It Ain't Easy, Praising the Sun

Chapters

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 1
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 2
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 3
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 4
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 5
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 6
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 7
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 8
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 9
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 10
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 11
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 12
It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 13 (Finale)

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 1

You stare out into the distance, the howl of the wind bringing life to this otherwise dead, lifeless place. The end was almost here now. You had journeyed far, further than you had ever feared. You had fought hard, and against creatures that belonged in nightmares: Reptilian Dragons, with the cavity of their ribcage replaced by rows upon rows of vicious teeth: Gargantuan Executioners and Lion-headed Knights: Magnificent Gray wolves, armed with blessed greatswords. You had tirelessly battled your way through each and every encounter, your sanity preserved thanks to your unquestioning, unshakable faith.

For you were Solaire of Astora, the sunlight warrior! You would never give up, not while you still took breath, not while you still had your knight’s honour. You had always had strong faith, a faith which shielded your mind that way your hand-crafted armour shielded your body. For if an undead was to lose faith, if a broken and beaten soul was to admit defeat… then it was already too late. You had killed many hollows, looks of despair etched into their faces as you struck them down. That is why you pledged yourself to the most noble of causes. You led the Sunlight Warriors, a covenant of soldiers dedicated to the fallen God of War, Lord Gwyn’s firstborn, whose purpose was to assist all those in need, and to engage in jolly co-operation. Lordran, the birthplace of the Gods, was entirely, brutally unforgiving, and so you saw to it that warriors could bridge the gaps between worlds, summon one another, and overcome adversity together. You smile to yourself as you recall the dozens of warriors you had helped in your long, long trek… and the smile fades as you remember all of whom you had helped, had cracked, and turned hollow. Well… there was one who had stayed strong… the other chosen undead.

As you stand at the mouth of the Kiln of the First Flame, a spectral figure passes by you, walking determinedly towards the epicentre of the earth. Yes. You would miss this particular warrior. You both had fought together many times, from the precipice of the Undead Parish, to the depths of the earth, in Lost Izalith… He had fought valiantly each time, and you had offered him a rank amongst the other Warriors of Sunlight, to which he had declined, much to your anguish. Your worlds had broken off from each other for much of the time, due to the convoluted nature of Lordran’s time, but in the rare, brief moments of contact, you saw a brave champion. You also owed him, more than you could ever repay. Throughout your course through Lordran, you had also maintained a secondary quest… the quest to find your very own sun. It was a fool’s quest, no doubt to that, and you were a fool for running with it. As your search became increasingly desperate, you had found yourself in the ruins of Lost Izalith, a hellish landscape filled with lava and demons, toying with the idea of sticking a hideous parasite, the sunlight maggot, onto your head. In your panic-induced delirium, you had honestly thought of this as a grandiose idea. The sunlight maggot: capable of generating it's own blinding light, but at a terrible cost... it's host sanity. If not for this undead, who found you and convinced you out of the idea, who knows where you would be now? Perhaps you’d be hollow, forever wandering the forsaken, scarred remains of the once great city of Izalith… maybe that would be best… No, what were you thinking! You may have failed in your search for your very own sun, but there was one other cause you had, one other purpose now, one that needed to be fulfilled. You had toppled the 4 current bearers of Lord Souls – Gravelord Nito, the harbinger of death, Seath the Scale-less, eyeless dragon who betrayed his own kind, driven insane by his endless lust for the immortality which he could never achieve. The Witch of Izalith, corrupted by the flames of chaos, and the Four Kings, the fallen rulers of New Londo who turned to the dark and embraced their inner evil, and led the enemies of man, the darkwraiths. With these four powerful souls in your possession, you had filled the Lordvessel and broken the seal of Gwyn’s prison, the place where the first flame had been kindled, leading to the destruction of the everlasting dragons. You continued staring into the distance of the Kiln, silently pondering.

You hoped that brave compatriot of yours would make the right choice. When he finishes off Gwyn, he’ll have a decision to make. He can either sacrifice himself to the dwindling flame, staving off darkness in the world, and ensuring a little more time of safety and security… or he can abandon the flame, and advance the world onwards into the age of man, an age that would be filled with uncertainty and evil. It was true than mankind had suffered under the watch of the fearful Gods, but you couldn’t let the world fall into uncertain chaos. Such a world, in which the weak would be mercilessly preyed upon, with no Darkmoon Blades to avenge the deaths of the innocencent and to punish the condemned guilty, countered every belief you held as a warrior of sunlight. You couldn’t force him to do anything, of course, and you wouldn’t force him if you could. He was from an entirely different time than your own, an entirely different world, and it was his decision to make. You knew exactly what your fate would hold, though. Once you defeated Gwyn, who set out long ago to sacrifice his very soul to the flame, you would follow suit. The thought of death did not scare you… well, it only scared you a little… but you knew it would stave off the era of evil for a little while longer. But perhaps there is time for one more summoning. Perhaps your old friend could use one last moment of assistance, when it mattered the most…

Yes, that would do. He found you early into his quest, and you would help him finish it.

A tear falls down your cheek, and you remove your helmet, wiping it away. Now was not the time to wallow in misery. You must press onwards. You put your helmet back on, and you pull your Sunlight Straight sword out of its sheath. Despite it’s grandiose name, it was just a normal longsword, albeit one of extremely high repair and quality. In fact, that judgement could be applied to every piece of your equipment, from your armour, to your talisman for casting miracles, to your shield. Your self admittedly incredible prowess came from nothing more than gruelling training. You perform an inventory check to make sure you weren’t lacking anything necessary. Your Estus flask, a valuable source of health replenishment, was securely tightened to your waist. You open your bottomless box, feeling around inside its endless depths, to check on your equipment. Medicinal moss… white sign soapstone… humanities… sunlight medals… Seems like everything is in order. Time to get moving, then. You snap the box closed, and secure it to your belt, next to the flask. You flex your arms, and take up your sword and shield. With a deep breath, you begin marching towards the end.

As you traverse the kiln, dunes of ash forming the ground underneath, a figure begins charging at you. A Black Knight. They were Gwyn’s most loyal followers, even staying with him up until his self-sacrifice, in which they were charred black, their souls irrevocably damaged. They were infamous for wandering Lordran aimlessly, overpowering travellers with their size and skill. The knight charges at you and you raise your shield, waiting in anticipation. Wait for it… wait for it… now! Your shield in your left hand, you swipe away the knight’s blow, the force of the parry causing the sword to be knocked clean out of the knight’s grasp. Without a moments haste you plunge the sword into the knight’s groin, causing it to collapse to the ground. You smash your shield into its face over and over, until with a faint cry it dies, its body disappearing in a flurry of souls, which flow into you. You feel yourself being strengthened ever so slightly by the pillaged souls. Not even great minds like Big Hat Logan knew how the application of souls worked… all anyone knew was that when your souls increased, so did your strength, or fitness, or intelligence, or indeed even your faith in the power of miracles. You stand there, breathing heavily, until the sound of clanking armour snaps you back to attention. You wheel round to see two more knights approaching. One, like the knight you just slew, wielded a slightly larger than normal greatsword. The other… well, you’re not blocking that sword, that’s for sure. It’s not fair being attacked by two knights at once, but indeed… Lordran is not the fairest of places, at the best of times.

You lean against the crumbling stone wall, wincing in pain at your wounds. You unfasten your flask and drink deeply, the bitter taste of estus compounding the pain in your body as bones fused and flesh sealed. In a matter of seconds the life giving estus had restored your body, but you could only drink like that once or twice before it ran dry. Well, here is as good a place as any to conduct the summoning… You rummage in your box for the white sign soapstone, the tool that allowed the coupling of realities. You kneel down and write your name onto the ashen stone floor, your status as a warrior of sunlight causing it to shine with a magnificent orange glow. And now, you wait. You might as well rest during this time, for the battle ahead will be harder than anything you have faced so far. You lie down on the hard floor, and begin to sleep, exhaustion overcoming you.

You are roused from your sleep by the feeling of weightlessness which accompanied a successful summoning. You stare down at your body as it slowly loses his substance, turning transparent. You never would get used to crossing the gaps between worlds… not that’d you be doing it again after this. Your world goes black as your body dissipates, and as you fall through the black nothingness you catch glimpses of passing visions, which whispered strange hints to you. Suddenly, you feel yourself being pulled upwards, and you rise through the stone floor, your body basked in a brilliant aura of orange light. The summoning ring surrounding you dissipates, and you raise your arms into the air, a motion you did every time you were summoned to another warrior’s world. Before you stood a man clad in fluted armour, with the legendary treasure Sanctus shield in one hand, blessed Astora straight sword in the other. You clasp each other’s arms and bring each other in for a manly hug. “I did not think I would be enjoying the pleasure of your company again, my friend.” You say, releasing the undead from the embrace.

”Alas, I am in dire need of assistance. Gwyn, even in his retched, hollow state, has overpowered me… too many times to count.”

“You have my unwavering loyalty, friend. Let us put Gwyn out of his misery together.”

He nods, and shuts his helmet closed, signalling his readiness for the fight. You both walk side by side to the thick fog gate, and you are halted by an invisible force. The other undead touches the fog hesitantly, before walking through it determinedly. The force constricting you vanishes, and you follow your friend through the fog.

Before you Gwyn stands, once the lord of sunlight and usurper of the dragons, now a mere husk of his former self. He stares aimlessly at the both of you; his empty mind capable of nothing more than fending off his would be assassins. The other undead pauses and scoops up a handful of blood that had pooled on the floor, a testament to a previous defeat. ”Let’s finish this.” He says, with a tone of finality. You yell a warcry and charge forward, as Gwyn leaps forward, his flaming greatsword threatening to crush you. You roll forward, barely dodging the surely deadly blow, before plunging your sword up into his chest. Gwyn roars in primal fury, before grabbing you. You feel power flow through his arm, until you are blasted away, collapsing against a stone pillar painfully. As you recover, Gwyn approaches you steadily, before lunging forward. You cry out and hold an arm up to cover your face, as useless as that would be in protecting yourself…CLANG! You lower your arm to see your friend holding off Gwyn’s mighty sword with the Sanctus, barely managing to keep the both of you alive. You scramble out of the way and produce your talisman from your belt, not risking a grab for your sword. Your friend falls backwards, still keeping Gwyn’s sword from touching him, the Sanctus obviously close to breaking under the immense stress. It’s all or nothing at this stage…

You mutter a quick prayer to the nameless God of War, channelling your unrelenting faith into the talisman. A huge spear of lighting forms, and with a final cry, you hurl it at Gwyn. It strikes him in the side of the chest and he stumbles backwards, losing his grip on the sword. Your friend kicks Gwyn onto his back, lifts his mighty sword up with both hands… and plunges it down into the fallen God. Gwyn screams as his body explodes into a mist of light, and you hobble over to where your friend stood.

“You… fought… well…” you gasp. ”As did… you…” he replies, panting heavily. You both stare at each other before the realisation hits you.

“This was… our last fight.”

”That it was.”

“It was an honour fighting by your side.”

”As it was with you, my friend.”

As the feeling of weightlessness returns, you raise your arms to the heavens again, and the undead returns the gesture. As you vanish from his world, feeling souls and humanity flooding your body, you wave to your friend, whom you would never see again…You return to your world, sword and shield by your side once more. A small golden medal materialises in your hand; a token of your victory. You put it in the bottomless box, pick yourself up, prepare yourself, and march towards the fog door. You could do this… you will do this!

Meanwhile…

You collapse to the floor of the Canterlot palace, too weak to move. ”Princess Celestia!” Twilight cries, as she and her friends rush to your side. ”Hmm, Shining Armour’s love for you is even stronger than I thought.” Chrysalis chuckles. “Consuming it has made me even more powerful than Celestia!” “The elements of harmony… you must get to them, and use their power to defeat the queen!” you groan, your body racked in pain. Twilight and her friends nod, shedding their dresses as they run towards the keeping room. ”You can run, but you can’t hide!” Chrysalis cackles, flittering in the air. You gather your strength and attempt to cast one last spell. Please… somebody… help us… Your horn glows briefly, and the spell is cast… Nothing happened! You close your eyes as Chrysalis cackles, your hope dwindling by the second…

You sheath your sword, your triumph over Gwyn elating your spirits. You felt a sudden surge of power, and a fabulous glowing soul materialises in your hand. The soul of Gwyn… even when it’s power is all but drained, it is still mighty indeed. You marvel at it for a few seconds, before snapping back to attention. Now, your quest comes to an end. You walk towards the bonfire at the centre of the arena, fear gnawing at the core of your spirit. No, it’s too late to back out now. You must restore peace to this land, no matter the cost. You kneel in front of the bonfire, and gently touch the flame. It begins to travel up your arm, and you take a step back. Around you, flames begin to sprout from the floor, snaking up the columns of charred stone. The flame engulfs your body entirely. You only feel a mild sort of tingle as you begin to fade, your soul feeding and fanning the flames. And so your tale ends…

Your body disappears and the feeling of weightlessness returns, as your vision is choked by fire. Wait… you should be dead by now… what is happening? You fade into blackness, as if you were in the middle of being summoned. What is happening? To whose world are you travelling? A circle of light comes into view, and you race towards it. Looks like your question is about to be answered…

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 2

You are pulled up through the ring of light, gasping as your arms stretch out towards the heavens. You immediately check to see if your sword and shield were on your person, which to your joy, they were. Now, where in Lordran where you?

You look round… to see dozens of small animals staring at you in shock. “By Gwyn’s beard!” you cry, pulling your sword out of its sheath, preparing for the inevitable assault. The creatures’ eyes widen in fear and they back away from you. Wait one moment… are these creatures garbed in dress?

Yes, indeed. These creatures are dressed in formal attire, the likes of which you had not seen for some time. As you took in your new settings, you realised you were now in what appeared to be some sort of Cathedral, albeit a much smaller one than the towering hall of Anor Londo. You look down at yourself and realise that your majestic orange aura that usually accompanied you during a summoning was gone. My, this was strange indeed…

”H-hello?” asked a voice weakly, from behind you.

You wheel round to see a similar creature lying haphazardly on the marble floor. Its skin was a brilliant white, and it had both a protruding horn on its head, accompanied by a pair of wings tucked in by its side.

“Are… are you the one who spoke?” you ask hesitantly. The creature looks up at you, its eyes filled with tearful hope. ”Yes… please, you must help us…” it whimpers, obviously in pain. The gift of speech does not shock you, however. You had heard tales of an ancient cat who was versed in the tongue of humans… wait, this thing said it requires help.

“Who and what are you?”

”I am… Princess Celestia. I am… a pony. I don’t know who or what you are…” it replies.

“A pony? I have not heard of that animal for a very long time… and one does not know of humans?”

”No, I have not.”

“I am not in Lordran no more, am I?”

”L-Lordran?”

The creature’s uncertainty answers your question. You weren’t going to miss that land, that’s for sure.

“Why is one so trusting of strangers?” you ask.

”Because I was the one… I was the one who brought you into this world…” the creature winces in pain, and you gape at it.

This was your summoner? Well... it’s certainly the most unusual person you have ever assisted.

“You brought me into this world? Then by my knight’s honour, I shall defend you with my life!”

”We’ll see about that” coos a voice from your right.

You hold your shield up and adopt a defensive pose, and face the owner of the voice. A hideous black creature flitters down, landing deftly on the ground.

“And who might you be?”

”Who I am, is not important, knight. I am far more interested in whom exactly you are…”

“I am Solaire of Astora, the sunlight warrior!”

”A… sunlight warrior? Hmm, I can see why Celestia brought you here… not that it will change her fate…”

Your mind kicks into motion and you realise the significance of Celestia’s name. As you take a step back, moving towards Celestia with the intent to protect her, you see a sun symbol adorned on the pony’s rear. Celestia… a princess… with a sun marking…You breathe in deeply and turn back to the black insectoid, who was sneering at you.

“Are you the one who dareth threaten my summoner?”

”Why yes, I am. It’s a grim necessity I’m afraid. My people have starved for so long…”

You snort. “I care not for your people, nor do I care for you. I care only for the person who has required my assistance. Now, leave while you can demon. I will not show mercy.”

”You certainly are a brave one. Your admirable loyalty will be most pleasurable to my tongue.”

“Resigned to your fate, I see. May sunlight forever shine on thy grave, harlot.”

You turn round to your injured hostess, unfastening the estus flask as the hole-legged demon cackles.

“My lady, you must drink from this.” You did not know whether it would heal Celestia, since it was utilised by the undead only, but it was your only option. She winces as the bitter liquid runs down her throat, which is followed by moans of pain as the healing properties take effect. Within seconds Celestia is back on her legs, a fiery look of anger and defiance set into her defined face.

“Let us banish this foul soul together.”

”It would be my pleasure.” Celestia says, her voice carrying a grand momentum. She holds out a hoof and you grasp it, as you had with the other undead not too long ago.

The black demon cackles manically. ”While your feeble attempts at postponing my inevitable victory amuse me greatly, I m afraid it is time to close the book on us. Prepare for your death, Celestia.”

The demon’s horn glows, and you realise it must be a catalyst for magic. You notice another horned pony standing in the centre of the hall, unusually still. A pink pony with wings was desperately calling the name, “Shining Armour” over and over. The horned pony’s eyes glow green as does his horn, and you hear a resounding crash from the heavens above. You charge forward at the demonic folly, swiping with your longsword, but the creature deftly dodges your blow and rises into the air. You summon a lightning spear and hurl it, missing it by a fraction as it flies away, its evil laughter permeating throughout the cathedral.

“Celestia! To where would this defiling soul gone and fled to!”

”I do not know, but we must chase after her! Quickly, follow me!”

You hurried after Celestia as the two of you ran out of the hall, into a courtyard overlooking a large city. The sight of the city before you took your breath away almost as much as the first sight of Anor Londo did… wait, what were those approaching bodies? As they approach you see that they are in fact creatures not dissimilar to the demon who spoke to you and that… by the God of War! There must be hundreds of the creatures! In the streets below you could see isolated pockets of resistance from armour clad p0nies, and elsewhere the monsters chased fleeing p0nies. Your anger burning, you turn to Celestia.

