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Newcomer2,701 words
The Princess and the Recluse3,111 words
The Old Soldier5,226 words
Exile Unmasked4,597 words
Twilight's Decision3,670 words
Rules of the Road4,188 words
Crystal Cataclysm5,332 words
The Exile Comes Home8,255 words
Requiem5,404 words
Epilogue1,129 words

The Exile Comes Home

The sun was high in the sky when the mountains began to disperse from their path. All eyes were on Cobalt Storm as he trudged along, forcing himself to take each step as he stumbled forward.

Twilight and Rarity stood beside him, each of them prepared to catch the injured soldier if he began to fall. They were the two that owed him the most: Rarity had been spared from being violated, and Twilight had been spared of losing her friends. If they didn’t aid him now, there would be an imbalance.

“Not much… further…” Cobalt slurred. “We’re almost… at the… the coast…”

His knees buckled and gave way once more, falling onto his knees and onto the earth like a dead weight. He gave a grunt of pain as his freshly cauterized wound was buffeted by the harsh ground, a multitude of pebbles and sharp stones digging into his coat and tearing at his flesh.

Rarity used her magic to bring him to his hooves, trying to help the stallion gain his footing-

“No, we’ve got to let him rest,” Twilight rebuked. “Come on, we can take an hour or two to heal, can’t we?”

“No,” Cobalt struggled to spit out. “We have…t’move.”

“Sugarcube, ya look dead on yor feet,” Applejack remarked kindly. “Take some time and heal.”

“You haven’t been able to rest since yesterday morning,” Fluttershy added. “You helped save our lives, you deserve this.”

“No,” Cobalt said through gritted teeth. “I need to get to the sea.” With a surge of effort, he rose to his hooves and tried to take a next step.

Twilight and Rarity came alongside him, supporting his every step with their magic. They tried to help, but a loose stone caused him to stumble once more, and they were forced to levitate him.

Rarity shot a worried glance at Twilight, who responded in kind. Cobalt Storm had endured beatings, cruelty, and had saved them more than once. He had literally fought to save them at every corner. Was a cheap attack from a vile villain going to claim his life? Twilight swore it wouldn’t. Just as he had protected their life, so she would protect his.

The sound of the ocean surf reached her ears, and the grey hills and crevices of the Crystal Mountains finally gave way to a beautiful sight of snow-covered sand and dark blue waters. They had reached the northern shores at last.

“Water,” the seafoam white stallion whispered faintly, his usually lustrous mane turning ashen.

“But the water’s freezing-” Twilight protested.

“Please,” Cobalt rasped.

Glancing at each other, the pair of unicorns gently deposited Cobalt Storm in the freezing waters, laying him down in the fringes of the surf. He lay there motionless as the waves lapped at his body, soaking his coat.

The group stood there, waiting for him to move. Only a gentle breathing motion betrayed he was even alive, but there he lay. After a few minutes, Cobalt gave a deep sigh. “It’s working,” he murmured triumphantly.

“What’s working?” Pinkie Pie asked, craning her neck over Twilight to peer down at him.

Rarity gasped. “Your coat! It’s- it’s changing color again!”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she saw her fashionista friend was indeed correct; Cobalt’s coat, once dirty white, was quickly becoming an ashen grey, and beginning to deepen in hue. His mane was recovering its luster, becoming the same color as the waves that caressed his strengthening frame.

“What am ah seein’?” Applejack breathed in awe.

Cobalt rose to his feet, strength returning to his powerful limbs. His coat now a dirty green and darkening every second, he began to creep out further into the waters and heading deeper.

“Where are you going?” Rainbow Dash asked, lifting into the air to stare at him incredulously.

“I’ll be back,” he called, his voice ragged but much stronger than it had been just moments before. And with that, he took another step out into the freezing waters and disappeared, his head sinking below the surf.

The others stood there in utter confusion, unsure as to what they had just witnessed.

“Ah did just see that, right?” Applejack asked aloud to no one in particular. “Ah mean… that wasn’t some sort of spell, was it?”

“Not one I’ve ever seen,” Twilight replied, her voice falling to a whisper. “Cobalt, just what ARE you?”

“Umm, you’re all forgetting something,” Spike voiced. “How’s he going to breathe?”

“Umm… he has big lungs?” Fluttersy offered timidly.

“The cold didn’t even bother him!” Rainbow Dash remarked, laughing slightly. “He is hardcore!”

Suddenly, about fifteen yards out, there was a splash on the surface. Something was rising up from the depths, something quite massive. Fluttershy crept behind Pinkie Pie in an effort to conceal herself from whatever terrible abomination was about to surface-

There was a groan of wood and an ancient raft floated to the surface of the waves. It was covered in algae, water streaming from its sides, but it floated nonetheless. Cobalt Storm surfaced beside it, a fresh wave of energy in his eyes. He swam back towards shore, a rope between his teeth as he towed the large raft to the beach.

