III: The Maiden's Battalion
“So, Princess, how exactly did you escape?” Twilight asked, her quill magically paused in midair.
“Long-range teleportation, as I later found out,” Princess Celestia answered. “I discovered it by accident, it seems.”
“Why didn’t the other Magi do the same?”
“Well, Twilight, as you know, back then, they didn’t have the same kind of documentation you and I enjoy. Many spells were passed down from pony to pony. Teleportation was a rare spell as it was, and the long-range variant had yet to be discovered and recorded. I was either the first pony ever to use it, or the first pony to use it in a long time.
“But as I said, it was an accident. I didn’t properly learn the technique until long after the war was over.”
“Fascinating,” Twilight murmured, scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment. She finished her thought, and then paused, tapping the quill to her chin. “Hmm…”
Celestia had taken another sip of tea, finishing the cup. Twilight had not even touched her own. “Something on your mind?” she asked.
“It’s just… Lucky Break, the soldier you were talking about? I feel like I’ve heard his name before, but I can’t remember where,” Twilight said, staring out the window in contemplation.
“Ah yes. Commander Lucky Break. A great knight if ever there was one.” Celestia’s horn gently illuminated as she magically poured herself a second cup of tea, and took a small sip.
“Lieutenant-Commander,” Twilight corrected.
“Hm?” Celestia asked, her lips still to the teacup.
“You said he was a Lieutenant-Commander. The Commander’s subordinate, and right hoof pony?" There was a pause.
“…Right?” Twilight followed timidly.
“Twilight, you don’t need to be afraid of asking questions, now of all times,” Celestia gently rebuked, “I’d be worried if you didn’t!”
Twilight returned with an apologetic look.
Celestia continued. “Yes, I did say that. That’s what he told me at the time. He also told me he wasn’t a knight.” Another sip of tea. “He was mistaken on both accounts.
“I was curious, and it was a long journey, especially with my injury. Eventually, I was brave enough to ask him about himself.” She chuckled. “He was so abrasive and cynical, and at first, I think he hated me. He may have been a good knight, but he certainly wasn’t a gentlecolt. You can’t imagine the nerve it took.”
**********
“Are you sure you are able to travel?” Lucky Break asked. “Your pace is… slow.”
“Of course I can,” Celestia scoffed. “I am a grown mare.”
“Ah,” Lucky said gruffly, “Well, forgive my boldness, but don’t grown mares usually bear a cutie mark?”
“What? You can't be-” Celestia began, but she stopped suddenly as she drew back her cloak and looked at her flank. It was bare. Celestia yelped, and a nearby flock of birds took flight at the startle. Even Lucky jumped at the noise.
“M-my… my mark…” she said, trembling at the sight. “What… what evil is this…?”
“Is it hidden then?” Lucky asked, picking at his ear. Celestia did not respond. “I'm surprised you didn't earn it just now. Your talent for yelling is extraordinary.”
“M-my talent is not yelling!” she yelled. “Though I imagine yours is aggravation!”
“So, what is your talent then?” Lucky asked, ignoring her last comment. The truth was, Celestia had no idea. She tried in vain to call a special memory, a specific trait, or even an image of her cutie mark to mind. Nothing worked. Maybe she really did have no special talent! The idea was strange to her. No mare her age should be markless.
“Well?” Lucky pursued.
She could think of nothing else. “I'll show you when this evil magic wears off!” she answered.
“Hmph. Until then,” Lucky murmured. They resumed their silent walk.
They trudged through a small section of forest. It was slow going, Celestia’s injury notwithstanding. Though it was tranquil and filled to the brim with life, the woodland itself seemed as though it had, at some point in the past, been ravaged. An unusual amount of trees were knocked over, leaving great blockades that sometimes stretched so high, they had to be walked around. Still others were left standing, but bore deep, gouging scratch marks like ancient wounds that had healed into scars.
Still, the forest was green and ringing with the pleasant orchestra of nature, broken up only by their steps and the rhythmic clinking of Lucky’s chainmail. They discovered a path on the opposite side of the cottage they woke up next to, but found there may as well have been no path at all. It was in a state of complete disrepair, with grass and trees and shrubbery encroaching upon all sides. At times, it simply disappeared, leaving them to wander until they could pick it up again.
The two travelers had not said a word to each other since they began, save for the quiet advice Lucky gave when helping Celestia around particularly difficult terrain. She was wanted to ask more questions, but the thought of breaking the silence seemed almost heretical. He did not seem the type for talk, especially in his current mood of general irritation. Even though he had not said a word of hostility towards her, Celestia could not help but feel it.
Finally, her curiosity got the better of her. If she were to be traveling with this pony, she decided, she would be civil and hope for the same treatment in turn.
“So… where are we?” she asked, starting with her most pressing question. She tried her best to be nonchalant about it, but her anxiety was clear. Lucky Break walked on without answering for a moment, briefly making her wonder if he was not going to speak.
“I don't know. It was you that brought us here, you tell me,” he replied gruffly, leaping over a tree trunk, and stopping to help her do the same. He extended a hoof towards her.
“If we don't know where we are, how can we know where we're going?” she asked, gripping his hoof and pulling herself over. “Surely you must have some idea.” Lucky grunted.
