10,000 Years
10,000 Years
Entry 1
It's nighttime again. This night, no different than the last. Or the one before that, or the one before it. I don't know how I got here. I don't know where 'here' is. It's a question I find myself asking, to no one in particular. I live alone, you see. Only recently did I realize I knew how to write.
I believe this place used to be a castle of some kind, though I can't say for sure. I was drawn to this place from afar, though I cannot say for certain why. The daytime heat is almost unbearable, as it is every day. The blood red sun in the sky has taken a particular disliking to me. I don't know who designed these buildings, but I thank them for constructing them so solidly. I saw this city in the distance, and decided it would make a suitable place to seek refuge from the great desert.
Unfortunately, this city is dead, just like all the other cities I've visited. I can't remember the last time I spoke to another living thing, or the last time I've seen anything alive for that matter. It is as though the whole world died, and I am the only one left.
This city is unique in its design, especially since it is the only one I've come across with a castle. The room I've chosen to stay in looks as though it was once quite nice. There is something familiar about it, but that familiarity is fleeting. There are old cushions scattered about, which are very soft for laying on. The doors of this place sit warped and brittle on their rusted and decaying hinges. I can tell that at one time, they bore magnificently carved designs. Now, the intricacies of the artisans, whomever they were, have been lost to time.
There are numerous scrolls littered about the floor, and I've been reading them, another skill I was unaware I possessed. They are about something called 'friendship'. I've no idea what that word means, but from what I can gather, it appears to be a relationship one has with others who share similar interests.
I've found many scrolls about the subject from someone named 'Twilight Sparkle'. They're written to a princess named 'Celestia'. I feel as though these were her chambers. There's a rotted old bedframe in the corner of the room, and the curtains that once shielded it from the heat of the sun have long since been burned away. It seems the only piece of furniture to have survived the ravages of time is an armoire in the corner. Its doors locked by a chain and multiple padlocks, it frightens me to even go near it. I stifle the dread it instills in me, as this room is cooler than the rest of the castle for some reason, so it is here I make my bed. It is quite dusty in this old fortress, but it is as I expected.
The area surrounding the city is desert, and so is the rest of the world, as far as I can tell. I wandered the desert for a long time, searching for someone, anyone, to tell me what had happened to make this place so unwelcoming. Alas, I found no one. For a time, I thought I would surely starve, or die of thirst, finally freeing me from this hellish landscape.
Yet, as my hunger grows, and so does my thirst, I persist. Even though I long for death's icy grip, he does not come for me. It was then I thought I was being punished for my sins, and perhaps that theory is still true, I don't know for sure. All I know is I cannot leave this place, no matter how great my desire.
These 'friendship' scrolls keep me company in a most peculiar way. I don't think I'll ever know who 'Applejack' was, or what 'Cider' refers to, neither will I know who Rarity was, or why being nice to her little sister was so hard for her.
Little sister... in a faint memory, like a memory of a memory, I think I once had a sister. I see her in my dreams, sometimes. She has her back turned to me, and when I try to look upon her face, I find it impossible. She turns away every time I approach. She's mostly blue, and her mane is quite beautiful, but I can't remember her name. Sisters are supposed to be important, and I can't even remember if I've had one.
I can only explore the castle during the night, as the angry sun's heat beats everything into submission during the day. I've witnessed fires begin spontaneously in the other dead villages and towns I've passed through. Though it is uncomfortable, the sun's heat seems to have no effect on me.
To say I don't know what killed this planet is somewhat misleading. All it takes is a look outside during the daytime to reveal the culprit. The heat is simply unbearable. It has delivered death to everything around me, and yet, it leaves me alive. I feel the heat, it burns the skin beneath my coat, but I am unable to succumb to my injuries. They heal, only to be burned again the next time I venture out beyond the protection of the buildings in which I hide.
It isn't fair. I've been wandering for longer than I can remember, I haven't seen another living thing in just as long. The whole world is dead, and yet it had to be alive at some point. Something had to build this city, these castles, the other villages and towns I've come across.
I must go now, to explore the rest of this castle. Perhaps there are still beings other than myself taking refuge in the ruins.
Entry 2
I searched a bit of the castle last night. I did not want to explore everything at once, for I feel it is important to leave some parts unexplored for later evenings. A most curious thing happened in a hallway, however. As I peered down its expanse, I could have sworn I saw something dart behind the corner! A purple creature on four legs, similar to myself! Upon seeing it, I raced down the hallway to confront whatever it was.
