Book 7 / Chapter 6
Lilith’s Last Day
(Year 4, Month 5, Day 23)
Zeil’s eyes focused on the center candle of a candelabra that sat on the other side of the room as Edelweiss spoke, “Remember, there is no potion, unicorn, or alicorn, magic involved. Everything pertaining to this is using the natural magic that all living things hold. This can be done by any who understand this magic, you must first know your target and its density, then focused on transferring your magic into the liquid. Visualize it as something solid but flexible such as a whip or ribbon. Then sharpen it… and strike.”
Knowing what he had to do, Zeil focused on the candle as much as he could, then when he felt he was ready, he took a small veil of water that he had and poured the liquid on the table next to him. While the water was puddled on the table, Zeil with one quick action slammed his hoof onto the puddle then flung it in a swinging motion as the water flew from his hoof in a curved stream that solidified as it flew towards the candelabra.
As the stream of water approached the candelabra, the sharpened stream sliced through the waxy shaft of the center candle stick but didn’t harm the wick inside as the now cut candle leaned almost completely over as the wick within the wax held the two parts together. As soon as Zeil saw his accomplishment he smiled, “Yes… I got it.”
Edelweiss sighed, “As impressive as it is to see you progress this quickly in only a few hours… you still failed the lesson. I wanted you to aim for cutting off the wick at the top without putting out the flame. Here… you both missed the mark and failed to cut through the wick.”
Zeil sighed in irritation, “Well, at least I managed to do this much. An hour ago I couldn’t even manage to fling the water that far. And even then it only splashed the candle and put it out.”
Edelweiss nodded, “True, as I said, it’s impressive to see this much progress in this short time. But you will need a lot more practice before mastering it.”
Zeil nodded as he looked at his hoof, “That’s true… but at least I know how to do it now.”
Edelweiss nodded, “Yes, and in time you will be able to increase the waters strength and distance. One day you could even cut through wood or stone with it.”
Zeil looked at his hoof as he remembered the mage and mumbled to himself, “Or a griffin’s neck.”
Not hearing his student Edelweiss replied, “What was that?”
Zeil replied, “Oh I said uh… my neck… it feels a little stiff.”
Edelweiss nodded, “Yes well your natural magic is still a part of you. Using it too much can cause fatigue or even sickness. Be sure to use it sparingly.”
At that moment Edelweiss looked at a nearby window as he saw the sun begin to rise, “Oh… we were at it all night it would seem… you better go get some rest. I can watch over Dr. Grey for the morning. Then when you’re ready and rested you can join in and help for the rest of the day.”
Using a rag to clean up the remaining water, Zeil replied, “I’ll be fine, this journey I’m on has given me plenty of long nights so I can handle a day without sleep.”
Edelweiss placed the book they were using back on a bookshelf as he replied, “If you say so, I won’t stop you. Then I guess we can go to the main gate. Since the battle won’t start till tomorrow, we can see if Dr. Grey attempts to check on the relic. If he is storing it at his home, then he will try to move it into the barren part of the city today.”
After that was said, Zeil put on his cloak as Edelweiss made sure his turban was tight before the two proceeded to leave the library.
With that said, the two enchanters left the castle library as they both made their way into the city. As they trotted through the streets of Lilith, Zeil asked, “So where should we start? Should we check the small medic hospital that he set up at the city gate?”
Edelweiss nodded as he replied, “Yes, if I remember right he starts this day at the gate then later he w-”
Before he could finish, Edelweiss silenced himself when he and Zeil both noticed a herd of ponies were rushing up the street as if they were running from something. At the same time, a number of royal soldiers were running in the opposite way as Zeil spoke, “What’s going on?”
Edelweiss was confused as he started to reply, “I’m not sure, this usually doesn’t happen… I wonder wh-”
At that moment Edelweiss was once again interrupted only this time it was by a strange crashing sound that happened at another part of the city that echoed through the streets. After hearing the crash, Zeil looked in the direction the sound came from as he spoke, “What was that?”
When the cloaked changeling looked back at Edelweiss, he saw the disguised scholar looking into the air in shock as Zeil looked in the same direction to see something strange. In clear morning sky, Zeil could see a strange black dot in the air that seemed to be growing with every fragment of a second passed. However Zeil soon realized what it was as Edelweiss tackled him to the ground as he yelled, “LOOKOUT!!!”