“I have a suspicion, but it's only that,” he said, “a suspicion. If we can find the end of this blasted trail,” he paused, moving a large branch out of the way, “then I might be able to tell you.”
Celestia was much less confident than he seemed to be, but she was eager to assert herself as something more than a helpless burden.
“Could we not wait for the owner of the cottage?” she offered.
“No,” he simply said. He heard Celestia sigh, and added, “The owner of that cottage is no pony, and the only tenants are rats, dogs, and birds. Whoever 'owns' this cottage,” he smirked, "is not somepony worth meeting.”
Celestia’s annoyance flared at his rebuke.
“Hmph. Suspicions and ideas will get us nowh-” she began, but was cut short as an errant step on her bad leg sent her tumbling to the ground. She crashed shoulder first into the dirt and slid a couple inches. She blinked in surprise, and shook her head.
She looked above her, where Lucky was offering a hoof to help her up. She pretended not to see it and quickly recovered on her own, brushing the dirt off of her borrowed traveling cloak and clumsily refolding her wings.
Lucky withdrew his hoof and shrugged. He continued walking.
“Neither shall injured mares that cannot control their hooves get us anywhere,” he said evenly. “Let's strike a deal. First, we will try recovering our sense of direction. Failing that, we can do as you wish, and stumble about until our heads hit the Canterlot wall.”
Celestia furiously blushed in embarrassment, and did not say anything else. Another ten minutes of walking in silence, the forest began to thin. Trees grew more sparsely and wild shrubs were shorter. Finally, they emerged into another clearing, this one being much larger than the one previous. If she had to guess, Celestia would have said it were about five miles across until the next wall of forest appeared.
There also happened to be buildings dotting the landscape. They had emerged on a hill, and had an excellent view of the small valley below. There seemed to be a pleasant little village just below them.
Or, perhaps it would have been pleasant had it been inhabited.
Most of the buildings were either collapsed or in the process of collapsing. Many houses had no roof, the unstable thatching having long since blown away or fallen in. The few larger buildings that still did have roofs featured decaying shingle and rotting wood. Random debris and material littered the roads, which were in a poor condition themselves.
There was not a soul in sight. The people of this village had long since gone. Nature had begun a slow but steady reclamation of the land, growing over roads, creeping up the timber of houses, and burying any evidence of habitation.
Celestia cast a sidelong glance at Lucky Break, who had an expression of grim satisfaction on his face. He gave a slight smile, and chuckled, shaking his head.
“Imagine that,” he murmured. “I know exactly where we are.” Celestia gave him a questioning look.
"Since it is your first time here, allow me to bid you welcome,” Lucky Break said, grandiosely sweeping his hoof toward the village, “to the charming village of Ponyville.” She stared at the scene before her.
“Charming in times past, perhaps. Now, there is nothing but broken brick and mortar,” she said, frowning. “Are we safe here?”
“I know she doesn't look the part, but Ponyville is harmless enough. Don't worry, I am friends with the ghosts,” he said, dryly laughing at his own joke. Celestia did not understand. “This is, after all-”
**********
“Wait, wait, wait,” Twilight said quickly, cutting off her mentor with the sudden motion of her hoof. “Ponyville? You mean, Ponyville Ponyville?”
“Yes,” Celestia calmly answered, “Ponyville Ponyville.”
“But Princess, I know Ponyville wasn’t settled until way after this! It’s a little over one hundred years old!”
“True. The Ponyville you live in is exactly one-hundred and six years old. However,” Celestia said, eyes twinkling, “it was not the first.”
“Not the first? What do you mean?” Twilight asked.
“Long before the Ponyville you know was established, there was a village just like it in almost the same location.”
“Almost?”
Celestia got up from her stool, and stretched. She walked over to the study window, and peered out into the night. By the light of the full moon, Ponyville was just barely visible in the distance.
“Back then, the Everfree forest didn’t exist. Or rather, it did, but it was not dangerous like it is now. The land in and around Everfree was, and still is, rather fertile. They based their houses and farms more central to it, as I’m sure Ponyville’s current residents would were it not so hazardous.
“Even that old castle in the forest was a part of Ponyville at one point,” Celestia added.
Twilight was writing faster than Celestia thought possible. She dipped her quill in the inkpot, only to find there was none left. Wasting no time, she switched to a new bottle, and resumed without missing a beat.
“What about the name? They were both called ‘Ponyville?’” Twilight asked, dotting the parchment with a quick stroke of finality. “That can’t just be a coincidence.”
Celestia chuckled mischievously. “I may have had something to do with that. Being a princess of the realm does have some benefits, you know.” Twilight scribbled another note.
She continued. “Even though it was destroyed, Commander Break still boldly declared it to be-”
**********
“-my hometown!”
Celestia paused, unsure if he was joking. “Were you raised in a ruin, then?”
“No, but it has been called worse,” he said, walking down the hill. Celestia limped after him.
“If our location is plain, what of our destination?” she pursued. Lucky stopped, and motioned Celestia to his side.
“See those mountains? Right there?” he pointed to a range of mountains, each sparsely covered in trees and capped with pure white snow. A thick fog obscured a single portion of the scenery. “The pegasi must be brewing a storm, for the mist conceals it. Over the edge of a plateau hangs Canterlot Castle, strongest bastion of ponykind in the kingdom. On a normal day, it can be seen for miles around. Of course,” he added, “normal days are in short supply, it seems.”
