- Epilogue -
- Epilogue -
Light Stride’s eyes slowly opened, his head swimming slightly as the ache of a failed release of arcane energy throbbed through his horn. He took a few deep breaths as the ache subsided, his vision focusing to reveal his surroundings.
Before him stood a massive a massive slab of grey rock, a monolith of stone, carved with runes that Light Stride could not read. Four lines of a sharp runic script, followed by flowing, modern lettering; another four lines.
Light Stride sat up slowly, rubbing at his head and sighing. He looked at the slab, reading the four lines of modern script.
From This Place
Nightmare’s End Was Seen
Peace Fills Equestria
The Sisters Are Reunited
Light Stride smiled, lifting a hoof to touch the words written there. “The sisters are reunited...”
He sighed, his horn lit up, and he began to carve below the eight lines, adding his own words. After a few minutes he was done, and he sat before the slab of rock, staring at it quietly.
A hoof gently touched his shoulder, but he didn’t move, still staring at the rock. He frowned slightly. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I am stubborn,” Celestia replied, sitting down next to Light Stride, looking at the slab of rock with him.
“You shouldn’t have come back,” he said softly, turning to look at her.
Celestia smiled down at him. “I believe you know me better than that.”
“I hoped that you’d stay away and leave me here.”
Celestia laughed. “And let you have all the fun? Uncover all the mystery? Perhaps there is still much you have to learn about me.”
They sat silently for a moment, before Light Stride gestured to the stone. “You wrote the second part, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I assume, then, that the third section is yours?” Celestia said softly.
“Yeah,” Light Stride replied.
Below Celestia’s writing, his own words seemed crude in comparison to the neat script of her words.
My Duty Is Done
My Princess Is Saved
- Light Stride
Celestia giggled. “I’m your Princess?”
“A figure of speech. I am your guard, so you are my Princess,” Light Stride replied quickly.
Celestia smiled softly. “Are you sure that is all you meant?”
Light Stride blushed slightly. “Y-yes.”
“Good,” Celestia said, standing up and stretching. “It’d be highly inappropriate if you meant anything else. After all, we have to stay professional, don’t we?”
Light Stride chuckled. “You were the one who insisted I treat you like a pony.”
Celestia leaned down, staring him in the eye, a mischievous glint twinkling there. “Ah, I was, wasn’t I? So... why don’t you treat me like a pony?”
“I... what do you expect me to do?” Light Stride stammered.
Celestia laughed, leaning away from him. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. We’ve got time, after all... and this is your illusion now.”
“My illusion?”
“Yes. I am no longer the focus of the trap. You are. I suspect that this lunar landscape will not stay as it is. I’ll bet... that we’re about to start a new adventure somewhere else. You simply need to close your eyes, Light Stride, and focus on what you think is most real.”
“The only real thing here is you,” Light Stride replied.
“That’s part of the beauty of this, though. The illusion adapts to its target, but it can’t affect me as strongly. So... I get to stay with you. And this time, it will be me helping you to overcome your fears, learning your dreams, getting to know your innermost thoughts,” Celestia explained.
“Oh,” Light Stride replied, looking embarrassed.
“It will be a difficult journey, Light Stride... but I have no doubt that together, we can overcome it,” Celestia said with conviction.
Light Stride laughed. “Of course.”
“And if we can’t... well, Twilight and Cadance and Luna are with us now, in the real world. They’ll figure something out,” Celestia said with a wink.
“Well, that’s reassuring.” Light Stride smiled. “So... I just have to close my eyes?”
“Yes.”
Light Stride stood up, and Celestia joined him at his side, her presence comforting. “Stay close... my Princess.”
“Always,” Celestia replied softly.
Light Stride closed his eyes.
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OH MY GOD.
Duuuuude.
That was so goood!
31 days. 31 chapters. With a Epilogue...
Is this the secret project you've been going on about? A sequel?
~Skeeter The Lurker
Regardless... It was a hell of a journey.
And Light Stride is a badass.
No if's. No and's. And no but's about it.
