//------------------------------//
// Chapter Nine: "The Gathering of the Expectant Three" 
// Story: MLP: Believing in the Impossible 
// by Spirit of Destiny 
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Chapter Nine: “The Gathering of the Expectant Three”

“Only together can we shine our brightest! When separated, there can only be failure after failure and, bah, we’ve come much too far for that to happen!” – Shining Armor, the Crystal Prince


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In Equestria, sharing the same silent sleep with her friends, Twilight laid contently upon the soft floor in the quiet library. Her physical self did, in the least. Making no sounds, no sudden jerks, not even showing a frown during then, nopony would have guessed in fact that her spiritual self was, when in the dream world, presently experiencing the craziest of events pass before her mind’s eye. Due to Luna, the purple alicorn’s slumbering soul had just rapidly witnessed the happiest of dreams that reminded her altogether of the day a year ago when she’d been named a princess, when she’d spent the majority of the evening bonding with Zeklathine’s princes on Canterlot Castle’s balcony, when she’d learned Cadance was with foal and, as the crystal princess would be an eventual mother, Shining Armor would be a father soon enough.

Now, however, Twilight’s dreams had taken a most unexpected turn. Yes, most unexpected indeed. 

After having passed through a self-opened door, after having seen a false Celestia lecture her on being a supposed disappointment, after having fallen down into a menacing whirlpool with three eyed ravens swarming her, no longer was there a joyous Canterlot Castle for the Element of Magic to frolic within. Now, with her subjected self sucked into the darkness of the whiteness’s vortex’s depths, she was aimlessly as well as obliviously drifting through only blackness. What was her destination? As it had been recently said beforehand by a crazy copy of the sun goddess, Twilight was heading towards what would prove to be her most difficult lesson of all: a so called “prophecy” concerning not only mysterious Star Swirl’s Yonderland but a prophesized partner for her as well.

Or was she really going there? Was she really on her way to hear prophetic answers?

With only the shadows around her, nopony could be too certain as to where Ponyville’s princess was truly venturing to at the moment. When involved with the tricky winds of destiny, one thing could be said for her while another something completely different was being planned in the background out of sight. Either way, all one could presently do was hope, pray, and wish her the best of luck during her bizarre spiritual journey.

Not truly aware of her gloomy surroundings at all while drifting along through the shadows – of a place that Luna had lost touch with after a thousand years of banishment and all powerful Celestia wouldn’t even think of willingly going to –Twilight couldn’t take notice of how aimless her situation abruptly seemed. Why couldn’t she? The whirlpool from earlier had effectively as well as utterly knocked her out, simply making her helpless. Thus, even if willing to try, she couldn’t see that she was stuck in what looked to be the very abyss of Tartarus. She couldn’t understand at all that she’d been deposited in the darkest, quietest, along with grimmest of places. Alas, she couldn’t comprehend either that, miraculously, the smallest dots of interstellar light were beginning to gradually blink to life around her motionlessly suspended form. 

At first, much like an aged candle fighting to stay alive in the wind’s breath, only one such little light flickered into existence against the gloom above Twilight. Then, with the passing of the next moment, five more joined in the efforts of shining against the dark to illuminate her along with the world she was within. Finally, within a minute, with mighty pulses that defied the darkness trying to keep them smothered, the discouraging atmosphere was riddled with hundreds if not thousands of what looked to be shining stars!

All around, twinkling wisely to themselves, the newly lit sources of light seemed to act like silent observers over the princess as she tried to float onwards to where she needed to be. Yet, it turned out that she wasn’t just doomed to dully hover along through the depressing shadows without any real steering or direction. Having been through the worst of the things to come, she was about to be given something of a short break from the dramatics actually and be guided to her true destination in the most celestial way any mortal as well as immortal could ask for.

Literally, even tangibly, the Element of Magic was about to be placed in the charge of the overhead stars of the heavens and they began their generous task for her ever so slowly, majestically, beautifully...

From the dark sky, the thousands of vigilant stars decisively began to descend towards aimless Ponyville’s princess. As they plummeted, as gravity’s pull took firmer affect upon them, their descent naturally built up in haste until they streaked downwards in the forms of snow white comets. While they heatedly approached her motionless form though, while they drew too near to the alicorn, the falling stars purposefully slowed themselves down until, with much swooping, spinning, soaring, along with zipping, they began to form together into one big mass. Linking together, they began to make a most radiant sight around their helpless guest.

From the resulting performance of the fallen stars, from their twirling as well as swirling about to slowly connect to one another, would have made even agile, talented, best of the best of flyers, Rainbow Dash’s jaw drop. Sure, the Element of Loyalty had a gift for clearing clouds. Yes, Luna was usually the one to place the stars into their appropriate positions… but these peculiar comets – flashing, slashing, shooting, cutting through the dense darkness of their own accord – made quite the show of coming together to assist stranded Twilight Sparkle and get her on her way through the dark.