“Let us not dwell here, Celestia. Every moment wasted is a moment that demon can use to make evil.”

Celestia shakes her head, obviously distressed at the sight before her. “Yes, you’re right. Let’s get mo-“

Something barrels into you from behind and you fall forward, crying out in surprise. It jumps onto your fallen figure and you can feel it trying to wrestle your helmet off. “You insolent cur!” you yell, and you kick the creature off you and grab it by the head. It screeches in fury, a cry that is quickly cut off as you plunge your longsword through its body. You kick the demon off your sword and turn to face the others who were approaching, the looks of uncertainty on their hideous faces spurring your fighting spirit.

“Anyone else wish to plunge themselves onto my sword? For it is the easiest way you shall die today!” You yell, sword and shield raised into the air. The creatures look at each other, before screeching and diving furiously for you. One is blasted out of the air by Celestia, leaving a bloody mist in its wake. The other two creatures connect with your shield, and you slide backwards, before following up with a two handed slice that guts one of your assailants. The other swoops back round and you kick it in the face, before plunging your sword down into its exposed belly, green blood splashing onto your armour as the creature thrashes in its death throes.

”You certainly have experience fighting.” Celestia murmurs, eyeing the blood that now adorned you.

“I would not be fit to call myself an adherent of sunlight if I could not, Celestia.”

The two of you continue to fight through the city, supporting each other and covering each other’s backs. To your horror, a few of the creatures took on your form, complete with armour. However, when your sword connected with them and tore through them, you realised it was nothing more than a pretence, an illusion.

You and Celestia reach a large courtyard, and are quickly surrounded. You stand back to back, your sword raised in a blocking defence, as she paws the ground, energy crackling from her catalytic horn.

”My, I did not expect you to get so far.”

The demon hovers down and lands deftly in front of you, pacing not 10 feet away from you.

”I will never give up while my p0nies are in danger, Chrysalis.” Celestia says defiantly.

”Oh but Celestia, they aren’t in danger any longer. How can they be when they’ve already lost?” Chrysalis quips. 6 cocoons hover in the air, their semi-lucid outsides revealing a struggling occupant inside each one.

”No… not Twilight…” Celestia whispers, her mouth agape in horror.

”They fought hard, but were no match for our changeling superiority. Why don’t you join them, Celestia? We have total control over the city. Not even your precious elements of harmony can save them now. However, kneel before me and I will spare everypony’s life. Make your choice, now.”

Celestia splutters, before kneeling down, tears streaming down her face.

“I will not be broken so easily, wench.” You say, stepping forward, ready to draw your sword and cut the demon down where it stood.

”Oh, but you will” Chrysalis laughs, before you feel a slight tugging on your mind. Against your will, your body begins to jerk forwards, shambling towards the demon.

”Yes… that’s right. Come to me, and your death will be quick…”

NO! You won’t die like this, being trapped outside of your own flesh and blood! As you reach Chrysalis, you struggle against your mental bonds, channelling your faith into ousting the mental invader. You… Can… Do…This! Chrysalis begins to sweat, her gaze locked onto you, as hundreds of changelings watch on. Your mind is assaulted by overwhelming pain and you charge forward, knocking Chrysalis down with a right hook.

Chrysalis lunges at you, fangs bared, as you throw another fist at her head… With a sickening snap, your gauntlet invades her jaw, choking noises bringing you back to attention. Chrysalis offers a muffled scream before trying to retract, but you don’t let her. You had your talisman in your hands as you delivered that last punch, and you were about to put it to good use. You chant a prayer and the talisman glows, a spear of lightning forming. Chrysalis screams in agony, as blinding white light erupts from her head. Time to finish this!

You overcharge the miracle and in a flash it bursts forward, eviscerating the demon’s head and neck. Its body sways on its legs, wings fluttering erratically, and you deliver a final kick to it. The surrounding creatures stare at you in horror. ”You… you defeated…” whispers a creature in broken English, before screaming. In unison the horde flies off into the sky, collectively howling.

You stand on the spot, breathing heavily, before locking your legs together and arching your arms up to the heavens.

“Praise the sun!” you cry.

Perhaps now… Perhaps now that you were victorious over a demon… maybe you’ll be sent back… You close your eyes and wait. Did you wish to be sent home? Truth be told, you did not. Your business there was finished.

After a few seconds, you reopen your eyes, still very much in the city from a few moments ago. P0nies hesitantly exited their homes, and you could see the six individuals from before being assisted out from their makeshift prisons. Princess Celestia had draped a wing over a purple, horned pony and was crying in tandem with the others. A single tear falls down your cheek as she looks up at you.

”I cannot repay you enough for this… you saved us all. I can only say… thank you. Thank you Solaire.” Celestia whispers hoarsly. A small golden coin materialises in your palm, and you smile.

“My lady, I live to protect. Seeing you all alive and unhurt is all the reward I need.”

Celestia begins to cry once more, and you kneel down and hug her… Could it be? Could Celestia be… Perhaps, although it is far too early too know… But you’d like to hope… You’d like to hope that you’d finally found your sun…

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 3

Celestia continues to speak with the six liberated p0nies, two of whom had wings, two with horns, and two without. You remain wary, hand on the hilt of your sword, ready to defend if the changelings launched a counter-attack. Not a moment later, the same two p0nies from the cathedral earlier reach Celestia.

”Is she gone Celestia? Was she-“ the pink pony is cut off as Celestia silently points a hoof towards Chrysalis’ body, or rather what was left of it. The wings were still twitching erratically and the pink pony holds a hoof up to its mouth, presumably holding back vomit. ”Are you ok?” asks the male pony beside her, a shield emblem emblazoned on his flank.

”Yeah… I’m fine. She had it coming, that’s for sure” the pink pony mutters. Celestia nods, before standing upright. “Attention, citizens of Canterlot! The changelings have been dealt with! There is no cause for alarm!” As she proclaims the message of safety, winged p0nies hesitantly fill the air and others empty their abodes, eyeing you with understandable mistrust. Celestia walks over to you, motioning for you to kneel down. You comply and she whispers in your ear. ”I shall speak with you later. I understand you must be questioning, but I have a wedding to preside over, and my royal guards must be spoken too. I will also request that you do not speak with the six p0nies who I talked to, at least not yet.” “I understand.” You reply. “Do as you may and I shall not press on matters that do not concern me, but nonetheless I shall accompany you, lest the foul beings make fools out of us and ambush us.” Celestia nods, before turning to the two earlier p0nies.

”Cadence, Shining Armour. Today has been soiled by misfortune and bloodshed. Do you still wish to marry today?” she asks hesitantly. The po… Cadence and Shining Armour share a look before nodding in unison.

”Very well then. The wedding shall proceed!” P0nies all around cheer on and you get a flash of inspiration. You reach into your bottomless box, and after a few seconds of fishing around in its mysterious depths, you pull out a large, solid gold coin. You stride over to the to-be married couple and present the coin.

“I do not have much, and what I do have is of no use to you. But perchance, take this as a token of my pity, that such a marvellous day was hijacked.”

Shining Armour gapes at your sudden gift. “But… do you have any idea how much that is worth?” You laugh at his innocence. “Where I come from, the currencies of norm are useless. Please, accept it.”

Shining Armour nods and the coin floats out of your hands, before he turns back to his bride-to-be. ”C’mon Cadence, let’s get back to the church.” They share a brief kiss before walking in tandem back to where it all began, Celestia and the six mystery p0nies following suit. You march behind them, constantly on the lookout, and when you all reach the church you stay at the very back. P0nies had continued to give you looks, understandable given that you had not even revealed your face yet. For all they knew, you were a golem of some sort.

The wedding proceeds without hitch, although concern and anxiety permeated through the crowd and the ceremony. You could tell through the slight hesitation the bride and groom had when reciting the various oaths and vows. After the wedding, most of the attendees migrated to a large party outside. Celestia pauses to speak to you as guests begin to leave. ”Do you wish to join us, Solaire?” she asks.

“I do not. I require a place of peace and calm for a moment or two.”

Celestia nods, before directing you to the palace gardens. You stride into it, find a corner, and assume a kneeling position. You pull out your talisman and begin praying silently.

It certainly has been a strange turn of events… To go from sacrificing yourself in Lordran, to saving a pony Princess in an unknown land? You certainly could not have predicted such an outcome… So what now? What purpose do you fulfil? You were still pledged to the warriors of sunlight, but now that you could not allow yourself to be summoned, how were you meant to assist those in need? Of course, you could help others in your corporeal form as well… And what would happen in the case of your untimely death? Would you revive as normal? Did this land even have bonfires? So many questions and nary an answer in sight…

”So, it is thou who one must thank.” Says a royal-sounding voice from behind you. You immediately unsheathe your sword and wheel round. ”Thou will do well to put away thy sword.” Says the ebony black pony, as dark as the night sky above, as she emerges from the shadows in front of you.

“And who might you be?”

”I am Princess Luna.”

“You are a sister to Celestia?”

”You are quick indeed, sunlight warrior.”

“If I was not quick, neither of us would be alive at this moment.”

”That would be a shame indeed.” Silence descends between the two of you as Luna stares at you. You slowly sheath your sword, your gaze still locked with Luna’s. “So… Princess Luna. What does one’s marking mean?”

”I beg your pardon?”

“That marking yonder.” You point to her flank with your sword.

”My cutie mark? It show’s one’s true talent. In my instance, it correlates with my affinity with the night.”

“Spirit of the night, eh? I for one am an adherent of the sun.”

”One is not surprised, given your attire.”

You look down at your sun-emblazoned chest-plate, and chuckle.

“Well, I suppose it is obvious… So Celestia is associated with the sun? A most fitting name indeed.” Luna eyes you silently, before stepping forward. ”I must ask you. What… what art thou?”

“I am but a man.”

”And what is a man?”

“A man… a man is many things. Hopeful. Aspiring. Vengeful. Lusting. A man is upstanding, holding all that he believes to be right and fighting for it, and also weak and cowardly, mercilessly crushing those below him so that he my rise further still.”

Luna stares at you coldly. ”And what about you? Is thou an enemy or friend?”

“My actions of earlier should speak volumes, Luna. I would have defended Celestia if my intentions were malicious. You are welcome to call me a friend.” Your reasoning is met with a snort. ”We shall see, “human.” I do not trust you completely, yet. But one thanks you regardless for the brave intervention. I will not press to why you chose to do it, for Celestia wishes to speak with you.”

“Then lead me to her, princess of the night.”

You follow Luna out of the garden, past the remnants of the party, and back into the castle. You follow her through moonlit corridors, winding deeper and deeper into the palace. Finally, you come to a stop outside a grand pair of double doors. Luna pauses for a moment, before opening the door. Before stood Celestia and the six p0nies from earlier, all of whom had a downcast look on their faces. “Am I interfering in business that does not require me?” you ask pre-emptively.

”Oh, Solaire. You are welcome here, hence why I sent for you. I was just talking to my subjects.” The six p0nies look at you and you offer a small wave, while Celestia continues. ”The reason I asked you not to speak with them before was simply to keep things running smoothly, and not to trip everyone up with social conversing.”

You nod. “I understand. May I have the pleasure of meeting them now?”

”Of course.”

Suddenly, a pink blur is obstructing your view and you curse in surprise. ”Hiya I’m Pinkie Pie and I’ve just been bursting to meet you and I think we all need to thank you and we should probably hold a party and-“

”Pinkie!” exclaims the purple pony and the pink pony backs off, a comically large smile adorned on her face.

“Well… I can see you’re pleased to meet me… oh where are my manners. I am Solaire of Astora, happy to make your acquaintance.” You hold a hand out and the six p0nies shake it, one by one, each giving you their name as they shake it.

”I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

”Applejack.”

”Rarity.”

”Rainbow Dash!”

”I’m Pinkie Pie, obviously!”

”I’m, um… my name is Fluttershy…” whispered the last one reluctantly.

You blink in surprise. “Well, your names are certainly unusual… indeed, this whole land is unusual… Might I ask, are there names for the different forms of p0nies?”

”P0nies with horns are called unicorns, darling.” Says Rarity, her tone of speaking most unusual. ”P0nies with wings are pegasi!” exclaims Rainbow Dash, who begins swooping around the room, much to your discomfort. You didn’t trust flying creatures, they had a tendency to pick you up and drag to places unknown.

”An’ finally, us simple p0nies are just Earth P0nies” says Applejack, tipping her hat to you in a signal of respect. The purple unicorn suddenly raps a hoof on your armour and you jump, causing everyone to flinch. “Was there a need?” you yell.

”Sorry.” Says the pony sheepishly. “I was just checking if you were hollow inside.”

You puff your chest out. “I am no hollow, young lady. My mind is perfectly intact, thank you very much.” The pony offers a confused look and you realise she meant the other definition of hollow. “Oh, are you talking about my armour? Well, of course I’m not hollow.”

”Well… do you mind taking the armour off?”

You shrug. “Very well. It is due for a repair, anyways.” You quickly strip yourself of your armour, laying your sword, shield and essentials to one side, and stand there in your undergarments. The six p0nies, Celestia and even Luna stare at you.

“I take it my form is unconventional?”

Celestia nods. ”Indeed. I have never laid eyes on a creature quite like you, Solaire.” The blue winged pony, Rainbow Dash, attempts to lift the pile of armour off the ground. ”Grrr…ow! Dude! How the hay do you run around in that stuff for hours at a time.”

You smile at Rainbow Dash’s inability. “Strength of arm and strength of mind. It is purely the manifestation of intense training. Nothing more, nothing less.”

”You better get me in touch with your trainer bro, it’s awesome that you can do that!”

“Well, I um… I am not sure how I am your brother, but thank you…? And besides, there is no trainer to contact. Even if there was, it is far too late for that.”

”Why?” asks Twilight in curiosity.

“I doubt the notion that I am in the same world as I came from… have any of you heard of Lordran?” Your question is met by a unanimous, ”No.”

“Astora?”

”No…”

“Then that confirms it.” Suddenly you are bombarded with questions from every pony at once. ”Enough!” exclaims Celestia, wading into the fray. ”My little p0nies, you are all dismissed. I shall debrief you on our savoir here tomorrow. Now go.” The six p0nies grumble and leave the room, leaving you with Celestia and Luna alone.

“I think a wise course of action would be to inform you of who I am, what I am and where I’m from, yes?” you ask.

”That would be the best start, Solaire.” Celestia replies. You walk over to your armour and equip it all save for your helm.

“I am a human. I take it they are unknown in this land, yes? You already know my name is Solaire. I hail from a country known as Astora, which neighboured the land of Lordran, and it was there that I last battled before your summoning.”

”Lordran? What was there?”

“Lordran is the birthplace of the Gods, and the origin of the undead outbreak.”

”Undead?”

“Human who are marked with the darksign.” You pull off a gauntlet and show Celestia the faint ring on your left hand. “Upon death it triggers, returning undead to the nearest bonfire. However, this causes them to lose their soul and humanity, along with their sanity.”

”Upon death you will return to a bonfire? But why?”

“They act as focal points for humanity.”

”I do not understand, what does one mean by humanity?”

“The essence of being human. It’s what keeps up from going hollow.”

Celestia sighs. “Your land is confusing indeed.”

“Confusing and unforgiving. I have had to fight many demons before the one I slew today.” Celestia nods. “Enough about your land, though I shall inquire more tomorrow. You said you were a warrior of sunlight? What does that entail?”

“Ah, the warriors of sunlight. We are dedicated to helping those in need, engaging in jolly co-operation and overcoming adversity together.”

”It sounds like a noble role to undertake.”

“Indeed. There are those who prey on the weak and merciless. But me? I could never do such a thing. It’s why I… it’s why I sacrificed myself.” Celestia cocks her head. “You… you sacrificed yourself?”

“It was at the end of my quest. I had defeated a fallen God, Gwyn, the lord of cinder. He had set out long ago to let him be consumed by the flame… the flame that keeps the world lit, the flame that binds reality. I defeated him, and then followed the same fate. I could not walk away and let the flame die out. It would cause unimaginable chaos in the world, a world in which the helpless would suffer.”

Celestia gapes at you. ”My… that’s… you were willing to give up your life like that? You are most pure of heart, Solaire, and your actions earlier displayed that.”

“I was doing my duty as a sunlight warrior, Celestia. That, and I felt a strange connection to you… is it mere coincidence that Celestia, with an affinity for the sun, summoned the sunlight warrior as he transcended the ethereal plane?”

Celestia remains silent for a moment. ”I do not know… I simply cast a spell in desperation, praying that it would bring help…”

“Your prayers were answered, Celestia. Have faith, and they always shall be.”

”You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”

“I am indeed. It was my faith that prevented my mind from cracking, and it was my faith that allowed me to defeat that hole-legged demon… I have a question, if I may. Your sister, Princess Luna-“

Luna stares on silently, staring at you impassively.

“Princess Luna mentioned your “cutie marks” were representative of your special talents. However, how can one’s special talent be related to the sun?”

”That’s rather simple, Solaire. I raise and lower the sun each day, and my sister does the same with the moon.

“You… you control the sun? You are a sun Goddess?” you splutter.

”Yes, I am. Does that hold any sort of significance to you?”

“I… I did it!” you yell, causing Celestia to recoil in surprise. “I did it! I knew if I had faith, if I persevered, I would find it!”

”Solaire, please calm down!” Celestia yelps.

“Oh, my apologies Celestia… you do not understand. I have been searching for far too long. Searching for my own sun that is.”

”Son as in your kin?”

“No my lady, sun as in the wondrous body above!”

”You were searching for your own sun? For what purpose?”

“I have always been enraptured by the sun. I thought that if I could find one of my own, then maybe I would satiate the thirst, maybe even find enlightenment… I thought it was a fool’s quest, but I found it… I found you…”

Celestia cocks her head. ”I am confused by you Solaire, but let us resume this conversation tomorrow morning. I require rest, after all that has happened today.”

“Of course, Celestia. Do you wish for me to accompany you to your bedroom to serve as your guard?”