“It takes only a few days to walk there. Perhaps longer, considering your pace.” He resumed walking. “It is strange indeed, our being so close to our goal. It's a shame, almost, I was so looking forward to your plan of action,” he teased. Celestia did not find it amusing, and changed the subject.
“So what of this place? Ponyville, you said?” she said.
“Yeah. It was pleasant enough. It was a town of farmers and laborers, through and through. My grandfather was a blacksmith, my father was a blacksmith, and I was to be a blacksmith as well.” He humorlessly chuckled. “I suppose that plan went awry.”
They began to enter the village proper. Most of the roads were dirt, but there were patches of cobblestone here and there. Their hooves made lonesome clopping sounds whenever they struck the rock, echoing off the walls. A quiet breeze of wind whistled through some nearby rock, and seemed to accentuate the absolute abandonment of the place.
“Ponyville was small, lacking in fancy, and most importantly, safe. Such a small dot on the map was hardly enough to attract the attention of anypony, friend or foe.”
“So what happened?” Celestia asked. The moment she asked, he stopped and looked at one of the ruined houses. Celestia stopped with him, mentally drawing a line from his gaze to the building, trying to find what he was looking at. She could not spot anything significant; it was small, likely a residence at some point, and completely indistinguishable from all the others.
Lucky suddenly moved on. “Discord happened.”
There it was again, that name. Discord. She abhorred, loathed, despised, and cursed the foulest of fates upon it. Discord. What a loathsome thing. Discord. It set her heart on fire with righteous fury.
Discord. Hatred. Discord. Hatred. A never ending pattern echoed in her head. She could not end it, nor did she want to.
“…estia…?”
“Huh?”
“Celestia? Are you well?” Lucky was looking at her with mild concern. She realized had completely lost touch for a moment.
“O-oh. Oh! Yes, I am well,” she said, shaking her head.
He gave her a suspicious look, and moved on.
“I’m afraid I must ask,” Celestia said, “Who is Discord?”
“Who is Discord?” he repeated incredulously, stopping in his tracks. “Are you joking?”
Celestia shook her head.
“You struck me as a mare of twenty and some. Surely somepony of your age…?” Lucky said. “Only infants and idiots don't know the meaning behind that name!”
“Guard your tongue!” Celestia said defensively. “I am not an idiot!”
“An infant it is then! By the gods, the town drunk possesses the awareness of a royal ambassador compared to you,” he said. “Even as a foal, I could name the three most known to me: mother, father, and Discord.”
“I will not suffer this!” Celestia cried indignantly. “Make it plain to me! Or do you just enjoy berating the unfortunate?”
“Unfortunate,” Lucky mumbled. “Clueless, more like. Never have I met a dreamier mare…”
“Your insults fall upon deaf ears,” Celestia said venomously. “If you find it proper to ridicule me at every question, I suggest you do it all at once. My memory is scarce, and my questions quite the opposite.”
“Oh, calm yourself,” he said, waving dismissively, “I react with hesitation. Many would punish you on the spot, had they thought you were joking with such matters, and it would be more than a gentle slap on the hooves. If you really are ignorant, I suppose it behooves me to… remind you.”
He resumed walking. “You are familiar with the War of Madness, correct?” Celestia met his question with frustrated silence.
“The war? The one that wages even today?” he repeated. More silence.
“…not even that. Well, I suppose the tale will have all the more effect, seeing as your first memories are of it.” Lucky cleared his throat.
“Well, to answer your first question, the war is what tore Ponyville apart, but it is certainly not one of a kind. Dozens of settlements have met the same fate, most with a destruction far greater than this. Discord’s hordes are known to rend bone from flesh and tear brick from brick ‘till naught remains but a crimson waste.” Lucky spoke with an unnerving viciousness. He paused.
“But I’m getting ahead of myself. The War of Madness. It all started in the east.” He swept a hoof eastward, pointing to the sunlit horizon.
“Far past the frontier, and beyond the Hieyuma Empire, lies the-”
**********
“Wait!” Twilight interjected. “The Hieyuma Empire? I’ve never heard of that.”
Celestia was taken by surprise at the sudden interruption.
“It’s a difficult bit of history to find, but it is there,” she answered patiently. She rolled her eyes at her student’s look of ‘Are you sure?’ and smiled.
“I promise, it is. Remind me sometime, and I’ll tell you all about it,” Celestia said. She knew it would bother Twilight for every minute of every day, until she was either told, or she found it herself. Celestia knew she would not. Time had been unkind to the annals of history.
“Now, where was I…?”
**********
“It all started in the east.
“Far past the frontier, beyond the Hieyuma Empire, lies the Astral Mountains, where dwells the fabled alicorns. Nopony ever goes in, and nopony has ever come out, the only exception standing before me, I presume.”
Somehow, Celestia knew what an alicorn was, but it did not strike her that she was one until just now. She looked herself over, giving her wings an experimental stretch. She supposed it was true, but still, it struck her as a tremendous oddity.
Lucky Break continued, “Many centuries ago, the alicorns dwelt among us, or so the stories say. Some versions of the tale say that they grew tired of the pony tribes’ bickering, and others say they found their differences between the tribes beyond reconciliation. Still others tell it that they believed themselves superior, and became arrogant.
