//------------------------------// // The Last Day // Story: Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms // by Alphadude007 //------------------------------// Guardians of Light: A Shadow Forms Chapter 42-The Last Day -Castle of the Two Sisters: 1,000 years before Nightmare Moon's return- Celestia paced back and forth at Luna's bedroom door. She had gotten dressed for the upcoming celebration, eaten a small breakfast from the old castle's storeroom, and had been trotting to and fro in front of Luna's door for the past few minutes. The Summer Sun Celebration in Fillydelphia begins in less than two hours. Why isn't she awake yet? Celestia thought, worry creeping into her mind. Is she still recovering from our fight with Sombra yesterday? "Luna? Art thou awake?" Celestia asked, pressing the side of her face to the door. "Aye, Celestia. I am awake." Came Luna's soft reply. Celestia gave a relieved sigh. "Why art thou still in thy bedroom? We have to be at Fillydelphia in a couple of hours." "For thy Summer Sun Celebration." Luna assumed, her words icy. "But of course." Celestia replied, surprised at her younger sister's tone. "I need thee to lower the moon there so that the sun might be raised." "Who says I have to be there with thee to lower the moon? I can perform my royal duties perfectly well from this very castle." Luna said. Celestia fell silent for a moment. "Luna, is something wrong?" "Nay, sister. Everything is as it should be." Luna responded. "My moon will be lowered, thy sun will be raised, and the people will adore thee for performing a task that is done every single day." Celestia's eyebrows furrowed. "Art thou implying something, Luna? That thy duties are any less important than my own?" "Not at all, Celestia. That thy royal flank could use its yearly kissing up ceremony to remind thyself that thou art not just another alicorn princess." Luna snapped. "I think no such things!" Celestia shot back. "Maybe if thou presented thyself to the people more often and mingled with them, thou would experience the same love and joy that the citizens of Equestria have given me." "So thou admit that thee receive more adoration from our citizens than I?" Luna questioned. "Yes, but-" "Then that is all I need to hear." Luna cut off. "Go and enjoy thy Summer Sun Celebration, Celestia. Bask in the glow of the peoples' love." "Fine!" Celestia shouted, turning around and stomping towards the castle's atrium. Luna listened as Celestia's hoofsteps faded from behind the door. "Who does she think she is?" She said to herself once Celestia was out of earshot. "Parading herself around acting like she is on top of the world. She doesn't deserve the love she gets from the people." And now thee see the truth. The Shadow said. Luna hung her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She actually said it. I never thought she'd brag to me about how much love she gets from our subjects." What do thou think the whole concept of the Summer Sun Celebration is? To praise and adore the one that raises it each and every day. But does the raiser of the moon receive such praise? Luna thought back. There have only been a few instances when she was actually given thanks for the duties she performed, the most recent being the pair of fillies at the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. In comparison to how much adoration Celestia received for raising the sun, the love Luna was given was miniscule. Lower the moon when it's time. Once thou have done that, thy true potential will finally be unlocked. "What dost thou mean?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow. "True potential?" Thou raise and lower the moon and the heavenly bodies at night, correct? Luna replied with a nod. What thou can achieve as Princess of the Night is so much more than simply raising and lowering the moon. To unlock thy true power, thou must become the night itself. "But how?" Luna wondered. "Outside my alicorn magic, how else can this power be tapped in to?" By combining our powers, Luna. Thou raise the lights of the night, the moon and the stars, and I am the Shadow of the night. Together, we can become night incarnate. Embody the night, Luna, and claim thy destiny as ruler of the night and of Equestria. Luna's eyes narrowed determinedly. "The people will adore me as their ruler. And should they will not accept my night…" She said, walking towards the window that overlooked the tops of the Everfree Forest, her circular irises flashing into a slit form before quickly returning to normal. "…Then they will learn to fear it." --- Celestia stopped at the doorway to the castle, turning