... Comes the Light
“I do not wish to come off as ungrateful,” Celestia said, shifting to face Horus fully. “Truly, your presence is probably the most welcome I’ve had in a long time. But what are you doing here?”
“For the easiest explanation, Luna asked me to come and check on you,” Horus explained. “As I am dead and my soul bound to the Warp, I can more easily traverse the bridge between both worlds than any other message.”
“Luna sent you?” Celestia asked, worry rising in her soul. “Is Equestria safe? Has this Dark God started tormenting her as well?”
“Equestria is safe, and Luna has risen quickly to her position.” Celestia let out a small sigh of relief as Horus continued. “Truly, her greatest worry is your safety, which is why I have come here.”
“And you find me struggling to fight off some pathetic Dark God.” Celestia added, turning away from Horus for a moment before speaking again. “How did you drive that thing off? I have tried numerous times but it always seems to leave on its own terms.”
“That...” Horus stopped, massaging his chin for a moment before continuing. “I cannot fully explain why my presence repulsed the daemon. I know that my soul has changed within the Warp since my death, but to directly repulse a daemon of that power...”
“You did help Luna shake off the control of Tzeentch during her time as Nightmare Moon,” Celestia offered. “Perhaps there is more than either of us realize...” there was a pause, Celestia looking away from Horus and down the dark hall of the wreck.
“You doubt yourself,” Horus said, drawing Celestia back to him.
“... I suppose there’s no reason lying to you,” she said finally, hanging her head and sighing. “Returning to the Imperium has been more challenging than I had originally anticipated. So much has changed since I first set out to conquer the galaxy... and yet so much stayed the same. To those around me I can appear calm, be the Empress everyone expects me to be, but with the Dark God looming over my shoulders so much I wonder if that is just not enough.”
“Yet you have the strength to adapt and choose what path to take forward,” Horus countered. “That is something the Dark God will never have... something not even I will have again.” Celestia could feel guilt radiating from the fallen Warmaster, but Horus continued before she could speak. “Perhaps you just need to use that strength more often. Meet me outside, where it is more private.”
“Horus, wait-” Celestia started, but the soul of her son faded before she could finish. She stood in silence, peering into the dark ahead for any other sign. Sensing none, she focused her energy once more, shunting through the Warp until she was standing outside the wreckage of the ship, Horus patiently waiting beneath a destroyed Eldar beacon.
“One thing I am growing tired of is beings who give me vague instruction before disappearing into the void,” Celestia said, giving Horus a half-hearted glare.
“I am surprised that you have not grown used to it over the course of your life.” he countered, waiting for Celestia to join him before the two started off through the Webway. This path was smaller than the one she had taken to Commorragh, sloping downward into a small plaza. Each step Celestia took caused a ripple of light to race through the plaza, giving the floor the appearance of thousands of dancing stars. Briefly the whispers of the past reached out to her, carried forward by the shimmering lights, but they died out almost as soon as they had arrived.
“I tried bringing Luna to the Webway once,” Horus said as they continued down the plaza. “I thought perhaps the stability of the Webway might be enough to pull her free of the Warp... but it was not to be.”
“I would have done much the same,” Celestia said, looking over at Horus. “I tried many things to free Luna, but nothing seemed to work until Twilight used the Elements... It goes to show how ineffective I have been these days.”
“Do not think yourself ineffective, father,” Horus countered. “Perhaps you didn’t break Luna free. Perhaps you have not beaten this cowardly Dark God to death already, but you have set in motion events and forces that Chaos cannot stand against. Many of my brothers rise and arm themselves for battle, and your Student has even begun manifesting the Elements of Harmony in this universe. I did not even think that was possible until I saw it for myself.”
“You’ve been here for a while, then?”
“The flows of the Warp have given me some insights.” Horus sighed, stopping before a bend leading down another twisted thoroughfare. “Nothing much, no glimpses into the future or prophecy, but in other ways they have been of some use.” In the distance Celestia could see gently curving crescents breaking from the shadows, red and blue gems shimmering in the darkness. Webway Portals.
“Back in Equestria, I would be more content with such a role,” she said, following Horus down the path towards the portals. “That’s part of why I took the title of Princess rather than continue to be Empress: to give Ponykind a chance to grow on their own in peace, without the implication of my lording over them in every way. But now I am here, the Imperium wants their overlord. And...” she hesitated, coming to a stop as she gazed around the Webway. “And when I am placed like this, I find myself unsettled.”
“I had hoped to step back after the Crusade was finished,” Horus said, continuing on as Celestia moved to catch up. “Before the Heresy, before I allowed my fear and arrogance to get the best of me. I encouraged my soldiers to start thinking beyond their bolters and swords, to become teachers and builders for the new Imperium... I suppose Guilliman was better than I was at that. But I know the struggle you now face, and I know that you will succeed in finding that change.”
“You have far greater confidence than I do, Horus.”
