The Forsaken

Chapter 12 – Secrets Revealed

Anon

The next morning came too fast given that I didn’t get any sleep. Breakfast was ready for me, as always. I sat down and I was picking at my food. I knew the food was fresh, but it tasted stale. It was as if the whole world was a little darker with the knowledge I had gained last night.

Midnight noticed quickly and asked in a gentle tone. “Are you okay this morning, my dear?”

I sighed, knowing that I couldn’t lie to him even if I tried to. “Where is Tia?”

Midnight nodded once, understanding the intent of the question. “She went back to the capital this morning to resume her duties. Her secretary, Raven Inkwell, seemed to know exactly where she would be this morning, so it didn’t take much convincing to get her back to work. Did you have plans for today?”

I paused at the information. I didn’t hear them rut at all last night, not that I was listening for it… no, never… so maybe they both just needed the comfort of a close friend, but it was still difficult for me to accept. I never figured out how I managed to get the weekends off given that the weekends should be the busiest two days of the week at the spa, but it was still a day off for me. We really didn’t get the date we had planned the previous day, but something felt wrong about just trying to continue on as if nothing had happened. I needed to clear my head.

“I think I’m going to take a walk to clear my head.”

Midnight nodded. “I’ll keep you company.”

I sighed again knowing that I couldn’t talk him out of it. I simply left my breakfast where it lay, and I walked out the backdoor with Midnight on my heels. I walked along a lesser used path to a hill that overlooked the entire town. I nestled under a shade tree and was silently pleased when Midnight laid down beside me without my prompting. He was a rock that I needed more than ever. Except that ever wasn’t forever, it seemed…

The breeze was cool for a summer day and the shade helped to break up the heat from the sun, although the heat was also welcome. I sat there looking at the peaceful town for only Celestia knows how long before I got the creeping suspicion that if I wanted answers to my questions, I would have to be bold about asking them.

“You have a lot of secrets, Midnight… When were you going to tell me…?”

The question was nonspecific, but I could feel him wince beside me… he knew exactly what I was asking. Midnight cleared his throat.

“Secrets long kept… are hard to share. There never seemed to be a ‘right time’ to address any of them properly. Those blessed or cursed with a long life will tell you the same.”

I chuckled dryly. “No… I suppose there hasn’t been time. I love you, Midnight, but if you want me to accept your death as something that has to happen and then to rule Ponyville in your stead afterwards… I need to know what is going on and why it has to be this way.”

Midnight nuzzled his head at my waist. “It’s a long story…”

I cut him off sharply. “And I have alllll day. So spill it.”

He sighed but didn’t move… “It all started over 1000 years ago…”

Midnight

I can’t believe I’m going to tell this story. I swore I would never tell it.

“As a young stallion of noble heritage, it was easy for me to bypass the Night Guard and join the Lunar Knights directly. The Old Kingdom wasn’t very peaceful back then and it was easy for me to prove myself in battle. With each battle, I gained prestige… rank… more titles… and finally… the posting as personal bodyguard to Princess Luna. It was a dream come true for me…

As the battles continued, Princess Luna wasn’t content to sit on the sidelines and so we would often court death on the battlefield together… cutting through all of our foes. I held her as she cried for the fallen, the ponies that died following her orders… and she would hold me as I cried for my lost friends. We cried so much that we eventually forgot how to. War and battle forged a bond between us that was unbreakable. We were closer than friends. Closer than lovers. Our bond was indescribable. We were everything the other needed. We simply… were.

I continued to rise through the ranks until there was no higher for me to go. Luna, herself, created the position of Death Lord to promote me and a few other select ponies to, to denote our prowess on the battlefield. Our special lethalness. She designed my weapons and armor personally. It did help me on the battlefield and gave me a reason to continue to stay close to her, despite no longer being her personal bodyguard at that point. It also made other stallions a little jealous. They were… dealt with… on a case-by-case basis.

After a few decades of serving together, we discovered that we were in love with each other. As the wars were settled and peace started to be more common, and lasted longer, we found ourselves with more time to explore our feelings for each other and we were confused by our limited options. Luna didn’t want to upset her sister and I didn’t want to overstep my authority.

After a consultation with Princess Celestia, it was agreed that Luna could marry me and name me a Prince of the Kingdom once I retired from military service. At that point, I had served for 50 years and was pushing 70 years old, everypony agreed that I had earned my retirement, so plans were made. I retired in grand fashion and our wedding was announced shortly afterwards.

The kingdom was abuzz for weeks. The night before the big day… I was so nervous. I knew that she would outlive me, and I knew that losing me would break her heart, but I wanted to give her all of my love. A love that would transcend the ages. A love that would survive me. She gave me a potion that she said might solve both our problems and I drank it with no hesitation because I loved her, and I trusted her. She kissed me good night. And when I awoke, she was gone.”

Anon swallowed. “Your first love… your first fiancé… was Princess Luna? How old are you?”

Midnight sighed. “I’ll be 1070 this autumn. I don’t overly try to hide my lack of aging but for some reason, ponies, except for the few families I have maintained ties with for unbroken centuries, seem to not know how old I am. I partly blame my illusion magic for that… my glamour spells come a little too naturally.”

