The sun shone brightly, but she felt no warmth, even with her robes knotted tightly around her neck. Ponies played games, perused artisan crafts and munched on snacks from the food stalls. Clowns and other performers roamed the grounds, bringing smiles to everypony. Their jovial antics were hollow frivolities.
Soon, she would be empty. She would join the ranks of the nadir, hiding her unmarked flank with the deep blue cloak of the Moon Guides.
She remembered her jubilation at being called. How she had been taught to link her magic with four other unicorns to bring about the cycles of day and night. Many of her friends were either Seers or Guides, but the tingling thrill of gently tugging the moon from its resting place was a shivering accomplishment.
She could still recall her delirious excitement at her first Ceremony. It had been a cold winter day. The sunlight glimmered on the unbroken snow atop Stargazer's Hill that stood above the Everfree Forest. In the distance, they could see the Earth ponies in their scaffolding, raising the castle for the two newly crowned Princesses. It was still strange to her that two Alicorns were willing to descend from their mist shrouded eyries to govern mortal ponies. And it felt strange to her to see anypony with both wing and horn. Back home she still had her little altar to the Alicorn goddesses. Below, she could hear the fading laughter of foals as their parents called them in for supper, their frozen fun left behind.
Twelve unicorns crowded together on the hilltop. Beside her stood one of her best friends, Silver Spark, his white mane and tail stirring gently in the winter air. He caught her eye and gave her a wink and a grin, before turning to the blue robed unicorn before them, who raised a forehoof to brush away the ice that had crystalized in his brown beard. The unicorn was the famous Starswirl the Bearded, his tasseled and bell studded garb awkwardly askew, the rich blue embroidered with moons and stars that glimmered. Even at his apparent ease, he radiated power. Beside him stood his most renown apprentice, Clover the Clever, an unassuming brown mare. While her coat was nothing to look at, it was her flowing dark mane and deep plum eyes that made her striking. She looked distracted, and if truth be told, worried.
"We're all here, I see," Starswirl began, "good. Let's begin then. First business. Today, we have a newly raised Guide with us. Could you introduce yourself?" He gestured, beckoning her to his side. She had blushed as she crunched through the snow.
"Hi, everyp-p-pony," she stammered, "I'm Guiding Light." She glanced at the bearded stallion and he nodded encouragement. Silver Spark smiled, and she took heart. "I'm from Willowdale, just around the bend from Baltimare. I'm so glad to be part of the Moon Guides, and I look forward to working with everypony!" The ponies stamped their hooves in approval.
"So please take good care of her," Starswirl said. "Thank you my dear." Silver Spark gave her a friendly nudge as she returned to her place at the end of the line. Clover leaned close to the blue robed stallion who nodded at her whisper as she gestured to the hourglass that hung around her neck. Before he could speak, two shadows flew overhead. The ponies on the hill craned their necks to see who it was that circled the hill. Two fillies, one white coated, pink maned and long limbed, the other blue on darker blue, circled the hill twice before alighting on the snow. Guiding Light gasped along with the other ponies as they recognized the Princesses and they all hastily knelt on their forelegs.
"Ah, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, I'm so glad you could attend," Starswirl smiled as the two regal sisters trotted up.
"Sorry we're late, Starswirl," Princess Celestia replied. "There was a bit of a thing with the foreman,-"
"Not enough hooves," Princess Luna sniffed. Celestia ignored the interruption and continued.
"-but we're glad to have made it in time." Guiding Light thought that there was some sort of ethereal beauty to the taller Alicorn, who seemed much older than the dark blue mare. The excitement in those green eyes of the younger Princess made her smile.
"Absolutely, your Highnesses. Do you wish to review the Sun Seers and Moon Guides before we continue?"
"We shouldn't keep the ponies waiting. We can meet with them after," Princess Celestia smiled, shaking her head.
"Should we stand over here?" Princess Luna asked.
"That would be ideal." Starswirl turned towards the other ponies. "I've asked the Princesses to observe today's Celestial Ceremony as part of their studies to familiarize themselves with the workings of each of the tribes." The Princesses moved a few lengths away so that they could watch everypony.
"Sun Seers, please link up. Moon Guides, please be ready," Starswirl commanded as he walked to the line and stood between the two groups. Guiding Light turned east with the other Lunar Guides, craning her neck to watch the Seers, who faced west and closed their eyes, their horns alight with magical fields. A spark of magic leapt from the tip of horn the furthest pony to the next. The glow grew and grew until the magic jumped to Starswirl's horn, already shining brighter than any of the others. For a moment, the tableau held, then slowly, the sun began to set.
