from the other side. Using her magic, Twilight opened the two ancient doors.
As the doors parted open, Twilight set eyes upon a magnificent library that seemed to rise to the height of the ceiling tens of yards in height. Only a few magically lit lanterns illuminated the library floor, but seemed to dissipate into blackness in but a short distance. Books on the shelves were coated in dust and cobwebs as well.
Near one of the lanterns stood a magnificent being.
“Queen Luna…” Spike gasped.
Garbed in a ghostly white dress, Queen Luna’s ears twitched at the sound of Spike’s words. She turned her head to see the her faithful student and her draconic friend. The Queen lifted her veil to reveal her jewel-like cyan eyes that glistened in the flickering light of the lanterns.
She spoke gently, “It is good to see you both on such short notice.” Luna closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled. “There is much I have to discuss with you.”
Twilight stepped inside the library. Spike hopped off and approached the Queen by Twilight’s side. She began to speak, but was halted by Luna with a raise of her hoof.
Luna’s tone did not change, but Twilight knew she was wanting to cut down on the small talk. “I knew it would only be a matter of time before my most faithful student would find some of the ancient archives of our kingdom.”
“But if they are ancient archives, then why are they so farfetched in what our history is?” Twilight inquired. “Who were these two sisters? What exactly are these suns and moons it speaks of? Who is Nightmare Star?”
The room echoed those words.
Nightmare Star.
As soon as Twilight mentioned that name, Queen Luna seemed to have winced in pain. It was a very subtle wince, almost to the point where Twilight second guessed what she saw.
“Have a seat, Twilight. It is time you knew the truth.”
A very confused and conflicted Twilight Sparkle sat on a chair by the table. She turned to face her Queen once more.
Luna walked away for a moment to gather her thoughts. She reached for one of the bookshelves and grabbed a dusty textbook with her magic. “What can you tell me about the moon?”
“The moon?” Twilight responded.
Luna nodded back.
“That is what we use for the flag of the New Lunar Republic.”
“And?”
Twilight felt her response was not good enough. “And… it’s the shape of a crescent circle?”
“A real moon, Twilight.” Luna seemed a bit disappointed. “A moon is a massive object in the sky that revolves around the world.” She paused. “You have never been to the surface, have you?”
Twilight shook her head.
“I see. I will begin there, then. You see, Twilight, we were not always dwelling in the underground. There was a time where we were all living in peace and harmony on the surface. There were trees and mountains… sunsets and clouds… snow and colorful fields of flowers as far as the eye could see.” Luna approached Twilight once more. “You will find that much of our Equestrian history took place a thousand years ago, but also in the years that followed.”
The Queen used her magic to illustrate to Twilight her story, “As your book mentioned, there were two sisters who controlled both the sun and the moon. I am one of those two sisters whose responsibility was to control the moon and bring forth the night to Equestria. For a time, I was known as Princess Luna.”
“What?” Twilight exclaimed. “I don’t understand. Our history books told us nothing about this! All I recall from that was there was a civil war. It was so devastating that we couldn’t return to the surface again. It was too dangerous for us.”
“And did they ever tell you why there was a civil war?” Luna probed.
“I.. well… no… not exactly.”
“That is because of what happened with my sister. Princess Celestia. She was able to control a powerful and fiery star known as the sun which gave light to Equestria. This sun is much, much bigger than the world we live on and is tens of millions of kilometers away.”
“So… then the legend states that she--”
“Greed made manifest in her heart, Twilight. It changed her. Celestia wasn’t just satisfied with having day and night. She wanted a world where there was no night, which is why control over something like the sun and moon requires a pony with unclouded judgement and no personal bias. Balance must be maintained.” Luna paused briefly. “Unfortunately for my sister, that selfishness set her ablaze with anger. She overthrew the kingdom for a brief time, but it wasn’t until I mustered the power of the Elements of Harmony that her reign came to an end.”
Twilight began to piece the puzzles together one by one. “And you banished her into the sun?”
Luna stomped the ground, “No! It was NEVER meant to be that way!” Her booming voice dissipated her magic.
The echo of her outburst echoed through the castle. Twilight, for the first time, began to fear Luna.
The Queen caught herself and regained her composure. “I mean… that was the result of using the Elements of Harmony. What they did to her was out of my control. I didn’t know they would cast her away.”
