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Chapter 1- A Simple Test1,247 words
Chapter 2-Standing on the Summit1,931 words
Chapter 3- By The Light of the Moon2,768 words
Chapter 4- The Broken Sun2,756 words
Chapter 5- Ashes2,975 words

Chapter 5- Ashes

Celestia sat in her chair, thoroughly flustered by the overly gentle unicorn; Twilight. So annoying; she’s too trusting. The way she stared up at me...It was like she could see beyond my smile. Still, she trusts me. Those eyes though. So innocent, so...Stop it, Celestia. Remember the-

“Pr-Princess?”

Her thoughts completely interrupted, without a word, and with her eyes narrowed to daggers, Celestia turned her head to glare at the speaker. Nightlight closed his mouth as his wife quickly covered it with her hoof. Smiling with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, Twilight Velvet quickly began to utter an excuse on her husband’s behalf.

“F-forgive him, Your Majesty. He’s…-

Twilight’s mother seemed to be searching for an answer; having paused mid-sentence. Twilight stood near the egg and nearly fell over when her mother finished her sentence with the only thing she could think of.

“An idiot. He’s an idiot, Your Majesty.”

Celestia’s horn began to glow with a bright golden hue, as her eyes showed her rage. Velvet and her husband both closed their eyes, preparing for oblivion. As she was about to cast her spell, however, Celestia caught sight of Twilight staring at her from the corner of her eye.

Without a word, her horn stopped glowing, and once more she turned to stare at Twilight; whose eyes were watering in fear. As Celestia watched her, Twilight took a deep breath and slowly approached her. Her parents watched incredulously at her blatant disregard of ceremony, as Twilight addressed her on a first-name basis.

“Celestia, dad was saying you need to raise the sun.”

Turning to glare at her parents once more, Celestia’s horn glowed and the sun’s light began filtering through the nearby window. Her words were not her usual emotionless self as she spoke to them. Instead, she sounded almost merciful; happy even.

“Don’t do it again.”

They raised a bold one. To think, I would allow one to ever address me in such a manner. Once the bright rays of the sun fully lit up the room, Celestia’s horn stopped glowing and she stared down at Twilight; in silence.

Twilight’s parents were completely dumbfounded. It was a well-known fact that Celestia would tolerate only perfection; no flaws performed in front of her watchful eyes had ever gone unpunished. Yet, she had not only allowed them to remain before her, but she also did nothing when their daughter disrespected her position. What was going on?

As the little filly gave her thanks with a courteous bow, Celestia thought about her mother and the night her sister was sealed, in the midnight hour. Once more, she found herself back in time, staring at her mother in disbelief; 15 years old, the night the veil fell from her eyes.

***

“You’ve finally awakened your magic. I’m so proud of you, Celestia.”

The flaming alicorn was taken aback, so much so the shock shook her from her rage momentarily. She was proud of her? After all she had put Celestia and Luna through, she had the nerve to stand there; smiling at her? Wait did she use my name?

“What are you waiting for, Celestia? Take my life, and claim your birthright.”

Celestia paused in confusion. The flames rippling across her body flickered. Something was off. Her mother seemed almost overjoyed seeing her daughter annihilate her sister. What was going on? She had to know. 15 years of abuse; 15 years of torture and torment. She had to know; and now was her chance. Standing her ground, with her horn aglow with the energy of the sun; Celestia snarled angrily at her mother.

“Why?”

Still with a gentle smile, her mother nodded. Her icy blue mane blazed with a blue fire and spreading her wings; she made a truly terrifying sight. Her voice however, wasn’t one of normal disdain. No, it carried with it something Celestia had never heard from her; compassion.

“I suppose it’s only fair you know before I relinquish my crown. You are no Nightmare; you are a Daybreaker. Though we Nightmares are cold and cunning, the Daybreaker is our opposite. Warmth and passionate, with a fury buried within.”

Celestia slammed her hoof down in frustration.

“What nonsense are you spouting now, you snake?”

