The Fallen: Alicorn Amulet

Even the purest of hearts can be blackened and turned to hate. No matter what, all things fall, fall into the endless abyss of evil that is *corruption*.

Ten years after the banishment of Nightmare Moon...The ruler of the day, the goddess of the sun, Celestia, was laying before the tall statue of her parents. Standing tall above her was the stone image of her mother and her father. They seemed to have their heads held high, gazing at the night sky. Stars shot through the air leaving long trails of light and glitter hanging against the dark blue, almost black, sky. The white alicorn before the grand statue was crying, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her heart ached with the hole her sister left behind. She looked up and in between the two massive statuettes shone the moon. On its surface was an alicorn's neck and head, carved into the glowing white rock with craters. Atop the mountain Celestia could hear stars rushing past her, causing cooling breezes and flashing lights. They all passed, never coming close enough to hit her, the statues, or the mountain side.

The princess was nearly thrown off the mountain by twin stars that flew only inches away from her head. She looked up to see them disappear far off in the distance out of sight. Celestia stood there watching for awhile, and just as she began to turn her head away to continue her sorrowful sobbing there was a flash. Far off, beyond her sight something had crashed into the ground causing a monumental explosion, and a magnificent  burst of color. The shocked princess had forgotten her previous sorrow and was now filled with sudden curiosity. She rose and spread her long, feathery wings. With a strong jump and several flaps of her regal wings she was gliding towards the gigantic hole in the ground where the stars had crashed.

The large crater was red hot and at its center there could be seen the hearts of the stars slowing dimming, cooling down. As Celestia landed and approached the two spheres of light, she could feel the golden shoes she was wearing start to become warm, and melt. The alicorn stopped when she stood over the balls of heat. Her eyes began to burn from looking at them for so long. A single tear rolled down her cheek from her eyes and fell onto the source of the heat; there was a loud hiss and the light exploded out into a magical bubble that engulfed the princess. She looked down and she could see clearly. Beneath her were two small alicorns. One was a boy whose fur was a cyan hue and on his back rested two small wings. On his wings were two braces and his horn spiraled up in a point. His eyes glowed brightly but through the blinding light laid two hazel spheres of beauty. The pony laying next to him was a female whose coat was a pure scarlet. Her horn was longer and thinner than the alicorn's next to her, but it came to a sharp end. It reminded Celestia of the one that Nightmare Moon possessed, but with a crimson tint. The two wings that were attached to her back looked like that of her brother but with slightly less feathers, and hers were a unique rust color. Her eyes were a dark cardinal shade that seemed to drip into her pupils.

The twins rested silently and then were lifted by Celestia's magic theirs seemed to fade, and the sparkling bubble around the three of them faded. Connecting the two infants was a golden chain that rested around both their necks. Each side had a silver heart with a named engraved on it. The boy's name was Empyrean and the girl's was Nefaria.

Eight years later...

"Put. Her. Down." Empyrean said to the large, grey unicorn that was magically holding Nefaria up by her mane.

"Not until she gives me back my ball!" Shouted the taller pony. The teacher then approached the students that were arguing at the edge of the playground.

"What seems to be the problem?" She questioned the ponies. She then took notice of the small, crimson alicorn suspended in the air by magic, tears in her eyes. "Steelspark! Put Nefaria down this instant!" She scolded the unicorn. He dropped her.

"She took my ball!" Steelspark complained. The teacher turned to the the little alicorn.

"Nefaria, is this true?" She asked.

"No!" She said with a whimper. And burst into a fit of tears.

"Now, now little one." The teacher comforted her, holding her in a tight hug. "Steelspark you're in time out, and when you're done you're going to apologize to Nefaria for what you did." She then promptly stood up and dragged Steelspark away from the playground.

"Are you okay?" Empyrean questioned his younger sister.

