//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Reunion // Story: The Nightguard: Legacy of Star Swirl the Bearded // by BigKlingy //------------------------------// After travelling for this long, I must admit the words ‘are we there yet?’ came into my mind, numerous times. I mean, we’d been through so much, surely we must be getting close. But how far had we come? And how long had we been travelling for anyway? In a place like this it was impossible to tell. Hay, for all I knew the laws of time and conventional distance didn’t even apply here. Could we be no closer to our goal than we started? Could we be even further? Such scary thoughts probed my mind as we walked onward, onward into the darkness. At last, we caught up with our green pegasus friend. It was always a relief knowing she wasn’t harmed, though come to think of it, she never was. As much as she loved to dive into the unknown, she had a knack for self-preservation. Of course, at the time I had no idea how long she’d been in her ‘business’, or the places she’d seen. But surely none of them could be worse than here, right. Of course, there was another reason we liked having her around… “How’s the map coming, Levee?” “Argh, can you believe I’m nearly running out of space? This place is bigger than I thought! Well, it is a prison for worst monsters and villains ever to threaten Equestria but you’d figure a land so bright and happy wouldn’t have that many of them…” “Well whatever is bad enough to be in here is clearly something Celestia doesn’t want escaping”, I said, thinking back. “That Minotaur we faced back then, his brutality was just… unnatural. I’d be willing to bet he’s a prisoner here, and that maze was designed to keep him in. And if the others here are as bad as he is…” “Hey, I have a question”, said Electric Sky, “if the most vile, evil creatures in Equestrian history are imprisoned here, how come Discord’s not?” Come to think of it, that was a good question. But I, not being in a position to answer, could only reply: “Only Celestia knows.” Besides, we were getting off topic. “More to the point, Levee, where do we go from here?” “I can tell you this place is getting more and more non-linear!”, was her response. That wasn’t much of an answer. “Which means?” “Which means good news! …And also one teensey bit of bad news.” She seemed to be dodging my question. That didn’t bode well. “Good news: we’ve got looooooots of choice on where to go next! It’s boring going in a straight line all the time, you know?” “And the bad news?” “Teensey tiny bad news”, Levee corrected, “is that there’s, oh, no indication whatsoever which path leads where we want. But you know, that’s always part of the fun…” She’d said enough. “I knew it, I knew it. I knew this would happen sooner or later. We’re doomed, doomed to be trapped down here for the rest of our miserable lives!” “Now now dears, no need to panic”, said the earth pony who’d been panicking only a few moments ago. “She’s right, no need to panic, the map just needs a more… analytical approach, that’s all.” Electric Sky trotted over to Levee’s side and gave her parchment a quick scan. “Right now let’s just… HOLY HORSEAPPLES! Are you sure you got this rig… who am I kidding, of course you have. Okay, I officially subscribe to the ‘we’re doomed’ theory.” The others began a heated argument over this ‘theory’, but my ears were closed to them. Though we’d come so far, a small part of me was ready to give up hope entirely. I tried to fight it, but its victory seemed inevitable. Until… “What the hay’s a country music singer doing down here?!” I initially dismissed this as another non-sequitur of the kind I’d been used to hearing tonight. Until I looked up. Standing in the distance, like a light in the darkness, was a lone pony. A stallion, by the looks of it, with a yellow-brown coat. There seemed to be something on top of his head, but I was too far away to make it out. The only other colour came from below his face. It was grey, no, practically white. And it’s shape, it almost seemed like a… Beard. I was galloping. I heard the others call out to me, but their cries fell on deaf ears. I couldn’t help it, my body practically moved of its own accord. My heart was beat faster than it even had before, the world around me was a blur. Everything faded from my vision, and my mind, everything except him. “It can’t be…” I had a clear view of what was on his head now. A pointed hat the colour of the night sky, embellished with stars. A matching cloak hung from his body, and both were lined with golden bells. “It couldn’t be…” My mind persisted in denying what was plain to my eyes. All my live I’d read about him, revered him, kept his memory alive when nopony else would. And here he was standing before me. “Tis I, my child.” My ancestor, Star Swirl the Bearded. A second. That’s how long I managed to look him in the eye before, out of instinct, I kneeled. I confess I bowed lower than I would were I ever to meet Princess Celestia herself (Though I’d appreciate if word didn’t get out). Plus, those eyes… they were