It was dawn. It had been almost eighty years since the last time Helia and Selena had placed their hooves on the stone entry way of the Keep in the Sky. The floating castle had served as an icon of oppression during the previous years. It a madhouse of torment, and wherever it floated marked the next area of the world to be converted into a land of chaos. Discord himself would sit atop his throne and look over the edge of the ramparts, pointing and laughing at the misery unfolding beneath him. Many would try to reach the Keep. Pegasi, griffins, dragons, would fly up next to the entry way only to be literally swatted down by arms of stone that would emerge from the castle turrets. Unicorns would create mass teleportation runes to send their armies to the Keep’s front door only to be expelled by a wave of living hay. Even earthbound ponies and zebras would construct large catapults and spires that were designed to pierce the floating fortress as it passed over. Several sieges were marginally successful and many allies of order would breach the Keep’s outer wall. It was only when it was too late that they would find out that their success was not gained, but allowed by the master of chaos himself as amusement.
This time would be different though. It had to be. They were prepared. The alicorn sisters themselves were now alone for the final fight. They had flown through the sky with determination and now they had at last reached the Keep in the Sky. The doors of the Keep swung open and the candles lit the dark interior. It was welcoming them back home. A roll of red carpet came bouncing down the staircase at the end of the atrium. The doorway looked as a mouth, ready to swallow the two alicorns that now stood in front of it. Selena cowered behind her sister, and gave her quick tug on her mane. Helia glanced backwards with a menacing scowl. Selena should have known better that to try and get her sister to turn around now. Helia turned back to face the entryway. She smirked as the trotted inside.
The doors slammed shut with a loud echo. There was no turning back now. With any luck, they would not need to. Helia adjusted the tiara atop her head. They had a plan this time. It would not fail. It could not. Helia began a slow walk down the red carpet. Selena knew better than to fear that the path was a trap. It would certainly lead directly to him. He wanted them to visit. They knew he looked forward to their attempts. Helia broke into a moderate trot. The anticipation of the upcoming confrontation was almost too much to bear for her. For Selena, it had passed that point a long time ago. Selena matched her sister’s speed and fell in line behind her. The stairs seemed to have no end as the climbed. Helia sped up to a canter. The tiny candles that lit the hallway began to flicker. The hallway began to twist. The soon found themselves running on the walls. The stone creaked around them as they raced further down the tunnel. The stairs gave way to a slippery surface and soon they found themselves sliding down the hallway as it began to descend. They slid down a twisting tube and finally came to stop at the edge of a pit. “This is new….” Selena said. They had made this crusade many times, but the surprises never ceased it seemed.
Helia quickly studied the area around them. “This castle’s architecture is as chaotic as its master. Watch your glides as you leap from platform to platform. I suspect he’ll toy with us a bit before we reach him.” Helia gauged the jump ahead of her. She spread her wings and leapt across the pit. She fell into a glide as she narrowly dodged a section of the wall that had spontaneously decided to lash out at her. “Careful. Like I said, trapped.” Helia glanced backwards at her sister.
Selena steeled herself against the upcoming leap. “Hang on, give me a second.” The younger alicorn jumped forward. She spread her wings and prepared to glide to the second platform. The stone blocks broke off from the wall and lashed out against the alicorn. The blocks impacted Selena and tossed her off to the side. She was twisted on her side in the air. The wind left the underside of Selena’s wings and she quickly fell into the pit. Selena grunted as she bounced off of the sides of the pit. She landed at the bottom of the pit and groaned.
Helia leaned over the edge of the pit. “What did I say about being careful?” Helia looked down and notice that the alicorn had her leg bent at the wrong angle. “Are you alright?”
Selena attempted to stand but then quickly let out a whelp. “Ugh… I think I broke something….” Selena looked up to see Helia frowning at the mouth of the pit. “I’m sorry. Maybe we should turn back? This does not bode well for our assault.”
“NO!” Helia shouted. Her words echoed in the hallway. “We have come too far now to turn back. We can win this time! We have our secret weapon!” Heila bit her lip. “Stay here. I must press on.”
Helia vanished from view and her hoofsteps faded away as Selena sat at the bottom of the pit. The younger alicorn shivered from the cold and attempted to stand up. Her sore hoof gave way and she fell on her face. She muttered a few curse words that she was glad for the fact that her sister was out of earshot and then she focused magic in her horn to attempt to heal her injury. The light from her horn illuminated the inside of the pit. The shadows were washed out except for one stubborn one. Selena eyed the darkness before her. Her heart began to race as it started to take a menacing shape. In an instant Selena recognized what it was. “Oh. It’s you.” Selena said as she attempted to make herself look intimidating. “Stay back, Nótt! I’ll not roll over so easily as the other ponies you took into the darkness.” The shadow crept forward with a deliberate stride. Hauntingly beautiful green orbs peered at the alicorn. “Unless… you’ve come to make peace?” The shadow twisted into a fighting shape. “Ah, I see. What reason would you have to not side with your father?” Selena sighed. “Still, Helia is unstoppable. She won’t rest until Discord falls.” The shadow growled at the pony. “Just promise me this, I know we’re enemies, but can you stay out of harm’s way? I’m afraid. Afraid at what Helia will become to stop this mess.” The shadow roared as it engulfed the pony. She found herself enveloped in darkness flowing though the Meld. She was pulled and tugged down an endless series of smoky tunnels, bouncing off of misty walls and through a series of disconnected, floating lines. Finally she was slammed into one of the tunnel’s walls. She found herself suddenly in the throne room of the Keep in the Sky.
Helia was standing on a high platform, standing a few yards away from a large wooden throne where the master of chaos himself was lounging with a rather uninterested expression. Helia glanced over to see her sister on the other side of the room. “Ah, Selena, you made it. Your loyalty knows no bounds.” Helia nodded. “Very commendable, your loyalty.” The elder alicorn looked back towards the monstrous creature on the throne. “Discord! Look at what you face! You cannot continue to oppose the wills of all the creatures in the Known World. We stand united.”
Discord laughed. “Oh Helia, you are so droll. Do you really think you have any more of a chance today than you did countless times before? I think you’ve grown a tad insane in the last eight hundred years. I rather like it.” Discord curled his fingers and inspected his claws. “Do you have another wonderful, heartfelt speech prepared for me this time?”
Helia inhaled deeply. “Not this time, Discord!” She said, and then continued to make her speech. “You see I think I finally understand. All this time I’ve wondered why I would walk around with a blank flank and now I know why I've yet to receive my mark.” Helia stamped her hoof. “Mother always said that I've yet to find my destiny, and now I've finally realized: This is my destiny!” She growled. The alicorn looked down to the ground and lowered her volume. “I need to absolve myself of all this guilt. I will let the past be the past and I will return this world to its rightful state!” She looked back at the beast with determination. “Discord! This world is your playground no more. You fail to see what is right in front of your snout. This is the final time your tyranny will be seen by this world. I will create a new land for all of us. A land ushered under my guidance, but not my force. That's what a deity should be! You face not just me, but all of the ponies that are suffering in this world. For my determination is in their name! You cannot stand against my will. You cannot stand against my destiny! That destiny… is to defeat you!” She roared with vigor as she began to charge. Her horn glowed with magical might and her eyes turned into pupil-less orbs of white light.
Discord sat up in his throne. “Oh, are we starting now?” He placed his palm over his mouth and yawned. “Just a moment, I need to stretch.” He twisted himself into a knotted form. “Ah! Much better.” He uncoiled himself and turned back to face the alicorn who was charging rapidly towards him. He pulled on a pair of brilliantly colored glasses and smirked. “Alright then! Any last works?”
“Only from you! For we’ve learned a new trick.” Helia shouted as she skidded to a stop and lifted up in the air. Magical power radiated from around the pony. A low rumbling of energy erupted from her horn. “This spell I’m casting will banish you from this realm! It will cast you off from this place. My only regret is that where ever you end up, those denizens will have to deal with a terrible fate.”
“Oh yawn, yawn, and yawn! Anything else?” Discord said as he adjusted his sunglasses.
“Cast your eyes upon my horn, for it contains the light of the determination, order, and the future! A future without you! A light of order that can cleanse this chaos from this world! This horn of mine glows with that very light! And it compels me to defeat you!” Rays of light, rivaling that of the sun, shone forth from the alicorn.
Discord sat up from his throne. His face adored with the most sinister smile imaginable. “You know, Helia, sometimes I think the only reason I let you in my castle is to listen to these wonderful speeches of yours. But I must admit that this one was a tad tiring.” Discord curled his fingers and examined his claws. “Honestly, it hardly seems like you’re even trying anymore.” The strange creature belted a laugh. “However, I’m so magnanimous that I’ll make you an offer. I’ll forget the whole thing and you come back in about ten days’ time and we’ll try it again.”
“I won’t be ignored!” Helia screamed. A magic orb of brilliant light sped towards Discord. The orb lit up his face, reflected in his eyes. As the attack neared Discord’s face, he reached up and snatched if from the air. Helia gasped. She stood dumbfounded as Discord bounced the ball of magic on the ground.
“That was your secret weapon? Again, little one, you disappoint me. If you’re not going to take this seriously then I might as well just stop entertaining your little ‘attacks’. Goodbye now, mes petits poneys!” Discord snapped his fingers.
The castle groaned as the stone walls came to life. Spikes formed on the walls, sharp fractures of the stone bricks that jutted out like sinister teeth from the surfaces. The walls lurched forward at amazing speed towards the elder alicorn. Helia stood up straight as the horrifying toothy maws raced towards her. She stood with a regal dignity as the stone structures crushed her. Sickly red liquid sprayed all over the room, accompanied by a grotesque squashing sound. Selena raised her hoof to call out to the red-stained stone mass that occupied where her sister once stood. Her lip quivered as she watched the bloody mess of a pony fall limp in front of her. She inhaled deeply and braced herself as the sound of sliding stone raced towards her. Discord was laughing manically. The image of his cackle was soon over powered with immense pain and red. Then there was nothing.
