It’s been almost two weeks since Princess Luna set out to find the Library. She should’ve been home by now yet here she is, in the middle of the dessert taking shelter in a small cave to avoid a large sandstorm. She would’ve gotten there a lot sooner if it wasn’t for the storm; and the fact that she’s being followed. What or who she’s being followed by is unknown to her but their intentions were made clear when she saw it had weapons before loosing sight of the creature a few days ago.
She is wearing ancient armour made from the strongest steel and it has a dark tint to it. The leather covers the joins and her legs, she wears metal kneepads and boots, her lower arms are the only parts of her body that remain unprotected, however she does wear steel gloves. Luna’s breastplate has a Siegel in the shape of a crescent moon that looks like a unicorn. Her weapon of choice is a two-handed great sword she calls Wolfblood and she’s strong enough to wield it one-handed.
Luna hasn’t got much further to go however she’s already regretting the journey. Luna feels as if she should go back home, apologise to her sister and do some of Celestias’ duties like she promised, she’s getting far too old for adventuring anyway. No she can’t turn back now she’s so close, She just needs to get past the endless sandstorm, or more commonly known as the sea of clouds. And hopefully survive going through it. These clouds tower beyond the sky and if a Pegasus ever tried to fly over it they would suffocate from lack of oxygen before falling to the depths of this desert storm.
The storm winds are strong enough to rip your flesh from your body, no one can survive if unprepared. Luna took a deep breath and lifted two fingers in the air, her horn glows blue with pure magic and with her two fingers she drew a circle and formed a protective bubble around her. This magical bubble shall shield Luna from the wrath of the sandstorm so she must use full concentration to keep her shield up, if she doesn’t then the sea of clouds will consume her.
Her mighty wings flap as she begins to fly through the sea of clouds. She could barely see anything at all, and if she can see anything it will most likely be skeletons of dead ponies or rotting corpses of those who dared cross the sea. For some reason, despite the warnings, time and time again ponies still attempt to go through the sea of clouds. It’s curiosity that’s killing these ponies, they wish to know what’s beyond this storm. The only ponies who know are Celestia and Luna, they’ve journeyed there before in their prime, and they refuse to tell a single soul.
Eventually Luna and Celestia stopped going, they believed that they no longer needed to go to the library any more because they have learnt enough. But now Luna needs to go there once more if she wants to understand the prophecy. Soon Luna makes it past the storm with minimal effort and dissipates her protective spell. She is now in an area that is covered in long grass and vines the climb small long abandoned building. These are remnants of a long forgotten civilisation that’s been destroyed a millennia ago before the princesses were born.
The buildings are either collapsed or rotting away nothing in between, soon these lands will consume them and any remnants of them will soon be forgotten by this world. Bones litter the land, what ever used to live in Equestria were evidently attacked by an unknown force, because decrepit rusted machines of war and dead golem like creatures with metal claws can be seen with plant life surrounding them. During her childhood whenever Luna would visit she would sketch her surrounding and try to recreate her the structures and war machines, some drawings were better than others but in the end she found it pleasant.
At the edge of this landscape is a giant tree that’s the size of a skyscraper its branches can hold cities, towns and villages. And that is the library. A hollowed out ancient tree that has all knowledge in Equestria and before ponies ever existed on this world. She heads towards the library through these ancient ruins, she walks pass massive machinery and accidently steps a few bones. And as Luna gets closer to the library, she suddenly hears footsteps behind her.
She slowly turns around and sees the creature that was following her, it followed her through the sea of clouds and somehow survived the onslaught of wind and sand. They wears a sandy coloured tattered cloak over its ancient blue armour that has been chipped and damaged over the years. They wear a necklace that holds four purple gems, they also wear a white sun bleached helmet that has a faded yellow and black plume on it. The creature is holding a spear with strange symbols engraved in the metal and a sword that’s being carried on the creatures back, both weapons look like they’ve been well taken care off. As the creature walks closer it’s considerably tall, it’s just around the height of an average sized pony, maybe even a few inches taller.
