//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Revealed // Story: Between Heaven and Hell // by Radiant Dawn //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Revealed Since that first day of learning my true task in this world, six months had passed. Several interesting occurrences happened here and there, but nothing that the Elements were not able to handle...save for today. I had traveled with the Elements to a land known as the Crystal Kingdom, where a great cataclysm threatened to swallow the entire kingdom whole. An ancient unicorn, known as King Sombra, had somehow returned from the depths of the shadows, intent on claiming the peaceful realm for his own again. Shadows danced around the large barrier that Princess Celestia’s niece, Princess Cadence, was struggling to keep strong, but from the flickers of the barrier itself, I could see its caster was weakening. This was not the greatest worry, however, as I had noticed a great number of presences with which I was very familiar... Demons. Within the shadows that crowded the barrier’s perimeter were gathered countless demons, ranging from the simple imps, to the Tiamat ‒ a great dragon-esque beast of a demon that was created from ancient Babylonian mythology, becoming a very real threat. The legions of darkness took the idea from human texts on Earth, turning the fearsome creature into a physical being of horrendous power. This Tiamat, however, was not a beast that sought to protect her children. Instead, it was simply a being of evil that commanded the legions that beset this world. I watched the gathering tide from within the barrier and readied my sword for when it would inevitably collapse...and a moment later, it did. The dark entities poured across the landscape, rushing towards the largely defenseless ponies that waited within the city, and the very shadows they sprang from corrupted the landscape, twisting it and gnarling the very vegetation. I wasted no time in darting faster than the eye could see all around the circle of encroaching darkness, slashing and destroying the many demonic entities that threatened to kill the ponies I was sworn to protect. For the first time in a long time, however, I could not fight back the advancing darkness. True that I vastly slowed it, but the tide simply continued towards the Crystal Palace, corrupting whatever buildings it washed over. Luckily, all of the ponies had retreated to the palace itself, so as to prevent the unthinkable...their death. Slowly, ever so slowly, I was finally driven to fight right along the outskirts of the palace grounds, but I raised my gaze in time to see a large stallion throw a determined Princess Cadence high into the air, to catch was looked to be Twilight’s Assistant, and a crystallized heart-like gem. I watched as the form of King Sombra materialized within the shadows, just in time for a massive wave of magical power to suddenly explode from the center of the palace, driving the shadows away and destroying King Sombra...hopefully forever. As I let myself breathe a sigh of relief, however, I felt a dark presence approaching, and looked to see a massive, shadowy many-headed creature. Tiamat. From the blast of energy, the beast was vastly weakened, but was still a grave threat to the ponies before it. Again, the ponies panicked, but the six Elements of Harmony (with an oddly crystalline look) gathered to fend off the beast. I knew for a fact that they could not defeat it, and so I knew that this would be the time that the princess had spoken about...the time when I would be revealed to them. At the moment though, I did not care about that...I knew that my need to protect them came first, and so I rushed forward and drove my armored fist directly into its chest, driving the beast back with a roar of pain. It was then that I heard the ponies behind me begin shouting in alarm. “What the hay was that, Twilight? Did you just cast a spell or something?” “No, Rainbow Dash, I didn’t. It just...backed off on its own. No wait, that doesn’t make sense...it acted like something hit it.” “Well whaddaya think it was, Twi?” “I don’t know, Applejack...but whatever it was is helping us, so that’s good enough for me.” Princess Celestia was right...Twilight Sparkle was rather intelligent. I wasted no time in lunging with my sword and burying it to the hilt into the Tiamat’s chest...just before releasing a large burst of divine power into it. It began to roar in pain, but a moment later it burst apart, dissipating into smoky shadows that evaporated into the air around us. I collapsed to the ground as the power I had been forced to release took its toll on me...and along with this came the loss of my invisibility. “W-who is that, Twilight?” asked a young male voice. “I don’t know, Spike...but I think it just helped us.” replied the female voice, who I recognized as Twilight Sparkle. I drove my sword into the dirt a bit and pushed myself to my feet, wobbling a bit as I did so. I then pulled a corner of my tabard up and wiped