The Lone Gaurdian

by 21latenighter

First published

Throughout the many years of equestria's history, he has been in the background, silently protecting the ponies of equestria. But what will happen when the greatest alicorn of all time, falls to the nightmare spell...

It all began at the summer sun celebration, and a pony as black as sin, and then the legendary lone guardian is not only revealed, but falls victim to the nightmare spell. As Twilight learns more about this legendary hero, another secret is revealed, as the hero is royal by birth, but no throne.
the selfless hero voluntarily cast himself to the moon to fight the nightmare spell, but will he returned healed, or a full nightmare. can the mane six defeat a not only full powered alicorn, but a creator of the elements themselves???

the summer sun celebration

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All of the ponies stood at the edge of the stage, waiting for Princess Celestia to come out and begin the one of their greatest holidays, the Summer Sun Celebration. Pinkie Pie sat in the front row, silently bouncing in place and humming a familiar song as Applejack sat down beside her. She smelled like a sweaty apple tree, as she had just finished her chores at the farm before catching the train to this years destination of Canterlot. Rarity sat down beside Applejack, and slightly cringed at the smell of her friend, but kept whatever thoughts she had to herself, and instead pulled out a parchment and quill from her saddlebag and continued to work on a piece for her summer line. Rainbow dash hovered just above the ground, waiting to see the wonderbolts make their grand appearance and wow the audience. Though Rainbow was a wonderbolt reserve, she was still awestruck whenever the prestigious team performed. Fluttershy was setting at the end of the group, hankered down as far as she could physically get, so that the crowd couldn't see her.

"Wherever is twilight?" Rarity asked gracefully.

"She is probably in the back with the other princesses, like she is supposed to be," Applejack replied with a bit of country twang in her voice.

"When are the wonderbolts going to come out?" Rainbow asked worriedly.

"Why, are they playing hide and seek?" Pinky asked, grinning ear to ear. Rainbow rolled her eyes, and let out a small giggle that turned into a full out laugh.

Princess Celestia walked slowly out onto the stage, followed by Princess Luna, Cadence, and finally Twilight Sparkle. all the ponies started to shout in joy of seeing the four princesses together, but Celestia held out her hoof for silence. "For many years, everypony has celebrated the summer sun celebration for my defeat of Nightmare moon, But this year we are here to honor another, one who gave his life to protecting equestria. His name is not familiar to most, and some knew him quite well", Celestia said, looking towards Rainbow before continuing. "He went by many names, but all of us knew him as the lone guardian." Princess Celestia said calmly, but it sounded like the speech had been forced. She walked to the front of the stage before stopping a few inches from the edge.

"One year ago in ponyville, we held the summer sun celebration, and as many recall, there was a reappearance of the mare in the moon," the Princess said as she walked down the steps to the front of the stage. "The lone guardian, in a attempt to stop the return of Nightmare Moon and the darkness that came with it, stopped the pony responsible for the dark spell behind Luna's transformation, Nighting Gale. Before he could send her back to Tartarus however, she cast the spell onto him," she said, looking at the audience from the front row. "In a last attempt to stop the spell from taking over, he begged our six heroes to send him to the moon, where he could fight the spell without hurting anypony."

"Before I raise the sun," Celestia said as she made her way back to the stage. "Let us send a gift to the bravest pony that I have ever known," she said as her horn produced a soft white light. "let us send a light to him, to show him that he is not alone in this fight," Celestia said, with a lonely tear streaking down her cheek. the ponies at the celebration produced a soft light that Twilight formed into a ball that she sent towards the moon.

Afterwards, Celestia walked to the center stage, and the celebration could begin. Luna flew gently into the air, and with her alicorn magic, began to lower the moon. She seemed to caress the moon as she lowered it to the horizon. Celestia then rose into the air, and the sun seem to follow her up into the air.

Twilight Sparkle came off the stage and greeted her friends with a smile and a hug. "Can you girls believe its really been a year since he left" Twilight said softly.

"It had to be done sugarcube, or he would've tried to turn equestria into eternal night," applejack said reassuringly. The mane six started walking back to the train and ride back to ponyville, and rest for the day, because as it was custom on the summer sun celebration, no pony had slept the night before.

Fury Flight

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As Twilight went about her royal duties in Canterlot the next day, whenever she saw Celestia, she always looked saddened by something. When she finally got the courage to ask Celestia what was wrong, Luna pulled her aside into a room in the castle.

"I could see the look in your eyes as you approached my sister, but you will not get the information you seek," Luna said quietly as if Celestia was listening in on their conversation.

"How do you know what I was going to ask her about?" Twilight asked surprised. Luna sat down, and as she did, tears started to flow down her face and roll off her chin.

"He said he would never let the spell hurt me again," Luna whimpered. "OHH WHHHYYYY TWWIILLIGHT, WHHYYY did he have to leave!" Luna sobbed.

"I didn't realize that you and the lone guardian had had a history together," Twilight said, beginning to cry herself.

