Onyx slowly stretched out in his room and could only sigh because Celestia is still treating him as a royal pony. She requested that every Alicorn be there for the Current Summer Sun Celebration. This was slightly annoying because he had only just now got back into the swing of things. However, he still agreed because this was his third Summer Sun since coming to ponyville. He slowly looked over the various art pieces he was creating and wondered what his next major project should be, but before he could make a choice, he heard his door being knocked upon. He spoke up without looking up at the door. "Come in, Celestia."
Celestia, who was behind the door, nodded and slowly entered the room while looking around because Onyx had already turned this small room into a massive library of blueprints. She slowly walked forward and looked at him in thought because, in this one moment, she could see the way Onyx's mantle affected him, for he usually kept it in tight control and never allowed it to show how it affected his mental process. She spoke calmly, already knowing that what she was about to say would make Onyx angry, but it needed to be done. "Onyx, I have some information that may greatly anger you."
Onyx stopped his writing and looked over his shoulder with one eye showing his curiosity. Celestia slightly shivered from his expression because, in all honesty, she hopes she never needs to hear about how this was needed. She spoke extremely calm and with a soothing tone trying to keep Onyx calm. "I have created a position in our government because you declined princedom. I have created the position of Royal Advisor. In the event that I, Celestia, and my sister, Luna, or my student, Twilight, should go missing or be indisposed from the castle, you shall take command of Equestria and keep it running until we can be rescued from the situation that has caused us to be indisposed."
Onyx looked at her, shocked beyond word and extremely angry because he wanted to be in no way part of the Rulership of Equestria. Celestia noticing the way Onyx was acting, quickly held up her hand. Onyx grumbled but sat back down and waved her on to continue with the explanation. She quickly explained her reasoning for creating the job. "Onyx, you are the only one besides Luna and me with even a lick of experience in leading. Before you moved to Equestria in the Rune Society when not running your toy shop, you led a division of Rune Apprentices and taught them and helped them on their path."
"I have not led since I left the job in the Rune Society Celestia." Onyx quickly shouted at the princess, interrupting her, not wanting her to take his experience as a be-all-end-all. He promptly started pacing and started grumbling at her about the fact that he was in no way able to do this. "I have not even thought about my time from leading a group of young Pony's on the path of Runeship, and then even that experience I only had to help like five people Celestia, not a whole country. So, explain to me why on earth I should be in charge of anything."
"Do you think that Luna and I just were able to lead Equestria from the get-go?" Celestia calmly explained why she was not worried about having no experience. Onyx could only sigh at that remark because it sounded like they had many problems when they were first starting out, and the records from them were pretty bad that all that was left were paintings. Celestia continued explaining while walking towards a window and looked at the sun in the sky. "At the end of the day, Twilight has no experience at all with leading, and if something happens to Luna and me, it will come down to you to protect all of Equestria Onyx."
Onyx looked at her back and was slightly worried because this raised all kinds of his flags screaming about death, specifically her death. While he was musing on her words in thought, Celestia was quick to continue her talk. "In the event that you have to pick between saving Luna and I and the nation of Equestria, I think you know what you have to do."
"Yeah, I do. Save you both and get Twilight into a position of Safety and kill whatever it is that is holding you two or die trying." Onyx snorted before reacting to her words in and explaining to her what he would do. Celestia spun around and looked at Onyx's back, almost as if he were never talking to her and writing things in his book. Celestia almost thought she imagined it, but she knew what she had heard before opening her mouth and quickly closed it when Onyx stopped writing. "Celestia, at the end of the day, you and Luna have a duty that not even death will let go of you two because Twilight is the future, but you have to prepare her for it."
Celestia was confused because it sounded like Onyx was so confident that Twilight was going to be the one to take their Rulership and allow them to take a break. Celestia snorted and looked at Onyx before walking up and hugging him from behind. She spoke quietly because, in all honesty, she and Luna were exhausted. "We are exhausted, Onyx and your words give hope to a woman who is at the end of the day much too old and wants to rest for a few centuries. I have seen my friend die by the thousand, I have led thousands to their very dooms on the promise that Equestria would survive."
"If it means my death keeps the dream of Equestria alive, I will gladly walk to my death proudly, Onyx." Celestia squeezed her hands into fists balling up Onyx's shirt, and Onyx could feel her tears fall on his back. Onyx knew without a doubt in his mind that Celestia would make it to the end of the TV show that was something he knew. Still, for some reason, Onyx, something deep in his chest, screamed at him that if he did nothing to help, he would lose something more substantial. Her voice was shaky as she continued her talk. "I made a promise to myself, Onyx, that if it ever came down to it, I would make the same commitment that my pony subjects have made while in service to me."
