The Endless War of Fate

Chapter IV: Shocking Developments

Celestia sighs and holds her head low and then says, "That is quite unfortunate to hear, Luna and I can only do so much within our power as rulers. Even though we know the truth now, it is too late to do anything about it now."

Luna looks back at her sister and lays a hoof on her shoulder and then says, "We will have to live with the guilt, knowing we could have done things differently. Maybe things could have been better if we had listened to what he was saying and not have relied so heavily on the element of honesty to show if he was truthful or not."

Celestia starts to make her way through the throne room and calls out, "Maybe things would be better if we had sister, but that is all in the past now. We can only keep moving forward or watch as life moves on as we get left behind to dwell about what we could have done. We need a guard to prepare a chariot for a journey to the Tree of Harmony immediately!" She watches as a guard hastily exits the room to get a carriage ready and then walks through the large double doors and makes her way to the front entrance to the castle with the girls following after her.

A little while ago...at the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse

Apple Bloom rushes to Star Light's side and places her hooves on both of her shoulders saying, "H-hey there Star Light, ahm sure we can figure this out. C'mon an calm down, stop an take a deep breath. Hold it fer a few seconds, then let it out an talk a bit slower. Yer talkin' as fast as Scootaloo was when she drank some Red Bull."

Scootaloo blushes a bit at being reminded of that vain attempt a few months ago when she tried to make her wings bigger after she saw the commercial and heard how Red Bull gives you wings. She then turns her head to look at Apple Bloom and says, "Hey, when are you two going to forget about that embarrassing experiment?!"

Sweetie Belle chuckles lightly and says, "Somewhere in between ne and ver, but we don't blame you for that experiment though. We all have done something just as embarrassing, do you still remember our entry for the talent show a few years ago?"

Scootaloo chuckles and feels a little bit better and says, "Oh yes I definitely still remember that embarrassing nightmare. I still can't believe that I thought that commercial was real and thought that drinking Red Bull would somehow improve my wings a bit."

Apple Bloom sighs and squints her eyes for a moment and says, "Thank ya two so much for helpin me remember that night." She opens her eyes again and looks Star Light in the eyes and says, "Anywhooves, what were you tryin to tell us Star Light?"

Star Light takes a deep breath and lets it out then slowly says, "It all started when I was with my foalsitter Fluttershy when I got my cutie mark and asked Fluttershy to keep quiet about it to surprise her with it myself. I then asked my mother, guess what happened today. Then she was being funny and guessed I graduated school early. I answered her back with no, I got my cutie mark today! After I said that she said we will have to plan a Cute-ceanera then. She then asked me if I could go tell the Cutie Mark Crusaders the good news because she had to speak to Fluttershy about something she learned at work. Pinkie Pie appeared suddenly then like she could hear the word party mentioned a mile away and started talking to my mother about it and are going to hold it one week from today. She then asked Pinkie to stay to hear it too and told me I better get going If I want to be back by dinnertime. I exited the house then and was curious about what could be so important that she didn't want me to hear and made sure I was out of sight, then circled around and kept hidden so I could listen to what they were talking about."

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have big smiles on their faces and congratulate her on getting her Cutie Mark and ask to see it saying in unison, "Let us see what yours looks like!

Star Light angles herself a little so they could all look at it. She sighs and then says, "Now someday, I may be able to help my mother keep those bad guys in line."

Sweetie Belle and the other two crusaders look at the image on her flank depicting four vertical black bars with a long red horizontal bar down below them and a whistle to the right and then says, "You don't seem too happy about it Star, why is that?"

Star Light begins to tear up a little and says, "Because when my mom started talking about them knowing she worked at the prison under Canterlot, Pinkie vaguely mentioned a particular prisoner without saying the name. My mom then confirmed it and said after a long series of debates between the princesses and a prisoner named Carl Knoxx, they came to a decision on a punishment for him. Pinkie then got excited and took a guess saying he's going to the moon for a thousand years. My mom then said they gave him the death penalty and that he has two months left to live, she then said that they were supposed to be friends but they haven't gone to see him once. I think Fluttershy spoke up next and said that was terrible and how it was supposed to be forbidden. My mom then said that it is still forbidden, but they brought it back just for him because of who he killed and there is no chance of them changing their minds. They then started talking about the day they saw her fall with no horn and missing a wing. A couple of other things were said but that isn't really important, but what is important is what I heard next and is the reason why I'm here seeing you girls."

The three girls all stare at her, eagerly waiting to hear what she says next as Apple Bloom speaks up and says, "C'mon an tell us, the suspense is killin' me!"

She then blinks slowly and hangs her head and looks at the floor briefly and raises her head slightly to look at them and says, "I heard my mother say these exact words next, I wish it was a happy event that caused you to get your cutie mark, Star Light. Now you won't have the chance to meet your father for the first time, now you can only meet him before he dies. I came here today to talk with you girls about saving my dad who I have never met before. I want him to be a part of my life, can you please help me?!"