"you were never told Twilight?" Luna whispered.

"told about what?" Twilight asked, rubbing her eyes.

"That Fury Flight is our... brother," Twilight was so shocked that she fell over. "He is our older brother, older than Celestia and myself," Luna said quietly. "Tia has been heartbroken for a few nights, and it is all I can do to soothe her into a sleep. she once told me that our brother would sit by her for many a night, and talk about what we would do when I was freed," Luna said.

"Why would you and Celestia hide that from everypony?" Twilight asked.

"Tia thought it would break the balance of harmony, and my brother didn't want to have a lot of attention paid to him," Luna said. "She feared that it would cause unrest and rebellion among the ponies of equestria," Luna added. "Out of all of the ponies in this world, my brother was one of the only ponies to truly know my night. He would sit out every night and look at the stars, name the constellations, and even made a few new ones," Luna said gently chuckling. She then fell back into her depressed state and said "and now he will never again see my night," Luna said, beginning to cry again. Twilight put her hoof on Luna's shoulder, comforting her, then promised to keep her secret and not talk to Princess Celestia yet.

rainbow's secret

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As Twilight came closer to ponyville that evening, she started to think about how much it had changed over the years. Today marked six years since she had been sent to ponyville by Princess Celestia. They had been the best years of her life, but she had also had some bad times. Just some of the events that had happened since her arrival to ponyville was the return of Nightmare Moon, then her transformation back to Princess Luna. Then there was the return of discord, which had tried the friendships of all of her friends. Then there was the reforming of discord, which even though had changed the villain's heart, it hadn't changed his behavior, which wasn't all bad, just a little irritating at times. Then the wedding of her brother to a princess she knew her whole life, the beginning had been awful with the changeling invasion, but turned out all right in the end. The return of the Crystal Empire had been tough on Twilight, to have such a big job placed on her shoulders. Her princess hood had been more confusing than tough. Then there was the near end of equestria when Tirek escaped and stole all of the equestrian magic.

She had made the five best friends in the whole world. Over the years her friends changed as they aged in the six year period. Rainbow Dash was now a wonderbolt reserve, but was always in awe when they preformed. She had nearly had a heat attack when Spitfire came into ponyville to give Rainbow her costume and badge. Pinky Pie had moved out of the cakes home. She had then traveled across equestria to find the humorous Cheese Sandwich. They then begin to throw parties across equestria as the super duper party ponies, and brought laughter to all they came by. Though Pinkie and Cheese traveled all across equestria, they had purchased a house on the eastern side of Ponyville, where they had placed all the memorabilia of all the parties they thrown. Fluttershy had went to Pony University and became a veterinarian. She had a clinic beside her house now, but was rarely there. Like Pinkie Pie, she traveled the land helping all the critters she could.

Rarity had been very profitable, after her sale to Sapphire Shores, had bought a boutique in Canterlot. After that, her business had taken off, and had persuaded her to buy a boutique in Manehatten. Applejack had still been the same old farm pony she had always been. Granny Smith had fallen one day on her way to town and had broken her hip, and was bedridden for what seemed to be the rest of her life. She just wasn't the same any more, and her health started to go downhill. Applejack had not let that get her down, as she had increased her business area to make more money to get the things granny smith needed, but it included buying more ground around ponyville to grow apple trees to give her more product to sell.

Twilight didn't see where she was going and almost ran into her castle, "Wow, I really need to keep the daydreaming to a minimum while I'm flying," she said, beginning to descend towards the ground as her friends walked into the castle to celebrate the sixth anniversary party of Twilight moving to ponyville.

As Twilight walked into the castle, a blast of confetti was shot up into the air in front of her. "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PARTY!!!" Pinkie screamed as she jumped in front of Twilight.

"thanks everypony!" Twilight said. She looked around the castle to see the decorations, there were balloons everywhere, Streamers were also strung anywhere and everywhere. There was a table with a punch bowl and glasses, she wondered what kind of punch Pinkie had made, hopefully the same recipe as Rarity's birthday the year before, it had been her favorite. She then looked to her friends standing in the middle of the floor. Fluttershy was by the punch bowl, in her own little world, Pinkie was standing before her with a smile clear across her face, and Rainbow was getting a drink of punch. Rarity and applejack were in the middle of the dance floor, politely debating personal hygiene.

"Twilight, it has been six years since you came into ponyville, and our lives changed so much," Rarity said.

"We are so proud of you, and here is to more years of joy," they said in unison. The six ponies then began to party and party hard.

After a while, Twilight looked around and seen that Rainbow Dash was walking out suspiciously onto the balcony. Twilight followed her outside. She seen Rainbow looking up at the stars. As a shooting star passed, she could of swore that she seen a tear hit the ground in front of rainbow's body. "Rainbow, are you ok?" Twilight asked.

"What, of course I'm ok, why wouldn't I be ok Twilight," Rainbow said nervously.

