At the end of an immortal path someone from long ago might be able to help Twilight find her way. Her brother. Maybe he would help her find what she needed.
At the end of Twilight’s immortal path, far more in the future than even herself had expected to go, a memory reintroduced itself. It was of her brother from so long ago. She longed for something, but maybe he could help her find what she really needed.
The twinkles were all that remained in the blackness.
Twilight Sparkle was my name long ago, back when I was once an alicorn of the equine race; a god amongst my people for thousands of years.
But even then, that time was like a blip on the radar of life; one blink and it was gone forever.
When time came to glide amongst the stars, it was a journey that I had to take alone. Even others who held a fraction of power I’ve accumulated had to stay their hooves, left behind to the fate that was coming for all. Well… all except me.
Celestial winds had carried me to every corner of the universe. With galaxies, stars, planets, and moons, there was all so much, yet at the same time so very little. All these bodies had never brought a connection like I had so long ago; it was like looking upon a blank canvas that stretched to infinity, the painting that was once there long since faded into nothingness.
Nebulas brought together and galaxies ripped apart; no matter how many how many stars I ignited to light the darkness around me it never brought back that spark.
In a universe where I was creation and destruction, I was bound in this immortal shell to the ever forward advance of time.
My brother.
Like a faint candle in the far recesses of my mind, a memory came of another I once knew. Another who was bonded to me from the beginning, yet another who was left behind as I moved on. The familiar melancholic feeling came again, but oddly there was something else: a feeling of want, and a hunger for more. Again I soared on ethereal wings through my domain, moving not idly by cosmic tides, but with purpose.
My brother.
That feeling came once again as I arrived in a familiar place. So long ago I had forgotten his name, but here before me I saw him shining like a beacon of light in the darkness, armoured against the void with its bright blue rays.
His warmth radiated onto me was more than just that of a star. It felt like something more. It was something more.
With an impassioned plea we closed the distance as we moved to meet each other; a bonding that hadn’t happened since long ago, near the start of my own existence. Blues and purples mixed as our essences joined and we coalesce into one.
It was hard to deny the sense of excitement and familiarity this made me feel again. Could this have been a spark? The thing that I had been longing for since forever?
We pushed in close, daring not to stray away in the slightest. His blue tendril reached out and I accepted it into my very being.
It lit up something inside me as we glowed brighter and sent off a pulsating spectrum in all directions. It would have been hard to ignore something so brilliant if I weren’t at the center of it all, helping feed into this grand merging.
With how long it had been, this felt like something new entirely, a sensation unrealized for many millenniums. Sensual energy flowed through me once more, filling me and reenergizing parts of me that I hadn’t felt in an eternity.
Our spirits started to rise as the union was reaching its peak. Slight quivers turned into rumbles which turned in to shakes; violent throes of our beings sent waves upon waves of our essence crashing into each other. The heat could have been hotter than all the stars combined, but I kept it in. Even as he exploded deep into my core and his heat filled me entirely, I kept it in.
Or at least I tried.
Only a speck had escaped, a wayward particle breaking from my hold. It was enough to steal my focus away and set off a cataclysmic chain reaction inside myself. All that was held tight suddenly broke free form its bonds, following that speck in glorious fashion. The pinnacle of all this energy was coming and my own eruption was imminent. Soon I was shining bright, pushing into his embrace with all that I had in this final moment. It was a magnitude beyond any scope of comprehension, an explosion that every part of existence could have felt just as I had. The ripples of this moment would most likely remain for just as long as me.
Tensions started to relax and heat rapidly dissipated as we separated for the first time since this union began. Even as we cooled I could still feel what he had left inside. It was a glowing spark of himself, shining brighter as I nurtured it from within. It was his energy that remained, giving me the seeds to start something new, grow life once forgotten into a new generation, beginning the cycle once more.
Even as we moved apart I didn’t go far; his warm radiance bathed me as we waited for our own light to grow. These magical moments helped me give it enough careful attention and nourishment to get its ember to glow brighter. But soon enough, the new light inside me was ready.
With as much care and focus as I could muster, I laid it on a nearby planet. It wasn’t long before the brown and grey world started to flush with new greens and blues along its surface, with a mother watching as her children’s home flourished. Here it would grow, safely orbiting around their blue parent star.
