A Clockwork Journey

by Arcanum -Phantasy

Rating: everyone
Tags: Original Character, Science Fiction, Comedy, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, Discord, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe
Length: 1220

It's been three thousand years since the world was plunged into eternal twilight. But when two earth ponies discover an ancient treasure, will legend become history? Will the Princesses and the elements be found?

It's been three thousand years since the world was plunged into eternal twilight. By now, the two Princesses of the Sun and Moon have become nothing more than a legend. Just one of many tales that mothers told their foals to help them get to sleep at night. Surely, nopony could possibly believe that the sun ever sat at the center of the sky or that the moon could wax or wain. But when two earth ponies stumble across an ancient artifact, the line between legend and history begins to blur. It's time for a new legend to be born.

Published 2018-07-21 06:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-07-21 06:20:01 UTC

Prolog: Legend of the Eternal Twilight

Long after the unification of the three tribes, the land of equestria was ruled by two mighty rulers. These two ponies ruled with kindness and compassion for many centuries, time nothing more than a trifling thing to them. For they were not like you or me. They were immortal Alicorns; ponies who possessed the wings of a Pegasus, the horn of a Unicorn, and the strength of an Earth Pony. As such, they had the power of all the tribes with none of the limitations we mere mortals were burdened with. Even the sun and moon were but insignificant playthings to the ancient beings, who took it upon themselves to shepherd them across the sky to give ponykind the gift of time. They did everything in their power to protect their subjects from all threats that befell the land. Even the Bringer of Disaster respected their power and agreed to aline himself with them, having found them to be better as allies then enemies. In addition to their immense power, the two Alicorns were armed with the strongest form of magic there was; the magic of The Elements of Harmony.

Between them, Generosity, Laughter, and Kindness favored the Sun, while Magic, Loyalty, and Honesty sided with the Moon. Together, The Elements were a force of pure light, a force that no power could ever hope to surpass. Though that didn't stop others from trying. For every pony that loved the Princesses, there were those that envied and hated them. They hated that such power and respect was given so freely to those they felt were not worthy of such gifts. They wanted what they had no right to, a want that gave birth to a great evil. From them came The Great Nightmare, a beast of insurmountable cruelty born from their twisted desires of the corrupted masses. As the sun set to be replaced by the moon, the wicked demon made its move.

With dark tendrils of magic, The Great Nightmare snared the Princesses with the desire to eat them to obtain their power. As the ponies watched in horror as their heroes faced their demise, The Bringer of Disaster intervened. The Bringer, enraged with The Nightmare, declared it his own personal enemy for daring to touch the herder of the sun, his closet and most dear friend as well as her sister whom he felt an equally close bond. Together, they fought the dreaded monster, a definite lead in their favor at first, but the beast was not bound by the same morals they were. Feeling outmatched by their combined power, The Nightmare moved closer to populated areas, forcing the Princesses and their ally to hold back in their attacks for fear of hurting the innocents. The wicked demon took advantage of this, forcing its opponents into the defensive, all the while feeding off of the fear and doubt of the spectators. Victory looked to be within the monster's grasp, but then the sisters played the last cards at their disposal. They tapped into the power of The Elements of Harmony to end the battle once and for all.

As the tide shifted back into its prey's favor the beast felt fear for the first time, as The Magic of Harmony only harmed those of evil will. This left it without its shield and was forced to contend with two of its enemies at the peak of their power. But it wasn't without options, as it tapped into the minds of its unconscious parents, it found the knowledge it needed to take back ground, it gave itself a main form. As a mockery of those it wished to consume, the shapeless madness that was The Great Nightmare took the form of an Alicorn. The creature's body was without fur, but was instead covered with bare skin as dark as ash with a mane and tail made of metal threads. Fused to the creature's forehead was a jagged silver blade designed to bastardize the gift given to the sisters and all Unicorns , but the most twisted feature of the beast's new form was what passed as wings. In size and shape, they were the same as her Immortal opponents, but in the place of feathers hung hundreds of vertebrae that rattled like dried twigs with each flap.

The three warriors of light beheld the monstrosity before them with resolve. They would not be deterred by a show of desperation. With a maw of razor-like fangs, the beast bellowed a cry for war and charged, black eyes filled with malice as the fight for the fate of all things mortal resumed.

The two factions fought with everything they had, neither willing to give the other a chance to change the fate of the battle. The twilit skies filled with light as the magic of gods clashed for dominance in this dace of death. In time The Great Nightmare could feel its power start to wane. It could feel it in its core; it was going to lose this fight. Rage welled within it at this realization. It would not be denied its desires! As the last of its power was leeched away by the elements, The Great Nightmare played its final card and placed a curse on the two sisters. Just before The Elements sealed it away completely, The Great Nightmare pulled the souls out of the sister's immortal bodies. As it faded into its prison, the monster smiled at its handy work. Without their bodies, the Princesses couldn't bond with The Elements fully and as such, they scattered across the land.

One fell in the heart of the old battle field, its lavender light blocked by eternal shades.

One fell into a world of untamed green, its pink light forever in the clutches of fang and claw.

One fell into a land of sand and thundering ground, its orange light smothered by the grip of tribal hooves.

One fell into a trail of gray guarded by a dragon's beloved bolder, Its blue light hidden by a land without joy.

One fell into the heart of the tallest mountain, its purple light eclipsed by the prismatic fangs of its prison.

One fell into a stream of endless prismatic light, Its red light blocked by the brilliants of cascade.

With their masters absent, The Temples of Trials took root where The Elements fell, the will of the primal Magic of Harmony searching for those worthy of their power. In the mean time, the sun and moon stayed in the same places in the sky as they did on that fateful day, their shepherds no longer able to guide them through the heavens. For only with the power of The Elements of Harmony could The Great Nightmare's curse be lifted. Until that day, the day that the sisters can reclaim their immortal bodies, the two heavenly bodies will remain in the west and eastern horizons, we will live in eternal twilight.

Author's Note

Alright, here's how things are gonna go. As happy as I am to see this get favorited a few likes would be good too. So if this story reaches 100 likes by July 28th, then I will begin work on it after the latest chapter of Seven Saviors is uploaded.