The Fall of Starswirl the Bearded

by Kinogirl

Discord

Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro and all characters credited to Lauren Faust and the design team at DHX Studios

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Chiastolite led the Equestrian ponies through the snow. The blizzards were strong, almost forcing them back down the mountain, but he ploughed on up the incline, looking ahead for the tell tale signs of chaos. The Equestrian ponies made no complaints about the cold conditions, and he had expected it from the princesses, most ponies didn’t like the mountains. They forged on regardless, determined looks on their faces. They meant to bring an end to this chaos.

Suddenly Luna gave a yell as the pack snow gave way beneath her hoof and the fine white ice crystals went flying into the hundred-foot gulf below. Sombra was immediately at her side, pushing her back onto firmer ground. Luna caught him in her magic before he himself slid over the edge.

Celestia turned back in that moment to see Luna and Sombra clamber up onto a boulder. Both of them looked ruffled and Celestia felt worried.

“Sister, what happened?” Celestia asked.

“The floor gave way, but my Knight Sombra came to my aid.” Luna replied, smiling at the stallion in question.

“As you saved me Night Princess.” Sombra said with a bow.

Luna giggled as she blushed, before clearing her throat when she noticed the adoring look Celestia gave her.

“The peril has past now.” Luna said in an overly formal voice.

“Thank goodness.” Celestia said with feeling.

“Do you want me to walk ahead to test the path?” Lightning Shield offered.

“Thank you Commander, but I think that may not help, it was merely bad luck that I happened to step on the loose snow.” Luna stated.

“It would be so much easier to fly.” Lightning said wistfully looking up at the cloud heavy sky.

“Unfortunately that is not an option open to us.” Luna said, almost snapping.

“I know Night Princess, but I do miss flying.” Lightning replied.

“As do I Lightning Shield.” Celestia said warmly.

Lightning smiled at the Sun Princess.

“Are you ready to go on, or do you want to continue with the tea party?” Chiastolite asked in annoyance.

“You will show respect to the Princesses.” Sombra growled as he charged the guide.

“Up here there’s no such things as titles, only frozen ponies if they stay in one place too long.” Chiastolite said, unfazed by Sombra’s reaction. “So unless you want to become an interesting looking ice sculpture, I suggest you hurry up.”

“You will show respect.” Sombra said firmly.

“Knight Sombra, be at peace.” Luna said softly, brushing him with her wing. “Chiastolite is the expert and we should adhere to his advice.”

“There is no need for him to be so disrespectful.” Sombra said, narrowing his eyes.

Chiastolite rolled his eyes.

“Will you please follow me before you become pony-cicles, Your Highnesses.” He said, motioning with his hoof.

“Was that so difficult?” Sombra asked as they began walking once more.

Once there was enough room Lightning Shield moved up beside Sombra.

“Is there something wrong?” He asked.

“Other than the King spreading chaos?” Sombra replied.

“You’re a lot more short tempered than usual.” Lightning observed.

“This is dangerous, I long to be back in Equestria where my Night Princess will be safe.” Sombra said with worry as he watched Princess Luna carefully traverse a narrow path of ice.

Lightning Shield looked to the knight for a moment, and then chuckled as he moved back to his position on the left flank. They followed Chiastolite around the curve of a mountain and there ahead of them, half way up another mountain was an enormous castle, it was colourful to say the least and flakes of chocolate ice cream snowed down around it and strange objects littered the path in front of them.

“This is as far as I go.” Chiastolite said. “If you keep following the path you’ll reach the castle.”

“Thank you for your help Chiastolite.” Celestia said with a bow of her head. “We can carry on from here.”

Chiastolite nodded before he turned around and began his journey back down the mountain.

The Princesses and their guard walked on toward the castle.

“That cliff will take forever to scale.” Lightning said.

“Permission to scout ahead to see if we can find an easier route up the mountain?” Sombra asked.

“You are too kind.” Celestia replied.

The two guards saluted before they went ahead of the princesses.

“Do you think Starswirl will see reason?” Luna asked as the princesses continued at a slower gait.

