“Alicorns are from Space?!” Azure Flame cried out, shocked beyond all measure.
“Yes. Or at least, these ones were. You see, they came from a dying world. Their industry and magical recklessness had doomed it, and so a handful of them built their space-ship and fled. Out of a race of ten billion, only a million or so survived.”
“What about Ponies then? And the other Alicorns like Cadence?” Azure asked, confused.
“Ponies like yourself are from this world, there is no doubt. As for your cousin, Alicorns like her are a genetic mutation; an evolution towards a superior form. In time, more Alicorns like her will be born. And someday, many hundreds of thousands of years later, all Ponies will be Alicorns. Your Aunts however, are different. They, and the other tall Alicorns were similar, in that they’d evolved from Ponies into what they currently were, but had significantly different roots in their genetic ancestors. Like how Zebras are closely related to Ponies, but not the same, so too are the Alicorns of Space and the Alicorns of Erafore similar but different.”
Dumbfounded, he could only sit and watch as the skies darkened as countless Dragons filled the air, descending to meet the new arrivals. He watched as a massive black Dragon shook the tiny, in comparison at least, hoof of an Alicorn mare with a pure white coat and a flowing, ethereal mane of red hues that made it look like fire. Upon her head was a headpiece of gold and studded with various precious gems. A crown if ever there was.
“Here, you can see Vargonos Scarspire the Obsidian, King of Dragons, making a treaty and agreements with the Empress of the Alicorns, Galaxia Faustus. A friendship was born that day, one that should have lasted many generations.” In the background of the celebrating Alicorns and Dragons, was a glowering, silver Dragon. His golden spines quivered his indignation, and a look of pure loathing danced in his eyes.
“Vandal!” Azure shouted, lunging instinctively at the image before him. He did not make it far, as he was pinned down by a firm claw from Arnos.
“Peace, child! It is only an image; a memory of the past!” Ashamed, Azure settled down.
“I understand your hate, young Unicorn. To see the one who dared to do such harm to you and others… still, this is not the time to lash out.” Azure nodded curtly, and focused his eyes back to the scenes before him. Now, however, there was a darkness in them as he stared at the monster who had ruined so much for so many ponies.
“Yes, that is he; once known as Vandal Stardeath, now cursed and shamed into Vandal the Wingless. A bitter and hateful creature in whose blood the curse of Discord flows thick. He feared and distrusted the Alicorns and their powerful magic. He feared them and yet was also jealous, for their civilization exceeded even the old Dragon’s golden days. These two emotions, spurred on by Discord’s curse, fester. And so, after a few centuries of uneasy peace and co-existence, Vandal lashed out and murdered several thousand Alicorns out of spite. Mares, foals, the elderly and infirm. An entire city of them, wiped out in flames and rending claws. This enraged the Alicorns, and King Vargonos. Unfortunately, despite Vargonos and Galaxia’s best attempts, it was impossible to stop the war that he’d begun, and both sides began to commit worse and worse atrocities, creating a cycle of death and hate.” Images of fire and death assailed Azure Flame, and he cringed and whimpered under the terrible sights. Arnos laid a comforting claw on his back.
“The Alicorns, powerful as they were, were too few in number to face the more numerous Dragons, and so, in a desperate gamble, broke open my seal and freed Discord.”
“What for? What possible reason could they have done that?!” Azure cried, shocked.
“They knew it was a prison formed by Dragon magic, and so assumed, and hoped, that the occupant would be willing to help them. And he was, to their great misfortune. Free once more, he continued his destruction of the Dragon race with even more terrible and inventive tortures, turning his madness and magic onto the Alicorns when they tried to protest his actions. Too late, the Alicorns realized what they’d unleashed onto the world once more. They tried to stop him, and prepared to enact a two stage ritual that would weaken Discord’s influence on them, and then bind him away once more. The first part of the ritual went off without a hitch. In a spell that spanned the world, the Alicorns created the first Cuties Marks for themselves, and by sheer coincidence, the closely related Ponies.”
“They did what?! Cutie Marks are what?!” Azure cried, shocked once more. That was happening a lot today, a part of him thought. Arnos nodded his large head.
