(Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has taken time to read Act I: Ascending Star. This is the next part of the story, the 500 year period between where Act I left off and the first emergence of Nightmare Moon. Herein, we shall see Princess Celestia drift somewhat from the path of righteousness into a morally ambiguous position as she does what is necessary to protect her hold on power. In the process, she will alienate many of her old allies, including her once faithful sister, precipitating her decline as a character.
As always, reviews and comments are wholly appreciated. I am currently engaged in my third year of university so I won't be able to work on this as much as I would like to, but I'll try to update this as often as I can. And once again as the final note, the rights to these characters do not belong to me.)
Act II: The First Equestrian Civil War (1750 UIT – 2250 UIT)
Local Calendar: 1 YRC – 501 YRC (Years of the Reign of Celestia)
Chapter 1: Starlight
It had been three months since the traitorous Seraph and his Order of Fire had been destroyed. Over the course of that time, the population of Equestria had displayed overwhelming support for the reforms and renewals put forward by the two Princesses, Celestia and Luna. A geological and geographical commission was now scouting and charting the extensive countryside, suggesting names for the various landmarks and dividing the kingdom into provinces. For the most part, naming was done by local suggestion, except for the capital city, as Celestia could not bear the name of Eridian to be applied to her seat of government. Besides, the city was undergoing a major process of urban renewal, so the name would hardly apply in the future.
However, since the city and its high castle were still unfit for the royal sisters, both continued to reside in the mountain headquarters of the old Order of Water, now completely absorbed into Celestia's new school, the Order of Starlight. Those among the old Orders of Earth and Air that wished to had also made the journey to study under the Princesses' auspices. Since the original Ancient Orders had been formally dissolved, those who remained outside of the royal influence would have to be dealt with at some point, but Celestia had more important things to deal with at the moment.
"Before one rides out to deal with one's enemy, first ensure your own camp is united behind you," the ancient strategist Fun-Shu had said, his words now immortalized in a collection of sayings and mantras that Celestia kept by her bedside, along with The Princess, an introductory work on statecraft by the great philosopher Nicola Machiavilic, both of which she studied regularly. She knew that in order to establish complete control over her new state, she would need to vanquish all potential threats, even those she had once thought of as allies. Today, she was on her way to take care of the final problem, along with seven of her personal Astrala regiment of guards. These seven had been handpicked from the legion training to be in her personal service, as so many had volunteered for after the spectacle of her speech in the square. The rumors concerning that event had spread so far and grown so fantastical that the Princess feared it may need to become an annual occurrence.
Dressed entirely in white, the fanatical legion had served her well already, and always helped to provide that extra bit of intimidation whenever she rooted out one of her enemies in the populace. As she calmly ascended the west staircase in the great Library of the Ancients, Celestia remembered the past year she had spent studying within these walls. She had been so young back then, with big plans for the future but no strategy for how to carry them out, or for what to do when she was in control. She had flicked eagerly through the miles of bookcases, voraciously consuming the information to build her own magical potential. What would be required here was indeed a shame.
Today, the room was quiet. Over time, all of the students and staff had moved into the Order of Starlight's new headquarters, adjacent to the capital city and closer to Celestia's sphere of influence. Celestia was right now headed to a final meeting of the Masters, ostensibly to plan how to fully deconstruct the operation here and move it out. Unfortunately for the Masters, however, Celestia knew there were other issues that needed more urgent debate.
As she entered the hemispherical chamber that had served as their meeting room for several months now, Celestia noted that all three of the remaining Masters were present, though (typically) both Terraria and Altas had wistful expressions on their faces, and did not appear to enjoy being here at all. They wouldn't be a problem. But it was Aquos who would provide a challenge. Her eyes were hard and determined, and her magical power was not insignificant, though it paled in comparison to Celestia's own. In addition, Celestia had a secret backup plan, though she hoped with all her heart that she would not have to use it.
"Masters!" she announced as she came down the steps, flanked and followed by the group of Astrala. "Today we come together to discuss the state of the continued revolution. However, there is a more grave matter that has come to my attention, a matter that must be dealt with immediately." Turning toward them with a grave expression, she proclaimed, "One of you is conspiring against me."
In the harsh silence that followed, Celestia examined each of the three Masters in turn, searching their features for signs of guilt. Though she was already aware of whom the traitor was, it always paid to be vigilant, as there could always be another plot that she did not already know of. But the other two appeared to be innocent, so Celestia went ahead with the plan.
"Terraria!" she shouted harshly, advancing on the Master of the Order of Earth. The shy mare of the forest drew back from her keen gaze. "Incontrovertible proof has been brought before me that you seek to subvert the new Equestrian government for your own intentions. Have you no shame? Do you not see the bright future that you are endangering?"
