The Dark Mirror Saga: Book 1: The Tale of the Last Caribou

Twilight sat on her throne, surrounded by her friends, the Princesses, her brother, and even Sunset Shimmer, who knew the potential threat of these ‘caribou’ was something she couldn’t overlook for the sake of her new home. The lavender alicorn sighed deeply, heavily, unable to stop trembling gently as she gathered enough strength to speak once more.

As expected, the more sensible among her friends were crying wrecks, Pinkie’s mane and tail were deflated, Fluttershy was being hugged by Luna, softly crying into her coat, while the rest looked puzzled, disgusted, furious, and bewildered at the same time.

“T-That’s all I could endure. I’m sorry… I knew from the start I wouldn’t like what he had to tell me but I had to know… for our sake,” Twilight said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What are you apologizing for, Twilight?” Said Sunset, eyes narrowed angrily. “If I were in your shoes, I would’ve pummeled that fucking asshole until my hands broke. Seriously, he admits fucking up so much and now cries about it? Fuck him and his kind. He doesn’t deserve our pity.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, my dear Sunset,” Celestia replied. “I can’t see the actions of Dainn as anything less than those of a conquering despot, a slaver, and a mad stallion. He acted as a tyrant through and through, and yet… it is clear that he was being directed, manipulated, and his goals altered oh so subtly from the very start. Trust me, he is not blameless, and I believe his fate is well deserved, but I know corruption when I see it and he… was thoroughly corrupted. By what? I cannot say. But this Dainn Twilight met and talks with is not the same Dainn that conquered that Equestria.”

“It still isn’t right!” Sunset protested. “He got what was coming to him, he practically shat on the Spirit of Harmony, TWICE, and now he feels bad about it. Cry me a fucking river. He doesn’t deserve any pity or a chance of redemption.”

“Who says he wants either?” Starlight interjected. “I nearly doomed us all. His Equestria is eerily similar to…,” she glanced at Twilight, both sharing a quick shudder along with Spike, “to something I’d rather forget. I got a second chance even though I deserved none. He… Dainn doesn’t sound like he wants to redeem himself. He hates himself and hates what he’s done and hates what he has to endure. He embraces his sentence as much as he hates it… it’s hard not to feel pity for him.”

“Not to mention his corruption. His goal to save his people was noble and his initial outlook was, in my opinion, exactly what his people needed. A change from the lifestyle and traditions that doomed them in the first place. That collective mentality of “the Strong Rule, the Weak Obey” only worked to their detriment,” Cadance added, reaching a hoof that her husband took. A coy smile spread on her lips before continuing. “If anything, I was the one that failed.”

Shining Armor scoffed. “I could’ve sworn I was going to be the one getting corrupted first… I wish that was the case, Caddy.”

Cadance shook her head. “No. The fault is -or rather, was- that Cadance’s alone to burden. If we are so similar, or worse, weaker than those versions of us, then it is our responsibility to grow stronger and stop being so complacent. It seems I’ll need to focus on my mental fortitude, doesn’t it?”

“As we all, my love,” Shining Armor agreed, nuzzling his wife. “I still recoil at the thought of the time Chrysalis had me under her hoof. We need to get stronger, be better, and stop relying on my little sister to save the day,” he half-joked, but no one present was in the mood to laugh. “Serious time now, though. I am impressed by that caribou, Oksho--”

“You are impressed by a rapist that collects mares as trophies?” Asked Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m impressed by his warrior spirit and level-headedness. His culture was different than ours and abhorrent, no questions asked. But he clearly understood what honor was and his mind wasn’t filled with hatred, just… misguided concepts. Didn’t you hear his warnings and the way he carried himself? Few soldiers can boast to have such conviction.”

“On that, we agree, my dear nephew-in-law,” Luna added, nodding. “Some say honor is worthless, but honor and duty can mold someone into an extraordinary creature. This Oksho was one of those few: first scene as a brutish beast, then revealed to be an honorable warrior and, dare say I, a voice of reason that Dainn sorely lacked.”

“He sure as Tartarus would’ve made a better right-hand companion than that bastard, Ivangri, or the depraved Vestri. Such a shame Dainn lacked the conviction to sit him at his side,” Shining Armor added, frowning. “Besides, I must agree with you, Celestia. Dainn had every card stacked against him. Starting with his mentor, Svarndagr, molding him into a stag unable to stand up for himself or put his hoof down. His view of himself, that of being more female than male, according to his own views, was spot on. Doesn’t excuse him… but it makes it clear he didn’t have the spine to be a ruler or even to hold command of anything at all. The only thing his mentor was right about was his warning regarding traitors… and I feel we are going to be seeing plenty more examples in the future.”

“It doesn’t help that he had venomous snakes among his council,” Twilight spat, angrier at the council than at Dainn. Then, she blinked. “Shining, did you check what I asked for?”

