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// Entry 71: Chamelia and Celestia 
// Story: Samudra's Journal 
// by vren55 
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Despite distancing myself from Chamelia, I continue to meet with Celestia every so often, but… now… I… I can’t even believe what has happened, but Celestia is gone!

It started two weeks ago when the moon suddenly rose over the western part of the Eastern Sea. It was supposed to be the sun, but darkness and a rising tide was what occurred instead. I was shocked, because I know Celestia and Luna by extension, would never mess with the sun’s path.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t immediately go to Celestia and Luna. There were rumors of kelpie movement near Equestria that I had to attend to first. My forces found nothing, but I had to ensure they were on alert before I went to the surface

By that point, it was two weeks later, and to my surprise, the day after I arrived at the coast of Equestria, the sun and moon’s paths were restored. This comforted me, but I was still worried because Celestia had not replied to the sealed letter I sent to her via magic.

When I showed up… the Everfree Castle was in ruins. I… I couldn’t believe it. The roof was caved in and craters had broken the once proud walls. I quietly entered Celestia’s chambers.

What… What I saw… it wasn’t her. I could barely hide my shock. She … recognized me, but she didn’t act like her. She welcomed me, sincerely, and acted very friendly, but I could tell it wasn’t Celestia.

I wasn’t sure why this had occurred. We had a pleasant, but… shallow conversation about what had occurred. Here I learned that Luna. Celestia’s own sister! She had tried to seize control of the sun and plunge the world into eternal night. Apparently, Celestia had to banish Luna to the moon to stop this.

I initially wasn’t convinced. I thought Celestia and Luna were dead, killed by something who was now taking their form. Then I recalled the moon and the silhouette of the pony on it.

But still, that didn’t explain why the hell there was an imposter taking the place of Celestia. So I didn’t leave the Everfree Castle, I stayed, transformed, waiting. I watched the imposter meet with the architects who planned to design a new capital… I watched her pretend to be Celestia as best she could. I watched her collapse into her bed after the day was done.

The imposter turned out to be a changeling. A badly wounded changeling. She must have been nearly unable to hold her disguise. She was catching a breath, trembling from the effort of holding her disguise.

But before I could seize her and demand where Celestia was, I recognized her… it… it was Alternia… Chamelia’s daughter. Chamelia… well she’d shown me illusions of her daughters. The oldest being Chrysalis, and her favorite being her second eldest, Alternia. She also had two others… which I cannot for the life of me remember at the moment.

Back then, I didn’t understand of course. How was Alternia here, pretending to be Celestia? Why?

Well, luckily, I didn’t have to wait long. Alternia crumbled into tears. She was cursing Celestia, Chrysalis and crying for Chamelia. I wasn’t sure why… but… as I listened, the story came together and… oh Creator.

Chamelia’s dead… and Celestia is as good as dead. I can’t believe it. HOW Chamelia! HOW were you killed by your own daughter!? And Celestia… I… if I lay my eyes on Luna, I am going to kill her, damn your love for her!

There was nothing for it. I finally knew what had occurred to my two friends… so… I left. I… I wanted to find Chrysalis and kill her, but there was no way I could do this myself. I had already stayed on the surface for too long.

No… I… I had to move on.

Damn the Creator. I hate this. I hate having to just… move on! I hate that even Celestia and Chamelia, my most long-lived friends, are gone. If… if only I was there… if only I wasn’t the Empress.