(recommended music: "Black Blade", by Two Steps From Hell)

Final Sunrise

by

Zeeth Kyrah

Summary: When Celestia discovered her sister's mistrust, what was the final battle like? Many others have also explored this theme, but here is my focused take on it.

The moon burned with a threatening red light, its high presence holding the sun down against the horizon and coloring the whole sky like blood. Young as her body was, Sola Celestia's greater age and strength were no match for Luna's empowered Nightmare form, and few ponies were left who could still fight in the confrontation. The few traitors who had come to the Nightmare's aid were gone, dead or chased into hiding for years and perhaps generations to come, but so were many of the faithful, and the lands were as red as the sky.

And the final piece of the puzzle had connected. One last hero, having run to Celestia's war camp outside the once-beautiful Celebration Palace, laid gasping with a cryptic phrase on her breath: "The first and last inscription said, 'Darkness walks in lonely hearts'." Now it was up to Celestia, whose suspicions had been fully confirmed.

The flutter ponies were basically gone. If they were anywhere to be found, they were hidden so tightly that not even an alicorn could crack the seals.

There were no more witches or monsters who could align with the sun and provide fresh troops for the fight. The few dragons who did had given their own lives in return for the safety of their children. Those who had refused to align with either side had also gone where the war would not touch them. Even the Everfree Forest around the shattered castle had begun to darken. The place would have to be abandoned, its new and livid enchantments forever preventing the control of any being over its environment... and the primordial awareness which had arisen from those enchantments would make sure of that.

But that poetic phrase, saying so little, had been inscribed in a book of Purity, its pages carved into the crystalline walls of the Cavern of Blessing. Celestia was so focused on governing the war effort and preserving her beautiful little ponies and all the creatures they loved that she hadn't been able to come to the Cavern herself.

Nightmare Moon had instead, and desecrated everything she could. But there had been readable phrases left, and this was the one which had not already been transcribed.

"Darkness walks in lonely hearts

Its food and breath are shadow and pain

It wills the end of Harmony

Its face is that of its host"

Celestia had finally pieced together the keys. Darkness was being personified. Luna had been so quiet, so separated... so lonely. "Oh, dear sister..." Not for the first or last time did the Sun's Mistress breathe those words. The "host" was not another word for armies, as she had thought. It was a word for one creature that supported another.

"...swallowed by a demon inside you."

She summoned her generals and what few ponies could donate their strength to the ritual she needed to prepare.

Nightmare Moon stood tall on a dominant peak, increasing her pressure, trying to force the sun back below the horizon, trying to enforce absolute darkness upon the land. Darkness and activity, and the moon the only source of light. The creature she rode tried to push a little, but after years of control its will was weak, and she swatted it away with the merest of flicks.

"It will all be over soon. There are no more to stand against me, and the night will rule utterly."

The sun fell suddenly, all effort on that front ceasing entirely. The sky went dark.

"Ha-ha! At last! Now to break the final resistance and bear all of Equestria as my rightful domain."

There was no sound, but Celestia's bright-white form arced down from the sky on broad wings, faster than any normal pegasus. Nightmare Moon prepared a spell, but it was countered upon casting. She began another.

Celestia was faster, and symbols formed around her, the sigils of Harmony's elements.

"Sister, I love you. I would be your friend. But I cannot befriend the beast which has stolen you from me. Please, give me a sign that I should not kill my closest friend and beloved family."

Nightmare Moon sneered. "I don't think you understand. I rule now, and what I say is law!" She launched her spell, and the blast caused the glowing sigils to tremble.

Celestia countered with... a prayer?

"Spirit of Harmony, here are your signs. Please grant me that I banish the demon but preserve my sister!"

The beam of light came in the form of a rainbow, crystallizing the demonic energies and imprinting them on the object Nightmare Moon sought to rule, the moon.

Then four stars emerged from the blackness and moved to take up sentinel positions.

"Objects of peaceful Night, I beg you, keep watch over your Mistress. Hold her until the time is right! Hold her until true heroes arise who can wield these Elements in Harmony together, whose Friendship will unlock her heart and purify the demon that holds her in its grasp."

And then Celestia felt the pressure fade. The moon floated freely, drifting in gravitic tide above the land. She, goddess, pony, magician, sun itself, and now a light in the sky not made of nightness... she felt herself rise up and spread across the sky.

Sola Celestia reached out, and gently touched the moon. It responded, as the sun had for so very long. As the deep magic of telekinesis and world-motion caused the natural rotation to resume and the visible motion to start, a change came over her. Her body strengthened and her coat subtly changed.

No longer golden-white, but pure white as of light in its fullest form... and her mane stretched out, horizon to horizon, provided a wonder and a promise:

"So long as I rule, no demon shall touch the lights of our world, my little ponies. No demon shall ever steal me away from you."

Tears came, and she let them flow. With the release, the sun lifted up a little, and the First Lone Sunrise came. Gently, quietly, and forever imperfect. The moon sank low until each balanced across the sky from the other, the flowing aurora, river of tears and light, between them.

"I'm sorry."

Nopony heard those words. No dragon, no beast, only Luna made pattern in stone... and the Nightmare.

The moon sank below, and the lingering sun leapt up on what was the solstice day, as it should have long before.

Drawing back into herself, she landed, and Celestia of all lights spoke to anything that could hear.

"The Nightmare has ended. May Light rule us all in peace."

A flash of portent came, and she listened with her heart.

It would end. There would be sorrow, but even for the immortal it would also end. And in Celestia's heart came hope.

The Nightmare had ended. She, too, would be ruled as she gave rule: In Light.

Later in the morning, she felt more tears come as she realized: Luna was her Light. She, too, was deeply alone.