“I did. I personally reviewed every guard in every branch, but couldn’t find anypony by the name of Orestes. That doesn’t even sound like a pony name. Not here, anyways,” he frowned, going deep into thought. “I’ll have to check, just in case, the mental stability of our officers…”

“Don’t you think we are being a bit too paranoid about a pony that probably doesn’t even exist in our world?” Rarity asked, cleaning her mascara. “I mean, the caribou thankfully do not exist here. Why should this Orestes pony do so?”

“Perhaps. But wouldn’t you feel better confirming that we’re safe from such a threat rather than being lax about it?” Shining countered and everyone was silent, knowing he was speaking the truth.

“I still don’t like it,” Sunset Shimmer protested, although less loudly than before. “But… at least that fuckward is taking responsibility for his actions despite wanting to die so badly,” she shuddered. “I fucked up pretty badly myself, I admit, but what I did was like a kindergarten prank compared to what he did.”

“Your vocabulary is certainly… expressive, Sunset,” Celestia commented, offering a nervous smile.

“Human vocabulary is quite expressive… and contagious. It feels so good to curse like they do when the situation merits it,” Twilight interjected.

Nodding, Sunset leaned back on her sofa and hummed. “ ‘A weak ruler is an easily controlled puppet’, or something like that. Human history is bloody, let me tell you, and they have a quote for everything. I think that one fits Dainn’s situation perfectly. He was a pathetic, weak, easily-manipulatable fool of a king. Reminds me a lot of Korean emperors, actually,” at the puzzled expressions of all but Twilight, she waved a hoof around. “Human thing, don’t worry about it.”

“I’m more concerned about his immortality,” Fluttershy finally spoke, sniffing. “The p-poor dear… I cannot imagine his suffering, having to live every day in a dead world with nothing to keep him company, unable to die, unable to leave…”

A sudden, somber shadow fell upon everyone and all eyes turned to the four present immortals in the room. Luna coughed after several seconds of icy silence. “Dainn… he speaks the truth. Immortality is both a blessing and a curse.”

“I must admit I… never considered the darker implications of immortality. I’ve always steeled myself even when my friends passed away, but the knowledge that they were in a better place, at peace, and content always soothed my heart. I’ve lived for over four thousand years, so has Luna, and not once have I ever considered if I would find myself in such a situation.”

“Nothing lasts forever, not even friendship as far as we know. But an immortal? Where is the line drawn for one such as us?” Luna muttered. “Will we die one day after untold ages pass in solitude and pain? Or shall we simply die as mortals do, still surrounded by those we cherish?”

“When mortals ask questions about their existence they ask us, but who do we turn to when we have such questions?” Twilight asked, sighing. “Dragons… dragons live forever… but they can be killed, they can die,” she looked at Spike, who in turn looked up to her, smiling. “What about us? Can we… can we give up our immortality once the pain of losing so many friends, family, and loved ones becomes overwhelming, do we become unfeeling, uncaring jaded beings just to cope with the pain, or do we end up like Dainn?”

“...Immortality sure as heck sounds less appealing when you put it like that,” Applejack commented. “I’d like to stick around for a long time, but to live forever? Nah, I don’t want that.”

“Live your life to the fullest! The time you enjoyed wasting ain’t no time wasted at all! That’s what my dad always says. I think… I think I really understand him now,” Rainbow said, smiling softly.

Cadance said nothing, only stared at Shining Armor for long moments, flashes of their life so far passing in front of her eyes and how their love took the form of their precious Flurry Heart. “Even… even if I live forever, I’d still have Flurry Heart with me. But I don’t want to lose you, Shining. I love you, with all my heart. I don’t want another husband.”

“Caddy… I… I don’t know what to say,” Shining replied before smooching his wife’s cheek lovingly.

“I do,” Cadance turned to face Celestia with a quizzical look in her eyes. “Auntie… no, Celestia. Mare to mare, alicorn to alicorn, tell me, are all alicorns truly meant to be only mares? Because if it is, then that’s incredibly sexist, don’t you think? Shining Armor would make an excellent alicorn prince! Even Dainn -this current Dainn- vouched for his capabilities, which, I might add, are plentiful and numerous!” She protested, not noticing she made her husband blush from all the praise he got.

Celestia and Luna stared at each other a few seconds, then turned to their niece. “We… don’t know, actually. It is as Twilight explained to Dainn. I don’t control the process, I just oversee that the transformation goes smoothly, such as was in your case, Cadance. There have been candidates, stallion candidates, that is, that we saw the potential to achieve ascension but none reached it. Not even Starswill the Bearded. I’m sorry, that is the best explanation I can grant you.”

