Chapters Equestria shifted beneath her feet. The world was still forming, slowly taking its time to put the ground into place. The Alicorns were working day and night to help the process along. Celestia was too young to help, she could barely move the slightest of pebbles and her wings weren’t strong enough for her to fly, how could she help? The moving earth didn’t stop the Allicorns from building though. They quickly put up the first city, Canterlot.
The buildings rose and the Alicorns began to develop a society. The shifting earth made it necessary to use magic to help solidify at least this part of the world. The Allicorns erected a mountain. The mountain was enormous, destined to be the largest mountain in the world. It was royal looking in its ruggedness, and its vast majestic appearance gave it a regal air.
As the Alicorns raised the mountain they raised the bricks to the city. Using the magic of the forming mountain they built the city into the very bedrock. It took three years to finish the mountain. Throughout it all Celestia watched as her mother and father helped shape the mountain. Her mother Ventia was given the job of making the flowing wind. She was small for the race, her mane the color of blue steel and her pelt a hue of pale cream. She was always gentle, everything about her from her speech and movement, all the way down to the way she blinked her eyes was graceful and smooth. She could have had any pony she wanted, she was so sought after that she had many suitors lining up at her door asking for her hoof. Instead she went and found her mate, she found Ferrus.
Ferrus was the pony in charge of the Alicorns that shaped the mountain and all of the lands throughout the planet. He was almost the exact opposite of Ventia. Where she was elegant and poised, he was rough and unforgiving. His pelt was the color of unpainted iron and his mane was jet with streaks of silver in it.
The two were some of the most important of the whole race. Together they had two daughters. The first was their beloved Celestia. She had been a problem from birth. She had always managed to get herself mixed up into some kind of trouble one way or another. The first major incident she had caused was the near collapse of the mountain itself. Ferrus had left to go oversee the magi who were moving the mountain. Celestia had followed him.
Ferrus stood in the circle of magi he oversaw. The four other stallions were the most talented that had been born into the race. Ferrus had been chosen to supervise due to his innate nature and relationship with the earth. he could feel the movements of the rock and tell when the planet was going to undulate as it still worked through its birthing stages.
The circle stood in the depths of the mountain, where they had stood every day that they had moved the living rock about them into an acceptable shape of the mountain. Ferrus looked about him at the rock. It was beautiful in its own way to him, sometimes more beautiful than his family. A growing family as it turns out. Ferrus had just found out that his wife was pregnant, do to this Ferrus was in a good mood rather than his usual dower demeanor. He did not know that his eldest child had somehow managed to duplicate his transportation spell and follow him into the heart of the mountain.
She hid in a depression in the rock a little over ten feet away. She had never seen the inside of the mountain. Her father had told her it was way too dangerous. But he hadn’t seen her work magic yet. Both of her parents thought she was far too young to be able to use magic yet or even fly. She wanted to prove them both wrong and help her father shape the mountain.
Ferrus nodded his head.
“It is time.” He stated, nothing else needed to be said. With that the magic wielding stallions closed their eyes and lowered their heads. Their horns began to glow and the stone around them began to rumble. Celestia felt fear shoot through her, but she knew now was the time.
The little filly stood up shakily as the earth was reshaped around her. She ran forward to her father’s side. She tried to use the same spell as her father and the other magi. She lowered her head and followed along with the older stallions.
Ferrus felt the earth as it was being gently shifted around them. What most ponies did not realize is that the earth was alive and it did move at its own pace. Ferrus knew how to coerce her and ask her oh so gently to hurry it up a tad. The rock had always responded well as long as Ferrus was gentle. He had been able to carry over his affection for the earth to his affection for his wife, it was his therapy.
Something shoved its way into the flow of the spell. The earth was being pushed in the wrong direction and at the wrong pace. It was as if some pony was just throwing his or her magic around. Ferrus opened his eyes. He was shocked to see his daughter standing in the middle of the ring of stallions her horn glowing as she pushed her minor power into the spell.
The mountain began to shake violently. Ferrus cut his power output his anger flaring. His anger subsided as he heard the rock begin to crack.
“Get out!” he shouted as he dashed forward and scooped up his daughter. The first boulders began to crash down as Ferrus teleported out of mountain.
Celestia sat in her bedroom, tears falling down her cheeks. Her father had carried her home in silence. She could feel the anger and frustration coming off of him.
The ruin of the mountain had been seen and felt for miles around as it caved in on itself. The dust had mushroomed high in the air and caused a cloud to cover the land for miles around blocking out the weak and struggling sun from hitting the ground.
Ferrus had walked into his home and dropped his daughter onto the ground roughly, his anger getting the best of him.
“Go to your room.” He had told her. His tone brooked no argument. Celestia had climbed the stair up into her small room. She could hear her parents talking below. Her father was on the verge of yelling and her mother was doing her best to calm him.
After some time their voices ceased and the door slammed. Celestia heard her mother climbing the stairs. It made Celestia’s sadness compound. She knew how hard it was for her mother to climb the stairs in her condition.
Celestia’s door opened and her mother walked in. Despite her heaviness she could still move as graceful as a calm stream. Her mother had a stern look that was filled with sorrow and fatigue. Celestia felt a fresh wave of tears flow down her cheeks as her mother sat down on her bed next to her. Celestia felt her mother’s embrace engulf her and Celestia let the sobbing come uncontrollably and pushed her face into her mother.
Ventia didn’t say anything, she just held her sobbing daughter. Celestia finally calmed down and looked up at her mother.
“I’m sorry momma, I’m so sorry.” She pleaded with her mother.
“I know honey,” her mother cooed softly. “But it’s not me you need to apologize to,” Ventia sighed. “It’s your father who is upset with you.”
Celestia nodded as more tears came unbidden to her face. They bother jumped when they heard the front door slam. Ferrus was home. Ventia stood as they could hear Ferrus coming up the steps. The door opened slowly and Ferrus stepped through. His face was masked in anger. He had obviously calmed some since the incident, but he was still fuming.
“Ventia,” he said as he stepped into the room, never taking his eyes from his daughter. “Leave the room.” He commanded. Celestia’s mother bent down and kissed her daughter’s forehead.
“I still love you.” She whispered and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Celestia was alone, alone with her enraged father. She looked up into his coal colored eyes and she felt fear.
Three months later…
Celestia sat in her room looking down on the cobbled street. It was crowded with happy Alicorns. They were happy because they finally had a permanent home. It took her father Ferrus another three months to shift the mountain into the perfect state. Every day he had awakened earlier and earlier, sometimes he wouldn’t even come home. Ever since the incident he had spoken very few words to his eldest daughter. He didn’t need any excuse. It was obvious what she was to him now, nothing.
The collapse had claimed two of the lives of Ferrus’ fellow casters, crushing them to pulp. Ferrus had been the one to pull out their mangled corpses from the rubble. He never showed his emotions but on the inside he was infuriated and filled with sorrow at the loss. The funerals had been the saddest affair Celestia had ever attended. She had tried to apologize to her father then and a few other occasions but he shunned her, she did not exist anymore.
Last month however, was the hardest to deal with. Ventia had finally given birth to her second daughter, Luna. Luna came out midnight blue with a spectral mane of the same color. When Ventia had brought her home Luna didn’t cry or scream, such a peaceful child.
Ferrus had done nothing but show his affection from the minute she was born. He swooned over his new daughter, in his mind, his only daughter. She loved him back. The first word out of her mouth had been ‘Dada’. Celestia would watch the two of them together and the pain was almost too much to take. She would run off to her room in their new house and cry. Ventia would always be up to comfort her daughter, but no matter what she did she could never make Ferrus love Celestia again.
And now Celestia sat in her room and read her books. She had no friends, she rarely left the house and she avoided her family like the plague. All she did was study magic. It was the one thing she felt could bring her father back to her.
She was reading a rather large book written by a rather young and radical sorcerer by the name of Starswirl. His ideas were rather different when it came to magic. It was as if he had taken the whole concept of spells and turned them on their ear and then ran with it until something exploded or turned into gelatin. Celestia was enjoying it as it was rather exceptional in her opinion.
She turned the page but didn’t begin reading. Her attention was again drawn out the window. Living in the newly dubbed Canterlot was a different experience in and of itself. For one, they were in the midst of still building it, the ground was solid and unmoving for once but it was still unfinished. Celestia never knew if she would get to see a finished world or just live out her pitiful existence stuck in this room avoiding her unloving father.
The most confusing thing to her was the fact that they were building a massive palace. Celestia had no idea why or who they were building this palace for. To her it made no sense. The Alicorns had one ruler, Queen Galaxia, and she had been missing for almost all of Celestia’s short life.
The little Alicorn decided she couldn’t read anymore and that she wanted to go out. She didn’t often go out, but it felt like something was in the air, something was calling to her. She left her room and quietly made her way to the front door. Celestia slipped out into streets and turned to the still unfinished palace. She could just see the beginning of spires as she moved closer.
The streets were crowded with other Alicorns as they migrated to the front of the palace. Celestia could not put her hoof on it, but something strange was happening. After another few minutes of travel the streets began to get crowded as more and more ponies added to the press. Celestia was still small enough to worm her way through the mass of moving ponies. Her pace had slowed but eventually she started to hear shouting. Not mass shouting, but the shouting of one voice, deep and eloquent. Celestia couldn’t quite make out the words the pony was saying, but he was yelling with conviction. Celestia pushed her way forward more and eventually she came to the front of the crowd which surrounded one pacing stallion.
The stallion was oddly colored. His coat flowed over itself in dark and impressive colors, ever shifting with each step from midnight blue to deep purple, to crimson. His mane swirled about him as if he was underwater. It flowed and shifted just as his coat did only it contrasted whatever color his pelt was. His cutie mark was a single bright star that shined with actual light. Celestia wondered if she could feel heat off of it. But what caught her attention was not his mane or his coat, but his eyes. His eyes shifted color as well, every octave change, every blink and every step his eyes shifted into another hue. From blue to yellow to black to white to red, every second always changing and yet they always held the same insane conviction. Celestia was now close enough to hear what he was convicted about.
“The star is coming.” He shouted into the crowd. “It is coming, the star of stars. It will be here to choose the next one.”
“The next what?” some pony from the crowd shouted out. The crazed stallion wheeled and flared his wings.
“The next of your rulers, the next of your deities, foolish stallion!” he chastised. Celestia could feel the air as it charged with tension.
“Go to your homes,” commanded the stallion. “Collect your children and prepare them!” he continued. “Teach them all you can, for when the star arrives you must present them to the star,” he began to shoo away the crowd with his hoof. He grew impatient with the unmoving audience. “Do not hesitate!” he screamed. He charged into the crowd. The stallions and mares turned and fled from the mad pony, but their minds were heavy with his message.
Celestia had not moved. She was in awe of the great and colorful stallion. She just wanted to watch him for a bit. He was quite majestic and obviously there was no pony like him in the whole world. His eyes locked onto Celestia and the prophet froze. His mane stopped moving and his color drained from him until he was grey.
“Come to me child.” He whispered. Now it was Celestia’s turn to freeze, but not knowing what to do now that the crowd was gone she approached the strange stallion. She came to stand within inches of him, his gaze having hypnotized her.
He bent down his neck and sniffed at her. Celestia didn’t flinch away from this strange practice but it did set her on edge.
“I pity you child.” Said the stallion. Celestia continued to stare at him.
