The Codex: A Sister's Burden

by Arvaus

Chapter 2 - The Prophecy

A long period of peace followed the events of Everfree, and the nation of Equestria prospered and spread throughout the land. The three tribes chose to retain their historic leadership structure, in order to cope with any tribal concerns directly, but the three regents, as they became known, willingly deferred to our leadership. Our new role took considerable adapting to, but the gratitude we felt from our subjects was all the encouragement we needed.

Most of our time was spent in and around Everfree Castle, which had become the seat of government for all Equestria. Dignitaries travelled there from across the land to seek counsel, which we gladly gave. Remembering our duties to all ponies, however, we also made sure to travel away from the castle periodically, living among our subjects for short periods to aid them in their lives.

In spite of the peace and prosperity, I one day learned that there was unrest among the spirits of Harmony. I did not know what the cause was, but there was a lingering danger, of which the spirits one day saw fit to warn me. They did not speak to me directly, likely due to my close connection with my sister. Instead, they reached out through the dreams of a young unicorn called Clarity Fairheart, in order to pass a message through her.

Princess Celestia

---

Clarity was walking along a narrow path through a thick forest. The trees were twisted and deformed, like no plant she had ever seen. Their dense branches almost blocked out the clear night sky, but beams of moonlight shone through the gaps.

"Hello?"

Nopony responded. Something moved suddenly in the bushes to her left, and she spun around, searching for it with her eyes.

There was nothing there.

Clarity looked around, trying to get her bearings, but the path looked exactly the same in both directions, and she couldn't remember which way she had been facing. Picking a random direction, she cantered off into the darkness. She lit her horn to try and see where she was going, but the darkness seemed to drown out the light.

A short time later, she came to a crossroads. There was a signpost, but it was old and worn, and she couldn't make out the words.

In the distance, she could hear whispering, a thousand distant voices coming from all directions, talking at the same time. She spun round, looking down each of the paths, but couldn't see anypony.

Gradually the noise increased, until all other sounds in the forest were drowned out. The whispering grew faster, and more frantic.

The voices were coming towards her.

"Who are you?" She called out, but there was no response. The voices continued to advance. The distant trees receded, the paths falling into shadow.

She spun around desperately, looking for the source of the voices. They drilled into her mind, drowning out her own thoughts. She fell to the ground, pounding at her head to try and get the voices to leave.

Suddenly, they stopped. Then they spoke again, as one voice.

SEEK OUT THE SUN.

Clarity leapt up and shouted at the voices. "Who are you? What do you mean? Where is this place?"

She spun again, searching the forest for any sign of life.

Her eyes fell on something.

In the darkness of one of the paths were two narrow eyes, glowing green, looking right at her.

Tripping over her own hooves in shock, she wheeled around and galloped away from the staring eyes, crashing through the trees. She ducked and dodged madly as branches whipped out of the darkness to catch her.

Looking behind her, she saw the eyes again. The creature they belonged to bounded through the trees, gaining on her. Two more creatures had joined it now, coming from either side.

Her panted heavily as she dashed between the trees. The plants seemed to close in on her, their sharp branches clawing at her skin.

She tripped on something.

Rolling through the dirt and bushes, she scrabbled up against a tree as the eyes caught up with her. Coming out of the darkness were three giant wolves, their bodies made from wood, leaves, and other parts of the forest. They surrounded her, raising their claws.

SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST HELP US.

"Leave me alone!"

The trees around her burst into flame; the searing heat clawed at her fur. The wolves fled, yelps of fear and pain fading away and quickly being drowned out by the raging fire.

Clarity clambered back onto her hooves and ran blindly through the burning trees. She crashed through a bush, feeling the flames on her skin. Panicking, she fell to the ground and curled up tightly, willing the fire away.

The world went dark and cold. Looking up from where she had landed, Clarity saw that the trees had gone. There was no fire any more, but she was covered in ash. The land around her was dark and featureless.

Confused and afraid, she lit her horn again and looked everywhere for signs of where she was, but there was nothing anywhere to be seen.

SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST ACT.

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

Her calls were answered this time by a distant growling. One by one, a dozen pairs of green eyes appeared in the darkness, surrounding her. They advanced, and Clarity fell to the ground shaking as the wolves closed in on her.