As the disguised alicorn tackled Zeil to the ground a massive boulder crashed to the ground behind him as the carriage sized boulder shattered the cobblestone road before rolling across the ground crushing everything and everypony in the road before hitting and toppling a building. As the two picked themselves up Zeil asked, “W-was that a rock?”
Edelweiss didn’t answer the question, instead he spoke in shock, “No… they are attacking today? But why? It’s a day early… Anna…”
Without looking at Zeil, Edelweiss opened his wing and took off into the air as fast as he could as Zeil tried to stop him, “Wait! Matthias!”
But it was no use, Before Zeil could even try to stop him, the frantic king had already flown out of sight as Zeil mumbled, “He went to the gate… I better get there, and fast.”
Running as fast as he could Zeil took off down the road while bobbing and weaving through both the fleeing civilians and the charging soldiers.
Moments later, Queen Anna and Captain Rose were standing on the city wall wearing their battle armor as the queen called, “Captain! Have your troops clear the streets! Open the castle gates and allow all to take refuge in the keep.”
The captain nodded as he turned to follow his orders, “Yes your majesty!”
As the unicorn captain ran to follow his orders, Edelweiss landed next to the queen as he spoke, “Your majesty? What’s happening? The attack wasn’t supposed to begin until tomorrow.”
The queen replied, “It would seem that General Fist wasn’t loyal to his words.” She looked down the castle wall at the soldiers who were firing arrows at the enemy soldiers, “Stand your ground and do everything you can to prevent them from reaching the walls!”
At that time Edelweiss looked outside the city. Though they were approaching slowly the massive army of minotaur marched in perfect rows and ranks with the first rank raising shields in front of them and a second rank with shields above protecting them from the arrows that the defending ponies fired in their direction. A thousand meters behind them, sat four trebuchets that each fired a large boulder every few minutes. Behind the first few ranks of soldiers rolled a large battering ram that with its covered roof provided protection for its crew of soldiers inside the siege weapon.
Seeing the coming enemy Edelweiss shook his head, “This wasn’t supposed to happen… not today.”
As Edelweiss turned back to his queen he started to speak but was silenced when she spoke first, “Edelweiss, withdraw to the castle and protect the citizens. I’ll do what I can to hold the ground here. Just protect my subjects.”
Edelweiss continued looking at the enemy troops as he shook his head as he spoke with a commanding tone, “No, since this wasn’t supposed to happen yet, I can’t say what will happen next. First thing is first, we need to get you out of here. Gather the forces and make for the keep, I will hold the ground here.”
Queen Anna was confused, although Edelweiss dropped the act, this was still the first time to her knowledge that he had acted this way as she spoke, “D-did you just give me an order?”
Edelweiss turned his head slightly and shifted his sight to her as he replied, “Look, this wasn’t supposed to happen yet, I can’t predict what will happen next, so I can’t ensure your safety. For now it would be better t-”
“INCOMMING!!!!”
At that moment, a large boulder fired from one of the trebuchets colligated with the top of the wall only a few feet below where the two were standing as the shockwave from the massive crashed both knocked the two from the wall and caused it to dip down before half of the twenty foot stone structure started to topple over. Acting fast, Edelweiss grabbed his queen and opened his wings, gliding away from the falling structure and ensuring a safe landing for he and his wife. However in his haste to save his love, the disguised alicorn didn’t realize that the shockwave from the colliding boulder loosened the turban on his head as the wrapped fabric unravel in his glide exposing his dark mane, and his shattered horn beneath. As soon as the couple landed, Edelweiss looked to his bride as he spoke, “Are you alright? You’re not hurt are you?”
At first the queen only nodded in agreement, but as soon as she saw his horn, the queen’s eyes widened, “E-Edelweiss? Your… you’re a-“
“Edelweiss!”
At that moment, Zeil rushed up as he spoke, “There you are! Sorry I couldn’t keep up, remember I can’t fly anymore.”
Edelweiss looked to Zeil and nodded, “Yes, my apologies Mr. Zeil, I must have lost myself for a second.”
