//------------------------------//
// Prologue  
// Story: Two Brothers 
// by BlackPen 
//------------------------------//

	
~~~~~~PROLOGUE~~~~~

It was a normal day in the small Unicorn village; the sun just about reaching its mid-day peak, radiating its warmth down upon the villagers busying themselves in the village square. Clouds were scattered and fluffy, and a variety of birds could be heard singing their daily melodies throughout the sky. No rain, no swirling winds, no thundering storm clouds spitting lightning as the Pegasi often enjoyed placing over Unicorn villages. Nothing to suggest anything worth happening was happening today.

So it was strange to see a small collection of hooded ponies quickly making their way through the mid-day crowd. Their black cloaks which covered their faces and body hovered inches off the ground making it seem almost as if they were floating were it not for the shuffle of their hooves against the dirt. Many curious ponies glanced with interest at the group making their way to the far end of the square. Surely if they wanted to be covert, going in the dead of night would have been more appropriate. Even avoiding the town square would have been a more logical approach to avoid unwanted attention. But the band of black cloaked ponies clearly stood out on this normal day as they left the square. 

The small group of four continued down a dirt path leading away from the village square. They did not speak to each other as they continued their brisk trot through the thickening trees until they reached a small clearing where just before a large hill, stood a little schoolhouse. The building itself was not much to look at apart from being the only sign of civilization in the clearing. It was a small rectangular box with stone walls sloppily painted white and a triangular wooden roof to match. Most of the small windows contained red shutters, some which hung loosely from their hinges and swayed gently in the breeze. A small playground consisting of a small, poorly constructed wooden fort and a hazardous looking swing set stood a few yards away from the building. 

The four ponies kept their distance, watching as about a dozen Unicorn foals spilled out of the building’s front doors signaling the end of the day. After a few minutes of frantic scurrying, the young foals had cleared from the schoolhouse, and the clearing sat empty once again. One of the hooded ponies nodded, and the four began to walk towards the schoolhouse. As they got closer, one of them stopped just parallel to the playground causing the other three to pause.

“Is something wrong?” one of them asked him.

“The swing,” he said, motioning towards the swing set.

The other three turned to look at the pair of swings hanging precariously from the wooden beam by the frayed rope. One simply hung from its rope while the other sat suspended in mid-air, as if the rider had jumped off at the very top and gravity had simply forgotten to pull the swing back down. The four ponies stared at the swing for a moment before the one in front began to move towards the building. The other three followed up the stairs, coming up behind as the first pony knocked sharply on the door. A scuffle of hooves was heard shortly before the door was opened to reveal a very startled green coated Unicorn mare. The small mare’s youthful blue eyes had been reduced to mere dots complimenting her already frazzled bright orange mane and adding to her surely strenuous day.

“Oh heavens! S-sorry, I didn’t expect you so soon,” she stumbled out.

The four ponies pushed themselves into the room, and swiftly closed the door behind them. Two of them stepped forward, pulling their hoods down. The one on the left was a tall, much darker green Unicorn stallion with an almost glowing golden mane that was cut short just above his light green eyes. The other was a cream coated Unicorn stallion, just as tall as his companion with his light brown mane cut similarly short above his ice blue eyes. The two positioned themselves just to the sides of the two other hooded ponies holding the statuesque pose that shouted “guard pony”.

“Presenting Mrs. Spellbook, Chancellor of Magical Education and member of the High Council of King Gemstone,” the cream colored one announced.

Spellbook lowered her hood as her guard announced her. She stood proud and tall, snout raised at an unnecessary angle in the air and quite regal in appearance. Her face was that of an experienced and hardened educator, which only made the green coated mare more nervous. Her light purple yet almost pink mane, unfurled from being stuffed inside her hood, hung just above her knees in long elegant straightened locks. She had a light blue coat that was neat and glossed, dark magenta eyes set behind a pair of thin silver rimmed glasses that hung just off the end of her snout, and single gold ring attached to the base of her horn. She removed her cloak, revealing a striped grey vest with white ruffles about the collar circling her neck.

“And presenting Dr. Charm Caster, Headmaster of the Royal Unicorn Magic University, Head of the Magical Research Division, 2nd Chair to the Department of Magical Education, Lead Advisor to the Celestial Coordination Committee, and member of the High Council of King Gemstone,” the dark green Unicorn announced.