“Why?” she asked, sounding incredibly childish. Stallion never broke eye contact.
“I name thee doom bringer.” He uttered, almost too quite to be heard. The stallion raised his head and the color returned to his body. His horn glowed brightly and with a loud bang he was gone. Celestia blinked. She couldn’t quite understand what she had just seen or heard, but she could feel something deep down inside her very being that something bad was coming and somehow, it involved her.
Celestia quickly returned home, the odd message ringing in her mind. She walked in through the front door. She was greeted by the sight of her angry father standing in the foyer of their home.
“And just where were you?” he asked menacingly. Celestia felt fear as she stared into the hard dark eyes of her father.
“I was just out for a walk.” Celestia replied as calmly as she could. Ferrus wasn’t buying it.
“Where to? I know you don’t have any friends, so where did you go?” every word he inched closer to his daughter until he was towering over her. Celestia quivered with fear as her loomed over her, she wanted to cry.
“Answer me!” Ferrus shouted down at her. Before Celestia could say anything Ventia appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Ferrus!” she scolded. “What are you doing?” she demanded as she quickly trotted down the stairs. Ferrus stepped back and Ventia placed herself between her husband and her first born.
“She was sneaking about outside the house.” Ferrus said vehemently. Ventia looked from Celestia to Ferrus.
“And since when is leaving the house such a crime?” Ventia asked, her ire rising. Ferrus fumed but did not answer his wife’s question. Ventia turned and knelt down by Celestia. Celestia was in tears, utterly afraid of her father’s wrath. Ventia took her daughter’s head in both of her hooves. Celestia looked up at her.
“Celestia, why didn’t you tell us you were going out? You could’ve gotten lost or hurt and we would’ve never known where you were or how to find you.” Celestia buried her face in her mother’s chest.
“I just wanted to go look at the palace, that’s all.” She sniffed and looked back at her mother.
“There was this strange stallion there saying all sorts of things.” that caught Ventia’s attention.
“What sorts of things sweetie, tell me.” She asked of her daughter.
“He said something about the star of stars or something. He told the other ponies to prepare their children for the coming.” Celestia said as she started to calm down. Ventia turned her head to lock eyes with her husband. Ferrus’ anger drained away. He knelt down and came closer to his daughter, the first time he had done so in months.
“What did he look like?” Ferrus asked. Celestia recoiled from her father a bit.
“H-he kept changing color, and his mane wouldn’t stand still.” Ferrus’ eyes widened some.
“Ventia,” he started. “Grab Luna and take her to my study.” Ferrus stood and made his way up the stairs. Ventia stood disbelief on her face.
“And what of Celestia?” she demanded. Ferrus stopped and looked down on his wife.
“There is very little time, and our efforts would be best focused on one of our children.” He calmly stated. Ventia gestured at Celestia.
“She was able to duplicate two of your most complex and difficult spells. At this age that is an impossibility to learn anything but minor levitation! You know that she should be the one to focus on if we were to focus our efforts at all.” Ventia was breathing heavily, her anger getting the better of her. Ferrus turned and began to make his way down the steps slowly.
“She is a lost cause. She would muddle it up somehow and not get selected.” Ferrus looked down at Celestia. Celestia tried her best to hide behind her mother. Ferrus shifted his gaze back to Ventia. “Luna is our last hope of having some name that is not tarnished.” With that Ferrus turned and quickly trotted up the stairs.
Ventia was fuming. She let out a little ‘ooh’ as her frustration peaked. She breathed deeply and turned to her daughter.
“Tia.” She said quietly. Celestia nodded, not sure of what just transpired. “Your father and I are going to be spending the next year or so helping your sister a lot.” Celestia nodded again. “Whatever book I give you, whatever spell I ask you to practice and learn you have to promise me that you will, okay?” Celestia nodded again. Ventia nodded. She stood and left her daughter in the foyer. “Good, now I have to go help your father.” she sighed as she finished her sentence and went up the stairs.
Celestia sat there in the foyer, confusion running through her mind. She didn’t know what to think of her parents or the strange stallion. She was glad, though, that she didn’t tell them about what he called her, doom bringer.
Return of the Mad Stallion
The next year was a depressing one for Celestia. The message she had presented to her parents had pushed them into a state of desperation that Celestia didn’t know could have existed. Every minute of every day either Ferrus or Ventia spent with Luna, teaching her magic or pushing reading material onto her. It might have seemed odd for them to be pushing their incredibly young child so hard, but Luna ate up everything. It took her very little time to master any magic, read any book, and comprehend anything. Before long her intelligence level had outstripped any foal in the whole of the city. But just as her mother had promised Ventia would bring anything they taught Luna to Celestia.
Celestia did not progress nearly as quickly as Luna. For her it was a struggle to understand any of the complex concepts in the massive tomes her mother gave her. The spells were time consuming and difficult, she just couldn’t do some of them, but she tried.
Every day was a struggle as Celestia felt she had lost her parents to her forever. Celestia didn’t understand why the message was so important. She didn’t want to study so hard, she just wanted her life to go back to what it was before the day in the mountain. Every day she saw Luna she could feel a little bit of her heart break. She knew that her father would love Luna more than herself. Celestia hoped against hope that if she could somehow beat Luna, somehow be better than her sister that maybe, just maybe her father would love her again. So it went on like that for the year, Luna making leaps and bounds, destined to be the greatest while Celestia struggled, and pushed herself to the edge trying to keep up.
Finally the day came when the prophet returned.
The multi-hued stallion stood in front of the palace as before, pacing and shouting for the ponies to gather again. He appeared somewhat haggard and disheveled even for an insane ranting mad pony. Celestia was glad to see him, maybe he would understand her more than her father, maybe he could be her father and he might even love her. Celestia smiled at the thought of leaving with the insane stallion who had managed to flip the whole city onto its head with his message.
“The star is almost upon us my fellow ponies!” he called out waving his hoofs in the air wildly. “The time is here, and I ask that you would please bring your offspring before me. I am sent by the star to test them, to make sure they are worthy of true judgment.” That comment raised some eyebrows but the prophet continued on instructing the parents to bring their children to him.
One by one the children were placed before the prophet until there was an enormous semi-circle of confused and frightened foals enveloping the mad stallion. All of the foals in Canterlot must have been there, all ready for the test, all except Celestia. She sat next to her father watching Luna’s back. Ferrus was overjoyed, he did his best to hide it but he was jostling around with impatience to begin the test.
The prophet reared up, his colors morphing about quickly. He came down with a massive boom, a serious look across his face.
“It is excellent that so many would hope to be the next.” He walked up and down the line of foals, inspecting each and every one of them. Every now and again he would stop and look harder at one of the young ones but never for more than a second. Finally the mad stallion turned around and produced a rock from thin air. He placed the rock in front of him and turned back to the crowd.
“The test will be simple.” He stated aloud. He beckoned to the first foal.
“Come child,” the little colt got unsteadily to his feet. He moved slowly to stand in front of the rock, his bright yellow colt shining in the sunlight. He turned his little head up to meet the eyes of the crazy, colorful pony.
“Now child, do you see this rock?” the prophet lifted the rock with his magic. The colt nodded. “Good, I want you to make this rock a diamond.” The colt looked confusedly at the rock. There was a murmur from the crowd. The prophet looked angrily at the gathered Allicorns.
“Silence!” he yelled. The noise died down immediately. “Allow the foal some peace so he may concentrate.” The prophet looked back down at the colt. The colt was concentrating, his horn glowing brightly. The rock, ensconced in a yellow glow, lifted slightly off of the ground. There was a ‘pop’ and little flash of light. The colt looked satisfied with himself until the rock hit the dirt completely unchanged.
The colt was crestfallen and tried again. Another little ‘pop’ and another flash and still the rock remained unchanged. The colt began to cry and ran through the other foals to his parents. There was an outcry from the crowd with claims of the test being too difficult or obscure. The prophet took a massive inhale and yelled out.
“Silence!” the crowd died back down, there manes, in some cases literally, blown back from the force the shout was delivered. The prophet’s coat had turned black as his rage filled him.
“This is the test, if you do not like then you may take your child and leave and forever remove his or her chances of glory.” Some of the more outspoken families stepped forward and grabbed their foals. The prophet made no move to stop them, in fact he encouraged them.
“Leave, you know not what you do, but leave, you ignorant, pathetic parasites.” He called after them.
Celestia inspected the line of what foals were left. Nearly half of the colts and fillies had been removed. With the removals it put Luna as the last in line for the test. Celestia looked up at her father. Ferrus was obviously not happy, but he was not about to pull his one and only hope out of the potential to become the next ruler of the Allicorns. Ventia was
The prophet shook his head and his body resumed its normal erratic color change. He beckoned to the next foal in line, a little filly the color of a bright sky. She only tried once before she gave up.
The rest of the afternoon Celestia spent watching foal after foal step up to the test and fail miserably. Some would try multiple times, some only once. In the end they would all leave with their parents in defeat.
The sun began to set as the prophet came to Luna, the very last. The only ones left of the crowd were Celestia and her parents to watch. Luna stepped up to the rock and didn’t begin casting right away. She inspected the rock. She poked and prodded, she lifted and rolled, she did everything imaginable to analyze the unchangeable stone. Eventually her horn lit up intensely as she tried to change the rock into a diamond. Her first attempt was a sad mimicry of her competitors. She tried again to no avail. Luna screamed in frustration and tried again. She did not relent her magic assault upon the rock for what seemed like hours as she tried and tried to turn stone to diamond.
Eventually, with tears in her eyes, she turned away and ran to her parents. Ferrus knelt down and scooped up his weeping daughter. Promising her that she would be fine and she did the best she could. Celestia could hear the disappointment in his voice, however.
The sun had set long ago and the family turned to return home. Celestia looked over her shoulder at the prophet and his unchangeable rock. His eyes locked with hers and his color began to drain again. He visibly shook himself and the color returned. Celestia stopped and turned back. She slowly made her way back to the testing area and sat in front of the prophet and his rock.
“Doom bringer.” He said. Celestia only nodded in return not quite knowing how to greet this incredibly crazy pony that had managed to cause such uproar.
He lifted the rock with his magic.
“Do you wish to make my rock a diamond?” he asked the question as if it was like any other day. Celestia nodded. The prophet dropped the rock in front of the filly and stepped back.
Celestia had watched all day as the colts and fillies of her city had failed to turn this simple rock into a diamond. It was a rather easy task for a race as skilled in magic as they and the task should’ve been completed by the yellow colt. But why was the rock not responding to any stimuli at all. Celestia had one idea. She placed her hoof above the rock and stomped down on it. The rock broke apart to reveal a beautiful diamond in the center.
The stone was massive and brilliantly cut. The prophet lifted the diamond and inspected it, holding it close to his face.
“Excellent, doom bringer.” He stated as if she had just told him what time it was. “Return home child,” the prophet locked eyes with her. “I’ve some news to deliver this night.” The prophet turned and vanished into the air. His voice rang clear in her mind though, leaving her a distinct message.
“Look for me a year hence, Doom Bringer. I shall only return for you.”
Celestia returned home with a smile on her face. The lights had been extinguished and her parents had, thankfully, gone off to bed without even worrying where she was.
Celestia quietly made her way up to her bed. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about her life. It was very odd, how she had come to this precarious situation. She did not know what to expect in a year’s time.
