//------------------------------//
// Step 5 — "A bifurcation point" — Princess Twilight Sparkle 
// Story: The Queen of the Dark Ch. I 
// by Forcalor 
//------------------------------//

𝚂he 𝚠ill 𝚗ever 𝚐ive 𝚒nto 𝚍espair 𝚊gain.

Twilight didn't judge Starflower for her choice because she went with her gut and her convictions. Twilight knew she could have done the same thing if she had been in her position. What else is there to do in life apart from going after your passions and your heart's aspirations? Starflower was devoted to magic science, and Twilight couldn't blame her for that.

Twilight's following day was already packed with events, so the meeting in the library soon faded into a whirlwind of other conversations, plans, and everything else that accompanied her hard work. It was very rewarding to see how everypony was happy with the celebration. In no small regard, it wasn't about only Princesses anymore—it was about them, ponies, who gathered in the ancient Canterlot, celebrated life, and praised the millennium-long awaited union. Many expected from Celestia and Luna something like that, after all, even if it wasn't a popular topic of discussion.


𝙶inger 𝙻ime 𝚜lowly 𝚙erished.

𝙰nother 𝚋roken 𝚙romise 𝚝o 𝚋ear.


Outlined festivities were fairly expensive and were planned to span several days, but the Princess allowed it in the form of her firm hornwriting. After all, what cost is 'too much' when you speak about something as important as solidifying love for centuries to come?

Twilight wouldn't lie: first, it appeared that they would need a miracle to pull it off. Celestia chose to postpone her public appearance until the very last minute, and thus, Twilight would have been hopelessly lost without Cadance and Shining's timely arrival. The royal pair leaped into activity like hungry timberwolves on a stray branchdeer. Cadance lent her charm and organizing skills, while Shining made it significantly easier to work with locals by pulling the old rank of the Captain of the Royal Guard. To Twilight's knowledge, he held it honorary, but her brother was astute and affable to no end. It must've been a shared hereditary trait.

And then it went smoothly, maybe even too smoothly, once again proving the benefits of teamwork. Pinkie Pie naturally drifted to being in charge of the entertainment (seriously, the number of connections that pony had was simply astonishing). Applejack helped to keep things grounded and provided moral support. Rainbow Dash with other Wonderbolts joined pegasi in their task of clearing the sky and had plans to perform a quick aerial show after. Rarity took on pretty much most of what was related to the process of the wedding itself, in a cojoined effort with Canterlot's finest... It was all working like a well-oiled machine. Ponies lend themselves to the task with the utmost vigor, and each one of them desired to show at least a minimal effort.

Twilight couldn't be more happy and less amazed. When she figured out that she didn't even have much to do herself, she reviewed the general process, checked up on Fluttershy with her songbirds, and delegated some time to organize a scavenger hunt that led ponies through the city to discover hidden treasures and learn more about Canterlot's history. After that fun concluded, she retreated for the final repetitions with Starswirl, who couldn't be more pleased with what she prepared for his role as an officiant.


𝚃hey 𝚗eeded 𝚝o 𝚛ation 𝚝he 𝚖eager 𝚏ood 𝚝hey 𝚑ad. I𝚝 w𝚊𝚜 u𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍 f𝚘𝚛 h𝚎𝚛, b𝚞𝚝 h𝚎𝚛 p𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 w𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗'𝚝 s𝚘 b𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍.

"Y𝚘𝚞 n𝚎𝚎𝚍 n𝚘𝚝 c𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚗 y𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 w𝚒𝚝𝚑 u𝚜, N𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 M𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛."

"I𝚏 n𝚘𝚝 I, t𝚑𝚎𝚗 w𝚑𝚘 w𝚒𝚕𝚕?"


The atmosphere of the festival was going strong through the evening and now threatened to go well beyond into the dark of the night. It was engrossing—just right.

Everything considerably calmed down for the engagement party when everyone got onto a lovely open terrace in one of the wings of the Royal Palace. It was sort of a breather for everyone involved, except for Rarity who was busy with the final preparations at the Royal Library. The last arriving guests cordially mingled, the royal orchestra was playing something appropriately solemnly candescent, and the choice of royal cuisine—oh, it was to die for. Twilight was never a big eater, but she was thoroughly impressed by the diversity of food.