Guiding Light heard a giggle and turned to see Princess Luna climb excitedly atop her taller sister, pointing with glee at the moving orb. Celestia's gaze, however, was fixed on the blue robed stallion. The sky turned from an expansive azure and darkened to yellow, russet, then a ruddy orange. Cerulean, malachite and amethyst shaded the sky before her. Pinpricks of glimmering light began to appear as the stars danced into view. As the sun dipped behind the distant Foal Mountains, the colours deepened to a dark stratos blue. The sky was filled with sparkling lights, and she smiled at the deepening canopy of mysterious stars.
Starswirl turned to face east with the Guides. "Guiding Light, if you would please?" There was a reason why she had been placed on the outside with Silver Spark beside her. All she had to do was link with her friend; easy enough under normal circumstances, but she was shaking with excitement and fear. She looked east. The Smokey Mountains were distant shadows. She closed her eyes and gathered her magic. She could feel the pressure of it building in her head, waiting for release. She reached for her friend's magic and finding it, sent her magic to him. Immediately, his presence filled her mind. He grunted.
"Dim it down a bit, will ya?" he whispered. "You don't wanna go nadir on your first Ceremony!" She felt herself flush with embarrassment, and the glow of her horn lowered as she pulled back some magic. As the magic flowed down the line, she could feel the other stallions and mares, like a warm embrace. As their magic reached Starswirl, she felt a vastness drop into the feeling like a stone. Then their magic was soaring, reeling away into the dark reaches of the sky, an exhilaration of flight, an unfathomable delight. The magic fetched up against the cool soothing presence, and with infinite care, wrapped around it lovingly, and tugged. The first inkling she had that the moon was rising was Princess Luna clapping her hooves together with a gleeful laugh. She could now feel the magic draining from her in waves. It seemed to go on forever. The strain between her eyes felt more and more raw, her mind being roughly chafed by an ill-fitting bridle. But the others in her mind reached out and soothed her, and she sank into their welcome.
With a jolt, she realized that the others were leaving her magical meld with fond farewells and she waited for them all to withdraw before she damped her magic and opened her eyes. Silver Spark grinning. She felt curiously empty, but... happy.
"Impressive, as always," Princess Celestia was saying as the other Princess gazed up at the silver moon.
"How was your first time, eh?" Silver Spark asked her. Guiding Light thought for a moment, gazing at the silver disk that hung in the sky, then smiled back.
"Glorious."
Over the years, the glow of that memory had turned bitter and painful. The unicorns had hidden a terrible, dark secret from the other tribes. A secret that would well be out tonight. Her gaze wandered the crowd, the oblivious unicorns in their Celestial Ceremony cloaks, their meager magical sparks dimly burning in her enhanced eyes. They didn't know. They hadn't known. Every Seer and Guide lived a fantasy of their own making, and tomorrow, catastrophe would be upon them all.
She turned her back on the laughing, gambooling ponies and began to make her way to Stargazer's Hill.
She climbed the narrow dirt trail, as she had so many times before. The deep green grass waved in the breeze and yellow butterflies flittered about. The pride she had felt as a Guide had faded, replaced by horror when she became the Celestial Mistress. The way seemed especially difficult today, and the lone tree ominous in the bright sunlight. As she came close to the top, she could hear hushed, desperate voices.
"Are you sure? I thought we had more time! And those foaling initiatives..." came a familiar voice.
"We started the program too late. It was only because of Guiding Light's work did we even confirm what was happening. None of the foals have their cutie marks yet, which means they lack the sheer power. They can't be called for the Ceremony! Too young and... well, you know what happened to Silver Light..."
She stepped around the tree and cleared her throat, startling the two ponies. "Clover, Starswirl," she greeted them solemnly.
"Ah, Mistress Light," Starswirl said, his voice grave. "We were just talking about Silver Light. How is she?" She ignored the stab in her heart that nearly made her sick and swallowed against her pain.
"She has not yet recovered. Thank you for asking." She blamed no pony but herself. She had hoped, had prayed, that the filly, with such magical promise, would be able to perform as a Guide. Her mother was, after all, the Celestial Mistress. It had been three months since she had been called for duty.
