Luna Eclipse

by Teeemu

Prologue: The Equestrian Reneighssance

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"...And they will see the whiteness of the moon as they gaze unto Her eyes,
They will tremble before Her in terror,
They will call for their hounds to feast on their decaying corpses,
And on that day, they will know Her name..."

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Equestria has changed. I can see it in the towns, I can feel it in the streets and I can hear it in the air. The magic of the dragons has finally left us. Their once proud monuments abandoned to time. Their memories scattered to the wind.

It began with the forging of the great alliance. Unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies standing together despite their various differences and setting the building blocks for a civilized society. In every town and city across the realm, the celebration of the unification of races became known as Hearth's Warming Eve. Following the unification, a capital city was established in the south.

Thus the vibrant and ancient city of Isabella became the hub of all pony culture.

Time had passed, order was established and in the wake of cultural vibrancy, a new religion had formed. Town by town and pony by pony, all had become enslaved by the power of faith. Three prominent stallions representing each race had risen to the head of the city's greatest families. These ponies stood at the center of Isabella's new religion, ushering in a movement devoted to their own private deification.

Yet not all were content with such radical change and soon there were disagreements on the fundamentals of faith. However, those who opposed the new regime were quickly eradicated, allowing fear and violence as a weapon in Faith’s arsenal.

Eventually, the stallions had become old and withered. Named aptly after themselves, their final act was the construction of the Temple of The Three Graces. Both designed as a monument and their earthly tomb for all eternity. Some say it was a last ditch effort to immortalize themselves. Others claim that they had never truly died, that their very souls became one with the statues deep inside the temple itself. Yet despite the end of their mortal lives, Faith continued to grow.

The role of The Cleric of Isabella was created soon after their deaths and filled by a simple Unicorn priest named Faroe. Cleric Faroe was a mystic of great renown granted the with the power of the second sight. The ability to peer into the veil of the future. A gift that he would later use to write his most famous prophecies later recorded as The Canticles of the First Cleric.

Now armed with its own central codex, Isabella's religious beliefs and subsequent Clerics continued on for the next few centuries unhindered and unchallenged. Their word became law. Their rules absolute.

Yet nothing could ever last unchallenged for long. The strength of Isabella's supposed unity began to decay and a new tyrant had risen from the shadows to the east.

Hailing from origins unknown, a creature of vast magical strength and prowess had beset the land. In a single sweep, it had taken control of the realm. Pouring its malice and chaos into the world, the creature known as Discord had proclaimed himself Equestria's solitary monarch and set his sights for Isabella.

Soon the land had become poisoned by pure chaos and not even Isabella's famed Cleric could stem the tide of Discord's reign. No pony knows for how long, but the monster's stranglehold had near razed Equestria to the ground before finally being halted by the efforts of two of the most unlikely of adversaries.

Known only as the Mares of Harmony, the pair's great magical prowess stood forth to oppose him. With the aid of a little known magic of powerful origin, the mares had finally vanquished Discord and returned harmony to the land.

In the wake of their conquest, it was said that the moon and sun had bestowed great power upon them. The sisters had reached a level of magical understanding so deep that it was said they had instantly sprouted wings and could challenge death itself. A power that rivaled the laws of magic.

And thus a fourth race of pony had come into existence. Wielding the strengths of all three races and the weaknesses of none. Alicorns: Immortal, fairest and wisest of all beings. With Discord petrified in stone as his eternal prison, the alicorn mares were hailed by all of Equestria as saviors. Their names, Luna and Celestia, glorified and heralded as almost godlike. Yet the response to their undesired deification was most telling. The mares were not pleased. Instead of reaping the rewards of their stature, the sisters retreated to the very heart of the Everfree and have existed in solitude ever since. Their lives unhindered by the growth of their renown. Their presence, felt as nothing more than a whisper in the breeze.

But even as the alicorn sisters retreated to a world of solitude, Equestria had become shaken by a crisis of faith. The citizens of Isabella no longer trusted the word of their Cleric whom they had followed without question for so long. Why should they still believe the words of three dead stallions when the power to control day and night now lay in the hooves of two very powerful, and very much alive, goddess-like ponies?

As more and more began to abandon their faith, the Cleric had seen the potential threat of a civil war breaking out. The cost of Discord’s chaotic reign had left the city in a state of disrepair so great that the prospect of more catastrophe would mean its ruin. There was simply no more room for fear and violence in Faith’s arsenal.