"Rainbow, you look more nervous than when spitfire came to town to give you your wonderbolt badge?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"ok fine Twilight, I guess there is something bothering me", Rainbow mumbled, "But you have to promise not to tell anypony Twilight, anypony."

"I promise dash," Twilight replied as she leaned in to hear the secret of the cyan Pegasus.

"Do you remember when I was writing all those letters to my parents Twilight, Well they weren't going to my parents," Rainbow said slowly.

"Then who were they going to?" Twilight remembering the Pegasus borrowing over a hundred parchments from her to write a few letters.

"They were going to somepony special to me," said Rainbow shaking.

"That's very sweet Rainbow, but why didn't we ever meet him," Twilight asked.

"You did Twilight,...One year ago," Rainbow said as Twilights mouth dropped.

"Rainbow..." she started, but was cut off by dash.

"What kind of monster am I Twilight, I sent my own love to his grave, is that how I will be remembered, as the wonderbolt who sent all the ponies who care for her away!" Dash said, tears filling her eyes. This caused twilight to start crying, because she had only seen rainbow cry once, when Tank hibernated for the first time. Rainbow calmed down and then began telling her story.

"We met in cloudsdale, about ten years ago at a wonderbolts show. He looked like a fan, he was a greenish tan and had a fiery mane. We began talking and before I knew it, we were seeing each other, meeting all over cloudsdale. we never met in the same place, because I lost my home and was having trouble holding down a job. He had always came looking like a Pegasus, but I knew that something was up. On the day that I asked him, he was real scared to show me. at first I thought that it was because he wore a wig or something, but then he brought me to a room and then showed me his true form".

"What happened next?" Twilight asked.

"ok,ok," Rainbow said. "Then I laughed and told him it was a funny joke. Then he told me it wasn't a joke. We didn't speak for a couple weeks, and when he found me, I just accepted the job of weather manager here in ponyville. We talked for a little bit, and he explained that he thought it was a mistake showing me his alicorn form, because I wouldn't like him anymore, or like him for the wrong reasons. I told him that I liked him for him, the real him, not the mask he hid behind," Rainbow paused, as a small tear streaked down her cheek, and falling to the balcony floor.

"After I moved to Ponyville we didn't see each other as often, but we promised to visit each other once a month if possible. A few years back, he was traveling equestria, mostly just checking in on former friends resting places, and royal business, so we wrote to each other," Rainbow said as she ended her story.

"Rainbow... that is so sweet, how come you never told us," Fluttershy said as both Twilight and Rarity stared with an open mouth and shocked look. Rainbow's ears shot up at the sound, and her cyan coat went crimson immediately.

"How long have you been there?" Rainbow squeaked out barely audibly.

"We seen Twilight walk out so I thought that she didn't like my party, so I followed her out here, then I saw you were crying, but I didn't want to say anything so I went back in here to get you some balloons and cake when Rarity asked what I was doing, so I told Rarity that you were sad and I thought you didn't like my party...." Pinky took a deep breath and started to continue before Rarity interrupted her by placing her hoof on pinkie's mouth.

"What Pinkie is trying to say is that we heard enough to know why you are sad Rainbow Dash darling," Rarity said softly, trying to calm the cyan Pegasus.

"Well, now you all know the real Rainbow Dash," Rainbow said, drooping her head and letting the tears fall freely. Rarity walked over and placed a hoof on rainbow's shoulder.

"It's ok darling, you know that we all had no choice in what we did, if he would have stayed, he would have destroyed equestria, and we would have not been able to stop him," Rarity said comforting Rainbow Dash.

"I know Rarity, but it is just so hard seeing all of you having great lives. You and your business, AJ and the farm, Pinkie and Cheese, Fluttershy and her animals, and even Twi. I am just the odd one out. I cast out the one pony I truly loved, and I'll never get him back," Rainbow said, looking like she was going to fly off. Twilight seen it, and used her magic to hold rainbow in place as she flared her wings to take off.

"Rainbow, the last thing you need right now is to be alone, so how about a sleepover at the castle tonight?" Twilight said, with a soothing smile. The other four agreed, and Rainbow silently agreed and they went into the castle and resumed the party before settling in for the night.

one year previous

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He sat on the cloud, just outside of Ponyville, watching the ponies go about their daily business. He had arrived early that morning, and supervised the stage building for the summer sun celebration. A movement caught his eye, a quick flash of rainbow colors, it streaked across the sky, busting the clouds in and around the town. He always loved watching her work, the fluid motion of her body as she busted the clouds. He had to stop the thought before it went too far.

The streak went around the town one last time and busted the last cloud, and then started toward the cloud that he currently occupied. He produced a small blue light from his horn, signaling to the Pegasus that the cloud was occupied. The streak suddenly tripled in speed, and he heard a sonic boom as she broke the sound barrier. Then he watched as Rainbow Dash circled around him before landing gently on the cloud beside him.

"Hiya babe," Rainbow said, as she nuzzled his neck. "How long have you been here?"