Twilight Sparkle gasped. Behind her the door to the literary restoration room burst open noisily. Applejack gave a wave as she entered the room. The earth pony took a seat next to the lavender unicorn and tipped her hat. “Howdy. What did Ah miss?”
Princess Luna inhaled deeply. “Well I suppose I can backtrack a bit. Let’s see… Grass, trees, and bushes. They sped by so…”
“No! No! No!” Twilight interrupted as she placed a hoof over Luna’s mouth. “You leave, you miss it.” Twilight watched as Applejack raised an eyebrow. The unicorn sighed. “I’ll sum it up: Helia and Selena became alicorns at the cost of Dagr and Nótt’s voices. Gratis became Discord. And I think Selena and Helia… just died?” Twilight looked back at Applejack. “Wait… Did you find any tea?”
Applejack nodded. “No, but Ah found one of your attendants. Rising Star said she’d send some over.”
Twilight nodded. “Oh, good.”
Princess Luna chuckled. “May I continue now?” Applejack and Twilight nodded.
First, as always, came the breath. Pain surged through her body as air rushed back into Selena’s chest. Her chest rose and her form expanded as life flooded back into her lungs. Then, like always, came the coughing. Her body forced out the dried blood that had pooled in her throat. She shook violently with each raspy cough. Bones snapped back in place in small jolts. The sense of touch and pain were already back. It had always been the first thing to return after these little inconveniences. She knew she was lying on her side, and the heat of the sun was burning her coat. Sound flooded back to her ears, she could hear the subtle rustling of grass around her and the buzzing of flies swarming around her. Smell came next though she wished it had not. Death and decay lingered in her nostrils but also the smell of morning dew, which she had not smelt in over eight hundred years. Finally the world faded into view. It started at the center, reaching outward, as light poured over her open eyes. She found the strength to lift her neck slightly. Her sister was already attempting to stand, though her legs were not fully reformed and it was clear her wings were still snapping back into place. Helia was attempting to swat away the flies swarming around her.
Selena groaned as she rolled to a sitting position. She appeared to be in some sort of grassy meadow, but that should have been impossible. Discord had converted all the grasslands to checkered fields long ago. The younger alicorn glanced to her sister in hopes of some answer to the strange anomaly of normalcy before her. Helia, seeming to have noticed the oddity as well gave a wordless answer of confusion. Searching for answers, they scanned their surroundings. Helia A small wooden hut was nearby, and next to Helia a silver glowing crystal was humming. “Grass, Heila.” Selena said. It was such an odd sight in this day and age that she could not help but simply point and exclaim.
“Ah good, you’re awake.” A gentle voice spoke, startling the two sisters. Helia and Selena both spun around to face the source of the voice, finding it to belong to an elderly brown stallion with a dusty gray mane. “I’ve been waiting almost two months.” He said as he levitated a large bucket. “I was beginning to wonder if the rumors of your immortality were greatly exaggerated.” The unicorn levitated the bucket near the two alicorns. “Wash water.” He said as he placed the bucket down. “Clean yourselves up. To put it as tactfully as possible, you smell like decomposition.” He glanced over his shoulder as he began to walk away. “When you’re finished, I’ll be waiting inside. I’m sure you have questions.” Helia and Selena stared silently at the unicorn as he entered the wooden hut. The pony started to close the door but then hesitated. He reopened the door and poked his head out. “Oh, I apologize; I have neglected to introduce myself. I am Arcas, the great and wise.”
The unicorn, apparently named Arcas, gently closed the door to the hut and disappeared from view. Selena and Helia exchanged confused glances. In some part of her mind, Selena was wondering if she was dreaming. This appearance of this intriguing stallion mixed with the impossibility of a natural meadow still existing during Discord’s reign had all but shattered her mind. Helia seemed to be struggling with the concept as well. After a few minutes of staring at each other in silence, they turned their attention to the wash bucket in front of them. Selena peered over the edge of the bucket, eyeing the crystal clear water it held. She tentatively dipped her hoof in the water and noted its mild temperature. She glanced back to Helia, looking for some sort of guidance. The elder sister simply shrugged. Selena splashed the water atop her head and ran it through her coat. Helia soon followed suit and after a solid ten minutes, both sisters were satisfied with the lack of dirt on their coats.
Having finished washing, as the stallion had asked, Helia approached the hut, eager for answers. Selena knocked on the door three times and waited for an answer. Helia shook her head and rolled her eyes at her sister. The elder alicorn pushed the door open and entered the hut. Inside Arcas was flipping through a series of tomes that were strewn across a large table. The unicorn looked up from his work and smiled. “Ah good, you’re done. Make yourselves at home. My hut is your hut.” The inside of the hut was nicely furnished for the times. A few bookshelves lined the walls, full of large tomes that looked to be ancient.
Helia pursed her lips. “How… generous…” She said with a healthy dose of skepticism. Selena glanced around the room and noticed some large object under a white sheet.
“Hopefully less than you will be.” Arcas said with a chuckle. He flipped a page in the tome he was examining and then tapped the book with his hoof.
“What?” Helia said with a confused inflection. Selena placed her hoof underneath the object covered by the sheet and started to lift of the cloth.
“You’ll understand in time.” Arcas turned around and noticed Selena attempting to peer at the object under the sheet. “No! No!” He leapt forward; he was surprisingly spry for how old he looked. He shouted as he pulled her away from the object. “Don’t touch that.” Arcas pushed the younger sister over towards the table and sat her down. “The Dome of Vision is not a toy!”
Selena gave him a confused look. “Why not? What exactly is it?”
Arcas sat back down at the table. “A dangerous artifact, pulled from the depths of Tartarus, an ancient city, and under no circumstances should it ever be used.”
“What does it do?” Helia said, now interested.
“It lets one gaze into the future. But at a price.” Arcas pulled the sheet taunt over the object. “My father predicted many things with this device, and then he went mad beyond all recognition. That’s why it must never be touched. For no mind is able to contain all the complexities of time, even a mind as strong as my father’s.” Arcas turned to the elder alicorn. “Or yours for that matter, Helia. Luckily, method to activate it has died with my father, but I would still urge caution around such a device.”
Helia sat down at the table and began to gaze at all the books. She glanced upwards for a moment to lock eyes with the unicorn. “I see.” She said quietly. “I believe you said you would provide us answers. I have many questions, the first of which: why is it the land around us is untainted by chaos?”
“Yes of course.” Arcas sat down at the table and rested his head on his hooves. “The answer to that is simple. It is bait.”
“Bait? For what creature?” Selena asked.
Arcas chuckled. “Why, for you two, of course.” He sighed. “I needed something enticing. I wanted to make sure you two wouldn’t fly off if you should have happened to awake at a time when I was not near. It had to be something you hadn’t seen in a long time. In this era of chaos, what would be more out of place than a natural meadow?”
“But why?” Selena asked.
“How did you create it? How did you dispel Discord’s magic?” Helia said, energetically leaning over the table.
“That crystal outside is not entirely for decoration. It emits a wave of positive magic that cancels out the powers of chaos.”
“Extraordinary.” Helia said leaning closer. “How does it work? Could we make more of them?”
“Ah good, you’re interested in seeing if it can be used in your fight against the terrible draconequus?” Arcas leaned forward, his snout a minuscule distance from Helia’s own. “Tell me: how far are you willing to go to fight Discord?”
Helia’s eyes narrowed. “I will go past the ends of the Known World to bring his reign to an end.”
Arcas raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“Because it is my fault. Long ago I knew Discord before he was Discord, back when he was named a forgotten name; it was my wish that he come to this world from his place in the cloud pocket.”
“Ah good, responsibility.” Arcas leaned back. “And you’re honest about it. Not many would admit to responsibility for an age of chaos and suffering. Yes… very honest…. this was always a possibility.” Arcas clapped his hoof against the surface of the table. “Right then! We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, so let’s get started.”
“But who are you?” Selena asked. “You look familiar, have we met before?”
Arcas turned around propped himself up on two legs to reach to the top of one of the bookshelves. “I told you,” he said. His eyes scanned across the bookshelf. “I am the great and wise Arcas. It’s a self-given title, but one that I’d like to think I’ve earned several times. As for why I look familiar, I’ll just say that we’ve never met before. However my family has a long history with you, immortal alicorn sisters.”
Helia raised an eyebrow. “You know of us?”
“Of course I know of you.” Arcas chuckled. “Who doesn’t know of the two of a kind ponies that posses all three tribal gifts. Out there, fighting the good fight against a mad god. You’re kind of hard to miss.” Arcas walked over to another bookshelf. “Blast it. Where did I put it?” He muttered to himself. “You see, perceptive Helia and innocent Selena, my family has been by your side throughout all the years. My grandfather was at the battle of the Bark Woven Bridge. My cousin, three times removed, was there when the Ruby Queen fell. My brother himself was at the waterfall of sapphires when Discord enchanted the trees to imprison zebras. We all look alike. My mother said we all have the family snout. But you might remember my great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather the most. He was called Tabor.” Arcas glanced over his shoulder to gauge Helia’s reaction.
The elder alicorn’s eyes narrowed. “I see. So you are the spawn of that horrid pony that kicked us out of our home.”
“Technically accurate, though I believe you are mixing your feelings for my ancestor and judging me before I have had time to prove myself.”
“Prove what, exactly?” Selena asked.
