What Remains II: After the Fall

by Bateman66

Epilouge

“Dear friends,” the Grand Night Lord Silver Eclipse announced in a booming tone that still accentuated his specter-like voice. With the mere utterance of his words, a dutiful stiffness possessed the entire gathering chamber within the Crescent Fortress, with the stirring of thousands of Night Lord agents and wizards almost immediately being silenced.

Looking about the sea of his loyal followers atop the stone balcony he stood upon, the ghostly white stallion nodded in approval.

“Our time has finally come. Long have our ancestors dreamed of this day, long have we deserved our final triumphant over the twisted reign of Celestia. For years we have suffered setback after setback, external and internal circumstances always limiting our road towards a better Equestria. It has taken quite some time but now, we have finally achieved the form we we’re meant to take all those years ago.”

“I have seen visions of the world we will create. I see a safe and secure society ruled with an even by mighty hoof that ensures the protection but likewise dominance of Equestria over the world and its other races.”

“We’ve seen the inadequacies of the vile Celestia, seen her subjugation of those who oppose her. And if our near victorious opposition were ever perchance revealed to her, she would most assuredly try everything thing in her power to annihilate us to the last pony.”

Alistair listened to the speech with half an ear, more focused on the standard black robe he wore biting tightly against the flesh of his neck. Whoever had designed the specially made outfit he wore clearly did not hold a proper view of human anatomy.

You think they would have made this a bit more comfortable. Even in that riding jacket I wore there was more space to turn my head, but this? He yanked discreetly at the collar. It’s like I’m actually wearing a dog collar or something.

He glanced over to where Shale and her younger brother, Pen, stood on the other end of the small balcony, both adorned in the same dark cloth. He did his best to catch her eye but it seemed that Shale’s attention was heartily focused on the old stallion’s rambling declaration.

He smiled. Always so serious.

But he’d seen a different mare when they’d escaped from the scorching Canterlot Gardens just a few days prior. He saw a pony fresh with excitement and energy, sprinting as if in paradise as the first step in a grand plan was finally taken. Even against the risk of death by some Sun Guard’s spear or falling debris her enthusiasm would not stifled one bit.

Pen, on the other hoof, hadn’t been quite as enthusiastic about the whole firebombing to cover their escape. Even as they zigzagged through the Outer Gardens and to eventual safety from any pursuing Sun Guards, an element of disapproval hadn’t left eyes. There certainly was something behind this.

“When I joined this wondrous cause in my youth, it was nothing but pitiful relics from the past. Its few members were ancients among a modern era, their bodies weak from the preservation of their lives with eight centuries of existence reducing them to decrepit piles of dust. And once they taught me everything that I needed to know, I set out to remake their idea into a powerful force that would finally achieve its intended purpose.”

“It was not an easy path. When it seemed like we we’re in our finest hour, the traitorous Cult of Chaos staged their insurrection that nearly brought us to our knees. When the formulation of our final plan was still being examined, the dimwitted Commander Blackletter chose to disobey his obligations and nearly exposed our order to the entire world.”

Alistair remembered that encounter with particular disdain. From what he gathered, a simple observation mission had spiraled out of control and became a desperate effort to capture him and forcibly perform the desired realm-jump spell. However, what he was more knowledgeable of was Shale’s devastating competence with hoof-to-hoof combat, the claustrophobic feeling of being locked inside a shipping crate, and the horrid screech of metal against metal when a train derails.

He’d been much less experienced with the realism of ponies actually out to hurt him, but after everything he’d been through since, he was confident that something like that would never happen again.

Amazing how different you were back then. Bright eyed and fresh in Equestria, with such a positive outlook on things. I felt like a kid, an inexperienced one—yes—but one that really did find fun in the little things. Maybe I should go back to that once this is all done. Try and recapture how things used to—

“—and so it is with great pride that I introduce our newest initiate to our ranks and the human bearer of the ancient knowledge that will bring the return of our Queen.”

The clouds of thought quickly dissipated as Alistair realized that now all attention was focused on him. He could feel his eyes widen in surprise as the invisible gaze of thousands seem to tangibly bore into him.

Step forward you idiot, you know what to do.

Stepping forward to where Silver Eclipse stood, the hooded stallion smiled warmly at him behind his flipped down hood. Gesturing for Alistair to put his hands forward, he gently placed the coveted sealing tome into Alistair’s palms and stepped away; giving the boy all the space he needed to perform the spell.

This is it. The moment that they’ve all been craving, and you’re at the center of it, again. You still have a choice you know. You don’t have to follow through with what they want you to do. Nightmare Moon, if she’s really returned to this plain of existence, cannot be controlled.

She’ll cut a path through the world until her dominion is definite. Ponies will die, cities will burn, and the weight of if it will be cast upon your conscience. You’d make a difference in Equestria, you may even get your revenge on Twilight, but would replacing a broken system with a twisted one really be worth the consequences?

He mentally shook his head. No, I’m not a monster. But something’s still got to be done.

He paused for a moment in brief thought and nodded. Yes, that it was what I'll do. It is the only way to fulfill their wishes and your own. All these ponies before me are looking for a sign and I shall give it to them. Finally, there will be peace in this world...and vengeance.

He opened the spell book to the desired page and grazed his fingers of the fine fresh parchment. The entire world drifted into what felt like a dream to him as the he quietly spoke the incantations.

But despite his forced mask of concentration as his eyes drooped down to the pages, anypony who looked carefully enough would have seen a wry grin beginning to stretch across his face.

Author's Note:

Well, that's allllll she wrote. But don't worry dear friends, the sequel and final installment of this story ark is already in the making. But until then, thank you very much for reading!