Foreword:
"The tales within this tome are a cornerstone of Equine mythology and literature. These myths and legends in all their variations have had an enormous impact on pony thought and culture. Even if the literal accuracy must be questioned, there is much to learn from stories such as these." - Clover
In the beginning, the world was dead.
Light fled into the darkness. The rocks were still. The air sang no songs.
All that was, was almost no more. The end of all things had come.
Almost all things.
There were three that yet lived in the barren waste. They were named Terra, Pegasus, and Alicorn.
Nopony knows what led them to this point. Did they know what had led the world to this point? Did they have a hoof in it, or did they fight it to the end? Were they friends or enemies before? These answers are lost to time, and perhaps they did not matter, at the end of the world.
The three were beings of great power and wisdom.
Terra was sturdy and strong, and a fount of energy. She had the power to bring forth life and nurture it.
Pegasus was quick and agile, and the master of the sky. She could control and shape the weather at will.
Alicorn was wise and clever, and a powerful sorcerer. She could weave the fabric and essence of reality, and was the chief of the others, who called themselves by her name in her honor.
Together, the three alicorns agreed that they did not like the ruin they saw before them, and so they would change it.
Terra poured herself into the land, revitalizing it and providing the foundation for life. She became Earth, and from her magic was born the first earth ponies.
Pegasus took the dead sky and stirred it into motion, creating wind and storms and splitting herself into the very elements of nature, so that the world might move and change. From the chaotic winds the first pegasus ponies took form.
Alicorn saw that the world lived again, but it would not last long. With time, the winds would stop, and the land would dry, and the world would wither once more. She would not let her sisters' sacrifices be in vain. And so, she cast her magic into the heavens, and severed it from herself.
The magical backlash was immense, and Alicorn herself was destroyed, but not before two new lights appeared in the sky. One hot, the other cold, they circled the world, an eternal clock. Now, the plants could grow, and the seasons could change, and the world might live again.
From Alicorn's ashes, the first unicorn ponies arose. And they saw the lights of the sky, and named them Sun and Moon. For now, they moved under the remnants of Alicorn's power, but even this would not last forever, and the unicorns would learn to add their power to the heavens.
And so the three pony tribes were born, and their duties to the world prescribed. Earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn, together are
the inheritors of the alicorns' final gift and mission.By the Court, the Crown, the State, order is found.
Earth-Unicorn-Pegasus
Cadance closed the book and looked at Twilight, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Well? What do you think?"
Twilight took a few moments to respond, rubbing her chin. "Well, it's almost certainly not entirely accurate. I mean, it was obviously of unicorn origin and heavily biased. This story is from before the founding of Equestria, right?"
"Yes, it was. What makes you say it was written by unicorns, though?"
"Well, for one, they gave the name "Alicorn" to the alicorn that they were descended from, who was "chief" over the other two alicorns that were apparently "named after her in her honor". They also seemed to focus a lot more on her than on the other two. It seems a bit unbalanced."
Cadance muttered under her breath. "I'm sure a few nobles would disagree."
"Exactly, it's a bit... fortunate for the unicorns in power at the time for the story to be that way, isn't it?"
"Well, I didn't intend for a discussion on the social or political influences. I mean, I guess I just realized there's the odd assumption that the first alicorns were all mares."
"Huh, I didn't even notice that one. How accurate is this supposed to be anyway? Not that it isn't an interesting story, but, well, I did think we were going to be studying history, not fiction."
"It is probably very inaccurate, if only because there would be no easy way to tell if much of it was true regardless. Assuming it was true, and that ponies really arose from the excess magical energies from these alicorns, they would only have been alive after most of the story's events were finished."
"So, you don't really know either?" Twilight deflated.
Cadance smiled in sympathy. "No. I know you're disappointed that I don't have a clear answer to your question. Even my Aunts don't know much about that time period. Celestia has told me she believes there were ponies before, maybe even a nation of alicorns, though she doesn't seem very... concerned about the past to me. Maybe that's not the right way to say it, but she puts all of her focus on the future."
"What about Princess Luna?" Twilight leaned forward eagerly.
Cadance sighed. "I have not had as many chances to talk with Luna as I would like, with her recent return. I did bring your question up to her yesterday, though."
"And she said-?"
"...Luna did not seem very happy about it. She said that there was a civilization before, that was claimed by fire and shadows. She believes that the survivors may have become our ancestors. She didn't want to say any more than that; she said that she did not like remembering."
"Remembering? But, how-"
"I think it might have something to do with her time as Nightmare Moon. You know she doesn't talk much about it."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "That's an understatement..."
"I don't even know if she has told Celestia the whole story, but she's alluded before that there was something else involved in her transformation, some entity. Maybe that "thing" told her about it."
"Hmm. That's not the most reliable source, is it?" Twilight stared into space, looking troubled.
Cadance hadn't intended to bring the mood down. "Hey, what do you think? Do you think you could ever create a new sun and moon?"
Twilight snapped out of her thoughts. "M-me? No! I think Celestia and Luna would be more qual-"
"Oh, come on! If anypony could revive a dead world, I think surely you could! Maybe even now! You're one of the strongest magicians I've ever known."
Twilight blushed. "I don't know, I'm not even sure how I would do that."
"You'd figure it out. I'm counting on you now: if the world ever ends, again or for the first time or whatever, you'll find a way to save it. Without destroying yourself like the mares in the story." They both laughed at the absurdity.
"Right, like that will ever happen."