“We have theorized that every pony has a spark of ascension within them, some shine more than others, but to set such a spark ablaze elude us. Before Nightmare Moon took over me, we failed to see any pony ascend. Not even ponies such as Amore, Sombra -although he found other ways to… achieve great powers-, our teacher, Starswill, and countless others. Celestia’s program of ‘Faithful Students’ was no more than a list of exceptionally talented young ponies who, hopefully, could ascend in the future. Sunset Shimmer was a worthy candidate, for example, but it wasn’t until you ascended, Cadance, that we saw the first ascension since our births. Then came Twilight Sparkle and then Flurry Heart,” Luna continued, filling in the blanks.

“Even now, we see that potential in Shining Armor, yes, and also in Starlight Glimmer. But out of thousands of candidates, only two have truly achieved it,” Celestia concluded, sighing at the end. “You can see how our knowledge on such a field is… incomplete, to say the least.”

“Then that does it,” Shining replied, grinning widely. “I’ll find a way to ascend. I’ll become an alicorn and I won’t leave my beautiful wife alone, not my darling daughter.”

“Uhmmm, question?” Pinkie Pie, her mood more or less restored, asked while Cadance blushed madly and nuzzled her husband as if her life depended on it. “Why you don’t have foals?” She asked, pointing at the royal sisters. “Come on, start making baby alicorns!”

Blushing, Luna looked away, ashamed, while Celestia covered her face behind her mane. “I… uhhh… I’ve tried. No luck so far.”

“...I’m too busy for romance, I can’t leave my little ponies defenseless. My job requires all of my time, and, ehem… t-that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried, mind you,” Celestia replied, blushing brighter than a shiny apple.

“Defenseless my flank!” Luna protested, scoffing. “What are you going to protect them against? A monster made out of cake? Because that’s the only foe I’ve seen you defeat at every meal! ‘I thought she was a warrior queen’ HA! I say, HA!” Turning to everyone else with a shit-eating grin, she continued. “Did you know she’s deadly afraid of chickens?”

“It can’t be worse than being scared by ladybugs and snakes,” Spike commented sarcastically, but Twilight didn’t react while the rest of the ponies present fought to not laugh at the expense of the two princesses.

“H-Have you seen their eyes!? There’s only murder behind those black marvels, I tell you!” Celestia protested, blushing in embarrassment. “And you know well enough that I don’t like fighting! I haven’t picked up my sword in over six centuries!”

“HA! It shows! Your flank has expanded at least three times its size before Nightmare Moon was banished! Do you even work out anymore, Celestia? Or are you too busy trying to see if you can choke on cake?” Flaunting her mane, she stood up to showcase her pristine figure. With a flex of her wings and haunches, her muscles were clear to see: perfectly shaped and molded over countless hours of routine and exercise. “Behold mine body, a temple of fitness and health! I battle with my axe and blades, mine sister battles with her knife and fork!”

Smirking, Shining turned his gaze toward his wife with a knowing look and wriggling eyebrows.

Cadance frowned and put a hoof over his lips. “Don’t you dare!”

“Daaaare what, my flabby, wobbly pudding pie?” Shining asked innocently while he flexed his sculpted, muscular frame. “You’re not feeling… self-conscious, right? Not after skipping your workout session for another cheat snack, riiiight?”

Cadance’s eyes grew wide in horror. “Y-You knew?”

“Baby, please, who do you think runs the logistics in the castle? I know it aaaaaaaall,” Shining teased, further embarrassing his wife.

“I don’t even need a workout routine! My day-to-day is filled with enough work to make up for it!” Celestia countered, slamming her forehooves on the table in indignation. “Unlike you, I’m not addicted to unnecessary training just to--”

“Unnecessary?” Twilight asked all of a sudden, the dryness of her voice cutting through the jovial atmosphere like a hot knife through butter. “Did you say unnecessary, Princess Celestia? Funny,” looking up, her eyes were filled with what could only be described as a shattered faith, “because I think you, of all ponies, could use plenty of training.”

“Twilight!” Rarity and Fluttershy gasped while Applejack whistled, Rainbow chuckled, and the rest looked at her with gawking expressions.

“Oh, you don’t believe me? Tell me, Celestia, when was the last time you actually defended Equestria on your own, hmm? When was the last fucking time you got off your fat ass and actually acted like the shining beacon of protection I always saw you as?” She scoffed again amidst the deafening silence around her. “At least Dainn was spot on in one thing: we alicorns are pathetic. What good use is our immortality, our powers, if we can be so easily defeated or taken out of the picture?”

“N-Now Twilight, I think that’s quite eno--” Luna tried to interject, but a magical flare from the irate alicorn silenced her.

“And YOU, Luna, what good is all that boasting when you can be so easily fooled and overpowered? Where is your prowess? Where is your power? I felt it. I wielded it. Why did you hold back, Celestia!? You could’ve ended Chrysalis if you wanted to! Was it all an act!? A part of your master plan to make me ascend!? Did you gamble with our lives and that of Equestria!?”

