//------------------------------// // Remnants // Story: Duskfall // by Celestial Swordsman //------------------------------// Chapter 31 Celestia groaned and forced her eyes open. She was wrapped in wool, and brisk air rushed across her face and foreleg. For a moment her body seemed immobile, though she was aware of a swaying sensation. Something was flapping in the wind. Her groggy mind wondered if the tent had collapsed. Coming to herself, she overcame the tranquilized stiffness and pushed herself up partly, leaning against a wooden panel. A foot from her face the floor dropped off, and a spreading, shadowy landscape rushed out from under its edge. The sky was full of movement, and she understood her situation. She was being transported as part of a flying convoy, with several sky carriages and a detachment of pegasi. She was not alone; a green unicorn sat next to her, straight and stoic. The magician’s muted golden mane and tail flowed behind her as she stared meaningfully into the distance. Celestia considered her own scruffy mane, simply too short to ride the air dramatically. “I shouldn’t even need wind,” she thought, watching the undulating sample next to her. “Oh, great,” she scoffed privately, “Am I really going to have mane envy right now?” She stood up to look around. She scanned the small formation and soon spotted something of real interest ahead. Luna sat with her back turned in one of the leading vehicles. The feelings from the night before rushed to Celestia. If she had enough power in her magic to teleport or in her wings to fly, she would have rushed as quickly to her sister’s side. “Sidayana, take me to the Princess,” she requested eagerly. “She does not wish to be with you,” her chaperone disagreed without deigning to look at her. “You don’t understand, I think she came to me in a dream,” the duskling pleaded. Sidayana countered thoughtfully, “You may dream of another, though the one you desire will not come to you.” She breathed very deeply and for a moment her face flushed with emotion. Celestia glanced between Luna and her magician. She realized the two might be as closely associated as she was with Twilight—perhaps closer without deception in the relationship. “Did you dream about Luna too?” Sidayana’s wistful thoughts were broken and she turned to the questioner with annoyance. “Not Luna,” she denied. “I did speak with her, and she does not wish to be with you. I do not wish to be with you, but she commanded it.” Reminding herself of her duty, she became alert to her surroundings. “She trusted me again. I do not know that I deserve it; last time I failed, and all was lost.” “I’m sure it wasn’t your fault,” the alicorn consoled, though she did not really know. Sidayana looked at her sharply and returned, “I suppose it is not.” “Of course, right, everything is my fault,” Celestia sighed. They were silent for a while. Celestia reconsidered the night in light of her present circumstances. While still in a stupor she had been taken on an urgent errand; it must be to the ancient city that Luna somehow knew of. So it was not a dream. That made more sense, as a conjured vision of Applejack wouldn’t be able to use the real pony’s truth stare. She shifted uncomfortably. “Who were you dreaming about?” she redirected. “Halifax,” the magician stated sorrowfully, “I wish to be with Halifax.” “If we succeed, I’ll make sure this is all over, and then you can find him,” Celestia offered hopefully. “I doubt that,” Sidayana said. “He is dead.” She bowed with grief. “When we failed, he saved me, and now he is dead.” The old ruler understood that this was yet another thing that she would never be able to fix. Suddenly Sidayana’s head snapped up, and, despising her tears, she gazed urgently into the eastern sky. A ribbon of green energy intruded on their view and pursued the carriage. The magician quickly cast a spell on Celestia that cast a piece of her aura out. The gray pony was startled by the feeling that coursed through her, and coughed. The dragonstream followed the magician’s decoy to the northwest and out of sight. Once Celestia’s lungs were bothered she could not help but cough a few more times, painfully expelling the ash that flaked off of her inner tissues. Once the green unicorn was certain she had succeeded, she observed the state of her charge, and commented, “That should not have hurt you. You must indeed be ill.” She signaled another vehicle, and pegasi assisted in transferring the group’s medic to theirs. Redheart, M.D., had been brought on the mission mostly for this purpose, and began to examine her patient and write case notes. Doctor Redheart could not arrive at a purely medical diagnosis. Her excellent bedside manner hid her fears as to the dire nature of the problem. Celestia did not need a doctor to tell her that she was slowly dying. The doctor did give her pills that promised to slow the progress of the strange ailment. Perhaps medical help should have