For a while, the purveyor and princess Celestia just stood at the edge of the seemingly endless crater, watching as the shadows continued their work below, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Then, the purveyor felt something. It was weak at first, distant but it was there nonetheless. Something was tugging on the flow around him, meaning that something was treading along the barriers of the void like a fly over a spider's web.
Immediately, his mind shot out over the void, searching for the source of the disturbance and locating it within seconds. When he found it though, a small sigh of annoyance escaped him. Somehow, he had almost expected this to happen at some point, just not this early.
"Celestia." Zaeres spoke up quietly, making her look up in surprise.
"Yes?"
He continued to stare into the pit, his shadows stopping their work to return to his form. "Did you inform Twilight Sparkle of my presence?"
Celestia gave him a slightly confused look. "I did. Why?"
"Because she is trying to contact me at this very moment," he replied with an unmoving voice, "Have you also informed her of my intention?"
Celestia shook her head, "I have yet to tell her. I was careful of discussing the topic with her this early." she gave him a questioning gaze, "Will you go talk to her?"
The purveyor pondered on her question for a moment. He could of course simply ignore Twilight Sparkle's attempts to contact him, but to what purpose? Her powers had grown, and she had always been a little too devoted for his likes. If he ignored her, she was likely to do something foolish for sure. Then again... there was another question that had been on his mind since his return.
"Before I do... There is something I want to ask you." he turned to Celestia, "Why did you turn her into an alicorn?"
Celestia seemed surprised at his question. "She displayed all the virtues of the elements. She learned so much in so little time and grew over all expectations. So I wished for her to be a figure all ponies of future generations could look up to. That is why I turned her into the princess of magic."
Zaeres observed her in silence for a moment. "You disappoint me, Celestia. Do you really think I would be fooled so easily? Or do you really believe what you just told me? First Discord, and now this..."
She stared at him, shocked and seemingly at a loss for words. "What?"
"It was never intended for there to be a princess of magic. You and I know perfectly well that it was never intended for the element bearers to live forever." he turned away from her and stared back into the crater, "After you lost the elements, they would be found again in the form of simple, mortal ponies, reappearing when they would be needed the most. ...And then they would disappear again when the bearers reached the end of their lives."
He paused. "That was always the original intent of the elements. They were always a fleeting appearance in history, something to uphold the balance of the world and nothing to be held or controlled by one alone. They were far too powerful for that... which was also one of the reasons you lost them over time. And you know this as well." He didn't look up as he continued, "So tell me, Celestia. Why did you truly decide to turn Twilight Sparkle immortal?"
Next to him, Celestia remained quiet, baffled by his question and trying to find an answer for that very question herself. He was right, she knew... and still, why had this question never occurred to her? For a moment she was lost as countless memories rushed through her mind, but when she realized the answer, she almost loathed herself for it... and him for making her understand it.
Celestia held her head low, a feeling of deep regret spreading in her heart. "I... I did it..."
"Because you could not let her go," the purveyor finished her sentence with a quiet voice as he turned to her once more. "I will not judge you for caring for your subjects, and I will certainly not judge you for feeling lonely in all those years. But surely, you realize by now... how foolish that was."
Celestia did not respond to his words, she only held her head low and her eyes shut. In the distance, a thunder storm rolled over the Barrier, black clouds sending rain and lightning onto the horizon.
"You knew, what suffering an unending life holds and you burdened it upon her nonetheless. And you knew how dangerous that step was and how many rules it broke... and still, you did it. I had expected more from you-"
"I know!" Celestia interrupted him with a shout, "I know it was selfish!" Tears started to appear in her eyes. "But I simply couldn't bear the thought of losing her! I simply could not!" She cast him an angry glare. "And is she not happy?! Has she not grown to become a guiding symbol for all of Equestria?! Why can't I be selfish for once?! Why do I have to see all of those I love and care about come and go in nothing but a moment?!" She hung her head and sobbed. "Why can't I be happy for once?!"