"I arrived here at dawn, my love," Fury Flight said lightly, as Rainbow's face became stern and rigid.

"You mean that you have been here all day and didn't even drop by to say hello," Rainbow yelled, and then turned to pout.

"I am sorry Dash, but I was busy watching the builders working on the stage, and then watching over the city, and I lost track of time," Fury said apologetically.

"I guess that works, but you still owe me," Rainbow declared.

"Does this work?" he said as he brought his nose to hers and shared a passionate kiss.

"Yea, that totally works," Rainbow said, nearly falling off the cloud. "So why have you been watching the city Fury?"

"Do you remember what I told you about Nightmare moon?" Fury Flight said.

"Yeah, you said that it was a spell cast onto Luna that changed her," Rainbow said.

"Yes, it was cast by a unicorn with a heart full of sin. she was going to change Luna into Nightmare moon, and crush her mind and rule from the sidelines. Her name is Nighting Gale, and last year she escaped from Tartarus, and swore for Revenge. she cast an immortality spell on herself so she could live on after she cast the spell. I have been on her trail, but she has always been one step ahead of me, but the trail ends here. I believe she is going to try her plan again here," Fury said, as his gaze returned to Ponyville.

"What are we supposed to do?" Rainbow asked.

"Nothing, we cannot alarm her that a trap has been set," Fury said. "What you can for me is have fun with your friends today, I know what this day means to you."

"But I can't spend time with you if I am with my friends," Rainbow said with a fake pout.

"It's ok Rainbow, go have fun, and I will see you tonight at the banquet," Fury said.

"In costume, as Fire Flight the Pegasus," Rainbow laughed as she nuzzled fury one last time.

"I love you Rainbow," Fury said as Dash flew off back to the town. Rainbow turned around and gave a wink, then flew towards the courthouse. Fury Flight smiled as he began to watch the town again.

The rest of the day went by uneventful, Princess Luna and Celestia arrived around dusk. Fury Flight made his way to town in "costume", and greeted his sisters. "hello thy brother," Luna said as she walked over to him in the town square. "I have the most beautiful night planned out tonight, a full moon and plenty of stars, to brighten the sky for all to see, but more important, for all to be seen."

"Sister, don't wander off tonight to star gaze, like normal, and keep at least three of your best guards with you at all times. I am sure that tonight will be the night that she will attack," Fury said concerned. Luna nodded and walked back to the crowd where she was rushed by ponies wanting to see her. Fury didn't bother talking to Celestia, as she was in the middle of a large crowd.

The night went by slowly, but fury stood guard all night by his sister. There was no sign from Nighting Gale, and it had him starting to worry. the morning had come, and Fury stood by the stage, just out of sight as the princesses walked out on stage. Celestia began her usually speech of the celebration, and Fury zoned out her voice. He had heard the same speech for almost one thousand years, and now could recite it just as well as she could. Then out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her, she was in the middle of the crowd. she hadn't changed much, her pitch black coat, and her purple spiked mane. He saw her horn light up as she activated her spell, and he activated his own spell, to stop her magic, but it was too late.

He watched as the spell left her horn, and a smile came across her face as she looked at him. His own spell hit her, deactivating her magic. Fury jumped onto the stage and ran for Luna, he made it just in time, using his magic to push Luna out of the way. He stood on the stage and took the full spell impact upon himself.

He felt the spell activating in him, and he kept his gaze on Nighting Gale. "There she is, seize her!" Fury yelled as the guards stormed the crowd and surrounded Nighting Gale. The guards locked her in chains and walked her to the courthouse for her judgement.

"Revenge is mine, you fools!" Nighting Gale said triumphantly as the guards walked her away.

Fury was fighting the spell inside and out, and he began to flinch as it tried to change him. "Brother, oh brother, why. Why did you do that?!" Luna said, tears forming.

"I said that I would protect you and I have," he said as another wave of energy pierced his soul. The spell began to take over, his pupils began to slit and his coat began to darken. He used his magic to fight the spell, but his horn began to crackle and pop, sending bolts of magic everywhere. He then lowered his head then looked to his sisters, "I am sorry Tia, Luna, but I have to leave," he whispered to them.

Fury turned to Twilight and her friends, "Elements Of Harmony, you have to send me to the moon."

"But why, can't we heal you like we did Luna?" Twilight asked.

"The spell was weakened then, now it is at full strength," Fury said as a wave of energy hit him.

"Alright girls, lets do it," Twilight said sadly.

"NO!" came a raspy voice. Fury hung his head.

"It is the only way to save me Rainbow," Fury said softly.

"I will not let my element activate against you," Rainbow said, making her sternest face though tears were starting to form.

"My dear, I can fight this spell on the moon, but if I stay, I will destroy equestriaaa!" Fury faltered as the spell strengthened.

"I will never see you again," Rainbow whispered.

"Then I will make this vow, I will return after five years, but I need to fight this spell on the moon where I can't hurt any pony," Fury said.