“Cutie Marks, originally called Destiny Brands, were a magical barrier attached to the souls of Alicorns and Ponies to weaken the effects of Discord’s Chaos Magic on them. Chaos works with and is powered by change and possibilities, and what is more subject to change and has countless possibilities than the future? By tying down their life-force to one single destiny and path, the mutating powers of Chaos would not do as much damage, and would require Discord’s direct interference to do changes against the Alicorns and Ponies.”
“Discord detected their spell, however, and interfered with the second part, disrupting the feed and causing a cataclysmic backlash. The Mana feedback rippled across the entire world, killing almost all of the adult Alicorns, and sparing only the few children left. But, as Discord had been close to the epicenter of the spell in order to dispel it, was all but torn to shreds from its collapse. As a being made of almost pure magic, only an even greater amount of energy could dream of hurting or destroying him, and the backlash nearly did that. He was severely weakened, and would be forced to recuperate for many centuries before returning. By then, of course, the damage was done. The Dragons were scattered and scarred from Discord, and the Alicorn race was all but obliterated.”
“…Where do my Aunts come in?” Azure Flame inquired after a moment of respectful silence.
“Hmm, yes, their story is an important part of this, after all, and I’ve yet to answer your question.” Arnos cleared his throat before starting again.
“Your Aunts, Celestia and Luna, were but children, only a few decades old when Vandal committed his grave sin, and when Discord returned. Celestia, in fact, was the first Alicorn foal to be born on Erafore, while Luna was the last. As for their story, well, they’d survived the massacre of the other foals by sheer luck, and had been far from the Alicorn capitol when Discord broke the spell. Lost and alone, the two of them journeyed across the lands seeking safe haven. They did not know of any other survivors, and were rightly afraid. But still, they pressed on.”
Before Azure Flame’s eyes, two adorable little fillies appeared, clambering over rocks and fallen rubble. One, with a white coat and a pale pink mane, held out her hoof to a smaller, younger filly with a dark blue coat and coal black mane.
“D’aaaw!” Azure cooed, before clamping a hoof over his mouth in embarrassment.
“No need to be ashamed, they are quiet adorable,” Arnos said, chuckling. “Anyways, they traveled far and wide for many months, before stumbling across the Everfree Forest, and my cave, which had formed around me alongside the trees and plants. I was woken from a millennia long nap by their antics, and curious, called out to them. They were terrified of me, and I was confused as to why. Slowly, though, the truth came out, and I blacked out from rage. Rage at myself, at the Alicorns, at Vandal, and at Discord. When I recovered, I swore to the fillies that I would never harm them, and that I would protect them from all harm. And so my days passed, raising the most beautiful of daughters. Though they were not related to me or each other by blood, they loved me and each other fiercely. Time passed, and they grew. They gained their Cutie Marks after a while, only having the outlines thanks to the spell, and that is when I felt they might have had a greater destiny.”
“Celestia, kind and motherly, earned hers by tending to Luna’s hurts and scrapes, and to the ones the animals of the forest accrued. Luna, smart and protective, earned hers when she first performed a visit to the Dreamscape in order to sooth the nightmares of Celestia, who’d been unable to forget the horrors of the war. Seeing their marks, I felt a flash of Prophecy upon me, and so I told them of a great secret, one that the Unicorns had discovered long ago, and had been originally crafted by the Colossi; the Song of Dawn and Dusk.”
Azure sat up, intrigued.
“Caught your attention, did it? It ties into a question that has burned within you for a while; can Celestia and Luna raise the Sun and Moon? The answer is no, but there is a truth behind the spell they cast each morning and evening. The Song of Dawn and Dusk is a powerful protective spell that is cast into the upper levels of Erafore’s atmosphere, binding onto the rays of light shone by the Sun and Moon. At Dawn, the spell is cast to create a cleansing, burning force, the rays of the Sun tearing apart curses and black magic, and weakening that which lives for evil. At Dusk, the spell is cast again, this time to bathe the world in purity and healing, the moon’s soft glow accelerating the recovery of magical and mundane wounds and allowing barriers and protections to be renewed. The Song must be cast again each day for it to be effective. The Dragon’s had no need for it, their own magical talents sufficient for protection, but kept the ancient Colossi temple-complexes that housed the spells intact, in case they were ever needed. The Unicorns of Pre-Equestria discovered them, and twisted the truth to make them seem more powerful, and used advanced illusions to make it seem like the Sun and Moon could rise and set at their will.”
