Have you ever wondered how many stars dwelled in the eternal abyss known as the cosmic universe? I have. Every night since I was a filly, I would try and count as many as I could. My mother would always fuss over my late night counting. Good memories, truly they were. Sadly the past is exactly as it entails; It's the past and can never be changed. I wish I could go back to those times, those precious moments that I took for granted as most fillies do. To eat watermelon with my mum, to run in the fields of lilies with her until our hooves hurt. I miss her so much. Now as I lay restless in my bed, my memories flooded my thoughts as I gazed at the broken sky above from the tiny window in the ceiling. The stars were dull and listless, their colors resembling burnt peanuts. Every star in the universe had begun to fall. Princess Celestia and Luna had long since passed on and because of it, the moon and sun were both faded to the point of darkness. Crops could not grow as well, and the land soon became barren. All of this was because of him... The same stallion who helped bring me into this world, my father; Lysso.
Thinking back, I wish I could have stopped him. I was such a young filly and couldn't do anything to stop him of his rage and hate. He was one of the oldest alicorns, and because of that, he was the most powerful. He had been sealed away since the dawn of time, not once being able to escape. As time passed and new rulers of Equestria arrived, the seal began to awaken. King Aerios and Queen Melana soon birthed Celestia and Luna, giving them their powers over the sun and moon. More and more years passed and more and more evil seeped into the world, allowing the seal to grow weaker and weaker.
By the time Celestia and Luna stepped down, he had finally been freed. The new rulers of Equestria tried their best to defend Equestria as best as they could. Twilight Sparkle had created her most powerful barrier over the main section of Equestria while Applejack surged her powers through the land, creating a massive wall of nature inside the barrier. Fluttershy rallied all the animals and ponies to stand guard at the walls. Rainbow Dash controlled the weather around Equestria, making it impossible to travel by air. Pinkie Pie and Rarity kept the citizens happy as their world became a prison and tried to keep the food evenly going. All seemed to work fine until he finally made his way to them. As they all fought valiantly, the war soon became one sided. My father overwhelmed them and quickly wiped them out, leaving only remnants of Equestria left. The world was now in his control and he ruled with an iron hoof. Everything was a tyranny. The food was rationed and the citizens controlled. Everyponies life was preplanned, every one of their goal set and their lives set with strings. I gave a low sigh as I sat up from my bed. He had to be stopped. Stretching my wings I floated to the window, wiping my sleepy eyes.
My white hair was messy and poofed, nearly touching the floor. I gave a low yawn and flew into the bathroom, using my magic to levitate a brush to my hair. Stroke by stroke, my ivory hued locks became luscious and bright like the moonlight. "Mm....What Should I do.....What Would mom do?" I muttered, brushing coat smoothly. I kept staring at myself in the mirror, fixating my violet eyes on my necklace. It was a gift from my mom before she had died, resembling two birds around a glass heart. It kept me motivated through out these terrible years. Even after my father found me and imprisoned me in his castle, I stayed strong. As far as I knew, we were the only alicorns left. I had hoped their would be more like me but I could not find any in all my searches. I had slowly gained a resistance in the underground, gathering ponies of all kinds under my wing. We had reached over a hundred members this year and soon we would take him down. I went under the name of Captain Lunis. None of them knew that I was actually Princess Orithyia, and I intended to keep it that way. They never knew what I truly looked like because I always casted an illusion on my appearance; and tonight would be no different. As my icy aura circled my body, my mane became a bright blue that was styled spiky and short, only reaching my shoulders. My coat that was a bright pink with white tipped hooves became a mellow shade of purple with black tipped hooves, and my eyes shifted to a bright shade of yellow.