Too bad that the Royal Sisters made more than a humble choice, limiting themselves to bare essentials like cake and tea. Luna barely even touched her piece. Per the rules of royal etiquette, the gentry and the wealthy were forced to show equal restraint as rulers did, so the banquet was filled not with a feast of gluttony but rather with numerous hungry gazes. Twilight was sure that a few hours later, the same diligently civil ponies would return to the same tables and leap on food with wolfish abandon.

It was somewhat disheartening, but what can you do? The nobility are like that sometimes. Even Celestia and Luna acted overly formally, playing into the normality of it all. They did not share laughter as they often did, nor even get busy with calling out others' reservations. Tonight, they were who they were supposed to be, and they didn't even look at each other that often...

Twilight had more on her mind than to worry about that. She and the girls were sharing a table with Shining and Cadance. Spike was also here, and the little dragon was inviting himself to all kinds of foods. Cadance's horn was shimmering, covering Twilight's little brother with an intricate illusion of some snobby pony, who wiped his lips with a napkin exactly every 5.32 minutes.

They were lively chatting, and it would've made some heads turn if most of the attendees weren't doing the same. Royal etiquette didn't say anything about drinks, after all.

As strange as it may sound, the conversation revolved around Applejack's and Shining's opinions on taxes and related stories, and somehow it was genuinely interesting. Especially for Twilight. She didn't even notice at first gloomy Stygian, who crept up from behind and startled her with a polite, "Your Highness, can I have a word?"

He was looking worn out. Twilight excused herself to others and trotted with the unicorn aside, beaming all the way. "What's up?"

He was shivering. "Princess, can't you tell that something is wrong?"

"What do you mean?" she knitted brows, instantly remembering the anxiety of the past two days. Yes, there definitely was a feeling of doom, wasn't there? How strange it is that she let herself get distracted... All the trepidation that Twilight felt before already fell off like an afterthought, a forgotten nightmare...

"Didn't you hear something? Just now?" Strygian asked inquisitively, and slightly deflated with a sigh. "I swear, it must be that my mind is playing tricks on me...""ꜰᴏʀʟᴏʀɴ ᴇɴᴅᴇᴀᴠᴏʀ."

Twilight hummed, looking around. No, everything seemed to be fine. Lovely moonless night, sounds of a party going on, the murmuring of guests, and sounds of music... As if on cue, fireworks launched in the air, and an image of both Sisters framed by a heart showed up. Twilight gasped and happily glanced at Celestia and Luna.

The Royal Sisters seemed not to be moved at all. Well...

Twilight turned to Stygian, resuming conversation. "Did you take it to Starswirl? I remember he asked to be informed."

"Aye," Stygian shrugged, "indeed, I did. He didn't say much, so I'm trying the next best thing. Do you sense anything?"

The alicorn focused, raising her horn and summoning a few spells in quick succession, all dedicated to exposing something out of order.

Everything around her was brimming with magic, with threads of arcane, interwoven possibilities, and singing strings, all of which could be intuitively revealed to anyone who wielded a horn and was opened to their inner potential. Celestia and Luna were both shining with both terrible and magnificent, dark and luminous light, instantly drawing attention. It was to be expected, but Twilight spent a dozen seconds inspecting Luna's aura. It was more foreboding than it ought to have been. 

All of a sudden, Luna's gaze snapped to her. Twilight timidly smiled, and Luna gave her a little reassuring wink. That provoked a reaction from a noble currently engaged in conversation with Celestia, and he craned his neck, giving Twilight a curious stare.

Twilight pulled away, not intending to be a bother. Instead, she looked around in the multicolored sea of magical entities. Compared to the Princesses most of them seemed dim, but some shone bright like condensed constellations of stars in a cosmic sea. Those were fellow former Bearers of the Elements—naturally—, then Shining and Cadance, and finally Starswirl, who was chatting with Treehugger and Fluttershy.

Twilight was ready to ease Stygian's worries, but then she noticed a faint virid glow above his head. That glow existed only on the periphery of her magic-imbued vision, so Twilight began to awkwardly move her head, trying to catch it again. In an effort, she slightly opened her mouth.

"What is going on?" Stygian queried, now even more concerned than before.

"Stay still," Twilight demanded, and then, after a quick pause, added a small, "Please."

No matter how much she tried, she couldn't replicate the experience. Was it only an illusion? Maybe she got overexcited.

Stygian waited patiently, so Twilight quickly wrapped up with the scan and placated him with a small smile. "Maybe there is a small curse on you, but I can't see anything substantial. Had any bad dreams lately?" 

