The End of Her Reign
Twilight shivered as she looked down on her kingdom. She leaned against her castle balcony. The smell of smoke and dust filled the air as rampaging screams and shouts too sounded.
This is her kingdom. The kingdom which she ruled over and was expected to protect from harm's way. And the very thought makes her shiver.
She was supposed to protect them, but now they ended up protecting themselves.
This was so much easier before. For help was all around her. They helped her get to the top. They helped to make her who she is now. But they are no longer here. For they are but mere mortals. And being upgraded to being an alicorn, she was immortal. Which was a choice that she should've regretted years ago.
It's been decades. But it still haunted her as she remembered their faces. They left. Left her alone. Yet before, she had always wanted them to leave her alone.
But, why does she regret it so much now? Why did she wanted to be left alone?
Was it because she was upgraded into an alicorn? Making her superior over others? Was it because she became a Princess? Making her the top of everypony? Making her think that her time shouldn't be wasted around ponies like them?
She exhaled with a shaking breath as she glanced down again at her kingdom. Ponies rampaging, some hiding in their homes, some robbing others for food or bits. Violence was also visible as the thick scent of blood entered her nostrils, writings written in blood on the walls of houses and buildings. The town was painted red, along with the civilians.
Knocks came knocking on the door of the room that leads to the balcony. Shouts coming from her guards could be heard, but she tried as hard as to muffle them as she closed her eyes in frustration.
What made her sink this low? What happened to her and her kingdom? What ever happened to......to the 'best Princess and super best friend ever'?
She smiled softly as she remembered the title a friend had given her. The warm hug that came with it. The smiling friend that gave the hug and the ridiculous title. Her friend. And the Element of Laughter.
She's gone now. And what killed her inside was that, she was glad to be rid of her before.
She was glad that there was nopony else to try and cheer her up from the outside of her castle by throwing balloons in or firing her party cannon anymore. She was glad that there was nopony that would bang on her castle doors, asking for her to come outside so she could see a 'surprise' and soon be forced by her guards to escort her away from the castle, sometimes taking extreme measures to make sure that she learns to leave her alone, yet even after taking extreme measures, even after being bruised or threatened, she didn't stop. Day after day, months after months, years after years of trying to bring a smile to the princess's face. And that was how the most cheerful pony in her kingdom died in a sad and depressing state.
She could feel her eyes well as she remembered the day her guard had reported the news to her. And what pierced her was not because of hearing the news of her friend that had dropped dead in front of her castle, but was because......she didn't care. She was actually relieved.
But she tried her best to not cry as she inhaled a shaky breath, and exhaled.
She was then confused as she saw something come towards her. She squinted as she realised that it was flaming. She quickly pounced back as the burning thing fell onto the castle balcony.
Through the flame she could see what it was that was burning. A cloth, with a big red, yellow and orange stripe pattern on it. At least, that's what it looked like. For the cloth was slowly turning black and soon to Ash from being burned.
Twilight acted quickly as she stomped onto it, trying to kill the flame, while heart wrenching shouts and cries as the sounds of her guards stomping, hitting and beating could also be heard.
Another memory came to mind. She stopped as she looked down at the charcoal black cloth, colours faded.
The colours reminded her of someone. A certain pegasus, to be exact. The Element of Loyalty herself.
All was left were ashes of the cloth as she stomped. Memories of the tragedy of a certain pegasus too came to mind.
The pegasus got herself trapped in a fire while rescuing her guards in town hall. She was found hours later after the fire subsided, only left with her charred remains.
Twilight closed her eyes as she remembered the graphic image. She felt slightly nauseous at the thought.
Speaking of pegasus, a thought occurred to her. Whatever happened to the Element of kindness herself? Come to think of it, she hasn't showed up in years.
...how could she be so thick skulled? Of course she won't visit her anymore. She's never even seen her in town. Well, the only view she gets of town is from the balcony or the windows of the castle, considering she can't be risked out of the castle to get attacked by ponies and getting herself killed.
....why would she care about that anyway?
She regretted everything. She's the reason Equestria is falling. She's the reason everycreature is at war. She's the reason for the lost of innocent lives.
She's the reason for the lost of her friends.
Applejack moved with her family for the sake of her family and her own safety.
Rarity was last seen with Fluttershy, if she could recall. Gradually, Rarity was seen less and less and eventually gone. Fluttershy was never heard of after that as well.
She had an aching feeling that they were....no longer with her. That they might've got into an accident or got themselves involved in the wars. Maybe they're not here anymore.
Maybe they're dead.
It's reasonable for them to leave. Even Celestia never contacted her ever since wars have been starting.
Did she fear her?
Her own mentor?
Can't be.
Her chest felt heavy. She felt as though she had hit the lowest of rock bottom. Ponies were chanting around her castle.
Slowly, she edged towards the balcony, only to be pulled away quickly by her guards as a flaming arrow flew towards her but luckily missed her and shot the floor.
But as her guards tried to pull her into the castle, she restrained, only to be yelled at by her guards warning her that she'll get herself killed.
But the voices were all muffled in her mind as tears streamed down her face. The shouts and yells were inaudible as she stared off into the gloomy sky.
The castle grounds were suddenly shaking as thick smoke surrounded the castle grounds. Cheers and hurrahs could be heard from below as they chanted mockingly 'Long live the Princess!'.
"Princess! We need to leave! The castle is burning!" said a guard as he tried to get her attention. Bur she continued to stare out, dazed by the gloom.
Her guards braced themselves, although hesitant, ran out of the castle as they didn't want to come down with the castle. Twilight gave a shaky sigh as she felt the castle slowly crumbling.
She knew she was done for. This was the end for the princess of friendship. This time, she was right. She did fail friendship. Friendship never failed her.
But before she let fate be fate, her horn glowed as six letters appeared. Taking her time as the flames grew bigger, she magicked herself a quill.
She took time to write in every one of those letters. Tears falling at times. As the flames creeper closer, she managed to finish them in less than a few minutes. She looked up authentic gloomy sky one more time as she magicked the letters away.
She could feel the heat of the flames radiate towards her now. She knew it was time.
She walked towards the edge of the balcony once more. Looking down at the crowd below, she cried harder as it reminded her of her mistakes and the misery she put them in.
She looked back at the town. Destroyed, demolished.
She lowered her head a little as she closed her eyes. Slowly, she pushed herself off of that balcony.
The last thing she saw was the gloomy sky above her. The last thing she heard was the cries and cheers of ponies.
The last thing she whispered as she fell was:
"Equestria is safe....from me."