His coat had regained its healthy colors once more, the deep blue of the ocean identical with the color of his skin. His mane, dripping wet and sopping, was alive and wavy as it lay on the side of his head. “All aboard,” he offered with a grin.

“Your wound!” Rarity gasped. “Darling, it’s gone!”

Cobalt Storm grinned mischievously. “Saltwater heals damaged wounds rapidly,” he said mysteriously. “At least, it works that way for my kind. Anyway, who wants a ride?”

“Oh, me! Me!” Pinkie Pie said brightly, leaping into the damp raft in a single bound. “Come on, everypony!”

“Uh, where are we going?” Rainbow asked warily, eyeing the raft with obvious mistrust. She was a creature of the air, of open skies. The water was almost as bad as the depths of the earth to her.

“The safest place in the entire world for us to stay,” Cobalt replied. “Twilight, you can create an air bubble to keep yourselves in, right?”

Twilight nodded, glad to have another use for her magic. “It’ll be easy,” she said confidently.

“Excellent!” Cobalt said, grabbing hold of the rope between his teeth. “All aboard!” he cried again, albeit much more muffled.

Curious and excited, the group of friends climbed aboard the ancient raft, and Twilight sealed themselves in a protective bubble. They would be safe from the wrath of the sea, and be able to breathe.

Cobalt dashed out into the ocean and began paddling vigorously, all pain and hurt forgotten as he went out into the waves. When they were about fifteen yards out, he dove with a flourish beneath the surface of the waters, dragging the rope with him. With a frightening tug that jostled them all, Twilight and the others watched in awe as they began to sink beneath the waves, Twilight’s magic keeping them attached to the wooden craft.

The world beneath the seas was unlike anything they had ever seen. With Cobalt towing them deeper and deeper into the depths, they were able to peer about and stare at the vibrant multitudes of life that surrounded them. Fish of all kinds swam by, gazing at them curiously before swimming off. A massive shark, the size of two carts pressed together, went slowly above them, not bothering them with a single glance. They pushed into a deep forest of kelp, watching as their guide was lost in the fronds of green.

“How is this possible?” Twilight asked in wonder.

“Look!” Pinkie Pie gasped.

As they pushed through the wave of kelp, a magnificent palace of luminescent coral materialized right in front of their eyes, glowing brightly in the depths of the deep. It was a beautiful sight, staggering in size and shape. It was more than a palace, it was an entire kingdom the size of the Crystal Empire. Large spire jutted out from each corner of the enormous structure, watchtowers of an ancient kingdom long forgotten. As they came closer, they could see precious jewels were imbedded in the walls of the kingdom, adding to its unearthly glow.

“It’s… it’s…” Rarity stammered.

“It’s beautiful,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in delight. “It’s absolutely beautiful!”

Cobalt turned back and gave them a wave with one of his pointed hooves towing them over to the starboard section of the main wall. They were led to a large entrance, and Cobalt towed them inside, carrying them into this unknown kingdom.

The entrance sealed itself behind them, sealing them away from the outside world. Twilight expected darkness, but the coral was bright enough to lighten their path, revealing they were inside some sort of storage facility. It was simple, open and made to hold as much supplies as possible.

Cobalt gave them a wave, and Twilight dropped the bubble. “So, how was the trip?”

“That was amazing!” Rarity declared delightedly. “Why, I’ve never seen anything so magnificent in my life! It was marvelous!”

“Cobalt, where in the wide world of Equestria are we?” Twilight asked. “I never knew this was here, even after all my studies.”

Cobalt chuckled. “Well, there’s a reason why you’ve never read about it in Equestria,” he said. “You’re not in it anymore. You’re about twenty miles out and away from Equestria’s northern shores. You are in what was my home.”

“Your home?” Fluttershy echoed. “But, what is it?”

“The kingdom you now find yourself in is ancient, more ancient than even Celestia and Luna. This structure is a piece of living coral, imbued with a strange magic that not even the unicorns possess. It is a power that my people harness every day. It’s why I’m so strong in the water; it gives us power.”

“OK, just cut to the chase,” Spike said, hopping off of Twilight’s back and looking up at the stallion. “Just what are you, some kind of alien?”

Cobalt smirked at the dragon’s brashness. “No, I’m not an alien, whatever that is,” he replied. “I am what’s called a Waterhorse, most ancient of beings in the world.”

“A Waterhorse,” Twilight repeated. “How come I’ve never heard of your kind before?”

“Most likely because no one ever knew we were here,” Cobalt answered. “To the unassuming pony, we just look like Earth ponies. Nothing differentiates us from others, save for our pointed hooves. We use them for swimming, digging up seaweed, and spearing fish.”

“Spearing fish!” Fluttershy screamed softly.

Cobalt shrugged. “Hey, fish gotta swim, Waterhorse gotta eat,” he replied. “It’s great once you get used to the scales. But we eat seaweed more often than fish, there’s more of that around here.”

“So you can breathe underwater, I’m guessing?” Twilight asked.

“Right in one,” he answered. “We also draw strength from water. As you can see, it helped my wounds heal at an exponentially increased rate. We draw strength from the magic that the natural world of the waters offers us.”

