A Circle Has No End: Volume I

by Gladi Writes

Intermission: Echoes in the Night

Echo was, as anyone could guess on a quick look at her, a thestral. She, and everyone before her for a thousand years, had served their time in the Night Guard. It was their duty to protect the others from the things that went bump in the night, and they fulfilled it as best they could. It was thought that the other races simply weren’t able to do what needed to be done, and that only the Thestrals could light the dark so others could follow.

This thinking had nearly destroyed them. Thinking they were superior, with a special place as the shining sword of Equestria, had led them astray. Their unquestionable loyalty had been bent with a single question: Who should guide the sword?

The answer had always been Luna, but without her they had sought guidance from her sister. For a time that was good, but resentment was inevitable. As Luna’s return came nearer, that resentment grew into a cancer that consumed the inner realm of the Night Guard. When she returned, they looked to her to lead them into a glorious future: Now, they had a pony that deserved them, that knew the realities of this world, that knew how to guide the sword against their enemies.

When Luna had simply cast aside that sword, and decided to put her faith in her sisters military apparatus, the resentment became a fiery hate of Celestia and everything she represented. Even Luna wasn’t spared from their- for clearly her sister had corrupted her from what she once was. She needed to be destroyed, along with her sister, for a more honourable future; for a stronger future. If the sword master cannot weild it properly, they must be destroyed.

So the sword had turned, and stabbed forth at it’s master. It’s master was no fool however, and easily parried the blow. The sword then tore itself apart, and was no more. It left a mark on it’s master through this treason however, a mark which will never heal. Far worse, however, is the mark it left on itself. While the master sought to repair the blade, she also sought to reform it. No longer was it a blade, but a shield.

Echo had been there through it all, and had seen both sides. She, like all of them, had entered the academy at the age of twelve. She was conscripted by Mezza Luna after showing proficiency in mechanical skills, and sent into the research facility known as Location B. There she had seen things that no pony should, and understood the terrible hatred of her superiors. She knew the insanity of Archer long before anyone else, but what was she to do? If all those that you are supposed to follow, all of your mentors and teachers, are insane- what does that make you? Are they not supposed to be sane, and so you are the mad one? This logic drove her onwards, and she tried to adjust her morals to fit those she was told were right.

When the facility was closed, she moved on. Her superiors had been disappointed by her lack of faith, and never included her in their continued schemes. She never forgot, however, nor did she forgive. Their race was tarnished by the treason of those that had been allowed to lead it, and now a new question arose: Why didn’t we act?

The thestrals were an ancient and proud people, and the current generation looked on itself as the ones that had driven their storied history into the dirt. They had allowed their leaders to take them down a path of treason and hate, and had become the very thing they had defended the world from for so long. Was it just for them to continue to strive to protect the world once more, or was it just for them to fade into history, as a dishonoured people? Every one of them know knew a singular guilt, because every one of them had stood by while the cancer developed. Had they done their duty, even though it may have been risky, they could have averted everything.

They didn’t.

So now, the question in Echo’s head was different.

Do we deserve a second chance?

She pondered that question incessantly, and found that the answer was, according to her own traditions: no. The Night Guard had never been known to give anyone a second chance, they always struck first and nipped any threat in the bud.

Perhaps, however, that was part of the problem. Perhaps by being forgiven, they could learn to forgive. Perhaps, eventually, they could forgive themselves.

She pondered this, over and over, as she looked out at the night sky. She stood on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the city of Canterlot. Forever they would be reminded of their treason when they looked at- the city would forever bear the scars of that dark day.

She felt some consolation in the stars, which hung over everything as they always had. No matter what happened here, she knew she was only a tiny spec of the greater picture. Empires rose and fell, races came and went, but the stars would always be there. They changed, of course, but over such huge time period that it put her own into perspective. Only a handful of beings lived long enough to see the stars themselves change, and it was the advice of one she sought tonight.

Princess Luna had founded the Night Guard, out of the remains of Lord Sombra’s armies. He had used the thestrals much as she had, but had wielded his sword as a bloody instrument of terror. Perhaps, if the thestrals had been able to overcome their dark origins, they could do it again. Luna had saved them from Sombra’s terrible reign, perhaps she could save them from themselves.

Echo heard flapping, and adjusted her ears to listen close. Large wings, beating softly against the air with the practiced soar of a pegasus. She looked out to the city, and with her keen thestral vision, saw a figure flying through the night towards her. It carried a stream of stars behind it, which sparkled even more beautifully than those above.

Princess Luna flew over, and spun around behind to land. Echo continued looking over the city, and flicked an ear back to hear her land. She trotted over softly, and sat beside the thestral.

“Echo, I heard you wanted to talk,” she said.

Echo nodded, “I did, and thank you for coming. I had wondered if you would give any of us so much as the time of night, after what we did.”

Luna sighed, and looked over the city as well.

“You need not be so self-loathing, dear thestral. You honour is tarnished, and your race wounded, yes- but I have seen your race climb from the blackest pits. I bear your shame with you, and I will see us through to a greater future,” Luna spoke.

Echo moved closer, so that her wing was against Luna’s, and she could feel the warmth coming from her superior. She was a mother to them all, and they were truly blessed to have her back.

They had repayed that blessing by trying to kill her.

Luna seemed to have guessed her thought, and spoke again, “I have mistakes myself, you know. A thousand years ago in fact, and the thestrals stood by me during that dark time. I tried to kill my own sister, Echo, in a fit of jealously and rage. She… forgave me, even so.”

A tear dropped from Luna’s eye. Even she was flesh and blood, she felt regret and remorse like any other.

“How?” Echo asked.

“Love,” Luna returned.

Echo took a breath, and wished it took her more time to ask what she did.

“Do you love us?”

Luna swept a wing over Echo, and drew her in close. She looked down on the thestral, her smile seeming to glow in the night.

“Of course, you are my children of the night, dear Echo. I forgive you, and may we only grow closer from all this hate. That, after all, is exactly what the traitors fought against. Hate was their weapon, but love is more powerful. I learned this myself, and now you will too,” she said.

Echo had no more words, and just hugged her sovereign while she released a flow of tears that ran down her face. She loved her, and receiving her forgiveness was a release without any match. Her question had been answered, and so had her prayers.

When Echo opened her eyes again, Luna was gone. She had apparently fallen asleep on the cliffside, and it was nearly morning.

A new day dawned for the ponies, but for Echo this was the end of a long night of fretful introspection. She soared down towards the mouth of the cave that was her home, and did so with a renewed happiness, and a new love of life. She had her second chance, and she wasn’t going to let anything slow her down. She was going to be the best Night Guard there ever was, regardless of what that meant now.

She was understandably surprised when that turned out to mean assignment on the HMS Magnificent.

Comments

[Bast]

Loved this intermission!

[TimidClef]

Definitely a great intermission. I was pretty certain Luna would grant her the forgiveness Echo requested. I hope Celestia can as well. The thestrals have just had sort of a crappy lot in life thus far.