In order to keep opposing views civil, Faith proclaimed Celestia and Luna as Princesses. Honorary rulers of Equestria and paragons of harmony. Yet still it was not enough. Despite the Cleric’s best efforts to restore Isabella’s former glory, the city had lost its status as Equestria’s capital.

Canterlot, an ancient mountainous city and the origins of both Princesses, had been the first conquered by Discord’s reign. It's early days of suffrage had been the birthplace of the resistance that spurred Discord’s defeat. Soon after, it had become the founding city of a new faith, a new understanding and a new deity. Its reverence for being the symbol of Equestria’s heroines had also earned it the title of the realm’s new capital. A stunning, shining new city far more glorious than a war torn Isabella.

The Cleric, now desperate for anything to safeguard Faith, delved deep into the sacred Canticles for guidance. Through months of searching, he had finally come across a prophecy he hoped would deter the inevitable collapse of the old ways. The prophecy had been cryptic, but the Cleric had eventually fathomed that it foretold the rise of an ominous evil veiled in the whiteness of the moon. An evil, he concluded, linked to the younger sister, Luna.

But time was a never on his side. Soon the noble families of Isabella voted on a new secular government. A government run and consolidated by the heads of each family. Because of this, there was no longer power in the hooves of the Cleric… Naturally, the prophecy fell on deaf ears.

All the Cleric could do was count his blessings and hope that the families at least remained loyal to Faith and the city’s once proud heritage. A new shrine dedicated to Equestria’s honorary rulers was built. Not only did it serve as a symbol of harmony, but also as a beacon of hope to many... A beacon of hope to me...

And I? I was chosen to serve as its priest.

I have many names. Father, guide, apostle… But to the many who now follow the code harmony and its princesses, I am known as Cepheid. I seek to undo the falseness of the past, set right the wrongs that have perpetrated by Faith’s ignorant hoof and carry the message of Celestia and Luna. For now, Isabella has entered into a changing world and it is our duty as ponies to see that it follows the path of harmony.

***

Two unicorns stood side by side underneath a splendid mosaic of two alicorn goddesses encircling each other. It was impossible to enter The Church of Harmony without gazing up at its eerie glass design.

“I see Cepheid spared no expense decorating the inner halls,” said one of the ponies, an elderly stallion with a graying black mane and a dark beige coat. “With all that has happened, you’d think the figurehead would disapprove of the liberal usage of taxpayer money.”

“I think it’s glorious,” said the other pony. He too was a stallion, yet where the other was old and feeble, he was young and freakishly large. His muscles accentuated by the dim flickering light of the church’s candles, and his thick blonde mane giving him the look of a lion in its prime. Despite his grizzly appearance, he had a kind face and soft pale blue eyes that mirrored the color of the blade of a sword holstered over his back.

“I do not doubt its glorious intent, Aurelio,” the old pony rebuked. “I only take issue with its extravagance.”

“It’s the least we could do to show our gratitude to our saviors,” the pony called Aurelio replied. “There is a true sense of their strength in this room.”

The old pony shook his head. “Some part of you must realize that neither of them truly want such glorification. Immortality has at least failed to take away their humility. I have a feeling if they were to step into this place they would see how their message of harmony and equality was once again lost to pomp and splendor.”

Aurelio lowered his head in frustration. “Can’t you just be positive for once?”

“Very well,” the old pony acquiesced. “It is truly a sight to behold. One to rival the Temple of the Three Graces itself. I’m sure there will soon be temples everywhere.”

“You asked to meet me here,” Aurelio replied, ignoring the old stallion’s retort.

“I did indeed,” he replied. “As my agent, you are beyond Cepheid’s interference. You are perhaps one of the only ponies left I can trust.”

“I’m… honored that you would think of me as somepony you could trust, sir. But don’t you think meeting like this in secret is a bit… I dunno… too much? I don’t see why we would need to be so cautious.”

The old stallion gazed thoughtfully at Aurelio, his eyes lingering momentarily upon his sword. “You brought your family heirloom with you as well, I see. Do not tell me you believe bringing a weapon to a holy place is any less cautious.”

Aurelio snorted. “You can never be too careful in times like these, sir.”

“Then you should have no problem understanding the discretion.” The old stallion turned his gaze away from Aurelio and made his way towards a small bronze lectern at the end of the chapel. “Care to join me? There is something I wish to show you.”

Aurelio did as he was told, trotting briskly towards his elderly companion and glancing towards a small leather bound book lying upon the lectern’s surface. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Indeed it is, Aurelio,” The old stallion replied. “This one in particular belongs to Cepheid himself.”

