//------------------------------// // Shining Fading // Story: Final Reign // by Lise //------------------------------// Two more legions decimated. Two more… Shining stared at the report. If things didn't improve he'd have to resort to another draft, possibly even lower the conscription age to fourteen. Damn me to Tartarus! Sending colts to the battlefield... That was no way to live. Even if they survived the slaughter, they'd never be the same. And what then? Reduce the conscription age to thirteen? Lower? "Shining?" a soft voice asked from his study entrance. The prince-regent brushed his reports into a drawer and turned around. Princess Cadence was standing in the doorway. Summoning all his strength, he put on a smile. "You must take a rest, you know." The alicorn came in. Her steps were slow, uncertain, and weak, but her beauty radiated stronger than ever. "You're a father now. If it's sleepless nights you want, I'm sure our daughter will oblige." She stuck her tongue out as she did when in a playful mood. "Yes, she's a pro at that." Shining laughed. Inside he was screaming in pain. His daughter—their daughter—hadn't been awake for years, frozen in a solid block of ice. "Much like her mother." "My Shining." Cadence chuckled. "Always the charmer. What are you working on, anyway? I don't remember any affairs of state that need your attention so badly." "Well, I..." What do I tell you? A lie? The truth? Both are equally bad. "Please tell me you're not organizing some surprise party for me again." Cadence moved closer to him, her muzzle almost touching his. "Because if you are... I won't complain." Her lips locked with his. Another hollow kiss. There wasn't a shred of emotion attached to it. Shining felt no spark, no joy, no pleasure. Even the gentle breath of his wife seemed lifeless. It hadn’t been like that at first. When the sickness was in its infancy, he had cherished every moment of affection she'd offer. It didn't matter she'd forget things or mix up memories; he was always there. Even now he still loved her, but at times looking at her twisted the knife that had come to live in his chest. This was no longer his wife, just a fleeting memory of her, a fragment left over by the sickness and soon to be snatched away forever. Cadence pulled away. "Is something wrong?" "Yes," Shining whispered. "Just that I've done so little to deserve being married to the most beautiful mare in existence." He kissed the side of her neck. "Maybe we can go for a stroll?" "I see. Running away, eh?" Cadence giggled. He could tell she was in heat. She often was when the sickness released its grip. "I guess I'll let you have this small victory." She pecked him on the cheek. "A stroll. A short stroll!" Cadence winked. "I'll just check on Flurry and be right back." "I'll be waiting for you downstairs." Cadence trotted out. Shining waited for a few more moments, then took out the reports. Thanks to Twilight's magic, his forces continued to crush the invading armies, yet Blueblood kept sending more. The death toll was unimaginable. By Shining’s rough calculations a tenth of all Equestria had perished, all for the mindless folly of a dictator. Will you break? Shining wondered, looking at the projected death count. Or will you break me? He had already lost so much—three members of his family had fallen to the sickness: his sister, his child, his wife—but their legacy would remain, even if Shining was the last pony standing! "Shining," Cadence sang out from the corridor, drawing out every note. "Where are you?" "I’ll be right there, my sweet." The documents were locked away in the war cabinet once more. There they would be safe until Cadence forgot everything again. "Just give me a moment." Straightening his uniform, Shining glanced into the mirror on his study’s wall. His reflection looked tired, and his grey hairs had started to make their presence known. A spell later they were concealed for another few hours. Here we go again. The weather was pleasant outside the castle—warm and sunny, without a single cloud in the sky. Nothing gave an indication of the horrors that took place outside the Empire's borders. The entire capital was in the eye of a hurricane of war and devastation, projecting a false sense of safety. Maybe Cadence is the lucky one? Shining looked at his wife. With most of her memories gone, she had been spared the bitterness others had gone through. There was no war, Celestia was still on the throne, Cadence hadn’t witnessed the loss of their daughter— "Shining?" The Princess paused. "You're crying..." "Only tears of joy." I can't go on with this charade. "Tears of..." I know the truth will hurt you, but I just can't. In a day you'll forget everything that happened, losing yourself in your mind. I won't. "I..." Forgive me, my love. I simple must— "If somepony had told me you'd be having a second honeymoon I'd have delayed my visit for another week," a familiar voice said, a voice that shining despised. So you finally dared, you snake! Shining spun around. He had suspected for years it was a matter of time before the Tyrant teleported to