Suddenly, the wolves fell silent. Clarity looked up just as a huge indigo figure soared over her head. Princess Luna landed forcefully on the ground in front of her, horn glowing with magic, and the wolves fled at the sight of the alicorn. Once they were gone, Luna looked up to the sky, and as if by her will, the sun slowly began to rise above the horizon, illuminating the strange landscape around them.

Clarity looked up at Luna, still trembling in fear, and her eyes fell on the silver crescent on her flank. She remembered the voice she had heard.

Seek out the sun...

Luna turned to face Clarity, and extended a hoof to help her up.

"You are safe now, Clarity. Are you hurt?"

Clarity covered her head with her hooves, unable to look the alicorn in the eyes. She shuffled backwards, away from the offered hoof.

Luna retracted the hoof, confused by her reaction. She instead took a step back and knelt down on the blackened earth.

"Clarity, please. I came here to help you. Tell me what you need."

Clarity peeked out between her hooves and looked at Luna, but the sight of her eyes was painful. She covered her head again, and tried to speak, having to force the words out.

"I... I need to speak to Princess Celestia."

Luna didn't respond. Opening her eyes carefully, Clarity saw that Luna had been distracted by something in the ground, pawing at it quizzically. Standing up, Luna looked around in confusion at the landscape, spinning to see the entire area. After many moments of silence, she looked back over her shoulder to Clarity. Seeing the small unicorn flinch at her gaze, she turned to face away again before speaking.

"Come to Everfree in three days time, at midday. My sister will be waiting for you."

With that, Luna faded away, and Clarity found herself lying in lush meadowland, birds singing in the clear sky above her.

~ ~ ~

Three days later, Clarity arrived at the gates to the Everfree estate. The road was flanked by two huge stone statues, each depicting one of the alicorn sisters. A dense orchard of apple trees spread into the distance on either side, and at the end of the winding track, Everfree castle rose majestically above the landscape. It was a warm spring day, and the trees were in full blossom, the orchard a sea of white and green rustling in the breeze. Amongst the trees, Clarity could see numerous birds and animals, and in the distance there was a gardener tending to one of the trees.

Setting off along the track, Clarity looked up nervously at the castle. She wondered to herself if Luna was there at the moment. If Celestia was coming to meet her, it was quite likely that Luna would be seeing to court matters, meaning they were unlikely to encounter each other. Clarity was surprised when she realised that she was relieved by this thought.

Rounding the first bend, she stopped dead. Princess Celestia was standing ahead of her, enjoying the fragrance of the blossoms on one of the trees. A golden tiara sat on her head, and she wore a matching peytral and ornate golden horseshoes, as symbols of her title. Clarity had never met Celestia before, having only heard descriptions, but she could see a clear resemblance between the two sisters; they had the same tall stature, and her translucent mane and tail flowed gently in the breeze. The most striking difference, however, was their almost perfectly contrasting coats. While Luna was a deep indigo, Celestia's mane was a soft pink hue, and her coat was so pure white that in the sunlight it almost seemed to glow. While the sisters shared a profound bond with each other, Clarity could see just from their appearance and mannerisms that the two were still very different from each other, as if they were two different sides of the same being.

~ ~ ~

Celestia watched the young unicorn approach. It was clear that she was intimidated by the vast estate that spread out before her, as many first-time visitors were. She had a pastille pink coat and lavender mane, matching Luna's description of Clarity Fairheart. If Luna's suspicions were correct, then there was something very special about this shy little pony.

Celestia turned and approached Clarity, giving her a welcoming smile. Celestia sensed that she was feeling a heavy burden on her mind.

"You must be Clarity," she said.

"Yes, Princess." Clarity's nerves began to calm somewhat in Celestia's presence. The princess held a wing out, gesturing towards the trees.

"I do enjoy a stroll through the orchard at this time of year. Would you care to join me?"

Celestia led the way towards the trees, with Clarity following beside her. She didn't speak for a few minutes, letting Clarity calm down as she took in the sights and smells of the orchard. Celestia much preferred having more personal conversations in the orchard rather than back at the castle; the trees made it feel much more private and secluded than the busy castle ever did. The vegetation also tended to have a naturally calming effect on other ponies, which also helped. After a while, Clarity turned to the princess.

"This is a lot nicer than the last forest I was in," she said. Catching herself, she blushed and quickly looked the other way. "Er, apologies, your High—"

"Don't worry, Miss Fairheart," Celestia interrupted, smiling. "This isn't the royal court. You may speak freely here. Now, if I may ask, which forest was that? I understand that you live in Riverdale, and I don't believe there are any forests near there."

