A Mother's Sacrifice
From a distance, the light of the rising sun stretching over Canterlot was an impressive sight. The capital of Equestria, clinging to the side of the mountain, was revealed in the soft glow of alabaster of its walls and buildings, and flashes of gold reflected off of the domed and spire rooftops. With the light of the sun raining down, the home of the princesses shone like the metropolis it was.
Yet when Princess Celestia descended from her act of raising her astral charge, she did not return to the balcony of her personal tower. Instead, she shifted her wings, angling herself towards the mountain peak and coasted along the wind while watching the grand city she called home slowly pass by. Within a few minutes Celestia was on the far side of the mountain, arriving at a sacred place not many ponies knew of.
There, resting near invisible to the outside world due to the mountain seemingly cradling it was a somewhat small ledge covered in vibrant green grass. Half of the ledge was dominated by an ancient maple tree, it's leaves nearly forming a canopy for the rest of the ledge. As Celestia approached the vivid rainbow of flowers growing from the base of the tree became visible, as well as another pony already waiting for her.
“Luna,” Celestia called out as she landed, instantly catching her sister’s attention. Luna’s face was one of deep thought that was quickly hidden behind a soft smile. The princess of the night turned and walked up to Celestia, resting her neck against that of her older sister.
Celestia returned the act by resting her head on top of Luna’s, and in this pose they remained. For those moments, there was no Canterlot, no Equestria, nothing beyond the small garden in which the two ageless ponies stood. The affectionate moment was punctuated by the fact neither princess was wearing any regalia, not even their crowns. This was a place where they deemed it unnecessary, even insulting perhaps, to be the rulers of their nation.
Slowly, after seemingly an eternity, the two sisters broke their contact and faced the maple tree. Its leaves already turned orange and brown by autumn’s will. Celestia stared at the tree, stirring memories more ancient than the oldest tomes of the royal archives; memories of a simpler time, where the fate of Equestria and indeed the world didn’t rest in her hooves.
“Sister,” A voice disturbed Celestia from her reverie, and she looked down to see Luna staring back, wearing the same face of sorrowful remembrance of happier days.
Celestia answered her with a nod and a wing draped across her withers for a moment before slowly advancing on the tree. Luna followed, a slight fraction slower, apprehensive of what should be said at the tree. Upon reaching it, Celestia sat and placed a lone hoof on the bark, smooth as if it had been stripped by a skilled gardener. Celestia released a pensive sigh as she closed her eyes, picturing a mare far wiser than her as her memory began to replay events millennia past.
“H-Hello Mother...”
~~~*~~~
The sound of giggling fillies filled the air of the valley, adding to the song that nature played all around them. A light wind sifted through the shoulder-high tall grass and the leaves of the near-by Everfree Forest. A small river trickled over smoothened stones as it wove its way past a log cabin, and birds sang as they looked at the snow white and ocean blue fillies chasing a monarch butterfly around the surrounding fields.
There was another watching their joy; a tall mare lay down under the shade of a green-leaved maple tree near the cabin’s door, a brown book resting on the grass near her fore-hooves. Like her eldest daughter, her coat was as white as snow, which stood out against her rose red mane and tail. A horn stood like the centre point of a crown emerging from her mane while two large wings were resting, folded against her sides. Between herself and her daughters, she was the only one who had discovered her cutie mark; a quill dipped in an ink jar, which represented her talent at bringing the world around her to life. As she watched the fillies play through sky blue eyes, a warm smile made itself known on her muzzle as pride and joy mixed within her heart and soul.
But sadly, every tender moment must have an ending.
Within the space of a second, multiple images flashed in front of the mare’s eyes; all of them occurred in darkened places, where angered flames burned and killed all they touched. A mountain erupted and spewed rains of fire and choking ash down on those creatures unfortunate enough not to get away.
But, however unsettling those images were, it was the last that sent an icy shard of fear into the mare’s heart.
The silhouette of a tall, menacing monster, standing on four legs like a pony but also processing an upper body that resembled that of a minotaur’s. In its right hand was a trident, its left absorbing trails of light from the creatures down below. The mare realised that it was stealing their souls and saw the sadistic smile it wore, savouring every moment of the torture as its menacing laughter rang in her ears.
As swiftly as the images had appeared, they vanished, and the mare was returned to her valley. Her head instantaneously shifted to the west, her horn feeling the aftershocks of the image emanating from that direction. She quickly rose to a standing position, yet moved so gracefully that to another it would have never seemed like she had done so with fear running through her veins. Her eyes quickly scanned the fields and relief flooded though her as she found her two fillies... though something was wrong, as they simply sat there, the smaller blue-maned daughter crying.
A pang made itself known inside the white alicorn’s heart as she realised it. They saw it as well. Alicorns aged differently to mortal creatures, and though the two fillies were in actuality twenty four and twenty two respectively, they still only looked like they were ten and eight in mind and spirit. The fact they were forced to endure something so forceful and fear-inducing under her careful watch hurt the mare more than any strike she could receive.
She walked calmly yet briskly towards the two, sitting down two thirds of the way to embrace her younger daughter when she noticed her approach. The filly nuzzled into her mother’s chest, staining the mare’s pristine white coat with her tears.
“M-Mo-ther,” the filly sobbed, but was stopped by a reassuring fore-leg wrapping around her.
“There there,” her mother responded, her voice soft and full of nothing but compassion. “You are safe.”
“Mother,” The pink maned filly asked, moving closer to the larger alicorn. “Wh-what was that?” The elder mare paused for a moment before turning her gaze westward once more. The compassion upon her face slowly shifted to one of concern laced with resentment.
“The result of someone using their magic irresponsibly,” she finally answered, looking back to her daughters. “A mistake I pray the two of you will never repeat.”
