Symphony of Destruction

by zeroxwolfx

Chapter 7: An Heir to Hope

Chapter 7: An Heir to Hope

They carried her across into the gates, and across the streets of Canterlot. Every soldier and every pony in the city turned to look at her with horror, and despair. It was such an assault on their eyes to see their regal and beautiful ruler in such a state. All of the ponies had gathered to watch her being carried. The two night guards held her up, on a large royal carrying cart. A sorrowful silence had taken over the normally busy Canterlot Street. The only sound that was heard was the light crying of nearly everypony that beheld the sight of her.

A little filly looked up at her, her eyes watering. Her young mind could not comprehend what sort of horrible event was taking place. She hugged her mother closely, “Mommy, what’s happening? Where are they taking Princess Tia? What’s wrong with her?” she asked between sniffles.

The ponies could not contain their tears. The greatest ruler they had ever known, the most regal, powerful, wisest, and most kind mare to ever walk the lands was gone. They had always looked up to her, as a savor, almost a goddess. She had never done any pony any wrong and only lived to help, and serve her subjects, but now she was gone. The fairest mare, the kindest mare, the most regal, and beautiful creature anypony had ever laid eyes on, was gone. She was the bright sun that arose each day. The very sight of her brought joy and happiness to everyone. She was the brightest star, which had lit the way through darkness in everypony’s lives. And now, their bright star, their brilliant sun had set, making way for the terror, and the uncertainty of the night.

With the gloomiest of looks in their eyes, the night guards gingerly carried her to the Canterlot mausoleum. It was a grand hall, full beautiful white stone columns. Now those columns seemed to be a little darker, as they brought in the body of the beautiful princess, and set her on the stone table, at the center of the grand room. Next to the table, Princess Luna, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle all stood, each of them with their heads hanging low, and tears still flowing from their eyes, save for Princess Luna, whom stood there with a blank, and cold look on her face. Everypony and griffon lined up before the stone table. One by one, each of the ponies came and left a flower before the body of their beloved ruler. As the line moved along sorrowfully, Twilight Sparkle saw Princess Luna storm off out of the mausoleum. She sadly left the tomb, and went off to follow the princess.

Twilight followed Luna all the way back to their castle, through the now empty Canterlot streets. She went up the spiral staircase, all the way up to the top of the tallest tower, in Luna’s personal quarters. There she would see a sight that would bring her to tears again. The once stone faced princess Luna was now curled up on her bed, crying loudly, with her head buried in her pillow. She couldn’t ever blame her for her sorrow. She was rather impressed at her ability to hold in her tears up until this point. Luna laid there in her tears, and for the first time, Twilight Sparkle saw her not as an ancient, royal princess, but as a little girl, who had just lost her closest, and most dearest sister. The princess of the night looked up, with such a look of sadness in her eyes, that it would melt the hearts of the toughest dragon.

“Leave me be Twilight Sparkle…” she said in her pity, trying to hide herself from the world.

Twilight climbed atop of the bed, and looked into Princess Luna’s eyes. Luna knew that Twilight Sparkle had felt the same hurt that she felt. Both of their hearts ached immensely. As the princess cried, Twilight took Luna in her arms, and held her tightly. For the next hour, the princess would shed the last of her tears with Twilight Sparkle. She would let out all of her emotions, all of her hurt onto Twilight. That very night, all of her pain and sorrow would spill out through her tears, like blood being let from a wound.

“I loved her so much, Twilight,” Luna said as she began to choke back her emotions, “I’ve had to face all of my friends dying before me. I’ve had to see millions of ponies die. But I never thought I would ever have to face the death of my sister,” as her tears began to subside, she looked to the ground with despair, “How can we ever hope to fight against such devastation? How can there be peace in the world of Equestria, with such a darkness that encompasses it? I have never seen a being hold so little regard for life, and have so much power. What can stand up to that?” She had asked these things to herself. They were questions that Twilight Sparkle also held, and also did not know the answers to.

Outside, Princess Luna would wander the streets of Canterlot. There were few soldiers that remained at their posts. Most of them looked towards the ground, with their armor strewn about. Their eyes were cold and lifeless, devoid of hope. They had just lost their inspiration, their shining beacon of reason in the world. Princess Celestia had fallen, and there was surely nothing else that could stand up to her slayer. There was surely now, nothing in Equestria worth fighting for, if there could not be their beloved princess. The civilian ponies came back from leaving their respects to their princess, wandering down, and drowning in their sorrow. They too had lost hope, and could not see anything but a bleak future for the nation.

