Stone and the mane six walked into the Everfree. Most of them except for Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack wasn't familiar with the layout of the forest as they had made several occasional trips into the dark woods on their own. Rarity only went in when she was in need of gemstones that could only be found here. Many of Fluttershy's animal friends live in the outer lying less dense area of the forest. Dash knew a general map above the forest from having to fly over and buck off a few stray feral storm clouds but she never actually went into the forest itself. Applejack and her older brother along with the occasional Apple family member came in to retrieve wild Zap Apples when it was the fruit's time of year to be harvested and the Apple Family's own Trees hadn't yielded a will enough crop. But just because they went in often enough didn't make them any less than scared of Everfree Forest.
"So I have to ask," Twilight leaned over and whispered to Rainbow. "Bright Stone, he's only been here a week and yet all of you seem to really trust him. Why?"
"For me," Dash thought back to her first encounter with the 'unicorn' stallion in front of the group. "It's similar to how we first met." She motioned between herself and Twilight, "I accused Stone of doing something to Rarity but I got a lot rougher with him than I did with you. At the time I that he did something to Rarity and her little sister." Dash placed her arms behind her and looked over away from Twilight, "Then I went to apologize to him the next after Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little sister, had explained things to me. We hashed it out and he told me something about himself, it's totally private so don't ask to know. I made a Pinkie Promise to never tell anypony."
"A what now?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"A Pinkie Promise," Pinkie popped up between the two mares and pulled Twilight over to her cheek, and whispered. "It's a very special type of promise that you neeeeeeeeever eeeeeeeeeeeeever break not mater what, lest you wish to invoke dire consequences," She whispers ominously as she slowly recedes downward.
"Oooookkkaaaay..." Twilight raised a another eyebrow and then turned to Rainbow.
The prismatic mare merely shrugged, "It's Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, don't ever question it, like ever. As for the Promise... it's just like Pinkie explained. It's a promise you can't ever break unless you really wanna suffer for it," Rainbow looked at the smith as a lock of green hair fills in front of her eye. She pushed it up as she smirked, "As for Stone, the guy trusted me with a BIG secret of his and he trusts me to keep it so I trust him. That's my reason anyway and I'm sticking by it and him as I do with all my friends, I'm loyal to a fault that way," She looked up placing her hands behind her head again.
Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushed and out jumped a pack of five or six Timberwolves. The mares all froze but Bright Stone held up his warhammer and charged them. He smashed the first's head with his weapon and sired it as the hammer's head caught fire. Another jumped, mouth wide open, but Stone caught the beast with his free hand and crushed the wolf's skull, and tossed it into another. The animals explode and Bright threw his hammer forward and burned the remains without a second thought. "That leaves only two," he said looking at the wolves as they sneered at the group. Stone pulled out two knives and threw them into the Timberwolves' heads which then proceeded to erupt into minor fiery explosions. Stone used his magic and summoned his knives back to him and walked on.
"How?" Twilight looked shocked.
"Yah just took down a whole pack Timberwolves... single-handed and so fast," Applejack spoke up ."How come ya weren't even just a little bit scared?"
"I grew up in the mountains of the north, remember, and there are plenty of Timberwolf packs that are easily three times the size of the one I just put to rest," Stone shrugged off he comment only to slightly look back over his shoulder. "They were the problem up north and everypony is taught from a young age how to best deal with them. The trick to keeping them from regenerating is fire," he pulled out his knives. "These are Fire Rune knives a common staple for every house back home. The timberwolf sap is extremely flammable and doesn't go out once ignited and neither do they until the sap is completely burnt up. The trick is to target their heads and burn them. My knives are custom made by myself and inscribed with a special rune. They're enchanted to actually boil the sap with extreme rapid heating instead of burning it thus the small explosions."
"Why not just obliterate them like you did the second two?" Twilight looked at the knives curiously.
"Timberwolf sap is good fire fuel for my forge," Stone placed the knives at his belt. "Even if the wood is very damp, if it has just a bit of the sap on it it will burn. It's great in the long winters plus the potent smell keeps the beasts away unless they're just really bold or really desperate. It's especially useful if you have wood that is thoroughly soaked or doesn't burn very well and takes forever to burn. Like I said I use it in my forge, for many reasons actually. If I have something that needs a long slow heat over an extended period of time I use a wood that burns for a long time but doesn't catch a flame very well. If it's been soaked in just in or even has a bit of a coat of the Timberwolf sap then I have a good burning fire that lasts a long time. Now, enough playing, we have a Castle to reach." He moved on.
"Applejack, was what he said true?" Rarity leaned forward.
"All the words that came out of his mouth were true," Applejack confirmed. "And I HONESTLY had no idea them varmints could be useful in the ways but I guess when ya have to deal with them on a more common basis like Stone had to ya figure out how they tick and ways to deal with them that most wouldn't think of as well as ways to use um. I know he's tellin the truth but at the same time he stilling ain't sayin everythin."
"The way he dealt with them though..." Rarity shuddered slightly.
"Yea, it wasn't just... dealing with them," Applejack noted. "Ah saw his eyes, they were full of anger."
After some time in the Everfree...
"So what's the plan once we find these Element thingings?" Pinkie asked as she bounced a long the trail.
"We use them," Stone said flatly.
"Do ya even know how to use these do dats?" Applejack looked at Stone as the group walked near the edge of a raven.