Charm Caster was much older than Spellbook and the grey hairs creeping through his already silvery blue mane was enough of an indicator of his progressing age. His raspberry colored coat seemed to be just as colorful and youthful as ever, but the growing lines under his sunny orange eyes told otherwise. He slipped the hood off his much longer horn and sent his bright orange aura down it, changing the color from a dark black to a silvery white, decorated with streaks of blue and gold that ran along its edges. Spellbook looked over her shoulder at him and rolled her eyes, huffing slightly, gaining a mild chuckle from Charm.

“Oh, don’t be jealous Spell,” Charm said coyly. “If you had spent more time in the field instead of surrounded by scrolls, maybe you could have acclaimed my stunning array of titles.”

Spellbook whipped her head around, mouth agape at her colleague, earning her another chuckle. Charm looked past her at the still frazzled green mare who had opened the door and gave her a wink. She smiled slightly and took a relieved breath.

‘Ok, maybe they aren’t the ruthless administrators I thought they’d be,’ she thought, readying herself and extending a hoof to Spellbook with a warm smile. “Hello, pleased to meet you. My name is Sunny Daze. I’m the teacher here at the elementary school.”

If the silence wasn’t enough of a hint, the ice cold stare Spellbook was now giving her was a clear indication of how wrong her thoughts were. Awkwardly, Sunny lowered her hoof as Spellbook marched right past her as if she barely noticed her existence.

“Miss Daze, it is the middle of the day. Both Dr. Caster and myself have very busy schedules that do not include making round trips to village preschools. As such, it would be most expedient and painless for you to dispense with the pleasantries and continue with your claim so that we may return to our royal duties. Is that understood?” 

Spellbook stopped with her back to the group, eyes focused on the nearest rows of desk and inspecting the note ‘I’m so bored’ scratched into the desk’s wood surface. Sunny had her face about as far down as she could reach hoping to somehow bury her head in the dirt so nopony could see the reddening of her checks as she scrapped the ground with her fore hoof. Meanwhile, Charm was busy rubbing his temple in attempt to soothe the oncoming headache he knew he was about to endure.

“Come now Spell, no need to stress the poor mare more than she already is. Just take a seat and you’ll be back to troubling the rest of the council before lunch,” said Charm.

“I…you…” Spellbook said, struggling for words through her state of shock. “Well we are on a schedule. And it is Mrs. Spellbook to you doctor!”

Spellbook gave another loud huff and situated herself in front of the desk at the front of the classroom as the cream coated guard hurried to her side. Sunny was busy trying to straighten the frays on her disheveled mane when Charm came up beside her.

“Apologies for my associate Miss Daze,” Charm said to her. “However, we are on a bit of a tight schedule so if you could please…”

“Oh yes, of course Dr. Caster,” Sunny replied leading Charm to her desk and situating herself on the opposite side making sure to stay as far away from the ever impatient Spellbook as possible. “So, you’re here about my students?”

“Obviously,” Spellbook said before Charm shot her a warning glance.

“Right,” Sunny said nervously. “Well, where to begin. These two are…well…special. I’m not really sure how to describe it other than that. They’re good kids, really. Twin brothers and very close to each other I’ll tell you, but their magic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a foal with this much magical potential, much less two of them. They’ve surpassed all of my other students, their ability to learn spells is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, they-”

“Yes, yes, all good, you’ve got a pair of wonderful students, I’ve heard this bit before,” Spellbook said before waving a hoof to dismiss Charm’s glare. “Look, it’s not the first time there’s been advanced students even at such a low level. Their magic hasn’t even fully developed yet so it’s natural for them to show signs of increased ability. Just because they get through lessons faster-”

“But it’s not just that,” Sunny said cutting off Spellbook earning her yet another cold glare. “Here, take a look at these.”
Sunny opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a folder. She passed a paper to both Spellbook and Charm who picked it off the table and levitated it before them to read over.

“These are the lessons I had planned for the year. It covers basic, elementary magic for Unicorn foals at this level including basic magic build up, auras, magical reach, elementary levitation, and basic sustainable spell casting.”

Charm lowered his copy, “This is quite an advanced course load. Levitation isn’t something normally practiced at this level, and I see you also have basic spell theory on here. That’s quite a bit for foals who can barely access their magic. And you say these two students excel at these?”

“No,” Sunny replied. “Not excel, passed. They’re done with the lessons, the both of them.”

Silence. Charm and Spellbook sat staring at Sunny as the words hung freely in the air, as if they were waiting for her to tell them she was joking. Sunny sat back in her chair, not sure of what to say next, flipping between the quizzical eyes of Charm and the skeptical eyes of Spellbook. After what seemed like hours, Spellbook gently lowered the class schedule and removed her glasses, placing them in her vest pocket.