After that day life seemed to return to some form of semblance. Her father went back to his usual ignoring and her mother continued to feed her books and spells to practice. Neither of them had any idea that Celestia had actually passed the test and the prophet would return. Celestia did not want her parents to know. If they did her mother would lose her mind and her father would probably beat her for somehow undermining Luna. Celestia felt it was just best to stay quiet.
After some time the Alicorns managed to settle their raging world. Ferrus led his fellow magi in calming the land into a state of rest. Ferrus was never happier then, his job was finally over. Ventia had managed to summon the wind. She coaxed it into giving its gift freely so that all creatures would enjoy the breeze.
Celestia was present at the first changing of the seasons. It was beautiful to see the new autumn leaves change from bright green to a golden brown. Celestia thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed.
Soon after the snow was ushered into Canterlot, a wet and heavy substance that would pile high and hide entire homes. Celestia would got and roll around in it just to feel the cold embrace. It was exhilarating to learn of ‘snowballs’ little balls of snow that could be hurled and hit other foals with little to no consequence. The battles were legendary as the foals of Canterlot ran amok in the streets hurling snowballs at one another in city wide fights, screaming and bellowing war cries of victory.
Winter was one of the most blessed times for Celestia. Her parent’s duties were finished and therefore spent every day at home, sitting by the hearth. Her mother usually had a large book held in front of her face as she rocked slowly back and forth in her favorite chair while her father would sit in his overstuffed recliner with an enormous pipe he would smoke out of.
Soon winter was pushed along and made way for spring. Celestia would wander the streets of Canterlot and see dozens of young couples in all stages of their relationships. Some would be just beginning, some were expecting, and
She spent the warm spring days like that. Wandering and wondering, seeing the parts of the city and hoping that maybe her future wouldn’t be as bleak as her life seemed to be.
Spring made its way into summer. Every day Celestia would check the palace for the prophet. He had told her one year and the time was quickly running out. But he had not been seen. Days passed, then weeks without his sighting. Celestia felt crestfallen that the mad stallion had not reappeared as promised.
Celestia soon found herself locked in her room for days on end again, curled up with one book or another. She rather enjoyed the magical ranting of Starswirl the Bearded. She had actually managed to meet this eccentric wizard and his beard was quite impressive. He was talking about the true capabilities of a simple lifting spell. Celestia knew the spell rather well and found the applications of its extended use rather intriguing. Starswirl had taken this simple levitation spell and used it on the most obscure things and objects. His narration actually talked about how he lifted a section of a river, not just water, but the actual river and it continued flowing like normal, fascinating.
Celestia heard somepony knock on the front door. She didn’t move to answer the door, her father would do it. He did everything he felt stallions should do, and considering he was in a house full of mares he did a lot of things that Celestia thought were mundane or unnecessary.
She heard the door open and her father began exclaiming. Celestia slid off of her bed and opened her door.
“-what are you doing here then?” Ferrus asked angrily. Standing in the doorway was the prophet, his coat racing and his mane flowing as if it was being pulled by a million things at once.
“I am here for your daughter.” The mad stallion stated matter-of-factly. Ferrus snorted.
“That’s it, you’re here for my daughter, not my home, my livelihood or, you know, anything else that might be incredibly important to me, just my daughter.” Ferrus stared at the prophet, unflinching. “You can’t just show up and take her, she failed your test remember?” Ferrus stated bluntly, his irritation showing in his voice. The prophet stepped into the house and glanced about.
“But she passed, she showed me exactly what I wanted to see.” Ferrus was unconvinced.
“She didn’t even manage to turn your little rock into a diamond, something that should be easily enough accomplished at her age.”
The crazy Alicorn paused.
“She did well enough, better than any other, that is why I’m here, she’s to be next.”
“The next what, last time you were here you took Galaxia away and we haven’t seen her for the last five years.”
“That is because she was the first, the first of many.” Ferrus was losing his patience.
“What was she the first of?” he asked menacingly. The prophet locked eyes with Ferrus.
“The first of the Gods.” He said. Ferrus stood silently, looking into the ever changing eyes.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, but I am quite serious. In fact I think it has been some five hundred years since I last laughed, yes I’d say quite serious.” The mad stallion’s expression never changed, he never smirked, or hinted at any humor. Celestia could believe that the multi-hued mad pony hadn’t laughed for half a millennia, if he was truly that old. Ferrus was still not impressed.
“Fine, you may have my daughter, but my wife and I are coming with you.” The prophet nodded his consent, he expected nothing less.
Ferrus left the mad stallion in the foyer as he went to fetch his wife and his daughter. The prophet looked around and he locked eyes with Celestia. Celestia smiled and slowly made her way down the stairs.
“You really did come back for me, didn’t you?” she asked, already knowing the answer. He nodded at her.
“Do not worry child, you will be coming with me. You are the next in line.” Celestia felt excitement well up inside of her.
“What do I do?” she asked. The color in the prophet’s body slowed down and took a somber tone.
“You are to come with me, after that I know not, but I do know your fate and where you will sit in the growing pantheon.” Celestia’s curiosity was piqued now.
“What do you mean?” she asked him.
“Child, I will tell you this and no more.” He began. “You will find that your life will be filled with sorrow due to your role to take. Make no mistake, you are now fated to become this new being of power, but you will serve a purpose darker than you perhaps anticipate.”
Celestia was only further confused by his answer, but she didn’t have a chance to probe further as her father returned with the rest of the family in tow.
“Celestia,” her father said as glared down at her. “What are you doing talking with this nut job?” Celestia cowed under her father’s glance.
“N-nothing, papa, I was just asking him about his color.” Ferrus didn’t challenge her, but he was obviously irritated. He looked up at the mad stallion.
“Do not speak to my daughter. She may already be an enormous screw up and incapable of doing anything right, but she still might come out alright if she stays away from those like you.” Ferrus pointed at the prophet. The prophet didn’t flinch he just stared into Ferrus’ eyes, meeting the intensity of his gaze.
Without another word the prophet opened the door and stepped out into the day. As Celestia stepped out into the sunlight she could see a huge crowd had gathered around their home to see the mad stallion walking in their midst once again.
The prophet looked around at the face of the Alicorns surrounding him. And he spoke.
“I have found your next leader, the next in the line of succession.” He pointed to both Luna and Celestia who were standing side by side. “She will be seen to the star, and given the chance to be judged finally, and if the star sees what I hopefully have found, the filly will become your next benevolent leader.”
His announcement was met with silence. Then from the back of the crowd a stallion spoke up.
“That’s a load of crap, LIAR!” the crowd followed his example and began to boo and hiss at the prophet. To his credit the prophet didn’t flinch or yell back even when they began to throw things at him.
He turned back to Ferrus.
“Shield your children, they will attempt to take your daughters from you as you will be deemed as mad as I for your association.”
Ferrus nodded and put both of the girls on his back. The prophet turned about and began to make his way through the crowd. The jeers and catcalls only intensified as he lead the way under the assault of rotten food. Ferrus flared his wings to protect his daughters.
Celestia sat on her father’s back and watched the angry mob follow them for what seemed like hours. Eventually the crowd began to break away as the group came to the entrance of Canterlot. The prophet looked back at Ferrus and Ventia.
“Now we fly.” He spread his wings and took to the air. Ferrus looked at Ventia. Ventia shrugged and took off after him. Celestia felt Ferrus’ back muscles surge.
She watched the countryside fall away as her father flew after the mad stallion. It was her first flight ever. She felt free, uninhibited, and it was something she never wanted to have taken away.
They flew for hours. Celestia watched the sun set on her father’s back. The world below her was a barren plain of grass. An endless sea of greens and yellows that stretched from horizon to horizon that turned burned orange in the setting of the sun. She could’ve stared at those plains for forever. Soon she fell asleep to the rhythm of her father’s moving muscles.
She dreamed of light, a bright light that hovered over her and her family. The only darkness was a shadow cast by her father. Celestia burned brightly, aided by the power of the light, as did Luna and her mother. But her father, he was a raging vortex of darkness. He was silhouetted against the light and he grew ever darker the farther they flew. Celestia trembled to see her father in such a way, so dark, so angry. If she peered deep enough she could see the root of this anger. It was her, it was the day in the mountain.
The darkness stemmed from sadness, a loss so tragic and terrifying that Ferrus could not even admit to himself he felt it. But Celestia could see his true emotions clear as the sky. He did not hate Celestia, he feared her. He feared the potential that sung within her and it made him angry.
Celestia looked to Luna. The light she cast was even brighter than her own. It was pure and free, free of all of the burdens that Celestia had come to know about in her sojourn to avoid her father’s wrath in any way.
Celestia did not dwell on these things though, she was too distracted. She was distracted by the light her mother let out. It was a sad little light. It burned exquisitely, but was going to burn out before any of the others around her. Celestia felt the sorrow her mother had been holding. Ever since the incident at the mountain Ventia had felt pain for her eldest. Everything that had ever brought sorrow into Ventia’s soul came from her daughter and her husband and the rage Ferrus held for Celestia. It was almost too much to bear for the little filly and she wept. In her own dream she wept for them all. For Luna who would always be better, for her mother who would always be sad and especially for her father, who would always be angry with her because he feared her.
Ascension and Admonishment
Celestia awoke peacefully, her dream a forgotten memory. She looked forward to see they were still flying and the sun was rising. It was beautiful to see the sun come up over the horizon. She had never seen it before. Celestia never wanted to miss another sunrise ever again. She could see the mad stallion before them. His looked haggard and worn out, as if the journey was taking more from him than just time.
“Come closer, we are almost there.” He called back over his shoulder. Ferrus and Ventia moved closer. The prophet raised his head, his horn aglow. There was a massive bang and they disappeared. Celestia reappeared in a massive cave surrounded by her family. The mad stallion was up against the wall heaving and shuddering. Celestia went to him.
“No child, I am fine for now,” he turned his gaze upon her. “This will however, be my last journey.” Celestia felt a tear well up in her eye at hearing this. She did not know how she truly felt about this crazed, ever changing pony, but she had harbored some hope that he would stay in her life, maybe to help guide her.
The prophet struggled to his feet. He turned and went deeper into the cave without saying anything. Ferrus looked at his wife. Ventia shrugged and followed him. Celestia went after her mother. They caught up to the mad stallion. He was limping his way up through the cave. Celestia stepped up beside him and looked at him.
The prophet looked down at her as he moved along and he smiled. Celestia was surprised, but she smiled back. They continued on. Soon they came into a massive chamber. The chamber was brilliantly lit from an unseen source. Celestia’s breath was taken away. The cave walls were rubbed smooth and filled with massive multi-colored stones shaped into frescoes and images of ponies and other strange beings Celestia had never seen and never will. But the main feature was the massive waterfall against the back wall. The waterfall poured into a massive lagoon. The surface of the water rippled and flowed almost as if on its own.
Celestia moved further into the chamber and stood in front of the pool, her eyes wide with wonder. This was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She could’ve lived in this place, as long as it had a good book collection. She turned to see the prophet standing in front of one of the carvings, his horn touching the beautiful gem set into the wall magic coursing out of the stallion and pouring into the gem. As the energy flowed from his body he began to visibly shrink and almost decay before her eyes. His coat began to whither and his wings started to fall out.
Celestia was horrified to see him in such a state. She ran to him, to see if she could help him in any way. As she neared him she felt the surge of energy coming off of him and it was massive. She slammed into an invisible wall. She shook her head to clear it and put her hooves up on the force field, trying to find a way through.