At the beginning of their merging together, the twinkling comets appeared to be forming what looked to be only a shimmering cloud of the purest luminosity which defiantly gleamed like a beacon at night against the shadows all around. Around the Element of Magic, if aware of them, they were beginning to brighten up her day in a way. Their work was not done there, however. Oh no, not by a long shot. Next instant, with the endless number of them still streaming forth from every direction to aid in the efforts, with them coming forth from every which way faster and faster until nearly blurs, they eventually made the most beautiful of rivers of starlight that easily stretched forever outwards. 

Where the newly made miracle in the gloom, where the starlit stream, ended or lead to could’ve been anypony’s random guess. If anything, if asked, even Celestia, everypony would have shrugged at the riddle. Maybe there was a leprechaun with a pot of gold waiting in the horizon at the end? Yet, nah, wasn’t the answer to the query obvious enough to some already?

The blinking river of gold was going to wherever Twilight was going and, once finished in being made, with the softest touch of a nudge from nothing or perhaps a passing soft wind, the newest of shining streams began to ever so gently carry her forward with its glimmering current.

Being aided by mysterious stars from everywhere as well as by a glowing waterway of them? What Twilight wouldn’t have given to be aware of that glorious fact! Obviously, if given the decision, she would have desired to be knocked out during her recent “hanging on for dear life” session with fake Celestia rather than currently when being led through appropriately the heavens by the moon’s little luminous helpers. It might have been nice for her to be conscious also when, from nowhere, memorable voices abruptly began to whisper the softest of quotes around her.

If awake, the Element of Magic would have noticed right off that the ominous speakers talking in the shadows were definitely from her earlier days in life. They all belonged to her family, her friends, her village, her princesses. Truthfully, as they spoke while she passed them by, ignoring the fact that there wasn’t anypony nor any kind of audience to hear them quote aloud, it was like the hidden voices were rewinding time further back for their motionless guest. For their own secret reasons, they were repeating memories of hers. Perhaps to maybe bring about a new kind of illumination or understanding unto her?

“Fillies and gentlecolts! May I introduce to you for the very first time, Princess Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia happily proclaimed from somewhere in the darkness like she had previously done a year ago during a very special day for everypony, especially for Twilight Sparkle.

“Oh, alright… Friendship is magic!” Discord humbly along with embarrassingly admitted from the gloom when having just started to be reformed and with Fluttershy affectionately holding his lion paw.

“Sunshine, sunshine, lady bugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake! Oh, ungh, Twi, we have to get together sometime when the fate of the world isn’t depending on us.” Cadance half-heartedly chuckled from elsewhere, the same chuckle she had made during her time of protecting the crystal north from a menacing tyrant of a unicorn king.

“Twiley! None of this would have been possible without you! Love you, little sis.” Shining Armor exclaimed brightly from another direction, repeating himself during the time his little sister had not only saved his marriage but the capitol too from those invading whom could alter their shapes into anypony at whim to wrongly feast off love.

“You are Twilight Sparkle. It was thou who unleashed the Elements of Harmony upon us and banished away our dark magic!” Princess Luna boomed out from what seemed everywhere, having done the same thing during the time she and Twilight had first met for real on a conflicted Nightmare Night in Ponyville.

It was here that, boldly, the most memorable of speakers echoed out amongst the dazzling stars that Twilight drifted along. If awake, the purple alicorn would have been so very happy to hear the familiar voices of those that had helped the most in her becoming nobility. Nevertheless, in a solid daze, she merely went with being unconsciously guided by the luminous current while her very best friends, from the darkest corners out of sight, repeated what they’d said when having met her for the first time.

“My dearest Twilight Sparkle, there is more to a young pony’s life than studying. That is why I’m sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year’s location of Ponyville. During such, you will have another more important task to complete: Make some friends.” Spike quoted aloud, having dutifully read such from Celestia’s orders at the Thousandth Sun Celebration day’s very start while venturing to said Ponyville by pegasus pulled chariot two years ago.

“Well howdy do, Miss Twilight? The name’s Applejack! It’s a pleasure making your acquaintance! We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends.” Applejack had quoted during introductions in honest to fullest friendship while crushing Twilight’s hoof in a firm, unending shake.

“Heh heh, you should see the look on your face. Ha ha, you’re a laugh, Twilight Sparkle. I can’t wait for us to hang out some more!” Rainbow Dash had happily admitted to a stunned Twilight after having cleared all the sky’s cloud cover in ten seconds flat as she’d been challenged to do.

“Canterlot?! Oh, I am so envious! The glamor, the sophistication! I’ve always dreamed of living there! I can’t wait to hear all about it! We’re going to be the best of friends, you and I!” Rarity had brightly exclaimed in her shop at the moment of hearing where Twilight had come from to check on Ponyville.