“Magic?” Rarity echoed.

“Right, unicorns have one brand of magic, Waterhorse possess our own,” he replied. “We don’t practice it in the way you do, we merely draw strength from it, and we support it in turn. In way, we were its lifeblood.”

Were? Twilight repeated, singling out the word in her head.

“So can we take a look around?” Rainbow Dash asked excitedly.

“Of course! After all, this is your home now,” Cobalt said. “Celestia never knew this kingdom was here, she never knew where my home actually was. We can rest here.”

He walked over to the wall, nudging it with his head. The coral, sensing his touch, opened up to reveal the magnificence of the outer rooms.

“Ladies, welcome to The Great City of the Deep!” he announced.

They walked out into a gigantic expanse; a room the size of a palace greeted them, miles across in every direction. The coral, as if detecting their presence, began to glow all the more brightly, illuminating their newfound home.

“Wow,” Rainbow Dash said in awe, at an utter loss for words.

“This is incredible,” Fluttershy said.

“Amazing!” Spike declared.

Cobalt looked delighted. He was more than pleased they were awed by his home.

“How does the place not flood?” Applejack asked. “You said it’s just coral, there’s got to be a way for water to get in.”

“The magic of my people is within the coral, giving it a life and spirit of its own,” Cobalt said as he guided them. “It protects the race of the Waterhorse from the outside elements. It allowed us to build a culture and civilization within its walls. As long as there exists a Waterhorse in the world, as long as one of us still lives, then this place will survive.”

“What happens if all of you die?” Rainbow asked, her question immediately receiving glares from her friends.

Cobalt took his time in answering, the delighted look falling from his face as if it had been a mask. “Then the magic that is within the coral will die along with its people,” he said tonelessly. “The kingdom will flood and be destroyed by the elements of the natural world, lost forever to the deep.”

Rainbow’s question had suffocated the excited and adventurous mood that had only moments ago permeated the air. Now unease and tension began to creep in, particularly affecting Twilight. As she passed a hallway, she peered down and saw a child’s toy on the ground, as if dropped there by its owner. The more she stared around, the more dilapidated and empty it seemed to become. Though the city may be alive, she wondered if they were its only inhabitants.

Where is everyone? She wondered to herself. What happened here?

“Cobalt?” Fluttershy asked timidly.

“Mm?” he sounded.

“Umm, where is everyone?” she said, making Twilight’s heart sink. “If this is supposed to be a city, why do we seem to be the only ones here?”

Cobalt didn’t answer, and Fluttershy began to blush, slowing her walk to step in beside Pinkie Pie. “I- I’m sorry, I just-”

“You are not at fault, child,” Cobalt replied thickly, sounding as if -much to Twilight’s surprise- he was holding back tears. “I would ask the same thing if I was in your stead. The answer, however, is a long and hard one. But yes, the city is empty. We are its sole occupants.”

They made a turn down a hallway, one that was dotted with so many gems and jewels that Rarity seemed hardly able to contain herself. She crept over to take a look, but hesitated from popping jewels out of a coral that was very much alive. After all, they had seen it open up on its own at Cobalt’s touch, who knew what it would do if it was injured.

The hallway opened to a magnificent hall. Small rooms dotted each side of the hall, which led up to a pair of thrones that sat empty at the end of the hallway.

“This is the throne room, the grandest area of the entire city,” Cobalt said quickly. “Take whichever rooms you like. They are yours now.”

“Who was King and Queen here?” Pinkie Pie asked, bouncing up to inspect the pair of thrones. “Were they powerful? Was the King handsome? Was the Queen pretty? Did they wear lots of fancy clothes?”

“Pinkie, please,” Cobalt said, his eyes shut. “Keep away from those.”

“Why?” she inquired, but turned her head and looked to a darkened hallway that sat behind the thrones. “Hey! I hear voices!”

“You do?” Cobalt Storm asked, opening his eyes and rushing towards the pink party pony. “No, it couldn’t be. The spell-”

He raced to the throne and craned his neck, listening intently. A gentle sound, like the surf at dawn, reached his ears.

Twilight watched as a ripple ran across his entire body. Spasms of grief were coursing through his body, driving tears to his eyes. “Take whichever rooms you wish,” he said hoarsely, “I will attend to your needs in due time.”

“Cobalt, are you alright, dear?” Rarity asked, noting his sudden change in demeanor.

“I’ll be with you all shortly,” he said, disappearing behind the twin thrones and into the darkened hallway. “Please, leave me be.”

Though their new accommodations were extravagant beyond their wildest dreams, Twilight felt her mind constantly drifting to the stallion that had guided them here. He had brought them here in an effort to keep them safe, but something in this city had unlocked him. There was a story in all this, she was certain.

But getting it out of him was not going to be easy. He kept himself contained in whatever the hallway led to, only appearing once to bring them food. He walked out with a golden tray of fish scales in his mouth, laden down with seaweed and kelp. “Please, eat your fill,” he said tonelessly. “It is quite good, I assure you.”

