A/N: Hello, all! this story is somewhat of a prequel to Unrefusable Offer, though you don't have to read either one to understand the other. The events just take place in the same world, following the same sort of theme.
Anywho, I'm ridiculously proud of this first chapter and would love to hear what you think about it!
"It's spreading, sister," says Luna, softly. She steps close to the white alicorn, following Celestia's gaze.
She can see the sun rising in the far distance, raised by her elder sisters love and will and pure magical power. Beyond that though, she sees the way that the night sky moves, spreading downwards and trying to choke out the dawn.
It is not Luna's doing. It is not even night. Merely looks that way, seems that way, is cold and covers everything that it touches in shadow.
Luna does not like it, because she does not know what it is.
Celestia does not like it because she knows exactly what it is doing.
"I know, Luna. I'm trying to stop it, even as we speak," assures Celestia, and she strains as she brings in the morning light.
-x-x-x-
It has not reached the lands of her ponies, that strange, moving shadow. It is still on the furthest stretch of fertilized land, where the Antelope herds run free and brave and strong.
They do not speak of the troubles hitting their home.
Then again, muses Celestia, they do not speak much at all.
She steps out of her room and onto the adjacent balcony, taking in the strong kingdom that she calls her own. They are just small specks on a green and blue background, but they thrive and each one has a story, a name, a place in the world.
Celestia prides herself on the fact that she knows each and every one. For each and every one, she silently fights her own battle.
-x-x-x-
"Sister?" questions Luna, pausing just outside of her elder sisters bedroom.
For a long moment, there is no answer. Then Celestia's voice rings out, steady and gentle, and welcomes her inside.
Luna listens, pads into the room, and the sight scares her. Celestia is still standing out on her balcony, eyes towards the sky, back to the rest of the world. "Sister...the guards are starting to worry. This is a very long dawn."
"I'm trying, Luna," assures Celestia, and she doesn't sound strained. Just a little upset, a little annoyed, a little more unsettled then usual.
Luna narrows her eyes, moving to join the white alicorn beside the window. She can see the same sights there as her sister - green lands and blue skies and a creeping darkness that is spreading over it all, fighting with the rising beams of sunlight.
Fighting.
Struggling.
Twisting.
Pushing it back, back, back into the night that shouldn't have been there.
"What's happening, Celestia?" breaths Luna.
"From light comes shadows, Luna, and my powers are waning. There is something coming towards Equestria and it is coming fast. I won't be able to hold it for long," says Celestia, and with that last word the new day bursts forth and she gives a long sigh, a heavy sigh, a worn sigh.
Beside her, Luna can do nothing but stare, wide eyed, and hope that Celestia does not mean what she thinks.
The days pass by and they pass slowly and quickly and sometimes not at all. Luna must set the sun more often then not, and watches through worried eyes as Celestia struggles to raise it each morn.
All the while, the shadows grow closer, more defined.
Sometimes, Luna looks into them and swears that she sees faces.
Sometimes, Luna looks into them and swears that she sees claws.
Sometimes, Luna looks into them and swears that she sees the complete destruction of Equestria, and her elder sister along with it.
It is in those moments that Luna is truly afraid. She does not know what her sister meant before, does not know what is coming into her should-be-peaceful land, but she does know one thing.
If Celestia cannot stop it, then she will not be able too either.
As the days pass by, Celestia retreats into her room for longer expanses of time. For her part, Luna retreats as well. Not into her room, but into the library, where she surrounds herself by the books and tomes and scrolls.
She stays there far into the night, pouring over the faded texts until her eyes begin to ache and the words blurr together. More than once, she is woken up by an irate guard after falling asleep at the table, her face pressed against the pages.
Tonight is no different, and the pegasus guard looks at her through narrowed eyes.
"Princess Luna," he says, clearly annoyed. "This cannot keep happening. It is not safe for you to be in here at night. Not under current circumstances."
Luna blinks up at him sleepily, and wonders if she should argue. It works sometimes, and she can convince them to stay with her, because she is trying to solve the problem, after all.
That night though, she is just too tired. There are so many books and none seem to hold the answer that Luna is seeking, and so she just nods and stands up. A book falls to the floor, pages spread, and she leaves it there.
The guard looks surprised. He doesn't say anything though, just ushers her out of the dimly lit library and into the too-black hall.
"Princess Luna." The guards voice echoes through the library, and it is the same one that always seems to be fetching her lately. White coat and grey mane and steely eyes, ones that bore into Luna, judging her for all that she does.
Luna frowns at him and sits up a little straighter. "What is it, Silver Lining?"
"You have been in here far too long," says Silver Lining, and his voice is just as judging as his eyes.
"I'm busy, and you know that!" snaps Luna, and she is getting tired of this. Of constantly being interrupted while she searches for a cure, a weapon, anything that could explain to her what those shadows are.
Silver Lining's expression doesn't change. "It's noon and Princess Celestia has not risen the sun yet. Ponies are beginning to worry."
The 'as they should' is not added. Not verbally, at least. Luna knows it's there though, and she has to try hard not to sneer at the pegasus guard. Instead, she stands up, lets the book she had been reading close, and nods.
"Tell them that it's simply me practicing my magic, and I wasn't able to raise the sun on my own." The words are bitter on Luna's tongue, admitting a defeat that wasn't really there.
She is supposed to be the next ruler, after all.
