//------------------------------//
// The Search For The Talisman Of Dreadnaught Part 3 
// Story: When Two Worlds Meet 
// by Darkness 1 
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	Darkness turned around and faced the others and said, " Before we go any further, I sense the power of the talisman, but before we all start the search, I have a question to ask:.........what drives you all to continue to follow me like this? I almost killed all of you not once, not twice, but a total three times, the most recent one being here. I would understand if you all returned to your homes, I won't blame you all if you do....." 
Rainbow  Dash finally bursted with frustration and said, " No way we are leaving you now! We've never ran from problems like this!" Rainbow Dash calmed down and said, " But seriously Darkness, the hope of Equestria rests on all of our shoulders, it's no longer just your burden to bear. So, you know, let us help you, let us free you from your torments, you cant help anypony if you can't come to grips with yourself." 
Rarity, " You know, I hate to say it but Rainbow's right, you can't help anypony or this world for that matter if you don't first solve what's troubling you. So Darkness, before any of us continue, what's on your mind? Let us in, we want to help you, so does Celestia and does Luna." 	
Everypony shook their heads in determination and agreement, and then Twilight asked, " So Darkness, what will it be? A memory? Or the present?
Darkness said nothing for a while, as he looked at everypony with fear of letting anypony in, and after what felt like an eternity, he sighed and said, " You are all right, now I see why Luna sent me to all of you, very well, I'll tell you all, just don't make me regret this, come, follow me, there's something you all need to see, don't worry we still have time, the talisman isn't going anywhere." 
Twilight asked, " Were are you taking us?" 
Darkness looked back at them and said, " To what was my home when I was born in and until I turned 190,000 years old, that would 19 in your years." 
Applejack asked, " Are you sure you want to do this And aren't you immortal?" 
Darkness said with strength, " It is high time, I face my fears and my memories, once and for all. Sometimes, you have to do the things that scare you the most, to do the things you don't want to do. I've been hiding from all this far too long. And yes, I am immortal, but if I were to lose my immortality, that's how old I would be, but right now, to me, it's just a number right now." 
Twilight asked, " I know this may be not the right time, but how old are you now?" 
Darkness shook his head and said, " It's fine, as of right now, I am 220,000 years old." 
Rarity said, " You know, you look rather dashing for a 220,000 year old." 
Darkness said, " Indeed, we sorcerer ponies age much more slowly that any of you do, and again, if we were to lose our immortality, that is. What would be one year in our aging process, is 100,000 to yours, I have lived to see many generations pass, and some, disappear completely, it is a never-ending cycle, and one of the core essences of life itself, all things have a purpose." 
Rainbow Dash said with a smirk, " Well, that explains how you know so much." 
Darkness, " Enough questions for now, there will be time for history lessons later, for now, let's together face what I've been hiding from for too long." 
Twilight said, " I agree, I have many questions, but they can wait till this threat is taken care of."
Darkness stopped, and stammered out a "We're here." His face grew pale, and his emotions took over, as he no longer could stand. 
Everypony went to his aid, and Applejack said, " Are you alright?" 
Darkness stood back up and said, " Not really, but I can't fail here, let's keep going, let's visit my mother, shall we? I haven't seen her since I....." 
Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder, and said, " It's okay, we know what you mean, don't force it." 
Darkness nodded and stopped once more in front a very old, but ornate gravestone, and said, " Everypony, meet my mother, Abrillia, the only survivor from the Great War Of Equestria, as far as I know anyways, she was also the only sorcerer pony that managed to hide from what has been forgotten as the ' The Blood Cleansing' or it is also was once known as the ' The Great Hunt' as well, either title refer to the same event, this was a  horrible time in history, following the fall of the capital and stronghold of the sorcerer ponies, that the three tribes of Equestria, the earth, unicorns, and pegasi ponies began to seek, search, destroy, butcher, and execute any surviving sorcerer ponies that managed to get out of the main capital, during this siege, there was no stopping these three tribes hatred and unforgiving blood lust against any surviving sorcerer ponies....Unfortunately, and sadly enough....she drew her last breaths shortly after giving birth to me......but not before asking me to never to give in the darkness that layed dormant within me, and it was in that last moment, with her last breath, she gave me my name. She died peacefully, and a year later in your time, I made this gravestone and buried her here......" Darkness couldn't say anymore as he kneeled before the gravestone and cried. 
Twilight said, " She survived so much, only for her life to end here, I wish we all could've met her, I bet she was a wonderful and kind pony."