been sought earlier. Mountains rose in the horizon ahead of them. Celestia searched their silhouettes, and saw a group of three peaks that mirrored those she saw in her troubling vision in the magical book. Anticipation was building in her, as was the fear of the unknown. Mysterious forces had dominated her existence recently; she could make sense of neither their nature nor their intentions. They had made it clear that she was supposed to die, but they seemed to spare her for the moment. Was she being brought to this place merely to die in the right way? The book seemed to offer hope, but at a price. She wondered if the vast, unchallengeable presence and the conscious artifact were in agreement. She feared that she might meet one of them there, or worse, encounter herself again. She would have to wait longer to find out; Luna’s ride swung down out of the convoy and landed in a clearing. The rest of the group followed her and circled around to hear the purpose of the delay. The Princess demanded loudly, “We are trying to help Empress Celestia regain her powers. Does anypony object to this?!” All were silent, unsure of her attitude and terrified to answer her honestly. She bristled as if under threat as she continued in her royal voice, “We are saving my sister’s life and giving her back a monopoly on the sun’s life-giving energy. Do you find this wrong and disturbing?” Her soldiers and assistants stared at her, mute at the challenge to their loyalty. She gave herself answer, “I know you think I am fearless, but I tell you the thought of being in her power again frightens me more than death.” “We were briefed, and still we have come with you,” Sidayana assured. She inquired, “Why do you address us like this?” The Princess softened her tone and announced regretfully, “I have just been informed that a great number of your comrades have fallen away. Some of the officers expressed that I cannot be trusted with our situation. They say that I have never cared for my citizens, earth ponies, pegasi, or unicorns. Apparently I only care that alicorns continue to dominate you all; I have tricked you, and now rush to the aid of my ally Celestia so that our race can tyrannize this world forever. They, especially the unicorns among them, thrill to the idea that the Solar Empire is now ruled by a unicorn General, and claim that he will bring liberation. Do any of you believe this?” Her face showed the hurt of this lack of faith. “Have I extorted my citizens and treated them ill? Have I led you into death to profit myself? Have I commanded you to fight for your freedom, while I have lounged indifferently? Have I not joined with you in the perils and hardships of war? Have I suffered no wounds with you?” she asked rhetorically, unable to contain her emotion as her one functional wing stirred on her side. “When we were defeated, I could have abandoned you to save myself. I could forever escape into the night and live on the edges of the world—as if I do not care! Have I not fought against Celestia with all of my strength to protect this land? If I had been cruel, and not good, she would have been content for me to rule under her. Do you think that this General, the ruthless enemy we have been fighting, who was raised up by the Empress for his vicious cunning, will be a better master?” “Now we are forced to rely on my sister to save our world. Do you think I wish this? Do you think her presence does not pain me? She has betrayed me for thousands of years—do you think I am one to trust her unduly? I have no choice in this matter. Remember that I once was not as I am. You are hundreds of years too young to remember the terror of Nightmare Moon. It is difficult to believe, but it is possible for her to be changed as I was. Whether or not this comes to pass, I have chosen to prolong the world, instead of killing us all out of rash vengeance. If any of you disagree, and no longer wish to follow me, I beg that you leave me at once.” No one accepted the invitation to go AWOL. Despite their doubts, they were moved by her impassioned speech. They trusted her all the more knowing that she shared their misgivings. Sidayana declared, “I will follow you,” at the same time that Applejack exclaimed, “Luna, you know we’re with ya!” Pinkie Pie piped in, “Ooh, ooh, me too!” Each pony agreed in turn—except Celestia and four of the wonder friends. Twilight and Rarity gave apologetic looks for their silence. Fluttershy didn’t look. Rainbow Dash observed the scene unaffectedly. When expectant eyes turned to them, Dash just said, “What?” The reluctant civilians and the two Solars were not going to pledge their loyalty to Luna, but everyone knew they were on board. “Thank you, all of you,” Luna said, feeling appreciated again. “We are stopped because one of the mutinous officers transmitted the location of Ruhama to our enemies. Solar forces await us there, so we will wait for reinforcements to take the city. For now we camp here.”