her head back to the throne room. Both thrones stared silently back at her, the alicorn's magenta eyes falling to the floor. Maybe I was too harsh on her. She thought. After the Summer Sun Celebration, we will make things right. With a spread of her wings, Celestia leapt into the early morning sky, her feather-adorned appendages silently carrying her through the air. Fillydelphia was waiting for her. -Ponyville Library: Present Day- All was quiet in the library. Not a sound was heard as the purple dragon and alicorn slept soundly in their beds. All was serene, except for the noise of ruffling feathers. Owlowisious looked down on the first floor of the library from his position on his perch. The nocturnal bird had spent most of his waking hours watching over his owner and her dragon. He could definitely tell that something was wrong, considering their behavior and the dialogue that she had exchanged with her friends. As to what it was, however, Owlowiscious had no clue. "Hmm… guh." The owl heard, his head dipping to see his owner tossing and turning in her bed. "Hoo?" He called, wanting to see if she was alright. Twilight's creaked open eyes looked up to give the concerned owl an appreciative grin. "Good morning to you too, Owlowiscious." Twilight said, sitting up in bed and stretching her forelegs. "Hoo hoo." He responded cheerily. Spreading his wings, Owlowiscious glided down from his perch and began hovering above Twilight's head. Slowly descending, Owlowiscious gently planted his feet on the end of the alicorn's horn. Looking up at the owl, Twilight let out a soft giggle. "Hehe. Enjoying yourself up there?" Owlowiscious let out a content hoot, looking down and giving his owner a pleased look. Turning her head, Twilight looked to see the position of the moon in the sky. Her eyes shot open at seeing how lowly suspended over the horizon the moon was. It's almost morning! "Spike! Wake up!" Twilight exclaimed, startling the poor owl off her horn. "Hmm… what?" a groggy-sounding voice said the floor at the foot of the bed. Sliding out of her bed and onto her hooves, Twilight looked to the basket bed where her draconic assistant slept. "Come on, Spike! We need to get ready to meet the girls at the train station!" Instantly Spike was awake, shooting up in his bed. "Oh right!" He said as he pulled his legs over the edges of the basket. "Sorry for sleeping in, Twilight." Twilight was already at the bottom of the staircase. "No need to apologize, Spike. Just get whatever you need to go to Canterlot." "Got it." Spike affirmed with a salute. Running towards the stairs, Spike turned a quick U-turn and careened down the steps. Owlowiscious watched as the pony and dragon raced back and forth across the ground floor of the library, grabbing whatever they could. He watched as Spike made a dash for the ink and scroll cabinet at the far corner of the room. "Owlowiscious!" Twilight called. The owl's gaze dropped from his hovering position to see Twilight looking back up at him. "You don't mind watching the library for a few days?" "Hoo." Owlowiscious replied, shaking his head. "Thanks!" She replied, turning to Spike. "You have everything you need?" Spike hoisted a small backpack onto his shoulders. "Scrolls, a couple wells of ink, a few quills, and some sapphires. I'm good to go!" "Excellent." Twilight said, her horn glowing a light purple. A saddlebag full of books, quills, and a couple outfits was levitated onto her back. "Then let's be off!" Swinging the door open with her magic, she raced out the door, Spike soon in tow. Spike turned back around to look up at Owlowiscious. "Don't burn the place down while we're gone, ya hear?" Owlowiscious waved a wing in a dismissive gesture. "Hoo hoo." With a grin, Spike shut the door to the library. Owlowiscious looked around the now empty library, a sinking feeling beginning to take hold in the owl's mind. For a reason he couldn't quite place, Owlowiscious felt that he wouldn't be seeing them again for a quite some time. -Starswirl's Tomb, Canterlot catacombs: Present Day- "Then let's not keep Starswirl waiting!" Discord exclaimed, pushing the ancient wooden door open, the pair of royal sisters walking through the doorway. Both Celestia and Luna shared a gasp at what they beheld. The floor, walls, and ceiling were made completely of polished sapphire-blue glass, the same blue of the wizard's cape and hat, bathing the room in a deep azure tint. Orbs of illumination magic seemed to float around inside the glass, imitating the stars in an early evening sky. On the right side of the room stood an iron hanger, the signature bell-adorned cloak and hat of