Arin awoke to the strangest sight on his chest. A black cat. It stared directly into his eyes, and gave a meow.

“This one clings to life yet,” it called, before stepping off of his simple shirt. The Seraph groaned, looking up to the night sky. Night? No, day - but…

A rich blue had fallen over the earth, as spirits swirled endlessly into the sky around him. All around, his friends lay unconscious - several more black themed creatures - some of which he couldn’t even describe - prowled the land unbidden.

Before him, Queen Astra sat and spoke calmly to a large, robed figure. Skeletal in appearance, the seraph-shaped creature bore his own scythe, and dark, skeletal wings. When Arin blinked, he shifted forms - standing as a robed alicorn among the snow.

He slowly sat up, as Twilight spoke to a black-furred mouse floating in the air, who seemed willing to share information with the Princess. Anon had long since passed out in the snow, the rest of his wine leaking to stain the ice around him.

“What’s going on?” Arin called, eventually stumbling to his feet. He stepped in front of the ghostly hooded alicorn, who shifted into a Seraph upon seeing him.

“Hello, Arin of the Far Reaches,” the creature said, with a chatter of bony teeth. “I must thank you, personally, for ending this charade. These souls can finally rest. Thanks to you, and your allies.”

The Seraph blinked, rubbing dirt from his eyes. “Who are you? And exactly what was that thing, anyway?”

“A cancer. A dangerous thing among Fateweavers, likely to occur when a plane-stricken world collapses. For our kind, the only solution is to grant solace to those who fall to its influence after the fact - and wait for it to burst, when reaping too many souls from the stars. Fateweavers can not destroy each other. And for a name, I am the leader of my kind - I am Death. I am the one you call when you pass on into the afterlife.”

Arin blinked. Death? He was talking to death himself? Or… herself? Itself?!

“Y-You… you’re Death.”

“Correct, Arin of the Far Reaches. At a travesty this large, it is only fair that I see to the safe return of souls to the weave of reality. But there are choices I must make, especially among two souls that stand before me.”

At that, from Astra’s right side - Vee poked her head forward. Giving a soft neigh in greeting. Her spectral body shone much like Astra’s, a spirit of her former self.

“V-Vee?...”

“Greetings, or… well, goodbye, Tall-fry! I think. D’ohoho~”

Death raised his scythe, clattering the base of the pole to the ruined floor. “These two have sacrificed much in the aid of souls. I believe they are a force good for this world, wouldn’t you agree, Arin of the Far Reaches?”

“I-... yes, of course!”

“Then I believe they are fit to stay. I can not return their bodies to them - but I can offer this.”

From his sleeve, he withdrew two small charms. Tokens of Death himself, his bony fingers carved into the set a dozen sigils in foreign runes. Gently, the skeleton dropped the charms into Arin’s hand.

“These runes would look beautiful etching their Liber Vitae, Arin. Keep them for the material cost of resurrection. Especially for Vee-Ness of Equestria. She will need a new body, as well - Equestrian souls aren’t meant to stay in their shells for seven hundred years. Now…”

Death raised his hand, summoning forth a black raven bound in chains.

“I believe I am in need of a watchful eye here, in case things run awry. Onyxinoborus, your sentence has been served, as your meddling has saved me more paperwork than I’d like to admit. Even if the souls before me had to have extensions granted several times to their lives because of your meddling.”

The Raven croaked - flapping his wings to rest on Arin’s shoulder with a thankful bow. Free of his chains, and simply happy to be in this world again.

Nearby, Oarkin watched with wonder at the mass of souls being counted by Fateweavers, as Falon did much the same. They spoke quietly to a single astral body - a buck, donning the very same armor the young General wore. A Fateweaver sat by his side, the cat from before - who groomed itself quietly, reading over an endless scroll.

“Arin of the Far Reaches, I am grateful for your help,” Death continued, “and as such, I’m willing to offer you a gift, and something invaluable.”

He drew from his sleeve a small hourglass - gleaming dully with gold light, before placing it in Arin’s hands. No matter what direction the Seraph shifted it, the massive pile of sand stayed at top - a near invisible grain of sand falling to the bottom.

