//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: The Mysterious Fate of Starswirl the Bearded // Story: On Swift Wings // by Jade Ring //------------------------------// Canterlot Castle Princess Celestia patiently took another sip of tea while she waited for Brother Veritas to complete his task. The two were seated in her private study, the room filled with sunlight from the open sky-light overhead. She looked on as the stallion who had until recently watched over the Archives of Truth sorted, filed, and examined every secret and bit of hidden history that had once filled the thousands of tomes that had been collected over the centuries. At least, that’s what she assumed he was doing. From her perspective, he was standing motionless in the room’s center, the hollow sockets where his eyes had once been gleaming with yellow light. Only his steady breathing and occasional rustle of the simple robe he wore gave any sign of life. It could be argued, she thought, that Brother Veritas was no longer a simple pony anymore. The spell Twilight Sparkle had used to imbue him with the collective whole of the Archive’s collection had pulled him apart and reshaped him into something else entirely. He still had a pony’s body, of course, but his mind was now a nearly eternal compendium of Equestrian knowledge. Celestia could not suppress a self-satisfied smirk. Her centuries of preparing the spell had been well worth it. Veritas inhaled slowly and the light faded away. He blinked rapidly and looked around. “How long?” “Half an hour. Did you find anything?” Veritas shook his head sadly. “No. Nothing even hints at possible Starswirl sightings after he set off for the Bad Lands.” Celestia sighed and lowered her tea cup. “Can you repeat the last journal entry?” Veritas nodded, the glow returning. “'It has been two weeks since my self-imposed exile.'” His voice echoed against the room's stone walls. “'My supplies are running low. The burning sands torment me endlessly. Already I have seen the specter of death approaching me in the night. His horned visage portends darkness waits for me beyond the veil. I have done my best. Forgive me, Luna. I will love you always. Forgive me, Celestia. The mirror...'” The glow faded and he shrugged. “That’s all there is.” “His mention of the mirror continues to trouble me.” Celestia put a hoof to her chin in thought. “I seem to recall a relic the Crystal Ponies had in their possession when they were first encountered. Wasn't it a mirror with mysterious properties?” Veritas suggested. “The Crystal Mirror is still in the Empire, but it hasn’t worked in centuries. The spell that my sister and I cast on Sombra not only sealed the Empire away for a millennia but also drained the Crystal Mirror of its magic.” “Hmm. Well, Starswirl did write of his experiments involving the studies of All-Is-Well, the unicorn scholar from Saddle Arabia.” Veritas’ eyes were glowing once again. “What happened to the mirror he created to banish those invading sirens?” “The Dazzlings.” Celestia smiled. “Starswirl was so proud of his solution to their attack. He reasoned that All-Is-Well’s theories on timelines could also be applied to dimensions. Knowing the siren’s natural vanity, he cast his new spell on the largest mirror he could find. By the time they realized it wasn’t their own beauty drawing them towards the surface, it was too late.” “Where did he send them?” “Nopony knows. We discovered later that the creation of the portal in our dimension had created corresponding portals in countless other dimensions. After Starswirl left, I kept the mirror here in Canterlot in the hope that we would receive visitors from these other worlds.” “And did you?” Celestia’s face darkened. “Unfortunately, yes. The brothers Tirek and Scorpan, a centaur and a gargoyle from another world entirely. They came through with kind words and promises of peaceful collaboration and study. Sadly, it was all a ruse.” Celestia stared at her empty cup. “It was Scorpan who came to me and told me of his brother’s sins. Tirek had an insatiable hunger for conquest and he sought to make our version of Equestria the next notch on his belt. Scorpan had grown weary of his brother’s delight in savagery and sought a peaceful existence with us.” “What happened to him?” “Tirek murdered him when he discovered his treachery. And then he came for me.” A small smile crossed her lips. “His last mistake.” “You… you killed him?” Celestia laughed airily. “Goodness no. Does that sound like something I would do?” Veritas said nothing. Now that he had the full knowledge of Equestria stored in his head, he knew full well the acts Celestia was capable of when either she or her subjects were threatened. He simply waited for her to continue. “I drained him of his magic and locked him away in Tartarus. He’s still there, I believe. Centaurs age much slower than ponies.” “And the mirror? What became of it?” “There was… another visitor. A unicorn. A young mare barely out of fillyhood. She claimed that she had come from one of the worlds Tirek had conquered and had no home left. I was impressed by her tenacity and I took her under my wing. She was my last student before Twilight.” Veritas’ brow