Star watches as the crusaders hang their heads one by one as Sweetie Belle speaks up first saying, "I'm sorry Star Light, but that we cannot do."

Apple Bloom lifts her head quickly and scowls at Sweetie Belle for a moment then says, "Listen Star, ah know the importance of family, believe me ah do, but we can't just break yer dad out of jail. I mean, even if we're successful, we're gonna have to be on the run for the rest of our lives."

Scootaloo raises her head high and looks at the other two and then looks at Star and tries to think of what could be done when she says, "Aha! That is what we can do!"

Star, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle all look to Scootaloo as Apple Bloom cocks her head to the side and says, "What can we do to help Scoot without breakin the law?"

Scootaloo smirks and says, "We may not be able to help out with saving his life...but we can help her to meet her father!"

Apple Bloom looks to Sweetie Belle as she looks right back at her with a smile and returns the smile and they both say in unison, "Mission accepted!"

Presently...Inside a chariot heading to the Tree of Harmony

Twilight rides in the chariot with Celestia, Luna and the other girls to check on the Tree of Harmony to figure out if anything has happened to it. She looks to Fluttershy with worry on her face and says, "Oh Fluttershy, I sure hope that the tree is ok. If it was damaged any more, I fear that the Elements may become utterly unusable. Why didn't I stop myself from killing the friendship? Now because of me, the Elements may be gone forever."

Fluttershy looks back at her and gives her a hug to try to cheer her up a little bit and says, "Now now Twilight, don't be so hard on yourself. You aren't the only one who thinks that they are to blame for damaging the Elements of Harmony. I too think that I had some part to play in the Elements being damaged."

Applejack then looks to Twilight and joins in the hug and says, "Aw shucks sugarcube, we all had some part to play with them being damaged like that. Don't worry, we'll find some way to repair them and get them working again."

Rainbow looks at Twilight, then joins the hug and says, "Oh heck yeah we will! We will get them right as rain once more and we will be back to kickin' the bad guys' butts!"

Celestia looks at the group of hugging Element Bearers and smiles softly as the chariot begins to descend towards its destination. She turns her gaze to her sister and secretly casts a spell she hasn't used in awhile, she then uses her thoughts to communicate with her and says, "Sister can you hear me? Please cast telepathy secretly so the others don't see and ask questions."

Luna quickly turns her head and casts the spell and answers her sister back with her thoughts, "Yes sister I can hear you, what is the problem that has us being this secretive?"

The sun princess looks down to the floor and then back up at Luna and replies, "You saw the same thing I did with the Elements leaving their representatives right?"

She looks her sister in the eyes and answers nervously, "Y-Yes I did, why do you ask that Cece?"

Celestia mentally sighs and says, "I think that the Tree of Harmony might be either dead or in great danger for that to happen."

Luna lifts her head a little bit higher in alarm and replies, "I surely hope that isn't the case Cece. If it is in danger, I sure hope that we can handle it without the Elements. I do not think they are able to be used at this time, if they are gone and we can't save the Tree...Equestria is doomed." A tear falls from her eye and makes a trail down her face and eventually falls from her chin.

The sun princess sees her sister begin to shed tears and quickly pulls her into a hug to help her calm down and whispers into her ear, "Don't worry dear Lulu, if the Elements are gone, we will find a way to make it through the troubling times ahead."

Just then the chariot lands on the ground and rolls to a stop in front of the cave as Twilight looks out the window and sees that they have arrived and says, "We're finally here everypony, Let's get going and check on the tree!" She then eagerly hops out of the chariot and waits for the others to join her.

Celestia and Luna follow the element bearers down through the cave towards the Tree of Harmony. When they arrive at the tree, they all gasp at what they see before them.

Twilight steps forward and says, "W-What's wrong with the tree? I-It is not glowing like it should be! I-Is it sick, can we heal it somehow?"

Just then a voice comes from the shadows as a large figure floats into view and chuckles softly saying, "No young one, it is not sick. Nor can it be healed because...this here Tree of Harmony. IS DEAD!"

Twilight lowers her head threateningly at Death and says, "What are you doing here! The elements turned you to stone, how are you here?! You destroyed the Elements of Harmony! How did you manage to do that?! We need the Elements to defend Equestria from enemies stronger than us!"

