It was over, the war was over. Luna was dead, all that was left was for her bats to accept their surrender terms. Celestia’s inner circle was convened in her war tent. Blossom could hear each of their heartbeats, Gladius the clockwork knight of course betrayed nothing only the ticking of gears, Celestia’s ward little Eros was still on edge after everything, and Celestia’s heartbeat betrayed her anxiety. But she could see nothing, for she was blind.
“Blossom, do you think My….Luna’s forces will accept our terms of surrender.” Celestia spoke up in her calming yet unsure voice.
Blossom turned her head up from her meditations, reading the anxiety in her lady's voice. “They are very generous My Lady, I am sure they will.” Blossom replied.
“If not….The soldiers are getting anxious.” Celestia sighed.
“Is that what bothers you my lady? Our allies debts to us are more than sufficient to cover the soldier’s back pay.” Blossom responded in a calm tone, this was while true certainly not going to cover the day to day running of the army and Blossom knew it, She had not burdened her lady with just how dire their financial straights were even the church’s considerable pockets had been emptied into the war effort.
“And If they don’t pay blossom? And If they don’t pay?” Celestia stated with a tone of slight desperation.
“Then it is obvious to me that they are not our allies, isn’t it?” Gladius stated in his slow contemplative and melancholy tone. “And we still have an army.”
Eros fluttered onto the impromptu desk in front of Celestia, and spoke in their soft energetic voice tempered by etiquette. “Don’t worry mother, whatever comes up you can deal with it.”
Blossom could hear the slowing of Celestia’s heartbeat in response to the child’s faith, she heard the tell tale sound of the little one being moved onto the ground. “And even if you can’t, we are by your side till the end. Shall we toast, to our victory?”
“Doesn’t the church frown on drinking?” Gladius stated at me, even with his voice I could tell he was teasing.
“Why don’t we just ask the local deity her opinion on drinking?” I stated plainly turning my head to Celestia.
“Blossom, I am absolutely certain that it doesn’t matter what I tell you, you will drink us all under the table. But yes a toast.” I could hear the pop of a wine bottle, and the pouring of drinks around the table. “To tomorrow, to the fact there will be a tomorrow.”
“I can drink to that.” Gladius replied, as we began to down our drinks, i could hear the hoofbeats coming towards us.
I drank slowly, taking time to savor the taste of the alcohol down my throat, War supplies being what they are I had not had the chance to enjoy fine in a long while. Though I was certain I would soon enjoy plenty, the length it had been made me feel it only fit to savor it. I could hear Celestia and Gladius put down their glasses before me.
The hoofbeats entered the tent. “General Celestia, We have received a response to our demands. They have agreed to all terms except the cessation of worship of Luna.”
“Thank you captain.” Celestia replied, the tone of her voice clearly relieved. “Accept the new altered terms and take the war booty and reparations immediately, when you return we will be preparing to return to canterlot.” I heard the captain leave.
Little Eros hooves went on the table. “Mother, why did you just instantly agree to change the terms?”
“Because little one, by including one part of my offer they both cannot accept and I don’t care about they can show some token resistance and keep their pride in tact.” Celestia explained to her young ward.
“I see.” Eros replied, the child’s grasp on politics was good for his age, but still needed polishing. Often the finer points and subtler machinations would need some explanation.
I heard a ting of spoon hitting glass. “My friends, we have a long day ahead of us, though we have won we begin the long march home. Once our backers pay us we can go our separate ways.” Celestia said nothing for a moment. “Ok, Gladius can be on his way.”
I awoke, Celestia was not here, nor was Gladius but that was hardly unsurprising most likely on guard duty. There was no need to thought, My body moved instinctively. I wandered through the camp, I could still hear soldiers drunkenly celebrating our victory and smell the alcohol. I focused my senses tuning out the background, seeking Celestia’s scent.
I was nearby. “My Lady?” I asked tentatively. “What are you doing?”
“Blossom!” I could hear her head turn my way her voice surprised. “I’m looking at the stars, It has been very long since I could just look up and appreciate them.” She said as her voice relaxed.
I nodded and sat down next to Celestia “I can understand, Are they beautiful?”
“Very.” Celestia paused for a moment before continuing. “Blossom….Did I...Do the right thing?”
“The forces Luna wielded would have had consequences if left unchecked. Someone needed to stand up to her and stop her, That happened to be you.” Blossom stated with certainty. “That is why you are the living god.”
“But, she’s my sister. What if there was another way?” Celestia asked again.
“That is also why you are the living god.” I nodded. “You have a mortal heart, You know what a mortal feels. There may have been another way but dwelling on what Ifs won’t change what was done.”