Silently, Azure thought it over. It made sense, now that the truth was out. Some questions still swirled in his mind, but he kept quiet. Arnos was still talking.
“Time passed, and the Great Winter arrived and drove the Ponies into what is now called Equestria. The Ponies, under their own efforts, banished the Windigoes, the ancient and cruel Elementals of Ice, and formed a new nation. But Discord rose again, finally healed after so long. He appeared in Equestria, and decided to torment the successors of the Alicorns who’d harmed him so. For ten years he reigned. I could do nothing, I was too weak.” At this, tears began to sparkle and drip from the great Dragon’s eyes, splashing down near the alabaster Unicorn.
“Tia and Lulu were so desperate to save the Ponies and defeat Discord they rushed out to face him. Twice, they were defeat. Twice, I almost lost my daughters. I whisked them away from their second defeat with what remained of my magic, and begged them not to fight him anymore. They refused.” A tone of pride entered Arnos’ voice as he gazed onto the images of the past before him.
“I knew they’d never heed me, and would keep trying until they died. So, I had no choice but to give them a weapon to defeat him.”
Azure watched, mesmerized and then horrified, as the Arnos in the images plunged a clawed hand into his chest before ripping out his heart in front of the shocked and terrified faces of his daughters. The Dragon, ignoring the cries and pleas of his daughters, plunged the pulsating organ into the dirt of the cave the three had called home. A burst of light shone through the cave, and soon a small, crystalline sapling rose from the spot.
“Sleep.” A single command from the Arnos of the past echoed through the air, and Celestia and Luna collapsed, deep in slumber. Slowly, the mighty form of Arnos curled around them and the sapling, and with a shuddering breath, died.
“What…” Azure whispered, tears in his eyes.
“For another ten years Discord would rule, my beloved daughters slumbering in a magical sleep, waiting for my gift to them to grow.” The images flickered, and soon Azure was staring at a magnificent tree, seemingly wrought from solid crystal, with six glowing gems nestled in its branches. He watched as Celestia and Luna awoke, looking around to find their father vanished, and a towering magical tree in his place.
“The Elements of Harmony,” Azure whispered reverently, staring at six glowing gems.
“Yes, enchanted ‘fruits’ plucked from the Tree of Harmony. A spell born of pure love and devotion will produce wondrous effects beyond any mortal comprehension. My wish to give Tia and Lulu a force to defeat Discord manifested itself as this. Celestia, my kind and considerate Fire-of-my-Heart, gained the Elements of Kindness, Generosity, and Laughter. Luna, my sweet and clever Whisper-of-my-Soul, gained the Elements of Loyalty, Honesty, and Magic. United as one, they rose from the cave, tears shed over my sacrifice still staining their cheeks, and challenged Discord. In a single burst of Rainbow light, he was sealed, and they were victorious.”
Arnos looked down with a smile to the tiny, young Unicorn who was weeping silent tears.
“Is your curiosity satisfied, Blueblood?”
“Yes, yes it was. Thank you so much.” Azure Flame wiped the tears from his eyes, and glanced up at the Dragon. “What happens now?”
“Now you leave. You still have much to do in the world. Evils to face and vanquish chief among them.”
Azure Flame nodded, a determined look on his face.
“Here; one last gift from myself.” Arnos reached up to his head, and slowly, carefully, began to pull a thread of glowing silver from his skull. He lowered it to the Unicorn, and it wrapped itself around his horn before vanishing.
“What was that?!”
“That is hope. A second chance. When your life starts to darken, and you think there is no way to escape or win, when all you love is threatened, it will awaken. This power will blossom in your time of need, and should you accept it, will grant you a final burst of power to save all you hold dear.” Azure nodded mutely, feeling the swirling energy settling into his very essence.
