The Eternal Knight

by Nerom_Fencer

A Gift and a Curse

Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.

chapter 3: A Gift and a Curse
By Nerom

Twilight woke up in bed, the sun was high. The old clock in the library kitchen chimed once.
What a dream. Wait one? was it not a dream? "Spike!" No answer. "Spike!" This time louder, still no answer.
Where did Spike go? She stepped out of bed and went downstairs, a note that she did not recognize was on her desk. "Well that's convenient."

Dear Twilight

After the others woke up (Fluttershy and Applejack) and came over. And Nero for the third time told us what he and the dragon was talking about, something about herald's gift. (I got notes for you brought them with me if I needed to add something.) Any way after that we was hungry so we went to Sugar-cube Corner for lunch after a tour of Ponyville, Nero being new and all. We got a table by one o'clock thanks to Pinkie Pie meet us there if you get this note.

Your number one assistant Spike.

Her stomach growled. "Well I am hungry." Then she noticed a silver object sitting on the round desk in the middle of the room. What's that thing, I think i saw it in the cave. Anyway I better make my way to Sugar-Cube corner so I can get some lunch. She went outside and started to trot to the bakery.

Outside the bakery was a hoard of ponies, all mumbling about princess Luna and Nero and some even talked about the dragon. I really hope that the wrong types of rumors don't start running around town. The whole thing with Babby Gums still fresh in her memory. "Excuse me, sorry." She made her way throughout the mass of ponies. She saw Pinkie and some of Rainbow Dashes mane.

Inside every table except the one with the human and princess was full of ponies. Some eating, some looking at the odd table and some both. The cakes was busy serving food to every one. She noticed that in the table closest to Nero sat a mint pony, eating a muffin while trying to stare holes in his back. The noise in the bakery was not that of outside, Twilight silently thanked Celestia for that.

"Twilight over here!" Pinkie walked over to her and pushed her to a seat. "Soo? Are you hungry and in that case what do you want?" Pinkie was in work/ break mode, something that was rare to see. ether Pinkie worked or she played. She smiled at Twilight. "Well?"
"Yes cherry pie please." Her stomach growled a bit more.

"Tell me about it." spike said while starting to eat on his chocolate cake. "Slept well?"
"Well yes I just wonder why I fell asleep? And why did I wake up last of us?"

"That I can answer. You had the most energy losses after your were bitten by the dragon. Its teeth was coated in a lethal energy draining poison. Lucky you I had the antidote on me or you would be dead before nightfall." Twilight looked at Nero. "You had the antidote on you? And you just why did you have that? and what happened to the dragon?"

He sighed. It's just a question ghee. "The dragon gave me the antidote and then she ... I don't know how to say this properly, at least in front of bystanders. Especially with her staring holes in my back." He pointed to Lyra and the pony let out a fan girl squee. "How about this if we eat now and I answer your questions afterwards. I'm not going anywhere soon anyway. deal?"

She looked at him a little and the around the shop. "Okay deal. Spike I want to see those notes."
"No, eat now answers later like I said. That goes for the notes to, you need to refill on energy and rest more than abuse your body by not eating or sleeping." Nero looked at her with a stern face. The others just gaped except for Luna she was sipping on her tea and had one eye on Nero.

Pinkie conveniently came with Twilight's pie mere seconds after. "One big slice of cherry pie." Pinkie put a quarter of a pie in front of her.
"Pinkie I don't think I can eat this much." Twilight looked at the pie slice.
"Then eat in till your full and give someone else the rest, never waste good pie." Nero said this while ogling his tea then took a sip.
"You want more cupcakes Nero?"
"Nah I don't, I can take some apple pie if you have some or do you have rabarber pie?"
"Nope don't think so, Apple pie it is then?
"Apple pie it is. and don't give me half a pie this time!"

Twilight looked at him. "You ate half a pie and your still hungry?"
"And two cupcakes." He looked back with a grin. "I'm just happy Pinkie stands for the tab today, her way of not having a massive party in the town square then again she wants one in the library. Took us ten minutes to make her sip it about it."

