Chapter 255 - Intermission Pt. 3: Starswirl's Diary
XCOM: Ranger
Chapter 255 - Intermission Pt. 3: Starswirl's Diary
By Wanderer D
Things had progressed quickly with the aid of the others. It was a bit like herding cats, but each mare had provided different perspectives, and each were thorough enough (although chaotic in Pinkie's case) to find the information they sought and think of good ways to apply it.
Rarity was particularly efficient at this, given her meticulous nature and what she called "merchant wrath", and had thought up several violent ways of using spells, which were shared and discussed with Moon Dancer when Fluttershy was not around.
It was Fluttershy, however, who had browsed through old tomes attributed or related to Starswirl... and had found yet another diary. After bringing it up to Moon Dancer, they had concluded after some testing that it was legitimate, and Moon Dancer had read the whole thing after the others had gone to bed that night.
She had wondered about the value of trying to help this other, violent world to rid themselves of their enemies. Enemies like the sirens, who were well-known monsters of the past in Equestria, but whom the powerful creatures on Earth had reached out and made even more dangerous. Monsters would be monsters, she supposed.
The next day, she had brought it up to the others. They had gathered around her as she read aloud.
On the Nature of Sirens
Within the last fortnight, Stygian escaped his seaside town to gather myself and the other Pillars in order to bring down the threat of the three sirens—Adagio, Aria, and Sonata—as they laid waste to the towns near the coast of the Western Seas.
When he brought me the news that the sirens were using their songs to sow hatred and fear and feed from that, I was horrified—but more than that, baffled. For, if three Sirens had suddenly turned evil, then surely something was amiss with the world itself.
Discord himself treaded lightly around the sirens, not out of fear, I suspect, but out of respect. The nature of Sirens is not simply that of a different species of pony (or creature) for the way a siren is created is as integral a part to the magic of Equestria rejuvenating and healing itself, as a tree growing a branch would be.
Sirens are born from selfless sacrifice. The type of which we Pillars can so far hope to be able to emulate, should the need for it arise. Beyond my time… our time… beyond legend and myth, as long as magic and goodness have existed, so have the forces of evil and corruption.
Magic has evolved through time… research and understanding of its concepts and rules and applications have guided us into its current forms, far removed from the visceral, merely instinctual and emotionally-fueled ritualistic aspects of it into a proper science. Understanding, study, and balance have changed magics that would have created monsters into useful spells that work in harmony with the world, instead of feeding off of our baser needs and natures.
But before these changes and evolution, there were indeed monsters that roamed the land. Monsters that, were it not for forces such as Discord himself, or aural Alicorns (such as Celestia and Luna have come to be) would have destroyed the entire world… them, and the heroes of old who had given everything to stop them at terrible, terrible personal cost.
Adagio, Sonata, and Aria were three such heroes, once upon a time. Three of seven known sirens as of this writing, they remained the strongest given who and what they had defeated.
I could not bring myself to destroy them. The other Pillars were also hesitant to act, for their legends carried with them weight and significance to us—who are in many ways—their heirs. All of us mourn their loss, even if they were simply exiled to another world.
All of us save one. Stygian, who had brought the news of their horrors to our doors. Who had insisted we fight back and who was so betrayed at their actions that he had no sympathy for them.
This was even made worse by the fact that Sonata and Stygian were such good friends before the sirens had changed… What could have possibly caused them to act in such a way?
There is much to be said about the heroics of that day, but this corruption bothers me. Their lack of recognition not only of their own actions, or even their origins, but of their friends! Us! How many times had I conferred with Adagio, Aria and Sonata about the changes in magic? How many times before today had I leaned on their wisdom and experience?
To see them lowered to simple, hungry beasts with nary a sign of their true selves! And yet I could only bring myself to trap them away. Knowing their history, there was little will in me to eradicate them… despite the possible consequences of their actions.
I fear I might have made a mistake, letting them go in such a way. Letting them loose in another, magicless world, despite the inevitable loss of their power.
And now that they're gone, and Stygian has joined us for our travels, I often look back on that day and I wonder…
My three friends are gone. Three friends of the Pillars. Of pony-kind and all creatures of this world. Already I have heard Stygian and others describe them as monsters to Luna and Celestia and I find my trust in the kindness of ponies diminished, and my trust in Stygian even more so.