“Cobalt, are you OK?” Twilight asked him.

Cobalt didn’t answer, but she didn’t need one. One glance at his face showed all she needed to see; his eyes were rimmed with red, revealing he had shed tears. The strongest, toughest, bravest stallion she had ever known was being broken right in front of her eyes, and he refused to allow her to help.

The rest of them stared at the seafood lain before them, eyeing it apprehensively.

“Welp, someone’s gotta try it out,” Applejack declared, being the first to grab a string of seaweed and give it a chew. After a few seconds, her eyes brightened in surprise. “Mm! It’s good!”

The others began to eat their fill, but Twilight merely watched in silence. Her heart was aching for the sake of Cobalt, who she knew was in turmoil. Anxiousness tore at her stomach like sickness, freezing her insides.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked, noticing her discomfort. “Are you not feeling well?”

“You’re thinking about Cobalt, aren’t you?” Rainbow Dash guessed, watching her impassively.

Twilight nodded. “I’m going to go in there and have it out with him,” she declared.

Dead silence.

“Can’t you see it?” she asked the others. “He’s in pieces right now! This is his home, this is the city of his own race! Why is there no one else here but us? Where is his family? His friends? Everything? It’s eating him alive! For his own sake, he needs to tell us!”

“He may not want to say anything, y’know,” Applejack objected. “He’s obviously tryin’ to hide.”

“Applejack, he’s helped save our lives,” Rarity said calmly. “He’s done everything for us and more. We need to return that favor and help our hurting friend.”

Twilight smiled in appreciation at her friend’s words. “I’d like it if you all came with me,” she said. “It may make him want to speak, knowing that you all care.”

Applejack gave a sigh, rising to her hooves. “You’re right, as usual,” she said. “Come on, let’s go.”

Twilight smiled at them all. “Let’s go talk with him.”

The group of friends walked past the twin thrones and into the dark hallway beyond, their forms dissolving into the shadows. At the end of the hallway, a door was visible, a faint glow from within its chambers illuminating its proportions.

“Does anyone else hear that?” Fluttershy whispered fearfully, her eyes darting around.

“Hear what?” Rainbow Dash asked, but soon fell silent as it became apparent. Voices, just at the edge of hearing, crept through their ears. It sounded as if an entire multitude of individuals were ahead in Cobalt’s chambers, all of them speaking at once and making their voices an unintelligible mixture of words.

“Ghosts!” Fluttershy said.

“No, I don’t think so,” Twilight said, listening intently. “They don’t sound angry. They just sound… sad.”

As they reached the doorway, they stopped and listened. The voices were no longer the sole sound that reached their ears. Over the gabble of whispers was a distinct, ragged sob, a sound that spoke of immeasurable sorrow.

“Cobalt? What’s wrong?” Twilight called out hesitantly, her nerve beginning to give way.

“Go away!” was the choked reply, each word sounding harsh and forced.

“Cobalt, please, let us in,” Rarity pressed. “We only want to help you, dear.”

“I said go away! Leave me alone!” he fired back, venom dripping from his voice.

Afraid but determined, Twilight pushed against the door and walked into the chamber.

The room was lit by the coral, which glowed a deep blue that made it seem as if the entire quarters was immersed in water. All around them was a lavish bedroom, one certainly fit for royalty. Much to Twilight’s delight, a beautiful collection of bookshelves housed a number of books. But within the very center of the chamber, his head bowed, sat Cobalt Blue, his body wracked with grief.

The activity of the whispers began to increase as they came closer to the Waterhorse, who looked up and turned to face them. He was in shambles, his mane torn and his eyes bloodshot. Streaks of tears ran down his cheeks. Twilight had never seen anything quite so wretched.

“You!” he snarled. “I told you…” The voices began to speak once again, and a cry of agony escaped Cobalt’s lips.

Twilight sat beside him and wrapped him in a tight embrace, trying to comfort her love. “It’s alright, it’s alright,” she whispered gently.

“It will never be alright,” he said softly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

“Cobalt, what’s wrong?” Rarity asked. “I can’t bear to see you like this. You were always so strong, and you’ve been weakened so! Is there anything we can do?”

“There’s nothing you can do, unless you can resurrect the dead,” he replied thickly, detaching himself from Twilight.

He stared out into the emptiness, his eyes fixated on a distant memory no longer distant. “I never wanted to come back here,” he said. “There were too many memories, too many faces that come with this place. I never wanted to have to see this again. But then you all had to interfere,” he snarled. “You had to stop Celestia from ending my life, and the only place I knew I could protect you from her was my home, my kingdom! You never had to do a thing, but you threw yourself into the fight!”

“Your kingdom?” Rarity repeated, her eyes widening. “Then you are-”

“The twin thrones you saw belonged to that of my father and mother, the King and Queen of the ancient city and of all my people. One thousand years ago, I was their first and only son. I was Crown Prince of the royal citadel.”

