Equestrian Frontier

The nation of Equestria. A country populated by ponies of many shapes and sizes. Each of its citizens falls into one of three races: the Earth ponies, who take the mantle of usually physically demanding duties; the Pegasus ponies, who command the skies and manipulate the country’s weather, defined by the wings on their backs; and the Unicorn ponies, whose horns enable them to actively harness their inborn magic power.

Presiding over the equine populace, the Royal Pony Sisters. The elder, wise Princess Celestia, tasked with raising the sun and beginning the day anew, and the younger, Princess Luna, appointed with bringing forth the moon to pave the way for the night.

For centuries, the sisters’ rule over Equestria has persisted. As did the nation’s longevity. With their watchful eyes, ponies very rarely if ever fell into strife with one another. They were quick to forgive the other’s trespasses. Camaraderie. Compromise. Forgiveness. Friendship. Celestia’s and Luna’s teachings preached these traits, and have been passed on from one generation to the following. The hearts of ponies beat as one. One nation. One world.

However, Equestria is not a utopia. It is not perfect by any means. No. It had fallen into darkness once. One thousand years ago. When a ruthless hand prevailed over all.

On a barren badlands, an ominous throne stood upright, unphased by the calamity around. The inconsistent tremors, the roaring torrents that would flood many of Equestria’s settlements, the storms shooting down rods of lightning to the ground. Sitting upon the throne, the embodiment of chaos and disharmony, Discord. His appearance corresponded with his name perfectly: an amalgamation of different creatures put together – a chimera. A deer antler and a goat’s horn on his head. A lion’s paw and an eagle’s claw for arms. The wings of a bat and a Pegasus protruding on his back. The legs of a goat and lizard. All joined together by a reptile-like body.

Long before the sisters’ rule, Equestria fell under Discord’s authority. Magnitudes in the earth have destroyed countless towns and cities, claiming the lives that dwelt in them. Constant shifts in weather made prosperity a blind pursuit. Lives fell into misery from the disasters caused by him. Those who could not endure the perverse law and the havoc took it upon themselves to end their own lives. These were but a few of Discord’s atrocities.

The suffering of ponies brought a smile to the chimera’s face. A smile that would start merry and degrade into a sinister one. One that desired to inflict more pain.

That faithful day, amidst the disarray, both Celestia and Luna stepped forth, in possession of powerful pony treasures: the Elements of Harmony, six gems of varying colors fitted into two tiaras. Standing before him, determined to end his reign of terror.

“Ah, Celestia and Luna,” said Discord, grinning in amusement over his handiwork. And the princesses’ act of valor. “Just the two girls I wanted to see. What do you think? Like the renovations I made?”

“Your time has come, Discord,” Celestia declared, parrying the chimera’s jeering remarks. “Today, your rule over Equestria ends. You don’t stand a chance. Give up now, and this will not have to be difficult.”

“My my, what big words. So is this the part where I start shaking in my legs, all scared-like?” Even after Celestia’s warning, he continued with his taunting.

Luna was more short-tempered than her sister. She did not take kindly to Discord’s patronizing. “Hmph. How smug of you, Discord. Let us see if you will still be after we are finished with you,” she retaliated, aware of how the fate of Equestria hung in the balance. How it rested firmly on their shoulders alone. With no one to help them.

Rising from his throne, Discord began stretching his limbs, indifferent to the situation. Underestimating his opposition. He snapped his fingers, dismissing the throne behind him. Allowing both forces the entire space for a heated encounter. He made certain that there were no obstructions, no interferences. Nothing to disrupt the pace.

“Alright, alright,” said Discord, annoyed. Pushing the two princesses to their limits with his tone of voice. “You want the keys to the castle? Fine. But we do this the old fashion way.” He saw the anticipation in their eyes. He was not moved. They were ready. All of them. “We’re going to have us a big fight out here. I’m going to put Equestria on the line. If I win, it’s an eternity of misery for these little horses. If you win, which I doubt, then Equestria is all yours.”

“So be it.” That was Celestia’s only answer.

And then, it began. A cataclysmic battle between Discord and the Royal Sisters. Beings of immense power. Good against evil. The light against the darkness. Both sides exchanged blasts of magic, the effects of each spell differing from the last. All of them devastating, nonetheless. Enough to kill ordinary ponies.

