//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Samudra's Journal // by vren55 //------------------------------// Two years after the events of Equestria’s Changeling Queen and the Abyssal Empress... Typhon stared at the empty white stone mausoleum, for Empress Samudra’s body hadn’t survived her last battle with Tethys. Her body had exploded, releasing the energy of the Sea Pony Empress, triggering a tsunami and yet, also seeding the Eastern Ocean with new life. Oddly enough, it was his mother’s death that had helped to start repairing the damage done to the Eastern Ocean. Damage done by the war his mother had continued for centuries. He placed a hoof on the cold stone. Her tomb was, in a way, hidden in a corner of the palace complex of Aquamaris, but those who knew the way could swim and visit. There were a number of smooth stones and beautiful seashells on the altar, placed there by visitors to honor the late empress. His mother had died a few years ago, but back then, Tethys wouldn’t have been able to erect a monument to his mother. Aquestria had been recovering, was still recovering and the kelpies would probably have rioted. No, he’d just had nothing but himself and the cold comfort of the other kelpies, who could understand that he mourned for his mother, but who hated the former empress with a fierce vehemence. And Typhon couldn’t even blame them. She’d killed thousands of kelpies, and their sea and deep pony families. His mother, as well-intentioned as her diary had shown her to be, had committed grave and horrible acts of vengeance and betrayal. But Typhon could only remember the times his mother had smiled at him, had chided him, had tried to raise him and make sure he was educated. He could only remember the times his mother had made sure he was treated as Aquestria’s prince, and how much she loved him. He couldn’t forget that, and neither could he forget her final, sad smile as she’d swam away to her final battle. “She fought well.” Typhon looked up to the massive form of the current Empress of Aquestria, Tethys. She towered over the mausoleum, which was the size of a small building.  “Yeah, but she lost,” said Typhon bitterly The empress didn’t react. Then again, she rarely did show any emotion to anything he said or did. But her subsequent response was… telling. “It was futile, but she faced her death with dignity. She did not run away from it.” Typhon blinked. In his few short years, this was the closest he’d even heard Tethys speak of Samudra in a somewhat positive light. “Don’t you hate my mother?” One of the Empress’s great tentacles rippled. “In the past, I’d have said yes without hesitation. The countless defeats, the painful deaths, what she did to the kelpies. Now, while I still despise her actions, I must admit I….miss her in some odd way. She was the one constant throughout my lives, an eternal enemy that I learned from constantly. Tactics, magic, even leadership. I learned from her constantly, finding new ways to improve.” Typhon sighed. “If only she didn’t betray the truces. If only she didn’t continue the experimentations, and the killings.” “She feared Yoth-Atal and could not separate the creation from the creator. That was her greatest flaw and mistake, and it cost her everything. Unlike others who we have communicated with recently, she did not even inquire as to whether we worship Yoth-Atal any longer.” Massive black eyes glanced at Typhon. “I know she was not without her own unique strengths, but Aquestria cannot repeat her mistakes. Prepare a copy of your mother’s diary and an introduction to be sent to the High Princess of Equestria. You know which one.” Typhon narrowed his eyes, and blinked, “Princess Alternia? Um, okay. But… why?” The Empress didn’t say anything more. She turned and left, her bulk leaving turbulent water that he had to fight against. Typhon stared after her for a moment before sighing, and turning back to the mausoleum. What would his mother think now? Peace had settled over the ocean. A cure to the kelpies’ condition was for once in reach, and they had established boundaries with the surface world. What if she’d known this was in the future of Aquestria? Would she have done the same? Would this have happened if his mother hadn’t done what she’d done? He had no idea, and as he bowed to the mausoleum one last time, Typhon could only wonder why the diary was being sent to Aquestria’s perhaps closest acquaintance on the surface world.  A warning? Perhaps. As a lesson about the dangers of closed-minded thinking? Or about how one’s fear and dedication to duty could blind one to possibilities? He didn’t know. There were many lessons that could be brought from his mother’s tragic tale. She’d realized too late the mistakes that she’d made. Maybe that was what Tethys wanted to impress upon Alternia. The fact that Aquestria was rebuilding, and was learning from its mistakes. No longer would the underwater kingdom be a bastion of isolation. It was going to be part of a community. Samudra’s Journal would tell its foremost member, Equestria, of the prolonged devastation that war brought, and of how while Aquestria could fight such a war, they were aware that it was folly to repeat such a thing when favorable agreements could be made. At the same time, the Journal would serve a dire warning. The ocean had secrets and protectors anew. Woe be to who would enrage them.