Cassandra before sheathing her, then I focused my gaze on the ponies gathered. “Greetings, Element bearers.” Rainbow Dash nearly fell out of the sky in shock as she squeaked, “It talked!” I chuckled a bit at her surprise and nodded. “Yes, I did.” Twilight Sparkle stepped forward a bit and asked, “Who are you, stranger?” I placed my hand on my chest and bowed slightly in respect. “I am Archangel Christopher.” I then stood and rested my hand on the pommel of Cassandra. “I have been charged by Princess Celestia to watch over and protect you all.” “And you couldn’t have come sooner?” the cyan pegasus grumbled. I grinned and replied, “That monster you just saw was only one of thousands, of which I was driving back to protect you all. Were it not for my efforts, you would not have had time to activate that magic and save the kingdom.” Twilight Sparkle eyed the large scorch mark on the ground. “What was that thing? It was like a hydra, but much worse.” I nodded. “That was a Tiamat, a demon that serves as commanders for armies such as the one that threatened to destroy all of you. Make no mistake, you would not have been able to defeat it, even with the Elements of Harmony.” “How do you know about the Elements?” the young lavender unicorn asked suspiciously. I sighed and lowered my eyes in frustration. “Let it be said that I know everything about all of you...as well as the power you wield. I have been watching over you for quite some time, actually.” “How long?” the white unicorn, Rarity, asked. “Six months.” I replied with a smile. “Until now, my presence here was inconsequential, as I was unneeded. Demons, however, are beyond your capabilities to defeat, and I mean that with no offense.” The cyan pegasus flew close to my face, and I unconsciously tensed. “Oh yeah? And how do you know what we can do? I’m tough, I could probably take it on my own!” “Unfortunately the only way for you to know that for sure would be to battle one, and I will not let that happen.” I replied sternly. “Regardless of what you may believe, I only stepped in because I had to...and you can ask Princess Celestia about me. She will confirm everything I have told you.” “Rainbow, calm down and back off. He could hurt ya.” the orange one replied warily. I shook my head. “My sole purpose on this world is to protect you. While I am quite capable of doing so, I would never harm any of you. To do so would be a grievous failure on my part.” Twilight Sparkle eyed me curiously for a moment before turning to her friends. “C’mon girls, we can talk about this later. Right now I’m tired and I just want to go home. This whole thing has been way too exciting for my liking.” I nodded again. “That is a good plan. I will await you in front of the Golden Oaks Library. We can speak more in a comfortable atmosphere.” The mares nodded before walking away, though the small dragon kept his eyes focused on me for some time. I journeyed to see and report to the princesses as soon as I returned, but then made my way to wait at Twilight Sparkle’s place of residence, as I had advised the Elements I would. Nearly an entire day later, the group arrived, rested, and luckily in much better spirits. The seven of them headed directly to the Celestial Palace first, before finally arriving back in Ponyville, and they all saw I was awaiting them. Twilight was the first to approach me, and she smiled. “Well, I asked both of the princesses and your story checks out. Princess Celestia told me that we could trust you completely, so that’s good enough for me.” “So you’re a warrior, hmm? How fast are you?” Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk. Before she could blink, I rushed to her home, grabbed a pair of autographed goggles she kept beside her bed, and rushed back before dangling them on my finger. “Faster than you.” The cyan mare’s mouth dropped open as she stuttered, “H-how did you...?” I shrugged. “Speed is essential in any situation...in battle, doubly so. I am the best at what I do, and so I must be the fastest as well.” I then handed the goggles to the mare, and she took them gently in her hooves. “Thankfully for all of you, I am charged with your protection instead of destruction.” Twilight Sparkle then motioned to her home and asked, “Would you like to join us for some cookies and juice?” I smiled softly and nodded. “It would be a pleasure, Twilight Sparkle.” The eight of us shared the sweet drinks and treats as we came to know each other a bit better, and I must admit, the sustenance of this world is rather good. The pink pony, Pinkie Pie, was talking nonstop about anything and everything, while the rest simply relaxed, enjoying the warm, safe atmosphere of home. The entire time the friends were speaking, I noticed that Twilight Sparkle did not seem surprised in the least by my appearance...and I had to know why. So I asked. “Twilight Sparkle.” I spoke, getting the mare’s attention. “Just Twilight is fine, Christopher.” the lavender mare responded. I nodded and continued. “I have observed that