Has a lot to make up for.
Knows they will judge her.
Doesn't change her mind though, and just heads towards her sister's chambers.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Days turn into weeks turn into a month, and Luna finds herself back out on the balcony where she first spotted the dark shadows. They are closer now, much closer, and there is no white alicorn for her to gain comfort from.
Celestia does not leave her room any more. Doesn't raise the sun either, and Luna finds herself exhausted all the time.
Her magic reservoirs are still small, and the task of ruling over both the moon and the sun is difficult for her. More so because she still spends her free time in the library - which has turned up no results, and there are only so many more books that could hold information on the subject.
Behind her, a unicorn guard clears his throat.
Luna doesn't turn around. "What is it?"
"The antelope elder seeks council with you, Princess Luna. She says she will not leave until she speaks to you." answers the guard - and Luna thinks his name may be Sunbeam, but she isn't completely certain.
Their names always escape her, and she wracks her mind on the matter the entire way down the hall.
-x-x-x-x-
The antelope herd is a proud race. They speak little with the other herds, and live in a land that is far, far away. They don't have a Royal Family or a Chief, but listen to the words of the oldest antelope at the time, because age is a virtue in their tribe.
Standing before Luna is that elder, a once beautiful doe. Her name is Cloud That Races Hawk, and her eyes are sharp and small and black. Her gaze is one that garners respect, because it is clear that she has seen and done many, many things in the course of her life.
The rest of Cloud, however, is what holds Luna's attention. The antelope is gaunt, pelt pulled tight against skin and each rib visible. Her face is hollow and her eyes sunken in, even as they flick from guard to guard.
Luna almost doesn't remember to bow, she is so caught up in taking in the horrid scars that litter the doe's body. "Cloud That Races Hawk. It is an honor to have you visit our kingdom."
"Honor does not bring me here. Nightmares do - and you must know those better than any," says Cloud, and she speaks with that strange lilt that all antelope do. "I come not for help. I come to warn."
"Warn?" It takes a moment for Luna to figure out what Cloud is talking about, and then she remembers how the shadows creeped towards the Far Lands, into them, devoured them all. "Can you tell me something about the clouds? What are they doing?"
"No," hisses Cloud, and for a brief moment there is a wild look in her eyes. A look of prey that is being hunted and knows there is no where left to hide. Then she shakes her head and repeats herself, louder this time. "There are no words in my tongue or in yours to talk about them. Just know that the black clouds bring Death. My people have seen Death and most did not beat it. It chases us now."
Luna's tired mind races to keep up with Cloud, who speaks with sharp, fast words that really don't make sense to her. When she says as much, the doe just gives a tired shake of her head.
"The black cloud chases us. It chases you. It chases us all, and Death travels with it. My family is dead and the few bucks and does who are left are injured. Tired. Hungry." Cloud That Races Hawk shakes her head. "We cannot stop though. Not here. Not further. You should run also, pony."
And for the briefest of seconds, with that last word, Luna sees it. Black shadows invade the sky, and confused antelope look up. There are claws and screams and the roar of something unnatural, and those faces in the mist take on heads, take on bodies, take up arms.
She watches through Cloud's eyes as the antelope herd is attacked. One by one, their fighters fall to the ground. One by one, their children are slaughtered. One by one, they ignore the elder's pleas to retreat, instead sharpening their antlers on rocks and then charging
falling
screaming
dying
until Cloud That Races Hawk is one of the only survivors left, her antler shorn and her white fur stained with blood.
Then Luna blinks and the vision is gone, Cloud vanishing back into the city with it.
-x-x-x-
Luna cannot sleep that night. Even though her body is exhausted, she cannot get Cloud That Races Hawk's words from her mind. Over and over they echo, as she tries to piece them together like parts of an ill-fitting puzzle.
Her hooves carry her from her room to the library, and Silver Lining is already standing in there, by the table that she has set up as hers.
"Princess," his voice is deep, troubled, and those dark eyes bore into her like never before. "You cannot go much longer without rest. Even I can see the toll that it's taking on you."
Shaking her head, Luna trudges over to one of the nearby shelves. "I can't stop, not yet. That old antelope had to have some reason for stopping by, there had to be something she said that was important!"
But there are too many words and too many possibilities and the library is much too big for one lone mare to try and go through on her own. After a moment of staring forlornly at the shelf before her Luna turns large, tired eyes onto Silver Lining.
"Will you help me look?" she asks, and it's a strange thing. To ask and not command. Somehow though, with him, it seems right.
He is loyal, after all, in a way that most others aren't.
Silver Lining is only silent for a moment before nodding, dropping into a deep and formal bow. "I would be honoured too."
-x-x-x-
It is late into the night before they find anything, or maybe it's late into the morning.
Luna isn't sure anymore. Just knows that she is tired and her vision is beginning to blurr but Silver Lining looks so proud when he holds up that book. It is lined in dark green leather and latched shut with rusted gold, near illegible words inscribed into its cover.
Legend, it says, and nothing more than that.
All the same, Luna's heart skips a beat. She can feel a deep connection to this book. Like it's calling out to her, offering help and a warm hoof and a good nights sleep.
Maybe it's calling out to Silver Lining too?
Maybe that's how the unicorn guard found it?
Maybe she can do this after all, Luna thinks, maybe she can actually be the one to help Equestria this time, not the one to destroy it.