Golden Dawn: Dusk of an Empire

It was almost time.

The more Rael'ia thought about it, the more she was puzzled by how quickly the time seemed to have passed. It was hard to believe it had been nearly five months since she first awoke in this strange, peaceful land. She had no war to fight here, she was free to live peacefully and do whatever she wished, and yet it felt like only a few days had gone by. She wondered if she was ready to return. Was she still the stoic warrior she used to be, or had the tranquility of Equestria softened her? It had been so long since she had seen a bloody, mangled corpse, would she still be able to stomach the sight? Was she insane for leaving a realm of peace and safety, to return to a world of suffering and death?

A bump of turbulence interrupted her inner thoughts. The Sapling of Harmony was finally strong enough to be transplanted, and the Royal Sisters had sent word that they had finally prepared everything needed to return Rael'ia to her own world. Given the importance of the mission, Celestia had sent a private flying carriage accompanied by her own Royal Guard to transport the seven ponies (and one dragon!) to Canterlot. They were to spend the night in the castle for final preparations. She gazed slowly around the carriage's interior at her companions; each of them had saddlebags strapped to their bellies or lying on the floor in front of them, packed with supplies. Despite the air of anxiety for the coming days, they conversed freely and jovially amongst themselves, as if traveling to an entirely different universe was completely normal to them. Their armor, secured to a shelf above the carriage's door, clattered and rattled lightly with every movement, almost like tiny bells. Rarity really had thought of everything when she made them.

The sky was darkening as the carriage finally landed in the middle of the palace gardens. Rael'ia and the others exited, a Royal Guard asked them to accompany him to Celestia's banquet hall; the other guards would tend to their belongings. Twilight began to protest and motioned towards the sapling, to which the guard allowed her to carry herself in a field of magic. They walked in silence until reaching a pair of tall doors, which opened just as they arrived. Inside was a large room that held a table big enough to seat twenty ponies very comfortably, with chairs enough for every guest. The table was laden with all kinds of delightful foods: exquisite and colorful arrangements of fruits and vegetables, salads, soups, pastas and breads, and even a perfectly-grilled cut of meat for the elf-turned-Alicorn. Celestia was sitting at the center of the table, facing the approaching group.

"Welcome, my dear friends!" the royal mare smiled warmly. "I hope the carriage ride wasn't too bumpy. The turbulence can be quite discomforting at times."

"Oh, thank you Celestia," Twilight nodded. "It was-"

"Is all this for us?" Rainbow Dash cut in, visibly drooling at the sight of the table. Before Twilight could chastise her, Celestia giggled.

"Yes, I thought it would be nice to give you all a proper send-off before your journey."

"Oh, you shouldn't have!" Rarity flapped a hoof modestly.

"How very kind of you," Rael'ia bowed. "Thank you very much."

Celestia nodded in response. "Now, before we begin... Twilight, I have something for you and your friends."

"Oh?" The other ponies stepped in closer. Celestia's horn glowed with radiant golden light; a small blue box held by another guard glowed and opened, revealing a heap of crystal brooches, each about the size of a coin. Light enveloped seven of them, and they floated gracefully out of the box and towards the ponies. Upon closer inspection, the design of the brooches was of a sun formed from a Celestial Sunstone cabochon, with a crescent moon made from a dark blue crystal set within the sun's bottom region. Together, the crystals shimmered with the colors of silver and rainbows.

"I give to each of you a Hearth Brooch. These are given to ponies in the military when in foreign lands," Celestia explained as the brooches hovered around her. "Should you become... gravely injured or find yourselves in a terrible situation, simply touch the stone and recite it's spell, and it's enchantment will teleport you right back here... give or take fifty feet," she shrugged.

"Oh! Very useful," Rael'ia mused. "My own military forces have something similar! And," she paused uncomfortably, "should this plan fail spectacularly, at least you won't die stranded in a strange world." Fluttershy gulped.

"Remember this spell: 'There's no place like home, I can no longer roam'." At the same time, the crystal brooches flowed towards the seven, stopping for a moment upon reaching their chests, then slowly closed the distance. As they made contact with their bodies, silver runes flashed on the stones' surface for a brief moment before disappearing. The ponies looked down at their new jewels, Pinkie Pie picking at hers and finding it impossible to remove.

