Snow lightly fell on the ground and dotted the surface. It continued to fall ever so slowly as a tall and regal Alicorn trudged through the tiny sheet of snow. It's coat was as white as the snow and a long multicolored mane flowed from her head. She huffed once and a warm fog drifted out of her muzzle and evaporated gradually. At last, she spoke with a gentle voice that still had the hint of enforcement in it.
"Where are those Elements...? I've kept searching for the tree, but I've found nothing. Nothing. Nothing..."
She trailed on the words "Nothing" as she kept walking on. Then, a shadow passed overhead. The Alicorn pointed her head up and caught sight of another Alicorn. This one was a very dark blued coat and posed a mane that was as dark as the night and sparkled as if it contained the stars of the midnight sky.
"Sister, do not fly now. We must conserve energy."
The other Alicorn landed.
"But it would be much easier to spot from the air. At the distance we travel on hoof, we could cover five times as much if we fly."
"The weather is getting worse. I cannot afford you to collapse of exhaustion."
The other Alicorn looked away from her sister, then sighed.
"As you say, Celestia."
The one named "Celestia" nuzzled her sister's cold cheek.
"Thank you Luna."
The two trudged through the snow as they looked left and right for any signs of a so called "tree".
"Sister, why must we find the Elements of Harmony now? There is no danger to Equestria, nor to any of the other lands. It is unnecessary."
"Equestria is in no danger at the moment, but we must do so to protect our weakened kingdom if any grave situation arises."
Luna suddenly stepped in front of her.
"But couldn't the guards handle the situation? Or us ourselves?"
"Luna I-"
Her sentence was cut off by a screech overhead. Immediately, the two galloped towards a nearby tree as a massive shadow loomed over the two. They looked up and a large avian-like creature snarled, apparently looking for the two. Luna whispered to Celestia.
"Why does that thing keep following us?!"
"I don't know...but the legends say that the Being of Death guards the being of life, to stop the greedy from receiving immortality..."
"But we are not those kinds of ponies! Why would it follow us...?"
"Because, even though we do not have greed in our hearts, we are not immortal. And that's a good enough reason for it to track us. Luna, I believe we maybe getting closer to the Being of Life."
Luna looked back and blinked. She nodded and pulled her sister from the snow mound, which had developed around her hooves as the snow fell. Celestia thanked her sister and they began to change their course for a nearby forest. This forest was notorious for its high mortality rate from ponies and guards entering in. Creatures were mutated from plants, minerals, and even from a mixture of surrounding creatures to create massive hulking abominations of nature.
"Everfree Forest.", the sign read.
The two entered through the main passage, only to find themselves feet inside and the avian swooping over the forest, in search of the two. They trudged through the forest and looked left and right to ensure creature's weren't stalking them, and looked up to see if the death bringer wasn't about to descend on them.
"Let's go Luna."
The two proceeded to head into the dark and sun-blotted woods. As they walked along, countless spiders were spinning their homes, which were nearly invisible due to lack to sunlight. Then, a snake slowly slid down a tree and snatched one in its mouth.
"Disgusting.", Celestia muttered to herself.
Luna turned around, "What is so horrid of it? It is just nature. The spider would have done the same to any insect."
"Why do you openly take death, Luna?"
Luna stared at her for a second and stopped walking.
"Sister? Are you afraid of death?"
Celestia paused her travel abruptly.
"Luna. I-"
"Art thou afraid of death, Sister?"
"Luna, you don't have to speak to me in the royal voice."
"Are you...?"
Celestia looked down on the ground, as a lizard skittered past her.
"Yes...but it is not my own death what I am afraid of...it is loosing you..."
Luna hung her mouth open, "Sister..."
A little drop of water pelted the ground, as a tear formed in her eye.
"I don't want to loose you..."
Luna came forward and wrapped her hooves and wings around Celestia. Luna sobbed once and hugged her tighter, as Celestia pulled her in. After nearly two minutes of embrace, Celestia let go.
"Come. We have to find the Tree."
Luna nodded and sniffled.
"Yes sist-"
Out of nowhere, a golden blast erupted in the clearing ahead of the two Princesses and knocked them down to their hooves. Luna stretched her head up and tried to get rid of the horrible ringing in her ears and the blinding white in her eyes. After her pupils adjusted, the fabled Bringer of Death was flapping its wings above and gave its horrible screech.
