In my world we make our own destiny, whether anypony else likes it or not. The ponies with the longest horns or the fullest wings call themselves hero, while the pony with both calls himself king. King Alagan, my father, was exactly that pony.
He flew the swiftest and had the greatest and most rigorously trained magic. He had a pure white pelt, like my own, and a long black mane. He was a stallion of few words, until it came to his speeches. He would do absolutely anything for his kingdom and had very little time for his two daughters, aside from showing them the ropes of holding power. On top of all that, he had a peculiar knack for arranging and rearranging the sky, a talent that was split between his two daughters.
My younger sister, Luna, has the express power to command the moon and stars; I am responsible for raising the sun at dawn. My father, surprisingly, was more than willing to give up that power. It meant he could better keep and eye on his subjects with whom he ruled with a hoof clad in iron. His subjects trembled at his name and dared not speak out against him.
Even if anypony wanted to complain, they couldn't. Among the stars, where the Alicorns galloped and leaped, there was no crime or war. Everypony had food, water and shelter. In the mind of an Alicorn, raised in a society where the meek don't get reward, this was enough to be happy with the king.
"Feel lucky, my Alicorn subjects." My king addressed the masses. "The strong have filled their bellies and there is enough food left over for the weaklings. Had not there been, you would not have the meal you dine on tonight."
My king, my father, was not a cruel man, but he was very harsh and believed in natural selection more than he believed in himself as a God. He lived by the Great Alicorn's theories. The weak will die off naturally, and the strong will live to breed again. My father did not hurt those he considered weak, as he refused to bring nature's course into his own hooves. Of course, if it became necessary to further his cause as a leader, he would slaughter an entire race.
His being was committed to rearing a line of Alicorns unlike any other. They would be stronger, faster and smarter. Anypony would be mad to think of challenging his seemingly immortal Alicorn army.
We, as a race, lived a very long time, thousands of years, but we could be killed and would eventually die of old age. One of my father's only weaknesses was his love of beauty. He wanted beautiful Alicorns as well as mentally perfect soldiers. One of the most beautiful Alicorns, however, was weak in that soldier's state of mind and in her body. She did not live long enough to rear but two healthy foals before she became too weak to breed again.
My mother was an Alicorn much like myself, reserved and tender. She didn't care much for conquering and ruling. Her motto in life read something about kindness for everypony leading to a prosperous life. I hadn't seen her since I was a filly though, and my father forbade me to speak of her ever since she was banished. He thought she could change, but instead she "tainted his most prized possession." That would be me.
I was the first born of a new Alicornian legacy. I was born equipped with thick white feathers and a horn to rival my father's. My father once said the Gods sang on the day the sun was cast on my beautiful white pelt and pink mane. It was surprising he was a fan of the mane. He told me it was befitting of a princess, even of the warrior type.
What was, at the time unfortunate, and unlike my sister, I was not born with the Alicorn instincts it would have taken for me to unlock my "true potential." I was quiet and sweet as a foal. I clung to my mother when strangers came about, where as Luna, even as a little filly, was not afraid to command, even the highest ranking officers, to fetch her a glass of water.
Luna was born with a dark pelt. Her horn was not short, and her wings were not meager, but they were not as mine were. My father detested this supposed failure in genes and even with all the successes Luna made as a warrior, it was never enough for him. Her looks only reminded our father of the mare that ruined his perfect Alicorn daughter, and reared the second one a failure.
When it came to the day of reckoning, we would finally become true mares. The ceremony was held every five years, and I, as a 21-year-old mare, and Luna, as an 18-year-old mare, would receive our badges at the same time. Luna would have graduated the academy before me had the ceremony been held annually. She soared naturally; where I had to force myself to pillage enemy towns on planets I didn't know a thing about.
Alicorns were always watching and waiting for the time where they might strike their enemy and expand their kingdom. It was the final task of a studying Alicornian warrior to claim land in the name of the king.
On that day I was given my most hated alter ego; a mare clad in fire and armor. Her name was smeared in blood and rumors started hastily about the dealings of Solar Flare and her sister Nightmare Moon.
My father was ashamed to see me trade in my armor for being in the nude, as I was when I was a child.
"No mare is going to run around my castle indecent. If you won't be a warrior and claim your name with pride then you will wear dresses fit for a princess and you will be a proper lady. Then at least I can marry your off to some one who might breed me a better warrior."
I hated the dresses. They were just a flashy, uncomfortable, and even more restricting than the armor. Though, it was better than wearing that demonic force, which changed who I was.
Luna wore her armor with pride. When she put it on her blue fur changed to jet-black and she was a monster. She threatened the other Alicorns and anyone else in her way with infinite night. Knowing I wouldn't fight her to raise the sun, she got away with it. The creatures on any planet bowed to her and surrendered. She enslaved all of the natives and set up even more areas for the Alicorns to inhabit.
She wasn't mean or hateful. She wouldn't have enjoyed the destruction of these creatures had she realized they're creatures of the same intelligence, and just as worthy of life. She had let herself fall victim to the ideology of my father. None of them were bad souls, and all of them were wonderful Alicorns. It was I who had failed in that sense.
All of this continued until one day, I had had enough.
"Luna!" I called as she galloped full throttle toward a sphinx and her cub.
Luna stopped immediately. She hated more than anything for me to call her Luna when she was in her armor. Princess Luna didn't exist. She was a warrior of the Alicornian army, not just some silly princess like I was.
"What now?" She said angrily.
"This has to stop. Why does the child need to watch her mother die? Why does this have to happen?" I pleaded with her.
Enough was enough and I was sick of the pain and blood she was spreading. Before her, the Alicorns were at least at peace. Now, war was a constant endeavor.
"You are too weak to understand! You have all the vast power in this world and together we could be unstoppable! Instead you choose to sit around on your hind quarters and mope that everything isn't rainbows and butterflies!"
She didn't understand. She was taking things too far. Even father was not so cruel. She misunderstood his sternness as cruelty.
"Let's not remember who the stronger of is truly is, Princess Luna."
Luna was enraged.
"You? You mock me! Your body may be strong, but your mind is weak and that is where you falter."
"I do not question your strength, sister." I bowed my head in defeat, for she was right. "I am sorry."
Luna laughed sharply and turned back to the sphinx' who were now gone.
"Look what you have done! The sphinx will sing of the merciful and weak Nightmare Moon!"
Luna charged at me then, horn flaring with magic.
I lit my horn and charged back, knowing full well that if I didn't, she might kill me.
When our horns clashed the magic was felt in both of us. Our blood singed and the light lifted us into the air. We flapped desperately trying to gain control of the other in our upward spiral. Hooves met flesh and fur flew, each of us matched in skill.
I felt myself go limp, as the magic possessed me. It was in this state that I was finally proven to be the stronger of the two sisters. Though, we wouldn't know it until happened once more. For now, I didn't know what was happening to me. I thought for sure I was losing and that my sister had knocked me unconscious.
"Celestia!" I heard a scream before everything went dark.