Darkness looked up at them, and said, " She was, I know so because she left me this." In his left hoof, he held, a very old diary. Darkness said, " In this book, she had written down her entire life events, and everything she saw and knew, she put every quality and personality trait about herself, and I know I was meant to find this book, because in the first page, she put, ' To my colt, my future stallion, may it help you, and guide you, seeing as I no longer can, have faith, Darkness, never lose sight of the light'. She continued to help and guide me, even in death.... But there is more to this book than meets the eye: it is more than just a diary." 
Fluttershy, who had been quiet for some time, asked, " What do you mean?" Darkness opened the middle of the book and said some ancient incantation, and appeared on the left page, was four old-looking sorcerer ponies wearing hats, capes, very long beards and very ornate staffs. 
Twilight said and pointed out, " These ponies look very old, who are they?" 
Darkness said, " A fair question, Twilight. These are the four highest-ranking elder sorcerer ponies, during the beginning of the siege of the sorcerer pony capital, these four ponies who had followed the corrupt king in all his schemes, but thankfully, they came to their senses on this day, and with all their strength, put their souls within this book, for you see, my mother was also part of the elder sorcerer pony council, there were 18 of them in total. Anyways, when they physically died, their souls would be taken to the inside of this book, where their knowledge would survive, so the truth, could someday be told. They then turned on their king, killing him on his throne chair, and cursing his body to forever to stay within the throne room, never knowing rest. But as the king began to draw his last breaths, he took all four elder sorcerer ponies by surprise, whom all believed he had already died, and used his one-of-a-kind sword, a cursed sword called, ' The Nightmare's Revenge'. He killed them all in one swing to the back of their necks, beheading them all, after that, he died from his wounds as crawled to his throne chair and died sitting on it, sword in hoof. This is also how I know how this world began, and all events I was not around to see, those elder sorcerer ponies had retained all of this knowledge, and even after death, they live on, in this book which is indestructible."
Twilight asked, " How it that even possible? Retaining one's own soul in a material item? I didn't think that level of magic was achievable!" 	
Darkness responded, " Not in your lifetime, no maybe in a princess's lifetime, maybe, it is a level magic that has been lost when the sorcerer pony race was wiped out, that magic survives with me, the last true sorcerer pony. Whew, we have gotten off subject, let's continue on, but can you all wait, just a little longer, I want to talk with my mother." 
Twilight said, " Take all the time you need, right everypony? We here for you, do what you must." 
Everypony nodded in agreement and Darkness tearfully said, " Thank you all, that means a  lot to me." He then turned the gravestone, and began to speak to it in a tearful tone, " Mother, it's me Darkness, your son, I ask for you forgiveness, I failed you......I let your death go in vain, the darkness took over and  it almost annihilated this world and everything in it....I couldn't hold on...But because of these ponies that stand behind me, they united everypony in this world together, and vanquished the darkness, it...no longer exists in me, it now lies in piles of ashes, which have all been separated, and are under heavy guard and security." Darkness cried deeply and loudly, and then continued, " To think, you sacrificed so much for me.....and look what I've done...wait...what is that?" He looked up on top of the gravestone, and saw his mother, standing on top of it. She was a very beautiful, graceful, but kind-eyed mare, with a crimson red mane, light purple eyes, a deep blue coat with black spots here and there all over her coat. 
She stood on her gravestone, looking at Darkness, with kindness and pride, and then she began to speak, " My son, you have suffered much, you have lost much, but look at what you have gained. Yes, I am talking about the ponies standing behind you." She drifted over to them and addressed Twilight and her friends, and she said, " Twilight and friends, yes I know your names, your deeds have spread far and wide, even the dead listen too. I ask you six, please, as a mother's last wish, please! Look after my son, he may be cold at times, but he had suffered for so long by himself, after today, I no longer can speak to him, so I want you six, his mare, Celestia and Luna, to please look after, comfort, and protect my son, he means everything to me. So I ask, can you do this for me? For a poor mother who can't protect her only son?" 
Twilight stepped forward and said, " I know I will, I will do everything I can to make sure no harm comes to him." 
Rarity stepped forward and said, " Count on it!" 
Pinkie hopped forward, and said, " Count me in!" 
Applejack stepped forward, and said " I will do whatever I can for him." 
Fluttershy shuffled forward, " I-I-I-I'll try." 
Rainbow Dash marched forward and said, " Yes Ma'am! It would an honor!"
Abrillia said with much emotion, " Thank you all. Be sure to ask Celestia and Luna as well. My son may not seem like he needs protection, but this is not the case, he needs friends to help him through times like this, without friends, he will never see the light and will fall prey to evil once more." 
Twilight said, " We understand." 