The magical illustrations were brought back again as she began to change topics. “After Celestia was banished, the kingdom gradually became more and more into disarray. For you see, a Resistance was created against the kingdom.”
Luna’s emphasis helped ring a bell in Twilight’s memory. “Oh! You mean the Resistance? Against the Republic?”
Luna nodded in reply. “They believed that I chose to banish my sister after finding out the truth of her absence. I was a young mare at the time, relying upon my sister to rule as I watched. Admittedly, I made some poor judgements back then which only fueled the precursory events of the war.”
“Perhaps the biggest turning point within that war was what happened with the sun.” Luna mentioned, relaxing a bit more in her own chair. “After some time since Celestia’s banishment began, the sun began to swell more and more. Its heat began to affect our climate. I was worried of what would happen should it continue. I decided to use the moon to block out the sun and save the land from further damage.” She began to mutter.
“However, I was not met with the praise I was expecting. Instead, they were outraged; mad at the fact I was blocking the sun as if I wanted night eternal. The Resistance became more powerful against my rule in the days to follow. On one fateful day, the Resistance gathered some of the most powerful spell-weavers and wizards throughout the land. With a powerful spell, they shot a mighty beam of magic towards the moon.” A great weight fell into the alicorn’s voice. “The moon exploded. Massive, colossal portions of the moon began to descend from the sky. I did my best to shatter them into smaller pieces, for even the Resistance’s magi were helping as well. Most were taken care of, save one…”
The magical imagery shifted to show a massive meteor descending upon the land like a mighty bomb. Fire engulfed a massively large radius across Equestria until the entire vision of magic swirled into a ball of magical flame before Twilight’s eyes.
The Queen continued once more, “We were able to see this meteor come well in advance. I ordered all of ponykind into the caves of what you know now as Moonhaven. Back then, our kingdom was on the surface and known as Canterlot.” She pointed at a large mountain where palace was near the top. “The caves you see around you have been excavated for hundreds of years to the point where they are now. Even now, we have a fully underground network of tunnels that connects all the cities of Equestria.”
“While the explosion had ended, there was too much devastation for us to return back to the surface. The climate took a terrible turn, bringing severe storms across the land whenever they formed.” Queen Luna showed in the vision her using her magic on the sun, “I first tried to set the sun near the horizon to ease the blazing heat, but the storms proved too much for any of us to withstand. We had to stay underground in order to survive.” She sighed. “All that is left of our former civilization is the ruins that continue to weather away each year.”
Luna leaned toward Twilight and flicked her ears, “Your ears didn’t used to look like that, you know.” She also lifted her upper lip with a hoof to reveal her fangs in all of their glory. “And these,” Luna added. Then, she stepped out of her chair and spread her majestic wings.
“Before we stayed in the caves, pegasi had feathered wings. Ever since we started living underground, we began to change. Our ears became more sensitive to sound; wings turned into webbing like the wings of a bat; but our appetite changed too. Normally, we would eat plants as the herbivores we were.” The Queen showed one last magical illusion, showing a pony stalking a overly large spider. In an instant, they pounced at the creature and buried their teeth into it. After a few gruesome moments, they walked away and wiped the blood from their mouth.
“Now, we require more. Insects are something that sate our appetite now. Their ability to survive on the surface allows them to be plentiful. We attract them into the underground and catch them in the masses. Unfortunately, not many herbs and plants can survive down here…”
Twilight had to wrap her head around all of this. It was a hefty amount of information that seemed to go against what she had been told growing up. It seemed with more of these answers Luna was giving her, it only resolved to her having even more questions. It was a difficult concept to grasp.
The young unicorn looked back up to Luna, “So… what are we, exactly?”
Luna rested a hoof on Twilight’s neck, “We are what is known as a Thestral. Ponies with bat-like characteristics.”
“And…” Twilight got out of her seat and started walking in circles. Spike seemed more lost about all of this than she did. “Wait! You said that after Celestia was banished, the sun began to swell.”
“That is correct.”
“Why would this sun swell?” Twilight thought this was a valid question to ask.