"Lance can I borrow that music thing I wants to listen to some." Rainbow looked at him. When did he get a nick name? "sense when did I give someone permission to call me Lance?" She looked at him with sorry eyes and he chuckled giving her the small device."
"Your lucky that it did not brake when the dragon hit you." Twilight said.
"Did not have it on me. picked it up after we left Fluttershy at her home, not easy to pull off while I was carrying you."

A loud murmur started both outside and inside. "We better not talk about it shall we?" Nero raised an eyebrow.
"Yea might be for the best." She stared to eat her pie. And surprised herself when she ate the whole thing. Applejack sat and discussed the matter of hats with Rarity. Fluttershy and Pinkie was talking about the party she was planing for later that evening. Spike had fallen asleep on his chair and Rainbow Dash was listening to music.

Luna and Nero was discussing the mater of him visiting Canterlot. "Well we better ask her then." Nero nodded.
"Twilight."
"Yes princess?"
"We were discussing the mater of a meeting with my sister, for Nero here. I wonder if you could do the honor of accompany him to Canterlot. Also it's the mater of length of the visit. I will say two maybe three days, do you think you have the time? I also think my sister would love to see you again."

"Well yes of course I can. I will always have time for the royal family. It would be my honor." Twilight was happy for the request.
"Very well I will see to that a meeting is arrange before the weekend." Luna nodded to herself. "But now I need to excuse myself I have stayed much to long and I need some sleep before nightfall." Nero gave her a nod.
"I will look forward to see your night again it was most fascinating."

When Luna left the bakery she was almost skipping, almost Twilight noted.

---

When Luna left Ponyville she was in a chipper mode. Not that bad mingling with the subjects once in awhile and that human is most intriguing indeed. I hope Tia think the same. She giggled as she flew to the castle town known as Canterlot.

When she got back to the castle she was greeted by two of her sisters guards. "I believe that my sister is in the throne room at this hour correct?" She was smiling and was in a good mode she would not let some scared guards ruin it.
"Yes your Majesty." She nodded to the guard and set of to her sister in a high phase she had much to tell her.

---

After Luna left the bakery, many of the ponies gathered outside and some inside left to go on with their daily business. Rainbow had long ago finished her cake now only bobbing her head to the music and flipping trough the music library. The songs she had been listening to was apparently twenty five years old and added to the PB.I by Nero's father. one picture had a flowing rainbow on a black background with the tittle Loyalty written in big text on the artwork.

Hmm that's a weird coincident. She pressed the screen with light hoof. she had gotten better at it, she found herself lost in the music once more. This time not bobbing her head but calmly listening to the song and found a strange connection to it.

"Rainbow?... Dash?.. RAINBOW DASH!!" She was drawn out of her trance with a jolt. A jolt made of the scream of applejack's voice in her ear.
"What? Did something happen?" Dash had fallen to the floor.
"I's time tha leave sugarcube." Applejack only looked at the pegasus while slowly shaking her head, while the others was laughing while slowly walking to the door. All except Nero that is who stood right behind Applejack. Pinkie was helping the Cake's with the shop.

"I think I need that back now, Twilight wants to question me on what I spoke about to the dragon." He helped her up on her hooves.
"Sorry I kinda lost myself in the music."
"Well the old man had good taste in music, hehe." He picked up the small device from the floor where it had fallen when Dash fell.
"Old man? Had? What do you mean by that?" Rainbow looked at him confused so did Applejack.

"My father, he added most of the music in the phone that I listens to. My times musicians kinda sucks so I and many others listens to older music. I even have some from seventy years ago if not even longer. And well when I say had I meant that my father has passed away." He looked at the device with fond eyes.

"Passed away?" Rainbow was still looking at him with confusion, Applejack had her hoof to the face. Now it's Nero's turn to look at Dash.
"To be blunt that means he died." With that he put the PB.I in his inner pocket and headed for the door, he turned his head to them. "Are you two just going to stand there all day?" He then went out the door where Twilight and Spike was waiting on him.

"Um I have some work to do now after lunch, there is a light rain scheduled this afternoon."
"Rainbow you should say that your sorry to h'm even if you did not know." Apple jack eyed Dash with a meaning full look.
"Yea your right, I'll do it after work it will only take an hour or so. Meet you at the library later, Pinkies party and all."
"You better say that your sorry to h'm then." Rainbow nodded and headed out to work. Applejack followed her outside in the afternoon sun. Pegasi was flying in the sky gathering clouds. Applejack looked to the south somehow, something was drawing her attention. She shacked of the feeling and headed home to the farm.