“Oh, um, well, my name… my name is… it’s Fluttershy… it’s Fluttershy... *Whimper Squeal*” Fluttershy had barely managed to admit when first meeting Twilight on the outskirts of town during her period of leading her bird choirs in song for Princess Celestia’s expected arrival at tomorrow’s dawn.

“Surprise! Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! And I threw this party just for you! Wereyousurprised? Were ya, were ya? Huh, huh, huh?!” Pinkie Pie had rapidly verbally assaulted Twilight after having ambushed her with a not so bad surprise “Welcome to Ponyville” party at the library.

It was then, as the voices of Twilight’s very best friends receded back into the darkness amid the stars from whence they’d came, that new ones began to sound off. Unlike beforehand though, the speakers’ words didn’t radiate with happiness or praise. Instead, they sounded quite forbidding as well as intent on furthering their obviously wicked plans.

“Ah, yes, my most willing slaves…” King Sombra rasped out from the shadows among the stars, having been intent on enslaving every crystal pony of the north that looked to be free of him alongside Cadance and Shining Armor at the moment when he’d said such rot.

“This day has been just perfect. The kind of day which I’ve dreamed since I was small. Everypony I’ll soon control! Every stallion, mare, and foal! Who says a girl can’t really have it all!” Queen Chrysalis cackled in the darkness, thinking she had won over Equestria fully when she’d sung such a song but wasn’t aware that she was about to be effectively banished to the Badlands instead in mere moments afterwards.

“To retrieve your elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the elements back where you began.” The Spirit of Disharmony lectured elsewhere, just starting to have had his fun with Twilight and her friends when he had said so a year ago.

“Mwah ha ha, remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night – will – last – FOREVER! Ah ha ha ha!” The spectral voice of Nightmare Moon announced lastly above the starlight river, unaware as she had did so two years ago that the Elements were to be revived, Luna was going to be freed, and Twilight would step onto a predestined road to greatness during that very same night of her return.

If anypony were present to listen to them, as the voices of Equestria’s fiercest along with defeated enemies quieted into nothing like Twilight’s friends had earlier, it seemed the quotes from the shadows were not as finished as one would’ve expected. Where were the surprises going to stop, hm?

Gradually, from every which way until in a tangled mess of incoherent words, more voices began to speak amongst the glistening stars. While some of them would have been recognizable to the Element of Magic, most of them wouldn’t have been. Most of them, in fact, were too old to have been described by anypony. Even by Celestia, Luna, or Dragon Elder Garm. Their owners, their reasons for having spoken… had been forgotten countless ages ago.

Regardless, without any true order, the ancient speakers went on to shout, yell, exclaim, proclaim, state, and who knew what over each other, for what seemed to last for an eternity. Considering the sentences that could be heard, though, the uproar seemed to be related to a certain enigmatic individual.

“Spirit of Destiny, what is our heading? Equestria has been retaken, the alicorns now rule, but what of our tainted kind? What can be said for those who were banished to the wasteland in the south?”

“Sealed in stone… This is indeed a sad fate to have put a friend of ours into, Spirit of Destiny. Do not feel so guilty though. Not always was the Lord of Chaos like this. Not always did we know him by the name of Discord. Someday, you will cure him of his taint and bring him back to us okay. In that belief, I have the utmost faith. You are not known as the All Knowing He for nothing, after all.”

“What do we do now, Spirit of Destiny? This is absurd! King Sombra is banished but so is the Crystal Empire? If so, we can’t sit idly by for a thousand years and do nothing! As they need us, we need them! There has to be a better way of helping them than sitting on our hands and – and – and waiting for a millennia!”

“Truly there was nothing else that could have been done, Spirit of Destiny? Very well then. If you will watch over her majesty’s recovery, we will watch over her moon for the next millennia. Yet, this is most unfortunate. For the next thousand years to come, the darkness will writhe, the shadows will weep, and the nights will be empty… for our dear Princess Luna has been stolen from us.”

“Brother Star Swirl, do not grieve for my kind. For so many millennium, they have spoken for themselves. We both can see that they seek an unquenchable satisfaction. Therefore, I shall take them from these lands, venture to where our saviors have decided is fit, and we will remain there until we are worthy enough to return. When our taint, our endless selfishness, has been suppressed enough… it will be then, at the Spirit of Destiny’s beckoning, that we Yonderlanders will be able to come back to you. It will be then that we’ll be coming back home. So, keep Equestria in as best shape as you can while we’re gone, won’t you? Ah, thanks.”

“Caw! When the sun shines its brightest, when the moon is at its fullest, when the Crystal Empire has regained its heart, when Star Swirl has returned and the Elements of Harmony have been born anew, a darkness will fall upon this fair land of Equestria. Caw! Mountains will be shattered, oceans will roar, cities will burn, minds and hearts alike will be tested. Yet, do not be one of the many to give into despair, dear Celestia. Caw! Do not ignore the Spirit of Destiny when he calls for you, for your student! Do not hesitate to take the leap of faith and regain friendship with the Yonderlanders! For if you do… you will lose everything that you hold closest to you! All of this hard work will have been for nothing! Caw!”