The earth beneath them split, creating cavities from small chasms to wide canyons. Heaven and Hell trembled before the conflict. Clouds above that were already darkened turned into black masses, shutting out the sun and moon entirely. Shooting lightning down the war-torn land.

From city to city, from one village to another, everypony witnessed the great fight making progress. For those who could not, they still felt the battle from afar. Sending shivers through their hooves, down their spines.

For days, the battle lasted. Stalemates would be broken only to be reached again. It became more of a tug of war than anything else. The opposing forces were evenly matched. Everyone was close to their limits. Cuts, bruises, burns and lacerations were they laden with. It had to end with a victor. No in-between. One sides would rise. The other would fall.

It was then, on the seventh day of the battle, that everything came to a head. Celestia and Luna forwarded their last gambit. Their hidden plan. Only until Discord had been fully weakened, until there was no hope for him to retaliate, would they put the Elements of Harmony to use. The time was ripe.

“Brace yourself, sister,” said Celestia, joining with her sister hoof in hoof. Channeling her whole magic power to this one moment. To the tiara that rested on her head.

“You too,” Luna returned, following suit. The gems on their tiaras radiating a splendid brilliance. A purifying spectrum.

Unbeknownst to them was Discord initiating his own final gambit. Formulated as an initiative. A countermeasure to the princesses’ plan. He was more open with his intentions, boldly detailing it while still remaining camouflaged.

“You two may have won this,” he commenced. “But Discord will live on. And when I live on, so will the darkness in everypony’s hearts.”

His entire self emitted a foul black aura; his plan was set in motion. Clothed in the black mist, Discord recited an incantation. A series of sentences that ensured that his spirit would live on. That somehow, someday, Equestria will know the feeling of despair once again.

“Thus this rite shall be uttered, and all of Equestria will hear it. In my final hours, I give unto thee a fragment of my spirit. One last memento I leave before I depart. To serve as a reminder of the despair that I have inspired in everypony’s hearts. Let this relic grant the desires of anypony’s mind, and in turn her desires will be her bind. Chaos shall continue to reign now and forevermore. I christen this relic ‘Elysium’, NOW COME FORTH‼”

The aura had vanished. It had been replaced by a black, metallic urn materialized seemingly from thin air and into his grasp.

The princesses held their ground, not giving Discord the pleasure of frightening them. Without hesitation, a wondrous blast of magic shot from the bright kaleidoscope of colors. It was overwhelming to unleash such force, but Celestia and Luna kept their firm stance. The spell made its impact, causing Discord to scream in agony. Resulting in his imprisonment as a mere stone statue. A monument to his rise and fall as Equestria’s ruler.

Finally, the battle was won. The glow subsided from the sacred jewels. An exhausted Celestia and Luna fell to their hooves, breathing desperately for air. Victorious in the midst of the destruction the country had endured.

But they were still not at ease. They turned their attention to the urn left behind by Discord. The urn named ‘Elysium’. It was cold to the touch. As well as heavy; not even the strongest Earth pony could lift it alone without causing his back severe pain. Why did he leave an urn behind? What does it mean for Equestria? They were unsure. They did not know what to make of it. Whether to destroy it, dispose of it or leave it be. One reasonable decision crossed Luna’s mind: it was not worth their time.

“He called it…’Elysium’. That Discord is such an odd character. I think we should leave it for now, sister,” Luna suggested, eyeing the urn carefully.

After a short pause, Celestia concurred, surprising her sister; how could she leave the urn behind without knowing what it was capable of? “You’re right, Luna. Restoring Equestria is our top priority. We’ll worry about it when the time comes.”

Leaving the conflict-ridden badlands, the Sisters made for every acre of Equestria, utilizing the Elements to undo the damage caused by Discord’s carelessness. All that were once broken, now restored. Homes. Resources. Families. Lives.

The scars have healed, but continued to remained. As a reminder to all of ponykind of their darkest hour. A reminder never to allow the darkness within even a chance to consume them. A reminder to all that where despair abounds, so does hope.

No matter how great chaos may be, it will never win. It must not be allowed to win…