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CloudHopper98 — Chapter 1: Legacy
#alternatehistory #alternateuniverse #apocalyptic #fiction #mlp #occharacter #postapocalyptic #mylittleponyfriendshipismagic
Published: 2026-09-08 12:53:12 +0000 UTC; Views: 3542; Favourites: 3; Downloads: 0
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The land of Equestria was once ruled by two noble and fair sisters. The sun was raised every morning by the bright and bubbly Celestia, bringing warmth and light to the land. The moon would be raised every night by the shaded and solemn Luna, bringing peace and restful sleep to every colt and filly. The transition between day and night was known as twilight, and together the two sisters worked in harmony to bring stability to the lives of everypony across the world. Life was good in these times, and it seemed like the peace would never end.
On a cool night like any other, Luna did her work in the minds of her subjects. Being the shepherd of dreams, she lulled her subjects off to a deep slumber by taking away their nightmares. This responsibility caused the fair princess a great deal of stress though, as she had her own nightmares to deal with. Unfortunately, hers were far more real than that of any other pony. The nightmares she experienced every night would gradually coalesce into a powerful and evil force, a sentient dark energy known as the Tantabus.
It was on this night that the Tantabus decided to strike against its master. Finally growing in strength to the point where it could manifest itself, it escaped from the prison of Luna’s mind. Spreading like a virus across the dreams of everypony within the town, it infected them slowly at first but quickly accelerated. Luna tried desperately to recapture it but would soon realize that she wasn’t strong enough alone. To the princess’ great relief, six powerful ponies would answer her cries for help. These six ponies who personified the Elements of Harmony were led by the masterful Magician.
Among them was the honest Stoic, the loyal Soothsayer, the kind Dryad, the generous Merchant, and the joyful Jester. Together, these powerful ponies rallied the entire town against the Tantabus. Even the princess of the sun, Celestia, answered her sister’s call. Tragically, this would prove to be a dire and ultimately devastating mistake as the Tantabus would use Celestia’s darkest insecurities against her.
For you see, over a thousand moons ago, Luna began to despise the sun. She grew envious that the ponies were active in the sunlight but slept through her beautifully crafted starlight. As this jealousy manifested, she would slowly open her heart to anger and hatred. These dark forces grew within Luna before transforming her into the ferocious alter ego of Nightmare Moon, and she would force Celestia to war.
Celestia was caught by surprise with this, for she was blind to the growing darkness in her other half. Unwilling to fight due to the love she felt for her sister, Celestia was backed into a corner in the royal palace where Nightmare Moon would strike her down if she didn’t act and plunge the world into eternal darkness. Never again would the sun rise to warm the world or grow the fields.
On the brink of defeat and in a moment of desperation Celestia used her ultimate weapon, the Elements of Harmony, against her own sister. These six ancient artifacts held within them immense magical power and would prove the only way to stop her sister’s acts. For the crimes she had committed and intended to commit against ponykind, she banished and imprisoned Luna onto the moon for the next millennia. Over the coming thousand years, Celestia would raise both the sun and the moon by herself.
As those many years came and went, Nightmare Moon was destined to return; once again waging war against the sun. Upon arriving back to the lands of Equestria, however, she discovered that the masterful Magician was expecting her and had already rallied the powers of their allies and Celestia. Through the Elements of Harmony bestowed upon them, the masterful Magician’s powerful group broke through the dark armor that shrouded the lost alicorn and returned her to the light. Once more known as Princess Luna, she stood beside her sister in peace.
Coming to be known as the Hallowed Six, it is only through them that the terror of Nightmare Moon was ended permanently as Celestia was hesitant to strike her only sister down again. If not for them, it is possible that Celestia would have allowed her sister to take rule of the throne. Unknown to anypony around her she never had the intention of fighting a second time.
These events weighed heavily on Celestia’s heart, as they formed the one true regret the princess held onto. The Tantabus knew this and isolated the fair princess before showing her a personal nightmare. Luna, once again furious with her, taking the mantle of Nightmare Moon. This vision stole the last bit of hope from Celestia by showing that her beloved sister would never again truly walk beside her in peace. The Hallowed Six and Luna clawed at the Tantabus’ veil but couldn’t reach her in time. Nopony will ever know what transpired behind the curtain; the words exchanged, the emotions felt. Nothing will ever be known except the outcome.
The veil shattered brilliantly on its own to reveal the nightmare become reality as Celestia had become Day Breaker, her equal to Nightmare Moon. The Hallowed Six, despite their best efforts and that of the residents from the town, were swallowed by the Tantabus and separated from Luna.
