The dark colored alicorn gave a proud sigh as she completed her ritual and slowly lowered herself back down to the ground, with her eyes closed. Contrary to outward appearance, moving the celestial sphere was a rather taxing task, one not aided by the fact that she actually had to move it, unlike her sister that merely spun the planet round on its axis. It took two good shoves each day for both Equis and its moon, and she was the only one that handled the moon. At least she helped with spinning the planet… The mare quipped, landing on her hooves with a small thud. She wasn’t used to landing on stone.
The gardens were especially beautiful in the evening, the way her moonlight danced about the rose petals, and glimmered off of the water in the stream and pond. As such, she spent many hours walking the grounds in the few hours before and after the moon’s rising. However, this evening, she thought heard her sister from afar and it almost sounded like she was talking to…Discord? Approaching quietly, their whispers ceased and she soon found herself alone, before the imprisoned spirit of chaos. Though his eyes could not move, the lunar-princess could not help but feel his ethereal gaze upon her.
“What were you and my sister discussing?” The mare said in an aggressive tone, there was a part of her that wished that her sister had focused the elements of harmony on him in such a way that he would’ve been gone for good…
“I wasn’t speaking to anyone…” Discord said dismissively.
She glared at him suspiciously, her eyes full of contempt and mistrust. However, before she could question him further a heavily-armored stallion rumbled to a halt not but a few paces from herself.
“Princess?” The soldier called her name eagerly, waiting for her to turn around before continuing, “Princess, word spreads that Dominus walks!”
The mare’s teal eyes widened in shock, before she wheeled upon him dramatically, “What did you just say, earthbound?”
The pony hesitantly nodded, “Indomite is amongst the living.” He repeated in simpler terms.
* * *
The taller, white alicorn stood before the marble plinth where Indomite’s corpse had lay that morning. It was a morbid thing to think that someone would steal the regal body of the fallen king, but the alternative was too outrageous to believe. It made her wings twitch at the thought of theft. Already her mind was creating a plan to punish those responsible…
Sister, have you heard?
Turning about at the sound of her sister’s mind, the white mare regarded her darker sister for the briefest moment - teal eyes speaking to violet, and vise versa.
Yes, that the body is missing and it-
No, sister, I just spoke to a pony that said he walks!
The white mare snorted in equal parts surprise and disbelief.
These creatures are more deceitful than I had initially believed them capable…
What if it’s true?
Both stood silent a moment, before the white sister had a response.
Then we call out to him.
With that decided, the two turned and left the depressing, makeshift mortuary.
* * *
Once Curans and myself reentered the walls of Solstice Hold proper, I slowed my pace. A part of it was that I really had no idea as to where the pair of mares would be, though I could always flag down one of the Miletas and have him seek them out for me. That would be the easiest solution. Though, there was apart of me that was ever so afraid. In all my life I had never met another of my kin. What were the mares and stallions of my tribe like? Were they wise and sagely, brash and brave, foolish? Were they considered royalty by their own ponies? Or were they merely commoners, without the weight of a crown? ...More importantly, what would they think of me now? Would they even recognize me for what I am? I knew that I sure was having a hard time...
As I moved through the halls, chatting eagerly with Curans, a tremor ran up my spine and I froze in place. Every hair on my body seemed to stand on end. It was a magic the likes of which I knew I had never felt it before, but deep down I knew what it was. It was the magic of an alicorn. Curans turned and spoke to me, only I could not hear his words. It was as if he was at a great distance.
Indomite...Indomite, where are you…?
The words of the strangers flowed into my mind, their words calling out, seemingly with concern. With them came a compulsion, an insistent tugging toward the throne room. Instinct told me that is where they were. Without a thought, my hooves turned and began to carry me in a new direction.
With a look of determination, I spoke, “This way, Curans…” And the stallion obeyed without question, wise enough to know when I was on a mission.