Her mother laughed and folded her wings once more. Why was she enjoying this so much? Just how did she justify what she did?

“Oh it’s no nonsense, my daughter. I knew it from the moment I saw you open your eyes; you were no Nightmare. Though I suppose, you’ll hate me for this, I think you have the right to know: You were fated to die that day.”

Celestia was confused. Her anger wavered and her flames lessened.

“What are you talking about?”

“Only Nightmares may ascend the throne. An albino Nightmare possesses not Lunar but Solar magic. And the night must last forever. I was supposed to take your life then and there, but I couldn’t.”

“Nothing ever stopped you from taking lives before! Why would you spare me, you Demon of Tartarus?”

Her mother just cocked her head with a soft smile on her face.

“Demon, huh? I like that. Because you were my firstborn. You were my Celestia.”

Her mother scuffed her hoof almost as if ashamed. Was her mother, the same matriarch who had fossilized the entity of the Chaos Lord known as Discord to display in her garden, for the mere act of speaking out of turn, embarrassed?

“I had to hide you. You were mine and I refused to give you up and your father; the King, was against it. I tried everything to make excuses for you. ‘She’s just a slow grower’ or ‘Don’t worry when her mane and tail grow in you’ll see, she’s a true Nightmare.’

Celestia’s glare lessened and her flames dwindled to embers. It sounded almost as if she…No, there was no way. Not her mother.

“And then you grew your mane and tail. A beautifully full mane and a wondrously flowing tail; as colorless as the rest of you. Just as I knew it would be; but I had a plan. For 3 years, I plotted a way to save your life. I acted quickly. I refused to let your father see your true nature. I dyed your mane while making it look like a punishment for the guards to bear witness. I then told your father you were just rebelling and that you dyed your mane to make a point; a normal behavior for a Nightmare filly. I thought I could protect you but he was persistent, and so he had to go.”

Celestia flames were now mere cinders; taken by complete surprise by the statement.Her anger was suddenly all but forgotten She never remembered having a father. Wouldn’t she have known if there had been a King of Equestria?

“I had a father?”

The now-soft eyes of her heartless mother hardened with a hateful glare at the question. Surprisingly though, her voice remained soft.

“Yes, you did and I was by his side for over 7,000 wonderful years. I watched as he broke and ground Equestria beneath his hooves. I gleefully watched as he caused the eternal night to fall. Though such is a Nightmare’s nature; cruelty and icy destruction. He was a wonderful husband, and a stallion worthy of eternity. But he made a fatal mistake and it was one I simply couldn’t allow.”

What could possibly have caused her mother to take the life of such a perfect companion? Celestia found herself asking exactly that.

“What...Did he do?”

The response was as chilling and distant as the magic her mother embodied.

“He tried to take your life. Understand Celestia, the Nightmare is not bridled by sentiments. We do not love. We do not care. If we don’t like something, we remove it. When we want something, we take it. For him to want to prevent you from letting the sun shine was as natural as an Earthpony growing an apple tree. And had it been any other creature, I wouldn’t have even flinched at the sight.”

Seeing the look of disgust upon her daughter’s face, Celestia’s mother rustled her wings; a sign of discomfort in alicorns. Her voice grew soft, a very uncharacteristic tone for the Matriarch.

“But it wasn’t. It was you. My little one; my foal. It was impossible and yet, you changed me. From the moment that tiny little foal smiled up at me from my hooves; even though I knew you were the mortal enemy of the Nightmares. Even if you were destined to destroy all we had built; you were my little one.”

Sitting down on her throne, the Matriarch lowered her eyes in despair. Celestia couldn’t believe it, her mother actually cared about something?

“And so, that night, I took the throne and erased all memory of him. And I cried. I shouldn’t have been affected by it, but you...you gave me something I never had; a heart. I was in pain, sitting there in my bedroom without him. I was so distraught; I didn’t even kill the guards who barged in to make sure I was okay.”