"Ooh, neat! It's like it became part of me!"

"Of course. They wouldn't do you much good if they just fell off, would they?" Celestia chuckled. "Only myself and Luna are able to remove them, which we will when you return. Now, then... that's been settled, I think it's time to begin the evening. Please, dig in, my friends!" She swayed her hoof over the table, inviting them to sit down. The others happily obliged, and soon the banquet room was abuzz with pleasant conversation and the tinkling of plates, goblets and silverware. Celestia's attendants took care of every need, whether it was refilling a goblet or serving a dish. Rael'ia was sure to politely try a bite of every dish offered, but smiled and groaned in ecstasy as soon as she tried the meat specially prepared by a Griffon chef in the princess's employ.

"Truly, I have missed this flavor," she chewed with her head thrown back.

"What's it taste like?" Rainbow Dash pointed to the meat. "Can I try some?"

"Ugh, Rainbow," chided Rarity. "A proper mare would never dream of eating another animal!"

"Since when did I ever say I was 'proper'?" Rainbow rolled her eyes while making quotation marks in the air with her hooves. "C'mon, give me a piece!"

"If you say so," said Rael'ia as she cut off a bite of meat with her magic, then floated it over to Rainbow Dash's plate. The ambitious blue pegasus immediately stabbed into it with her fork and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she chewed, concentrating on the new flavors she sensed. The other ponies and Spike leaned in over the table with bated breath as she swallowed after what seemed like an eternity.

"Hmm... not bad." Her eyes finally opened. "It's salty, yet sweet... maybe a hint of sour? Good, but... eh, I still couldn't see myself eating too much more."

"It... it does taste good once in a while," Fluttershy agreed. The others looked at her with a hint of confusion, but it soon passed. She did care for carnivorous animals too, after all. She'd have the most reason to try their food on occasion.

"Have you ever tried it with chocolate? Super good." Pinkie Pie nodded nonchalantly. This drew many more looks of confusion, and some of worry.

~

After the dinner and dessert course, Celestia invited the group to relax in preparation for their mission. She had ensured that her personal masseuses were available if the ponies perhaps wished for a massage, and had had her maids make sure her Royal Spa Room was fully stocked if they wished for a calming soak in a pool of hot, perfumed water. And if it was simply sleep they required, the Royal Guestrooms were freshly cleaned and stocked with extra pillows and blankets for a good night's rest. While the others wandered off to various parts of the palace, Rael'ia followed Celestia to a pair of cushioned chairs by a window at the end of a hallway. As they sat, an attendant set down a tray with his magic, laden with a small assortment of teas, a teapot, two cups, and cream and sugar. Rael'ia waited politely for Celestia to pour herself some water first, then took up the teapot in her magic as she spoke.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Celestia... again," she smiled. Just outside the window, Princess Luna could be seen on a nearby balcony, raising the moon into the sky with her magic.

"Oh, of course! It's the very least I could do." Both regal ponies selected a chamomile teabag for their cups. Celestia gazed softly into the yellowing water of her own cup. "Especially... because it's entirely possible one or more of them may not come back-"

"Oh goodness, no," Rael'ia quickly interjected. "I will do all in my power to ensure they all survive this! And between the armor Rarity fashioned for them, the jewels I crafted and their proven combat skills, I'm sure there's no need to worry for their safety!"

"I see... good," Celestia sipped her tea. "That does help to alleviate my fears. They are all so dear to me."

"You have my word," Rael'ia nodded before taking a sip herself. The sweet floral aroma of the tea hung in the air, calming the two Alicorns with every breath. A few moments of silence passed before a thought came to the peach Alicorn's mind. "So, I've been wondering ever since our first visit... do you remember much of your life before you came to rule Equestria?"

"Oh! Yes, I've been thinking much about those days since your arrival. What would you like to know?"

"As much as you can tell me!" Rael'ia's horn glowed purple; a pen and a book with empty pages materialized beside her, poised to begin writing. "The fate of the Fae Pony-kin and the new history of the Equestrian Pony-kin, these tales will answer many questions our own scholars cannot."