"True, from what I've heard, a lot of ponies experience distressful sleep lately, and I am no exception. Usually my nightmares are simply dark for me, and that is of the worst kind."

"Luna must be looking out for you often. I think she has a lot on her mind right now," sympathized Twilight. "It must return to normal soon."

Her eyes drifted toward Night Light and Twilight Velvet who were arriving late at the party, and their appearance gave Stygian an excuse to immediately slip away.


𝚂he 𝚠as 𝚊 𝚍emigoddess 𝚘f 𝚍ecisions 𝚊nd 𝚊ctions, 𝚘f 𝚊n 𝚎motional, 𝚜trong 𝚑eart. 


Twilight leaned in a short but tender hug with both father and mother. She missed them. Almost everyone was here now, and it was wonderful. She felt a tangent of guilt that she didn't bring Starlight along...

𝚂he 𝚌ouldn't 𝚋ear 𝚒t 𝚊ny 𝚕onger. 𝙰ny 𝚖enace 𝚝hat 𝚝he 𝚀ueen 𝚙osed 𝚗o 𝚕onger 𝚌ould 𝚑old 𝚜way 𝚘ver 𝚑er.

"𝙳id 𝚝hey 𝚏orgot 𝚊bout 𝚞s?" 𝙾nyx 𝚂tar 𝚠as 𝚋arely 𝚑anging 𝚘n 𝚑ope. "𝙳id 𝚝hey 𝚎ver 𝚌are 𝚊bout 𝚞s?"

"𝙼y 𝚖essenger 𝚗ever 𝚛eached 𝙲elestia, 𝙸 presume." She 𝚕ooked 𝚊t the 𝚗ightlings. They were her 𝚙onies. 𝙷er 𝚝ribe. 𝙷er 𝚕oyal 𝚏ollowers. 𝚆hat 𝚠as 𝚜he 𝚐iving 𝚋ack 𝚏or 𝚝heir 𝚕oyalty?

"Tonight, 𝚠her 𝚝he 𝚋arrier 𝚠ill 𝚋e 𝚊t 𝚒ts weakest," 𝚜he 𝚜poke resolutely, "𝚠e 𝚠ill 𝚋reak 𝚘ut."

Ever vigilant, Princess Luna displayed an interest in the wedding's organization, making small inquiries about how the proceedings should go. Of course, Twilight didn't want to lay out everything beforehoof, but admiration from the Princess was very invigorating. She let Twilight do the talking while they were all rolling as a big happy group down to the chariots, and then rode the short distance to the Library in style.

Luna felt different—more daring and bold, more prone to joking around, intoxicated with radiating happiness. Somehow, a few simple words from her, "I think you did an admirable job, Twilight", made the little alicorn's heart truly flutter. And it was well earned, too!

It was a good decision for the Royal Sisters to be wed, after all.

As per Equestrian custom, in the ceremony, Luna was appointed to the role of the 'groom', which meant that she would arrive at the wedding ceremony first while the 'bride' was still pampered up. Celestia deserved to look spectacular, but Luna somehow managed to do that even without excessive care by the bridesmaids. When she stepped out of the chariot in the full getup and basked under the eyes of the gawking and cheering crowd, Twilight found herself transfixed by the beauty that her words almost failed to describe.

When she was contrasted to Celestia, there was usually an offset of awkwardness, as Luna had a noticeably shorter and rounder figure. Not tonight. Luna was looking like a being of the old Equestrian ages, straight from manuscripts about legends and otherworldly magical beings. She seemed even taller—courtesy of high-heeled silver horseshoes, no doubt—and her divine beauty seemed to have an almost sorcerous pull. Somehow, she was more. Complete.

Her voluminous celestial mane flew like a comet plume, enveloping Princess with the shimmering of little twinkling stars—a powerful aura of ethereal light, a warm summer night. She was fluid and powerful, capturing all attention while wearing the small yet content smile of a soon-to-be-wed goddess. The black tiara crowned her, sparkling with moonlight with each elongated, proud step with outstretched dark wings.

Petals of flowers were falling from far above, following her on the carpet that was laid out on top of the stairs to the doors of the Royal Library. Twilight noticed how she lingered to brush aside one of the petals that fell right on her muzzle. The gesture was full of mild annoyance. For a few seconds, Twilight lived in a world full of anxiety, where Luna could demonstrate some old and undocumented allergy, and this little idea of using flowers would end disastrously badly.