"Ok, but you'll owe me," Rainbow said, a small grin coming across her face, though the tears were flowing.

"Don't cry Rainbow, save your tears for another day, I will come back in five years," Fury said, then leaning in, gave Rainbow a last farewell kiss. "Do it now, before its too late Rainbow Dash," he added. Then backing to the center of the group, he closed his eyes, letting the spell flow through him, "I am ready," was all they heard. Rainbow stepped into the circle and let her element activate. a loud humming noise started, and grew to a whirring, the fury disappeared, and a new face could be seen on the face of the moon.

ponyville, five years later

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Over the next five years, the mane six's lives changed as the flow of time flowed forever forward. Over at Sweet Apple Acres, some changes had came around the old apple farm. They had been sad when Granny smith had passed on, but she told them something they would always remember.

"Now young un's, I remember when your parents had died, there was a stranger at the funeral, a Pegasus. He said that even though that their stories had been cut short, there were other stories that still needed to be told. Then he told me to never give up, or let you young un's lose hope. I asked him for his name, and he only told me he was just a lonely Guardian," Granny said before she took her last breath.

A couple years after, AJ and Big Mac purchased an apple squeezing machine to help make their cider, which had became world famous, after a certain captain of the wonderbolts chose it as her exclusive cider. They still worked the apple farm, but hade to hire a few more farm hooves to work at the farm when they purchased more ground.

Rarity's business had expanded in leaps and bounds, and before too long she had stores all over equestria, and became the exclusive dressmaker for Sapphire Shores. Pinkie Pie and Cheese had settled down in ponyville, where she had a young foal, which they named Purple Swiss, a dark blue unicorn with a Yellow mane. Pinkie Pie had also sought a new role in ponyville, since her and cheese had been throwing parties for long enough that she had decided to break away from the parties a little. Pinkie then set her sights on the position of Mayor of Ponyville. After the next election, Mayor Pinkie Pie added a bit of fun to the politics of ponyville.

Rainbow Dash had excelled in the wonderbolts, becoming the captain of the flight team, But every year she returned to ponyville to mourn the one she lost. Fluttershy had kept up her studies and went back to school to become dr. vet Fluttershy. Twilight had studied all the extra time she had between royal business and time for herself. She studied the Nightmare spell and about Fury Flight and the wars of Equestria.

But nothing could have prepared them for what happened next...

The return of Fury Flight

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It was the night before the summer sun celebration, and it was being held in ponyville this year. The mane six were in Twilight's castle, because it being a special day for both Rainbow and all of them together. Rainbow was the most excited though, as she was almost as active as Pinkie Pie. "Tonight is the last night girls, tomorrow I will see fury again!" Rainbow said as she hovered above the ground. Twilight smiled as they all settled in for the night.

The next morning, they were at the balcony, watching the moon. There were four stars beginning to encircle the moon, and the main six began to shake with impatience. The stars then seemed to touch the moon, then the face disappeared. Almost instantly, the sky turned a shade of red, almost a sort of blood red. An ominous feeling came across the friends as a laughter came from everywhere around them. Then a figure appeared descended from the sky, a pitch black alicorn with a flowing blood red mane.

"So this is the resistance that I am to encounter on my return!" the figure declared.

"Oh no, this cannot be good," Twilight said, "Why are you doing this Fury Flight?"

"Fury Flight, I am known as Nightmare Fury!" the figure said as it continued to descend.

"Come on girls, we have to get the elements to heal him, and save equestria," Twilight said as the mane six activated their elements to attack the nightmare.

"You cannot battle me the Elements Of Harmony, I posses the body of a creator of the elements, so they are useless against me!" Nightmare Fury proclaimed.

"We have to try girls," Twilight said as they used the elements. The power of the elements activated, and the rainbow shot out from them towards the Nightmare, but upon reaching him, he used his dark magic to reverse the beam right back at them. The beam struck the mane six, sending them all reeling, and smoke covered the ground around them.

After the smoke cleared, Twilight looked to her right, at the end was Fluttershy, who was unconscious. Rarity was beside her, she had feinted, and her nose had blood oozing out. Applejack was trying to stand beside her, and it was obvious that the true pain was on the inside. Rainbow was to her left, trying to sit, her front left leg was bent at an awkward angle, and her left wing was in a crumpled bloody heap. Pinkie was at the end, in a bloody heap, she seemed more dead than alive.

"my friends..." Twilight said, looking back at her friends.

"Twi...light..." AJ said, "You have to... use the elements again..."

"I can't without the rest of you," Twilight said.

"Twilight... you are the element... of magic..., if you can't do it..., who can," Applejack said through the pain.

"Ok," Twilight said, she then willed her magic to gain the elements from her friends.

"Another pathetic attempt to use the elements I see," the Nightmare said as he touched the ground gently.

"This time I will succeed, and cure you!" Twilight said. She willed her magic to send out a bolt of magic, and then propelled it towards the nightmare.