In that one night, the city had lost its splendor. It had lost its life, and become as quiet as the dead. The silence was only broken by Princess Cadence, whom still shed tears for her dearly beloved aunt. But even she, in her sorrow would retreat to her quarters, with Shining armor, lost in sadness. She had always felt meek in comparison to her great aunts, but now, with a beast that could lay waste to Celestia, she felt that her demise, and the demise of all Equestria. The world before them would burn, and there was nothing anypony could do about it.

The sun arising the next day would not awaken the ponies of Canterlot out of their depression and melancholy. A grey mist of misery covered the land; in sadness that light could not break. It would not speak to them with joy as it had in the past. On this day, it would speak to just one pony. Curiously enough, the light of day would only speak to the princess of the night. And it would not say much to her. It would echo to her what she had heard before, “Be strong for me my dearest sister. For Equestria will also need you to be strong for her.” And then she would hear it echo her own voice, “I will not let you down sister.”

In this room, the elements of harmony were kept. Twilight trotted in lazily, trying to find Luna in the doldrums of the sorrowful day. There the blue princess stood, over the jeweled gold necklaces that once made up the elements. The once bright artifacts, that emitted an air of joy and hope, were now dull, grey, and lifeless. They emitted no power.

Twilight was curious about this, but not as shocked as she would normally be. The weight of far greater sorrows still clouded her mind, “What’s wrong with them princess?” she asked quietly.

“It would appear that the elements of harmony no longer hold power than they once did. I do not know why.” Princess Luna turned around and stared at the depressed unicorn. Luna herself no longer bid a look of sadness, but now a look of determination. She was resolute, “Come with me Twilight Sparkle, there is something I want to show you.”

With a gloomy disposition, Twilight followed Princess Luna. She led her to the Canterlot vaults, deep below the castle. Twilight had been here a few times before, to study the ancient knowledge from ponies of old. As they traveled through the vault, they came to a section that Twilight had never seen. Before her was a wall, which portrayed the symbol of Celestia, and Luna, with the sun and the moon in the center. Princess Luna’s horn glowed with magic. A large dropping noise was heard, and magic began to split the wall in two, and it would slowly slide apart, making a passage for a secret room. Twilight lifted her head with wonderment, as she beheld the walls of this room. Painted across the walls were depictions of Starswirl the Bearded, and his adventures across Equestria. She saw one of his first climb to mount Canterlot. She also saw pictures of his first meeting with the princesses, and of his defeating of discord. Then she saw a mural that she hadn’t seen before, it was a picture of discord, high on mount Canterlot, battling a fearsome black dragon that did not look unlike the terrible monster, Numinex. This must have been when he first fought him, in his mortal form.

In the middle of the room, there were four pillars that surrounded a raised patch of earth, sitting in a stone basin. In this patch of soil, several rare and beautiful flowers were in full bloom. And in the middle of the patch of soil lay a gleamingly white and beautiful staff. Princess Luna picked the staff up gently with her magic, and brought it to Twilight Sparkle, setting it in her hooves. Twilight took the staff, and felt something shift deep within her soul. Her eyes widened as she looked closely, noticing that it almost looked as if the staff was made of bone, of some great creature. She looked up with awe in her eyes at Princess Luna.

“This staff was gifted to Starswirl the Bearded, by the great dragon of the earth bones. Before he left Mount Canterlot for a final time, the great dragon of the earth told him that a pony would one day have need of this staff. Starswirl the Bearded was old, and he could no longer perform his great feats of magic, and he would die from the passage of time. But this staff would remain in Equestria. I think he would want you, Twilight Sparkle, his heir to have it,” said Luna as she stood before the stone basin.

Twilight Sparkle looked at the great staff, and beheld the story with amazement. Starswirl the Bearded, the greatest unicorn that had ever lived was her ancestor?

“Princess… I am honored to hold his staff,” her ears drooped as her thoughts were brought back to reality, “But I don’t think that even this great magical power can stop Numinex…”

Luna came close to Twilight, and set a hoof on her shoulder, “Twilight, it was long ago that Starswirl the Bearded brought hope not only to the ponies of Equestria, but even to myself, and Princess Celestia. Starswirl too, faced something that nopony alone could stop. I give this staff to you, not with the hope that you can use it to defeat your enemy, but with the hope that it will remind you that there are other forces at work in the world, other than the forces of evil,” she gave the unicorn a hopeful smile as she leaned down to hug her.

Tears would once again well up into the eyes of Twilight, “Princess I don’t understand… I just don’t understand what I am meant to do… I don’t understand what I can do…” she said with despair.

Princess Luna lifted Twilight’s chin with her hoof, “But I have hope young Twilight, most faithful student of Celestia, that you will understand soon…”

Twilight Sparkle put the precious white staff on her back, and followed Princess Luna back up to her quarters. Here, Princess Luna once again dawned herself with her royal blue armor. Twilight looked at her, confused, “Princess Luna… what are you going to do?”