This craziness, this unintelligible ranting of hundreds upon hundreds of voices trying to be heard, went on and on and on. Nevertheless, they instantly ceased with the appearance of what looked to be a shiny crystal boulder. The slab of an object in question was easily the size of a full grown dragon of Valhalla! Yet, how had it come of nowhere and why was it in the middle of the smoothly flowing starry river rather than plummeting into the shadows below? How… could that be?

Regardless of the lack of proper physics or gravity, there, in the brightest of streams as well as with stars illuminating it from everywhere, the reflective gem of a rock glimmered, glinted, along with sparkled while Ponyville’s princess involuntarily approached. In a sense, it looked to be something of a properly glinting iceberg along the radiant waterway. It made a good if not attractive decoration to the road.

Slowly, the Element of Magic drifted towards the newest change that had been made to the scenery. It was just as her delicate form was about to nudge into the shimmering stone in her course’s way though, as her lavender frame was reflected by its mirror like body while getting closer, that the miraculous wonders of the environment weren’t quite over. That was proven when a new sound, the clear thundering sound of something “cracking”, rang out into the solid silence and, with a mighty groan, a good portion of the large crystal iceberg broke away to float amid the flowing starlight! In turn, with more deafening snapping, more pieces of shiny rock began to part off the main mass until it was sadly in numerous smaller pieces.

Did this series of loud events make things easier for unaware Twilight? No, not really. Now, instead of formerly having had just the one solid slab to venture around, a dam of crystal chunks had fallen into place in her path. She was, put bluntly, cut off by the blockade of rocks from progressing further. Nevertheless, the show was hardly over. In fact, with what was to come next, it might have been good that she remained dully unconscious.

As if they were alive, with much clattering, clacking, clunking, crunching, the recently fallen pieces of crystal hurriedly worked their way – yes, worked their own way – back towards each other. Like a magnetic force had suddenly taken a hold of them all – actually, their eagerness in moving was due to an increasingly powerful glow in the clear iceberg’s middle – they feverishly snapped back onto whatever remaining mass of rock they had split from in the first place.

It turned out that the loosened stones didn’t intend to remake the huge boring boulder from before. Instead, gradually, they took on a whole new form that fittingly, with a weary moan which would’ve rivaled a thunderstorm’s rolling boom with ease, allowed it to stand completely upright in the river on two solid legs! When finally standing, the living rock stayed balanced with its two newly made arms and, with an audible “plunk”, a chunk of boulder dropped between its shoulders! With that activity done, with a shake and the glowing orb in its chest stronger than ever, the crystal giant had a jagged rock for a head that acted well enough for it to passively watch the coming alicorn pass beneath its firmly placed feet.

Of all places, a rock beast, a “golem” of mostly smooth crystal, had formed amid the starry river! It had no real eyes, no nose, no ears, no face, no real way of sensing anything at all. Nevertheless, it seemed to feel enough to know Twilight had been about to bump into it and it even contentedly observed her float along afterwards.

Mind, despite the clear impossibility of any of this having happened, with how odd everything else had been earlier, considering the winds of fortune were on her side, everything that was occurring to the Element of Magic was happening for good reason. There was even purpose behind the rock giant sweeping her gently up into its gargantuan, mirror like hands next and this was proven when it turned around to face back forward again.

Unannounced – it hadn’t needed to be said to begin with for the now kneeling titan sized golem had known for a thousand years beforehand that they would be coming to join him at the precise moment – two other figures of an ancient origin, of a forgotten origin, had arrived on the scene.

Clearly, lacking feathers along with wings, the newly come pair were not griffins. They were not dragons either and, without hooves, they were not ponies nor any kind of presently known Equestrian. No, they, the golem even, were a part of a culture, a civilization, a piece of Equestria, that had been known during a most archaic golden age but been long forgotten since. Yet, despite the extensive passage of time, the three of them had endured everything. They hadn’t forgotten themselves nor each other nor their purposes in existing.

In fact, talking about purposes, that was why the trio were eerily gathered together amongst the stars. That was why they stood gazing over unconscious Twilight Sparkle. That was why, at the moment, they had answered the elusive Spirit of Destiny’s calling and were eager in helping the Element of Magic with what she would be doing at dawn: contacting Star Swirl’s Yonderland as well as bringing one of its residents forth.

