The Moon Follows the Sun
#77 of The Lost Element
-Undocumented-
Something is in the air... I leave the palace for a mere hour to tend to a few things in town and there is...something not right amongst the guards. There is something in their eyes. Their minds are elsewhere. Did something occur while I was away?
It is only enough to distract me from the most pressing of matters. To think... The emperor. The last of his kind. He still lives? Preposterous. And yet, that scroll... It could be on one else. This talk of being without an empire to reign over, yet not being devoid of soldiers to command. Not an empty threat in the slightest. He seeks to invade once more.
And yet... How are we supposed to even counter such a threat? So long ago, it happened out of nowhere. We could not have foreseen it. Expertly planned in secrecy, we knew not until they were at our castle gates. And how did the Elements of Harmony fail to purge him from this world while his disciples were banished? Cunning... Most cunning.
I have no qualms about meeting that traitor in combat. My nightmare blood is suited to confronting and directly resolving conflict. But I cannot say the same about the rest of Equestria. It is not in our nature, especially those of my fellow ponies, to be versed in war. And I dread the thought of sending our people out to face this invasion. How are we supposed to face this threat? Time is against us. It is only a matter of weeks before his supposed army leaves The Empty Plains and marches upon Equestria once again.
Luna seems to not be in the palace. The guards claim to have not seen her since a while ago. Celestia is likely still in the throne room. As much as I feel our hooves are tied, we cannot ignore this impending invasion. We must devise a plan. And sure enough, there she is. Resting upon her throne. And...
"Sister. I know our people must not be forced to face an invasion, but it is our duty to insure..." I began to speak as I approached her, but her eyes... She was...far more troubled than when I last saw her. "Has...something transpired in my absence? Did the emperor send another warning to us?"
"Huh? Oh... No, no, he has not. And yes, I know. We can't just sit and wait. The enemy approaches. And...we must protect our people." My sister says, her eyes still betraying her words. What was she thinking? And...where was James?
"Celestia... Where is James? Did he depart for home? It is not like him to depart without saying farewell. Even during such dark times." I ask as I wonder where he is. He would never depart without holding me in his arms for a moment. Surely he was still on the castle grounds. And yet...she does not speak. "Why do you hesitate...? Did something happen?"
"He... He is..." Words fail her. Something is on her mind. Something heavy. And her eyes... Glancing towards the eastern wall. The east... Towards the... No...
"No... He didn't..." I waste no time. Even before Celestia can remove herself from the throne, I reveal the stairwell leading towards the Element of Humanity's resting place and hurriedly descend. And at the end of the hall....
"Gone..." The Lunar Shield and the Celestial Sword. The wall is bare. The helmet and the Element of Humanity set into its brow is gone. And the basin upon the altar is devoid of the liquid metal form of his armor. All that is there are his discarded shoes at my hooves. He... He really did. He set out to face the incoming invasion. Alone!
This... No. No! We do not even know what to expect! Even with all the power in the world, he is not ready for the rigors of the battlefield! So bold of you, my love... But no. I will not let you face this threat alone. You will not march to your death in solitude. I must find him!
Celestia stands before me as I emerge from the stairwell, her eyes uneasy. "Sister... He..."
"Tell me. Did he leave at once? What did he take with him?" I demand to know. I must not act hastily. There are many miles between us and the enemy. It will likely take days to reach the source of the emperor's messages. I must know what James took with him when he departed.
"He... He only took what was there. And...he departed at once." Celestia says while looking so very distraught. He did not hesitate... Most likely left before he could change his mind. A reckless move, to be sure, but not at all an understandable approach. Had he hesitated, the drive would have faded and the opportunity would have been lost.
"I see..." With so little at his disposal, he left without planning. So it falls to me to gather the necessary supplies to make the journey. I must be swift and gather what is needed in town. No expense must be spared. "Send for my armor! The blacksmith will know what it means. I will return shortly."
I hurry through Canterlot. They do not ask questions. The shopkeepers sense the urgency in my eyes and my voice. And soon, I return to the palace and don my armor. Superior to the paltry amount of plating I first wore ages ago. Thank the stars I had the foresight to plan ahead for such an occasion.
"Sister, wait! If you go... What if you don't make it?! There could be an ambush! The emperor must..." Celestia still tries to dissuade me from heading out to face the enemy. But she falls silent when I cast her my gaze. Why was she still here?
"Tell me, sister. Why do you remain here? Why did you not follow him as he left to face the enemy?" I ask as a look of horror and shame begins to fill her eyes. Her gaze wanders, desperately searching for an answer. How dare she... After telling him such honeyed words... "You dare allow him to march off to die and stay behind on your throne?! Do your words mean nothing, Celestia?! You would let your king die alone?!"
She recoils from my words. I know. I have always known. Her dreaming mind has always been an open book. And I have seen her desires. Her fledging memories. The precious love building between the two of them. "How dare you declare him your king behind closed doors! How dare you speak of your desire for him to sire you an heir when you can't even bring yourself to stand by his side during this crisis! All empty words! What sort of queen hides while her king faces the enemy with sword and shield in hand?!"
I cannot even bear to look at her any longer. I turn away. My mind and heart are set. "If you will not stand by his side as his queen, then I shall. I will follow him to the bowels of hell itself if I must. I will not allow my guiding light to fade away in a land that is not his own. Stay here, if you so wish it. It matters not to me. I must go. As his Queen of the Night, I am needed."
And thus, I depart. Soaring east on my sable wings. And I can sense him. The Lunar Shield resonates with my magic, a constant beacon for me to follow. He must be very many miles east of here by now. If all goes well, we will be reunited before nightfall. Plenty of time to prepare ourselves for the trials ahead.
Be safe, my love. I will see you soon. We will face this threat together and triumph, or die together in each other's arms. Whichever choice fate decides for us.