In wonder I watched on to a sight I hadn’t seen before, I felt myself reach out, only for something else to meet me along the way. It invited me into the world below, asking for me to take a step and join my creations. The connection was there, I only had to accept it.
Maybe this is what I needed.
A break from immortality and a chance to live again.
From the farthest of heights I fell towards the vibrant mosaic of life filled colours covering the planet; through puffy white clouds in the blue sky, all the way down to the deep greens and dark browns of the fertile land below.
So long had the empty shades of space surrounded me, that when I finally touched down and looked at the world around me, it felt truly alien. But this was still my creation… our creation. He was still up there, shining on the lands below, helping give heat and life to all that we made.
The soft blanket of green cushioned my hooves for the first time and continued to grow tall in the wake of my steps. This world was a new beginning, the next chapter in the universal story. But even with this changed landscape, it needed more; it was only a canvas for greater things to come and I was the artistic instrument to make it become real.
Magic flowed from me, reaching for the light of this world and pulling at the very strings of creation. It stretched and squished as I kneaded it into several shapes. Moulding it seemed almost trivial, being guided by my skill and yet coming alive on its own as if some unseen force was lending its insight. An ethereal form soon stood before me; one crafted in my equine image. The magic didn’t stop there; others being fashioned together until a herd had formed; the first herd in history.
The air remained ripe with magic, and as we danced, ate, and played, crackling bolts shot off haphazardly in all directions. Flocks of winged creatures soared from struck trees, small rodent creatures sprang from bolts impacting the ground, and on the largest of strikes, creatures that were bigger than any member of our herd came into existence.
Life generated exponentially as we wandered along the landscape until chrips, squeaks, howls and buzzes filled the air in a cacophony of sounds, letting the world know that they were alive. Each step we took left the ground crackling with our life-giving electricity, but eventually that sound started to simmer and the wild chain reaction slowed as the magic cooled.
The ethereal shapes of the new equines were starting to become more defined, solidifying and sheading the star-like lights outlining their form. They still held onto their translucent properties, almost similar to that of a precious gem.
They weren’t the only ones who were changing either; even my own hooves were starting to match the crystalline features of theirs. I could feel each of my steps in the field much more distinctly, the cool air filling my lungs for the first time, and the gravity of this world grasping hold and tying me to it.
Wandering didn’t last long. Soon we were moving from fields to homes, building up into castles and then kingdoms. Ponies learned, grew, and developed into a civilisation that dared to last through the ages. From humble beginnings they were flourishing here, growing outside of my territory onto new lands past the horizon. Before, I had all beings under my watchful eye, but my vision over them became limited and I could no longer sense every creature here. My magic tempered too as our kingdom expanded and ponies multiplied. Incredible feats of celestial creation were behind me, yet I still could do more than anypony here.
I had met many and connected with them through their lives, getting to watch as each generation grew and helped build upon what their parents had left before them. We were reaching new highs, but not all was perfect.
As our lights grew, darkness from the voids above always seemed to creep in upon this land, trying to take what we had built and return it to nothingness. It started as small shadows here and there, until evil creatures spawned and disrupted all in their wake. The small incursions were manageable at first, but as they grew in strength and numbers, there was only so much I could do alone.
It wasn’t long before my children had to be sent out to defeat them. Proud warriors; they went by hoof, wing, and magic to each corner of the world. Wielding metal and spells, they fought bravely to hold back the darkness. Most never returned, and I could feel my magic grow each time it happened.
The shadows pushed like a blight upon the land until more of my children succumbed; each time my magic grew. And as my power rose, I could help bring life back to this land, growing us up until we saw the pinnacle of our civilization once more. But from there my power fell, and the darkness took hold again and slowly pulled away what we had built; there was little I could do to stop it.
Through the ages, my magic ebbed and flowed in this cycle of strength and vulnerability. I tried to push further each time, but like a giant staircase, getting up to the next step was a daunting task.
Then six came.
They were smaller lights to help in this world and keep all that we held dear. As if they were a gift from the ether, they came from throughout the world, brought together by a purposeful spark. Strangers who forged a friendship that was greater than any of them ever thought at the time. Quelling the darkness, they helped push it back time and time again when my magic had faded into a fraction of what it once was. Crisis after crisis they stood together, defiantly holding strong and rising to the occasion when all was on the precipice of disaster.