Death chuckles and then says, "What you have seen is Death's true form, you did not really turn him into stone though. This is my first time seeing you here in person, I am just here to warn and observe. Please call me Crow Father, I know and see everything that happens in the shadows. There is no secret that I do not know. Oh no I did not destroy them, it was YOU that cast the final stone. Drove in that last nail that spelled the doom for the elements, when you refused to take the time to repair the friendship. You all are to blame for dooming the elements, you all had a role to play in their destruction. For this is where the magic of friendship dies..." He then taps the tree and then watches as cracks wind their way throughout the tree, then taps it one more time, causing it to shatter and fall to the ground in millions of pieces. He turns to look at them before he vanishes and says, "Now, you all shall just enjoy the ride. For it shall be your last if this world is deemed ready for the end, I still laugh when I recall the guy who once said, 'Though I walk through the valley in the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.' He then got turned into a pancake by a loaded semi."

Celestia steps forth and squints her eyes and asks, "You said the four horsemen are coming, who and what are they?"

He then answers her saying, "They are the sole four survivors of the nephilim race, no mortal being or any angel nor any demon can defeat them. You see, there was once a world where the offspring of angel and human or human and demon lived together peacefully for a time. Many years passed and they threatened the balance of the Universe, conquering world after world with nothing standing in their way. Even the angels and demons had their hands full in dealing with them, until a third party decided to intervene and selected four champions that were respected by all nephilim. The third party was known only as the Charred Council, for they were far older than the angels or demons combined. Enough of that story for now though, because there are seven signs that you all should watch and prepare for. Strife will be the first of them to arrive. When suffering runs through the world, he shall appear. Suffering and confusion are his trade, and he cannot be defeated by any mortal. The second to arrive shall be War, war and chaos are his tools of trade. He shall come when war and chaos come to this world, he too cannot be defeated by any mortal. Famine will be the third to arrive when natural disasters plague the world, either directly caused by it or not. Disease and disasters are his tools of trade, there is one that is older than them. Even war is younger than him, but they all respect him most of all. He is the fourth sign and his name is Death, the tools of his trade are death and despair. Did I mention that those four slaughtered all 6 billion Nephilim to restore the balance and maintain the order at the Council's command? The fifth sign is the mortals' cries for justice against who've wronged them. The sixth sign is a great quake or calamity that effects the whole world. The seventh and final sign is the judgement that is sent down to the planet, the outcome is decided by whoever wins the battle in the end. Have a nice apocalypse, goodbye!" He then bursts into a cloud of crows and flies out of the cave, vanishing into the night.

A few minutes pass by in silence when Fluttershy and Luna hang their heads and start to sob, speaking incoherently. Twilight's mane frizzes out of control as her eyes shrink to pinpricks as she rapidly says, "Oh it's no big deal, it's that the Tree of Harmony is dead and it's just the end of the BUCKING WORLD! But no, no, everything is going to be just fine, cause we'll grow a new Tree of Harmony and fix everything. Those guys will come here and stop all this craziness when they see how nice and peaceful this world is."

Rainbow Dash facehooves herself and says, "Well Twilight's become a basket case, Luna's crying her eyes out and Fluttershy is rocking back and forth mumbling something nopony can hear. Now what do we do, any ideas anypony?"

Twilight looks at Rainbow Dash with a crazed expression on her face and frantically says, "We can try to reassemble the tree and glue it back together and pour all of our magic into it and hope it comes back to life!"

Celestia sighs sadly and then pulls Twilight over to her and Luna with her magic, then wraps her hooves and wings around them both. She hopes that holding them both like this will help them to recover the heavy loss they all felt when hearing that the Tree of Harmony was dead. She then sighs again and lets herself cry along with them, needing to let out her feelings of helplessness that are sinking in right now.

Rarity sees Celestia pull Twilight in and sees her break down and cry and runs to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She then pulls Fluttershy to them and wraps her hooves around them all in a group hug and lets herself start crying along with Celestia and Luna.

Pinkie Pie's mane pops like a balloon and falls flat as she runs towards the large group of friends and says, "Let's go join the other group hug, okay everypony?

The smaller group makes their way over to Celestia, Luna, and Twilight, then mash their bodies up against them. They then all hold each other and start to cry and bawl their eyes out over the days events, hugging each other tightly.

An hour later

Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Star Light wander around the castle, searching for the door to the prison underneath Canterlot as Applebloom says, "Ah think we may have to find a different approach to this if we are gonna help Star Light meet her pa."

Just then a pony behind them startles them and says, "I'm terribly sorry for eavesdropping, but who's her pa? What are you fillies doing here in the castle?"

Star Light steps forward and says, "I am hoping that the cutie mark crusaders can help me meet my father before he is executed, though we are trying to find a way to convince the princesses to change their decision so he can be a part of my life."

She then beams a huge smile at the story she can whip up with this scoop and says, "My apologies, I am Chatty Gossip. I am here to interview a certain famous criminal that murdered an alicorn named Flurryheart, there are many rumors out there, some say that he did nasty things to her. Some say that her own parents mistreated her or abused her, a few even suggest that the father had relations with her after she turned 18 and that she wound up pregnant. So little fillies, would you care to come with me to chat with him? You will have to wait your turn outside of the room during the interview though."