I slowed once more as I neared the corner, doing my best to quiet my hoof-falls, a task not easily done on stone, most especially without magic. Was this just some cruel trick of Discord? A last act of revenge before his defeat? Well, if it was, I was not about to let him catch me unawares! Yet as I hesitated, I heard a muted conversation between two mares. Without thinking, I rose up to my full height and rounded the corner. There stood the two mares that I had heard, but to my amazement, both were alicorns such as myself.
Without thinking I recoiled, raising a forehoof. "Sister?" Was the one word that escaped my lips in shock.
What of all absurdities had I spoken? I had no sister, this was the first I had ever seen another alicorn! Yet, a part of me felt as though I knew them. Both the elder white mare, with the multi-colored mane, and the younger blue mare, with the mane of the night's sky snapped about in shock. As the three of us regarded one another, I could tell by their expressions' that they too recognized me. It was uncanny, our three reactions, they were so similar. It was odd beyond words to me.
"Indomite…?" The white mare looked to me and spoke in equal parts concern and surprise.
"How do you know me? Better yet, why do I know you?" I glared at the one that had spoken to me, in suspicion.
"Why would I not know the face of my brother?" She cocked an eyebrow.
Part of me rebelled from it. I had no sister! I was the product of this land, born from the hearts and minds of the settler ponies all those years ago! However, a part of my heart knew it to be true and contradicted everything I thought I knew. How could this be? I for some reason turned to the blue-mare that remained quiet. A part of her must've felt my objections, for she spoke...
"Do you not remember the mountainside?" She looked at me curiously, "When you fought Discord?"
“I do…” I answered with a slow nod, bristling in anger - partly toward Discord, mostly toward myself, but also at the world and fate in general - “What of it?” I snapped impatiently.
"Relax, Indomite…" The white mare said, coming up to nuzzle me by the side of the neck. It felt so natural, so right, and caused those self-deprecating thoughts to stop immediately "Discord is contained."
"How?" I withdrew gently to look into her purple eyes.
"Luna and I used the Elements of Harmony and entrapped him in stone." She explained and I couldn't help but glance over at the blue mare...
"Luna?" I asked unsure, to which she nodded, before I turned to the other, "...and you are...?"
"Celestia." She said in a gentle way that sounded reassuring.
"Celestia?" She nodded again at my words, "…But where? How?"
"You called for us and we came." She said simply, as if it were obvious.
"I called?" I repeated, quite perplexed, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion, "I don't remember calling anypony...?"
"When you realized that Discord would reign, you called out to us..." Luna explained in her soft voice.
“We heard your silent tears.” Celestia revealed.
For a moment I was quite confused, what had she meant? Silent Tears? What are those? Then, as if in answer, a thought flowed to the forefront of my mind, more a memory than anything else. It was my plea on the mountainside;
Someone, save my ponies.
"I died." I stated flatly, partly in revelation and partly in realization, acknowledgement of what had happened. Then the weight returned in full, “I died.”
These two mares were a mirror of sorts, reflecting upon me the world as it now was, how I now was. As I beheld my new visage, as I slowly came to accept the truth, I felt myself die a little on the inside. My jaw went lax and tears came to my eyes. My horn and wings were gone...a pair of my kin stood before me, both were a reminder that everything had not been a dream - nay a nightmare - but reality.
"What of my ponies...?" I murmured, the concern evident even in my hollow voice, betrayed by my paling face, “I-I saw Everfree, but...just how bad was it?”
"It was..." Luna began but could not continue, instead she closed her eyes and lowered her head to the side.
"We did what we could." Celestia said as comfortingly as she could.
Though she had tried being kind, the solemnness of her voice spoke volumes. They had suffered and died because of my failure, the scope truly was as grave as I had feared. I lowered my head in shame. I had failed and ponies had paid for it with their lives. I fought back the urge to weep for a second time that day. There was nothing I could do for them now and that hurt almost as much...no, it was worse.
“I...I need some air…” I stated blandly, before bolting, leaving the two mares and lone stallion behind without any warning.