When I reached the end, I found the rest of the hall sealed off by the roof, which had caved in. I couldn't begin to budge the rubble, and there was nowhere else for the figure to go except back towards me. Could it have been a, blast, what is the word, a specter? I doubt it. Perhaps it was a play on the moonlight, reflected in some peculiar angle. All I can say, was that it was quite unnerving. I had never seen even a hint of another living being, in as long as I can remember. Maybe there were creatures inhabiting this old palace after all.
I located another room, which was sealed by a heavy stone door. It bared a depiction of the moon across it, though it glided smoothly on its old hinges as I opened it. I did not like this room. The stench coming from it was heavy, as if the air itself carried weight. I could tell this door had been sealed for a long time, though this room was not entirely cut off from the desert world outside. However, the most disturbing thing about this room was also its defining characteristic.
The floors, the ceilings, the walls, all covered in white chalk writing. Every last inch of space had been taken up by the same four words: "When will it end?" The rest of the room was similar to the one I had chosen to sleep in. The once comfortable bed was now rotted and fallen through, the dingy curtains now stained with centuries of dust clinging to them. Scrolls littered the floor, illuminated by the moonlight. The once ornate furniture now sat damaged and weak, ruined by the intense heat of the dry daytime air being let through the smashed window leading to a balcony. The endless desert of the world stretched far before me as I glanced at the arid landscape beyond the window.
I did not stay there long, as a sense of dread filled my heart as soon as I entered. I noticed the room had a lunar decor, and the few preserved letters I was able to gather described the former occupant to be the sister of this 'Celestia' I had read about. I knew nothing of her but more reading of the weathered old scrolls revealed that she used to rule from this very palace.
After I had left the writing room, I discovered a great chamber with high, vaulted ceilings that had also caved in. The windows appeared to once have housed stained glass, though only a few stubborn shards remained fixed to their sills. A decayed old red carpet led to a strange looking seat. I believe this place to be the throne room, but again, this is only speculation. I cannot fathom why such a large room would be necessary for administration of a kingdom, but I can only assume it was at the command of 'Celestia'.
Upon leaving the throne room, I made quite a marvelous discovery! A room, filled to the brim with books! My jubilation was short lived, however. Most of the books had been rendered unreadable by years of exposure. The holes in the roof and walls saw to that. The few that weren't damaged, I took back to my chamber. I've since learned that this place was once called 'Canterlot', and the kingdom Celestia ruled: Equestria.
It was within the confines of those books, I was able to piece together some of the bloody history of this long forgotten city. Something called 'The Swarm' and the 'Griffons' attacked this kingdom at the same time! The Elements of Harmony and Celestia fought alongside countless divisions of warriors, as did someone named Luna.
When Celestia's armies began to falter against the onslaught of two nations, she did the unthinkable. She used all of her magic to bring the planet closer to the sun. The fury of the star scorched the advancing armies, forcing them into retreat. Unfortunately, the heat did not discriminate. Everything began to die.
She had used so much magic to move the world, she didn't have enough left to move it back! If this was true, then I curse this 'Celestia' for her grievous lapse in judgement. She has burned this world, and now I have to wander it, alone.
I have returned to my chambers for the night, as there is still much about this castle I have yet to discover. Physically, I am very weak, yet I do not tire. I am emaciated, my ribs exposed like that of a starving animal, yet I never feel the final darkness I long for creep over me. How much longer can I go on like this? Every time I lay my head down to rest, I wish to never wake up. Every time I do, I am disappointed. They say that death comes for everyone. Why has he chosen to ignore me?
Entry 3
I ventured back into the writing room today. I felt drawn to it for some reason I cannot explain. It was there I discovered a scorch mark on the stone floor, out on the balcony. A faint trace of ash still remained, though what had been there had been blown away by the fierce daytime winds. Something burned there, but what? Who had burned it? When had it been burned? This gave me just a glimmer of hope. It was not much, but it was something even now I cling to. I was also able to find a name among the papers I had missed the first time I entered in.
Luna. Princess, Luna.
