//------------------------------// // Sol Invictus // Story: A New Equestria // by Lil Penpusher //------------------------------// Hours passed. The Night was soon to dawn upon Equestria. The Princess of the Sun sat outside on the balcony, once again. She didn't move, didn't think. She only listened to those beautiful voices and whispers. "The time has come... a new Equestria will rise..." The Princess remained calm, breathing in and out. Something about the voices was draining her mind empty, entrancing her. "All of Equestria will see your glory... your strength..." "My glory..." Celestia mumbled to herself. "The light of the sun will show you the way... its wrath will incinerate your foes!" She opened her eyes and looked up towards the sun. Without a problem, she stared straight into the sun. She felt its embrace, how its warmth covered her body. "You and the sun will be one, and all shall bow before you!" Celestia felt the voice in her head become more absolute, more dominant. It was hard for her to think but... she felt no need to think, anymore. Her path was clear. She knew what her destiny was as the sunlight embraced her. And yet... there was a disturbance. She felt pain. She... felt the pain of the sun. Felt how it grew weaker. "You feel it..." the voice whispered, "you feel its demise, how it is pushed aside by its rival..." The Princess rose from her sitting stance, still eyeing the sun as she listened to the hypnotising sound of the voice in her head. She didn't notice how her eyes changed even further, becoming slitted like those of a reptile. "Defeat the moon... defeat it and the sun may shine on for all times!" Without second thoughts, Celestia released a powerful, orange beam of energy. There was a brief silence as it travelled towards its intended target, until it finally collided with the sun. A wicked smile formed on Celestia's face as she watched the sun rise. The Sun would set no more. The Princess of the Sun was no longer alone, however. Luna watched in horror as the sun rose, once again. The scenery was almost too familiar to Luna. Memories revealed themselves in her mind, reminding her of what she did as Nightmare Moon... this wouldn't happen to her again, and it wouldn't happen to her sister, either. "Sister!" Luna called out loudly. "You must stop this, at once!" She was met with nothing but laughter. A wicked, evil laughter. "Is that so, 'sister'? Must the day end, already? I would love for it to go on for... just a bit longer." Luna's mouth hung open. That voice... that was not the voice of her sister, anymore. It was something different, something dark. "I know this isn't you, 'tia! Snap out of it!" Luna yelled, begging her sister to come to her senses. Once again, she was met with nothing but a short giggle. "You were always such a fool, Luna," Celestia said joyfully, turning around to face her sister. "I am so much more than your sister could have ever been! I have seen the light! I see my destiny clearly, and it does not involve you!" Suddenly, Celestia was shrouded in a deep orange aura, lifting her into the air. Luna stepped back and watched as her beloved sister was consumed by evil. Lethal fangs grew within her mouth. Her mane, once colourful and majestic, now turned into a living flame. The Sun on her flank, acting as her cutie mark, was now also encased in an orange depiction of fire. At the very last, different pieces of armour started appearing. Her crown was replaced by a yellow and orange helmet, while her wings and hooves were also covered in new orange armour. Her Chestpiece now, too, began to change colours. The purple crystal in its center disappeared and made way for an image resembling the sun. The transformation was complete. Evil had triumphed over Celestia's mind and body, both. "Sister...no..." Luna whispered. She couldn't believe her eyes as the wicked creature that used to be her sister landed in front of her. "At last! I can feel the power of the sun flowing through my veins! The sun and me - finally one!" "It did not have to come to this, sister! Have you forgotten your ways? Have you forgotten the way of harmony?" Luna yelled at the monster in front of her. "Your ways are weak, Luna! Open your eyes and see how my ponies suffer!" "Your ponies?" Luna interrupted angrily. "Your doctrine of peace and pacifism holds no worth, Luna. Times have changed, and time stops for no one. Unlike you, I saw the need for change and adapted, becoming something greater and more powerful than my old self could have ever become!" "And yet the price you paid..." Luna replied quietly. "I have sacrificed my old ways to save Equestria from demise, from conflict and death! All while you sat idle!" "I should not have let it come to this, sister... I'm sorry." "Your apologies mean nothing to me, insect! The winds of change have arrived, and with it comes a new era! The reign of the sun commences with this final daybreak! I hear the call of the sun, and Equestria hears mine! With the sun's guidance, we shall fight for a brighter future!" Luna watched as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, shining brighter than ever before. "The rule of