"No," he replied flatly again but stopped.
"Then how the hay are we supposed ta-oof!" Applejack was saying as she walked but was stopped by Bright's out stretched hammer causing the others to run into her. "What the hay did ya stop us fer?"
He looked at the girls then to the ground and tapped it with his hammer. As soon as he did the entire cliff face crumbles away into pieces down into the gully below. The girls all looked over the side and took big gulps as Bright Stone knelt down and checked the soil. "The soil is saturated here," he held up a chunk of the cliffside and squeezed it, causing mudding water to flow out of the mud clod. "A heavy storm washed large piece of the side of the raven recemtly and left the surrounding ground water logged. It's common in valleies like this back home during spring. Tread carefully girls," he jumped off the side and slid down the steep ledge.
He felt a trail of his tools as he did. They heat the generated quickly dried and hardened the mud into a walkable path.
"Applejack do you think that's really the best way to get down there?" Twilight asked.
"In my honest opinion, no, as we could just go around and find a descent trail ta follow but that's time we don't have Twilight," Applejack placed a hand on her friend's back. "But it is the quickest way and I do have faith in our friends. Stone is pretty tough has his tricks. He stood up to Nightmare so I'll put a bit more faith in him and what he's doin. I do know that he's said nothin but the truth so far but, it's clear he's... not just your average unicorn either. For now let's just follow his lead."
"If you say so," Twilight sighs and went down along with the others.
As soon as everypony was down Stone summoned his tools back to him and they were on their way once more. Not longer after they were on their way again a gruesome howl cut through the night. A figure of a creature emerged from the shadows of the nearby trees. Everypony readied for a fight as the beast let out another hollow and raised its paws in the air. Stone took note that instead of trying to fight Fluttershy was trying to stop everypony.
Just as everypony was about to take their turn, "Stop," Cried Stone. "The beast is in pain otherwise a manticore would never raise both front paws off the ground except to frighten off potential predators. IF it hollows as such a us then it perceives us as a threat," He looked over to Fluttershy. "You can speak with animals correct," She nodded. "Can you help it and have it let us pass?"
"I can try," She softly responds before fluttering to the manticore and after a bit of baby talk and quick whimpering it showed the animal care taker it paw which had a rather large freshly plucked thorn in it. After a quick removal. another roar of pain, then some licking from their foe. "There we go all better. Now run along and play," Fluttershy patted the manticore's head and then it bounded off. The beast moved out of the way and the ponies once more went on their way.
"How did you know it was defending itself?" Twilight asked stone
"Other than Nightmare Moon, we're technically the only predators on the path other than it," Stone pointed to the animal tracks in the mud. "The tracks all lead away from where we're going. The only reason an animal would still be here at this point is because it got left behind for some reason or another that prevents it from moving fast, thus the thorn in the beast's paw."
"That makes a lot of since," Twilight nodded.
"Ponies are typically viewed at prey but alicorns are the exception," Flutterhsy said. "That and or she is a demon. Manticores are some of the bigger predators of Everfree and if their frightened enough to run they are usually the first gone."
"I see," Twilight said as they group trotted along.
"I think somepony is playing games with us," Stone said to himself as the walked along.
Another hour soon passed at the friends came to an eerily darker part of the forest. Then there was a scream, followed by another, then another, and then followed by more girlish freaking out. Stone looked around and raised an eyebrow and then heard the giggling of a pippy pink pony. He looked over and saw Pinkie pointing and laughing at her friends and then to what looked like a scary face carved into a tree. When he actually thought about the girls' antics he could help but laugh too.
"What are you two doing? RUN!" Twilight shouted.
"Twilight," Stone calmed down and gad a glow on his hammer, "It's nothing to be scared of," he held the hammer head up to the 'face'. "These are just trees," He snickered.
That's when Pinkie started to sing, which Bright Stone rolled his eyes to to and walked a long with the group. All the time Pinkie song and answered the girls' questions as they popped up and told them to merely laugh away their fears. Sure enough, the scary tree faces soon turned back into normal trees with a pink poof. It lasted for around three minutes. Once all was said done, they were on their way again.
It wasn't long before the group came upon a fairly wide river that was churning with foam like that from the moth of a rapid dog. They then heard welling coming from down river and looked to see a darkish purple sea serpent with a brilliant orange lox and very uneven mustache.
"Looks like we found the source of the rapids," Twilight deadpanned.
"Let's see if he can help us cross, or at least shut him up so we can cross," Rainbow covered her hears as the serpent sent a large splash of water at the ponies.
"Nope, not getting my tools drenched," Stone said as he quickly put up a shield and splashed the serpent with his own wave.
As soon at the serpent was splashed he whaled out even hard, "OHHHH, WHY? WHAY MUST EVERYTHING BE SO CRUEL TO ME?! OH WOAH IS ME?" He balled. "FISRT MY FABULUS MUSTACHE IS RIPPED AWAY BY SOEMTHING AND NOW PONIES ARE SPLASH MY BEAUTIFUL FACE! OH WOAH IS ME!"
"He's beenin rather over dramatic over a bit of water to the face and some face fuzz don't ya think?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"I have to agree but I must also sympathize bit," Rarity added.