“Twilight, please, it’s not like th-”

“THEN EXPLAIN, DAMN YOU! Explain to me how the most powerful being on the fucking planet right under Discord can be so easily defeated!? Nightmare Moon I can understand, Discord, sure. But Chrysalis!? Trusting Discord instead of taking Tirek out yourself? Sombra!? You… You have been negligent at best and incompetent at worst, Celestia! For fucks sake, Tempest, a mere unicorn with a broken horn bested you! She almost bested all of us! And why!? Because we took our eyes off her! She taught me that lesson, to never take your eyes off your enemy, no matter who they may be.”

“Twilight--”

“NO! FUCK HER! We’ve been lucky all these years! She--- She should’ve done more! Shown she has the right to be a Princess! All of us! We don’t deserve our status or power! Friendship… friendship has saved us, yes, but we always relied on it… just like Dainn and the caribou relied on their enchantment to win every single fucking time! We should be better, we must do better! Become better! Always praise and live by the teachings of Harmony and Friendship, but stop relying on their power to always come up on top! What’s next? A sociopathic foal with a god complex eradicating all magic from Equestria? At this rate, I fear that’s exactly what’s going to happen!”

Panting heavily and glaring at her former teacher, who wore an expression of pure hurt and shame, she pointed an accusatory hoof at her. “Where. Were. You?”

“I… I have no excuse,” Celestia replied after a silence that seemed to extend for several hours sunk into the room. “It is only now, when facing our… no, MY shortcomings that I now realize I’ve failed as a Princess and as a protector of the realm. What good does power do if we don’t have the will to use it in the defense of those closest to us?” Closing her eyes for a moment, she continued. “I think… I think this is the reason why that Equestria fell. They were as complacent, inept, and weak as we are now. Was it any surprise that Dainn and his people, a strong and battle-hardened people with the will to fight for their ideals, twisted as they were, proved victorious over a weak-willed people?”

“The Strong Rule… the Weak Obey,” Cadance enunciated. “But in their case, who was truly strong? The caribou… or their damnable enchantment? The… Sickness, Dark Taint, or whatever other name Dainn gave it?”

“As we are complacent in the power of Friendship and Harmony, they were complacent in their enchantment,” Luna added, sighing deeply. “We’ve become weak and reliant on a power not rightfully our own. It is just as Oksho warned Dainn. Are we truly wiser than him? I believe we are not.”

Celestia opened her eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks. “I… I apologize, Twilight. I failed you, my ponies, my sister… everypony. I failed everypony. I… I should’ve--”

*Clang*

The echoing sound shut every other sound and all eyes moved to the source of the noise. Everypony present saw a beautifully crafted necklace bouncing mid-air, spinning as it did, before landing on the table once more only for it to slowly begin rolling, swaying from side to side; nearly toppling over several times but always turning to the side to continue rolling almost as if moved by an invisible hand.

Everyone watched it with wide-open eyes, unable to blink in fear of missing any detail of its trajectory. The necklace rolled slowly, simulating a wounded animal or creature desperately trying to crawl to safety. Then, it suddenly stopped when it finally hit a white wall. Celestia’s right forehoof. It shone and for just a fraction of a second, it glowed and shimmered intensely, tempting everyone watching it to pick it up.

Twilight was the first to blink, then, slow enough to hear her spine creak, she turned to her left and looked down to her saddle bag… her open saddle bag… the same saddle bag she clearly remembered closing and securing. The same saddle bag she had placed the necklace in for safekeeping. Returning her attention to the necklace, she finally found the strength to speak once more. “...h-he wasn’t kidding. It really seems to have a mind of its own. H-How did it…”

“It’s… it’s gorgeous,” Celestia muttered, her tears stopped as she admired the beautiful necklace. “Dear goodness, it’s the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen in my life. Is this… is this the necklace you mentioned, Twilight?”

“T-That’s the one. I was waiting for a better moment to show it myself but… I think it decided to show itself. But how? It’s not a magical artifact… it shouldn’t be possible and yet… it happened right in front of my eyes,” Twilight replied, her anger diminished and then forgotten. “P-Princess Celestia… I’m terribly sorry for what I--”

“No. Do not apologize for speaking the truth, Twilight. My most Faithful Student. It seems the student has taught the teacher a most valuable lesson. To all of us,” Celestia praised, struggling to take her eyes off the stunningly beautiful necklace. “It’s… breathtaking, Twilight.”

“May I see it closer?” Cadance asked, reaching for it with a hoof. With a nod from Celestia and Twilight, she grabbed it and examined it closely. A few seconds later, a gasp escaped her lips. “Oh my… Twilight, did you say that Dainn made it as a reward for his Celestia being a good, obedient pet?” The alicorn nodded. “That is the fattest and biggest pile of bullshit, excuse my language, I’ve ever heard in my entire life,” using her magic, she levitated it to the middle of the table, so that everyone could see it clearly.

