//------------------------------//
// The Beginning 
// Story: A Son Redeemed 
// by FirstClassBroconut 
//------------------------------//

They sat holding each other for what seemed like hours till Twilight Sparkle spoke, "Somepony wants to talk with you."

Moonless Night pulled away, "Who?"

"Me, silly." answered a confident voice that reminded Night of the wind.

He turned around in fright and instantly fell to the ground shying away, utter fear and shame in his eyes. Before him stood a cyan-blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail, and deep green eyes: Radiant Spectrum.

The stallion backed away on his hooves, "Ray!"

The mare smiled, "I ain't a ghost. No need to act like a scared filly."

She took a step forward and Night responded with another one backwards. Twilight looked to the pegasus, "Radiant..."

Radiant shook her head and sighed, "Oh alright...Cent, you know I don't hate you for what happened.'

"But I killed you!" Night stammered, fresh tears trailing down his cheeks, "How can I forgive myself for murdering you! For making you suffer!"

Radiant took another step, this time he didn't move back, "There is nothing to forgive...accidents happen to everyone. I knew the risk I was taking whenever I agreed to let you practice magic on me."

He stared at her, "If you knew, then why did you-"

"Stick around?" interrupted Radiant as she laid down in front of Night, "Because you were my friend. I loved being with you, going on our adventures around Ponyville. Magic was just another adventure."

"And look at what happened!" protested the unicorn.

She shook her head, "Death is natural, Cent. I died doing what I loved the most, being with you and going on our adventures. I wouldn't have traded any of our memories together for even a chance to lead the Wonderbolts. You are my best friend, nothing can take that away, not even death...I learned that while I've been here."

The stallion bowed his head in shame as Radiant scooted closer to him, she laughed when she saw another tear fall from his cheek, "You are almost as bad as Lily Petal! Do you remember when she found a Parasprite and how her mother Stared her into returning to the forest?" Radiant rolled onto her side laughing and eventually Night was chuckling with her, the memories returning.

"Or when we once gave Spike some peanut butter right before a big presentation he had to give to all of Ponyville??"

Night rolled on the ground, as well, holding his gut as his mind flashed to the image of the purple dragon trying to speak with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth in front of the whole town. He had kept the memories hidden for so long, that when they returned he felt like he was reliving them again. 

They continued to laugh as they reminised their old pranks and whatnot. After they had calmed down, Night looked into his best friend's eyes, he missed those eyes, they were always so full of life.

"I met somepony back home...she's a lot like you."

Radiant giggled, "Snow Flake?"

Night crunched his brow in confusion, "How did you-"

"What? You think when you die you just sit in a grave and what not? Actually it's awesome! It's lik-"

"That's enough, Radiant," the ponies turned their heads and looked at Twilight walking up, "You should know the rules better than me, young mare."

The pegasus rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah...Sorry, Cent! But apparently we can't tell anypony what it's like here...you'll have to wait to find out yourself."

Night's ears perked up, "There's more?!"

Radiant laughed, "'Course! You thought this was it?? A large really really bright white room with your mom and your best friend?! Don't be so foalish! It looks a lot more lik-"

"AHEM!" Twilight coughed, "Sorry, but you need to go back now Lucent...Snow Flake is starting to get worked up."

Night looked at her questioningly, but before he could ask, Radiant began to glow white, "Good bye for now, Cent! Remember rule number three!"

He laughed as he remembered their special "rules" for magic practice:

1) Look cool.
2) Don't die.
3) If you are going to die, look cool while you die.

The pegasus floated a few inches off the ground, and burst into a shower of sparks. Night turned to his mother who had also started to glow, "Mom...When will I see you again?"

Twilight Sparkle smiled, "Oh Lucent...I am always with you." And with that she exploded into sparks.

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"Night! Moonless Night! You can't die! You can't! I need you Night!!"

The stallion's eyes shot open and he leapt to his feet, preparing for whatever was there. But instead of an attacker, he was being smothered by Snow Flake who had flung herself around him, crying.

"I thought you had died! Don't you do that to me ever again!" she nearly yelled and started to beat his chest.

"Hey! Stop it!" laughed Night as he wrapped his forelegs around his blue friend, pinning her arms between them. She cried into his shoulder.

After a few moments, she stopped crying and he let her go, "How long was I out this time?"

Snow wiped a tear away, "Only a few minutes...but you weren't breathing so I thought you had died...After you collided with the mist, you collapsed and I heard a loud scream of pain which I thought was you. But then the fog seemed to slither out of the cave...are you okay, Night?"

The stallion stretched, "I'm fine! You?"

