//------------------------------//
// Caduca Crepusculum 
// Story: Caduca Crepusculum 
// by Bairne 
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Twilight's heart shattered with the orbs at Nightmare Moon's feet. The Elements of Harmony had been their only hope, their last chance to defeat Nightmare Moon and free Celestia. She had failed.

Nightmare Moon casually cantered up to the despondent unicorn with a laugh, her previous maniacal rant having gone unnoticed. "Oh don't take it so hard! You'll grow to love the night, you'll grow to love me, in fact... you are mine!"

As she spoke tendrils of her mane had snaked along the floor to surround Twilight. As she reached the apex of her tirade they struck, grabbed Twilight's hooves, and held her fast. Fresh pain brought Twilight out of her shocked catatonia as the tendrils left their mark: a blackened stain, like liquid night, covered her hooves. It began to spread.

Moments stretched into yawning eternities under the torture it subjected her to as it spread. Slowly the darkness spread to cover her flank when finally something changed. An old defense mechanism, long buried by training when she was a foal, flared violently to life, whiting out her eyes and fighting the creeping darkness.

Her body, now a battle field between two warring magics, frayed under the ravages of their power even as the darkness inexorably progressed. Her time was short, and despite her hope being rekindled by the familiar cacophony of her new-found friends approaching, she had to try one last thing. Reaching within she located the barriers created to tame her magic and shattered them. It might be too late for her, but maybe, just maybe, she could at least right one ancient wrong. 

With a brilliant flash the castle was muted in a wash of white light and Twilight Sparkle knew no more.

***

The sun rose slowly into the skies of Equestria. It languished on the horizon, almost as if it were still groggy from its enforced slumber. Before long, it crested the mountains blocking its way and was able to illuminate the aftermath held within the tower for the Sun Princess.

Celestia had lived for years uncounted, but even her long life hadn't prepared her for the scene that greeted her. To her left five ponies she didn't recognized huddled around a blackened form which lay still as the grave.
Meanwhile, to her right, in a pile of ash, were what she could only assumed were the shredded remains of Nightmare Moon. Aside the blackened pile were five golden necklaces arranged roughly in a circle and exuding an all too familiar power. In the center was a large pristine orb emblazoned with a pink six pointed star that pulse faintly in the gloom.

Fearing the worst and yet hoping she was wrong she turned back to the prone unicorn. The downcast ponies wordlessly parted as she approached. Her gait became stilted the closer she came until at last she collapsed to her knees before the blackened unicorn. She gently nudged it repeatedly, hoping for something, any reaction at all until a soft sniffle to her right betrayed another presence, one she hadn't know for a thousand years. Celestia turned her head and beheld Luna sitting within the papery remnant of Nightmare Moon, tears fresh in her eyes. Ragged strips of Nightmare Moon's manifested power still clung to her, some slowly melding into her fur while others crumbled away into nothing.

"'Tia, I'm so, so sorry! I-I couldn't..."

Celestia silenced her with a slow shake of her head before returning her trembling gaze to the black form she cradled. As glad as she was to see her sister whole and safe, it did little to soothe the heartache she felt. For several long moments the ponies gathered scarcely dared to breathe. Then Celestia lowered her muzzle so that it sat within a hair's breath of Twilight's ear. Her whisper was only intended for one, but the silence of the moment carried it for all to hear.

"It was far, far too soon to lose you, my little one. You didn't deserve this, but I can at least make sure your final rest is a peaceful one." With those final words Celestia nuzzled her student one last time before bringing her horn in contact with Twilight's forehead. A brilliant flash filled the room and When her sight cleared, it was filled with one of Twilight - once again whole in body if not in soul. With a final hug the princess visibly collapsed, her sobs heaving themselves on the still cooling form of her protégé.

The surrounding ponies could only look on in silence, each left to themselves to mourn their newest friend.