Sacrifice was more like it.
She now understood why Princess Platinum had been so aloof and rigid during the Unification meetings prior to the founding of Equestria. Unlike the Pegasi and the Earth ponies, Unicorns had been giving up their souls to ensure the good of all. As each mare or stallion fell into nadir, their cutie marks had vanished along with their magic. The lived under the shadow of their Celestial Cloaks, which hid their blank flanks. Yet without their sacrifice, there would be no food. Without their sacrifice, there would be widespread panic and Equestria could very well fail. They had trapped themselves neatly in their silence.
"Meadowbrook has been asking after her," Clover said gently. With a glow of her horn, she lifted a small package from her saddlebags. "She wanted me to give you this, so when Silver Light woke up, this would comfort her."
The doctors were not hopeful. Silver Spark's resentment burned her only less harshly than her own guilt.
"Tonight our shame will catch us," she said with no preamble. Starswirl's brown beard wavered for a moment as he and Clover shared a glance. "I have reviewed the magic levels of the remaining ponies. Including myself, we only have enough magic for one more Ceremony. We cannot risk another foal-" her voice cracked and wavered.
"We will do what we must," Starswirl intoned, but even he too, looked defeated. They stirred at the sound of hooves. Guiding Light closed her eyes and blew out a rattling wuffle. With effort, she schooled her features before walking around the tree to great the remaining Seers and and Guides as they reached the hilltop. They were all younger than she, and she knew each one by name. They were her friends. Sunbeam. Moonstone. Morning Glory. Star Hopper. Cloud Dreamer. Night Shine. Silver Swirl.
When all ten ponies had arrived, she lined them up exactly like her first Ceremony, all those years ago. Unlike that time, she now stood beside Starswirl, with Clover at his other flank.
"Let's begin," Starswirl said. The five Seers lit up, facing the west, their magic shining brightly even against the sunlight, and the sun began to descend. Just like us, Guiding Light thought. No more magic. No more destiny. The night will come like a flood and forever destroy us for our hubris and our folly.
Night fell silently. Some of the Seers collapsed while others swayed. Clover stood, gasping for breath, then flicked back her burlap cloak and sighed in relief at the sight of her cutie mark. The others, Guiding Light knew, were not so lucky. Starswirl turned, meeting the eyes of the Guides and nodded, wiping at his lathered neck with a hoof.
Guiding Light closed her eyes, waiting for the gentle nudge on her magic field, and when she opened her mind to the touch, the minds of her friends flooded into her. She hesitated. Could she do this? Could she condemn her friends to the abyss of nadir? Could she so easily hand over their lives? But what of her duty, or the lives of the other ponies? They would all perish together, no matter what she did. Could she dishonour her friends and all the other unicorns who had willingly sacrificed their destinies to struggle in the darkness of nadir?
She passed the magic to Starswirl, and felt her strength drain away into the vastness of his mind. As the moon neared the apex, Moonstone collapsed in a faint, her presence snapping violently out of contact, but Guiding Light lashed her mind around the others, pouring more and more magic out to stabilize the flow. She looked up catching a brief bleary glimpse of the moon wobbling out of line. She could feel her strength failing, the others gasping as their magic drained even faster.
"Clover!" Starswirl choked out. A magenta glow flared and the lashing drain eased and the Moon steadied and rose smoothly once again. Once by one, her friends' minds popped out of her awareness, until even she could no longer sense Starswirl or Clover. She fell, her barrel bouncing painfully against the grassy hilltop. Her friends looked at each other in horror. They knew. They knew it was gone. All of it. In the despair of silence, they departed, each to their own private nightmare.
Starswirl and Clover leaned against each other, and Guiding Light idly wondered if they were lovers. They were so good to each other, for each other.
"How will we raise the sun?" Clover said in a stunned voice.
"We will do what we must," was Starswirl's only answer. With a weak wave of farewell, the last two unicorns of any magical strength staggered downslope.
Guiding Light sat up and stared up into the vast night sky. The moon's pearlescent glow had a cool, soothing touch tonight, but there was no comfort there. Her magic was depleted, and there was nothing left but emptiness. In time, she stood up and made her way to the hospital. She slipped into a darkened room, where a filly lay as if asleep. She sat down and caressed an emaciated cheek.
"Now mommy's just like you," she whispered brokenly as tears dripped steadily down her snout.