Even though they wore cloaks that mostly hid them from the world, with their heads protected under equally impressive helms, the look alike duo of strangers that had appeared without a sound before the gargantuan crystal golem couldn’t have been anymore different in appearance. Truly, with two legs supporting them in an upright position and their arms ending in five fingered hands, the pair of newcomers looked well enough like the rock giant as well as like each other. Yet, at studying them further than that was honestly like looking upon the differences Celestia and Luna had distinctly shown off every minute of their long lives.

While one of the recently arrived “humanoid” strangers looked over cradled Twilight, he shined as if constantly in the sun’s fierce illumination with a feathery cloak as white as vanilla thrown over the golden plate armor set he wore from head to foot. The other, his grim opposite, seemed to purposefully remain hidden always within a swirling haze of dancing shadowy fog with his own cloak, looking much like leathery bat wings rather than feathers, hung over his own ebony suit of heavy armor.

Easily, if asked, the first of the described cloaked figures meeting with the crystal giant could have represented daytime in Celestia’s stead. Just as easily, the second could have represented nighttime for Luna if she wanted any free time. To tell the truth… that’s actually what the differing newcomers aimed to do or, put better, had done during their endless count of centuries of being alive.

Yes, the two donned in armor had done so very much, seen so very much, been so very much for thousands upon thousands of years. They had understood every voice from earlier – friend, foe, unrecognizable, recognizable, speaking of the Spirit of Destiny or not – that had spoken aloud from the gloom while Twilight had floated along.

Now, before them, there was she, the fated Element of Magic, who was going to outdo all of their legendary feats combined with the days to come. If she hadn’t outdone them already with her past accomplishments, that was. If so, then that was going to make her future task in contacting a long lost alien world easier for everyone, wasn’t it?

In truth and if it were not plain enough already, even though looking so different, for so many countless millennium, the expectant three that had gathered around Twilight in the starlit stream had always been the best of companions throughout everything that had come their way. They’d conquered many an obstacle, many an enemy of Equestria, together. Being fully honest though, if it had not been for the alicorn before them then they wouldn’t have had the chance to presently meet with one another, to chat about the events to still come, to even gratefully thank her for all of her miraculous past victories. 

At this, with a ringing withdrawal from their sheaths, the epic swords belonging to the two knightly strangers in question were gracefully flourished into sight. The trio was to give Ponyville’s princess their respects before anything else was to be brought up between them. Considering she was a chosen one of Destiny, seeing as what she’d accomplished in his name, she unquestioningly deserved such honorable treatment.

When bringing it about, the golden warrior of the sun showed off a most elegant as well as bold longsword that, in the starlight of the river’s flow, came to reflect the nearby sources of illumination sharply. Eventually, the weapon itself began to blaze against the gloom like a lighthouse would do during a most treacherous storm.

As for the ebony warrior trying to keep to the ways of the dark, his katana seemed to eerily whisper as a thin layer of energetically foggy shadows danced along its lethal length. His display of eeriness, his show of preferring to be a shade even when brought out into the light, appeared to keep the stars at bay. Enough to keep him partially shadowed from sight.

Truly, if they knew it or not, Celestia and Luna could have had number one fans and those same fans were standing vigilant over their dearest friend, Twilight Sparkle. How very convenient, no?

Never minding their show of differences in weapon choice, the duo of knights next criss-crossed their blades over the sleeping form of the Element of Magic who remained oblivious in their kneeling stone fellow’s palms the whole time. 

For a moment – with the glinting longsword and shady katana touching – the shadows and light were one. In turn, with the golem, heads were bowed in the promising purple alicorn’s honor. Then, with precise if not unrivaled precision, the swords were taken back, twirled about through the starlight, and fluently slid back into their holsters with a “shing” that seemed to cleave through the reverent quiet. When done with their performances, the strangers clad in armor exchanged a slow nod between themselves which they next directed to their giant companion who returned it in kind.

Finally, after much mysterious silence, it was the golden warrior who spoke first for the three and, even though male, his voice could have matched if not been as regally grand as Equestria’s goddess of the sun’s, “My brothers, my fellows, my dear friends… How long has it been since we – the keepers of the slumbering armies of the sun, moon, and crystal – have had the chance to come together like this? In celebration, no less?”

“Since when the griffins were not united, since when Dragon Elder Garm was not so old, since when the alicorns rulers were not four in number but one. Much has changed since then. So, heh, it has been too long.” The golem actually rumbled back in a thunderous tone. Even though lacking a mouth with a solid rock for a head, the glow in the giant’s beautiful chest blinked with purpose with every word it spoke, “For… a thousand years – Maybe a little more? – we have not been together? That seems a correct enough guess, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed, it has been a little more than a millennium since we last stood in each other’s presence as we are doing now.” The ebony warrior softly hissed his opinion. His rather slick voice literally carried the same power behind it as winter’s first chill for his breath puffed out in mists through his metallic visor. Regardless, this did not seem to bother his comrades as he went on to say, “The Spirit of Destiny revealed unto us at the beginning of this venture that we were to part ways for close to a thousand years ago. He stated that we would face the most difficult of times during those years and, hmf, it has indeed been… difficult in its own right.”