“I am going to fulfill my destiny Twilight Sparkle,” she placed her helmet upon her head, “And join my sister…” she said quietly.

Twilight’s eyes went wide as she rushed to the Princess’s side, looking up her, “Wait, no princess you can’t! We can’t lose you too; please… we’ve already lost so much. Don’t throw your life away for Celestia… she would want you to stay here… please Princess!” she begged.

Luna looked down sympathetically towards the little unicorn. She pet over her shoulder, “Its ok Twilight. This is something that I must do, to ensure Equestria’s safety. I go to my destiny Twilight Sparkle, and you must stay here, and discover yours,” she hugged Twilight again, before she made her way to the castle.

Twilight looked at her again in protest, “But princess…”

Luna cut her off, and looked at her sternly, she was already making her way out of the castle, “Twilight Sparkle, bring Princess Cadence to me, I must speak with her before I leave,” she said ignoring her pleas.

As the armored blue mare made her way through the city streets, she caught the attention of the gloomy, hopeless guards, and citizens. Seeing her adorned in her armor, they figured she was off to fight the terrible beast that had killed Celestia. They realized, that whatever sort of monster could slay Celestia, could also surely slay Princess Luna, and this did not bring them great hope. Their sorrow was magnified. They felt sad for their princess, whom was going to avenge her sister, even though she surely knew it was to her own death. A few of the soldiers stopped her in her path, trying to reason with her, trying to convince her to stay, but she simply pushed them out of her way, and continued to make her way for the gate. With despair in their eyes, many of the guards went to see her off, wanting to get at least one last glimpse of one of their greater, beloved princesses.

Princess Cadence was a sorry sight to behold. Her tears and makeup had stained her eyes. She looked miserable, and tired, as she had been crying ever since she learned of the death of her dear aunty Tia. Now that she was about to face the departure of her other favorite aunt, she hardly had any liquid in her body left for tears. Luna approached Cadence confidently, holding her head high as she looked into the young pink mare, “Princess Cadence, in my absence, I hereby leave you to be ruler of Equestria in my stead…” she said firmly.

Cadence’s eyes went wide, as she brought a hoof to her mouth, and began to shake her head nervously, “Oh no…. no no no… no… Auntie Luna…” she was at a loss for words for a while, “Luna, you can’t leave ME in charge of Equestria. I’ve never led anypony in my life, I don’t know anything about being a ruler!” she protested.

Luna did not shift her gaze, “You are a princess, Cadence. You more fit to rule Equestria as any,” she said firmly.

Cadence fell to her knees, reaching up for mercy at Princess Luna, “No wait… Luna I can’t do this! I’m not strong like you and Auntie Tia!” she began to find more tears to shed, “I can’t face that monster… I don’t know what to do Auntie… I don’t have any powers or strong magic like you do… please Luna… don’t leave me too… please don’t leave me…” she repeated in her hysteria, “If you go Auntie Luna… I’ll be all alone…”

Princess Luna softened her gaze, and she reached down to gently hug the young mare, “No you won’t be Cadence. You will have Twilight Sparkle, and you’ll have Shining Armor, and you’ll have every pony in Equestria,” she pulled back and gave her a loving smile, “And you aren’t as strong as me or Tia, you have an even greater strength! You have the power of love, Princess Cadence! You have something that the ponies of Equestria need, now more than ever,” she looked right into her eyes.

Cadence pulled back, and looked at Luna with watery eyes, “Luna… I’m… I’m scared…”

Princess Luna hugged her again, “I know Cadence, and I’m scared too. But you have courage inside you, just as I do. And I know when the time comes, it will show itself,” Princess Luna leaned down, and kissed Cadence on her forehead.

With tears in her eyes, Princess Cadence looked, as Luna stepped off into the sun, and left her. She had known her two loving aunts her entire life, and now, they were both gone. She was just a young mare, but now an entire kingdom would depend on her strength. She looked deep inside her soul, and all she could find was loneliness, and despair. What was she meant to do against such a catastrophe? Next to her, Twilight Sparkle wondered the same things. They were kin, in their confusion, and their melancholy.

“What should we do Princess Cadence?” asked the guards, as they approached the pink mare, confused, and lost without their princesses.

Princess Cadence sniffled. She tried to clear away her tears, and look as strong as she could for the ponies, “We must be strong, good sir. We must be strong for all of Equestria….”

It was in that moment, that Twilight Sparkle looked to the white bone staff of Starswirl the Bearded, and heard a whisper. In her hour of need, and the hour of need of ponies everywhere, for the first time in fifteen hundred years, the great dragon of the earth would speak again.

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To be continued with, Chapter 8: The Last Alicorn