But somehow it went on without a hitch, and when Luna moved inside the building, others finally began to pour in and take their places. Noble ponies tried to step with elegance in a vain but entertaining effort to match the grace that was demonstrated by the Princess. The public was happy to see the presentation anyway, and Twilight simply trotted ahead, catching up with Luna.

The Princess was already surrounded by attendants. Curious, Twilight pushed through them, but they dispersed as soon as she got into earshot. Some of them were from a band that would play from the upper tier during the ceremony.

"What's your opinion on the hall, Your Majesty?" Twilight beamed while looking up at Luna, strangely compelled to please her. 'Your Majesty' was a slip of the tongue, but somehow it felt very fitting.

Luna looked around in the inner hall, which was bathing in splendor. Craftsponies performed an outstanding work here. Royal Library already was nothing to scoff at, but after some renovations and loving touches, it was draped in a silken and golden tapestry of Diarchy rule, bearing the colors of both Celestia and Luna. Most of the massive bookshelves in the immediate vicinity were removed or pushed aside, giving way for rows of seats and gothic candelabras. Overhead, there was a massive chandelier that matched the aesthetic, and all of this lit up the whole room.

Everything around them was filled with enchantment to the fullest. In some cases, literally, since Twilight preemptively placed protective wards and shielded books from the fire.

The main centerpiece that tied it all together was the wedding altar itself. Made from an immaculate white stone, with an arch overhead with flowers interwoven, it was placed on a small platform at the far side of the hall.

"I suppose it will manage," Luna answered cheekily, and Twilight suddenly turned red from worry.

"We with the girls almost pulled an all-nighter to get it all just right. Oh, and look at the choice of flowers on the arch! It is genuine dark calla lilies, just like in the myth of the Canterlotian Knight and the Mare of the Lake! See how it is contrasted with the white roses there, at the side where you will stand? And those I believe are dahlias at Celestia's side, with complex—"

"Just lovely. Thee art to be commended for thine efforts. Can thou fetch my luminous bride, so we won't tarry with this, Little Light?"

That didn't settle right with Twilight. Where did this come from? Luna was always so approachable before, like a big sister, just like Cadance. Will she always act this way now? And this nickname... Twilight thought it was something special that only she and Celestia shared...


"𝚆hat 𝚒s 𝚜he 𝚍oing?" 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚘verheard 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚠hen they were 𝚝rying 𝚝o 𝚏igure 𝚘ut 𝚑er 𝚜tubborn 𝚍enial.

"𝚂he 𝚗eeds 𝚝o 𝚔eep 𝚛aising 𝚝he Moon. 𝚃hat 𝚠as 𝚝he 𝚘rder!"

"𝚈ou 𝚊re a 𝚙risoner!" 𝚑issed 𝚘ne 𝚘f 𝚝hem. "𝙵ollow 𝚒t 𝚝hrough, 𝚘r 𝚢ou'd 𝚋e 𝚕eft 𝚝o 𝚍ie!"

𝚃wo 𝚘f 𝚝he 𝚗ight 𝚙onies had 𝚊lready 𝚎xpired, 𝚛efusing 𝚝heir 𝚜hares 𝚏or 𝚘ther's 𝚜ake.


"Is something the matter?" asked Luna in the same unnerving manner, and Twilight stepped back, still blushing. "Please. You can tell me anything."

"N-no. Not at all. Celestia will arrive when it is her part to walk to the altar. It will occur in a couple of dozen minutes, so please, settle in."

Luna huffed but then smiled. At least some of her usual heart-strong behavior was still on display.

"I am a one patient pony when I need to be, aren't I?..." She chuckled, amused by some thought. "Very well. Overwatch everything, Twilight, I implore thou. This night is going to be perfect..."


𝙽𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎.


𝚆ithout 𝚝heir 𝚀ueen 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚕𝚢 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘. 𝙴𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚍, 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚞𝚙𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜, 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗. 𝚄𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚎, 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚟𝚎, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜.

A𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜, 𝙸t 𝚠as 𝚒nvigorating 𝚝o 𝚜ee how they 𝚜uffer.

Snapping out of it, 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚎𝚜. They cowered in the presence of her 𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛. "𝙳𝚒𝚍 𝙸 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞?"

"𝙵𝚕𝚢, 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙼𝚊𝚓𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚢! 𝚂𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝙴𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚊!"

𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝, 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍. 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚑 𝚊𝚒𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚐𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎.


𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚎.






It seemed like Rarity poured all her talent and soul into the wedding dress of Princess Celestia.

It was flowing. It was spectacular. It was divine.