The mare flicked her tail, "I'm great...just about had my best friend DIE but otherwise great...What happened?"

He smiled, "I freed myself...Thank you Snow, for everything you have done. You have brought Lucent Dawn back to this world."

Snow Flake bowed low to the ground, "I did what anypony would do, your majesty."

The stallion laughed, "Whoa! Don't call me "your majesty" I am no royalty...and if anything, I should bow to you." He bent his head and knelt on the ground in front of Snow who giggled,

"Stand, Sir Moonless Night!"

The dark grey unicorn stood, "Please...call me Lucent.

Snow giggled again, "Alright, Lucent. What now?"

Lucent's brow hardened, "We find Vilis and stop him."

The silvery-blue earth pony nodded and headed towards the cave entrance. She looked up and noticed that it was near twilight and the rain had stopped, leaving the forest uncannily quiet. She searched the tangle of trees for any sign of life other than themselves, but luckily she found none.

Lucent threw on his now dry cloak and, with Snow Flake, started walking towards where he thought Vilis' camp was.

As they walked, Snow decided it was time for the truth, she had waited long enough, "Lucent, can you tell me exactly what happened to you?"

Lucent sighed and nodded, lighting his horn, "Alright. But I think it would be better if I showed you."

"But won't that give you a real bad headache? I can't let you do that then watch you face Vilis, already worn out," the mare stepped away from him, trying to block out his magic.

Lucent smiled, "The truth is always more important than you fight, for a single true statement can topple entire kingdoms. You need to see this, cause if I die, you need to spread my side of the story, starting all the way back to the beginning."

He reached into his mind then Snows, linking them as he relived the full memory for the first time since it had happened.

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"Hey! Cent!"

Lucent Dawn raised his head from his spell book and looked around the Ponyville park, seeing nopony. He had been sitting there, studing up on transformation spells after a long day helping Spike in the library reorganizing, 

"Hello?"

"Up here, you foal!" answered the voice.

Lucent looked up and was greeted by a bucked of water being poured on his face. He sputtered and shook his head, "Hey what's the big ide-"

He stopped shouting as his eyes locked onto a certain pegasus laughing hysterically in the air above him, holding a large and empty bucket.

"You should have seen your face! Priceless!!" laughed Radiant Spectrum as she rolled in the air, dying of laughter.

The colt bounced up and down, "Ray! You can fly!! When did that happen?!"

The pegasus calmed down and used her wings to do a few not-so-graceful spins in the air, "I finally got off the ground this morning! Aren't they awesome, Cent??"

Lucent watched with jealousy as his friend flew in the air above him, twirling and shooting through clouds, laughing all the way. Eventually she landed softly beside him and smiled broadly, "I was planning on floating behind you and scaring you, but then I saw you reading and decided that this would be sooo much cooler!"

The dark grey unicorn shook his mane out and laughed, "I agree! Now, let's see how good you are!"

Lucent laughed as he mentally picked up some small pebbles and shot them towards Radiant who clumsily dodged, being hit a few times. They laughed together as she progressed and eventually dodged everything he threw at her. She then charged down and rammed into the colt, which sent them sprawling over the green grass.

The ponies then began to wrestle, Lucent Dawn having the upper hand with a little magical help. He pinned the filly and helped her up to her hooves, simply glowing with joy at the victory over his athletic friend.

"Well, well...This is most unbecoming of New Bearers," a cold, scratchy voice said behind from them.

The friends turned and watched as a colt step out from behind a tree, Lucent growled, "What do you want, Vilis?"

The colt Vilis Malum had a tan coat and a dirty-brown mane and his horn seemed larger than what it should have been for a unicorn his age. He walked with a royal feel and his nose held high, which disgusted Lucent, "I said, what do yo-"

"I heard you, Lucent. And I don't want anything...except for Radiant Spectrum to come and share a lunch with me," Vilis answered as he bowed low to the mare who took a step back.

Before she could answer, Lucent placed himself in front of her, "She's not hungry. Now leave us alone."

The tan unicorn raised to his full height and stepped forward, "I think she can speak for herself...Radiant?"

The mare stepped around her guardian who continued to glare at the colt, "Sorry, Vilis. But I ain't hungry."

Lucent smiled as he saw Vilis Malum's shoulders drop a little, then quickly return, "Fine. Do what you wish, foal."

Lucent lit his horn and stepped in front of Radiant again, "Don't call her a foal!"

Vilis smiled maliciously, "Or what? You going to throw pebbles at me? We have done this countless times and we know I always win. you don't want another scar do you?"