“B-But,” the blue filly replied, trying to speak through the tears that were slowly disappearing. “But we always use our magic well.”
“Yes, you do,” The mother said, looking down at her with a kind smile. “But further on in life, there is a chance the lessons I have taught you will not come to mind when they should, and this may result in a grievous error in your use of magic. The two of you must be ever vigilant and careful in the actions you choose to undertake. Do you understand?”
The blue filly looked to her older sister, who returned her glance before looking down to think this new information through. After a moment or two, she looked back to her mother and nodded, confusion no longer casting a shadow on her young features. The younger filly saw the conviction in her sister’s eyes and soon caught on, looking up to give her mother a nod in agreement.
The mare smiled proudly in reply. Such brave fillies, she noted mentally. She released her younger daughter before standing up. “Well, I imagine the two of you would be tired from all that running about. I think it is time for bed.”
“What?” The blue filly nearly shouted in protest as she and her sister quickly fell into step behind their mother, heading back to their cabin. “But we are not tired yet.”
“And the sun has not set yet.” The white filly added as they came to the door. “We have played later than this before.”
“Yes you have,” the mare said as she opened the door. “But, Mother knows best does she not?”
The fillies sighed in defeat. It was a favourite retort of hers, since it left them with no choice but to speak ill of their mother, a feat neither would dare commit. So, they shuffled into the cabin, their mother closing the door behind them.
The inside of the cabin was a basic square space, with only one wall reaching halfway through the centre of the dwelling. On one side was a large amount of straw, large enough to take up the entire quarter of the cabin and comfortable beyond comparison, with a lavender sheet soft as spider’s silk resting over it. The rest of the floor was coated in grass that had been magically enhanced, meaning it wouldn’t grow too tall or coarse.
On the other side of the wall stood a wooden desk, upon which the mare levitated her book onto. Underneath the book and on the grass next to the desk were loose sheets of parchment; while some were void of ink markings, others displayed detailed diagrams and notes on subjects too complex for the little fillies to understand just yet.
To the right of the book was an ink jar with a white feathered quill resting idly in it, and to the left was a half-used candle; the mare would often write in the book long into the night after her fillies were asleep. In the centre of the main half of the cabin was a wooden table short enough that the two fillies could reach over it if necessary.
“Mother,” The white filly asked as she and her sister were made comfortable in bed. “Does us going to sleep early have to...?” The question died in her throat as the memories started bubbling to the surface. The mother looked at her daughters, both staring at her waiting for a response. For the briefest moment she wanted to lie to them, if only to ease their fears. However, she could never bring herself to do that, not to her own flesh and blood.
“...Yes,” she finally answered. “However, as soon as you two are asleep, I will go and handle the problem.”
“So,” the younger blue filly spoke up. “You will have returned when we awake?”
“Yes,” the mare replied, nuzzling the young alicorn and seeing a smile light both of their faces. “Now close your eyes. Tonight you get a special lullaby.”
“A special one?” the sisters asked in unison, to which the mare nodded.
“Why not our usual song?” the white filly asked.
“Do I need a reason to spoil my little fillies?” the mare replied with a smile. “Now rest...”
The Sun is floating just above the horizon, but she does not cry
Though it does seem lonely up there, high in the sky
But soon there will be solace, coming not too soon
Because she has her sister, the ever shining Moon
And gifting the light of life, she ruled over the day
Always full of love for making sure there is no dismay
Giving all the ponies direction with her knowledge great
Forever is she leading them all to a much brighter fate
For there’s a bright future that will soon be found
Both Dusk and Dawn will always rest sound
And now the Moon is sailing through a star-lit sky
Watching sleepy vales with a twinkle in her eye
Bringing light to night for those far below
Singing them to sleep so tomorrow they can grow
The Darlings of Equestria, ever caring in their task
Being there for each other, there is no more they would ask
Ponies together, sing songs throughout the hills
Joyful to know that soon there will be freedom to do as they will
For there’s a bright future that will soon be found
Both Dusk and Dawn will always rest sound
Rest now, Dream now
For there’s a bright future that will soon be found
Both Dusk and Dawn will always rest sound
Rest now, Dream now
Rest now, Dream now
Rest now, Dream now
For tomorrow my Darlings must be strong
When the mare opened her eyes again, she smiled at the sight before her. Her two little fillies were sound asleep, not a trace of the fear from before left on their faces. Leaning forward, the mare softly kissed the forehead of the blue daughter.
“Sweet dreams Luna,” she whispered before turning and repeating the process with the older sister. “Sweet dreams Celestia. May the future before the two of you be a bright one.”
Raising her head, the mare moved as quietly as possible to her desk and took hold of the book with her magic, looking at the golden lettering. Although it appeared as nothing more than odd rectangular shapes, the mare knew the words translated to ‘Equestria,’ a fitting name for a nation soon to fill with pony kind. Slowly she opened the book, its pages fluttering by within a pure white aura. Written within the brown binding was the documentation of her creation of the world as well as the history, and to a certain extent the future, of the races that inhabited it.
She smiled as she neared the end of the book. These pages held what was to come, as the quill and ink jar on her flank not only represented her ability to create the world, but also shape how its inhabitants would grow. She noted the three ponies far to the east especially; the militaristic pegasi, who fled their homeland in order to survive annihilation. There were also the regal unicorns, who dug for gems in the mountain near their home and fought off those they saw as barbarians. And the earth ponies, who simply kept to themselves regardless of the antics of a few and tried their hardest to be regarded as equals with the unicorns and pegasi.
The three tribes would not see the chilling cold of the winter ten years from now coming, and so with the benefit of foresight the mare had been cultivating the valley she lived in for near two centuries. Soon enough their exodus would begin and they would form a united nation that brought the three tribes together as one, the mare aiming to have this end the ponies trivial squabbles. The few pages after this were blank as there was still much work for the mare to do if she was to bring true harmony to this world. But with the power she sensed, she now pondered on whether she would return.