Not wanting to start a fight with this stranger Luna speaks to it diplomatically. “Greetings stranger. I am Princess Luna, co ruler of Equestria.”
“I know who you are, you was Nightmare moon.” The creature spoke in a condescending tone. Luna clenched her fist, she wanted to punch them right then and there, but she also wants to avoid confrontation so she relaxes and uncurls her fist.
Luna ignore his comment and asks him a question. “Would you be so kindly as to explain how you got pass the sand storm?”
“It’s easy when you’re wearing armour from head to toe.” The creature answers. “Now tell me, have you heard the prophesy too?”
“You mean Phoenix Rising?” Luna assumes. “I thought it was told in secret, I thought this whole place was kept secret?”
“So did I. I thought it was hidden away from you ponies, For centuries I thought I was the only one on this planet who knew of this place.”
Luna is not happy with the way that this creature is talking back to her and insulting her own kind, but alas she need to keep calm. “If we both know the prophecy then we can both look for answers.” Luna tries to convince.
“Forgive me but this doesn’t concern your kind, this is Aeldari responsibility, go home you your marble castle young lady.”
“Young lady? I am six thousand years old.”
“And I am over ten thousand years old. Now move out of my way or face the consequences.”
Luna holds the handle of her sheathed sword preparing for confrontation. “You don’t seem to understand, I’m an Alicorn, one of the most powerful ponies in the world. So I suggest you stop being so arrogant old man.”
“And I’m-” He stops mid sentence. “Was a Dire Avenger, aspect warrior of Kaela Mensha Khaine, the bloody handed god.”
“Those words mean nothing to me.” Luna told the aspect warrior. “Now please, put down your weapon, You do not want this fight.” The two warriors lock eyes with each other, both waiting for one another to make the first move, both know this will end up in a fight. The Dire Avenger slowly unsheathes his sword and is now dual wielding a sword and a spear, Luna does the same. “It doesn’t have to end in bloodshed.”
“No it doesn’t, but then again why should I trust you? You turned to the ruinous powers once what’s stopping you from turning again?”
“I’m not Nightmare moon anymore. You have nothing to fear.” Luna tries to convince the aspect warrior but he has already made up his mind.
The Dire Avenger whispers to himself "War is my master. Death is my mistress." His sword and spear glow blue with arcane energy. Both warriors swiftly swing their weapons at each other with such speed the air around them intensified, Their weapons clashed and sent shockwaves throughout the area.
Luna pushes the warrior back to get enough room to decapitate him, but he backflips away from the sword and he went to strike Luna with the spear. However Luna grabs the spear with her empty hand, pulls him closer and headbutts the warrior. A small crack forms on his helmet but it’s nothing he can’t fix.
With his sword he attempts to strike Luna through her gut but she defends by deflecting the killing blow, then he hits Luna on the head with the handle of his spear, knocking her head to the side giving him chance to do a side flip and hitting Luna on the other side of the head with one kick from each leg. She side of Luna’s cheek is cut and it’s now bleeding.
The warrior quickly strikes his spear through the ground, and with one hand holding the spear he spins like a dancer and tries to hit Luna again, but Luna grabs his legs and throws him onto the ground with full force. She launches herself into the air and dives back down with high speeds aiming to stab the warrior in the chest. Unfortunately the aspect warrior slides out of her way and Luna stabs the dirt instead.
Now with another chance to strike the aspect warrior Jumps over Luna and attempts to slice Luna’s back, but she suddenly turns around and blocks the strike with her great sword. He then uses his spear to try and stab Luna but she grabs it and crushes it easily like a rotten stick. Luna then uses the end of the spear to stab the aspect warriors shoulder, he grunts in pain and get pinned onto the ground. He kicks Luna to push her of him and he pulls the spear blade out of his shoulder before he attacks again by slicing Luna’s arm off but she blocks the attack again, the aspect warrior pulls his sword back to him and when he does he simultaneously make a large cut on Lunas bicep.