Arcas gave a wink. “That I am not a threat. You might consider me a boon, in fact. A boon to goal of defeating the god of chaos.”
Helia peered out the window and stared into the glowing crystal in the meadow. “This meadow you’ve made; the neutralization of Discord’s chaotic magic, is that your plan? Can we use that crystal to defeat Discord?”
Arcas laughed as he pulled a book from the shelf. “Defeat a mad god with a single gem? Impossible. No, no, no, no. We’re going to this.” He shook his head as he set the book down on the table. Helia’s jaw dropped open. “Ah good, you recognize it.”
“My book….” Helia said dumbfounded. She pulled the weighty tome to her with her hooves. “From when I was a filly…” She examined the cover. It was covered in scorch marks. Her hoof caressed the burn. “This is where I lit it on fire the first day I met Discord.” She opened the tome and quickly used her magic to flip through the pages. She stared lovingly at the sketches of each little artifact it depicted. “Where did you…?”
“Right where you left it, of course. Do you know what this book is?”
Helia shook her head. “I know it contains text on mysterious artifacts of great power. Other than that I’m afraid very little. I never got a proper chance to study it when I was little.”
Arcas patted the pages of the book. “What you have here is perhaps one of the rarest tomes from the Centaur era. It is Tirek’s catalog of ancient items. This book contains a list of all known articles of great power near the end of the Centaur Wars. Within this book, untold power is detailed.”
“But it’s unreadable.” Helia shook her head at the book. “It’s mostly gibberish.”
Arcas chuckled. “Well I happen to be somewhat of an expert in gibberish.” The unicorn flipped through the pages of the tome. “This book lists artifacts lost to history, lost to culture, and lost to time. But not lost to me.” He turned the book around and tapped the page. “What do you see here?”
Helia and Selena leaned over the book. They carefully examined the page. Helia finally looked up from the book and answered. “What is this place?”
Arcas gave a knowing smirk. “That is the Centauri Sanctuary. It’s located deep in the ancient city of Tartarus. It exists as a hidden chamber tucked away behind a gate of orichalcum and guarded by a fearsome creature of terrible power and intelligence.” Arcas flipped the page of the book. “This passage here is an account of what many treasures might be found past that gate of golden-copper.”
“And you think one of these treasures has the power to defeat a god?” Helia asked, possessing a healthy mix of skepticism and intrigue. “It hardly seems possible.”
“But what if it is? Can you risk the opportunity here? Can you risk letting that pass?”
Selena shook her head. “But if it is possible that this… sanctuary thing… has the answer to defeating Discord, then why haven’t you already gone there and retrieved it?”
“Ah, good. An excellent question, intelligent Selena.” Arcas nodded to himself a few times. “The gate, and its guardian, requires a specific set of circumstances to pass. Circumstances that I believe we, together, can live up to.” Arcas snapped the book shut and leaned forward. His face was adorned with an enthusiastic smile that was slightly off putting. “What do you say?”
Helia looked over at Selena. The two alicorns stared at each other for a long time and silence permeated the air. After a while Selena nodded and Helia reciprocated. The elder alicorn stood up straight and opened her mouth to speak. “I agree. This opportunity is too great to let pass. My sister and I will find and journey to this Tartarus.”
Arcas laughed. “By yourselves?”
“Of course. This is my burden.”
“I see.” Arcas said with a chuckle. “You are rash… That was always a possibility.” He leaned back in his chair and folded his front hooves across his chest. “But answer me this: just where would you start your search for Tartarus? It’s a mythical city of the ancient Centaurs. It was lost to time even before Discord plunged the world into chaos. Do you think you can find the place where fire and water intertwine? Do you think it any easier to find now?” Arcas glanced out through the window, contemplating something far away. “And once you find these mythical ruins. Where do you suppose would be the best place to look for the hidden Centauri Sanctuary, a place that was probably hidden from even the city’s own inhabitants during its heyday?” Arcas shook his head. “And what exactly is your plan for getting past the great guardian and the orichalcum gate, pray tell?” The unicorn leaned forward and gestured with his hoof. “Just do as I say. You seem no fool to me, great Helia, heroin of Fort Trottingham.” Arcas smiled. “Take this old unicorn, and your sister, with you on this great journey. I shall be your guide and I shall lead you to Tartarus and to the gates of orichalcum where the sanctuary lies. Together we shall face off against the great guardian and with my help we shall prevail. I know your heart. I know never before have you relied on others for your deeds. Along the way you might find many changes. Changes that shape you from what you are into who you need to be. And by the end of the journey you shall finally have what you seek.” Arcas chuckled. “You seem no fool to me, elder one. Take my advice and consider it.”
“And consider it she did.” Princess Luna smiled. “For three days and four nights Helia contemplated. Often in her life she had lead others. In the time of the Chaos Wars she had lead armies against the mad god. But she had never before being guided by another. It was arrogance at first and pride the next day. She considered simply flying away from Arcas’s hut and starting the search on her own. She even left her sister behind, but every night she would return and shake her head. Alas, she could not locate Tartarus on her own and on the morning of the fourth day, she asked Arcas to accompany her as her guide. It was that very morning that they set out to the south in search of the great lost city and the treasures it had buried within. Thus began their journey to the Centauri Sanctuary.”
Twilight Sparkle looked upwards at Luna. “And inside that sanctuary, the Elements of Harmony were found?”
Luna reared back in surprise. “How did you know that?” She said breathlessly.
Twilight looked down at the ground and contemplated. Images of Discord tapping a ruler against a chalkboard floated into her mind. “I guess I must have… read it… somewhere…?”
“Interesting.” Luna said with a nod. “Now then… their journey took them far and wide. They crossed hills and mountains. The alicorns, of course, wanted to fly. But the elder unicorn insisted they walk the land. He claimed the lessons it taught would be essential for the trials a head and they paid him mind. For thirty five long days they walked the terrain. Arcas pulled a small wagon that contained a supply of water, food, a modest collection of tomes, and a large tapestry he claimed would be needed to reach the end of their journey. On the thirty sixth day they were traversing the southern badlands of what is now Equestria….”
Arcas pointed with his hoof at the pit that was before them. “There... Like I promised. The lost Centuarian city, Tartarus.”
Helia peered over the edge of the pit. “How can you be sure? It just looks like a bottomless pit to me. Ancient myth says the gates to Tartarus are at the location where water swims in fire. I would imagine our destination would be volcanic in nature.” Helia looked down at the side of the pit, where a winding path sat. “Besides, it seems as somepony has been here before. This is hardly lost city material.”
Arcas smiled. “A keen observation, but give me a few minutes of your time and I promise to put your mind at ease. Come, follow me down into the abyss.” Arcas adjusted his wagon harness and started the walk down the winding path. The alicorn sisters watched Arcas and his wagon of supplies begin to fade from their sight and soon after, the alicorn sisters followed. The path encircled the pit, spiraling downwards at an increasingly steep angle. They walked in silence as they made their way down; their hoofsteps echoing in the darkness. When it became uncomfortably dark, Helia lit a torch with her magic. They squinted their eyes to try and see better in the dim flicker of the torch and it was only then had they noticed how foreboding the trail had become. The walls were a deep red color. The air pressure increased, stifling their breathes. Yet where they had expected cold, damp air, instead they were met with an unbearable heat. The trail dipped sharply and Arcas’s old legs swept out from under him. He began to tumble down the path, the weight of his wagon pushing him down farther.
“Arcas!” Selena called out as she took flight and raced forward. The younger alicorn used her magic to unhitch the harness from the old unicorn’s body and she caught him as he tumbled off the side of the path into the abyss. “I’ve got you! Are you alright?” She shouted a bit too loud in the elder unicorn’s ear.
“Well! I certainly meant to do that. That tripping thing.” Arcas laughed as he attempted to steady his breath. “Good catch though.”
Selena gently set the unicorn down back on the path. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
Arcas smiled. “I’m old. Tripping was always a possibility. Yes, I am quite alright. Your concern is touching, caring Selena. Such kindness you have within you.” The unicorn looked around for his wagon harness only to find the Helia had strapped it around herself. “Elder Helia! You are going to pull my wagon? How generous of you!”
The elder alicorn looked down derisively. “Hmph, not in the least. The fact that you can’t pull your own weight is slowing us down.”
“Whatever you say, princess.” Arcas chuckled and rolled his eyes. He pointed with his hoof. “Take a look around you. We have arrived.”
“I don’t see anything.” Selena said. “Wait… what are those sparkling lights down there?”
“Take a look for yourself.” He said as they trotted forward. Soon the lights were seen up close. They were gems, catching the light of the torch. “Sapphires,” Arcas said. “Brilliantly shining sapphires, as blue as the ocean. And see? The wall, they are made of red sandstone invoking the image of fire.”
Helia smiled. “Where water swims in fire. Clever.” Helia looked around. She moved the torchlight so it revealed that the path had reached a dead end. “But there are no gates here? I don’t understand.”
Arcas began to dig through the contents of the wagon. “Ah here it is!” The unicorn levitated a large tapestry up to the sandstone wall.
As the tapestry unfolded against the wall, Helia laughed. “That is a picture of a gate. Do you expect us to walk into a cloth? How ab….” Helia’s mouth snapped shut as the tapestry ripped into and formed an entryway into the sandstone wall.
“You were saying?”
Selena looked up at the foreboding entryway. “Is it that easy? There is no lock for the gate?”
Arcas took the first steps into the gateway, followed soon after by the sisters. “Centaurs were fascinated with guardians. As long as the guardian was present, the gate cannot be opened. However, Tartarus’s primary guardian has long since vanished.”
Helia thought for a moment. “If it were replaced, could Tartarus be resealed again?”