“Whatever the reason, the alicorns departed from the land, and traveled as far west as possible, making their home in the distant mountains.
“Time passed, and the tribes forgot about their counterparts, the alicorns. It was not until fifty years ago, when the tribes united to form the kingdom of Equestria, that anypony recalled that ancient tale. The hierarchy sent explorers on an expedition to find them, in hopes that we might learn of their fate, and perhaps even be reunited.
“The scouts returned empty-hooved. They recounted a strange tale, one that I would not have believed had I not seen the results of it with my own eyes.”
The two rounded a corner, and entered what looked like an old town square. The surrounding buildings were built to be slightly larger, and so the resulting rubble was proportionally larger as well. On one side stood a large church, easily the biggest, most unscathed structure in the whole village. It had a bell tower with a large brass bell still hanging in plain view. It was old and in decay, but still had an air of proud, unyielding majesty about it. Lucky Break stopped and gazed at it ruefully.
“Every Sunday, that bell rang. We attended, and learned the sacred writings, and all about Harmony,” he said, a slight twinge of regret to his voice. “Where is our Harmony now, I wonder?”
Celestia did not know how to answer.
Lucky grunted, and tore his gaze away, and said, “Forgive my irreverence. I find my piety somewhat lacking these days.” He walked on, Celestia close behind.
“Where was I?” Lucky pondered. “Its strange. One need not tell this story very often… ah, yes! The scouts.
“They returned with nothing but a tale. They reported the Astral Mountains to be covered in a shroud of black fog, like a storm cloud. When they approached it, they found it to be impassable and intolerable, arresting movement and choking the ponies that dared to breathe it. A consult with the creatures of Hieyuma, who lived nearest to it, revealed that neither could they enter the shroud.
“It was a curiosity, but hardly an important one. Scholars and magicians studied and theorized, but to them, it was merely a distraction, a game with which to exercise the mind.
“For another thirty-five years, the tale grows dull. Peace, prosperity, and indeed, Harmony were the ways of the land. I am told it was…” he looked up, searching for the right description. “…nice.” He fell silent, seeming to ponder the very meaning of the word.
He continued after a moment. “All good things must come to an end, it seems.
“The shroud parted, and without warning, hordes upon hordes of abominations poured out. It seemed a nearly endless sea of beasts, each of which demonstrating a huge capacity for destruction and a tireless will to exercise that capacity. At the head of it all was a monster that called itself ‘Discord.’”
Celestia flinched as an electric pulse ran through her head. Discord. Hatred. Discord. Hatred.
“He attacked without provocation. Attempts of diplomacy were met with violence. We may as well have been appealing to a thunderstorm, or a volcano; a force of nature with no mind or method. He had only one goal, which he made abundantly clear: to bring about absolute chaos. Indeed, in the wake of his trail, there was not only destruction, but what I can only describe as… well, as chaos. The landscape becomes twisted and wrong. The laws governing reality cease to be. In much of the land we have had the fortune to retake, there are still scars. It is… most disturbing.”
Lucky shivered at some recollection. “His attack was vicious and sudden. Before we were ready, he pushed into our lands and killed many good ponies. Ponykind was ill-equipped for war. We were too used to our peace, our… our Harmony.” He seemed to spit the word with disdain.
“Our kingdom was upon the precipice of ruination, but thanks to the effort of many brave knights and soldiers, we pushed them back. For fifteen years, we have kept them at bay. We shall keep them at bay for longer still.
“And that,” Lucky concluded, “is the legacy of Discord.”
Discord. Hatred.
There was a pause. Celestia dared not speak until she knew he was done with his story.
“That is… most unfortunate,” Celestia said. Lucky returned with a noncommittal grunt. “This village,” Celestia continued cautiously, “Are we so close to the frontier that we are in danger of attack?”
“No,” he answered ruefully. “This ruin is the result of an unhappy accident.” Celestia paused expectantly, waiting for him to continue. He did not, but could sense her anticipation.
“Do you want to hear the story?” he asked.
“Stories pass the time,” she answered, “but not if it pains you to tell it.” Stories did indeed pass the time, and Celestia truly was curious about the place.
“No,” he repeated. “It's alright. It is the duty of every Equestrian, no, every rational being to bear a hatred of Discord. Let his deeds not be forgotten.”
Celestia did not tell him she was already doing her duty. The only difference was that now she had a better reason.
“Battle wages upon the frontlines many miles from here,” Lucky began. “But in days past, when the hordes first attacked, we were ill-prepared for their coming. The abominations advanced as they achieved victory after sweeping victory. Eventually, after many months of loss, Equestria was able to muster a force enough to drive them back.
“The early Equestrian Army was amateur. Regardless of the strength of their legs, and the bravery of their hearts, and even the cunning of their leadership, they were not the disciplined fighting force we know today. They were disorganized and untrained, rushing forward in the same broken rank and file that the hordes did.
“Indeed, they pushed the hordes back, but not without casualty, and not without missing a few beasts. In the wake of many victories, the army lacked the strength and organization to set about hunting the remaining abominations. These leaderless hordes, cut off from their tyrant, wandered about until they settled in Equestrian territory. They no longer sought battle, but they were still dangerous.