And if she were unable to... The mare looked at the wall to her left, remembering the peaceful looks upon her daughter’s faces as they dreamed. Dwelling on them, she realised what must be done. Placing the book down, the mares’ magic levitated a spare roll of parchment and her quill, writing a note that dwarfed all others in importance.
And all the while her heart concentrated on the note and her daughters, her mind focused on the power she felt to the west.
~~~*~~~
Night had fallen by the time the white mare had reached her destination; the arid deserts of the west were nothing more than a barren wasteland sparsely littered with rocky outcrops and the occasional small plateau. The wind carried no cold feeling as it sifted through her crimson mane and tail, and the skies above her were cloaked in darkened clouds. When the wind died down, it was as if even the world around her was afraid of what was coming.
And soon enough, she saw him.
The lower half of his body was equine in form, his tail a swirling shroud of shadows that billowed on some unseen wind. The coat was as obsidian in colour as the beast’s heart, she imagined.
His upper body, however, was like that of a blood-red minotaur, with large muscles hidden behind steel-gray torso armour. He also wore armour on his wrists and just above each hoof, and in his right hand he held a long trident, its colour matching his equine coat and long beard.
But it was his eyes, gazing out from a helmeted head spouting two curved ebony horns, which intimidated the mare most. They bore into her soul, their golden draconian irises looking upon her matched those of predatory animals of her valley home.
Fifty metres away from her the beast stopped, and then they simply shared each other’s glare. As they stared at each other, both could feel the tension rising. The land was devoid of life save for them; there was no wind, no stirring of the clouds above them and no animals that would dare come out of hiding if they were nearby, for they knew they were in the presence of deities.
Finally, a sinister grin spread across the beast’s face before he began laughing; a deep, booming sound that resonated throughout the empty surroundings.
“So,” he sneered at the mare. “You come to challenge me all alone, with no army to hide behind?”
“I need no army to vanquish you beast,” the mare replied instantly, her tone harsh and uncaring as her continued glaring at him with all the animosity her blue eyes could muster.
“Is that so?” He laughed again, clearly amused by what he thought was a bluff. “And what makes you so certain you can even stand your ground against me, let alone defeat me?”
“Because I am not about to let the world I brought into light to be snuffed out by your darkness. I have spent thousands of years bringing this land to where it stands now, hoping to prove that a world built on harmony can shine and thrive, and I will not allow you to cast all of the life that has sprung forth aside like a passing fancy.”
“I see,” the beast replied, beginning to regard the mares’ words seriously, and the mocking smile on his face was soon replaced by an emotionless scowl as he took one deliberate step forward. He raised his right arm, the razor-sharp points of the trident aimed at the mare’s heart. “Then what name shall I carve on your tombstone?”
“You do not deserve to know my name, and I care little of yours beast, so for this one moment I will forgo the honourable tradition of exchanging names before battle.”
“Well well,” the beast said with a smirk. “Even goddesses can sink below honour. How interesting.” The mare remained silent, not taking the bait of his barbed taunt. This displeased him as he took another step towards her.
“Well,” he continued, bowing his upper body. “In that case darkness shall be the more honourable side. I am Tirek, the spirit of darkness and death incarnate. None have survived an encounter against me, be they mystic beings like us or otherwise. So, now that you know who I am, do you still consider challenging me a wise move?”
The mare did not reply, instead lighting her horn in a shining aura, one which soon encompassed her entire body in blinding white light. Tirek lifted his free arm to shield his eyes, and once the light faded he lowered it to see a sight most intimidating.
The mare stood firm, with golden hoof braces and chest and shoulder armour. She flared her wings, revealing four silver blades attached to her primary feathers that were connected to the shoulder armour. A golden helmet with a blade running the length of her horn completed the armour set, but Tirek then noticed other colours against the gold.
At various parts in the armour were six hexagonal jewels, each a different colour. There was a pink jewel in the centre of the chest armour, a purple gem in the left shoulder, light blue in the right shoulder, orange on the left fore-hoof, red on the right fore-hoof and magenta just below the horn blade of the helmet. Even from a distance Tirek could feel the magic emanating from the jewels, magic comprised of positive elements such as love and kindness.
In response, Tirek began spinning his trident in one hand, rotating the weapon faster and faster before moving it to a horizontal position above his head. After a few more seconds of this, he slammed the blunt end of the trident on the ground beside him. When it struck the ground, a flash of sheet lightning lit up the clouds above before the roar of thunder was heard directly overhead.
During all of that Tirek had not taken his eyes off of the mare, nor had she done the same. Furthermore, much to Tirek’s annoyance, the intimidation he was hoping to instil was nowhere to be seen in the mare’s eyes. The tension in the air was so thick creatures hoping to get away from the combat area would have to swim through it in order to escape.
“Last chance to flee for your life,” he stated, his tone a barely concealed growl. The edge of the mares’ mouth flickered for a moment, as she kept her mask of contempt towards Tirek in check. “Is something amusing?”
“Yes,” she replied, keeping her tone emotionless. “I was about to offer you the same mercy.”
Tirek waited a total of three seconds before rearing up onto his hind legs and slamming them back down, creating a half a metre wide crack that swiftly darted towards the mare. In response the mare took flight but Tirek had planned for this, throwing his trident like a spear. The mare dove to the right to avoid it but noticed too late that Tirek had spawned a chain connecting his wrist to the end of the trident. Grabbing hold of the chain, Tirek swung it to the left, the trident swinging down and catching the mare with the shaft before slamming her into the ground.