The bolt made it to the nightmare, but no farther. He simply blocked it with his wing, then used a spell of his own to throw back at Twilight. The dark bolt hit her, and sent her flying backwards clear back by her friends. "So is this how it will end Twilight Sparkle? to lay helplessly at my feet?" the nightmare said as he used his magic to produce a red scythe. "Sometimes the hero can get by many obstacles to stand at the end, and still fail at the last moment," Fury said as he began to walk toward Twilight, all the while slowly raising the scythe up. "Now you must be having a flashback of your life, as the end creeps up on you," Fury said as he stopped in front of Twilight, scythe fully raised. "Long live the princess of Friendship!" Fury said as he swung the scythe downward.

Suddenly a flash of rainbow colors flew in front of Twilight. The scythe stopped...

"If you want to Kill Twilight, then you'll have to kill me too Fury!" Rainbow said, standing on three legs.

"Then so be it Rainbow Dash," Fury said as he raised the scythe back up. Rainbow closed her eyes as she waited for death to release her from the pain.

"NO, I won't let you kill her!" came a voice from inside of the nightmare.

"You have no choice in the matter, I control this body," yelled the nightmare. Just then, a bright light began to illuminate from the tip of the nightmare's horn, then working down the horn. Then his eyes began to have the same effect, and finally the mouth had the light illumination. An explosion happened, and then standing beside Rainbow dash, was a bright and transparent Fury Flight.

"I will not let you harm anypony ever again," Fury roared to the Nightmare.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me!" the nightmare said, his horn beginning to glow an eerie red color. "I have all the same magic you have!"

"But I have something you don't nightmare, since my soul left my body, you are no longer protected from the elements," Fury Flight said as his own horn began to glow. "Twilight, I ask this of you, let me use the elements to defeat him. I can unlock their hidden power and defeat the nightmare for good."

"Ok Fury Flight, but are you sure you can use them?" Twilight asked.

"I am one of the six ponies that created the elements of harmony, I can always use the elements," fury said as his magic gently removed the elements from around Twilight. He then willed his magic to encircle the elements around his horn. they began to spin around his horn, faster and faster, until they were nothing but a blur around his horn. Fury then began to hum a tune, a tune that Twilight recognized as a tune that Rainbow hummed at night when she couldn't sleep.

"Impossible, the song of harmony, NOOOOOO!!!" the nightmare screamed. Fury began the hum low, then began to raise the sound and tempo, the song staying in perfect harmony the whole time. When he reached a tenner, the song ended, and a bright blue aura surrounded Fury Flight. He then looked up at the nightmare and said.

"Your time is this world is over!" and then proceeded to will the aura and magic into a bolt of magic. He propelled the bolt straight into the heart of the nightmare. The bolt pierced the chest of the Nightmare's body, and blood spewed from the wound. He screamed a blood curdling scream as he fell to the ground. the body hit the ground, and a Specter of the Nightmare appeared above the body.

"Did you expect to get rid of me that easily?" the specter said as it began to rush Fury. Fury saw it coming though, and activated the elements. the rainbow beam shot out of his horn and struck the specter. "NOOOO!!!, I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!!" the specter yelled as it used the black magic it possessed to fight the spell. Twilight used the strength she had left to will her magic to aid Fury Flight's. The aid was enough to overpower the specter. it screamed and thrashed as it dissipated.

After the shadow disappeared, Fury flight walked back to his body. He reconnected to his body, and life poured into him, but only barely. he looked down to see his life pouring out of his chest. Rainbow hobbled over as fast as she could to Fury. "Your going to be alright Fury, you have to keep trying!" Rainbow said through tears and the pain.

"Not this time Rainbow, I have fought my last fight, and I have to join those who have died before me," Fury struggled to say.

"No, I won't let you leave me again, not like this, not like this," rainbow said, clenching her jaw to try to stop the fit of tears overcoming her.

"It's alright my dear, I have lived a go...od life, and I am ready to leave, but know that I will never leave you Rainbow Dash, I will always be right here," Fury said, pointing to her heart.

"But I don't want you to go," Rainbow said, hiccupping from the tears.

"I know, but it is my time, sometimes even the hero has to die in the end. I... love you.... Rainbow... Dasshhhh....." fury said as the last breath he would breath escaped from his lungs. His hoof fell and his body went limp.

Rainbow bowed her head, and began to wail, as the pain both inside and out began to take it's toll on her. As she calmed down, Fury's horn began to glow a gentle white light. the light began to glow until a sphere of light escaped the horn, causing the horn to go dark once again. "What?" Rainbow said as the sphere floated up to eye level to her. The Sphere then split into two pieces, one half rising into the sky, the other half making its way towards Rainbow. It finally reached her and dissolved into her chest. Instantly her wounds inside and out were healed, and looked like it never happened.

"The gift of the alicorn," a voice rang behind them. Twilight and Rainbow looked behind them to see Princess Celestia standing behind their friends.

"The gift of the alicorn, what is that, and why did it heal me?" Rainbow asked as she flew over to the princess.