“One thousand…” Twilight whispered. Then she gasped, her hooves to her mouth. “No!”

Cobalt Storm nodded slowly dripping down his face.

“What happened to them, Cobalt? Where is everyone?” Rarity inquired.

Cobalt sighed, his mane falling across his face and obscuring his features. “It started over a thousand years ago…”

“Over a thousand years ago, my father and mother, King Farraige and Queen Stoirm, ruled the kingdom beneath the sea. For twenty thousand years we had thrived under the oceans, cultivating our civilization in the depths. We had fished here for eons, cultivated seaweed and kelp farms, raised families. I was one of so many that had entered the world of the oceans.

I was still a young adult when word of war on land reached our ears. Occasional excursions for supplies would bring us to the surface, and stories of a terrible king reached our ears. A cruel king, a wicked beast that gloried in darkness and shadows. He had mercilessly driven his subjects to the point of desperation, and his armies had begun to march out across the rest of the open world.”

“Sombra,” Rainbow guessed.

“Normally, conditions on the surface were of little interest to us, but we soon became worried. One of our supply runs to the surface was ambushed, and its members captured by the wicked king. Word crept to us that one of them had been tortured, and had let slip that our kingdom existed.

We were a large kingdom, numbering in the thousands. Sombra immediately recognized us as a threat, and began to make preparations to invade my home.”

“But surely Sombra wouldn’t be able to reach you all the way down here!” Rarity said.

“You never knew what Sombra was like at the height of his power,” Cobalt explained. “He had hordes of monsters at his command, an army of beasts, not just his Unicorn Guard. Hydras, dragons, manticores; every vile thing that crept in the dark came to him and swore loyalty to him, a nightmare tyrant of shadow and death.

When word reached my father that the crystal king was preparing for an attack, he hastily formed an assassination squad, solely trained for infiltrating the Crystal Empire and killing their leader as well as his top strategic commanders. Then, and only then, would we be safe.

I was chosen as captain of the expedition, and we left in the dead of night. We hoped to enter quietly without detection, and do the same as we departed. But the day we struck was no ordinary day. It was the day the ruling kingdom of Equestria invaded the Empire, striking before Sombra could target the rest of the land. My squad found itself caught in the midst of an invasion, and it was all we could do to reach the palace. When we finally made it, Sombra was upon us in an instant, striking down three of my squad in a heartbeat. The rest of us fought like Makos, struggling against a beast that clearly outmatched us.

Soon, it came down to just me and Sombra, and I was becoming desperate. He slashed a deep cut across my flank and was preparing to deal the death blow when two unearthly creatures swept into the throne room, charging Sombra before he could kill me.

The larger of the two beings struck first, chipping away at Sombra’s defenses. The other struck from behind, trying to deal a deep slice to the back of the king’s neck. They seemed close to victory, but Sombra had not threatened Equestria by being easily conquered. He utilized his magic to turn the very palace against the two beings, and had them all but defeated. A jet of darkest magic, born from a black pit of foulest proportions, reached out and struck one of the beings, sending her toppling.

I was still on the floor, bleeding out slowly as I watched these two angels fight to protect me. I had to do something, so I rose to my feet and threw my blade at King Sombra, driving it deep into his neck.

It was a death blow, one that toppled Sombra. He began to reel back, shouting curses and chants as he bled to death.

I watched as light began to stream from the palace and the rest of the empire, filling my vision as I faded away. I felt something wrap around my body and then I was gone.

Three days later, I wake up to find myself convalescing in a military hospital, just outside where the Crystal Empire had once stood. The entire city was gone. Sombra had disappeared along with it. And there I was, the lone survivor of an elite squad of Waterhorses that had been ordered to return home the moment the mission was ordered. I was an unknown in the midst of ponies that may very well kill me or torture me just as Sombra had!

In my panic, I made to rise, but a gentle voice said, 'Rest, you’ve been unconscious for days now. You can relax, you’re safe here.'

That was when I turned my eyes and saw the most captivating creature that had ever graced the earth; a beautiful, snow-white mare with a mane that glowed like the brightest rainbow. Accompanying her was an elegant creature whose mane resembled the most stunning night sky.

“Celestia and Luna!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Celestia and Luna took care of me personally, saying that they owed me their lives,” Cobalt said, nodding. “I protested, saying I owed them the very same, but they refused to hear a word. They didn’t ask where I was from or what I had done, they merely did what they could to bring me back to health. Early on, I had referred to myself as Ocean Blue, but I came to regret it. I wanted them to know who I really was.

After a week of recovery in the field hospital, I was strong enough to depart. I was healthy, and I knew my father would be worrying for my safety. I needed to return back and report what had happened.

But truth be told, I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to remain with these two Princesses, who had cared for me so kindly. I wanted to know more about them, and apparently Luna felt exactly the same. Not knowing I was not a part of Equestria, she offered me a position on her Lunar Guard as her personal bodyguard. I wanted so badly to accept, but I knew I needed to return to my kingdom.