Zeil looked at his head and replied, “Are you alright? Your turban is gone.”
Edelweiss paid it no mind as he replied, “That matter’s not. We must find Dr. Grey and end this now!”
After hearing that, Zeil looked to the field hospital that sat at the base of the wall as he replied, “Umm… That won’t be so easy.”
Confused, Edelweiss looked to the same field hospital as he gasped in shock. At the base of what was once a massive wall now sat a pile of stone and mortar, which was crushing a now destroyed field hospital. Before Edelweiss could respond, he saw something in the clearing dust as he spoke, “No… DR. GREY!!!”
Confused, Zeil and Queen Anna looked to the wall’s base as they saw a combination of Stone, wood posts, and tent canvas. And sticking partially out from under it all, was the lifeless Dr. Grey. Panicking, Edelweiss rushed to the rubble as he started picking up pieces of stone as he called, “Zeil help me!!! We have to get him out!”
At first Zeil started to do the same, but after only a quick glance over the visible doctor. Zeil stopped as he spoke, “It’s no use… it doesn’t take my changeling abilities to tell that… he is already gone.”
Although she wanted to say something, Queen Anna was trying to process all that was happening as she mumbled to herself, “Changeling?...”
Edelweiss stopped what he was doing as he looked at the corpse of the doctor and shook his head, “No… it… it can’t be…”
Edelweiss took a few steps back from the rubble before sitting down in depression, “He was the last option… the only one left.”
Queen Anna held her silence as Zeil asked, “This should be good right? If he is dead then he can’t activate the relic?”
Edelweiss shook his head, “No… we needed to destroy the relic… just because he is dead doesn’t mean the reset won’t happen. Without him to guard it, the minotaur will occupy the city and search for it themselves… and when they find it, they will most likely use it… and cause this war to continue for another year.”
Queen Anna was now too confused to speak as she continued to watch in worry as Zeil replied, “That’s it then? There is no other way?”
Edelweiss shook his head as he replied, “To my knowledge… no… now… when the reset happens again… you will be here too. The memories of those you love… and your own life will be only a dream to you. I’m… I’m truly sorry I couldn’t help you Mr. Zeil.”
Zeil thought through their options, “Are… you absolutely sure he has the relic? Maybe he is working with somepony else, There could always be two guarding it.”
Edelweiss shook his head as he replied with an annoyed tone, “I told you already, I’ve checked every living pony in this city… there… there are no others who could be hiding the real relic. It’s over…” He looked down in disappointment, “We lost…”
Edelweiss started rubbing his head in irritation as Zeil too sat down to think about the situation. As he sat, Zeil looked at the dead doctor that laid under the rubble, to the rubble that crushed him, then he panned his eyes over to the undamaged parts of the wall and field hospital that sat less than a hundred feet away, then the lines of bodies that sat just beyond that. When he looked back to the rubble crushing the field hospital, Zeil saw a kingdom banner sitting amongst the debris as he saw something that brought back a faint memory. The banner that was once posted on the top of the castle wall, was slightly stained with blood from the doctor’s body as he started to think about where he had seen this image before, “Wait… a second…”
Panning his eyes back to the rows of bodies, Zeil once again brought his attention to something he had seen earlier. Amongst the perfect rows of different shaped bodies, Zeil saw the one empty spot in the rows and the tarp that once covered whatever body that sat in its place. As Zeil looked at the empty spot he mumbled to himself, “He… checked every living pony in the city… every, Living one… That’s it!”
When Zeil looked back to the depressed king he could see Queen Anna approaching to console him, but before she could, Zeil spoke without thinking, “Matthias!”
Both the Queen and Edelweiss looked to Zeil as the changeling continued, “You said you’ve checked every living pony in the city right? All who are still alive?”
Edelweiss gave Zeil a confused look as the changeling spoke with optimism, “How about none living ones?”
Edelweiss gave Zeil a confused look as Zeil asked, “The barren part of the city… are there any bakeries there?”
Edelweiss replied, “Bakeries? But why wou… wait…” He smiled, “As a matter of fact there is one.”
Zeil nodded, “That is where the relic is… I’m sure of it!”
Edelweiss depression seemed to disappear completely as he nodded in confidence, “Then that’s where we go.”