It was simple in design, yet decadent and elegant. Made of the finest silk and satin, embellished with rubies and sapphires, with a long billowing skirt decorated with golden trim and the veil decorated with a series of pearl-encrusted lace patterns. A beautiful flower ornament adorned Celestia's flowing mane, and crystals were sparkling over her golden peytral, which—as the symbol of royal power—was graciously embedded into the design of the wedding dress. Celestia looked like a perfect pair to match her lover and companion, who were waiting for her majestic bride at the altar. The summer sunshine and warmth were contrasted with the warm and welcoming darkness of the late evening…

Even Twilight couldn't withstand a little squeal, as she leaned on Applejack nearby. When the Princess of the Sun stepped ceremoniously across the room, everyone went reverently silent. Musicians began to play, embellishing the moment even further. Fillies pranced in front of her, tossing petals from the baskets. It was all filled with the essence of love, a praising of life, and the dedication of two souls to one another...

Celestia slowly opened her eyes. Her glistening gaze went over the ponies and then stopped at Luna, standing along with Starswirl. It never moved away. Twilight saw how Celestia's folded wings pressed harder against her sides, trembling in anxiety.

Shining was already sobbing at the sight of the ceremony. He just couldn't stop himself, constantly wiping tears with a handkerchief. Cadance, who was standing directly in front of Twilight and the girls, patted him on the back.

He wasn't alone in this. Many around them were thoroughly impressed and could barely contain their tears. Amazed and astonished expressions were on ponies all around. Twilight noticed how Spike opened his jaw in utter bewilderment and, with a wide smile, closed it with a gentle hoof.

She heard Rarity nearby, speaking in a trembling mezzo, "I can just swoon, somepony, hold me! Oh... I bet it's all just like in the olden ages, like one thousand years ago," she let out a hushed whisper. "We are so lucky to be witnesses!…"

Stygian tried not to move far from Twilight's group, and his worries haven't gone as well. He answered, nervously tittering, "Are we even allowed to speak about that? I mean, I never met Luna in person back then, for example, but I do know how it was. It wasn't so glamorous."

Rarity looked at him with pathetic disdain and harrumphed, but Applejack picked up the conversation in her stead. "What are you on about?" She turned her head, curious.

"What I want to say, I suppose, is that Luna is different from back then." Stygian shook his head and knitted his brows, as if he were thinking of something unpleasant. "Aye, it is a radical change. Celestia is different too, in fact. They both seem to be almost amenable now, and I dare say, happy?"

"Huh? They weren't happy back then?" chipped in Dash.

"And not amenable!?" gasped Pinkie. "Hoooo! But that was before all the tea parties and cakes, arent'cha know? They are lovely now!"

"Aye, aye, but it's not just that, the whole Equestria is vastly different, so different, that I'd imagine Royal Sisters wouldn't want any of us to reminisce about old days," Stygian grumbled.

"Under Celestia, Equestria reached prosperity like never before," Twilight acknowledged eagerly. "Details do not matter. Whatever was back then, right now they both really are happy, and we need to be happy for them too."

"True. Though I'd never imagine they would be like that..." Stygian mumbled.

Cadance shushed them, twitching her ear. Celestia reached her destination in front of smiling Luna at the altar.

Starswirl loudly cleared his throat. His voice was amplified.

"Mares and gentlecolts!" he spoke with a well-delivered baritone, and all the music and whispers from the crowd ceased immediately.

Twilight smiled widely, looking at Starswirl. Even with the knowledge that he's glancing at concealed notes, he was very convincing. Everything felt so grandiose...

Starswirl cleared his throat again and went on with the speech.

"This is a truly blessed occasion as we gather to share the joy of the union of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, two ponies with a strong connection between them throughout the years. They have supported each other in both good times and when faced with difficulties, and they have dedicated their entire lives to the good of Equestria and all its denizens. From the brightest days of summer to the darkest nights of winter, these two monarchs have fought to bring peace and unity to our beautiful land.

"Let us never forget the many experiences that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have shared, from battling the forces of Chaos and Darkness to governing as sisters for hundreds of years. There isn't a more model pair than the two of them; their partnership is a true testament to strength, love, and support. As their mentor and friend, I am happy to see them take this step at last, and I know that they will set a positive example for love and family that all of Equestria may follow and be inspired by.

"And even more than that, it is a celebration of Harmony and its victory! It's a celebration of happiness and everything wonderful about life! It's a day to cherish and a representation of all that makes Equestria unique. As we celebrate love and happiness and see them begin a new chapter in their lives, this ceremony unites us all."