Arcas turned around with a confused look. “I suppose… yes… that’s a solid theory. I mean… there’s no reason it couldn’t…” Arcas gestured for the sisters to follow him. “Come on, we still have to find the Centauri Sanctuary. This way….”
They ventured further into the darkness. Inside the city, if it could be called that after so many years of decay, they followed Arcas around countless corridors. Selena was awestruck by the enormity of the cavern system. She went to exclaim in wonder, but was quickly silenced by Helia. They proceeded to quietly trot down hallways, across bridges, and through grand vistas. Helia finally looked up at Arcas. “What makes you think this Centauri Sanctuary has a way to defeat Discord?”
Arcas glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Ah good. I was wondering when you would ask that.”
Helia scowled. “No magic I have ever tried against him has worked. I am beginning to think he is invincible.”
Arcas nodded. “That is because you are trying to use the wrong kind of magic.” He inhaled deeply. “Discord is a product of the darkest time in our little planet’s history. Long ago, the Centaurs lived in peace. But then it all changed when magic was discovered. But it is not like the magic ponies use today. Centaurian magic is much different and it was powerful. The Centaurs were always a warring race. They thrived on conflict, and through that conflict each individual hoped to rise to challenges previously thought to be mythical. When they invented magic, suddenly conquest was easy. Any Centaur anywhere could rise to power and soon the world was enveloped in war. Magic used in this manner became negatively aligned, and as they fought the essence of that magic urged them further into chaos. Soon every Centaur was born, magically aged to maturity, taught destructive spells, and sent off to slay opposing factions in a matter of days. Generations of these creatures became as short as weeks and soon there was no cave, no island, and no meadow where war was not waged.”
Helia bit her lip. “It sounds like our war against Discord.”
“No, this… this was much worse. The Centaurs became more and more destructive. At that point, there was no turning back. The universe had become unbalanced and some might say certain contingency rules took effect. If the universe could not return to a center point between order and chaos then it needed to wipe the slate clean. The universe itself called for destruction on a scale never seen again, and as the laws of the universe forced the whole race to become champions of chaos, entropy became their lifeblood. The elimination of entire factions was not enough to satisfy their thrust. They sought nothing short of total annihilation of creation. That is when a few ambitious leaders hatched a terrible plan.”
Selena asked, “What sort of plan?”
“They spent countless lifetimes amassing magic. So much creative energy went into making something incredibly destructive. Creating to destroy, such a seemingly odd concept. They created the end itself and unleashed it upon the world. It burned out the sun, decimated the moon, and stripped off the crust of the earth. That was the end of the Centaurs, the magic seemed to target them exclusively as punishment for their folly. But it was not the end of their influence. You see, all the magic had to go somewhere. After the end of the world, the magic summoned by the war settled on the now barren rock that was this planet. That much raw magic in one location, it had to be tremendous to behold. Imagine a force strong enough to destroy the heavens, condensed into a swirling mass of reality-altering energy.”
“That much magic in one place…. How would nature compensate for that?” Helia asked.
Arcas laughed. “Nature’s funny when you think about it. Just when you think you’ve figured out how it works, it goes and surprises you in the most unexpected way possible. All that essence of destruction turned into creation. I told you that the magic amassed was a labor of creativity to wrought destruction. Such opposites combined into one result are unstable and the magic split into two distinct poles, that which we now call negative and positive magic. But that’s not all that happened. The magic solidified and began to change. The positive field fractured into uncountable pieces and took a very familiar shape.”
“What do you mean?”
“Us. The life that now inhabits this world, apart from the monsters and demons, is the remains of that positive magic. All of us are part of that event. That is how earth ponies are so strong, how pegasi can fly and walk on clouds, and how unicorns can manipulate reality. We are all bound by that event, and infused with its energies.”
“And what of the negatively aligned half? Are you implying that it became…?”
“Yes, the negative half did not fragment. And it did not take a defined shape either, but it certainly became alive. This was the being known as Gratis. All of this took place in mere seconds after the destruction of the world by the Centaurs. While the ponies and other new life forms were stunned at their new found existence, Gratis was the first to realize that without the sun or the moon the newly repopulated world would die again. After watching the suffering the newly born creatures experienced, Gratis could no longer sit idly. Possessing wisdom, no doubt lingering memories of the older, peaceful Centaurs, Gratis used his unfathomable powers to create new celestial bodies. Thus the spirits of Dagr and Nótt were born.”
Selena nodded. “I see.” They proceeded down a darker corridor than the last, and the younger alicorn shuddered slightly.
Helia shook her head. “Such an odd thing for a creature made of negative magic to do…”
“Indeed, sharp-eyed Helia. For a time, Gratis attempted to live with the new inhabitants of the world. But fate, it seemed, had other ideas. I stated earlier that the Centaurs through the universe out of balance. Now, even after the world was wiped clean, balance was not restored. The scales had tipped too far the other way when Gratis had defined his nature. Soon the universe demanded the balance be restored and Gratis felt something in him change. His sanity began to slip. So he ran. He formed a pocket of space that was hidden from the universe, where he would live life away from others; hiding from his destiny. If not for the loneliness he suffered, we might not be in this situation now. It happened clearly by chance, but your encounter with him awakened a need for companionship once more. Now that he has returned to this world proper, his mind was lost to chaotic tendencies.”
“It hardly seems fair. Why would the universe wish us such strife and pain?”
Arcas shook his head. “It only wishes balance. Too much order and the world becomes static and stale, incapable of sustaining life. Too much chaos and the world is… as you see it now. That is why we must stop Discord, before the world is too far gone.”
“But what power in the Sanctuary could stand up against Discord?”
“As I have said, he is a creature of negative magic. Negative Centaurian magic; as such only something made from the hands of the Centaurs themselves can stop him. When the Centaur War was coming to an end, a small group of battle-weary Centaurs, fed up with all the destruction, set out to create a different type of artifact. A last ditch effort to save their race from destruction. While they finished their labors, they never had a chance to save their race before all of the Centaurs vanished. If I’m right about my interpretations of ancient Centaur tomes, the Centauri Sanctuary should contain the last hope of their… and our… race.” Arcas stopped short of a glowing blue light emanating from the next hallway. “Hold, we are here.”
Helia peered her head around the corner and stared at the sight before her eyes. The blue glow was coming from a sparkling bridge of magic. It spanned a large cavern leading to a wall adorned with a large metal door. “That’s the gate of orichalcum? Not very subtle.”
“It doesn’t need to be. The guardian prevents all those who are unworthy. It is said to be a creature of heavenly presence and tremendous power. They call it the Arbiter. It looks into your very soul and judges you. Should it find you worthy, it lets you pass. Should it find you unworthy… let’s just say none of us will care about Discord after that.”
Selena shuddered. “What is it looking for?”
“Its purpose was to prevent the wonders of the Sanctuary from falling into the hands of the more destructive Centaurs. It will only let those pass that are pure of heart.”
Helia nodded. “Such a subjective phrase… how can one judge on that?”
Arcas sighed. “Ah, ever cynical Helia. Those who are pure of heart, according to the Centaurs, are those with good intentions, those who would perform a selfless sacrifice, and those who completely believe in harmony.”
“You think we are worthy enough to pass?” Selena asked.
“Just leave the Arbiter to me.” Arcas smiled as he patted the wagon Helia was pulling.
They cautiously proceeded down the glowing bridge. Their eyes darted back and forth, looking for any sign of the Arbiter. Occasionally they would pull their eyes back to the enormous gate before them, continually surprised at how large the door was. The large cavern echoed endlessly with each small sound they made. Helia looked worriedly at Arcas. “If we are not judged worthy, the Arbiter will attempt to kill us. My sister and I will most likely survive; we have been gifted with immortality. However, you have no such gift. You are putting yourself at a great risk. What could possibly motivate you to put your life in danger? Have you no fear of death?”
Arcas frowned. “Discord must be stopped. I have seen personally what terrible things he can do to a pony.” Selena gave him a caring glance. He inhaled deeply and continued. “Discord took my family from me. My whole family.”
“So… he finally stooped to killing…” Helia said with a worried frown.
“No. Much worse. If they were dead I would have no hope to tug at my heart. Instead he cursed me to never again meet them. As a joke he put me out of phase with them. I could be standing right next to another of the Lulamoon clan but we would never see or hear each other. It is though we no longer exist in the same plane. Never again will I see my daughters and son or my wife…. Worse yet is the thought that they are out there, unable to see each other. They are lost and scared. Of that I am sure. So no, I don’t fear death. Not if I have the chance to make things better for my family.”
Selena pointed with her hoof. “It’s a good thing you don’t fear it… look!” The glowing bridge raised upwards and took a horrifying shape. Soon looming over them was the form of a bear made of stars. Never before had such a creature been seen by the sisters and it was imposing to say the least. The celestial bear snarled as it lowered its head near the tiny ponies. Its mouth opened slowly, and a booming voice shook the cavern. Its lips did not move as it spoke and if it were not for the room shaking, Helia would have sworn it was speaking directly into her mind.
“What strange creatures approach the Sanctum gate?” This beast could be nothing other than the Arbiter that Arcas had spoken about.
Helia stood up straight and stared the beast down. “Arbiter, we seek to enter the sanctuary to fight a great monster, the master of chaos himself. Let us pass.”
“Words are nothing when spoken from the mouth. Let us see what song your heart sings.” The bear leaned in close to Arcas. “Great and Wise Arcas Lulamoon, your heart shall be weighed upon the scale of judgment. This one is simple. The heart is tormented, yet filled with hope and determination. But his motives are pure, selfless. He would sacrifice his life for his friends in an instant. Great and Wise Arcas Lulamoon is judged WORTHY!” The cave shook with the bear’s ruling.
