Before the First

by foxfyre2

Chapter 12: Sombra and Celestia

Celestia reached where she thought she had seen the red glow radiating from. All she saw when she looked around was a blackened clearing still smoldering. The center of the area was particularly dark in comparison, and she worked her way towards the spot.

“How very curious. It looks as though there used to be some kind of watermark here, yet this place is dry.” Celestia examined the ground and noticed small shards of some strange rock. It was black as coal on some sides of the exterior but a brilliant ruby hue on the interior. She thought that she could just make out some kind of an inscription on a particularly large shard but it was difficult to tell. “The ruin here must be due to that red glow I saw, but what could possibly have done it?”

A group of shrill caws sounded out from the surrounding brush, and a flock of cockatrice came running out. They were too much in a panic to even notice Celestia as they ran right past her. She was curious to what could have frightened them and headed to where they were fleeing from. Smoke rose up and filtered through the empty trees. A low rumbling resonated just up ahead and a familiar orange ember pierced the air.

A fire swept the forest. Celestia found herself at the edge of the destruction and gasped at the ensuing ashes. Creatures were running in pure terror, some were even still trapped in their homes. Celestia instinctively rushed into the flames to save the cornered creatures. She levitated fallen branches out of the way of badger holes and cleared a path out of the blaze.

If things seemed severe in her struggle to help, matters started to become worse. The wind above forcibly accelerated the spreading inferno. Larger branches fell off the trees and the flames rose higher and higher. Celestia realized that there was not much more she could do and sought to find a way out. She sprinted for a shallow opening not thirty hooves away. She nearly escaped when a large branch came crashing down onto her.

Celestia screamed. “Help me!” She struggled to get out but her strength left her. “Please, somepony help me!” The fear in her eyes could put an end to a dragon’s rage. “I don’t want to die.”

It grew harder and harder for Celestia to breathe. The smoke soared nearer to the ground. She struggled to keep her eyes open but it was increasingly difficult. Just as her consciousness was slipping, she felt a weight being lifted off of her side. It was almost comforting. She felt her body being lifted up and away from the flame and ashes. Then everything went dark.
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“Did she make it out alive? Was she alright?”

“What do you think, Pinkie Pie?”

“I d-do hope she was a-alright.”

“Girls, of course she made it out alive! We saw her last week.”

“Please, will you ponies just let me tell my story?”

“Sorry, Soarin. Ah think you can go on now.”

“Thank you.” *A-hem*
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“Wake up! Are you alright?”

“Huh? Wha?”

“Are you alright, madam?”

“I-I think so. Where am I? Who are you? Am I dead?”

“Slow down. You haven’t even caught your breath yet. I am King Sombra. I heard a scream and found you fixed beneath a rather large limb. It is miraculous that I found you in time.”

“Then I really must thank you, King Sombra. I owe my life to you. My name is Princess Celestia.”

“Well, Princess, I am glad to see that you are quite alright.”

The two royalties cordially exchanged their stories of how they ended up in their current situation. Sombra made a few comments about Celestia’s problem with the impending storm. There was a nagging thought at the back of his mind but he discarded it. When he mentioned how he faced the Elders, she instantly perked up.

“You found the Elders?! Where? I’ve been searching for them myself!”

“Yes, milady, I certainly did find them. I wish I could tell you where, but you see, they’re gone now. I wish I could explain myself more properly, but I cannot. After I found them, I quickly had to vacate myself from the marsh. I just barely escaped with my life.”

“Then what happened?”

“I came into a clearing and stumbled upon another pony like yourself who introduced herself as Luna. Do you know her?”

“Luna?! She is here in the forest? Is she alright? Where is she now?”

“The last I saw her she was off in that direction, away from the flames, about two miles from here.”

“I’m sorry to cut our meeting short, but it is essential that I find her as soon as possible. I really am grateful for you saving my life. I hope that I will have a chance to properly express my gratitude.”

Celestia managed to get up and trotted off as fast as her battered body would take her. To herself, “Luna, why have you come out here?”

Sombra watched Celestia trot off. Instantaneously, he remembered a specific part of what the Elders told him. “Celestia, wait! I just remembered something that I believe may be of importance to you!” It was too late. The wind carried his shout in the opposite direction and Celestia disappeared behind a white wall of snow.