The Day Magic Ceased To Exist...
Author's Note
AN: I realize it has been a while since I have written anything on this site. I am not quite back yet but after viewing the Gen 5 trailer. I couldn't get this plot out of my head. So I hope everyone likes it. By no means do I think this actually happened but it could in an AU universe.
The Day Magic Ceased To Exist...
The former head of Equestria, the former Princess of the Sun, Celestia was standing in the middle of a snowstorm with nothing but a thin scarf and a saddlebag to keep her warm. Not that warmth would matter in the next few hours but she did want to feel a bit comfortable when she met her demise head-on.
It had been thirty years since she gave up her throne to her precious student Twilight Sparkle. Twilight had done quite well for herself in the past twenty-five years. She had the help of her friends, the other elements of Harmony to guide her on ruling Equestria. But, unlike Twilight, they were not Alicorns. They did not have the raw power of magic flowing through their bodies to keep them alive for as long as magic existed. For as long as there were enough to flow through their bodies. They grew old. Had families. Twilight was never able to make a meaningful connection to most of her friend's foals and great-grand foals because of her status in Canterlot. The throne is quite lonely.
Her friends did have magic though. More magic than was usual with ponies like them. Resulting in being the Elements of Harmony. So they survived and lived much better than Celestia, Cadence, Luna, and Twilight expected. Everything was good. Equestris was prospering. Everyone was happy. The other nations started to combine and make their home in Equestria and the lands beyond. But, like all good tales in history, they don't last.
Five years ago, the first of Twilight's friends passed away. Rainbow Dash, who was at retirement age for the Wonderbolts. Decided that as Wonderbolt Captain, since it was her last ever show, she would dazzle the audience with one last sonic rainboom. A trick she hadn't performed in a couple of decades. She was out of practice and misjudged the distance between her and the ground. Her eyes weren't quite what they used to be.
She slammed into the ground just as the explosion occurred. It was beautiful. It was tragic. It was heartbreaking and the beauty of the moment was overshadowed by the mangled bloody mess that was in the middle of a crater in a far-off farmers' field below Cloudsdale. She died on impact.
The news spread quickly. Within a matter of hours across Equestria. It was big news whenever a serious accident occurred during a Wonderbolts show but it was an even bigger deal than it was the Captain and the Element of Loyalty, who perished.
Creatures from all over Equestria attended the funeral. Organized by her widow, Applejack. Speeches were made. Speaking of her brave actions, her fantastic skills, her brilliant personality, and winning smile. Twilight was forced to return to Canterlot to deal with the fallout. Some newspapers had begun to publish the beginning of the end for Twilight's rein and the counsel of friendship now that one of their members was dead. So Twilight pushed her guilt, grief, and sadness back. Deal with the media swiftly and the rumors died down. Content to believe that the Princess of Friendship knew what she was doing.
Next to go was Fluttershy. Timberwolf attack perhaps? No one was quite sure but when her mangled body was found. In front of a cowering group of baby bunnies with a dead bunny mother a few feet away in the Everfree Forest a mere month and a half after Rainbow Dash's death, that was all they could assume. So the routine played out again. This time being organized by Discord who made sure to add singing tea bags in tribute to his best friend in everyone's tea during the reception. Twilight dealt with the media again. But it didn't quite die down like before. Eventually, she gave up trying to reason with them and just shut herself away for a week to mend.
The next was Rarity. Passing away in her sleep, two years later. All of her stores made sure to pay tributes for the next year in honor of her talent, generosity, and style. In death, Rarity was the richest mare in Equestria. If only she lived to truly see it. The funeral came and went. Her first assistant, Sassy Saddles, made sure that anyone who was anyone was at her funeral. Which was just about 99% of the population.
The media started spreading the news that Twilight was going to become unhinged. That the Elements of Harmony was a fairytail Celestia conjured up to make everypony feel better. Twilight was a fake and a fraud. She wasn't the Princess of anything. If the Princess of Friendship relied on her friends so much, why didn't she used her godlike powers to save them?