the legendary magician hanging from its hooks. On the left side, a single metal strongbox sat alone. Valuables of Starswirl's perhaps. Luna wondered as her eyes continued to scan the room. Luna's eyes stopped at a black figure that loomed on the other side of the room. Upon a closer look, Luna's eyes widened at realizing she was looking at Starswirl's sarcophagus. A pony-shaped obsidian case stood tall, bold topaz and shimmering gold trimmings tracing the shape of the wizard that lay inside. Luna stopped at a small wooden table before her, a mystic rune engraved on the surface. Zigzags, dots, circles, and lines were scrawled across the wood, Luna's eyebrow rising at the familiar language. "Tia? I think you should see this." Luna called, turning back to see that Celestia was as enthralled at her surroundings as Luna was. Blinking, Celestia snapped out of her trance-like state. "Oh. Well let me have a look at it." She said, walking over to where Luna was standing. Peering down at the language, her eyes widened at the text as she read. "I never thought I'd see the day when this language was used again." "And what language is that?" Discord asked, peeking over the alicorn's shoulder. "Ancient Equine." Celestia answered, her awe making itself apparent in her voice. "The language spoken by the three tribes before they were united by Equestria's founding." Discord's eyebrows rose at hearing this. "Well that does make sense. But why in such an obscure language, I wonder." He said with a snap of his fingers. As he spoke, a bubble pipe suddenly appeared in his mouth and a monocle flashing into existence, the draconequus catching it in midair and putting it to his eye. "Because he knew that we would be the only ones that would live long enough to see the language die out. But then we would be the only ones that could read it. Maybe he intended the words for us to read it some day." Luna answered as she began to read the text. Here lies royal magician and advisor Starswirl the Bearded. May his spirit be carried into the next life and his works remembered for ages to come. Luna looked up from the epithet to see Starsiwirl's sarcophagus standing at the far end of the room, her gaze focusing on a strange golden glow at the center of the coffin. That wasn't there when last I saw it. Luna noted, walking around the table and toward the coffin. "So… where's Starswirl's journal?" Celestia wondered, her eyes shooting back and forth across the room. "Is it in one of these chests?" "Celestia." Luna said, not taking her eyes off the glowing light. Narrowing her eyes, she saw that the glow was in the shape of a hoof. "I think I found something." Raising her hoof to it, she slowly began to reach for the golden light. "Wait, Luna." Celestia cautioned. "We don't even know what that does. It could be a trap for all we know." Luna gulped as she prepared herself for whatever that glow was. "Or it could be exactly what we need to fight the Shadow. Either way, we have to chance it." With that, she pressed her hoof to the golden light. A sudden burst of light caused Luna to withdraw her hoof and quickly retreat from the coffin. All three sets of eyes watched as the golden glow grew into a full flash of light, the trio covering their eyes. When the light had died down, Celestia was the first to lower her hooves from her vision. "Starswirl?" She asked aloud. Discord and Luna looked up to see a faded gold-tinged image of Starswirl the Bearded standing before them, a calm smile upon his face. "Welcome to my tomb, Princesses Celestia and Luna." Starswirl's image said. "If thou art seeing this projection then that means that I have passed on and thou have braved the catacombs to reach my final resting place." Celestia and Luna exchanged looks. "Are you… some sort of phantom?" Luna asked the image. Starswirl's image shook his head. "Nay, Princess of the Night. What thou art observing and hearing is an artificial sensory stimulation spell. My thought process and knowledge have simply been copied into the spell I performed shortly before my passing. With that in mind, thou may inquire of me any question thou may possess." "So you're Starswirl's journal?" Celestia asked. "Yes I am, Princess." The image said with a grin. "Who says a journal has to be confined to the pages of a book? Any knowledge I would have put into a journal I placed into this spell. So if thou have any questions, ask away." "Um… okay." Luna shifted her stance. "When did you die?" Celestia and Discord gave Luna a surprised look. "I was serving my banishment when you passed, Starswirl. So I am wondering when you died." "Shortly after thou were