~Skeeter The Lurker
2871222
No sequel. My secret project is something else. Solem Perditum is over, though I suppose you could say that the ending is 'open' enough to allow for a sequel. Perhaps in the future I'll do another 30 day challenge focusing on Light Stride... but at the moment, I intend to leave it as it is.
2871222 DUCKING SHIT THIS WAS AMAZING
2871237
One butt about it.
2871241
Aww. Well, regardless... That ending. I've only ever seen that style end in IC's fics.
Can't wait for the next fic you do, though. When, may I ask, will you be publishing it?
~Skeeter The Lurker
2871250
If I can get my stuff together, I'll have my next fic ready for editing in a week or so.
2871259
I look forward to it with glee.
~Skeeter The Lurker
That was amazing. I don't know what else to say.
2871474
Thank you!
Well worth the favorite. All the applause, you've been tracked bitch! Go ahead! Call the cops! They can't untrack you!
Holy salamanders, that was something neat.
Throughout this entire story, the one thing I loved the most was how you used the mane six to show not just what they themselves feared, but you used them vehicles to remind Celestia about herself. Great mind screwing there. And in the end, it all comes together where you basically demonstrated that magic and friendship are quite literally one in the same. I can't wait for whatever new stuff you have in store.
Ahhh . . . that was great stuff. T'was well-paced and thoroughly enjoyable, although you've left me pretty keen to see what else Sombra hid in his basement (seedy fella) and what's gonna happen with Light Stride. I hope you decide to make a sequel; it's too good not to
And then when he opens his eyes, he and Celestia are in bed together.
Celestia is embarassed and mortified.
...
not half as much as Light Stride is. XD
I love this story! I'm happy it ended like this.
2874104
I enjoyed writing this. It definitely evolved as it went along.
Thanks very much!
2871676
I hope to continue to earn your readership!
Thanks very much for the watch!
2871846
Always appreciated, man.
Thanks a ton, Raz, you rock. I appreciate your little insights, and how you 'get' the story.
2872576
I'm really glad you enjoyed the story enough to want more! I don't have any plans for a sequel at present. I don't really feel it NEEDS a sequel... but a sequel could be fun, at any rate.
Thanks for reading!
2871241 I hope you do consider a sequel. I've loved how this story has developed and I can't wait for the time when you decide to write more from this tale.
In any case if you never do, thank you fro such a wonderful and interesting story! Thanks for such an interesting ending and for the great adventure you took us on to get there.
I think I might read some more of your stories and hope for more involving Celestia, as she is of course.... best ruler. (Try tell my Luna is now after she wanted to ditch Light Stride)
2891043 WE'RE ALL INSAAAAANE!
*inception music*
A sequel? Oh yes, I'd love a sequel...
Except, it would remove the magic of this end.
It's like eating a delicious dish, and your plate is empty just as your stomach filled up. It was so tasty that you could eat second that much, stuffing yourself and feeling uncomfortable in the end, or you can stop now, and enjoy.
Yes, an open-end like this is frustrating, but best of all. The story continues in the reader's head.
It will be a long adventure, the story's rating bumped into at the very least Teen. After confusing beginnings, an awesome piece of comedy as the guard's personal fears build worlds that cast the princess into the role of a damsel in distress, which she obviously refuses to play along with. As the guard learns to control his mind better, the trap reaches deeper too, and forces Celestia to make choices she's not comfortable making. She will have to sacrifice pieces of her old resolve to save his faith and hope. She started by opening up to him and struggling to get him to open up to her, but now she will have to step out of her comfort zone, reveal to him things she never intended him to learn, and truly trust her life into his hooves, taking a leap of faith, when both her, and his faith is shaken. And in the end, when she refuses to let go, when she begs and orders him to stay, he does what a royal guard is sworn to do, against her will and his heart's wish, breaking her heart but saving her life.
...And that's when we are reminded Twilight, Luna and Cadence worked all the time from outside, and they manage to spoil the heart-wrenching moment of tragedy with a timely rescue.
And in the end, as Celestia sacrificed her own resolutions and broke her own oaths from the past to save her guard, now safe, she decides to break one more old resolve - not to save his life, but still - for him...
