The Last Rays Of The Sun

by DougtheLoremaster

Chapter 5- The Wendigo's scorn, Tartarus's warmth

At a table near the rollercoaster, Princess Starlight and Dragonlord Cinder listened, slack-jawed, as Twilight told them about her dream. As she finished, Cinder gave a low whistle.

“That’s some power you got there, no wonder you knew me.”

Starlight, who had silently been sipping a Crystal Mimosa during the explanation, looked a bit troubled as she spoke up.

“It’s known as Clairvoyance, or rather, the ability to foresee the future. And it’s not common, even amidst magic users.”

Cinder looked a bit surprised.

“Why are you sounding so glum about it? Isn’t it wonderful?”

Putting down the empty crystal goblet, Starlight looked miserable.

“No. Well yes, it is great and has its uses, but it’s because of who is believed to have been the only being to ever possess such magic, that concerns me.”

“And who was that?”

“You never knew her, because she never existed, or perhaps she did.”

Twilight’s eyes grew wide.

“You don’t mean-”

“Yeah, Twilight. Celestia, mom’s supposed sister, is the only creature ever speculated to have possessed the ability to predict the future.”

“But Moonglow said-”

Twilight froze mid-sentence, causing Starlight and Cinder to look at her. The young filly’s eyes rolled upwards as she fell backward; completely oblivious to the world around her. Starlight’s eyes went wide as she hurriedly spread her wings to catch Twilight’s swooning form.

“Twilight! Twilight, speak to me, Cinder get a medic!”

***

Starlight sat watching the sky, sitting next to Cinder, her hoof laying snug in Cinder’s claws. Glancing up at the never-ending brilliance of the moon, she commented lightly.

“I don’t see why you’re so concerned, so what, your sister has a unique power; shouldn’t that be a happy occasion? Your royal line is now even more remarkable, isn’t it?”

There were tears in Starlight’s eyes as she shook her head.

“We never wanted her to know. We never wanted her to feel different, that we loved her any less, that she didn’t belong. Especially with it having been destroyed.”

Cinder helplessly stared at her, confused as could be.

“What are you talking about Starlight?”

“Twelve years ago, mom and I found a filly amidst the wreckage of the spot Celestia is said to have perished. A small pure white filly that possessed a pink mane; a unicorn with a rather unique cutie mark. Mom called it a sun-”

***

Opening her eyes, a startled Twilight found her snout inches away from another, with a warm, soothing brown fur with purplish-red shimmering overtones and eyes with irises like two discs of freshly poured smelted copper.

“How is she, Mrs. Charity?”

The mare turned to reply to Starlight, who had been rushing over with the Crystal Castle EMTs, a look of panic on the Princess’s face. As she turned her head to respond to Starlight, Twilight saw the gleam of a solid platinum hoop earring, offset with a moonstone, glowing electric blue in the moonlight. The mane of the mare was the same copper hue as her eyes and was perfectly coiffed without a hair out of place. The warmth in her eyes faded as she spoke to the Princess, her tone sharp and chilling, like a blizzard on a frozen tundra.

“She is fine, Princess.”

“Thank you for staying with her while-”

Turning away from Starlight, who went silent immediately, the mare stared deep into Twilight’s eyes, those copper irises igniting once more and her tone suddenly changing from the icy edge of cold steel to the comforting sensation of a campfire’s warmth.

“When’s the last time you ate, young heir?”

A bit unsettled with how close the mare’s face was to hers, and sporting a blush for reasons she couldn’t understand, Twilight squeaked out an answer.

“Last night.”

“Early night, Midnight, or Late Night?”

“Midnight”

Nodding, the mare turned towards an adolescent mare by her side, who had a fashionable saddlebag on her back, and sported the same sparkling, crystalized fur color. The mane, however, was a moonlit silver, and her eyes shone like the blue moon.

“Moonstone, go talk to Mrs. Blaze about needing a ‘druid’s candy bar’, if she shakes her head no, just tell her my name. Take 7 platinum bits, which should cover the cost of expedience. I want it here in five minutes. Go.”