That said, Edelweiss turned towards the queen who was still trying to process what was happening as he spoke, “Anna, leave the army to hold the gate for a little while longer, at this rate we have about an hour before the rest of the wall is breeched. As for you, go to the castle and barricade the doors. No matter what, stay there until I come for you… if all goes well, it will be soon.”
The queen was confused, she couldn’t tell what was happening around her, but as she looked into Edelweiss’s eyes, she started to see something familiar in him as she could only nod as Edelweiss smiled, “Good… stay safe, my love.”
That said, Edelweiss looked to Zeil as he spoke, “Let’s go Zeil… It’s time we put an end to this war. Once and for all!”
After that was said, the disguised changeling and now undisguised alicorn rushed down the road leaving Queen Anna in confusion as she spoke, “Changeling… Reset… M-Matthias… C-can it be?”
A few minutes later, the two enchanters arrived in the abandon part of Lilith as they approached the only bakery in the region. As they looked at the building, Zeil noticed that this seemed to be the usual style of bakery with a single door entrance and a large display window on the front as he looked at the closed sign that was nailed to the door. As they approached the door Zeil asked, “Okay we are here… how do we get in?”
With no words, Edelweiss turned around and used his hind hooves to kick in the door as he watched the door fly open and slam against the wall. With the door now open Edelweiss spoke, “We have no time for pleasantries.”
Zeil nodded, “I guess not.”
As they entered, the dethroned alicorn spoke, “If the relic is here… then it’s probably hidden in the back. You look around here, while I check the back room. And keep an eye out for one guarding it.”
Zeil nodded in agreement as Edelweiss trotted behind the counter and went into the back room. Though the front room seemed like a normal store with a front counter and a number of shelves, the room still seemed to have a number of cupboards as Zeil started searching through were the relic could have been stashed away. As he looked through the seemingly empty room, he eventually made his way to the cabinet that sat just under the display window. After seeing that these cabinets were also empty a familiar voice caught him off guard, “When I first met you, I never though you would be such a nuisance.”
Surprised Zeil quickly turned to the speaking pony, but as he did, the cloaked stranger grabbed him by the shoulders, spun him around, and threw him through the display window as Zeil flew through the shattering glass and into the street. Stunned, Zeil picked himself up as the cloaked figure stepped through the broken window and out onto the street, “Do you have any idea of the mess you brought? A full day early! If not for you and that book, things would have gone just as they should!”
At that moment, Edelweiss rushed out the front door of the bakery as he looked to the stallion and spoke, “Sourdough!!! So it’s true then… you’ve been responsible for this whole thing from the very start!”
The cloaked earthpony lowered the hood on his cloak as he looked towards Edelweiss and smiled, “Yes… I suppose I am. And I knew from the moment I realized you kept your memories, that you would eventually figure me out… though it took you long enough.”
Edelweiss replied in anger, “Cut the small talk and tell me already… Where is the relic?”
Sourdough replied in confusion, “Where?”
The angry king spoke again, “Don’t play dumb… Zeil figured it out on his own. You have been faking your own death every year to take suspicion off of you for over three thousand years so you could hide the relic with nopony suspecting you! You left a decoy in the castle so no matter what happened to it, you could activate the real relic every year without fail. Am I right?”
Sourdough nodded, “Well… partially… I had thought you had realized it long ago… but I guess I overestimated your deductive skills.”
Edelweiss replied, “What are you talking about?”
Sourdough smiled as he turned completely to Edelweiss and replied, “I haven’t been hiding the relic… I am the relic.”
Both Edelweiss and Zeil were surprised, as Edelweiss replied, “W-what?”
Sourdough replied, “It is as I say… I am the relic. I know not the world before I was placed in that monolith, then your soldiers released me from one prison, only to place me in another… Your coffers… that is, until your queen activated my power.”
Sourdough started pacing around Edelweiss as he continued, “I may be a tool purposed to serve one who wishes to use me, but even I want the ability to roam the world.” He looked up, “To see the sky, to feel the sun… but… that can only happen should somepony be desperate enough to toy with time.”
Edelweiss became angry, “Toy with time? Is that the purpose of your power?”
