Promise
Nearly one thousand years in the past, when the old kingdom was sieged by swarms of monsters and evil. A great Wizard stood holding open the only escape for the kingdoms citizens in the courtyard of the castle. The remainder of the guard bravely defending the castle with their lives beginning to dwindle as ponies ran for their lives. What all of them least expected, was for any help to come at all.
“Did the Princess make it out?!” A guard yelled out.
“She is safe, she is watching over those who’ve made it through to the fields below Cloudsdale!” Starswirl’s voice rang out like thunder while he ushered citizens through.
“Their flying overhead!” A guard yelled from the courtyard as he fired bolts of magic at all manner of flying creatures above.
“If only elder hadn’t been lost with the empire when it fell!” Another guard yelled out after he leapt to dodge a bolt of magic fired by a creature above them.
“They’ve broken through the gateway! The others can’t get through!” A mare screamed.
Several guards rushed the arched gateway as a pack of timberwolves and several skeletal ponies engulfed in waving clouds of dark magic poured through it. One of the guards was pinned to the stone wall and cried out in terror as the wolves tore through his armor. The others fought off the rest with spears as the unicorns returned fire against the skeletons firing dark magic but were soon overrun.
Starswirl turned from the gate to see all manner of creatures, if something magnificent didn’t happen now he would have to hold them off himself while the rest of the ponies escaped. He would also have to close the portal soon or they would surely be followed. It was a different matter however as Starswirl suddenly saw the great wingspan of an alicorn fly out of the portal behind him and over his head. Another pony came through rather quickly as well, dragging his hooves through the soil to stop as other ponies dove out of his way.
Starswirl initially thought that Celestia had returned as a fool, but soon noticed the fiery mane as the alicorn glided over the ramparts followed by the swarm of flyers above. It was Terra, for some reason the fool decided to return here and now, but why? Terra had left, and he wouldn’t return until he found a solution for Luna. Starswirl watched as the other pony with the black hat stood before the gateway. What was most surprising is that the horde of creatures stood cautious of him at first, glaring at him with challenging eyes.
Tullius charged his dark magic, his eyes turned green with black and purple flames surrounding them. Suddenly lines of shadow quickly swept across the ground from him and sharp black crystals tore their way through the horde. They scattered and retreated as Tullius formed black crystal spires that fired bolts of magic through the gateway. There was no way of knowing however, when he would be discovered by the darkness making its way through the castle. He would not be able to save himself, or the darkness would surely kill him as he is captured.
Flying through the city Terra engaged against every kind of creature he could imagine. He flew in between the burning structures and just under several towers as they crumbled and tipped into the streets below. The view he had was something else entirely; the sheer numbers entering the city could not be fought. They would have to save as many as possible and leave this place, there was no saving his old home.
Meanwhile many other ponies made it into the courtyard as soon as Tullius entered the streets of the city. Starswirl cast spells to shield the courtyard, but he cannot maintain the portal and defend against the endless barrage of magic forever. After the last several ponies that could be seen went through the portal, Starswirl waited a few moments for any sign of Terra and what looked to be the orator from the castle with a black hat. There was no sign of them besides the absolute chaos on the other side of the walls, so he ordered the retreat. Everypony remaining sprinted through the portal as the shield fell and the swarms entered.
Princess Celestia waited on the other side of the portal for Starswirl, with several guards surrounding it. When Starswirl came through with what was left of the guards there was only silence. As the portal closed behind starswirl, Celestia approached him as the guards spread out to organize and calm the citizens.
“I heard of a great phoenix and a magician that helped my citizens to escape?” Celestia questioned, these mysterious creatures unknown to her.
“He would be destroyed for those he loved most, the Phoenix Prince would die a hero,” Starswirl told Celestia, then walked past her into the crowd.
Celestia was still young, her mane was still solid pink, and everything that’s happened, the loss of her sister, the destruction of her kingdom, and now the death of one of her closest friends for the safety of her citizens. It was devastating to her, if there was ever a time Celestia wanted to cry this was it, she couldn’t though, she just couldn’t. This was the moment she held it in, stood tall and raised her voice, this was when she would become stoic and wise. The fate of the ponies depended on the devastation of the princess, and they would have their ruler that rebuilds the kingdom, and maintains Equestria’s future. If only he were here as well.
“Terra! We have to fall back to the courtyard!” Tullius yelled from the streets below Terra.
“Agreed!” Terra yelled as he banked and headed for the castle.
As Terra neared the courtyard a small dragon came from above him and clutched him in its claws, tearing into his right front shoulder. The dragon thrust Terra down onto the ramparts of the castle where he then tumbled into the courtyard with shattered stone from the wall. Tullius was not far behind sprinting for the gateway, but he was hit by a bolt of magic and thrown through the gate.