Lucent's horn glowed brighter as Vilis lit his own. The rocks around Lucent shook and rose in the air around him, but Vilis just smiled and waited. Lucent was about to throw the first stone when suddenly, a rope appeared around him and he fell to the ground, struggling as a golden brown blur shot around him. He opened his eyes and found himself hogtied, with Applejack standing over him, "That's enough now! I am sick to ma stomach of you two go at each other all the darn time!"

Lucent glared at Vilis who was standing free, "I am sorry, M'am. I was merely defending myself after I asked Radiant Spectrum to lunch and Lucent tried to bite my head off, so to speak!"

The older farm pony turned to him, "It's alright, Vilis. You go run home, now."

The purple colt smiled, turned tail, and ran back to Ponyville. Applejack turned back to her prey, "As for you, Lucent. You need to work on that there temper of yours." She released the ropes around him, rolled it back up and placed it into her saddle bag. "You two run off now, and try stay away from Vilis. I don't want to attend a funeral anytime soon."

Lucent's head lowered to the ground as he walked away with Radiant. The pegasus bumped him, "I thought you were very brave..."

He sighed and looked around the park, it was a beautiful day to be taking a walk with friends, not one for fighting. He always got into fights with Vilis, and it was he who was always blamed even though only about a fourth of the time it actually was his fault.

"Sooooo....know any new magic tricks??" asked Radiant, trying to make her friend happy. Magic was his favorite thing, and he always showed her first if he had learned anything new.

It worked, his head rose and a smile grew on his face, "Yes I did! And I already tried it on myself so it's safe."

Radiant smiled, "What is it?!?"

"I learned a way that I could enlarge your lungs so you could hold your breathe longer! I was sick of not being able to swim under water for too long so I found an answer!"

"Sweet! To the cave?"

"To the cave!"

The ponies turned sharply and started galloping as fast as their little hooves could take them too Everfree Forest and, eventually, their special spot.

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"Do...you think...we were...followed?" panted an exhausted Lucent Dawn as he laid spread eagle on the cool stone floor in their cave.

"Nope!" answered a barely worked up Radiant, pegasus were always as fit as a fiddle.

"Phew! I was afraid Vilis would...after he saw us running." said Lucent as he finally caught his breathe.

Radiant bounced up and down, "So ready for the spell??"

The colt stood and laughed, "Give me a moment!"

The pegasus smiled, "Sorry...I'm just so excited! I wonder how long I will be able to hold my breathe! Hours?! Days!!"

Lucent lit his horn, "It's not THAT much of an improvement, just by a minute or so. Now hold still as I do this...and Radiant?" A thought had been nagging at him ever since the fight with Vilis, and for some reason he couldn't make it leave...

She stopped bouncing, "Yes?"

"Will...do you think? Will we always be friends?" asked an embarrassed colt as he scraped the ground.

She smiled, "Always...cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" answered Radiant as she did all the appropriate hand motions with the promise.

Lucent smiled too; they were best friends, and always would be. He shook his head and surrounded her with magic, "This will take a little longer than the other times. Ready?"

"Ready," Radiant breathed as she relaxed inside the warm, magical bubble. She had done the procedure many times before with the unicorn, and she knew it would be fine this time, like always. Lucent never made a mistake when it came to magic, he was too much like his mother, just as she was. He was very cautious and articulate, she knew that he had thought about this for atleast an hour straight till he had decided it was safe to use it on her. He would never be able to hurt her.

As Lucent Dawn concentrated on his magic, he wrapped it gently around her lungs. He could feel her lungs expand and deflate faster than usual as she sensed his magic. He slowed down, not wanting to hurt her, he planned for hours to try this,, first doing it on himself and a few small toads.

He gently grabbed hold of the organs and ever so slightly pulled out, expanding them. Teh magic tickled Radiant but she did her best not to move, any distractions and she knew this could end badly, but she trusted him. Lucent had to pull very slowly to make sure he didn't rip the soft organ. It was farely simple, you just needed patience and being as protective of the little pegasus, he would take all the time in the world to make sure he didn't hurt her.

Just gotta focus...she'll be fine. Now this one goes here...and that stretches...just a little mor-

"AHA!!"

Lucent Dawn yelped as he was suddenly thrown off his hooves to the ground after a large object rammed into him. He looked up at Vilis standing proudly over him, "Caught you!"

Lucent turned back to Radiant and tried to reconnect with his magic, but it was like trying to hold tight to a mess of spaghetti noodles, and they were quickly falling apart.

Vilis kicked him in the side, "Stop using your black magic on her! Stop!"

"I'm-tryin-to he-!" he coughed out.

Too late.