Aurelio raised an eyebrow. “Why would Cepheid have a copy of the Canticles? I thought he despised everything to do with the old Faith.”

“Already calling it old, I see?” The old stallion chuckled. “He does indeed despise the old ways. But it is not strange for him to still keep a copy of its central codex.”

“Then why show it to me?”

“Because, my son, he has recently taken great interest in a very specific verse.” He turned his gazed from Aurelio and magically opened the book to an earmarked page. “A rather controversial prophecy about Princess Luna.”

Aurelio seemed to relax at this. “Oh,” he responded. “That prophecy. Didn’t Cepheid say that it was all lies added to the Canticles in order confuse us?”

“What Cepheid says and what Cepheid believes, I have concluded, are two entirely different things.” He turned the book to face Aurelio. “Why don’t you read it?”

With a sigh, he stood closer towards the lectern and began to read the prophecy out loud. “Beware the age of the Diarchy, for she who holds power over the moon will use it to block out the light. Stand fast against the honeyed words of harmony, for they are veiled in falseness and death.” He glanced back up at his companion. “So… I don’t see your point? What does any of this have to do with Cepheid?”

“Well, you see, that was not the only verse he had showed an interest in.” The old stallion began paging backwards until arriving in the middle of a completely new chapter. “Just like the Cleric, Cepheid took it upon himself to search for verses that may do the Princesses harm. But whereas the Cleric could only find one verse, he had found another.”

Aurelio looked as though something had fallen on his hoof. “He found… what does it say?”

“I’ll spare you, it's rather long winded and cryptic wording,” the old stallion replied. “But it essentially tells us how Luna will fall into darkness. Here…” he pointed at a paragraph in particular. “And the guardian of the moon shall be sterile. She will bear no fruit from her loins, but shall mother a foal from the barren loins of another.”

Aurelio looked confused. “How does that lead to her downfall?”

“And the foal shall bear the markings of the moon,” he continued. “From the first moment it draws breath, the guardian will abandon true virtue.”

Satisfied that he had made a connection, the old stallion closed the book and returned his gaze to a rather dumbstruck Aurelio.

“Princess Luna will have a foal. A foal that makes her go bad.” He scratched his head.

“According to this passage, yes.”

Aurelio looked skeptical. “What does it really matter, though? Even if Cepheid did indeed believe it could happen, that doesn’t really mean that it will.”

“No,” The old stallion replied. “But whether or not it’s true is not important. What is important is that should such a foal ever be born baring what this passage describes as the markings of the moon, how do you think he will react? How do you think ponykind would respond should they wise up and come across this verse themselves?”

“This still doesn’t make sense,” Aurelio replied. “What exactly are the markings of the moon?”

“I do not truly know. But that is not our only clue. The passage clearly states that the foal will be born from barren loins. In other words, an infertile mare. How many infertile mares do you think can conceive a foal?”

“N-none.”

“And now we reach the reason why I called you here in the first place.”

Aurelio blinked. “That being?”

The old stallion silently stepped away from the lectern and stood face to face with him. “I have read Cepheid’s private journals. Should the day ever come that such a foal should enter this world, he will find it and snuff it out. Anything that damages his new faith damages his position in it.”

Aurelio stood back in shock. “You can’t possibly believe that Cepheid would condone-“

“Oh yes I can,” the old stallion interrupted. “Do you suppose a pony who has risen to such stature in this city would let the source of his new power fall into question?”

Aurelio stepped away from his companion. “I don’t like this conversation. Cepheid has only ever sought to spread the word of Harmony. He’s a just a simple a priest, a pony that only wishes to-“

The old stallion lifted his hoof to silence him. “His journals say otherwise. Would you prefer it if I stole them and proved it to you? Or is my word not enough?”

Aurelio hung his head with another sigh. “What would you have me do?”

“Nothing. At least not until the day comes that I call upon you for this very reason.”

“Why me? Why tell me this at all if you’d have me do nothing?”

The old stallion smiled. “Because, my dear colt, you are perhaps one of the only ponies in this money and power-infested city that I know has a good heart. I trust that should the day come when Cepheid plans to harm any foal, I can count on you to be by my side to stop him.”

Aurelio remained quiet for a second, his cheeks slightly red. “Indeed you can, sir.”

“Good,” the old stallion replied. “Remember, Aurelio, we are Soldiers of Harmony. Our mandate is to protect the weak and helpless. Even if it means protecting them from our own.”