That name, it sounded so familiar hearing it a second time, as if I've said it a million times before, and yet... it sounded so foreign. Who was this Luna? I hadn't had time for pondering such things, for shortly after I left the room, I explored another region of the decrepit castle, to discover hoof prints! In the dusty old carpet, a place where I was sure I hadn't tread before! There must be another being in this castle, this was proof! Even as I write this, what little magic I can muster is shaking the quill quite a bit.
I've never felt so happy! Another being, another living thing! The first I've seen since as far back as I can remember! I chased the tracks as quickly as my frail body would allow. I came upon a spiral staircase, and I could not believe my eyes. Waiting for me, was the purple thing I had thought I'd seen! Only now did I get a clear look at it. It was a purple creature, with a small horn on its head, protruding through its violet mane, accentuated with a single deep red stripe. She smiled at me, and I nearly cried.
It had been so long since I'd seen something alive, I knew it couldn't be a specter! She had to be real, she had left the hoofprints! She moved her mouth, as though she was talking to me, though no words escaped her lips. She silently motioned for me to follow, and I gladly did.
I followed her up a set of winding stairs, where she seemed to continue faster than my feeble legs could carry me. I begged for her to wait, but she continued climbing the seemingly endless staircase. Once I had reached the top, she was gone. I fell to my knees and wept. It was like I had lost a child. She was the only thing that had given me hope in this bleak and desolate world, and now she too, was but dust. It was then I noticed her hoofprints led right through a heavy stone seal with a single hole in it.
I deduced it was for Celestia to open, but I couldn't figure out how. I stayed in that room for most of the night, trying to figure out a way in, or wait for my purple friend that had entered to come out. I felt positively giddy in anticipation, knowing if she were just a figment of my imagination, she wouldn't have left hoofprints! I waited, and waited, until the heat of the blistering sun began to burn the horizon. This room was not like the others. The eastern wall had completely collapsed and if I stayed during the day, it would surely hurt. It wouldn't kill me, unfortunately, only hurt.
According to some of the other scrolls in this room, Celestia used to raise the sun every morning. I found that a bit hard to believe. The sun obeys no one, especially not some creature 1 billionth its size. Perhaps what I had read in the library was simply the superstition of a bygone race. Her sister Luna, raised the moon, but again, I was skeptical of this claim. It was as I was flipping through one of the books I had retrieved from the library that I came across an image of Celestia. She had a horn on her head, like I did! Even wings like I did! Although hers were magnificent and graceful, not beaten, weak and ragged looking like mine. That's when I put the hole in the vault and Celestia together. It was a keyhole! Her horn was the key! If I could only find something to simulate that, I could open the stone seal, and free my purple friend!
With renewed vigor, I await for this blasted sun to retreat. I will be with you soon, my friend!
Entry 4
Tonight was the night.
Tonight I tried to open the seal, and release my purple companion. Even now, as I write this, my quill refuses to steady. I was certain this would be the chance to break my eons of loneliness.
I stood up. My knees were weak, but this was nothing new. They never got worse, but never any better. Simply the same level of weakness throughout my days. I remembered the route I was taking. My purple friend appeared again! As before, she trotted that same route, even as I pled for her to slow her pace. She merely smiled. I knew that smile from another place, another time. Glimpses of it alone brought me such joy! I had to gaze upon it for as long as possible. I simply craved the warmth and love I felt when I saw it. She knew where we were going, as did I. Up the staircase we went. I could hear her hooves against the steps as mine echoed not far behind.
Once again, I found myself in the same decrepit top floor of one of the towering spires. She was nowhere to be found. I knew I had only one chance at opening the seal. I stepped forward, and inserted my horn as far into the slot as it would go. With what little magic I had left, I activated the seal. It began to glow, the runes and symbols inscribed on it channeled my little bit of magic as I withdrew, watching in awe as the heavy stone parted to allow me entry.
It was all I could do to not rush in and greet my new friend! As soon as the door opened fully, I cautiously stepped inside.
I... I can't believe it. Even now, as I write, I still can't believe what I saw before me in the ancient vault. I don't want to document this, but I must, lest I doubt my own memories. There was nothing there. I was a fool to believe otherwise. Just seven piles of bones that crumbled to dust at a touch, six adorned with some kind of jewelry. I cried, harder than I'd ever recalled weeping. I was so sure she was real, so sure she would be here waiting to greet me! How could I have been wrong, again?!