creased. “I can’t find any record of her. What was her name?” Celestia’s smile faded. “…Sunset Shimmer. Her name was Sunset Shimmer.” Celestia bowed her head sadly. “And everything Twilight Sparkle has now was meant to be hers.” ///////////////////////////////////////////////////// Prince Moon Shadow cocked his head. His reflection copied him. He smiled and waved a hoof. The other him mirrored his actions perfectly. Giggling now, the dark unicorn colt reached out his hoof and bopped his copy on his nose. The other Moon Shadow sneezed (adorably) and was consumed by a flash of green flame. The flames faded, and the hardened shell of the infant queen of the Changelings gleamed in the sunlight. The niyad pouted and stuck out her tongue. “No fair. You know my nose is sensitive.” “Moon Shadow. Play nice.” Moon Shadow winced at the warning tone in his mother’s voice. “Yes ma’am.” Princess Luna reclined on her canvas couch and smiled. “Good boy.” A small flutter of wings announced the arrival of Golden Haze. She landed beside Luna and smiled at the princess. “Everything going okay?” Luna nodded. “Perfectly fine. Your little one is…” “GLORIOUS HOPE!” Haze nearly shrieked when she saw the young Changeling just sitting in her natural state. “What have I told you about…?” Before her adoptive mother could finish her sentence, Glorious Hope coated herself in green flames that quickly became her normal disguise. The white coated filly smiled up at the other pegasus from, beneath a long mane of pink. “I’m sorry, Mama.” Golden Haze was a battle-tested warrior who had once gone wing to wing against a squadron of rogue griffon invaders intent of seizing all the gold in the Canterlot vaults. Never once had she given an inch to her enemies nor shown them that slightest trace of emotion in her face. Yet she crumbled at the very sight of a filly’s smile. She sighed and smiled back. “Just please be more careful. When you’re out in the daytime, you need to be disguised.” “I remember.” “Carry on then.” Hope giggled and bounced back over to Moon Shadow who was already proposing the greatest game of hide and seek ever. Haze sighed and sat heavily, her armor clanking on the marble floor of the balcony. “Children.” “They are a blessing and a curse.” Luna chuckled, conjuring a glass of lemonade. She offered it to Haze who accepted it graciously. “How goes the inspection?” “The Wonderbolts will be ready to depart soon.” “The barracks are in order?” Luna summoned another glass of lemonade and sipped from it slowly. “Impeccable.” “And the new guard recruits?” “They’re a bunch of mealy-mouthed maggots, but I’m sure we can make something respectable out of them.” Haze chuckled as she raised the glass to her lips. “And did my sister sleep in too late this morning?” Haze exhaled contently as the cool liquid soothed her parched throat. “Not too late at all. I make sure she’s up and at ‘em before daybreak.” “I would expect nothing less.” Luna smirked and waited for Haze to take another drink. “You do share the same bed after all.” The hoof-polished marble quickly gained a new coating of lemonade and saliva. Haze finished spitting the rest of her drink and stared in shock at the Princess of the Night. “How… how did you know?” “I didn’t.” Luna calmly took another sip of her drink. “Until you told me just now.” Golden Haze’s head drooped. “Well, I always figured this day would come. I suppose I’ll be dismissed now.” “Now why would I do something like that?” Luna giggled, both at the playing foals and the embarrassed mare beside her. “You make my sister happy. I would never do anything to damage that.” Haze raised her head and smiled. “Thank you, your Majesty.” “Just don’t break her heart.” Luna finished her lemonade. “Or I’ll condemn you to a nightmare from which you will never awaken.” Golden Haze laughed for a moment… until she realized Luna wasn’t laughing with her. “You… you were joking, right?” Instead of answering her, Luna gestured at Glorious Hope. “She’s remarkably advanced for her age. She only hatched six months ago, yes?” Haze nodded. “We had Brother Veritas consult all of Mareco’s writings on the Changelings for an answer. Our best guess is that since the queens needed to lead the hive as soon as possible, they tend to develop at a much faster rate.” “Beware the terrible twos, then.” Luna muttered. “They approach rapidly.” Haze chuckled and flapped her wings. “I should get back to the inspection. Thank you again for watching her.” Luna waved her off. “Please, she’s practically family.” The alicorn winked at her. “As are you.” Haze grinned and looked down at her adopted daughter. “Hope. You be good for your Aunt Luna.” Glorious Hope stopped tickling Moon Shadow to again beam her brightest smile at the pegasus. “I will, Mama.” “That’s my sweet girl.” Haze felt a swell of love in her heart and, as Brother Veritas had taught her from Mareco’s journals, pushed it outward. Glorious Hope’s eyes lit up, figuratively and literally, as she soaked in the emotion she used as sustenance. She drank from the spectrum happily and giggled when she was done. “I love you, Mommy.” She punctuated this statement with the most adorable little burp either of the two mares had ever