//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Remnant // by Ebonyglow //------------------------------// The Elements of Harmony, and more so their bearers, had been aspects of Equestria for eons. Bolstering unity between ponies, they acted as pillars of peace, hope, and, of course, friendship—values that cemented Equestria as the land of true unity. When times grew tough and challenges arose, these paragons of virtue quelled the fears and discord that threatened the joy of those who lived within their borders. However, when there are no heirs or suitable bearers, the balance of the world shifts.  The Elements lacked bearers in the time before Twilight Sparkle and her peers, which meant there was only Celestia. The events played their course; bit by bit, the magic these Elements held began to fade, and then there was a mare within the moon, leaving the Princess alone to bear the weight of the legendary artifacts. She managed, if only just. Six were ideal, but magic and harmony could be maintained with only one. But not forever. The Elements would maintain their power as long as the bearers were spread out accordingly, or else their magic would drain entirely. It was Celestia's duty to find successors—individuals to continue the legacy the Pillars once left, and restore the magic of the Elements to their former luster—lest there be no concept of harmony left. To her relief, she succeeded, phenomenally at that, when she bestowed their power upon a group of friends: Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie—the ponies graced with titles as the new Guardians of Harmony. For many years, the Elements fulfilled their purpose, even rising to become the proper rulers of Equestria in Celestia and Luna's stead. It was not all good times, however, for unbeknownst to the Sun Princess, bestowing the magic of the Elements onto a new generation came with a price. She and her sister had been imbued by the magic from Starswirl, which granted them control of the Elements, but also a curse if left as the only bearer.  Relinquishing the Elements changed Luna and Celestia as much as it did their new bearers. Passing the torch left them without its undying flame. Now that torch was held by Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and they knew not what they could possibly face. Like the Princesses once were, they were now potentially invulnerable to the cruel wrath of time—or rather one of them could be. The Elements would always require at least one bearer. There must be one, and their magic would ensure there was always one. Oblivious to the sacred magic they now held, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would one day have to find the next group to pass it on to. Sadly, if time had claimed most of the group, the last would be on the same agonizing endless timer that Celestia once faced. It was best to find successors before losing those they loved, unless they wished for the last of their group to face an unfathomable amount of grief, loneliness, and heartbreak. The pain of immortality. It was a cycle Celestia learned from Starswirl after he had been freed from Limbo, a cycle she was unaware of when she found new bearers. Only when he learned of her actions did he inform her of the process. He explained to her the changes that befell her, and now what she had cast to her pupil and her peers. She wished to tell them, to warn them of what could occur, but the old sorcerer insisted she did not. Only genuine trust and faith could allow the Elements to be passed on, and if the current bearers knew of the stakes, it was at risk of being disingenuous; forced onto a new generation out of fear rather than worth. So, biting her tongue, she hoped they’d succeed in passing that magic on to a new generation. The new Elements tried, each of them did, ignorant of the fate that awaited whomever would be the last of their group. It was slowly becoming a chance of fate, a chance where one would suffer while the others found peace. Time was quickly catching up, and yet none tried harder to find an heir than the Princess of Friendship. Unfortunately, the first student of Twilight's wasn't up to par, nor was the second, or the third, and so on. Years progressed, time passed, and yet no single pony could amass a group of friends she had true faith in handing over the rights of the Elements to. They always lacked the values she and her friends had—malice running amok deep within them, unworthy of the right to bear the precious roles.  Her friends, the current bearers, began to fade, and she too felt the effects of age. None can escape the prospect of death. As it came closer to each of them, there were still no successors. The first faded away, the aspect she carried leaving the world with her passing. Then the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth, each one passing on. Within a few more years, they had all fallen prey to time, leaving Twilight Sparkle as the one unfortunate enough to be the last. Alicorns may look like they do not age, but their lifespans are no more significant than an average pony's. When it was meant to be Twilight's time, looking young in body, but old in heart and soul, she was denied peace. She had been the unlucky one, the one to live the longest, and now she was to face insurmountable anguish. They restored her; on the cusp of peace, the Elements restored her to her prime. She had been laying on what should’ve been her deathbed, utterly bewildered. The magic of the Elements, though it didn't show the most evident signs of it, had brought her back to her youthful age. And it would never let her go beyond that. She had no idea what had occurred or why it did. She just knew she felt the flames of her life reignite, burning as if she were young again—and slowly did she realize her eternal sentence. She grasped at straws and sought answers, but no ponies that could have them were left. Her friends were gone, the Princess of the Sun was gone, her sister as well, and even Starswirl had passed on to the next realm. Passing on… That right had been stripped from her. With none of the following generations carrying their aspects, her friends' values left ponies—left Equestria. The world they once lived in and protected began to morph and fall to ruin. There were no worthy ponies anymore. They were all fueled by spite, hatred, and anger. There was no laughter, honesty, generosity, loyalty, or even a morsel of kindness, simply leaving ire to run amok. There was one Element left, one remnant of a forgotten generation. She watched as her life slipped into memory, and eventually lost her faith. She lost her hope in ponies, and her will to fight for them faded. Thus, she herself left.  She abandoned them after being shunned and pushed away with her attempts to mend things. She had no friends to support her, and she was faced with only hatred. She had been a just, caring ruler, but these ponies refused to accept the magic of friendship. So, she allowed magic to fade away, the concept of friendship falling to ruin. She had a moment of remorse, but that shifted to relief as she had come to an understanding. They didn't deserve her friends, and they didn't deserve the magic they fought for. She held that undying flame within her, the literal concept of the Elements holding her to the world. No successor, no end. She never knew, and she never would. Princess Celestia had hope in her most faithful student to find a successor and, in turn, find peace. She was right about her student's talents, beliefs, and morals... But she should have seen the error of other ponies. They caused ruin, they caused discord, and they caused magic to die. Twilight faded into myth, unknown to many. Years upon years went by as more and more ponies forgot who she and her friends were. Only a few remembered, fewer knew of them in depth, and virtually none genuinely cared.  She had hidden herself and watched the world crumble. The Equestria of before fell to ruin. Canterlot a myth, Ponyville a figment of a foal's imagination, and the endless cities that dotted the country became nothing more than forgotten memories. Yet she remained, isolated and alone. Never to befriend another, never to give the gift of the Elements again. There was just her, for centuries, rotting away in mind and soul. The magic of friendship belonged to none.