"Very well," Celestia giggled. "Now, I have told you about Luna and I's first moments: Starswirl the Bearded celebrating our births, the realization that we all had been transported to an entirely foreign land. We only just escaped Starswirl's laboratory with our lives, stuffed inside a pair of saddlebags while Starswirl fled the furious mobs behind him. It wasn't until he found himself in a vast wasteland that he dared look back, finding that the ponies had ceased to follow him long ago."

~

"Finally... I've lost them," Starswirl sighed heavily. His hooves, legs, lungs, even his horn burned with pain, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Blue magic sparked weakly from his horn, dragging out a canteen of water from his saddlebags. He struggled to open it and drank deeply, only stopping when he had emptied it entirely. Thankfully, he had enchanted it long ago; the canteen was already refilling itself with more water. It was then that one of the saddlebags stirred.

"Oh, of course." Magic encased the two newborn foals within and gently pulled them out of their hiding spot. They did not awaken from their slumber as he set them on the ground, then took another long swig from his canteen. "I still can hardly believe it... my dream, the Alicorn... they're perfect."

The two foals slept peacefully, huddled next to each other. One had a coat of pure white, like freshly fallen snow, and a mane and tail of soft, rosy pink. Her sister, slightly smaller, had an azure coat like the night sky, with a sky-blue mane and tail. Starswirl gazed at them for what seemed like hours, transfixed in their perfection.

Names. They needed names. He thought back to the old traditional religion of all Magikin, and their myths of creation. Two names in particular came to him, seemingly perfect for these two perfect ponies.

"I shall name you... Celestia, for the sun god Celestos Soleus," he spoke softly to the white foal, then turned to her sister. "And you, I name Luna, for the moon god Lunos." The two foals smiled in their sleep, as if showing their approval. Starswirl smiled warmly, then gently floated them back into the safety of their saddlebag before setting off into the unknown wastelands, his new home.

~

"Starswirl cared for us like we were his own daughters... well, we kind of were, after all," Celestia chuckled. "We survived in that wasteland for many years, thanks to his survival spells and enchantments. He taught Luna and I how to use our Unicorn magic, and did his best to teach us how to fly with our wings. And of course, he taught us everything he knew about magic, science, logic, morality... Two hundred and fifty years passed before we dared return to the outskirts of pony society. He was greatly relieved that with time, his crimes had been largely forgotten, and the ponies now focused on surviving in this new land."

"Two hundred and fifty years?" Rael'ia's eyes widened. "I've never heard of a Pony-kin living that long. Even reaching a century of age is a rarity among them."

"Yes, he theorized that in being so close to the magic blast that gave us life, his own life was extended considerably. Still, we kept our distance, unsure of how they would react to ponies like ourselves. It was during this time that we learned that since the loss of the Elements of Harmony, the three pony tribes had grown apart, regarding each other with jealousy, racism and hatred. Yet they all depended on each other to survive: The Unicorn tribe were the only ones capable of raising and lowering the sun and moon in this world, creating a more stable day and night for the others. The Pegasus tribe were the only ones capable of controlling the otherwise chaotic and frigid weather, and the cooperation of these two tribes ensured that the Earth Pony tribe remained able to grow enough food for the three, being the only ones able to do so."

"Interesting. We've known for centuries that the sun and moon in my world do not require magical manipulation for life to thrive and flourish. This one does?"

"Yes, it did... at least, back then. These days it's mostly a formality, as my sister and I have guided the sun and moon into a near-perfect cycle."

"What changed?"

"It's coming up," the aurora-haired mare giggled, as if gently scolding an interrupting student. "Anyway, more decades passed as we continued our life on the edge of pony civilization. Luna and I took the occasional odd job, while Starswirl - old enough to have grown his signature beard - gained the confidence to once again share his vast knowledge with any pony who asked. Over the years, however, the weather slowly started to shift for the worse. Summers grew colder and shorter, and winters more harsh and unforgiving. The Three Tribes argued endlessly over whose fault it was, only ceasing when a mysterious blizzard covered the land in snow for an entire year. It was only then that the leaders of the Three Tribes finally came to an agreement: to journey to a new land."