Abrillia nodded with gratefulness and went back to her son, and she said, " I don't have much longer, your father calls me home, I have watched over you, tried to protect you for as long as I could, I am now passing that responsibility  on to Twilight, her friends, Celestia, and your soon-to-be-wife, yes, I know about that too. I am happy for you my son, I wish you and your soon-to-be-wife, the best." Her figure began to flicker, and she said, " It's time...." She looked at Darkness with so much pride, and said, " Continue forth, my son, have faith, continue your task, this evil must never fully awaken, for it is an evil you know, but was not born to see. You have friends now, let them be so...and whatever happens.....never......lose.....sight.....of......the.....light..." She continued to smile brightly with such happiness and pride at her son as she faded away, but not before she said, " Farewell, my son, I will always watch over you with pride." 
Darkness got up, crying heavily as he said, " No! Mother!! Please!!! Don't leave me!!!! I need you!!! No......" Everypony went to Darkness and all hugged him together, as they all gave him encouraging and comforting words. They all let him go as he said, " Thank you everypony, you are all my......my....friends and I happy and honored to call all of you that.." 
Rarity said, " The honor is ours." The book began to shine brightly and Darkness opened the book as he now saw, a new sentence on the first page, and it read: ' Darkness my son, it is now the time you wear what I made for you when I was alive, it will help you fight the evil you will face, it is my last and final gift to you. You will find it nearby below a tree, next to my grave, buried in chest, wear it proudly.'
Love---your mother, Abrillia
Darkness closed the book and said, " A chest? I didn't think anything was there." He went beside his mother's grave, and using his magic, began digging, and soon enough, the dirt revealed a large chest. He lifted the chest with his magic, set it on solid ground, and opened it. Inside the chest was armor, a black and red chestplate with a intricate design in the middle, four gold horseshoes, four gold hoof gauntlets, four pieces of black and red leg armor, and a tattered black cape with red underneath it, which also bore the intricate design and a ten foot skinny sword. Darkness looked at Twilight and the others, do you mind if you all wait here awhile, I go inside the shack and put this on?" 
Twilight said, " Of course, go ahead." 
Darkness said, " Thank you, I won't be long." He took all the armor and went inside the shack, moments later, he came out wearing his mother's final gift: it all fit it perfectly. 
Rainbow Dash keep looking at the sword, and asked, " What in the hay, is that thing? And what's that design? And is it just me, but, I remember being told by somepony, I don't remember who, but I remember being told, that this shack was torn down years ago, how is it still up?" 
Darkness replied, " It took me a minute to recognize it, but this the sorcerer pony knight's insignia, but this was only put on the elite knights, a small group, known as 'The Crimson Blades', and although that group, was involved in a lot of horrible deeds, I plan to change all that someday.  As for the answer to your question, yes, this shack was torn down, but when I came back, after school, I rebuilt it, but that was a good many years ago, I wasn't here for long, so this place has fallen into disrepair." 
Rainbow Dash said, "Oh, okay, got it, that makes more sense now." 
Darkness continued, and said, "And this is a sword that an elite sorcerer pony knight would use, it's called a 'katana', this was made a bit longer than what would normally be used, so that way I have more range to attack without getting too close. A sorcerer knight didn't rely purely on their magic, they also relied on their wits, their strength, their honor, and their hearts. Every sorcerer pony knight takes up an oath not to harm the innocent, or a force of good, and vanquish evil, wherever it may be, and if it comes to it, sacrifice their own lives for the safety of those they care about. And it is this oath that I take. Darkness raised his sword to his face and said, " I, Darkness, son of Abrillia the magician, blacksmith, and historian, and also the son of the great sorcerer pony general Azul, my father. I take the oath of a elite sorcerer pony knight, to protect the innocent, whenever they are in danger, protect this world for as long as I live and into the next, from all evil, wherever it might be, at the cost of my life, if it must be so. I also pledge to protect Twilight, her friends, Celestia, and my soon-to-be-wife, from any and all harm that may come to them or threatens their lives, at the cost of my own." Darkness motioned Twilight and the others to him and motioned them all the hold his sword, and he said, " This oath is completed as I am now donned an elite sorcerer pony by Twilight and her friends." And he kneeled and bowed his head, Twilight and the others together, with Darkness's sword in their hooves, tapped both his shoulders once and then his head, and put down the sword. Darkness stood, with a renewed look and a smile on face as he said, " It is done, now, let's go get that Talisman!." Everypony nodded, Darkness picked up his sword, strapped to his right side, as they all headed once more to the ruins of the waterfall, as everypony followed. Darkness said to himself, " This time, I will not fail you mother, and.....thank you.. Now I can truly protect you my love Luna, and my friends  and Celestia too. I only wish I could've conquered my past sooner.....But I now have a chance to set things right, and I will take it." The sun shone brightly overhead as everypony headed onwards towards the ruined waterfall.