Luna too got out of her seat and created an illusionary sun that filled the entirety of the library. “Because a far worse fate fell upon my sister than even anything you could imagine, Twilight. My sister is not dead. She is alive at the core of this sun, which makes me extremely worried about what could come in our future. I believe the only thing that has kept her alive was her powerful alicorn magic, which was empowered by the sun.”
She hesitated to continue after looking at the expression on Twilight’s face, but went on, “I will not lie to you, Twilight. Celestia and I share an incredibly powerful bond. With each time that I sleep, I know only despair and torment with the nightmares I have. Most times I am overwhelmed with guilt, and the banishment of my sister replays in my head over… and over… and over again.” Luna sighed before continuing.
“Over time, I would see Celestia. Fire and magma would envelop her.” Luna shared this painful description with Twilight in her illusions. “Her coat would blacken… the skin would fracture… she would scream in absolute agony.” Luna mimicked the sound she would hear in her dreams with her magic. The shriek of somepony facing such torture was beyond her comprehension, It filled the library and halls. Death would be the only form of mercy to end such torment. Where Celestia was, mercy did not exist.
Luna ended the cry of terror and ceased her magical spells entirely. Even as the echoes faded away, it did not matter how hard Twilight and Spike tried. They could still hear Celestia in their ears.
“Mark my words, Twilight. Celestia will return. And when she does, it will herald the end of all things as we know it. I have seen what is coming to Equestria,” Luna began, “and that is why I have the most important task for you, my student.”
Twilight swallowed hard at those words, but could not find the guts to respond.
Luna turned back to Twilight, stirring the cool air with her wings and returned to her empty chair, sitting down like she was lifting an immense burden. “You will need to secure the Elements of Harmony from legend: Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, Kindness, and the lost element of Magic.” She reaffirmed a more regal posture as if she had never revealed the pain she had held for nearly a thousand years.
“The castle where they sleep remains on the surface, you can’t go alone on the surface. Go to the underground cities. Seek out five other ponies to aid in your quest.” She raised a hoof and held her head high.
Twilight quickly bobbed in a quick bow, then throwing Spike on her back with magic while galloping out of the large echoing hall.
Luna sighed, letting her posture drop. It was a long shot, but she couldn’t force Twilight to realistically make genuine friends under such a charge. All she could hope is that Harmony itself would see fit to guide Twilight to where she needs to be and bond with her new comrades while on this country spanning mission.
She waited before Twilight’s hoofsteps diminished before resuming her business with the Summer Sun Celebration, but was caught off guard when she heard a new set of hooves trot in the opposite direction.
After the bells of curfew chimed throughout Moonhaven, the Queen forced herself into her chambers. It was a long day for Luna, but a day that she knew was coming for years without end. Her horn glowed and glistened in the dimness of her bedroom; the ornamented doors slowly creaked shut behind her.
Luna pulled off her veil and pulled at the laces on the back of her dress. As she took a large breath in, the constriction of her corset strengthened around her chest like the thoughts of shame, anger, and sadness that have beaten into her skull for centuries.
“Y o u d i d t h i s t o h e r…”
The bulk of her dress began to loosen and sag from its own weight. The Queen’s magic began to untie the supporting laces around her torso. The entirety of her extravagant clothing was enveloped in the aura of magic. Her majestic wings unfolded. Slowly, the dress was lifted as her wings slipped through their openings seamlessly.
Levitating the dress, Luna intricately placed it upon a hangar and returned her royal garb to her armoire. Next to which stood a finely crafted mirror that had caught the alicorn’s eye. She approached her reflection as if she was looking back at a complete stranger. It was this very stranger who so brazenly wielded the Elements of Harmony against her sister.
“I t w a s a l l y o u r f a u l t…”
“No.” She shook her head and turned away from the mirror in defiance. “Get a hold of yourself, Luna.”
The Queen removed her hairpins; a gorgeous, starlit mane fell into a more natural stance. Luna then settled into her bed. Silk-like curtains shrouded her from being seen by any others, but were partially transparent enough for the alicorn to see the remainder of her bedroom.
She took in a large breath of the cold air of the underground, only then to exhale in order to relieve the stress that fell on top of her shoulders. With that, she nestled comfortably underneath the covers and closed her eyes. She rested on her mattress, shifting and tossing with the lingering thoughts and memories that haunted her for decades.