I couldn't go on after that. I laid in the center of the windowless vault, casting my empty eyes toward the jewelry. One was a tiara of some kind, the others appeared to be necklaces, each centerpiece bearing a different design. An apple, a red lightning bolt, a blue balloon, a butterfly, and three diamonds. They sat atop piles of grey dust, next to a note with singed edges that had somehow survived the ages sealed in this vault.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
We have hidden in the vault as you instructed, but our supplies are running out. I'm not sure if Spike has the strength to get you this letter, wherever you are. If the heat has been dealt with, please release us! I fear we may not be able to survive in here much longer.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle"
This Celestia was a monster! She left these poor creatures sealed in a windowless room until they starved to death? How horrible! They died because of her error! It must have been a specter that had led me here, to free them. Only, I was 10,000 years too late. The paper I was reading turned to ash, just like the bones before them. I ran from the vault. As I retraced my steps through the castle, I noticed the hoofprints I was so certain had been real, had vanished. Had my mind deteriorated that much? Was this some type of punishment? What could I have done to deserve this?
As I write this entry, I can only strain to see what it is I'm writing through my tears. All I wanted was someone to talk to, to hear someone's voice, telling me I was loved, and that something out there cared for me. I was denied, even this simple request. Death cannot touch me, and life is eternal torture. The armoire in this room continues to taunt me. Though the wood is frail, and the chain itself brittle, I fear what lies beyond it. Ever since I entered this room, it has given off a sense of foreboding, the likes of which I experienced in the writing room.
I shudder to even consider opening it, but now, I feel compelled. I have nothing in this world, and there is nothing a piece of old furniture could possibly do to make my life more miserable. I must stop writing now, as my magic is growing weaker. I will open the armoire, and report my findings. Perhaps, whatever is locked inside will mercifully snuff out my life.
Entry 5
It was me.
I was wrong to think there was nothing that could be done to cause me more pain. Behind the chains and old, worn out locks was a mirror.
I. Am. Celestia.
I commanded the Elements to stay in the vault where the heat would not hurt them as I tried to find a solution, but I couldn't. Luna was my sister! I let her charge foolishly into the fog of war, her only desire was to defend my kingdom and redeem herself in my eyes! I killed the entire planet, and this was my punishment!
Wandering the dead world of my own creation until the sun itself burns out! I couldn't let the Elements of Harmony leave the vault until I fixed the world, but I never did. I don't know why I continue to write, no one will ever read this. I've killed everything, and now I must live with the knowledge I was able to suppress for 10,000 years. The responsibility for the death of the world is on my shoulders, and I cannot die. Why do I continue to-
"Princess?"
Celestia put down the quill. The distant voice seemed to come from everywhere around her. Surely now, even her mind had turned against her. The voice was one that calmed her, one she immediately recognized. The one pony she cared for the most in this world, perhaps even more than her own flesh and blood. The wind began whipping through the room, blowing the scrolls all around her, enveloping her. Her most faithful student's letters clung to her like she clung to the memory of her student.
"I'm so sorry Twilight! Please forgive me!" she called.
Her throat burned as her words escaped. There was no water to be found anywhere, as Celestia begged for her former pupil's clemency.
"Princess?"
The tears would have flowed freely, though her body lacked the moisture to produce any. She covered her ears with her hooves as the rush of the wind and the voice of her long lost ward grew steadily louder.
A haze began to cloud her mind, her head swimming with painful memories. Perhaps now, death would finally have mercy on her.
Celestia awoke with a start, her legs flailing as she flung the sheets off her body.
"What!"
She looked to her bedroom door. Twilight Sparkle had poked her head into her chamber, withdrawing it slightly in embarrassment.
"I apologize Princess, I didn't mean to startle you."
Celestia examined her student closely from her bed. "Come here, Twilight," she muttered, her throat no longer the dry, arid desert she so vividly remembered.
Twilight swallowed nervously, her ears lowered in submission as she approached her Princess' bed. Celestia fought the urge to snatch her up right then and there, taking her in her forelegs simply to remind her that the unicorn before her was indeed real, and not a clever and very convincing figment of her imagination. She settled for a hoof through her mane. The bouncy, elegant hairs played just as they should have, the soft feel of her violet coat brought a joy to her tired mind that she could have only hoped for in the hellish world she had just escaped.
Twilight began to blush as Celestia brought her into a deep hug. The lavender scent of her mane, the plushness of her coat was all the proof Celestia needed. "It's okay Twilight. Thank you for waking me."