”Um… no Solaire. I will lead you to your quarters now. Luna will take care of your equipment.” You nod and follow Celestia out of the room, down a few more corridors, and into a well lit bedroom.

”And now we must parts ways for tonight at least. I have just one more question, Solaire. Do you wish to return back to the land from which you came?”

“I would rather suffer death a hundreds times over than return to Lordran.”

”Then goodnight Solaire. And again, thank you.” Celestia departs from your new quarters, and you strip off your armour. You climb into the bed, relishing the comfort that the mattress provided. How long had it been since you’d enjoyed the luxury of a bed? Even with Lordran’s convoluted time flow, you knew it had been an age, and so sleep came quickly to your exhausted form.

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 4

You awaken to the sigh of Celestia standing before you. “Why hello there, Celestia. Is there something wrong?”

”Not at all, Solaire. I just came to see if you wanted to be present to my raising of the sun.”

“I would like nothing more, Celestia.” You climb out from under the bed-covers; stretch out your arms, before equipping the armour on hand, much to Celestia’s apparent disdain.

”Why do you insist on wearing your armour at all times?” she asks.

“Lordran rarely allows for moments of calm and peace. It is best to be on one’s guard constantly, and for that one must be constantly equipped.” You knew from experience that if one lets their guard down, they will pay a heavy toll indeed. Celestia appears to ponder for a moment, before escorting you out of the room.

It was still dark outside, and Celestia leads you to a balcony which overlooked much of the city.

“I am very eager to see one’s abilities, Celestia.”

She smiles. ”Watch and see, Solaire.” Her horn glows, and for a moment you think nothing has happened… and that thought is quickly banished as the sun slowly begins to rise over the horizon, and you feel happier than you have had for a long time.

“So your tongue did not deceive me… you really are a sun goddess…” you mutter in awe.

”That I am. If Chrysalis had overpowered me, it would have spelt doom for the entire kingdom… indeed, the entire planet.”

“Then you are most fortunate indeed, that my summoning took place. May I ask what city and land is this?”

”The city we are currently observing is Canterlot, the capitol of Equestria.”

“Canterlot… Equestria… interesting.”

The two of you stare out at the sunrise together, before you get an idea. You turn to Celestia and raise your arms into the air, and she raises an eyebrow in curiosity. ”Solaire, what is the meaning of that gesture?”

“It is a signature gesture of the sunlight warriors, in which we praise the sun for all its glory. I thought it would be most fitting for you, Celestia.” Her cheeks turn a lovely shade of rose and she looks down at her hooves. “Why, thank you Solaire. You are too kind.” She giggles.

“I am simply showing my gratitude, a gratitude well deserved by a being as powerful and majestic as you.” Your words carry the enthusiasm of a lifetime of searching.

Celestia’s smiles drops and she looks at you with utmost seriousness. ”I… I do not get complimented like that very often. Thank you… sincerely.”

“I fail to see why that should be the case, when you are most deserving of one’s praise.”

This vocal gesture is met with another heartfelt smile, before Celestia turns away from the balcony. ”I am about to go down and join the others for breakfast. You are most welcome to join me.”

“Your offer is most generous. However, I will stay behind, to gaze upon the sun. I do not require sustenance anyways. One of the traits of the undead, you see.” Celestia nods, before leaving you alone. You stare up at the heavens, breathing deeply.

You wonder to yourself… Mayhap it is time to pledge yourself to Celestia? You were not even in Lordran any longer, and the warriors of sunlight were far behind you. Pledging a covenant with Celestia would be the ultimate appraisal, a wonderful show of loyalty… Maybe you could set up a new band of sunlight warriors in Canterlot? Celestia mentioned a royal guard of some sorts… My, that would be novel indeed.

You continue to stare out over the city for a while, before heading out from the balcony, making the decision to wander aimlessly around the palace, until you happen upon what appears to be a blacksmith of some kind. As you enter, a female unicorn approaches you.

”Who the hay are you? You’re not supposed to be in here.” She snaps.

“I am Solaire, the sunlight warrior. Perchance, are you the one who was tasked with my equipment?” The pony’s eyes widen. “Oh, you’re Solaire? Luna told me about you. I’m sorry; I’ll go get your stuff now.”

“My thanks are with you.”

You follow the pony past various forges, anvils and tools, until you get a locked chest. On instinct you give the side of it a swift kick, and the pony recoils.

”Whoa, what’s the problem with you?”

“Where I come from, chests have a nasty disposition of picking you up and eating you alive. Forgive one for maintaining habits.” The unicorn shakes her head. ”I can’t even begin to imagine where you hail from.”

“My lady, you would not want to even imagine such a place. Not even the dead may know peace from it.” You think back to the catacombs and tomb of giants. How was “trusty” Patches doing?

”Ok then, I’ll take your word for it.” The unicorn opens the chest and your sword, shield and helm levitates out.

”What about that hunk of metal you’re wearing? You wanna leave that with me?” she asks.

“It’s not necessary, my lady. I am perfectly capable of repairing it myself.”

The unicorn glares. “So what you’re saying is that I wasted my perfectly good time doing something your lazy flank could have done?”

“If it satiates that fiery spirit of yours, I could show you a thing or two about forging.”

The unicorn snorts in disbelief. ”I highly doubt you could show me anything I wouldn’t already know, I’ve been at this craft since I was a blank flank.” The unicorn motions to her flank where a hammer and anvil mark was in-place. You think for a moment before motioning to your gear.

“Everything you see was hand made by myself, and lasted throughout uncountable fights with every demon imaginable. I think I can show you a thing or two about crafting, maintaining and repairing.” The unicorn cocks her head at you, before smiling. “I like you. You’ve got gusto. My name is Vulcana, and I’d be happy to be taught be you.”

“We are well met, Vulcana. Now, follow me to that forge. The trick to casting iron is…”

You exit the forge, sword and shield in tow, having spent the best part of 3 hours with that pony, teaching her how to efficiently repair a weapon in minimal conditions, how to maximise the protection a piece of armour could provide and improved forging techniques for high-quality weapons. Vulcana was impressed, and told you she would be incorporating the lessons she learned today into the next set of weapons she produced for the royal guard.

”Ah, Solaire. I had wondered where on earth you had wandered off to.” Celestia was standing outside the forge, her mane blowing an invisible, eternal wind.

“Forgive me; I was holding conference with your blacksmith.” You apologise.

”I am only seeking you out because I have an urgent problem that needs addressed.”

“By all means inform me, I am here to assist you in any way I can.”

”Follow me then.” You sheath your sword, secure your shield to your back and follow Celestia to what appears to be a barracks of some sort. As you enter you see a number of soldiers, some adorned in armour, some undergoing training.

”Attention!” Celestia shouts and the soldiers assemble in front of Celestia, waiting on her word.

”As you are all aware, yesterday Canterlot was attacked by changeling forces, led by their queen, Chrysalis. Canterlot is to remain on high alert, with any suspicious actions or alerts to be followed up. I want everypony to participate in patrols as well.” The soldiers murmur amongst themselves, but appear to agree with Celestia’s orders, and she continues on. ”Another issue that we are currently facing is the captaincy of the Royal Guard, or rather, the lack of it. Shining Armour and Cadence’s honeymoon in Saddle Arabia is expected to last 3 months, and we’ll need a suitable replacement for him during that time.”

A relatively tall unicorn separates himself from the crowd, and approaches Celestia.

”Your highness, we all know I am clearly the best candidate for this position. I was Shining Armour’s second in command, if anypony deserves the title, it’s me!”

”Like Tartarus you do, Ajax! You were the one who told us to cut our losses and run when the changelings attacked!” yelled a pony from the back.

Ajax snarls. ”You got something to say, punk? Let’s take it outside then!”

Not wanting to oversee a fight, you step forward. “Both of you cease your bickering! Do you honestly expect to able to defend against hostile forces when you are divided amongst yourselves?” Ajax turns to you, and you see a slight tinge of fear in his eyes as you shout.

“I have fought many battles, more than you can imagine. If there is one lesson I have gathered from them, one lesson I can impart to you, it is that co-operation is the key to victory!” you yell, addressing the group of soldiers as a whole.

”He is right.” Celestia steps forward, and Ajax steps back into place. “You must work together to overcome adversity, and it is clear you are incapable of even that.” Ajax opens his mouth to argue, before looking down in defeat, and Celestia smiles gravely. “While it is true that the changelings had the advantage in numbers and surprise, there was a severe lack of discipline and you were overrun quickly. That is why there is only one sensible candidate to be the new captain. There was one candidate who showed true grit, bravery and skill in the heat of battle.”

You look out into the crowd, trying to see the pony that Celestia was referencing.

”Solaire, if you may?”

You blink in surprise, your shocked face hidden by your helmet. “I beg your pardon?”

”What is there not to understand? Stand forward, and address your comrades.”

“You mean… are you appointing me as the captain of your royal guard?”

”Why of course! If you are to be believed, which you are, then you’ve had more experience of leading soldiers than anypony else here.”

“I know but… the sunlight warriors’ purpose was completely different than what you are asking of me!”

”Are you not still leading a group of soldiers dedicated to a sun god?”

“I… you…”

”Of course, I cannot force anything of you-“

“No, it’s an honour! I would adore the chance to serve you like this!”

”Then it’s decided. You shall lead the Royal Guard.” Celestia turns to the shocked group of soldiers who were staring at you. ”I hope everypony respects my decision, yes?”

Again, Ajax opens his mouth, and this time you decide to quiet him, gripping the hilt of your sword as you stare at him through the eye-slits in your helm.

”Well, you did save the Princess…”

”And you did kill a bunch of changelings…”

”And you even killed the changeling queen herself!”

”So…”

The soldiers roar in approval, and you smile to yourself. It appears your earlier thoughts were coming true. Already you were leading band of warriors… some things never change. You just hoped you wouldn’t have to lead them into battle anytime soon. You had had enough of that for a dozen lifetimes…

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 5

After the announcement that you were to lead the Royal Guards, Celestia turns to you. ”Knight Solaire, my student and her friends are to leave for their hometown now. Do you wish to accompany me to bid them farewell?”

“Why of course I shall accompany you, my dear Celestia. I would never forsake the opportunity to bid friends farewell.” She gives you a wide and warming smile, before accompanying you out of the barracks and back round to the palace, where Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are situated. As you approach they enthusiastically greet you.

”Thanks again for saving my brother’s wedding, Solaire.”

“Your thanks are most appreciated, but I was merely doing what any other honour-bound warrior would do in my place.”

”You don’t have to be so humble Solaire, you’re a hero! Ponies all over Canterlot are talking about you!” Twilight exclaims.

“Words of praise or whispers of doubt and despair?”

”C’mon Solaire, we both know which one it is. You saved us, you saved Canterlot, and most importantly you saved Celestia.”

“Your tongue is true, young sorceress. I wish thee the best of luck.”

”As do we all, Solaire.”

“And pray that I may never have to rely on it. A good warrior relies on himself only. Lady luck is unreliable at best, and merciless at her worst. But do not let my words taint your elation. Go forth, Twilight.”

”I have one more question though. Are you coming with us to see what Ponyville is like or will you remain in Canterlot?”

“I am afraid I must politely apologise. I will stay behind, to gaze upon the sun. The sun is a wondrous body, like a magnificent father. Oh, if only I could be so grossly incandescent…” Twilight looks up you silently, sporting the most tangible of stares, before smiling weakly. You give short goodbyes to the rest of the group, confusion still befalling you as the flying blue one, Rainbow Dash, refers to you as “Brolaire.” She must be hollowing herself if she thinks the two of you are of blood-relations.

As the group departs, you turn to Celestia. “So, what shall we do now?" you ask.

”For now? We wait, we plan, we continue on like we always did.”

“Very well. I for one am not rallying for battle, unless we are provoked into it. I have had enough of that for now… enough for any man…” You feel something on your shoulder, and you see Celestia draping a wing on your shoulder. You absent-mindedly stroke the luxuriously soft appendage as you think back to your struggle through Lordran.

”Solaire, take of your helmet please.” Celestia’s request snaps you back to attention.

“I beg your pardon?”

”Your helmet, can you remove it, for just a moment?”

You shrug, reach up, and pull off your helm, noticing the brilliant red feather that had adorned it for so long was gone.

”Now, kneel for me, please.” Celestia requests. You go down on one knee and stare expectedly at Celestia.

“My dear Princess, is there-“

Celestia leans forward, kissing you lightly on your cheek, and you choke on your words, any semblance of coherence lost at that moment. As Celestia retracts, she giggles, and you feel your face turn as red as the blistering lava of Lost Izalith.

”That is my personal reward to you, Solaire. A token of my thanks, for what you have done.”

“Er… I…”

Celestia giggles again. “Oh Solaire, there is no need to act so bashful. Did you enjoy that little, “token?””

You mouth silently, unable to articulate a reply, before simply nodding, your face flushed. Celestia smiles devilishly at you. “I am afraid I must now take an absence now. I have royal duties to attend to. You shall find me in the throne room, if my presence is required.”

“I… I shall return to watching the sun…”

”Very well. I shall speak with you again soon, Solaire.” Celestia turns and walks away, and you gape at her as she walks away.

Did she… did she just kiss you? You could hardly believe it… although you shouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as you did. Celestia may be a sun princess, and she may have kissed you (rather tenderly, as well), but she is not even human…You shake your head in an attempt to clear the disturbing images, before returning to the balcony which overlooked the city. The sun shone from the clear skies overhead, and you sighed to yourself. Now, you could praise the sun without he risk of attack. How wonderful indeed…

A faint buzzing emnates from nearby and you snap back to attention. Using your hand to shield your eyes from the sun rays, you notice a small, dark form flying through the air, landing deftly on the palace wall. It furtively searches for an entrance, before sneaking through an open palace window.

You turn from the balcony and sprint down the palace corridors, headed for the throne room. You had no doubt in your mind as to the identity of that creature, nor did you doubt its malicious intentions towards Celestia. As you make a beeline for the throne room, you encounter a pair of guards lying slumped on the floor. A cursory check reveals they are alive, but unconscious, and you hurry onwards.

You reach the throne room, bursting through the wooden doors, and your heart sinks at the sight before you.

Lying poised over Celestia is the winged creature, baring uncanny semblance to the changelings of not long ago. It had Celestia pinned, her neck exposed to the blade that was being wielded in the creature’s claws. Without a moment’s hesitation you charge forward, grabbing the stunned creature and hurling it across the room. It lands deftly, before leaping into the air and swooping down at you. Lacking the time to properly equip your sword, you bring a fist up into the creature as it charges, feeling your knuckle connect with its jaw. It recoils backwards and you bring a boot up into its face. Quicker than you had thought it capable of, it catches your foot mid-swing, before swiping a claw across your exposed groin. You roar in pain, collapsing backwards.

The creature pounces on you and attempts to wrestle your helmet off with its nefarious claws, and you begin an arduous struggle to wrestle the thing off you.

”Halt changeling!”

Both of you look round to see a trio of royal guards armed with spears, approaching you. You grab the creature while it is distracted, and throw it off you. It hisses, and attempts to take off, but a magical aura surrounds the creature, courtesy of one of the guards. As the creature thrashes, you run towards it and deliver a final, two-footed kick to it, sending it sprawling across the floor, where it is surrounded and apprehended by guards. You lie there dazed on the floor, before a guard stands beside you.

”Are you ok, Captain?”

“Tend to Princess Celestia and the others first…” you mutter, before closing your eyes, the sudden rush of excitement leaving you drained. So much for wishing to be out of battle…

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 6

You slowly awaken, groaning in pain. Before you Celestia is sat, a concerned look on her face. ”Oh, you’ve awakened.” She says with a strained voice.

“The change…”

”Down in the dungeon.”

“Are you… ok?” you ask weakly.

”I am fine Solaire. Please, rest for a while long-“

“Nay Celestia. I shall go and hold palaver with it now.” You haul yourself out of bed, noticing that you were in some sort of medical wing. As you take your first steps you sway on your feet unsteadily, feeling vulnerable at your lack of armour. Celestia obviously notices this concern. “Your equipment is safe, do not fret.”

You nod, before slowly making your way out of the room in nothing but a flimsy gown. Celestia follows and takes lead, but remains silent, the tension caused by the assassin’s folly destroying any possible conversation between the two of you. She leads you deep into the palace, the ground underfoot growing steadily cooler. Eventually, you are led to a stone cell, flanked by two unflinching guards, both armed with spears. As Celestia approaches, the two guards silently turn and salute her as she reaches the cell. She leans her head down and appears to use her horn as an unlocking device. You hear the grinding of gears, and the cell slowly opens.

Inside, bound in chain and with a glowing cloth wrapped around its horn, is the changeling. It peers coolly at you with its azure eyes, calmly staring at you while you take up position in front of it. You return its gaze for a few minutes, arms folded, as Celestia coldly glares at the changeling. Finally, you decide to break the silence.

“What is your name, Changeling?”

It continues staring at you, a faint smile hovering on the edge of its lips. So, it wishes to remain silent… thankfully, you have a penchant for smooth talking.

“I must say, you gave me quite the fight upstairs. I am most impressed, and you should be proud. I have faced a multitude of demons, and you fought well.” The changelings’ smile grows bigger. “I would not be fit to serve my Queen if I was not perfect in battle.” It hisses.

“It appears we share a common belief then. I too strive for perfection… only I put it towards a different cause…” Silence descends again for a few seconds, before the changeling speaks. “My name… is Drejtimi.”

“Drejtimi?”

”I did not stutter.”

“Your name is most unusual, as is your body.”

”I am the physical perfection of my species, second only to the Queen.”

“I was referring to your claws. Out of all the changelings I faced, you are the only individual to sport them.”

”What good would a blade be, without a way to wield it?”

“About as useful as an assassin who fails in her mission, I suppose.”

The changeling hisses, and you smile. “Tell me, Drejtimi. Why did you take it upon yourself to assault my dear Princess?” you ask.

”The answer should be obvious to you.”

“The river of evil is fed by many streams.”

