The last solstice

Chapter 6: Contact


Nocturnal Mirage laid still on the soft grass. The warm rays of the sun were stroking his senses very gently. The stallion got lost gazing at the sky. There were no clouds, just the endless horizon. He let his dark blue کوٹ absorb the heat of the fiery orb above. Freedom at last!

There’s no other place like this in the entire country! Maybe the tall mountains of his birthplace, Terra Absolutia could outshine the magnificent beauty of Amethyst Lake. The jewel of the Crystal Empire. No ripples disturbed the surface of the obsidian water. In spite the fact that the water seems to be black, it’s so pure, that one could see even the bottom of the lake. It’s quite a contradiction. That is why it’s so beautiful, whimsical and full of mysteries, like a mare. If the time allows him, Mirage always comes here to relax and meditate.

The cobalt earth ٹٹو sits back, enjoys the quietness and the solitude. Although he had مزید of these things than he wanted to in the past few weeks, this is utterly different. There are no responsibilities here. No duties… no haywire Princess… no alicorns.

Mirage’s eyelids close. A satisfied grin expands on his face very slowly. He almost falls asleep when something disturbs him. It lasts only for a glimpse and as the stallion opens his eyes, he wonders if it truly happened یا not. He looks around, sweeps the area with his senses, but the idyllic environment calms him down very soon. He closes his eyes again. The cacophony of nature dulls his conscience....

And it happens once more. A bright white flash slits through his brain, like a تیز رو, سوئفٹ and cruel blade. Mirage sees a silhouette of a ٹٹو for a millisecond.

The cobalt stallion gets up very quickly and stands still. He spreads his legs, ready for an attack. But it’s only him at the edge of the lake. Mirage furrows a brow and perplexity starts to overtake his being. A grimace of pain distorts his features, as another image pierces his mind for a short moment, but this time he’s able to see the ٹٹو better. It’s a mare.
Mirage grinds his teeth and rubs his forehead.

Another image assaults his brain. It’s all whiteness, like an overexposed photo, but the earth ٹٹو can see the left side of the mare’s face. She narrows her eyes and snarls furiously. Wait… those eyes… it’s…

“Celestia?!” Mirage gasps in shock.

The alicorn emerges out of nowhere and flies rapidly toward the stallion.

“AAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!” she roars viciously, like a bloodthirsty timberwolf.

The dainty figure of the Solar Princess grows larger and larger in Mirage’s eyes, as she gets closer and closer. Her wings block out the sun and the royal blue stallion can’t see anything else anymore, just Celestia’s purple eyes, with that terrifying flame dancing in them. Yet, even now, those purple eyes are so… enticing…

The distance between them decreases quickly. The mask of untold rage furrows the solar alicorn’s features. She raises her hoof, preparing for a strike. She almost reaches Mirage and…

The earth ٹٹو wakes up to his own desperate scream. He realizes he crossed his hooves in front of his face as a final, instinctive movement of self defense. Cold drops of sweat roll down on his temple and he huffs violently. Mirage looks around and acknowledges that he’s in his bedroom… at the Ivory Tower. So it was only a dream… he thinks and a sigh of relief escapes his chest. The stallion cannot sleep for the rest of the night.

His thoughts are whirling around the Princess of the Sun, for the first time in weeks, even though he still remembers the first “encounter” with the solar goddess. Mirage has seen the same purple eyes in his dream. The cobalt ٹٹو knew it has to hold some relevance. Numerous سوالات surfaced in his mind about the Princess he’s been guarding for almost three months now.

سوالات that he has not thought of before. At first, he was a bit curious of course, but then the daily routine turned everything grey. He got used to Celestia’s late night freak-outs and remained quite neutral about the main reason of his job.

Hours have passed and Mirage did not even notice. The royal blue stallion glanced out of his window.

“At least, she’s awake too.” he smiled and watched the sunrise.

Mirage calls down to the Royal باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ to have a meal prepared for the Princess. His eyes widen سے طرف کی surprise as he brings Celestia’s breakfast to her door. An old, large book awaits him on the marble floor. What the hay?

Mirage walks closer and puts down the silver tray. He reads the عنوان of the book: Astronomy in depth سے طرف کی Starswirl the Bearded.

She actually read my letter!

Mirage idles in front of Celestia’s suite for minutes. He completely forgot he requested a book from the Princess, it was half a ماہ ago. He thought she will ignore the letter altogether. The stallion leaned against the door and perked up the ear. He knew the alicorn was there, only a few inches away from him, at the other side of the large, thick door, probably doing the same thing as he does now. Listening.

“Thank you…” Mirage says softly.

He picks up the heavy book and returns to his suite. When he peeks outside twenty منٹ later, the silver tray with the food is gone.

*** ***

After Mirage's usual weekly report, Luna paces around her room nervously. She does not have to look behind her to know who entered the room.

“Have آپ heard all of it?” the Princess of the Night asks quietly.

“But of course.” Cadence جوابات and stops beside the cobalt alicorn.

“It’s been three months and there’s no progress.” Luna declares.

“Sure there is.” Cadence counters.

“Please, enlighten me.” the Moon goddess snorts.

“What he کہا is irrelevant. What he didn’t say that matters.” the Princess of Love says with a suggestive smile.

Luna raises a brow, but remains silent, allowing the گلابی alicorn to continue.

“The feelings flow deep within Nocturnal Mirage, it’s difficult to read them. But, I sense a different emotional vibration in his soul. Something happened that brought him out of his neutral and reluctant standpoint.”

“Hmm… If he becomes emotionally invested, it means he will revise his attitude and grab the initiative.” Luna speculates.

“Exactly.”

“Are آپ sure about your diagnosis?”

“I wouldn’t be the Princess of Love otherwise. Jut give him time.” Cadence smiles gently.

“Time is such luxury we do not have... I’ll have his room searched; maybe we can find out مزید about… aaahh…”

Luna’s legs tremble, but the younger alicorn grabs her before she could collapse. A cyan blue tendril of magic escapes her horn, floats up in the air, shatters into millions of sparkly pieces, then vaporizes altogether.

The light seems to fade. The Moon goddess moans in pain and grinds her teeth as she channels مزید magic through her horn. Cadence wraps a hoof around the cobalt alicorn’s neck to keep her standing. The Princess of Love then charges up her own horn with magic and puts it close to Luna’s to unite their powers. Everything brightens up around them and the light returns to normal.

“Are آپ okay?” Cadence asks, her voice becomes pale under the weight of concerns.

“Yes… but... the headaches... are getting worse...” Luna جوابات exhaustedly. Her breathing accelerates.

“I don’t know how long I can keep this up…”