Cycle: With Wings as Eagles

by SSky

From Ashes

Shahar trotted absentmindedly down the palace halls. The marvelous stone carvings and craftsmanships displayed among the walls and the ceiling were lost to the stunned alicorn. She could not believe it. What had she done? The queen had simply, known something, something she wasn't even sure of. But what else could she know? How did she know it? Was there a mark on her, like stories she had heard through the elder griffons? She didn't know of anything out of the ordinary.

As she walked heads and eyes shifted as they saw the new pony wandering through the halls, for news traveled fast and the whole palace knew of the new princess. 'Princess Shahar' the light alicorn thought to herself, the title didn't sit well. As her mind wandered it came upon many thoughts and worries to ponder over. She thought of Livana, and how she must be having a similar feeling as she was being briefed. She thought of her parents, how they would handle the news. She thought about how many questions she was asking and pondering over. She thought of the strange bird perched on her back that had apparently pushed her a ways out into the corridor system. She must have been strong, but now she sat without motion nor a-

“Pardon me, but I feel that we should be going up to your room now, you can pace and worry there.” a voice suggested: a female, high-pitched, yet soothing voice. Shahar wasn't concerned about what it had said, but where it had came from. Shahar quaked as she turned around, seeing the bird still perched and looking at her. All thoughts that it might be a mistake were quickly dispelled. The bird leaned in and repeated, “Let's go to your room, we'll discuss this there.”

The dumbfounded Shahar had so many questions to ask, but she instead turned and obeyed the bird's orders. “Y'air,” she muttered under he breath, “a talking bird.” She quickly ascended the stairs, eager to hear from this intriguing creature. Bounding each way the bird led, she was quickly leaping from flight of stairs to the next. She enjoyed playing with the griffon children sometimes, and they tended to chase others around in fun. Since Shahar could not fly, she learned to make use of her tall, lean build to escape them. Who knew that it would come in handy at some point. Her enthusiasm faded quickly though, as floor after floor went by, and fatigue set in. Shahar glimpsed out the window, to see the tower of air that had puzzled her so. She decided to stop and venture to ask, “How on earth does that work?”

A pause followed with both staring out the window. Finally the bird replied, “I'm not exactly sure.”

Both glared at the oddity for a bit before Shahar uttered, “You know when it was said to me there was a tower of air, I wondered how they knew. But you know, that's just impossible to argue against.” a break in her words followed, “You know it's not invisible, not a wind thing it's just...”

“A tower of air.” her companion finished. They both marveled for a second more before the drudge up the stairs resumed. Staircase led to another before finally Shahar saw the wing guide her elsewhere. Never had she been more relived to see flat ground. Taking a stride in her step, she followed the sage directions of the bird through weaving corridors until she turned a corner, straight into a door.

After stumbling for a moment, she opened the door and the room spread into her vision. As she stepped in, she saw the pattern created in the room. At the left side a darker décor, showing a night sky draped the walls behind a bed, adorned with crescent moons. On the right, an eight-pronged sun rose dominantly over a painted morning sky with a table for a few ponies sitting in the room at that space. In front of her was a balcony behind a glass and wood door, two large needle objects hung as the leg grips. She entered and turned, closing the door to see nine scrolls on the door and walls, each on the tip of a nine-pointed star. The center of the room was a large circle of obsidian.

Shahar was agape. The room was beautifully designed. Nothing seemed gaudy or out of place, but had a natural rhythm. A magical one even. She stepped around the room as the bird flew about arranging things. After several minutes of awed gazing, Shahar asked in a low whisper, “Is this... for me?”

The bird quipped, “Well this is the princess' chambers.” She flew once more around the room and alighted on a bedpost. She smiled and looked into Shahar's eyes. “Let's get to know each other. Your name is?”

Shahar admired the room for a bit more before she replied, “Oh- I am Shahar, daughter of Ahia of Abiyhayil.” She coughed, “Ah... yeah. Shahar. And...” She leaned forward, interested, “What and who are you?”

The bird preened a few feathers as she took in the information. After a moment's delay “Well, if you insist on using the names and heritage of your land, I am the firebird Philomena, daughter of Solla of Harmonia.” Shahar felt a chill run up her back. Even if Philomena just copied what she said in the family terms, she used the older griffon term for what the equestrians knew clearly as a Phoenix. Philomena continued, “You hail from Havoth-Zair, whilst I hail from the sun itself.”