“Twilight, I’m the Princess of Love and it only took me mere seconds to see through it. This heartfelt gift doesn’t whisper affection or praise. It screams I LOVE YOU to the four winds and beyond. Twilight,” she turned to her sister-in-law, blushing, in tears, and with a mix of pain, regret, and hurt reflected in her eyes, “Dainn… Dainn loved that dimension’s Celestia with all his heart and tried to express it in any way he could. He fell in love with her. Hard. Deeply. Sincerely. I… I don’t know what to say other than the truth.”

“You have got to be joking,” Sunset mumbled, unable to believe what she was hearing.

“Fantastic! Just what this already sad tale needed: a tragic love story!” Rarity cried out.

“Is it really? That Celestia was either corrupted or turned into a slave… I don’t know how love could be possible under their circumstances,” Applejack countered. “I say that ain’t nothing more than a big pile of manure… but if Cadance says its love, then its love. That’s the honest truth. Tartarus, I can see it on the dang thing myself.”

“Well, the tyrant Dainn certainly has his heart telling us otherwise. I can feel and see how much love he poured into it. It's like a weaponsmith pouring their heart and soul into their greatest weapon when crafting it. There’s no difference here. This was crafted with so much love that it outshines the gold and the gems it was crafted with,” Cadance said, praising the necklace. “Sweetness. So much sweetness and joy. I can only imagine what he went through or how many times he tried to achieve this goal. This isn’t the result you achieve easily.”

“I’ll ask him when I see him again,” Twilight promised as she noticed Celestia was unable to keep her eyes away from it. “Celestia?”

“...Twilight, this may be unbecoming of me but, do you think that, perhaps… may I try it?” Celestia asked softly, fearing to receive an answer. It wasn’t a command nor a veiled request, but a heartfelt soliciting permission.

“I… guess? But you can’t keep it. He implored me to take it back and I plan on delivering that promise,” Twilight replied as the aura around the necklace shifted from baby blue to golden. She watched with a sinking feeling of trepidation as Celestia removed her usual torc, revealing her pristine white neck. Then, slowly, she put on the ornate, shining necklace.

When the final clasp echoed in the silent room, Celestia gasped audibly and fresh tears fell from her eyes. The necklace itself fit her neck a bit awkwardly, since it was obviously not meant to be worn by pony physiognomy, but that didn’t take away from just how utterly perfect she looked with it. Which made it all that more confusing as to why she was crying.

Luna gasped, wings expanding, body trembling, and voice shaking with dread. “O-Oh no… sister… please tell me you aren’t--”

“N-No,” Celestia replied, further confusing everyone else. “I can feel it. By Harmony’s sake, I can feel it so clearly,” she said, wrapping her wings around herself at the same time. “I can hear it. The distant whispers and the cold touch of a long-lost spirit embracing me. Dainn… poured his heart and soul into this necklace. I can feel it oh so clearly. A sad, lonely, pained soul longing for acceptance, love, and companionship. I--” she tried to continue, but she couldn’t. Words rasped at her throat as an immense sadness enveloped her. The sadness of unrequited love, guilt, and redemption not meant to be achieved.

“That’s quite enough, I believe,” Luna said, reaching out for Celestia’s neck. The alabaster alicorn removed her wings, revealing the necklace in full. She wouldn’t fight to keep it, that much was obvious and Luna was thankful he sister remained herself. “I was afraid you developed romantic feelings towards Dainn, sister. Now, give me the--what the?” Luna blinked, confused when she tugged at the necklace and it gingerly slipped from her hoof, as if she hadn’t grasped it all. She reached for it again, this time putting more effort into it, but the same thing happened. “Celestia…”

“I-I’m not doing anything, I swear,” Celestia replied, also surprised by Luna’s inability to grab hold of the necklace.

“Let me try,” Twilight said and her horn began to glow. A lavender aura appeared around the collar… only for it to break apart a second later without explanation. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me. It’s not even anti-magical,” Twilight muttered, eyeing the necklace with increasing worry.

“It doesn’t want to let go,” Shining Armor quipped. “Would you let go of the thing you cherished more than anything easily? If you could have your library back, Twily, would you be willing to give it up without fighting back?” Silence returned for a moment before he chuckled. “You said it seemed like the necklace had a mind of its own? I believe that’s the case… like an artifact yet at the same time it isn’t. Curious. Quite curious is it not?”

“It really was meant to be for Celestia,” Rarity said, getting up and walking behind the white princess. Try as she may, she couldn’t undo the simple clasp holding it together. A sad yet loving smile spread across her lips as she stop trying to remove it only for Luna to keep trying to remove it by force; unable to even grasp it for more than a second before it magically slipped out of her hooves. “I’m afraid it won’t come off easily now that it is where it’s meant to be. Gems are beautiful yet capricious. And such a gift? Even more so.”