“We can only hope.” Celestia replied.

“You think he will not?” Luna asked in shock that her sister would lose faith.

“As we draw ever closer my confidence wanes.” Celestia admitted. “However we must hope for the best. We will make Starswirl see reason.”

“Yes.” Luna agreed.

They were near the mountain when Lightning galloped back to them.

“We have found another route up the mountain.” He said.

The other route turned out to be a polka dot stairway. The stairs were moving upwards toward the plateaux where the castle stood. Near the base of the stairs were two snow mares, the princesses were shocked to find that they were perfect copies of them.

“Why do you think he made these?” Luna asked in a whisper.

“We should take it as a sign that he longs for our company.” Celestia replied, also whispering. “We may convince him to return just yet.”

Celestia turned toward the strange moving stairs.

“Let us go up.” She said and trotted forward to where the stairs began.

“Are you sure it is safe?” Luna said with worry.

“There is but one way to find out.” Celestia said with determination and stepped onto the moving stairs.

They moved at a swift pace, but it felt safe enough although she had a moment of uncertainty when she reached the top. The stairs disappeared into the floor and she shuffled slightly as she stepped from moving ground to still ground. She looked back to see that Luna was now making her way up the stairs.

“Careful when you reach the top Sister.” She called.

Luna nodded and passed the message back to the guards who were already stepping onto the moving stairs. Soon all four ponies had reached the top and now they crossed the plateaux to the door.

---

Cadance sat on a big purple cushion eating cotton candy while she watched the dragon she’d named Discord create wonderful things from nothing. There were miniature pigs that flew about on cobweb wings, shoals of colourful fish swimming through the air, swirling around the little princess until she giggled and they darted away. Discord was concentrating on building a tower of cards; the cards were the size of doors.

“Oh, we had some visitors to the Empire today.” She said.

“You did? How wonderful.” Discord replied as he prepared to put the top two cards on the tower.

“Yes. They were princesses too. From Equestria.” She informed him.

Discord gave a start and the whole tower collapsed.

“What?” He demanded, rounding on the filly.

She whimpered and shrunk away.

“Sorry.” Discord said, clearing his throat and settling onto his feet. “From Equestria you say?”

“Yes. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They said they were following the chaos to find who was responsible.” Cadance explained.

“Did they happen to say what they would do to the one responsible?” The former Starswirl asked carefully.

The filly shook her head.

The former Starswirl considered for a moment, and then he heard voices from outside. Without knowing how he accomplished the feat he found himself floating outside the castle. Celestia was at the top of the staircase, Luna was already ascending and behind her were two guards. He could remove the stairs, but he that would lead to Luna and the guards falling, and he had no intention of hurting anypony. There was only one thing left to do.

He returned to the filly and smiled at her.

“This visit has been pleasant, but it’s time for you to leave now.” He said as he snapped his eagle claw and the filly’s saddlebags appeared on her back.

“But…” The filly began.

“No buts.” The former Starswirl said, floating her toward the door. “I have guests and you’re not invited.”

Cadance tried to protest but she was already being transported to the door.

---

Celestia and Luna stepped up to the door, but it was locked.

“You know how to counter all his locking spells.” Luna whispered.

“Perhaps he has formulated new ones.” Celestia replied. “There is only one way to be sure.”

She prepared a spell to inspect the door, but before her magic touched it the door swung open. There was a moment of confusion where they were certain some creature was visible, but a flash of white light almost blinded them. Celestia blinked away the after images as she stepped forward into a now empty hall. Her hoof falls echoed in a discordant manner.

“Master Starswirl?” She called.

There was no answer but the floor beneath her hooves began to move, pushing her back to the door. Celestia galloped and then leapt onto a part of the floor that wasn’t moving. Luna landed beside her while the guards tried to find their own route into the castle.

“Please Starswirl, do not push us away.” Celestia called.

There was no reply, but it felt as if the entire castle was listening to them.

“At the very least show yourself.” Luna hollered.

“You will not like that, believe me Night Princess.” Starswirl said in a chiding voice, it moved around the ponies as if he was circling them.