Celestia didn’t know what to do as she watched the mad stallion fade away, until he spoke.
“Child, do not worry, I am not dying, I am merely communing with my master.” Celestia moved away from the invisible wall and watched as the prophet disappeared into thin air leaving nothing behind.
Celestia sank down, watching the spot where the mad stallion had stood. He was gone, Celestia did not know where and she was, again, alone to face her father’s skeptical view on the situation.
“CELESTIA!” Ferrus roared. Celestia flinched and slowly turned her head around to look at her father.
“Get over here,” he commanded. “I don’t know what you’re doing, it’s not as if any of this is even about you.” Ferrus continued to scold. “He is here for your sister, but what he wants I don’t know, but you are not going anywhere, is that understood?” he said is anger getting the best of him.
Ventia stepped forward and set a hoof on her husband’s shoulder.
“Calm down Ferrus, she just wanted to know what happened to the crazy stallion. Besides it looks like he’s gone and we need to find a way out.”
Ferrus looked around the chamber. The way they had come in had silently sealed up behind them, locking them into the room with no apparent way out.
“You’re right.” Ferrus stated grimly. “Let’s try and get out of here.” The adults began searching for another way out but gave up after an hour’s search or so. Ferrus was the first to speak, venting as usual.
“We’ve been suckered here and now there’s no way out.” Luna pulled her tail to her chest as tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Does this mean, that I’m not special, momma?” she asked, her voice high and choked from her sadness.
Ventia wrapped up her youngest daughter.
“No baby, you are special, the stallion said you were. He said he was going to make you into something even more special.” Luna wrapped herself around her mother tightly.
Celestia laid down on the cool rock and lost herself in her thoughts. She didn’t know where the prophet had gone to, but apparently he had only communicated with her about what he was doing. She thought about the strange events that had surrounded the past few years of her life, it had all changed the day that stallion had shown up and started spouting nonsense about this supposed star. Celestia wanted to believe him, but she wasn’t sure.
She settled down and soon she was asleep. Ferrus looked at his eldest daughter and felt a pang of remorse, something he didn’t know he could hold for Celestia anymore. She would never be anything special, just a social outcast who read too much and spoke too little. He had thought about forgiving her, but something wouldn’t let him do it. He would think back to that day, years ago when she had messed up the spell and killed two of his closest friends. It only fed his rage and sorrow that he still held over the easily preventable deaths that she had caused.
Ferrus laid his massive form down. He soon drifted off as well. He dreamed of fire, fire and death. It was the most terrible dream he had ever had. At the head of the fire rode his daughter, Celestia, eyes burning bright with loathing and anger. She was coming, coming for him.
The ponies slept undisturbed in the chamber of rock. Their dreams varied from nightmarish, to peaceful and reassuring.
Celestia awoke. She was still trapped in the chamber, but she was unafraid. She knew that if they were to die, they would already be dead. She pushed herself to her feet and began wandering the chamber again, inspecting the various crystal formations. She found them to be soothing and interesting. Some of the creatures that they depicted were so odd. Some were two legged and had multi-digit hooves. Others had no legs and crawled like worms.
She came to the one that the prophet had used to commune with his higher power. She put a hoof to the stone. Power vibrated throughout the living rock, moving and slithering of its own accord up and down the crystals. It was
Celestia stepped back and moved to the edge of the lagoon. She bent her head and began to sip slowly from the cool, sweet water. She had never tasted any sweeter. She raised her head and wiped her mouth and stared at the waterfall. The cascade started up very high in the rock. If she could see the opening Celestia felt that she might be able to teleport up there.
“It’s too high.” Her father said. Celestia jumped as he spoke and came up to stand beside her. “I tried already.” Ferrus continued as he looked up at the top of the waterfall. Celestia just nodded and backed away from her father.
She went back to where she had slept the night through and lay back down. She tried to sleep, but was incapable. Today was going to be a long day of doing, quite literally, nothing.
Hours passed as the family of Alicorns sat in the cave in silence. Ferrus would have used the time to further train Luna, but he was fatigued and could not bring himself to disturb the peace of such a place.
Celestia was sitting next to her mother, just happy to be part of the family again when the chamber began to shake. The walls floor shook, the walls cascaded dust and the crystals sang.
The singing was beautiful, one long and mournful note that sang inside of Celestia’s mind and weighed down her soul.
Ventia scooped up her daughter and held them close.
“Ferrus, what’s happening?” she asked her husband looking up at the distant ceiling.
“I don’t know, but get behind me.” Ferrus demanded. Ventia moved to comply, both still looking up.
From above came a glow. It was small at first, but it grew in size and intensity as it neared the family. It was the brightest thing Celestia had ever seen and it radiated power like nothing she had ever felt before as the light descended. She held up a hoof to shield her eyes from the intensity.
“What is it?” Ventia asked.
“A star.” Answered the prophet. The mad stallion floated down from the ceiling as well, his full body returned. He landed softly and loomed over the family, his form having been altered since they had last seen him. He had grown massive, towering at least a good three feet over Ferrus. Luna hid behind her mother from the prophet. Celestia ran out to him.
“You came back!” she shouted joyously.
“Yes child, I came back.” The prophet returned casually. Ferrus felt his ire rise.
“Celestia! Come back here.” He demanded. Celestia stopped in her tracks and looked at her father. Before Ferrus could speak the mad stallion cleared his throat.
“She and her sister are to judged by the star.” Ferrus stared dumbly at the prophet.
“But you picked Luna.” Ferrus said, there was a hint of desperation in his voice. The prophet shook his head.
“I picked the most likely candidate, you just brought them both, they are to be both judged, fool. The decision was set long ago anyway, it was never truly my decision, but the consequence of choice comes from how you have treated your daughters.” Ferrus was confused.
“What do you mean?” Before the prophet could answer Luna was lifted from her mother’s embrace. Celestia was also elevated and together the two were moved in front of the star. An impossibly deep voice sounded in the chamber.
“These two are both fit to lead, but the sins of the father taint the truest.” Luna was set back down. Celestia hung there, staring into the heart of the massive star. Ferrus was infuriated.
“The truest is here on the ground! Take her, she is destined for this, not Celestia, she is nothing!” he shouted at the star. The prophet moved forward his anger causing his coat to shift to black.
“You are correct!” the mad stallion shouted. “But your mistreatment of your daughters is the undoing of your race, Ferrus!” Ferrus cowed at the verbal onslaught.
“Because of your mistake, your anger, you have corrupted Luna to the point of uselessness. She will never ascend to godhood. Instead, your so called ‘failure’ will take the place of Galaxia on the throne and, once ready, join her in the stars.” Ferrus did not move.
All eyes went to Celestia as she was taken into the star. Celestia smiled as the light engulfed her. She was to become a god.
Her eyes opened as a soft light fell upon her. Celestia pushed herself to her feet. She felt energized and well rested like never before. She looked around at her new surroundings. Beneath her was a massive golden platform that was covered in beautiful carvings and frescoes of ponies and other beings.
Celestia looked up to see a massive figure standing before her. The figure had its back turned to her, its massive head bent over a book. Celestia was confused as she couldn’t see any shelves or any walls. The platform was surrounded by floating and rotating golden shapes and runes from dead and forgotten languages. The sight was breath taking in its serenity. But her attention was brought back to the massive figure.
The figure had stood to its full height. It was covered a massive black robe that was covered in red and black runes and depictions of thousands of beings prostrated before one bright and benevolent figure.
The figure placed the book into one of the floating runes. The book disappeared from sight, appearing to break into glowing dust as it left the figures grip. The massive figure turned and looked down at Celestia.
It was the largest thing Celestia had ever seen. Its head was round and pink with no hair. Its eyes were large and ever changing in color. The thing had a blob in the middle of its face that was thin and long that came to a rounded point at the front with two holes that flared and narrowed as it breathed. On the side of its head were two fleshy
The thing looked down on her and smiled.
“I am sure you are as confused by my appearance as you are by your surroundings.” It said, indicating the spinning projections and platform with its outstretched hands. Celestia didn’t like to think that maybe this thing could read her mind.
“I can, child. It is one of the many things that old age has brought to me.” Celestia narrowed her eyes.
“What are you?” she asked, jumping straight to the point. The thing chuckled.
“My race is long dead,” the thing turned and placed its hands behind its back as it walked around the platform, strolling as if in the park.
“I can’t really explain what I was, but I will give you a title with which to call me if you’d like? And before you call me ‘it’ one last time, I am a ‘he’.” Celestia felt overwhelmed at the obvious power that this man held.
“Then what can I call you?” she asked trying to not think so as to not have her mind read again.
“You may call me Aquilinus.” He said softly looking about at the projections as they flitted past, dancing and whirling at their own pace. Celestia didn’t answer him, she just stood there watching him. Aquilinus continued speaking.
“You will be given ten days time here to train and to grow. You have come to me as a child, but you will not leave here the same. When I am finished you will be a full grown mare and you will have the powers that you deserve.” Aquilinus looked down at her, his eyes moving as he inspected her. Celestia could feel something, something rooting around in her mind. She closed her eyes as memories were brought to the fore of her thoughts.
She watched as the mountain fell about her again, the crumbling rock crushing the two stallions to death in front of her right before her father teleported the two away. She cowered again as her father screamed his rage at her in her room, his hooves coming down and hitting her again and again. She felt confusion again at the first sighting of the mad stallion, his insane coat and mane changing and flowing before her. And lastly she felt excitement again as the star of stars took her.
Celestia woke up again, this time she felt tired as if she had been beaten and dragged through a field. She moved her limbs. She felt odd, as if she had been put into the wrong body. Her legs felt too long and somewhat clumsy as she tried to stand. Celestia looked down. Her body had grown, her wings were large and beautiful her legs were long and slender. It felt as if everything about her had grown. She felt her tail’s length as she swished it about.
Celestia managed to stand shakily as she began to adjust to her new body. It was odd for her to adjust. She looked around and found she was still on the platform. Standing across from her stood Aquilinus, his head in a book again.
“Welcome back.” He said, his voice sounded different, somewhat tired. Celestia yawned.
“How long was I asleep?” she asked, finally finding balance to her newly grown body.
“Two days.” Aquilinus stated, still reading. Celestia was devastated. Two of her days gone and she still had so much she wanted to ask.
“How could you let me sleep for two days?” she asked, exasperatedly. Aquilinus smiled.
“Do not worry, you’ve still eight days in my presence.” The giant put his book away and turned his attention to Celestia. “These next few days however, I shall be teaching you certain things.” Celestia’s interest was piqued.
Aquilinus waved his hand. “Firstly, how do you like your new body?” he asked her. Celestia finally took the time to look down at her body. She had truly grown into a beautiful young pony. Her mane and tail flowed out behind her, swirling and moving as if locked in a graceful dance. Her appearance had grown to become fully regal.
“This is what was happening as you slept.” Aquilinus stated. “You needed to grow into a true ruler, at least physically for the time being.” The giant turned and reached his hand out into the swirling nether and pulled forth one of his numerous ancient tomes.
He turned and strode smoothly over to Celestia. He reached on of his hands forth and waved it. A platform pushed its way through the floor in front of Celestia. She stepped back and watched as the platform stopped rising about six inches from the ground and two cushions appeared. Aquilinus indicated that she should sit.