---

Everyone had left for home except the ponies that wanted to get a glimpse of the human, but after a speech from Twilight they to scattered and went ether home or back to work. Well all except Lyra.

"Is it some thing special you want Lyra?" Twilight said with a clearly annoyed voice. she knew the answer already. And when I finally got him for myself so I can get those answers.

"Well I.. I have a question. To him." she pointed at Nero I knew it.
"Hit me with your best shot." Nero said hands on his hips. "But don't make it a to long one I'm getting tried and I have somethings to do." He smiled at the mint unicorn.

"Well. Umm.. how is it to have hands?" she smiled up at him
"Very handy." He flexed his hands in front of her. "Also good to grab lift and hold on to things with. and extremely useful for precision work. Happy?" The mint unicorn nodded frantic.

"Lyra we have somethings to do right now so how about that you talk to him at the party pinkie wants to throw." She intervened before Lyra could ask another question.
Lyra nodded again this time not as happily. "See you later then." She added before she started to skip away.

"She looked ummm happy..." Nero added when they started to walk back to the library.
"She has a thing of some sort." Twilight answered quickly. They walked the short way to the tree house, Nero yawned when they reached the door. Twilight had noted the lack of ponies on the way back. I hope not Pinkie wants to start the party early. She opened the door with her magic.

"Surprise!!!" The room was filled with ponies. PINKIE PIE! She wanted to scream out loud but decided against it. She let out a sigh "Pinkie the party was supposed to start by seven not two thirty."
"But everypony looked so glum after they leaved Sugarcube. so I decided to throw it now instead, isn't it exciting." She jumped around in the entryway.
"You could at least have told me pinkie. Also how did yo.. never mind. still you could have told me." Twilight was on a little more collected now.

"And here I hoped on a nap before the party. You know pinkie off all ponies that i have been up sense 3 am in the morning." He gave her a stern look. "Not to mention ''That'' took its toll on me to."
Pinkie was not discouraged by this in the least. Oh boy is she gonn.. Twilight had not the time to finish her thought before Pinkie had shoved a Pinkie Party cube in is mouth. Great! well now he is going to be hyper all day.

Ten minutes later and Nero seemed like he never needed that nap. "See now he can party all day you want one to Twilight?"
"NO! I'm fine Pinkie took a nap earlier remember."
"Yea that's true. Cake?"
"No than.." She felt strangely hungry. "Umm I'll just take that thank you." She grabbed the cake with her magic and took a bite. Pinkie skipped away diving down behind one pony and emerged from another one longer into the room. Twilight did not really care or wonder about it, so did no one else.

---

The music from the party had faded when ponies started to walk of from the tree house, seemingly a little tipsy. Nero found this strange. What in the world did those ponies drink. just look at them even the pegasi are walking. not to mention it R.D is going to crash at Fluttershy's place. Rainbow had crashed into the party later on, she had literary crashed into it.

He let out a sigh, it had been hard to stop the party without getting Pinkie sad but it had to be done. The sun was setting and the party had been going for at least eight hours. And to be fair Twilight had fallen asleep on him when they discussed sarsaparilla.
I think this stuff is intoxicating to ponies, well I don't like it so I don't know if it has alcohol in it. I know that the cider Applejack had with her had some but she did not have enough to do this to all off them. And it was mostly me, her and Dash that drank more than one mug off it.

He turned around in the doorway when the last guest had left the library. "A party in a library silly ponies." Twilight was sleeping on the chair she had fallen asleep on fifteen minutes ago give or take. Spike had gone to bed a little earlier, he was a baby dragon after all. Nero picked up the sleeping pony gently in his arms like a cradle. This time he wasn't surprised by the warm soft body. This better not become a habit. He carried her to her bed and gently out her down in it, covering her with the blanket.

"Well if you look at that its twilight and the stars sparkle." He laughed at his joke silently while looking at the night sky and resisted the urge to walk outside. He then went over to the guest bed. The bed was big enough to house two ponies with ease. With a yawn he undressed, only leaving the shirt and his underwear on then he crept into bed. sleep welcomed him.