“Miss Daze,” she said slowly. “Are you telling us that these students have completed an entire year’s worth of study?”

“Completed and even gone beyond the scope of the class ma’am,” Sunny replied.

“But…it’s March,” Charm said, startled for the first time since his arrival. “The students still have four more months of school.”

Sunny nodded. Charm stood dumfounded as he looked to Spellbook. She sat with her eyes pointed towards the ground, deep in thought. She closed them and after a moment, took a deep breath and looked back up at Sunny.

“Before I make the report of this clearly falsified claim, do you have any proof that two elementary aged foals have managed to surpass not only the standard requirements for Unicorn magic across the kingdom, in record time I might add, but have also done so on an advanced curriculum reaching several levels higher than what is expected of them?”

As much as Charm would have liked to have berated her for her curtness, he couldn’t argue with the facts. Unicorn foals this age shouldn’t be able to do some of the things Sunny claims that her foals can do. Levitation was pushing it as it was, but spell theory even as basic as described on her curriculum was beyond the age. Charm knew better than most that this age’s schooling was deigned more to test a Unicorn’s abilities and open their minds rather than actually train them on subjects. He looked back over to Sunny, who had her head resting against her hoof, eyes locked on the first row of desks Spellbook had been observing when she walked in. She gave a small sigh and turned her attention out the window to the still floating swing. She looked more tired than she was when they walked in. Not nervous, just a bit more exhausted.

“Well,” Sunny began. “Apart from the swing set, this schoolhouse used to be blue.”





From the desk of:	Starswirl the Bearded 
Date:			August 14th, 4 C.E. (Current Equestria)
Journal Stamp:	#407a.

As I take the time to reflect upon my long and illustrious life, I cannot help but recall the earlier times of my foalhood. In the ages long before the foundation of this new kingdom of ours, before the union of the three pony races. It was a simpler time if anything. The tension between the three races still very prevalent, but balance seemed to be kept in the knowledge that we needed them as much as they needed us. I was but a young foal at the time when things began to change so my memories are bathed in the eternal…or I suppose, not so eternal conflict. But sour memories of a past era are not ones I wish to purvey here in what may be my last written account. I wish to fill these pages of my early days which nopony has privy to. The long forgotten days of my brother and I.

Not a day goes by that I do not think of him. Clover would be quite upset with me knowing I never shared this story with her. She trusts me so. But no, this must be one story kept most secret. His life, so close to mine, and yet so different. I often wonder that if things had gone differently between him and me, if I would have taken his place. Surely, if anypony could understand him more in this world it would have should have been me, being his older twin and all. I think he would still be cross with me calling myself older, he always was. In fairness I was out first, but he would of course argue the definition of twins as he always had. I miss him so.

I’m rambling, but the point is this. To whomever may read this in the future, if my name shall be cataloged like the many tomes now held in my home or forgotten and overwritten by the many spell casters clever enough to fill in the holes in my work, know there is a reason I do not tell this story to anypony. There are many secrets here that may topple worlds, incite the most dangerous of curiosities, and expose many things I would wish to keep buried beneath the sands of time, but this is a story that must be told. The story of the Unicorn brothers blessed with powerful magic and our journey to the fateful unforeseen unavoidable tragic end.





Spellbook let out an unexpected snort causing Charm to quickly turn his head away from the window. Spellbook continued for a moment with a light chuckle, covering her mouth with her hoof in an attempt to subdue her giggles. After she calmed she cast an amused, if not coy, smile at Sunny Daze.

“I’m sorry, but did you say they changed the color of this building?” she said still quite amused. “As in a color alteration spell? Implying they understand the intrinsic properties of light distortion magic and the emission spectra enough to cast a fully-fledged spell on an entire schoolhouse? As in a spell five levels above kindergarten students?”

To her dismay, Sunny had not once looked her direction during her entire speech. She continued to only stare at the floating swing out the side window.

“Only because one of the colts deflected it with a shield spell I think,” she said.

Spellbook slammed her hoof against the desk jerking Sunny from her distant thoughts and pulling her into Spellbook’s angry glare.

“This is ridiculous! Guard!” she shouted while the cream colored Unicorn guard approached her. “Check the outer walls for any traces of magical tampering.”

“Yes ma’am,” the guard replied, quickly trotting to the front door.

“A suspended levitation charm, eh,” Charm said staring back out the window. “That’s quite impressive magic.”

Spellbook spun to face her colleague and angrily said, “You can’t honestly believe this, can you? I mean…color spells, a levitation charm, shield spells!? That kind of magic rarely…no, can’t be seen in anypony this young.”