Celestia sat down with the giant at the low table. Aquilinus laid his massive book down on the table and turned it to Celestia. Aquilinus wiped his hand across the cover and purple light flashed through the carvings and lit up to form the symbol of three oddly shaped balls tied with string.
Aquilinus smiled as he stared at Celestia’s confusion.
“This,” he stated placing his hand on the cover. “Is the first of your lessons.” Celestia looked into his eyes and listened.
“To be a great ruler, a well liked one at least, you must rule with a gentleness and a firmness, a benevolence that cannot be questioned due to your knowledge and action through demonstrated and rather varied topics and functions of the world around you.” Celestia didn’t know what to say, she was till rather confused.
Aquilinus continued speaking. “You must rule with Friendship, dearest, and as most would tell you,” Aquilinus lifted his finger and pointed at her with a big smile. “Friendship is magic.”
Celestia smiled and laughed at his words. Aquilinus sat back with a confused look on his face.
“Why do you laugh child?” he asked pleasantly. Celestia raised her eyebrow at him.
“Friendship is magic?” she asked bemusedly.
“Why yes.” Aquilinus replied.
“How is that possible, magic is a science that can be studied and produced at will, friendship is just, well silly at times, it doesn’t do anything.”
Aquilinus closed his eyes and chuckled.
“Child, child,” he said chidingly. “Friendship is the most powerful force on this planet.” He leaned forward and Celestia was lost into his ever changing eyes.
“When you are troubled, who can you turn to when even your family would not help you? Who do you tell your most trusted secrets to? To whom do you hold a regard higher than even your own deity? Who makes you laugh the hardest? Who gives to you and you to them without consideration of repayment only thanks? Who tells you the truth and would never, ever think of lying to you about anything unless to protect you from an unendurable pain?” Aqulinus sat back and ran a hand over his bald head.
“The answer is quite simple: your friends. Without friendship or at least an ability to form friendship and spread love and tolerance throughout the land a leader is naught but a fancy idiot with delusions of actual power or that anyone really cares for them.” Celestia bowed her head. She had never had any friends.
“I know child, that your life has been harder.” He took her chin in his hand and raised her gaze. “You have been abused and left aside by your own father, who will never forgive you sadly. I can understand why, it was a terrible accident, but that does not excuse his behavior and neither do I condone it.” Aquilinus dropped his hand raised his eyes to stare off into space.
“I had a daughter once, long ago. I loved her, she was everything to me, and when I see what your father did to you when you were being raised, searching through your mind and knowing the utter terror he instilled into you, well, he is lucky am I well tempered being or I would have turned him into an ash pile when I first laid my eyes upon that filthy mongrel.” Celestia was taken aback at the change of demeanor Aquilinus had taken on as he discussed her father, it was frightening.
Aquilinus visibly shook himself and looked again at Celestia.
“But enough about that, more on Friendship.” He sat up straighter and addressed the book again. “This will be the first of six elements.” He pushed the book to Celestia. “This is about the element of Laughter.”
Celestia peered down at the book and flipped open the cover.
"The Element of Laughter"
Laughter is one of the six Elements of Harmony that control the ebb and flow of the universe. The Element of Laughter can open a gateway to the soul of another and shows to others the blatant happiness that resides within yourself or others happiness is revealed to you. The Element of Laughter is one of the most powerful and yet the most basic of the Elements, every being whether newborn or ancient can laugh, this is a powerful tool that isn’t taught but learned to every being no matter where, even those who are mad can laugh. Laughter is power and that power can do many things. The first is stated, but something that laughter can do that is often not considered and even possibly unknown to most is its inherent ability against spirits and daemonkin. Laughter shows defiance and even a strong will over one’s mind and body that is strong and well defended. For example, if you were to face down one of the denizens of Tartarus you would be able to halt or maybe even defeat the daemon with a strong and genuine laugh. Barring your own ability to laugh you should always keep with you a close friend who does know how to laugh and does so often. These strong willed individuals can help keep you safe…"
Celestia broke off her reading after that. She looked up at Aquilinus.
“Am I supposed to read all of this in a day?” she asked him. Aquilinus smiled with a small chuckle.
“No, but all of this information will be placed into your mind, I just wanted to show you this tome so you may know what you’re about to be getting into. There are five more just like this but I will not need to pull them out. They are all written just as boring as or even possibly more boring than this one, and believe this book is quite mundane.”
Aquilinus stood and stretched his form, Celestia heard his back pop and creak as he moved. He turned away from her and moved to the edge of the platform.
“This ends your third day here, now rest.” As he spoke Celestia felt he body begin to lose energy. She fell softly onto the cushion and her eyes clamped shut. Her last thought before she fell asleep was of how she was going to use this information to rule over an entire race.
Celestia dreamed. Her dreams were filled with images of pink, something or somepony who was pink and every image of this color that flashed through her mind was accompanied by odd singing of a dozen different songs mashed together and played through her mind. But what was most prominent was the laughter. It wasn’t maniacal or frightening, quite the opposite. The laughter was genuine and warm, Celestia felt invited by the laughter and she also felt power behind that laugh, a soft and benevolent power that could do what the book said.
Celestia smiled in her sleep. Aquilinus looked down upon her sleeping form.
“Oh child, smile while you can.” With that the massive being strode from the platform and disappeared into the swirling runes, allowing Celestia her uninterrupted sleep, she would need it.
Aquilinus sat at the table again and placed a large tray covered in food in front of him. Celestia continued to slumber. She had slept through the night well enough and the information had been absorbed into her brain easily enough, almost like a dry sponge soaking up water.
Aquilinus smiled as he pulled a book out of the air and began to read. Celestia stirred.
“Good morning.” Aquilinus said.
“Good morning.” Celestia replied sleepily. She sat up and began to eat from the tray. She was pleasantly surprised a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that were exotic and quite delicious. Soon enough, though, Celestia was full and she sat back, satisfied and happy. She wondered what Element that she was going to be taught about this day.
“Don’t worry,” said Aquilinus, once again showing off his freaky powers of mind reading. “Today is Honesty, but we’ll get to that.” He lowered his book and looked at Celestia.
“How did you sleep?” he asked her. Celestia nodded.
“Rather well, thank you. This cushion was just wonderful.” Celestia smiled. “So three days down and seven to go.” She didn’t say anything else. Aquilinus raise a massive eyebrow.
“And?” he asked.
“And,” Celestia said. “There is still so much you haven’t told me about you or this place or whatever your job really is and how you came to get it. I would like a little more info than” she sat up and waved her hooves about as she took on a deep mocking tone “’You’ve been chosen, you are the next one, blah, blah, blah, self righteousness!’” Aquilinus laughed heartily, rocking back and forth and slapping his massive slab of a hand onto the table making the food jump into the air an inch.
“Oh, ho, ho” Aquilinus wiped a tear away. “Child you are truly a master of creating laughter now aren’t you? Eh, well, as to answer your questions. I am Aquilinus, in a past life I was known as Arthur, in a life before that I was Beelzebub, in a life before that I was simply known as the scholar. I have lived many lives and taken on roles of evil and good for many cultures. I have no recollection of where I came from and by the time I learned what I really was my people were long dead. I play necessary roles for necessary actions, but alas,” he sighed. “This will be my last journey to find another deity, you will be my last and hopefully brightest star.”
Celestia looked confused.
“But from the sound of it you are immortal or at least very, very old.” Aquilinus chuckled deeply.
“I am very old child, that’s why I have so much knowledge and was put into this position. I have been doing this for at least ten thousand of your years.” He shrugged with an odd look on his face. “Or round about that time frame, it’s easy to lose count after so long. I have seen almost every race these cosmos have to offer rise from the dust and fall back into it and in all that time I’ve learned some things and the lessons behind Friendship and the true power that the elements provide are quite possibly the most reassuring and have helped keep me sane through most of years.” He clasped his hands and looked down at the food. “It has been a long road that really has no end in sight or possibly ever, and yet, I hold no regrets as I have one friend who has been with me the whole time.”
Aquilinus turned. Celestia could see past his bulk and looked upon the mad stallion standing on the other side of the platform patiently with a small smile upon his face.
“Come my friend, you should really introduce yourself to our new friend.” Aquilinus told the prophet.
The prophet stepped forward. Celestia let out a silent gasp as his form began to change to look almost identical to Aquilinus.
“I, Celestia,” the now giant, pink and robed figure stated. “Am Aeturnam Mutans, but please call me Prophet, it’s much easier to remember and a lot more catchy I might add.” He ended with a chuckle. Prophet sat down next to Aquilinus and clasped his hands with a smile. His skin still flowed but not nearly as rapid or drastic, only small changes from bright red to a pale pink, but his eyes, they moved at an even more rapid pace, jumping from color to color as if they were racing each other.
Celestia was still confused. She pointed a hoof at Prophet.
“You told my father you hadn’t laughed for hundreds of years.” She stated her confusion evident in her tone. Prophet chuckled again.
“You ponies are such a young race you needed a figure that was serious and possibly even crazy. Did you really suspect that I had gone five hundred years without even a single giggle, preposterous! Laughter is far too important and far too enjoyable to keep from one’s life.” Prophet leaned back, a wooden board sprouting from the floor to support him. “But I believe my mentor here is the one who will be giving the lesson today and not me.” Aquilinus nodded.
“You are correct my friend now hush.” Aquilinus leaned forward and clasped his hands in front of him.
“Now today I’m going to give you the second Element. But before I do so I’m going to give you a little lesson.” Aquilinus leaned back and a wooden back support that matched Prophet’s sprouted from the floor. “Today’s element is Honesty. Honesty is possibly the easiest to break and the hardest one to stay consistent with. It is a unique element in that unless done fully it is rendered useless and therefore ineffective. Some would say that omitting some of the truth is not lying. They are wrong, and in some cases dead wrong.” He chuckled at this. “But if you try and keep some of the truth from your subjects, especially if it could hurt your credibility in the future then it is best to just tell the truth and get it over with, unless you would be willing to take a few extra steps and get your hooves dirty.” Aquilinus raised his eyebrow at her. Celestia was taken aback.
“No, I’d never have any pony murdered, that’s wrong.” Aquilinus put up his hands and shrugged.
“Who’s to say? It is entirely up to the cultural stigma that is placed upon the beings when their society begins or the evolutionary path it takes.” Aquilinus leaned forward and pointed. “When you return you will be the new ruler you will be in charge of how your society runs. I will not dictate how you must run your land, but I am giving you these tools so that you may have a better understanding of how creatures no matter where they are from or how they live should be governed.” He leaned back again. “This is my last opportunity to play kingmaker and I’ve seen far too many good minded men and women go bad because they were ill prepared or interpreted my lessons wrong. Before you leave here you will be ready I promise, but I digress.
“If you intend to have an open honest policy then you will have a tough time because some of the things that are going to happen to you and your land are going to be pretty insane.” Celestia sat forward a bit more interested.
“What’s going to happen?” she asked.
“Do not worry, there won’t be anything you cannot handle and when you return you are going to find some assistance in an unlikely ally to say the least.”
Aquiilinus sighed.
“Honesty is a powerful thing if you are honest and the truth, if withheld, can hurt you, just be careful with this one, it can do the most damage out of any of them to your dynasty to come.”
With that the two massive figures stood and walked away through the wall of dancing light that surrounded the platform.