Rael'ia sighed. "...Politicians, am I right?"

"Some things never change," Celestia nodded. "In the end, one patch of land proved the most suitable for all ponies to thrive. But again, the leaders fought over who had discovered it first, who had the right to live there... and like a curse, the cold weather threatened to return in force. It ended up that the assistants to those leaders discovered the cause of the storms and snow: terrible creatures called Windigos that fed off of negative emotions. They had been feasting on the hatred the Three Tribes had for each other. These assistants harbored no such hatred, and through them they created the Fire of Friendship: a powerful spell that banished the Windigos from the lands and brought order back to the seasons. Having relearned the values of Friendship and Harmony, the leaders found peace, and thus, Equestria was born."

"Fascinating... but you and Luna seem to have only been mere citizens like the others. How did the two of you become Princesses of Equestria?"

"Ah, there's more to staking your own kingdom in the world than agreeing on a place to live. Equestria was fraught with villains who would seek our land and enslave us all. First was the devious King Sombra, who took control of the frozen wastes we left behind and enslaved those who remained. He was obsessed with crystals, going so far as to transform those poor souls into living crystal, and then commanding them to mine as many as he saw fit. His reach soon bordered Equestrian lands, and a war was fought. To our surprise, my sister and I joined in the fight, and we almost single-hoofedly defeated his entire personal guard, and defeated Sombra himself in combat. Before the final blow could be struck, unfortunately, he placed a curse on his lands and sealed his entire kingdom and himself away for a thousand years. But despite this, in the eyes of the Equestrians, we were heroes."

"Your power must be great, indeed!" Rael'ia gasped.

"And it was only to increase. A few years after that, we were suddenly greeted by the god of this realm - Discord."

Rael'ia thought back to Fluttershy's cottage. She had been introduced to the peculiar creature a few times during her stay; while charming and friendly enough, he was capable of feats that defied all logic and laughed in the face of physics. "Wait, really? Him, a god?"

"Yes. Back in those days, he was no friend of ours, oh no. He was furious that we had established order in his domain, so he plunged the land into endless chaos. No pony was capable of reversing his magic - rain fell upwards towards the sky, crops suddenly grew boxing gloves and confetti, and gravity was constantly reversed and mirrored... the sun was plaid and polka-dotted pink, for heaven's sake. And despite even our best efforts, sister and I were no match for the creature. It was then that Starswirl theorized the holy artifacts that had brought us life might be the solution once again."

"The Elements of Harmony," Rael'ia breathed, enraptured.

"We traveled for weeks searching for them. Finally we rediscovered them in the very cave we were born inside, surrounded by a massive forest. Every living thing there was energized with wild, chaotic magic, and had grown unchecked in our absence. Within that cave, a crystal tree had grown, and the Elements of Harmony were its fruit. We gently plucked the Elements from their branches and divided them amongst ourselves. My sister wielded the Elements of Honesty, Laughter and Loyalty, while I took up the Elements of Kindness, Generosity and Magic. Armed with this source of limitless power, we finally faced Discord once again, and this time, we won the battle. He was encased in stone for a thousand years... he did break out once, but Twilight and her friends put him back in his place. Then, after much research, it was decided that instead of forcing Harmony upon him in the form of a stone prison, we would show him how wonderful Friendship could truly be. So far, it's worked out pretty well, I'd say."

The magical pen beside Rael'ia ceased to write; the empty book now filled. Rael'ia teleported it away with a flash of magic and conjured up another one. She listened intently, each sentence its own new legend.

"The ponies of Equestria celebrated our victory once more. But thanks to Discord's reign, the sun and moon had been thrown into chaotic orbits that the Unicorns struggled to keep in order. In fact, it came to be that a Unicorn could only raise the sun and moon an average of five times before the task became so taxing, it robbed them of their magical abilities permanently. Equestria quickly ran out of Unicorn volunteers for the task, and it seemed as if we were all doomed once more. But Starswirl, ever so clever, theorized that with our power, we would be able to move sun and moon effortlessly, by ourselves, for eternity."

Rael'ia exhaled slowly. "Oh, I see..."