Arcas chuckled uneasily. “Was there ever any doubt?”
The bear loomed over Helia. “Helia of the Alicorn Sisters, your heart shall be weighed upon the scale of judgment. This one is complex. Her heart is filled with such grief and sorrow. While she strives to improve, her motivation is the selfish absolution of guilt. Yet she is honest about her situation. But… fragments of her future are written. Curious.... She will serve the world and be its steward. She will touch the lives of many in the future in a nurturing way. Such a capability for generosity. How can this one’s future be written? Only those gifted with immortality are burdened with destiny.” The bear paused before looking up at the ceiling. “The stars of fate are imbedded within this one…. She must be immortal but she gives the scent of one born mortal. How then, shall her heart be weighed? Shall her past actions condemn her or shall her future vindicate her?” The Arbiter loomed over the elder alicorn and bellowed. “For bearing the destiny of the world’s caretaker… Helia of the Alicorn Sisters is judged WORTHY!”
Helia took a few steps backwards. “I… am?”
The bear then turned its attention to Selena. The younger alicorn laughed uneasily. “Selena of the Alicorn Sisters, your heart shall be weighed upon the scale of judgment. This one is innocent. But her future is dark. The stars of fate are imbedded within this one… she must be immortal but gives the scent of one born mortal. Again, such a curiosity. At present she shows such devotion and loyalty to her sister, selfless following out of love. Physically, her eyes are the shade of the night sky. However the scales of judgment reveal that their true color is green. Such a dark future. Torment and sorrow. Envy and loneliness. She will take her frustration out on the world. How then, shall her heart be weighed? Shall her future actions condemn her or shall her past vindicate her? For bearing the destiny of the world’s tormentor… Selena of the Alicorn Sisters is judged...” The bear’s night sky coat turned to a blood red glow. “UNWORTHY!”
“What?!” Selena stumbled backwards as the large creature raised its paw above her head. “I don’t understand!” The Arbiter snarled and bared its teeth. Arcas raced forward and blocked the creature’s paw from slamming into Selena.
“Arbiter! Wait!” Arcas yelled upwards at the towering creature. “Now, you whole job is to be a judge of character. A just and fair judge. And in the name of justice and fairness, I’d like to appeal against this ruling.”
“Judgment of the heart is absolute.” The Arbiter again raised its paw, preparing to strike.
Arcas waved his hooves in the air frantically. “But! But! You said she was innocent and selfless!”
“This one’s destiny is to bring darkness to the entire realm.” The red glowing bear snorted. “She is unworthy of the Sanctum and will be destroyed.”
“You can’t judge her on her future. How can she be held accountable for things she might do? You said she is both mortal and immortal and that she has only parts of her future written. Isn’t it possible that she might have even greater moments to balance out the bad ones? Is it possible her destiny is wrong? Please! I ask you to judge her once more.”
The red glow from the bear faded back to a calm blue and the gigantic creature lowered its paw back to its side. “Selena of the Alicorn Sisters, your heart shall be weighed upon the scale of judgment. This one possesses innocence and a kindhearted nature. Selena of the Alicorn Sisters is judged WORTHY!”
“Oh! Thank goodness!” Selena sighed. “Quick thinking, Arcas!”
Arcas clapped his hooves together in joy. “That means we’re all worthy of entering the Centauri Sanctuary! Come on let’s…!”
“Helia of the Alicorn Sisters, your heart shall be weighed upon the scale of judgment.” The Arbiter bellowed.
“What?!” Helia stood another step backwards in surprise. “But… I was already judged.”
“This one is motivated by the absolution of guilt and self-sorrow. As is precedent, those with the gift of the alicorn shall not have their destinies considered when being judged. Helia of the Alicorn Sisters is judged UNWORTHY!” The bear’s coat turned a blood red and it raised its paw, primed to strike.
“Well….” Arcas sighed. “This was always a possibility.” The unicorn reached into his wagon and pulled a small collection of marbles from underneath the covers. “Right then!” Arcas tossed the marbles on the ground. Smoke exploded from the ground and obscured even the large glowing bear. “Run!” He shouted. Brightly lit fireworks launched from the tip of Arcas’s horn as the bear swatted at the ground. The bridge shook with violent force as the ponies raced between the bear’s legs and on to the gate behind it. “Watch out!”
Helia called back as the pounded her hooves on the large metal lock. “The gate! How do we open it?”
Selena leaned her back against the gate and sank down to a sitting position. “We’re going to die. Well… Arcas is going to die, and we’re going to be trapped in here forever!”
Arcas raced forward and pressed a small crystal object up to the gate. “No we’re not going to die. Well at least not right now. Look! Skeleton Key! Opens any door anywhere!” The crystal shattered. “Well. Don’t worry. It’s supposed to do that. I think.” He placed his hooves against the gate. “Now push!”
Helia yelled. “I am pushing! It’s not moving! Your key is worthless!”
Arcas grunted. “Oh, because I’m supposed to do everything! Fat lot of use you two are. Some saviors of ponykind.”
Selena cried out in frustration. “Do we really have time for this?”
Helia and Arcas yelled back in unison. “Shut up, Selena!”
The bear’s voice bellowed. “You have violated the judgment of your hearts. The sentence is death.”
Arcas turned around and yelled back at the Arbiter as it slowly crept towards them. “As opposed to what the sentence was before?” The unicorn looked back at Helia. “Only the Arbiter can open this gate.”
“Well then, when he gets done killing us, why don’t you ask him to?!”
“Hang on, I’ve got an idea. It’s a mite dangerous, though.” Arcas launched a few magic fireworks up into the air in front of the gate. “Hey! Over here, you big… dumb… bear… thing...?”
“Judgment shall be cast!” The Arbiter bellowed as it began to charge.
“Big dumb bear thing?” Helia questioned.
Arcas chuckled. “I’m under pressure, alright? On the signal, run as fast as you can.” He pointed upwards with his hoof. “Here he comes!”
“What’s the signal?” Selena asked. The answer, however, was soon apparent. The Arbiter crashed into the gateway, lodging the metal doors open. Helia and Selena rushed inside. The Arbiter slammed his paw down next to Arcas and he bounced up into the air. He fell back down with a large thud. Selena stuck her head back outside the gateway and used her magic to levitate the old unicorn inside.
The gate slammed shut. The found themselves in a dark, cavernous room. The area was deathly quiet, save for the muffled banging of the Arbiter on the other side of the gate. The room shook slightly with each boom. Helia’s horn lit up and cast a simple light spell that illuminated the area. Immediately they were awestruck by the sight around them. The room’s walls were filled with fantastic paintings and skilled carvings of fields, the sky, Centaurs, fantastic cities, space, the moon, and abstract shapes. Selena gasped in wonder. “This place is… beautiful. Where are we?”
“The Centauri Sanctuary…. Argh!” Arcas moaned slightly in pain. “Go now, the next trial is yours alone to face. You must locate hope. I will be alright. I just need to rest my leg for a moment.”
“Right. We will bring back what we need to find to beat Discord.” Helia nodded. “Come, Selena.”
The two alicorns walked down a long hallway. Helia narrowed her eyes and lowered her head. She marched with determination towards the end of the hallway without looking around. Selena stopped every now and again to admire the artworks. The hallway ended with a set of large iron doors. Helia tapped her hoof against the door, perhaps attempting to knock or perhaps attempting to open them. The large doors to the chamber broke off and shattered from eons of rust. Helia peeked her head inside the room. It was dark, but there was a light source. A series of glowing gems sat in the center of the room, placed atop bronze pedestals. A voice was chattering endlessly in the background. It must have been a Sound Permanence spell. Like the one mother had shown her. The speech was repeating apparently the same short message again and again. Perhaps it was a warning. Helia hated to admit it, but she was a tad frightened. She had not been frightened in a long time. It was slightly exhilarating. The young alicorn with the pink mane walked around the room. A few more light sources sprang to life, recognizing her presence and honoring it by guiding her. She was now close enough to hear the voice’s message. At times, she could understand it, but in other moments it appeared to be speaking in a different tongue:
“Greetings, Friend! You are currently standing in the chamber of the future! What lies before you is a result of a collective collaboration of our society’s major governments.” Helia glanced at the walls. They were covered in glyphs she could not understand but they were also familiar. The book from long ago, back when she was nothing more than a mere filly, had spoken of them. The voice continued speaking endlessly, “Our society was based on the principles of mathematics and science. When our mastery of science and technology advanced beyond the laws of physics and time, it evolved into magic. The easy, widespread use of magic ultimately lead to the downfall of our very civilization.” Helia approached the center of the room. A few of the lights flickered and died out. The magic that had once fueled them faded, having waited too long for its use. “As our civilization fell into despair, a small coalition used magic to create a solution for future civilizations just like yours.”
Helia had once heard that the Centaurs had been the masters of magic Stories that they were the ancestors of the unicorns also had been told to her. Arcas had told her stories too, but she was unsure who to believe anymore. She wanted to call out to her sister; part of her mind was asking why she had not followed her into the chamber yet. But the mysteries of the place in front of here were captivating. “The crystallization of the distillation of emotions, a set of six elements designed to amplify positive psycho-emotive energies. These Elements of Harmony introduce a pacifying effect on the bounds of physics and create a neutralizing effect on large sources of negatively aligned magical energy!”
She stared at the gems on display in the center of the room. Each item bore a different color. She touched one out of curiosity. She fell to the ground in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. She felt giddy and warm on the inside. A feeling she had not felt in a long time. The voice continued, “If you are incapable of understanding the principles presented in this presentation, your society has not yet advanced to point of needing these tools.”