* * *
I did not recall the land moving under my hooves as I ran, nor the scenery as it moved past me. The first thing I recalled after bolting was the feeling of moisture was running down my face. I pawed absently at my forehead at first, before I realized tears were running down my cheeks. For whatever reason I decided to stop, while I sat in the tilled earth of the hillock, looking down at my dirty hooves, I couldn’t help but find it funny. A wry chuckle escaped. Looking up I caught sight of Pegasopolis burning and a pit formed in my stomach as I watched on helplessly. Normally, clouds could not burn, but infuse anything with enough magic and it practically becomes kindling! I looked back at where my wings had once been, now little more than hairless scars upon my back. They were majestic in their own right, powerful, yet elegant, granting me the ability of flight. I could soar above the clouds, to the edge of the heavens, truly they were wings fit for a king. Despite my size, I may not have been the most agile flier, but in terms of sheer wingpower I was more than a match for any pegasi or dragon…was. That pit turned into a gnawing sensation, as the chuckle morphed into laughter that forced itself out of my throat in painful barks of displaced air. So this is what going mad feels like?
“Indomite?” Luna’s soft voice called out to me, silencing my ugly laugh.
“I’m sorry Luna, I need to be alone right now. I need to think,” I said, not bothering to turn around and meet her gaze.
“Indomite?” Her soft voice finally caused me to turn about.
She stood majestically in the plowed earth. Though she stood on the same ground as I did, she somehow made it look regal and not pathetic, as I did. A time ago, I might have been ecstatic to have her in my presence...I mean, another alicorn? Though, at the moment, I felt anything but enthusiastic.
“What?” I asked, a harsh edge tainting my weak voice. Honestly, I didn’t really care what she had to say. I had important matters on my mind, like losing it.
“The night is not the time for being alone, it is for recuperation.” She gently rolled her head in curiosity, “Whereupon do your thoughts dwell?”
“I’m not thinking on anything.” I lied - rather twisted the truth horribly - and not very well may I add, which I could see upon her face, “It’s nothing a mare need concern herself with.”
“I’m not just a mare, I’m your sister. You can-” She tried to comfort me, but instead received my wraith as I wheeled upon her.
“You’re not my sister! I don’t have sisters!” I barked venomously, “Fates know where you came from, but whatever you are, my sister you are not! You...you are some twisted side effect of my magic gone awry!” I turned away from her, and waved my arms in frustration. When my voice spoke again, it was tempered and quiet, “Equestria aches because of me. Pegasopolis burns and Solstice Hold is quiet. This moment will be a black eye in the history of Everfree… I don’t deserve their praise and admiration.” I sniffled, “Leave me alone…”
I stood motionless with my back turned to her, not daring to risk a move, not daring to steal a glimpse of the no doubt furious mare. Simply overwhelmed and unable to think of a proper next move, my mind spun in circles, at war with itself. Unwilling to accept the reality of what had transpired, but unable to deny the truth that was my new life. My head hurt, my heart ached and my hopes deflated. I was so numb to everything that I never felt her arm around my shoulder.
“Is that really what you feel?” Luna’s breath whispered in my ear as she embraced me.
“Yes.” I growled rather unconvincingly, even to myself, “No,” I admitted, “…I am lost.”
“You are not lost, brother.” She tightened her hold on me, “You will never be lost, so long as you are true to yourself…”
My breath caught in my throat and I found myself brought to tears once more. After everything I had said to her, she did not berate me, nor return the insult. She comforted me and with the last words of my late-father no less. Oh, how I wished Starswirl the Bearded were still alive! He would know what to do better than I. He always was wiser than his son.
“Luna…?” I tried to speak, as she loosened her grasp, but was unable.