"Oh, this wasn't a real forest."

"Ah, so this would be in your dream?" Clarity nodded. "Now, this dream is an interesting matter," Celestia continued. "I was surprised a few days ago when Luna came to me to discuss it. She doesn't normally talk to me about our subjects' dreams, preferring to respect their privacy. But this is the first time that somepony asked for me by name during a dream." Out of the corner of her eye, Celestia noticed that Clarity had flinched slightly at the mention of Luna's name.

"If I may," Clarity ventured, "I was a bit surprised that you agreed to see me. I'd have thought that you had more important things to do than talk to me about a bad dream."

"I always like to make time to talk to my subjects," Celestia reassured her. "I spend so much time dealing with politics. I'm glad to do it, of course, but I cherish every moment I can spend with my little ponies. It helps me stay familiar with those whom I serve. But as I am sure you suspect, there were other factors in play here.

"My sister said that the place she found you in was very familiar to her. She could not be certain under the conditions, but if she is correct, you were in a place that there is no way you could have seen before. A place which holds great significance to me personally. There is also the fact that you asked for me by name. As I said before, that has not happened within a dream before.

"But there is also the fact that Luna..." Clarity flinched at the name again, clearly disturbed, and Celestia stopped. "I'm sorry. I can see that this isn't easy for you to talk about. Would you prefer to sit down for a while?"

Clarity nodded absent-mindedly, and the two of them lay down in a patch of sunlight between the rows of apple trees. Celestia waited a minute, listening to the sound of the birds in the sky. As Clarity seemed to loosen up, she pressed on cautiously.

"I need to ask. Why are you so disturbed by my sister?"

Clarity looked up suddenly, as if she thought she had offended Celestia, but the face she found looking back at her was not stern or disapproving. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she answered.

"I'm not. Or at least I shouldn't be! She came to live in my village when I was younger. She stayed a few months to help set up the new mill by the river. She even foalsat me a few times when my parents were busy! I was really sad when she had to leave! But then..." She shivered at a painful memory. "But then, she appears in my dream. She saves me from those... wolf things, and greets me like a friend, but all I can feel is fear! It felt like I was staring into the eyes of a monster! I don't know why. I can't explain it. That's just what it felt like. All I wanted was for Luna to leave, so I wouldn't have to see those eyes staring back at me!"

Celestia stared into the distance, disturbed by this revelation. Luna tended to only visit dreams where ponies were scared or in danger, so it was natural that they would be afraid when she arrived. But on the occasions when she had discussed the dream world with Celestia, she had always said that they were relived when they realised she was there to help them. What Clarity described was a fear directed specifically at Luna, not just a residual fear from whatever else was in the dream. It was as if something had forced its way into her mind and made her fear Luna. But there were vanishingly few forces capable of that. Her sister was the only other pony Celestia had ever encountered with such abilities, but she would never use the ability, particularly not against herself.

"What else can you tell me about the dream? Did anything else seem out of the ordinary?"

Clarity looked up at Celestia, confused. "It was a nightmare. Everything seemed odd. But there was..."

"Please, take your time." Celestia gently patted Clarity on the back with her wing. "We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

"No, I'm okay. I think I need to tell you about it, anyway. It's why I asked to see you in the first place. It was... there was a voice. Well, it was more like thousands of voices, but they spoke to me. They told me to find you, said there was something you had to do."

"I see. Did they say what it was?"

"No, they just said that you had to help them. Your sister arrived after that, and I didn't hear them again."

Celestia pondered this for a moment, great gears of thought rolling in to place in her mind. These voices, whatever they belonged to, had a message for her, and it appeared to involve her sister. It was clearly a significant matter for them to have gone to this much effort, both to get the message to her in the first place, and apparently to keep it hidden from Luna. It didn't seem that Luna was in direct danger; that would likely have manifested as fear for her, not of her. But anything that could cause her to become so hated, so reviled by those who once called her friend? Luna needed to be protected from this at all costs. Whatever these voices were, Celestia needed to hear them.

It was clear now why Clarity was carrying such a great burden. The voices needed to speak to Celestia, and the only safe conduit they could find was the mind of another pony. They couldn't approach Celestia directly, as her mind was linked too closely to Luna's; they would have risked her also hearing the message. They had decided that they needed to speak to her indirectly, using somepony as an intermediary.