Daybreaker begins now!" She shouted triumphantly. "Then it is time for me to succeed you..." Luna whispered, taking a deep breath. "For Equestria!" The blue-coated alicorn charged a lethal blast of energy, though her opponent swiftly dodged her attack. "Hah!" Daybreaker gave out as she lifted herself into the sky. "I shall purge these lands from the weak and corrupt - you will make an excellent first pick!" Luna clenched her teeth, pushing herself off the ground and charging towards her foe with immense speed. Daybreaker fired two blasts of energy towards her, though Luna dodged both and closed the gap between the two of them. The wicked mare now, too, charged towards her opponent, and the two immortals were stuck in a fight for raw strength as their horns clashed mid-air. "You should not have come! Your bravery will be your downfall!" Daybreaker declared with a strong voice. "I will not witness the destruction of harmony and sit idle! Your arrogance deceives you!" Luna replied, offering all her strength as she pushed back her rival. "You truly think you possess powers strong enough to defeat me?" Daybreaker gave out a pathetic laugh, countering Luna as she, too, pushed back hard. "You were always the weaker one, Luna! You will burn in the fires of my victory, reduced to nothing but ash!" Daybreaker suddenly struck one of Luna's hindlegs with her own, causing her to recoil and lose balance for just a brief moment. Her opponent wasted no time in exploiting the moment of weakness, and Daybreaker was quick to charge her horn with as much energy as she could. "Your pathetic existence... ends now!" Daybreaker yelled. An enormous blast of energy, its red and yellow colour mixture resembling that of fire itself, was released. Luna had but enough time to cover her face before she was struck. With immense velocity, the blast shot Luna back down towards the ground, causing her to crash through the roof of Celestia's private chambers. The explosion from the impact was so powerful, it could be heard all the way to Ponyville. Daybreaker remained airborne. One part of her was satisfied to have defeated the usurper and weakling that was Luna. Another part of her was disappointed at just how easy it had been to beat her. Slowly, she lowered herself back towards the ground. "Such a shame," she said mockingly, landing outside on the balcony. "I really did think you would put up more of a fight." As the new ruler of Equestria marched forth into her private chambers, she could see the outline of her defeated enemy through the thick clouds of dust. A smile formed on her face. "Whatever the case, your story ends here, 'sister'. Your weakness will no longer infect my nation and my subjects. I will create a united and strong Equestria, and I will lead it to victory!" Daybreaker flapped her large wings once. The mighty gust of wind casted away the thick clouds of dust, revealing the scarred and defeated figure of Luna, at last. Her foe stepped closer, enjoying every second of the moment. She could hear Luna mumble beneath her weak breath. She was already half dead. "So it ends, then..." Daybreaker declared triumphantly, standing next to Luna's beaten body. "The reign of night comes to a close, and so the sun shall reign until the end of time!" Even now, Luna could hear her foe's laughter. "Any last words...sister?" The white-coated alicorn asked, charging her horn one last time. Luna used her last remaining strength to look up to Daybreaker. Her fiery mane almost had a paralysing effect on her. With what she had left, she made her final speech. "Yes... yes, I do..." Luna's voice was sore and just as beaten as her body was. She coughed heavily before resuming. "You may be victorious today. But know this: your victory, like any other, will be temporary. And I trust th- argh!" Luna cried out in pain. "I trust... that you will someday realise your mistake." Daybreaker, although victorious and arrogant by nature, listened carefully. "Strike me down, then. Harmony will return, eventually. Stronger than ever." Luna closed her eyes and rested her head on the cold floor. "I'm sorry, sister. I'm sorry I let it come to this." A few seconds later, a loud blast could be heard throughout the castle. It was over. "At long last, the sun stands unopposed..." Daybreaker said to herself, once more standing on the balcony. "The sun shall aid my ponies to see the truth, and from the seeds of my work, a new, stronger Equestria will come forth!" Daybreaker spread her wings and looked up to the sun, feeling its strength in her every bone. "Hear me, Equestria!" She shouted, her voice sounding across all of Equestria. "Today is the day we unite against this common threat! Today, we free ourselves from our weaknesses! Hear the voice of your new empress, my ponies! Heed the call of the sun and follow its light! Our enemies will burn in the fires of our victory! Follow the light, citizens, and our flame shall be rekindled and grow stronger than ever before!" As if on command, a single chant could be heard all across Equestria that moment. "Glory to the Empress! Sol Invicta!" The Reign of the Sun and Rule of the Empress had at long last begun.