"Yeah, he's just a big bully." She said before walking away. Once at a safe distance, the tears vanished from the little filly's eyes and her horn glowed as she smiled. The blue rubber ball appeared and began to bounce next to her...

Seven years later...

...Nefaria walked into her and her brother's chamber and plopped down on the nearby couch. She just laid their looking at the ceiling out of breath.

"And where were you?" Her brother's voice could be heard coming from the balcony. She groaned and sat up looking over the back of the sofa. Past the two glass doors was her brother sitting on his rump looking up at the stars. Beside him was a canvas with a magically levitating brush that stroked up and down it, leaving trails of paint that were forming a magnificent image of the night sky.

"Out." Nefaria responded before getting up and walking over to sit next to him. The painting he had created looked nothing like the sky out tonight, which was bland and somewhat dim. She remembered reading a history book about how the original princess of the night, Princess Luna, made beautiful artwork on the night sky, filling it with shining stars, and creatively shaped clouds. When she was banished to the moon her sister was forced to uphold the duty of raising the sun and the moon. Being very busy and inexperienced Princess Celestia did not have time to decorate or beautify the night sky, but her brother had seemed to have perfected it.

There were many colorful, gleaming stars that filled the canvas. Clouds that looked like happy, joyous ponies were poised and hanging in the air. Small curls of white could be seen being brushed onto the cloth depicting a soft, cooling breeze. The moon in the picture had the face of an alicorn printed on it, one that Nefaria instantly knew had to be Luna's. Empyrean broke her train of thought. "Out?" He asked curiously, taking his hazel eyed gaze off the sky and directing them towards her.

"With Midnight Fire." She explained.

"Wasn't he in a detention center?" Empyrean looked at her quizzically.

"Yes, your point?"

"Oh no point. just curious."

"OH!" Nefaria shouted. "I almost forgot!" She said before standing up and spreading her wings. The feathers at the end of her wingspan were cut and fashioned to look like flame.

"Wow." Her brother said. "Did you get a tattoo too?" He said sarcastically.

"How'd you know?" She said before turning around. Right above her cutie marks on either side, which were two rubies shrouded in two black clouds, were the words "goddess."

"Wow." Repeated Empyrean.

"And that's not the best part!" She said before running back into the room and searching through her saddle bag. "Aha!" She exclaimed before walking back onto the balcony with something in her mouth. Nefaria put it down in front of her curious brother. It was a necklace, an iron necklace. Its base was an upside down triangle with on its top were two iron wings and an alicorn head turned to one side. The wings were decorated with red stripes and the eyes on the iron alicorn face were also red. But what really impressed him was that there was a massive ruby at the center of the upside down triangle.

"Please do tell, did you actually pay for this with your own money for a change?"

"Actually I did." Nefaria said proudly. "I figured it would be best if I paid for something every once and a while." She said before putting on the necklace and smiling at her older brother. "Anyway, I'm going to hit the hay." And with that she walked back into the chamber, and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out. Her brother signed before returning to his work...

...Nefaria sat up groggily. She looked around the room and set her half open eyes on her brother's bed across the room. It was neatly made and the azure curtains that hung around it were open. Nefaria rolled out of bed and walked over to the mirror. Her mane was disheveled and pointing out in every direction, and behind her in the mirror she could see the rest of the room. To her left was her brother's side, which was neat, organized, and had everything put in its proper place. Her side was quite the opposite. All the drawers to her dresser were open, combs, lipstick, and makeup were out. Her clothes, earrings, and ribbons were scattered everywhere. Her clothes, though she rarely wore them, were slung over the bedposts, floor, and dresser. She then took notice of the note stuck between the mirror and its saffron frame. It was written in a wonderfully written cursive.

Dear sister,

Princess Celestia is hosting a get together for some friends from out of country. She would like it very much if you were to come and make them welcome. Yet, it is still a formal event and the princess trusts you will wear something suitable for such an occasion. In other words: come to dinner and dress nice, please.

Your brother,

Empyrean