"I must also agree but to both," Stone added. "Being born in Stalliongrad every colt hopes to grow their own facial hair. Once they start the are no longer considered a colt but a stallion as it marks them on the path to adulthood. To take a males mustache against his well," Stone clenched his fist, " Is a crime of the highest order," he pounted to hte sky as Pinkie project a spot light on him from above.
"In any case I think we should help the poor dear," Rarity said a she walked over and spoke with the serpent. She quickly found out his name was Steven Magnet and also that he was quite the 'Drama Queen'. "Mister Stone, You would happen to have a pair of tongs on you that I could borrow would you?"
"Here," Stone lent Rarity the tongs. Wondering what she was doing everypony and serpent watched as the yanked a scale from Steven cut off her own tail. Causing everypony to gasp in shock and the serpent to mock faint. She then used the scale and her tail to recomplete Steven's mustache. "There you are darling, though not entire the same length but better than it was. Thank you for the loan Mister Stone," she returned the tongs. "Mow if you'll excuse us Mister Magnet we must find a way to cross."
"Oh ho, please allow me," Steven said as he made a hopping path with his tail. "It's the least I can do for you giving me back my fabulous mustache."
No pony was going to argue with the drama serpent so the took the the opportunity as it presented itself. As soon as the ponies had crossed the river the walked a ways and soon came to see the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters in the distance. Twilight being the ever eager one quickly sprinted ahead. Sone however saw a thick fig in front of the castle and of he knew anything about castle, where there was fog there was water, and where there was water there was a moat.
"Come everypony, its right there," Twilight sped ahead. "Whoa!"
"Careful there egghead," Rainbow zipped over and pulled on Twilight's tail causing the unicorn to fall back on her rump. "Can't help us save the world if you go splat down there," she pointed to the bottom of a massive raven.
"Great," Pinkie hmphed. "How do we get across this one?"
"Ah bridge," Rainbow pointed, "Wings."
"Oh yeah," Pinkie giggled as Dash flew over and grabbed the bridge to tie it off on the other side.
Then she did somepony started to call to her. "“Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiinnnnbooooooooooooooowwwwwww Daaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh,
"What?" Rainbow looked around. "Who's there? Come out and fight like a pony!" She jabbed at the air.
"You are the fastest in all over Equestria..."
"What really," Rainbow answered back "You wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that would you? I am a huge fan and have been trying to get in with then for, forever."
On the other side Stone was staring at the Pegasus, hard.
Rainbow was wrapped up in compliments, "No Rainbow Dash we want you," said the voice as three pegasi galloped out of the mist in purple body suit with bronze reflective goggles on. "We are the Shadowbolts! We are greatest of all the Everfree and soon we will be the greatest in the world!" The pegasi laid it on thick. "We need a caption!" One who-"
Meanwhile, Bright Stone saw the pegasi come out of the fog. "She's not alone over there," He quickly turned to a nearby tree and pulled his warhammer from his back. The weapon glowed and he sung it hard against the tree's trunk brings it down.
"What are you doing with that darling?" Rarity looked in shock as Stone hoisted the tree on othis shoulder with his own strength. "Oh my," Rarity mouthed to herself a she saw Stone's muscle.
"Stone, we don't have time ta play with trees," Applejack scolded. 'Though ya do look good doin it.'
"Then help me throw this damn thing!" He growled. with some help from Applejack the duo threw the tree across the raven and manage to stick it into the other side's wall.
"What was that?" Rainbow was pulled from her compliment induced magic stupor.
"Nothing at all, now what do you say Rainbow Dash, will you join us?" The shadow mare asked.
"Yes sure, but first I have to help me friends cross, then we can talk shop after we save the world and junk," Rainbow waved off the mare as he went to grabbed the rope.
"NO!" The mare shouted. "You choose her and now Rainbow Dash! Them or us!"
"Oh okay I get it," Rainbow nodded solemnly.
"Good," the mare smirked. "Now-"
"I choose them," Rainbow pointed over her shoulder.
Meanwhile...
"This is crazy," Twilight motioned.
"Other then Fluttershy trying to fly over, which she won't do to heights, this is faster," Stone stated. As he looked at Twilight and Rarity, their horns lit aura, around him,
Applejack was curled up and the ground with her hooves against a branch, "Still crazy," she pointed out.
"But it'll be funner," Pinkie added next to Applejack as their hooves were against a sturdy branch which Stone was standing on.
"I don't think that's a word," Flutter shy pondered.
"Just shut up and throw me women," Stone yelled, and they did. As they all acted like the parts of a pony spring bored and shot Stone across. "HOLY MOTHER OF THE SUN!" he remarks sailing through the air as he touched down on the tree and used it to spring board up.
"Yea, I 'll chose my friends any day over some stupid care," Rainbow scold.
"Stupid child," The mare seethed. "You will-" *whoosh* "What was that?" she looked around only for her eyes to come to rest on a pony surrounded by a dust cloud. "WHO THE BU-"
She didn't even get to finish her sentence a a hammer his her right in the face sending her flying back, "You okay Rainbow?" Stone asked.
"Hey Stone, yea I'm fine," Rainbow waved it off. "Thanks for coming over to help, let me tie up the bridge." After doing this Rainbow and Stone laid the smack down on some evil to the point two went puff into purple smoke., one by Dash punching it hard enough in the face the other by her tossing it over the side of the cliff.
