Anon's Sacrifice

>You are walking in the Canterlot gardens when you hear strange noises coming from the main castle.
>Looking up, you have to shield your eyes from a bright flash of white light
>Several of the tall, intricate stained-glass windows on the east wall shatter into a sparkling rainfall of rainbow shards
>East wall...
>Throne room.
>Shit.
>Drawing your sword, you rush the gate, vaulting over hedges and fences.
>The two royal guards who usually guard the gate are gone. The door is ajar. Looking in, you see the bloodied corpses of the guards.
"No, no, please..."
>The sounds of battle echo from the throne room. Suddenly, they go quiet.
"Please, Princess, just hold on a bit longer..."
>Your heart bobs in your throat as your feet fall on the marble floor
>You enter the throne room
"Oh, no..."
>Princess Celestia lies on the floor, broken and bloodied. Above her, sneering evilly with ominous white light pouring from her eyes, is Twilight.
>"Please, Twilight", Celestia implores her now-insane pupil. Think of the destruction you will cause...the darkness..."
>Suddenly, they both catch your eye. Twilight lets out a laugh.
>"Come to see your precious princess die, Anon?" she taunts. "Come to welcome me to my rightful throne?"
>Your throat is dry. Your knuckles are white around the hilt of your sword.
"Let her go, Twilight!"
>She glares at you with those soulless eyes. Slowly, deliberately, she presses down on Celestia's throat with a blood-stained hoof.
>"Anon", the princess chokes, her eyes meeting yours, calling silently for help. "P-please..."
"Let...her...go."
>"Or what? You'll kill me?" Twilight says with another joyless laugh.
>All you need to do is remove Twilight's magical grip on Celestia for but a moment, and the day is won.
>You don't need to win the duel.
>You know you can't/
>It's either you, or your beloved princess and the land you have come to call your home.
"I will do what I must, Twilight."
>She steps off her former mentor and turns to face you.
>Her horn glows brightly as she smiles maliciously.
>"So be it, Anon...prepare to die."
>The horn glows brighter still.
>You sweep the sword in front of your face in the traditional dueling salute.
>You always wanted to have a good death, but never thought it would be for something like this.
>We all die of something...a lucky few of us die for something.
>Those words, first said to you by your father, echo now in your mind.
>He first taught you the art of fighting; how to protect those who could not protect themselves.
>You look one last time into those royal, majestic, violet eyes, beautiful even in their pain.
>Then you look forward at the monster who was once your friend.
>You bring your sword down and back, winding up.
>The glow from the horn is now almost blinding you. This spell will probably kill you, you think. It'll splatter you across the wall.
"At least she'll be safe..."
>And Equestria..."
"All my friends..."
>Will be safe.
>You focus on your target and collect your thoughts one last time.
"Praise the Sun."
>Charge.
>The force of the blast knocks you off your feet and back into the wall, and all goes black.
>"Anon?" you hear in a familiar voice in the dark haze.
>Suddenly, everything is clear again.
>You see Twilight, beaten and bruised but alive, getting hauled away by guards.
>Princess Celestia stands over you in her majesty.
>"Anon...what you did there was...incredibly brave. I cannot tell you how much it means to me."
>You smile weakly.
>You open your mouth to speak and taste iron. A trickle of blood runs down your chin.
>The princess gasps and her eyes well up with tears.
>"Anon..."
>You cough.
"All that matters is that you're safe, your majesty."
>You feel her hoof gently press into your hand; you clasp it.
"It...it has been an honor...to serve you..."
>You see the blackness creep in around the edge of your vision.
>No...
>You must fight it.
>You must tell her.
>Tell her what you never said, not when you came to Equestria and not in all the months you've lived there.
"Princess?"
>She tries to hold back her tears and remain dignified. It's a struggle.
"I...I know you'll hate me for saying this..."
>"I could never hate you, Anon. Not after all you've done for me and my subjects."
>Now is the moment.
>You feel yourself growing cold, your heart rate slowing.
>Here goes.
"From the moment I came to Equestria...from the moment I entered your service...through all of the adventures and lessons and tasks you have given to me..."
>"Yes, Anon?"
>Don't hold back. Fight the darkness.
"I have learned one very important thing."
>"A-and what is that?"
"That you should always tell someone how you really feel...before it's too late."
>"Wha...what do you mean, Anon?"
>The tears flow freely down her face now.
"I should have said this long ago...I...I love you, Princess Celestia. I always have, and I always will."
>With that, you collapse, her hoof in your hand, her mane mingling with your hair, as the darkness takes you.
>The last thing you see before the world goes dark is her majestic violet eyes and her mouth...so far away...
>You can't hear what she says, but you can see how her lips move.
>"I love you too..."
>And with that, you part from the world of the living.