"YYYYEEEEAAAARRRRGHHHHH!!!"
"Sister! Teleport!", Celestia blurted.
The two's horns glowed and with a flash of light, the Princesses vanished.
--
Celestia had her hoof on her chest to feel it rising and sinking. It was just too close of a call. They could have died. She could have lost Luna, or her life.
"Luna...are you okay...?"
The night-blue alicorn stood up.
"I am fine."
She held her hoof to pull her sister from the ground. Celestia thanked her, but when she looked around, she grew worried.
"I do not know where we are...", as she spoke, the Being of Death flew overhead, circling the forest to kill the potential immortality greeders. After deciding in a direction, they headed off towards it, with every bit of hope as to find the Tree of Life to retrieve the Elements of Harmony. Celestia regained her composure, and trotted forward. They could not waste any more time to find the Elements. Then, out of the corner of Luna's eye, a large deer-like creature was staring at them. What confused Luna was that deer were not native to the Everfree. And this was certainly the oddest looking deer she had seen.
"Sister, look to your left. Now.", as soon as Luna whispered, the creature disappeared.
"What? Is something there?"
"I-I could have sworn that..."
Celestia looked at her.
"I know you must have saw something. Let's go and be extra careful where we tread."
The alicorns walked down the forest further. Then, Celestia and Luna's horn began to radiate with energy.
"Do you feel that sister?", Luna looked around.
"Yes. I do too.", Celestia looked straight ahead.
Then, they reached a small subduction zone in the forest. There was a cave with several shimmering points on the damp wall, which dripped water down in a steady rhythm. Only darkness lay ahead, as the two Princesses, both utilizing an illumination spell, head deeper in. The roars of the Being of Death, grew louder and seemingly much more furious as they evidently got closer to the Tree of Life. Luna shivered as the temperature dropped steadily.
"Don't worry Luna, I believe we are getting closer. We'll be out soon."
Then, their horns' glowing flickered out.
"Huh? Illumination never takes much energy. Why would it go off like that?", Luna questioned as they walked into a large open section of the cave, which made her questioning redundant.
"Wow...it's amazing...", Celestia gasped as thousands of little multicolored crystals adorned the walls and lit up the cavern with many different varieties of colored light.
"It certainly is...", Luna was just as impressed as her elder sister.
The two didn't have time to admire for long. The Being of Death's screeches grew louder and more constant. As if it were...echoing...
"It's in the cavern!", Celestia barely finished her sentence as the red avian shot towards them like a missile and bashed the two Alicorns down. They rolled on the hard and cold surface and gained their senses back as the avian perched itself a set of stalagmites. It bellowed and spoke in a deep and demonic voice.
"You shall know such death in time. Greed for life will not go unpunished."
Luna's horn lit up to teleport, but she realized it was futile. Celestia was still trying to get ahold of the situation, and teleporting would separate the two. Even if they did travel together, going out of the cave would have made the quest pointless, and teleporting deeper would bring them to possibly even more danger.
"Horsefeathers!", Luna shouted and fired a bolt of magic from her horn at the Being of Death. It anticipated it, and amazingly turned pitch black and molded into the wall, completely vanishing. Luna dashed to her sister, and much to Celestia's surprise, snatched her up. She trotted as fast as her hooves could carry her out of the cavern blasting a bolt of magic into the ceiling to send a large section of it down to barricade the exit to the large open cavern.
"Nngh...", Luna grunted as she had run a whole minute blindly into the darkness. She stopped and set Celestia down, who had told her for the past thirty seconds, that she was okay and she could be put down.
"I'm sorry sister...I just had to keep galloping."
"Wait. There's something up ahead."
The two Princesses walked forward to a giant set of stone doors. Carvings etched the door at every spot. In full detail and color, they showed two individuals. One was the Being of Death, obvious to tell from its large arm-like wings and its red color. The other, was resembling a blue deer, with magnificent antlers adorning jewels of all sorts of colors. The two princesses were a little puzzled at what the creature was, until they read the two names etched in the door.