The mare scrambled to her hooves as quickly as she could, but looked up to receive a buck straight in the face, launching her metres into the distance. Her momentum was stopped when Tirek enveloped her in a dark purple aura, one that stung slightly while she was within it. Using his outstretched left hand to direct the aura, Tirek retracted the hand, causing the mare to come flying at him against her will while he prepared to impale her on his trident.
Moments before contact was made the mare lit her horn, turning her entire body into a shimmering sliver mist. The attack passed through her now non-existent body as she escaped his aura and re-materialised at the side of Tirek’s equine body, wing blades ready to slice him in two. But as the blades fell she watched in surprise as Tirek’s body simply parted like water around her wing, allowing the appendage to pass completely through before Tirek turned slightly and struck true with another buck, this one connecting to the right side of the mare’s face.
The mare was thrown a fair distance once more but this time Tirek did not intervene in her flight, and she tumbled upon her harsh landing. As Tirek smugly approached, the mare returned to a standing position, wings outstretched and a small trail of blood now flowing from her nose.
“Well well,” Tirek grinned arrogantly. “I guess goddesses can bleed after all.”
Before he could say another word the mare fired a beam of light from her horn, hitting Tirek square in the chest and forcing him back to their starting distance of fifty metres. Seeing that the attack had left nothing more than a scorch mark on his armour, Tirek looked back up to see the mare with her eyes closed and head held high.
The jewel on her chest armour began shining brightly before a long object emerged from the light. When it finally died down, the mare was wielding with her magic a wooden staff with pink fabric wrapped around the middle, the rounded blades on each end almost resembling butterflies in appearance.
With a brief flash she teleported directly in front of Tirek, ready to swing her weapon. Tirek blocked the first strike with his trident, but the mare then swung it into the shoulder of his right foreleg before reversing the momentum and slicing him across his left cheek. She stepped back and waited for his response, knowing that against a being like Tirek those would not be fatal blows.
After remaining in pose one moment more, Tirek raised his face to glare at her, a large gash decorating the left side of his face. But then his wounds began closing by themselves, flowing over the gaping cuts like water over stone until it looked as though he was never struck to begin with. When healed, Tirek stomped his right fore-hoof, shooting a line of fire along the ground. The mare flapped her wings and dodged the attack, but ducked under the second attack with less composure as Tirek spat a fireball out of his mouth. Closing the short distance between them, she placed all four hooves in a kick that struck Tirek in the face before arching back and gliding back a couple dozen metres.
Tirek looked up, seething as the mare began her charge by flying low to the ground and spinning her weapon in her magic, the blades leaving slash marks in the hardened soil. Angered, he reached forward with his left arm, channelling his demonic magic into the soil. Suddenly, a large segment of ground the mare had barely flown over rose up on an angle; ramming her like a wall had crashed into her from behind as its momentum accelerated her towards Tirek. The distance between them was crossed all too quickly, and when she reached him Tirek struck her with a back-handed fist, sending her tumbling across the ground a fair distance away.
Now struggling to her hooves, the mare shook her head to clear her mind before looking up to see Tirek holding her weapon. Looking upon it with disgust, he gripped it tightly as he concentrated his power into it. Almost instantly, the weapon began disintegrating into ash, falling to the ground through Tirek’s finger before he turned to face her, his face still a mask of disdain.
Tirek then instantaneously turned to darkened dust himself, falling to the ground before rocketing along it towards the mare. The speed he travelled at caught her off guard, and soon after he materialised before her, trident raised in the air to strike her down. She was barely able to block it with her left wing blade before leaping to strike at his face with the other. Tirek simply moved his head out of the way before landing a solid punch to her sides.
The mare tumbled once upon landing a few metres away but halted Tirek’s impeding advance by casting a small spell, her horn lighting up briefly as she raised her wings. When she swung them down, a huge cloud of dust was summoned around her, and Tirek’s charge drove inside the cloud before he could slow down. His eyes scoured through the dust, angered by her deceptive trick.
“What is the matter?” He called out. “Too afraid to fight me face to face? And here I thought that you valued honour above all else.”
A whistling in the air was the only warning Tirek was allowed before something sharp zoomed past, giving him a noteworthy cut on his left arm. Again the whistling was heard, this time the sound slicing at one of his hind legs. When the third whistle made itself known, Tirek’s patience for this game had worn thin. Waiting until the sound was upon him he swung with his trident, and was satisfied when the clatter of weapons colliding rang out. But the small grin on Tirek’s face was immediately banished when a round object rammed into his back at high speed, carrying him out of the dust cloud such was its strength.
“Enough!” Tirek growled upon as he landed on his hooves, slamming the end of his trident into the ground. The magic exerted manifested as a gust, blowing away the dust cloud only to reveal the mare was not there. Hearing the clink of a chain in motion, Tirek rolled to his left just as an object smashed into the place he had just vacated. The object retracted and Tirek followed its path to find the mare hovering in place in the sky, and she had new weapons with her.
Hovering within her magical grasp close to her left shoulder were three knives, the blades shaped like diamonds while the grip was wrapped in purple fabric. The object he had just dodged was a large steel sphere with a small light blue circle at the polar end opposite from the chain. The chain was wound around the mares’ right foreleg, snaking its way up to her right shoulder where it emerged from the jewel in the right shoulder piece.
Without warning the mare motioned the knives forward once more, the weapons spreading apart to avoid becoming a single target. Tirek did not look to be moving out of the way, his only movement being to hold his trident before him with both hands. Concentrating, he stamped the blunt end on the ground. When he did, the arms of the trident separated from the pole and immediately flew towards each dagger. The points hit each mark, disintegrating the weapons into ash like the last.
Tirek then turned his attention to the mare, who was spinning while diving towards him. The steel sphere was trailing her hoof on its chain as she spun, building up more and more kinetic energy. Once she was a mere ten metres away, she stopped her descent, swinging her weapon down upon him with all her might.
