Wounds of the Past
Prologue
How did it come to this?
Celestia gazed out over Canterlot, the fire reflecting off the window in front of her. Screams and shouts rang out across the city. Fire was spreading unchecked across portions of the city.
No doubt the fire brigade is having difficulty fighting through this mess.
The Royal Guard had been mobilized as quickly as possible to counter the invaders, but their surprise attack had given them a major advantage. Celestia could see fighting in all parts of the city as the Guard countered the enemy and ushered the civilians to safety.
Just then, Luna swept by, leading the Night Guard to join their counterparts in battle. Celestia nodded her head in approval. Hopefully that would turn the tide of the battle. She winced as the number of magical blasts increased. When this was over, Canterlot would need major repair. Many would probably be without home.
A massive roar tore her from her thoughts and she gazed upon the battlefield she called home once more. Though she couldn’t see them, she knew the Element Bearers were out there, helping any way that they could. She briefly saw Mare-Do-Well flip across rooftops and take on enemies hoof to hoof and with her magic. But her thoughts continually strayed back to one subject. One pony in particular.
Him. He is coming for me.
The doors to her bedchamber burst open as three of her personal guards ran in. The highest ranked spoke.
“Your highness! We must get you to safety!”
Celestia turned to address them, her gold colored armor clanking slightly as she moved.
“I will not abandon my city or my ponies. He is coming for me. And I shall wait.” She turned her gaze back towards the window.
“With all due respect your highness, I can’t let that happen. He could be anywhere in the city. And if he is coming for you, and if everything you say about him is true, then it’s absolutely imperative that you leave.”
“It’s me that he wants. The sooner I confront him, the sooner I can end this madness.”
“But…your highness…this is a soldier’s job!” He tried to explain, exasperated at his princess’s stubbornness.
“Do not worry my little pony; this is not the first time that I have fought in battle. Though this is the first time in many years that I have held my sword or worn my armor, I am still capable of handling myself. I forged Equestria into the great nation it is today and I will not let it fall to a madpony.”
The guards were silent. They were around the princess constantly, but this was a new face to them. She had always been strong but now she had the image of a warrior queen, ready to strike down any who threatened her precious ponies.
“Well, we may not be able to get you to leave, but we swore an oath to protect you. I won’t let-hurk!”
SCHLICK!
CRACK!
Celestia turned to the new image in her doorway. The lead guard’s throat had been slit mid-sentence, the one to his right had been run through with the same sword, and the last one’s neck had been snapped with magic. The perpetrator stood behind them.
He was a tall and well-built unicorn. His face and body were hidden under the heavy, brown colored armor that covered him from head to hoof. With his magic he carried a sword. The ease with which he carried it implied that it had been forged specifically for him. He lowered it to hold in his hoof.
“It has been far too long since we have stood face to face Celestia.” His voice sounded as if his throat were injured, somewhat deep, but with a constant scratchiness.
“The last time we stood face to face was supposed to be our last.” She calmly whispered.
“Then perhaps you should have made sure my doom was imminent, instead of leaving me to my more torturous fate.” He harshly whispered back.
“For all the unnecessary pain I have caused you, I am truly sorry. I thought you would be killed and your punishment would be complete.” Her voice became angry. “Now, however, I feel you deserved every second of it!”
“I’m sorry you feel that way.”
Celestia sighed. “Surely, you have not come here to talk all night? You are here to kill me, are you not?”
“Of course.” He answered with a hidden grin. “But first, you must suffer as I did.”
In the second that followed, the unicorn and alicorn had leapt toward each other and locked swords while deflecting magic attacks. Their swords clanged as they fought. Twisting and turning, moving faster and faster, and trying increasingly complex sword maneuvers in an attempt to gain the upper hoof. All the while, they threw different magical attacks at their opponent. Celestia shot lightning but the unicorn conjured a magic shield. He caught her off guard by levitating her bed and throwing it at her. He followed it up with a quick fireball. She dodged the bed and condensed all the moisture in the air to form a water barrier. It was turned to steam upon impact. Celestia manipulated the steam to surround the unicorn, blinding him. With his vision impaired, she charged at his side with her sword swinging. He barely parried her attack and stepped backwards. She pressed the attack, backing him towards the wall. They locked swords again. The unicorn ducked down and kicked Celestia in the back of her front-left leg. She stumbled and the unicorn pushed her back. He summoned a great deal of raw magical energy and detonated it in front of Celestia. She shielded herself but was blown backwards through her window. The unicorn leapt after her and latched onto her leg. She flew around trying to shake him off. They eventually crashed through a stained glass window and into the throne room. They both stumbled to their feet, applying healing magic to the various cuts and bruises they had acquired. They began building massive amounts of energy on the ends of their horns. Once more they charged, and released the energy.
The explosion was heard all over Canterlot and blew out every window in the castle. As the smoke cleared in the throne room, both figures lay unmoving. Slowly, they began to twitch. But only one made it to all fours. It was the unicorn.
“So falls the great Celestia.” He used magic to drag her over to him and look her in the eye. “You are weak, just as I remember. This battle was over from the start. You have not been a fighter for a thousand years. I however, have trained for this moment for lifetimes. You will die, but first, you will lose everything.”
Suddenly, the doors to the throne room burst open…