“This is your Fateglass. When the last grain falls, you will perish. I have gifted you the maximum life your kind is allowed without aid; one thousand, one hundred, eleven years. You are not immortal, of course - but you will stay young and fit, until the last grain of sand falls to the bottom. At which point, you will pass on without pain to the Nest.”

Arin held it closely, like at any moment, it could shatter. A breathless chuckle came.

“Do not fret. It is merely a representation of how long you have left. Even if it's lost, you will find it in your hands the next time you awake from pleasant slumber. Do not worry about the end of life, but rather, the life you have now, Arin. I have done much the same for the ponies gathered here; long lives are assured.”

“Now, you may make one request of me, for ending this charade before the paperwork shattered my table. What is it that you wish?”

Arin held the hourglass in front of him, eyes wide with wonder. He could ask for… anything. Money. Fame. Wealth. If it can be granted, it could be his. He could live the high life for all eternity, if he so desired.

But he didn’t want that. No. He wanted something money couldn’t buy. That fame didn’t flaunt. He wanted time.

“I don’t want to outlive my friends, can you fix that? And… make sure King Aster doesn’t die until he’s ready, if that’s possible. I think my dad would never recover if the King moved on.”

Death gazed at the Seraph, offering his boney hand forward - requesting the hourglass silently. Gently, Arin put it in his grasp - as the ageless being flung his palm forward; summoning each of the pony’s long lives to float steadily before him. He weighed them each in his hands, glowing light flitting between the glass with ease.

“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria are special cases, sir Arin - they exist as long as their element stretches onwards, much like Queen Astra of Starlight’s Peak. I can not adjust their lives; they are infinite. This request you’ve made is… special. Pumpkin Spice, Vee-Ness, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, Umbra, all of Equestria’s realm - I can not go above the limit of their natural life. What I can do is split yours in twain - and you will perish at the same moment as the rest.”

“Split it, then. A world without my friends is a world not living in.”

At that, Death sighed - withdrawing a literal stack of paperwork from his sleeve. He pulled the first page with a flick of his wrist, settling the page to float before him. His bony digits plucked one of Onyx’s feathers, the raven croaking - before offering Arin the quill.

“Your new lifespan will be one hundred and eleven years, Arin of the Far Reaches. Are you sure you wish to persist? General Falon of the Feywilds - the buck you claim your father will die before you, by eleven years. Keep in mind, I am speaking not from the date of your birth - I am renewing your life at zero. Meaning that you will die one hundred and eleven years from the moment you strike your name. Do you accept these terms?”

Arin closed his eyes, nodding. “I accept.”

“Then sign here. By the way… Umbra, of Equestria. If you were ever wondering over her exact spirit; I took the liberty to restore her soul to its proper splendor. The Entity had devoured all but a single fragment, which had blossomed well under your guidance. When you pass, I believe we may have business in the far future. Fateweavers are born of death - but perhaps I need a Lightbringer to quell unruly kin. I don’t suppose you would be interested?”

Arin flicked his hand over the page, as the other ponies came to in the chilly snow. Pumpkin almost had a panic attack, when Vee’s body was stiff and lifeless against her - but was quickly quieted by the astral pegasus herself, who simply laughed it away with an all too familiar ‘d’ohoho’.

“...I could never do it alone, Death. I would need my friends to stand by my side, every step of the way. And that’s not my decision to make. Maybe when we’re all standing at your… desk, or whatever-”

“It is a desk, yes. A very rich mahogany.”

“...We’ll all consider it.” Arin laughed, as Umbra crashed into his side - seizing him so tightly that he nearly fell to the floor.

“You survived, my fledgeling!” she called, much more cheery than before. By the Stars, Death, what did you do to her?!

“Uh… yeah, we all did. I think. Did we?” Arin looked to the cloaked being - who simply nodded beneath his hood.

“Even the purple one.” His teeth chattered, as Vee butted in.

“Especially the Purple one, thank you! Tall-fry, don’t resurrect me just yet - I’ve got some snooting to do now that I’m a ghost.”

Death chortled, “I would advise against this, Vee-Ness of Equestria. Stay near those talismans. They are what’s binding your soul to Prime, at the moment.”

“C’mooon, Death-fry! Just a little snooting.”

“No.”

“Oho! But what if Small-fry bakes you some cookies?” Vee’s hazy wing seized at the little mare, barely able to pull her Sister in against her spectral body.