The changeling spits at you. “Are we evil for wanting to ensure our survival? We deserve life too! After you killed our beloved Queen, we become lost, divided. We sit in our hive and slowly starve, because of you! Removing Celestia was our only choice. And I failed. You have doomed us all, as have I.”

“I would rather not see you antagonize yourself over your defeat. It will be a cold day in Izalith before I let harm come to those I hold dear to me. Your loss was inevitable.”

The changeling growls ominously. “I do not suppose you came here to deride me, sunlight warrior. What is your business with me?

“I am here to ask a question. Where is thy hive?”

”I shall die before you know of the hive’s location.”

You slam a fist into the wall beside her, causing her to flinch slightly. A tinge of fear creeps into her cold, professional eyes. Good. You could work with fear.

“Listen closely, for I shall not repeat my words. I killed your Queen. I saw the anguish in her eyes as I purified her vile form with the power of pure sunlight. I revelled in the cries of the surrounding demons as they fled, scattering like sheep from a shepherd. So you spoke true. You will die before you tell me the location of the hive. But fair warning… your death will be unequivocally excruciating. No-one is coming to rescue you. I have seen things that would drive lesser men mad with fear; things that not even in death can men escape from. And I shall do these things to you. Because when the time comes for the sun to make its descent, you are nothing to me. I care not for your life, only your death. Do you understand?” you whisper, eyes locked with the now terrified changeling. A single tear of defeat runs down the changeling’s cheek. “The Badlands. We took up home in the Badlands. That’s where we planned the invasion…” You retract your fist slowly. “You have made a wise choice, Drejtimi.” You mutter, before motioning to Celestia to move out of the cell. Once you do you whisper hurriedly to her.

“So what shall we do with her now? Should we have her executed?”

Celestia stares at you with disgust. “I do not wish to be party to the ending of a life… but of course, we cannot let it loose again. If it returns to the Hive, then that could spell trouble for us all. What do you suggest?” You rub your temples in frustration, before an idea hits you.

“Say… what if we gave the demon protection?” Celestia blinks. “Protection? From who?”

“From the masses. That way, we can send the demon on its way. There needs to be no loss of life, and it is ensured that we the changeling never returns to the Hive.” Celestia considers your proposal for a moment, before nodding. “Yes. That seems reasonable enough. I shall go prepare the necessary documents now.”

You accompany the guards as they carefully lead the duffel bag-clad prisoner out of the dungeon, up through the palace and out into the courtyard. Drejtimi winces as the sunlight blinds her, before looking round worriedly. By this time, you were adorned in your armour, equipped with your sword and shield, and the changeling eyes them nervously. You draw your sword and the changeling shuts her eyes, blocking out both the gathering crowd of leering ponies and the sight of your harbinger of death. “I shall not fear... I shall not scream… I shall not cry…” the creature whispers and you feel a rare moment of pity.

“Open your eyes, Drejtimi.” The changeling reluctantly complies, looking at you with dread filled eyes.

You sigh deeply. “If it were up to me… you would be dead. I hail from a land where pity is a luxury many cannot afford… But Celestia has invoked mercy in my heart.” Drejtimi looks up with a pathetic hopefulness, and you continue. “You will leave this place, and you shall not return to your Hive. You shall also not impersonate native ponies. However, on the grounds of thy compliance, we shall grant you protection. No harm shall befall you, and that is my solemn word. Do you accept these terms?” Drejtimi nods silently.

“So be it. Guards, release her and hand her papers to her.”

Her shackles are released and the magic-blocking cloth removed, and Drejtimi is handed a number of royal-stamped documents and decrees.

“Now be gone, changeling. I may have shown mercy this time, but if we meet again, do not count on another show of mercy.” Drejtimi takes off and rockets through the air, quickly leaving Canterlot. And now… you prepare.

Whether through word of mouth or the clashing of iron and steel, there will be reckoning at the Hive. If you had your way, it would be the latter… but the pit of dread in your stomach reminded you that Celestia’s views would be much different… perhaps different enough to drive the two of you apart.

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 7

As the changeling flies off into the distance, Celestia joins your side. ”I must thank you for your patience Solaire. It is just not in my nature to have a helpless captive executed like that.”

“I do not regard a professional assassin to be helpless… how do you plan on keeping her safe in any case?”

”I have my contacts.”

“I’ll trust that you do. Now, onto more pressing matters…”

”Let us discuss them where there are less privy ears, shall we?”

You nod, and follow Celestia to her throne room, nodding politely to the stationed guards as Celestia dismisses them. “Do you not fear for your security so soon after an attack?” you ask concernedly.

”I very much doubt that the changelings are in a position to mount another attack” She sighs to herself, sitting tiredly on her throne. “But indeed, this mess has just begun.”

“Now, we take the fight back to the changelings?” you ask.

”No, Solaire. I am not prepared to engage in an outright war with a starving nation.”

“If thy memory is eluded, then may I remind you that the changeling attacked us, with the intent to capture you? Are you really prepared to show mercy to these… parasites?”

Celestia responds by staring at you with an odd coldness. “Solaire, you may have had a way of handing matters in Lordran, but here in Equestria we prefer peaceful methods. We’ve had a thousand years of peace, and I’m not prepared to break it.”

“So be it, Celestia. But let me warn you. I’ve faced parasites before… the parasites of mankind, the darkwraiths. Many a time I would be helping a fellow warrior when they would be trespassed upon by these loathsome souls. I have had too many comrades die… I’m rambling, aren’t I? Never mind. I trust that you’ll decide what’s right.”

”Thank you Solaire. I’m sure we’re all aggrieved at the recent events, but there are other ways of handling conflict.”

“I understand.”

Celestia rubs her temples with a hoof, her horn glowing. A scroll pops into existence and she begins to write slowly and carefully.

“So, what is your decided course of action?”

”I am writing to the general of the changelings, so discuss peace talks.”

“Do you even know who this general is?”

”No. I am using magic to try and contact him. I have no doubts that Chrysalis would have appointed a commander to take over in a crisis, and this is our best method of reaching him.” Celestia continues to write, before the scroll vanishes in a blast of green light.

“And I suppose now, we wait?”

”Indeed…” Celestia trails off, looking distantly at the far wall. You bring yourself up her throne and silently lay a hand on her mane, feeling her tense up at your touch, before speaking.

“I will not pretend to know how to run a kingdom, but I am safe in assuming that it is not for the weak-willed…” Celestia lets out a long sigh, her body visibly deflating. “No Solaire… it is not. I have faced many struggles over the years… far too many…” She suddenly begins to cry softly and you kneel down, wrapping an arm around her.

“Now, my dear Princess. There’s no need to be upset like this. You have me by your side now… As long as I am here you have nothing to fear.” Celestia sniffles. “I’m just afraid. Always afraid…” she whispers.

“Of making the right decision? But why, you've said it yourself that you’ve had a thousand years of peace? Doesn’t that signal that you’ve been doing a marvellous job?”

Celestia rewards you with a small smile. “Yes, I suppose it does… thank you for your patience with me, Solaire.”

“You needn’t apologise, Celestia. I know from experience how crushed one’s spirits can become. If you are upset, seek me out and I will do my best to comfort you.”

”I will, Solaire. I am thankful for the company you are providing me…”

“As I am grateful for you to receive it.” A content silence descends upon the room as you sit there, Celestia in your arms.

Celestia breaks the silence first. ”May I ask a question?”

“By all means do.”

”The lightning you summon… how does it work? Do all humans have inherent magic capabilities?”

You gently break off the hug and fumble for your talisman. “These magnificent lightning bolts are not in fact the work of magic as someone might assume. No, these are actually the work of miracles.” Celestia adopts a confused look. “You summon your power through the Gods?” she asks in confusion.

“In effect, yes. Do you see this talisman? It is a canvas, onto which I project my faith of the Gods. Watch…” You chant the prayer and take a step back, forming a small lightning bolt in your hand as Celestia watches you intently. ”You use your faith to cast these spells? In effect, you believe the spell will work, so it does?” she asks.

“I suppose so. Sorceries require intensive knowledge of how something will work. Miracles… well, they just require that you believe in it to work. Different path to the same destination.”

”I am guessing your faith is very high then.”

“Monumentally so.”

”But why? What provoked such a heartfelt response?”

“Are you asking as to why my faith is so high? Well… without it, I would have gone insane long ago. It guided me, motivated me… and it brought me to you. That makes my faith justified, it seems.”

Celestia blushes. “Ah yes, your quest for your sun…” She coughs. “Did you ever imagine your quest would end in success?”

“I would not have undergone it if I did not believe it would bear fruit one day. I had never supposed my sun would take the form of you though… not that that’s a bad thing, of course!” You chuckle heartily. “Nay, it is not a bad outcome at all. You are wonderfully unique, Celestia.”

”My heartfelt thanks Solaire. I have just one more question for you. Do you have faith in me?”

“My Princess, I would not be speaking to you now if I did not have unwavering faith in you.” Celestia nods, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “Very well. Oh, and one more thing…”

“My, you really are fond of chatting with me, aren’t you? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had feelings for me!” You laugh heartily while Celestia’s cheeks turn fiery red.

”I… um, I don’t…” she splutters.

“Oh my, pretend you didn’t hear that. It was silly of me. What was it that you had planned to tell me?”

”Er… the guardhouse… go there…”

“Anything else?”

”Just go!” Celestia squeals uncharacteristically, covering her mouth with her hoof. You frown at her, roll your eyes and make leave of the throne room.

What on earth was wrong with her? You hadn’t said something to induce discomfort, had you? Well, you had joked about feelings, but it was ridiculous to assume Celesta felt anything for you, right? Of course, you had been here for a brief period of time. You were not even a pony…

As you enter the guardhouse, you instantly spot a large, dominating figure approach you. What in Lordran… You grasp the hilt of your sword as the bull-man reaches you, flinching slightly as it extends a hand.

“Who are you, and why are you here?” you demand.

”How have you not heard of IRON WILL! Equestria’s top motivator and number one body builder!” The bull-man flexes his muscles and gives them a kiss, eliciting a frown from you.

“I am not from around these parts. Before I introduce myself, may I ask what you are and if you pose me or Celestia a threat?”

The bull-man laughs heartily. ”Ah, new guy, eh? I am a Minotaur, a lean mean fightin’ machine! And bud, if I had beef with you you’d be on the floor or six feet under.”

“If I had qualm with you, you’d be on the end of my sword.”

”Hah, you call that iron poker a sword?”

“I’ve cut down far more imposing beasts than you with it. I am comfortable with my chances.”

”I’d tear that tin plating off you and beat you blind, sunny.”

“I don’t need any equipment to match you. My fists are enough.”

”You think those puny things could do anything to me?”

You chuckle. “Well, they seemed to work on your mother last night!” you conclude.

This accusation is met with howls of laughter from on-looking soldiers and Iron Will glares at you for an achingly long moment, before breaking into laughter.

”Finally, someone who can stand up to the Iron Will!” He holds out his fist and you shake it, causing him to groan in frustration. ”You don’t get the gist, return the fist!”

“You want me to…” you ask hesitantly and Iron Will nods enthusiastically. You gently tap the Minotaur’s fist with your arm, feeling an extraordinary sense of companionship.

”Iron Will! Don’t want to die? I’m your guy!”

“I take it you wish to… join the royal guard?”

”Nah bud, just feel like getting some action, putting my babies to work!” Iron Will strikes a weightlifter’s pose.

“I am afraid Celestia has requested a non-hostile approach to the changelings for now. If events take a turn for the worse, be sure to come back and approach me once more.”

Iron Will gapes at you. “You’re bucking kidding me, right?”

“I am not “bucking” you, whatever that phrase means. I can confirm myself that Celestia wishes to explore other options over conflict.”

”Oh… well… if you ever need the Iron Will by your side…” He slouches off and you blink. “Anyone care to explain what just happened? No?” you ask to any of the present soldiers, who shake their heads unhelpfully. They may have approved your temporary appointing as the captain of the royal guard, but given the objection against Ajax, you may have just been the lesser of the two evils…

“Alright men, I mean, ponies! Stand at attention!” The present guards stand in front of you expectedly.

“As your new captain, it is my duty to train you as best I can. That does not mean degrading you. I will treat you with utmost respect, provided you’re ready to return that respect.”

”You’re doing a better job than Ajax already!” shouted a pony from the back.

“Whoever said that, could you stand forward?” you command, and a tan pegasus makes his way to the front.

“What’s your name, soldier?”

”I am Lightweight, Sir.”

“There’s no need to call me Sir. We’re all equals here, in this band of warriors. Tell me, why does Ajax receive so much hate amongst you?”

Lightweight shifts uneasily. “I’m not comfortable with telling you, Sir.”

“My tongue is sealed shut, soldier. I’m just curious, that’s all.”

Lightweight clears his throat. “Well Si-Solaire, he sort of just… does his own thing. He never attends training, he never eats or sleeps with us… but he expects to be treated better than us. He thinks he’s better than us.”

“And is he?”

”I don’t know. When we hold mock fights, he always comes out on top.”

“I can respect strength of arms, but if the motivation is lacking, then he has no place amongst our ranks.” You turn to the crowd at whole. “I am aware that Celestia appointed me with haste and that many of you may feel resent. If you could all sit yourselves down and listen to my tale, you may understand her decision better.” The soldiers shift themselves, and you collect yourself.

“My tale began long ago in a world I once called my own…”

“And as I stood there burning, my soul feeding the flame that lit the world, I began to feel myself being pulled somewhere, like I was being summoned. I rose into your world and… well, you know the rest.”

The soldiers stare at you with a newfound respect. They now had an idea of who you are, what you had faced and the sacrifices you had made. You had earned that respect, and it would now be much easier to lead these soldiers in the case of battle.

“Well, as there is nothing more to be said, I shall make my leave. I hope my tale made you think. Goodnight, all of you.” The soldiers bid you farewell and you make your way back to the throne room, noticing the moonlight sky outside. You had talked for hours it seems. Funny how the flow of time distorts when your mind is engaged…

As you enter the throne room you spy Celestia, still alone, sitting glumly on her throne. She brightens at the sigh of you.

”Solaire, you have returned.”

“That I have. Is my presence required?”

”Why yes, actually. I have had an idea.” Celestia seems to have calmed down since the hours earlier, although her cheeks are still faintly rosy.

“What do you propose?”

”You mentioned that miracles work off faith in a higher power, correct?”

“That they do.”

”You also mentioned that you had faith in me, yes?”

“You speak truly.”

”So I supposed. What if you tried to channel your faith in me through the talisman?”

You think for a moment.

“I do not know what would happen. I channel my faith in a nameless God of war to cast the brilliant lightning miracles; I cannot envision what my faith in you would manifest as.

”Well, why not give it a try?” Celestia asks enthusiastically. You shrug, and pull out your talisman, concentrating intently on Celestia, feeling power flow into the hand-painted canvas.

“Here it comes…” The talisman glows and an aura of brilliant white light surrounds you.

”Oh my!” Celestia whispers as the light fades slightly, leaving you surrounded by a circle of permeating brightness.

“A miracle of intense light? I would have assumed that only Oolacilian sorceries could produce such a feat… then again, you are the Sunlight Goddess.”

”I think it’s lovely” Celestia says, a complimenting smile adorned upon her face.

“It’s not over yet. I can feel a different tug of power…” You concentrate once more on Celestia, feeling the power return, slightly different than before.

A purple aura surrounds you and Celestia’s horn fizzles and sparks, causing her to jump in panic. ”What in Tartarus?” she cries.

“Stay calm Celestia.” You say reassuringly.

“My magic… it is gone!” she exclaims.

“Interesting… this miracle is identical to one hailing from Lordran, which stops the flow of magic around the caster. I assure you that is it a temporary effect only.” After a minute of nervous fidgeting by Celestia, the aura dissipates and her horn stops crackling, causing Celestia to audibly sigh in relief. ”That was unexpected.” She mutters.

“You have no cause for complaint, for it is you who requested I do it.”

”I know… your magic is most unusual Solaire.”

“That it may be. But take to heart that I have proven to you my faith in you through these miracles.”

”I will Solaire. It means much to me.” You and Celestia share a smile, eyes locked with each other. She had beautiful eyes… No, stop that! She’s not even a human woman!

She’s still a Sun-goddess though, that counts for something… It’s a good thing this helmet blocks most of your face, and thus your discomfort…

”In any case, your faith in me is most desirable. I must now bid you goodnight, Solaire.”

“May you have pleasant dreams, Celestia.”

”I will.” Celestia gets off her throne and walks past you, brushing against you lightly. That was simple carelessness… right?

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 8

You slowly awaken; smiling to yourself as you contemplate the day ahead. Through the window beside your bed shone the rays of the morning sun, elevating your spirits as always. You make the decision to join Celestia for breakfast this morning. You didn’t need to eat, but it was polite… and of course, you were loath to give up Celestia’s company…

As always you don your armour barring your helm, still unaccustomed to the thought of going anywhere without it. You make your way through the palace to the dining hall where Celestia is sat, a number of scrolls surrounding her. She notices your presence and graces you with a smile. “Good morning Solaire!” She exclaims, seemingly more exuberant than yesterday. Perhaps in that lay the cause of today’s particular wonderful morning?

“And may yours be even better!” you reply. Celestia gives you a smile, before motioning for you to sit down with her, which you comply with.

”I have held discussion with my closest advisors earlier this morning, with good reason. We have received words of correspondence from the changelings, whom have an appointed general as I expected.”

“What did the letter say?” you ask.

”The general agreed to meet up to discuss peace terms.”

“What else? I cannot help but suspect that the general has other plans.”

”I pressured him into meeting us in Dodge City, which is the closest pony settlement to the Badlands. Do not fear about security, Solaire. Ever since a roving pack of diamond dogs assaulted the town a few years ago, I have had troops stationed there, who will be performing patrols regularly. I trust in their discipline, so we do not have to fear a showdown in Dodge City.”

”It is not the destination of which I am wary. Rather, I am concerned about how we shall get there. Perchance might you have a map of Equestria?”

Celestia levitates a nearby map to you and you survey it intently.