"The alicorn's last gift is the gift of life to the one they love," the princess said, starting to tear up. "He gave you that gift, because he truly cared about you, and now you have the task of living the life that he gave to you," the princess said.

"But without him, there is no life for me to live anymore," Rainbow said through fits of tears.

Celestia was now in tears too as she said "I know Rainbow Dash, but what is done is done, and he would want you to live your life to the fullest, but he would not want you to go through life alone," Celestia said as she pointed to her friends. "We need to get them to the castle where we can heal them," Celestia as she motioned for her royal guards to pick up the mane six and take them to the Canterlot castle. A special guard unit was brought to pick up Fury Flight's body.

At the castle, Celestia and Luna were able to heal all of the ponies except for Pinkie Pie. "I am afraid that she is just too far gone, the best we can do is to wish her well on her trip to the beyond," Luna said as she walked into the room where the ponies were waiting. In the room, Twilight and her friends gathered around Pinkie, and she opened her eyes to look at them.

"Hi girls," Pinkie said weakly as she looked around. "Can you girls see it?" she said, pointing to a spot on the wall.

"See what Pinkie?" Twilight asked.

"That bright light, and Fury Flight, he is holding out his hoof to me, I think he wants me to go with him," Pinkie said, a smile coming across her face.

"Go with him Pinkie, he will keep you safe," Rainbow said, with tears in her eyes.

"Wait, he is pointing to you Rainbow," Pinkie said. Rainbow then felt a bit sluggish as a piece of the light left her chest and floated over to Pinkie's chest.

"He said that I am still needed here and I need to be healthy," Pinkie said as the light entered her chest and had the same effect as it did on Rainbow dash.

With the Mane six healed, they now were able to start planning the funeral of one of the bravest ponies they had ever met.

epilogue

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The funeral of Fury flight was held the next day. He was buried in the legendary field of heroes, and he was a worthy candidate. It was the way he would of wanted it, a small funeral, the mane six and their families, and his family, the Princesses of day and night, and princess Cadence. the eulogy was made by Princess Celestia and Luna.

"Today, we are gathered here to lay to rest a great hero of equestria, and a great brother, but a greater friend...." Celestia started, but had to stop, because of the tears. Luna then finished the eulogy.

"My brother was a great pony, but there was no greater friend than him, he was always there for anypony in need. He had also found love in Rainbow Dash," Luna stopped as she seen a Pegasus at the top of the hill, she overlooked it as her brother had some friends that were like him, mysterious. She decided to let it be and finished her speech. "So today, let us say a final goodbye to my brother, the lone guardian of equestria," Luna finished.

Rainbow laid a red rose on the casket that held Fury's body, and one by one, each threw a bit of dirt onto the casket as it was lowered into it's final resting place. After a while, only the mane six and the princesses were left, and Luna looked to see if the Pegasus was still there. They were gone, so she turned around, but stopped to see a shadow descending upon them. The Pegasus landed by the grave and Rainbow Dash. the pony then whispered into Rainbow's ear. Her ears perked up and looked at the pony. "AHEM!" Luna spoke up to the pony. They turned around and everypony gasped, he was down there, wasn't he?

"It seems that this world still has need of me...." Fury Flight said.

THE END?!?...

An alternate ending...

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"5... 5 years... 5 years I've been here.." Fury said as he looked upon the earth from his place on the moon.

For some, it was a once in a lifetime sight, one that they would do anything to see, but for him... he had seen the sight for the past five years now, and it was only a reminder of what he was there for in the first place.

"One day more..." came a dark voice from the back of his mind.

"One day more and we will be released from this prison..." the nightmare said as it began knaw on the outer edge of Fury's sanity.

"I won't let you go back... I'll stay here forever.."

"You'll never rid me from the world, not really... ponies will always hate, and become jealous of one another, and so my spirit will grow until I can return and find a new host... while you rot here.." the nightmare said as it appeared as Fury's shadow.

"There must be a way... there must be.."

"There are none, Fury Flight... after all these years of you trying to stop me, you will never defeat me.."

Fury's horn crackled and lightning shot towards the shadow, but the nightmare only laughed.

"You can't hurt me Fury... I'm your shadow.. ha hahahaha!"

An idea suddenly sprung into Fury's head, which he quickly camouflaged.

"If I could create a new body for me, I could.."

"Stuff the nightmare in and destroy him... won't work.."

"If you would let me finish... you're right, I'll never destroy you, but if I could have a new body, if even for a day.. I could say goodbye to my family before you..."

"Hmmmm..... my own body.. the body of an all powerful alicorn... but, what body will you take?" The nightmare said as it threatened to swallow Fury whole.

"A Pegasus... with no magic.."

"Yesssss....... and then I will have power without equal.."

"But, there's a catch... to make sure you don't double cross me, I will keep my magic until my new body awakens..."

The Nightmare thought it over for a second before answering.

"Your terms are... ridiculous, but I accept.."