They reminded me of a time so long ago. I was once one of the six, but that was before I took upon this mantle of responsibility. Time had me nearly forget this role, but seeing them thrive in their destinies brought a sliver of that memory. Warmth filled my heart each time I thought of it, but then the cold reality took over; a place I’d never get back. Was it even worth knowing when each time it hurt to remember?
Our kingdom seemed safe as they took up this duty of care. They were all heroes, students, and friends. Each for me to help mentor and grow into the best versions of themselves; leaning on me for help just as much as I leaned on them. But even with them and everypony else that I knew, it all felt hollow in its own way, like I had been through this before.
I had been through this before.
My friends, my family, all lost to the sands of time. There were others here, sure. They helped fill some of the momentary emptiness, but could never fully repair the wounds that had been left by all the passings and memories that faded away. Even now, I couldn’t remember their faces or their names; there was just the faint inkling in the back of my mind that they did exist, holding on until they were truly forgotten.
Even the shining blue star above – my brother – seemed like a naïve wish to believe he was here with me. But every time I reached my magic out, crossing the distance to meet him up there, I could feel his spirit. He remained like me, lingering on through time in our own ways. Maybe I would see him again, feel him beside me, but for now my home was with these ponies; our children.
And our home was in danger.
The creeping darkness may have been pushed back for a time, but try as we might, it never stopped entirely. It would win. It had always won in the end.
One by one, the six eventually faltered or faded away, and each time a little more of our kingdom was taken away permanently. Six more eventually came back to replace the others, but it was like trying to plug holes on a sinking ship. They may have helped keep us afloat for just a bit longer, but it was only delaying the inevitable.
Even with my magic surging to the highest point it had been at in recent memory, restoring the life back to this place would have been futile. Day after day my powers increased. The skies had turned from their blue into a tainted orange and brown. When the trees and grass grew in the spring, they held autumn colours of orange, red and yellow, with barely any hints of green on them.
I had wandered through the pastures where we had once begun so long ago, feeling a faint cracking on the ground as my hooves walked on the earth. Another memory of good times now lost, only leaving me searching for something more.
My eyes turned up to the skies and to the stars. The blue star shining bright called to me again, asking me to join it up above and leave this place. My wings caught the wind as I rose above it all, colours fading into dry earthy smears across the landscape.
I departed, leaving this world and the few who remained behind to their fate. There was little I could do waiting here and had to go elsewhere. I knew I had to move, had to look; there was something I was missing, something I needed.
“You’ve come such a long way,” I said as I walked down the lengthy hallway leading to the castle balcony. Two stark white alicorns were in tow, each covered in golden regalia and blue ceremonial garbs from hoof to neck; their heads remained bare.
“We couldn’t have done it without your help, Princess Twilight,” Crescent said as she gave a short respectable bow, just enough that her yellow mane bobbed as she moved.
“Yeah!” Crescent’s brother Gibbous cheered from the other side. “I mean… you were the one who practically taught us everything we knew in one way or another. Besides, I’m sure you’d have taken care of that whole falling moon problem if we weren’t here.”
“Heh, there is no need to be so modest. Both of you stepped up when we needed you most, and for that the kingdom and I are grateful,” Twilight said as they slowly walked, taking as long as they could to savour the few moments they had before everything changed. “But today is your day, and you should celebrate.”
“I know,” Crescent said with a small sigh. “It’s just that… this is it. We’re going to be the next rulers and you’re stepping down. It seems so soon.” She stopped in her tracks. “Do you think we’re ready for this? Like, I know you think we are… but are you really sure that we’re ready for this?”
Even Gibbous’s confidence waivered on his face, glancing at his sister a few times. “Yes,” I said simply and watched their tense forms relax ever so slightly… at least for a few moments. “Two ponies. The prophesies foretold of this; stopping the moon from crashing down and ending all of ponykind as we knew it. If I didn’t know better, I think that you two matched the specifics perfectly. Don’t you agree?”
The two blushed a little and nodded.
“Besides, it’s not like I can rule forever. I was going to need to retire eventually,” I said with a small smile before sighing softly as I looked over at the balcony. I started to move my hooves and they followed as we neared ever closer to the noises of the crowd outside.
“We’ll take on anything that comes our way,” Gibbous said as he moved over to his sister, bumping up against her shoulder and nuzzling her cheek. “I think we’re ready.”