the Crystal Empire capital, and he was ready. His horn flashed violet. The living essence of his sister shone through—the single single most powerful spell remaining in Equestria. Blueblood might be an alicorn, but at this distance— "Dad, dad!" An alicorn filly jumped off Blueblood's back. Shining froze; his spell fizzled away as his daughter, healthy and grown, flew towards him. "Uncle Blueblood told me I can go with him to Equestria if you say yes. Please, please say yes! It's been forever since I've been to Auntie's castle!" "Huh?" No! It can't be! You can't be my Flurry Heart! I watched the sickness took you. The mages had to encase you in ice so you wouldn't burn up. You can't be real! He took a step back, unable to look away. The filly was exactly what his daughter would have been had she been allowed to grow older: slender and beautiful as her mother, with the most majestic wings Equestria had known, and so full of life and happiness. "Dad, please?" Flurry tugged his foreleg. "I promise I'll be good. Even better than I usually am!" "Now, now, sweetie," Cadence giggled. "Don't start pestering your father. Not after you've tortured your uncle for a full morning." "Moooom!" The filly crossed her forehooves, pouting. "I didn't torture uncle Blue! I just—" "I'm sure. But maybe we can leave the princes have a word in private? Blueblood has traveled quite a long way to speak with your father." "Fiiine!" Flurry Heart pffed and fluttered towards her mother. "But it'll be unfair if I don't get to visit Auntie Twilight after this!" Speechless, Shining watched as his wife and daughter trotted towards the palace. He wanted to shout out, to beg them to come back, but he lacked the strength to do so. "Incredibly lifelike, aren't they?" Blueblood whispered. "Precisely what they would have become if it weren't for the sickness. Minus a few memories, of course. The ones even I couldn't restore." Lifelike? Shining glanced at Blueblood, then back at his family. Was this a dream the Tyrant had sent to torment him? A spell? The details were too precise. The smells, sounds, the touch of the wind, it was all too real. "An illusion?" Shining asked. "Oh, quite the contrary. They are as real as you and I," Blueblood said in his icy fashion. The reason for the presence gone, he no longer bothered displaying any emotion. "They're just not here, at least their bodies aren't." "What?" "Changelings, my dear Shining. Simple, stupid changelings. They owe me a few favors, so I decided to put their talents to good use." "You..." Panic rushed through Shining's entire body. He tried to move but his body refused to obey him, standing still as marble. This was the second time in his life he had experienced such a sensation. "You let them cocoon us?!" He shouted. "You couldn't beat me on your own and made a deal with the changelings?!" "Shining, Shining, Shining." Blueblood tsked as he walked around the flesh-like statue of the prince-regent. "I didn't need to make any deals with the changelings for that. You already lost the war." “Liar!” "My troops marched in the castle weeks ago," Blueblood went on. "You surrendered unconditionally. Everything—your troops, your home, your magic—is mine now. And still, I choose to offer you a trade." The Tyrant put his wing over Shining's back. "They're wonderful, aren't they? The wife you lost so young, and the child you never got to see grow up. Outside the cocoons Cadence can't remember anything past two minutes and Flurry lies half dead in a block of ice. Here, they get to live. Here, they have a future to look forward to… with you." A future. Was that what Blueblood was offering? Shining had heard those lies ever since he had ascended to the throne. Were they truly lies, though? In a few years what remained of Equestria, good or bad, would fade away into oblivion. There wouldn't be anyone left to remember this pointless battle, the struggle, or even the Tyrant and his obsession. Shining closed his eyes. Would it be so bad to say yes and spend the last few years with his family? It would be a fake life, but at least they'd be together, at least they'd be happy. "What do you want?" the prince-regent whispered. "Just two things." Blueblood removed his wing from Shining's back. "The location of the Crystal Heart, and Twilight's living essence." The trade was obvious—two for two. That was why the Tyrant had done through the trouble to bring back some of Cadence's memories. If he had only offered Flurry Heart the temptation might have not been enough. "For my family, you can have them." The words rolled out of Shining's mouth. "Why toy with him?" Queen Chrysalis asked, looking at the green cocoon holding Shining Armor. "I could have made two more." "For what?" The Tyrant started his way to the cave exit. "He can't tell the difference. Why waste magic unless we have to? In a few months they'll all be gone either way." "I guess you're right." Chrysalis shrugged. "As long as I get whatever love he has to offer." "Do as you wish," the Tyrant said as he left the cave. "He's already given me everything I need." His horn shone purple.