Terraria spoke up quietly, her voice barely a whisper. "But I would never…"
"Silence!" Celestia roared. "I've had enough of your lies. Only the cold barren walls of a dungeon cell could stand such untruths. Astrala! Take away this traitor."
As the guards took Terraria in hand and led her away, Celestia turned to leave with her, hiding a sly grin. It should only take a few seconds before…
"Enough!" cried Aquos. "If you need to find your traitor, then take me! But leave the innocent out of our mess. This is neither the place nor the time for such manipulations."
Motioning for her Astrala to release Terraria, Celestia snickered in satisfaction. Of course, Aquos' conscience had always been her primary weakness, and it had been a simple matter to goad her into implicating herself. Celestia found such political manipulations terrifically entertaining. Turning again to Aquos, she feigned confusion, as if she did not already know why her old teacher would turn against her. As if Aquos herself hadn't been telling her every week in their meetings. "Aquos? My teacher? But, why?"
For once, Aquos allowed her true anger to show. "Why? Why?! Because you have taken what I taught you, the skill to free the population, and turned it against our original intent, that is why. We desired to offer the people unlimited freedom, to choose their own destiny, but you and your sister are now creating a new absolutist monarchy! We have simply traded one dictator for another. Can you not see the way forward? Our people can govern themselves; elect their own guards for future security. They have no need of you or the autocratic apparatus you would create."
Celestia smiled to all those assembled. "I trust you all have heard her sedition? Astrala! Bind this traitor, and take her away." As Aquos was being led from the room, Celestia turned a last time to the two remaining Masters. "Both of you have a final choice to make now. As you have no doubt become aware, both of your orders are in decline, and if they remain active, I will be forced to destroy them, as I have Water and Fire. There can be no authority in this kingdom other than my own. However, out of respect for the aid you have supplied to me in the past, I shall offer you a chance to be exiled, rather than face execution or imprisonment."
She spoke to Altas first. "Altas, you and your followers fought bravely for freedom in the Battle of Blood Gorge against the army of Seraph. For that, I will ever be grateful. As per our agreement, you have authority over all the Pegasi of this kingdom, to deal with them as you will. You always requested the chance to abstain from the ordinary and study in peace. This shall be your opportunity to do that. Take your people, and flee to the sky."
Leaving him thoughtful, she settled on Terraria next. "Dearest Terraria, you and your followers have always kept to your strict doctrine of peace and isolationism. This is now your opportunity to vanish into the woods, taking all your wisdom with you. You need never be troubled with the machinations of the outside world again. I trust you will see that this is the only way forward for you and your students." She saw Terraria offer a slight nod, and turned to leave the room. Only one problem now remains, she thought, though it might require a little more force.
Alighting on the top of the chamber, she rejoined with her Astrala guards. Speaking softly with one of them, she firmly ordered him to ensure that both of the Masters got out of the building safely. Things would be getting a little dicey in here soon enough, after all, and she needed to make sure that Air and Earth were properly subdued before carrying on with the rest of her plans.
Re-emerging at the top of the Library of Ancients, Celestia saw that Aquos had been properly bound and was incapable of flight, at least as far as her legs were concerned. She could of course still teleport away, which was why Luna was outside with the Elements of Harmony, maintaining a magical barrier about the place to stop her from leaving. The remainder of her new Astrala division was also stationed nearby to aid in Aquos' capture. She strode regally around her prisoner, savoring the victory. Of course, Aquos would not leave just yet. She still wanted to impress upon Celestia the error of her ways.
"Aquos," she began in a patronizing tone, as though she were the teacher and not the student, "why must you persist in denying that which I have created? My kingdom shall persist for thousands of years, offering the people the freedom that they have eternally desired. What more could a pathetic 'government of the people' offer that I cannot give them?"
Aquos was letting her true colors show, and a disgusted sneer curled back her lips. "You of all ponies I did not expect to be corrupted so easily by the power of your position. You were my greatest student, but you never did see that magic is but one part of the whole that encompasses true enlightenment. Your power may be overwhelming, but there will always be sections of the population who refuse to bow to it. Thousands of years? Ha!" She spat upon the floor before Celestia's feet, earning a stern glare from all the Astrala. Celestia waved them off. She wanted Aquos to be here for the next part. Calmly, she moved across to the railing, looking out over the great room.