She just rolled her eyes but nuzzled back and shared a small kiss. “You’re always ready.” The two chuckled together, right up until they were at the door and the reality of their next steps was becoming known again.
“To think that you two came to me when you were but little foals, playing through these halls without a care in the world, and now, you’re walking along, ready to take up the biggest responsibility of all.” They stepped out into the blue sun shining above and were greeted by a melodic choir of cheers from below. “Probably more responsibility than either of you two realize.”
Ponies from every corner of the kingdom were down below: friends, families, and everypony else coming together in this day of unity. “Greetings, everpony!” Twilight said as the three of them waved and the crowd started to settle down.
“For a thousand years I have ruled this land alone, watching and guiding you all, keeping this land safe from any who threaten us. But when prophesies foretold of the moon to come crashing down, it was my two students, Crescent and Gibbous who stepped up. They saw the signs of the stars joining together, plotting, and waiting until the last summer solstice to eclipse our great sun.
“As you are well aware, the darkness was pushed back once more when my students put the moon back to where it belonged. With it, they discovered a new lunar magic that rivalled anything I’ve seen in my rule. I believe this is the next step for us all; a way forward to safely grow and thrive.
“Today we are in an age of peace and prosperity, but yet we are also in an age of change. Princess Crescent and Prince Gibbous,” I said as I stepped back, letting them take center stage. “These are the new rulers of our kingdom, to bring all of ponykind into the future as one; staying as strong as the bonds of friendship that has hold us all together.”
“It is time for you two to fulfill your destiny.” My horn lit up, lifting the crown from my head and high up into the air for all to see. A brilliant white glow came from it, mixed in with heavy purple bolts as it split down the middle, separating and morphing into two distinct crowns: one with a sliver of moon, and the other with a sliver of darkness decorating the center.
The magic around the crowns quickly cooled and then gingerly settled down upon their heads. It was almost like their nervousness had completely disappeared; they stood proud, confident… regal; like they were born for this very moment.
A sad smile crossed my face as we looked up to booming in the sky. Fireworks sent high up erupted and flooded the sky in brilliant colours. The smoke left behind swirled in to the center until it resembled the two royal siblings.
Their friends had taken care of most of the arrangements and added a few personalized details to the whole affair: rehearsing with the orchestra that was making itself known just now, choosing the tigers standing dutifully at attention, quiet enough that one could easily not even notice them when walking onto the balcony. Even the artistic arrangement in the sky was one to marvel at.
It all was truly an excellent display for this royal coronation; worth the many hours of practice that I helped them plan out to make everything perfect. This was what I imagined a coronation should always have been, but to be fair, this was the only true one that I could remember. I never really had a formal coronation to start my reign; I more just assumed this power from the two others from long ago and held onto it through my long life.
As the royal siblings started their speech to the crowd, I wondered just how perfect my coronation would have been too. If I was in their place, it would have been spectacular; expertly planned just as this. But even if I did, I would never have known exactly what I was taking on at the time; what cruel fate we were celebrating.
I sighed as I looked at the two. They smiled and looked so happy in the moment, greeting the crowds as new rulers for the first time and hear the roar of applause and appreciation. It looked as exciting to them since the time they became alicorns. Right after the moon was set back onto its stable path, we met on an ethereal plane; all three of us there for a special occasion.
The perfect two to take up this mantle was clear then; as clear as it had ever been. Raw magical talent right now, but with care and focus they could rival or even surpass my own. Who knew what these two would be able to do if their time was as long as mine. Would one eventually have all our power, or would they share it equally? I wondered if I would even know. Maybe the future would finally have a mysterious veil covering it that I would never see behind. I smiled, only hoping that was the case.
With another loud roar from the crowd signalling the end of their speech, the two lit up their horns. The cheers quickly silenced as everypony watched up with amazement. The moon was surrounded in a blue and green aura as it swiftly started to move into position where the light from our blue sun bisected the moon; half covered in a bright glow and the other half cast in shadows. Even for ponies that weren’t here, this was something the whole world would have seen; they would know that change has happened.
But just as fast as everything had happened, an applause came about for one last time as the two siblings waved goodbye, officially ending the ceremony.
This was it.