“And yet here it is, staring us in the face,” Charm casually replied. “One would be a fool to deny the evidence lying right in front of them.”

Spellbook let out an angry groan as her glare shifted between Charm and Sunny. The sound of hooves drew her attention as her guard returned inside. He stopped for a moment, caught in her cold stare, before nodding slowly. Spellbook’s eyes widened in shock then shut tightly for a moment. Eventually, she gave an exhaustive sigh sat back, crossing her hooves and staring at Charm to get him to continue.

“Miss Daze,” Charm began. “These claims are…a bit much to believe on your word alone. May we perhaps see the two colts in question?”

Sunny let out a long sigh before saying, “Yes, I thought you might. I kept them after school. Colts, could you please come in here!”

What exactly came next was quite different to each pony in the room. For Spellbook, it was mostly shock, and awe. For Charm, burning curiosity, and a little more awe. For Sunny, this was just another day in which these two had gotten out of hand.

Around the corner peeked the body of a young colt, no older than six. He had a dark grey coat that was ruffled and covered in patches of dirt that shook off a little as he slowly made his way into the room. Twigs and grass found themselves tangled in his bushy, coal black mane that was mostly pushed back away from his face save for the few stray bands that hung loosely around his head. His wide emerald green eyes looked up towards the five ponies now staring back at him, exchanging glances with each of them. He started out from around the corner before he noticed the stern glare of his teacher, Sunny. His cautious and innocent nature quickly melted as his eyes rolled themselves into narrow slits, and his cautious smile faded into a grumpy frown. He grudgingly turned back around the corner and returned with a string in his mouth. The little colt walked into the room pulling the string and the floating mass hovering a good six feet off the ground.

In the air, with a rope tied around his belly, floated another young colt. This one looked about the same age as the first, but was just a bit taller. He had a muddy green coat, partly due to the actual brownish hue of his green fur, and partly due to the actual brown mud that was smeared in it. His mane was far less bushy than the other, cut above his eyes in straight, sea blue strands…or at least they would have been straight had they not been messily thrown about his head. The little green colt had his front hooves crossed, body limp as if he was hanging from some invisible fishing hook, and his deep set golden eyes were fixed into the hardest stare the young colt could manage throwing daggers down at the grey colt pulling him. However, he quickly took notice that his teacher was not the only pair of eyes staring at him as the gathered audience was now intently focused on him. His cheeks burned slight red before he hung his head in a fruitless attempt to shield his face from the stares of the gathered ponies.

“Dr. Caster, Miss Spellbook, I would like you to meet Starswirl and his twin broth-“

“Ow! Quit it!” shouted the colt in the air.

“Sorry, but I’m trying to get you down,” the one on the ground said after yanking on the rope.

“We already tried that you dolt,” the floating one responded sourly.

“Said the pony stuck in the air,” the other sneered back.

“COLTS!” Sunny shouted silencing them both, and causing their heads to droop. 

“Sorry Miss Daze,” they said in unison. 

Sunny sighed and turned her attention to the now petrified professionals before her. Both of them still had their eyes locked tightly on the scene before them.

“Why is your brother still floating?” Sunny asked the grey colt. “Get Starswirl down from there.”

“I’m sorry Miss Daze, but I don’t know the counter spell,” the grey one said. 

“Big surprise there,” Starswirl mumbled just loud enough for everypony in the room to hear.

“Hey,” the brother said, turning on him. “You don’t know the counter spell either, and I don’t see you coming up with any great ideas.”

“Colts not now,” Sunny said approaching them before Charm stepped forward.

“If I may,” Charm said approaching the two colts now giving him their full attention. He looked down at the grey one and said, “A levitation spell huh? You do the same thing to the swings?”

“No sir,” Starswirl piped up. “That was all me. Pretty neat right?”  

“Oh by the gods, not this again,” the brother moaned.

With a flash of magic, Charm enveloped Starswirl in his aura and slowly lowered him to the ground before another argument could begin. As Starswirl’s hooves touched the ground, Spellbook had walked over to them and was now keenly inspecting the pair. After watching Starswirl attempt to dust the excess dirt off his coat, her eyes settled on the brother.

“So,” she started. “Am I to presume that you changed the color of the school young mister-“

“What’s with the black cloaks?” he said pointing to the corner and cutting her off, leaving the room in an unexpected hush while Starswirl brought a hoof to his face. “I mean, it’s sunny and in the middle of the day. Did you all travel through town wearing those black cloaks in front of everypony? I bet you all stood out like a Pegasus in a magic contest.”