Paradoxically, this had led them to encounter Luna first. As a result, they couldn't just give their message directly to Clarity. They needed her to come to Celestia before they could pass it on. If this was all true, then it meant two things: First, these voices must possess an intimate understanding of the sisters' full nature, more than any pony ever did. Second, it meant that those voices were still waiting inside Clarity, weighing down on her mind and clouding her judgement. Celestia needed to let them speak, and there was only one possible way that she knew of.

Celestia took a deep breath, preparing herself. Silently, she let her magic stir inside her. This was a powerful magic, a sort which she used sparingly, only in cases which demanded it. Clarity would be unharmed, fortunately, but some things are meant to be kept private, protected. A pony's spirit was sacred, and should not be interfered with lightly. She looked down at the young pony resting beside her.

"Clarity, you did well to come to me. I think it's clear that there was something unnatural about this dream. I can help you, but first I need to determine the exact nature of what occurred. If you will permit me, I would like to enter your memory and experience the dream myself."

Clarity turned to face her, surprised. "You can do that?"

"I can. I prefer not to, but it seems that whatever these voices need to say is meant for me. I need to see it for myself." Seeing the concern on Clarity's face, she continued, "Do not worry. You will not be harmed, and you will not need to relive the dream yourself. It will only last a moment."

Clarity considered this for a long time, her eyes drifting between the trees but her thoughts miles away. Then she turned to face Celestia once more. Swallowing her concern, she looked the alicorn in the eyes.

"If you think it's necessary, then I trust you. What do I need to do?"

"Just close your eyes. This may feel strange for a moment, but it will pass."

Clarity closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Celestia felt a pang of guilt. She was asking Clarity to trust her completely, and yet she had lied to her. She had only withheld certain facts to protect Clarity, but that did little to comfort her. Celestia closed her eyes as well, and leaned down to place her horn next to Clarity's. Magic flowed between the two, and the world dissolved around them...

~ ~ ~

Clarity was walking along a narrow path through a thick forest. Celestia was there also, observing. She was no longer in her own body, instead viewing the world of the dream through Clarity's senses. She could feel Clarity's fear, but it was no more than could be expected in such a place. Whatever she was here to see was yet to happen.

The trees around her were ancient, the forest giving the air of having endured many ages. Celestia could taste arcane magic in the air. this place had been scarred and corrupted by powerful forces long ago. There was still life among the trees, but it was twisted, damaged. Celestia found this place deeply unsettling, almost offensive.

Clarity had travelled along the path for what felt like a few minutes, when she came to a crossroads. It was at this moment that Celestia felt it. Somewhere in the midst of this scene, a powerful force was waiting. There were voices, thousands of them, seemingly coming from all directions.

"Who are you?" Clarity's voice called out. The voices did not respond, but slowly advanced on her until they seemed to fill the entire space around her. Celestia could now start to make out some individual voices amongst the throng, but they did not make sense. They seemed to be talking, not about something, but about everything.

The presence filled the space, saturating the air with thoughts and words. It became too much for Clarity to bear, and she collapsed to the ground. They were pressing against her mind, trying to find a way in, pounding at her defences in desperation. Her thoughts were being crushed, and the very world of the dream was being compressed, the trees receding into darkness.

Celestia watched, shocked at the force of the voices and the trauma they were exerting on the poor pony. Whatever they were, they were desperate.

Suddenly, something snapped, and the voices flooded into Clarity's mind. The forest drew back, falling silent. Somewhere, in the back of Clarity's mind, Celestia could still sense a lingering presence. It had happened.

SEEK OUT THE SUN.

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere. They had spoken directly to Clarity, projecting the thought into her very consciousness. Clarity called out, but they did not respond.

It was then that the forest stirred. Celestia could sense it before Clarity did; something had come out of the trees, and was watching.

Clarity saw it too, the eyes staring at her out of the darkness. Instinct took control, and she bolted into the trees, quickly losing track of the path. The land had turned hostile, trees reaching out to stop her. A root caught her hoof, throwing her to the ground. In a matter of seconds the creatures caught up with her, emerging out of the darkness. They were abominations, the twisted magic that filled the forest using the remains of the trees to build a crude imitation of life. They advanced, ready to rid the forest of the pony that had intruded into their domain.

SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST HELP US.

"Leave me alone!"