Anon went numb with the information. She swallowed. “Please, continue.”

Midnight shook his head slowly. “I’m afraid I don’t know much more than what other ponies have told me. Something happened that night while I was under the potion’s effects. I was told by a doctor that worked in the castle, that for all intents and purposes… it looked like I had died in my sleep. Luna, of course, was distraught. My ‘death’ pushed her over the edge and all the feelings of loneliness that my love was holding back in her mind… All the jealously… All the rage… It manifested and she became Nightmare Moon. Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to seal Nightmare Moon into Luna’s moon, and Celestia has ruled alone ever since. I woke up the next morning in what was left of the hospital wing of the castle while the staff was starting to evacuate the castle. I gave that nurse quite a fright when I asked her why I wasn’t in my room.”

Anon smiled weakly. “I suppose that would scare anyone if they thought you came back from the dead. What happened next?”

Midnight continued. “Celestia was informed of my resurrection and with my help, we magically built a new castle in a day. Canterlot Castle on the Canter Mountain. The city of Canterlot that formed around the new castle took much longer to build, of course. I helped relocate the staff and the castles more important supplies, Celestia opting to leave behind more than she really wanted to. I think she couldn’t bear to remove more than absolutely necessary because of the memories they would invoke. She gave me my retirement pension as an annual allowance and allowed me to build my current home where it is now. I’ve trained for centuries in how to defeat Nightmare Moon without killing her, but I’m not sure I can do it. Underneath that black armor is my love… and I don’t believe I could harm her any more than I could harm you.”

Anon was lost in thought. “What about the Elements of Harmony? Can’t they be used to purify her? Or re-imprison her?”

Midnight sighed. “The Elements were tied to both sisters. Celestia only had natural control over three of the six. Bending all of them to her will broke her bond to the elements. If she had more control over all six of them, she could have purified the darkness in Luna 1,000 years ago and this wouldn’t be happening now. The elements lost all of their power and turned into stone. An Alicorn could, probably, wield all six, but it would better to find six ponies, one of each virtue, to wield them and restore harmony. I believe that Celestia has been doing that. Trying to place the pieces and hoping that they come together with a few carefully planned nudges. We want to purify Luna. We don’t really want to send her back to the moon. Not again.”

Anon felt a tear roll down her face. “I see. So… were you afraid to love because you’re hoping to reclaim what you lost? Do you still want to marry her?”

Midnight snorted. “I’m afraid to love because that potion made me ageless. Everything I love… dies eventually. I could marry Celestia but that wouldn’t be right considering I was engaged to Luna first. If we are able to save Luna… she may still be willing to marry me but to be honest… I’m not really her stallion anymore and I haven’t been in quite some time. I was telling the truth when I told you I wanted to marry you, Anon. My heart feels the love I have for you, but I was afraid to say it or share it knowing that I might not survive my battle with Nightmare Moon. I have to be pragmatic if nothing else. But, if I’m willing to play Tartarus’ advocate, despite my love for you, I have very little holding me to this world. Believe it or not, soldiers fight better when they have something to fight for. I just… don’t have much. I care nothing for wealth. My house is ‘quaint’ by the standards of the Canterlot upper crust but it’s more than enough for me. All I have left is my duty… and if Luna can be returned to her proper place, I won’t even have that anymore.”

Anon swallowed her tears and gasped, trying to hold back more tears. “If I can find you a reason to live… will you fight for your life as if you have to right to enjoy it?”

Midnight gasped, shocked at the question. “…Yes. If you can create a miracle of some kind to reenforce my will to live… I will live… for you.”

Anon stood up and Midnight stood up beside her. She looked deeply into his silver eyes and then closed hers, leaned in, and whispered. “I swear on my life… I’ll find a reason.”

With nothing else to say, she wrapped her arms around his neck and started to cry. He held her softly, nuzzling her face and wrapped a set of big beautiful black wings around her. Anon didn’t understand what was happening at first, she just knew that she was warm and deeply loved. When her tears dried, she pulled back, and gasped, jaw practically hitting the ground.

“…Y… You… You’re an Alicorn?”

Midnight smiled sheepishly. “I have been for about 1000 years. Luna’s potion didn’t just make me ageless… it transformed me… I guess I had to ‘die’ to transcend. Even Celestia doesn’t know. I keep my wings hidden under my illusion magic. I suppose I will have to come clean about it someday, in the meantime, it’s our little secret.”

Anon swallowed, suddenly understanding the ramifications of such knowledge. “I know I can keep it… I just hope I don’t have to for long. In the meantime… I’m on a quest to find you a reason to fight. A reason to live.”

Midnight snorted, amused. “Go right ahead… if you need some help, I’ll be in the master bedroom taking a nap.”

Anon giggled. “You take a lot of naps for a pony that doesn’t really need to.”

He shrugged and hid his wings under his illusion magic again. “I suppose that goes back to hiding what I am and keeping up appearances. A pony my age should be sleeping half the day. Besides? What would I do with myself if I stayed awake? Work? Pfft. Boring.”

Anon laughed loudly as they walked back to the house. Midnight went to the bedroom for his nap and Anon headed to the one place she was sure would help her.

She was off to Sweet Apple Acres.