As the time began to pass, she began to lose her grasp on reality. More and more, Luna drifted into the depths of her mind; her vision dampening as the darkness overtook her.
Then, there was laughter.
It was something that was a rare occurrence within this blackened forest.
The branches were bent in wicked shapes; leaves brushed in a petite twister by a gust of wind. Ravens and crows were squawking in the depths of the thicket.
“You won’t catch me!” A voice hollered out.
“Just you wait,” the other one cried, “I’m still on your tail!”
The two of them galloped down the weathered trail, quicker than when mother would finish baking her homemade cinnamon-butterscotch pie.
The distance between the two of them lengthened more and more as they raced further into the woods.
“Tia!” The little mare cried. “Wait for me!” She dashed as quickly as she could, but the endurance of her older sister was still more superior.
Shortly after a few moments, Tia was visible again. To the young one’s surprise, she had stopped in her tracks.
As the other one neared, they slowed down in an attempt to catch their breath.
“Okay… Tia,” she panted, “You win… hah…”
Tia was oblivious to her younger sister, but softly exclaimed, “Luna.”
Luna’s ears twitched. Confused, she looked up to her sister who was caught in a trance.
“Tia?” She inquired. “What is it?”
“Look.”
Luna set her eyes upon what her sister was beholding.
Before them was a mighty cathedral, hidden away within the confines of the Everfree Forest. There was a grand corridor with a golden emblem of both the sun and the moon upon it. Stained glass windows were scattered along the sides in multitudes of different colors.
Luna decided to break the silence. “Is that.. Is that the castle?”
Tia nodded. “Remember how I told you I heard Starswirl was building a castle in honor of mom and dad?”
“Uh-huh.” Luna was more at a loss of words.
“I think this is it.”
“Wow.”
Without hesitation, Tia bolted forward across the wooden bridge that went over the river’s chasm meters below. The ropes clenched tighter, bearing the weight of the alicorn.
“H-hey!” Luna hollered. “Wait for me!”
They both rushed further towards the castle for a closer look.
Standing before the castle, Tia pointed out to Luna to look at some of the towers. “Look, sister. See anything odd about them?”
Luna squinted and tried to catch the towers in further detail. “Hmmm…”
From what she could see, bricks were missing on most of the upper parts of the castle. Only one tower seemed to be intact while the others were either missing or only partially remaining.
“Do you think there was a battle here?” Luna questioned.
Tia shook her head. “I don’t think so. It seems too… clean.”
“Clean? What do you mean?”
“I don’t see any damage or debris, Luna. Do you?” She paused to let her sister absorb her statement. “I don’t think they are finished building it yet.”
Filled with curiosity, Luna went up to one of the windows and peeked inside. She couldn’t fathom just how massive the inside was. “Tia! Oh my gosh! We have to go inside!”
Tia’s expression dropped in shock. “What? No. We don’t want to get into any trouble.”
“Trouble?” Luna chuckled. “We’re in the middle of the Everfree Forest and you’re talking about getting into trouble?”
“This is a different kind of trouble, sister.” Tia lectured out. “We can get back home and not tell anyone where we’ve been. But if someone catches us here, I am sure that word will spread very quickly.”
Tia grinned wickedly with a new thought and whispered into Luna’s ear, “You wouldn’t want Starswirl to find out we were here, wouldn’t you?”
Luna’s heart dropped like a cannonball slipping off the edge of a table. She whimpered at the thought of seeing Starswirl enraged by them running amok through the castle. It was even more frightening to think of what kind of punishment would befall the two princesses.
In an instant, Luna snapped out of it and shook her head in protest. “No… no…” She backed away from the window with a couple of hoofsteps.
The elder sister snickered. “That’s what I thought.” Tia turned around and motioned for Luna to follow. “Come on, then. It’s probably best we get going.”
Luna watched as her sister simply began to trot away, humming one of her favorite tunes. She started to catch up to her sister, who was already about to cross over the bridge again. Luna took one last look upon the castle, which still gave a mystifying aura of wonders and curiosity to the young alicorn.
The towering wooden corridors could not seal away how enticing it was to step inside the magnificent structure.
It called to her.
It beckoned to her.
Whispers seemed to seep into the young one’s mind. All of the voices were speaking over each other.
“This may be your only chance…”
“Come in… come in…”
“What good does your sister know?”