"It's no problem Princess, I wouldn't want you to miss the picnic we planned in the gardens!" she said happily.
Celestia let out a relieved sigh. A picnic was just what she needed. "I'll meet you in the courtyard, my dear," she said as Twilight nodded and excused herself from the royal chambers. Celestia couldn't help but recall the tattered state of the room in her dream.
She looked out her window. The curtains were still as ornate as she remembered, not ruined or rotted away. The royal alicorn strode to her window and opened the curtains. The day was sunny and beautiful. The gardens below her window were verdant and fresh, with various gardener ponies attending to every plant's need.
A wave of unadulterated relief washed over the Princess as she turned back to her door.
Celestia smiled.
She wanted her sister to join Twilight and herself in the gardens as she trotted happily to Luna's room. After such a bizarre and terrifying nightmare, it was all she could do to put her mind at ease.
The heavy stone door with the image of the moon carved into it greeted her, as did the guards posted outside her sister's door.
"Is Luna in?"
"Yes Your Highness."
Celestia nodded, and opened the doors, closing her eyes as she inhaled the scent of her sister.
"Luna, Twilight and I are—"
The doors shut behind her.
"No..." she whispered, the color draining from her face.
The room was ruined, just as it had been in her dream. The broken furniture, the scattered scrolls, the desert stretching endlessly beyond the shattered window, it was all there.
Again.
Written on the walls, ceilings and floors over and over again in white chalk were the words:
When will it end?
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aww, and here I was hoping for a Highlander explanation...
My God.............Well Written and an original concept..........TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
P.S. MOAR NAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
That mindfuck ending...
Love it! :D
So, is Princess Celestia going insane?
NUUU
Such brutal denial of happiness. Here I was, thinking it was a little sad one-shot that ends with Celestia waking up and being grateful and happy. BUT NO, it's Groundhog Day all over again and she's still wandering the desert of Equestria.
That being said, I'm faving this.
Weird, someone disliked it. They must be a Luna fan.
Really liked the ending to this.
Well, from what I can decipher regarding well-written literature, is that is is meant to instill a curiosity in the reader, to edge them towards a further plain of understanding or to make them reconsider their boundaries of reality. To make them think, to effect them on a deeper level then to simply read a story and to move on. If the reader is affected, if they are plagued by the thoughts of your prose through his or her daily routines, and find themselves considering and reconsidering the ramifications of your version of reality, then you're job as an author is as good as accomplished.
You, my dear friend, seem to have done just that. Damn you, I say, damn you.
Seriously, I was hoping for a happy ending, and it was really slow close! Then you just snatch it away. Granted, this ending is much more applicable, but still! Anyway, keep up the good work.
Read this while listening to Castle of Glass by Linkin Park.
Is immortality a blessing or curse? Happiness or suffering?
I was full out crying after the reversal at the end
854473 only the end of the Highlander's sword knows the true answer. Wasn't this story great though?
Wow...just wow...A apocalyptic world with Celestia, the only survivor...
I.Am.Speechless.
So wait, Luna is just as immortal isn't she? What happened to her? Also I'm assuming the final scene is part of her tragic cycle, any clarification on this?
Yay, questions.
Edited for spoilers.
854520 thats an interesting point oh that makes me sad
Reminds me of the ending of (spoilers) Believing Stories. Completely mysterious and crazy!
[youtube=vzrDpj6M1ig]
That is all.
Favorited with extreme prejudice.
I know someone else did something similar with a story called "Waiting", with both Celestia AND Luna. It goes on with the premise that "Immortality doesn't just mean losing every pony close to you. It also means watching the world crumble to dust.". I read it not long ago, it's a rather bleak and nihilistic story.
Your's equally well done in the way it conveys helplessness and torment of having to endure eternally while the rest of the world die and crumbled to dust, especially when it happens to be the person's fault it was so. I felt sorry for this version of Princess Celestia. Overall, brilliant!
855244
Was a great many eons before the writing of Waiting. Might could fit this story into that time period with a bit of interpretation on the Luna part and some finagling otherwise and have a more complete headcanon.
I.... I... Wow... Talk about Tragic as in Tragically Tragicly tragic. There are 4 tragics and that's bad
854992
I was just thinking the same thing. Only that story is kind of longer and she didn't have to get burned every day.