Felling temptation well in her, she tapped a different gem with her hoof. Memories of her mother welled up inside. She felt the warmth of her embrace and the pride she felt when her mother gave her a complement. Her thoughts turned to her sister. She would never abandon her sister, no matter how dark the battle had become. “Please feel free to explore the chamber but do not remove the elements! Be kind to future generations who may need to call upon their power at a later date.”
More! She needed to know more about these wonderful gems! They held such powerful emotional connections. She placed her cheek against another one of the stones. This time she felt sobered. The truth of the current situation she had gotten herself and her sister in hit her hard. She fell to the ground in a fit of tears. So, they were not all wonderful it seemed. “If your society is currently undergoing a period of magical chaos, now is the time to make use of the tools in this chamber.”
With a bit of hesitation she placed her hoof on another gem. This one felt much better. She felt as though she owed her sister a better home. She owed the world a better age. She owed the whole world so much. And she would give it what it needed most. “Go forth, future friends, and create your utopia of harmony.” Only two more gems had not been tested. She glanced at the remaining stones. They looked so foreign. Gems were always reflecting the light and sparkling, but these were actually emitting the warmth of a soft glow. The next gem’s feeling was hard to describe. But she felt content. Content, despite all the troubles that were burning in her heart.
The last gem. The one positioned in the center of the other five. She saved this one for last. It had to be the most important. And it was. It was completely. She tapped her horn against the stone, and was filled with power. A power beyond her dreams flowed through her. “We all wish you the best of luck to your civilization!”
Helia turned around. The message repeated again in a different language. At least she assumed it was repeating. She could not tell. She placed a hoof next to her cheek and shouted. “Selena! Come here. I found something.”
Selena entered the room. “What is it? Have you seen some of this art? The Centaurs must have been amazing!” The room seemed to react to the presence of the second alicorn. The gems lifted off from their pedestals. Helia and Selena lifted off the ground as well. They found themselves floating without the use of their wings. The gems began to orbit around the sisters. Around Selena, the green, blue, and red gems encircled her head. Floating around Helia were there pink and orange gems. Slowly they were lowered back to the ground and their hooves clopped against the stone floor. Selena shot a concerned glance towards her sister. “What’s going on?”
“I believe these… elements… have accepted us as their wielders. Arcas may be able to shine more light on the matter. Anyway, it looks as though we have acquired what we came for. Let’s get back to Arcas.” Helia turned towards the doors and started to walk away, the pink and orange gems still orbiting her form.
“What about that one?” Selena pointed with her hoof at the center pedestal, a purple gemstone still cradled in it. “Should we leave that one, just because it isn’t floating around us?”
Helia turned back and looked at the gem. She enveloped it in her magic and floated it next to her. “You’re right. It would be a hassle if we needed to come back for it. Good catch, Selena.” With those words, she galloped out of the room and down the hallway. Selena followed her, towing her own set of three floating gems. Soon they reached the gateway, where Arcas was sitting.
The unicorn rolled to a sitting position. “Ah good. You found them. The Elements of Harmony. That is precisely what you’ll need to defeat Discord. The only thing powerful enough in the world, I’m afraid.” A loud thumping sound shook the room. “The Arbiter is still a wee bit mad at us, I think.”
Helia smiled. “Yes, we’ll have to deal with that. But first… Arcas… Tell me the truth. When we first met I asked you why you hadn’t retrieved these artifacts by yourself already. You told me that you didn’t possess the ability to get past the Arbiter. Yet, out of all three of us, you were the only one who without question was eligible to pass. Why did you lie to us? Better yet, answer me why you needed us at all?”
“Ah good. You’re starting to think. That was always a possibility.” Arcas sighed. “Although I could get past the Arbiter, I can’t wield the elements. I’m too… solitary. The elements thrive on togetherness. Unity. Friendship.”
Helia laughed. “And you think we are better?”
“It looks as though they have already recognized you as such. You may not realize it, but you two are great. The sisterly bond between the two of you is a powerful thing. The sooner you recognize it, the sooner you will be able to defeat Discord.”
Helia stamped her hoof. “Then it is done. I recognize it.”
Arcas shook his head. “Simply saying it does not make it work. When the time is right, you’ll know.” The room shook once more with the sound of the Arbiter’s fury. “Well, what say you to getting out of here?”
Selena’s ears folded back. “It doesn’t sound like the Arbiter is going to let us go that easily. How are we going to get past it?”
“The Elements of Harmony neutralize negative magic. It will pacify the Arbiter and then we will make our way out of Tartarus.” Arcas lifted himself up and placed his hooves against the door. “On the count of three, I will open the gate and you will blast the Arbiter with the elements.”
“How do we use them?” Selena asked.
Helia smiled. “Do you not feel it, sister? Their activation is instinctive to us.”
Selena nodded. “Yes… I think I know what we have to do. It seems so natural now...”
“One….” Arcas leaned against the door. “Two….” He clenched his eyes tightly shut. “Three!” The gates slammed open. The large bear reared up on its hind legs and roared mightily. The ground trembled with the growl and Arcas tumbled to his knees. “Now!” He shouted as he scrambled to his hooves again. Helia looked over at Selena and nodded. They lifted off the ground as the elements spiraled around them. Helia’s eyes flashed into glowing orbs. The gems’ orbit’s speed increased. With a flash of light Helia and Selena crashed to the ground.
“It didn’t work!” Helia called out.
“I was afraid of that!” Arcas called out. “Yes… that was always a possibility. The unicorn focused magic in his horn and teleported out of the path of another bear claw. “We are officially on Plan B now. That’s ‘run’ if you were asleep when we went over it!” Arcas fired another set of fireworks up into the Arbiter’s face.
Helia galloped up next to the unicorn. “Why did the elements not work?”
“We’ll talk about your antisocial issues later!” Arcas pushed Helia out of the way of another attack.
“Antisocial?” Helia said as she rolled back to her hooves. In the background Selena was cleverly avoiding the ruckus by gliding underneath the bridge. They made their way to the end of the bridge. The Arbiter followed closely behind. They moved faster than they had ever before. The celestial bear slammed its paws on the bridge, shattering it. With the ground giving out underneath them, the three ponies fell. Helia took flight, and with a skilled swoop, caught Arcas as he was falling. She set him back down when they reached the other side. Helia turned to Arcas. “Look, I think it’s trapped on the other side of the bride! I think we’re safe.” She said. The bear curled up on itself and with a mighty leapt it cleared the impossibly large chasm left behind from the where the bridge was. Helia shuddered and turned to run. “Never mind, I’m terrible at judging safety!”
“Run!” Selena said as she zipped past them in the air. Soon they found themselves running through corridor after corridor in Tartarus. No matter how small a hiding place they found, the Arbiter would simply rip the walls apart to get to them. It was only matter of time it seemed. Selena looked over at Arcas with a panicked expression. “We can’t keep running forever. We need to find a way to stop it. Arcas, there must be a way. I thought you said the Elements of Harmony would work against it?”
“Judgment shall be delivered.” The Arbiter bellowed from across the hall.
Arcas shook his head. “They would, but the Elements haven’t fully accepted you as their bearers yet. Don’t worry. My father peered into the Dome of Vision. It may have cost him his mind, but his prophecy says you two have the capability to do great things.”
Helia stamped her hoof. “That’s all well and good, but what about our current situation? Do we have a way to pacify the Arbiter or not?”
“The Arbiter has judged us unworthy. Only a selfless act of great magnitude could placate it now.” Arcas sighed heavily. “This was always a possibility.” The unicorn looked up with a somber expression.
“What was? What was a possibility?” Selena asked frantically.
Arcas chuckled and nodded to himself. “You two seem no fools to me, so here’s what you need to do: I will distract the beast, and you will gallop out, through that archway over there.” He pointed with his hoof. “Then I will trap the beast so we can safely escape, once you have cleared the gate I will appease the Arbiter.”
“Appease it? How?” Selena asked.
“Like I said, a selfless act.” The unicorn nodded.
Helia gave Arcas a stern look. “How long have you known this would end up this way?”
“This was always a possibility.” Arcas gave a knowing chuckle. “Now, run!” Helia grabbed Selena’s wing with her mouth and pulled her through the archway. The Arbiter charged forward. Arcas fired a series of fireworks at the archway, collapsing it. The celestial bear slammed into the pile of crumbled stone, its route to the alicorns cut off. The bear turned around and loomed over the tiny unicorn. “Can’t get to them now, your honor. Sorry.” The bear raised its paw high above its head. Arcas smiled and looked back at the bear. “Arbiter… I throw myself at the mercy of the court.”
Princess Luna shook her head. “With the elements retrieved, there was only one thing left to do. Helia and Selena rested outside the pits of Tartarus for the night. At the first sign of Dagr’s sun, Helia and Selena began the new day. A day that would forever change the world. But for the better? I cannot say for certain.”
Again, it was dawn. It had been almost eight months since the last time Helia and Selena had placed their hooves on the stone entry way of the Keep in the Sky. Many sieges had taken place in the past and all had failed. This time would be different though. It had to be. They were prepared. The doors of the Keep swung open and the candles lit the dark interior. A roll of red carpet came bouncing down the staircase at the end of the atrium. The doorway looked as a mouth, ready to swallow the two alicorns that now stood in front of it. Helia imagined that Discord was a fan of imagery. The elements of harmony spiraled around their bodies, creating a soft humming sound. It gave them courage. Steeling themselves, they trotted inside.