“One such horde chose Ponyville as their resting place,” Lucky Break said. “They ran wild among us. Not a one of us knew how to fight. It was a pathetic sight… farmers and cobblers and potters, all running for their lives. It was a massacre. I’m sure you can guess on which side.”
Lucky shook his head, sighing. “I cannot even claim the pride of having fought valiantly. Valor was not a common trait when one’s biggest concern was next year’s crops. Almost as quickly as they came, we fled like cowards, leaving behind our homes and land. And we were right to do so.”
He hesitated for a moment, but continued. “Both of my parents died, as did my elder brother. I was eight.”
“Oh…” Celestia quietly murmured. “I’m sorry…”
“As am I,” he said evenly. “Don't worry. Death has occurred before, and I wager it shall continue to do so.” He took a deep breath. “So we ran to Canterlot.
“Canterlot was not as we know it now. It was a small, mostly earth pony farming village, just as Ponyville was. There was no castle, no walls, and certainly no trained guard. To us, they were simply our neighbors to the north, with whom we traded occasionally. We ran for that haven, not because it was safe, but because it was our only option. The good folk of Canterlot took us in, and nursed our wounds.
“We were beaten, broken, and most of all, embarrassed. Our pride and joy had been taken from us, and most of us felt like it was gone forever, myself included.”
Lucky Break paused and looked toward the sky, as if pondering how to continue. “Have… you ever heard of the Maiden’s Battalion? Commanded by the Maid of Canterlot?”
Celestia briefly pondered. “The names sound familiar… but no, I do not recall,” she said. “Was it a detachment of the army? Did this ‘Maid’ save your village?”
“Well… you have it half right. To answer those questions, no they were not a detachment of the army, and our village was, at that point, far beyond saving. No, what needed redemption at that point was our pride. Our will. The attitude of despair hung thick over poor Canterlot. We sent a call for aid to the kingdom, but it was lost amongst a churning sea of similar pleas. They were overburdened. Many thought it was only a matter of time before their village was next.”
“What of you?” Celestia asked. “How did you feel?”
“An orphan of eight years who had just lost his entire family? How do you think I felt?” he said abrasively. “I felt just like everyone else. Perhaps a bit more lost than my elders. A good family took me in, and they still have my utmost thanks, but it was little consolation at the time.
“Soon, it all changed. It was Sunday, the day of Harmony, a day of prayer and meditation, but few could meditate on anything but tragedy. The Father rose to speak, and began his sermon. Even he was in foul spirits, and could not bring himself to preach with the zeal he once knew. He ended with something like, ‘May we find Harmony away from this battle.’ When he was finished, chaos’s plague still weighed heavily on our hearts, perhaps even more so than before.
“We were ready to adjourn,” Lucky said. He smiled. “I’ll never forget what happened next.
“This little filly, even younger than I was, stood from her seat, and galloped to the pulpit. Racing right past the Father, she slammed her hooves on the wood as hard as she could, and shouted, ‘No!’”
Lucky Break laughed at the fond memory. “It was almost pathetic, how little noise she made, and yet… it seemed to echo. ‘No!’ she shouted. ‘Ponyville was my home! I will not let some demon take it! I will fight!’” There was a grin on Lucky’s face, huge and genuine.
“This foal, this little earth pony filly that had yet to even earn her cutie mark,” he said through small, stifled laughs, “is up on the stand, shouting more zealously than a young priest. Hardly anypony actually knew her name. She hammers her hooves on the wood again, and shouting so loud her tiny voice cracks, she says, ‘Harmony will not find us away from battle! There is no Harmony in cowardice! I say, may we find victory in battle, and Harmony after!’”
Lucky’s smile began to fade. “Victory in battle, and Harmony after,” he quietly repeated.
“Well, the Father was furious. He ran up to her, grabbed her by the ear, and looked as though he was going to give her the beating of a lifetime, when somepony shouted. I don't know who, but somepony shouted. ‘She’s right!’ they said. Somepony else stood, and agreed. Then another, and another, and another.
“Soon, the whole congregation was on their hooves, screaming and shouting with the rage and passion that only the truly desperate possess. Eventually, even the Father, who later became the caretaker of this little filly, was up in arms.
“The entire town, stallions and mares alike, left the church, and marched with this little foal down the mountain to Ponyville. They were armed with pitchforks, wheat scythes, carpentry hammers… some left with only their bare hooves and the clothes on their backs. I too followed, my hapless adoptive mother not quick enough to stop me.
“I was not the only foal to go. We were too young to fight, but we were inspired nonetheless, and wanted to watch the retaking of our village. Most ponies allowed their children to follow. Those that were forbidden to go snuck out anyways.
“It really was a sorry sight to behold, this ragtag mob of angry ponies charging down this mountain, their leader a foal that was small even for her age. But when we got there… I am now a proper military stallion, and I have never since seen such a battle. I would go so far as to call it beautiful, could such affairs be called that.
“That mob, that unlucky, inadequate, wretched mob of ponies fought so brilliantly. There was bloodshed, and there were casualties, but the ponies of Canterlot and Ponyville hunted each and every abomination till there were naught left.” Lucky’s eyes sparkled with pride.
“The village’s homes and farms were all but ruined, and so the Ponyvillians returned to Canterlot after the deed was done. It mattered not that they restored their village, only that they restored their dignity. And they did, believe me, they did. It was the ponies’ proudest moment, and the story is still told today.