"He used his magic to raise the sun and moon himself to test his theory, and soon became as powerless as the Unicorns before him. But he was now certain. The sun and moon were left together in the sky, waiting for us to find our destinies. My sister stood beside me as I concentrated on the sun, raising it high above the world, and she focused on lowering the moon. And once again, we triumphed. The ponies cheered, our bodies glowed and tingled all over, and there was a great flash of light. When it was over, my once-pink hair had gained all the colors you see now, and my sister's mane became a galaxy unto itself. Magic had been restored to all the Unicorns who had previously performed the task. And we got our Cutie Marks!"

"And that's how you became the Princesses," the peach Alicorn swooned. "Amazing."

"The ponies heeded our every word from that day on. We ruled with benevolence and compassion, as best we could. Since that day, I have raised the sun each morning..." Celestia paused, and Rael'ia took notice.

"And... Princess Luna raised the moon every evening since then?" Celestia sighed.

"No... years later, my sister grew bitter that none enjoyed the night she brought forth, preferring to sleep through it. She lashed out in her anger and became Nightmare Moon in her angst. In the end, I had to banish her within the very moon she rose, for a thousand years. It is only thanks to Twilight and her friends that my dearest sister returned to me, as our separation severed our tie to the Elements of Harmony. And alas, Starswirl bore witness to it all and fell into a depression, blaming himself. If only he had learned to breed away the capacity for evil..."

"...But... you can't do that, can you?"

"No... a grieving parent can't help but to rationalize the irrational. I do wish he lived long enough to see her return... he finally passed roughly six centuries ago, buried in the center of the Canterlot Memorial Park."

Rael'ia glanced out the window. The moon had risen quite high in the night sky, it was late indeed. Celestia gazed at the moon in return, giving a sigh after a few moments.

"There is much more to our history I would love to tell you... but it's getting late, and you need your rest. When your war is over, do come visit us again?"

"Of course, Princess," Rael'ia bowed her head. "I would love to return and listen to your tales once more."

"Wonderful. Well, goodnight, Golden Dawn. Have a restful night's sleep." The two Alicorns got up from their chairs and parted ways; Celestia's attendants clearing the dishes just as soon as they left.

~

"My little ponies, it is time," Celestia spoke stoically. Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rael'ia stood before a large mirror, intricate runes carved into it's wooden borders. Their armor glittered in the light of the morning sun, and each wore faces of bravery... well, one with more apprehension than the rest. Celestia and Luna stood on either side of the mirror, their horns glowing with magic. "With this spell, we are able to send you back, not only to your own world, but also to the exact moment you left. Are you prepared, Golden Dawn?"

Rael'ia nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be." The Royal Sisters pointed their horns at the peach Alicorn, setting their magic loose upon her. Bands of gold and azure swirled around her in gusts and cyclones, eventually arcing around and shooting into the mirror. The magic swirled within the glass like a whirlpool, eventually clearing to reveal what appeared to be a gray stone wall, with a massive, barricaded wooden door that thumped and shook rhythmically, mysteriously. The mirror pulsed with finality. The portal was created.

"Applejack, Rainbow. A large, metal monstrosity is about to break down that door. I need you two to go in first, we'll be right behind you. Rush that door as hard as you can."

"You got it!" Rainbow slapped down a protective visor on her helmet and stretched backwards in anticipation.

"Say the word, and we'll go," Applejack prepared to run, lowering her body and her head menacingly. Behind them, Twilight gripped the Sapling of Harmony tightly in her field of magic. Rarity's horn glowed like ice as her swarm of crystals surrounded her, poised to attack. Pinkie Pie and Spike stood at the ready, and Fluttershy cowered behind the peach Alicorn, ready to run as quickly as possible to stay directly behind her.

"Don't worry, Princess, I'll make sure they all come back safe and sound."

"Don't worry too much about us," reassured Twilight. Celestia did her best to stifle how anxious she felt. Goodbyes had already been said, but she still didn't feel ready for this. After a moment, she regained her composure and nodded once.

"...Good luck, my little ponies. Good luck, Golden Dawn."

Rael'ia nodded in response and looked towards the door in the portal. With a shout of affirmation, they leapt inside.