heard. Haze blew a kiss before she lifted off the floor. “I love you too, my little princess.” Moon Shadow watched the golden-armor clad Pegasus fly away. He looked at Glorious Hope, his eyes narrowed. “You and your Mom are kinda weird.” He squealed when he felt a brief, hard tug on his ear. Luna shook her head as her horn’s magic faded. “I swear, when it comes to social skills, you truly are your father’s son.” /////////////////////////////////////////////////////// “Sunset had an astonishing gift for the magical arts. I had her pegged early on as the one who might possibly solve Starswirl’s last spell and ascend to alicorn status.” Brother Veritas sat in rapt attention, his cup of tea untouched beside him. “What happened to her?” “She wasn’t who she claimed to be.” Celestia quickly brought her own cup to her lips to hide the scowl that suddenly came across her face. “Yes, her land had been conquered by Tirek… but she was a willing accomplice. She worshipped at his hooves and had come into our world to find and release him.” “What happened to her?” “Her treachery was discovered when I found her at the gates of Tartarus. She had dispatched the guards and Cerberus was barely holding her back. Before I could capture her, she vanished.” Celestia sighed. “We searched for days before somepony spotted her in the castle. The guards gave chase, but she escaped back through Starswirl’s mirror.” Veritas frowned. “This must have occurred just before I took on the mantle of Brother Veritas. Why didn’t my mentor ever mention any of this?” “Because I asked him not to.” Celestia smiled at the librarian. “For only the second time in Equestrian history, I commanded that something not be recorded in the Archives of Truth. Sunset Shimmer never existed, officially speaking. As you’ll recall, not long after you became the keeper of the Archives, I adopted a young mare named Mi Amore Cadenza and took a certain purple filly under my wing.” “Did nopony attempt to follow her through the mirror?” “It’s hard to follow through something that’s broken.” Celestia giggled at the look on Veritas’ face. “A guard chasing her tripped against the frame and sent the whole thing crashing to the floor. Since then, nopony has been able to replicate the spell Starswirl used.” Veritas perked up. “So Starswirl had a spell that only he could use.” “Right.” “One that only he understood all the functions and variables of.” “Yes.” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Well, what if Starswirl created another mirror and escaped through it?” Celestia shook her head. “No. Starswirl was much too careful for that. He would never take such a risk unless he absolutely had to.” “And if he absolutely had to? If not only his life, but his knowledge was also being threatened?” Veritas’ eyes glowed as he searched his inner Archive. “Is there nopony in Equestria who had magic so great that it would frighten Starswirl the Bearded?” He flinched at the sound of a teacup breaking and returned to his normal state. “Your Highness?” “No.” It was hard to tell from her pristine white coat, but all the blood had left the alicorn’s face. “No pony.” She vanished the shattered cup with a flash of magic and looked again to the stallion. “What was the last part of the journal entry again?” Veritas’ eyes glowed. “'Already I have seen the specter of death approaching me in the night. His horned visage portends darkness waits for me beyond the veil…'” Celestia shot to her hooves. Of course. The sequence of events was too perfect. He would have been in the Bad Lands in those days. If he had been the one to find Starswirl, then that would explain his sudden increase in magical power before he returned to the city and... “Please find Captain Haze and tell her we will be departing immediately.” She started for her bedroom to pack an overnight bag. “And inform Luna that she will have the throne until I return.” “Return?” Veritas hurried after his princess. “From where?” Celestia paused at the door. She looked back, her eyes narrowed and tense. “Tartarus.” ///////////////////////////////////////////////// The last train from Canterlot was nearly empty save the two mares sharing the large private box towards the caboose. Celestia reclined on the plush bed and watched as Golden Haze finished stowing their belongings. Something about the pegasi’s quick, shortened movements struck her as odd. “Is something the matter?” Golden Haze shook her head as she began undoing the straps that would remove her armor. “Not really. I’m just… well, it feels like we just got home.” Celestia smiled. “You’re worried about Hope.” “Of course I’m worried about Hope.” The last bits of heavy armor hit the ground with a dull clang and Haze stretched her body. She always loved how light she felt in the moments just after shedding her uniform. “And I don’t understand why we’re taking the train. Wouldn’t it be faster to fly?” Celestia watched her most loyal defender’s movements with great approval. “Faster? Yes, but even I like to take things slowly sometimes. Besides, it’s only a day’s ride. If everything goes right, we’ll be home by this time tomorrow.” She held out her forelegs. “Is it so terrible? Sharing a private train car with me