"I have to he tell the mistress," The mare panicked and tried to run only for Stone to grab her by the head and force her against the tree.
"You're not going anywhere," Stone said coldly as he looked at her with one eye as he applied pressure to the mare's skull, "Ah, it hurts please... stopped..." she wined.
Stone slammed her into a tree, cracking her goggles. If you listened close enough one could here cracks, "Why should I?" Stone said coldly as the others came over to the other side as bore witness to the seen.
The mare's goggle cracked more and totally shattered to reveal a dark blue eye with tears running down her face, "Because I don't want to die!" she pleaded.
"Stone..." Twilight started but was stopped by Dash and the others.
"I've lived here in this forest all my life and no pony has ever accepted me after my mother left me as a filly," She cried. "Then, this black mare came to me in my dreams and said to ready things for her return and she said I would finally be loved and accepted. So did what I was told and then she came," she cried. "She made friends for me and asked me to stop your group and persuade Rainbow Dash to join us, but if she didn't I was to keep you all here until she came," She whimpered. "Now you've caught me destroyed my friends. I might as be dead.. so go ahead and kill me... end this!"
Stone let her go and then took a handkerchief and dried the mares eyes after removing her goggles, "I kind of know how you feel, I was once all alone in nothing but darkness for a long time it seem. I was then living out in the woods, though I did have ponies to count on and I eventually met everpony here and they are my friends now," He smiled at the mare. "What's your name?"
"Midnight Whisper," She sniffeld.
"I'm sorry for the way I acted and I am more than will to be your friend but I must ask that you stay here until we return," Stone said.
"I know, you're going to stop the mistress," she looked down. "Am... Am I going to be punished?"
"In some way yes," Stone nodded causing her to flinch. "But I won't let it be to bad," he stood up, "Just stay here until we come back for you and I promise you won't ever be alone again."
"Okay," Whisper looked down.
"I'll be wanting that back," Stone motioned to the handkerchief. "Com on everypony lets get to the castle," the girls unanimously nodded and they all took off again levering Whisper alone under the tree.
She looked at the group, "Friends," she looked at Stone specifically.
Sometime later...
The group walked into the castle through the set of large old decrypted ornate cedar doors. Though the were indeed old they were still in much better shape than somepony would think with out further inspection. It took all seven ponies to heavy their way in to the main area of the place. All around them the walls were adorned with sun and moon symbols and tapestries lined the walls of the chamber. Even with the ravages of time and the wilds against it , the castle was still an imposing place. The roof in this area had long since blown off in a storm leaving the night sky in full view above them, a chilling reminder of what awaited forever if they failed. The large windows of the room were all destroyed and plants had long since crept into the building hugging the walls and pillars around the room.
On the far side of the room sat tow thrones of equal size and regality, one was a blue sparkling one with a crescent moon as the topper while right next to it on its left was the other throne that was a shimmering gold throne adorned worth a sun as its topper.
But there was an oddity that there in the enter of the room. It was a massive statue of some sort in the in the very middle of the room, some might consider it an eye sore or perhaps a center piece for a fountain that some pony was installing but never finished. Oddly enough it was there none the less, almost un touched it seemed.
Twilight blinked as she looked up at the statue curiously. Plant life covered it and it seemed to be a large planet with rotating arms that circled with five smaller moons around it. The arms were fixed and the large planet featureless, though the five moons, the planted seemed to be severally damaged. The five orbs had some sort of a gem shaped designs on each of them upon closer inspection. He'd never seen such a device before however Twilight recalled see it back in one of the books from the library. She knew exactly what it was.
“Hmm?” Rarity questioned.” What is it?”
“This statue was in a drawing in the book about the Elements of Harmony I read back in Canterlot and again at Golden Oaks,” Twilight explained.
“So what, these are the Elements then?” Applejack questioned as she pointed to the orbs.
“This screams trap if you ask me,” Rainbow Dash commented.
“The statues too new.” Pinkie Pie explained as she hopped up to poke at the base of it.” The rock around the base looks like some kind of cement was used to glue it down and the whole things newer than the flagstones are. ” The others looked at the pink mare curiously. "Sorry, I grew up on a rock farm. It was our job to push stones around in the dirt to pull the minerals in the soil to form pure rocks of specific minerals."
“It's not that new though. See the white streaks in the stone. That's caused from years of bird leaving their dropping behind on it. Even rain won't wash it away completely.” Fluttershy explained to the others.” There's a few small wren nests in the crook of the arm over there too. And there's a series of mud dauber wasp nests underneath the main globe especally in the missing part in the center piece. It has been here at least since the spring.”
"I say this has been here for some time, not at long as the castle if you take into account all of what dear Fluttershy and Pinkie have just explained," Rarity added.
"Clearly," Stone put tin as he examined the statue then knelt down to look at the flagstone on which it sat. "I'd say the it's been here nearly a thousand yours though, judging by how old the marble and granite tiles it's sitting on. Like Pinkie said it was cemented in place. I've seen these patterns in earlier fortresses in the mountains back home that nobles used as homesteads.
“So it's not a trap then," Rainbow summed it all up.
"Quick every pony," Twilight caught their attention. "We need to those stones."
Rainbow quickly went at it, flying up and picking up the first orb with her hands. Twilight winced, though aside from the sound of stone rasping over stone as they were lifted. Fluttershy flew up to help Rainbow Dash, blinking as she picked up a orb and flew it down. Everypony else helped to steadily place the stones on the floor.