The voices were stirring again, and Clarity's mind fought instinctively against the surge. The trees were suddenly consumed in searing flames, driving the wolves away. It had been too much, though, and Clarity's own defences turned against her, the fire burning her fur. She fled, battling her way through the flames.

Clarity fell to the ground, and the voices pushed their way into her subconscious, imposing themselves on the dream world. In an instant, the forest dissolved. Everything went dark; the sky was blank and featureless, and the ground, illuminated only by the light of Clarity's horn, was black and charred.

Celestia could feel the sense of familiarity which Luna had described. It seemed to fit, but she could not be certain at this point. She could not see clearly enough. She would have to wait for the end of the dream.

SEEK OUT THE SUN. SHE MUST ACT.

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

Once again, the voices spoke, and Celestia could feel them spreading through Clarity's mind, weighing down on her every thought. The moment was drawing close.

Clarity was terrified, and her own fear took hold on the dream once more. A dozen of the wolves drew out of the darkness, surrounding her.

Suddenly the voices fell silent. They retreated into the back of Clarity's mind as another presence forced itself into the dream. Luna landed in the midst of the wolves, pushing them back with her own magic.

Satisfied that the dream world was safe, Luna raised her head to the sky and willed light into the landscape. The sun rose slowly above the distant horizon, bathing the scene in a dim red light.

Immediately, Celestia knew that her sister had been right. She had only ever seen this scene before for an instant, but that moment was etched so powerfully on to her mind that there could be no uncertainty. The shallow valley rising away from her, the scorched earth...

Celestia's thoughts were drawn back to Clarity by a surge of emotion coming from somewhere deep within the unicorn's mind. Luna had turned to face her, but the sight of her eyes repulsed Celestia. This was not her sister. It couldn't be. Her very presence filled Clarity's mind with terror, and Celestia felt it also. Projected onto the face before her was a deep loathing, a vengeful monster whose eyes burned with chaos and destruction. And Celestia hated it. She hated what it had done to her sister, and for a single moment, she wanted nothing more than to destroy it.

~ ~ ~

The dream world dissolved. Clarity had disappeared, and Celestia found her mind floating through a great void, thoughts and images flowing through her. The landscape of thoughts and concepts shifted continually, shapes and scenes merging into one another.

The voices drew together once more, speaking directly to her.

YOU ARE THE SUN.

"I am. Who are you?"

WE ARE THE WORLD. THE SPIRITS WHICH MAKE AND SUSTAIN EVERYTHING.

"You are Harmony?"

WE ARE PART OF HARMONY.

"Why have you summoned me here? What is happening to my sister?"

YOU ARE HERE THAT YOU MAY BE WARNED. WE HAVE SEEN ECHOES OF EVENTS IN THIS WORLD'S FUTURE. THEY THREATEN TO DESTROY EVERYTHING. THEY MUST BE STOPPED.

"Like what happened at Everfree?"

The images shifted, and that scene from centuries before formed in the void. Luna and Celestia stood, frozen in time, surrounded by the three leaders of the pony tribes, their eyes burning, radiating magical energy.

IN THIS PLACE, YOU WATCHED AS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HARMONY NEARLY FELL TO CHAOS. YOU STOOD ALONGSIDE YOUR SISTER AND DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO STOP THE APPROACHING DESTRUCTION, BUT YOU ULTIMATELY FAILED.

"But Harmony still prevailed! And now it's stronger than it ever was before!"

YES.

The scene changed. The three ponies who had saved them at Everfree stood side by side in the darkness, power pouring from them.

THOSE THREE PONIES BONDED WITH THE SPIRITS OF THE UNIVERSE, THE VERY ELEMENTS OF HARMONY ITSELF, AND TOGETHER WERE ABLE TO PUSH BACK THE END.

"If the Elements of Harmony are so much more powerful than my sister and I, why do you need me?"

THEY CANNOT ACT ON THEIR OWN. THEY ARE A CONDUIT, THROUGH WHICH POWER CAN REACH HARMONY ITSELF. YOUR MAGIC WILL BE REQUIRED IF THEY ARE TO SUCCEED.

“But they did not need us before! Why is this time different?”

BECAUSE THERE IS A FORCE MORE POWERFUL THAN THESE THREE ELEMENTS. SOMETHING CAPABLE OF HIDING ITSELF EVEN FROM HARMONY. SOMETHING WITH THE POWER TO THROW THE UNIVERSE INTO CHAOS PERMANENTLY.