Finally my wings faded from sight within a few moments making my look complete with the changing of my cutie mark. No longer did I bare my icy cutie mark of a heart incased in ice; Instead, it was a flaming heart of pinks and purples. To most untrained eyes, I was a normal unicorn, with no special talents. However, soon hoof steps echoed through the halls close to my chamber and I gulped, shifting back into my true form to answer the door. With a swift knock and call, I opened the door to answer. "I am present dearest guard, and I am drifting into slumber so may you please leave me be?" I chirped. The guard blinked, his hollow eyes glazed with mind control. He was a normal earth pony that happened to by my main guard. His name was Big Apple and he was the great nephew of the alleged Princess Applejack. He had a bright auburn coat accented with a white mane styled short yet combed over neatly. He had a cutie mark of a giant ambrosia apple with seeds around it. He gave a nod and entered the room, disregarding my comment of slumber. I grumbled and closed the door, allowing him to inspect the rooms for any weapons or anything suspicious. Trotting from room to room, he checked everything completely.
"Clear....." He grumbled, making his way back to the door. I frowned and looked away, remembering when he wasn't so controlled. He was full of laughter and fun, always complementing how I looked and cheering me up. I missed the old Big A but my father would never let him be his old self. I remember one time when he let me sneak out with him to go have a bite to eat. It was so amazing. He had apple cider prepared and a bunch of apples and hay for the meal. The moon was full as we dined. I felt such a connection with him. As the night ended, the last thing I remember was him kissing my cheek and sending me to my room with sweet dreams. Coming back to reality, I noticed him exiting the room without a word, leaving me to my lonely room. After a few moments I gave a huff and casted my spell once more, making my way to my bedroom's mirror. It began to glow like a prism with light cascading it's array of colors all around. "Mirror of hope, never depleting, show me the meeting. " My incantation caused the light to swirl and twist about, forming a rainbow door.
With a smile on my face I dashed into the door, charging my way through the dark hall. As a light started to appear, I slowed down, taking quiet more calm steps. There before the light at the end of the tunnel like hall stood my lieutenant Star Wing. She was the granddaughter of Rainbow Dash. Her locks were white with streaks of all colors while her coat was a snowy white tipped with blue accents. It was styled spiky just like her grandmother but with higher and more crazy like spikes. Her eyes were bright emerald green. As she noticed I arrived she skipped over with glee, her wings barely lifting her off the ground as she skipped. "Heya Lunis, what's the game plan today huh?" She said happily. I smiled warmly and nodded, flying into the corridor. "The first mission went off with a bang, and so now it's time for the next mission. We are going to attack the weapon reserve section A5." As I spoke the news, ponies started to appear from all the doors from the hall. They were all the resistance we had at the moment. Ponies of all races that wanted freedom stood before me, waiting for the new game plan. A little filly padded up to me, smiling with glee. She was wearing a bandanna with the resistance's coat of arms all over it. I giggled and patted her head, heading towards the pedestal. The mic was set and the volume on; It was time.
I took a breath and nodded, ready to speak my announcement. "Last week my dear friends, we succeeded in toppling the main reserve for coal and gems. It went off with a bang thanks to everypony who helped out. Tonight, we have an even bigger goal to cripple the army. We are going to demolish their weapon station in the North and East sides of the walls. Tomorrow it will be the South and West sides.If we succeed, we can finally topple King Lysso. We will free Equestria!!!" I shouted loudly.
The resistance pounded their hooves in excitement, happy to finally rid their world of the tyrant. I flied to to the armory and began to place my armor on. It was tight fitting and made from silk and leather. It was the perfect stealth uniform for the upcoming mission. I placed my hair into Chinese buns and placed my hoof guards on. I was ready. My lieutenant pranced in with a giant gleeful smile and placed hers on, excited to have another mission. "You know, after all this is done, how about we keep our army up? Be the new and better army for the nation you know? We could be called the Freedom Guard!" She chirped with her head held high. She was the most spirited mare I had ever met and she was my closest friend. I soon noticed as she placed her bracers on that her left back leg had been bandaged.