Fury nodded before focusing his magic... it was going to take a lot out of him to pull this off. Though he was a powerful alicorn, he wasn't the all powerful god alicorn that many took him to be.

For the next few hours, Fury worked tirelessly as he created his alternate persona. His magic was working flawlessly, and everything was in the right place, and he decided to try to bring his new body to life.

At first, the pony just laid there as he pumped magic into it... then a large breath entered its body, before the body stood and awaited its new soul.

"Good.. good... it's done... let us begin..." the Nightmare said as its shadow form drooled over the body it would solely possess.

"Here goes nothing.." Fury said as he began his soul transfer spell. The spell he was using was one he had found in the castle, and he had experimented on some other species, but never on ponies.

The spell began to shimmer as he began to feel himself losing consciousness... he only hoped that he could complete the spell before he passed out.

He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes as he lost consciousness in one body and gained it in his new body.

He took a deep breath in his new lungs before opening his eyes.

His first free breath in five years...

"Now... finish our deal!" The Nightmare said from Fury's old body.

"Yes... let us continue... with the rest of my trap..."

"WHAT!!!!" The Nightmare shrieked.

"Yes... my trap.. which you fell for perfectly.."

"I will have your magic!!" The Nightmare roared.

"Yes... you will have my magic," Fury said as he prepared himself, "all of it!!!" He yelled as he began to transfer his magic to the Nightmare, who looked dumbfounded at the Pegasus.

"You see Nightmare.. we both know magical power is based upon ones brain capacity..."

"Yes, and.."

"You allowed me to remove my magic.. and my mind from your 'perfect' body.."

"And now..." the Nightmare said as it realized it's grave mistake.

"You no longer have the space for all this magic... and so your mind will be crushed beneath it.."

"No..." it whispered.

"But why stop there... you can have it all... all my memories that my magic influenced..." Fury said as he pushed more magic into the already swelled head of the Nightmare.

"Memories of joy and sorrow... of love and losss, but why stop there, I know things... dark secrets that should never be told! Knowledge that should never be spoken!"

"No!! Keep your secrets!! Keep it all!!" The Nightmare screamed as it writhed.

Fury pushed the last fragment of his magic save for one spell into the already overflowing head of the Nightmare.

"No!! No More!!!!" It pleaded, it's mind shattered.

"One more spell.." Fury said as he used the last of his magic...

Luna awoke with a shattering pain in the left side of her head. She rose from her bed and walked to her balcony to ease the pain and nearly collapsed... her moon was in pieces. Her mind kicked into overdrive as she tried to correct the night sky, but a small falling object caught her eye.

"Fury..." she made out as she teleported from her balcony across the sky to the falling Pegasus.

She used he magic to slow the Pegasus' fall as she wrangled up a few clouds to catch him on.

When Fury hit the cloud, he had slowed to the point that it felt as if he landed in a pile of feathers. He looked up to see his savior to see his sister.

"Sister.... t-take me to her...." Fury made out as he lost consciousness.

Luna obeyed her brother's wish as she flew towards Ponyville, but also sent a telepathic message to celestia through her dream to brief her on the situation.

She arrived at the castle to find Celestia already there, telling Twilight and her friends the grave news.

"T-thank you s-sister..." Fury said as Luna landed gently on the balcony of Twilight's crystal castle. She gently passed by Celestia and Twilight, who backed up to let her and Fury through to the bed where Rainbow Dash had just been awoken.

"Whah... what's goin on... huh?" Rainbow said groggily as Rarity woke her.

"Rainbow darling.. you have to wake up.." Rarity said before backing away.

"Why? Is Equestria in danger? It wait till..." Rainbow said before her eyes met Fury's.

"Hello dear," Fury managed to say as Luna brought his cloud next to the Pegasus.

"F-Fury..." Rainbow said as a lump traveled into her throat. "W-What happened..."

"Dash... I-I'm dying..."

"What! N-No! You can't die!!" Dash yelled as she lept onto the cloud.

"T-Twilight c-can fix you, can't she?"

"Not this time Dash... not this time... but it's alright.."

"No it isn't! Your leaving me forever!"

"Rainbow dear..." Fury said as he brought a hoof to her cheek, wiping away a stray tear, "I know... I know... this isn't how you wanted me to come back, believe me.. this isn't what I wanted either, but this is the only way that I could defeat the Nightmare..." he said as his coat began to change from a bright brown to a dull gray. His mane blackened to charcoal as the rest of his body began to fade away into sand.

Fury smiled as he looked into Dash magenta eyes one last time...

"It's ok dash.. though I won't be out here... I'll always be in here..." he said as he placed a fading gray hoof on Rainbow's chest.

"I-I don't want you to go.." Dash said before Fury kissed Dash one more time before he faded away.

The sand of his former body danced around Rainbow as she heard Fury's last words.. "I love you..." before the sand made its way to the sky, where it created a new constellation in the sky, forming a shield for the great hunter...

The end....