"Well this place is familiar. Are you going to hide tonight?" He stood in a room lit only by the stars and moon from above. it was a room none the less, the roof made of glass. The room was a perfect circle, one side in the purest of silver and black marble and the other in gold and ordinary white marble. Perfection in balance.
"Indeed it is." He turned around right where he just had stood sat a white stallion with night blue mane. on his flank was a split moon and sun also in perfect harmony. On his back however was two incomplete wings. one was missing feathers entirely, the other was small and was missing the last segment.

"You are not the same as last time." The pony looked at him and nodded.
"And nether are you." He answer. "But that does not matter right now.
"At least I understand you this time." The pony only nodded this time.
"That also matters some but not much. Even if you did not understand me we should still have meet this night."

Nero walked around the room, while he walked the golden parts seemed to dance in the corner of his eyes. While the part that represent the moon danced and twinkled all the time. It reminded him of Luna's mane a little.
"This room used to represent your waking hours mostly made in gold and only a little silver. Do you know why it has changed? And why the sun are not shining here?"
"It's night outside that's why the sun is not up. And the room... Well on that I can't answer." The pony now smiled, Nero knew this without looking at it.

"This room for many persons or ponies for that matter is never perfect, Never! But for you it is, for one reason only."
"The Gift." Nero answered.

"Yes the Gift, even for that great gift you was reluctant to pay the price so you see it as a curse instead." The pony was now standing. "It did not just change yourself or me for that matter, but also those three. How will they take it when you drop the news what you gave them is not something to give lightly. And you know the price of taking it back before its to late anyway."
Nero looked at the pony now.

"I would never do that even if it cost me my own life, the agony they would suffer is to great." Nero stared at the pony now a frown on his face was clearly showing.
"Exactly but will not the pain also come with time? You yourself know that very pain! And now you and them will suffer it."
"It was the only way to save them!" He had started to become angry.
"Being angry with your own subconsciousness won't help them or you." The pony said coldly. "It's your fault that you are not mine, remember that. And I know that it was the only way to save them. More so than you." The pony looked at the sky.

Nero turned around and looked out the wall it was a dream after all. "So my on subconsciousness is representing the moon and sun. I thought that it was the princesses jobs."
"No, in here I represent your waking hours to. My true form is something else or rather its you."
"In pony form?" He laughed softly.
"Apparently, but that is not why I'm here you are not fully controlling yourself yet. Talimara said that you will change. Some things you can control and other things that you won't be. This is one you can take whenever you like." Nero was still looking out the window that now had appeared.

"It's your choice when."
"How do I make that choice?" He already knew. Grab the rapier. He turned around to the middle of the room and saw the rapier he was carrying in the world outside his head. The ornament was now a full moon.
"It's your choice Nero, but be warned you will not leave in till you pass." The voice faded to a whisper and to nothingness.

Nero looked at the blade for a moment. "Not today I don't feel like it." He smiled a little when he faded from his dream. being a lucid dreamer had its advantages. He woke in bed and the sun was slowly rising. He groaned as every bone in his body seemed to burn like when you sit close to a flame, It was not pleasant but bearable. Time to go up, no use staying in bed if I try to sleep I will only come there anyway. With that he got out of bed and dressed himself. Every one of his movements made his bones scream a little. especially his back.

He slowly made his way to the first floor. Spike had made tea yesterday so he walked to the kitchen. "Now where can I get some of that jasmine tea." He mumbled, eyes searching the various shelf's and cupboards. Then it hit him, the counter. He looked over by the sink and there it was a sizable box labeled ''Tea''. He hit himself in the face I'm so stupid!
The burning in his hand intensified. "ouch! Why did I do that."

He ignored it and it mostly went away. The burning now was like a hot shower, quite pleasant. He got water from the sink. Hehe mostly medieval Tec and they have running water and other pleasantries powered by magic. This is so cool sometimes.
The water-boiler had Spike explained had a small magical fire core and had a hundred charges before it went bad. Well he had commented that a unicorn easily could charge it by themselves if they knew what they were doing. Twilight clearly was.