Amazing story. Truely amazing. This almost made me cry and My Little Dashie didn't phase me in the least.
I've managed to plug up a few things that struck me as being plot holes, but the biggest question I can't get around is simply...why would Celestia DO that? How desperate could she have been? How far gone was she that she couldn't come up with something better? Or was it just that her power was limited when it came to feats of such a grand scale?
This is still an amazing story.
That was an epic story. Seriously, I loved how the story unfolded. I've never felt so bad for Celestia before.
856197 Moving an entire planet takes a LOT of magic. It would have taken her months to regain that strength, and by then, the world had died. As to why she did it, her armies were faltering before the the combined tide of the changeling and griffon horde. their inexperience in combat proved their downfall, so Celestia decided to smite the advancing armies still attempting to breach the gates of Canterlot, by reigning down upon them, the fury of her star.
856880
Obviously. My point was that she had to have known that what she was going to do was going to kill everything, not just her enemies.
...hehe. brings new meaning to the term, "scorched earth".
857236 It was a tough choice to make. Let your citizens get killed by an invading army, or kill the army, and most of your citizens. In this case, it was all of her citizens, and everything else. Truly, it was a 'nuclear' option.
Anyway, I've decided that Luna exiled herself to the moon rather than live on the same planet as Celestia. Yup. That's what I've decided. Specifically, the dark side. It'd be cooler there.
Maybe Luna was burnt like all the other ponies because she wasn't immune to the sun like Celestia.
855244
Thanks for noting this! Now I have something new to read.
This story is going to haunt me for a long, long time... I have to tell my friends about this..
" - I must go now, to explore the rest of this castle. Perhaps there are still beings other than myself taking refuge in the ruins. -"
"Submited for your aproval tonight is the story of a single lone suvivor of a dead and deserted world. as you spend the next few nights with this suvivor you and her will bolth learn what happened to cause this destruction and why civilazation is no more. you will also learn why she was spared. here..in the Twilight Zone"
end
"And such is the fate of Princess Celestia. once beloved goddess and ruler of equestria. haveing mad a tragic mistake during a war gone south she now suffers a fitting fate of tourture and insanaty over all the lives she burned to ash. and it will remain this way for all eternity. i beg you not to take pity on this soul. for this justice is well deserved as decided by the court room of The Twilight Zone.
Now, that is deep.
It brings up an interesting point, too, come to think of it: the reason why Celestia has invested so much time and energy into making Equestria peaceful and happy, and why she is always so kind and benevolent, is because she wishes for her people to survive and flourish for as long as she lives.
When you realize you're immortal, most people follow the same progression as Bill Murray from Groundhog Day: first, deny it and get all existential. Next, fuck around and be reckless and horrible. Next, learn as much as you can about everything. Finally, after exhausting all your options, you realize the truth: when your own life becomes of no concern, the lives of everyone else take priority.
Celestia, after realizing her own lack of mortality, similarly realized that she would much rather make the lives of her subjects as wonderful and happy as possible, rather than indulge herself in things that she will eventually grow tired of and let by the wayside. So the plan, therefore, would be to make sure she can be there for Equestria as long as she lives.
Of course, the world, unlike Celestia, can't last forever. And thus, this story.
And, that, my friends, is how Equestria was made.
854216 the correct word here is gone. 10,000 years of alone time'll do that to ya.
859318 I loved the Twilight Zone! hoof for you! /)
Overcome with such greif Celestia starts becoming a prisoner to her own hallucinations.
Nicely done.
857304 Actually, considering the sun is basically a massive hydrogen fusion reaction, it was literally a nuclear solution.
SCIENCE!
At first, the tone of the story didn't affect me, but by the end I was terrified. The whole part where you thought it was a dream, with Twilight being so real...
*shiver*
Also, I don't suppose you could PM me the same answers Bairne got...
862715 Certainly!
Is it possible to both really like and dislike a story?
On one hand, the mood, the merciless twists, the bleak and hopeless outlook, are all great elements to the story.
On the other hand, I don't like sad ponies
Would it be possible to ask for details concerning your theory about Luna in all this (I'm somewhat fascinated by theories about the nature of the Princesses/Alicorns/whatnot), and why The Vault seemed like a good idea?
It's not a badly written story, but honestly, if you see this premise once, you've seen it a hundred times.