The sight before her was demoralising, however, as Tirek caught the sphere with his free hand, the energy causing his hooves to sink a few inches into the ground as it cracked beneath the transferred pressure. Surprise engulfed her features for but a moment, as Tirek literally crushed the sphere with his bare hand. He then grabbed hold of the chain and pulled down on it hard as he readied his now blunt weapon. The mare, still attached to the chain, was dragged towards Tirek as she saw his weapon change. It grew in length so that it was as long as it had been with the central trident tip, but then a slither of silver ran down a third of the pole before rising from it to reveal the curved blade of a scythe, its blade now ready to cleave her in two.
Snapping the chain with her magic, the mare arched herself to the right and down as hard as she could, and could feel the wind being sliced nearby when the scythes’ blade missed by inches. She landed but was soon in the air once more, twisting as she leapt up and blasted Tirek in the chest with another beam of magic. Tirek barely flinched and swung at her again, the blade of the scythe leaving a trail through the ground as it went. The mare flapped her wings and avoided the attack, but felt the razor-sharp shockwave of air it created come close to liberating her of a hind leg. She followed the trail of the attack and watched as it went on to carve a nearby boulder in two.
She could not afford to observe the environment much longer though as Tirek pressed on with his attack, galloping at her while swinging his scythe back and forth in an attempt to end this swiftly. With the demon not allowing any openings to appear, the mare simply backpedalled in the air, dodging the attacks as best she could and blocking with her wing blades when possible. She knew because of the shockwave that flying higher would not achieve the distance she needed.
Tirek brought the scythe down in a mighty overhead slash, one which the mare darted right to avoid. Lighting her horn once more she cast her spell upon the ground, and soon large vines a foot wide erupted from the ground, beginning to constrict her foe. Tirek wasted no time and began slashing at the vines, but they only grew back and more numerous. Frustration building within, Tirek inhaled deeply before bellowing forth a flood of dark purple flames. The magic inferno burnt the vines to ash while Tirek walked through the flames, searching for his prey.
The telltale sound of whistling wind was heard once more, and Tirek became dust again to avoid something crashing into him from above. Resolidifying, he turned to see the mare sport new weapons once again. On each of her hooves she wore silver boots with a line of orange lining the rim, the ground just underneath them reduced to pebbles and dust from the impact of her landing. Her other weapon was a sword held in her mouth; its long blade resembled a lightning bolt, while its golden hilt and red grip fabric completed the image of a true weapon.
Tirek barely had enough time to react when the mare leapt forward, accelerating fast enough to shatter the already crumbled ground on which she stood. She arched her neck and swung for Tirek’s head, though he blocked with the shaft of his scythe. She attacked again with her wing blades, and Tirek blocked once more. Now it was the demonic beast being forced back with each strike, and the mare was constantly changing her attack method. She would strike with her sword and then her left wing, then her right, left again and again, never keeping the same pattern so that Tirek could find no weakness to exploit.
Tirek deflected another swing of the sword before attempting to strike back, bringing his scythe down upon her. But the mare dropped to the ground, avoiding the attack and turning on her hooves before delivering an all-powerful buck to Tirek’s chest. The force of the impact was far greater than Tirek expected as it literally launched him into the air with tremendous strength. Before he could land however, the mare skidded to a stop below him and bucked him even harder, sending him soaring into the sky.
Just as Tirek was able to regain his senses he looked up to see the mare flying in place above him, now holding the sword in her fore hooves. Without warning she dove at him, readying her weapon for an overhead swing. Tirek brought up his scythe to block the attack, but when he did so he was suddenly overcome as an invisible strength sent him plummeting to the ground, creating a wide crater.
How is this possible, Tirek mentally asked himself as he struggled to his hooves. She was not this strong earlier. It must have been those boots. Looking back up, he saw the mare holding the sword up high before using her magic to summon a small orb of light at the tip of her horn. The light rippled across the surface of the blade, so much so that it began absorbing the power of the mares’ magic. As it gained more power the blade began shining with the colours of the rainbow, the colours shifting faster and faster until it was almost as blinding as the light itself.
Tirek did not waste time and swung his scythe, sending a razor-sharp shockwave of air at the mare. She replied by swinging the sword and in response a rainbow shockwave was unleashed, aimed straight at the beast. The rainbow slash tore through Tirek’s attack and further deepened the crater. The mare looked to see that Tirek had barely rolled to the right, just avoiding the strike which now left a billowing cloud of dust rising from the crater.
Just as Tirek looked up, the mare was mere metres away, sword primed to cleave his head from his shoulders. Again Tirek blocked with the shaft of his staff, but the sheer impact of the attack sunk him into the ground up to just under his knees. The mare disengaged before dropping down and bucking Tirek again, though this time when the beast went airborne he stabbed his scythe into the ground, halting his momentum and allowing him to land. Pulling his weapon from the ground, Tirek roared as he charged his scythe with his dark magic, the blade becoming engulfed in purple flames. The mare charged her sword like she did before and soon both beings swung their empowered weapons.
The blast of wind and energy from the collision was intense, crumbling smaller rocks nearby and kicking up dust that was blown far away. The two creatures at the epicentre remained as still as stone, not wanting to make the first move. Instead, both the mare and Tirek leapt back before attacking again, once more creating a flash of energy that lit the underside of the dark clouds above them.
Again and again the two clashed. Such was their power that the air rippled with contours of wild magic auroras with each strike. After another clash they backed away from each other, both now panting from the exertion of such strength. Tirek charged once more but realised his mistake as the mare did not move from her spot, hovering just above the ground. Clamping her mouth down on the sword grip once again, the mare flapped her wings and elevated a few feet before stomping the soil before her.