There. That's my sequel. You don't need to write one.
Ahyhhh what a great story!
Liked faved and followed!
Oh and Celestia is Bestia
3548036
No worries, welcome to the story!
So good. Soooo good. I don't remember the last time I read something with as much suspense that gripped me as much, but this has to be one of the best fanfics to come out of the fandom. One of the best short stories I've ever read, in fact. Keep writing, I look forward to more by you!
3579326
Wow, thanks so much! That's huge praise!
Im writing this after reading the entire thing in a single go, making me lose hours of sleep. Im no good at writing at all, so i will simply say that this is whitout a doubt one of the best fics I have read around here. You have managed to create a story where a completely evil NMM devolves so much into her madness that I cried at her punishment. You create a Celestia that we can identify whit, and evolves during her particukar journey, shoing us her fears and opening to her guard.
I will just say: thank you for gifting this to me, an to everyone in fimtiction.
3581767
Hey, thanks a lot for the praise! I really appreciate you taking the time to read it!
Well.
It's done.
I have been frivolous about this, haven't I? But really.
I did not dislike this. I considered it... worthwhile. Thank you for writing it.
It is good.
You have earned something. A token of my favor. I will upthumb this story now, for I have not once been disappointed.
3989495
Thanks for reading and commenting! I loved reading all of them, haha.
3989561
XD It was great! Thanks for writing!
Your Celestia, at least, will greatly shape the Celestia-character impression I have in my head when I watch the show or read a fic. So you've got a bit of a legacy there.
At this point I almost broke my mouse trying to upvote/fav this story harder than propably was necessary.
4913937 Glad you enjoyed this story! It's still one of my favorites
It's a good story, everything fits quite nicely...though I feel it stopped short, then again THAT type of ending always does that doesn't it?
5988517 thanks for giving it a shot!
6552000 Old comment is old
6552019
I know.
6552106 Thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed it!
6554055
No problem.
Still waiting for diamonds.
Well, that was certainly a fun read. A very nice exploration of Celestia's character, her strengths and her failures... both as they really are and as she sees them. It reminds me of Inferno in a vague way, passing through the various circles of her own sins as she does there. I liked it. Feels a little like it ought to have had a sequel, but I suppose leaving some things open like that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
6826413 glad you enjoyed the story! Thanks for reading.
I hadn't expected this ending. Even 2/3rds the way through the story when I thought I had everything mapped out you found a way to exceed my expectations.
7068992
Oh, hey! There were new episodes yesterday! I haven't seen them yet. . . I was tied up with other things all day, and I forgot all about it. So, I haven't seen that yet. However. . . It doesn't matter. From my own personal viewpoint, the best FiM is still seasons 1 & 2, minus Cadance having wings. Everything after that is more-or-less bogus. Sometimes fun, sometimes entertaining, but not to be taken too seriously. All my fics are -- and will continue to be -- based on "FiM Classic" as I think of it.
That means: no alicorns beyond Celestia and Luna (and sometimes Nyx), no Princess Twilicorn, no reformed Discord, no Sunset Shimmer (or anything else related to EQG in any way), no King Sombra or Crystal Empire or Crystal Ponies, no hideous crystal castle in Ponyville, Daring Do is a fictional character, Derpy has a name and it is "Derpy", Vinyl Scratch's eyes are beautiful ruby red, etc. That's the world I want to write about. Call it an alternate universe if you like. I'm fine with that.
7069511
>> Counts Nyx
>> Doesn't count Twilight as Alicorn, despite it being the most reasonably reasonable alicorn instance in the show.
What doth life?
7069044 Thank you for reading, I'm really glad you enjoyed my little foray into a chapter-a-day fic for a month.
7070476
Absolutely, and with no apologies. Twilight Sparkle's "ascension" in Magical Mystery Cure was a muddled mess that was ordered by the toy department. By comparison, Past Sins gave us a new alicorn with a complete background story that made sense, and a new character with deep internal conflicts to really work with. Nyx is the Cloud Strife of FiM fandom.
Now, do keep in mind that I wrote an entire prequel to Past Sins. (re: Black Angel) So, no bias here.