“If I am not mistaken, it would take us days, if not weeks to reach this “Dodge City” on foot.” You mutter.

”Who said that you would be travelling on foot?”

“I cannot think of an alternative, given that there are no bonfires to warp from and to in this land.”

Celestia giggles. “What if told you that there was a way to get you and your soldiers across to Dodge City in less than a day?”

“I sincerely doubt that you are telling the truth, Celestia.”

”Hmm… I shall show you how we get around here in Equestria… but first, let us enjoy breakfast together.”

“Of course, Celestia.”

“By Gwyn’s great grey beard, what is that monster?” you exclaim.

”This is called a train, Solaire.”

“And, er… what does it do?”

”Trains are used to transport people and goods across great distances.”

“Is it… safe?”

Celestia laughs at your hesitation. “Oh Solaire, whatever happened to being a brave warrior?”

“I am not afraid of this metal monstrosity!” you bellow, taking a step towards it, cueing howls of laughter from Celestia. ”You are unbelievably gallant, you know that?” she splutters, face red from the strains of continued laughter. You yourself turn red from embarrassment, turning your back to Celestia and slowly walking onto the carriage.

As you enter and look around, wary at your surroundings, Celestia notices your discomfort and stands beside you.

”I presume you did not have such machines back in Lordran, no?”

“Nay. I have had my fair share of unconventional journeys though…” You think back to Kingseeker Frampt carrying you in his mouth, the giant crow, the winged demons of Anor Londo… “Indeed I have. I shall be fine, Celestia.”

”Good. I do not wish to put you under any discomfort. Now then.” Celestia steps back outside and you follow her, secretly relieved to be off the train.

“I take it there is more you wish to tell me?” you ask.

”The route that you and your soldiers will be taking will be a roundabout route, a route that’s rarely used at all. If the changelings were to try and ambush the train, which would be insanity, then they’d be unable to find it at all.”

“That quenches some of my fears, thank you. Another issue… you are implying that you will not be joining us on this journey. May I ask why that is the case? Surely you as the ruler of Equestria would be the prime candidate for negotiations?”

”You are most certainly right, Solaire. The problem is…”

“You do not wish to put yourself in harms way?”

“That is part of it, yes. I also wish to remain in Canterlot for the time being. The recent attempt on my life has unnerved me, and I do not wish to meet the changelings in person, so soon after the incident.”

“I understand. Do not fear about recklessness on my part. I may have been brash to the changeling assassin, but I realise this situation must be handled with precision and deftness.”

”It pleases me to see that you have come round to my way of thinking.”

You lay a hand on Celestia’ shoulder and give it a reassuring squeeze. “So, when I am leaving?”

”I have arranged for your departure immediately. I apologi-“

“Oh no, it’s not matter. I cannot blame you for wanting this issue resolved with the utmost haste.”

”Thank you, Solaire." I would advise that you inform your soldiers of the situation at hoof.”

“Very well. I shall return shortly.” After you locate and debrief your soldiers, including one scowling Ajax, you return to Celestia and give her a final hug. ”I shall keep in contact with you via the unicorn members of your troop. You’ll be back before you know it.” The Princess reassures you.

“I am only pleased to have the chance to assist you once more, my Princess.” You collect your sword, shield and helm from a helpful troop, sighing in relief as the helm rests into place.”

”And lastly, good luck, Solaire.”

You chuckle and gently cup your hand on Celestia’s face. “Everything will be fine, Celestia. I know it in my heart…”

You vomit out the window for the third time, ignoring the stares the soldiers give you. Whatever magic this speeding nightmare was imbued with was addling your senses. Not even watching wheel skeletons gave you as queasy a stomach as you had now.

”Are you alright, Sir?” asked Lightweight nervously.

“I’m q-quite alright… I’m just not used to… this…” You spit out the last remnants of the bile and retract your head from the window, resting uneasily into the seat.

“How long is this journey expected to take?”

”Another 6 hours, Sir.” Lightweight replies.

You groan loudly, wiping sweat of your brow with a gauntlet-clad hand. With a shaky hand you open your bottomless box, retract a piece of purple moss and chew on it slowly, wincing at the bitter taste. This type of moss was adept at curing poison and its symptoms, which you hoped would help alleviate your stomach pains. Why could Celestia not have just come along… at least you’d have enjoyed the journey then… Ah well. It is not in the spirit of the sunlight warriors to complain about one’s misfortune. You will just have to put up with i-

”What in Tartarus are those things?” cries a soldier, motioning anxiously at the window. You bound over and gape at the fast approaching formation flying directly for the train.

“Enemies imminent! Everyone prepare for battle!” you yell, heart beginning to pound. You had no doubt to who exactly the mystery assailants were. The question remains though; who alerted them to your presence? Celestia said there was little chance of being found… Stop it Solaire! Now is not the time for what-ifs. Now is the time to fight!

“All pegasi, give me your attention!” The winged guards who were gearing up glance at you fearfully. “Engage with the changelings outside the train! They’ll try and disable the source of our motion. If that happens, we’ll be painted targets at an archery range, do you understand? Unicorns! Support the pegasi with magic projectiles! They’ll be outnumbered in the air and need all the support possible!” Your orders are met with a loud and clear “affirmative!” from the soldiers.

“All others take up arms and stand in formation!” You quickly assemble yourself and the remaining soldiers into a makeshift phalanx formation, with some ponies equipped with sturdy shields in their mouths, protecting the ponies behind them armed with long-reached spears. Much to your surprise, Ajax joins your side, levitating his shield and spear into place.

“May I ask why you are going against my orders?”

”I’ve never been a good shot. Besides, I’m famous for my spear, which involves getting close and personal.” He mutters, venom dripping off his every word.

“Very well… and it is but trivial talk at this stage… but what manner of spear is that?” You point to the glowing runes on the barbed spear head, and Ajax laughs. “This thing? It’s called a Scraping Spear. Nasty piece of work, I enchanted it myself with a spell that breaks enemy apparel upon contact.” You store that piece of information away for future. Sounds like something that would be worthwhile to remember…

Your train of thought is broken as changelings burst through the windows in front of you, hissing. “Stay in formation!” you yell as the changelings pour in, throwing themselves against the makeshift wall of iron. You thrust forward with your sword, feeling it connect with flesh and bone, and you involuntarily roar as the rush of battle begins to take over. More changelings throw themselves at you, hurling barrages of green magic and pounding at you with their hooves.

However, their attempts are feeble in the face of your discipline and formation, and slowly, but surely, you begin to push them back along the train. From outside came screams, the furious flapping of wings, the whine of magic as it streaked through the air. Inside the train, there were only the death moans of the changelings and the shouts of you and your soldiers as you battled your way down. As you transitioned between one carriage and another, you and Ajax stayed side by side, charging forward into the baying beings and clearing the path for the other soldiers. You notice that the changelings seem surprised at Ajax, and almost reluctant to engage in combat with him. That does not stop him from plunging his spear into their cuts and battering them with his shield, however…

”Ponies! Fall back and make sure no other changelings breached the cleared carriages! Now!” Ajax yells, and the soldiers obey him, too caught up in the heat of the moment to discern between you and Ajax.

“What is the meaning of this, Ajax!” you yell, ducking under a hovering changeling and driving your sword into it.

”The changelings are backing off and will most likely try pincer attack us!” Ajax replies.

“So do we press onwards?”

”That we do!” Ajax yells, and the two of you step up the attack. By the time you drive the dwindling numbers of changelings to the back carriage which was called the “caboose”; your sun-emblazoned armour was splattered with sickly green blood. The remaining changelings throw themselves at the reinforced back door and windows, but to no avail.

“I am afraid it is too late for mercy, changelings. You have chosen your cause, and now you will die for it.” You say as you enter the caboose.

”As will you, Solaire” Ajax chuckles. You hear the malice in his voice and spin round as an aura surrounds your hands. Your sword and shield are ripped out of your grasp and you gape at Ajax.

“What is the meaning of this?”

”I am sorry Solaire, but it is too late to discuss these matters. I shan’t keep you waiting for the afterlife…” Ajax’s horn glows yet again and you see the mechanism connecting the two carriages snap and buckle. Horror grows in your stomach as the caboose becomes detached, with you stranded without shield and sword, as the train quickly begins to make distance on the now-slowing caboose.

“I’ll kill you for this, you treacherous hollow!” you roar, a feeling of utter helplessness overwhelming you. A hiss brings you back to attention and you turn round slowly to face the changelings, now approaching you slowly, eyes filled with anger and hate.

So this is how it ends… being stabbed in the back like a hornet… very well. There is one last thing you can do… you can have an honourable death… fAs the changelings pounce you rush forward to meet them, fists raised in defiance. A single tear falls down your cheek, as you momentarily think of Celestia. You hope she’ll be safe…

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 9

Images dance before your eyes as you regain consciousness. What happened… where are you…?

You suddenly jerk, the movement snapping you back to attention. Your arms and legs were bound, and you were being dragged along the ground to who knows where.

The train… you were fighting… Ajax… Anger rises within you as you remember his betrayal, the moment that condemned you to death.

The dragging stops and you shift yourself, noticing that all of your equipment including your armour had been stripped from you, making you feel more vulnerable than you ever had before. Heavy breathing commands your attention and you notice an armour-clad changeling approaching. His stature and air of authority leaves little doubt as to who he was, and as he reaches you, the two changelings who were presumably the ones dragging you flitter to his side.

”What do with monkey now?” asks the one on the left nervously. The General sighs, staring you down with his terrifying, soulless eyes. ”You know where to take him. I have loose ends to tie up for now. Don’t make him too comfortable.” The General speaks without a tone of humour or emotion, and the changelings nod anxiously.

As the painful dragging resumes, you finally take in your surroundings. A massive cavern was your current location, dotted with erratic buildings, branching tunnels and what appeared to be… insect nests?

Oh no.

You begin to struggle against your bindings as you realise where these foul beasts had taken you. You were in the Hive, their territory, their domain. A rescue would be difficult… if not impossible… And there remains the problem of your gear. Without it, you would never survive; especially not once you escaped…

Around you, changelings hover, regarding you with pure hatred and fear. You had killed their queen; a quick death does not seem likely… And what would come of you once death’s embrace clutched you once more? Would you return to Lordran? Would you stay dead, and finally find peace from this evil? Nary a worse scenario could you imagine, than one that would separate you from Celestia. She was everything you had fought for, the embodiment of your faith, your hope… she was your sun.

The changelings drag you into a prison-like building, much like the northern asylum to which you had once travelled. The walls were lined with needles of eternal agony; torture tools that would even the despicable Seath would have found repulsive. You are dragged on even further, to the very back of the building. A magical aura surrounds your body, and you are hoisted onto a wall, clamps securing your corporeal flesh in place. The changelings give you a smug look, knowing fine rightly that you were helpless, before leaving you alone. A faint hope is kindled within you as you spy your armour and storage box through the window of another room. It taunted you with its tantalising proximity. If you could just… get these… restraints off!

A scraping from above causes you to look up and you gasp at the sight before you. There above, descending from the shadowy heights was the assassin you had fought in Canterlot!

“Drejtimi…?” you ask incredulously, mouth wide in disbelief. She raises a claw and places it over her lips, and you chide yourself for your carelessness. She descends further, before producing something from a leather-bound pouch, and tossing it down to your open hand. With almost unbelievable luck, you catch your sunlight talisman and grasp it tightly. As soon as you do, the sound of heavy clopping approaches and the General comes into your line of sight.

He approaches steadily, a faint smile on his face. He reaches you and lets out another long, drawn out breath before speaking. ”I am regretful in these present circumstances. You are a most… interesting… individual. By your hooves our undermining of Canterlot and the death of Celestia were prevented. You are… different.” The General speaks slowly, eyes locked on yours.

“What should you do with the talisman? You wouldn’t be able to throw a lightning spear in these bindings. Your light miracle would not blind him… that leaves only one choice…” you think to yourself.

The general resumes his speech. ”But your efforts are only but temporary. Even now, Ajax is preparing to finish off Celestia himself. We shall return, and bring with us a cacophony of chaos, wiping out Canterlot wholly. All of Equestria shall fall soon after. Ah, what a marvellous time to be alive.” You block out the general’s words and grasp the talisman tighter, silently mouthing the correct words, and the General suddenly laughs. “Solaire… there shall be no-one to answer your prayers. Why do you think I am telling you this? Answer me.”

You open an eye as the miracle of disenchantment is cast, with the General thankfully being completely oblivious. “You are telling me this… because I have already lost…” you whisper.

”Aren’t you perceptive? It shall be a shame to break and bend your mind. Such lucidity is a rare sight in this land.” The General begins pacing in front of you. “Yes, it shall be a shame… oh, but where are my manners? My name is Cry. General Mimi Cry.” He chuckles again and a bead of sweat begins to run down your neck.

”Now that we’ve got the formalities out of the way, let’s examine that mind of yours. I was most impressed to hear that you overcame Chrysalis’ mind control yourself. You shall not be as fortunate this time, however…” He strides over to you, his horn glowing. You brace yourself as he charges his horn… He suddenly screams in pain as his horn discharges, sending a bolt of magic ricocheting around the prison. You see him stifle a sob as his horn glows red briefly, before he glares back at you. Without a word, he strikes you in the stomach, causing you to cry out in pain. ”You insolent cur!” he yells, eyes ablaze with anger. You can’t help but smile at his pain, and he snarls. ”What’s so funny? Is my agony particularly amusing, you fucking monkey?” he yells.

“Mimi… Cry some more.” You chuckle, before his hoof strikes you in the face, the pain sending stars across your vision. General Cry takes a step back, preparing another hit, before he hesitates.

“Ah… I see what your game is. I won’t fall for it, let me assure you…” He strides off into the room holding your equipment and you relax, if only by a small amount. The sounds of cursing reverberate around the empty building, and with a small semblance of hope, you look up… to be greeted by emptiness. Drejtimi had left you. You were still grateful for her assistance; your mind remained under your own control thanks to her intervention.

After a while of silence, Cry returns from the room, levitating the bottomless box in with him. Despite the obviousness of the fact that the miracle had worn off, he did not try to corrupt your mind again, having learnt a harsh mistake. Carefully and meticulously, he dissects the contents of the box, enraptured by its deceiving dimensions and enthralled by the contents inside. After examining everything else, he finally stumbles upon the tiny dark sprites… your humanities…

“I wouldn’t touch those, if I were you.” You warn, knowing that he would ignore your word.

”Such power… I can feel it; mere inches away… tell me human, how do I unlock it?” he whispers ominously.

“You crush it…” you say hesitantly, fearing both the outcome of this event and your punishment for refusing to answer his question. He hovers one of the tiny sprites into the air, rears up on his back legs, and slams his front two together upon it. The humanity bursts, spilling its mysterious powers into the air. To your astonishment, the black trail vanishes, instead of seeking its rightful host.

”What is this debauchery? Where did it go!” General Cry exclaims, frantically pawing at the air, and you feel a sense of dread rise within you as the seconds pass by. You had never seen humanity just disappear like that…

Meanwhile…

Deep within the abyss, a great evil slept. It remained silent, unmoving, unwatching; dead to the worlds beyond that of its domain. It was Manus; a primordial human, albeit one that had forsaken all vestiges of its own humanity long ago. It… he existed as a corrupted reminder. A reminder of the danger of the power within all humans, a warning to those who might let their humanity run wild as Manus did. Up until now, he had been dormant… but suddenly…

The tiny humanity sprite flashed into existence before Manus, and he raised his head slowly. With a deep groan, he began to move once more, inching towards the quivering sprite. He reached out and cradled the sprite with an unusual tenderness, as it flowed through him, becoming part of him, once more activating his primal thirst… Letting out a long, bellowing howl that was heard by no living soul, he picked up his warped catalyst. He focused on the origin of the humanity, preparing himself to transcend the barriers between worlds, preparing to spread the dark of the abyss. Harnessing the power within, Manus dragged himself through the void between worlds, headed straight for a realm unknown to him… Equestria.

A deep rumbling catches the attention of Cry and he takes an instinctual step back. “What in the world… what did you do, Solaire!”

“I did nothing you foul demon! Whatever is going on is by your hand!” you retaliate, unnerved by the increasing tremors.

Suddenly, a momentous roar emanates from outside the building, accompanied by crashing and surprised screams. ”WHAT IN TARTARUS!” the General cries, before running out of the building, leaving you behind. As soon as he leaves, a familiar face slinks out of the shadows.

“You certainly took your time!” you yell as Drejtimi reaches you, releasing you from the wall. ”Fighting Cry in a one on one situation would have got us both killed.” She says bluntly, helping you back onto your unsteady feet. “Come on, let’s get your stuff and get out of here-“ Her words are cut off as the wall of a nearby cell collapses. Something massive was attacking buildings, changelings, everything around it.

“I don’t suppose that creature yonder would assist us in our escape?” you ask with a layer of sarcasm. ”Somehow one does not perceive it to be the friendliest of creatures” Drejtimi replies dryly, gathering your stuff into the bottomless box while you ease your aching body into your armour.

Dismayingly, your trusted sunlight sword and matching shield were missing, due to their untimely theft by Ajax. You secure the bottomless box to your belt and Drejtimi leads you out of the building, into a scene of annihilation. Before you stood a strange demon, with grey skin and piercing red orbs for eyes. Strangely, it reminded you of the 4 Kings of New Londo, who succumbed to the temptation of the Abyss…

”Solaire? Solaire, stop daydreaming! We. Are. Leaving!” Drejtimi yells, and you snap back to attention. “Of course, lead the way!” you reply, following the changeling through the wake of destruction that the demon had left in its path.

As you near it, it turns on you, despite the barrage of magic missiles the remaining changelings were firing upon it. It raises its huge stick, which glows with power, and to your horror you realise that it must be a catalyst. A swarm of dark orbs erupt from the catalyst, some striking the terrified Changelings and wounding them, but some chase after you and your running leader. As the orbs threaten to hit you both, you brace yourself and clutch Drejtimi, angling your back towards the missiles.