Celestia had never seen this side of her mother. Her rage was completely forgotten and the flames upon her had gone out; her mother’s heartfelt confessions had sucker-punched her. She just wasn’t prepared for this. Her wings lowered, now dragging on the floor in dismay.

“But if you cared so much...Why didn’t you ever show me?”

“The Daybreaker is born every once in 3000 generations. They are characterized by the colorless mane and tail; as well as eyes as red as the core of the sun-”

Celestia blinked. It sounded like her mother was now reciting verbatim an article or book she had read.

“The Daybreaker is eternally cursed to bear no live young and they embody the power of the sun itself. Unlike the Nightmare; the Daybreaker possesses Solar magic that can only be realized when their rage and sorrow goes beyond the breaking point-”

Celestia felt like she had just been struck.

“Only an Alicorn may take the throne. A Daybreaker will only become an Alicorn through unchained rage. The hardest thing I ever had to do, Celestia, was to hate you with all my heart.”

She felt her heart sink as she asked the last question on her mind. She had a gut feeling she would not like the answer.

“What about Luna? What about the way you treated my little sister?”

Her mother shook her head.

“Luna never existed. Well, not the one you know. Your sister was born a pure-blooded Nightmare, Celestia. She had no emotions, she genuinely didn’t love you. Her name was not Luna, it was Nightmare Moon. The Luna you knew was created from the emotions I infused her with.”

Wait, what did she say? Luna never...She can’t be serious! Her mother continued.

“I knew you would need support to survive such an abusive environment, and so I created that support. The Nightmare Moon you just fought was your real sister.”

“My real sister? That can’t be you just-”

“She isn’t dead. She’s just asleep; sealed within the moon to regenerate and return to her original form. I couldn’t bear to watch you take your own sister’s life and so I intervened.”

Celestia’s knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Her mother; the cold, heartless Nightmare had done everything for her. Everything she had known about her mom was wrong. She really did care.

“Mom why, why would you-”

Rising from her throne, the Matriarch wore a truly beaming smile. Her voice had completely lost it’s distant and cold feeling.

“You won’t understand, Celestia. At least, not right now. One day, you too, will find an heir. It may not be 1,2 or even for 10000 years; but it will happen. It might be a colt or a filly, a mare or a stallion. Perhaps it will be a dragon or a hippogriff. The thing is, you will find them.”

She slowly stepped towards Celestia, unfolding her wings to their full length.

“A worthy successor to take your place on the throne. It’ll happen and when it does, you’ll find you’ll turn your back on everything you have built, all you have done. You’ll even defy the very blood coursing within your veins; your own heritage. You’ll gladly turn your throne to ashes; just for them. And then, my daughter you’ll understand why I sacrificed everything for you.”

Standing before her, the matriarch wrapped her wings around her daughter and whispered to her.

“Let me give you the one thing I never did. If only for one moment, let me show you what you mean to me. “

In her mother’s embrace, Celestia felt warm. Her mother’s flesh and feathers felt freezing to the touch, but even amidst the stinging cold, Celestia felt the warmth of her mother’s love. Tears began to form in the young alicorn’s eyes.

It was everything she had ever wanted. Acknowledgement of her existence, an understanding of why she had been put through Tartarus, and her mother’s love. And the worst part was now that she had it, she couldn’t even be happy about it. No, she couldn’t enjoy even a second of it because she knew what was coming. She had finally become an Alicorn and that meant it was time for her to take the throne as the only viable heir. And for that to happen, her mother would have to die.

***

Only an Alicorn could ascend the throne. Because Alicorns possess immortality, they would never simply pass on. The Nightmares acknowledged this fact and as a result; to ensure their children’s turn as rulers, the fillies were conditioned to draw blood to ascend the throne. From an early age it was explained that they would be taking the current crown-holder’s life in order to rule the kingdom, once they got their wings.

Because of their unfeeling nature, the Nightmares would do it without conflict or hesitation. It was the natural order of royalty to them. Celestia however, had emotions and found herself now thoroughly conflicted.