When I finally returned home, I was immediately ushered into the throne room to report on the mission. Though we hadn’t succeeded, the threat was gone, and we were safe.

When I told my father of the second kingdom above the seas, he was immediately wary. He was afraid that this other kingdom would also try to destroy us, so he gave me a mission: Be a spy, survey their defenses and their interests. Discover if they posed a threat to us, and if we needed to strike back.

Unbeknownst to my father, it was the answer to my prayers. I raced back to the kingdom of Equestria and sought an audience with the Royal Sisters. When they learned of who I was, I was ushered in to meet the two sisters, Luna having been awoken to greet me. I announced I had come to take Luna’s offer as a member of the royal guard, and I was accepted. And so began my nearly five months with the most enchanting and bewitching creatures I ever knew.”

Cobalt’s eyes misted over with happiness as he recalled the memories. “Luna and I became the best of friends, spending all manner of the night talking with each other. I said as little about my kingdom as possible, allowing Luna to eagerly show me around their kingdom. I began to fall in love with the surface world, and wanted to meet its denizens. I wanted to truly become a part of this world, and the darkness prevented me from doing so.

In the early portion of my stay, I found myself infatuated with both Luna and Celestia. Over time, however, my heart and mind kept finding itself concentrating on Celestia, often sending me into endless daydreams. I was obsessed with her.

Back then, Luna was something of a wild child. She was bright and energetic and cheerful, always searching for something new and interesting to take part in. She loved combat, always relishing a chance to fight against a creature of the night.

But Celestia was calmer, more relaxed and at ease. She was gentle and kind, taking care of her subjects in a personal manner. She seemed so perfect, I desperately wanted to spend time with her. I would even stay up late to greet her in the mornings, have a friendly chat with her in the halls.

After about a month of having lived in the palace, Luna informed me that her sister had requested I work as her bodyguard for a little while. The Princess of the Sun had heard of my desire to become a part of Equestria, and know its inhabitants. Celestia offered me that chance, and I took it.

When I did, I failed to notice that Luna sulked the entire time she gave me Celestia’s message, and was particularly hurt that I had chosen to spend time with Celestia over her. But I didn’t notice.

My first day was a beautiful sunny day, a rainstorm having passed through that evening. When I was first brought to Celestia, she was in a deep conversation with a wrinkled old unicorn with a white beard. I came to find out his name was Starswirl the Bearded.

Celestia and I started out awkwardly at first, my constant desire for her attention occasionally clashing with our royal duties, and causing more than one breach of protocol. Thankfully, Celestia was forgiving, even joking when I’d make an occasional mistake. Like she did for everyone, she looked out for me.

But one day, it took a spur-of-the-moment decision by the both of us to escape the palace and go out into the world of Equestria to truly begin. And oh, how wonderful it was.

I came to know her, to really know her. I learned that her favorite time of day was twilight, when she would be able to chat with Luna before she went to bed. I learned that her favorite flowers were lilies, preferring red ones over purple. She smiled at old married couples who had been together for decades. Whenever she’d see a rainbow, she hoped it reminded her people that she was looking out for them. Her favorite meal was sunflower seeds wrapped in lettuce leaves, with caramel sauce glaze.

She and I became part of each other’s lives, often just shirking our duties to spend time exploring the world she called home. Every day I’d bring her flowers and leave them on her bed, so she could have a fresh bouquet every day. Time would pass in an instant whenever I was with her, and even if she was frumpy, and her mane was bedraggled for having slept on it wrong, she always, always, gave me butterflies.

I loved her, and she loved me. I knew she did. I told her who I was, told her my true name, and that I was from another kingdom beneath the sea. I told her that someday, I would bring her there, and show her my home.

But one day, Luna walked in on the two of us in the throne room, just enjoying one another’s company. We were doing nothing scandalous, but Luna went into a furious tirade, spewing hatred at Celestia, claiming she had stolen me from her. It seemed to go on for hours, until finally Luna swept away in tears, performing her duties to raise the moon.

I had been at the castle for four months now, and my time apart from Luna had blinded me from her rapid deterioration. Conducting an investigation into her shocking behavior, Starswirl and I discovered that Luna had been having fits of madness for nearly two months, often being caught by her guards arguing with some creature she called a ‘nightmare’.

When we reported this to Celestia, the three of us tried to figure out a way to help the younger sister. I suggested that I return home and consult my family, thinking that perhaps the ancient magic of my people may have a solution. Celestia granted me my wish, and I returned home to request the aid of my father and mother.

What I hadn’t told her was that I was also returning home to find a pearl; it was part of the custom of my kind. A stallion would bring his beloved a precious pearl as a token of marriage. I wouldn’t tell anyone until it was official, not even my parents. I wanted it to be a surprise. So, after returning home, I took an ancient spellbook and returned to Starswirl, carrying a secret cargo in my bags.

Starswirl wanted to aid Luna right away, but translating the ancient languages of the Waterhorse was difficult. Even I was clueless as to which spell would cure Luna of her nightmares. I left Starswirl to continue his work, while I began to contemplate of how I wanted to propose to Celestia.