you show no surprise at my appearance. Might I ask why?” The five friends all looked at the Element of Magic, and she replied with, “Well I felt it was kind of strange for Princess Celestia to send us to handle something so dangerous alone. I mean I trust her, but I just felt like this was a little much. I was hoping that she was watching over us somehow, and while it wasn’t her directly, your presence shows that I was right in thinking she cared about us enough to want to keep us safe.” I nodded as I leaned against the wall near the front door. “Yes. Both of your princesses have made it quite clear just how important you are to them, so I pray you never believe you are unloved, because it would be a lie.” “So what are you exactly?” Rarity Belle asked. I smiled and answered, “I am an angel of my Lord, who happens to be the god of a race called humans...and that race looks like me. Angels are the enforcers of light and good throughout the cosmos, and among them are a few that are a tier above the others, and we are known as archangels, or ‘angelic lords’ as we are sometimes called. We directly serve gods and goddesses such as your princesses, and carry out the most vital missions.” “Missions? Cool! Your brother does missions too, right Twilight?” asked the boisterous cyan pegasus. The mentioned unicorn nodded with a sheepish grin. “Yes, but I’m sure the missions that Christopher runs are far more important than those that my brother does.” I shook my head with a smile. “No mission is too small, Twilight. Though it is true that I handle the more dangerous entities that plague your world, your brother does the same as I do: he ensures your protection and those of his home. I am doing the exact same, just on a larger scale.” The young unicorn nodded a few times before smiling. “Well thanks, Christopher...we appreciate that. So how long are you staying, exactly?” I shrugged. “For as long as I am needed. My terms in the past have ranged anywhere from a few hours to a few million years.” “Just how old are ya exac’ly?” the farmpony asked skeptically. I rolled my eyes to the ceiling in thought for a moment before replying, “Approximately 7.4298 quadrillion of your years. The exact number escapes me. I was present when the first mortals were created in the universe before this, and personally assisted in the creation of the many stars you see in the sky.” “Wait wait wait, there was a universe before this one? That doesn’t make any sense...” Twilight insisted. I sighed. “It is one of the things that mortals cannot understand, though it isn’t your fault. Your thought processes are very linear, where time must have a beginning. The concept of forward-moving eternity is easy to imagine for you, because you are already in the present, and you perceive the future simply as an endpoint you will not live to see. The concept of something that ‘always-has-been’ will forever elude you, simply because your mind cannot function that way. It is a thought process that has evolved because of your linear life: you are birthed, you live, and you pass away. From what I have been told, there have been many universes before this one, and it is likely there will be many after this one.” Twilight was silent for a moment before shaking her head as she brought a hoof to her temple. “You’re right, I can’t fathom that. It’s just giving me a headache.” I chuckled lightly and smiled. “It is fine. Strange as it may seem, there are things about the universe that even I do not understand, so you are not alone in lacking knowledge.” It was then that my eyes wandered to the only mare who had not spoken a word since the seven of us “met”...Fluttershy. She seemed downright terrified of me, to the point where she would hide behind the pink mane that draped around her face. Not only that, but the mare never seemed to leave the side of her protector and friend, Rainbow Dash. I was no stranger to the fear and intimidation that my stature, armor, and battle prowess brought with it, but my I also wished my charges not to fear me. With that in mind, I crouched low to the ground and lowered my voice to a near whisper. “Fluttershy...do you fear me?” The mentioned mare flinched a bit at my address, and whimpered. Rainbow Dash turned her head to listen before answering, “She says that your armor makes you look really scary.” I smiled at this. “The dark armor is only to shroud its true nature, because if I were to let its true form shine forth, it would compel you to adore me. However, I wish to establish a real connection with all of you, so forced adoration is not something I wish for.” “Why don’t you show us and let us decide that for ourselves, dear.” Rarity requested. I sighed and nodded before allowing the divine power to flow through me again. The armor caught fire with bright golden flames, and changed from black to a deep goldenrod. The etching changed from blue to white, and my tabard became bright white, instead of its normal gray. Almost immediately, all of the mares’ eyes widened, and the six