Worried now for her safety I stopped her from dressing in the uniform and set it down on the floor. "Star Wing....I Really think you should stay out of this mission tonight, your not at a hundred percent...." My tone was low and wavered, a sign of my worry. She blinked and shook her head, stretching her leg in and out. "I'm fine see? I'm going to help as much as I can Captain, whether or not I break my body doing it." Her words were pure and full of heart yet I could not allow her to do it. I shook my head and flapped my wings, making my way to the exit. "You are to stay here until further orders Star Wing. That is a direct order." "But Cap--" "No. " She huffed and took off in a mad dash to the exit, leaving the sanctity of our underground fort. Shocked, I tried to follow but my soldiers stopped me, saying that they would go look for her.
I felt bad, so bad in fact that I slumped over and sighed, not knowing what to do. I had to finish the mission tonight or else it would all fall apart. But what would I do if she turned against us? I shook my head, making my way past the guards to find Star Wing. I had to find her, I just had to! The woods above are fort were dark and barren, scorched by dark magic and fire. Nothing living could possibly survive in the climate. I gave a sigh and tried to keep up with her, only seeing a blob of her in the distance. If only I had my wings, I could catch up to her in no time. I gave a sigh and ran as fast as my legs could go, inching closer and closer to her. Blurred images caught the corner of my eyes, causing me to stop in my tracks. I had heard rumors that certain ponies lived through the hellish environment and became savages, only knowing how to fight and kill. Their forms were altered by the land, their manes becoming wisps of power or fur, and their hooves becoming cloven and devil like. They were known as the Fallen Ponies. Whether they bore Pegasus wings or horns of a unicorn, they lost their former selves, now bound by the darkness and sorrow of the earth. I gulped and stood tall, awaiting for the enemies to approach. It was two fallen ponies side by side, almost identical in appearance except for their eyes. Both were males with black coats and red manes streaked with black.
The left one had grey eyes while the right one had black. As they inched closer, I began to notice that their manes were actually scales, as well as most of their bodies excluding their hooves. I readied myself for them, stomping my hoof upon the scorched ground, "What do you two want?" I growled out. They both smiled with glee and trotted around me, circling me for several minutes. "Oh what do you mean Princess?" "Oh yes Princess, tell us. Why do you think we want you?" "Tell us, come, tell us for we may be enlightened." Their tones were full of ill intent and a slyness that only tricksters could muster. I scowled and took a breath, trying to keep calm. "Princess? My name is Captain Lunis and I am the---" "Save it. You are Princess Orithyia. We can smell you, we can sense you and we were sent by your daddykins. Now come quietly and we wont have to break your damn legs sweety bumble pie! Hahahahaha!" I twitched and shattered my illusion, my wings sprouting out as I lunged at them, charging my wings with a dense aura to cut into the ponies. I struck the left one with my wings, slicing into his chest and right half, causing him to collapse. How dare they use what my mother used to say! How did they know? How did my father know I was...No. He couldn't know at all. It was impossible! Howling out in pain and surprise, he reared up and knocked me out of the sky with his snake tail? I blinked as I crashed into the ground, confused as to why his tail was a snake. He was smiling again, letting his brother step forth. Realizing they both had snakes for tails, I had to rethink my battle strategy. "I will end you both if you do not leave me alone. That is a promise." I spat angrily. They both only chuckled and bound my body with their tails, squeezing until I couldn't breathe. I tried to get out of their grasp but they only squeezed tighter, the snakes nipping at my hide. "Ugh....Mnng..". I was in trouble and I had to think fast. Using my magic, I started to cause the clouds to stir and rumble, forcing hail to fall upon them both.