He looked trough the box of teas and picked a cinnamon one after some thinking. He heard a yawn behind him and a groggy looking pony stepped into the kitchen.
"Good morning you are up early." Twilight yawned again. "How much did i drink at the party? I feel like I slept like a child." She smiled at him.
"To much you fell asleep on me, and when I meant on me a say it literary!" He gave her a faint smile. "But to be fair I feel I like my bones are burning." He noticed that the unicorn's horn had started to glow a little. "What are you doing?"
"Fixing your hangover. There, any better?" He shock his head back and forth and then up and down.
"Well the headache is gone and all but my bones still ache a little." He turned around to fix his tea.

---

Twilight could only stare at the humans back. "Is that coat feeling a little stuffy on you?" Still staring at his back. Something is different about it today.
"Now when you mention it it does." He rolled his shoulders. "Did not notice." He sipped at his tea. He also did not have his Gloves on she noted.
"No gloves today?"
"They are arm guards and no did not feel like it for the moment, wearing armor in a world with almost no threats are also a little silly." He had raised an eyebrow. another sip. Twilight felt the need for something to drink.

"There is more water on right?"
"Eeyup, it in the boiler"
"Well obviously where else should it be?"
"In a cauldron, on a fire, in a cave, in a jungle." He laughed lightly it looked like he was struggling with it.

"Ha Ha very funny." She made some tea, still noting that his back looked stuffy.
"Are you sure that you don't have anything under there? Maybe your shirt it out of place, your back looks weird." He sat down on one of the chairs and rose quickly.
"That was not nice."
"Sorry if i said someth.." She began
"No No not you my back. It felt like something was pressing on it and now it itches." He smirked a little "A lot!"

The human began to undress in front of her. She could not help the heat on her cheeks as he did. They had been talking about human relations just the day before and she knew that some people was not pleased to undress in front of others they did not know.

She could not help to gasp when she saw his back it had clearly bled and two wings spanning from his shoulder blades up to the shoulders them self, down his back and neatly ended at the pants. The feathers looked like those on a newborn chicken. all wet, then some had begun to dry revealing sliver white feathers.

"HOW DID YOU NOT FEEL THAT BEFORE NOW!" She cried. He tried to look at his back over his shoulder.
"Feel what?" he looked some more and caught a gimps of them. "What is it? Tell me I can't see my own back you know!"
"Don't feel alarmed but you have wings on your back." He froze. He stood there for a moment and mumbled something.

"What?" she asked.
"I said already?" Came the answer his voice was clearly shocked. "I need to sit down." And then he sat down again, careful not to lean on his back.
"Already what?" she walked closer to him.

"you know the dragon. What me and her talked about. She said that some changes was going to happen to me if I accepted. I never thought." He shacked his head again.

"What did you and the dragon talk about anyway?"
"The ''Gift'' she called it"
"The Gift? Like a gift?" Twilight sat down in the chair next to him.
"Well I can begin with what I told the others." He drew a breath.

"Talimara the dragon that was her name. She said that the only way to cure you and the others, was to give them my part of the gift. Something I can't give if she lives. that's why she died, she choose that."
"The dragon is dead?" Twilight looked at him in confusion "Why did you not tell me sooner?!"
"The party got in the way. Anyway let me continue. She made me a herald she called it, it's something from her world dragons can do. You see in her world dragons are all eternal beings and only a few are born every hundred years or so. If I heard correct. anyway one dragon may choose one herald and because dragons live forever so do the heralds. that's the Gift well most part of it anyway another thing is to cure dragon poison but its limited to how many times. He paused a little.

But that does not mean a dragon can't be killed or die. But its hard extremely hard to achieve, not only do you need twelve other dragons to do or twelve heralds. anyway it goes the same for heralds. Except and here is the big thing. A dragon can kill its own herald like any other mortal and gain his or hers power to its own and the other way around." Twilight gasped at this.
"So you killed her?"

"At her own request if I might add and not without a heavy heart. I.. It took me at least five minutes to even reconsider it and I only did it because she said that you only had a couple of hours left in you." He fell silent again.
"This is what I told the others. And one more thing Luna asked me if I wanted to go home to my world.
I said that I can't do that for one reason well there is two. First as I told the others. A being eternal may only jump in dimensions once every hundred years, a mortal one once a lifetime. Secondly and I add again if I leave this world before ten years from tomorrow. Then you, Applejack and Fluttershy will die after a year in complete agony. that's the price of taking back the gift from someone." Twilight listened in silence

"Now to the part I did not tell them. As a herald chooses companions after their dragons death they to will become immortal as well and this is why dragons in her world was reluctant to choose a herald in the first place. A herald could act as a small army and is he or she had for say ten friends that was the same they could easily takeover a city big as Canterlot."
"you can't be serious who would do that?"

