Long ago, from a time when only a few can recall, the Ancient Kingdom of Equestria had since been fractured and destroyed, its once gallant ruler slain and its shining cities reduced to rubble. In the dark times to succeed this calamity, the sole ambition of princes and warriors was to reforge the splendor of Ponykind.
But for centuries petty wars further eroded what little unity still remained. The Alicorns were long extinct, and it seemed that the Gods had forsaken Equestria.
More than a millennium before the present, a mysterious mare would emerge from the untamed wilds. Shining like the sun, she bears a legacy and a blessing.
The Draconequus is returning, and Equestria needs a hero.
This is a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fan fiction written by Alaxsxaq
. You can find the fic here.
Tropes:
- A God I Am Not: When Evergreen told Nikóleva of her and the Gods' alike appearances, Nikóleva insisted that she isn't. In fact, earlier on from the previous chapter, Celestia (who used to be Nikoleva) felt that the fact that ponies see and worship her as any form of deity is blasphemous for her.
- Always Chaotic Evil: The Diamond Dogs are nothing more than packs of barbarians.
- And Man Grew Proud: The ancient Alicorns' Pride and Greed to invade Heaven under the Lesser King Ferálor was the cause of the destruction of their homeland.
- Balkanize Me: This was the fate of Ancient Equestria after its old capital was razed and the last Equestrian King slain by the invaders and monsters. The result was that Ancient Equestria was destroyed in the North and fractured into a smaller kingdom and several principalities in the South.
- Berserk Button: Anything to do with Diamond Dogs is this to Nikóleva because of what they did to her father.
- Big Sister Instinct: When Prince Petrafyrm suggested that Taberanyn join in the fight, Nikoleva was less than pleased. It took her sister accepting the suggestion to calm her down.
- Character Name Alias: Nikóleva goes by the name 'Wintermail' during her self-imposed exile so that no one will suspect her as an Alicorn.
- Daddy's Girl: Nikóleva was very close to her father Maiëlindir, and Maiëlindir loved his daughter back. When Maiëlindir was killed by a Diamond Dog, Nikóleva grieved a lot, along with Maiëlindir's Heterosexual Life-Partner Henarion.
- The Exile: Nikóleva made a self-imposed exile after her botched raid to the nearest Diamond Dog base (which she was forbidden to do, too), so that her sister and guardian will never be harmed indirectly by her again.
- That Man Is Dead: When Celestia and Luna were having sisterly discussion in their ancient native language, Luna called Celestia by her true birth name. Celestia told Luna that 'Nikóleva' died long ago and that she is 'Celestia'.
- Proud Warrior Race: The alicorns were described as this due to their strength, ferocity and bloodlust in battle.
- Rags to Royalty: Nikóleva grew up as a poor vagabond, spent around three decades as a wandering adventurer/mercenary, settled in Canterlot as a weapon smith, then started being educated by the castle librarian and trained by the master swordsman, then became knighted at Prince Petrafyrm's service. Readers of the fic most likely also know that Nikóleva is in fact Princess Celestia.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Prince Petrafyrm is, as Nikóleva describes him, kind, courteous, very down-to-earth, humble and loves his family. He is also charitable to the poor.
- Walking the Earth: Nikóleva during her self-imposed exile, using her alias 'the Wintermail', roamed the known world, helping villages and slaying dragons and Diamond Dogs.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Prince Petrafyrm dreamt of a time when an alicorn who is also the heir of Solárindil would reunite Equestria under their rule. And now such an alicorn has come to his doorstep.