The black eyed brother growled and opened his mouth far beyond normal capabilities and blew the hail away with a mighty exhale of air. The grey eyed one also opened his mouth, though air was not what came out. Instead, a toxic liquid resembling waste from a plant began to seep out. "We are the Gorgon Brothers, and I think it's time you learn a little lesson little filly!". They squeezed until my eyesight failed me, my air no longer in my lungs. A familiar voice echoed in my mind as they released my grip and focused on some other pony. Who was it? They sounded brave and determined. Could it be? I opened my eyes and lord and behold it was Star Wing! With a sigh of relief I got up, tackling the left brother from behind and tearing into his flesh with my horn. He let out a disgruntled howl and sped away, crashing into a tree nearby. "Take that you stupid gorgon!" I cheered, now focusing on the other gorgon. Star Wing looked pissed at him and...me? Puzzled I suddenly realized I was in my true form and that she didn't know it was me. I couldn't just change back into Captain Lunis but what if she attacked me? I gulped and used my magic once more, the clouds swirling into an ice storm, the ground beginning to freeze. Faster and faster the ice began to form until finally the gorgon pony was incased in ice. I remembered the first time I had done such an amazing feat. It was when I had gained my cutie mark. My mother had gotten ill with a disease we knew nothing about. Time passed and as she lay dying my father arrived, forcing me to go with him. The trauma had triggered something deep inside of me, stirring my powers to awaken. A surge of light passed through my body and out my horn and into the skies above, causing a massive snow storm. My heart was cold as the ice that fell down, hence the appearance of my cutie mark. My heart which longed for freedom and my mother was dead and frozen. That was the day I got my cutie mark and the day the world ended as we know it. I snapped back to reality and gasped, stopping my magic as fast as I could, Star Wing was half frozen as well as most of the landscape around us. I teared up and began to dig her out of the ice and snow, trying my best to save her. She looked angry and distraught as I released her from the ice. Coughing, she stumbled back. "How dare you touch me scum! If it wasn't for you or your bloody father, Equestria would be nothing but sunshine and happiness. But no. You bucking....Gah! Get away! I should have let them kill you but....but...you Reminded me..Ugh nevermind just leave my sight or I'll make sure I'll kill you!" She roared, stretching her wings out and stomping the earth with his hooves angrily.
"I never wanted any of this! I wanted Equestria to be normal! I..I.." I teared up and began to sob, taking flight away from Star. I just needed some time away from her. She was filled with such hate! I would never be able to tell her who I really was. I was Captain Lunis but I was also Princess Orithyia. As I flew back to my father's castle, a dark cloud loomed overhead, my father standing at the front gates. He was regal and full of pride in his stance, his crown bloodstained as well as his armor. His mane was white as the snow itself, going past hi legs and unto the ground. His coat was black with hints of white around his hooves and his eyes. My father's eyes honestly scared me. They were dragon like eyes, glowing with a red, fury fueled aura. To top it all off, his cape was made from the hide of the main Princess Twilight Sparkle, her blood clearly shown on it. He was truly a scary stallion to be near. As I landed, he welcomed me with a heart warming smile and embraced me, shocking me beyond belief. "I was so worried...I Even sent the Gorgon Brothers for you. Did they hurt you?" Startled I nodded, letting him see the wounds they inflicted. He growled and whistled, sending guards toward the way I came from. I stared up at him and began to tear up yet again, knowing that it was all an act. He didn't love me, he loved me for my power. He stroked my hair and kissed my forehead, leading me inside to the bath. Even if it was an act, it felt nice for a change. He was never around so I never really knew how he was. His armor and cape scared me though. I knew each part of the armor was forged from the old Princess's crowns. I could tell because they each held the gemstones they represented. As the bath was readied he closed the door, sending me sweet dream wishes before he left.
I sighed and floated into the water, letting the bubbles and warm water surround my body and relax me. I let out a sigh of relief and sank down below, loosing my mind to the warm flow of water.
An hour passed and I stumbled out of the water, soaking wet and tired. I levitated a towel around my elegant body and pranced to my room, leaping into my bed for comfort. As I took my final gaze at the sky above, I began to drift into slumber.
Today was horrible but tomorrow could be better.
The mission was still carried out as far as I knew and I knew Star Wing was okay. With a stretch and a yawn, I finally went to sleep, awaiting tomorrow's bringing.