Twilight attempted to explain the basics of magic. The basics of why you should never mess with the afterlife. But, as usual, no pony would hear it. Not even Applejack. She had become closed off since her wife's death and rarely left the Apple farm. They got into a large fight in the throne room. Guards never revealed what was said. Twilight seemed to begin a spiral of despair when Applejack marched out and returned to her farm. Never to speak with her friend again until Applejack's death next year when like Rarity she passed in her sleep.
So all that was left was Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie was an erratic pony. Unpredictable and very happy even in her old age. She could hide just about every secret if you made sure to Pinkie promise it. She watched as the media bashed Twilight and her actions. Her behavior. She was visible gloomy, mopping, and seemed to lose whatever spark she had when she took over Equestria.
Pinkie was dying. A sickness that attacked her heart. It was slow. Uncurable, A little painful but she hid it well. What pained her even more though, other than the thought that she knew her life was rapidly coming to an end was how sad Twilight was. So Pinkie took a trip in the last three months of her life. Her husband, Cheese Sandwich was long gone, her foals and fillies moved away. She was already in the process of handing her bakery down to the pony she spent three years training when she moved to Canterlot.
Twilight and Pinkie spent nearly every moment of every day together. Twilight brightened up, not completely over her grief and guilt but at least it was being a bit easier to get through the week with her bright bubbly friend beside her. But Pinkie couldn't keep the secret forever and collapsed in a pool of blood spilling from her mouth one day as she stood in the Canterlot Gardens. Looking up at the tribute statue to Celestia and Luna.
The guards rushed her to the medical wing of the castle. Despite every Doctor's last effort. Every healing spell Twilight rushed into her body, Pinkie succumbed to the sickness. Not before telling her friend to keep living. Keep living to make ponies happy. To keep their memory alive. She will find new friends. She is the Princess of Friendship after all.
Twilight cried for hours. Celestia and Luna immediately returned to Canterlot when the news reached them by Royal post that Pinkie Pie was dead. When they got to Canterlot, a day after the tragic passing, ponies were fighting on the streets from different options. Some believed Twilight wasn't going to recover. Some believed she replaced them easily and her grief was just a play from sympathy. To keep her in power.
They demanded answers from ponies who hadn't ruled their country in decades. They demanded answers from the ruler who hadn't been seen since two days before. Not even in the throne room. Not to try and stop gossip and rumors spreading.
After a few hours of searching the castle, Luna and Celestia found Twilight in the Harmony tower. Staring up at six jewels. She sat there with empty eyes in the middle of the room. The tower had a very high ceiling. A painting showed depictions of Harmony and friendship in the old art style from the past on the ceiling. The long circular stain glass windows around her showed her friends and herself (In her old unicorn form) behind a pillar for each of the jewels.
Five of the jewels were dull. Cracks were littered deep inside their core. They no longer shinned. Twilight, with empty eyes, was staring at her own element. It was flickering its usual magenta. Not cracked. Twilight's ear briefly flickered towards the sounds of their hoofs hitting marble before reaching the usual red royal carpet in the middle of the room.
Neither of the sisters knew what to say to the younger Alicorn. Where would they even start? Offer their condolences that would fall on deaf ears and then ask the question they wanted to know so badly prehaps? What happened to the elements? So Twilight, sensing her mentor and her sister's confusion at the scene before them, turned her head briefly to them with a face devoid of feeling.
"Harmony is dead. I...I can't feel...them anymore. Magic has failed me."
"Twilight, I-"
Celestia was interrupted by a loud crack. Making everyone flinch. They looked up to the last element. Twilight's jewel had a deep crack running through it. The color no longer existed. It was black and devoid of magic. Luna moved closer to examine them before she stood before Twilight.
"Twilight Sparkle." Luna growled with more anger in her voice than she heard in years. "What did you do?"
