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// Prolouge: A Reign of Peace 
// Story: Heralds of a New Age 
// by baldraug666 
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	The day, as it had for thousands of millenia now, dawned beautifully and calmly. The Princess of the Sun, Celestia, was doing her job with the usual aplomb. The great and beautiful sun rose as gracefully and regal as the pony who was raising it.

Another day. Another tiny span of time, in a microscopic country, on an infinitesimally diminutive world in the great vastness that is the universe. A day, compared to Geologic, or even Universal Time, barely exists. But to those living the day, the day is one of the most important things that exist. So even small things can have a massive importance to some.





Twilight Sparkle woke to the day's dawning light. She slowly crept from her bed, and shuffled towards the window whose blinds were letting the feeble sunlight in. Twilight magicked the blinds up, slowly as to not blind her sensitive eyes. She looked out East, towards the gargantuan star climbing slowly and steadily up beyond the mountain range at the far corner of her vision.

“And a good morning to you too, Celestia." Twilight mumbled to herself. She ruffled her wings, stretching one of them out from sleeping on it all night. She slowly trotted over to a mirror adorning one of the walls on the upper floor of her home, the Ponyville Municipal Library.

She gazed at her reflection. She was old. Her prime had come and went long ago. Her once beautiful and flowing purple and pink mane was now entirely a dull grey. Her face was lined and creased with wrinkles, her gums barren of teeth. Looking at her quickly would have revealed an ancient mare, worn out from her many long years on this planet. But had the observer taken care to look at her eyes, beyond the slow build of a milky cataract, had they stared deep into her very soul, they would have seen the same fiery spirit, the same brilliance and youthful vigour that had saved Equestria time and time again.

But they would have also seen that flame was dying.

Twilight began her daily morning routine. Her obsessive compulsion had certainley not faded with old age. She telekenetically placed her dentures into her mouth, and rinsed out the unpleasant taste of denture cleaner with a tall glass of water. She descended the staircase slowly. That morning energy she once had had long since passed. Every day she found she was just a bit more taxed by these simple steps, and dreaded the day she couldn't get down. Teleportation was out of the question, her more advanced magicks having long ago deserted her. She finally hit the first floor landing. There her little baby dragon lay sleeping. His chest heaving with each breath.

She chided herself momentarily. “He's not a baby anymore." He lay in a circle, encompassing almost the entire room with his bulk. She looked over at the door, noting that it may soon have to be enlarged again. For the fifth time. She stepped out into the crisp dawn air. She took her morning walk, stopping to pick some flowers for Applejack and Rarity. She continued her slow trek towards the now mostly run down Church of the Sun and Moon. She walked around the side, her hooves soothed by the cool morning dew. She opened a small wrought iron gate, and stepped inside, gently bucking it closed. She walked forward, and up a small hill. She reached the top, and sat down winded.

“Good morning, girls." She said. “It's another beautiful day." She scooped up two wilting flowers with her magic, and replaced them with the ones she picked earlier. She took a small step back, and looked at the two tombstones at her hooves.

The first read, “Here lies Applejack, Bearer of the Element of Honesty. A hard worker and beloved." The one next to it was Rarity's. Her epiphet was much the same, marking her as the Bearer of Generosity and brilliant designer.

Twilight spoke up again, “Pinkie Pie was hospitalized again on Tuesday. She threw out her hip at Pound Cake's daughter's wedding. She'll be alright, though." Twilight laughed softly. “Nearly all of Ponyville panicked when it happened. I think Pinkie is just now realizing how old she is - how old all of us are." Twilight got to her hooves. Her aged joints creaking in protest. “I will see you two tomorrow, then." She tottered back down the hill and through the rows of graves, and began the return journey home.