The purveyor watched her crying form for a lingering moment, silent and unmoving. When he spoke again, Celestia was surprised to hear sadness in his voice, "Now, you understand." She raised her head to look at him, "I will not appear to my kind for that very reason... because I fear I could care for them enough to do something I would regret later. ...And that is why they will be on their own..."
He shook his head with a sigh. "As for your question... I can not answer it for you, Celestia. You must find the answer for yourself. Keep in mind though, that happiness is nothing eternal... there is always sadness around us, and it is up to you to find a way to deal with the loss. And Twilight Sparkle... I will talk with her, but I hope for all of us that you will not act out of your own desires so rashly again."
Slowly, the shadows started to collect around him. "And I hope that your student will not make the same mistakes you made." With another twist of the void, the purveyor was gone.
Princess Celestia remained behind, standing at the edge of the crater and lost in her own inner turmoils and sadness. Her thoughts went to her beloved student, and it drove tears into her eyes to realize what she had done so long ago. She could only hope that she could forgive herself with time... and that Twilight Sparkle would be able to forgive her when she understood one day as well.
"Twilight..." she whispered, "Please forgive me..."
At last, the curse of an immortal life is brought up
Good that this story is updating again.
It still is hard to choose between this story and 'Souls appart'
Keep em coming!
sad chapter is sad
Celestia just got told.
"Tightly wrapped are the chains of immortality and heavy is the metal out of which they are forged; to live forever is the greatest gift and also the cruelest of curses; one that not even the Gods themselves would wish upon their enemies..."
―Anonymous
I'm a silly being. I thought there for a moment "but Twilights immortality isn't canon", but then it occurred to me "like rest of this story is canon, moron".
That was deep.
2629292
Agreed it must be really hard for the immortals to have everyone that they know pass by in the blink of an eye!
2629627 But it must also be awesome to be able to allow generation after generation die knowing their children and their children's children is taken care of
Immortality truly is a many-sided thing, there are those who would thrive in it and accomplish great things despite or because of the losses they suffer, those who strife for much but fall and never get up again because of them, those who shut themself off from the world to never experience them in the first place and those who relish the fact that they have all eternity to find ways to enjoy themselves and just don't care what happens to everything else.
Holy shit Zaeres. That was brutal.
i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/421/625/824.gif
Looking foward to the next one.
This sums up my view on immortality...
Living forever is awesome
2629867 FINALY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS!!!
*rolls eyes*
I've never understood the idea that Celestia, who has been alive for well over a thousand years, is going to start falling apart at the seams now. You'd think by the time she reach her 2nd or 3rd century - when things are still relatively familiar but are well-along in the process of changing on her - she'd either crumble or find a way to cope, but no it's now, after more than 10 centuries, that she finally realizes that she can't handle it.
It's kind of like spending a year being tortured and not giving any information. Then, a decade later, while sitting at dinner with your family, suddenly blurting out everything the torturers wanted to know. That doesn't happen. (A bit extreme, I know, but Celestia should have learned to cope a long, long time ago.)
AWESOME CHAPTER!!!
Can't wait until the next update!
Wouldn't the elements fade from Twilight as they did from Celestia?
~Have a good one.
2629678 That is very true!
2630167
Agreed.
2629292
Meh. Depends really. I'm immortal and loving it. Though that may have something to do with being a walker of the Multiverse. . . I suppose it depends on circumstance whether it is a curse or a blessing.
2630167
I like to think of it this way. Lets look at the Celestia shown here, who isn't a power hogging tyrant, but a long lived leader who truly cares for all of her subjects. It hasn't been shown here, but lets assume she interacts with many of her ponies from day to day, even if mostly in the throne room. Over the years she will inevitably become close to many ponies in some fashion, and in time the mortals will all leave her. So in situations like this, I see it more like a mounting pressure that increases as all the lives she knew and cared deeply for turn to memories. Even those will fade in time, and Celestia seems like the type to blame herself for forgetting them.