As they came walking back in I took a long breath, expecting the air to feel different but it never did. Everything felt the same and yet still seemed as fleeting as every breath I took.
“Whew!” Gibbous cheered loudly as the balcony doors swung closed. He pranced in place with an energy that looked like he was ready to start bouncing along then walls. “Oh that was fun. Exciting! Phew, I was sure I was going to flub at least a part of that speech.”
“But we didn’t! And now we’re officially royals!” Crescent joined in, staring right at Gibbous’s blue mane and new golden resident perched upon it. “I don’t think I can get enough of looking at your crown.”
“You two remind me of some ponies that I knew a long while ago,” I said, taking the lead as we walked. “Graduating magic kindergarten, the two siblings were so happy to be passing with top marks and joining under my tutelage. It was a dream come true for them and probably the most important thing they every thought they could do at the time.”
All three of us shared a glance and a smile until I followed up. “At least we didn’t need to stop the astronomy lab from burning down right after.”
“Hey!” Gibbous retorted. “Are you going to keep bringing that up forever? It was one little flame and we got it put out without too many ponies getting hurt.”
Crescent just rolled her eyes. “Really, I still don’t understand how a telescope catches fire like that. I guess there’s a reason why we thought you were always exceeding our expectations.”
“Oh really?” Gibbous sceptically asked. “I seem to recall you being partially responsible for that fire too.”
“I don’t remember. It must have been too long ago,” she said with a teasing smile, sticking out her tongue a little.
That time still felt fresh in my mind, almost like it was yesterday. I could have set the record straight every time they brought it up, but there was always something so fascinating about watching them reach back that far, trying to grasp at the very fringes of their memory. It seemed almost trivial of a feat to do, but relatively, it was a lifetime for them yet a blink of an eye for me.
“Besides,” Crescent continued. “We don’t need to think about the past like that when we got our whole future to plan out.” She paused, almost as if she thought the words we held more weight than intended. “How long are we planning for? Do you think it will even come close to yours? Like, you’ve reigned for a thousand years.”
“Yes, that is what the history books say.” My smile stayed on my face for as long as her curious eyes pried. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” But even though her questions barely scratched the surface, she seemed content with that; they both did. It was hard to even think about offering an explanation to somepony else who was truly searching for an answer.
They would ask in time, but at this moment it wasn’t on their minds; they probably didn’t even notice the light that I gave them when they ascended to their alicorn forms either. But for right now, it was my time to retire and be free to be left behind.
At least they had each other to spend the rest of forever with, instead of the island of solitude I remained in. Now it was I who could be with the ones who I had left along the way. This burdensome gift left to me by the two goddesses would now find another.
“I think we can do it,” Gibbous said, smiling and nodding confidently at his sister. “Together.”
“Together,” she copied, smiling back and sauntering up close. “Celebrations back in my room?” Her tail wrapped around his and tugged as they walked.
A subdued whinny came from him instantly, as if she just pressed several buttons in exactly the right way. “It’s like you read my mind.”
Soft giggles started between the two, like two foals going on a date for a first time and poorly hiding it from their parents. The sides of their muzzles were pressed up against each other, lips barely meeting the faintest definition of a kiss. They were leaning against each other’s sides as they walked, threatening to fall over and take this to a whole other level.
Hopefully they would be able to make it to the bedroom first beforehand, but if not… I guess it didn’t really matter. They were the rulers now. It’s not like I could have given them a timeout like when they were younger and trying to sneak away to every corner of the castle; where they thought was free from my watchful eye. It was an indulgence that I never imagined being able to partake in after being born to walk alone like this. They had each other though, so maybe it might be different for them… or maybe it was only wishful thinking.
I looked at the blue sun outside through the window. Something nagged at the back of my mind like a dream from long ago, but I couldn’t put my hoof on exactly what; like a breeze I knew something had been there, but it was now gone.
Maybe it was the time? It was almost late afternoon once all the celebrations had been finished. There were still many more hours until evening was here, but those two looked like they had tonight already planned.
I reached the door at the end of the hallway and gave a sigh as I pushed it open. The two had been trailing back further, too preoccupied to keep pace while they whispered sweet words into each other’s lips. Whether for good or ill, they would be able to spend as many nights together as they wished from now on, burdened with each other and time forevermore.
“Good luck,” I said before whispering under my breath. “And I’m sorry.”