The magic holding the pegasus disappeared and her body fell to the ground, hard.

"RAY!" Lucent screamed.

Vilis kicked him harder, "What did you do?!?! Tell me!!"

Radiant was starting to convulse and Lucent tried to get up but couldn't because of Vilis. Hatred boiled and he reached for his magic, putting as much into it as he shot a force at Vilis, blasting him back and smacking him against the opposite wall. Lucent shot up and over to his best friend, who had started to cough of blood, a lot of blood.

Vilis stared at the friends as Radiant sputtered, coughed, and seized next to Lucent who was screaming at him, "Vilis! Go get help! Now!"

He kept staring at the filly, not moving at all. Lucent reached for his magic again, summoning all he could, he placed it around Vilis, thought of the Ponyville Library, and teleported him away. Oh Celestia! Please help Radiant! his mind screamed as he watched his friend slowly die.

Radiant stared at Lucent and flung a bloody hoof up at him, he grabbed it and squeezed it tightly, "It'd going to be okay, Ray! You're going to be fine!!"

Tears started to fall as he reached into her with his magic and looked over her lungs: they had been torn in half from his magic! 

What have I done?!

There was a bright flash and suddenly Nurse Redheart, Nurse Tenderheart, Rarity and his mother were surrounding Radiant Spectrum who was now lying in a large pool of blood...her own blood.

Ponies were screaming were yelling but Lucent didn't hear them, he just held onto his friend's hoof and stared into her horrified eyes. He put as much love and hope into his eyes as possible, hoping she would be comforted by it...she was going to be fine. With two unicorns helping the nurses, she would live. Radiant wasn't going to die.

Suddenly all the sound came back when Lucent started to kick and scream as strong, scaly arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him away from Radiant who only got more scared the farther away he was pulled. Lucent screamed to be let go and he beat at Spike's arms, only to get scratched on the sharp scales. A few feet from the cave, Spike spread his wings and took off, flying over the forest's trees, holding the unicorn tightly, "Stop fighting, D! Or I'll drop you!"

"No! Take me back! Take me back, Spike! I have to help her!!" Lucent protested.

He kept fighting all the way till the dragon landed on the balcony of the Library, where he released the struggling unicorn who turned around and started to beat Spike more. 

"D! It's alright! I'm here!" the dragon softly spoke as he wrapped his arms around his brother again, this time gently. 

Lucent Dawn wept into his brother's shoulder and eventually cried himself to sleep.

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"Lucent Dawn, son of Twilight Sparkle and New Bearer of the Element of Magic, you have been charged with the crimes of dealing with black magic and murder." Princess Celestia, son goddess and ruler of Equestria announced as she sat on her throne in Canterlot along with four of the Legendary Six and her sister, Pincess Luna, goddess of night and fellow ruler of Equestria.

The colt looked around at the four faces: Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, all of which were glaring down at him, disgusted with the colt before them.

It had been three days since the death of Radiant Spectrum, daughter of Rainbow Dash, and New Bearer of the Element of Loyalty. Since then, Canterlot's royal hall had been turned into a courtroom, open to the public, for Lucent's trial. The rumor of a New Bearer murdering another spread like wildfire and all came to the hall to see the outcome.


The princesses didn't want to kill the colt. They knew that a young unicorn had very little control over their magic, and Lucent was a very curious colt. Accidents happen, they were hoping they could just strip him of his Element, lock him away for a few years and that would be it. But, Lucent had other plans...

He had spent the last three days locked up in his own room, on his own accord. His mother and brother watched as he spun down into a pit of denial, blaming himself for what had happened. Thinking that only death would bring justice, life for a life.

The colt stood straight and glared back at the judges in front of him, putting as much hatred into his eyes as possible. He turned his head and looked at Rainbow Dash, who was weeping on Big Mac's shoulder. He turned his left to his right and there sat the New Bearers.

Lily Petal looked back at her friend, tears glistening in her eyes. She was a lot like her mother: kind, loving and peace loving. But she was much more brave, usually the first one in a dangerous spot if Radiant wasn't there. Her cloud white coat and pink mane seemed to glow in the faint light of the fading sun shining through the stain glass windows.

Apple Crisp spread her wings and shook her head at Lucent. She was probably the most mature one of the group, being as she had great responsibility on the farm with the rest of her family. Her sour-apple green coat had always caught his eye, it just stuck out so much.

Pavlova Pie looked more grim than all the the others combined. Her head bowed, dirt all over her coat, extremely skinny from not eating for the past few days and her eyes were horribly blood shot from lack of sleep. Lucent couldn't figure out why this was hitting her so hard so as to drive her to not eat or sleep, he let a tear fall...it was just another dead pony.

