Cycle: With Wings as Eagles

by SSky

Act I Epilogue: Incomplete

Twilight was barely able to sleep that night. Months of work, months of transcribing, and months of keeping this project secret were about to end. Sunset had promised the final part that morning, and she said it was going to be... interesting.

Her heart pounded out her chest as Spike made breakfast nonchalantly, like today wasn’t the most important day of their lives! Okay, maybe it wasn’t, but by the stars if this wasn’t one of the most exciting!

And soon, there was a rapping at the door. Twilight scurried to it and flung it open, tacklehugging a very startled Sunset Sky. “Ouch! Since when did you get a dog?”

Twilight came to her senses and got up. “Oh... sorry.”

Sunset winced. “It’s- fine. I’m sorry for being snarky.” Twilight flipped the other mare to her hooves and excitedly waited for the papers.

What Sunset brought out was a solitary page, but Twilight didn’t care, snatching it like a whirlwind and zipping through it.

When she looked up, she didn’t know how to feel. Confusion? Anger? Frustration? It all came out in one: “Ugh!”

Spike walked over to take a look at the paper while Twilight scurried for her red pen. Sunset nonchalantly stepped in and took off her saddlebags. She used her locket to bring out another page, looking it over quickly. Once Twilight came by in one of her hurried sweeps, Sunset put the page in front of her face.

Twilight read it over, and her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh.”

“And that’s where it ends. I don’t know what comes after it.” She gained a devious smile that told Twilight that she had a plan that she wouldn’t like. “Somepony out there has to know. Somepony who has been preserving this scroll. So we make it obvious that we hid something, and it’ll tip them off that we know, and maybe share the rest of the story!”

Twilight immediately saw the flaw. “What if nopony knows? What if this was all wrong?”

The elder raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t we ask someone who was there when they invite us?” Twilight caught her meaning, but still didn’t like it. Sunset noticed the grim expression on Twilight’s face, but switched the subject, bringing out two party poppers with her locket. “But let’s not focus on that! We should be CELEBRATING! It’s the end of months! I’m sure your dragon would love it!”

Spike, who had been listening to the two, smiled wide. Alright! I’ll go get breakfast and some ice cream!”

Twilight couldn’t really deny that a celebration was in order. She placed the actual copy on her lobby’s table and took a popper, blowing it open alongside Sunset.

---

Philomena cautiously crept over to Metis, whispering that the two needed to bring something up. The draconequus nodded his head, flying down from the balcony alongside the roc. Shahar wasn’t convinced of Metis’ guilt yet, but she didn’t have another chance. If Hestia could dispel her fears, it was now.

She scooted back. “Hestia, we have su-”

“Shh.” Hestia soothed, looking back at the star on the door.

“Hestia! We think Me-”

Hestia glanced back with an expression that felt like a kick in the head. It was a knowing expression. “Experience the now. Love what you know. You and your sister will have battles to fight that don’t involve blades. So cherish what few moments you have.”

Your sister. She had known all along. And something told Shahar she knew about Metis too. How could she be so calm! She should be in action!

“I was not meant to be the one ruling yet. I’m not the one to take the threat. I enjoy each second of my borrowed time. I live by prophecy, and I die by its fulfilling and by no other means.”

Shahar recognized resignation in her voice, but she wouldn’t stand for it. “You have the power!”

“I don’t have the right.”

“What are you talking about!” Shahar slammed her hoof into the table.

Hestia stared out to the star once more. “The golden apple shall pour her life. The servant to rise in her stead. With eagle’s wings we shall be saved, but not without much painful death.”

Shahar wanted to respond, but she was caught off-guard by a flash of light. Metis stood in the room with them, and held a limp Philomena. Still breathing, but obviously beaten-up. She almost shouted at Hestia, but noticed her absolute calmness, as if she knew what would happen next.

That was the last the princess saw of her.

And then there was darkness.