“Just a peek…”
“There is no one else around… n o o n e w i l l b e t h e w i s e r…”
“G o n o w… D O I T!!”
Tia skipped to the tune of mother’s personal lullaby’s. As she crossed the bridge, she noticed Luna was being rather quiet. “Don’t worry, sister. We’ll find plenty of things to do once we get back h--”
A crash of a slamming door came from behind her.
Alarmed, Tia spun around. “Luna!?”
She was nowhere to be seen.
In a panic, Tia looked back to the castle. Movement struck her attention. The castle doorway swayed forward and backward. It was at this moment that Tia knew what had happened.
“Luna!” She cried out and spread her wings. Flapping diligently, Tia took off and flew back towards the castle as fast as she could.
As she pulled the doors open with her magic, she jumped inside, scanning for her missing sister.
“Luna!?” Tia hollered into the castle. She ran forward, seeing more than four different hallways on each side of the entrance. Banners of the sun and moon dangled from chandeliers up above, along with two prominently larger ones at the end of this hallway where two thrones were placed atop a small flight of stairs.
She ran to each respective hallway to catch a glimpse of her sister. Luna couldn’t have gone terribly far.
One by one, each hallway was empty. “Luna! Where are you??”
Just then, Tia could hear another door creak open from the third hallway on the right. Going on intuition alone, she hurried along to where she heard the door. The hallway grew darker and darker as the candles had either been smothered out or were never lit.
Peering down the next left, she looked for anything out of the ordinary. A partly open, but heavily damaged door seemed too out of place for Tia.
As she opened the door, she could finally see the silhouette of her sister. She was in front of a pedestal, opening a strange and thick book from an old and cobweb filled bookshelf. There was no source of light in here other than the cylindrical hole in the ceiling above where Luna stood. It went up for multiple stories before it opened up to the outside. Sunlight shone down into this opening and coated both Luna and the pedestal in this entirely blackened room.
“Luna!” Tia ordered. “Stop right there!”
The oblivious young one continued. Her horn began to glow and she started muttering in an unfamiliar tongue.
Tia quickly went over her. Luna looked into her eyes, but what frightened Tia more than anything is what she saw in Luna.
Her right eye was in tears, looking up to Tia in complete and total desperation. Teardrops dribbled down her cheek like a small stream.
But her other eye was blank and soulless. It was devoid of all emotion. It stared off into the distance as if it was under some kind of spell.
A spell.
Tia quickly grabbed the book and threw it to the wall before tackling Luna to the ground. “Luna!” She cried. “Wake up! Please! Luna!!”
Luna was not responding, still chanting the words of whatever spell she was trying to conjure.
Tia had no other choice than to slap some sense into her. She reluctantly smacked the sides of Luna’s muzzle.
Then, Luna stopped chanting. The darkness of the room began to smudge away from every corner of the chamber. Tia was in tears, but stopped to see at what was happening. The shadows were twisting and winding around the walls in a slow but looming manner.
“...Tia…” Luna muttered.
“Luna! Oh Luna, are you alright? I am so sorry…”
“...Me too…” It was then that Luna raised a hoof and pointed at something.
In an emotional confusion, Tia looked behind her to see the shadows and darkness become absorbed by the book that was on the floor.
“Run.” Tia gasped. “Run!!!”
Tia pulled Luna up. She was still riddled with fatigue from her ordeal, but Luna was able to have enough strength to follow Tia out of the darkened chamber. They were in a dead sprint, pulling the long ornamental rugs from underneath their hooves.
As they fled, the shadows were absorbed by the book. It began to levitate above the ground and return to the page that it was originally on. The inscriptions glowed in a violet hue, pulsating rapidly until the entirety of the darkness was engulfed into the book. From the very letters on the parchment, seeped out a hideous cloud of smog. The density was overwhelmingly thick, tainted black with the dark magics that fueled it.
The magical anomaly locked on to the trail of the fleeing sisters and slipped through the walls at incredible speed. The chilling groans that came from this dark being snuffed the life out of any and all other candlelight that was in the castle. The sound was as like an ethereal cry of blistering agony after having been tortured for weeks without end. It was not a groan of terror, but one that knew mercy would not rescue them; a slow and painful death was all that remained.