They had done all this before. The doors slammed shut with a loud echo. There was no turning back now. With any luck, they would not need to. Helia adjusted the tiara atop her head. They had a plan this time. It would not fail. It could not. Helia began a slow walk down the red carpet. Selena knew better than to fear that the path was a trap. It would certainly lead directly to him. He wanted them to visit. They knew he looked forward to their attempts. Helia broke into a moderate trot. The anticipation of the upcoming confrontation was almost too much to bear for her. For Selena, it had passed that point a long time ago. Selena matched her sister’s speed and fell in line behind her. The stairs seemed to have no end as the climbed. Helia sped up to a canter. The tiny candles that lit the hallway began to flicker. The floor opened up, ready to swallow them. Helia gauged the jump ahead of her. She spread her wings and leapt across the pit. She fell into a glide as she narrowly dodged a section of the wall that had spontaneously decided to lash out at her. “Careful, sister, his game has begun.” Helia glanced backwards at her sister.
Selena steeled herself against the upcoming leap. “I’ll be right there.” The younger alicorn jumped forward. She spread her wings and prepared to glide to the second platform. The stone blocks broke off from the wall and lashed out against the alicorn. The blocks impacted Selena and tossed her off to the side. She was twisted on her side in the air. The wind left the underside of Selena’s wings and she quickly fell into the pit. Selena grunted as she bounced off of the sides of the pit. She landed at the bottom of the pit and groaned.
Helia leaned over the edge of the pit. “Again, Selena! What did I say about being careful?” Helia looked down and notice that the alicorn had her leg bent at the wrong angle. Helia sighed. “Are you alright?”
Selena attempted to stand but then quickly let out a whelp. “Ouch... this never ceases to hurt. My leg… I might have sprained it.” Selena looked up to see Helia frowning at the mouth of the pit. “I’m sorry. Maybe we should turn back? Our assault is failing before we even get to him.”
“NO!” Helia shouted. Her words echoed in the hallway. “We have come too far now to turn back. We can win this time! We have lost too much to turn back now.” Helia bit her lip. “Stay here. You’ll be safe.”
“All right, Helia.” Selena’s voice echoed up though the pit. Helia felt a pang in her heart. She shook her head slowly and turned around. “Helia?” Selena called back, noticing her sister had returned.
“We blank-flanks need to stick together.” She said. Unbeknownst to the alicorn, the third gem that was floating around her head began to glow a soft purple. Helia jumped down and glided to the bottom of the pit. She landed next to her sister and lowered her neck. With a bit of difficulty she lifted the younger alicorn up over her head and onto her back. “Ugh. You need to eat less.”
Selena giggled. “You still weight more, sister.”
Helia spread her wings and with great difficulty lifted herself out of the pit. “Don’t mock your rescuer.” She walked slowly, spreading her wings to help balance the pony on her back.
She peered over the pit once more and chuckled. “You really have a love for those pits, huh?”
Selena laughed. “I can’t help falling for them!” Selena gasped. “Helia! Look! The sixth gem is glowing now! What does that mean?”
“It means we’re going to win. Together.” Helia grunted as she walked down the hallway, struggling with Selena’s weight on her back.
The hallway was long. It seemed like forever before they reached the throne room. Nevertheless, it stood in front of them. The throne itself sat empty. Helia lowed Selena down to the ground. Both alicorns surveyed the empty room, looking for its king. While they could not locate him with their eyes, their ears soon burned with a familiar voice. “Wait! Wait! Don’t start without me!” The voice echoed throughout the room. “I’m terribly sorry. I wasn’t expecting you two back here so soon. I know the place is just a wreck. And I’m running late.” There was a flash of light and the throne was soon filled with the master of chaos himself.
“Discord…” Helia said.
“Terribly sorry about being late. I was just having lunch with the ponies in Bubblegum Marsh. Strangely, there was a lack of gum-based products there. And bubble based products. Well… not anymore.” Discord slouched in his throne. “Hang on. I’m still getting into character.” He adjusted his sitting position. “Do I have the bored evil dictator look down? What do you think? Right amount of evil? Too much bored? Too little dictator? Now don’t be afraid to speak up, I’m all open to criticism.” Discord chuckled. “Okay. I think I’m ready. Lay it on me! Let’s hear the speech! Wait! Actually, wait a moment. One last thing. I’m going to have to wrap this up as soon as possible. I have a meeting right after this with the… uh… the uh…. Okay. I have a meeting, and it’s very important. I’m not just trying to get rid of you. You can be sure of that. I just can’t remember the name because I’m so busy these days. With all the ruling the world and stuff. Windagos! That’s who the meeting is with. Now I remember. See? I told you I’m not just making stuff up to brush you off. So, come on. Out with it! Speech!”
Helia stood with a stern look on her face. “Not this time Discord.” The elements lifted up and began to orbit around her and Selena.
“Oh, but I do so love the speeches.” Discord stood up and walked over to the two ponies. His breathe was blowing against their coats. “Well if you’re not going to give a speech I’ll…” Discord stopped talking for a moment. He extended his claw and poked at one of the orbiting gems. He broke in to a sputtering laugh. “What are these things? HA! Floating jewelry? A bit tacky if you ask me. Why are they orbiting you two? Is it because…” He covered his mouth laughing. “No, I’m not going to do it…. It’s far too easy.” He burst out laughing. “Are they orbiting around you because you’re so… dense?!” Discord rolled to the ground laughing. “I’m sorry. It… HA! HA! It was set up perfectly! I couldn’t resist!” Discord rose to his hooves and wiped his brow. “But seriously, no speech?” Discord frowned. “Alright. Well if you don’t want to perform, I think I will.”
“Go right ahead.” Helia said. Her eyes began to glow as the elements spiraled around her.
“Yes, I know it’s a bit unorthodox, but I thought it wouldn’t be nice if I sang? I have the most lovely signing voice you ever…. Wait? Did you say yes?! Oh, wonderful!” Discord snapped his fingers. The room rumbled as a stage rose out of the stone. Lights dropped from the ceiling. Birds flew in from the windows and changed shape. Their limbs elongated and their feathers turned to dexterous digits. One after another, each was soon holding an instrument.
Twilight Sparkle placed her hoof on her face. “Please tell me you’re not going to…”
Princess Luna held up a hoof. “Shhh…”
Applejack shook her head. “Your coat don’t look pink but I’m beginning to wonder….”
Luna held up a hoof again. “Shhh!”
The first bird took hold of a bass and quickly laid down a walking baseline. Soon trumpets joined in. The castle began to sway and shake with the music. Discord jumped up on a pedestal and threw his arm out. His voice echoed across all of the Known World:
I will admit I find your visits appealing,
I'm touched, quite touched, to know how much you care.
I know by now your mental gears are reeling,
Trying hard to find the way to get me out of your hair!
Well you've tried magic; wasn't that a flop?
Raised an army of griffins from the mountain top...
Isn't it so tragic it won't get me to stop
Causing chaos for you?
All these contraptions aimed at my Keep in the Sky;
Then you formed that brigade of flying Pegasi.
So I hope my actions will not belie,
I'm causing chaos for you!
I’m causing chaos for you!
Now what have we here? Why are you so tight lipped?
I was looking forward to your little spiel.
I'm sad that you are veering off of our script;
I think our little war has lost some of its appeal!
Remember that day when you led the charge,
Across the marshes of Surenfendlemarge?
You called it cliché, when I saluted with: “Sarge,
I'm causing chaos for you!”
You had dragons; I said, “Please...
Why should I care? I've got power over cheese!”
So fire your cannons, 'cause it's still a breeze
Causing chaos for you!
I’m causing chaos for you!
Now I'm quite certain you've brought me some new trick.
Bet it has something to do with these jewels….
Well, let's see it; I'm always up for your shtick.
Your track record so far only makes you look like fools!
Now I worry you underestimate,
Just how many ways I am oh so great!
So can we hurry? I've got a lot on my plate,
Causing chaos for you!
My dear Helia, you don't have a clue.
And I think it's time that we bid adieu!
So Selena, please don't look so blue,
I'm causing chaos for you!
I'm causing chaos for…!
The room flashed with rainbow light. Discord was oblivious as his lower half turned to stone. The rainbow spiraled around the draconequus. It started with his feet. His body turned a light gray. Sounds of grinding rock echoed through the room as he became frozen in time. Discord fell silent suddenly. The remaining note hung in the air for a moment. In a single instant eight hundred years of chaos vanished. The band dissolved, down below the ground turned back to normal, and the clouds faded from pink to white. In a moment everything flashed back to its natural state. The tyrant was gone, and so was his handiwork. A rainbow colored wave swept over the world. The marshmallow fields became just a peaceful pasture. The upside down mountains righted themselves. The lakes of asparagus reverted to a clear blue. The time traveling bees were suddenly locked back into the time stream. The color violet existed again. The air in some parts of the world no longer smelled like burnt butter. The sound trees made when falling in the forest away from civilization when back to being unknowable. Ducks no longer had eight beaks and breathed multicolored grains of sand when sick. Moored boats no longer spontaneously broke in to song if the wind was blowing south. The wind no longer traveled exclusively in a southern direction. The stars no longer formed rude sayings about the gazer’s grandmother. Bears no longer looked like platypuses. Eight hundred years of chaos fell in one moment. It was that moment the world turned back to normal.
It was also that moment that Keep in the Sky began to shake. The stone floor trembled. Torches were shook loose from their wall mountings. With a wailing rumble, the Keep began to descend. Helia and Selena felt themselves lift into the air. Soon they were in freefall. They were jostled around every which way as the Keep plummeted. Selena screamed. Sections of the room began to fracture. Stone bricks came loose letting the sunlight shine through. The sound of the wind whistling picked up. Helia projected a barrier around the two of them. There was a crash, a crash like no other. The world shook and birds flew away from as far as the eye could ever possibly see.
