With the chest in his magical grip and with the princess and former student behind him, Starswirl felt like he can fight Shadow Ponies from dusk to dawn. The endless night was still occurring, and ponies would be awake soon to realize that something happened. If they did, and Celestia had no clear explanation as to why there is one less princess, the townfolk would grow angry and probably overthrow her.
He didn’t want to think of that.
As he continued to run, he also felt pain in his chest. He had placed a spell when they first met that if Celestia and Luna needed him, he would always be there. Of course, with Luna gone and Celestia becoming independent, he knew his time was running out. He was going to die soon.
The wizard looked behind him. The princess was at his tail and starting to take the lead through the castle. His student close behind them. He replayed the events that led up to this moment. The moment when they received a prophecy that predicted Equestria’s End by the kingdom of twilight. That didn’t make sense to the old stallion, but if that kingdom rises, then Doomsday would commence.
That was one theory.
Reviewing the history of Equestria in his mind, the old wizard came up with two possible endpoints: either the monarchy changes from Celestia to somepony else, or Equestria and everything it stands for falls. Interpreting prophecies was never one of Starswirl’s favorite passtimes.
Clover caught up to her former teacher. “Starswirl, do you have a plan?”
“Yeah, bury this and never speak of it again,” he said.
“Great plan,” his student said sarcastically. “Seriously though? A plan would be nice.”
Starswirl rolled his eyes. “If the Tree of Harmony houses the Elements, and their magic is still linked with it, burying it at the Tree will give us breathing room for the upcoming Apocalypse. The end of Equestria is coming, and now we have a time when that occurs.”
“And that will be—”
“The end of Celestia’s Reign. If Luna comes back and reigns after her, then we have more time. At least 5,000 years left until this kingdom of twilight emerges. 8,000 if Luna assumes the throne.”
Celestia stopped. “You mean to say that my sister will return?”
“’On the Longest Day of the Thousandth year, Rise the Dark Queen whom all shall fear.’ The prophecy refers to your sister returning. The Dark Queen is Nightmare Moon. If a thousand years is the limit, then a thousand years of waiting will be what you will be doing,” Starswirl said. “We have to be ready for anything between now and a thousand years from tonight.”
Clover sighed. “You will need more than just the Elements to make this prophecy to come true. It sounds like it requires more magic, and these 6 knights rising up to ‘answer the plea’ sounds like you won’t be alone, Your Majesty.”
Celestia nodded. “Starswirl, do you have any ideas?”
The unicorn thought about it for a moment. “I will need a bit of time to come up with a plan. Go gather the Elements and meet me at the Tree. Now hurry, we haven’t much time.” He then ran through the castle, leaving the princess with the potions master.
Celestia looked at the unicorn. Her odd attire fit perfectly with her trade, which was obviously potions. Clover’s attire consisted of a long black cloak with a hood and armor on her back. Drapped from her back was a bag filled with potions. Celestia had heard a lot about Clover following her falling out with Starswirl, especially her endeavors across the land in search for more spell books to complete her work.
Celestia sighed as she focused back on the present. The Elements were required for what Starswirl had planned. The two mares gave each other a nod, and ran to the throne room that once housed two rulers.
Starswirl was supposed to be a patient stallion, but after years of secretly raising the princesses and keeping a student under his name, his patience was a wooden bridge on fire. As he waited in the cave with the Chest of Destiny and the Tree of Harmony, he contemplated his life’s decisions that led him to be the most powerful unicorn in the world.
For a long time, studying to be a powerful wizard wasn’t on his priority list. Being the parents Celestia and Luna never had was his priority. They had little memory of their own lives before he found them sleeping under the Tree. He could still remember the day when he was rescued by them.
You were weak then, Starswirl, the old wizard thought to himself. You’re strong now. Stronger than you ever dreamed of. You went from being a peasant to being a god among ponies. A king with no throne.
The wizard sighed. His mind continued to rage war against itself. One day, he once told himself, I’m going to go completely mad.
His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of hooves on the dirt. He looked up to see Princess Celestia and Clover the Clever with the Elements. He smiled to himself. Maybe he can end the madness tonight before sleeping. A clear head and silence was all he needed.