Sweeping her arms outward, Celestia continued, "You know, Aquos, I used to spend untold hours perusing these bookshelves. I came to understand that the entirety of our race's knowledge is held within these walls. Such a concentration of data offers anyone a chance at amassing untold power, if given enough time and freedom to explore. Over time, I think I read just about every one of these books, and together they have turned me into the person I have become. Unfortunately, surely you can see the threat that they now pose?"
Aquos remained silent, so Celestia continued. Gazing down all the way to the expansive floor, she could see that the magical tiles had formed into a raging rapid. So she still resists me then, she thought. This next part should be a sight then. "If anyone else were to be given the latitude that I was; to explore this fount of knowledge to the same degree, they could happen upon the same sort of power that I have found, and surely you realize that that is something I cannot allow." As she smelled the first wisp of smoke drift up to their perch, she remarked, "The irony of this is not lost on me. Fire and Water were always at odds, and now both will have destroyed the other. Such is the nature of fate, I suppose.
Aquos could smell it now too, she could see. The flame of hatred that passed across her old teacher's face was undeniable, as was the deep concentration that signaled the beginning of the teleportation spell. Celestia was almost saddened that this was the end of their relationship. But in the end, Aquos had taught her everything that she could, and it was now time to move on. As her one-time friend winked out of existence, Celestia gazed down once again at the Library, which was by now consumed in towering flames and beginning to fill with smoke. At last, she realized, I can get on with the important business.
Several Days Later
Beyond the mountains of the city once known as Eridian, now newly christened as Celestia's capital of Canterlot, there was a low desert plain. At the very edge of the desert, and also on the absolute border of the kingdom of Equestria, there was a small town, little more than a village. The hardy settlers here cared little for the events of the kingdom in general, and survived mainly by trading what little they could produce with the foreigners who lived somewhere beyond the ocean of sand. And so naturally, this was the perfect place for Princess Luna to dispose of her newest assignment.
Since the institution of the new kingdom, Luna had thrown herself wholeheartedly into laying the groundwork for the new government, performing all the thankless little jobs that needed to get done, whilst Celestia got to swan about in the public eye, performing the ceremonial duties and serving as the object of the people's love. Luna knew that she deserved just as much credit for the new state of affairs as did her sister, but she didn't need to be acknowledged publicly to feel accomplished. She and her sister had pledged to stand by each other's side, and the only approval she desired was that of her fellow Princess.
Therefore, it was natural that Luna would be the one chosen to perform this unfortunate little errand. As she had with the other Masters, Celestia had offered Aquos the opportunity to choose exile rather than face personal destruction. However, as she did not feel that she could trust her old teacher to fulfill such promises, she had sent Luna and a collection of Astrala guards to ensure Aquos would be gone for good.
Luna had found it relatively easy to establish contact with the foreign merchants who lived beyond the sands, and had received word that they would be happy to take Aquos, provided she was properly restrained and would come with a generous bonus of currency. As Celestia had recently established a Mint and moved Equestria onto the gold standard, finding the money hadn't been a problem. The restraints, however, were a more interesting situation. The problem had only been solved several weeks ago when Celestia had sent her a magical "inhibitor" a strangely charmed stone that nullified the effects of magical spells in its immediate vicinity. However, she had also been informed that its effects weakened over time, so the deal had best be concluded quickly.
Luna had wasted no time setting up this appointment, and now rode out into the desert on a modified sand-sailboat, taking along two Astrala, a local navigator, and of course the bound and gagged Aquos. The old Master seemed to have resigned herself to this fate, and had given up resistance several hours previously. As the wheeled craft raced over the dunes, Luna reflected on how far her and her sister had come together. Less than half a year ago, they had still been humble siblings, albeit with magical powers. Now, they were rulers of the free world. Although Celestia had established herself as the figurehead and Luna's role had been marginalized, she held no grudge against her sister. She enjoyed working in the shadows to make the kingdom run smoothly. It was what she had been born to do.
Coming upon a stand of stones in the middle of the desert, the party stopped. Double-checking their position, the navigator assured them that this was the place. The drop would be blind, and Aquos would be left with enough food and water to last several days, although if she tried to escape, the desert would surely take her. The inhibitor would last for some weeks more as well. As Aquos was unbound and lowered into the shallow depression covered by the rocks, Luna felt a certain pang of sympathy for the old Master. In another set of circumstances, she could easily have stayed on with them. But The Emperor had arrived and changed everything, and now Celestia needed to be strong, free from all potential threats. This was the only way.
Leaving Aquos alone in the desert, Luna and her crew turned around to head back to Equestria. With that job finally done, thought Luna, now it was time to turn to more interesting endeavors, such as supervising the new agricultural plots, or overseeing the fiscal market centred in the new city of Manehattan. There was so much to be done, but it would all see its end in due time.