The Keep finally stopped shifting. Helia’s shield spell faded with a soft whistling sound. Dust settled and they climbed out of the rubble. Discord’s statue form was lying on its side, but was otherwise intact. Selena dusted herself off. “What happened?” She asked quietly.
“I think we’ve hit the ground…” Helia climbed up to a nearby window. She stepped out into the sunlight. The castle had crashed somewhere in a wooded area. “Not just any ground….” She dropped down from the windowsill to the forest floor. A few fallen tree branches cracked beneath her hooves. “Mother is buried around here….” Helia said as she started to walk off in the direction of her mother’s grave.
“We landed in the forest where we first met him.” Selena commented, poking her head out of the window. She followed her sister, her wings flapping to make up for her sprained leg. The younger alicorn looked back over her shoulder at the stone castle behind her. “I don’t think the Keep in the Sky will be sailing amongst the clouds anymore. It’s not very fitting of its name.”
“Discord’s magic has been dispelled. I imagine it will not fly ever again.” Helia stopped walking in front of a small stone pedestal. Helia gingerly touched the small monument. “Hello mother. It’s been a while. I’ve cleaned up my mess now.”
Selena leaned against her sister’s side. “I guess it’s over now…. It feels weird. After eight hundred years….”
Helia peered at the top of the grave where a small stone sundial sat. She inspected its shadow position. “Noon….” Helia laughed. “Heh. I guess always had pictured this moment at sundown.”
“Sundown? Why?” Selena craned her neck to look up at her sister as she nuzzled into the elder pony’s neck.
Helia smiled. “The end to the era of chaos.”
Selena chuckled. “Funny. I would have thought sunrise. The beginning of peace and tranquility. Sundown would simply be depressing. The dawn of a new day is much more poetic, I think. What now?”
“We rest. I think we deserve it.”
Princess Luna sighed. “But rest did not come. Once Discord had been imprisoned, the sisters had thought their troubles would be over. The universe has never been kind though. They were oblivious to it at first. Days had passed, but they were not truly days. The sun was held at high noon and the world began to burn. It would be known far and wide as the Everlasting Sun. The air became stale and old. It lingered in the heat and no wind came to provide even the smallest comfort. No cloud hung in the sky and no rain would come. Plants began to shrivel and die. Their green stalks, once full of life, withered to dry, brittle brown stems. Shade became like currency. Those who owned it were the masters of the land and those who didn’t, died. Fires swept across the world, and lakes vanished. It became clear that the era of chaos had ended, and with that end came the era of destruction. The alicorn sisters, unaffected by the change in nature, could do nothing but watch as those around them began to die.”
Helia sat down next to her mother’s grave and stared contemplatively at the sundial that decorated the top. Her fierce eyes were fixated on the stone device. Its gnomon did not cast a shadow. It never had during high noon, and now it had been high noon for weeks. Selena approached her sister and nuzzled against the neck of the elder alicorn. It was the only form of comfort she could offer her sister, but it was a useless gesture. Helia had long since stopped paying attention to the younger alicorn’s presence. Time had stopped for the world. The sun had been slowly burning the land for days. Nights no longer existed and they had not for weeks. It would not be long before all the water in the world would dry up. Then there would be no way to stop the fires that swept through the landscape. She was trying hard not to cry. It was a difficult action to prevent. A few weeks ago the alicorn sisters had expected a glorious celebration for their triumph over chaos. What they found were whole towns of ponies gasping for water and villages bursting into flames. The little creatures begged for Discord to return. At least when he was in power, there was less pain.
Helia muttered something under her breath. Selena’s eyes opened. She had not heard what her sister had said, but she felt the word’s vibration through her sister’s neck. “Yes, sister?” She asked as she looked up inquisitively.
“Bucking Dagr and Nótt, I said.” Helia collapsed on the ground and sobbed. “Worthless spirits; they spend their time mourning over their father while the world burns.”
“What was the result of your discussion with them?” Selena tried to look hopeful but her eyes betrayed her true disposition.
“We have their voices… so they are nonresponsive. But I do not think they will help us. They care not what happens to the world; their only care is for their father.” Helia shook her head. “He hardly ever even acknowledged their presence. They will let the world die in fire, idled by sorrow.”
Selena looked down at the ground, her voice was tiny. “It is not their fault. You are just as much guilty of such an act.”
“It is not the same!” Helia grunted.
“Is it not? Was it so important that we defeated him? How much better have we made the world?”
Helia stood up, letting her sister fall to the ground. She trotted away from the sundial and clenched her jaw. “He was a monster. He deserves his eternal imprisonment.”
“You’re letting your grief speak for you.” Selena looked off into the depths of the forest without a name. She tried hard to peer through the solid trees to see where the Keep in the Sky now lay in ruins. “Perhaps we should free him. It may be the only way to save this world.”
“NO!” The alicorn’s voice echoed and all of the birds left the forest, terrified by the way her voice shook the earth. “Selena! We cannot give up hope now! Not when we have come this far!”
“Sister, we have come nowhere! We have done the unforgivable. They are dying. They are all dying in the name of your liberation. Your vengeance for perceived injustices. The worst part is the power we have. All this power and we can do nothing. And we will live on, won’t we? We’ll live on here in this dead world. This world where the wind no longer blows and the animals are lethargic to the point of dying.”
Helia nodded to herself. Her voice was calmer now, strong with determination. “Do not worry, my sister. I will make sure you don’t have to live in a dying world. We will find a way. We must. They are free now and so are we. We must lead them, Selena.”
“Your leadership is what got us into this mess in the first place. Chaos is better than certain death.”
The elder alicorn turned to the sundial and stamped her hoof. Her mind raced with thoughts. “If we are not strong enough we will become strong enough. We have the elements; we are alicorns! If the sun will not move, I will force it to!”
“Helia, you’re speaking like a madpony. Only Dagr can move the sun.”
“We will see!” Helia focused every ounce of her magic into her horn. She reached out to the burning orb in the sky. She poured her essence into its soul and pleaded for it to move. No, she demanded that it move. She forced her will upon it. But the sun was not to be trifled with. It did not wish to be tamed. Fire danced in the alicorn’s eyes. Helia’s body began to burn. It cried out in pain as the sun retaliated and struggled. Smoke rose from around her. Her insides melted under the heat. Selena watched in horror as her sister’s beautiful pink mane burst into fire. The sun silently screamed and hissed at the alicorn. It shouted lines of loathing into her mind. It clawed at her soul and it kicked at her thoughts. The fire consumed her tail from the tip as it burned away. The sun pleaded Helia to burn with it, to die alongside it. The sun twitched high in the sky, its last action before it perished. Its soul was extinguished and replaced by the alicorn’s own more determined one. In a moment of blinding light and an explosion of sound, Helia’s mane and tail were reborn as a billowing plane of the morning sky. Ponies of all tribes looked to the sky in awe. They rushed to the sundial and bowed before the Alicorn. Helia rose to the sky and spread her wings, her shape eclipsing the power that she had just vanquished. She was in control. “Oh, once great sphere your soul is not your own anymore! Your powers now are mine to command! Your voice and your body. You will bow before the she who controls the heavenly bodies!”
Selena gasped, “What have you done?! You have killed him! You have killed our friend. You may control the brilliant sun, dear troubled sister, but your soul is blacker than night.”
“No, do you not see? My will is unstoppable. I have saved them!” The elder alicorn’s wings eclipsed the horizon as the sun began to set.
“No! You killed him. He was our friend and you killed him!”
“If the spirit was truly our friend he would have helped us when Discord cast this world into turmoil.”
“Sister…. You have acted rashly.” Selena shivered. “And what will happen now? You will raise and lower the sun from here until eternity? You have placed yourself as the world’s keeper, though it did not ask for it. If the inhabitants of this world knew what you’ve done, do you think they would follow you? You have killed a god!”
“Then I shall be born anew. I shall let Helia die and become something greater. Something regal.”
“Like phoenix you killed…. Irony has had no sharper daggers than it does on this day.” Selena sobbed. “What have you done, Helia?”
“No, my dear Selena, I am not Helia anymore than this world is dying! I am the goddess of the golden sun now! I am she who commands the power of life and death itself! The Mistress of Order! I saved the world from chaos and delivered it from fire! I am the harbinger of harmony! I am the subjugator of the celestial world! Yes! I am Celestia, princess of the sun! Savior of the Known World!”
Selena shook her head. “And what of night? What shall you do about the moon? Shall you kill it too? Shall you steal power from our last remaining friend? What right have you to control the entire heavens?!”
“Perhaps you are right.” Celestia nodded thoughtfully. “Not even I should have that much power. Very well we shall from here on in live by a code. A code unbreakable and we shall swear on mother’s grave to uphold it. As soon as you take control of the moon….”
“No! I won’t!”
“You must, or the world will die!” Celestia’s gaze pierced the younger alicorn’s heart. She had never ignored a request from her sister, but now she was asking too much.
Selena felt her stomach turn. “This is wrong. The inhabitants of this world will never accept this.”
“Perhaps you should ask them yourself.” All around unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies bowed in reverence as the sun set behind Celestia. The world began to cool. The ponies cheered and showered her with gifts of gold and silver. “Rest now, my little ponies. For when the sun rises tomorrow, with the first new dawn in weeks, we shall toil until the world is restored! Yes, now the world is ours to command! We rule the clouds! We shall tame the earth to our bidding! We shall create a new world to live in! A world of harmony and order! A world where ponies are in command of their own destiny! It is possible! I have tamed the sun and together we shall tame the earth! Equines from everywhere shall join in my joyous kingdom! We shall call it Equestria! The time of ponydom is now! The time for our utopia is upon us! When the first new dawn breaks, our new age begins!”
Princess Luna inhaled deeply. “And that’s how Equestria was really made.”