Luna roars and swings her sword at the aspect warrior multiple times, he tries to protect himself from the flurry of attacks but they’re just getting faster and faster. Then he parries one of her attacks and tries to chop Lunas torso from the rest of her body but he ultimately fails as Luna grabs the blade with her bare hand an punches the aspect warrior with the hand that’s holding her blade. She punched him so hard that he crashes into an ancient building and it crumbles on top off him.
Believing the fight to be over Luna sheaths her blade and puts direct pressure on the wound that’s on her bicep. This isn’t the worse injury she’s had over her long life so she knows she’ll be fine it just hurts slightly more than it should, it feels like the blade was trying to attack her mind as well as her body, but never the less her mind remains strong. Luna ignores the wound as best as she can and was about to head inside the Library when suddenly, the Dire Avenger climbs out of the rubble. His helmet has cracked even more and his blue armour has chipped even more yet he still looks as if he’s able to fight.
He takes his broken helmet off and throws it onto the ground revealing a sickly pale skinned face with blood covering the right side of his face. His ears are pointy, his eyes are almond shaped and his platinum coloured hair is in a topknot. And he seems really pissed off. He roars out in anger and dashes towards Luna with sword in hand, Luna rushes to her enemy and then their weapons clash once again.
Using her skill with her blade Luna swings her sword in a way where she disarms the aspect warrior. After that she was going to kill him by splitting him in half but the warrior managed to catch her blade before she could do so, the aspect warrior the kicks Luna away and in doing so disarms Luna. He throws Luna’s weapon away and punches her in the gut three times, he uppercuts her and kicks her in the back of her head, causing Luna to fall to the ground.
No Luna isn’t dead but she is very dizzy to the point of unconsciousness, her vision is seeing double. The Dire Avenger slowly walks to his sword and Luna crawls to her great sword, both warriors are tired and out of breath. Once they both grabbed their weapons Luna gets back up and they were about to start fighting again until. “Stop!” Someone yells. Both combatants suddenly stop what they were about to do.
The figure who spoke was none other than a unicorn named Clover the Clever, he is a pony from a by gone era and at first glance he hasn’t aged a day. But then you’ll notice his eyes have gotten cloudy his unnatural prolonged life has caused him to go blind, his fur remains pale green like from his youth but he has plenty of grey hairs. He carefully walks to the warriors as if his bones have gotten brittle and hollow. “You two should be ashamed.” Clover scolds both Princess and Aspect warrior. “How dare you fight in this sacred place, you’re destroying history.”
“Forgive me old friend.” Luna pleads. “I was defending myself from this creature.”
“I was about to slay a servant of Chaos.” The warrior argues
“I am not Nightmare moon!” Luna shouts at the warrior.
“Enough!” Clover commands. “This petty squabble has gone one long enough, you two are acting like children!” He goes up to Luna and says. “Luna you are a princess, I taught you to fight better than this.” He then points at the warrior without looking at him and expresses his anger towards him. “And you, You’re over ten thousand years old. Act like it!”
The warrior then kneels down and says. "I'm sorry Clover, I thought I was protecting you from a threat." He explained “She was corrupted by chaos so I assumed she came here for a reason other than the prophecy.”
“Clover is my oldest friend I would never harm him even if I was corrupted!” Luna yells in the warriors face.
“Please stop arguing the both of you!” Clover sighs like a tired old pony. "I suppose this was also partly my fault." He tells them calmly. "I never even mentioned either of you to each other, no time like the present." He then begins to introduce the two to each other. “Luna this is Balesen, the last Eldar of this world; and Balesen this is Princess Luna co-ruler of Equestria.”
“Balesen?” Luna questions with curiosity in her eyes. “As in one of the seven founders of Equestria? The one who protected his friends from the wendigo's? I thought you were a pony?”
“I only guided them up the mountain, they banished the daemons.” Balesen corrected.
“Yes but they couldn’t have done so without your help.”
