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// Epilogue-The vanishing of Irontooth 
// Story: A strange creature in Equestria 
// by sykko 
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It had been since the battle at Box Canyon, the princesses had called for a week of mourning so the surviving family members properly bury their dead. During that time, the allied armies of Equestria, Griffinstone in exile, Yakyakistan, Mount Aris/Seaquestria and Thorax's hive, delved into the caves, tunnels and warrens in hunt for the corrupted creatures. Though most of the places were deserted, the few places that weren't the allied armies drug out hundreds of prisoners and reported that they were defending pools of dark magic, many were put to death in summary executions. Mages were sent to disperse or seal off the pools of dark magic.

On the Pie family rock farm, Igneous, Cloudy Quartz, Maude, Mud Brier, Limestone, Cheese Sandwich, Lil Cheese and Pinkie lowered the casket containing Marble Pie into the ground. After they covered the grave, Igneous laid a slab of pure white marble on top of it, then picked up a nearby hammer and chisel and carved Marble Pie's cutie mark on it along with he birth date and the date of her death. Cloudy Quartz placed a picture frame with the last photograph of her youngest daughter on the corner of the slab. Limestone placed a small pouch of hoof carved marbles that Marble Pie had made as a filly at the head of the slab. Maude placed a hoof carved rose made of rose quartz on the slab. Taking the hammer and chisel from her father, Pinkie carved the emblems of the medal she had been rewarded posthumously for courage and valor. As they turned to go back to the house in solemn silence, Pinkie picked up a mallet and nailed a few nails in the front door, then hung the plaque Marble had been rewarded. In the morning Pinkie, Maude, Mud Brier, Cheese Sandwich and Lil Cheese boarded the train back to Ponyville in a somber silence.

Over the next few weeks things across Equestria began slowly going back to normal. One night back in Fluttershy's cottage, Harald sat up from a disturbed rest and sat on the edge of the bed in troubled thought. He winced as premonitions of death came upon him. Getting up from the bed, he slipped his pants on, went downstairs and stepped outside into the cool of the night to think.

Roused by Harald getting up from bed, Fluttershy followed him outside. Seeing him disturbed bu his thoughts, she approached him and gently laid a hoof on his leg. "Harald? Is something wrong?"

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a long sigh, Harald replied, "I've had a premonition. Death and doom are coming." He turned to face her and stooped down to kiss her. "I must go out and find what it is."

"Then I'l go with you."

Harald smiled before sighing, "I would not ask this of you beloved. It will be dangerous and-"

Fluttershy gently placed a hoof on Harald's lips to silence him. Reaching up with a hoof, she revealed the braid in her mane with some of his hair woven in with it and then brushed her hoof against the braid on his head with one of her feathers in it. "I fought with you at the Crystal Empire and at Box Canyon knowing it I could die. Where you go, I go."

Harald smiled. "Let us gather our things, then depart."

Several minutes later the two of them left the cottage wearing their armor, weapons on the sides, packs of supplies on their backs and four bunnies in tow. Harald closed his eyes as he took a deep breath summoning the weirding, a thick fog descended on the town.

Twilight was sitting in the castle library reading a book when she felt the weirding in her blood. She heard the castle door open and heard something cling in the map room. Walking in the map room, she saw a thick fog pouring in through the open door and two veiled figures walking towards the castle door. After the castle door closed causing the fog to disperse, she walked over to the map seeing an intricate ancient necklace depicting two alicorns. She picked up the necklace in a hoof giving a small sniffle.

Spike came out of the kitchen wanting to ask if the weather team had goofed up again, but paused when he saw Twilight holding the necklace in her hoof. "Uh, Twi? Isn't that the necklace that Harald was wearing?"

Twilight nodded.

A perplexed look came across his face. "Wadda ya think it means?"

Holding the necklace to her breast, Twilight closed her eyes for a moment before answering, "A promise."

Applejack was walking along the fence of Sweet Apple Acres on watch when she saw Harald and Fluttershy walking through the fog. She ran out to them to stop them. "Where are y'all going?"

Fluttershy hugged Applejack. "We must go to see something and we will return." She went through the actions of a Pinkie promise.

Harald smiled and took off the leather charm from around his neck with four braids hanging from it, lifted AJ's hoof and laid the charm in her hoof. Touching each braid, he said in heavily accented Equish, "My fehthar, muhthar, bruhthar un sistar."

The two of them turned and disappeared into the mist as Applejack wiped a few tears from her eyes.

Ranbow flew up seeing Applejack wipe tears from her eyes and Harald and Fluttershy fade into the fog. She took off after them following their tracks until they vanished. "Fluttershy! Harald! Don't go!", she shouted into the fog. She plopped onto her haunches. "I can't lose my oldest friend."

A dagger in its sheath sailed out of the gloom landing in front of Rainbow. A heavily accented voice called out. "Hwe hwill return!" Rainbow picked up the dagger nodding gently while sniffling.

The next morning as the buzz around town was about the freak fog, Zecora walked through the center of town with a pack strapped to her.

Applebloom walked up to Zecora. "G'mornin' Zecora!", she said in a chipper tone, "Ya goin' somewhere?"

Zecora took a string off her neck holding the key to her hut and passed it Applebloom. "I want you to look after my home Applebloom. I must return to Zebrobwe to find friend to protect this land from an ancient doom."

"Ah dun wancha tuh go, Harald and Fluttershy left last night without saying goodbye." Applebloom gave a few sniffles.

Zecora gently ran her hoof gently across Applebloom's cheek. "Shed not a tear, I shall return within one year." She wrapped a forelimb around Applebloom's neck in a hug. After they parted, she walked down the road singing a song in her native tongue.

As the sun went down and the moon came up, Celestia and Luna sat on one of the balcony quietly talking. A passing guard paused thinking he saw a spectral human sitting between the two sisters talking to them. He shook his head thinking he was just seeing things.

In Ponyville Gallus stepped out of the front door of the castle wearing his armor and took up his post guarding the door. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a female griffon walk by with blue feathers on the crown of her head, she paused and gave him a cute smirk before taking to the air. A goofy smile spread across his face before he collected himself and resumed a stoic expression.