Shahar was felt like she was being mocked. She had revealed a bit too much, and knew exactly how the phoenix knew that. She had sworn with the name “Ya'ir,” and only those from her town would, as it was their founder. She lifted a wing and hid her face. Philomena jumped up and looked inquisitively for a moment before continuing, “Well I know enough about you, but you certainly don't look like either a griffon or a hippogriff. Why do you identify with them?”

Shahar looked about, figuring how much to tell the phoenix. She seemed like the type who could discover anything about you; thus, Shahar decided to tell her everything as to prevent secrets, from the beginning up until entering the throne room.

The phoenix rested in silence after the alicorn finished, apparently mulling it over. “I remember, yes. Ahia, the griffon who was allowed to take leave of work to raise two fillies.” Philomena gave a soft caw. She looked about like she was connecting something in her mind. “What have you gotten into, Hestia?” she murmured, “How much do you know?” The sinking feeling that had passed the girl ran back over over Shahar.

Philomena shook her head, “Solla knows what goes on in that girl's mind.”

Shahar hopped into the bed and lay as Philomena flittered on the bedpost. The filly was becoming a bit worried for the bird, so she decided to lead into a different direction, “Why is Hestia so keen on finding a successor?”

A short pause lingered. “That,” began the bird, calming slightly, “is an excellent question. Hestia puts a lot of stock into psychics and ponies with such powers. Recently, one of the royal soothsayers-- I believe his name was along the lines of Pollux or something-- claimed to have seen that Hestia would die in around a month's time. The strange thing is, we checked with our doctors that day to find nothing wrong. But the subsequent day, she had a fatal magic-deteriorating disease.

“Though I love the fool dearly, Hestia tends not to think things completely through. This disease wouldn't affect her too much if she simply stopped preforming magic, but she still does to my dismay. So she began this search.”

“But what about my sister? Why was she chosen for the guard?” Shahar pressed eagerly.

Philomena cawed and hopped to the alicorn's side. “That's a question for another time. But suffice to say, She probably sees something in her.”

---

"She probably saw something in you." Julius reassured the shaken Livana, "Hestia is a good judge of personality, and this is probably a good thing.

Livana was in a shocked state. Even after the long string of morning events, nothing matched the surprise she had as she entered the throne room. After the draconequus placed her at camp, Julius had met up with her in front of a large building that looked like a mess hall. He apparently caught wind that he had a new recruit, and was stunned to see Livana. “But I didn't SAY anything! There was nothing to JUDGE me by! How is this a good thing? Shahar isn't fit for ruling and I'm not fit for a guard!”

“The only thing that's wrong with you joining us is that you are too young. Yet, I'll run with it.” Before Livana could follow up with another question, Julius began walking away. He turned into a tent and leaned on the side of a bed. He knocked off his helmet, revealing a strong and slightly scarred muzzle clad in a scarlet coat and a tyrian mane. Julius gave a smile, the first that Livana had seen from him. He seemed like a serious person while obscured by that full-head helmet, yet a new opinion of him settled on Livana, one of a compassionate stallion.

“Okay, first I have to get your armor.” Livana prepared to give him what she knew of her measurements, but it was unnecessary. Julius took a large crate and threw out a few things onto the bed. “You have two sets of armor: one for protection, one for looking awesome. You are to wear your full-body armor whenever you are outside of Everfree, and either set for inside Everfree, except in case of a war because, you know, our greatest enemy: the Celestia-damn sand could decide to attack and we must protect the queen from its ruthless itchiness.”

Livana stifled a chuckle. “Slow years?”

Julius rolled his eyes. “Fetching prospects has been the most exciting thing that's happened since I became captain in the guard. We became a superpower right before Hestia took over the throne and it's been a lovely time since we have no enemies. Great for the people, boring for us. I don’t mean to complain, but what good are we really as the soldiers and guardsponies of the queen?” The pegasus finished sorting the two pairs of armor. One was a large, bulky set with minimal openings, obviously the one for protection. The second was a quite charming blue light helmet and small chestplate, for appearances solely; whoever charged into battle with that on either was insanely cocky or insanely stupid as it couldn't protect one from a soft breeze. She loved it.