“Stay still!” you command as the projectiles connect, burning through your armour and skin. You scream in agony, collapsing to the ground, as Drejtimi roars in frustration. She clasps you by the arms, and without a moments hesitation she takes off, dragging you towards a tunnel that hopefully led to the surface. More missiles streak past you, as Drejtimi struggles with her heavy load, but thankfully, she manages to climb up into the tunnel, protecting you from the concurrent barrages. You lean against the wall of the tunnel, gasping for breath…

Suddenly, General Cry appears by your side, bleeding heavily from a wound on his neck.

“YOU… YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON US!” he screams, his horn glowing. Drejtimi wheels around, caught unaware by the General…

A huge hand grabs General Cry, and he clasps his forelegs round your arm, almost pitching you into the cavern below. He struggles to hold on as you clasp the tunnel wall for support. ”No! This can’t be… Help me!” he cries, his anger overridden by his need for survival.

“I shall help you… into the next life!” you reply, kicking him squarely in the face. He lets out a final scream as the demon drags him back down, and you turn your eyes away from the carnage.

”Come on Solaire! We’re close to the surface! Keep moving!”

“Very well… I’m just going to rest one moment…” you mutter as you collapse to the ground, and as your vision fades, you see Drejtimi rush to your side.

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: chapter 10

You slowly open yours eyes, cursing as pain courses through you.

”Stay still. I have done the best I can…” orders a voice from nearby. The tantalisingly familiarity of the voice sets your mind in motion, and you remember the recent events. You struggle to your feet, and makeshift bandages hang loosely from your frame.

“Drejtimi?” you call out.

”I am here.” The assassin turned savoir slowly approaches you, the look on her face utterly indecipherable. You try to move over to her but dizziness overcomes you, and you wince in pain as you collapse to the ground. ”I told you to stay still.” Drejtimi says blankly, hoisting your naked, defenceless body into an upright position.

“Where… what…” you question weakly.

”Relax. I shall inform you of the situation in a moment. Do not fear; if I wanted you dead you wouldn’t have woken up just there now.”

“And you wouldn’t have… freed me” you chuckle weakly.

”Indeed.”

As your tiredness dissipates and you come to your senses, you notice your new surroundings. You were located in a small clearing, surrounded by sickly looking trees. Your armour lay in a pile not 10 feet away, and you steady yourself.

“Where are we?” you question.

”We are a few miles away from what remains of the Hive. This is a safe spot, for now.”

“What remains? Have you checked on-“

”While you were unconscious I dragged you out of the cave and brought you here. After a few hours, I investigated the Hive to see if the… thing was still there.”

“I take it that it remains still?”

”Indeed. It seems to have killed every member of my kin. No-one remains down there.”

“While that is most unfortunate, forgive me if my sympathy is limited.”

”I would not expect and do not request sympathy. What’s done is done.” She speaks with an interpretable tone; a strange combination of acceptance and glumness. “And so I returned, waited for you to recover, and did my best to patch you up. I am afraid my efforts are hardly anything at all though.”

“Do not worry; I have a solution to my predicament.” Ignoring the excruciating pain, you hobble over to where you knew the bottomless box would be located. Reaching into its depths, you extract a single black sprite. “We’ll both be damned if this summons another demon.” You joke grimly, before crushing the humanity, sighing in relief as the breaks, burns and bruises on your body are undone.

”Ironic. The source of your respite is also the catalyst of the demon.” Drejtimi mutters.

“A double edged sword…” You remain on guard, just in case the demon should re-appear. When it fails to materialise, and your worries lessen, your curiosity takes over. As you examine your suit of armour, you begin to ask Drejtimi your burning questions.

“Now that we are clear of that demonic folly, I must know… why did you help me?”

”Why wouldn’t I?”

“We don’t share an amicable past, if I may remind you. You nearly assassinated Celestia, and I almost had you executed by my own hand.”

”Exactly.” Drejtimi laughs cryptically, compounding your confusion.

“I am beyond confusion, Drejtimi.”

”I tried to rob you of something innately precious to you, something you cherish more than your own life. And yet; you spared me.”

“I… Celestia swayed my judgement. She was the one who convinced me to spare you.”

”That is irrelevant. You could haven chosen to ignore her, and claimed your rightful blood trophy. But you sheathed your sword and set me free. For that… I was indebted. You showed true honour, and for that, I had to save you.”

“Your motives elude me, and your mind moves in mysterious ways. But... I accept your explanation, as insane as trusting a professional killer entails.” Drejtimi nods, signalling for you continue. “Another issue requiring resolving; how did you find me? I thought Celestia had agents tracking you.”

”Celestia can afford the best, but not even the best can keep up with a changeling. We’re good at what we do, and the pay reflects that.”

“And thus why did you track me? Was it intuition, fate, coincidence?”

”I had an unnerving sense of impending doom; that something was going to go bad for you.”

You collect your thoughts, from the moment Ajax betrayed you to the demon’s attack on the Hive. “Impending doom seems appropriate. I… I am grateful for your assistance. As mysterious as your motives are, without your help I would have died.”

”You are welcome.”

Silence descends as you tend to your armour, patching the serrated gashes with a handful of Oolacilian repair powder. When the armour is returned to its former glory, you don it once more, and take a well-deserved seat on a shrivelled tree stump.

”So what shall you do now?”

“I need to get back to Celestia. This demon would overpower me on my lonesome, and is too serious a threat to ignore.” You reply, before smiling darkly to yourself as you contemplate tearing that backstabbing hornet in two. If he’s hurt Celestia already, then there shall be no escape from you. You were prepared to hunt him to the end of the world, if that’s what it took…

”And to reach Canterlot, you shall need to reach the nearest pony settlement, being Dodge City of course.” Drejtimi flutters over to where you sat, turns her back to you, and points. ”Do you see that riverbed? Follow it, and it shall take you to the city within a few days.”

“Let’s not waste another minute!” You jump off the stump and begin heading towards the riverbed, but Drejtimi stands in front of you defiantly. ”There is no point in heading now, not when Celestia’s time is coming to a close.” She points towards the setting sun, and you contemplate.

“I hate to squander precious time like this, but… if you insist; I shall stay for the night.”

”A wise choice; these are dangerous parts to wonder through at night. In preparation of the coming darkness, I would advise collecting some wood…”

As Celestia’s sun slowly set, replacing the divinity of the day with the darkness of the night sky, you assemble a pile of gnarly sticks and construct a makeshift fire. You sit before it, with Drejtimi opposite you, and you feel a strange of sense of belonging. It’s not surprising, perhaps. Sitting before this bonfire brings you back to the times spent in Lordran… dark times yes, but simpler times. Your time in Equestria so far had been utterly chaotic, and you were thankful of this fleeting opportunity to spend time thinking…

”What do you think it is like to die?”

You jump at the suddenness of Drejtimi’s voice, which carried a monumental force in the dead quietness of this barren night.

“Why do you ask such a grim question?” Drejtimi stares into the heart of the fire. “I have always been taught to be brave. To show defiance, to never fear… and so I do not fear death. I can only but wonder: what does it feel like when your time has come to an end?”

You yourself stare into the heart of the fire, suddenly stoic. “I have experienced death a thousand times over. I’ve been stabbed, crushed, burnt, eaten alive, all manner of things… but you what was the most cruel part? It was not the pain of dying… it was the fleeting moment of calmness. Every time, I thought to myself, “It’s finally over.” Only to be thrust back into the world, to continue fighting on… even when I thought I had reached my ultimatum, when I prepared my very soul for annihilation… I was coerced into another fight, another quest. My mind has come close to buckling under the pressure of living, and dying, and living, and dying… I just want a release. I’m tired of fighting.” The words flow out of you like an emotional river, releasing the pent up frustration and sadness within you, and Drejtimi looks at you with pity.

”Your pain is recognised, Solaire. I wish I could assist you in ending your torment but regrettably…”

“You don’t have to apologise… I do not wish to die now anyway. To do so might forever separate me from Celestia…” The two of you remain silent for a long time, leeching the warmth of the dwindling fire.

Finally, Drejtimi gets up without a word. “Where are you headed?” you ask concernedly.

”I am going to go find somewhere quiet. My people have moved on… and I shall move with them.”

This revelation causes you splutter in surprise and disgust. “There’s no need to die like this!”

”Solaire… hear me out. My life was spent in dedication to the Hive, and to the Queen. Without them… without my kind, I am pointless.”

“There’s more to life than servitude.” You plead.

”Perhaps for you. But without my kin, I am doomed to die anyway. I would much rather chose a passing on my own terms, than a humiliating, slow descent in decay. Please… let me enjoy the last privilege that I can.”

You gape at the changeling who returns the gaze remorsefully. “I… very well. I shall not stop you.”

Drejtimi nods. “Thank you for understanding.”

“I guess that this is our farewell… goodbye, Drejtimi. I wish we could have met under better circumstances. I bid you the best of luck.”

”I wish too that our meetings may have been more pleasant… and I shall return the luck to you. You’ll need it. You’ll all need it…” Drejtimi suddenly adopts a scared look and locks gazes with you.

”When I was near the demon, I could feel it… the most unnatural of things. That demon is not of this world… I do not fear anything… but what the demon shall bring to this land?” Drejtimi leans in closer, eyes wide. ”It terrifies me, Solaire. It is the end of all things. And so I can only ask… please save this land. Please.”

“I shall do as much as I can. That is all I can promise.”

”And that is all I can ask… farewell Solaire.” Drejtimi takes off into the night sky, and you know you shall never see your unconventional savoir again. A great sorrow overwhelms your heart, and as you turn back to the fire, a single tear falls down your cheek.

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 11

The sun bore down on you as you trudged along the long-gone river, sweat pouring down the inside of your helm. It had been two days since Drejtimi’s leave, and you had been walking solidly ever since, despite the cries and aches from your exhausted form. You pressed on: the only thing that mattered now was getting back to Celestia before Ajax did something he’d regret.

However, the constant struggle with the heat was draining your body, and you almost found yourself cursing the sun that eternally shone down on you, hindering your progress. Although the undead have no need for food or drink, you’d kill for a pitcher of water.

The sound of your iron boots shuffling along the desert floor broke the uneasy silence that accompanied this lifeless, barren wasteland, and you found yourself glancing back uncertainly from time to time. That demon… Drejtimi had mentioned an inner feeling of something terrifying, and you did not for a second doubt that she had lied. You could only but wonder as to what she had seen…

Could have it been the Abyss that Drejtimi felt? You were almost certain the Demon had something to do with the four fallen kings of New Londo: the semblance in body could not be a mere coincidence. And the magic the beast used reminded you ever often of humanity: eternally coveted by the Darkwraiths, the residents of the Abyss…

With nothing to do but worry and ponder, you continue your trek along the riverbed, inching towards the town of Dodge City. As you began to worry if Drejtimi had misled you with false information, you reach the crest of a small hill, to be greeted by the sight of a small town below. Relief wells up inside you, and you quickly rush down to the town.

As you shakily stumble through the streets, a pair of Royal Guards decorated with weather beaten armour notice you and immediately rush up to you. ”Who in Tartarus are you?” the soldiers ask questioningly, poised to strike at you.

“My name is Solaire! Solaire of Astora!” you gasp. The two earth ponies look at each other in disbelief, before turning back to you. ”Captain Solaire? You’re… you’re the human! Celestia told us in advance of your arrival!” the soldier on the right exclaims.

”Yeah… wait, you’ve been MIA for a few days, we were meant to be on the lookout for y-“

“I know I was separated from my soldiers, but there are far more important matters at hand! We cannot afford to stand here and hold palaver” you interrupt as the left-hand solider splutters.

”W-what do you mean, Sir?”

“Celestia is in gravest danger, and I am the only one who is aware of it!” The guards share another uneasy look. “You’re saying that the Princess… is in danger?”

“Indeed, and we must make haste to Canterlot!” The looming threat to Celestia focuses the guards: their training now coming into effect.

”Should we contact Celestia by letter?”

“No, any form of delay is courting disaster. Besides, I suspect the protagonist at hand will be ready to intercept any incriminating letters… Is there no other way to travel quickly in this land?” you ask. The left soldier ponders your question while the other runs off.

After an agonizing minute of thinking, the soldier’s eyes widen. “Aside from magic, I can’t think of any way to get you to Canterlot instantly. We have a unicorn in our squad, Tesla, but he’s only good at combat magic, and he’s not the kind of unicorn that can send a pony from one side of Equestria to the other!”

You clench your fists in frustration, panic threatening to cloud your mind and judgement completely. Suddenly, an idea strikes you.

“Of course… it’s so unfathomably nonsensical, that it simply has to work…”

”You mind sharing it, Sir? We don’t exactly have many options, so anything you can come up with is as good as anything.”

“Of course soldier… may I first ask of your name?”

”I’m Vandal. My comrade is Quicksilver; if he’s as bright as I think he is, he’s probably gone off to find Tesla…”

“Good, we’ll need the unicorn for this.” As if on cue, Quicksilver returns with the unicorn who you presume to be Tesla by his side. Tesla salutes before you, standing at attention. “How can assist you, Sir?”

“I just need you to channel as magical power as possible, into me.” Tesla looks at you with a morbid curiosity. “Are you sure, Sir? I don’t want to be responsible if you turn into a red mist-“

“I wouldn’t ask you to do this if it wasn’t our final option.”

”By your command, Sir.” Tesla takes a tentative step back as you fumble in your bottomless box. As the unicorn steadies himself, you pull out and grasp a homeward bone tightly.

”Are you ready?”

“Do it, Tesla. Give it as much as you can.”

The unicorn’s horn flashes and an intense magical aura surrounds you, filling your body with an unnatural magical essence. You immediately snap the bone in half, it’s home seeking properties turning your body ethereally instantly. As your body loses its form you concentrate tightly on Celestia, your mind focused completely on the wondrous deity. As you vanish on the spot, you briefly consider the penalties for this failing. If the undead bone stayed true to itself, then you would be making an unexpected and untimely return to the Kiln of the First Flame… But if your theory was correct, then the borrowed magic from Tesla should override the bone’s innate desire to return to a bonfire, and instead transport you to Celestia… Before your mind itself vanishes, you internally pray to Celestia, preparing yourself for the worst…

You flash back into existence, hitting the marble floor painfully. ”Solaire!” cries a wonderfully familiar voice, and as you pull yourself up off the floor Celestia rushes at you, her eyes wide with joyful surprise.

“It appears my plan worked…” you whisper breathlessly.

Celestia throws her hooves over your shoulders, wrapping you in an awkward embrace which you return with gusto. ”I thought you had perished! Did the changelings overpower you? Where did they take you? How-“

“I shall explain to you shortly, dear Celestia. As overjoyed as I am to find you safe and sound, there is a Hornet nearby, one that must be crushed immediately…”

”Your tenacity is admirable” leers a voice from nearby.

You and Celestia both turn to face Ajax, as he calmly marches towards you. You quickly look round, noticing with disdain that Celestia’s throne room was once again left unguarded ”Ajax? Why have you come here at this moment?” Celestia asks, her voice full of uncertainty. Ajax chuckles in response; a low, guttural sound. “I have a few loose ends to tie up. I must simply ask though: How did you survive the train?”

“The vile changelings overpowered me, and brought me back to their wretched Hive.” You say calmly.

”Ah. How amusing. I had presumed that the changelings would have killed you there and then. No matter…”

”Ajax, what is the meaning of this?” Celestia asks anxiously.

“Ajax is the one who betrayed me on the train. By his hand, I was captured.” You say bluntly, as you step in front of Celestia. You flex your hands, ready to charge at him.

”W-what? Ajax? Is this true?” Celestia splutters.

”I won’t deny it.” Ajax stares you down calmly.

”But… but why would you…?”

”Because Celestia, the changelings offered me something you denied me. They saw my talents and skills, and rewarded me for putting them to good use. They offered me a chance to become somepony who mattered: a pony of power, rank, importance! That’s something you’ve denied me for too long.” Ajax’s revelation nearly brings Celestia to complete tears.

”You… you were the one who let the changelings into Canterlot… and you betrayed Solaire as well… and all for what! Rank? Power? Have you any shame at all?” she cries.

”No. I regret not a single action I have undertaken. Now, enough of this…” Without a moment’s hesitation, Ajax charges and you rush forward to meet him. As your blow connects, a blinding light surrounds you, and when it retreats, you find yourself in an expansive courtyard, not too far from the Palace itself.

”Much better” says a voice from behind you.

As you turn round to face Ajax he kicks you squarely in the stomach, sending you sprawling across the concrete floor. ”Poor performance Solaire! Where’s your fighting spirit gone, eh?”

You clutch your agonized sides, gritting your teeth against the pain. You almost certainly had a couple of broken ribs now. “You… will… pay for that.” You groan.

”I very much doubt that. Let me ask though: what became of the changelings?”

“They… they all died…”

”Really? You never quit, do you Solaire?”

“I was not responsible for their deaths.”

”Of course you weren’t…”

“Listen to me Ajax!” you shout as you climb to your feet once more. “There is a new threat to Equestria, one that overshadows the changelings completely. I have seen it with my own eyes, escaping just barely. It is… it is a demon from my realm.”

Ajax snorts. “And why should I believe you?”

“Because if I die, then all of Equestria will be threatened! I am the only one who has faced the monster!” Ajax seems to ponder your words, if only for a moment.

“You have done an unthinkable crime Ajax. But a new threat looms… cease this attack, and you shall not come to harm. But if you end my life, then you’ll doom this entire land…”

”This is not my land anymore. I swore allegiance only to the changelings, and now that they are dead… I don’t care what happens. I’m not going to spend my life rotting in a jail cell, or on the run from Celestia. No… I’m going to finish what the changelings didn’t.” Ajax’s horn glows and his spear materialises in front of you, it’s enchanted, barbed head facing you ominously. ”This is your fault, Solaire. Everything was planned perfectly, until your interference cost me everything. You prevented the invasion, you stole my rightful rank as Captain as a further insult, and even now you still persist. Know that all your efforts were in vain, Solaire. Know that as I bleed the life out of you!”