“...I have heard many tales woven by Onyxinoborus concerning these… ‘cookies’ in his internment. But alas, your spirit may wander for eternity if you stray too far, Vee-Ness.

At that, the Purple pouted, lifting a spectral wing to preen. Feathers falling and fading beneath her ghostly aura, hohumming about things being bad for the feathers. Pumpkin simply snuggled on, as Queen Astra turned to face her children. Celestia and Luna stood in front of them, sorrow in their eyes at her mother’s fate. They didn’t know she was about to be resurrected, as tears began to fall freely between the Princesses.

“I am sorry, my foals - I could not be there in the moments it mattered most. But I will be there, by your side - forever onwards. I promise,” she said, holding a pearly white hoof to her chest. Vee complained about that, too - why did Astra get to be all glowly and white, while she was a ghostly form!?

“Y-You can’t leave us, Mother!” Celestia whimpered, heartbroken at seeing the spectral figure stand so close to death. Assuming the absolute worst.

“We hardly know thee! Do not abandon us yet!” Luna called, as Astra gave a fake sob.

“I promise, I’ll be by your side always. As long as you do not stick me in a retirement home, and pay for my lodgings.”

“You can’t go-what?” Celestia flatlined, mid sappy-tears. Astra’s smile grew very wide at that, her magenta irises gleaming.

“Gotcha.”

“...Sister, you are right. She is our mother. And thou are not leaving?” Luna poked her hoof, sniffling away the last of the tears.

“Mm, no. I’ve only lived for a hundred years or so - but I’ve been trapped in basically the most boring place in the universe otherwise; the Entity’s version of purgatory. At least they had cards. By the way, I despise cards. Used to love them, but if I have to play G’lo Snarlak with another alien… thing, I’m going to start a seventh ghost riot.”

Celestia and Luna blinked in absolute confusion. She really just… sat around, for three thousand years, dead, playing… cards?

“...That sounds horrible.”

“But hey! I speak Binglon, Melvish, and Twemer now, so I’ve got that going for me!” Queen Astra laughed, “but seriously, I will snap if you bring me to a card table. There will be no survivors.”

At that, Celestia and Luna’s laughing trailed off with worry, sharing a look. What were they getting into, exactly?...

And as they thought the world was recovering, a figure darted from the rubble - nightmarish, hooked blade clutched in his snarling teeth, Flash Sentry’s eyes gleamed with murder. His wings pumped with intensity towards the group, aiming to take down the Seraph who’s beaten him at every turn.

“Nope! ‘Fraid not, Angry-fry.” Vee said; she had returned to her body just before the assault, and snooted up the untouched Banishment Orb in her ghostly grip. With a simple toss of her wing - she clocked the pegasus in the face, knocking him to the floor in a whirl of green and black smoke.

Within seconds, there stood an obsidian statue of the defeated Guard Captain, Death looking on in confusion.

“A friend, I assume?” he asked, stepping without sound towards the now captured spirit.

“Anything but. Greedy bastard almost had us killed, if it weren't for the deer. He was working with Nightmare Moon and the Entity in the end.”

“I see. Wonderful. Flash Sentry of Equestria. Do you have plans for him to recover, or should I claim his soul now?” Death asked, inspecting the curious stone before him.

“...That’s up to Celestia, really.” Arin shrugged. The Princess stepped forward, thinking quietly over the imprisoned pegasus.

“You know, ponies are going to want somepony to blame… I think it’ll be easy enough to get him to talk, too, and tell us about whoever else was working with Nightmare Moon. I think he and his ilk should stand trial. And it will prevent Luna from receiving death threats in the mail again.”

“I never received death threats?” Luna questioned, as Celestia giggled.

“I had your mail sorted, so you only received the best of the best, Luna.”

“...Oh, it is ON! I had wondered why I received so many letters regarding my flank!” The Lunar Princess growled, much to the joy of Queen Astra.

“Oh yes, you two are just like me.”

Author's Note

I wanted the story to end on a happy note. So. This is what I decided. I really could have just killed off half the characters and call it 'the end', once the few survivors escaped - but... I didn't want to do that.

Thank you for sitting through this massive pile of words. I'm sorry if it just wasn't that good.