At this, the shadowy knight purposefully gestured to Twilight as he finished, “A thousand years past, with the loss of Queen Dawn, we were warned by the All Knowing He in control of the vigilant ravens that Equestria was fated to suffer like it had never suffered before. Until his chosen one here, Star Swirl’s successor, was finally born and taken in by Celestia, that is.”

At this, as the three refocused upon her motionless body, the shadowy warrior actually chuckled in praise over Twilight Sparkle, “Ha ha ha. My, my… look at her, my friends. Look at how this one has grown. She’s a well-respected alicorn princess now. Heh, it only felt like yesterday though that we were watching her be taken under the wing of the goddess of the sun and was just starting down the path that would take her to here, doesn’t it?”

“Heh, it does very much feel like that happened only yesterday. It is funny how fast twelve years have gone by in a blink, no?” The radiant knight admitted with his shady fellow, his voice very respectful during his entire time of addressing the Element of Magic, “Mind, however, this mare is just one of Destiny’s chosen.”

In turn, the warrior of the sun gripped his longsword with a renewal of inspiration as he added, “Nonetheless, with our help, there are to be two of them together in troubled Equestria soon enough. Yes, the fated time draws near. Through this pony, at dawn, at Destiny’s signal, one of our own kin is finally due to come back home to us and be her sword as well as shield against the darkness that threatens everything good. The very same darkness that… that…”

At this, the golden warrior faltered a little with his proclamation as he admitted, “That took away dear Princess Celestia’s parents. That makes her question the goodness of our kind, of our plan, even now.”

“That enslaved and banished the Crystal Empire.” The golem grumbled in turn, his deep voice taking on a serious edge at the thought.

“That stole the night’s princess from us and replaced her with a monster.” The ebony knight bitterly put in third, his grip tightening around his blade’s handle meanwhile, “That tricked our Princess Luna and made her into that perverted abomination, Nightmare Moon.”

“That forced our dearest companion, the Spirit of Valor, to take the required desperate measures… and take our people away from Equestria to recover themselves from temptation.” The knight of the sun finished lastly, his hands signaling a respectful gesture over his armored chest for a lost friend that couldn’t be with them at the moment.

Yes, there shouldn’t have been only three figures meeting together amid the stars to debate what Twilight would be doing to save Equestria’s future. In their minds, the trio knew full well there should have been four of them, possibly more than that, currently conversing over what the powers of fortune had in store for the universe in the coming days. Yet, due to certain severe circumstance that needed proper dealing with during an age much too long ago, the party of four had become the current three and that, in a sense, was the partial reason for why they had come together among the stars.

Despite the fact they wanted to see Equestria survive the coming wickedness, the gathered three also looked to honor their former fourth’s memory. To be exact, they sought to avenge all of their fallen friends who had been taken by the evil they’d been fighting for the past thousand years and, with the Element of Magic’s help, they could very well start on the road to avenging him. All that was required to start… was who would be Twilight’s partner: the Yonderlander.

Either way, there was a silence throughout the stars again where the gathered trio of ancient friends pondered over what had been for all of Equestria, what they knew was coming, and what Twilight couldn’t even begin hardly guessing would occur at dawn.

Then, the crystal golem grumbled to his other two allies, “My fellows, as the Spirit of Valor would say to us now, as the Elements of Harmony at his dying side would have, that which we presently fret over is nothing more than the haunting past. For his sake, for all that is good in existence,  we cannot allow our worries to hold us back. We cannot fail our friends’ final wishes.”

At this, the giant relocated attention back onto the alicorn he delicately held when he encouraged, “With the Spirit of Destiny’s first chosen here, Twilight Sparkle, and with the coming arrival of his second chosen from Yonderland, we mustn’t hesitate with our ponderings. Yes, my crystal north was lost to Equestria for a millennia. Yes, Nightmare Moon took Princess Luna away for the same amount of time. Yes, Celestia has her reasons to question our, Destiny’s, motives.”

With the star in its chest burning brighter with its growing passion, the golem inspiringly thundered a shout into the stars, “Yet, nothing matters more than what is about to be done! History is about to be made, gentleman! We are about to fulfill a plan a thousand years in the making! A plan that will keep Luna at peace forevermore, that will protect my empire from tyranny, that will ease Celestia doubts about that which resides amongst the stars, sun, and moon! Thus, is it not wise that we set aside the events, the petty distractions, of the earlier days and take heed in giving the future our undivided attention?” 

The giant quieted down as it boldly wondered next, “Only with the same confidence the Spirit of Valor would have will we be successful in preventing the same calamities we have suffered for the past millennium from repeating themselves, no? Only  with bravery, faith, and hope can we keep bloody history from repeating itself, right?” 