“They could’ve, they were very competent. The only thing that was dragging them down was their petty rivalry with one another.” Balesen explains. “No offence my friend.” He says to Clover.
“None taken.” Clover the Clever replies. “Now come inside so I can heal your injuries; and you can tell me about this prophecy you mentioned.”
Inside the candle lit library there are shelves upon shelves of books throughout several floors of this ancient tree, it’s impossible to find a area in this place that isn’t surrounded by books, there are even some piles of books stacked on top of each other on the floor. The books in the library house ancient knowledge and old forgotten lore that even the princesses don’t know or understand, some books are written in dead languages and some were written well over ten thousand years ago. If you wish to find answers you’ll more than likely find it in the library.
Meanwhile Clover is healing both Luna’s an Balesen’s wounds with his magic, Luna doesn't seem all too happy about it. “Honestly my friend I can heal myself just fine.” Luna objects.
“Nonsense, you’re my guest and you’ll be treated as such. Now stop your complaining, I’m almost done.” Clover tells Luna. “What was that Prophecy you mentioned earlier?”
“The Phoenix rises.” Luna Simply said.
“You came all the way over here to tell me that Celestias’ pet is going to die again.” Clover joked.
“No. She means that the Phoenix lord is about to be resurrected.” Balesen clarifies. “And we both know that the answers are in this library.”
“Ahh, I see. Well if you wish to look for answers feel free to look in ‘forgotten age section’, that’s where you’ll most likely find your answers.” Clover tells both Balesen and Luna. “Just let me finish healing Luna and I can guide you there.” His horn glows green and he holds his hand on the large wound on Luna’s arm. The cut closes itself and disappears, there’s no scar to be seen and it looks as if it wasn’t cut at all.
“Thank you.” Says Luna
“You’re welcome. Now please follow me.” Clover instructs the two. They followed Clover the Clever through the library, he takes them up five flights of stairs to the Forgotten age section without much hassle and this section of the library is small compared to the rest because theirs so little information. There’s only one shelf and only a dozen books and a few scrolls, some of it is so old the paper could crumble if you’re not careful. “There isn’t a lot that’s been archived or written about but it’s all I have on this era.”
“It will do.” Balesen said. “I just hope whatever we’re looking for is in here.”
“You and me both.” Luna says to Balesen. “Now lets get started.”
“Right.” Said Clover. “I’ll leave you to it then.” He then leaves the both of them to their business.
They both searched and browsed through the books scrolls trying to find any mention of a prophesy. All they could find are explanations of ancient cultures and traditions, historical events that took place on this world before ponies existed, biology, types magic, mentions of the different seer classes, the warrior path, gods, dead gods and how they were worshipped; and yet nothing on the prophecy that they’ve been told. And they’ve been searching for twelve hours. Twelve hours.
Their eyes are getting sore from all this reading and all for what? Nothing, they were about to give up. That is until a scroll mysteriously dropped from the shelf, both Luna and Balesen read every book and ancient texts in this section and this scroll is obviously newer than the others. Luna picks it up and when she looks through the shelf she saw a figure wearing a black coat and is wearing a mask that has a long nose, pointy ears and a unnatural wide devilish grin on it. The figure didn’t speak, it just lightly chuckled an disappeared into the shadows like it was never here.
Luna felt scared to say the least, first the creature that told her about the prophecy and now this. She now wants to know what they are? And what do they want? But in the meantime she needs to read this scroll. “Found something.” She told Balesen.
“Well open it then.” Balesen says in response. Luna puts the scroll on a table and opens it. The texts say
A Phoenix shall rise and a Phoenix shall fall. It is what I’ve seen in my dreams, it’s what the other Farseers have seen and what I’ve heard from Cegorachs servants. I do not know when this prophecy will come true but from what I’ve seen it might become reality in over a thousand years time, maybe even longer, depending if what I’m seeing is accurate or not.