"X E R N E A S"
"Y V E L T A L"
"Luna, the deer is supposed to be the Being of Life.", Celestia whispered.
"It's magnificent...", Luna admired the carvings.
Then, something else caught her eye. There were slash markings on the door. They seemed to be clawing out a green carving of some kind. This was read below the unrecognizable mess:
"Z _ _ A R _ E"
"Zare? What's or who's Zare?", Luna asked. Celestia must have caught the same carvings too, as she knew what she was talking about.
"I do not know."
Then, the doors suddenly collapsed down, ruining a piece of ancient art, at the same time as allowing them to stare at the hexagonal lights that adorned the floor. A single platform was in the middle, with a familiar shape on it. Celestia cleared the dust, and a magnificent blue creature set its beady eyes on the two.
"The Being of Life...", Luna gasped in awe.
The Being of Life gracefully stood still, staring down at the two. After a short pause, it spoke in a much softer voice than its destructive counterpart.
"Why have you come here...?", it's speech echoed in the cavern.
"We have come for the Elememts of Harmony. Specifically, the Tree of Harmony.", Celestia answered, though there was a tone of shakiness in her voice, as she was in front of the one who gave life to every living being in Equestria. Then, Xerneas tapped its foot.
"The Tree of Harmony is out of your grasp, Alicorns. I know immortality is on your minds. I am rather surprised that Yveltal has not killed both of you yet.", Xerneas replied.
"He need the Elements of Harmony to defend our kingdom should it fall into danger! If we receive the Elements, we will gain immortality, wether we like it or not! Being of Life! Please heed us!", Luna shouted.
Then, a rumbling echoed in the cave. Luna knew what that meant. Yveltal had broken through the barricade she made. In no time, Yevltal had entered the cavern and smashed both of the princesses to the wall with its gigantic wing. It landed next to Xerneas.
"Alicorns. Such greed for life you all posses. I shall enjoy it when your species are destroyed.", Yveltal began to glow with golden energy.
"As will I.", Xerneas's horns lit up and a pink and white sphere of energy began to grow on them.
Celestia and Luna could only watch their horrible fate come to them...
"ENOUGH!"
Xerneas and Yveltal's attack stopped. The Princesses tilted their heads up. Entering the chamber, was some sort of multi-eyed green and black snake-like creature, sporting a frill on its neck.
"Alicorns. What are they doing here?", the creature demanded to Xerneas and Yveltal.
"They have come for immortality. They wish to live forever and watch everything else wither and die as they continue to stay young.", Xerneas replied.
"As I have seen thousands come in here, all wishing the same thing", the snake approached the two, "What makes you two so different?"
Celestia and Luna stared at the snake, until the elder sister broke the silence.
"We wish to acquire the Elements of Harmony, should our kingdom be put into jeopardy.", Celestia panted.
The snake looked at the two.
"I see. You two are the Princesses that currently rule Equestria. Celestia, and Luna, if I am not mistaken."
"No, thou are not.", Luna nodded.
"I see. I am Zygarde. The Being of Balance. I used to control both life and death, before Lord Arceus had given me a blessing.
Xerneas and Yveltal looked back.
"A blessing? I never knew of such a thing, Zygarde.", Yveltal answered back.
"You two are my blessings. Though you two were created by the Lord to ease much of the burden off of me, it was implied, that I were to raise you two. As my own kind."
The entire cavern was filled in silence.
"I...had no idea.", Xerneas said shakingly.
"Zygarde...now I know. You treated both of us like a father.", Yveltal muttered.
Celestia and Luna watched the scene, taking in the warm feeling of the situation.
"Me and my little sister know the same. We are both of the same blood.", Celestia smiled at Zygarde. Then, her smile was wiped off as Zygarde amazingly slithered from its spot, faster than any pegasus could fly, and stood before both of the Princesses.
"Celestia and Luna. If you truly desire the Elements of Harmony, and immortality, then I shall give both of you a challenge."
"Anything.", Luna answered swiftly.
"Best my children in battle. Fight Xerneas and Yevltal until they yield. Then, I shall judge your hearts and see if you are truly deserving of your prize.", Zygarde spoke firmly.
