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// 201-203 Samudra's Last Stand 
// Story: Samudra's Journal 
// by vren55 
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Entry 201

When did we start losing this war?

I have… I have to face facts because we are losing horribly. Maybe we never actually were winning at any point. I look back at my past journal entries and all I see is an old mare trying to convince herself that one more push, one more scheme, one more betrayal and we could wipe them out.

And yet the kelpies kept coming back, stronger, faster, with more abilities. 

The thing is, though, it’s not like we didn’t have a chance. We held out for this long, didn’t we? So… when did we start losing?

I think I started losing the war when I had to conscript seaponies. Monsoon… Typhon, they were absolutely right. It damaged our economy and morale in a way I never quite anticipated, or understood. After all, I’ve been fighting the war for so long, it’s… it’s hard to understand that normal seaponies and deep ponies don’t want to give up their lives for a cause they don’t necessarily understand. The thing was… that step was necessary for us to hold out. So… we started losing before then.

Was it when we decided to betray the kelpies?

No, that’s impossible. That bought us a reprieve. That allowed for several years of peace.

But did it also mean that it squandered our last chance?  What… what if I had worked together with them? 

But we weren’t anywhere near a solution for their hunger. Maybe they might be willing to try to solve it but it was a problem that had no solution.

Or did it? We only worked for a few years. We know a lot more about kelpies now than before. If that’s the case, then… then maybe we could have found a solution? It would have cost the lives of many of my sea ponies but… less than centuries of warfare.

But the Old Ones. I need to fight them, I was charged with protecting the seas against them. 
But Tethys hasn’t been invoking Yoth-Atal for decades, maybe even centuries. It… it couldn’t be. Has she started to distance herself? Does she no longer worship them?

I don’t know. I can’t just ask her. And my fate… Aquestria’s fate is sealed. We’ve lost the war. I can no longer face her one on one, and even with Myrmidon support, I can’t even stop her.

What remains is to decide how my life ends.

Entry 202

I remember when Aquamaris was full of life, a centre of commerce, culture and just… filled with happy sea and deep ponies.

It’s still busy now, but as I walked in disguise through my city, it’s… it’s sad. Nobody laughs anymore.

I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed. I think it was when Monsoon was still around, but that… that was centuries ago.

I feel like giving up, like just surrendering to Tethys. Aquestria, at least as I’ve known it, is collapsing. I’ve lost contact with the other garrisons. What’s the point of more bloodshed? What’s the point of fighting any longer?


There isn’t a point, but after a thousand years of war, I refuse to lie down and let that monster kill me. Because she’s going to kill me. Thank the Creator Typhon is a kelpie… yes, I said that. I wrote that. If only because that means my poor son would be spared by Tethys. 

I’m sorry, Typhon. I wish I could have been a better mother to you. I wish I could have healed you. I wish… I wish I could have accepted you completely. 

My myrmidons refuse to surrender. Although some have defected or have just left, others refuse to let me go face Tethys for one last time. I’m preparing for one last sally, maybe I can take Tethys down, maybe I’ll fail.

Entry 203

Tomorrow’s the night. I’ve spent the past few weeks just trying my best to preserve sea pony and deep pony lives, pulling everybody back, and as subtly as I can, trying to convince the remainders of my loyalists that if I lose, it would be in Aquestria’s best interest to serve Tethys.

I’ve forced them to confront the horrible truth that I myself have had to face. The fact of the matter is, in the worst case scenario that Tethys cannot find a cure to the kelpies condition, while the kelpies would need to eat seaponie and deep ponies, Aquestria will live. The kelpies wouldn’t kill all the sea ponies and deep ponies, they can’t, they’d starve. Simple facts would make sure they’ll keep the majority of the sea pony and deep pony population alive, and probably in good condition and even happy. It would not be an existence I could tolerate, but it would be an existence without the century-spanning conflict that has destroyed my country.

I hated myself with every fiber of my being as I swore my remaining advisors to this, or dismissed them. But there is no other way. I’ve lost, what’s left is my ponies, or what’s remained of them.

Today, though, I spent it entirely with my son. We played chess. We explored Aquamaris, we discussed books and old histories that I’ve lived and forgotten, and now re-lived thanks to Typhon’s questioning. We ate together, for the first time in years, we ate all three meals in a day together. 

We even went to see a play. It wasn’t very good, but it was nice.

Of course he knew. I think. I didn’t want him to know, but I think he knew what I was going to do next. He asked me not to go. He’s so much like his father in this way, but I know Tethys isn’t going to let me live, and I refuse to die so easily.

Ah my dear journal, how long have you accompanied me through this all? Tonight… I let you go. For those who read you, draw whatever conclusions you wish. I am done and I am tired. I must go to my final rest.