There was a moment of silence before Charm burst out in a loud, “Ha!” continuing in a good size chuckle while Spellbook gave him what was growing to be an uncountable number of concerning and utterly annoyed looks.
“I like this one,” he said. “Perceptive. Told you there was no reason to go out in official attire.”

“The royal doctrine clearly states that…UGH, never mind. Just…,” Spellbook said finishing her huff and taking a long breath before looking at the two colts. “Young foals, some claims have been made about what you two have done today. Would you care to explain what exactly happened?”

The two colts exchanged side glances as they shuffled their hooves on the ground. They hesitantly looked towards their teacher who had continued her heated stare at the two of them.

“Well…” the grey brother started.

“What happened was…” Starswirl continued.





“Give it back,” Starswirl demanded.

The little colt was standing in the busy playground surrounded by other young foals. Recess was in full swing for the youngsters as they ran around and played happily in the large field around the bright blue schoolhouse. All except for one angry little green colt watching his brother swing casually in front of him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Swirls,” his brother said.

Starswirl huffed angrily and got closer to his brother.

“My juice box. I know you took it. I want it back.”

“Hmm, juice you say,” his brother said dramatically pausing. “Nope, I can’t seem to recall this juice you speak of.”

“That’s not funny. I know you took it.”

“Clearly some evil villain has stolen your precious drink,” the brother said giggling. “Quickly, we must solve this mystery before the trail runs cold.”

“Stop it.”

“It must be somepony close.”

“Give it.”

“What mastermind could be behind this?”

“I’m warning you.”

“Only somepony truly evil would dare touch the precious apple juice of the great Starswirl himself.”

“I never said it was apple juice.”

“….I bet it tasted pretty good.”

Starswirl quickly powered up his little horn, wrapping his golden aura around it, and fired a spell at his brother, turning the colt’s mischievous grin into a wide eyed gasp. The spell hit the rope, and the swing froze at the top of its arc. Surprised the spell was not aimed at him, his brother slipped out of the chair of the swing, and hit the ground with a hard thud. Some of the foals in the yard turned to look and laugh as he picked himself off the wet ground beneath the swing. He looked up to see Starswirl sticking his tongue out at him only to turn and trot happily away.

“Oh dear brother,” came the menacing voice from behind Starswirl.

He turned just in time to duck the oncoming spell aimed at his face. The purple ball of energy flew just inches over his head and collided with the side of the schoolhouse, causing a ripple to form on the solid wall as the paint slowly faded from blue to white. Starswirl smiled triumphantly and turned to face his brother.

“Ha, you miss-“

He was cut short by the sudden impact force of a small colt running into his chest. The two brothers angrily swatted at each other as they rolled around in the dirt before finally Starswirl managed to break free from his brother’s grasp.

“C’mon little bro, is that all you got?” Starswirl goateed.

“I’m not little!” his brother cried, wrapping his purple aura around his horn and firing another spell.

Starswirl was ready, already gathering his magic and bouncing the spell off his horn like a baseball in a different direction. He turned and galloped away as his brother began to fire more spells and began the chase. They ran around the play set with Starswirl constantly deflecting the spells that his brother sent his way. The clamor of the foals watching was enough to drown out their shouting teacher. After a few moments of chase Starswirl began to slow as his horn sputtered, and his aura began to dim. His brother, sensing his coming opportunity, rushed forward sending a volley of spells at him. Starswirl did his best to block, but he was too exhausted from his earlier spells, and one of the beams hit him square in the chest. Instead of knocking him on his flank, Starswirl began to float upwards, flailing his hooves trying to reach the ground.

“Hey, get me down from here!” Starswirl shouted looking at his brother who was sprawled out on the ground, breathing heavily from exhausting the last of his magic reserves. 

“Oh sweet heavens!” Sunny Daze’s voice broke out from the mass of shouting foals. “What have you two done now!? Oh my, Daisy, go inside and get some string to tie to Starswirl. Everypony please go inside.”

A collective “aww” was heard as the foals began to trot back inside. A crystal blue aura appeared in the middle of the small crowd, and a grey colt was plucked from the group and pulled in front of his teacher’s face.

“And where do you think you’re going?” she asked.

“Wow, you look very pretty today Miss Daze,” the young colt said hopefully getting nothing but a deadpan expression as a reply from her. “Yeah, I know, detention. I’ll have the note from my parents signed by tomorrow.”