Tirek stopped, expecting the soil beneath him to angle up beneath his hooves as he had done earlier in the battle, but instead it did so underneath the mares’, serving as a perfect launch pad for her to rocket off of. She aimed the sword in the hope of skewering Tirek’s black heart, but that hope was dashed when Tirek became dust again. The mares’ momentum carried her just past Tirek’s location before he rose from the ground, grabbing hold of a hind leg and swinging her overhead before slamming her into the ground. Robbed of the breath in her lungs the mare just barely managed to block the oncoming scythe with her sword before she was sent tumbling across the terrain.
With his magic Tirek pulled a boulder from underground to the surface, abruptly and painfully ending the mares’ flight before throwing his scythe at her. She managed to duck the spinning weapon as it cut clean through the boulder behind her, but then realised Tirek had attached a chain like before and he pulled back on it hard, pulling the scythe back in a straight line with the blade approaching the mare.
She blocked it with her sword, but the speed forced her backwards, meaning she was unable to see Tirek ready his fore legs. By the time she did it was too late as he kicked her in the back, causing her to flip. When she faced him, Tirek quickly grabbed her chest armour and slammed her face first into the ground before levitating her back up and smashing the blunt end of his scythe into her, sending her a few metres before landing with a thud.
With her head writhing in pain and blood flowing from her muzzle, the mare slowly rose to her hooves, though not before painfully stumbling once or twice. She knew she could not keep this pace for much longer. Each laboured breath sent a wave of pain rippling through her and already there were bruises beginning to appear through her now dirty white coat. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her vision she looked up to see Tirek standing there, observing her with a scowl spread across his face as he held her sword in his left hand. He closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated before the sword began glowing orange. Higher and higher the heat being emitted from Tirek’s hand rose before melting the sword entirely.
The mare was too exhausted to feel shock from the sight but had little time to reflect on that regardless as Tirek belched a dark fireball at her. She easily dodged to the side but Tirek was soon upon her again, bringing his scythe down in an overhead slash. The mare countered this by summoning a spherical shield of light around her, though it shattered due to her exhaustion and Tirek’s ferocity.
But the shields’ collapse was enough to recoil the scythe, and the mare could not afford to waste this chance. She quickly slid underneath Tirek’s equine body before giving another all-mighty buck. The attack forced the wind out of Tirek’s lungs as he was sent skyward though the mare stood and concentrated, her horn pointed directly at the beast. The jewel on her helmet shone for an instant before a very wide beam of blinding light was fired, hitting Tirek with the force of an avalanche and propelling him even further into the sky.
Once Tirek disappeared into the cloud cover above and the beam vanished, the mare collapsed from exhaustion. Her vision was blurring spontaneously before righting itself through sheer will, her entire body ached from the strength she had used and the beating she had taken. Slowly making it to her hooves, the mare took a few steadying breaths before looking up, expecting to see Tirek or what remained of him fall from the sky.
After a moment or two she could see him falling back down, though he remained in one piece. But that was the least of her concerns as she realised he had grown in size, his full height most likely enough to tower over a mountain. Once he spotted her Tirek raised his forelegs, aiming to squash her under hoof.
The landing rumbled throughout in the wastelands, the large dust cloud obscuring Tireks’ vision for the moment. Stepping back, Tirek swung his scythe to clear the dust, revealing a new crater at least ten metres wide. In its centre was the mare, resting unconscious on her back with limbs splayed out. The boots she wore crumbled around her hooves, as absorbing the impact of Tirek’s landing had proven too much even for them. The boots, as well as a magic shield, were the only reasons she was still alive.
“Look at you,” Tirek said, his voice now booming out across the desolate landscape. “So weak you can no longer stand. I told you that victory would always be mine in this fight. And though you have provided me a challenge that no being in this world can match, you will meet the same fate as the others.” Tirek raised his scythe high above his head, the tip of the blade now reaching the underside of the clouds. Meanwhile the mare remained motionless. Her mind screamed at her body to move but it would not respond.
“Now join your fellow naive champions of light, and watch from the afterlife as this world falls to darkness!”
~~~*~~~
As the scythe fell, time began to slow for the mare, images of her long, long life playing before her fading vision. She saw the void in which she first awoke, a void which she imagined Tirek would soon send her to upon death. She saw herself discover the barren, featureless world, and how she began to create everything that was essential for life to survive; water, air, plants, wind and a sun and moon to illuminate the way.
She saw all the diverse life that emerged of its own accord; fearless dragons, headstrong griffons, regal stags, and of course the adaptable ponies like herself. She saw their accomplishments; be they the good of acts of charity and protecting others, to the bad of committing crimes and waging wars for trivial reasons.
And as the scythe came upon her, only one more image flashed before her; the smiles of her children. Seeing those faces sparked something deep inside the mare, a burning passion that reminded her why she fought when she knew the odds were not in her favour.
When the mare opened her eyes, they shone like the sun.
~~~*~~~
A bright flash of light shone as the scythe was deflected. Tirek looked at the weapon incredulously for a moment before looking back at the mare, who was now levitating herself higher and higher without so much as a flap of her wings. Tirek witnessed the light streaming from her eyes and the growing power radiating off of her. He also saw the jewel on her helmet was matching the light from her eyes, if not shining greater than them. He would never admit it, but the tiniest slither of uncertainty made itself known within him.
“So,” Tirek spoke, even though he knew she would not reply. “You wish to finish me with one last attack? Very well, let us end this once and for all.”
While the mare finally stopped rising to rest at eye level with the demon, Tirek began spinning the scythe over his head, sending rings of dust riding the wind from the weapons’ motion. The scythe began building power, its blade darkening and distorting the light around its axis. Within moments it caught a purple flame, the scythe now looking ready to cleave a mountain in two if Tirek felt like it.