Celestia stopped before Starswirl. “Ok you old wizard, what do you have planned?”
Starswirl laughed. “You’re calling me old?”
“Choose your words carefully, Starswirl.”
The wizard smiled. “Ok the Elements are, in a way, keys to activate the Tree. I’ve created a spell that will lock and unlock the Tree using the Elements in order to hide the Chest. Please place the Elements in their rightful slots.”
Celestia and Clover nodded and moved the magical stones to their respected branches. Once the last Element, the Element of Magic, was placed, the cave began to rumble. The ceiling began to crack as a bright light enveloped the room. Celestia extended her wings to protect herself and Clover. Starswirl, however, was unprotected from the magic.
He enjoyed it.
As the light bathed him, he felt his magical arsenal become stronger. He felt lighter, stronger, and younger. That feeling, however, wasn’t supposed to exist in the old unicorn. When the light subsided, his bones became heavier and his energy depleted.
The Tree wasn’t changed one bit. The slot where the Element of Magic laid was still glowing. The light melted from the slot to a carving of the Sun, then the Moon, and finally to an exposed root on the ground. The light centered on the tip of the root, and started to grow. The light continued to grow and grow until it produced a flower.
Starswirl looked at the flower. “That’s it?! The most powerful seal on the face of this planet is a flower?!”
Celestia sighed. “It hasn’t bloomed yet.”
“Oh yeah, that helps! What next, does the Tree want me to start dancing around it so we can get some rain or something?!”
The Tree glowed. The Elements also started to glow as they fired a bolt of magical energy at the wizard. Starswirl’s beard was singed as well as his hat. Celestia and Clover both tried their best to not laugh at the pony, but the urge to guffaw was too great. Finally, they lost it and laughed at the wizard.
Starswirl chuckled at the Tree. “Don’t like sarcasm, don’t ya?”
Clover started to laugh harder. “Ponies would stop me and ask why I had a crazy unicorn as a teacher. I always said you weren’t crazy, but it looks like they’re right. My old teacher is so crazy, he now talks to trees.” She laughed harder.
Celestia wiped a tear away. “You must admit, that was funny.”
The wizard smiled. “It was. This is certainly something I must record, especially for your amusement. Now, this is the plan. I don’t intend to put the Elements back here for another thousand years or so. So, I want you to hide them once we are done here. Nopony knows of the prophecy except you, me, and Clover and we have to keep it that way.”
“But ponies will be asking questions about Luna. What can Celestia say?”
The wizard shrugged. “A story will be best tonight. Nopony can know what really happened. This ‘Nightmare Moon’ took over Luna and has been defeated by your efforts. I cannot say the leaking of the prophecy will be great, especially the Equestria’s End woven in it. A lot of this is risky to leak, but at least tell Luna’s story. Maybe she can still be alive in those. The brave mare who would rather fall into darkness than take the throne and your life.”
Celestia nodded. “I owe her that much. Still, the Chest cannot be with the keys, otherwise ponies can open the Chest once they find it.”
“I can handle that. As a wizard and close ties with a time traveler, I have managed to gain some control in opening the Time Vortex. I can hide the keys in their respected time periods, that way they can be opened at the right time.”
Celestia smiled. Clover looked over at the flower. “That is one big flower.”
Starswirl turned around. The flower blossomed and revealed a large space. The unicorn held the Chest up, and smiled. “Ok, I think we can bury this thing now. Clover, you are just my level of magical power. Help me open the Time Vortex. Celestia, I want you to place the Chest onto the flower. Once the keys are scattered and the Chest secured, take the Elements back to the throne room and hide them.”
The princess nodded. With her magic, she took the Chest. Both Starswirl and Clover moved away from the Tree and focused their magic on an open spot. With the keys in Clover’s saddle bags, the wizard had nothing to worry about. Their spell began to take its form as a small storm began to brew.
As they worked with the Vortex, Celestia prepared herself to place the Chest. She knew the power of the Tree. She read about it after the Discord incident a few years back. It felt good to take charge with magic beyond her own imagination.