As she released my neck, I tried to turn about to face her, but she drew me in with another embrace. This one, however, turned into a kiss, upon the lips no less! My eyes bulged in shock, but promptly fluttered until closed. I felt her horn upon my mane as she broke the kiss, but rather than release said embrace, her mind touched mine. It was the most tender feeling I had ever experienced! It was like the few times that my father had shared memories with me, but this connection was so much more, deeper than I could’ve imagined. Both my blood and magic resonated at her mind’s approach. It was like an angelic chorus singing in my mind. I did not shy away, but embraced it. It had been so long since I had someone genuinely care about me, not as a sovereign or a god, but as a person. It felt good to be wanted, not needed, but wanted.
I let her explore my consciousness… Though she shuddered, both physically and mentally at the pain she found, and the wounds that now crossed my mind, she did not ease away. Nor did she withdraw, when I felt her mind, so pristine and unsullied, though she had seen her share of strife and pain since Discord descended upon Equestria. Somehow she remained untarnished, even with all our kin gone, fallen to the shadows. Even seeing the destruction wrought from yet another shadow first-hoof, all of the dead ponies, she remained unspoiled. If only I had that luxury...
As quickly as it began, we withdrew, as of mutual consent. Neither of us could break eye contact, for what seemed to be the longest moment of my life! Such an intimate action…could she really have done that?
“You don’t regret that, do you?” She finally spoke, her fears breaking the silence.
“Nope.” I replied meekly, still shocked from the experience.
“You look faint.” She observed.
“It’s just-”
“Ah, that’s right, you were raised by Starswirl the Bearded. A unicorn.” She recalled, understanding now, and I nodded in confirmation, “Was that the first time you’ve ever shared minds with another?”
“Yes…well, no.” I shook my head unable to easily find the words, “I have, but it was never that intense. My father’s mind was always so…imposing. We never shared anything but surface thoughts and feelings.”
“I’m so sorry…” She recoiled, but not before I placed my hoof on her chest to stop her.
“No, it’s alright.” I shook my head and smiled a little, “You just caught me unawares is all.”
“You’re not angry? I just forced myself upon your mind!” She looked as if she was going to run away in fear.
“Nope.” I replied with a simple smile.
As if to dismiss the last of her fears, I playfully blooped her nose with my own. She smiled simply and the two of us once again embraced, holding the other tightly. It was a simple, meaningful hug, nothing more. I hoped that moment could last forever, but it could not. As with all good things, the moment came to an end. When we finally released each other, without speaking we gazed upon the stars. It was as beautiful a night as I had ever seen…
* * *
The subtle sensation of a soft, feathery wing brushing over my muzzle stirred me from my sleep. As I opened my eyes, I found myself looking at Celestia and her bright-as-the-sun smile. As I came to, I looked about and found my neck draped across Luna’s, a contented smile on her face. We had fallen asleep the night before watching the stars.
By the time I had looked back to Celestia, she had lifted her head and looked to the east. As if awaiting me, she aligned herself with the Eastern Marches, where the glow of the dawn peaked over the mountains, eagerly heralding the new day. Her horn lit in the warming, golden luminosity of her magic, much the same as the sun itself and that was when I saw it - both the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and the most gut churning, perversion of magic I had ever witnessed - the sun rose over the horizon.
My sister looked back to me with eager eyes, hoping for recognition, or praise perhaps? There was no small amount of awe on my face, but it was betrayed by the look in my eyes. The forcing of the sun to rise made me ill on the inside. What I had just seen was akin to raising the dead in my eyes, it just wasn’t natural. It wasn’t right. It was quite simply painful to watch, for I knew at that moment that we were now dependant on these two, in a way that the day before was unimaginable to me. Though I missed it, as I still regarded the sunrise in complete awe, the pain was visible in her eyes as she only barely held back a tear. She, however, buried her emotions and put on a warm smile...
“Good morning, Indomite.” She greeted me with a plaster facade of cheer.
“A fair morning to you, sister.” I responded with a smile of my own, before nuzzling Luna, “Luna, sister? Come, we should return to the keep.”
“Uh, Indomite…?” She groaned, half awake in the light of the morning, “Celestia?”
“Yes, sister.” Celestia nodded gently.
“I think that would be wise.” Luna yawned as she stood, before looking to Celestia, “Are you coming?”
