Story by Shardi

Editing by Khangle

Arx Equestris

Prologue

Darkness. Darkness and silence – those were the two things that could be found in the great hall of the library. The hall was divided into smaller sections by towering bookshelves, which reached from the floor to the very ceiling of the large room. By this hour, every scholar had already packed up and returned to their quarters, leaving the library unlit and empty. That would be the case, if one were to ignore a soft glow being emitted from the far corner, where a lone pegasus sat, basked in the dim light of a single magical lamp which rested on the table in front of her. The entire desk was covered in books of varying sizes, ranging from small tomes to large volumes. 

The pegasus raised her head from the page she had been studying, throwing her hooves into the air and stretching out as she released a long yawn, her light blue robes shifting lightly from the first movement their owner made in hours. Finishing her break, the mare closed the book, pushing it away while simultaneously brushing the crimson mane from her face with the other hoof.  She looked at yet another volume that lay on the pile next to her. 

History of Equestria 

Volume XVIII

With a sigh the mare pulled the book closer and opened it, fighting to focus her eyes on the text as she began to read the words on the old, weathered pages. 

Chapter 1 

Final Years of the Principality 

' As mentioned in the previous volume, the defeat in final battle during war with the Griffins resulted in the loss of land and uneasiness throughout the land. Though unrest never consumed entire towns or cities, there were ponies that chose to voice their discontent. Celestia and Luna were blamed not only for losing the war, but also the crisis it has resulted in...'

The red-maned pegasus brought a hoof to her face in attempt to stifle another yawn, but failed as it escaped her mouth. She shook her head, trying to wake herself up before noticing a forgotten mug behind the pile of books. Wonderful, delicious coffee, just what she needed. She reached for the cup with a weak smile, grabbing it with her hooves and bringing it to her lips. The mare's joy was short lived however, almost dropping the cup as the cold liquid touched her tongue. With a sigh she placed the cup back on the desk and pushed it as far away, wishing she could simply reheat the beverage with the flick of a horn. Such are the woes of being a pegasus scholar. The mare turned her attention back to the book, skimming it sleepily in search of relevant information for her studies. 

'After the opposition's request for royal sisters to step down as rulers was rejected, the party was disbanded, leaving the political scene. Soon, however, more direct acts of defiance began to take place  throughout the kingdom. Two years following the end of the war, the Summer Sun Celebration was disturbed by an attack on the royal guards during Princess Celestia's speech. Though there were no casualties - thanks to the Princess' direct intervention - it became the first of many instances of rebellion which took place in the following year. Despite accusations of treason and being branded enemies of the state, members of the disbanded opposition party continued to operate,  delivering their demands through acts of aggression towards the government and its officials. [For more information about the armed resistance in the years 1261-1262 see 'Fall of Equestria' by Moondancer].'

The robed pegasus stared blankly at the text for few seconds, blinking her bloodshot eyes before dropping her head onto the desk. Figures, the part she was interested in most wasn't in the book . With a sigh she got up and turned around, making her way between two tall, stone shelves. Fortunately, the library was well-organized, making it so finding a book generally didn’t take much time. The pegagus carefully removed the dark green volume from the shelf, gently placing it on her back and slowly returning to her book fort. The books in the library might have been magically protected - courtesy of Order's grandmaster - but she wasn't going to be reckless either way. Many of these books were the last remaining copies and the thought of damaging any of them terrified the young mare. 

Having returned to the desk and stacking ‘History of Equestria’ on the growing tower of books, the pegasus flipped through the newly-acquired volume, skimming through the pages. Eventually she found the chapter titled 'Coup d'etat and the Age of Arx'. Using her hooves to keep her head upright, the mare began to read. 

'The greatest feat of the resistance, which ultimately turned out to also be their greatest mistake, took place on the Winter Wrap Up of 1262. The Princesses, in order to lift the spirits of Equestrians, took part in Ponyville's traditional event as guests of honor, overseeing the preparations and mingling with their subjects. To ease the tension with the commoners, the princesses decided to allow only a select few guard to accompany them. This decision ultimately resulted in their downfall. 

After months of slandering the Princesses' image, refuting their supposed divinity and control over the Sun and Moon a lie, the Resistance decided to bet it all on one card. Though the details of their operation remain unknown, the Resistance had managed to plant assassins among the citizens during an event that had been exclusive to Ponyville. With the intent of murdering the princesses, the assassins struck as the pegasi cleared the sky of clouds.  The resulting whirlwind was the perfect opportunity to strike. Six ponies attacked both Princesses' simultaneously, giving neither them, nor their guards a chance to react. Princess Luna was slain instantly, while Princess Celestia, despite having her assailant miss, was also quickly overwhelmed by-'

The rest of the text was covered in a sea of crimson hair as the mare's hooves finally gave in. She dove face-first into the book, snoring quietly as countless hours of work took their toll on her. Next Chapter: Chapter 1 Estimated time remaining: 41 Minutes