Cadance choked for a moment, unable to contain herself any longer. “I… I believe Dainn made that necklace and unknowingly put the last shreds of his uncorrupted soul into it,” she said, also in tears at the tragedy of the situation finally dawned upon the entire group. “Look at it. The necklace is shining so brightly, so warmly. It belongs to you, auntie.”

Celestia remained silent before pushing her sister away and considered her niece’s words for a few moments… then, gently and carefully, fearing that she would harm it in any way, she reached behind her neck with her hooves and with a simple metallic cling and a shift, the necklace’s hold was easily undone. Her horn came to life, surrounding the necklace before levitating it back to Twilight’s care. The alicorn nearly collapsed forward, worrying everyone. “I-I can feel it reaching to me still, a warm yet cold embrace longing to never let go; just like a child unwilling to let go of its mother’s warmth and loving care.”

Shaking her head, she remained resolute. “As beautiful as it is… as much as I want to keep it for myself… despite how much it hurts to give it back… t-t-this gift doesn’t belong to me. It was made not for me, but for that dimension’s Celestia. I’m so sorry, beautiful heartfelt gift, but I hold no claim over you, nor you should settle for another not your original rightful owner.”

As she placed the necklace on Twilight's outstretched hooves, it visibly dimmed, losing instantly the ethereal sheen it had been displaying since it touched Celestia. Even the gold and gems, always radiant and beautiful, reflected hurt and sadness. Celestia had to look away in pain while Cadance was barely able to form words as Twilight placed it into her saddlebag once more.

“I can hear it… it’s crying. Rejected. Lonely. Longing. And yet… understanding. It really does contain Dainn’s true feelings; the last pure fragments of his heart and soul,” unable to keep going, she launched herself at her husband’s embrace, crying bitterly against his chest.

After several long minutes of icy silence, Sunset broke it once the crying died down and everyone regained their composure. “Alright… that necklace just shat all over everything I thought about Dainn. Jesus Christ, what in the world did that guy have to go through?”

“Changed your mind about his fate and punishment?” Shining asked softly while caressing his wife’s mane.

“Hell no. He was a spineless bastard through and through and got what he very well deserved… but now I can’t say he was purely evil. No one capable of making something like that is entirely evil so… fuck, so why can’t things be more white and black? I suck at dealing with shades of gray…,” Sunset sighed, crossing her forelegs.

“L-Let’s focus on the biggest dilemma at hoof, shall we? Namely speaking, our own weakness and shortcomings,” Celestia began, leaning forth taking the initiative. “We have to grow stronger on our own merits. Sharpen our talents, and our strengths and make up for our weaknesses by getting better at them.”

“I have to agree, auntie,” Cadance followed suit, frowning and taking off her tiara. “Our subjects trust us with their safety and lives. Their praise and love us. We must do better and go beyond our own expectations,” setting her tiara down on the table, she looked everyone in the eye with absolute resolution. “We must be more than a symbol. We have to act the part and earn our status.”

“Now I feel like a complete fool for badmouthing Blueblood,” Luna sighed. “He may be pampered and stubborn, but he keeps the nobles in check and tends to his duties with exemplary diligence. I believe I owe him an apology.”

“He’s really a sweet stallion once you get to know him, Princess Luna. Trust me, I should know. After our little fiasco, we became great friends in no small part thanks to Fancy Pants,” Rarity chimed in.

“Does that mean that we have to become stronger, too? I-I don’t like hurting others,” Fluttershy asked with a crestfallen expression.

“Not all of us are fit for combat, but we can become stronger in our own ways, Fluttershy. Your kindness and steadfast nature are your strengths. I think that among us, you are the strongest even if you don’t accept it,” Rainbow said, hugging her foalhood friend close.

“Rainbow being humble and not taking the spotlight? When is Tirek coming back? Or are we getting invaded by Windigoes this time?” Applejack joked, earning a few chuckles from everyone, even the cyan pegasus.

“Then it is settled. We won’t change overnight, but we’ve taken the first step in the right direction. Is there anything more that you’d wish to share with us regarding your visit, Twilight?” Celestia asked, unable to let her eyes drift towards the saddlebag every now and again for a split second.

“...now that I think about it, yes. Before I share with you something I heard before returning, I want you to go through a mental exercise,” her horn glowed and several sheets of paper and pencils floated onto the table. “I want you to draw how you imagine Dainn looks like. No, not the young one but rather the Dainn I’m speaking with. The real one. When you’re done, return it to me face down.”

Everyone nodded, not understanding why Twilight wanted to go through her experiment but humoring her anyways. After five minutes of scribbling and drawing, one by one began to return their pieces until, in the end, Luna was the last to give it.

“Alright! Let’s see what we have here. First is Rainbow Dash,” turning over the drawing, the mess of scribbles was hardly a work of art but it sufficed enough for her to groan. “Rainbow, I told you to draw the real Dainn, not your vision of the young one. And this isn’t even him, this is his mentor, Svarndagr,” she said, showing a muscular, robbed, but creepy-looking caribou that would tower even above Celestia.

