//------------------------------// // Chapter 33 - Farewell to the Star // Story: The Darkness among the Stars // by Haseo //------------------------------// Chapter 33 - Farewell to the Star Countless Ponies had gathered around the graveyard of Ponyville, far off the village limits. Both Princesses showed up and brought a newly crafted statue with them. Many of the attending ponies were former soldiers of the Nightmare Legion that survived the clash against the Leyfeeder. They wore a simple black coats in honour of their Captain. The Princesses waited in front of the marvellous statue and the ponies finally gathered around them. Every other pony was wearing something black as well, even if it was only a black collar. Princess Celestia let her eyes wander through the lines of ponies. The former Elements of Harmony were neatly standing at both sides of the Princess. “My faithful subjects. Today, I'm speaking to you in sadness. Recently, Equestria stood at the edge of downfall, but a single stallion saved every single life form in this world. Unfortunately, Soul Tearer paid for his deeds with his very own life. He was a traveller of time and space that spent his entire life fighting for royalty and everypony in Equestria. Now time has finally taken it’s tribute and ripped him away from us. Many of you didn't even know about his existence, but he was well aware of yours. Let’s rest in a moment of silence for our burned up saviour and the soldiers that had fallen in battle alongside him. “ The ponies closed their eyes. Through Applejack's mind flashed the pictures of Soul's farewell. The silhouette of a purely white mare nodded in Soul's direction and turned around with him. They passed the wall of light and disappeared from the face of Equestria. The moment before they walked through the gate, he looked one final time around and looked Applejack directly into her green eyes, a tear rolled down his cheek and hit the ground the moment the gate closed fully. Only the plain boulder was left behind. The gust stopped and the singing of birds returned to the formerly so wicked place. For minutes she just stared at the white stone wall. The three of them left alone. Applejack's eyes flickered open. The eyes of her friends were still closed, she turned around and faced the great statue. Its base was decorated with the symbols of the Elements of Harmony. Every single one was carved into the stone to remember the reason for his deeds. Her gaze strived higher, and she watched the beautiful replica of Soul standing above everypony. The statue was crafted after the image on the window in the old castle of the Princesses. It was such a proud and determined expression in his face, immortalized in stone. Her attention snapped back to the Princess of the sun when she cleared her throat. “Soul Tearer will be forever in our hearts. This heroic day won't be forgotten, and this day won't be forgotten for another reason. In the same breath, I want to proclaim that I will step down from the throne and leave the honour to rule over Equestria to my little sister, Princess Luna.” The ponies began to whisper to each other. Twilight stepped out of the line and almost broke out in tears. “Princess? What does that mean? You can't just step down!” Princess Celestia stroked through the mane of her student and offered her a motherly smile. “It was Soul's last wish to have Luna in charge and I will give him this deed. I will travel around the world and gather new knowledge and new friends. Someday, I will return and will see to what glory my sister has led Equestria to.” Tears ran down Princess Luna's face. “Sister… you…” Princess Celestia stopped her sister with her hoof and shook her head. “No words are needed, sister. I'm more than fond of it. I am convinced that you will be a good ruler.” Princess Luna threw herself into the hooves of her older sister. Nevertheless, it was her duty to speak to her subjects. She released her grip upon her sister and faced the confused crowd. “My dear subjects, I will gladly accept the throne of Equestria like Soul had wished for. My child has fallen for the sake of ours, so this day shall be remembered as the day Equestria was healed from the madness itself. Keep him inside of your hearts and praise his name. Soul Tearer, saviour of Time and Space!” The crowd clapped with their hooves and began to slowly disappear until only Applejack, her friends, and the Princesses were left. Twilight distanced herself from the others and sat lonely far behind the statue staring into the Everfree Forest. Her friends shot her concerned looks. Fluttershy hovered mere inches over the ground and hid behind her long wavy mane. “Don't you think she seems to be a little more dull than usual? I mean, she never was a super-cheerful pony, but she was happy, and now she seems to be all gloomy...” Their eyes were all pointed at Twilight. Rarity drew random circles in the ground beneath her and sighed. “Maybe something happened before the Princess sent her home as well. She didn't speak about their encounter with Nightmare Moon in front of this disastrous Demon's Run” Applejack gulped at the mentioning of the battle. They still didn't know about Twilight's accident. Pinkie went far off their group and sat in front of the statue. Rainbow Dash hovered over to her and laid a supporting hoof upon Pinkie's shoulder. “Don't be sad, it is always hard to lose a friend, Pinkie.” The mane of Pinkie hung flat from her head and reached to the ground. “It is not only that he left us. He promised me that we would dance again! Why did he not return and keep his promise?” Rainbow stroked the shoulder of her best friend and sighed. “He promised to fly with me again, but I'm not sad and do you know why? Because were able to share a few moments together with him.” Pinkie lifted her head and gave Rainbow a weak smile. Rainbow responded with an awkward grin and whispered into Pinkie's ear. “Hey, but don't tell anypony that I was all sappy and so on.” The pink mare hugged her multi-coloured friend and didn't let go of her. Applejack watched her friends suffer. “Everypony misses him, maybe it will be the best when we all go home and talk about it when the right time has come.” Her friends nodded and began to walk off the graveyard. Applejack halted and looked at the statue. “Don't wait for meh, Ah just need to talk to him alone.” Applejack remained alone in front of the statue. Her friends walked down the dusty road and didn't turn around. She settled down and stared up to the sky above Soul's monument. “Ya knew it all along, didn't ya? Ya smiled at him all the time. It didn't matter how bad it seemed, ya always smiled. From the very beginning, ya knew that ya had to die. Is this the reason ya kept meh away from ya?” Her watch remained onto the wonderful blue sky, a shooting star strived above her. Even in the brightness of the day the star was well visible. “Ah will never forget ya.” Applejack brought her foal-hood plushy along and pressed it tightly against her chest. Princess Luna laid her hoof on her shoulder but didn't look at her. She watched her sister sitting next to Twilight. “My faithful student, I won't be gone for a long time. I promise you that I we will see each other again very soon.” Twilight's tears ran frankly to the ground. “Why do you leave me now? I've lost so much, and now you want me to suffer even more?” The Princess couldn't bear the sight of her student crying anymore. “In order to grow I can't patronize you your entire life. Please forgive me, Twilight.” Princess Celestia's horn ignited and she erased herself from existence. Before Twilight realized she was all alone, she pressed her eyes tightly together and pressed even the most hidden tears outside. Far above the clouds, the Princess watched her student cry. “Grow my little unicorn. Grow into the mare you are meant to be. Let the bitterness inside your heart and feed on your sorrow. You will be strong, my little puppet… very strong.” Twilight's very last tear met the ground. Her eyes shot open and glimmered in a dangerous reddish brilliance. “I am the sin, and the temptation, and the desire, and the pain, and the loss. My army and I will rise from the pit of hell to make war against God. My legion shall be many, and my legion shall be free. I have woven myself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time. My name is Twilight Sparkle and I will destroy everything around me.