The Last Gems of Eternity

by James David Fox

Prologue: Fading Breath

Fading Breath

She was tired. It hasn’t even been a hard day, her face hurts, nothing new, even the sky looked the same. Placing a hoof on her cheek she sighed, breathing out an old nostalgic air loaded with ancient memories, memories that once lived eternally in her mind, but now, they are slowly fading away, leaving her into a dark cloud of forgetfulness.

She was happy about this though. Rubbing her cheek she felt again the pain of the fake smile, fake feelings. The only thing that she gained along her life was wisdom, wisdom she once enjoyed teaching.

Every taste she has tasted it, every feeling she has felt it, every single experience, was already done. She learned magic beyond belief over the years that made a perfect mix with her natural magic, giving her control over the most important star on the sky, or at least that’s what they liked to believe. She proved the bittersweet taste of love, and experienced the grief that the slow decay of time do to everypony living in the present, past and future. She flew proving her wings, tried to reach the sun, such an impossible task, an honest smile finally came across her face, remembering the panic when she disappeared for almost a year leaving her duties to her sister, she just wanted to fly until her wings would give up. She fought many wars; she knew how it was to be a general commander. And of course, she had to endure the terrible agony of sending the only one who could understand her feelings far away from her. As Princess she knew how it was when your power and emotions are insufficient to defeat the influence that took over your own family. She even learned dark and forbidden magic that could destroy everything in just a little move of her tail, she never used it tough.

Yes, she had experienced all. Only this majestic being could understand what is was like to count every rock in the Canterlot Castle, and of course, give all of them a unique name. There was nothing new for her to enjoy, all the stories, all the tales, all the legends, she knew them, and even lived most of them, and wrote most of them. The simple question “What to do now?” has turned into a terrible existential doubt.

There was only one thing for her to experience. She was waiting for it; there was nothing else to do. Getting up she walked through the empty halls of the castle, not a single pony crossed her path, except for one.

“Good evening princess.”
“Nice to see you Blueblood, is everything ok out there?”
“Yes princess, nothing new from around.” As always she thought.
“Glad to know that, feel free to take the night off.”
“Thanks a lot princess but I prefer to stay here.”
“As you wish, have a good night.”

There was a room, never to use, never to get in; an empty room which entrance was allowed only for the princesses of old. A very large cage was in the center of the room, and there were two windows one pointing to the east, and the other to the west. A soft moonlight was staring directly at this cage while she approached it. A little swing of her horn and a tiny particle of magic that only she knew how to cast were enough to open the doors of the big box that laid there. There was it, the hourglass of her destiny, still working, unstoppable. She lost in her mind again looking at it, while through its beautiful crystal a little dot of blue dust fell to the bottom of the hourglass.

“Elder sister, looking at that clock again?” The voice of her little sister calmed her; she smiled looking at her eyes.
“I know I shouldn’t do it, but I can’t really just leave it there, I always have to know how much time left there is.”
“It comes to us all, there’s no point in checking this.” Luna hugged her elder sister drawing her eyes away from the hourglass. “There are things that we better not know.”
“I know sister, but at least we prepared everything for now.”
“I don’t know... I do know you worked very hard on her, but still…” Luna stopped, thinking silence was for the better now.
“Ask your question Luna.” She sealed the large box again, while the moon was moving away across the sky.
“Is she really the best you could find? Do you think she is strong enough for what is coming?” Celestia looked down, an ornate floor distracted her a bit, sighing, and she looked directly at her sister’s eyes and spoke in a very serious tone.
“Being terribly honest little sister, I don’t think so, but she’s the strongest pony I could find in all my existence.” They both walked out of that room, and walked across the halls in silence, even Luna couldn’t avoid thinking of what she just saw. The hourglass was coming to an end.

“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!” Startled, they both looked at a very exhausted unicorn.
“What is it Blueblood?”
“Not good news at all your highnesses.” He took a minute to regain his composure, and looked at them with panicked eyes. “The former prince of the Crystal Empire, Prince Shining Armor was found dead.” Celestia widened her eyes in surprise, one she hadn’t feel in a long time, was it the clock? Is this event telling her something?
“We better go there to see what happened.”
“I…” The doubt in Blueblood’s voice stopped Princess Celestia who was about to fly directly to the Crystal Empire. “I… don’t think they will let you in…” Blueblood stepped closer to Princess Celestia, handing her a piece of paper which she took with her magic.
“What are you talking about?”
“They closed all their roads… and Cadance is about to declare a state of war against us…” There it was, the order to cut all economic or diplomatic relations with Canterlot signed by Cadance herself.
“How’s that even possible?” Luna finally snapped out of her shock.
“They think you did it…”

Author's Note:

Here I am, totally new to this site, but pretty confident that I will do very good. I do hope you enjoy all the way I'm about to take you in, this will be a fantastic trip.

Critics are very much accepted but mostly needed, thanks to you all!

Comments

[hamsteranarchy]

You really need to double check the "tense" of this whole thing.
Some things are past tense and some are present. It makes for a very confusing read.

[James David Fox]

3537991 Correcting it thanks for the tip!