It was the perfect night, except for one thing: she refused."

Rarity’s jaw dropped. It had been an almost perfect love story for the entire duration, but this was completely unexpected.

“I was taken by surprise, it was as if my hooves had been knocked from underneath me,” Cobalt continued. “I didn’t understand what had happened, why Celestia would do such a thing. She had told me she loved me with all her heart; had she been lying?

I deserted my post as her personal guard, retreating into my grief. For nearly a week I was desolate. It was until later that I learned the truth: Celestia’s mind had been turned against me by a bunch of fearmongers and bigots. Unicorns, who were the dominant social class of the time, hated me. Thinking I was an earth pony, they claimed that I was trying to undo every way of life they held dear, and cause unrest across Equestria. They threatened rebellion if Celestia married me. Afraid for her life and her kingdom, Celestia refused me.

My grief turned into anger, and my anger into hatred. How could she? How could she let such bigotry poison her love for me? How could she listen to such council? I was furious beyond belief, beyond reason and good sense. My every thought turned to revenge, to bringing such wickedness to justice.

I became Luna’s personal bodyguard again, listening to her spew hatred against her older sister. She was jealous of Celestia, jealous of all the attention and love and admiration she received. It disgusted Luna, for she claimed that her work to guard the night went unappreciated it. She felt worthless, and blamed Celestia for her worthlessness. I knew then and there I had an instrument for my revenge. I began to add poison to Luna’s already infected mind, telling her lies to turn her against her sister. I planted seeds of rebellion against Celestia, promising that if she tried to revolt against the Princess of the Sun, I and my people would fight alongside her.

One day, she accepted, and I returned discreetly to my own kingdom. I told my father and mother a long list of lies, of what horrors Celestia was planning to unleash upon our kingdom. I convinced them that if we, as an entire nation, did not rise up and fight back, we would all be destroyed.

After three weeks of long planning, the stage was being set. Luna and I had spent nights roaming through villages of disgruntled Earth ponies and turning them against Celestia. I told them that if they fought with Princess Luna, they would have their freedom, and could help rule Equestria.

The attack began at the palace, striking at Twilight. While Luna went for Celestia, I went straight for the greatest military threat that Celestia could bring against us.

He never stood a chance against all seven of us. I was upon Starswirl before he could even lift a hoof to react, and raked his head from his shoulders. The greatest mind in all of Equestria was gone, having been killed trying to translate a spell from the book I had lent him.

Though I had succeeded in my portion of the mission, Luna had failed to kill Celestia. The older sister fled and disappeared, while Luna and I began marching our forces across Equestria. Every Waterhorse from the kingdom rose from the depths of the sea and began invading Equestria, burning and pillaging every village that refused to surrender. We killed mares and stallions, fillies and colts. Anypony that did not join us was struck down instantly. I myself oversaw the burning of an entire village, just because it had been in our way. It was a village of Earth ponies, who had done nothing to harm us. I slaughtered their elder and set the whole place on fire, just to watch it burn. We became complete animals.

After about two months of occupation, Celestia returned from hiding, with an elite force of loyalist forces that hadn’t deserted or been killed. It was a coalition of all three pony races; Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth ponies. They were a small band, but they soon cut through to the royal palace, and took it as a base.

Luna and I consolidated our forces and marched towards the palace, intent on taking it once and for all. I ordered my people to kill everyone that stood in their way, and to never retreat or surrender. It was an all-out attack on Celestia’s forces, with either complete victory or total defeat as the only possible outcomes.

The battle took place in the Everfree Forest, Luna and I’s forces ten thousand in number, combating against Celestia’s one thousand. We outnumbered them, but my people were unprepared for combat in the woods. We were clumsy and awkward, unused to fighting in such conditions.

As I took part in the battle, I realized that we were steadily losing. Luna had already gone searching for her sister, and I knew that the only way to end it all was to kill Celestia. I raced for the palace and entered, hoping to drive the killing blow myself.

But when I entered, it appeared Celestia had been defeated… by it. By her. Nightmare Moon, who had finally overcome Luna and transformed the once-beautiful mare into a beast of the darkness.

It was then that I realized that the figure that had been struck by Sombra’s dark magic was Luna; he had summoned a demonic entity to torment her, and it had totally consumed her.

Just as I came to this conclusion, Celestia rose up and unlocked an ancient chamber, filled with objects of such magical power I had never seen. The Elements of Harmony! Celestia activated them and fired them on Nightmare Moon, defeating her and banishing her to the moon.

Realizing we had just been defeated, I raced back to the battleground, hoping to call a full-scale retreat and save my people before it was too late.

But when I arrived, I heard the most dreadful sound I could have possibly heard: silence.”