“Why would we not like you to show yourself?” Celestia asked.

“Did you not look upon me with horror but several days ago?” Starswirl asked. “When that foalish Duke declared me a monster.”

“It was a shock, but we will not be afraid.” Celestia promised.

A rumble of laughter echoed around the room.

“Please Starswirl, if you are still our great mentor, come face us. We will show you no hostility.” Luna assured him.

“I am not your mentor and I am not Starswirl.” The voice said firmly.

“Then show yourself and let us be the judge.” Celestia said defiantly.

Starswirl chuckled, his laughter bouncing around the walls.

“You consider me your equal? For only an equal can judge me.” Starswirl stated.

“We are not here to judge you, Your Majesty, but surely we are entitled to judge our own feelings.” Celestia said.

“Show myself to you? Find out your reaction? I suppose I will know then.” The voice around them mused. “Prepare yourself.”

“You cannot shock us.” Celestia said.

“Then what can I say other than; fillies and gentlecolts, put your hooves together for the creature formally known as Starswirl the Bearded.”

Cotton candy clouds swirled around, lightning flashed and stars showered out of a central flash of light. Rising up onto its hind legs was a creature that seemed created from different animal parts, but there was something familiar in the grey pony face that looked down at them with yellow and red eyes.

Luna shrunk back slightly, but Celestia recognised the creature as Starswirl and she moved closer to him.

The former Starswirl was laughing, ready to gloat about Luna’s reaction, but Celestia approaching him caught him off guard. Why was she not afraid of him? He shrank back himself, floating up against the wall.

“There’s no need to fear me.” Celestia said gently as she slowed in her approach.

“Fear you? Hah!” The creature said, throwing back its head. “Why would I be afraid of you?”

“You tell me.” Celestia replied, edging ever closer.

“No! Stay away! I want to be left alone!” He said urgently, waving Celestia away with a lion paw.

“Not even Starswirl the Bearded truly wished to be alone.” Luna said, coming to stand beside her sister. “Even when you were in the midst of great works you wished to share your knowledge with willing students.”

The former Starswirl shook his head, unable to answer.

“You don’t really seek isolation.” Celestia insisted.

The former Starswirl looked between the two sisters then in a flash of white light he vanished. He appeared a moment later on the other side of the room. The sisters turned to face him, along with the guards who were keeping close to the sisters if there was trouble but not so close as to spook the creature.

“You really should stay away from me, please!” Starswirl beseeched. “Of all the ponies in all the world, you two are the most dearest to me, my prized pupils, the diarchs of night and day, such power. It was an honour to teach you and I grew fond of you both. That is why I ask you to leave. Go away from this place before my chaos affects the harmony you must keep. If night and day are thrown into disorder then the rest of harmony will soon follow. Do you really wish to risk your calling?”

“We would not be worthy of our calling if we do not help our friend.” Celestia said.

“Friend?” The former Starswirl asked incredulously. “I was your friend?”

“We still consider you our friend.” Luna said with a smile.

“Why does everypony keep saying this? Friend?” He growled as he raised the lion paw and eagle claw up to his horn and antler. “Friend? Why does everypony keep saying this? Why do they call me friend now…now I am this?” He demanded, indicating his mismatched body.

“It can be fixed.” Celestia said.

“Fix the side-effects of my constant meddling with higher magics?” The former Starswirl demanded, for this was the reason he had formulated for his transformation. “How many times did I transform myself into some other creature? Is this not an inevitable result of the over-use of magic? All magic takes its toll on unicorns, not like you precious little alicorns who can perform great feats without fear of magical backlash. Why look at you both, raising the sun, raising the moon, a task that once took twelve unicorns to achieve, knowing that one day their magic would run out.”

“You were the one who knew we could raise the sun and moon.” Celestia stated.

“Yes. I saw the power in you, and how I would have loved such power in days past. I strove for that power and more fool me, I have that power, but…” He broke off into a manic chuckle. “I can’t control it.”