“And allow me to give you an answer to a question your Aunts will ask when you return: M’ko. Remember that now.” The Unicorn blinked, bewildered by the seemingly random non-sequitur.
A door suddenly popped into existence next to them, Azure jumping a bit in surprise. It swung open, revealing the faceless form of the Secretary.
“Your Appointment has timed out. I must now ask you to leave.” The world around Azure Flame started to flicker and fade, the colors bleeding away.
“What’s going on?”
“You are being sent back to the World of the Living, Azure Flame. Mortals can only spend so long in the World Beyond Death.”
Azure’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by a raised claw.
“All is as it should be, young Blueblood. But, perhaps you could heed a final request?” Numb, Azure nodded his head.
“Tell Celestia and Luna… that I’m so very proud of them.”
Light exploded around him, and Azure Flame knew no more.
“Azzy? You OK? Speak to me?”
“Ugh, wah?”
“Oh thank the Gods! He’s alive!”
“I told you he’d be fine. He passed the Trials of Salt with no problem.”
Voices assaulted Azure Flame’s ears, and he blinked his eyes, banishing the darkness and inviting blurred colors and shapes.
“Welcome back, young one. I’m glad you were successful.” Azure looked over to the speaker, and quickly bowed his head in thanks to the Dahli Llama.
“Thank you. I’ve learned what I need to.” He stood, shakily at first, but with growing strength and confidence.
“You should take it easy, Azure. You just went through a lot,” Creepy said, worried.
“We don’t have time. We need to get back to Canterlot.” Slim and Creepy shared a look, before glancing over to the Dahli Llama.
“You’re sure nothing messed with him?” The Minotaur asked.
“Ha ha, guys,” the white Unicorn said, rolling his eyes. “But seriously, we need to go. I have… a feeling. A premonition of sorts.”
“Is it bad?” Slim asked, worried.
“Very.” That was all they needed to hear.
“Then let’s go! Sorry to impose on you further, Your Holiness, but could we perhaps get a ride to the nearest port?” Creepy asked, turning to the platinum furred Llama.
“You can borrow my private Airship. We’ll fly straight to Canterlot.”
“We?” Slim inquired.
“Black Phoenix and Vandal have caused Disharmony across the world for too long now. I believe I shall stand with the Heavenly Sisters against this threat. I’ve put it off for too long now.”
“Thank you so much,” The regal Unicorn said, bowing once more to the elderly Llama before him.
“Thank you as well, young one, for conversing with my friend Arnos one last time,” the divine Llama said, returning the bow. The prince of Equestria returned the bow as well, content to remain silent. No other words were necessary.
“Let’s go home then, Azure,” Creepy said, walking over to his friend.
“Yes, lets.” they trotted over to the doors, before he turned to his companions.
“Oh, and please. Call me Blueblood. No more hiding for me.” The Unicorn declared. Blueblood chuckled heartily at the sight of his friends’ jaws dropping open in surprise.
“Ah, youth. Such exuberance. Do you remember what it was like to be young?” Arnos asked, gazing wistfully down at Blueblood and Kudo from a window in Space/Time.
“No,” was the curt reply from the Secretary.
“Oh, well, neither do I,” Arnos chuckled.
“It is time, Arnos Everfree. I have given you too much leeway as it is. Your Passing must come.”
“Thank you for giving me this extra time. It means a lot to me.”
“Your appreciation is noted.” The Secretary raised one of its arms, and a new door appeared before them. Tall and wide enough to fit something twice the ancient Dragon’s size, it was made of old, splintery wood and polished brass. Slowly, it creaked open, and a pure white abyss yawned before them.
“I’m going to miss you, you know. You were a good friend to me these long years,” Arnos said, before taking slow, ponderous steps into the light.
“Zaan’Hathagol.” Arnos paused, and looked over his shoulder at the Secretary.
“My name is Zaan’Hathagol.” A smile creased the Dragon’s lips.
“Farewell, Zaan’Hathagol. Look out for the world for me, will you?”
“It’s what I have always done, Arnos Everfree.” With one last chuckle, Arnos Everfree stepped through the door into the Light.