Starswirl barely audibly rustled paper and cleared his throat for a third time.

Thus, let this wedding serve as a reminder that love is stronger than all barriers and hurdles! From now on, two of the brightest stars in the sky will shine as one! May the nuptials of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna bring forth even more brightness and joy, illuminating not just the lives of your subjects but also everyone who hears of your marriage! I hope it's a historic occasion that ushers in a time of love and friendship and prosperity for everyone of Equestria! Forever and ever!"

"Forever and ever!" happily cheered somepony from the crowd, and then multiple voices roared in unison, "Forever and ever!"

Elated, Twilight laughed with others, and then she lurched to the side from a sudden, sharp pain in her temple. She shuddered, caressing her head. What... is this?...

Luna stepped forward, taking a word.

"And I, Princess of the Night, graciously accept these words and this union. Let it be known to all who gathered here, as well as to all ponies of Equestria! I will look over you under the dark of the night as well as in the light of day." Her smile was growing bigger during her chipper speech. "My faithful subjects, I promise you that our conjoined hearts will truly mark the beginning of a new era of our rule! And in the name of that, I beseech you: feast with us! Cherish our glory! Share love under the blanket of a moonlit night! Follow your desires with abandon..." Luna turned her head to Celestia, her eyes noticeably shimmering from veiled tears. "Isn't that right, Sister?"

Celestia remained serenely composed throughout these speeches. A hard-to-read smile was on her muzzle, and when she was given the spotlight before the crowd, the Princess of the Sun glanced around with a thoughtful look.

She turned to Starswirl, speaking in a high and stentorian voice, "I believe it is time for us to make our vows. Shall we proceed?"

Ponies cheered, almost drowning out the last words of the Princess. A thundering stomp of hooves went on, an expression of their complete support. Twilight was caught in the middle of it, but she did not give in to the surrounding ardor. A complicated expression settled on her muzzle instead.

Luna stared at Celestia strangely. Despite the dressing of the pretty words, there clearly was a tension between them. Twilight hardly believed that Luna would be so animated about the topic. Maybe something bad had happened after all? What pushed them to make the decision to arrange an engagement in the first place, anyway?

The pain again nudged in her head. Something was calling to her, and it wasn't unlike when she stood before that enigmatic White Tree in the Tower... Starswirl was so evasive when she tried to speak with him about it...

She rubbed her snout, frowning. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was a connection she was missing.

"Darling, are you alright?" Rarity leaned toward her, worrying. Fluttershy moved in from the other side. Twilight felt embarrassed that she was drawing attention at such a moment.

"Y-yeah..." she murmured.

There was an awkward pause at the altar. Starswirl, acting like a wooden understudy, glanced between Celestia and Luna. All three engaged in a short-lived discussion, at the end of which Celestia nodded, and Starswirl lifted from beyond the altar a little something that Twilight prepared beforehoof.

Despite everything, Twilight had found strength to smile at the sight.

Two items were in the possession of an old mage: a dusty ancient tome and a magnificent jeweled crown. "Behold!" he proclaimed, showing off the former. "First Compendium of Equestrian Laws, dated by the origins of Equestria herself and written by wizards and sages of old in ancient language! It is the immutable foundation of our laws and of our understanding of society! Let it guide spoken vows in the name of the sanctity and integrity of this marriage!"

Twilight could've sworn she saw a smirk on Celestia's face as she glanced at Luna. It was a far cry from any loving gaze one would've expected.

Luna was looking back with a silent challenge. She wasn't smiling anymore.

Starswirl kept talking, showing the headpiece now. "And this artifact is the crown of enchanted ironbark, under which Queen Celestia the Benevolent, Sol Invictus, First of Her Name and true ascendant to the throne, the Solar Diarch and the Vanquisher of Terrors, The Living Sun, the Archmage of Light, was installed first for the rule of the fledgling Equestria!"

An astonished gasp went through the crowd. Even Celestia seemed impressed—she certainly wasn't expecting the amount of work Twilight had put into digging up the titles. Twilight watched her expression greedily, and when the former Queen adorably blushed under the veil, she couldn't restrain a happy giggle.

Starswirl placed both artifacts on the altar and spoke loud and clear, "As per the custom of a true royal wedding, the rules of which were established in ancient times, I invite you both to place hooves upon the crown on top of the Compendium and repeat words of vows after me."