Sourdough nodded, “It is… I am purposed to grant any wish that can be granted with the manipulation of time. Although, a vague wish can result in…” He raised his hooves in a manner to bring all attention to the burning and crumbling city around them, “This…”
Edelweiss gave Sourdough a distrusting look as he replied, “Vague? What are you talking about?... Nopony would ever wish for this?”
Sourdough smiled for a few second before opening his mouth and speaking with a voice that sounded exactly like Queen Anna, “Please… I know not the power you hold, but I cannot allow my kingdom to fall. I beg of you, save my subjects… ensure their survival. So saith th-… no… I am no longer a queen. I cannot call myself one if I can’t even ensure my own kingdom’s future.”
Edelweiss was confused by the copied voice as Sourdough’s voice went back to normal, “See… she wished for this. She wanted her kingdom to survive and for her to be able to rule her kingdom well into the future. Or at least that’s how I read it. So… I reset time to repeat the last week of Lilith’s survival, and ensure that it would remain a kingdom until its last queen, her, had met her end… But no longer then the day of her first death.”
Edelweiss glared with anger, “This wasn’t her wish… this isn’t what she wanted!”
Sourdough nodded, “True, Later I discovered what she truly meant… but the wish was already set and until it ends… I can’t allow it willingly to stop or change.”
Zeil asked, “And when is it supposed to end?”
Sourdough shrugged his shoulders, “Future is a vague term. The future as she put it, is eternal, and with no date or year set, so too is this wish. If she had specified a time for it to end then it would have… but I’m afraid the wish can’t be changed while in term. If it ended you could change it, but it won’t end… a poor use for a relic as powerful as I, but… that’s how fate has set it.”
Edelweiss was enraged, but before he could reply, he heard a voice come from behind as the shocked queen spoke, “So then… you are the true traitor! And I… caused this?...”
Everypony in the area looked over to see Captain Rose and Queen Anna standing not far down the road with expressions that said they heard the whole story. Confused Queen Anna spoke, “So… it’s true then… Lilith has already fallen… and… you Edelweiss? Are… are you… my king?... Matthias?”
Edelweiss nodded as he replied, “I am my love, but that doesn’t matter. What does matter, is that in order for this war to end… we must end this traitor’s life.”
Captain Rose nodded as he stepped forward and drew his sword, “I don’t know what is going on… but if it’s what I think it is… then I know what I must do…” He pointed the sword at Sourdough as he spoke in anger, “Sourdough! You are suspected of treason! Punishment of such a crime is death! Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
Sourdough smiled, “The road to destruction, is paved with the best of intentions.”
Captain Rose replied, “Are you saying your actions are justified?”
The sinister stallion shook his head as he replied, “I wasn’t speaking of my actions… I was speaking of hers.”
That said, Sourdough gestured towards Queen Anna as the queen took a step back in shock. Seeing her reaction Captain Rose charged in anger as he yelled, “YOU WILL EAT THOSE WORDS!!!”
Without orders, Captain Rose charged at Sourdough as the stallion only stood and watched with a smile on his face. As Captain Rose approached his target he reared back his sword and swung vertically with all his strength, however Sourdough only smiled as he quickly sidestepped the attack before stepping forward and swinging only once with his right hoof as the quick and precise attack struck the armored captain right behind his head with enough force to knock him unconscious. As the lifeless body of the attacking captain fell, Sourdough caught his falling sword as he smiled sinisterly, “An earnest attempt, but… for one who was a geographer prior to his first reset… a foolish one.”
“ENOUGH!!!”
Sourdough looked to Queen Anna as the armored mare drew her sword and spoke, “I am the Queen of this kingdom… and as such I command you to stand down. Otherwise, I will take you down by force.”
Sourdough pointed his sword at her as he smiled, “Good luck trying.”
With that said, Sourdough reared his sword back as if to swing horizontally as Edelweiss saw this and yelled, “ANNA!!! GET OUT OF HERE!!!”
Before anything could be said or done, Sourdough swung his sword as a barely visible slash of magic flew from his blade directly towards the distant queen. Seeing the incoming projectile, Queen Anna held her sword vertically in an attempt to block the airborne slash, however as the magic hit her sword, it acted as if it were air, as it phased through the blade and continued before hitting Queen Anna in her face, throwing her back and to the ground. Seeing this Edelweiss and Zeil ran to the downed mare as Edelweiss called, “ANNA!!!”
