“FLUTTERSHY!!! WHERE ARE YOU?! “Twilight screamed aloud trying to find Fluttershy amongst the burning trees of Everfree forest. Desperate, Twilight tries to conjure a spell to put out the fire that rages on, but to no avail, the smoke is too thick too breath properly in and the heat was growing more and more unbearable by the second.
“I’M OVER HERE TWILIGHT!!! *cough*...." The voice of Fluttershy reaches Twlight's ears. Immediately she darts in the direction of the sound. A fire in Everfree forest, what could have caused this at such a large scale? Twilight tried to think, but had no idea who, or what could've done this. Her only concern was to get Fluttershy out of the raging forest.
Soon Twilight reached the ash covered Pegasus, but she was not alone. On her back, another Pegasus, rather well-built stallion, but his mane was the first thing that catches her eyes. Black as the night and red like blood, his mane is blade-like although it swayed to the wind like normal. His skin rather pale, but it's hard to tell apart from the ashes that cover him. His eyes were barely open.
“Who’s he Fluttershy?” Twilight immediately assist Fluttershy to carry the stallion behind her. As quickly as possible they race out of the burning forest, but no matter where they try to run, large wall of fire block their every path. Black smoke surrounds them, shadowing the sky above them. The situation seems hopeless as they are trapped. Desperate, Twilight cast a protective shield over them from the fire. But the fire was too strong and her shield immediately failed. It was just a matter of time before the chocking smoke suffocates them... As the air thickened, Twilight and Fluttershy slowly feels the effects of breathing in smoke. Their vision soon blurred and their heads spun uncontrollably. Fluttershy collapsed to the ground, followed soon by Twilight.
Her vision blurred and head spins. But just right before she blacked out, the Pegasus that Fluttershy were carrying earlier, stood up, his eyes shined white, and his mane...Alive? In an instant, his mane grew in size, enveloping himself, Twilight and Fluttershy in some sort of barrier that shield them from the oncoming flame. But too short of air, Twilight fainted before she could see everything.
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Light shines glaringly on Twilight's eye as she opened it slowly. Her head still hurt but when she tried to get up her body surges with pain, discouraging her from getting up. As she tried to get a clear visual of her surroundings, she noticed a very familiar figure at her feet. Only one dragon she even knew has those signature purple scales. Spike.
“Hey Spike..." Her voice still weak, but she managed to awaken Spike who was asleep at her end of her bed.
“Twilight! How am I glad that you're awake! “The little dragon got up and hugged Twilight, but immediately lets go as he realized that Twilight's body still hurts.
“What happened Spike? All I could remember was fire in Everfree Forest, I was trying to rescue Fluttershy and..."
“You’re in the Hospital Twilight...apparently you were saved by this guy here..." Spike pulls over the curtain at her bedside, revealing an unconscious stallion, his mane of blazing red like fire and black like the night. A respirator covers his mouth, and other fancy gadgets hooked up to him. He looks like he took quite a beating.
“Who is he?” Twilight slowly examine that mysterious stallion as she watches from her bed. His mane, a flash of memory right before she passed out from the smoke. A "living" mane? Twilight thought to herself deeply. She had to be imagining things. That's just downright impossible.
“Weird, huh? They told me this guy here saved you and Fluttershy, with his mane as a protective shield from the fire." Spike briefly explained. “The thing is that he's not a unicorn but a Pegasus."
Twilight quickly examined the mysterious stallion in the bed beside her, carefully observing every detail. Moments later somepony was knocking at the door. Spike immediately went over and opened the door to see who was knocking. Standing in front was 2 Royal Guards in shining gold amour. Standing behind was no other than the Ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia.
“Princess!! What are you doing here? “Twlight seems surprise.
“Well, I heard my favorite student was injured, so I took my time off to pay you some visit,” Princess Celestia commented. Her guards stood outside while she enters, the door closes behind her. “But, there's also another matter I must attend to, so I came here personally..." She raised her hoof, pointing directly at the mysterious stallion next to Twilight. Slowly she walks in between the two.
" It's been a long time since I last saw you....Crest Darkmane......or maybe I should just call you with something you're more familiar with....Harbinger." Princess Celestia’s tone suddenly deepened. She lowered her eyebrows as she stared at the stallion.
“Harbinger...I've always wonder what that name actually means," The mysterious stallion said. He opens his eyes, but he stares into the empty celling. “How long was it? Since you and Princess Luna defected Discord? A thousand years maybe? "
Twilight stares at the two, questions now running wild in her head. How does Princess Celestia know him? Why did he mention Princess Luna? Spike stood at her bedside, dumbfounded. Harbinger....Twilight rubbed her head, she knew she have heard the name before.
“Care to explain to your student here Princess Celestia, she look like her head could explode anytime now,” Harbinger tilts his head and looks at Twilight. His eyes stared deeply into hers. There's something about him that creeps her out.
“Why don't you have the honor of doing so Harbinger? Since you sealed yourself in a time magic you can remember much more than me..." Princess Celestia answered back at the stallion.
“Alright alright, don't need to get all prissy on me Your Highness..." Harbinger pulled himself upright on his bed. His body covered in nothing but bandages. “So your name's Twilight ha? Are you familiar with a book named 'Dark Days in Equestria'?
Twilight suddenly remembers that name. It was a book regarding the history in Equestria, a time before Princess Celestia and Luna fought Discord for the dominance of the land. A time when Discord still ruled. A time when disharmony and chaos were the only things that ponies knew. Discord had three very powerful stallions at that time to do his bidding. A unicorn, a Pegasus, and an Earth pony. Each has a role in Discord's plans, but the one who does the finishing job was his favorite henchmen, the Pegasus, also known as Harbinger.
“Harbinger...no wonder I've heard that name before. YOUR ARE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF AN ENTIRE CIVILIZATION THAT EXISTED BEFORE CANTERLOT WAS EVEN THOUGHT OF!! “Twilight gasped.
Based on the book, Harbinger was the most trusted servant to Discord, harnessing the power that few has control over, the power of Dark Flame and Steel. His coming to any town signifies the burning of worlds. His other two servants was to cause disharmony and corruption, and when it's all done Harbinger will deliver the final touch, razing everything and anything down to the ground, ashes to ashes. Although he is a Pegasus, he power was bestowed by no other than Discord himself.
“My real name is Crest Darkmane. Before I became Harbinger I was but an ordinary Pegasus. Young and energetic, I live alone with my mother. But when she was diagnosed with a terrible disease, I was desperate for a cure. But one fateful night, I was visited by Discord. He offered me a cure, but in return I must serve him, absolute loyalty to his every wish. I saw that I had no choice, so I signed the deal with him. Knowing that I chose to walk a path of darkness, I had to leave my mother, for if she had known, she would’ve been devastated. Leaving a note and the cure at her bedside, I left my house, never to return. Discord later gave me a portion of his power, so that I can do his dirty job. My mane and my tail changed, into something I never expected to have. DarkFlame and Steel. A hybrid power that only I can harness without being consumed by its strength... but still somewhere, deep in my heart, I wish I had not made that deal with Discord... which is my greatest regret...." Tears soon rolls down his eyes. A drop fell onto the cold floor, shattering the silence that was in the room.
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( Special Thanks to the User Moon_Fire for the help in fixing up the chapter...)