Tia and Luna hurried in fear down the last stairwell. At last, they could see the entrance, lit only by the light coming through the stained glass and through the cracks of the corridor. They both were gasping for breath, hearts were racing and fueled with adrenaline as they screamed out in fear.
“IT’S RIGHT BEHIND US!!!” Luna shrieked, struck with terror to not look back again.
“HURRY, WE’RE ALMOST OUT!!” Tia cried.
They both slammed into the door, but it would barely budge open. In a panic, they both pushed hard. In total desperation, their horns glowed with magic to force the door open. They were making headway, but Tia knew time was off the essence.
Looking back, Tia could see the shadowy creature leap at them.
Time slowed down for Tia.
She gasped, looking at Luna.
Luna was crying heavily, doing whatever she could to escape.
Looking back at the evil spirit, Tia could see it was focused on her sister.
It was either fight or flee.
Tia knew what she had to do.
Her horn glowed brightly as she growled in defiance.
She leapt forward at the beast and fired a heavenly stream of light.
The beam pierced through the figure.
It had no effect.
It kept coming.
Tia’s heart stopped beating and everything was swallowed into darkness.
Thud!
Luna heard something fall heavily on the ground, but the groaning noises of the ghost were silenced.
In shock, Luna looked behind her to see the body of her fallen sister.
“TIA!!!”
She rushed over to her.
“Tia!! No!!” Luna shook her sister frantically. “No, no, no, no!!”
It wasn’t enough.
Luna stopped, weeping on the chest of her fallen sister.
“I t w a s a l l y o u r f a u l t…”
As she weeped, she could suddenly hear the heartbeat of her sister once more. Luna gasped. “Tia!?”
Her sister began to frown and shift about.
“Tia!” Luna cried happily, “You’re alive!”
Tia did not say anything, but put her hooves on the ground and slowly got up.
“I was so worried! I thought you were d--”
“We’re leaving.” Tia ordered.
Luna was struck in shock at her sister’s tone. “I.. Tia..?” She raised a hoof and reached to Tia.
Smack!
“Ow!” Luna winced in pain, retreating her hoof.
Tia growled at Luna, scolding at her. “Now!”
Luna could see into Tia’s eyes. They were so unfamiliar to her. They were not the eyes of a loving sibling, but were filled with fire and hatred. For a brief moment, she couldn’t even recognize that she was looking at her own sister. Something was really, really wrong.
Luna wiped the tears from her eyes.
The two of them left, speaking not another word to each other. As they exited, Tia looked back inside. She paused, almost as if she was entranced by the inside.
Her horn glowed with the color of her magic, the color of which seemed dull. The door’s handle glowed as well in the same hue. In an instant, the door slammed shut.
“AH!!” Luna awoke, gasping for air.
The bedroom was deathly cold and silent.
The Queen was sweating profusely and her heart pounding out of her chest. The covers were thrown and tossed into discord.
Luna thought of where she was, starting to let reality sink in once more.
She panted like a dog.
It was all my fault...
“Just… another nightmare…”
Luna collapsed back onto her pillows. A freezing sensation sparked her attention on her cheeks. Tears.
Most of the nightmares she had gotten were of her innermost fears were always related to her sister, Celestia. There were two days that Luna dreaded the most in her life. It was no surprise to anypony that one of those days was when she used the Elements of Harmony to banish her sister. However, she kept the other darkened memory all to herself.
It was the day she lost her sister.
Luna got out of bed, her legs still shaking. Her relapses haven’t been this severe in a very, very long time. She returned once more to the mirror and looked upon the mess of a mare that was her reflection.
The Luna within the mirror weeping uncontrollably, barely having enough composure to look at herself. Luna began to lose feeling in her face and hooves. Her heart was pounding in her chest as though she was running a marathon. The sudden rush of blood went to her skull as the room began to spin.
Her skittish legs began to buckle and the alicorn collapsed to the floor.
The Queen wiped her tears away yet felt nothing run down her cheeks, save the staticy feeling of her numbness spreading across her muzzle. She did not realize just how bad her emotions were spilling out.
The others could not see her like this. It took a lot of willpower to hide the pain she felt on the inside. It was that day which her whole life would change forever.
And it was because she was so gullible.
