Solarium, Capital of the Solar Kingdom, built upon the ruins of the ancient city of Canterlot.
‘Ancient? It has not been so long since my youth... has it?’
The old unicorn chuckled to himself, tossing his salt and peppered mane from his eyes. He glanced around at his surroundings. He stood in the middle of the Hall of Legends. ‘I have no clue why they do not rename this. It is... so cliche...’
He strode forward, down the corridor in front of him. The place was well kept, he always made sure of that. Murals of varying sizes lined the walls at a set interval. Each one depicting a scene or figure in some heroic pose. He passed the first one, stopping to give it an idle look to make sure the mural was in pristine condition. This one depicted six ponies blasting a beam of multi-colored magic at the twisted figure of Nightmare Moon. ‘The heroic elements of harmony. Outshining the other heroes of Equis.’ The stallion snorted stomping his armored hoof in a mild form of annoyance before continuing to the next one.
The second mural displayed a draconequus, standing threateningly over Equestria with demons flowing from the portal he had opened onto the land. He frowned at the six ponies, again blasting multicolored magic to best the draconequus and his legions. The aging unicorn frowned and glanced at the inscription beneath;
‘B.F. (Before the Fall of Canterlot) 4 Discord’s Invasion and defeat.’
“And again, you six outshone the armies that gave their lives."
He moved to the next one; it showed ten ponies kneeling before the princesses, Celestia and Luna. Five bore silver and gold armor, and were arranged in a semicircle around Celestia. The other five were arranged in a crescent around Luna, their armor as black as the night. Under the mural stood a description.
‘B.F. 4 (Before the Fall Canterlot) The Founding of the Paladins of Solar and the Nova Eclipsed.’
The aging unicorn smiled lightly to himself, his war torn silver armor gleamed, the gold trim still sparkling like slivers of sunlight where it still remained. ‘A hundred and fifty years ago....’
He turned from the mural and continued his march down the corridor. He passed many murals each depicting another year of significance or heroic event. The pony had stopped taking time at each mural,, simply reading their description and passing them.
B.F. 3 The Nova Eclipsed fall from the public eye.
B.F. 2 Celestia and Luna split Old Equestria in half, creating two Royal Courts one each in the north and south.
Coming to stop at the base of one of the largest murals in the hallway, he read the description outloud.
“Year 0. Sombra returns from the Shadowlands, formerly the Crystal Empire, with a massive legion of the walking dead. He sacks Canterlot, and Princess Celestia challenges him in single combat. She fails.”
A pair of tiny hoofsteps echoed down the hall behind him coming to stop short of him as he finished his reading. “But... The month after, the paladins discovered that prayer to Celestia gave them more powerful solar magic, right, Keeper Argent Scroll?” A small voice said behind him.
Argent Scroll turned, a small and pleasant smile on his face. “Indeed. I see your history lessons are going well, Star Twirl.” He spoke to one of the fillies, a apple green unicorn, who had snuck up on him.
A huff annoyance and a roll of the eyes was the response of the other filly, a cyan pegasus with a white mane. Scroll smirked, “And how are your history lessons going, Little Comet?”
Comet snorted. “Bad. But, it isn’t my fault! The instructor can’t teach worth a salt lick!”
Star Twirl rolled her eyes. “We have the same instructor. How do I ace the tests and you sit there beating your muzzle shape into the desk?”
Comet rubbed his hoof behind his head. “Yea... well... He just gives us the facts... It isn't interesting right now, it is just about the undead wars or whatever. I want to hear about the Element bearers!"
The Old Keeper frowned deeply, agitation flashing across his features before fading. He tapped his armored hoof to his muzzle. “Hrm... Isn't your instructor Keeper Silent Scroll?”
The two fillies nodded, Star replying. “Yea! He does History and Astronomy, but he doesn’t really seem interested that much in history.. I ended up checking out an old book from the royal library. I had to get Mom to let me, though. Keeper Fireblade wouldn’t let me otherwise.”
The old unicorn quirked an eyebrow inquisitively. “Oh? That is odd. Though, I would hope your mother doesn't abuse her position as Steward of the Throne... Hrm...” He gazed off into the distance, his eyes glazing over as his mind flew off.
After a few moments, Star twirl tapped her little hoof on his chest piece. “Keeper Argent Scroll?”
The old stallion blinked and looked down at the young filly. “Ah... sorry. I went off in thought. What book was it that you checked out? Is it in your saddlebag there?” He gestured towards Star Twirl’s saddle bags.
Comet rolled his eyes and wandered off as Star Twirl pulled an aged and tattered white tome out of her saddlebags, her green aura covering it as she levitated it over to Scroll. “Yes, I still have it, I have to turn it back in later today though.” Star huffed, “I’m not even halfway done...”
Argent Scroll’s horn lit up in its silver aura. “May I?” He raised a questioning eyebrow at Star, the little filly nodded and released her magical grip just as the old stallion took control of it with his own magic levitating it close to his face so he could read it. “The Fallen Kingdom Chronicles...” He narrowed his eyes. “Did you scratch out the author?” He moved the book aside giving the little filly in front of him a harsh glare.
Star Twirl’s eyes went wide. “W-what?! N-no! I showed Keeper Fireblade the second I saw it! He said it was done by the author himself wh-when it was wr-written!”
He frowned and looked back to the book. His expression softened and nodded. “Right... They keep good records of everything done to their books and tomes in the Royal Library.... They would remember why he did it...” He looked off in the distance again, about to fall into his thoughts before Comet’s voice reached his ears.
“Keeper Argent Scroll! What is this one about? I don't remember this in the history book.”
Scroll turned, levitating the book back to Star Twirl, he walked over to the mural Comet had stood in front of. The mural, unlike the others showed a white unicorn stallion with a blazing red mane, standing on a wooden palisade and looking out at a sea of corpses. He stepped forward and placed an armored hoof gently on the mural. He smiled sadly, “This... This is a picture of Zeal. One of the Heroes of Equestria.” He turned to the two children. “Would you two like to hear a story? It will certainly be more interesting than any of Silent Scroll’s text books, and I think you will even learn more then that tome will tell, Star Twirl.”
The two small ponies’ looked to each other before nodding slowly. “Sure! I don’t have anything for a few hours... And I would love a story!” Star Twirl piqued, sitting her flank down where she was.
Comet kicked a hoof idly before sitting himself. “Well, as long as it is awesome and interesting.”
Argent smiled and sat down with the other two. “Let us see... We shall start with the mural here. For, while it only shows Zeal, it is the beginning of a quest that placed your great grandparents, Shining Armor and Cadence as the Stewards of Celestia’s throne...” He tapped his chin with an armored hoof. “Let me see... how did it begin... Ah! Now I remember...”
“The rain drizzled on the palisade walls of Barrier.....”