Star Swirl's friendship lessons have brought him to Hope Hollow, and he's brought his old friend Rockhoof along for their festival. But after pleading with Rockhoof to live in the moment, the two might just learn that their history and friendship have a lot in common.

Cover art is done by the wonderfully talented Little Tigress! Go commission her!

After having been crowned princesses, Luna and Celestia are escorted by Star Swirl the Bearded around Equestria. Having made camp for the evening, Luna finds the treasures that awaken at night and finds her destiny.

Equestria's heroes have been captured, and its three greatest enemies are on the cusp of victory. But while his cohorts plan their next move, Tirek, the oldest of their number, goes to one prisoner in particular. A stallion he has wanted to speak with for a very long time.

Star Swirl prepares the two Royal alicorn fillies to undertake their final test for accession and take their place ruling Equestria, but neither he nor any other pony is to be their judge.

Will they both be confirmed as ready for the responsibility?

Hurt and alone, Stygian meets someone calling itself "the Darkness." He finds that this pony understands him and his sorrow, and offers him a power greater than anything he has ever imagined. However, when Stygian is freed from his Shadow, the Darkness returns with a warning to all of Equestria. The end is coming.

There are many things that the Pillars of Old Equestria, newly returned to the world, have never encountered before.New cities, new technologies, new magic... and a little blue flower that grows in the Everfree Forest.

A submission for the Springtime Sequel-Slash-Sandbox Switcheroo, drawing on Spacial Displacement by River Road.

Twilight wants to know all of Starswirl's secrets. Starswirl just wants to get on with his day.

Now with a dramatic reading by VisualPony! Check it out here.

Newspapers across the nation printed the headline: "A Star Has Fallen." Academies everywhere had a day of mourning. The princesses themselves gathered to bid the Bearded One farewell.

And Stygian found himself thinking about something he'd spent more than ten years trying to ignore.

Honorable Mention in the 2019 Everfree Northwest Iron Author competiton. Rated Teen just to be safe; all deaths take place before the start of the story.