The Sentinels; or, The End Of Chaos
Chapter 1
Shots Fired
There were some nights in Equestria when the moon shone lucid and steady in the purple sky, a steadfast watchman over silent peace. Ponies of all nations were eased into slumber by its resolute glow.
There were other nights when the heart of Princess Luna turned about within her, kneaded relentlessly by a cruel voice whose ever-present whisper had dared to rise to a maddening shout all those years ago. She remembered it well.
"Everypony has fears within them," she had been taught by her wise older sister when she was only a filly, "but the power of Friendship and Harmony is always greater than these. Any challenge can be overcome, I promise you, so long as you choose to stand for good. It will not always be easy. Sometimes it will be painful. But, I will always be your sister, and there is nothing we cannot overcome together. Can we make a promise now, Luna, one that we must never ever break? I promise I will always help you be strong. I will never leave you. Will you do the same for me?"
On this night, the moon sat heavy and dull in the sky, hazy through the haunting clouds. Alone on the Royal Balcony, save for the bat-winged Lunar Guard, Luna absentmindedly maintained the night as she reminisced on the ancient lesson. In her waking dream, she was suddenly standing before the Tree of Harmony once again, grateful for her sister's certainty on the eve of the Fall of Discord. She had not seen the Tree in millenia, but she remembered its otherworldly glow. She found it hard to explain the nature of the tree, even to herself-- its aura, its wisdom, its beauty. It seemed to Luna that it was not just a tree of magic gems. Rather, approaching it felt like entering the temple of an ancient wise sage. Even before catching a glimpse of it, she remembered a warmth spreading through her consciousness as she tread upon its ground, as if each one of her thoughts was laced with a message from the Tree:
Hello, Daughter.
She knew that Celestia had encountered the Tree once previously, and claimed to have spoken with it. It had given her instructions, communicating a mysterious Will that could not be refused.
Bring your sister to Me. A new day dawns.
Until now, Luna had suspected a touch of madness to be the root of Celestia's tale, and had expressed deep concern for her sister's well-being; perhaps Discord's kingdom of insanity had finally overwhelmed her. Perhaps the two Sentinels of Harmony could bear the Chaos no longer. But her sister's sincerity, insistence, and unfounded limitless joy when discussing the phenomenon played to her curiosity. As she stood captivated before this ancient, holy God of Magic, Celestia began to speak. To this day, Luna was not certain whether Celestia or this magical Deity was the author of these words.
"You see, sister, fear is born from Chaos, and peace is born from Harmony. I believe -- no, I know it within me -- that order and friendship will triumph over Chaos and rebuild this world. Great days are coming, Luna. A vast world of harmony for all ponies stretches out before us. Using these," Celestia gestured toward the 6 gems growing from the immortal crystal Tree, "we must represent Harmony in its victory here. A time will come when this duty will pass from us to its true bearers, but you and I, dear sister, are the beginning of something much bigger than ourselves."
In the morning, they had proven their conviction. They, as honored pawns of Fate, became the stewards of a world which belonged to something eternal, as benevolent as it was mysterious. As they stared at the petrified form of the previous King Discord, they could almost feel the weight of the world settle on their shoulders.
Now as then, Luna simultaneously swelled with pride and trembled under the weight of her responsibility. Though they had laid the foundation of a world of life and prosperity, her own days of peace were over the moment the Elements of Harmony first unleashed their power in the Royal Sisters' hooves. Ever since she watched in amazement as the Elements orbited the pair at unsettling speed (partially by the sisters' will, but mostly of their own accord) to end the reign of Discord, something sinister had made its home in the corners of her mind. She had inherited a sacred and solemn duty from Harmony itself, but Chaos would not be defeated so easily. Such is the history of every universe: the tale of the Great Essential War between Harmony and Chaos. Every place and mind is a battlefield; every decision another shot fired.
Her night was nearly over. Her horn ached and her mind was hungry for sleep. Manipulating the ambient energy around her into complex geometric forms, she launched her magic into the sky as she had done for thousands of years. As easy as breathing. The moon touched down on the horizon, and its pale light revealed the mountainous landscape in the distance. When the voice cut through her thoughts from deep within her consciousness, she realized she had half expected it.
“It’s beautiful.”
She had fallen for it only once.
“Too bad nopony saw it.”
She had paid dearly for it, too.
“You deserve better.”
It was a soothing voice. It always had been. But it was only as soothing as a demon’s could be.
With a slight push, she accelerated the moon’s motion out of sheer annoyance. As its last sliver disappeared under the surface of the planet, she knew that within moments, Celestia’s armor-clad pegasi would march in to begin the Changing of the Guard ceremony, followed shortly by her sister. She would be so relieved to see her after this tiring night. A shout rang out, running towards the balcony.
“Princess Luna! PRINCESS LUNA! Come at once! Your Highness, something is wrong with Princess Celestia!”
No, no, it can’t be.
Luna loosed her grip on the night and bolted from the balcony, through the Throne Room, toward Celestia’s bedchambers. Unsupported by alicorn magic for the first time since the Royal Schism, the night thickened and chilled. Between gasps, Luna shouted to anypony that could hear, “Summon the Princess Twilight Sparkle at once!”