The mare, however, barely moved bar extending her legs and wings. The other five jewels on her armour began to match the glow from their helmet counterpart before contrails of light slowly snaked their way towards the mares’ helmet. Upon reaching the jewel, it shined even brighter as the trails began spiralling up and around her horn, extending far beyond the tip. As more and more magic gathered, the mares’ fluttering mane and tail began glowing as well before spontaneously changing, becoming pure light and energy flowing on ethereal winds. By the time lights finished assembling around her horn they towered a kilometre above her, a shining light that reached for the heavens.
For a moment the two foes simply observed their opponents final forms; The mare saw a monster, flourishing his weapon out of pride and arrogance, his disdain for all he saw shown plain as day in his overconfident smirk or darkest scowl. To her, he was the epitome of darkness. Tirek saw a paragon, a small pinprick of light standing against the inevitable. She never bragged, never wavered, and clearly held no ill will to anyone bar Tirek. To him, she was the one and only threat in existence to his darkness.
Their gathering of strength seemed to carry on for an eternity but, when the tension could build no more, Tirek brought the scythe to bear while the mare advanced the beam of light like a sword. The collision of their power created a humbling sight; one side of the wastelands were completely engulfed in light while the other was swallowed by darkness.
~~~*~~~
Celestia’s eyes snapped open, the dream she had interrupted by her horn sensing an incredible power to the west, much like she had earlier in the day. The one window of the cabin told the young filly it was now night time, with the moons’ light blocking the light from the myriad stars. Looking around her home, Celestia also noticed one very important fact; her mother had yet to return.
A murmur caught Celestias’ attention and she looked down to see her sister squirming in her sleep, no doubt a bad dream plagued the blue fillies’ mind. Empathy flooded though the young alicorn as she settled back under the sheet of the bed, inching closer until she could hug her little sister. She thought of how Mother would calm them while asleep before her thoughts drifted to their usual lullaby. With a tired smile, she took a deep breath and began singing.
Sleep, sleep now and dream,
Hear the songs of the starlings
You are much stronger than you seem
But just curl up tight with your sister
You'll be warm and safe all night
I'll protect you in the darkness
I'll protect you in the light
And in all this land, Equestria
You're the ones I hold most dear
So my dears, don't frown
And just snuggle down
Sleeping soft and sound
Nothing to fear
Mothers here.
With the song finished, Celestia looked down to see a small smile had formed on Luna’s muzzle, unconsciously nuzzling into her sisters embrace. Smiling, Celestia yawned before joining Luna in their dreams, a feeling in her chest matching the hug from Luna for warmth.
~~~*~~~
Throughout the wastelands there was stillness. No wind to stir what little plant life there was left, no animals to scurry about, nothing.
And there, in the centre of it all stood two beings, frozen in pose after striking with their final attacks. The beast known as Tirek stood hunched over, holding his scythe as if he was frozen at the end of his swing, its blade dripping with alicorn blood. The mare slowly raised her neck to reveal a deep gash that cut from her left shoulder down across her chest, the armour containing the pink and purple jewels barely clinging to her body as her white coat became crimson with her blood.
And yet Tirek could not celebrate his hit, for when he stood up straight a feeling of numbness overcame his body. Looking down he saw his armour shatter to pieces and a large gash to mirror that of the mares’, only this one also had a hole in its owner’s chest where his heart should have been. Looking behind him, Tirek’s eyes widened to find a chasm began behind where he stood, expanding wider and plunging deeper as it went while a plateau off in the distance had been cleaved in two.
Looking back at her as he collapsed backwards, Tirek barely managed to grab the edge of the ravine with his left hand. Looking down gave Tirek a feeling he was normally eager to give to others; fear. Within the depths of the chasm were smoke and fire, a large inferno in constant, destructive motion. Tirek tried reach up with his other hand to escape, but his arm would not obey him. And standing above him was the mare, her judging eyes never changing from the moment she first saw him.
“W-What are you..?” Tirek tried asking, a difficult thing to do with a hole in ones chest.
“I am banishing you,” the mare replied, though in her voice Tirek could tell she was attempting to suppress the pain she felt. “Below you is a world on a different plain of existence to this one. You will not age, nor will you die.
“However from this place, henceforth to be known as Tartarus, you shall never escape. It will be your tomb from now until the end of time, and the tomb of all who share the darkness in your heart.”
Tirek snarled at the mare, knowing there was now nothing he could do. “Mark my words, mare of light, I will escape and even when I do I shall still be cursing your name, whatever it may be, from now until the end of time itself.”
“Your threats mean nothing to me beast, and I already told you that you do not deserve to know my name. Now rot in your prison for eternity. Your shroud of darkness shall never again fall upon this land.”
“We shall see,” Tirek said as his grip on the ledge faltered before giving out, plunging him to his infernal prison. When she decided he had fallen far enough, her horn glowed with magic before the edges of the chasm slammed shut, making it appear as though there never was one to begin with.
With the battle over the mare collapsed, her body spent and her power fading. The armour she wore crumbled around her save for the jewels and for a few infinite moments she simply lay there, trying to breathe while fighting the all-encompassing pain she felt in her chest. She could barely see now, her vision succumbing to dark spots that slowly grew in size. Raising her head, she closed her eyes and concentrated, knowing this would be her final act of creation.
Her horn lit up once more, and the six jewels that lay scattered about her levitated from the ground, now slowly circling the broken mare. Then she began fading. Her tail and hind legs began disintegrating into tiny pinpricks of light, like fireflies, slowly swirling up to the centre of the jewels’ circle.
My children, the mare mentally called out, hoping that her daughters may hear this last message in their dreams as the light gained speed, now engulfing her wings and body. I leave you a world in which I know you will create things more beautiful than I ever could. A single tear escaped her closed eyes but dripped off of a muzzle wearing a soft smile before both finally faded away, joining the lights in the circle.