This is obviously talking about the lost Phoenix lord Asurmen, who disappeared ten thousand years ago and he reunite with the Asuryani and protect us once more. However this prophecy says that a Phoenix shall fall, whether that means that Asurmen shall die or his enemy shall die I do not know, either way a Phoenix lord shall die and it will be a permanent stain that will affect the destiny of this galaxy.
I foreseen who shall don the armour and resurrect the Phoenix king from his slumber. And it is an Exodite, They have a long road ahead of them, one filled with darkness and sorrow. But they can still find the light that is hope at the end of the tunnel. I just wish they can hope before it’s too late.
Sean-Fae, a Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwe.
“This doesn’t answer anything, this just confirms what we already know.” Luna commented. “Whoever the Phoenix is, they have to be an Exodite, whatever that is.” Balesen sighs and doesn’t speak a word. “What do you think Balesen? Balesen? Is there something wrong?” Luna asks. Balesen doesn’t speak, he just gets up and he walks away with the last bit of hope drained from his soul. “Balesen where are you going?”
“Away from this place.” He says to Luna
“Why? You just need to find an Exodite to wear the armour and then-”
“Don’t bother searching for one.” Balesen interrupts. “All the Exodites on this planet are dead. Every. Single. One of them. Those skeletons you saw outside, those are the last physical evidence that there were Exodites on this world. And I had to watch them die!”
“Yet we were told the prophecy. Why would they tell us the prophecy if it isn’t going to come true?” Luna argued
“Because it was a cruel joke made up by the Harlequins!” Balesen argued back. “This was an elaborate joke years in the making for their own amusement!”
“Then why don’t you wear the armour then?!”
“Because I’m not worthy!” Balesen shouted. He then sat down on the floor with his head against the wall of the hollowed out tree; and he took a moment to calm down. He then explains why he isn’t worthy. “I have made so many mistakes in my life, I’ve hurt the people I loved, I abandoned friends, I’m not even supposed to wear my armour anymore because of what I did. And yet I am, wearing what should be forbidden from me. So trust me when I say this, Asurmen isn’t going to be resurrected. Not by me, not by you and not by the Exodites. All hope is lost.”
Luna sighs and sits next to Balesen, she puts her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. “I understand, I’ve made those same mistakes. I’ve abandoned friends; and I’ve hurt loved ones due to my anger and frustrations against my sister. But we shouldn’t dwell on the past, we both need to move on.” Luna tells him. “We’ve been told the prophecy for a reason, are you sure there are no Exodites?”
“I am sure, there was no way an Exodite could survive for so long.” He answers with sadness in his heart. But then he remembered something important about the Exodites, something that saves heir souls from she who thirsts. “Unless... Yes maybe it is possible.” He whispers to himself.
“What is it?” Asked Luna
“Luna, do you happen to know what a world shrine is? Or an infinity circuit?” Balesen answers Luna’s question with a question. “Because that’s where we protect our dead, it’s where we store their souls.”
“Where are you going with this?”
“If I am correct, the Exodites could still be alive, where is the largest psychoactive crystal on this planet.”
“Psychoactive what?”
“Crystal. Just tell me where the largest crystal is.”
“That will have to be the Crystal Heart, in the Crystal Empire.”
“And that’s where we’ll find our Exodite.” Balesen smiles for the first time in ages.
Him and Luna both get up and make their way to the exit. Balesen is now full of hope and determination, he feels like nothing can stop him now. Meanwhile Luna is confused she has now idea what Balesen is talking about, yet if it means that the Prophecy will come true then she’ll assist him as best she can.
“Balesen!” Clover called. “A word please.” Balesen goes over to his oldest living friend while Luna waits for him outside. “So you’ve found what you’re looking for?” He asks.
“I have.” Balesen replies. “I finally have the chance to redeem myself.”
Clover pauses for a moment and looks up at Balesen staring with his cloudy eyes, not judging him but rather feeling proud for him, yet also worried for him. “This is good, you’ll find peace at last. But is this truly what you want?”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t just want the Phoenix lord to come back, you want to go home. And resurrecting the dead won’t bring you home. You need to be forgiven first.” Balesen scoffs. “Don’t act so arrogant with me, you know it’s true.”