unlike anything I had ever seen. In this darkness, they seemed to shine like miniature stars, and I felt as if their gaze pierced my very soul. I wasn’t what you’d call frightened. It was more… sheer awe. His presence was so magnificent I felt… unworthy to even look upon it. And, perhaps more importantly, I didn’t want him to see I was crying. Again, this was something I couldn’t really help. To see my ancestor face-to-face… I was happier than I’d ever been in my life. “Peace, my child. You may rise.” His voice was… contradictory. Does that work? Probably not. It was something I really can’t describe. Overwhelming, yet calm. Commanding, yet caring. Wise beyond measure, yet personal. One that made no attempt to hide its bearer’s immense power, and yet never sounded proud or arrogant. It was everything I imagined, and more. “St…st…star… s….” I could barely manage a coherent syllable through my blubbering, which made me even more reluctant to speak. So he did for me. “You are probably wondering why I am here.” I lifted my head no more than an inch and gave a rapid nod, before slinking back into my bow. “To be honest with you… I am not entirely sure myself. It seems the curse”, his voice grew sharp with anger as he spoke that word, “has trapped me down here.” “So”, this time, my curiosity overcame the emotions entrapping me, “you’re… alive?” He gave a long, deep sigh, then raised both his forelegs as if to clap. I gasped in utter horror as I watched them pass right through eachother. “Not exactly”, he replied. “You… you’re…” “The curse”, he said with no less distain, “has kept my soul tethered to the mortal realm. Only when it is broken will I finally know peace but, as you can tell, I am in no state to break it myself.” At this, he bade me rise and stared into my eyes with a look of utmost joy. “I have waited a thousand years for somepony to end my suffering and now, at long last, you have come. I have been watching you ever since you set hoof in this infernal realm” (a phrase, I may note, he said with as much anger the word ‘curse’) “and from what I’ve seen, I know you will be the one to do this. I am truly proud of you, my child.” At this my body overflowed with so much happiness I felt I might explode. Once again instinctively, I leapt forward at my ancestor, forelegs outstretched… Only for him to leap away from me in turn. The situation had reversed: now he seemed to dread looking me in the eye. As I approached with concern, he slunk even further towards the wall, before finally turning to me, a single tear falling from his eye. “I… I am truly sorry. You… you have no idea how long it’s been since I embraced my own flesh and blood. But in this state… I cannot. And the mere thought of it brings back memories… of the time I farewelled them, the last time I embraced my family… and the last time I ever will. The pain, it’s just…” “Stop.” That was enough. I knew full well how he felt, and realised at once just how foolish my action was. Now that I thought about it, when was I last with my parents? I’d moved out several years ago, so I rarely saw them anymore. My heart filled with guilt when I realised I couldn’t even remember the last time I saw my father, my mother. And the way things are, I may not have had another chance… It seemed I did take after my ancestor after all. “Hey, who’s this?” It was around this time that the others caught up with me. I knew it was inevitable, but I admit I kind of regretted having to explain this all to them. I mean, not everypony gets to introduce their who-knows-how-many-greats grandfather to their friends. “Everypony, this is my ancestor, Star Swirl the Bearded.” “So this is the stallion you’ve been talking about”, said Bumblesweet. “But… he lived over a thousand years ago. I mean, that’s scientifically… and magically…” Electric Sky’s amazement ensured that sentence went no further. My ancestor turned to me and asked if these were my friends. I replied that yes, they were. “A Circle of Six…”, he said and gave a chuckle. “It seems history has a knack for repeating itself.” That’s right. I’d almost forgotten he was one of the original element bearers, along with the royal sisters. There was so much I wanted to ask him. But I realised there was one question I should probably ask first. “This may sound stupid but… do you know a way through here?” He gazed into my eyes once again and replied. “Fear not, my child, for I shall be your guide.” Well, that was certainly a relief. We’d wasted enough time sulking and arguing as it was, so I gestured to the group to follow… “No.” I was taken aback. “What?” “The road from here on is too dangerous. As much as I understand the value of friends, if I were you I would not want mine to come to harm. There are times we must bear the dangers for them.” Even coming from my beloved ancestor, I was still hesitant about this advice. I knew it would be dangerous, but leaving everypony here, at the mercy of Tartarus… “Go.” Once again, the stallion among us was the first to speak. “Go, Miss Star Swirl. The remainder of us are equipped to take care of