of them stood up with bright smiles. Before anything could happen though, I dissipated the effect, leaving my armor as it was before, a solid, matte black. Twilight Sparkle nearly fell over when the effect ceased, and groaned, “Please...never do that again. I felt like I wanted to worship you, and no offense, but that is not a good feeling.” “Felt like y’all hijacked mah mind and made me fall in love with ya.” Applejack commented warily. I sighed again and mused, “I wonder what it is about me that makes people refuse to trust me when I tell them about that. Perhaps it’s my hair...” The young Pinkamena giggled and exclaimed, “I like him, he’s funny!” While I did not speak it, the approval of the Element of Laughter felt nice, and I simply smiled in response. I then turned my gaze to the group and explained, “I am far more powerful with that effect active, as the divine power given to me is flowing at full capacity. However, as you have witnessed, such power has rather odd side effects for me. Not even the princesses would be able to resist it.” “That must be rather cumbersome for you.” Rarity observed. I shook my head. “I have yet to have to use it in a battle, and I pray to my Lord that I never need to. For that kind of power to be needed...it is frightening to imagine what sort of enemy I would be facing.” I then turned my gaze to the yellow pegasus, who was no longer hiding her face away. “I would do anything to protect all of you though...and I do mean anything. I pray you do not fear my power, for it is nothing to fear for you. As I have stated before, I would never harm any of you.” Though she did not speak, the young pink-maned pegasus smiled warmly at me, which allowed me to smile at the small victory I had won. “So what are your plans for the future now that we know you exist?” Twilight asked curiously. “Well,” I began thoughtfully, “I was requested by your Princess Celestia to befriend all of you, which is more than acceptable for me because it will make my task that much more important if I care for each of you on a personal level. Beyond that, it is as it has been. I will stay out of sight in public, only intervening in your day-to-day activities if you are threatened with something you cannot handle on your own.” I then frowned, remembering what happened the previous day. “Although, the appearance of these demons worries me. I had not expected to come across them so soon, but regardless, my task remains unchanged. Keep alert for talk around the town about any suspicious going-ons that are taking place, and report to me directly. Other than that, simply go about your lives as usual and know that I will always be watching over each of you.” The level of respect and admiration the mares felt for me increased dramatically at this statement, and each one began to gather around me curiously. I raised my eyebrow at this, but then all at once, the six suddenly rushed and embraced me around my middle. ‘Too close...can’t breathe...too close...get away...touching...get away!’ “GET AWAY!” I shouted loudly, causing all six ponies to release me in fear. My heart was pounding with anxiety, and I was panting in an attempt to not faint, but the damage was done. I was trembling furiously, and sweating...but what mattered most to me was the faces of my charges, and how afraid and hurt the six of them looked. It took a few minutes, but after calming down, I took a deep breath and began to explain. “I apologize...truly. I have a rather serious aversion to physical contact with anyone. Yet again, I apologize...it has naught to do with any of you personally...it is simply a ‘quirk’ of mine, if you will.” Fluttershy finally spoke softly, asking, “So you’ve never touched anyone before?” “None by my brothers. I trust few else.” I replied sadly. The kind mare’s ears flopped down in sadness as her eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh my...you poor thing.” I sighed and shrugged. “It’s of no major consequence. I will see my brothers again, with time.” Fluttershy shook her head, and I saw a few tears drop down her face before she looked up at me again. “Do you miss them? Do you miss hugging them, talking to them?” “Every moment I live.” I responded placidly. “Then it must hurt to be away from them for years.” the pink-maned pegasus pressed. I nodded. “More than you can imagine.” “You’re wrong,” Fluttershy insisted, “I can imagine it. For the first five years of my life I lived it. Unlike you I didn’t know if I would ever have someone to hug me...” She then began sniffling. “To love me...” Her rainbow-maned friend rushed over to comfort her, but was gently brushed away as she fluttered into the air to stare directly into my eyes. “It’s not fair that you should have to go without that for any length of time...and I hope that someday, one of us can give you a hug without you getting scared.” The small pony’s confession had me reeling. For one of the rare times in my life, I was surprised...she was absolutely right. It was true that I missed my