Onyx only sighed because it was sounding like Celestia was almost certain she was going to die soon, and that was not alright in his mind. His hand slowly moved up and slowly comforted her and gripped her hand even harder. He spoke with a surety in his tone of voice that was normally missing. "I will fall and die before you do, Celestia."
---Time Skip---
Onyx slowly walked down a hall and watched the various Royal Guards bow to him and knew from the way they stood. Something had happened to Celestia and Luna, as he slowly entered the throne room and looked at the twin seats of power. He sighed when he noticed Twilight standing there with tears in her eyes and a lost expression on her face. Onyx slowly walked past her, and Twilight looked at his back and realized something for a split second, Celestia and Luna were walking next to him. Twilight stood up on shaky feet and spoke. "What should we do, Onyx? The Princesses are gone, and there is no one to claim to know where they are, there are no hint, and there is nothing."
Onyx looked up at the twin thrones and turned around, and smiled at her. Twilight was surprised at the expression because he knew that even though he had no idea what had happened, the Elements would save them. He slowly sat on the steps, almost as if that was where he was meant to be, not the thrones themselves. "You are going to go save our Princesses Twilight. You will find them and bring them back to us because that is what you have to do. I do not have your smarts; I do not have your stubbornness or anything else but what I can do is hold the Country together while you do your job."
Twilight looked at the split sky and felt a massive wave of magic radiate behind her and saw the sun and moon start moving. She quickly turned and saw Onyx using his magic and was bleeding from his nose. Twilight was about to rush over and stop him before a maid stepped in between them and bowed. The maid spoke in deference. "Please, Princess Twilight, save our missing princesses. We will protect Royal Advisor Onyx so that you will have no worries, the Country will be fine in his hands."
The guards slowly started forming ranks around the one Pony, slowly putting Equestria back together even though it was straining him. The door to the throne room was opened, and a group of old Ponies arrived along with several Runic Warriors. The maid continued without a worry in her tone of voice. "Save them, Princess Twilight, so that Royal Advisor Onyx can rest."
Twilight looked at what was probably the most significant gathering of Equestria's magical and physical might and realized that she needed to save the Princesses. Otherwise, Onyx would continue and hold the burden until he died. She slowly whispered to herself. "One Alicorn cannot move them both at the same time, I thought, was Celestia feeling what Onyx felt all this time."
Twilight quickly nodded his head and took off to look for Spike and maybe a hint about what she should be doing. The maid slowly felt tears start to gather in her eyes because Celestia was gone before she sighed and shook her head and moved and bowed before Royal Advisor Onyx. She did not say a single word and just waited as was appropriate so that he could call on them.
The guards quickly moved around the room, securing while the two most critical celestial bodies slowly moving into their proper positions. Onyx had no idea about what was going on outside of his body. It was taking everything he had to move both the sun and moon. The only reason he could do this is because he is an Alicorn, and he had studied the various magical arts that had made it to godhood. The only one he did not have an excellent theoretical foundation upon was Twilight's, but that was because that was six magics wrapped into each other. He started coughing and felt blood start coming up his throat and did not stop the magic. He felt hands hold him and heal him, but they did not disrupt what he was doing.
Onyx's father Ivory sat in front of his son and could only sigh because this was slowly tearing him apart but could admit that it needed to be done. He grumbled and sighed when he got the stink eye from what should have been a maid but was actually what was probably the majordomo of the household for the princesses. He knew that the only reason he was being allowed this right was because Onyx was his son, and he was one of the three heirloom healers of Equestria.
When the moon was properly in the sky, the sun started moving twice as fast, and outside in Equestria, the various Ponies started calming down, but at the same time were even more worried because that meant there was only one Alicorn moving the sun and moon. They prayed for their missing leader. They prayed to Harmony and looked around for someone to give them direction.
---Astral Realm---
Harmony sat next to Onyx and basked in his presence. Harmony had never been this week before and slowly laid their head on Onyx's back. 'Thank you, Onyx.'
Discord sat slightly further than usual and was holding back a great storm of Chaos. 'I get to decide when our game ends. Do you understand me, Harmony?'
'Sorry, Discord.' Harmony spoke, sounding extremely tired.