Celestia and Luna however, were just getting over their state of shock. They were to fight the very beings that granted life and reaped death. They looked at the two, who were stepping/hovering forward.
"I am up for the task.", they both said that the same time.
Before Celestia could speak, Luna's wings unfolded, flapped once to get her airborne, and smashed a high-powered bolt of energy into Yveltal, sending it crashing down.
"Good thinking sister.", Celestia thought. But her thought was short lived. Yveltal had recovered quickly and roared.
"BATTLE. BEGIN.", Zygarde barked.
Xerneas immediatly charged a sphere attack from its horns and launched the pink and white ball of energy at Luna. In response, she gained altitude and dodged the attack. The sphere smashed into the wall behind her sending bits of stone everywhere. Out of the dust, Yveltal barreled forward and bashed her down. Celestia got into the fight by flying up, and launching a huge beam of magic at Yveltal. The Being of Death responded by rolling to the left and falling back towards Xerneas.
Now, the crystals adorning the walls began to slide out of position and float towards Xerneas. It was beginning to absorb them. Magnificent beams of light shot out of Xerneas as it charged up for some sort of attack.
"Luna! Stop Xerneas!", Celestia called out. Luna fired a shot of magic from her horn, but before it struck its target, Yveltal flew in front and took the hit, blasting it into the wall. Celestia charged her own shot, but Yveltal took to the air, and spread its wings. A giant gale of wind blasted out of nowhere, sending the two Princesses in a cyclone that continuously bashed and grinded them against the walls. The two Princesses yelped in pain as they fell down after the wind had subsided. Yveltal looked back at Xerneas, who had finished charging. It's crystals now glowed with much more intensity than before, and Celestia and Luna felt the energy surging around it.
"Grrraaaahhh!", Xerneas bellowed as another sphere of energy, this time much larger and obviously more deadly assembled on its horns, and shot forward, exploding the ground as it traveled. The Princesses sensed the danger and teleported out of harms way as the sphere collided against the wall, blasting out even more chunks of rock. The two sisters appeared behind Xerneas, and fired a rapid succession of magic bolts. Surprisingly, Xerneas dashed out of the way, having increased speed from its charge.
"What the-", Celestia didn't even finish her sentence as Yveltal came above her, held its wings out, formed a sphere as black as the night, and fired out a giant pitch black beam that impacted in front of her and followed her, blasting apart the surface and creating a long and winding trench. Celestia barely dodged to the side and shot a powerful lightning spell at Yveltal. The spell impacted and sent voltage coursing throughout The Being of Death.
"Veeerrrraaahhhhh!!!", Yveltal screeched as it was sent down to the ground. Celestia now focused on Xerneas, who was firing more sphere of intense energy at Luna, who was trying frantically to dodge the onslaught. The elder Alicorn galloped towards the Being of Life, charging up a massive surge of energy in her horn as she drew near. Celestia sprang up, and brought her horn down on Xerneas, who now realized too late what was happening. The built up magic transfered out of the horn, and sent a directional explosion at Xerneas. The magnificent creature was sent flying into the wall. Luna looked back and smiled briefly at her sister.
"Thank you Celestia."
"Luna! Behind you!"
"What-", Luna was interrupted as Yveltal held its wings out again and fired the black beam at her. The attack connected and blasted Luna away from Celestia. As the beam struck, another beam shot out of Luna and hit Yveltal, which healed most of its wounds. Luna had her health drained.
Celestia looked back at Luna, who was struggling to get up after the massive attack. Celestia blasted Yveltal again, who couldn't dodge as it was still healing. It was knocked back, but not far. Then, a surge of energy collided with Celestia's back and blasted her forward. Xerneas was standing behind her with its horns glowing.
"Yveltal. You're hurt.", It said as a ring shot out of Xerneas's horns and hit Yveltal. It's wounds healed fully. Celestia got to her hooves and looked up. Xerneas and Yveltal were approaching her. Xerneas then began to charge itself again, more jewels sliding out from the walls and fixating themselves to hits horns.
Yveltal began to glow in a super harsh golden light, sending the energy to its wings. Celestia struggled to get up or teleport, but she was too damaged and exhausted. Her eyes grew wide at the approaching doom. Xerneas finished charging and fired another sphere of energy, this time tripling its size from the previous ones fired before and significantly increasing its power from the others. Yveltal let loose a golden barrage of energy in the shape of its wings that sped and clawed itself towards Celestia. The two attack converged and spiraled around each other, filling the entire cavern with harsh light.