"What?"

WE DO NOT KNOW.

The statement echoed in the void. Faint images of strange events washed across Celestia's consciousness as she absorbed the implications of the words.

"What do you mean?"

The ancient, twisted forest appeared, now from above the trees. An ancient ruined castle could be seen, decaying and broken, illuminated by the moonlight.

WE DO NOT KNOW. WE CANNOT SEE THE FUTURE, ONLY ECHOES OF EVENTS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RESONATE ACROSS HISTORY. SOMETHING WILL ARISE, AND YOU MUST STAND AGAINST IT WITH YOUR SISTER. ONLY THEN CAN THE CHAOS BE HELD BACK.

"My sister? What happens to Luna?"

Luna's face appeared once more, her eyes alien and unfamiliar.

YOU HAVE THE THREE ELEMENTS, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. GREAT SACRIFICES WILL HAVE TO BE MADE BY ALL IF YOU ARE TO SUCCEED. THE BATTLE WILL LEAVE SCARS ON MANY. THE PROTECTORS WILL TURN AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND THE MOON WILL FALL.

"No! You said you don't know the future! This doesn't have to happen! THIS CAN'T HAPPEN!"

SOME THINGS ARE UNCLEAR, BUT OTHERS ARE FIXED. YOU MUST BE STRONG. YOU MUST DEFEAT THIS ENEMY.

"But you said that the elements were not powerful enough! How can we ever win this?"

THERE ARE OTHERS.

New scenes flashed by, faded and blurred with uncertainty. Three ponies huddled together in the dark. A single pony, surrounded by friends as she mourned. Six ponies entering the forest together.

THERE ARE YET OTHER ELEMENTS TO WAKE. IN TIME, BALANCE MAY FINALLY BE RESTORED. YOU MUST REMAIN PATIENT AND VIGILANT.

"And Luna will be safe?"

THEIR FATE IS YOURS. YOU MUST BE CAREFUL OR ALL MAY BE LOST.

"I DEMAND THAT YOU TELL ME IF LUNA WILL BE SAFE!"

WE HAVE TOLD YOU ALL WE CAN. PREPARATIONS MUST BE MADE. DO NOT FAIL.

~ ~ ~

Celestia opened her eyes. Clarity was sitting there, her eyes closed, her body still and calm. Celestia stood up, her head swimming with thoughts. Overwhelmed by the information she had been entrusted with, she paced restlessly around the small clearing.

Somewhere out there, in the vast expanses of Harmony, something was waiting to tear apart the world she had grown to love, to overthrow the nation she had poured her life into building and nurturing. If she did nothing, it would destroy everypony she loved, and even if she did everything she could, there was no hope of saving everything.

She desperately held back the pain, resisting the urge to scream at the heavens. In an instant, the spirits had pulled the very foundations of her world out from under her, and she could feel herself crumbling. She had failed, even before she had been given a chance to start. She had made a promise. She had vowed to protect this world from all that threatened it, to keep the ponies in her care from ever having to experience what she had felt at Everfree. It was her duty to Equestria, to the world, to Harmony itself, to protect its integrity and maintain the balance of all things. To think that all her efforts were in vain was devastating.

And now fate was going to take her own sister from her. Luna was a part of her, as she was of Luna. They held a bond so strong that she dreaded to imagine what could happen if it was ever broken. Would either of them survive? And what would happen to Equestria then?

I can't let this happen, she thought. And I won't. I have been mistaken before. The other spirits cannot know everything. They must be wrong. A fire burned inside her. She knew what must be done. She would prepare in any way she could, to ensure that the pony race would live on. And she would devote her life to finding any way keep her sister safe.

She looked back to Clarity, still sitting on the grass. Her eyes were open now, and she watched Celestia expectantly. Clarity looked happy once more, and in spite of everything the warmth of her smile calmed Celestia's raging mind. She returned to Clarity's side and lay down on the grass, forcing a smile to her face.

"How much of what just happened do you remember?"

"I felt something as you cast the spell, but then it just stopped. I didn't see anything more from the dream."

Celestia sighed in relief. At least this burden only lay on her now. She would not have to force another pony to endure the secret with her.

"And what of my sister?"

Clarity considered the question. "I can still remember the feeling, but it doesn't seem the same. It's like the fear isn't my own any more, just a story I was told." She smiled, able to enjoy the memory of her old friend again. After a while, she turned back to Celestia. "What happened? What did you see?"