"Power hungry humans perhaps. anyway she said that most of the heralds change a little. Never expected wings tho. Anyway there will be some changes I can control and others I can't. This one it seems I could not."

"But you will not become a power hungry human will you? Right?" Twilight gave him a smile. This is some big things to take in.

"Never I hope. I don't want power over others the only thing I wanted was freedom and I got that as soon as I came here."
He smiled back "These wings really itch you know. like you shouted earlier I don't know how I did not feel them earlier. Is it really that bad?" He grinned at her. I think you need to take a bath to clean those and ask Rarity to make some modifications to your clothing.

"Well there is some blood on them you might want to take a bath. While you do that I can go and get Rarity she is usually free in the morning to make some adjustments to your shirt." She laughed at him.
"Thank you. now how do these work?" He looked like he was focusing and one of the wings moved slightly with an unpleasant cracking of something with a crust on it. "EEUWW that sound nasty! You are right i need a bath and a shower now."

"The bathroom is upstairs to the right the tub should be big enough for you." She rose from her chair and walked to the stairs. "I'll just get you a towel. and I need to comb my mane before I go to Rarity or she will fix it for me and that will take at least half an hour.
"Great I think that might be the time it takes me to wash up and get this thing of the wings."

After she had showed him the bathroom and comb her mane, she left the loft. Spike was still sleeping. I swear that dragon can sleep trough anything. When she got outside she set off to Carousel boutique. This is going to be a long day.

---

Nero walked out of the bathroom finally had he gotten rid of the crust on his wings. That was remarkably easy to do and I got to wash my hair. He had taken a string from his shirt arms and used it to tie up his hair in a horse tail. Letting some of his hair to hang freely in his face he felt like the hair was not in the way for the wings anymore well as long as it was damp anyway. I have to ask Twilight about a proper hairband or something like that.

A loud burp was heard from the bedroom. "Aww and I was having such a good dream." The small dragon walked out the room and continued down the stairs.
"Twilight is not home she went over to Rarity's place." Nero tested to flap his wings twice, he felt the force in them. Damn I think these can fly already.

Spike was muttering about something. Nero looked at the dragon. Where did he get that scroll any way?
Looks like you, me and Twilight are meeting the princesses this weekend he said not looking at Nero.
"How did you get that anyway?"
"Magic flames sends and receives mail, and other things." He looked up and jumped in shear shock. "you. you.. you got wings!" This was the second time he saw the dragons jaw drop.

"Well if you did not sleep when Twilight made a fuss about it maybe you should have known! Also this is new to me to." He made the wings fit snugly against his body. And here I though that they was going to be bulky.
"I wonder what Rainbow Dash says when she see those babies? I can't wait until I get my wings." He looked at his back. "But that will not happen before my first hibernation and that will take a year to finish." He looked at Nero "whats the matter?"

"I knew it was something I forgot to tell her. Talimara was very specific on that part."
"She was? What did she tell you.. That you didn't tell us." He gave Nero a grim look.
"It only matters to you and Twilight well mostly so I was going to tell you when you were both present. I can tell you while Rarity fixes my shirt."
"Now then." Spike pointed at the door that was opening and Twilight came in with Rarity in haul.

"If you say it that way. Then yes." He added to the dragon.
"Twilight we got a letter from the princesses they want us three in Canterlot this weekend. We will be picked up by flying chariot."
"That's great spi.." She was interrupted by Rarity
"Those look marvelous darling and here Twilight got them to look horrid." she was ogling his wings.

"I did wash them Rarity I just stepped out of the shower. Do you think you can fit my shirt for me? So I don't need to run around half naked. please?" He gave her a begging smile.
"Anytime! I have wanted to work on your clothes sense i first saw them." I noticed.
"Thank you. your a pearl." He smiled again. Rarity beamed.

"Also Twilight I have something I need to tell you and Spike."
"Can you do that while I fit your clothing? He nodded "Good then lets begin."