Twilight's eyes slowly met Luna's. They started to fill with tears but she didn't bother to hide her face when they came pouring down.
"I told Applejack I couldn't do it." She muttered. Celestia moved to stand in front of her student now as well.
"Told you you couldn't do what, Twilight?" Celestia pressed. Twilight let in a shaky breath before continuing.
"I-I couldn't bring them back! I did research! Oh, so much research! I had run so many calculations! I had a plan to open a portal to the afterlife and drag them out if I had to. But with all things in life, it would come with a consequence. I didn't think it was worth it."
"What was the consequence?" Celestia asked carefully. Not entirely convinced she wanted to know that answer.
"The power of the Elements. I would have had to use their special magic. The magic I could control to open the portal. They would be weak. Oh, yes. The elements would be drained but we would still be here! We would be alive! Thriving! There hasn't been a threat in decades! T-They should have had time to recover! But I couldn't risk it. What if they didn't want to come back?"
Twilight got up on her shaky hoofs and began to move along the wall of the room. Staring at each and every window. Staring at the jewels with judgment. Lingering at each tribute. Lost in her memories.
"I told Applejack I couldn't bring Rainbow Dash, Rarity, or even Fluttershy back. She said I wasn't trying hard enough. Magic could do anything. I was an Alicorn for goodness sake! I am practically a god! I told her she overestimated how much power I actually have. She didn't understand. I told her magic can be used to bring back the dead. Magic from the elements can do that. But should we? What if they came back, but aren't the same ponies? What if they come back and are the same age? They would just die again in a few more years and the whole process would repeat."
"She didn't agree with you." Luna concluded.
"She was always stubborn. Especially on this matter. But I couldn't get it out of my head. It wouldn't go away. I have a chance to save them all and...I couldn't just let it pass. So. Yesterday, I finally gave in. I did the spell. I crossed over...And do you know what I saw?"
There was pure silence before Twilight let out a dry laugh devoid of humor.
"I saw my friends...I saw unicorn myself."
"Y-you...What?" Luna blurted out. Twilight nodded.
"According to her. She is part of my soul. The part of my soul that held my unicorn life. On the day I got hit with the Elements and became an Alicorn, my soul broke apart. Part of me literally died that day. No wonder I didn't feel like myself anymore! I thought it was just because of psychology, or the physical changes. I died! I am not...me anymore!" Twilight spun around to Celestia. Her nostrils flaring with repressed rage. "Did you know that you killed part of me? Well, did you?"
"No, Twilight."
Celestia was telling the truth. Starswirl never mentioned that sort of effect in his notes on the spell. He never mentioned it to her when he was teaching her the spell. Celestia couldn't help but wonder if her soul was broken apart as well when she ascended to Alicornhood. Luna seemed to be having the same struggle.
"It doesn't matter now I suppose. My...soul told me my friends wouldn't go through. My friends wouldn't come back with me because their time was over. I had to let them go and move on. Easy for them to say." She slammed her hoof against the floor. Creating a few cracks in the process. "Magic. I come back here and they are like this. Because of the consequence. I can't feel Harmony anymore. The magic that made me...The Element of magic...I can't feel it. For the first time in a very long time, I feel weak. So very weak. Weak and tired."
Celestia looked to the elements. Her mind running through centuries of experience of possible answers on how t-
"I hate you."
Celestia looked to her student. Twilight was glaring at her across the room with hatred. The hatred was directed at her. Twilight took careful steps forward to her teacher. A horrible scowl was on her face as they kept eye contact.
"I just wanted you to be proud of me. I just wanted knowledge on how to improve magic and life for others. I just wanted answers and now you had to go and..." Twilight looked down to the floor in visible pain. "You never even asked me if I wanted the pressure of having to rule a country. A nation. Of having ponies depend on me for a subject I didn't even believe in until a few short years before. I don't even care that I failed you anymore. I just want to see them again. I want to see my parents again. I...I want to be...Happy again."