Celestia thought carefully, planning her response.

"There are many spirits which reside in this world,” she explained, eventually. “From what I could discern from your dream, it seems that your own spirit inadvertently became entangled with theirs, and this caused the confused feelings you felt. Fortunately they were able to instruct you to come here, and I was able to release them."

It was a lie, of course, but Celestia could not bear to leave her worried more than she needed to be. Clarity considered the words with a puzzled expression, but then replied.

"My parents always said I was good at seeing the minds of other ponies. You know, knowing how they feel and that sort of thing. It's part of my special talent, I think. Do you think it has to do with that?"

Celestia noted the unicorn's cutie mark: two intertwined ribbons, bound together in a spiral. She had not given it any thought previously.

"It may well, Clarity. Your talents may well have made you more receptive to the spirit world, allowing them to accidentally enter your mind while you were asleep. But I wouldn't be concerned. They are gone now, and if I am right, it will not happen again."

Clarity nodded, and stood up once more, her mind now free from the weight that had held her down for three days. Celestia stood also, and led her through the trees to the road.

"Now I must return to the castle. There is business which needs attending to. Will you be okay making your way home?" Clarity nodded confidently and looked up at Celestia with a grateful smile.

"Thank you for the help, Princess."

"You are very welcome,” Celestia replied. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Clarity. Farewell."

Clarity turned and trotted along the road, happily watching the birds singing in the sky.

~ ~ ~

Celestia watched Clarity leave, distracted by guilt at having to lie to the young pony like that. But there was worse to come. She had to face her sister now. She hoped that she would be able to look Luna in the eye, after everything she had been shown.

She would have to lie again, she knew. There were some things which Luna must be made aware of, and this would help ease her conscience, but Celestia was determined to save her from her fate if there was any way to do so, and if that meant hiding it from Luna then she would happily carry the load a thousand times over.

She took off into the air, flying north past the castle. Magic pulsed on her horn, and a few moments later Luna emerged from the castle, flying up to join her sister. They flew together silently for a few minutes, crossing the vast estate below them, before descending gracefully to the ground, landing among the apple trees.

"I trust the meeting went well," Luna asked.

"Indeed it did, sister."

"And?"

Celestia glanced at Luna out of the corner of her eye. Her sister was listening, deep in thought, as they always were when they conversed. Their minds worked as one, looking at each problem from opposite sides, seamlessly merging into a single consciousness. It took great effort to hide anything from her sister, but she persevered.

"Your suspicions were correct. Something had been calling out to Clarity, showing her visions in an effort to send a message to me. Why me specifically I do not know."

"Perhaps it needed both of us to see the image before it sent the message so that we would fully understand its significance."

"Perhaps."

Luna set off through the trees, and Celestia kept pace beside her.

"And what of the message, sister?"

"It was strange. Incoherent. More a stream of ideas than words. But I think it was a warning."

Luna nodded in understanding, before responding.

"And with the images it chose to show us, it is safe to assume we must not underestimate the severity of what we will face."

"I believe so. But there is hope. If I understood the message correctly, I believe we have the tools within us to overcome this trial."

"The Elements?"

"Yes."

They came to a halt, having reached their destination. They stood at the edge of a shallow dell, its banks clear of the trees which filled the estate, and covered in thick, luscious grass. Once black and lifeless, scarred by hatred and distrust, this place had risen from the darkness and brought forth a new age of love and compassion. In the centre stood a single, ancient apple tree, preserved carefully over the centuries. In front of the tree was statue of three ponies, holding each other in a warm embrace. This was a sacred place, a monument to the power of love and friendship, and the hope it brought to the world even in the darkest of times.

The sisters rested their heads against each other's, Celestia embracing her sister under her wing. She spoke, her voice soft.

"We must not be afraid. If we stand together, we can push through this."

"I will never leave your side, my sister."

"Nor I yours."

They stood together silently for many minutes, watching the world pass by ignorant of its own future. For a moment, Celestia envied it. Eventually, they lifted themselves back into the air, soaring in a circle over the monument before returning to the castle.

Comments

[Nharctic]

Keep on writing!

[Arvaus]

2323615 I intend to! I have big plans for this particular universe.

[Nharctic]

2323619 Cool.
If you have trouble continuing the history at one point or another, PM me and I'll be glad to help!