A detail caught her eye “Wait, there's an emblem. It's... almost my cutie mark!”

Julius nodded. “Nocturna's emblem, the symbol of a nightkeeper, graces all equipment for your talent.”

Livana heard that phrase again. He had used it before. “Nightkeeper? Nocturna?”

“A nightkeeper could be anywhere from an astronomer to a moon-child, one who raises the moon and sets the stars,” The guardspony explained. “Nocturna is the goddess of night and sky. Part of the trifecta: Harmonia, Terra, and Nocturna.” He raised an eyebrow, “You don't know any of this?”

Livana stammered, “But I thought the only being like that was Aquila...”

It clicked with Julius. “Oh, the Higher, the Griffon’s God. That's philosopher's territory, religion and stuff. No, the Trifecta was real. They created many things, but they were mortal, VERY mortal.” He shook his head. “One killed by the others, the other two by Discord.”

Livana was about to ask who Discord was, but she figured it would be a rabbit trail. She donned the light armor and Julius exited the tent. Livana felt strangely comfortable in the attire. The idea of being a guard in a rich palace appealed to her. Even the prospect of guarding her sister sounded nice. It was hilarious to her, she gets the job as a guard and Shahar gets to lounge around.

Livana galloped after Julius once she got done. Stopping to glance at the ponies around her, she saw many in distinct armor types and cutie marks shown. Julius' was still concealed by his armor, but the emblem on it showed a feathered helm. When they were finally strolling side by side, Julius began giving instructions, “The only two required things are that you wake for roll call and that you train in some way. I really needn't explain too much until we go to act in funeral procedures for Hestia. Just as a side note, female guards are rare and you look-” he grasped for words, “mature. Hence I give you permission to run anypony through that makes advances on you.” The stoic way he explained this was a point of laughter for Livana, yet it died after she realized he was being serious.

“Erm, anything else?”

“You will stay in D tent. D stands for diligence. I am the captain of said tent. My second-in-command is Luz. He is either in the library debating whether or not Francis Neighcon wrote William Hayskspeare's plays, or he is in the castle.”

“The one with the two royal sisters?”

“Yup.” Julius stopped at a signpost and nodded at it. “End of the line. Seeya tonight at sundown.”

Staring at the figure of her guide moving away, Her gaze pleaded, don't go... She looked warily at the signpost and decided that she should check out the castle just to pass time first. She galloped toward the direction, noting the many different characters passing her by, on their way to different things. All were buff and looked like they could break the gold of the main palace like a twig.

She soon stood at the castle entrance, agape at the magnificent structure. She entered in and immediately saw a pedestal with five parts. Atop each sat a magnificent gem. On the walls were many banners and intricate carvings of the sun and moon; a plaque was placed in the center, alone. It read:

THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY

These are the creations of the goddess Harmonia to help the pony race. It heal all evil and binds all ponies. If these were to be forgotten, we would re-descend into the chaos that plagued the separated races. They remain in the castle of the royal pony sisters, Celestia and Luna, to commemorate their victory over Discord. As they died they proclaimed that they would be reborn in the time of greatest need.

Comments

[SSky]

Ohai!
Umm...
Yeah...
I had to rewrite this entire thing four times.
Still errors and blah-ness everywhere probably.
I'm halfway done with the next update. So... no third-year wait.
It will be a tie to the present, getting Twilight involved in the document.
It will be short.
I promise.

[TJ1122334]

Intriguing, Shahar and Livana are re-incarnations of Celestia and Luna who are dead? Hestia obviously noticed this... I'm still so confused. Nice to see this updated though, good work! Also, something tells me (call it a sixth sense) that the air tower may become a running gag, it just has too much potential to throw away! Like maybe it collapses at one point? Or maybe it vanishes! Into thin air! Huh, Huh?

[MrBossMan]

Julius says "Okay" at the beginning of two adjacent sentences, which just SCREAMS at me. Otherwise, it says "a eight-pronged sun," and there are a few other minor mistakes, but nothing that stands out too badly. Good job.

I can't help but squee a little every time Star theory is mentioned

[Avenging-Hobbits]

So apparently Luna and Celestia are reincarnated....okay then...