Fallen Star

by King of Madness

Prologue

I remember the day it happened. It wasn't unlike any other day to us ponies. We were going through our daily routines the same as we always did. We went to work. We got together with our friends. We checked the monster reports to see if another random monster attack was going to happen. Nothing out of the ordinary. But then we saw it.

The Castle of the Princesses was engulfed in flames. Through the smoke, we could just make out the figures of two alicorns. One of them seemed to have a mane of flames upon her head. The smaller one, no doubt Princess Luna, fought the fiery alicorn throughout Canterlot. It was impossible to make out what exactly happened during the fight, but the ending result was all too clear. Princess Luna was defeated and banished back to the moon. We watched as she was blasted away in a flash of red and yellow light. We couldn't believe our eyes. I'm pretty sure each and every one of us were thinking that it couldn't have been what it looked like.

We watched as Canterlot was swallowed by the inferno this alicorn created. I imagine one could have seen the smoke from the other side of Equestria. I'm not sure what was going through my mind at that moment. As I watched Canterlot burn, I imagined that I could hear all the ponies caught in the fire. Sometimes, I look back on it and fool myself into thinking that their screams reached all the way to me. It sends chills down my spine every time.

There was a panic in my town when it happened. Rumors were spreading like wildfire... Sorry. Rumors were spreading fast and everypony was scared. I tried to convince myself that it would be okay; that the Elements of Harmony would defeat whoever was responsible for this. But that didn't happen.

Word got out that she was attacking all of Equestria one place at a time. Everypony was terrified of what she would do once she arrived. Some ran off to who knows where. Some made plans to run away. Some were making shelters. It was crazy; especially since the day hadn't ended... Then again, the day still hasn't ended.

It wasn't long before she arrived at our town. I remember it like it was just a moment ago. Nopony had seen her arrive. Nopony knew she was there until she destroyed Town Hall. In mere seconds, she had surrounded the town with a wall of fire; we were trapped like rats in a cage. A really hot cage! And then she addressed us.

When I saw her, I just knew who she was... or at least who she had been. Her mane was made of flames, her eyes were that of a snake, her jaws was full of fangs; but everything else about her told me who she was. I didn't want to believe it, but something inside me knew it was true. To this day, I wonder how Princess Celestia turned into this monster.

She introduced herself as Daybreaker, Queen of Equestria. She told us that Princess Celestia was gone and that Princess Luna couldn't help us. She told us that Equestria would soon burn and that she had an offer for us. An offer to join her army and assist her in conquering the world. It was an offer many couldn't refuse. I watched as she twisted them into demonic beasts right in front of us. I remember how they screamed as their bodies were mutilated and deformed. Once she was done, they not only looked like demons; they seemed to be... in a trance. I've now seen how they act. They obey her orders without question as if they are but robots to her will. I suppose, when she transformed them into her demonic slaves, she gave them some sort of lobotomy in the process. Oh, well. At least, they don't have to watch their master destroy the world... hopefully. Once she had what she wanted, she brought the fire down on us.

To this day, out of all the things I've seen, nothing has giving me as many nightmares as seeing my friends and family be reduced to ashes right in front of me. I watched as they burned away into nothing. I listened as they screamed in agony until the flames overtook them. Part of me wishes I had joined them.

The one thing I can't remember about that day is how I got out of there alive. It's kinda funny... in a really cruel way. I remember how the flames burned away at my flesh; I have the scars to remind me. I remember choking on the smoke. I remember the unbearable heat. I even remember blacking out. But the one thing I cannot remember is leaving. I woke up about... I'd say a mile away from my town. It was still up in flames... In fact, it probably is still up in flames today just like the rest of this forsaken world!

After that, Daybreaker did the same to the rest of Equestria. Whatever worthy volunteers she had were twisted into demons while the rest of the ponies, as well as the other people of Equestria, perished in her fire. The flames spread throughout Equestria. Every forest reduced to ashes. Every sea evaporated into nothing. Every city crumbled to the ground. All the while, she laughed and gloated like a maniac... Oh, right.