As he picked up his lifeless queen, Edelweiss saw that the attack left no wounds and she was still breathing as he yelled, “Anna!” He looked to Sourdough, “What did you do?”
Sourdough smiled, “This fight is between you and I, No need for her to get in evolved any further.” He readied his sword, “I knew this day would come, and now… it has. On your guard, King Matthias.”
Edelweiss looked down to his wife’s body, then to her sword that was lying beside her as he spoke, “For my kingdom… and my love…” He laid his wife on the ground and picked up her blade as he held it at the ready, “It is my task to save my subjects from this endless cycle of bloodshed.” He looked to the side, “Zeil… watch over her, but leave this fight to me… it’s my honor as King of Lilith to end this myself.”
Zeil nodded as he replied, “Watch yourself, I can’t sense anything about him so I can’t tell what emotion is driving him forward. Just keep a clear head, and I’ll do what I can from here.”
Edelweiss nodded as he replied, “Of course… Thank you my friend.”
Seeing this, Sourdough smiled as he removed his cloak to reveal the same armor he wore the day Zeil arrived as he readied his sword, “Then… let this be a fight for Lilith.”
As that was said, Edelweiss charged at Sourdough as the suspected relic stood his ground just as he did with Captain Rose’s charge. As Edelweiss swung his sword, Sourdough quickly raised his weapon as he blocked the attack and locked the two in place. With both weapons against one another Sourdough smiled, “Really your majesty? Surely you didn’t think that after three millennia of fighting the same war, that I wouldn’t gain at least the basics of defending myself?”
Edelweiss smiled, “Actually… I was hoping for it…”
With that Edelweiss pushed his opponent away as he made more attempts to strike his target. As Edelweiss made many more attempts to kill his opponent, Sourdough reacted with only defensive blocks as he spoke, “I’m surprised your so cross with me your majesty… isn’t it a dream of you mortals to wish for eternal life and youth?... Think about it, it’s been three millennia and you have yet to age a single year of that time… furthermore, you have retained all your memories of the passing year, so unlike those around you, you had a chance to enjoy your immortality.”
With his attacks becoming more and more furious, Edelweiss replied while continuing his assault, “Enjoy? ENJOY!?! What’s there to enjoy?... You imprison my kingdom! You bring them back to this pointless war! You continuously allow them to see their impending death, then let them wait until it comes for THEM!!!”
With emphasis in his last word, Edelweiss made one powerful slash in a vertical motion as Sourdough blocked the attack then stepped to the side allowing the attack to glance downward leaving Edelweiss to stagger in his own motion and anger.
After parrying the blade away, Sourdough took a number of steps away to catch his breath as he replied, “I only followed the wish granted… I allowed the kingdom to return to its former glory and ensured its future survival.”
After regaining his balance Edelweiss gave the ponyfied relic an angry look, “Survival? It figures… an inanimate object like you could never understand!!!”
Edelweiss charged at Sourdough once more, “There is a difference between surviving and living!!!”
With that Sourdough not only blocked Edelweiss’s anger fueled attack, he also rolled his blade around the other and parried it away flinging the sword out of Edelweiss’s hoof as if flew behind him and towards where Zeil was standing. As the sword hit the ground Edelweiss jumped back from his target as he started breathing heavily in his exhaustion. As Edelweiss took his breath Sourdough smiled, “Temper your majesty… you know as well as I, that a hot head, makes not a skillful fighter.”
As Edelweiss glared at his foe, Zeil started slowly moving towards the sword until something unexpected caught their eye, as the two fought, a group of minotaurs soldiers started making their way through the streets as one called, “Look we found a few trying to flee! Get them!”
Quickly remembering that there was a war going on around them, Sourdough turned towards the approaching soldiers, however as he did, a large boulder fired from one of the distant catapults fell into the area as the loose projectile rolled down the road and through the side of the charging minotaur formation before hitting the base of a tall tower. Surprised by the unexpected save Sourdough mumbled, “That works too…”
As that was said, the tall tower that was hit at its base started leaning in their direction as the tall structure began falling towards them. Since the tower wasn’t tall enough to reach them, most of them paid it any mind as Sourdough started turning back to Edelweiss, “Now where wer-“
“ZEIL NOW!!!”