The golem’s fellows hopefully glanced to one another from beneath their helms as their titan sized comrade boomed lastly, “Yes. Yes, that is the only way. So let us rise up. Let us change the course of the war ailing our Equestria. Let us be as our armies expect us to be – let us be leaders – and make the wickedness that plagues us, that expelled our Yonderlanders, pay for its sins!”

“Yes,” The shadowy knight hissed boldly at the rallying cry, relinquishing the tightening hold on his blade at being kept from thinking of the troubled past, “that was most wisely said, brother! We are not here to grieve over the past. We are to change the future, to keep evil at bay, no matter the opposition!”

“Most certainly.” The radiant knight concurred, turning his attention upon Twilight once more, “A thousand years ago is a thousand years ago. Now is now and it calls us into action.”

In turn, with a swish of his feathered cloak, the golden warrior proclaimed proudly, “For the past few years, with our roles as protectors not as burdened as they once were thanks to the Elements of Harmony, we three with our armies have been given the appropriate chances to gather what resources we need to bring the second chosen one back home to us and to this blessed alicorn’s side.” 

Next, he pumped up an inspired golden fist before his comrades as he stated for himself as well as his supposed forces, “When the dawn comes, when Celestia willingly or not willingly calls for it, the sun will be shining its brightest! More so than it ever has in so very long! It will have the required energy to help in calling to Yonderland!”

“Tonight, as you all should know by now,” The ebony warrior said in turn, not pumping his fist but feeling just as motivated as his fellows with the moment, “the moon is at its fullest. It is more than ready for the summoning ritual it will soon be required for.”

“And after having had a most splendid prince and princess to care for its people to this very moment,” The golem stated firmly with much low toned chuckling, “the Crystal Heart has more than enough energy to open the pathway to that which resides amid your sun, moon, and stars. At dawn’s first light, at night’s full moon, with the Elements of Harmony and Star Swirl’s heir present, the Crystal Empire will be as prepared as it’s going to be to help bring Destiny’s second chosen into the fight against the wickedness we are facing.”

“Good! Very good!” The gold knight exclaimed, feeling absolutely brightened by the sudden energy showing in the air between everyone gathered, “Even after a thousand years of having kept to our oaths elsewhere, it is good to see we are still united against the coming evil, my brothers! Very well done! The blessings of the Spirit of Life, Time, and Death are upon us for sure!”

In turn to this proclamation, the golem questioned jokingly, “Was there any doubt of that from the beginning of our adventure, my friend?”

“Oh, no. No, there was not. Forgive my thoughtlessness.” The radiant warrior of the sun replied immediately to the giant, looking a bit ashamed, “It is just… a relief to see that, despite the last ten centuries, we are still together in this endeavor in one piece. So far, everything has or will turn out okay.”

“Ah, that is indeed right. Your words are far better to understand now that you say them that way. Yes, even after the troublesome endeavors we’ve had to face for the past millennia – after having defeated that black unicorn king and brought the princess of the night back –  the three of us are still together in this operation and, heh, alive to see it through to the end.”

It was as the other two comrades of the north and sun passively conversed that they didn’t take immediate notice that their third fellow of the moon hadn’t joined in. Through his misty breathing, the ebony warrior had become keenly interested in examining Twilight all of a sudden. Then, as if ambushed, he would momentarily look around on serious high alert. 

It was as he continued to follow this odd behavior, it was he continued to act like he was being repeatedly stung, that the shadowy knight’s companions finally noticed him being irregular.

“Why the sudden show of caution, brother?” The golden knight politely requested of his dark counterpart on edge.

“Yes. Do share your thoughts with the rest of us.” The crystal rock giant agreed.

For a long moment, there was a only peculiar silence in answer to the questions.

“There is something going on.” The shadowy knight finally replied in a cool way to the inquiries, still looking around for something that couldn’t truly be seen by any of them but be felt if given the chance, “The spirits are becoming quite restless around us again.” 


By referring to “spirits”, the other two protectors of Equestria knew for their own reasons that their ebony fellow meant the voices that had been speaking from the shadows earlier as well as the stars they were actually standing amongst.

In turn, at hearing him talk about the stars, the golem of the north and the warrior of the sun slowly glanced around while listening to their shady comrade hiss, “Yet, it is not the spirits that are making my heart beat faster. Through their own ramblings, their whisperings in the dark, there is… a particular voice of interest calling from further ahead.” 

After a moment of grim silence with him gesturing ahead towards wherever the river ended, the ebony knight stated to his friends, “Brothers, it would appear our meeting must come to an end and we must prepare for our roles in the prophecy at dawn. I do believe we have held up Star Swirl’s successor for long enough. You see, she is being called from ahead.” 

At this, he grimly nodded his head, “Yes… the fated time has come for the Element of Magic to continue on without us and meet the All-Knowing He. The three eyed raven is waiting ahead to bring the alicorn to him, to the prophecy, to Yonderland.”