“Wait, really? Huh… I may have mixed them up?”

“Goes to show that most dimwits would easily confuse one for the other, huh?” Rarity deadpanned.

“...did you just call me stupid?” Rainbow asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Moi? No, no, no, darling. I’m just saying that you are a foremost example of those with lacking mental capabilities regarding the fields of memorization and differentiation,” Rarity replied with a grin.

“Oh! Cool! I guess? Huh… I kinda feel praised and insulted at the same time, though…”

Twilight sighed, shaking her head. “Next is Fluttershy’s. Oh? Hmmm, I think this is acceptable though he looks more like a ghost here,” Fluttershy only blushed in response and Twilight turned the next sheet over. “Shining, you are… how should put it? Close yet wrong. He still looks like a warrior. Something he never was.”

“Dang it.”

“Next one… Luna’s. Same problem as Shining’s depiction and you made him a lot taller. Rarity, you certainly gave him too much credit, he looks very alive. Pinkie Pie… you only draw a robe with eyes?” The pink mare shrugged. “Sunset--oh, what the hell is this?” She said, showing a drawing that belonged more to a nightmare than reality. Jagged, protruding fangs, giant, deformed antlers, mouths gaping within the robe, multiple arms grafted on his back, and lifeless eyes. Everyone shuddered and turned to stare at Sunset for long moments.

“...I’ve been playing a lot of horror games as of late,” was her only excuse as Twilight sighed.

Turning the next sheet over, Twilight stared at her sister-in-law unamused. “Cadance, I think you’re giving Dainn too much credit here,” she said, turning over the sheet to show an old-looking guy but one that could still be considered handsome. “Starlight, you’re actually… the closest so far but he just looks like a frail old stallion. Applejack’s is… uhmmm… why does he look like a scarecrow?” The apple farmer merely shrugged. “Spike, wow, that’s pretty good, actually, but still too big and way too thin, he looks like a twig, no offense. Finally… Celestia’s drawing,” flipping over the last sheet, her depiction of Dainn was similar to Starlight’s, but her drawing transmitted a sense of loneliness that the real Dainn always exuded. “Not bad but not quite there either. You captured some of the aura he gives out, though,” she praised before exhaling a long, tired breath.

“Wow… either I’ve been doing a bad job describing him or it’s harder to draw him than I thought,” a tug at her side made her turn to Spike, giving her a blank piece of paper and a pencil.

“Why don’t you show us what he looks like since you’re the only one that’s actually seen him, hmm?” Spike said in a sardonic tone.

She was about to take the utensils when she suddenly remembered something and groaned in frustration. “Uggghhh! Idiot! Of course! Why didn’t I think about it sooner?” Turning to her friends and family, she continued despite their puzzled expressions. “Remember when I said describing him hardly made him justice? Well, this is the same. You are all way off from the actual Dainn and I think I would be, too, if I draw him. So, as the human saying goes: seeing is believing, right? Let me show you what I’ve seen.”

Closing her eyes, she focused inwardly and peered into the depths of her mind. Her search was quick and soon her horn flickered before shooting a beam of light that expanded above her head until it formed a square showing a frozen static image of none other than Dainn staring at her.

“Sweet Celestia!”

“Oh my goodness!”

“By Harmony’s sake!”

“T-That’s can’t be real… right?”

Several expressions and exclamations of unbelief showered Twilight for over a minute as the gathered ponies got their first glance at the true Dainn. Twilight opened her eyes and looked up. Pity returned to her when she saw Dainn’s veiled face; only glimpsing his mouth but that was enough for her. She was projecting her own memory and that was all she needed. Everything was exactly as she remembered and more: it was an unbiased reality seen through her eyes, without downplaying or exaggerating anything. Only a cruel, sad reality is shown and made flesh.

The very glimpse of his void-like mouth and cracked lips; parched through centuries of not drinking anything. How the rest of his face was shadowed by his hood, revealing only his nearly unblinking blue, icy, devoid-of-life-spark eyes. How heavy those eyes were to her friends and family? Even though they were seeing reality, they were watching only a memory. A far cry from the real thing Dainn had become, but more than enough to let them understand why she both hated the stag and pitied him twice as much. They saw his skeletal hands, bones protruding as an ash-like translucent skin clung to them, giving him a grotesque undead-like appearance despite being alive yet dead inside.

They were all seeing the half-dead thing the caribou that had brought ruination to his dimension had become, and all they could feel was nothing more than profound pity. Even the most vociferous among them couldn’t hold on to their rightful hatred when they saw the state the caribou was in.

“...he really does speak wisdom when he warned us about the downsides of immortality. I would not wish to share such an outcome,” Luna said, breaking the palpable, eerie silence that formed once the cries of outrage, fear, horror, and skepticism died over, unable to deny the reality staring back at them with lifeless blue eyes.