“You must have some control, or you would not be able to create this castle from nothing.” Luna said as the sisters moved closer to the former Starswirl once more.

“Yes I have control, but it’s very limited. That’s why you all need to leave here at once. That goes for you too Little Princess, it’s not safe for anyone to be here, other than me in my own madness. I’ll stay here in this chaos of my own creation, making these marvellous abominations to my heart’s content, and you go back to your precious little harmonious lives. Return to Equestria, be the rulers you were meant to be, and forget there was ever a pony named Starswirl the Bearded. Live in your harmony as he prospers in his chaos.” The creature crowed as he spun circles in the air.

“You have no idea.” Celestia whispered as the realization hit her.

“No idea of what?” Starswirl asked, stopping mid-spin to look at her.

“We cannot return to Equestria and revel in the harmony.” Luna said.

“Yes you can. It’s easy. Just walk out the door, and fly due south.” The former Starswirl said as he moved his eagle claw in the direction of Equestria.

“We would if we could.” Celestia said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The creature demanded.

“Nopony can fly.” Commander Lightning Shield stated.

“Can’t fly?” The creature scoffed.

“Yeah. Watch.” The pegasus said as he leapt into the air and spread his brown wings.

He flapped up into the air, but after a few seconds they folded in and he dropped to the floor.

“But…” The creature stammered.

“That’s not the only problem.” Celestia said in apologetic tones. “I know not how, but you have left a path of chaos between here and Canterlot. There are places along the way wilder than the Everfree, which itself has broken its bounds.”

“No!” The creature exclaimed.

“There are rains of chocolate and shoals of air fish. There was a treacle pit we had to avoid and ponies gone mad. This we witnessed on our way here.” Luna stated.

“But how? I teleported to take this uncontrollable magic away, why did the chaos follow me? Why is it outside of my area? It’s supposed to remain here! It must stay here!” The creature was panicking.

A wind began to whip around the room, stars sparking out of the air in random bursts, creating strange things that lasted only seconds before they dispersed once more into the swirling storm of chaos.

“It can’t be true.” The creature said, almost begging.

“It is Mr Discord.” Cadance said in a small voice as she moved closer to the draconequus. “Where do you think the rock candy and taffy leaves came from?”

“Where?” He asked the filly in a soft voice.

“The buildings in the Crystal Empire and the leaves of the crystal berry bushes.” She replied.

“No!” Starswirl yelled, as the chaos swirled like a nebula within the hall, it was becoming hard to stand within it.

Without thinking Lightning Shield leapt toward the little crystal princess and butted her toward a twisted carving of a tree. The corner created with the wall offered some protection from the universe that threatened to explode within the hall.

“You can stop it, I am certain.” Celestia shouted over the noise of the chaotic wind.

“I thought I had it under control, but I haven’t. I never did.” The creature growled, putting his hands to his face in despair.

“You can control it.” Celestia said. “You are Starswirl the Wise, Starswirl the Strong Willed, Starswirl the magnificent, and many things besides.”

“No, no, no, no, no…” The creature kept repeating.

“We believe in you Master.” Luna said, “And you know I always speak the truth.”

“Your faith in me is misplaced.” He said through his teeth as the chaos built within him, he could feel it greater than it had ever been, he wanted the fillies to leave…

“You can do it.” Celestia said firmly, stomping her hoof.

“I CANNOT!” The former Starswirl screamed, his voice echoing up through the castle and around the mountains until it was heard in the Empire below.

That scream of rage and torment, of the helplessness against the tide of turmoil within, broke the dam. Shards of raw chaos burst outwards from him. Most hit the walls, turning the checkerboard patterns to deepest black, like the depths of space, within stars collided and knew ones were born. It was the raw chaos of creation, which turned something from one state to another.

One shard flew straight toward Celestia.

“Sister No!” Luna yelled as she leapt in front of her sister.

The shard of pure chaos rocketed toward the princesses and there was nowhere to escape. Celestia’s horn began to glow, brighter than the sun…

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Author's Note:

Hehehe cliffhanger...enjoy.

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[Starlight Nova]

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