It depends on the personality of the individual in question, but I think Celestia would understand immortality as both a blessing and a curse. On one hand she can use all her power and wisdom to guide and protect her beloved subjects. On the other, well, It's lonely at the top.
2629867
Indeed it is. Made more so the fact when you have a literally infinitely expanding Multiverse to explore.
celestia just had a reality check . . . . . lord all knows we all have that moment
AAAAAAAW SHIIIIYAT!
Great new chapter btw, can't wait for more!
Damn. You are one of the best authors I have seen yet. Good job.
2635129
What are you talking about? I've seen the "Immortality sucks" trope done to death. For once I'd like to see someone argue the opposite point, being the good points of immortality.
2648429 Yeah, it was good, but it was proven incorrect...
Four hours ago I didn't even want to touch this series - not because I didn't trust you as an author, but because the premise just seemed like it would turn me off.
It's beautiful...
Hmm...
Which race would be humanity's first allies
And enemies
Hmmm...
2644498 Eh, depending on what kind of person you are there really could be some serious downsides to being immortal.
People like the Doctor or Celestia (in this context) who get very emotionally attached to individuals they care deeply about may very well see it as a curse. Imagine watching your best friend die, and then imagine doing it again and again for however long you live. It would be terrible.
On the flipside, someone who is either unable or unwilling to become emotionally invested in those around them may gain more of a benefit from being immortal. Since they don't really care too much about the people they meet, they can just sort of watch it all go by or try to set things in motion that would normally require numerous lifetimes to come to fruition.
Whether or not immortality is a gift or a curse would depend on your individual character. Seeing Celestia in this context doesn't make it hard to believe that she would see it as the latter.
Personally, I think immortality would be pretty sweet, but then I'm used to my friends coming and going all the time and generally have a difficult time getting attached to people.
2677640 one life lived is enough for me.
2677640 "Immortality is only for those who are truly heartless..." Thats what my Great grandma said.... before she passed away in the night... Ever go to a funeral when you where 5?
5493042 I went to 3 when I was really young 1 when I was 3 1when I was 4 and 1 when I was five I went into depression after the third for awhile like 3 years before I started to get better another year I was pretty much done with it it wasn't fun at all but I'm over it now but I'm not affected by death that much any more like 1 tear then I'm over it its sad really
I'm kinda sads now
...I just realized something, Twilight and her friends were the Elements of Harmony but with time moving on leaving Twilight the only living Element of the group, she or any future users can’t use the element again.
The purpose of the elements was for one or several users based on the element’s attribute to face against dark forces. With Twilight being the constant user of magic, future users for the elements can’t connect well with her element of magic, as each user has to have synchronous relationship... sure Twilight can make friends with future users but over time, the struggle of losing future friends would become a burden to her to the point that she rather not be friends with the future element users...
Zaeres was right Tia, the elements weren’t meant to be under the control of one being forever... they come and go... you just damned yourself with your blind selfishness, and while I agree seeing one or all the Mane 6 we know to pass on would be heart-breaking... it ain’t worth it by risking the future of future generations now is it
10072874
I disagree. Once she became an alicorn, she ceased being mortal - and with time, her connection to the Element of Magic will weaken and eventually cut off completely, just like they did with Celestia and Luna. It may take more time, but the Elements will once again serve their purpose - the only difference being, there will be one more alicorn around to see it happen.
The Elements, much like ponies with their cutie marks, have a well-defined purpose, and they will serve it regardless of circumstance - it is written into their reason for existence. A mere alicornhood will not disrupt them - at best, it will only delay them. Because some things are simply meant to be.
Everything ends.
If I were Celestia, I'd dedicate a portion of my life towards finding happiness with Twilight, and giving her happiness in return. They're both past the point of no return, and there's no reason (other than self-flagellation on Celly's part - which would only serve to hurt two beings) for her to deny them both... indulgence.
She's already gone and done the deed... might as well reap the rewards.