banished, Princess Luna. Just ten days afterwards to be precise. The night of that tenth day, my body gave in to old age and perished." The projection responded. A faint smile spread across Luna's face. "Well it eases my mind to know that thou died peacefully." Celestia stepped up. "Starswirl, err, projection spell, what can you tell us about the Shadow?" The projection's grin fell. "I can tell thee a great deal about that monster. Do thou ask because the time of his return is close?" "How did you know about that?" Discord interjected. "Starswirl had no knowledge of the Shadow's existence while he was alive." The projection turned towards the draconequus. "Maybe while thou were still free to cause chaos, Discord. But during thine imprisonment, the existence of the Shadow and many other things were revealed to me in the last days of my life." "What do you know about the Shadow?" Luna asked, determination in her words. The projection looked at each of the three individuals in the room. "A great evil is stirring. Pieces of a prophecy long foretold are falling into place. The prophecy I was granted will soon occur." "What prophecy?" Celestia was quick to ask. "Art thou sure thou want to hear it?" The projection offered its warning. Celestia and Luna nodded. "Very well. The prophecy goes as thus: When the Mare in the Moon is no more, Shall begin the end of an ancient war. Heroes and villains. Friends and foes. All will endure trials during the coming woes. Hooves to the West, claws to the East. Both will fear the Shadow released. As the sun sets, the moon will rise. A new sun, the Shadow's demise. In the desert the Guardians wait. As the Eight determine this world's fate. The trio stood speechless at hearing Starswirl's final prophecy. The room fell deathly silent, no one daring to make a sound. "So shall it be in the coming days that darkness falls upon the land." Starswirl's projection broke the silence. "The sun will set and darkness will rule. But remember these final words: for it is in times of such darkness that light shines the brightest." As soon as the projection had finished speaking, it vanished in a flash of golden light, a few sparkles fluttering to the glass floor. For a few moments, no one said anything. No one moved a muscle. All they could do was think on what the projection had just said. As the sun sets, the moon will rise. Celestia turned to face Discord and Luna. "We need to get back to the castle. Now." -Mountain Cave, Northern Equestria, Present Day- The faint howling of wind down the entrance tunnel was all that could be heard in the Shadow's ears. It was all he could remember hearing for the last few years. But that changes today. He thought with a sinister grin. His yellow eyes dropped to the pair of changelings that slept on the cave floor. The queen and her captain lay on the rock, their abdomens lightly rising and falling with each breath they took. As he gazed upon them, he almost felt sorry for them. Well, maybe not sorry, but he definitely felt pity for them. Such desperate creatures. The Shadow thought, his eyes softening as they looked over his guests. Taking advantage of such desperation, such need for sustenance, is quite unsportsmanlike, wouldn't you agree, Siphon? A light red glow flashed angrily near the bottom of the shadowy swirl that surrounded the fallen Malach. I do not care for sportsmanship, Shadow! When do we kill them!? The Shadow grimaced at his counterpart. Our time of freedom is almost upon us, my friend. Your bloodlust will soon be satiated, but in the meantime, stick to the plan. He urged. I grow tired of waiting, Shadow. Siphon reminded. The Shadow's mouth curved into a fanged sneer. And you think my patience has not been worn after all these centuries? I never said that. You didn't have to. You know what I mean, Master. Siphon said with a hint of an apology in his voice. You will bring freedom to this world. I simply await the chance to give others that freedom. The Shadow nodded. I understand being anxious, but try to control yourself. By the time the sun rises the next day, you will have had your taste of blood. Thank you, sire. Siphon said, the red glow fading from the swirling black figure. The Shadow closed his eyes, a familiar breeze blowing through the entrance tunnel and into the chamber. The early morning winds have come. He turned his attention to the changelings once again. "Rise and shine, my queen." He said softly, Chrysalis stirring from her slumber. Her green eyes cracked open, piercing the darkness in the cave as they met the Shadow's yellow ones. The Shadow smiled as his gaze met hers. "Today's the day."