//------------------------------//
// prolouge 
// Story: Shadows of the Past 
// by RisingComet 
//------------------------------//

Prologue

The end is the beginning.

The sound of ponies in armor ruled over the open plains between Canterlot  and the ancient Everfree forest, its mighty trees towering above the dark forest floor, tiny shafts of light struggling to penetrate the thick canopy above. Below in the shadows, standing firm in the fringes, an army of shadow ponies waited for the royal equestrian army, slowly approaching over the green fields towards the forest. Leading them in all they’re glory, the royal sisters marched at the head of the army, glowing with power. Luna’s armor was reminiscent of ancient Equestria, old equestrian adorned her barding along her back, giving off a soft glow of old spells placed before her banishment. Celestia’s armor was a more basic design, simple gold barding protected her chest and back, a cape of red with sunlight gold trim billowed in the same solar wind as her mane. 

As Celestia and Luna approached the edge of the forest, malevolent laughter rang out into the the air. “Such a sight to see. The pampered princess of the moon and her old hag of a sister.” A shimmering mist appeared at the front of the shadows, a black leg stepped out followed by the body of a pony. Only this pony had a horn and wings, the same height as Luna  black flames wreathed his body, slowly dying out. “I see you brought your little pony army along with you. Hm hm … ha ha ha!!! Do you really think such play things will stand against my army?” The monstrous pony laughed. 


Luna stepped forward rage burning in her body. “You dare underestimate these ponies!? They have the will of Equestria flowing through them! There is nothing they won’t face without courage.”

The pegacorn looked at the moon goddess with an icy glare and spoke. “Then they should have no problem facing their death today.” raising his self  on his hind legs, the pony let out a ghostly whinny and slammed his hooves back to the earth. The shadow ponies slowly started moving forward, advancing on the royal army. Luna looked to Celestia, getting a nod, she let loose a blast of magic. The battle had begun.

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The battle had been raging for a time, the royal army was taking heavy losses, even with the princesses help. Luna looked about, but the black pegacorn was nowhere to be found. Dust fell before the princess, looking down she extended he foreleg and touched the pile, wondering what it could be. A unicorn mage close by was casting a fireball into the sky, Luna followed its path and found her target. Hovering above the battle, the pegacorn cast another bolt of lightning at the mage, turning him to dust. Luna look back at the pile in front of her. Recoiling in horror Luna pulled her hoof away from the dust. “This poor pony, I wonder who you were.”
A sadness rose in the goddess chest, seeing ponies turned to dust before her was too much. Rising to face the monster above her, she roared with pain. The monster looked amused with her display of sorrow. “Oh? Have you finally had all you can stand of this?” the pegacorn asked with a smirk. 

Luna snapped.  “THIS ENDS NOW!!!” bellowed the enraged moon goddess. Luna’s horn glowed white hot with power as she gathered all her strength for the final blow. Seeing this, the monster quickly cast razor sharp ice crystals towards her wings. Luna diverted her power into a shield spell blocking the attack. “You cannot harm me monster! I fight for everypony in Equestria, and I will not fail them!” Luna laughed.

“Is that so?” asked the pony before her. “Well then lets see you guard yourself against this!” lightning gathered at the tip of his horn and burst forth.

Luna laughed and raised her shield again. “I told you, your spells will not harm me.” 

The pony laughed and said. “My attack may not harm you but my actions will.” Luna looked confused at this. The second bolt of lightning suddenly changed direction, moving away from Luna and toward the ground. 

“Why would he miss on….:”  Luna looked on with horror as the magic streaked towards her sister. 

Celestia was having a difficult time defending a group of wounded ponies from a barrage of spells from shadow unicorns. One of the few ponies that could speak looked toward his princess and said in a weak voice. “princess please save yourself, were done for.” Sorrow welled up inside the sun goddess.

“I will never leave my little ponies to die. I will protect you even if it means I come to harm doing so.”

The solider smiled and laid his head on the ground. “Thank you princess, I just hope you can save somepony else.”  Celestia felt the pony slip from this world, tears flowed freely down her muzzle. 

Luna flew towards her sister screaming her name, hoping she could warn her in time. But she was to late. Celestia would never hear her before the spell hit.


Celestia felt another one of her precious subjects pass to the eternal herd. “I’m so sorry my little ponies, I’m trying so hard. Please, please hold on just a little longer, I cant stand to lose even one pony more!” 

A crackling sound reached her ears, looking behind her Celestia saw the last two things she would ever see. A bolt of lightning streaking toward her, and her sister frantically trying to out fly the magic, tears in her eyes. The bolt struck and the last thought she had echoed through her mind. “I’m so sorry sister, I’m going to have leave you again, please take care of my ponies, they deserve so much better than me. I could not save them. I failed." 



And so, Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria passed.



Luna screamed as her sister was struck. A blinding light flared from the sun, and then all was dark.
Bringing about the night, Luna flew toward the spot where her sister formally stood. Tears streaming down her muzzle she tried to gather up the ashes of her sister. Feeling magic strangle her, Luna turned and was face to face with the pegacorn. “Well that was a sight! So much light for such a weak pony.” laughing he leaned down towards Luna. “Seeing as the suns link to this world exploded, I guess I’ll just have to take over the night.” 
Luna looked on with horror as sharp teeth broke into a smile. “Your suffering will be so much worse than your hag of a sisters death.” he opened his mouth and bit down on Luna’s cheek. Blood flowed from his mouth as teeth sunk into her flesh. He pulled, and Luna screamed.