“The filly that lead them was celebrated as a hero and saint. On the day of their triumphant return, her cutie mark manifested itself. A half-hidden, rising sun.”
Celestia and Lucky Break were beginning to exit the village. By this time, it was mid-morning, and the sun was high above the eastern horizon. They stepped onto a cobblestone trail that lead away from the ruins and toward the mountains. It was well-worn, better maintained, and if the track marks were anything to go by, appeared to be used very frequently.
“What was her name?” Celestia asked.
Lucky did not answer for a full half minute. Finally he spoke.
“Daylight,” he said. “Her name was Daylight.” There was a slight, choking roughness to his voice.
Lucky cleared his throat and continued. “Years passed. Word of her deeds spread quickly. Eventually, when the royal army came by, and when she was of proper age, she joined them. I did too, along with many others who still remembered her act of courage.
“She advanced quickly through the ranks, possessing the courage, skill, and leadership of a pony far older. Eventually, she was given her own battalion to command, the newly formed 21st division. It consisted of all those who had come from Canterlot, as well as many others. Almost all of the soldiers were rookies and amateurs, but that did not matter. ‘I will take a battalion of rookie patriots’ she once told me, ‘over a battalion of weak-minded professionals.’”
Lucky sighed. “I was stronger. Faster too. My reflexes in battle were unbeatable. But somehow, she… was always just a little bit better than me.” His eyes lit up with conviction.
“The greatest position I could ever attain was one serving under her, and the greatest title, Lieutenant-Commander. Some thought she was delusional, and they were right to think so; some of her tactics were so unorthodox that even her most loyal questioned them.”
Lucky gave a small laugh. “That battalion was as green and fresh as springtime grass. No one expected her to do such great things with such a verdant fighting force, but lo and behold, she ended up commanding the best there ever was. Her battalion won victory after glorious victory. At one point, she was offered a higher position in the army, but declined, opting instead to stay on the battlefield.
“She became known throughout the realm as ‘the Maid of Canterlot.’ Her force, officially the 21st Mixed Unit Division of the Equestrian Army, became whimsically known as ‘the Maiden’s Battalion.’ We still bear the rallying cry that started it all.
“Victoria intra bellum, Armonia postea,” he said, quoting the old language. “Victory in battle, and Harmony after.” He said the phrase with immense pride.
“And that, Celestia, is what happened,” Lucky finished.
Celestia was impressed. The tale seemed to resonate with her, inspiring her just as it had inspired the ones who had actually been there.
“It must honor you to serve under Commander Daylight,” she said.
“What?” Lucky responded, a strange twinge of… something in his voice. Anxiety, perhaps?
“This mare, the Maid of Canterlot. She seems like a great pony!” Celestia said. “And you’re the Lieutenant-Commander of this force. You said as much, yourself… did you not?”
“Oh,” he said dejectedly. “Yes. I suppose I did say that.”
Celestia frowned. “What's wrong?” she asked.
“Celestia,” he said slowly, “The Commander Daylight has been gone these two months.”
An electric shock seemed to hit Celestia. “Gone? You don’t mean…?”
“Indeed. She is slain.” He sounded heartbroken.
“I’m… so sorry…” Celestia said for the second time today. She almost felt like she had lost a hero, though she had only been introduced to the tale a moment ago. “How… how did she…?”
“Two months past, at the siege of Trotterdam. The city was the halfway point in an important supply route, and the 21st was tasked with reclaiming it from the Madness. We attacked. As always, she led the charge. As the battle began, she was lost in the fray.” Lucky Break was looking away from Celestia, obviously not wanting to show his face. He tried to remain impassive, but his voice wavered ever so slightly.
“We drove the Madness out, but she was nowhere to be seen. Eventually, somepony found her body, dead from a slash to the neck.” He cleared his throat, but it did nothing to change his tone. “Needless to say, the Battalion was severely demoralized, and was rotated out of the frontlines early. We were to return to Canterlot for a funeral, and to recognize the new Commander. I was given orders to make a side trip to escort another, and then rendezvous with the rest of my company.
“I am the Lieutenant-Commander of the Maiden’s Battalion, yes,” he said miserably. “But only by virtue of procedure. In truth, the burden of leadership falls upon me.”
Celestia was at a loss for words. “Well… I… I’m sure you will lead them to glory just as great.”
“Of that, I have doubt,” he said. “I am an able tactician, but I am no hero. Some ponies just…" he trailed off for a moment, and looked at Celestia with a harsh, mournful gaze. "Some ponies just can’t be replaced.”
Celestia fell silent, as did Lucky Break, who was content to let it remain that way. No more stories for today, she decided. Her mind was weighed heavy with the history of a doomed kingdom, and the tragedy of a fallen hero. She doubted she could listen to any more. It seemed Lucky was not a fan of idle talk, as the rest of the day held little conversation.
**********
The winding forest path took them away from Ponyville, and into the mountains. The trees blocked most of the horizon, but Lucky seemed to know where he was going. The sun passed steadily through the sky as they trudged along. By the time the sun was setting, they were almost completely out of the forest.