Magic.
Celestia looked at the box. The power she felt, the prophecy she heard, and the reassurance she gained when she realized her sister was coming back. Maybe I can make things right for you, dear sister. I will make it up to you.
She kissed the Chest before she placed it on the flower. The flower glowed as the Chest sank in. “Starswirl, it’s ready. Send the keys away.”
The wizard nodded. “Clover, the keys.”
The unicorn handed Starswirl the 6 keys. Starswirl sighed as he held them with his magic. “They need to be concealed. Hidden as ordinary
objects until they can be found. Each has to be won through an Element. The Key of Generosity shall be unlocked through greed.”
He threw the diamond-shaped key into the Vortex. “The Key of Loyalty shall be won through treachery.”
The lightning bolt key flew in. “The Key of Laughter shall be earned through sadness.”
The balloon one was thrown. “The Key of Kindness shall be given through anger.”
The butterfly was tossed. “They Key of Honesty be won from dishonesty.”
The apple was thrown. “And the Key of Friendship—”
Starswirl looked back. Celestia and Clover were standing behind him. “The Key of Friendship be won through deception.”
The final key flew in. Starswirl charged his horn. “By my decree, nopony shall ever possess these objects or use them until all 6 keys are together!”
The Time Vortex started to flash magical energy. The 6 keys turned into smaller objects before disappearing through Time. With the keys gone, Starswirl and Clover closed the Vortex to avoid any other problems. Once it was closed, the trio turned their attention to the Chest. The flower continued to glow as they got closer to it.
Starswirl sighed. “We need to lock it.”
“Seems easy enough,” Celestia said.
The wizard nodded. “Locking will be easy, but keeping the secret won’t. I am going to have to trust you, Celestia. You cannot breathe a word about tonight to anypony from now to the opening of the Chest. If somepony hears of this, they will attempt to open the Chest without the keys. There can be no legend, no recording, and no nothing of tonight, besides Luna’s fall.”
“I understand,” Celestia said.
Starswirl turned to Clover. “Silence is required from you as well, my faithful student. You will live longer than me. I cannot breathe these words any more. My magic is depleted. Time to sleep.”
Celestia put a hoof on Starswirl. “We’re not done yet. Like you said, we have a Chest to lock.”
Starswirl nodded. They all focused their attention to the flower in front of them, all three charged up their horns and began chanted in an
ancient language. As they chanted, their magic grew stronger and stronger, especially around the flower.
Think of the future, Starswirl told himself. Bring back what was lost.
Celestia started to pour more of her energy into her magical spell. As she did so, she felt tears running down her face. This is for you, Dear Sister. Forgive me for what I had done.
Clover’s incantation started to grow with her thoughts. I need to sleep.
The flower petals started to grow and encase the Chest. Finally, the Chest was concealed and a bright light filled the room. The three ponies shielded themselves from the blinding light. The light started to dim down as the flower disappeared.
Celestia lowered her wing. “It’s done.”
Starswirl and Clover agreed. Celestia took the Elements from the Tree and they all left the cave without a single word.
Starswirl didn’t survive to see the next sunrise. Shortly after they returned to the castle, the old wizard found his bed and quietly fell into a slumber. The next morning, when nopony heard from the wizard, Celestia left to check on him. He was in his bed with a small smile on his face. The wizard died in his sleep. Near his workdesk was a cubby with 12 slots, only two held scrolls. Celestia paid no attention to them, nor
the urgent note left by the wizard.
The funeral was small and private. With some royal officers, the Princess, Scorpan, and Clover attending, Starswirl’s funeral was silent. Scorpan said a few words regarding his friend before saying his goodbye. Starswirl’s coffin was decorated with images of galaxies and constellations, symbolizing his fondness of stargazing. He will always be studying the stars, Celestia said as she said her goodbye to her old teacher.
The weeks after the funeral were slow, but as news of Nightmare Moon began circulating, Celestia took it upon herself to reassure the ponyfolk of Equestria that all was well. The rumors turned into legends and legends turned into campfire stories. Luna’s twisted face was now the definition of nightmares. Like all stories, they were lost in time.