“Oh, this is very light.” Fluttershy commented.
“It's pumice.” Pinkie pointed out as she counted the orbs.
"A form of volcanic ash and limestone right?" Stone looked at the pink mare who vigorously nodded in conformation.
”There's only five here though," Twilight counted the stones.
"Wasn't there supposed to be more?" Rarity tilted her head.
"Indeed," Stone rubbed his chin. "in all the stories I'd been told growing up there had always been six stones."
"What about that there middle piece Rainbow?" Applejack looked to the stunt fly.
Rainbow tried to but couldn't move the large orb, "Nada, it ain't gonna budge," She landed with a clop. "So where is it? In side the whole thing?"
"I don't think so, the book said that when the five are present a spark will cause the sixth to appear.” Twilight started to think.
“So what, should I go gather some clouds or something?” Rainbow Dash asked looking up at the sky. "It might take a few minutes to get enough together for some lightning, it's pretty clear out here right now.”
“Ah don't think that's the kinda spark she was talkin about Rainbow.” Applejack stated. "Got any ideas Twilight?”
“I might have something. I need to run through a few spells and I don't know what will happen if there's some sort of defensive enchantments on these.” Twilight stated as she knelt down before the orbs. “You might want to give me some space just in case anything happens. I have my shield, but it's easier to use it if it's just on me than on a group of ponies.”
“Alright ya'll, come on let's head back outside and check on Whisper. I know the filly was tryin to stop us but I still feel bad for her bein tricked like that, “ Applejack stated heading to the door, the others somewhat reluctantly following her.
“Don't blow yourself up now okay?” Rainbow Dash called back with a smirk.
“And watch out for Black Snooty.” Pinkie Pie called.
“Darling, do be careful,” Rarity said as she looked around. "And like Pinkie said, keep an eye out."
"We'll be just out here if you need use Twilight," Fluttershy added.
"Don't frit if you need use Twilight," Stone nodded and joined the others.
She watched as they left before turning her full attention to the orbs. Her horn glowed lightly as Twilight took a deep breath started to run a few initial scanning spells over the artifacts. She was looking for any hints that they were anything other than balls of rock. She could feel something in them from the scan, but nothing she could identify at first.
Suddenly, her ears flattened to her head as she heard the wind pick up. Of all the times for the weather to pick up, a chill ran down her spine. Twilight opened her eyes and jerk back with a start, a dark blue vortex of magic had formed before her and had swept up the stones spinning them around in the air.
“GAAAAAAH!” Twilight cried out hearing shouting outside as the others heard her.
"Twilight what happened?" Rainbow was the first in the room.
Stone looked around, "Where are the Element?"
In a whirl of purple and violet spun around the group with the Elements in its grasp, an evil cackle could be heard on the wind. Then it quickly darted out through a door that led to another large room.
"We have to get that orbs back," Twilight gave chase. The others rushed into the room just as the vortex vanished, taking Twilight and the Elements of Harmony with it.
"Twilight get back here," Stone said as he and the others followed.
“Twilight!?” Applejack called looking around fanatically.
“Over there!” Rarity called out looking out a window to the main area of the castle, the windows there flickering with light.
“Come on!” Rainbow Dash shouted and rushed towards the doors at the back of the room , the group charging deeper into the castle.
"Wait for me! Wait for me!" Pinkie yelped.
"On dear," Fluttershy flew after them.
Suddenly... a crack of lightning was heard and all fades to white.
Unknown time passed....
Nightmare stood over the defeated ponies before her laughing, "Pathetic Foals! KAHAHAHA!" She gloated. "Did you honestly think you could beat me with a mere seven! One of you certainly has the possibility of seriously hurting me but if he'd really wanted to kill me he would've done so back when I first arrived and while I was still weak from Celestia's insufferable seal."
"Look at you all on the ground," she dropped the elements from her grasp and they shattered to pieces as they hit the floor.
"Nooo...."Twilight reached out driving herself through the pain to reach towards the shards. "We... have...to... get... them..."
*Dung*
There was the sound of a hammer against a thousand-year-old flagstone floor as Bright Stone hoisted himself to his feet. His burning amber eyes hidden behind his longer silver mane. Struggling to stand he forced himself up.
"You truly are a most remarkable example of a stallion," Nightmare Moon snickered. "I'll tell you what. I'm still feeling merciful and I'd really rather not waste such a rare specimen such as yourself. If you pledge your loyalty to me then I'll spare these mares and allow you to make them yours body and soul," She snickered with a wicked smile as the girls looked at Stone on horror, "How does that sound to you?"
Stone shifted his gaze to the left slightly and to the right. He looked over the injured bodies of his friends. There all but totally broken in from Nightmare Moon's magical Blast. He tightened his grip on his hammer as he steadied himself on two hooves. He grits his teeth in anger and looked at the demon alicorn with one eye under his mane, it burning like the hot fire of the forge he worked.
"I will never join!" Bright Stone yelled in fury as he grabbed the collar of his old cloak. "I will never abandon my friends, no matter what!" He gripped tightly onto his cloak. A golden amber aura covered Bright' Stone's body and his wounds started to heal instantly as he stood up completely unhindered by his wounds as they no longer exist.