At that moment, Zeil who had already reached Edelweiss’s swords, kicked the weapon across the ground as the sound of metal grinding against stone echoed through the area until it reached Edelweiss who not only readied himself for the weapon’s delivery, but had gotten close enough to his target so that his next strike couldn’t be dodged or blocked. As the weapon slid to Edelweiss’s hooves, the quick king grabbed it and used its momentum to swing in an upward angle as Sourdough did his best to jump back to dodge the attack. As this happened, the falling tower had just reached the ground as the crashing structure sent a large cloud of dust that flew in and concealed the area just as Edelweiss’s attack made contact with its target. As the cloud of dust hit them, Zeil shielded his eyes from the debris before looking across the dust covered area towards the two fighters who still stood amongst the now clouded area. The first thing Zeil looked towards was Edelweiss’s blade to see if there was any blood on his weapon, but as he saw the weapon was still clean he mumbled, “Did he miss?”
Then when Zeil saw the king’s expression his answer was clear as Edelweiss stared at his foe in shock.
With the dust proving too thick to see clearly, Zeil decided to trot into the dust cloud until he could finally see both fighting stallion clearly. As he got close Zeil’s expression started to match Edelweiss as he saw what was happening. Edelweiss’s attack made contact as was intended, however Sourdough’s flesh didn’t cut like normal, instead it was shattered away as if he were actually made of hollowed out glass. As the weakened relic stood he looked down at his cracking wound as he smiled, “For a soldier… dropping your guard is no different from dropping your life.” He looked up at Edelweiss, “Well played… your majesty.”
That said, the glasslike earthpony fell to the ground as both Edelweiss and Zeil started approaching the defeated stallion as he spoke, “So… this is what death feels like… after faking it every reset… I never actually experienced it before.”
With a dark tone, Edelweiss spoke, “How does it feel?”
Sourdough replied, “It’s… strange… I feel… cold… and afraid yet… I have nothing to be truly afraid of… do I? Why do I feel fear… when there is nothing to fear?”
Zeil replied, “It’s called mortality, that fear is of what comes next, what happens after death.”
Sourdough looked Zeil in the eye, “And… what comes next?”
Zeil shook his head, “That’s just it… nopony truly knows. Some have theories, and others follow what religion teaches, but… in all actuality, that is the truest mystery of life.”
Sourdough thought to himself, “…Interesting I always thought the truest mystery was…” He looked at Edelweiss, “What you always asked… tell me… How do you kill a king?” He laid back to look at the sky, “I’ve pondered this question for over a millennia and still… I haven’t been able to find the answer. Have you?”
Edelweiss shook his head, “You can’t… a king’s heart may one day stop beating… but it’s his will to his subjects that lives on. So long as his kingdom stands, or his subjects carry his crown on in their own way… a king will never truly die.”
Sourdough chuckled through his pain, “Well said… though, technically this means you have died every year for thirty three hundred years.”
Edelweiss nodded, “Technically… yes.”
The dyeing pony nodded, “Then… you felt this pain every time… as did your subjects… and… your queen.” Tears built up in his eyes, “This pain… I… I don’t like it… If this is what I put you through… then… I apologize. I know forgiveness is undeserved… but… if this is truly what you felt… then… for this, I deserve death. And you… deserve to be free.”
And with that as his final words, Sourdough closed his eyes, as the cracking slash that was in his chest started spreading over his body until he looked like a shattered glass sculpture. Then rather than the pieces of his shattered body falling in on themselves, they started breaking apart as they flew upward and disappeared into the air. Though it took a second for his entire body to follow suit, soon the broken relic’s body had completely disappeared as Edelweiss sighed and spoke, “I guess… since it’s all over now… I can find a way to forgive you… in time.”
“M-Matthias?”
At that moment, both Zeil and Edelweiss looked through the descending dust as he saw Queen Anna trotting through the dust as she spoke, “I… I remember now… my memories… of that day and every year sense… I remember. You returned to us a few years after Lilith fell… but… something kept me from seeing who you are. From seeing my king before me.”