"Starswirl, my good friend and former mentor," Celestia spoke, confidently placing her hoof on the spot. "I have a proposal to make. How about we abstain from our usual vows for this occasion? We already have a sisterly bond that unites us stronger than any marriage. So, let us both, Sister, pledge our loyalty to the sole thing that matters most of all."

Twilight saw how all the color drained from Luna's muzzle. When Celestia went on with her brightened speech, she stood there frozen still.

"I propose for us, dear Sister, to pledge to Equestria herself and to swear to protect and cherish her and all of her ponies. Forever and ever!"

"Forever and ever!" cried somepony from the crowd, and it roared once more, "Forever and ever! Forevermore! Forevermore!"

And then... then... then, it hit Twilight, and she looked at Luna a little bit more intently, at how she was standing here with a scowl, at fire in her eyes, at a slightly disheveled mane...

The young alicorn's head was pulsating with unbearable pain...

"Oh-h boy," she heard Pinkie muttering. The resourceful pony produced a set of yellow hard hats and placed them on herself and Fluttershy. Somehow, those had emblazoned cutie marks that matched, respectively. "I think it's gonna be woozy!"





𝙷er strength remained 𝚜apped 𝚋y 𝚝he 𝚍arkness 𝚘f 𝚝hat ac𝚌ursed 𝚌ave, 𝚋ut 𝚒t 𝚠as 𝚗othing 𝚌ompared 𝚝o 𝚝he 𝚍rive and resolve 𝚒nside 𝚑er 𝚑eart. 𝚂he 𝚗eeded 𝚝o 𝚛ectify her mistake. 𝚂he 𝚠ill 𝚍o 𝚎xactly 𝚜o.

𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍, but n𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑... A s𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚞rgency guided her... 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 ancient 𝙲anterlot in a hoof's reach. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎, 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚝.

𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚍𝚎 while she 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜. 𝚂he 𝚠as 𝚛elieved, 𝚋ut 𝚜he 𝚎xpected 𝚝o 𝚜ee 𝙲anterlot 𝚋esieged, 𝚘r, 𝚖ore 𝚙referably, completely 𝚞ntouched...

That's w𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜he 𝚜aw a 𝚋anner that was 𝚍epicted 𝚑er 𝚊nd 𝙲𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚍, and 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚗𝚞𝚖𝚋 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍.

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑.

"Pretender!!" 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚍 𝚟𝚒𝚐𝚘𝚛. 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖, 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎. 𝙰 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚋𝚊𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚢 revealed itself before her eyes.

Full of hate and anguish, she 𝚜earched 𝚏or 𝚊n 𝚎nemy, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚎 had 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 lunged to 𝚖eet 𝚑𝚎𝚛; 𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 crimson red 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍. 𝚃𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝, 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢...

𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 a 𝚑𝚊𝚠𝚔 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙rey. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚢. 𝙿𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚒𝚛 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛. "𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝙿𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜," 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍. 𝙷𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 still 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎, but 𝚜truggling 𝚝𝚘 even 𝚛aise 𝚑is 𝚑ead.

"𝚆here?" 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚌𝚎.

"The Royal Library..." 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚣𝚎𝚍, 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜. "Hurry..."

𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍.

"Fine," scowled Luna with wanton malice, and her hoof slammed on top of the precious crown, next to Celestia's. "But don't expect—"

Twilight never knew what this creature, who posed as Luna, was going to say next. A powerful beam of light erupted from the altar, forcing ponies to pull back in terror. Before Twilight's bewildered eyes, darkness seeped in, inviting itself into this column of pure energy.

Pain pulsated throughout her entire being, throwing off any attempt to focus. She saw how Cadance succumbed to something similar, grasping her head and crying in pain.

She realized that she was crying as well as she looked at how two alicorn figures in the pillar stepped toward each other, engaging in some kind of ceremonial dance.

They moved in a circle, their gazes lost in each other's, their eyes filled with white. They were nimble like water, pressing and stepping away, standing on their hind legs and slowly rising in the air, spinning with one another in solemn slow motion. Somehow it still was blindingly beautiful, and it would be a glorious sight to behold... if it wasn't so wrong.

"Stop!" Twilight wailed, outstretching her foreleg toward the altar.

"Twiley?" Shining spun around with sudden helplessness in his eyes.

"What in tarnation is going on?"

"Twi, snap out of it!"

"Stop!" she tried to demand, weakly, pathetically whining...

Something broke inside of her, and blood began streaming down from her nose. She touched the muzzle with a hoof, not feeling or hearing anything, reeling from shock.