“Actually, I very much need to speak with Celestia, we’ll join you before too long.” I informed her, as I took to my hooves as well.
“Very well.” She nodded, opening her wings, “I shall see you this evening.”
“Of course.” Both Celestia and I said at very nearly the same time.
We glanced at each other curiously and Luna giggled at the sight. I must admit it was slightly humorous.
“I’m off!” Luna announced, taking to the air.
Luna’s dark-blue form was almost comically cute in the glow of the early morning sun, her blue hide glimmering beautifully with the oranges and reds, and baby-blues of the morning sky. The fact that her mane was disheveled from sleeping on the ground the second half of the night, only served to make her prettier. Celestia noticed the not so subtle smile growing on my face and I in turn caught her glancing at me.
“Our sister really is cute isn’t she?” I stated rhetorically.
“She is.” Celestia nodded in response, regarding me questioningly, no doubt wondering what it was I wanted to speak to her of?
“Now that our sister is no longer here, I must ask. What exactly happened while I was…while Discord reigned?” My usual, stoic face reappeared – I couldn’t very well let her see how much this all hurt me.
“Do you really want to know?” She looked at me critically, at the time I thought perhaps even she might not have wanted to repeat it.
“Is there a choice for me?” I cocked an eyebrow, “Come and tell me…”
I waved a hoof and slowly began walking back towards the keep.
What followed was the heaviest conversation I think I ever had in my life up to that point. Though it had been little more than a week before I had returned to the land of the living, I now knew why Pegasopolis still burned and Solstice Hold was deathly quiet. A lump formed in my throat as I realized what terrors the spirit of chaos unleashed upon my kingdom...my ponies. He had turned the three tribes against one another once more, their destruction was all but assured, until the two sisters appeared and imprisoned him in stone. I found it hard to fathom that there were more graves than ponies to dig them. Even the princesses had helped, a fact that I found startling, shocking even. It was a fact that drew a tear to my eye. However, I was going to need a steely resolve if the Kingdom was going to recover from this tragic loss.
“We will need to see to the reconstruction of Pegasopolis immediately.” I stated firmly, “If the Kingdom should require to defend its borders, their wings will be required. Thus, we can spare no expense in the swift reconstruction of the cloud-city.” I then glanced about, careful that none were eavesdropping, “Plus, the ponies do not need to be reminded daily of the suffering of the past.”
Celestia looked like she had something to say, but chose against it. “I agree. Pegasopolis should be the first priority.” She nodded readily, “Stones and earth do not burn after all, and their losses will merely require time to-”
“Please sister,” I raised a hoof, “...I understand, and don’t need a further reminder of my failure.”
“As you wish.” She nodded languidly.
“What of our allies? The Dragon and the Gryphon Kingdoms?” I inquired, especially curious as to the state of the dragons, with their high-king falling at the claws of Discord.
“The dragons moot atop their mountain, deciding their next king.” She said simply, “We have not heard from the gryphons since your marching and have not had so much as one messenger to spare.”
“The first we have should be sent to inquire as to their status.” I stated simply, “Though, before that, I should pay my respects to the Dragon-King’s heirs. They deserve to know how he fell and that it was not in vain.”
“I do not think that he slowed the spirit much, if at all.” She stated apprehensively.
“Perhaps not, but he died in battle. An honorable end for a dragon.” I informed her, “I forget that you do not know of them, or their ways…”
“So you say.” She admitted, “Shall I call for a chariot to ferry you to the moot?”
I opened my mouth, rather offended at such a suggestion, though I quickly realized that it was not out of spite, but for concern. I did appear to be a mere earthbound pony now…
“No, that is quite alright. I shall walk.” I nodded resolutely, “It will give me time to think.”
“If that is what you wish.” She said dismissively.
“Aye.” I nodded once again, “I shall see you before dusk.”
“Best of luck brother.” She wished me simply, before taking off for the short flight remaining to the keep.
“How do I tell them…?” I thought aloud.