They were making good time, but not because Celestia’s limp had gotten any better. In fact, by now it was worse. Lucky was traveling at a pace far beyond her own, but she was determined not to ask him to slow down. She was not weak, and she would prove it.
“It will be night soon,” he said. "Let's stop here. Another day will see us at the gates.”
Lucky turned away, and prepared to make camp. When she was sure that he was not looking at her, Celestia allowed a flood of relief to wash over her, and she collapsed on the ground, examining her leg. It was swollen and bloody, but at least the blood flow had stopped.
She found a relatively soft spot on the ground, and lay down, draping the cloak over herself for warmth. Though it was spring, the mountain air could become very cold at night. Reaching into a saddlebag hanging off of his chainmail, Lucky retrieved a tinderbox and set about starting a fire. Eventually, they had a pleasant flame going, and they both curled around it.
Lucky began to work the chain off of his body. With a series of great metallic clinks, he folded it and set it into a neat pile next to his saddlebags. When Celestia questioned him, he merely answered, “Sleeping in chainmail is only one step above sleeping on a bed of nails.”
With that, he rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. Celestia did the same, but a sudden curiosity came to her mind. She raised her head, and eyed his flank. By the dim light of the fire, she could see his cutie mark: a simple silver horseshoe, jaggedly broken into two equal pieces. She stared curiously, pondering possible meanings for such a mark. It was another moment before she realized his eyes were open and looking straight at her, brows raised. She lowered her head and looked away, slightly embarrassed. She thought she heard him chuckle, just once.
She settled into her earthy bed, and warmed by the radiance of the fire, she drifted off into a restless sleep.
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Congrats on the Equestria Daily feature! On another note, I like the idea behind your story, Celestia's past is a ripe apple orchard of potential goodyness and I think you've done an excellent job so far of bucking the golden delicious right out of it!
Well, I'm unbelievably pissed. I just started writing a story of this EXACT scenario two hours ago.
Magnificent.
Dark and beautiful, and instantly tracked. I never thought Celestia's past would be a happy one; Utopia comes at a terrible cost. Eagerly awaiting your next update.
I always love a good Celestia Origin story, but this one has to be one of the best I've read so far. I can't wait for another one!
Okay, read the four chapters you have so far.
So far I prefer CrappyUnicorn's Discord comic origin story. I guess because I'm worried your story is going to be too fleshed out. That's a weird complaint for a story, I know. Celestia's origin is a very fun source of speculation for many (or at least for me). I think not knowing about it makes her a more interesting character.
As nice Lucky Break is, he's an OC and I'm not gripped by him just yet. It -does- seem necessary to have OCs in order to have a story that takes place over a thousand years into the past though.
I was also worried for a while that Celestia was the first alicorn and created as some kind of desperate abomination to defeat Discord. Then you drop that alicorns -do/did- exist. As long as they did exist I'm satisfied; Celestia can be magically-born if that's what happened. I guess we're going to find out about Luna at some point now too. After all: Princess Celestia says she and her sister defeated Discord.
I think my points of interest would be the time between the discovery of the elements to the eventual banishment of Luna. You cover those, you'll have my interest. But the real issue is going to be the road leading up to that. Can you make everything you've mentioned so far meaningful to the story or is too much going to be just added?
NOW, enough of my rambling:
-I'm going to probably be reading the next few chapters. Don't let us down!
-The story in a story format is familiar and inviting. For me, it frames the story as something more accessible. I was getting confused however, when you're describing her dreams or the way she feels. I guess it's not -actually- a story in a story (like The Princess Bride), but more like we're jumping between what happened and Princess Celestia recounting the story to Twilight. That's fine, I just went in expecting it to feel like Celestia telling the story to Twilight. The brief interruptions were cute though.
Whoops, I rambled again. Sorry.
Since you said you need proofreaders:
Chapter 2, "This was not what she looked like. This was nother(sic). She was different. She did not know why, and she did not know how, but she was different."
From this I also accidentally found that you've used the word 'another' 12 times in chapter 4. Several times I think you could just completely leave the word out. It doesn't feel overused yet but keep an eye on it.
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>As nice Lucky Break is, he's an OC and I'm not gripped by him just yet. It -does- seem necessary to have OCs in order to have a story that takes place over a thousand years into the past though.
Oh, you will be gripped by him. You will!
>Can you make everything you've mentioned so far meaningful to the story or is too much going to be just added?
Good question. This is something of a history lesson. That being said, history lessons can be boring. It's my hope to balance out a decent amount of exposition and good ol' fashion storytelling. Chapter four was probably the worst example of that. Like, ever.
>I was getting confused however, when you're describing her dreams or the way she feels. I guess it's not -actually- a story in a story (like The Princess Bride), but more like we're jumping between what happened and Princess Celestia recounting the story to Twilight. That's fine, I just went in expecting it to feel like Celestia telling the story to Twilight. The brief interruptions were cute though.
I sort of wrote it to sound more like a flashback, rather than an actual, word-of-mouth story. That way, you can describe feelings and dreams and things that matter to the reader, but wouldn't necessarily matter to Twilight. Also, even though Celestia is the main character and style is third-person limited, you can get brief glimpses into the feelings of another character. Does that make sense? I hope it's not too jarring.
>Since you said you need proofreaders:
Fix'd! Thanks for that.
is the title a reference to that song?