"I've failed...", Celestia muttered to herself as she could not get away in time.
The explosion imploded, and then exploded sending every loose rock on the ground flying into the walls, jostling the cavern, and producing such a screeching noise that Celestia was deafened with ringing in her ears. The attack had finished, but Celestia hadn't felt any more pain then what she was feeling before. The horrible truth dawned on her, that Luna was in between her and her attackers, holding her hooves out, standing up, and unmoving. Then, she collapsed on the ground, and laid perfectly still, smoke coming off of her chest.
"Luna...", Celestia said her name to her sister, hoping with all of her heart that she would respond.
"Luna...?", her sister didn't respond. Her chest hadn't moved after she had fallen.
"Luna...", she collapsed to the floor, shutting her eyes tight and allowing a tear to fall to the floor. Xerneas and Yveltal watched the scene, unblinking.
...
Then, it happened.
Stop Music
The tear that Celestia had let go instantly burst into a little fire and disappeared. Her once gorgeous mane had burst into a roaring inferno. Her eyes became orange and had a spark in her pupils. A helmet to let her flaming mane loose appeared on her, her hooves were encased in fire, and her teeth bare into fangs. She stamped her hoof, spread her wings, and roared.
"I AM BLAZING SUN! YOU WILL PAY FOR KILLING MY SISTER!", she took to the air and fired a red beam from her horn. Xerneas and Yveltal dodged the bast and it impacted the wall. The now transformed Celestia steered the Beam towards any of the two, and as the beam seared across the wall of the cavern, flames erupted from the cracks. Zygarde watched the scene and thought to itself.
"Such desire for vengeance...", Zygarde said to itself.
"But her hatred is fueled from other's death. Not her own."
Zygarde looked over towards Luna.
"She sacrificed herself for her elder sister, instead of allowing herself to live.
Zygarde came to a verdict.
"The two show signs that immortality greedy ponies do not. They regard other's lives, before their own. They truly deserve the Elements of Harmony, as well as the ability to remain young forever."
At the same time, Xerneas tried to frantically dodge the jets of incineration and heal Yveltal whenever it was struck. Yveltal tried to blast Celestia with another black beam from its wings, but Celestia shot the beam with her own. The two collided, and Yveltal's was forced back. The beam struck it and blew it from the air.
"Yveltal!", Xerneas called out, but was unaware to Celestia diving for it from the air. When it turned around, Celestia's horn, glowing red and fire crackling off of it, was barely touching Xerneas's nose. Xerneas just stared at it for less than a second before a giant inferno blasted out and sent Xerneas against the stony and crystal filled wall. It slid down and looked up at Celestia, who was approaching it, horn flaming for another attack. Xerneas was out of options. Then, Yveltal flew up and blasted Celestia with its golden wing attack. The golden aura sent Celestia away from Xerneas, but it didn't phase her for long. Celestia was getting ready to grill both of them alive.
"This is for my sister!", she snarled as an enormous sphere of fire grew on her horn.
"Enough!", Zygarde suddenly slammed into Celestia, sending her attack into the ceiling, causing flaming rocks to rain down from the roof to the floor. Celestia snarled and fired a beam of incineration at Zygarde, who moved at incredible speeds and dodged the ray. Zygarde suddenly appeared behind her and fired a multicolored ray at her, which burst all over Celestia and caused her to back away. Zygarde's speed got it around the enraged Princess and it stuck its tail into the ground. Suddenly, the cavern began to shake and stone pillars began to burst out of the ground, traveling towards Celestia. She couldn't recover in time and was repeatedly punched and blasted by the pillars. Zygarde's last attack, it suddenly became encased in draconic fire, and it smashed itself into Celestia. Zygarde went around and bashed her again, sending her into the wall. At last, one more bash stopped Celestia in her tracks. She fell out of the wall, and reverted to her original form. Her teeth were put to normal, her mane fell to her rainbow colors, and her helmet disappeared.