The lights remained in place for a moment before slowly separating, each strand being absorbed into one of the six jewels. The jewels grew brighter with each absorbed light until all were shining like stars when the last lights were gone. Slowly the circle shrank as the jewels began ascending, rising higher and higher into the darkened sky. When they reached their apex, the jewels suddenly joined together as one and shot off through the sky to the east while in the silence of the now empty wasteland it started to rain, as if the world itself was mourning the loss of its guardian.
The light resembled a shooting star, soaring at breathtaking speeds across the lands before the valley came into view. Passing over the small cabin, the light travelled further over the partly-cloudy skies of the Everfree Forest before plummeting down through the ground into the floor of an underground cavern.
And there, unbeknownst to the two fillies that would one day find this place, did a small, crystal-like sapling begin to grow.
~~~*~~~
Celestia opened her eyes as a breeze passed over the mountain-top shrine. The brown leaves swayed as the gust flowed through, some even detaching before fluttering down the mountainside. It had been at least a few hours since she had arrived and the two sisters had simply sat under the shade of the centuries-old tree, dwelling silently on the past.
A sniff roused Celestia from her silence and she turned to see Luna silently sobbing, tears streaming down her face.
“Sister?” Celestia asked as she placed a radiant white wing across Luna’s back. The younger alicorn looked up to her sister, watery blue eyes looking for comfort in the magenta ones looking back.
“I-I failed her,” Luna spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper. Celestia’s gaze compelled her to continue, which Luna did after a shuddering breath.
“For-For a thousand years... locked away in the moon, I was...”
“Luna,” Celestia said while moving closer yet Luna stood and walked to the cliff-face, not wanting the affection.
“I became the very thing she would fight,” Luna carried on, her voice gradually rising. “The darkness she would vanquish and I never once thought of her during my imprisonment. I was unable to visit her for a thousand years, how can I ever call myself her daughter with pride? I am unworthy of-”
Luna was cut off when she felt a hoof on her shoulder before turning the princess around to face her sister, a caring yet focused look in her eye.
“Luna, listen to me when I say this, for it is the truth.” Celestia said carefully, both fore-hooves resting on Luna’s shoulders. “You are not, nor will you ever be unworthy of her love. Your becoming Nightmare Moon was not your fault, it was mine.”
“B-But Mother would-”
“Mother would love you and still does,” Celestia interrupted again. “Even after what happened to you, I’m certain she would forgive you for she loved the two of us more than life itself. That kind of love does not wash away because of a mistake, no matter what happened.”
Celestia’s eyes began watering as she continued, her emotions on the subject getting the better of her. “She still watches over us, even now. She protected you whilst you were trapped within Nightmare Moon, and she helped guide you home, back to the one pony that loves you anywhere near as much as she did.”
Luna looked upon her sister for a moment longer, as if searching for any sign this could be a lie before embracing Celestia in a hug, which she returned in kind. There they sat and shed tears. The world around them could have crumbled away and they would not have noticed. At that moment, Luna didn’t care about anything other than the fact that her sister was here for her and that, in her heart, she felt her mother’s love embrace and protect her, as it had when she was a filly.
After a few moments, the two broke the touching scene before returning to the base of the tree. Using her magic, Celestia created a hole around the roots of the tree and revealed a dirty steel box, its edges lined with the slow decay of millennia past. Luna flared her horn and lifted the box out of the hole with the greatest of care, gently setting it down on the grass nearby.
Looking to each other, the sister nodded before bringing the tips of their horns together, their combined magic creating a small but powerful spark of light. The light leisurely floated down to the box before phasing through it, a small clicking sound making itself heard. The box creaked as it opened on its own to reveal an inside lined with the softest red velvet imaginable. Despite the stains and decay on the outside of the box, the inside looked as if not one day had passed. Inside was but a single piece of paper, the words scrawled across it written in the finest writing style the world had ever seen.
Luna leaned into Celestia’s side as her older sister levitated the page in-front of them, a wing embracing her Celestia’s response. Together the two sat and read as one, as they had done countless years before, their mother’s last words to them.
My Dearest Children
If you are reading this and I have yet to return, then there is a large chance that I shall be unable to do so. I must be truthful with you, for I would never forgive myself if I lied to you now. As you know, while you slept I have travelled to confront whoever was responsible for the mental shockwave of magic that we felt yesterday. Whatever being created it will undoubtedly be strong, stronger than even I, and I have left knowing that there is little chance of my victory. This is why I leave the two of you with these words, for I know you will look after one another and are more than capable of defending yourselves.
I must also begrudgingly place the burden of my duties upon you, though I have given you enough time to rise to the challenge as I know you will. The sun and moon have been charged with enough magical energy to raise and lower themselves for at most two centuries. In that time you must learn to do this as I have done for the longest time, but I have every confidence that you will succeed. It will also be your duty to protect this world from those that seek to undo the harmony I have sown. I know these are daunting requests to place on shoulders as young as yours but know that if you ever need aid, seek out the powers of harmony and my strength will be yours.
Luna, my little star. I know you are easily frightened and shy, but know that you are so much stronger than you realise. You have an artistic spirit none can match and a gentle soul that can ease the troubles of those around you. Please be strong for me and care for your sister, as she will need you.
Celestia, my ray of sunlight. I know that as the elder sister you will face the brunt of the trials that lay ahead, but I also know that you are strong and courageous enough to overcome those challenges. Your curiosity and kind heart are second to none and yours is a light that will forever shine in the darkness. Please look after your little sister, for she will now depend upon you.
While this may be the last message I might ever give to you, know that out of all the life I have helped flourish in this world I am no prouder than of the two of you. Yours is a bright and shining future, one in which you shall guide this world together from darkness to the utopia I had always envisioned.
And although we may never see each other again, always remember this; I love both of you with all of my heart.
Now and forever more watching over you,
Mother