Epilogue: Look What Careless Love Has Done
~BlackRoseRaven
Twilight Shadow smiled softly as she gazed towards the Ponyville longingly, countless memories flitting through her mind. It was a gray, small village, mist rolling along the ground, and the main source of food production for those soldiers living in Enstasis. It had also been one of the first villages to undergo complete transformation and 'Unification...' and once night rolled in after the dismal, dreary day, it would become a bustling little town, filled with happy Pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns who had all long forsaken the day and adapted to the long nights of Equestria.
Three hundred years ago, they had been afraid of this happening: now, they couldn't be happier. Darkness ruled, but it was safe in the darkness, the darkness was loving... it was their greatest defense and greatest weapon. The Lich paused for a moment, then she shook her head and blushed when a hoof silently touched her shoulder, glancing over her shoulder at Tender Trust, who smiled at her softly: even with her smoky mane, ashen wings and black coat, she looked just like Fluttershy... right up to the kindness in her glowing green eyes, as she said quietly: “Sorry, Twilight. But the others are waiting...”
“It's alright.” Twilight shook her head, then turned and fell in step beside the Phooka as they walked slowly up the small hill to where a cluster of graves rested: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Big Mac, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Discombobulation, Virtue... so many old friends, gone forever...
The Lich silently looked to one side: Tender Trust gazed longingly at the graves of her mother and sister, and beside the Phooka, Pinkamena sighed as she and Pinkie Pie traded looks before they both looked towards Discombobulation's grave, singing in quiet, off-key voices: “Gravedigger... when you dig my grave... will you make it shallow... so I... can feel... the rain...”
Twilight smiled faintly, then glanced to the other side, at Celestia in her full armor, Scarlet Sage – young and beautiful-looking as ever – and Apple Bloom, who swallowed a little, silver armor glinting over her frame, looking quietly at the apples blossoms she'd left on the graves of her siblings and uncle, mixing with the bouquets of black roses that rested quietly over each silent mound. She was the same, immortal as her beloved thanks to the powers of the Blood Seer... and the powers of Gymbr.
She wished that Rarity was here, or Spike... but although neither rested in a grave, neither could be found these days across Equestria, either. After almost a century together, after small nips, and the occasional too-deep bite... Rarity had finally given in to a burst of hunger and desire and drained all of Spike's blood, then transformed him into Nosferatu in desperation to keep him 'alive,' for lack of a better word. And Spike, terrified, hurt, betrayed, had run away. Rarity was trying to find the dragon-turned-vampire, who had given up everything he could for her... and who Rarity had, in longing, in desire, in carelessness, had taken everything he couldn't give as well.
The gravestones before them were long worn-down, and Twilight's eyes lingered on these, trying to make out the markings here and there over them. Everything in this world was wearing down, and Twilight closed her eyes before all eyes looked up as Gymbr silently approached, the platinum-coated winged unicorn studying these remains before it smiled and leaned forwards, saying gently in its strange, echoing voice: “Sleep well, our friends. Sleep soundly, without fear or worry... we'll return here one day.”
Then it turned its eyes up, glancing at Celestia, and the ivory winged unicorn nodded firmly before she turned: there was no question any longer in the fiery-maned winged unicorn's eyes. Only love, only affection, only belief in her strange sibling and the master, the Emperor and Overlord and God of Equestria. “The channeling altar has been completed at Enstasis. We're prepared to force open the Bifrost if you are.”
“Of course we are, we ordered this expedition, did we not?” Gymbr asked mildly, and Celestia smiled despite herself before the creature nodded slowly and looked ahead, saying quietly: “We have shrouded this world in our image and our darkness. It is a comfortable, beautiful home... but its challenges no longer sustain us. Let us seek other worlds, new knowledge, new adventures. We hunger for more.”
“You always do.” Celestia said quietly, but she was smiling as Twilight joined Gymbr's other side, the Lich laughing in agreement with the ivory equine. “The Moon Blessed will do well in taking care of the Castle, as will our other friends. But I must stress that the expedition must be kept short...”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Gymbr grumbled, sounding distinctly like Luna for a moment before the amalgamation cracked its neck moodily, flapping its powerful wings once as they halted at the base of the hill. “Sleipnir may attempt to interfere. We hope that he does. It's been too long since we last sparred.”
It paused, then glanced towards Enstasis with a soft smile, at the mighty towers of the black castle and the ever swirling maelstrom of energy above it. Once, this Equestria had burned, but that was centuries ago... and it had been a blessing in disguise. It had let them rebuild Equestria in their vision... it had let them spread their darkness through the entire nation. It had let Gymbr rebuild its strength and become truly unstoppable, not a Tyrant Wyrm with a Valkyrie soul... but a god with the powers and perceptions of both. And now, they would spread into every world, looking for new prey, but more importantly, new challenges, and new powers to reap.
With Twilight Shadow on one side and Celestia on the other, Gymbr began the walk towards Enstasis, ready and excited to spread its strength and influence into each and every other world it came across...
...and deep inside the being, Luna and Scrivener danced with one-another beneath the sun and the moon, eternally happy in their shared imprisonment in the entity created from their darkest passions mixed together, their deepest shadows given life.