Sacrifice
Sometimes I wondered if things would have been different.
If we had not done we did that day.
If we had found another way.
Inevitably, my mind drifted back to that climatic day three thousand years ago. The day when Discord was supposed to have his greatest triumph over the forces of Order.
In plain view of the last bastion of freedom, Everfree Castle, he had assembled his armies. Foul beings, every one of them: windigoes, timber wolves, changelings. There was no doubt in anypony’s mind that his armies would prevail that day.
But for one desperate plan.
***
“Celestia, are you ready?” my liege spoke, his charcoal-black eyes studying my every move.
I straightened myself and nodded. “I am, my king.”
“Remember, you two are the focus: the most important part of the link. If you falter, then all of Equestria is lost.”
I glanced back at the castle courtyard. The entirety of Equestria’s remaining alicorns were gathered here today—one of the very few times when the normally fractious alicorns were united behind a purpose. Towering over my brethen were six spires made of gleaming obsidian. They crackled with energy, the very air around them distorting slightly.
Here and there, I could glimpse the frightened civilians huddling under whatever shelter they could find. Our charge. Our shame. Our burden.
My sister spoke, calm as the night, “Do not fret, your Majesty. This plan will—must succeed.”
“Very well. Then let us not waste any more time. You know what to do.” His gaze lingered on us for a split second more. I watched as the last reigning monarch of alicorns turned his back; the memory of his silvery coat and electric-blue mane forever etched in my mind.
The sizzle of magic meeting magic erupted overhead. The siege had begun. Wordlessly, I nodded at Luna and began ascending the steps to the very top of the tower. A golden platform awaited us, shaped like a six-pointed star. A dais holding a gem adorned each corner, each representing the Elements critical to our plan.
The fragile purple shield buckled under the weight of the magical assault. A number of the unicorn mages around us collapsed, twitching and frothing from the feedback. We stepped onto the platform. Screams of pain and the sounds of weapons clashing erupted in and around the castle. The floor trembled from the fury of the assault. Despite their bravery, we knew our pegasus and earth pony allies would not last long. The final pieces were in place.
I took a deep breath, and activated the machinery with a small surge of magic. Then I heard our liege speak, one last time:
“For too long, we have been disunited. One by one, we fell against the tide of Chaos. No more. For today, we stand firm. As one against the tide of disharmony. Mark my words, Discord will be stopped. Here. Now. Brothers and sisters, this is your day. Our day! Onwards to victory!”
A steady drumming of hooves answered his call. The crackle of magic in the air intensified. The power of a thousand alicorns, united in one purpose. The gems suddenly flared brilliantly into life, floating slowly off the dais that held them. The magical energies surged through my being, flooding my senses with their power.
Kindness.
Laughter.
Generosity.
Honesty.
Loyalty.
Magic.
Harmony.
Then everything exploded in a flash of brilliant white.
***
It was the voice of my sister who greeted me when I regained my senses. “Good to see you again, Sister. I had feared the worst when I first set eyes on you.”
The memories flooded back. I sat up quickly and was greeted by a sight that would haunt me to this day. Where lush plains and forest used to exist, grey, ash-filled wasteland remained. The castle was in ruins, nothing more than a smoking shell. Of the ponies that had once been my brethren, only charred remains marked their existence. Only Luna remained. The look on my sister’s face was grim.
“We’re all that’s left.”
The words stung. Despite all our preparations. All our work. They still came to naught. The price still had to be paid. Blood for power. My knees felt weak as I glanced down at the floor. The six Elements shining brilliantly amidst the rubble. All that remained of our once-proud race. Would that be we could join our brethren in glorious death.
“I know how you feel, Sister.” Luna glanced upwards. “But... we have accomplished what we set out to do. Look.”
And amongst the rubble, I could spy the survivors of the holocaust. Trembling bundles of ponies, huddled behind whatever that was left of the castle. The ponies we have sworn to protect. The ponies whom we had saved... at the cost of our entire race.
“Yes. We did... didn’t we?” I answered with a monotone voice.
“Tia, have you noticed something different?”
I blinked. Then I noticed she seemed oddly tall from my position on the ground. Her mane, once a vibrant blue, was now the colour of the midnight sky, speckled by the faintest glimpse of starlight.
Luna must have seen the surprised look in my eyes, for she then turned to her side and gestured. Where bare, dusky-blue fur used to adorn her flank, it was now seared with the crescent of the moon—a mark of judgement, I had thought. I quickly glanced to my own mane, a veritable rainbow where pink used to reign. I could just glimpse the stylised mark of the sun on my own flank. Strangely enough, I felt nothing.
“The Elements... they changed us as well,” Luna said softly.
I remained silent; my mind whirling in a thousand different direction. Why us? Why had we been chosen to linger on when the rest of us had moved on? Had father known?
Luna finally broke the silence. “Tia, what do we do?”
I watched as the survivors slowly came forward, staring at us in awe. One earth pony—an elderly stallion, I still remember—fell to his knees, apparently in respect. One by one, the others followed suit, until the entire courtyard was kneeling before us.
It was a sight I would not forget for millennia to come. Father’s words replayed itself in my ears, seemingly an echo from the past:
You know what to do.
My lips were dry as I spoke, “Do what we swore to do. Protect our little ponies.”
***
“Tia, are you lost in your memories again?” the soft voice of Princess Luna sounded behind me. Just like that, the bustle of the palace filled my senses, and I was once again back in Canterlot.
I shook my head slowly. “I suppose I was.”
“Do you think it was worth it?”
I glanced out at the window, the bustling city of Canterlot filling the spectacle.
“It was what we wanted, no? What father wanted,” I said slowly.
The look Luna gave me was all the answer I needed.