Alongside Day Breaker, it was easy for the Tantabus to break Luna’s fragile morality. Once again Nightmare Moon would terrorize the lands, this time aided by her sister. Through fading fragments of darkness, the Tantabus released the princesses and ponies into reality, allowing them to escape their endless dream.
Despite this, the Hallowed Six did not give up the fight for their home nor did the residents of the land give up their will to restore the world to the order they knew. Denying the offer laid out before them by the princesses to silence their voices and worship blindly, the valiant ponies were struck down one by one. The Hallowed Six fought for days until none were left, and theirs became the first land to fall to the Queens’ wrath.
Only after their downfall would the magnitude of the problem become apparent to the world. The princesses, who had guided the lands through eons of peace, were corrupted by the Tantabus’ lies. Together they would reign eternal; in doing so they brought an unending wave of death and destruction against all who weren’t so fortunate to be let into their Paradise. The sun would never again set upon the east just as the moon would never yield the west, and it would not take long for the consequences of this unholy sisterhood to manifest.
The east would, for a time, become an inferno that nopony could escape. As the temperatures rose the water evaporated, forests wilted, and the lumber of homes became fuel for fire tornadoes that reached high into the skies. Today, the lands have been reduced to a sprawling and unending desert that scorches anything foolish enough to enter. Only the most heinous creatures have adapted to the heat, now feasting upon anypony who thinks themselves brave.
To the west the moon’s light was not enough to warm the land. The eternal night killed the harvests, froze the air, and brought unending winter upon anypony incapable of escape. The winds are cold enough to freeze you where you stand, and the dark hides many dangers. If the winds don’t get you, the icy fangs of horrendously evil creatures are always happy to thaw over a warm meal.
Yet within these two lands was safety. Between the roaring desert winds and the frozen mountains we find salvation in The Pale Band. Not many ponies made it to safety, but those who did wouldn’t give up so easily. It is because of them and their sacrifices that ponykind remains to see another day; that we have a place to call home. That home… is Coltumbia. It was one of the first to be remade from the ruins. Like much of the world following The Eclipse, it was nearly razed to the ground in the destructive event as well as the many years that followed.
Through years of hard-work, dedication, and the will to drive the world towards a better future, Coltumbia would prove to the world the power of friendship and harmony. Requiring first to be cleared of raiders, the story of Coltumbia is a regretfully bloody one. Many ponies lost their lives, though the raiders bore the brunt of the loss. Teamwork showed its value in allowing our founders to work together, protect each-other, and ensure nopony was left behind.
Raiders don’t care about the pony standing next to them, and their unorganized efforts failed. After clearing the dead we flattened buildings to their foundations to build a better world atop the old. Shortly after it was decided that defenses would be required if we desired to keep the town safe, and the large Aegis Granite Quarry would be started. Located a short way south, we mined and formed the rocks of the world together to form what today is the largest stone structure anywhere within The Pale Band.
Day-by-day, brick-by-brick, Coltumbia was remade. After years of effort our first expeditions left the safety of the walls equipped and prepared to discover the lands beyond and return home with information, recruits, and resources. As Coltumbia’s population grew, so did the need for food and water. Food is easy to grow as the land is fertile and the sun never stops shining, but water is a difficult resource to obtain. Realizing this, the Ice Rangers were formed.
Brave ponies of all types go out together to find and retrieve tremendous blocks of ice from the frozen wastelands. The pegasi scout out glaciers and formations, feeding that information back to the earthen and unicorns who then go out to retrieve these valuable blocks. It’s a dangerous job, one that claims the lives of many ponies every year. Though the profession is safer than ever today, the rules and lessons come at steep costs that continue to take their toll.
Finding ourselves here today, the wall stands high and beautiful. The farms grow food to feed hungry ponies, the homes are safe, and the night is no longer feared. The pride and joy of Coltumbia, the New Dawn’s Clock Tower, stores safe water while enabling consistent time-keeping and long-range communications with many other far-off settlements.
As you live here, remember and appreciate the sacrifices made by innumerable ponies of all creeds, types, and color who stood side-by-side to make this land what it is today. Remind yourselves how lucky you are that the world outside is kept outside, and that life within Coltumbia is only possible because ponies saw the world that was and decided it could be better. Be part of Coltumbia’s story, and work towards that same goal. Tomorrow can always be better, foals.