"You truly are full of surprises," Nightmare clapped. "It's such a shame I have to kill such a pretty and talented stallion," She shook her head in a mocking notion with a sigh. "Oh well, you spurned my offer twice now and I don't do thirds. BEGONE GONE FROM MY SIGHT YOU INSOLENT BRAT!" Nightmare fire another blast of concentrated magic at Bright Stone and his friends.
Bright Stone threw off his cloak and spread his wings eagle as he activated his true power and summoned a burning amber dome shield of magic over himself and his friends. As soon as Nightmare's magic blast hit the shield it was immediately knocked upwards into the heavens above.
Nightmare stood there in utter shock as Bright Stone glared at her, wings still fully spread. His horn glowing with the same burning amber aura as his shield. He deactivated the shield and then looked to the big eyes of all one him from his friends on the ground. He then turned his attention to Nightmare Moon as pulled in his wings and he lit his horn again and cast a quick healing spell over the mane six as he walked forward.
"You're...." Nightmare said. "An... Alicorn..." She seethed with anger before she started to giggle softly while grabbing her face and steadily she threw her back in a full-blown maniacal laugh. "I see Celestia was busy in the sack while I was gone. She had some foals and raised one of them to accession. I'll have to congratulate her when I see your mother later."
"My mother is not the Princess Celestia," Bright Stone scowled as he twirled his war hammer with his right hand as he brought it up in front of himself with a stop at a slight slant. "I have no relation to the nobles or the Solar Mother in any way. And I didn't ascend to become an alicorn, I was born this way."
Nightmare's scowl lessened until it was a look of utter disbelief on her face. "How... No that's impossible," was a she could get out as Bright Stone rushed the moon demon. Using his wings he gained air and then rockets down with his hammer bared down on Nightmare with a ringing crack of steel gong. Nightmare spread her own wings as quickly as she could and took to the air with a single flap, narrowly escaping Bright strike.
The alicorn stallion quickly turned and looked up before speaking to his shocked friends, "I will do what I can to stop her while you six get out those Elements and get out of here. You need to find some way to make them work or find those who can," he said stoically as he spread his wing sand with a single flap shot up toward Nightmare. The dark alicorn summoned her lunar khopesh blades just in time. The weapon of the two alicorns collide as a thunderous roar rang out as the grand magical beings clashed in a fury of dark purple and burning golden amber fury. Sparks flying in all directions as their weapons collided with each other.
Meanwhile at Stone's residents...
Crystal Hymn groggily awoke to the sound of booms in the sky. She slowly sat up and looked around until her gaze came to lie on the back of Mystic Hammer who was looking up at the sky.
"Mmm... my head," Crystal grabbed her head as she placed her hooves on the ground. "Mystic? Where are am I?" her eyes shot open as she recalled what happened. "Where's Stone?"
"He's protecting us," Mystic hammer clutched the necklace around her neck.
"What?!" Crystal stood up and rushed to Mystic's side and then looked up as she heard the booms again. In the sky, there was a furious clash of bright amber against the dark violet burst of color. "I have to..."
"What will you do Crystal?" Mystic Hammer said to the mare she came to view as a second child and that she one day wanted to call her daughter-in-law, if Bright Stone wouldn't be so dense. "He is an alicorn fighting against an alicorn Crystal. We'd only be in his way. We should just stay here and wait for him to come home to us." Tears fell from Mystic's eyes, it hurt her to say those words and she deeply wanted to help her son but she knew she couldn't.
"Okay," Crystal said begrudgingly as her own tears fell. "You bastard you better come back," she said to herself, "I still haven't told you how I feel."
Back at the Castle...
Rainbow was the first on her hooves and she then started to help the others until she came to Twilight as she looked up the down, "Come on Twilight you heard what the big guy said, we gotta go."
"But the elements are in pieces," She pushed the shards with her fingers. "They were supposed to help us... He's an alicorn too. He could've beaten her on his own, especially if... we weren't here... He should've just let us ..."
Bright Stone channeling his magic into his hammer and sent a fiery hammer swing at Nightmare only for the mare to block the hit and try and slash the stallion with her free hand but Bright buried a hoof into her gut knock her back a good way. Not letting up Bright charged on.
There was a loud slap that rang out in the silent throne room, Twilight looked over and held her red cheek. She looked over to see Rainbow gritting her teeth, "Don't you give me that crap!"
He'd save the town and fought her head on.
He stood by us and let us come with him
He shielded use from her magic without a thought.
He hit Black Snooty with a gigantic mallet!
He healed all our wounds
"We are Stone's friends!"
There was a sudden spark from the shards.
"Could it be?" Twilight held her hand over the shards. "The Elements, we had it all along," She looked to the mares around her and then to the stallion in the sky. "You five are the Elements of Harmony!" the shards of the Elements glowed and surrounded the five mares and spun around them rapidly until they glowing in a bright white light.
Up in the sky, Nightmare Moon was thoroughly enjoying her battle with the young stallion alicorn. She definitely was going to kill him now that she knew his truth, She planned on breaking him and making him her consort and partner to rule over the Eternal Night she'd brought forth this day. Once she found out where the coward of the sun wielder was, she'd send her new general to run her through while she watched.