Although he is a brilliant strategist, I often see his eyes stray to our objects of power, and I wonder yet again… but I digress.
The loss of the Sirens has indeed resulted in the creation of the Pillars of Equestria, and together we have fought many evils since. But when the story of how we came to be together is brought up, the names of my former friends are brought once more, and I am the only one to remember who they truly were.
The group was quiet for a while.
"Oh my," Rarity said eventually, eyes wide. "This should be useful information for our friends across the mirror."
Moon Dancer grimaced. "I thought so too. Nothing too substantial, but information is information." She hesitated. "But this is just how it started... Starswirl wrote this part of the book just after he and the Pillars got together. Many things happened after that... which were recorded later."
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Well, if you're actually continuing this rather than a one-off update like I originally thought, I guess I should reread the whole story from the start
Looking forward to it once I find the time
Awesome to see a update.
I wonder if there is a way besides the elements of Harmony to get a purification of the Sires done.
This reminds me of a saying, walk long enough opon this world and eventually the most righteous hero becomes the new villain.
Now that is a twist. The Sirens were once heroes, now turned monsters and further beyond because of the Ancients. Reminds me the End of Diablo.
Well except for Adagio, who (iirc) refuse to become a Chosen. I wonder what she can tell about this, since she's actually with X-COM now.
An interesting take on the origin of the sirens. Will this lead to the creation of new ones?
Wait, their fall wasn't immediat? They were still the heros of yor they still knew? Starswirl is right, there is something wrong with Magic.
It's corrupting, something or someone must have changed it for those full of magic to act like such. And that is worrisome.
Hmm...
Theory: The person who wrote the Blood Magic book wanted the powers of a Siren, but was unwilling, or unable, to pay the "terrible, terrible personal cost" involved. Seeking to use Blood Magic as a shortcut, they somehow captured the three Sirens for use as research subjects, test subjects, power sources, or anything else as needed. Eventually they either escaped or were released, but by that point prolonged exposure to so much Blood Magic had driven them completely insane, and the rest is history.
This would also mean that there is potentially another "Blood Siren" out there as well, though it's possible that that threat has already been neutralized by this point.
Secondary theory: This...
... is going to come up again farther down the line, possibly in relation to the mysterious dark force the Elders fear so much. Possibly the other four Sirens of old as well, though I think that that is somewhat less likely.
Well. This is deeply intriguing. Ancient mysteries join the new ones… but none of it will mean much if they can’t break Sunset’s Fugue state. (Yes, I’ve made that joke before, and I will continue to do so.
)
Looking forward to more.
I havent logged into FIM for a while, so when I opened my feed and saw you had updated not one, but 3 chapters I got UNREASONABLY excited! I cant begine to tell you how excited I am to see one of my favorite fan fics updated again, thank you!
Wait... So the Sirens were once heros, and their sacrafices to end their Big Bad turned them into crazy, power hungry fish ponies? Thats... Really heavy... Dang!
11831384
True, but their unique skill set and advantages are well worth the effort.
In X-Com 1 I used Shiv's to outlander and exterminate Chrysalis on mass with superior Daka, in X-Com 2 at least we have heavy fire support with shorter range to do the same.
Also very nice to go against difficult enemies like Sectopod surprised ambushes.
There things are waaay to sneaky and fast for something their size
Huh, so the Sirens were actually a force for good at some point...
11832459
True, Chryssalid seem to only leave this option if one cannot kill them
I'm glad this story isn't dead. It's one of my all-time favorites on this site, and when I saw the update for it, I was super happy. Here's to many more chapters of great characters.
11833465
I doubt they are cut, but its not beyond possibly.
I guess the next time Luna leaves the body, it is for the last time...
11833606
Very good point, so psychopath by design. Only putting him down.or reprogramming can fix his existence.
11831391
In original game sectopods were cyborgs with variety of hardware to make walking tank less conspicious, ethereals could control it remotely like their own body.
In new game line of sight and line of fire are simply broken sometimes you can't see it through a wall of glass. Or hit it while it peeks from behind of building. And they are huge.