Cobalt Storm faltered, his voice failing him as tears began to form in his eyes once more. Struggling to speak, he finally managed to choke out the words,

“I walked out into a graveyard. Bodies were strewn all across the forest, a clearing even had been made to support the sheer mass of casualties. Everywhere I looked I saw my people, their blood flooding the forest floor. It was so heavy that you could not take a step where the rivers of crimson had not already reached. Celestia’s forces had been victorious, and my entire kingdom had fought to the bitter end. On my orders. On my orders, even my family had been killed. I had killed them.

I watched them begin to set fire to the bodies, and I screamed aloud. I tried to stop them, but they arrested me and took me prisoner. They locked me inside a dungeon for days, allowing me to scream myself hoarse, and tear my flesh to pieces. With the rebellion finally over, I realized the enormity of what I had done. I had turned a sister against her only family, convinced her to murder her flesh and blood, turned a kingdom against another, murdered the wisest unicorn in the world, and ignited a war that covered Equestria in blood. I had caused all of it, all because I had let my own hurt and pain consume me.

I hadn’t been like Luna, who had been forced to endure torture and agony under the brutal taunts of a demon. I had simply been a prince, who had been so angry and unforgiving that he allowed his own hatred and rage to drive him to bloodlust and kill the very one I love more than anything in the entire world.

After about a week, I was led to Celestia for sentencing. I was found guilty for a multitude of crimes, crimes so heinous that there was no punishment deemed suitable. Not even my death was good enough to pay back all the lives I had taken.

So, in honor of the first murder I had committed, Celestia used the spell Starswirl the Bearded had translated, a spell from my own people, against me.

Beginning, beginning, but end without end.

So you, great debtor, must pay for your sins.

Endless, you are, until the world burns.

So you must walk this world evermore.

Without rest, without hope,

You are cursed, cursed and alone.

Even if you rest, in agony must you stay.

For the lives of others, your blood you must pay.

Celestia cursed me with eternal life, forcing me to live with my crimes until the end of the world. She sent me into exile, away from every pony I had ever known.

For years, I tried to take my own life. I tried to kill myself, somehow, someway, but something would always prevent me. Early on, it was other ponies, who knew of my crimes and wanted me to continue with life and endure the agony that came with them. After a few hundred years, they had forgotten who I was and would try to save me, always cutting me off before the deed could be done. And so it has been for over a thousand years now.”

Twilight stared at Cobalt Storm in complete disbelief, her mouth agape. She was at a loss for words, incapable of any sort of speech. Tears rained down her face, and the faces of all the others.

They had never expected anything like this. It never would have even occurred to them. Something of such magnitude was beyond belief, beyond any sort of reason.

But now Twilight understood. Why Cobalt referred to Celestia as “Tia”, why he had apologized to Luna for everything, why only the Royal Sisters recognized Cobalt Storm.

Why it all made sense was horrific beyond anything she had ever suspected.

Cobalt stood there staring at them, his sides heaving. “Well?” he yelled. “Aren’t you going to say anything? Aren’t you going to condemn me? Hate me? Kill me? I wish you would! I wish you had let me die, I wish you’d let Celestia kill me! Because then it would have all been over, and I would finally be free! But NO!” he roared, staring right at Twilight. “You had to disagree with the only pony who knew who I was, and you had to rescue me! You had to save me, and for what! For this?! I wish I had never been born!

I caused a genocide so great that nothing in the history of ponykind can even come close to comparing! I led a slaughter so great, I destroyed a third of Equestria’s entire population! I wiped an entire race from the face of the earth! And I can never outlive it!

LEAVE ME!” Cobalt roared, tears running down his face. “LEAVE ME TO LISTEN TO THEM! DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?! DON’T YOU HEAR THE WHISPERS?! THE SOULS OF MY PEOPLE ARE TRAPPED HERE IN THIS KINGDOM, BECAUSE MY LIFE BINDS THEM TO THE MAGIC THAT DWELLS WITHIN THIS PLACE! THEY’LL ALWAYS BE TRAPPED HERE, NEVER ABLE TO REST, BECAUSE OF ME!”

Cobalt turned his back on the group of ponies he had fought so hard to save. Twilight and the others backed away slowly, edging towards the hallway, then sprinting as fast as they could go, desperate to escape the horror that had just been shared.

Twilight went to her quarters without a word, feeling more wretched than she had ever thought one pony could possibly feel. Her heart broke for the countless lives that had been lost because of it all, for the love that had been lost, for Celestia and Luna, for Cobalt Storm, and for her friends… because she had led them to save Cobalt because she had been wrong They were forever marked for death, forever lost from their families, forever lost from their homes, because she was wrong. And Celestia had been right.

Outside her room came a powerful, guttering wailing. A scream from a pair of strong, male lungs echoed through the throne room and the entire kingdom. It was a cry of utter despair and agony, of a thousand years of pain and hopelessness the likes of which no one had ever heard.

And to Twilight, it sounded as if thousands of voices were screaming along with him.

Author's Note:

And there you are. The longest chapter of the entire story has been completed. The truth is out, and Cobalt Storm has revealed himself for exactly what he is. His story is no longer a mystery.

Only one more chapter to go, with bonus epilogue later.

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