Edelweiss dropped his sword as he trotted to his queen and smiled, “I know… Sourdough held back you memories from you. He held back the memories of all of Lilith.” As he approached his queen, he embraced her as she replied, “Yes… but somehow… I pity him. I could see his life unfold as he died… I could see his intentions. He was just as much a prisoner as I… as all of Lilith was.”
Edelweiss was confused, “Intentions?”
Queen Anna nodded, “He needed to be free, his time here wasn’t just painful to use. He felt trapped as well.”
Edelweiss stopped embracing his wife as he looked to where Sourdough was laying before, “Whether he was trapped or not… I’m only grateful it’s over. Now, we ca-”
All of a sudden a loud cracking sound was heard as both Edelweiss and Anna looked to Anna’s chest as a spider web like crack appeared on her skin as if she too were made of glass. As he saw the cracking flesh Edelweiss mumbled, “So… it’s happening then.”
Worried Anna looked at her husband as she spoke, “What’s happening?”
Edelweiss took her hoof as he replied, “Listen to me Anna, no matter what happens from this point on, just know one thing. I love you with all my heart, and weather it’s in life or death, I will be with you soon. Just wait for me till then, all right?
As the cracks started spreading over the rest of her body, Anna managed to keep herself calm as she smiled and placed her other hoof on his cheek, “I love you my king… and I trust we will be together soon. Till then, I’ll wait for yo-”
Before she was able to finish her sentence, Queen Anna, the last queen of Lilith crumbled into glass shards as they all drifted upwards and vanished without a trace.
After his wife vanished before his eyes, Edelweiss took his now empty hoof and placed it against his chest as he mumbled, “I love you my queen… and I’ll see you soon.”
Worried Zeil spoke, “Matthias? What’s happening? Where did she go?”
Edelweiss turned to Zeil as he lowered the hoof from his chest as it revealed a large crack that appeared on his chest as he spoke, “My guess, everything is going back to the way it’s supposed to… though… I can’t say how. Best case scenario, we all wake up unscathed in Lilith in our own time or in yours. But it’s possible that those who perished in the first reset won’t awaken at all. Then… a much worse case scenario is that we all die… including you.”
Zeil was concerned, “What? But… the reset never happened while I was here.”
Edelweiss nodded, “I know… but we can’t rule out the possibility… either way… I hope if anything, you at least wake up unharmed… thanks to your help, I was able to save my kingdom and my subjects. I… I only have my thanks to give you in return. Thank you my friend… for everything.”
As the cracks started spreading across his body Edelweiss smiled sincerely as Zeil nodded, “It was the least I could do… your majesty.”
Edelweiss smiled back as he thought to himself, “Actually now that I think about it… for your help I could always kn-”
Before Edelweiss could finish his sentence, he too shattered into glass shards and drifted upwards as Zeil could only watch the pieces of the last king of the fallen kingdom vanish into the air.
However this too was cut short as Zeil heard a loud shattering sound as he looked to the distance to see the Castle in the center of the city shatter into its own clustered mess of glass shards that started drifting into the air and disappeared. Confused, Zeil looked around, everywhere he looked cracks in the environment started forming and spreading over every surface stone, wood, even the horizon and sky above seemed to begin shattering into millions of glass fragments that seemed to drift upward and disperse into nothingness. Slightly worried Zeil looked around and just as he remembered Captain Rose was laying on the ground not far from him, he soon saw the unconscious soldier shatter and drift upward leaving nothing in its place. As the ground started cracking from under his hooves, Zeil soon felt his heart race with worry, then a sharp pain raced across his chest as he looked down to see that now, a crack started appearing on his own body as Zeil watched it spread across his torso without slowing down. Now terrified of what was next, Zeil took a step back just as the ground shattered from beneath him as the scared changeling started to fall into a seemingly infinite abyss below him. As Zeil fell, he could feel the last bit of sharp pain cross over his face as he closed his eyes in worry. As he made this last action, Zeil saw the darkness of his closed eyes open up into light as a bright light shined onto him making it impossible to see even himself as he too dissolved into glass fragments, then nothingness.