Celestia felt the familiar lull of sleep as her body slowly curled up on top of the cushion and she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
She dreamed again, but instead of pink all she saw was apples. Apples, apples, apples everywhere and fields and fields of apple trees, one by one the trees were shaken and apples fell. Celestia heard some pony yell out ‘yee haw!’ in the distance. This was as odd a message as the last she found in her dreams.
The next morning began the same as the second. Aquilinus and Prophet sat side by side on the opposite side of the table while Celestia roused herself for another resounding breakfast of odd and exotic foods.
Celestia continued to eat as she listened to the two ancients talk to one another.
“Interesting that she takes the lessons so well, you remember the one we did I believe it was four or five tries ago, the fat one.” Prophet said. Aquilinus chuckled as he remembered.
“Ah yes, Barbarus, he lasted at least ten years I believe and he was rather fat, I thought he was going to push me off of the platform here.” Aquilinus laughed aloud with Prophet as they remembered their exploits. Celestia swallowed her food.
“How many people have you turned into gods?” she asked innocently. Aquilinus put his hand under his chin in thought.
“Not sure,” he answered. Prophet leaned forward and began to speak.
“The process is arduous at times. Not every race has one amongst its number who is ready whenever we show up, and sometimes they have one who is ready but the people aren’t so we pass them by and return when they are ripe for some change. The next problem we have at times is that when the rulers are returned they don’t quite fit the way they should due to some odd change in the culture that we did not foresee. The process is not fool proof but those occasions are very rare, almost in the less than one percentile.” Aquilnus took over.
“But we’ve been doing this for a long time and it could take possibly hundreds of years for one ruler to be in charge before they are ready for the next step and their own choosing is usually less than spectacular. If you look back into most histories war and anger sprout up very quickly when a new deity or at least powerful religious figure is removed or given to the populace. The best example were the Jews and the Christians. Very old races very old people and had very different ways of thinking and they fought each other a lot and a lot of it was over how they worshipped.”
Prophet scratched his head.
“We had nothing to do with that one unfortunately, we wouldn’t have botched it nearly that bad even if we did botch it.”
Aquilinus nodded his assent.
“But that’s enough ancient history. Today’s lesson is Loyalty.” They both smiled as they looked to each other. Prophet spoke first as he returned his gaze to Celestia.
“Loyalty is the second most important of the Elements. You must be loyal to your subjects and your friends. It begets trust and if you cannot trust anyone then your lordship will be challenged and you will be overthrown in a heartbeat.” Aquilinus bent over the food and took big bite. He swallowed then spoke.
“Now don’t trust any one being to anything too huge on their own, especially if your sovereignty could be threatened. Have some sensibility about who you have around you and know that Loyalty is a two way street. You must have faith in them and they must have faith in you.”
Prophet rubbed his chin in thought.
“There are thousands of examples we could use from history of monarchs who surrounded themselves with people that they could not trust and in the end paid the ultimate price. So we caution you with this one, make sure you tread lightly young one or fall forever into death.” Aquilinus shot Prophet a look at the mention of death.
“It is no matter, we shall gift you the knowledge this night and tomorrow we shall be on with the next one.” And with that the two giants, once again, strolled off of the platform and Celestia slept. She was growing rather tired of this routine after only three days.
That night Celestia expected to dream about something or some pony. She was surprised when the only thing she dreamed of was the sky. It was a bright blue sky that stretched from horizon to horizon and the only other things was the most clear and beautiful rainbow that she had ever seen. Celestia felt peaceful as she stared into that rainbow, she wished for it to end.
Then she woke.
Her head came off of the cushion and she sat up. She was surprised to find Aquilinus not around and no breakfast for her to have. She stretched and heard her bones creak and pop.
Celestia stood and trotted around the platform. She looked down over the edge and saw nothing. There was no ground or rocks to dash her upon if she was to fall on accident. She looked up and saw the same: nothing.
She went back to the cushion and lie down, content to wait for her mentor to reappear.
Hours passed, or what felt like hours, as she just lie there waiting. She was incapable of sleeping and couldn’t remember any of the dreams she had the past three days.
Celestia rolled impatiently across the large cushion as she waited for something to happen until finally she was fed up. She stood and trotted to the section of the platform where Aquilinus and Prophet had exited the day before. She inspected the floor and found nothing of note.
She raised her head and studied the floating scripts and tried to decipher them. She found that some of the words made sense. It seems that Aquilinus was pumping her with more than just information on the Elements.
Celestia looked out at the swirling masses around her and made a decision. She reached her hoof out and felt it meet light resistance. She pushed a little harder and her hoof moved through. She gasped, but didn’t retract her hoof, instead, she pushed all the way through.
She fell through the other side and landed face first on the ground.
“Oh, nice of you to finally join us.” Said Aquilnus, a smug smile on his face. “I told you she’d figure it out, you owe me dinner Prophet.” Prophet threw up his hands in exasperation.
“I never wagered anything, there was literally nothing else for her to do!” he exclaimed. Aquilinus nodded.
“All the same you owe me food.” Prophet sighed and began to rub his temples in frustration.
“Just pick her up, we’ve an appointment to keep.”
Celestia picked up her head and looked at her two massive mentors. Aquilinus moved to help her. The giant lifted Celestia from the ground and placed her on her feet. Celestia took stock of her surroundings.
The new room they were in was massive. A huge glass dome stretched over the top and outside she could see stars moving and dancing around as if some massive ballet. As she watched the outside goings-on one of the stars inflated to a harsh red and exploded casting its essence through the void. She gaped in wonderment at such beauty. She heard Prophet chuckle deeply.
“It appears as if she’s distracted.” Aquilinus smiled.
“Come child, we’ll have plenty more time to go sightseeing after we speak with Her.”
Celestia was confused.
“Where are we?” she asked.
The two turned and Aquilinus beckoned she follow, he spoke as they walked.
“We are in the Reclusiam, we’ve had you kept in one of the cells for the first few days like always.” Celestia felt a bit offended at having been put in a cell.
“It’s not a prison cell so calm down.” Celestia stuck he tongue out at Aquilinus. “I saw that.”
They continued on and Aquilinus kept on his monologue.
“This is the epicenter of our work and where we keep track of the millions upon millions of races that have some form of belief system or need one.” He gestured as the two parted and let Celestia move between them. She gasped again as she looked down upon a tiered work center filled to the brim with working and moving peoples. Some crawled, some flew, but almost no two were alike and they all moved at the fastest pace possible.
“Pretty neat huh?” said Prophet. They were used to this, but Celestia could have watched this place for hours and have never grown bored. The group moved on with Celestia stunned silent taking in as much as she could.
As they descended Aquilinus kept speaking and pointing.
“Over there is our records bank, those are monitors that show us film from planets and lands far from here.” Celestia cocked her head. Aquilinus showed off his all too powerful ability to read minds.
“We have placed machines and devices, kind of like big magic boxes, that watch these things and they are hooked to those screens which show what our magic boxes see.” Celestia nodded, still unsure of what she was seeing. As they moved a massive slug like being wearing a ridiculous shirt with a collar and a tie and suspenders that hooked to nothing stopped them, it had a big brown stick in its mouth that poured smoke as it breathed in and out.
“Is this the new one then?” it asked impolitely pointing at Celestia. The big slug thing smelled horrible and Celestia wanted to be away from it as soon as possible.
“Yeah, yeah, we need to go see the boss Mort, if you don’t mind?” said Prophet, tilting his head for emphasis.
“Yeah whatever, don’t keep her waiting.” Was all the slug being said back as it slithered away, a massive cloud of nasty smoke following it as it went. The three moved on without any further interruptions.
They came to the bottom tier upon which sat a small round structure with one massive archway. Above the archway read ‘Kings come and go, but we remain eternal, Ave Dominus Lex.’ Aquilinus leaned down.
“It means ‘We are above the law’.” He told her. She nodded her understanding as they moved through the archway.
The interior of the building was shut off from the hubbub of the outside world with a small portal that was see through. Celestia stepped through first followed quickly by her two massive teachers. Once inside Celestia saw a massive chair but its occupant was blocked from view by an enormously bright light, all she could make out was the lower half and the hands which were works of beauty themselves. Other than that she could see nothing and had to put her hoof up to make sure she didn’t go blind.
A soothing female voice came from the chair, sultry and stern, the voice of one who walked amongst gods and who was better and more powerful than them.
“Welcome child, welcome to your future and your end.” The voice said. Aquilinus and Prophet both bowed their head in deference to their overseer as she continued to speak.
“You were told you have ten days in the presence. This was a lie, today will be your last day amongst us.” Celestia felt her heart fall and she spoke.
“But I only know three Elements, you can’t send me away yet!” she cried out. There was a soft laugh.
“Aquilinus, I knew you’d disobey my orders with this one, oh well. Do not fear child, the reason you were sequestered as you were was to see how well you took to the teachings of your master. You have passed, you shall be gifted the rest of the knowledge you will need to rule over your domain to include the last three Elements of Harmony: Generosity, Kindness, and Magic. You yourself are already somewhat gifted and studious in the use of magic and that is good to see. But I have not called you before me to speak of what you know, you are here so I may give you your place.” Celestia was confused. What did this mean for her and her future?
“Please step forward child.” Celestia obeyed walking towards the throne. Before her on the ground were three massive tiles each displaying a different symbol.
“To the right of you is the power over the sun and the moon, over the celestial heavens and to move them as you see fit. Directly before you is power over the earth and all that she provides from animals and creatures, to smallest blades of grass, and lastly, on your left is the power over the oceans and the waves, the ability to calm the seas or to make them boil into a rage that can crush ships and sink continents. These are my gifts to you child, I would ask you to choose.” Celestia was taken aback and looked down at the tiles.
All three were tempting to her. She had seen the sea once and felt the power there, it would be wonderful to swim through the waters without any fear of what would happen. But then, there was the power over the earth and its creatures. She would never have to fear if one of the massive Ursa Majors that her people had created would come and attack her, but, the sun, the very sun and stars could be toys in her hooves, she could have all three, at least, in some portion if she took the one. Celestia moved to right and stood on the tile that was decorated with the sun on it.
“I see,” said the woman. “I grant you the stars then.” Celestia felt her body lift from the tile and her spirit began to swell within her body as power filled her. She felt her flank burn momentarily and she swiveled her head to see that a cutie mark that looked to be the sun had appeared. Celestia felt joy at the appearance of her cutie mark. She turned and stared into the light as she was gently placed upon the floor.
“Lastly child, I gift to you your role in the pantheon to come. Your demeanor and upbringing have made you perfect to fill the role of Death in your world.” Celestia felt her stomach drop.
“What do you mean?” she asked quietly. Aquilinus behind her tightened visibly. The voice answered.
“Your father has changed you, Celestia, you are to become the god of death upon your return to this place. Do not worry child, you shall be in charge of shepherding the lost souls of your kind into the afterlife that you will be responsible for making for them. Your other duty, however, will be in removing their souls from their bodies. This is a great power that is gifted to you, do not make light of it.” Celestia stood there, mouth agape.
“Be gone now, I will see you upon your return. Aquilinus?” the giant stepped up and bowed his head again.
“Yes my lord?” he said.
“Take her back to her cell and give her final lessons, there is work to be done.” Prophet and Aquilinus bowed again in unison and pulled Celestia out of the chamber with them.
The walk back was silent and without incident. The three walked through the wall of light and were back in Celestia’s cell. She turned on the two.