He straightened back up when he glared at Vilis who merely smiled back. His eyes burning with victory. The unicorns stared at each other for a while before Lucent had to turn away, or else he would have shot forward and beat Vilis to death.

He looked back at his sun goddess, "I murdered Radiant Spectrum."

Hundreds of gasps escaped from the audience as the colt stood alone, finally speaking out. The grin on Vilis face grew broader, but he tried to hide it.

Celestia was shocked, "Lucent, was it an accident?"

He shook his head, "No. I murdered her."

Luna stepped up now, "Child...we all know that a young unicorn has little control over there magic."

Lucent reared up and slammed his hooves down, "I killed her! I-I ripped her lungs apart!" he chocked back the tears, "I watched as she drowned in her own blood!!"

Louder wales escaped from Rainbow Dash as Big Mac picked her up and drug her out of the hall. The New Bearers watched in horror as he spat on Radiant's memory, but Vilis was just tickled pink inside. Luna shook her head, "This is pointless, sister! He's obviously guilty!"

Celestia turned on the alicorn, "He has no power over his magic, it was an accident!!"

Lucent's rage exploded, he growled as he summoned the tiara of magic, given to him by his mother. All eyes were on him again as he threw it to the ground, reared up for a second time, and crushed the purple stone int he crest under his hoof. Immediately he fell to the ground, feeling like all his energy was drained. Blood flowed from his nose as he raised his head, gasping for breath.

"Lucent!" 

There was a flash of light and Twilight was next to the downed colt. He stared into her loving eyes and could feel hatred growing again...hatred for what he had done, for who he claimed to be. He slammed his eyes shut, "Get away from me."

Twilight's smiled faded, "What?"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!" Lucent screamed as he pushed himself to his hooves, almost falling over but caught by his mother. He pulled himself away, "Stay away from me you...you..you bitch!" Tears fell from his eyes and melded with his blood, creating a messy puddle on the floor. He had to continue...he couldn't be let off easy.

Celestia reaed back and flung herself forward, "YOU FOAL!!!" Her Royal Canterlot voice echoing loudly in the hall, scaring everypony within. Her eyes were white flames and her mane flowed wildly in the non existent wind. 

Twilight Sparkle stared at her son, who stood his ground against the large alicorn before him. What happened? Who was this pony before her being so defiant? She watched as Lucent stepped forward towards the raging princess; the whole hall silently watching the event.

Celestia glared at the colt, "Kneel before your princess!"

"Lucent please!" Twilight pleaded, still a little dumbfounded by her son's actions.

"Celestia! Calm down!" Luna pleaded with her older sister. She knew the power the princess held, and how short her temper was when it came to disrespect. Twilight Sparkle was her favorite student, Lucent had made a horrific mistake saying that.

Twilight stepped between the princess and ehr son, knowing Celestia couldn't hurt her no matter how hard she wanted to.

"Step aside, Twilight Sparkle." Her voice was like that of a stern mother to a rebelling child, and it stung Twilight like a whip.

"No! Princess stop this! Lucent didn't mean anything by it! Forgive the colt!" she cried, her eyes wide.

The alicorn's anger slowly started to subside, but Lucent couldn't let that happen. He spat blood out of his mouth, grabbed his magic, wrapped it around his mother, and with tears raining from his eyes, he threw her across the room into a wall. Her body fell onto the hard floor and she didn't move. He had only meant to move her a couple feet, but his rage enlarged his magic to an immeasurable amount, magnifying it.

Celestia's anger returned with a vengeance, she screamed, gripped the unicron's horn with her own god-like magic and snapped it in two.

Lucent let loose a scream that shook the ponies to their soul. His very mind felt as if it was being pierced by a thousand flaming, serrated blades. He could feel the magic leaving his horn, like salt being poured on an open wound. He cried out as his whole body shook and quacked uncontrollably and his whole coat felt hot as flames. His spine turned cold as he fell to the ground, lying in a small pool of tears and blood.

Luna flew forward, "Celestia! What have you done?!"

The sun goddess stepped back in fright at what her horn magic had done. She had just cursed a colt with a life of rejection and hardship. Of pain and sorrow. Of hatred and fear. How could she have broken a COLT'S horn?!? She disappeared in a flash of light, leaving the whole hall extremely quiet.

Luna stood back up by her thrown and sighed, "Lucent Dawn. You are exiled from Ponyville and Canterlot. There are guards outside willing to esco- Lucent!!"

But the pony had forced himself to his hooves, turned and sprinted out of the hall into the night, never to be seen again for ten years.

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