ourselves. You must not fear for us. Go forward, and fulfil your mission.” The others glanced at Emerald Ray, then to me, and nodded in approval. I understood. If it was what I must do, then so be it. “Make your way back to the exit. If I’m not back by the time you get to the gates, leave without me. And I won’t take no for an answer.” Forlornly, my friends nodded. “Good luck Star Swirl, it was great travelling with you!” said Lilly Blossom. “Come back alive dear, I won’t forgive myself if you don’t.” said Bumblesweet. “I’d wish you luck too, but… that implies relying on chance, which I know you don’t need. If my logic is sound, and it usually is, you’re going to succeed. I know it.” said Electric Sky. “Uuuughhh… I hate to leave part of a map unexplored… so be sure to tell me what you see down there, woncha!” said Levee. “It was a great honour meeting you, Miss Star Swirl. It saddens me I am not able to accompany you until the end.” said Emerald Ray. And with that, everypony turned and made their way back. I hoped they’d be safe. No, I knew they’d be. “It must me nice… to have such good friends.”, said my ancestor with a smile. “Well, you would know, right?” “Y…yes, I…I would”, he replied with a laugh as we proceeded down our road. Travelling with Star Swirl the Bearded was… an experience I’ll not soon forget. As the passages of Tartarus grew ever more twisted and complex, a quick burst of light from his horn would never fail to illuminate the correct path. I was so sure of his guidance we even galloped most of the way. All the while, we got to talking. Though it was mostly him asking the questions. I explained to him the current state of Equestria, all I could recall of Celestia’s reign (he seemed particularly interested in the city of Canterlot. Come to think of it, it probably wasn’t built in his time. I guess he was interested in knowing where his former friend now lived.), and the events of recent history, right up until the return of Nightmare Moon and the new element bearers. He felt reassured knowing Equestria was in good hooves, though he was saddened by what happened to Luna. He was particularly close to her, if historical sources are to be believed. “And… what of… the great enemy?” I knew who he meant, of course, but I didn’t really know enough to give a full answer. “He’s currently spending time as a life-sized lawn ornament, from what I’ve heard.” “Does the Seal still hold?” “Sorry, I couldn’t tell you.” I prepared to change the subject, but before I had the chance… “We have arrived.” Both my body and mind stopped in their tracks. What stood before us didn’t look particularly ominous or threatening. It was a wall no different to the others in Tartarus, at its foot a hole barely big enough for one pony to fit through, fitted with a perfectly ordinary-looking iron gate. Was this really the place I had sought? “He is inside”, boomed the voice of Star Swirl the Bearded. Well, I guess it was. Before I had time to muse further, he continued: “I will use my magic to send you in.” “B-but aren’t you coming with me?”, I asked, a little scared, but mostly because I just didn’t want our time together to end. “I am sorry”, he said forlornly, “but in my current state my spells have no power over him. This is something you must do yourself.” I had a feeling something like this might happen. But was I really ready? I hadn’t had much time to prepare, what with all the other life-threatening situations I’d been through tonight. Uncertainty gripped me for a moment. “But, what if I…” My ancestor stopped me. “You won’t. When the time comes, I trust you will have the courage to do what’s right.” “What do you…” But before I could finish my sentence, a strange sensation gripped me. Here’s my best attempt at putting it into words: the world seemed to flip upside-down. Then… picture what happens when you throw a bucket of water on a still-wet painting. Well, everything looked like that. And spinning. I’d read being forcibly teleported when you aren’t expecting it could be ‘startling’, but I now realised that was beyond an understatement. It was over in a few seconds, but even seconds of that was a little more than I could endure. Before I even attempted to think about where I was, I made sure to follow the sudden teleportation safety protocols I learnt in my magical studies: first, I remained perfectly still until the dizziness had subsided. Then, I checked myself for any burns or missing body parts. Assured that all was well, I started to take a look around. There wasn’t much to see, really. The room was dark, even by Tartarus standards, and small, with not a single light source in sight. It seemed like there was nopony else in the room… Until I heard the breathing. Heavy, rasping breathing, the likes of which did not sound remotely natural. It was slow at first, but since I’d arrived it seemed to be speeding up. My pulse raced, and I tried to take a step back, but the instant my rear hoof touched the ground… “Who dares?” The voice was unspeakably rough, dry and guttural, as if it came from something being choked. My