brothers dearly, but I knew that at some point, I would see them again...but if I did not have that sort of comfort to look forward to, I may have gone insane long ago. I suddenly had a new bit of respect for mortals, and this pony in particular. I stared directly back into Fluttershy’s eyes and nodded. “I appreciate that...truly. I am unsure if such a feat is possible, but I suppose I would be willing to submit myself to such a process, slow as it may be in progress. You all deserve such a thing if you are to trust me, and truth be told, I am curious as to if such a thing is possible.” I turned my gaze to the rest of the mares, who were smiling warmly. “If you can assist me in overcoming such a thing, I would forever be in your debt.” “You said that Princess Celestia requested you to befriend us, right?” Twilight asked. I nodded, and she smiled in return. “Well that’s what friends do...we help each other.” The young unicorn’s statement made me smile, and I nodded gratefully. “Then I am thankful for your concern. True concern for a complete stranger is something I so rarely come across, and I personally believe that much of the darkness in the universe could be prevented if more thought as you all do.” All the mares smiled and blushed a bit at the compliment, while Applejack replied, “Aw shucks sugarcube, t’aint nothin’.” “So where are you staying?” the rainbow-maned pegasus asked. I smiled sheepishly as I responded, “I have actually been passing the days upon Twilight Sparkle’s observation deck. It is one of the highest points in town that allows me to keep watch easily.” The mares all gasped at this, but Fluttershy was the only one to speak. “Y-you’ve been sleeping outside?” I shook my head. “I do not require sleep. I simply keep watch, always vigilant.” “So you never sleep at all?” Twilight asked curiously. “I can sleep,” I began with a sigh, “I just do not need to. It is an unneeded process for me.” The mares visibly relaxed a bit, but still seemed rather unsettled. Rainbow Dash floated in front of my face and said, “You’re going to stay with me.” I shook my head. “I will be fine. As I said, I do not need-” “I know you don’t need to sleep Chris,” she began, shortening my name for more streamlined speech (a perfect idea for the fastest pegasus in the realm), “but I feel bad if you just sit outside. The guest room at the top of my house is the highest point in the whole town...you can see for miles. I just don’t want you to have to sit outside all alone is all.” This was quite the crafty mare, appealing to my need to have a good vantage point. “Alright fine,” I answered in defeat, “I’ll stay with you in your home, Rainbow Dash. I will be sure and leave before dawn, and be gone until dusk, so as to give you plenty of privacy.” The cyan pegasus shook her head. “Chris...argh....look, I want you there, so it’s not like you’re going to be in the way. You don’t have to be gone the entire day if you don’t wanna be. Besides, it’d be nice to have someone to fly with that’s fast enough to keep up with me.” “I am fully capable of keeping watch over you from anywhere in town without taking up space in your home, though.” I argued. Rainbow Dash became frustrated as she shot back, “If you don’t stay in my guest room, I will go out and get in all kinds of trouble...and I’ll make your job really hard.” I stared at the rose-colored eyes of the pegasus for a few minutes before sighing and nodding. “Fine fine. I suppose I am what you would call a ‘roommate’ now.” “Yes!” she shouted in victory, causing all of her friends to giggle. She then turned to me with a grin. “Well come on, it’s getting late and I have work in the morning. I’ll get you set up so that you can keep an eye on things while still being really comfortable.” I sighed and cloaked myself before taking to the skies towards Rainbow Dash’s cloud abode. The two of us arrived at her home just a bit over five minutes later, and even though I had been privy to her home before, it was always a sight to see...but now that I was on speaking terms with the pegasus, I felt it appropriate to ask a question. “How exactly do you create the rainbow fountains?” I questioned in awe. She giggled and shrugged. “Trade secret. All I’ll tell you for sure is that here in Equestria, all rainbows start out as liquid. As for how I make them infinitely flowing, I’ll leave that for you to try and figure out. Good luck though, not even Twi could work it out.” As the mare led me into her home, I stared at the beautiful liquid rainbow fountains, curious as to the exact physics of this world. As I stepped inside the cloud home, I noticed that nearly everything within it was made of clouds, or stone-like creations that looked like clouds. It was yet another odd thing about physics that I would need to assimilate into my working knowledge so that I had a better understanding of how this world worked, as it could come in handy at any time. “So how fast can you go, exactly?” Rainbow Dash asked as we began to ascend a tall spiral staircase. I