Stop music
"Ugh...", Celestia groaned. She looked at Xerneas and Yveltal, who were barely able to stand up.
"I...did this...", Celestia collapsed to her knees. She had failed. Zygarde would never allow such a rage-filled individual to acquire the Elements, nor immortality.
"Celestia. I never knew you had such power stored inside of you.", Zygarde slithered over and stood over her.
"I'm so sorry...I've failed...myself and my sister...", she remembered of Luna's death and a tear slid down her cheek.
Zygarde wiped the tear with its tail.
"No. You have not failed. Seeing that your rage is formed around other's deaths, it is passion. Passion that no greed filled ponies possess. If you use your heated passion for the benefit of everything else, putting your desires last, then you are deserving of immortality. More than deserving.", Zygarde spoke. Xerneas and Yveltal had joined next to Zygarde.
"From all the ponies that have tried to reach immortality, we have seen so many. Maybe we believed that there were non different than before. You and your sister have proved us wrong."
"But...Luna is gone...", Celestia cried out.
"She's dead! She died trying to protect me!", Celestia finished her sentence, as Zygarde pointed its tail at Luna. Immediatly, Xerneas and Yveltal spoke.
"It has been a blessing to be by you.", Xerneas stepped towards Luna.
"As has it been for me.", Yveltal flew over Luna.
What they did next will shock Celestia for every year she will live through.
Xerneas's crystals on its horns unhitched and floated towards Luna. As every crystal was removed, Xerneas flinched in pain. More and more were removed, and Xerneas was on its knees as its last crystal was removed. The gems floated around Luna and filled her body with colored light.
Yveltal fired its beam, but instead, struck itself. The Being of Death screeched in pain as its own life was transferred to Luna's body. Yveltal's glow began to fall dimmer as its life was running out. Soon, the beam ended, and Yveltal was barely airborne.
The crystals circled around Luna, and the life energy entered her. Zygarde slid forward and touched the tip of its tail on Luna's chest. Light filled the caver as Luna's ear twitched. She opened her eyes slowly, and breathing just so.
"Nnngh...", Luna looked around the cavern, then collapsed again.
"She will wake up in time.', Zygarde spoke.
Celestia's eyes were still wide as she saw Xerneas and Yveltal struggling to stay alive.
"You...brought her back...", Celestia said.
Then, Yveltal hovered in the middle of the room, and folded its wings in. A white aura encased it, and where yveltal once stood, a white cocoon was floating in the air. Xerneas approached the cocoon, and closed its eyes. Again, a white aura enveloped the two, and a large tree formed over Yveltal's cocoon. One by one, the Elements of Harmony appeared on the tree. Laughter, Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, and Loyalty. The middle of the tree opened, and revieled the cocoon. The shell gave way, and the final Element, Magic was resting inside.
"The Elements...", Celestia muttered.
"You may come for them any time.", Zygarde spoke.
Then, a white beam shot out of the tree and hit Celestia and Luna. They were suddenly filled with some sort of odd energy.
"What happened to us?!", Celestia exclaimed.
"Your immortality has bestowed on you. You will remain forever young and prosperous."
"But...what about Xerneas and Yveltal?"
"They're currently in their Resolute forms. It will take several thousand years for them to gain enough energy to appear again. In the meantime, I shall maintain the duties of death and life. A few thousand years is not a long time.
Celestia's mouth hung open.
"I don't know what to say..."
"You don't have to say anything. Go now."
Celestia nodded.
"Goodbye Zygarde."
"Farewell, Princesses."
Celestia teleported Luna out of the cave.
--
Luna awoke to a small warm and wet towel on her forehead.
"Sister?", right as she said it, the very subject appeared before her.
"I see you're awake.", Celestia smiled and nuzzled her sister's cheek.
"The Elements of Harmony! Did you achieve them?", Luna asked.
"Yes. But that doesn't matter right now. You're alive, and that's what matters."
Celestia nuzzled her sister again, who smiled up at her. Then, a little drop of water hit Luna's forehead. Celestia looked at it for a second. It was a little bit of an odd color to be water. Celestia and Luna heard the sound of raining outside. The two got up and opened the door to their balcony. Instantly, they were showered in chocolate milk.
They both shouted at the same time: "DISCORD!"