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Oh ho ho! Wouldn't you like to know!
(Actually, I only think I know what you're talking about.)
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what do you think I'm talking about?
I totally thought you were going to pull a "Never Found the Body" with Daylight. That would have been
-worthy.
This happy disappointment will not stop me from continuing to attempt to predict how it plays out while trying to just enjoy a good read.
Google translate puts it slightly different but I did know it was Latin (Almost thought Italian but I seemed a bit too archaic for that)
Victoria intra bellum, Armonia postea = Victory in the war, later in harmony
It says that "victory in battle, and harmony after" is actually best translated to "Uincere bello, pacem cum" (or if you use a few alternate translations and lose the "and") "Victoria in bellum, harmonia post". Then again, I've heard rumors about Google translates inaccuracies
On a different yet equally scholarly note, was "Joan of Arc" your inspiration for Daylight? They have a bit in common although Joan was only wounded in battle then later captured and executed as a witch while Daylight was simply killed in battle. They were both female warriors who's religious fanaticism inspired their armies to great victories though and both had a thing about crazy plans and leading their soldiers into battle from the front. Both were considered great heroes and had a hand in turning the tide of war until they died (both before their own wars were finished but Joan had decisively turned the tide while Daylight seemed to still be in the process of it).
As for the rest of the story, good freaking job! I liked all the little hints and leads you give out while occasionally discrediting one to make me guess if my intellectual leaps are right. I've got like three new theories on who Celestia used to be before becoming Celestia... well... that is if Celestia really did use to be somepony else! Oh, and now you got me pondering what would broken horse shoe mean as a talent!
"Victory in battle, and Harmony after!"
One of the best war phrases I've ever heard.
Let me go one and say that I've been looking for a good Celestia origin/history of equestria fic...
I think I found the first to keep me interested.
I think the CMC would take an intense interest in this chapter. "Celestia was a blank-flank!?"
2nd to last paragraph of chapter 3
It was another moment before she realized his eyes were open and looking at straight at her, brows raised. She lowered her head and looked away, slightly embarrassed.
Enjoying this a lot at the moment, will continue reading.
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Fix'd. Thanks for pointing that out.
Thanks for reading, let me know if you enjoy the rest!
Very much the feel of the Simarilion, with the Alicorns taking the place of the Elves and Discord the place of Morgoth the Deceiver. Was Discord the conqueror of that land or was he ultimately driven out by the Alicorns and went to wage war elsewhere? If so, the fog the thing that held him back from harming the rest of the world?
Lucky Break's story strongly suggests that there is a limit to Discord's power. He can only invoke his full strength in places where no mind resists him directly. As soon as he resists, chaos tends back to order, although with scars.
She was not meant to be a champion, was she. She was meant to be a weapon. The Magi must have been desperate, to seek to create something with the destructive power to defeat Discord, and yet something unpredictable enough that they needed to hardwire a deep hatred of Discord to ensure it would help at all. Who knows what it might do once Discord is gone?
So, then, Daylight. Possibly simply like a sister to Lucky, not actually his sister. We'll have to wait and see. Did she actually die at Trotterdam? Or was she merely crippled? I thought she had volunteered for this, but perhaps she was too dead at the time to give her two bits. In any case, Lucky's probably right to act as if she's dead; if Tia were still fully Daylight she'd almost certainly have retained her cutie mark (though on the other hoof, if Tia were fully not Daylight, they'd most likely not have such similar cutie marks).
Whether Daylight remained literally the Maiden of Canterlot right up to the point she ceased to be quite Daylight, which we could call her entire life, is almost certainly an irrelevant question. But I'll still ask it.
ROTTERDAM RELEVANT! ROTTERDAM STRONK!
Always love it when Dutch cities are used for horse-pun names, especially the coolest of them all – my hometown!
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Thats awesome ^_^
Well. I have my suspicions now.
Especially in light of the info that Daylight died. I have a suspicion that the magi tried to summon an alicorn into Daylights dead body or somesuch.
'Valiance' should be 'valor'.
Just... just so you know.
6197949
Thanks! It's amazing how many stupid typos sneak past, even when I've read this probably dozens of times.
And now things start to get interesting! You got a pretty big smile out of me for the cutie mark in yelling bit, and Twilights occasional interruptions do a good job of breaking up the action and grounding the story. I am confused about where you're going with this though; Lucky Break undoubtedly knows Celestia as someone other than Celestia. the emotions he shows and the way he treats her all but prove he is being influenced by his knowledge of who she used to be, her giving him the wrong name causing him the flinch being a prime example. The most obvious answer is that she was once Daylight.
Then he explicitly states that she is slain. Present tense dead. Seems like that would be an incredibly, unnecessarily painful lie, so it's most likely true. In that case, I'm putting my money on Daylight's daughter or sister for the seed of Celestia's rebirth.
There is a lot of potential behind this alicorn mountain as well, but we don't have quite enough information on that yet. I hope to see more later down the line, as well as on the origin of Discord. Perhaps they hid themselves away to contain and fight him, and eventually lost?
Fun fact - one of the things Joan of Arc - the Maid of Orleans - did when she joined the army was force all the soldiers to pray on Sundays.
After she kicked all the prostitutes out.
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Heh, I did know about the mandatory prayer. I didn't know about the prositutes, though!