She did not know it at the time, but many moons after that fateful day was when Starswirl introduced them to that very castle. What Luna had caught notice of was that every time he entered the castle, he casted some sort of spell onto the door. It would seem to expel some blacked ash that dissipated into nothingness. It began to sink into Luna shortly after that it was some kind of security measure. When she was there with Celestia at the beginning, they both had so brazenly stepped upon the castle grounds. It must have triggered something. How foolish they were.
By the time she had peered back before leaving with Celestia, it was too late. Something took hold of her. Luna tried to fight back, but the powers that lured her in were far greater than the strength in magic that she, petty weakling, possessed. Deep into the castle she went, controlled like a mindless puppet. As this pitiful mare entered a strange room, a book was brought from the shelves onto a strange altar. With black magic, the book opened and stopped on a specific page filled with runes and cursive writing. It was hard to decipher through the handwriting, but Luna made out the title of this strange spell.
Miasma.
Luna didn’t know what it meant. However, after all the events that would take place, it became clear to her that whatever happened to Celestia was the result of what this ‘miasma’ spell wrought.
She never truly was the same after that day. Celestia became much more resentful of her sister. The love between the two of them drifted further and further apart as each day passed. It felt as though that Celestia saw her as a threat to what she was able to have. The two of them could never seem to get along, eventually resulting in never communing with the other. A broken Luna had many nights where she would cry herself to sleep, unable to find out how to get her loving sister back.
It was hard for her to convince others there was something terribly wrong. Whenever Celestia was confronted by others, she would put on a sweet and innocent persona. The others did not believe Luna. Starswirl the Bearded thought nothing of it. Even while mother and father were still around, they too did not take her seriously. It was a fitting punishment for what Luna had done.
It was hard during that time.
Luna loved her sister.
It broke her heart to see the one she loved the most slowly become a shadow of what she used to be.
Luna was flooded with hopelessness. It had gotten to the point to where she began to blame herself for what had happened to her sister. She knew deep down what her protected her from the miasma. But the looming doubts that bore into her mind brought even the truth to question.
There were no doubts.
It wasn’t until mother and father were gone that Celestia showed her darkest colors.
On the longest day of the year, Celestia did the unthinkable. She refused to lower the sun.
It was then that tensions boiled over.
Celestia didn’t want Luna to share the rule over Equestria. No, Celestia wanted all of it.
The darkness in her heart began to burst out of her, turning her hatred into a raging fire that set her mane and tail aflame. Demonic horns sprouted from her head. Her pupils became slits like the eyes of a vile serpent.
The Celestia that Luna grew up with and loved was no more. In her place stood corrupted form of the miasma that had taken hold of her those many years ago.
Nightmare Star.
The two of them fought for dominance, but it was clear to Luna that Nightmare Star was more powerful than she realized. As a last act to save Equestria from this wicked mare, Luna gathered the Elements of Harmony. She knew if there was anything left of her beautiful and kind sister, the Elements would be able to purge away the darkness and purify Celestia.
Or so she thought. What a foolish child she was.
Once the Elements were used, they sent a magical beam of light in all the hues of the rainbow at Nightmare Star. She reeled in pain and was cast up into the stars. Luna realized what was happening, but it was far too late.
Not even harmony itself could save her own sister.
Queen Luna bawled out in utter heartbreak. She grabbed one of her fallen pillows, screaming her lungs out into her pillow. All the suffering, all the concealed despair, and all of her depression spilled into screams and tears into this pillow.
Her sobbing was deeply muffled. Past her own chamber doors, no pony could hear her.
And that is how Luna had always kept it. Everypony else needed a great and proud Queen to serve the Republic. This weak and emotional mess of a mare was anything but that. Luna locked her emotions away, smothering even the truth of what happened with her sister with a delicate lie. Simply put, the elder sister was filled with greed and a lust for power.
After Celestia’s banishment, Luna never once mentioned her trip with Celestia into the Everfree Forest. There was nothing said about coming across a castle.
History itself was ignorant.
But only two ponies would ever know that history did not.
Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.
It was always hard to steer others away from the truth. She lied her friends, her advisors, the loremasters, her subjects, and even the whole of Equestria.
For Luna, it was all she could muster in order to convince not only the world, but even herself of her deepest and darkest doubt.
It was all her fault.
