Star's Shadow

by Doukzor

Prelude

Masked by the dense walls of dust hovering above the ground, the sun emerged for another cold, meek string of hours. It's light hardly tapped the ground as it wavered uncertainly in the cloudy sky. The sun was no longer the bright yellow flame of Celestia's era, but now a glaring blood red, over three thousand degrees colder than its original state. Not only that, but it was much smaller, a red dwarf star that seemingly spoke the word "evil" with it's crimson image. It wavered as it tried to claw it's way up the sky, but to no avail, and began shaking and sliding back downwards with a higher speed than it's previous pace. The sun doubled back again, seizures almost as it danced in the sky.
Ponies across Equestria paid it no mind, as they had accepted it years ago, after the end of Celestia's reign. Soon before her death, as the Queen slowly died of an unknown - and therefore irreversible poisoning - the kingdom had become very anxious. Guards no longer appeared at their posts, and citizens no longer received updates of their beloved ruler. Protests were held periodically and increased in frequency as the months went on. The sun rose and fell steadily, but with Luna banished their queen was forced to control both their world's satellite and their closest star, drastically depleting her stamina. Rumors were spread shortly before her final breath. Some pony had claimed they'd received information from their friend who was currently training as a royal guard: about a project held in secret with the queen's most trusted council. She claimed the castle was keeping Celestia bedridden and seeping her power so that they could recreate such powers that were inherited of alicorns. This brought great grief to the queen and she soon forced herself to call an audience to explain. But as Celestia was approaching her balcony - and refusing help to get there - she could hardly begin her speech before she began convulsing and doubled over. She then twisted and, as the railing was fairly short to accommodate the average pony height, fell off the balcony. The sun exploded, dropping from the sky. Neither the moon nor Equestria's star were visible for several weeks. Many claim it was the worst recorded date in history, as citizens circled the contorted body of the queen. Hardly anyone remembered the first few lines of the speech after such a shocking incident. Celestia's body was buried in the castle's courtyard, or so the castle's personal mortuary stated, as no one had been allowed to attend the event.

Soon after the castle was left in ruins, Twilight had done her best to take the role of ruler and optimistic leader, but she herself could not raise the sun. Twilight did her best to enlighten the kingdom again; she'd held a festival and declared all additions including food and accessories would be free. But in the dark days of twilight one needed flashlights to make their way through the city (even with several streetlights set up at each doorstep) and the increasingly colder days made stepping outside harsh. Crops were already wilting and several animal corpses had been spotted within the first few days. The short lived rule involved many frantic letters to Luna pleading to raise the moon; though no one could be sure if Luna herself ever received these requests. The letters grew more frantic and soon became violent. Twilight complained of restless sleep as there was no cycle to base her schedule off of, and often questioned the obedience of Canterlot as a whole. Many riots against the Castle were held- each one crushing the kingdom a little more. It didn't seem to matter what the new queen did- the riots never ceased. Her speeches, which she held in a large bubble of light, agitated the population even further. Twilight assured them, assured everyone, that she and the castle were continuing the project which Celestia had died contributing to, and that this would ensure a bright future for Equestria. She declared she would bring the sun back.
And, after almost two months of constant berating and a loss of staff (partially due to the stress, another portion due to small Changeling raids) a meek red light appeared in the horizon.
The whole of Canterlot gathered to watch, suspicious and awe struck, as the sun rose. It was a smooth process, faster than Celestia's to an extreme degree, but it lit up the whole of Equestria.
And it was huge. The large ball of fire had died, expanding into a gas giant. It was a deep crimson and everything it touched was no longer white light but red, confusing to the eye as white creatures became pink and blue became purple. Twilight and her remaining guards paved their way to the central plaza. It had what some would call a pleasant view of the land beyond Canterlot, and was the location of one of Twilight's last speeches. Protected by her guards, the ponies gathered around in a thick patch of tinted fur.
Behind Twilight was a tall, monochromatic pony (or it seemed that way in the light). She was an alicorn by the looks of it- her horn was nearly as long as Celestia's and had an iridescent shine. Her body was a dark stone gray with no special pattern. She had dark green eyes and wings that were the size of an average pony, but her demeanor and race spoke strongly the words of a ruler.
Twilight bowed, the stranger following suit. She introduced the alien as Soloria, a companion she and her council had put every ounce of strength into in order to save the kingdom. Soloria spoke few words; most were hoarse and cracked as if she were coming down with a sickness. After the speech (now called the 'sun's red light' ceremony) Twilight ushered Soloria back into the castle. No one saw the stranger after that, but the sun rose and fell with on a wobbly track. It wasn't long before calamity struck. The new queen had come down with the same sickness that caused Celestia's fall. Trying to think quick, Twilight made it public, sending out for any possible help. She wasn't ready to die. Over the past few days the sun had smoothed it's path across the sky into an almost natural replica, and with each passing sunrise Twilight got worse, and worse. She wasn't in nearly as dark a state as Celestia, though, and in her final announcement to her citizens she explained that there were others like Soloris, others who could replace Luna's duties and fulfill them properly. I don't remember what we were called, but there were mixed feelings throughout. She also described someone else who could help raise the sun, a whole group of them like Soloris.
Though repulsive at the thought of dying, she wrote a will instating Soloria would take her place if she fell like her teacher. Afterwards... Twilight went missing, and never returned. Some say she died- some say she fled. Others still think Soloria was behind her sudden vanishing act. Some still spit on her grave.
I don't remember what happened. I know Soloria became queen. She rose the sun periodically and opened a new school for gifted ponies. There was an incident and it closed down soon after, and our queen was accused of some disgraceful act and became a public fugitive. She signed the 'Organic Compromise' meaning she would replace more of her personal and public guard with organic, or 'normal' ponies. Discrimination. I do remember being told Soloria was revolted at how she was being treated- "she couldn't comprehend emotions well but that didn't mean she was an unsympathetic robot", they said.
Then the inevitable came. A riot of twenty five hundred came, smashing through the door and racing through the halls. Soloris made one last order, and then there was no one but her and her guards. She fought. She didn't want to die.

But she did.

They pierced her chest with a spear and she was gone. The light in her eyes died immediately.

We are what's left of her.