heart jumped, and was given no time to settle, as the very next instant a silver light erupted from the far corner of the room. Illuminated, though still streaked in shadow, lay the form of a unicorn stallion. It was no wonder I hadn’t seen him earlier: his coat was blacker than even the darkness that once filled the room. The floor around him was filled with masses of dull, grey hear which seemed to have fallen from his mane and tail, both of which looked worse than even the most unkempt ponies I’d ever seen. It was clear that once they shone the same gleaming silver as the aura that now surrounded his horn, but those times were long since gone, by the look of it. Speaking of his horn, it immediately drew my eye, and not just because of the light: it was unusually thin, and longer than any I’d seen, save for perhaps Celestia’s. From there my gaze was drawn to the stallion’s face, and I heard myself let out a gasp of horror. Every inch was crumpled, wrinkled and scarred, the face of a pony forced to live far beyond its natural lifespan. But worse of all were the eyes. Their gaze was blank and hollow, as if they weren’t even there, but they were bloodshot through and through. And they were staring right at me. Not a single part of the stallion moved, save for those eyes. Slowly, they appeared to be looking me over, up and down, until finally they froze for a few moments and… started to change. They still looked as awful as before, but this time instead of blank they seemed… almost sad. If this was indeed Midnight Lance, had he just realised who I was? But this was my ancestor’s greatest enemy. He should have hated me. I should have hated him. And yet the emotion I felt was different. It was more like… pity. When the time comes, I trust you will have the courage to do what’s right. I gathered all my courage and stepped forward. This was it, the moment I had been waiting for. As I stepped towards him, I spoke words that simply came to me, in the heat of the moment. “My name is Star Swirl.” Another step. “You betrayed Celestia.” Another. “Killed my ancestor.” Another. “Cursed my family, and…” “I forgive you.” One part of me couldn’t believe what I’d just said. But in my heart, it felt right. “I don’t resent you for what you did a thousand years ago, how could I? I know what you did was wrong, but it would be wrong of me to mete out justice for it. It’s clear you have already been dealt the punishment Celestia has seen fit for your crimes, causing you further suffering would be going against her wishes. Besides”, equally incomprehensibly, I found myself smiling, “I could never bring myself to hurt a defenceless pony.” “St…st…sta….”, Midnight Lance could barely manage my name before letting out two deep, grating coughs. But I could tell by his eyes, he was thanking me. But I had more to say, though again my emotions got the better of me, and I broke into tears as I did. “I mean… I don’t… even care. That I can’t use magic, I mean. I’ve lived my whole life without it, and I’ve got by just fine. But…”, my tears flowed even faster, “my mother. All her life she… she just longed for something. Felt happiness was always… just out of reach. She never showed it, but I knew. I always knew. She rarely ever smiled, every day I knew her. N… nopony should have to go through that. And I…. I always thought: if there was anything I could do to make her smile, anything, I’d do it. But now I… I…”, my voice was barely coherent by this point, I doubted he could make out anything. But I had to let it out. “Please! If there’s any way you can… please! Not for me, but for her. And my descendants. I want them all… to have the chance to do whatever they want… be what they want to be, without some ancient curse tying them down. I just want want… them all… to be happy… so please… please… please…” The stallion stared at me with those same forlorn eyes. He didn’t move, he didn’t speak, he didn’t even blink. With my own eyes clouded with tears, I could barely make out any movement anyway, but I kept my gaze locked on his, waiting, waiting… And finally, I noticed another change. His eyes began to widen, their blood read cracks growing even redder. Suddenly, his horn gave a blink of silver light. I felt the unmistakable grip of magic on my body. Was this all a trick? Did he intend to kill me all along? All those questions were answered as quickly as they came, as I soon felt myself lifted and flung to one side of the room, just as an enormous beam of green light burst through the doorway, sending shards of iron gate flying across the room. Only then did I realise I would have been right in the path of destruction. And so was… “Midnight!” I yelled, out of instinct. As the dust slowly cleared, quickly glanced to where Midnight lay to see the remains of a shield spell fade away. Its caster slumped to the ground in exhaustion. My gaze turned to the other side of the room, hoping to Celestia I wouldn’t see what I thought I’d see. But I did. Standing in the doorway was my ancestor, Star Swirl the Bearded, his face now sporting an unnatural grin.