“I did not speak lightly when I forced the daemon to flee,” Horus stopped and turned to face Celestia fully. “Humanity’s greatest strength has always been its ability to change when the circumstances call for it. The Eldar became too set in their ways, daemons by their very nature are slaves to the emotions that build them, but Mankind has been given the power to change time and again. Scholars take up arms to become soldiers, soldiers cast aside their weapons to build cities and nations from rubble... a young librarian rises to become among the greatest heroes of her kind.” Celestia said nothing, the image of Twilight standing on the banks of the River Rynn floating back through her mind.
“Twilight is not me,” Celestia said. “I dread the day she becomes like me...”
“Why?”
“I need not remind you of what brought us all to this state, Horus,” Celestia moved past Horus, her hands tightening as she continued. “The blood I have spilled could drown countless worlds beneath its weight. The lives my arrogance has laid low could outnumber the stars. I drove you and the others to rebellion because I could not be bothered to tell anyone what I had planned...” she stopped, noticing a tear forming at the corner of her eye. “I neglected my sister to the point she tried to kill me. That is a future I do not wish for Twilight, but I fear I am driving her towards that with every action I take.”
“You united a galaxy that had lost all sense of hope. You rose from the grip of death and struck the gods themselves. You pulled a world from the dust and created a means by which Chaos might truly be defeated.” Horus stepped up to Celestia and gave her a reassuring smile. “You call yourself the Empress of Mankind, but that is only a part of you just as much as being Princess of Equestria is. To accept one over the other is to deny who you are, betray the trust of your subjects in both worlds, and let the Dark God win. I think that is something Twilight sees in you and strives towards in all she does... Perhaps you need to see it again.” Celestia said nothing, mulling over Horus’ words. Briefly her hand unclenched, brushing against the hilt of her sword as her memories continued to flow, images of Twilight before their arrival and long after drifting through her vision.
You brought her to this world for a reason... why would you not wish for her to grow stronger?
“Thank you, Horus,” she said, allowing a smile of her own to grace her lips. “I suppose my guilt has become my worst enemy these days.”
“I am no stranger to such matters. I helped save your sister, you know?” Celestia let out a short bark of laughter at that. By now they had reached one of the smaller Webway Portals, the pale structure looming over them as they came to a stop.
“Before I return to Equestria, I will see you to the next stage of your journey.” Horus stepped up to the portal, brushing his hand against the Wraithbone as Celestia looked on. The gems set within the portal began to glow brightly, a hum filling the air before a brilliant blue disc took shape within the arch, wind rushing over Celestia and tugging at her hair and cape.
“This portal will take you and the others back to the Imperium,” Horus said, stepping aside to allow Celestia to approach. “Where exactly that is I cannot say, but I know that your destination will be safe.”
“Nowhere I go is safe,” Celestia said. “But then, I have always been prepared for the worst.” Horus nodded and turned to leave, Celestia chewing her lip before turning back towards him. “Horus, wait.”
“Yes, father?” Horus asked.
“I...” she stopped, trying to work out her next few words before speaking. “My offer still stands, you know. All my knowledge of cloning and genetics is still sharp, and I would be happy to have you at my side in Equestria.”
“I know you would,” Horus said, his head sinking. “And I know Luna would be thrilled if I were to appear to her in the flesh. But I still have many sins I must atone for, and even Equestria does not have the absolution I seek.” Celestia’s heart fell, but she merely nodded. Horus knew his path much better than she knew her own, perhaps; who was she to judge what he had already decided?
“... Very well,” she said. “Then send my regards to Luna, and tell her I love her more than anything else in this life.”
“I shall.” And with that Horus faded, his spirit disappearing into the shadows as Celestia looked back to the Webway Portal. The disc showed her nothing, perhaps a vague reflection of herself, but its presence was... oddly soothing, the longer she looked at it. She cleared her mind, giving a small sigh as she prepared to step through.
“I am more than a conqueror. I am more than a tyrant,” she said. “I am Celestia, and I shall never remain trapped, no matter what role presents itself” And with that she stepped forward, the energy of the Webway Portal closing around as she was carried forth to her final destination.
Reality snapped back to Celestia, a jolt which almost caused her to stumble forward. Her boots struck marble instead of Wraithbone, a loud clank that filled the amphitheater she had arrived in. Around her she could see dozens of figures, most of them Astartes clad in a myriad of different colors and sigils with a few serfs to tend to them. Looming over the crowd was a large statue, Celestia taking a moment to recognize the carved figure of Roboute Guilliman staring down at her. I must have arrived on Macragge, or at least somewhere within Ultramar. She was about to speak when she felt something seize her around the waist, Celestia looking down to see a familiar young woman beaming up at her.
“Empress!” Twilight cried, tears of joy streaming down her face. “I knew you’d come back!”
“Twil... Tara,” Celestia said, allowing a smile of her own as she reached down to stroke Twilight’s head. “I’m so happy to see you alive as well. Though... how exactly did you get to Ultramar?” Celestia looked up, scanning the room once more. Besides the various Astartes she could see Mattias off to the side, joined by a terrified looking Inquisitor Olivier and... Vulkan?!
“Well...” Twilight trailed off, giving Celestia a sheepish grin. “It’s kind of a long story.”