The spear hurls towards you and you awkwardly roll out of the way, before lunging at Ajax. Your right hand connects with his helmet, sending him staggering back, and he retaliates with a blast of energy that sweeps you off your feet. Before his infernal spear can skewer you, you charge at him, wrestling him to the ground. Fatigue overwhelms you though, and Ajax quickly reverses the struggle. A magical aura surrounds you, picking you up, before slamming you into the ground. Pain fills your vision, and as you come back to your senses you find Ajax pinning you down, spear poised to strike.

”No more games. This ends now!” he yells in fury.

You struggle against him, desperately trying to throw the armour-laden unicorn off you, but to no avail. Ajax senses your desperation, eliciting a wicked smile. “Yes, Solaire. Struggle to the end…” As his spear angles towards you desperately clutch your talisman, which was fortunately just within your grasp. On instinct, you whisper a prayer, and a blinding light emits from the talisman in your hand. Ajax roars in fury as he is blinded, and the spear misses your helm by centimetres. You kick the treacherous pony off you, wrench his spear from the ground, and drive it squarely into the armour plates protecting his neck.

The spearhead cuts through the armour like air, and pierces his neck. His eyes widen in shock, before he collapses to the ground before you.

”Solaire!”

Celestia rushes towards you, accompanied by a squad of armed guards who form a circle around the collapsed, dying traitor. ”Forgive me, Solaire… I did not know to where Ajax had-“

“There is no need to apologise. I too was caught of guard…” Faint chuckles catch your attention, and you turn back to Ajax, whose eyes had taken on a strange intensity.

”I suppose I should… congratulate you…”he whispers.

“Save your breath. We’ll get you to a healer shortly.”

”D-don’t bother. I’m… finished. Just hear me out… one last time…” You cautiously kneel down to Ajax, who leans as close to you as he can. ”Just remember Solaire… when that d-demon you mentioned… when it brings destruction to this accursed land… remember that it was you…. Your fault…”

With a heavy sigh, Ajax’s body grows still, and you ponder the words of the dead pony.

Remember that it was you… your fault… Could it be true? Was this all ultimately your fault? Had you not assisted Celestia… would these events still have played out? A cruel irony… You sacrificed yourself to save one world, and so condemned another….

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 12

You stand solemnly with Celestia, as Ajax’s body is carted away on a stretcher. Her faced is etched with grief and confusion: her eyes gaze distantly at an object only she could see, and you feel a tinge of pity for her, despite all that you had been through yourself. You wrap an arm around her shoulder, causing her to press herself against you, and for a while the two of you stand there, watching the spot where Ajax’s life left him.

Finally, Celestia signals for her leave with a weary, heartfelt sigh. “We need to talk.” You nod silently, and patiently follow her back through the winding castle corridors. She remains silent throughout the journey, only stopping to stifle a sob or sniffle.

You reach her private, expansive quarters and she immediately seeks out a luxurious chair. She climbs on, easing her body into the comfort it provided. The uncomfortable silence returns: and you shift on your feet uneasily.

Celestia finally clears her throat, locking her tearful eyes with yours. ”I’m so terribly sorry, Solaire.” Her plea for forgiveness strikes your heart like a bandit’s dagger, and you resist the urge to run over and scoop her up into a hug.

“Celestia, you are not to blame for my misfortunes. No-one is, bar Ajax, and he has already paid the price. The guilty always do…”

”It was my mistake to trust him. I looked him at him and saw a good, strong soldier: but I was blind to the demon within. That… critical failure, on my behalf… it almost cost me Canterlot. It almost cost me all of Equestria, and the safety of my subject, my ponies. It almost cost me… well, you.” She stops for a moment, thinking. “I may not have been responsible directly. But I can never live this down. I failed everypony who mattered to me, and I failed the man who risked his life for me time after time after time… How do you not loath me after how-“ You raise your hand gently, stopping her mid sentence.

“Celestia… let me tell you a story.” She eyes you with confusion, before you sit down beside her, the calming effect of the fireplace ever reminiscent of Lordran.

“Back in my land, Lordran, I searched for my sun. This you know of, of course: it’s why I took a liking to you so quickly. But near the end of my quest, I came close to failing, closer than I’d ever come.” Celestia shifts herself upright, her attention utterly focused on you.

“I had fought my way through the land, eventually winding up in a domain known as Lost Izalith. It was a hellish, scarred ruin: filled only with blistering lava and the corrupted remains of ancient demons. But it was there I wound up: my mental faculties close to breaking.” You take a breath, the still-recent memories haunting you still. “I stumbled upon a vile parasite known as a sunlight maggot. Completely immobile, utterly hideous and destined to die without it’s host… and yet for some reason I cannot even comprehend…” You take another pause. “I was about to place the light-emitting parasite on my head. To do so would have been insane: the parasite would have taken over my body and mind, perhaps even have forced me to strike my only friend in the land.”

The nameless warrior… You hoped he was doing better than you were.

“He arrived as I was about to give into my delirium, and he snatched the parasite out of my hands, spewing all manner of curses at me.” You chuckle. “He was not happy, let me insist. But, that is my tale of how I almost became undone. I bet you are wondering why I bothered to share it, especially at this time and hour?”

”It is certainly a saddening tale, but yes… I do not know why you have shared it with me.”

You lay a hand on Celestia’s head, smiling sadly. “We both might hail from worlds separated from each: our chance meeting due to the convolution of time and space. But you and I? We are not different, not at all. We have both made terrible judgements on our behalf: judgements that would cost us everything we have worked for, everything we have fought for, everything that we have lived for. But I tell you now… you cannot hold these mistakes against yourself. Promise me that.”

A single tear turns into a torrent as Celestia sobs, wrapping you in an awkward hug. You sit in place, letting her cry into your shoulder, as uncomfortable feelings arise within you. Just as you reach your max level of discomfort, Celestia lifts her head, letting out her last few sniffles.

“Have we expelled that from our system, yes?” Celestia nods, before a small smile graces her face. “I s-suppose you must think I’m acting so melodramatic, don’t you?”

“I’m patient, and I understand your sorrow. There is no need to be embarrassed in my presence.” She nods, before a spark of enthusiasm returns to her magnificent eyes. ”Of course! I almost forgot!” She hops off the couch and rushes into a back room, piquing your curiosity.

Not five seconds later, she returns from the room, levitating with her two familiar items.

“How did you recover these?” you ask incredulously as she gently lays your Sunlight Straight sword and Shield before you.

”When Ajax and your men returned, Ajax was caught trying to sneak these into his quarters. I questioned him, only to be told that you… that you had perished on the train: your body unrecoverable. I was inconsolable: but in my grief I did not question why he had taken the sword and shield, or indeed how he had acquired them if you died. In hindsight, I suppose he wanted to keep them as a trophy…”

“Did we lose any soldiers during the train siege?”

”No, thankfully. We had a few serious wounds, and one pegasus has an inoperable stump of a left wing due to the injuries sustained, but as far as losses go… well, losing you was still horrible.”

You reach down and embrace her, before lifting up your longsword. Fatening the sheath to your belt, and securing the shield to your arm: you feel complete. Safe. Ready.

“If I may ask… how badly has Ajax’s death affected you?”

Celestia sighs. “I thought I could trust Ajax. He always seemed so eager, so reliable. I had never even entertained the idea that he might be undermining me, plotting against me.”

“I’ve had my share of those who seem trustworthy at a first glance…” You were still bitter about Lautrec, and his nefarious murder of the Firelink Firekeeper. How satisfying it was to rip her pillaged soul from his cold, dead hands.

”And while he certainly deserved to pay for his transgressions against us both… I did wish for such a fate to befall him. I could never order the execution of one of my ponies.”

“Then you’re a better person than I. If Ajax hadn’t attacked first, then I would have ripped him limb from limb…”

”That I do not doubt. I assume a similar fate befell the Changelings, yes?”

“I… I did not harm any Changelings while captured.”

”Really?” Celestia asks in disbelief.

“Before the General, who went by the name of Mimicry, could torture me I was able to cast the miracle which disabled magic. He left following from the ensuing pain and confusion I caused to him, and it was then that the assassin who attacked you back in Canterlot made her move.”

”Drejtimi was there? And she attacked you!” Celestia gasps.

“No, no! She was the one who gave me back my talisman in the first place, allowing me to escape. She unloosened my restraints and we fled the prison!”

Celestia is gripped by your revelations, moving in closer to hear your words. “My word! Out of all the ponies in the world who could have intervened in your fate… why did she help you, anyway?”

“She felt bound by honour to help me, given that I spared her life despite my justifiable desire to strike her down.”

”Oh… and what became of her?”

“She has moved on… she said her purpose in this world was fulfilled. I respected her decision, she flew off into the night sky, and I began to make my way home.”

”That is a shame: I wish I could have thanked her for assisting in your escape.”

Celestia visibly relaxes, settling back into the chair. “At least this wretched business is over. Now we can both rest ourselves…”

You gulp, unsure of how to break the news to the Princess, who notices your discomfort. “Actually, Celestia… it’s not over yet.”

”What do you mean, Solaire?”

“When I was escaping the Hive, a… terrible beast was summoned. It killed the entirety of the Hive, and almost took me with them.” The look of shock on Celestia’s face would be comical if the situation was not so dire.

”A terrible beast, you say?”

“Indeed. I believe it to be from my own realm, Lordran, as it only surfaced once Cry had tampered with my humanity. Its presence, both physical and ethereal, also is too familiar to discount. I have fought creatures like it before, in a forsaken darkness known as The Abyss. Of this, I am sure…”

”You said it killed the whole Hive… correct?”

“Yes, without warning or hesitation.” Celestia ponders your words carefully, her eyes darting between her front hooves.

”What do you propose to do about it?” She asks.

“Immediate retaliation.”

”Are you serious?”

“This threat hails from my land: therefore, I cannot allow it to escape the confines of the Hive, nor can I allow other creatures to potentially make their way through.”

”Negotiation has always been my main policy: there is little in this land that cannot be swayed through non-violent means.”

“As I said, this demon is not of your land. Lordran is overwhelmingly brutal, as are the demons that inhabit it. By attempting peaceful talks with this creature, you would severely endanger yourself… and every inhabitant of Equestria.” Celestia returns her gaze to the floor, before looking up into your eyes.

”Solaire, I know you may feel restless to fight this new threat, but I beg of you: stay here in Canterlot with me, if only for a few days. You’re weary, and the soldiers are worried about you. Please, stay: if only for my sake.” She spoke truthfully: you did wish to go and end the looming threat. But to do so would be suicide… you were brash and made decisions without thought, but that did not mean committing yourself to a certain death.

“Very well. If you insist, I shall stay the night here in Canterlot. Goodnight Celestia.”

”You’re staying in my quarters tonight.”

“I… beg your pardon?”

”You’ve had me worried sick: You’re sleeping somewhere I can keep an eye on you.”

You chuckle as a slight blush forms on her cheeks, while she tries to keep her composure.

“Very well m’lady, it seems I shall be enjoying your company a little longer then…”

On the morning of the third day marking your return to Canterlot, you found yourself strolling through the streets, wandering aimlessly. Ponies around you smile, wave or even offer mock salutes to you as you pass. This did not surprise you: you were still regarded as both a hero and an oddity, given the circumstances that had brought you into Equestria and allowed you to save Celes-

With no warning the ground begins to shake violently, causing you to stumble to your feet. Ponies cry out in surprise as the earth tremors rise in intensity, before suddenly fading as quickly as they had arrived. You pick yourself up, check around you to make sure no buildings had collapsed, before breaking into a sprint back to the palace.

Celestia meets you at the steps, her panic evident by the hesitation with which she speaks to you. ”Follow me Solaire! We have a serious problem on our hooves!”

You follow without question, and Celestia leads you into throne room, where a table has been hastily set up. Luna, who appears to pacing up and down the room, snaps back to attention as the two of you enter.

”Let us not dither on questions right now: just hear what we have to say, Solaire.”

“Of course, Luna. Proceed.”

Luna points to a map unfurled on the table, an area in the badlands circled off. ”Over the last few days we’ve had several reports from various towns. These reports all detailed an occurrence of earth tremors, ranging in their magnitude, but as you know Canterlot was just hit with a massive one.”

“You’ve been receiving reports of tremors for a few days now? Why was I not informed?”

”I did not wish to concern you, Solaire…” Celestia says pleadingly. You frown at her, before facing Luna.

“Anything else? Anything that might reveal the cause of these tremors?” Luna points a hoof to the circled area, a knot of fear already rising in your stomach.

”We’ve had sporadic surges of magic coming in and out of this general area since the tremors began. Just there now we felt the biggest spike yet: Had I still been telepathically monitoring the flow of magic, I would have surely been killed.”

“By the Gods, what could cause such a disturbance?” You already knew what the answer would reveal…

”The creature that decimated the Changelings, of course. The magic that is flowing out the area is… unworldly. It is unlike anything we’ve come to know in Equestria, which leads me onto my next conclusion.” Luna sighs. “Celestia and I are thinking that there may be a rip between our world and yours, formed at the spot where the beat was summoned.”

“Sunlight saves us…” You whisper, your hope draining. If a gap between the worlds was forming, then all manner of horrors could diffuse through, not just the grey Demon. “What are we meant to do now then?”

”We don’t know.” Celestia admits. “We have no plans for this sort of situation, no fallback to rely on. Canterlot can’t afford to get hit by these sorts of tremors; we can’t risk Equestria merging with Lordran…

“Then there remains only one option. We fight.”

”You’re not going.” Celestia says adamantly.

“Celestia, I respect your decisions and judgements… but forcing me to stay here would be utter lunacy! I have more experience with fighting, fighting demons themselves – what good would come of forcing me to stay in Canterlot!”

”It’s asking too much of you, Solaire! You’ve already risked enough, it wouldn’t be fair to-“

“What part of this is fair, Celestia? War isn’t fair! Lordran isn’t fair! The demons won’t acknowledge “fairness” when they overrun this land!”

”But…”

Luna clears her throat, interrupting the argument between you and Celestia. “Sister… Solaire is quite right. If anyone is capable of clearing the demon out, it’s him.”

”But what if that achieves nothing…?” Celestia pleads.

“Then we’ll have one less demon to face when our worlds collide.” You rub your temples in frustration, before glaring at Celestia. “Why should you care about my wellbeing now, anyway? It didn’t stop you from originally summoning me: nor did it stop you packing me onto the train and sending me off to Dodge City.

”You know very well what reasons I had for those events!” Celestia shouts, the tension in the room reaching critical proportions. A bitter silence descends as you and Celestia fume at each other, Luna looking on with a deadpan frown.

”Now is not the time for inane bickering. Everything is at stake here!” Luna commands, staring you both down.

”Yes, you’re quite right Luna… look, Solaire. I may be annoyed at you, but please… do not go and fight this beast by yourself. Please!”

You sigh impatiently. “Very well… every fibre of my being screams that this is a bad idea, but I respect your decision.” Celestia’s body deflates with relief, oblivious to your true intentions…

Later that night as Luna’s namesake shone brightly in the cloudless sky, you stood by Celestia’s beside, calmly looking down on her sleeping form. It pained you to have to betray her like this, but you were responsible for the demon’s inception into the land, and you were not going to let it threaten anyone or anywhere. You kneel down; sweep back the mane that lay cross her forehead, before giving her a gentle kiss. She smiles to herself: her sleep undisturbed.

With a heartfelt sigh you turn away from the bedside, making your way to the door of Celestia’s quarters. Your equipment was already with the duo of unicorns who would be assisting you with the long-distance warp: you planned to use the same technique to get there as you did to return here.

Your resolve almost breaks there and then: the desire to shout or scream, to foil your own plan almost overwhelmingly…

No. You’ve got a duty, and you’re going to stick by it…

You raise your right arm silently, still facing away from Celestia, before giving a silent wave as you walked away. You meet with the unicorns, who had sworn to keep this a secret from Celestia. Your heart numb, you thank the soldiers for their efforts, before initiating the travel. One homeward bone and a few seconds later, and you found yourself a few feet from the edge of the Hive. You briefly check your equipment, and once confident that you’re fully prepared, you hesitantly begin to make your way through the tunnel entrance.

Almost immediately an overwhelming sense of fear and claustrophobia strikes you, and it takes all of your faith and determination to keep walking. Celestia’s miracle of light only extended your field of vision by a few feet at most: the darkness seemed to snatch away at the light…

As you continue walking, you realise that the tunnel itself has changed. The ground underfoot was far more ancient-looking and worn out than you remembered, and the tunnel seemed to be widening at an unusual pace.

“The very environment itself is being warped…” you whisper to no-one in particular. As you trek further into the winding cavern, you notice several sprites watching you from a distance. They appeared to have the look of humanity, only more… Primal. Evil. They emanated a sense of despair, and you broke into a job to escape their distant eyes.

Finally, you reach a sheer cliff-face surrounded by darkness. Below you lay The Abyss: no light escaped its dark depths. From deep below, a heavy shuffling noise just barely reached your ears…

You take a second to remember Knight Artorias, who fell to the dark after he traversed The Abyss. Was such a fate to befall you? Would you become corrupted? Would you survive this encounter?

“It’s far too late to ask now.” You whisper. You steel yourself, taking a deep breath… Before throwing yourself into the depths below, and resigning yourself to your fate.

It Ain't Easy, Praising The Sun: Chapter 13 (Finale)

Celestia’s POV

You awoke slowly, a gentle smile engrained upon your face.

“Good morning Solaire!” The silence which followed did not perturb you in the slightest: Solaire was probably with his troops, or out for a stroll as he usually did every morning.

Now, for your daily duty. You reluctantly leave the comfort of your spacious bed, stretching deftly as a painful stiffness nestles in your leg. A prudent brush, a quick wash and you are once again presentable to the general public. Now, time for the main event.

You step out onto the balcony, disappointed by the lack of a certain sunlight warrior. Normally he’d have arrived back in time for you to raise the sun. Not that you needed to get out of bed to do it anyway… truth be told, you simply enjoyed Solaire’s company and deep-rooted admiration for yourself. Solaire was… different. Over the years that had passed, you had met countless ponies. They all shared an admiration of you, but it didn’t feel… right. Solaire understood you on a personal level, connected with you in an emotional way you had never expected from another pony… or in this case, human. And you knew the respect, and admiration he held was not in fear, or simply due to public norm. He had told you of his quest for his “sun”… and you knew that he regarded you as his sun.