A bright light from below caught Nightmare's attention just long enough for Bright Stone to send the blackened mare plummeting into the old castle ruins. Nightmare coughed up dust and pushed herself up as she then staggered to get to her hooves. She looked out to see the bright light of the Elements and their bearers.
"This isn't possible!" Nightmare screamed as she blasted and the beam of magic only for Stone to fly in and knock it upwards with his war hammer again.
"Face it Nightmare Moon," the stallion fluttered down. "Your time is nye!"
"My friend each represents one of the Elements of Harmony and even though you tested our bonds they held true," Twilight called out.
"Applejack didn't hide from the truth that Stone was hiding something for good reason represents the spirit of Honesty. ” Twilight explained. The shards from the rose and started swirling around the farm pony.
"Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion and has been taking care of all of us the entire trip is the spirit of Kindness!” She continued. Fluttershy eeped flying back into the air as the shards approached her and started floating around her form.
“Pinkie Pie who banished fear by giggling at it and has done her best to keep everyone's spirits up on this trek represents the spirit of Laughter.” Twilight stated. The pink mare smiled wide and hopped up and down as the shards circled around her.
“Rarity who calmed a sorrowful sea serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of Generosity.” Twilight continued ignoring those around her, somewhat. Rarity blinked looking at the glowing shards floating around her.
“And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own hearts desire, represents the spirit of Loyalty.” Twilight finished. Rainbow Dash blinked as the shards started circling around her.
“The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us.” Twilight snapped.
“You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark never came,” Nightmare Moon snapped.” And it NEVER WILL!”
The dark alicorn's horn glowed brightly as she charged a massive spell to unleash at the mares, to end this once and for all. She let out the massive magic blast at the ponies before only for it to meet a golden amber shield as Stone yelled and slammed his hammer's handle down imbedding it into the flagstone floor.
"I will not be sealed away again!" Nightmare roared, 'Help me...'
Stone's eyes widened as he heard another voice behind Nightmare's.
'No pony ever wanted praise my night... but I didn't want this... please... big sister... help me!'
"The lunar mother lives," Stone looked on to Nightmare. 'She didn't kill The princess's younger sister, she possessed the princess's younger sister.' "We will save her."
He ignited his horn and teleported behind Nightmare. Suddenly the dark alicorn was yanked hard buy her tail distracting her. The Nightmare whipped her head around, seeing alicorn stallion as he came up behind her and had grabbed a hold of her tail then pulled into grasp. He had his arms come under and in front of hers and his hands was holding it tight on to each other behind her head.
“What!?” Nightmare Moon stammered the spell fizzling out. “This isn't real...... How is it even possible for you to be...... This can't be...... ”
“It did, the spark ignited inside me when I heard their voices again....I realized that you all... are my friends...” Twilight finished. She turned from the other five to glare back at Nightmare Moon. A massive flare of light appeared over Twilight, the brightness forced Nightmare Moon to flinch from it. “The final Element is Magic. The spark was brought about because of the friends I made." Twilight flattened her ears wondering why she was explaining this. “And Friendship is Magic.”
The broken shards swirled around the mares, forming together around their necks to create ornate pendants and chains, large gems shaped like their cutiemarks dominated the center of the jewelry. The glowing orb of light settled down atop of Twilight's head as she was lifted into the air, a crown with her cutiemark forming as all of the floating mares began to glow.
“GET OFF OF ME!” Nightmare Moon roared, lashing out with her tail and mane. "YOU STUPID FOOL! YOU'LL BE TRAPPED WITH ME!"
"I WON'T LET YOU GO!" Stone yelled as he grip grew tighter and tighter the more she flailed about trying to free herself. "I'D GLADLY GIVE MY LIFE FOR MY FRIENDS!"
The black alicorn spared a worried glance at the alicorn stallion before her horn flared again and she turned to face the ponies only for twin beams of rainbow colored light to erupt from the glowing ponies and rush towards the screaming Nightmare Moon. The light swirled around her and Stone, enveloping the screaming mare in a whirlwind of brightly colored lights.
As her screaming grew quieter looked on, peering out from behind Nightmare he smiled at his friends. The light from Twilight and her others got even brighter, the brilliant white light bathing everything and forcing him blinded as the whole world seemed to go white.
At the Castle...
"Twilight what happened?" Rainbow looked at were Stone and Nightmare had been standing.
"I... I don't know... I think we won..." She looked at the others.
"Hey where's Stone?" Applejack looked around.
"Shouldn't he still be here darling?" Rarity added.
Suddenly there was a bright light from outside the window that entered the room to revel a tall white will endowed alicorn mare in a golden dress.
"PRINCESS CELESTIA!" Twilight cried as he ran over and embraced her mentor. "YOUR BACK! But you told me Nightmare was an old pony's tale."
"Yes Twilight and I am sorry for lying to you but I told you what you needed to know," She nuzzled her student. " And I must tell how proud I am of you."
"Rarity, your tail," Fluttershy pointed.
"What," the dress maker looked behind her to see her tail had been fully restored. "Oh my I hadn't even noticed. It lovely," she swayed a bit.
"I hate to be the one to interrupt the pats on the back here," Rainbow cut in. "But what they hay happened to Bright Stone and Nightmare Moon?" Rainbow asked Princess Celestia who seemed a bit perplexed at the mention of Stone's name.
"Who?" Princess Celestia asked with a head tilt.