I have no idea how I'm still alive. It's like something keeps leading me to safety. There shouldn't be any food or water, but I always end up finding it. There shouldn't be any oxygen, but I can breathe just fine. I shouldn't be able to watch Daybreaker as she rules over this Hell, but I do. I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse. I know something is doing it. Some strange creature that stays just out of my field of vision. I don't know what it wants or why it chose me. I tried to ask it several times, but it's not much of a talker to say the least.

What I often wonder is why Daybreaker has done this. The world is an ocean of fire. The sky is pitch black from the endless supply of smoke. The only ponies still alive, other than me, are mindless drones. She's ruling over a worthless husk! Is this really what she was going for? I mean, I know she's crazy, but that's just plain stupid. But, apparently, she has other plans in mind. Not long ago, she made an announcement to her army. She told them that they were going to set out and conquer a million worlds. I didn't know what she meant at first, but then I started wondering. Could there be other worlds? A multiverse? It's the only thing I could think of that could explain what that psychopath meant.

If so, I hope and pray that whatever ponies live in those other worlds are able to stop her. If not, then they'll just burn away like the rest. I don't know what will happen and I'm too exhausted to think about it. I just want Daybreaker stopped before her fire spreads even more. I don't want another world of ashes.

Comments

[Temnizziv]

Hmm it sounds dark, but it's too vague and simple to be grimdark.

[King of Madness]

8223844
Well, it being vague and simple is kinda the point. I don't do traditional grimdark stuff. The way I see it, the setting and story is grim and hopeless enough to qualify without all the... details.

By the way, what did you think of the story itself?

[Temnizziv]

8223850
It's okay.

[Vertigo22]

Okay, I lied. The description caught my eye. I like AU stories every now and then, but I often stick with canonical universe ones. I'm guessing this isn't the most "original" one, but it sounded cool nonetheless.

And it was. It's an interesting idea, it's actually pretty dang intense (the sound of what Daybreaker does could make for a terrific Grimdark story) and the narration is solid.

But... it's so short. This would be a really nice prologue, but the fact it's the entire story is... really​ meh.

If I was you, I'd expand on this. It's a great set-up and could make for something crazy intense. It's the kind of imagery I imagine seeing in something like the Book of Revelation—or something akin to that.

Which is to say, I'd have nightmares.

[King of Madness]

8235231
The Book of Revelation? Are you a Christian? Or are you just familiar with the Bible? Regardless, I'll take the comparison as a big compliment.

[Vertigo22]

8235283 Catholic actually! I watched a few specials on the book and it... well, little 10 year old me has never forgotten what he heard.

[King of Madness]

8235360
Oh, I see. Well, I saw on your user page that you don't like discussing your religion, so I won't push that subject.

Heh, funny thing is I'm actually kinda discussing religion with my friend, Amethyst Dawn, at the moment. How ironic.

[Vertigo22]

8235379 I don't discuss it as it often leads to arguing. That and I know there are those who will preach about the end times and the last thing I need is another doomsayer to tell me that I need to repent...

Yeah, I'm not what you'd call the most actively religious person... mainly because I'm extremely anti-social.

Revelation is something slightly different. It's something I occasionally read about simply because it's the book I've read the most of.

Thanks, History (or one of those) Channel for capitalizing on the 2012 bullshit!

Uh, anyways, yeah. The reason I compared this to Revelation is thanks to the extremely intense imagery. While far from the most intense I've ever read in a story, something about it invoked the thought of the book in my mind. For better or for worse, I really liked that.

If I have nightmares though, it's on you. :)

Also, I'm friends with him too. Tell him I said "Hello!"

[King of Madness]

8235403
Yeah, those people need to shut the heck up.

Anyway, I'm glad that my descriptions were good enough to put that in your head. I studied the Book of Revelation to the bone, though I don't look back on it much because it makes me feel uneasy, but I digress.

And if I give you nightmares, it means I'm a better author than I thought. So, if you do, be a moose and tell me all about it.

And I'll tell Amethyst you said 'Hello'.

[Vertigo22]

8235423 Eh, I often give myself nightmares. How?

Simple, I look at what I've written.

Alas, I'm tired. So, I bid you farewell. I shall read another one of your stories tomorrow (should I remember—which I probably will as I'll be on at some point).

Should you get around to one of mine, I hope you enjoy it. If not... oh well. I never promised I was a good author.

[King of Madness]

8235437
Until next time, brother.