“Now that’s something,” Charm said enthusiastically. “This young and already performing far above average spells and flexibility of casting.”

“Oh it’s more than that,” Spellbook said happily for the first time since she arrived. “How much magic do you two know?”

“More to the point, where did you even learn how to do that?” Charm added.

“Well, I read spell books when I can,” Starswirl said. “The ones I have are kind of old, and we don’t get to go to the royal library all that often, but I manage. Mostly I just try to breakdown the spells and put all the little pieces together.”

“I tend to just try random stuff and see what works,” the brother said. “Usually I just find a problem I want to solve with magic and work out a way to do it. The hard part is finding the right basic idea to work the spell, but after that it’s pretty easy.”

“It would be easier if you opened a book and read about it first,” Starswirl stated. 

“Hey, nopony asked you.”

“I’m just giving my opinion.”

“Nopony asked for your opinion!”

As the two began their newest argument, Spellbook and Charm turned to each other.

“This is unbelievable,” Charm said quietly. “These colts have mastered spells far beyond their age level.”

“No, don’t you see,” Spellbook said back. “They’ve mastered spells they shouldn’t even have access to. Unicorns this young don’t have that kind of raw magical power built up in their bodies and yet these two have managed to not only surpass that, but their natural sense of the inner workings of magic is beyond even what I’ve seen some of your students capable of.”

Charm turned back to look at the two colts still squabbling among themselves, slightly unaware of the other ponies in the room.

“That kind of raw ability,” he said slowly. “It’s unheard of in…well I daresay all of pony history. These two…they’re going to be special. I can feel it.”

“The Unicorn race could use a pair of exceptionally talented young casters,” Spellbook replied.

“The entire pony race could,” Charm corrected, casting a glance at her.

“Hmph, well-“

“Pegasi already know how to fly. They don’t need to be taught; it’s instinct. Just like magic,” the brother said, snapping Charm and Spellbook back to the conversation.

“They do to!” Starswirl exclaimed. “What kind of crazy nonsense is-“

“Ok young foals,” Spellbook said, halting the debate. “It was lovely to meet the two of you. We’d like to ask you some more questions and do a few tests, but I think you should run home now.”

“Yes, go on. Your parents are probably getting worried,” Sunny said.

“Probably not,” Starswirl said, levitating his things to him from the side of the room. “They’re used to somepony causing their older brother to come home late.”

“We’re twins, bookworm. Just because you were born a few minutes before me doesn’t make you older,” his brother replied sourly.

“We’ll be coming back in a few days,” Charm said to Sunny. “If they’re as far advanced as we believe, then there’s some special instruction I feel would be best for them. We’ll take care of informing their parents.”

“Hey ma’am, can I take your cloak? It looks really good on me,” the brother said, draping one of the cloaks over his shoulders and striking a regal pose, causing Starswirl to roll his eyes.

“That is royal property mister…apologies; I didn’t catch your name?”





February 20th, 300 N.E. (New Equestria)

It is said that time governs this world. All things succumb to the decay of time. Worlds come and go, empires and kingdoms rise and fall like the waning tides, and even the lives of these lesser ponies are victims to the onslaught of time. For none can escape its grasp, none may attempt to control its unequivocal power, and none may beat the unstoppable force.

All except me.

It is after so many years of ruling this land that I have come to appreciate the power in my own hooves and horn. The power that has survived the ravage of the elements, magic, Gods, and even time itself. Eons of time. I have dominated the indomitable force of time and death itself and have become master of this world. Not even these so called goddesses dare to stand against me. The ponies of my kingdom cower beneath the swirling rage of my power. All is mine and all shall remain mine, for not even time is my enemy…as much as my dear brother would have hoped it to be.

…my brother…

Long has it been since his name stained my mind. The self-proclaimed master of time itself. HA! Even he could not stop me forever. He had always assumed his magic was the strongest even when were but foal, never considering his own twin to be a match for him. His ego stroked by the hollow title bestowed upon him by the false deities of old. How I love to read of their demise. How ironic that they carve their destroyer into the walls of their elegant halls.

Perhaps it would be a good time to recount the throws of my foalhood. Recount the epic that is my rise to power. Through the treachery of false gods, the ignorance of masses, fear, hatred, power…the betrayal of blood…I wish to bask in my glory, for I am unbeatable. I am unrelenting. I am all powerful. I am immortal.

I am King.

Signed,
King Sombra
King of the Crystal Empire & Lord of the Northern Hills