Behind the worried faces of her screaming friends and family, she saw how Starswirl was backing away from the alicorns, suspended above the ground with horns locked. In a moment of crystal clarity, Twilight saw something moving around them. A vague shape, coiling...

"It is a disaster..." Starswirl's despairful whisper went over the room, reached Twilight, and spurred the panic between the ponies. With the calamity occurring, he forgot to undo the spell that enhanced his voice.

As if on cue, something broke again. Not in her this time, no. Something broke in reality itself. It was like a dam collapsing under a rush of water. Like a branch, strained under pressure and breaking off. Like a thread, snapping in the air.

An overwhelming sound came and engulfed everything.

It was an ear-piercing, gargantuan crescendo that was drowning out all other noises. It drilled into her skull, hollowed it inside out, and filled it with nothing but pain. She screamed, thrashing, not able to comprehend where she was ending or where this continuous droning sound was beginning. Even her voice was completely submerged in it, in a cascade of ringing emptiness and fullness. Panic was flooding in.

But even so, she couldn't escape a dawning, overpowering understanding of what it heralded: it was a point of instability, a bifurcation point. A turning point. A critical point. A point where innumerable variables smash together to create something unprecedented. A point when reality boils over through the irresistibility of change and the course of its flow needs to be corrected, patterns need to be set anew, and everything must be shifted.

Down from her horn throughout her body launched a maddening, crushingly torturous surge, and her nerves screamed with an agonizing response. In a mere few seconds, she shattered into a complete slob, and her hooves gave in as she began to fall.

Friends did not let her. They acted as if they did not hear this monstrous agonizing scream of innumerable voices, entwined into a continuous protest against irrevocable harmonious divergence. Spike and Rainbow Dash dragged her aside to the wall, trying to help. Despair tore all strength from Twilight and she looked with bloodshot eyes at how two figures lowered down on the floor. Twilight whimpered, full of dread of what would happen when the screaming will end.

The sound slowly suffocated itself.

"Everything ends. One way or another."

A laugh cut through the still air of everyone's horrified silence.

It was a soul-wrenching, pitiful shrill sound. A gnarly, vile figure of the Changeling Queen was standing in front of Celestia. It was her laughter, and it wasn't victorious at all.


𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚒𝚝. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘 this. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 must.

𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚊𝚝 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎.


"What have you done!?" Celestia rapped out; Twilight never saw her so angry and fearful. Gone were any semblances of a well-known motherly and godlike figure. Celestia was just like any other pony right now: bewildered and at a loss.

Chrysalis snapped her mouth shut, her muzzle twisted into a ghastly grimace.

There wasn't enough time for her to answer.

The wall far above them was crushed by a blast of modulated magic, and from an opening, from the starry sky, a figure of dark alicorn swooped directly on Chrysalis, smashing the changeling down with her hooves. With a crunching sound, the Queen was sent tumbling right amid shrieking ponies. Twilight weakly turned her head, noting that some tried the front door but to no avail. Someone barred them all from the outside.

She never knew that Luna was capable of such a strike. It was a terrible sight to behold. No pony could survive that, but Chrysalis, despite it all, began to scramble from the floor. Her wings fluttered, and she hovered with a lurch.

"I can protect everyone from you!" Luna, who was looking beaten and dirty, fixed her with a vicious and hateful stare.

"Luna..." Celestia stumbled, weak.

Twilight remembered a very familiar scene from the past at another wedding in Canterlot, so similar to this one. It felt like a nightmare... An unending, recurring nightmare... Luna wasn't a witness to that fight; she might not be prepared...

It was too late to change anything. Luna summoned all her power in a single direct attack, intending to finish the changeling, who was still ascending. Chrysalis met the attack with her horn and pushed the magic back in a swift and dominant motion, overpowering the Princess with ease.

It was so simple, and quick, and wrong. Luna didn't make a sound. She fell hard and slumped under the altar like a marionette with cut strings. Celestia screamed in anguish, grabbing Luna and cradling her in her forelegs.

Chrysalis began to laugh. Darkness was swirling around her, devouring all light with a cold, cutting wind, spinning in a seething torrent. Ponies trembled as this otherworldly power was taking over, until nothing was seen—only two flaring green eyes of the beast.

Her joyful, booming voice echoed with triumph:


"Bow to me!"



"Honor me!"



"Worship me!"



"THE QUEEN OF EQUESTRIA!"