“When were you going to tell me?” she demanded of the two huge beings. The two ignored her and took their places at the low table.
“Come and sit with us, calm down and we’ll talk about this, alright?” said Aquilinus. Celestia took a deep breath and sat down without saying anything else. Aquilinus leaned forward.
“I know you’re upset, especially with us for not telling you, but it was not our place to tell you.” Celestia’s anger flared up again.
“What do you mean not your place? You’re the ones who are supposed to teach me this nonsense remember? You’re in charge of telling me what I’m supposed to be!” Celestia came up out of the cushion and stood on the table breathing heavily her body trembling from adrenaline and rage. Prophet raised his hands defensively.
“Calm yourself.” He commanded. Celestia took a deep breath and her head slumped down. She settled back into her cushion and placed her head on the table dejectedly.
“You are goddess of the sun and of death now, but do not worry about that.” Prophet said. “You’re only concern for now is to watch over the ponies of your world and give them sunlight, that’s it.” He said. “Problems are going to crop up as you live out your tenure and you’ll have to deal with those as they come, but if you spend your whole time concerned with how you’re going to be overseeing the death of every being while you’re in charge you will lose your privilege and we will return to take your power and your life.” Celestia looked p at Prophet. “Celestia,” he said as he leaned closer. “You’ve been given a great power and a great responsibility, but you’re going to have a long time to enjoy it, so quit moping and let’s give you your final lesson so you can return to your family.”
Celestia picked up her head and peered at the two giants then looked down at herself.
“How will they know it’s me? I’ve grown considerably different in the short time I’ve been here.” She said coldly. Aquilinus shook his head.
“While the time frame here has only been that of a few days, on your world a few hundred years have gone by.” Celestia’s eyes grew wide with shock.
“What?!” she exclaimed. Aquilinus put a giant hand on her.
“Calm down, not a lot has changed, we’ve been monitoring your family since you came here. They all still live and are rather happy, your father said that Prophet attacked and killed you.” Celestia felt a tear well up in her eye.
“Why would he say that?” she asked as she cried. Prophet answered.
“For him it served a few good purposes. He was rid of you, his shame, he had killed me which in the eyes of the community makes him the hero and the victim. He lost a daughter to a mad pony who had tricked them all. Now he is seen as a grieving father and a hero to the community.” Celestia cried as the words came out.
“Shut up!” she yelled. “Just shut up! My father loves me, he always has!” she continued to yell. Aquilinus looked to his partner and then sighed.
“No, Celestia, he does not love you.” The words hit her like a sledge. She slumped down, the tears soaking into the cushion.
“But, b-but, I’m a ruler now, I can get him to love me again.” She said through sobs.
“No,” said Prophet. “The fear you saw in his soul, before we entered the mountain. That fear turned to anger and hatred.” Prophet leaned forward and took Celestia’s hoof in his hand. “Your father could never love something he feared and that is why you were chosen. His corrupting influence hadn’t touched you and he is a monster for not loving you, Celestia.” Celestia pulled her hoof back.
When she spoke the two could barely hear her.
“Please, just give me my lessons and let me go.” She said. The two giants looked at each other. Aquilinus nodded. Together they stood up and bowed deeply to Celestia.
“Celestia,” Aquilinus began. “I give to thee the title of ruler and steward of Equestria and all the lands that lie there within. I charge to you the duties to watch and protect its peoples and creatures, to safeguard the land against all who would depose you rule and usurp your power. I also grant you the power of the sun and stars over said realm. With this I give you the last remaining Elements of power.” Celestia felt her spirit swell again inside of her body and power flowed through her, but she didn’t care, she was feeling despair as it wormed her way through her and with it came rage.
The two giants turned and strolled off of the platform. Prophet left first but Aquilinus paused.
“For what it’s worth, I would gladly call you my offspring, I am proud to see such a young and beautiful being reach her full potential.” With that Aquilinus walked from the cell into his future leaving Celestia behind to wallow in her new found anger.
Celestia stared into the massive portal door that had opened up in her cell. She could see through to the other side which was showing the walls of the massive cave in her world. She sighed and stepped through.
The cave was cold and dark, the light from the crystal formations having gone out long ago. Celestia looked around. It felt like just yesterday that she had stood as a filly in this very cave while her father tried to find a way out. She moved slowly through the cave heading for the exit. She looked around at the beautiful depictions. They seemed lifeless and ugly now that all of the energy had gone from this place.
She left the cave and walked through the tunnel. It took her a few minutes to finally climb out into the open.
The sun was out shining brightly over the land. The fields of grass Celestia had expected to see had been replaced with a vast forest that stretched as far as she could see. The trees were tall and ancient looking. She could hear animal sounds coming up from the woods and even feel some of the life energy coming off of the forest.
Celestia unfolded her wings and took off into the air. She sailed on thermals over the massive forest. She remembered the journey on the way to the mountain and how it had taken her and her family at least a day to get there. She remembered her dream. The dream showed her the inner lights of all of them. She remembered most of all her father’s light. How it had burned dark with hatred and fear, fear of her. A tear fell from Celestia’s eye.
She flew through the day and into the night not sure if she was headed in the right direction or not but something was drawing her forward. After hours of flying in the dark Celestia wished to see the sun again, the night depressed her. She landed in the forest in a small clearing. She looked up at the night sky and focused her mind. Celestia pushed out with her magic seeking the massive star. She connected to it and felt the massive presence begin to stir. As she pulled the sun up the sky began to light up as dawn came. Celestia watched the sun move across the sky at her whim and she placed it in the middle of the sky.
Celestia laughed in disbelief. She had done it, she had raised the sun. Celestia spread her wings and took off into the air again feeling the warms rays across her back.
After some hours the forest gave way to the grass fields she recognized. In the distance she could see the mountain, she could see home.
Celestia landed before the massive gates of Canterlot. Things had definitely changed. A guards pony poked his head over the parapet.
“Who goes there?” he called down. Celestia looked up unsure of what to do.
“I’m Celestia.” She replied. The guards pony visibly flinched. His head withdrew and Celestia could hear shouting coming from the other side.
The massive gate swung inwards to allow Celestia in. On the other side ponies had gathered to see her come in. As Celestia began to move through the crowd she heard gasps and exclamations. She looked about nervous with a nervous smile on her face.
The crowd began to swell as word spread of her return. Celestia looked forward as somepony began to shout and push his way forward.
“Out of my way, out of my way.” Ferrus pushed his way to the front of the pack with his wife in tow. His eyes landed on Celestia and he froze. Ventia gasped and put a hoof to her chest. Ventia stepped forward with tears in her eyes.
“Is it really you?” she asked. “Can it really be my little filly?” Her eyes were flowing freely as she stepped ever closer to Celestia. Celestia nodded feeling tears well up in her eyes as well.
“Yes mother, it’s me.” She said choking back the sobs of happiness. Ventia began to sob and threw her forelegs around Celestia’s neck and began to sob openly. Celestia embraced her mother and let quiet tears fall down her cheeks. She looked up at her father and her heart stopped. Ferrus had a look of rage upon his face that would have stopped the stars in their tracks.
The massive stallion stepped forward and pulled his wife from Celestia.
“How dare you.” He spat. “How dare you show up now, after all this time!” his face was red with rage. “Do you expect us to just pick up like nothing happened after all of this time? You” he pointed a hoof at her face. “You made me and your mother look like massive fools when we had to return without you!” He turned around and threw his hooves up in anger. “We’ve just now been able to hold our heads high again thanks to your sister!” he wheeled on Celestia. “You’ve no place here!” he shouted.
Ferrus’ body heaved as he breathed deeply, recovering from his rant. Celestia looked at stallion who was supposed to be her father and something snapped. Celestia unfurled her wings and magic coursed its way up and down her form causing her eyes to shine bright white with ethereal power. Celestia raised herself up above the crowd, above Ferrus whose face had turned from one of anger to a look of pure, petrified terror.
“I am no longer yours to order about!” Celestia yelled her voice filled with anger and power. “I am the new ruler of these ponies!” she continued to call out, as she spoke dark wisps of power threaded their way through the magic adding shadows to the light. “I have the power of a god and I control your very sun!” The darkness threaded its way deeper and deeper beginning to drown out the light. Her eyes had gone from bright white to black with the anger she felt.
Celestia landed before her father, her words were only for him. “I am your god now, Ferrus, and I damn you.” Ferrus stared into the darkness that swelled within his daughters eyes as the magic began to tear his body apart.
A Day That None Will Remember
The crater left by the explosion was enormous. The ground was scorched for hundreds of yards in each direction. Unconscious ponies lay about in various states of disarray at the center of it all stood Celestia. Her body was heaving and sweaty from the exertion. Of her father nothing was left, not even ash. Celestia looked at the destruction she had caused and felt strangely empty.
She began to walk through her subjects. She had never looked at such beings in a way. She could see power in each one of these ponies, a potential that might even rival her.
Celestia felt somewhat afraid of her subjects. If they all had such great potential then they could overcome her. She could not allow that to happen. Celestia felt wrong about these thoughts she was having, jealousy, envy, fear, and greed. She had never felt greed before, but now she was truly powerful and her subjects could take that away from her and she didn’t want that. She had just destroyed the only stallion that had ever torn her down and now these others, they would try and do the same if she didn’t do something.
Celestia walked on through the streets. There were surprisingly few citizens out and about. Soon enough she came to the foot of the empty palace. The massive structure had sat empty for the decades that she had been gone.
She slowly stepped through the massive doorway and into the grand building. Celestia looked around. The place was beautiful and enormous. There were massive tapestries and paintings. The walls were hung with massive draperies and decorative gilding.
Celestia’s felt her breath catch in her throat at the grandeur of such a structure and to think that place had stood empty for so long. She continued to move through the many rooms and chambers. Each was more wondrous for the last as she moved slowly taking all the sights she could.
Celestia came across a massive staircase. She moved up the steps. Celestia came to the top and was greeted with the sight a huge hallway. On each side were massive windows that glittered magically.
Celestia moved to the vey most right one shining the brightest. She stood in front of it and marveled at the sheer austerity of the clear panes of glass. She gasped as the glass began to flow over itself.
Color began to pour in from the edges of the window mixing and tumbling in a beautiful display of a chaotic dance. The colors began to slow and settle into shapes and figures. The image came to full clarity and Celestia felt tears come to her eyes.
The picture the window displayed was of a white Alicorn standing in the midst of a group of smaller Alicorns facing down a massive black Alicorn. The white Alicorn had enormous orb of light energy growing above her head as tentacles spread from the black Alicorn below her.
Celestia felt touched by the picture, a horridly clear depiction of her actions in destroying her father. A small tear fell to the beautifully carpeted floor. She had annihilated him utterly and hadn’t thought twice about it.
Behind her she heard hoofsteps. She turned to see a midnight blue mare staring at her.
“Luna.” Celestia gasped. Luna stepped forward. Her eyes were shiny with tears.
“Why?” was all she said. Celestia knew what she was asking.
“I had to. I had to end it.” Celestia looked at her sister. Tears fell freely from Luna’s face as she walked up to her sister.
Celestia watched as her sister came slowly closer. Luna had grown as well. Her pelt was now the color of the midnight sky and her mane matched her coat. She was quite breathtaking.
“Why have you chosen now to come back?” Luna asked coming to a rest in front of her sister. Celestia didn’t know how to answer her sister.