Celestia ages, Celestia pines for a tiny tiny number of very specific ponies in her vast, vast lifetime, Celestia wishes for death. The fact that she accidently killed everything is giving her an idiot ball the size of Texas, and the fact that Luna is apparently dead undermines the whole immortal alicorn concept altogether.
865573 Luna isn't dead. How could she die if she's Celestia's sister?
865573 As far as originality of the concept goes, I'm sure it has been done before. You'd be hard pressed to find a 100% original plot that didn't borrow in some way or another from a story that has already been written (intentionally or otherwise). Celestia's mistake is part of the tragedy. Just because you're immortal doesn't mean you can't make a snap decision and regret it. Her capitol was about to fall, and she thought she;d have the strength to move the planet back after they'd retreated.
I appreciate the concerns, and hope I cleared some of them up.
I believe this fits in here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvrP79RjS58
Well, kind of, the mood of the song definitely fits.
Wow. That was amazing. I don't know what to say.
Btw could I also get Bairne's answers?
865679
Why does this statement lead me to believe there's another part to this story we haven't seen? (yet)
If Luna isn't dead, then there are three possible solutions that I can think of as to where she is:
1- She has found her own refuge from the unrelenting sun, wherever that may be.
2- She allowed her body to be burned away hoping for death (hence the scorch mark and faint ash on her balcony), and now exists as pure magic or as living ash. (reminiscent of Death Becomes Her [god, I'm old! DX ])
While less likely, I would not be surprised if the latter turned out to be the case.
Sad Story.
Though I do have a question I'd like to ask. It seems a bit artificial which is I'm guessing is purposeful. After all, everything has become sand dune besides a few ruins of Canterlot as well as a few old relics such as the drawer, the mirror, the decaying furnishings of the rooms, etc.etc. So I have to ask if Celestia purposefully did this to herself some time after the end as a way of punishing herself. After all, if 10000 years really did pass, then there is no way parchment or the other surviving objects are going to last that long unless due to magic. As well as the remaining structures and other things. I'm guessing she did, but it seems just a bit too coincidental, especially since a vital portion of it depends on her insanity as well as certain things being done, like resetting that door or re-locking the drawer. However that is where another question comes up. I'm also guessing Luna is also part of this cycle. Perhaps its really not just imagination as she thinks. Perhaps Luna is actively assisting in the torture and punishment of her sister by assuming the form of her beloved student, stringing her along, resetting the door, re-locking the drawer, etc. etc.
Am I correct in my guessing? I'd appreciate it if you can answer my questions. Thanks.
For a while there I thought this was an "End Times" story of Celestia far in the future, when the sun would have bloated out, and all the ponies would have either died or traveled to a new star. Luna herself would have perished with the moon when it finally entered the Roche Limit and shattered, and even dragons would have perished under the burning of a red giant expanding greedily towards what was once a lush world.
This was a bit more tragic than the mere march of time. I kind of saw the ending coming, things looked too nice after such a terrible horror. You gave me a nice little cry over the fate of the Mane 6 and Spike, as well as Celestia's self-recriminations.
All in all, a great story, if a bit too tragic for my regular tastes. I do hope that Celestia finally dies when the sun expands to engulf the world, so that after her long purgatory, she might find peace, and hopefully forgiveness.
855026 pleaaaase PM me to, I'm so confused as to Luna
Really loved this fic
OH and I finally read something on my read later list! I'm so proud of myself
855070 so many laughs
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude. you just blew my mind. so sad....so very sad. i was actually hopnig she would kill herself, you know, stab herself in the end or something. thats just rough... great story though, congrats on being awesome.
This is so awesome. I totally did not see that ending coming. That was some serious Nightmare Fuel. That aside, I am all atwitter with curiosity as to what happened to Luna. May I also request for the information? I am betting that she either flew to the moon, or she died in the war and that's why Celestia did the whole burn-everything-with-the-sun thing.
855026
Me too would like to see your rationalization of Luna's fate.
Sad story, but it didn't get to me as, for example "Eternal" did. Too much, too fast maybe. Not bad, but... What I couldn't let go was the whole level of OOC act that endangering the whole world with moving the planet towards the sun (or the sun towards the planet) is. If Celestia could do that, she wouldn't for no reason. I honestly can't see it. And I normally can see almost any rationalization for fanfics...
Good work anyway :)