Now that she had her wings, it was time, but she just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t that her mom would stop her; no, she was fully ready to stand down. The problem was moments ago, blinded by rage, she had been prepared to annihilate her mother. Now though, she had more clarity of the situation; she understood everything. She was no longer enraged; instead, she now felt admiration for her mother’s twisted resolve in showing her love.

***

“Mom I can’t. I can’t do it.”

Celestia sounded defeated, destroyed by the very idea. How could she take her own mother’s life? The Matriarch, however, had already known this would happen. Releasing her daughter from her hug, she took a step back; her horn aglow with Lunar Magic.

“I know, my daughter. But don’t worry, Celestia. I couldn’t be prouder of all that you’ve done.”

Celestia stared at her in confusion. What spell was her mom casting?

“Mom, what are you-”

The magic spiraled down from her mother’s horn and the magic wrapped around her form; twisting around her like slithering serpents. On her face, she wore a loving smile.

“I know you’ll be a fine ruler, Celestia.”

“Mom? Mom. Mom!”

The Matriarch's body had begun breaking up as the magic slowly devoured her from the hooves up. Celestia watched in absolute horror as her mother dissolved into nothing before her eyes, unable to speak.

Just before her form was completely consumed, Celestia heard her say just one last thing.

“I love you.”

Celestia’s eyes went dark as she stood there in the now empty throne room. She truly was alone. In just 5 minutes, she had lost everything she cared about; her sister and now, her mother. It hurt. It hurt so much. The pain was unbearable as she slowly pieced together what had just happened. They were gone. She had nothing.

As her pain escalated, flames shot forth engulfing the entire throne room, and from her mouth came a blood-curdling scream. The scream was so haunting that all who heard it convulsed in pain. Her mind faded away as her vision went dark; she surrendered to her sorrow.

The blood of the Nightmare flowing in her veins reacted to her pain; seizing control. And then she was gone. She no longer cared. She no longer felt. She no longer saw. Her flames blazed across the landscape and would continue raging for the next 5 years. Cities and kingdoms would burn just so the world could feel her pain. The tyrant had risen.

***

“You’ve failed.”

Blinking, Celestia took in the scene at a glance. The proctor had begun speaking to Twilight who had been unsuccessful in her attempt to hatch the egg and now was crying at the announcement. Celestia slowly rose and walked over to the proctor.

“Did I say she failed yet?”

“N-no Your Majesty but-”

The proctor was shaking in fear as Celestia stared him directly in the eyes. Her words were cold and calmly whispered.

“Then she hasn’t failed yet, has she?”

“I-”

Celestia’s horn began to glow. She repeated herself; her words slightly fiercer.

“Has she?”

"No, Your Majesty.”

Nodding, Celestia moved back towards her seat, amidst the stares of incredulous surprise. Celestia said simply.

“I am in a generous mood right now, I would suggest you not make any more mistakes. Carry on, Twilight. The test is still on. Make me proud.”

All eyes were on the Princess as she sat down to stare, unwavering at Twilight. A second chance? What had come over their ruler? Celestia’s eyes sparkled as she watched the filly begin her attempts anew. Her lips formed a small smile.

Ashes, huh? I think I understand now, mom.

Author's Note:

To Be Continued...

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Argentyros

Argentyros #1 · Jul 28th, 2020 · 1 · ·

Truly a fascinating take on alicorns, the cycle of the ages, how each age might be personified, and maternal instinct.

Enforced sibling rivalry while simultaneously having it be her stabilizing influence is perfect for the kind of personality you built a Nightmare to be. The twist with Luna/Nightmare Moon, and why the Queen treated Celestia the way she did was really cool.

As a side note, while I remian completely invested in seeing where this goes, this right here would be the perfect ending to book one, as it were. Admittedly, it also just works as a chapter/act break rather than a book end. If you wanted, you could then start a sequel at some point in the future, showing the results of the test as a flashback. Starting Twilight's training as a sequel would let you even show some chapters from Twilight's point of view if you preferred, whereas that would be weird to suddenly start doing in this story. Just some thoughts.

DougtheLoremaster