followed closely, but my eyes darted around the abode, taking in the floating work-of-art. “Umm, technically I can exceed the speed of light.” “That’s like really fast, right?” the mare questioned. I continued following and just nodded. “The speed of light is the fastest anything in the universe can travel naturally. Twilight is able to travel that speed by way of teleportation.” “Oh yeah!” the pony exclaimed, seeming to understand. “So like so fast that you can disappear from one place and show up right away in another?” I shrugged as we came to a small hallway at the top of the stairwell. “There is more to it than that, but for practical purposes that you would be able to observe here in Equestria, yes...that is correct.” “Awesome!” the mare squealed before flying over to a door at the end of the hallway and opening it, leading to a large circular room with five windows and a single, large bed made of clouds. “Alright, so this is it. I’m downstairs and to the left if you need me, ‘kay?” I nodded gratefully and smiled. “I thank you for inviting me into your home, Rainbow Dash. Your kindness is appreciated.” The mare rolled her eyes and grinned. “It’s no biggie, Chris. Just chill out and enjoy the place. The windows will let you keep track of everything around town, and even though I know you don’t sleep, the bed will be soft enough to let you chill out on something comfortable until you need to leave for something. I’ll make...wait, do you need to eat?” I shook my head. “As with slumber, I do not need physical sustainence, no.” The mare shrugged and smiled. “Well that’s cool. I know you can eat, so I’m gonna make you my specialty so you can have breakfast with me: fried caramelized apples with orange juice. It’s simple, nutritious, and easy to make, and I want to show you some hospitality, since you’re gonna be here on Equis for awhile.” I forced a smile as I kept in mind what the princess had told me of the Elements, and thus, the Element bearers. “That sounds wonderful, Rainbow Dash. I thank you. Sleep well.” “G’night, Chris. See ya in the morning.” the mare replied before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. As the pony left me in the room provided to me, I couldn’t help but smile at the kindness that had already been shown. I was a stranger to this world, and though their princess had assured them I could be trusted, none of them knew me beyond that. The world seemed...innocent somehow because of that, but yet also more pure. It simply made me want to protect this world even more. I unsheathed Cassandra and seated myself on the plush cloud bed before unrolling the golden scroll and running my finger across the blade quickly. A small spot of blood appeared on the edge of my finger, and I pressed it to the shimmery face of the scroll and watched as it glowed softly. A moment later, a familiar face appeared...that of my brother Michael. “Hello, Christopher.” he greeted happily. “I see you are well, and I assume that with this contact, you have met your charges, yes?” I nodded. “They know of me, and have been very kind and understanding.” Michael smiled. “Then you are blessed. How are things?” I shrugged. “The demons broke through somehow yesterday, though I know not how. They were defeated by the combined efforts of myself, and a magical artifact known as the Crystal Heart.” “Magical? You are in a magic world?” Michael questioned, genuinely surprised. I nodded. “The first I have ever known of. Magic is in everything and everyone here. It is an integral part of everyday life for the denizens of Equis.” “I see.” my brother mused aloud. “Consider yourself further blessed...I would wish to see such a force in action.” I smiled and commented, “It is a force like no other, my brother. This world holds a great many mysteries that I hope to discover, with the help of my charges, of course.” “Remember why you are there, Christopher.” Michael warned. I nodded. “Yes yes, I know of my primary objective. Worry not, I will watch over my charges intently...no harm will come to them.” He nodded with a smile. “Good. Our Lord is meeting with the goddess of that world sometime soon, and if what you say is true, she is like to give you a glowing review on the matter. I expect great things from you, Christopher.” I smiled warmly and nodded again. “It was a pleasure, Michael. Send my regards to Gabriel when you next speak to him, and as always, walk in the Light.” “And you as well, my dear brother. Farewell.” he replied, and then the face of the scroll went dark. I rolled the scroll up and stuck my finger in my mouth, sucking on it to dull the small ache and stop the bleeding. After a moment I removed my finger and sheathed Cassandra again before standing up and looking out one of the windows of my new room. As Rainbow Dash had promised, the view was perfect, as I could see every side of town and nearly all the way to Canterlot, the capital city. With night in full swing, I simply leaned against the window frame and waited for morning to arrive.