"What do ya mean who?" Applejack cut in. "His only the pony that's saved our flanks for the umpteenth tonight!"
"Yea he was all heroicy and slash boon bang crash total stallion hunk savior," Pinkie added.
"If it wasn't for him the townsponies would've been crushed along with all of us," Fluttershy nodded. "He helped all of use get here he even fought with Nightmare Moon, twice."
"Did you say fought with Nightmare Moon?" Celestia said with utter amazement and shock. She hadn't known that there was a pony in this era that could match an alicorn. Even if she'd been seal away Nightmare would have still possessed much of her original power and thus fight her head on would still be no easy task and then to do it twice. "He sounds like quite the stallion."
"He is but it still doesn't answer my question of where the buck are they?!" Rainbow motioned to where the alicorns had been standing. Stone's hammer still imbedded in the floor.
"My what exquisite craftsmanship. i haven't seen a warhammer of the caliber in many years," Celestia reached out to touch the weapon only for it to shock her hand, the others all gasped. "So it's enchanted as well. This pony must indeed be a great deal powerful if he has an enchantment that even rejects me," she looked at her hand. "But that is for later," she clops over to where Nightmare Moon had been. Shards of her armor littered the area, "By the heavens please," she muttered to herself. There on the ground lay a blue alicorn mare, "Thank the goddess." Celestia sighed in release as the others came over to look.
"Hmm... sister..."The pony moved while the others gasped, again. "Big sister!" she jumped up and hugged Celestia's neck tightly. "I am so so sorry! Please can you forgive me?!" She cried.
"There is nothing to be sorry for Luna," Celestia wrapped her arms and wings around Luna. "I was the one who was blind."
"Princess Celestia," Twilight lightly walked over. "Who is that?"
"Elements of Harmony," Celestia raised a wing to reveal the smaller alicorn. "This is my little sister Princess Luna Nocturne Everfree."
Luna looked over her shoulder her eyes still watering, as she turned around to face those who'd saved her, "Hello," she said shyly shrinking away into Celestia. "Wait!," she startled them. "Where is he? What is te stallion who was with you?"
"We don't know," Twilight looked to her friends. "He was holding y-" She winced. "Nightmare Moon when the Elements hit here. I think he was caught in it to."
"He should still be here," Luna clutched her hands to her chest. "He was not evil, and he was an alicorn!"
"What?!" Celestia looked at them all. "Why did none of you not tell me this?!"
"We didn't really think about it tell now," Fluttershy noted.
Suddenly Stone's hammer started to twitched and it dislodged itself from its spot in the ground. Spun through the air and then came to the other side of the where an white furred hand caught the weapon. Using it to steady himself Bright Stone rose from the floor and rubbed his neck
"Not doing that again," He popped his back as he made sure he had all his parts. "Who knew friendship could be so painful," he remarked with a smile as he looked to the girls and royalty, all of them stunned. "Where's me cloak,?" he looked around and conveniently it was right next to him. Pick up the brown cloth he quickly threw it back over himself and cover his wings. wings that Celestia had seen.
Stone was dusting himself off some more and looked up and was immediately tackled to the ground by a pink blur that buried her face into his neck balling streams of tears about how he was okay. Rarity scolded him about scaring them as Applejack and Rainbow even added in a heavily emphasized 'Seriously not cool man,'. Fluttershy was constantly ask if he was hurt anywhere and that she'd treat his wounds for once they were all back in town safely. Twilight like Pinkie was crying but nowhere near as heavily just thanking the stars he was okay. Finally Luna came up.
"Thank you for helping save me," She bowed with tears in her eyes, everypony was shocked by this even her older sister.
"Yes thank you Prince Bright Stone, for helping save my little sister, " Celestia to bowed. "Now can you tell me how I have have not heard of you or sensed your accesenion?"
"Simple," Bright Stood up again. "I was born this way and I am not a prince, just a humble blacksmith," he said as he turned. "I am glad you a safe Lunar Mother."
"Lunar Mother? No pony has used that name for Luna in some time and born an alicorn? Not possible. You even have training how to properly fight an alicorn," Celestia looked at him. "Who are you?"
"I am Bright Stone," Bright thumped his hammer on the floor his burning golden amber eyes cutting through the darkness of the night. "I am the son of Mystic Hammer and Iron Hammer. I was born nearly eighteen years ago now in the mountains of Stalliongrad on a cold snowstorm night. I was raised by my parents tell my father passed when I was two. Then my mother raised me. We kept my nature a secret as many would have sought to monopolize on it. Only a few know of my nature and my god-father and the man who delivered me on that night can confirm as well as my mother can confirm who I am. I am no noble I am a smith, do not seek my as royalty as I will deny it every time. I look forward to seeing you all later," he looked to the Element Bearers. "But now I must return home as there are those who are waiting for me," Stone turned and walked off then teleport on a shimmering golden flash.
The Hammer Homestead...
Stone appeared to see he mother and best friend on the porch of their home. Crystal Hymn wasted no time and rushed the stallion and landed a hard right on his cheek, berating him for what he'd done as tears filled her eyes. Then she hugged him very tightly and showed no signs of letting go. Mystic Hammer briskly walked up to her son as tears were streaming down her face. She then jumped up and hugged the two younger ponies causing them all to fall backwards on to the ground. The embraced one another, even after the sun rose to mark the endless night to be done...