You sigh blissfully, before snapping back to focus. No, these are dangerous emotions you are feeling… emotions you shouldn’t allow yourself to have. Solaire is not even a pony, there’s no way he’d reciprocate the feelings you needed to have in someone, to dispel the crushing loneliness that hung over your life… Even as you cursed under your breath, you knew you were lying to yourself. Solaire admired everything about you: if he wasn’t already feeling the same way about you, as you did about him, then your confession would only lead him to start feeling that way. And what backlash could you possibly worry about? Inter-special relationships were uncommon, but not unheard of.

The only excuse for your denial was a simple fact: You were afraid. You had been without any sort of intimate companionship since… well, forever. The closeness between you and Luna could not fill the aching void in your life: And ever since Twilight Sparkle had moved away, you had found yourself increasingly alone. You constantly talked with ponies, yes: but only on matters of advice, judgement, and politics.

“Maybe I’ll talk to him about this tomorrow…” you mutter to yourself, your morning enthusiasm drained by your depressing inner monologue. As you make your way to the door of your quarters, you are surprised by an untimely visitor.

“Luna? Why are you here at this hour?”

”I regret to be the bearer of bad news.”

Your heart sinks. “What do you mean, sister?”

”The magical surges have grown more and more intense. We may only have a few hours left on our hooves, maybe less.”

“Until… until what?”

”I presume that our realm will merge with Solaire’s. What that entails, I cannot predict… although Solaire’s account of “Lordran” was one of chaos, degeneracy and death.”

“This cannot be happening… this isn’t happening…” you whisper, a thousand thoughts conflicting for dominance in your mind.

”Celestia! We cannot afford a panic attack at this moment, when every second brings us closer to possible ruin!”

“Y-you’re right… for heaven’s sake, where is Solaire? He’d know what to do.”

Luna looks down at the ground remorsefully, and you choke on your words.

“L-Luna? Where. Is. Solaire.”

”He… he must have travelled off in the night. I too have been looking for him these last few hours: although the Guard remained unified in silence, the guilty stares were more than enough evidence.”

“No… no! What if he’s already fighting that demon! What if…” You cannot bring yourself to imagine the consequences of Solaire failing the battle.

”I do not think Solaire has succeeded in his battle, as the magical surges remain, but that does not rule out his survival. He could have retreated, for all we know.”

“Solaire doesn’t seem like the type to back down from a challenge.”

Silence falls between you two, as you desperately try to think up a plan.

“Luna… stay here and rally the troops. I must go after Solaire.”

”What! You cannot seriously entertain the notion of rescue-“

“Luna… Solaire is different. His entrance into my life is no mere coincidence: I would give everything to save him.”

”Everything? By throwing yourself at the demon, you will risk everything! If you die, all of Equestria will be in threat! I won’t be able to do this on my own, Celestia!”

You hold Luna still, staring her down as the argument escalates. “Luna. I know we have always had our differences: we have had bitter conflict, and an uneasy past. But I trust you, completely and utterly. Don’t you trust me?”

”You know that I do, Celestia.”

“Then listen to me when I say: I will return. I promise that I will come back.”

”Celestia, is risking your life, all our lives, worth it?”

“This is something I have to do. If I was to let Solaire die out there, then I would not be able to live with myself.” Your plea is accentuated by your stare, as you desperately beg with Luna.

Luna sighs, admitting defeat. ”I do not need to repeat how insane your idea is, Celestia. While we’re at it, why don’t I join you as well?”

“You now exactly why. I need you to stay here in case… well, in case everything goes wrong.”

”And why not bring the troops with you as well? Their duties are to serve and protect: that seems rather appropriate in this hour of crisis.”

“It would be foolish suicide: none of them would be ready for what Solaire faced.”

”Neither are you…”

“I have to be ready. For him.”

Luna gapes at you, before suddenly chuckling. ”This entire situation… it’s too clichéd not to be real.”

“Indeed, though usually it is the helpless damsel who needs rescuing.”

”I hope that won’t be you when you face down the demon… good luck, dearest sister.”

“Thank you, Luna.” You grasp her tightly in a hug, commanding the tears at the corner of your eye to retreat. After half a minute, you reluctantly break off the embrace, and begin charging your horn.

“Good luck.” Luna says with a faint whisper, and you nod.

“Thank you. I’m going to need it…”You take a step back, focus your magical essence, and envision in your mind a clear image of Solaire.

You release the spell, light filling your vision as you warp to Solaire’s whereabouts through the ethereal plane. Barely half a second later, you find yourself outside the mouth to what appears to be a large cave, and you stand shakily, drained by the power needed to teleport you here.

“Ok… now for the hard part…”

You peer into the mouth of the tunnel, disdained by the unnatural darkness that seemed to be creeping up to the surface. You instinctively shiver: the urge to cut and run overpowering. With a will you didn’t know you had, you slowly creep down the darkening tunnel, the light from the surface quickly abandoning you. You summon an orb of guiding light, its meagre protection leading through the cold, damp tunnel.

Dark, twisted figures stalk you through the caverns, darting out of reach whenever you threatened to attack them, and you quicken your pace: the echoes of your hooves ring out through the cavern, and you hear a faint scraping from afar…

You scream as your hoof slips, and you desperately scramble for a hold. When you back yourself up, you see that the floor has given way to a great, seemingly bottomless cavern.

“Next time, eyes down…” you whisper, teeth gritted in fear. You look round to see if an alternate route exists, but to your dismay, the way forward is missing.

As you turn around to search for an alternate tunnel, you hear a familiar voice cry out from the pitch-black depths: a cry that chills you to the bone.

“Solaire!” you reply in fear, and your exclamation is met with a roar of fury: the ground beneath you shakes heavily. You hear Solaire cry out once more: the pain in his voice brings tears to your eyes.

“Hang on Solaire! I’m coming!” You yell, desperately, searching in vain for a path of safe descent. Another cry of pain: You finally realise what must be done, even as every fibre of your being screams at you to cut and flee.

You flare out your wings and take a steeling breath, before leaping into the darkness below. A few seconds later, you hit the “bottom”, strangely feeling not pain despite the speed at which you impacted the ground. Looking up, the edge from which you just jumped has vanished into darkness…

A moan of pain catches your attention, and the sight before you makes your heart stop.

“Solaire!”

Lying haphazardly, with blood-stained wounds covering his armour and his weaponry scattered around him, is Solaire. He looks up at you weakly, his helmet missing.

”C-Celestia…” he whispers, eyes wide with hope and fear. You rush to his side, tears now flowing freely.

“Solaire..? Are you… what happened?”

”I made… a mistake. A big mistake…” he chuckles weakly, his laughter hollow.

“It’s going to be ok… I’m here now…” you whisper, preparing a healing spell.

”Celestia… you must do something for me…”

“What?”

”Run.” He says bluntly, before looking your shoulder, his eyes widening with terror.

”Run!” He repeats, and you whirl round to face the demon that you knew would be there.

Inching towards you was a demon of almost… indescribable horror. Its head, or what you presumed to be its head, was dotted with several glowing red eyes that bore down on you. On one side it had an arm that stretched and coiled like a snake, threatening to whip out and strike you at any time. In the other hand, a huge wooden staff was clutched: an unsettling power emanated from it.

The demon cocks its head at you, and you suddenly feel a massive presence weighing down on your mind. ”WHO ART THOU?” The voice seemed to be everywhere at once, invading every corner of your conscious.

You weakly reply to it, knowing it was conversing telepathically. “I am Princess Celestia, embodiment of the Sun.”

”A SUN GODDESS? THOU LIES.”

“I speak only the truth!”

”IF THAT IS SO, SUN GODDESS, WHY DOES THOU TRESPASS IN THE DARKEST DOMAIN? WHY DOTH THOU DISTURB THE ETERNAL SLUMBER OF MANUS?”

“I came to rescue my friend!”

”THY FRIEND ROUSED ME FROM MY SLUMBER, AND SOUGHT TO END MY LIFE. HE AWAKENED MY THIRST, AND HE MUST PAY.”

“Manus, please listen to me! It was of no fault of Solaire that you awakened! Stop this onslaught, stop the merging of realms!”

”I CANNOT. IT IS TOO LATE FOR ME… FOR ALL OF US…” With no warning, the coiled arm springs out, ensnaring you in a deadly vice, squeezing the breath out of you.

”Celestia…” Solaire groans, stumbling to his feet, grasping his longsword as he rises. Manus swipes him brutally off his feet, sending him crashing back down to the ground.

As you struggle against Manus’ vice, your mind grows distant from your body, and you dimly think back over the events leading to this moment. Solaire’s summoning had been a miracle, a steadfast knight arriving in the nick of time to save you… you couldn’t expect the same chance of fate to occur twice, could you?

Solaire’s POV

You stared up at the darkness above, your breath coming in short, shaky breaths as you died. The pain in your body was matched only by the pain of your soul. You knew that by falling now, Celestia would almost certainly die. The demon would prevail: Equestria would be brought to ruin…

You blink through tearful eyes, trying to summon the energy to fight on, but to no avail. You had lost…

As you lay there, dazed and confused, you hear the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching you…

You are suddenly lifted up off the ground, and you stand on your feet uneasily, unsure of what was happening. A flask was thrust into your face, and a warm, familiar liquid was forced down your throat. You choke on the estus, wincing as your wounds sealed themselves within seconds, before weakly focusing on your mystery assistant.

You gape at the figure standing before you, your hope re-kindled by the appearance of this familiar ally.

”Solaire.”

“You… how did you…”

”No time to talk now. I’ll tell you after we put this demon down.”

You nod enthusiastically, the estus having repaired you both physically and mentally. You grab your shield off the ground, raising it into a defensive stance, as the nameless Knight with whom you had fought countless battles does likewise. The demon releases Celestia, who collapses to the floor, but you resist the urge to rush to her side.

“Just like old times, eh?” you mutter.

”I don’t remember us ever fighting an abyssal demon to save white horses. That is why you’re here, correct?

“It’s a long story, my friend… and it’s not a horse.”

”Don’t nitpick me when we’re about to die.”

“I’ll bear that in mind!” You chuckle, as the demon turns its attention fully towards the two of you.

”So, what’s the plan?” your companion asks.

“Same plan as always. I’ll do all the work while you stand there and look good.”

”Good plan!” the nameless warrior yells as Manus raises a monumental arm, swinging it down over your heads. You both roll out of the way, and you plunge your trusty sword into its arm, causing it to shriek in pain.

”If it screams, it can be killed!”

“We better make sure not to scream then!” you retort, before the demon smashes down again. You absorb the blow with your shield, wincing in pain as the demon leaps into the air. The follow up smash barely misses you as you dodge, but to your surprise a fireball suddenly engulfs the creatures arm.

As the demon rears back, you see that the warrior has sheathed his Astora Straight Sword, and is instead holding a large, glowing flame in his right hand.

“I didn’t know you were a pyromancer!”

”Things changed rather quickly for me!” He yells, dowsing the creature in vicious flames. The demon begins to back off, the sudden change in tactics obviously unnerving it, before you get an idea. You grasp your talisman tightly, summoning a magnificent sunlight spear, and as you do your companion summons a massive fireball, which he holds tightly.

”How’d you let something this pitiful take you down so easily?” he asks sarcastically.

“I must have tripped… shall I finish it or do you want the honour?”

The fireball grows in intensity, pulsing like a flaming heartbeat: the light illuminating the intricate designs emblazoned upon his Sanctus Shield.

”Let’s finish this as one.”

You nod, standing by the side of the nameless warrior as he readies himself. The demon senses its imminent demise: above you a raging black storm materialises.

”Now!”

You hurl the sunlight spear with all your might, striking the demon in its inhuman face. It roars in indignation and fury, as the coursing lightning blinds it. A split second later, the fireball from your ally connects, immolating the entire front of the beast. The flames expand and explore, spreading cross the demon with uncanny speed. The demon thrashes about, its catalyst hanging uselessly as it convulses in agony. A final, earth-shattering roar surrounds you as the beast disappears, a blinding white light marking its disappearance.

You pant heavily as the light fades, blinking in surprise as a pitch-black sprite materialises in your palm.

“What the… this is unlike any humanity I have encountered before…” A hand on your shoulder distracts you from the quivering sprite. “Solaire, we have to get out of here, now.”

“What’s the hurry?”

”Killing Manus will seal off the bridge between Lordran and… well, wherever it is you went to, and that strange horse came from.”

“That is the outcome I had hoped for, but I’ll be damned if I get stuck on this side. Come; help me lift Celestia up…” With your friend’s help you manage to help Celestia back onto her hooves: thankfully, no damage seems to have been done besides an ugly bruising on her chest.

”Next time… I’m staying at home…” she mutters, still dazed by the demon your friend had referred to as “Manus”.

“You’re still alive, so no complaining. We can do that after we find our way back to Equestria. How should we go about doing that, anyway?”

He points to a bonfire that only just materialised. “We use that, I assume.”

“What if that leads us back into Lordran?”

”If it does, then it does. However, if we waste time now, then our fates will be sealed.”

“All right then. I pray that this works…” You lead Celestia to the bonfire, and hold her hoof tightly while your friend rests a hand on your shoulder. You think of the Canterlot throne room intently, commanding the power of the Lordvessel to warp you there. For a split second nothing happens, as doubt and fear creep into your mind.

Suddenly, you are sprawled across a hard marble floor, Celestia lying awkwardly on top of you. Within seconds you are surrounded at spearpoint by numerous confused guards, who drop their weapons when they realise who they are dealing with. Your friend is treated with suspicion though, although he thankfully he the sense to stand still in this moment.

”Celestia!” Luna cries as she rushes over to her sister, hugging her tightly. “You have returned with Solaire! Does that mean…”

”Yes, my dear sister. We are safe.”

Luna nods, a wide smile etched into her face. “And who might this knight be? Is he another human?”

Your friend coughs politely. “Yes, I am. I have fought with Solaire many times: you can trust me.”

Luna nods. “Well then, we are well met it seems. Do you have a name one could address you buy?”

He appears to ponder the question. “Truth be told, I do not. I never had a name, for whatever reason… although now is not too late to pick one.” He thinks some more, before snapping his fingers. “Of course, it fits perfectly.”

”Do tell us what you have chosen.”

”Anonymous. I am Anonymous…”

Luna arches an eyebrow. “A nameless mane choosing a name meaning namelessness… you are an interesting individual, Anon.”

”Thank you…?”

”Luna. Princess Luna.”

Your friend… no, Anon bows politely, before edging his way over to you as Luna and Celestia talk. ”You didn’t tell me they could talk!” he whispers fiercely.

“You were surprised? You hid it awfully well.” You laugh, tapping the visor of Anon’s helmet.

He sighs in annoyance. “You can make it up to me by showing me where I can get some sleep. If I don’t have a bed within a few minutes then I’m going to use the floor.” Amused by his onset of annoyance, you lead him through the castle, letting him use an empty guest room. He immediately stretches out on the bed, the framework groaning under the weight of the armour.

“If you break anything, you’re paying for it.”

”Oh be… quiet…” he mutters, sleep already claiming him. You chuckle gently, before shutting the door closed.

The rest of the day speeds by: Celestia arranges for you to have a medical check-up, and a healing-spell follow-up: your apparel and equipment is yet again left in with Vulcana, who argued that you should be mending it yourself, and Anon stayed in his new room for the rest of the day, exhausted from the fight.

As night rolls on, you retire to Celestia’s quarters, taking position on the couch.

”Solaire.”

“Yes Celestia?”

Celestia emerges from her chambers, a worried look on her face. “Could you come here for a second? Please?” You raise an eyebrow, before getting up and walking over, the overall you had been given barely covering your body.

“What is the matter, Celestia?”

”Could you… could you close your eyes for me?”

You comply, closing your eyes tightly. “Celestia, is there a reason for-“

You are cut off as a pair of lips meet your own, shocking you into silence.

You open your eyes as Celestia breaks the kiss, returning your gaze with hope-filled eyes.

“Celestia…?”

”Solaire… I may not have known you for long, but something about you is just… right. You understand me: you’re there for me… I think could mean something more…”

“I… um… this is all rather… sudden.”

”I’ve been alone for far too long Solaire. I need some I can be close with… in every sense.”

“Well… I…” Her lips meet yours again, and you find yourself unable to resist. Sure, she isn’t a human, but she’s a god sun. That’s got to count for something… and besides: she’s not bad looking for a pony…

As the kiss goes on, you embrace Celestia tightly, holding her as close as possible. She finally breaks off the kiss, giving you a sultry look. ”Thank you, Solaire. Now… how about you teach me the ways of “jolly co-operation…”

You lay in Celestia’s bed, her head propped against your chest. “Well, now I can say I fucked the sun.”

”You really are something special, Solaire.” Celestia gasps breathlessly, her eyes filled with adoration. For several minutes, he two of you lie there in silence, recovering from the bout of passion which just occurred.

”So… how do you do it?” Celestia eventually says.

“How do I do what?”

”No matter what happens, you take it all on the chin and keep on fighting… how do you do it?”

“I simply have faith, Celestia. I have faith in myself, and faith in the Gods above… or amongst us.”

Celestia falls silent, before looking up at you. ”I have a terrible feeling about the upcoming future. Manus, the demon in the Abyss, may have been stopped but I fear despair is sure to follow…”

“Let the bad times come. As long as I am with you, I shall let no harm befall upon you.”

”I know you won’t. Thank you Solaire.” Celestia kisses you one last time, before settling herself down. A few minutes later, her breathing relaxes, and gentle snores signal the start of her sleep.

In a matter of weeks, you’d sacrificed yourself to save a world, crossed the gaps between worlds, killed a Queen, been betrayed, faced down a demon and lived, and engaged in coitus with a sun-god Princess pony. It never is easy, praising the sun…