“Believe it or not, it’s actually worse when you’re standing in front of him. Everything you’re feeling now multiply it by a hundred. That’s the best comparison I can come up with,” Twilight said, flinching slightly as she started to conjure another memory. A more recent one. “Now… when I left Dainn… I… heard something. I don’t exactly know why or how it was possible, but at this point, I’ve stopped trying to make sense of certain things. Here… listen for yourselves.”

Her horn glowed brighter only for a haunting howl of pure agony, misery, guilt, solitude, and sadness to echo all around the room, the castle, and even all over Ponyville. For as long as the howling continued, every creature in Ponyville stopped dead in their tracks, unable to comprehend what they were hearing as their blood threatened to freeze inside their veins if they so much as moved an inch.

“STOP IT! STOP IT STOP IT!” Celestia, of all ponies, cried out in supplication as the howl finished its unholy melody. Twilight obeyed, ending both spells, and watching her former teacher and once-beacon of faith slump on the table, trembling.

“Sister! What’s wrong!?” Luna asked, jumping to her hooves and sitting next to the taller alicorn. Using a wing to comfort her, she gently caressed her neck until Celestia was able to compose herself a minute later.

“S-Such a horrible thing to hear… to listen to my own voice mixed in with Dainn’s in that soul-crushing howl of pure pain… it was more than I could endure,” she explained, shaking in fear.

“So I wasn’t imagining it. Everyone else heard it?” Twilight replied, taken aback but not shocked at all by her teacher’s reaction. She knew it would end up badly from the start.

“It was faint… I wish that was my imagination playing tricks, but no… this raises so many questions I don’t want to ask myself nor at all,” Cadance said, shuddering. Everyone else agreed with her sentiment to some extent.

“Faint? I could hear my counterpart howling as loudly and as bone-chillingly as Dainn’s madness-inducing wretched cries,” the alabaster alicorn replied, shuddering violently for a few seconds before Luna helped her calm down a bit.

“Cadance said it herself: questions that don’t need to be asked nor answered,” Twilight said before standing up on wary, hazy hooves. “I’m… tired. Extremely tired. I’m going to sleep… if anypony needs me, I’ll be in my room. Feel free to take any room if you want to stay…”

Without saying anything else or waiting for an answer, she teleported away.

“...Hey, yah’ll? Call me a nutty squirrel with a loose nut, but I think none of us is gonna be able to get some shut-eye tonight after hearing that…” Applejack commented, shuddering. “I should give ol’ Buckeroo a day off, 'cause I’m gonna be singing tomorrow morning…”

“Yeeeeeaaaahhh… good luck getting some sleep tonight, everypony. I sure ain’t going to. Not after all of that,” Pinkie Pie added, agreeing with her friend/cousin.

Cadance turned to glance up at her husband. She would love him no matter what, even if he couldn’t ascend into alicornhood, she would always treasure and love him. ‘But what will you do once he’s frail, old, and on his deathbed? What good will love do then? You’ll watch him grow old, wither, decay, and die… only to see his remains turn to dust before your ageless gaze. Will you be able to withstand that kind of pain?’ Her subconscious warned her, and she knew at that moment that nightmares would plague her for weeks and months to come.

She wanted to curse Dainn’s name, but all she could do was thank him… for opening her eyes to an ugly truth she had not considered. For now, all they could do was to grow stronger and hope for the best; to forge their paths by their actions and give their all. She stood up, surprising her husband and the two other alicorns before she turned to them.

“An immortal life is a solitary life… his words ring true and they are present in my mind. I don’t know if Shining can ascend, but I will help him ascend into alicornhood no matter what it takes me. I am not going to abandon my husband nor do I wish to spend countless millennia without him; growing bitter and resenting the very thing that makes me who I am. I refuse to let the love of my life die before my eyes years from now. I’d rather soon give up my immortality than live without him. I cannot lose you, Shiny,” she said, smiling at her husband who, in turn, stood next to her.

Celestia nodded and Luna beamed with pride. “It is as we said earlier, my niece. Shining Armor has the potential to ascend. Please, do your best, both of you. If you require our aid, do not hesitate to ask for it.”

“We will be honored to welcome fair Shining Armor as the first stallion to ascend in Equestria, if that is possible,” Luna added.

“May your path shine upon you and all of us, Cadance, Shining Armor. We know our father would be proud of you if you were to achieve such a feat,” Celestia finished, giving the couple their blessings.

“Come, babe, we have much to do and work for,” Shining said, nuzzling his wife and gently ushering her out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Twilight appeared inside her room an instant later, sighing heavily. She flopped herself over her bed and all her muscles screamed bloody murder; exhaustion hit her harder than a punch from Tirek and she suddenly found herself unable to move or cast magic. Not that she cared much at the moment. Her eyes closed and she fell into slumber.

As expected, it was not a pleasant sleep.