“I have spent ten thousand years on this planet, I have seen wars fought, I have seen the birth of empires and their falls. I have spent my life here in penance knowing that I will be alone for millennia. I had lost hope that I’ll ever be found until now.”
“You’re not alone, you have me. Your oldest friend.”
“Yes but you’re not an Eldar.” Balesen says whilst accidently offended his friend. “I’m sorry but you’re dying; and soon I’ll truly be alone, in fact you’re deteriorating as we speak. Your immortality isn’t natural it was forced. Your body can’t handle many more years.”
“I’ll be fine honestly.”
“No you won’t.” Balesen says in concern. He’s scared to even touch him for he might crumble into ash, he holds his hand very gently so it won’t break and asks. “If you were given the chance to redeem yourself, would you?” Clover just sighs and nods sadly. “I’ll visit you again soon I promise.” Balesen leaves his friend alone, he then heads outside where he find Luna waiting for him. “Lets go shall we.”
“Do you wish to travel there now or?” Luna asks
“I travel alone, it keeps my mind at ease so I don’t have to worry for everyone.” He said. “And besides a couple of weeks travel won’t hurt me.”
“Fine but at least let me help you get pass the sea of clouds.” Luna offered. “I broke your helmet, so you’ll most likely die in the storm without my help.”
“Very well.” Balesen accepts Luna’s offer and they both manage to make it pass the storm thanks to her protective bubble. And they both go on their separate ways.
Meanwhile in Canterlot the is setting, the moon is rising; and Celestia is getting worried sick. Luna hasn’t come home yet, she hasn’t been home for almost two weeks. Celestia is thinking of going out there to find her and bring her back home herself, it’s very tempting to do so. She was actually about to don her own armour and go out there to find her, but suddenly sounds of a Pegasus flying at supersonic speeds can be heard entering the castle.
Celestia goes to find the source of the sound only to find an extremely tired Luna. “Luna!” Celestia calls her sisters name in surprise. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine dearest sister, you would not believe the day I had.” Luna speaks to her sister for the first time in almost two weeks. “I came home as fast as I could, don’t make me go this fast again. I feel like my wings are about to fall off.” Luna says whilst wheezing for air.
“You would not believe what happened while you were gone.” Celestia began. “The armour, Twilight Sparkle she wore it and she became an entire different Pony.”
“What do you mean?” Luna asks with her breath finally coming back to her.
“She became someone else, she almost killed Chrysalis.”
“Chrysalis was here.” Luna now feels regret, she felt like she shouldn’t have left Celestia alone. “Were you hurt?”
“I was, but it’s not me you should be worried about, Twilight has lost her horn, she wore the armour, faced off against Chrysalis’s army and won, and now she’s acting strange.” Celestia catches Luna up on recent events. “Ever since she put on that armour she’s been acting strange, she wouldn’t let me destroy the armour.”
Luna wonders if Twilight has become the Phoenix lord, and if so does that mean the prophecy was wrong the whole time, it specifically mentions it has to be an Exodite. “Tia did Twilight happen to mention that her name was Asurmen?”
Celestia simply says “Yes.”
“I must speak to her immediately.”
“No you’re not!” Celestia forbids Luna. “You just came back, and you have to do all my royal duties for about a week first. Then you shall speak to Twilight.”
Luna sighs with an annoyed grunt. “A deal is a deal I suppose.” And she leaves the area of the castle to fulfil her end of the bargain. Celestia goes back to her own room with relief knowing that her sister is safe. She sits down at her table and has a cup of tea.
Yet this is no time to relax, a storm is brewing at the Crystal Empire. Balesen and Luna are not the only ones who need the crystal. A inhuman monster in black power armour who serves the dark gods wants the crystal for himself; and for the despoiler. He is the master of Possession, he is terror incarnate. And he spells doom if he isn’t dealt with. He is coming. The shadow over these lands is coming.