Twilight hung her head low and left the room. Celestia hadn't failed to notice Luna not defending her. She didn't mind that. She deserved it.
A week passed. Tensions got worse. Twilight seemed to give up. A week came a month. Then it became three months. Then the wendigos came. Ponies starting dropping like flies in the cold weather. The creatures went back to their own lands when the toxic relations spread to every creature.
So now here Celestia was. Her saddlebag held information on how to end the wendigos once and for all. She had run all the calculations in her mind hundreds of times. Much like Twilight probably would have done in the process. But unlike Twilight, she knew there was no other choice. Ponies were a resilient race. They would survive without Alicorns.
The spell Celestia was required to do was to take all the magic in Equestria. The magic that kept her and the other alicorns alive and burn them alive. Burn the wendigos alive. As much as she hated to admit it, Friendship was not an option. Everyone was far too dived. The Crystal Empire had shut out everyone. Twilight had given up and made sure to let everyone know that the great and powerful, all-knowing god Celestia had damned them all. It would take decades to repair the damage caused. By then it would be too late. Ponies were dying by the hundreds a day. It had to end now.
She thought about Cadence. Sitting on her throne in the Crystal Empire with worry. Her empire wasn't hit as hard as they had the crystal heart but it couldn't protect them forever. She thought about Flurryheart. Very young in Alicorn years. Having to watch the chaos unfold around her. Not knowing that her own Aunt is planning on ending her existence in a few moments. She thought about her sister. Luna was always good at hiding emotions. A bit too good. She had a stone expression and gave short snappy responses now. She hoped Luna would be happy to see their parents again.
As for herself...
She watched the wendigos circle above her. She stood in Ponyville. Well, where Ponyvile was supposed to be. It started here. The wendigos started here and spread out. But they always returned here.
Celestia concluded she was ready to die. It was for the good of Equestria. She took a sharp look at the outline of the castle of friendship. Barly viable and covered with ice and snow. It had lost all of its colors the day the elements died and no pony dared go near it as they thought it became corrupted with dark magic.
She dragged her eyes back to the enemy. This better work. It must work. She took out the shattered crystals of the Elements of Harmony. The dead crystal twirled around her as her horn started to glow as bright as the sun. For the first time in weeks, she felt very slight warmth as the magic poured in from Equestria and went through her body in great amounts.
She smiled. They would survive. The survivors would live on. Equestria will live on. She blasted the magic into the elements. For a brief minute, they returned to their former glory. The windigo's dived for Celestia. Intent on freezing her. They knew what she was doing.
She was hovering slightly in the air. The elements twirled as she kept shoving more and more magic into them. She felt a weight off her back. She no longer heard her wings flapping in the wind. She no longer felt the muscles needed to complete such action.
Her mane was turning back to a dull pink. Her body was shrinking to her form when she was just a normal student unicorn. The elements had more than enough magic now. She screamed in pain as she let go of the sun's magic. The magic her entire destiny was based upon. She struggled to breathe when it felt she was violently thrown to the ground.
The elements twirled into the air. The windigos screamed in pain as the sky lit up in multi-colors. Celestia closed her eyes with a tired sigh. The darkness was far too comforting to ignore in comparison to her aching body and fragile mind. She smiled as her soul departed from Equestria. Followed closely by Luna, Twilight, Cadence, Discord, and Flurryheart.
It will be better.
It has to be...
When the survivors of the storm emerged from their hiding places to find a new Equestria. The towns were destroyed. But wildlife had begun. The library depicting history was mostly gone. A few survivors from Ponyville emerged from nearby caves. They saw the source of the explosions and pinpointed it to the body laying in one of the open spaces.
They examined their savior who risked her life to save them all. A unicorn with a small horn, short pink hair. Strangely without a cutie mark lay before them.
"A unicorn? A unicorn saved us?"
"But I tho-thought an Alicorn w-would-"
"The precious Alicorns must have lied to us. We never needed them. Come on. We need to start rebuilding."
---The End---