for a whole night? Nopony to bother us?” Haze noted Celestia’s invitation and smirked. “Actually, that does sound pretty nice.” She popped her neck and looked towards the door. “I’m afraid that I have to tend to my duties before…” “You are relieved, Captain Haze.” “Thank you.” Celestia giggled as the yellow mare flew into her embrace and kissed her. Haze hummed happily against her love’s lips as she felt the alicorn’s legs closing around her. She always thrilled a little at the size difference between them, how safe she felt when her princess held her tight. She reached up and wrapped her own forelegs around Celestia’s neck and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Celestia moaned softly as the kiss became more heated. Her hooves began to drift down towards… “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” Celestia and Golden Haze didn’t scream. They simply froze, pulled their lips apart, and turned as one to see Luna beaming at them from the open carriage door. “L-Luna?” Celestia stammered. “Where did you…?” “I took the liberty of reserving the next car over for my own conveyance. I figured you two would enjoy some privacy.” Celestia felt Haze pulling away and reluctantly freed her from her grasp. “What are you doing here?” “Did you really think I would let you go all the way to Tartarus without me?” Luna looked genuinely offended. “The realm of monsters has always been my forte. You know that.” She tilted her head back to the still open door. “I even brought my war-hammer.” “I left instructions for you to take the throne in my stead!” Celestia jumped to her hooves and straightened her crown. “If you’re here, then who in Equestria did you leave in charge?” “The next in line, of course.” Celestia’s eye twitched. “Luna, you didn’t.” “He’s in good hooves.” Luna waved off her sister’s concerns. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// The stallions who took the mantle of Brother Veritas shouldered many burdens over the centuries. They were the sole guardians and keepers of the greatest accumulation of knowledge in all the world. They were privy to secrets and pieces of history that, if known to the public at large, would create outrage and chaos. They watched over relics of ancient magic and immense historical significance. To bear the name of Veritas was possibly the greatest honor a pony could achieve. The current Brother Veritas reflected on all of that and decided that, if given the chance, he would go back and reject his appointment when it was first mentioned to him. The two little ponies left in his charge peered up at him quizzically. “Now, as I’ve said already, your mothers have left me strict instructions to…” Glorious Hope vanished in a blaze of green flame and suddenly there were two Moon Shadows smiling at him. “Let’s play hide and seek!” They cried together, their voices identical. “No…!” But it was too late. They were gone, vanished into the depths of the castle. Brother Veritas sighed heavily as he began his sure-to-be-long search for the two, hoping he wouldn’t blindly bump into any walls during the ‘game.’ “Foals. Why did it have to be foals?” He muttered irritably. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Celestia resisted the sudden urge to bang her head against the wall. “Luna…” “You said it was only a day-trip, sister.” Luna had made herself comfortable in a nearby easy chair. “With the new magical protections and increased guard patrols since the Changeling attack, everything will be perfectly fine.” She smiled. “Brother Veritas is the most responsible pony in all of Equestria. I’m sure he can…” “Luna, he’s blind!” Luna rolled her eyes. “Details…” Golden Haze nodded her head towards the door. “Should I tell the conductor that we will be returning to Canterlot immediately?” Celestia pursed her lips and shook her head. “As much as I am loathe to admit it, Luna is right. The foals will be safe in Veritas’ care for the next day or so. I’ll send a letter to my staff to postpone court until we all return.” She settled back on the bed and used her magic to remove her golden horseshoes. “This trip is too important to postpone. Time may be of the essence.” Luna cocked her head. “We’re going to Tartarus, yes?” She looked to Golden Haze. “Who is it we’re going to see that has put my sister on such an edge?” Golden Haze shrugged. “She hasn’t told me.” Celestia stared at the roof of the carriage, imagining the dark night sky beyond. In her mind’s eyes, two red orbs blazed to life in blackness. She imagined she could still hear his dark and terrible laughter, feel his hot breath on her neck as he taunted her. “We’re going to see a beast that I hoped never to speak to again. He is a monster, utterly without conscience or morality. He exterminated his entire race in the pursuit of his ultimate goal; immortality. If he is indeed the one who took Starswirl so many years ago, then I truly hope that my old friend did not suffer too terribly at his hooves before his inevitable demise.” She looked over at the other mares, her eyes suddenly very old and weary. “We are descending into the abyss to see the ram called Grogar, the monster the old ponies called ‘the Doom that Came to Tambelon.’”