“So where do I go from here? I do not think I can go back to normal life now that i’m a Goddess, and even if I could…..I am afraid I do not think I want to’” Celestia questioned.
“You have a great gift for inspiration. Have you considered rulership?” Blossom replied.
Celestia considered for several moments mulling over the suggestion. “Rulership? It would seem natural I suppose, But I have had my fill of barking orders.”
“The world doesn’t need anyone to run it, It is perfectly capable of running itself. Ponies just sometimes...they forget that, and they just need a light to inspire them, to remind them the right path.” I stretched my wings and got up. “Good Night Celestia.”
“Good night blossom, I think I will stay here for awhile longer.” She said as I began to walk away.
I continued to direct the troops in packing up, we were just finishing up as I could hear Celestia’s approach. “You let me sleep in Blossom.” She stated sternly.
“Well you had a long night, and if any of us needed some rest it was you my lady.” I replied liltingly.
“How goes preparations for departure?” Celestia asked in a commanding tone.
“Almost finished my lady.” I replied a slight tone of pride sneaking into my relief. “We shall be ready to go within the hour.”
“Excellent, I shall check around. Just to make sure.” Celestia replied in a pleased tone.
“Of course my lady.” I nodded as I returned to making sure everything was being done as well.
I continued to help direct the proceedings, I could hear the sound of little Eros in the tent restlessly flapping around, I could hear the ticking of gladius as he put his prodigious physical prowess to use, And I could hear Celestia walking among the troops giving out praise and encouragement. The ticking, burdened sound grew closer.
A SLAM next to me as gladius dropped what he was carrying. “So it’s really finally over? I guess I’ll go back to being a museum piece until the next war.”
“You know that won’t happen Gladius.” I responded with a soft sigh, his war weary fatalism was trying, but I knew it was all he knew, he had seen a dozen wars over the centuries. “We’ll ensure you get the magic you need to keep functioning.”
“You really think Celestia will find really keep me functioning? Even if I’m not actively using magic, basic functioning costs a lot.” He asked, he seemed serious.
“Of course, You’re our friend, and loyal comrade. How could she not, don’t you have a little faith?” I tried to take the most assured tone I could.
“In my commander? No.” He rubbed his jaw, he had a strange habit of doing that. “The most important lesson anyone ever taught me, I should never fight for someone, but for something. I’ve made sure to do that for three centuries.”
“Then what are you fighting for Gladius? To defeat Luna?” I inquired, Gladius had always been distant since we reactivated him, I was glad to see him opening up finally.
Gladius shook his head, “I want…” But he was cut off.
As celestia walked up to us, “Blossom, we are ready. I need to make my announcement.”
I bowed slightly. “Of course my lady.” I straightened myself and pulled my wings into a circle.
“Men, we have won. Luna is dead, her forces have surrendered, and it is time to go home.” Her voice boomed as I manipulated the sound moving through my wings. “Today we head to canterlot, there our backers and allies will pay us what you are owed. Once that is done we can all go home, you can go back to your families. To those who lost those families, I give my condolences. It has been an honor serving alongside you, all of you.” She finished her speech, and with it the war was over, we could go home. I could hear the stomping of hoofbeats in applause, it filled the air and nothing else could be heard.
The army began it’s march, we were going home, finally going home.
I sighed leaving the the carriage with the captive Bat ponies. I could hear gladius ticking when I left. “Any new information?” He asked, Gladius showed a great deal of concern for the bats, I think he felt a kindred of artificiality for them.
“No there’s a lot we don’t know about Dark Magic, or the Power of the Gods.” I respond, it was true there had been few ponies to become gods in the past and only one of those remains, while Dark magic use was actively persecuted as it went against the Primordial’s Design.
I could hear grinding as we walked quietly, I could feel the impending question about to be asked. “When are you going to tell them?” The armor piercing question hit like a truck.
I said nothing.
He asked again more insistently. “When are you going to tell them?”
“When I have found a cure.” I replied.
After two long weeks, we had reached Canterlot, as the army crested that last hill It’s cheering roared filling the air, it nearly deafened the sounds of the city. But still I could barely hear it, the hooves on cobblestone, prayers being rendered up to the primordials, the cries of children, The hustle and bustle of the largest pony city in the world.
I could hear the flapping of little Eros wings excitedly flapping as he tried to get a better look. “It’s so pretty!”
Gladius said nothing all I could hear was the ticking of his heart, I wondered if he truly believed we would let him become a museum piece again.
Celestia let out a sigh at my side. “So it is finally over.”
I turned my head towards Celestia and smiled. “Yes, it is finally over.” I tasted the lie upon my tongue as soon as I said it. War after all was easy, It was Peace that was hard.