Miraculously the two stood on their hooves, now injured and surrounded by hordes of evil creatures. The windows of the castle had become blackened from the inside. The hordes waited for a moment, waiting to see what the two foolish ponies would do; or worse, they were waiting for the darkness, for it was coming.
“Terra, it’s here,” Tullius warned, trying to catch his breath and resist the shock of his wound.
“I know, I can see it,” Terra said clenching his teeth from the pain.
“Do you believe we might make it out of this?” Tullius asked hopefully.
“I promise,” Terra said as the both of them charged spells as the horde began to close in on them.
Roughly one thousand years later Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked side by side through the halls of Canterlot castle. It was a beautiful day, and one to celebrate at that. The Crystal Empire had returned, and King Sombre was defeated. Except now is the time to summon Terra and Tullius from the past, to see if they were successful in defeating the great evil that threatens Equestria.
“Your student has learned rather quickly sister,” Luna pointed out as they walked.
“Twilight Sparkle has a strong heart and strong friends,” Celestia said proudly.
“As does Cadence,” Luna added.
“True, and both of them have destinies of great importance, even if I do not know what they are,” Celestia said.
“As always sister, you foresee events of the future truthfully, and I believe you,” Luna said kindly.
“Thank you. However I do not know if Terra has succeeded, but I have confidence in him. He promised you that he would return,” Celestia said, moving the subject onto more urgent matters.
Luna had worried of time, not knowing precisely when the Crystal Empire would return safely. She waited, wondering if Terra would hold true to his promise, but hard to believe given the danger he put himself into. It was true that Luna still worried about him, cared about him, but part of her said otherwise. Part of her was angry with him, almost wishing for him not to return at all. Living with him, but also without being with him would be harder than accepting he’s gone. It troubled Luna whether this was her own logic and thoughts, or Nightmare Moon’s anger and sorrow over her feelings of being betrayed by him.
“His promise certainly leads to a complex number of circumstances,” Luna said out loud, unsure of why she did it.
“What factor compels you to think of him this way?” Celestia asked curiously.
Luna remained silent for a while before saying, “I do not know if I can rely on him any longer, his friend was under the same evil power that Sombre had.”
“Perhaps King Sombre was not fully in control of himself as this Tullius is. You are right though Luna, this dark power is familiar and becoming more frequent,” Celestia admitted.
“Do you believe it is the proper time for them to return?” Luna asked anxiously.
“I believe this was the event he spoke of, now would be as good a time as any. I hope they can shed light on this darkness,” Celestia said as they came to a stop at a balcony.
“Do you think we, I mean the kingdom is ready for Terra’s return?” Luna asked.
“I do not know for sure sister, if the kingdom would truly understand the return of Terra, the Phoenix Prince and alicorn of Harmony. I worry that if one legend of Equestria returns, then we are truly in danger,” Celestia said with slight worry.
“That would leave just one other great legend of Equestria to return,” Luna said with hope.
The two sisters looked out over the balcony onto the street where Twilight Sparkle and her friends were happily singing songs as they left. Luna lifted a book with magic in front of her and her sister; the book with swirls of magic and stars on it, a book of destiny, the future of Equestria. Can they truly stand against what is coming on their own, or will the legends return to stand together against this impending threat as they had in the past? Luna wants their friendship to return as much as Celestia does, and they can all but hope.
Epilogue
A shadow creeps from the Everfree Forest towards the town of Ponyville and out across all of Equestria. A great darkness of pure evil, seeking its own reward, relentless and seemingly unstoppable; a voice speaks with the sound of a thunderous growl.
“Through time I have grown in power, watched those who fled so long ago rebuild their homes in pride.”
“However, my time will soon come to reap these lands, no blessed day nor sacred night will remain; only absolute darkness.”
“The compassion and love that saved an empire from my grasp will learn only hate and fear.”
“My might will carry far, no army, no creature, no magic strong enough to repel me!”
“I will have this world as my own.”
“Good will always triumph over such evil one way or another!” Terra claimed.
“Weak and foolish pony, no amount of love can hide the pain you suffer through, and I will make it unimaginably worse!”
“I won’t let that stop me, I promise!” Terra yelled.
The voice only laughed at this as the rest of Equestria would fall into absolute darkness. No escape, no day or night, no love or friendship, and no hope. Except one can’t help but wonder, is this true? Can Equestria be saved, or will it fall. No, there is always more, there is always a way, and under any circumstances, there will always be love even if it hurts to love someone. Make a promise and hold true to it, and never give up!
“The shadows, have returned,” Tullius whispered.
To be continued…