“Luna I-“ Celestia began to speak but Luna cut her off with a look of fury.
“No!” Luna shouted. “No, you were taken and I have not seen you for hundreds of years and suddenly you show up and destroy my father!” Luna turned around. Celestia stepped after her sister.
“Luna, I had no choice.”
“You had a choice!” Luna screamed. “You chose to kill him, you chose to and now look at what you’ve gained from it, nothing!” Luna continued to scream. Luna whirled about.
“And now you proclaim to be our ruler, how? You just show up after so long and think that we’ll all bow down to you?” Luna wiped her face with a hoof. “No Celestia that is not going to happen.” Luna turned and began to walk from the room. Celestia watched her sister leave and her heart broke.
A though crossed her mind something terrible that she knew she would regret for the rest of her life but she had to make up for this somehow. Her horn began to glow and power flowed throughout her form. This was going to be her greatest triumph and most humiliating defeat and nopony would ever know about it but her. All of those ponies out in the city, they would never see another sun and Luna, Luna would never remember this day.
“I’m sorry.” Celestia whispered as a white light began to spread and writhe from her form growing to consume everything around her. Moving and spreading to take in pony after pony and spreading beyond the boundaries of the city itself out into the world to change the very planet so that no creature would remember this day or any before it for that matter.
Celestia stood in her magic room with the massive windows. Another one had shifted and changed to show her. The image depicted her casting a massive spell and all around her cowering in fear. She sighed to herself as she felt the burden of her actions. First her own father and now this, she didn’t know what to do.
Had Aquilinus foreseen this? Why hadn’t he warned her about how hard it would be to get them to believe her? She had so many questions and no one to answer them.
Celestia left the massive room looking for a bedchamber. She was quite tired and felt like rolling up in a big comforter to cry herself to sleep.
Soon enough she found a massive bedchamber with a huge four poster bed. The room was covered in frills with gold trimming and a massive fireplace. It was hung with blank tapestries and empty frames. The devoid yet regal natured of the room screamed at her with its wrongness and she felt her heart twist at the thought of how empty and lonely it appeared to be.
Celestia didn’t care though. She made her way to the big bed and crawled under the covers and began to cry. She reflected on her short life and how quickly things had appeared to change. She just wanted to go back, back to the days before the mountain before she had caused the accident when her father loved her and she wasn’t meant to be a goddess, Luna should’ve been chosen.
Celestia felt a presence enter her mind. It was familiar and comforting to feel its weight gently will her to sleep. Her eyes shut and her breathing slowed as she fell into a quiet sleep.
Do not worry young one . A voice whispered in her dreams. The voice was soothing and deep and achingly familiar.I have been given leave to grant you one free pass and to give you the next step . It told her. Then images began to flash.
There were shots of ponies but they were different than what she had seen before. The first thing she witnessed was the very earth. Grass and soil began to writhe and dance before her very eyes as it began to shape something. The color began to shift to shades of pink until a solid being had been created. The earth and grass had come together to form a bright pink pony, no horn, or wings but a pony nonetheless.
Then it shifted to show a raining sky. The drops of water slowed before they hit the earth and began to form a ball of water. The clouds stirred and began to move in a cyclone like motion to add to the water to form another being. The pony that the water and clouds formed was the color of the clear sky and had a mane the color of a rainbow. This pony, unlike the first, had only wings and could use them to fly about.
Then her vision shifted to the stars above. She watched as the sky blackened and the stars came out. She was pulled up into the stars to see them up closely. They were beautiful and appeared graceful even. Celestia was awed as one of the stars burst open before her in a torrent of fire and light. The light gathered itself into a spinning vortex adding layer upon layer to itself until Celestia could make out the silhouette of a being inside of the whirling ball of energy
Ball burst apart revealing a purple pony with a horn upon its head. The pony was given only the horn but Celestia guessed was the only type of pony given over to the use of magic.
Celestia’s mind faded back into a regular sleep as the presence pulled itself from her mind gently like a hand closing a book. Celestia settled into a deeper sleep without any more dreams to haunt her.
Aquilinus looked down at the sleeping form of Celestia through the pool of water. Prophet stood next to him.
“That was risky.” Prophet said still staring at Celestia. Aquilinus nodded.
“It was, but She gave me permission to do this.”
“But that was quite a bit of meddling, She really gave you that much leeway?”
“Yes and I was also granted permission to see this one through to the end.” Aquilinus said smiling as he cut the scrying spell’s power. Prophet looked to his colleague and long time friend.
“Interesting.” was all he said.
Celestia awoke feeling refreshed and surprisingly upbeat. She knew what she had to do. She threw the covers from her body and quickly trotted from the room. She left the castle and stopped as she came to the streets. Not a soul was in sight but she could feel massive amounts of energy so much so the air was practically humming. The power thrummed through her soul and it gave her hope.
Celestia spread her wings and leapt into the air making for the plains that surrounded the city.
She flew for some time as she searched for a good spot all the while looking for clouds to gather and move. Soon she had found an enormous patch of clouds hovering in the air. Celestia manipulated the clouds and moved them over an enormous field.
Celestia began to will the clouds to condense and rain. The clouds obeyed releasing the water to the ground. Celestia caught the rain and forced it together just as had been shown to her in her dreams. She began to pull the clouds down and pushed them into water. She held the concoction there and waited. Nothing happened. Celestia swirled the mixture about and still nothing happened. Then it struck her, the surge of power had somehow followed her through her journey here.
Celestia focused on the power and began to channel it. The power flowed through her like she was some kind of conduit and forced itself into her water/cloud experiment.
As more power moved into the water and clouds the mixture began to move and shine. Energy poured into it and the boundaries began to flux and strain. Celestia could feel something happening as the elements came together.
Celestia released the flow of power and the clouds and water danced before her turning into a bright ball of light. The light danced and flexed until with a loud ‘pop’ something gently deposited itself onto the ground. Celestia looked down upon two small foals. Each was a different shade of blue and had tiny wings. The foals looked up at Celestia confusedly trying to discern their world as best as their tiny minds could. Celestia felt confused. Her dream showed her that a fully grown mare had come from the sky, not two foals. Celestia saw that one was male and the other was female and she realized embarrassingly that they were to grow up and help populate the land. Celestia blushed at the idea.
“Pegasus.” She said. The word just falling from her lips without her really thinking. The word fit perfectly somehow.
Not to be deterred by this one odd setback Celestia began to work on the next step. She spread her hoofs and began to gather the earth and grass about her. This time she channeled the energy into her creation from the start and the results were immediate as the grass and soil took on a mind of its own and began to form two more small beings.
These two were also male and female but devoid of any horns or wings. Celestia smiled as they each came out a shade of green, her favorite color.
“Earth ponies.” She whispered. It also seemed a fitting title for these new beings. The new earth pony foals crawled over to the pegasus ponies and they began to playfully tumble over each other and laughed as they played in the grass of the field. Celestia smiled and lifted the four foals.
She took to the air and made way to the palace. She landed in her empty city and calmly strolled through streets with the foals in tow. The children were fascinated and stared on in tiny awe as their, now impromptu, mother took them to their new home.
Celestia was under no delusions about raising these little foals. They would need a mother and Celestia felt some joy at the thought of raising them. She thought about food and how she was going to care for them and then she realized that she was the most powerful thing that would ever be in Equestria and her worries faded away.
She took her new children through the palace and into her new bedchamber. She set her little foals down on her bed and tucked them in. They each yawned adorably and snuggled down ready for a nap. Celestia remembered a little song that her mother used to sing for her when she was filly.
“Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to lay your sleepy head.” She sang quietly. The foals had gone to sleep but Celestia sang on anyway as the memory of her mother pushed forward.
“Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to go to bed.” She finished a small tear falling from her.
Celestia left the bedchamber and quickly ran out of the palace. She still had one more thing to do. She spread her wings and took off into the sky flying straight up. She hadn’t considered how one would travel to see the stars but she was determined to have this one redeeming chance.
Up and up she flew through the sky her wings flapping and propelling her into the sky. She flew for hours trying to reach for the stars and she seemed to never tire as she continued her sojourn.
She felt resistance begin to push back but she was not to be stopped as she broke through some form of invisible barrier only to be met by a second and third. She was not dismayed as she used some of the extra power to force herself through the barriers until she was free.
She looked up into the blackness that surrounded her and she could see the tiny dots that were the stars she so sought after. She climbed through the darkness seeking after the brightest one she could see.
Celestia lost track of time as she climbed higher and higher. She passed smaller stars on her way to the enormous one that continued to grow in her sight making her want it just that much more.
Finally she came to the star. She could feel the heat and the power flowing from it and she was humbled by this giant. Celestia pushed out with her mind and found the power from the star to be lifelike almost as if it had a mind of its own. Without warning the extra power she had brought with her channeled its way into the star leaving her.
The star burst apart in a glorious show of death. Celestia shielded her eyes from the blast as it carried over her with so much as scratching her. Celestia lowered her hoof to see two new foals, each with horns, floating where the center of the star had been only moments before.
"Unicorns." Celestia told herself.
Celestia collected foals and looked at them. They each had one tiny horn upon their cute little heads. Celestia felt a tear of happiness roll down her cheek. This was the future of her race. She thought back to her sister and her heart flinched.
A thought crossed her mind. Maybe if she combined all three she could bring Luna back. Celestia placed both of the foals upon her back and set off for another star. It did not take her long to find one. She threw power into like before and it burst apart but there were no foals in it this time. Celestia reached out with her mind and collected the dying star’s energy and harnessed it within herself.
Celestia turned and flew as fast as she could for her home. She flapped her wings desperately. She didn’t know if this would work but she had to try, for Luna.
She came back to her planet and looked for clouds. She found a thunderstorm not too distant from the city and she harnessed it. She landed beneath the storm. Thunder crashed overhead scaring the infants on her back and making them scream. Celestia cooed to them, calming their tiny minds with her own.
Celestia began to catch the water and move the clouds holding them in place. By now her mane was soaked through but she didn’t care as she had underestimated the size of the storm.
Celestia moved the earth beneath clouds and brought up to the water and cloud forming a muddy, cloudy goop. Holding the mixture in the air she released the power from the dead star. She didn’t just hit it with power she pushed her love, all of the love she could muster and her regret into it. Images of Luna flashed through her mind her baby sister who had never wronged her, Luna who had never hurt her. Luna.
There was an enormous flash of light and huge bang making Celestia take a step back. The foals had started crying again from fear and the chill.
A crater had appeared before her. The edges of the hole were smoking and steaming as the power had discharged. Celestia stepped forward and looked down. The crater was fast filling with water and in the large pool sat two little Alicorns. One was bright pink with cute inquisitive eyes, and a small blue filly who was larger.
“Luna!” Celestia called down. Luna stirred some.
“Celestia?” Luna asked groggily. Celestia leapt into the hole and lifted the two. She placed the little pink Alicorn onto her back with the other two foals and the three squalled together as the rain came down.
“Oh Luna.” Celestia said as she held her sister close. Luna rubbed her eyes. Water had dampened her mane.
“Where are papa and mama?” Luna asked looking up at the rain.
“They had to go away.” Celestia said crying. “But it’s okay, big sister is here.” Luna smiled up at Celestia.
“Everything is better with my big sister.” Luna said. Celestia held her sister there in the rain crying tears of joy and pain happy that she had her sister back.