Inside the castle, Celestia was going through some old books that belonged to Starswirl. As custom, all of Starswirl’s books and scrolls were to be put in a special facility until a proper establishment was in place. In other words, his stuff was going into storage. Celestia was one of the few who was actually moving the boxes, much to the surprise of the guards.
Along with the alicorn princess, Clover was also moving her old teacher’s boxes. As they both worked inside his home, Celestia felt the need to hum a tune. Of course, her hum turned into a light singing, and soon, a duet had formed. Music was one of the things that Celestia enjoyed whenever she worked. Music calmed her down when the Senate of the Equestrian Order attempted to dethrone her. The music kept her from turning the senators into toads.
“Do you really think it will work?” Celestia asked.
“Of course princess. Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns will be a brilliant way of expanding the minds of any magic user out there. You will have a chance to honor Starswirl this way,” Clover said.
Celestia sighed. “I do want to honor him, but building a school in his honor sounds a little too much,” she said.
“Don’t worry, Starswirl loved to perform with the biggest flare. It would be an insult to him if you did anything smaller than build a school.”
“Thanks for that.”
Clover smiled at the princess. As Clover lifted a box from the ground, a small notebook fell out. Celestia looked over and noticed it before Clover did. She picked up the book. She had not seen that book before today. “Do we need to put all his books in storage?”
“Well, yeah if we want them to stay intact,” Clover said. “Don’t worry about a thing, Your Majesty. I will handle the rest. You go relax, it is almost time to raise the Moon.”
Celestia agreed and left Clover to continue working. She walked down the stairs from the tower, through the castle, and into her private chambers. The damage was too much for the castle, so Celestia had planned of a new one to be built farther north. On the side of a mountain
would be a good place to put it. She can have a view that is to die for that way.
She removed her royal metalwear and sat on the foot of her bed. The book was clean and organized, almost brand new. It was probably going to be filled up had Nightmare Moon not shown up. She stretched her neck and opened the notebook.
It was empty. There wasn’t a single penmark on the first page. She flipped through the book, looking for something of his. Nothing. She flipped through the book again, but again found nothing. Celestia sighed. She opened the book up, and the first page she found, there were two envelopes. One was titled To Celestia Everfree. It was written in Starswirl’s hoofwritting.
The princess smiled. She opened the envelope. It read:
Celestia,
As I am speaking to you, my breath draws heavier and is more labored. I feel my time coming to a close, and I don’t fear Death’s shadow anymore. I will most likely be dead by the time you read this, but I need to say this to you. I am proud of you.
Celestia teared up.
When I first met you and your sister, I didn’t know what to think. I had found two beautiful and strong mares, but that was all I saw. Now I realize I was blind. I saw pain and sadness in those ancient eyes. I took it upon myself to raise you and ensure that you two would grow to be remarkable ponies. When you both stepped up and defeated Discord, I knew that I had successfully raised you two. I am proud of you, and I am sad that I cannot see you grow even stronger.
When you both were young, I placed a spell upon myself to ensure that I will always be there, and that time itself would not tear me apart from you both. With Luna gone and you mature enough, I must move on. I want you to know that no matter how much time passes, no matter how many ponies come and go, I want you to know that I will always be there for you. I will be there when Luna returns, and I will be there when your times are up. We will meet again soon, my beautiful sundrop.
Until we meet again,
Starswirl
Celestia smiled. She let the tears drop to the ground.
P.S., The second letter references of a notebook I have hidden. When the time is right, and the right pony is found, I want you to reveal this spell. Maybe you can benefit from it. Also, I still have not retrieved my old works, especially the twelve scrolls that Discord hid a while back. Those scrolls are very important, and in the event that you find them all, I hope you benefit from the information within.
The princess placed the letter on her nightstand. The envelope would remain sealed until the right time. She looked outside and noticed that she needs to lower the Sun. Using her magic, she brought the glowing orb down and raised the Moon. Luna’s shadow was still on the Moon. Celestia looked up at the Moon, and just for a moment, so did Luna.
“1000 years? I will be waiting, dear sister. I’ll count the days until we meet again.”