Not waiting for a response, the mare turned to Starlight as the EMTs examined Twilight. Her eyes were as cold as the darkest abyss, her voice just as unsettling.

“Low blood sugar.”

Staring silently at the mare, Starlight seemed completely to have lost the ability to speak, meekly nodding in response. Meanwhile, off to the side, Twilight watched as Moonstone gestured towards the Kirin, who watched her carefully. Not a single word was actually spoken but the Kirin seemed to hear her just fine and shook her head. Gesturing at the mare, Moonstone pulled a business card from her saddlebag and gave it to the Kirin. After a moment, a bright smile graced the Kirin’s face, as though overjoyed. Her face resumed the passive expression once more before she calmly nodded.

Twilight watched in complete enthrallment as the Kirin’s horn glowed and fruits and nuts, as well as a jar of shimmering, golden honey, appeared. Moving quicker than Twilight’s eyes could follow, the Kirin’s magic sliced the strange fruits and dried them, grated the exotic nuts, and carefully fused them together, coating the resulting bar with dripping crystal clear honey, before presenting it to Moonstone. Quickly and somewhat forcibly presenting the platinum bits to the Kirin, who kept refusing them, the adolescent rushed back over, profusely apologizing.

“Sorry I took so long, mom, she kept refusing payment.”

With a rare glint of tenderness in her eyes, the mare gave a soft chuckle.

“That’s Autumn for you. Just like always. Now about the candy-”

Before the sentence could be finished, Moonstone had already presented the treat to her. The second it touched her hooves, the mare turned back to Twilight, her voice soft and encouraging.

“Eat this, it will help, I promise.”

Taking the bar from her, Twilight watched as she stood up, turned to her daughter, and said simply.

“Let’s go, Moonstone, we’re done here.”

Before leaving, she gave a curt nod to Starlight and Cinder addressing them with a voice of sheer cold.

“Princess. Dragonlord.”

Receiving timid nods in response, the two then left.

Completely in disbelief at what happened, Twilight nibbled the sweet treat as instructed for a moment before asking her sister.

“Sis, who was that?”

Starlight, still too shaken to speak, looked helplessly at Cinder, who stepped in.

“Her name is Infernal Charity, the other one is her daughter; Moonstone Coronet. The two of them are the owners of Infernal Inc. and the richest ponies on Equus. Every country uses their products and every square hoof-length of land in the Crystal Empire belongs to Charity; including your sister’s castle and this fairground.”

“But why was she so rude to Starlight?”

“Because she was conceived by the Wendigos themselves-”

“No, she wasn’t, sheesh Cinder.”

Finally finding her voice, and clearly trying not to laugh, Starlight spoke up.

“She has her reasons, nothing to worry about. Infernal can be a bit...intense, but as you may have noticed she has a warm spot for fillies and colts.”

Cinder rolled her eyes.

“You are way too lenient on her for such actions.”

The ghost of a knowing smile appeared on Starlight’s lips.

“Perhaps, but you cannot deny she has never once failed to help when the Crystal Empire needed it most. Anyway, Twilight, you had me worried, how are you feeling?”

Looking down, Twilight realized she had already eaten half the fruit and nut bar, and a surge of energy was coursing through her. Blinking, she found herself thinking about what she had seen. Twelve years ago, mom and sis found a filly amidst the wreckage of the spot Celestia is said to have perished. Just over 15 years old, Twilight couldn't help but wonder. It can’t be me, could it?

Forcing a smile, she put those nagging thoughts aside. There would be time to solve that riddle later. Maybe Moonglow knows. She knows everything. I’ll ask her.

“I’m fine Starlight. I feel much better now. Just a little woozy. Wait...So, she is the daughter of the Wendigos? How does that-”

Starlight smacked her face with her own hoof in exasperation.

“She isn’t! Well, she is, but not exactly. It’s complicated. You should ask Moonglow to learn more about her.”

Twilight, slightly confused, asked her big sister.

“Why?”

Starlight gave a small chuckle, as Cinder interjected.

“Because those two are sisters, Twilight.”