“The three eyed raven awaits the alicorn?” The golem curiously repeated before realizing, “Ah, you mean witty Agatha, of course. Very well then. Let this little chosen one be on her way.”

“Not,” Interjected the radiant knight, “before we give her our blessing first.” 

At the bemused air given at his statement, the warrior of the sun explained, “It is true, this mare has been prepared for this moment to meet Destiny her entire life. Yet, what she is about to see at the end of this river made by the benevolent spirits of Life, Time, as well as Death, what she is about to be shown by their son, will still be beyond sheer belief. We all know full well that it would be an impossibility for any other pony but her to fully comprehend what she will witness while with that bird.”

In turn, the golden warrior admitted fatherly, “Nevertheless, even if she is fated to believe in as well as do the impossible like Celestia once had done when as young, I will still feel much better about myself after having given this pony my blessing, my protection, before letting her go on. Wouldn’t you?”

“Mm, yes. That sounds good.” The crystal rock giant responded, “Leave it to me to be as dull as a stone and you to have all the brightest ideas.”

“Alas, you do not give yourself proper credit, brother. With you being in charge of the Diamond Crown as well as Crystal Heart of the north, you cannot be that dull.” The gold knight replied kindly, sweeping aside his cloak in turn, “We all have our flaws, my crystal friend. Indeed, you were caught in the millennia long banishment spell Sombra cast over the north when defeated. However, Luna was lost to us when she thought what she was doing right went askew and, as for Celestia…”

There was grim quiet at this until the warrior of the sun regained himself, “I feel we may be losing touch with her most of all. By the abyss, we may be losing touch with everything! Have you not seen the stallions nowadays attempting to mimic the power of our armies? They have even named themselves after our forces! Heh, pardon my saying so but the Solar armies are not as… radiant as they once had been. Not when my own knights walked amid the clouds and kept the sun goddess safe, anyhow.”

“And the Lunar guard… Pah!” The ebony knight snickered in turn, eagerly joining in the conversation by vanishing into the dark in a puff of smoke. Lazily, he soon reappeared out of nowhere beside his shining counterpart without a sound in the slightest.

Leaning upon the golden warrior, the ebony one stated, “Lunar guard nothing! Those bat winged ponies, those supposed knights of the night, know not how cold, how harsh, how bitter the chill of the eternal night can be.”

At this, the eerie katana was whipped back out as its master thoughtfully recalled, “They haven’t stood upon the brink of the Veil during the midwinter of Fimbulvetr with no warmth, no hope, no thoughts of a future, have they? They haven’t seen the Spirit of Death, the hound of hounds, be stalled from taking them away to his valley when shadows whisper to him a reprieve, a promise, a way for them to become one with the darkness, with the moon, and live alongside it.” 

Finishing rather softly, his eyes not looking at his katana but maybe remembering a most aged memory, the dark knight admitted, “How sad that the Lunar Guard these days didn’t see the true Princess Luna… before her fall from grace. Even after having lived for so very long, I remember being lost in the dark. I remember being so cold in the winter that would be my life’s last, in Fimbulvetr, and seeing Death coming to take me away. And then… the keeper of the moon was there to stop him and, heh, how beautiful she’d been then. How very true to herself. How very leader like… and worthy of followers she’d been then.”

“And as for the Crystal army?” The knight of the sun pondered aloud, gently pushing his pondering shadowy fellow back from his personal space meanwhile, “How very… small it’s recruits have become, eh?”

“Yes, how very small indeed. And how very squishy too.” The golem thundered back in amusement, “Yet, it is better to see stallions rallying under the newest of the empire’s rulers rather than frolic about ignorantly as if asking for something to come dominate them again, no?”

Crystal met crystal when the giant freed one of its thick hands from holding Twilight to pound its chest in resounding booms, “Either way, when we golems venture back to our northern home, when we are called by the newest Spirit of Valor by the Diamond Crown into battle, those ponies will see for themselves the reason why King Sombra was truly defeated! They will see why the empire was erected, why its tower was crafted, why it has lasted for so very long! Ha ha ha, they will gaze upon us, the golems, and cheer once more! Yes, I can see it now! How grand it will be to see sunlight again, to be remembered!”

“Yes, once we have a new Spirit of Valor beside Star Swirl’s successor,” The golden knight stated, giving Twilight a proud bow, “Equestria will be a step closer to returning to its former glory. It will be one step closer to awakening our armies and taking the fight to the wickedness that has been ailing us all… If only a certain goddess of the sun were not questioning our beliefs now.”

At this, the warrior of the sun sighed, “Celestia doesn’t believe in the Spirit of Destiny’s prophecy concerning the Yonderlanders, our kind, like she once did. She doesn’t take into consideration anymore that, over the course of more than a thousand years, a people aren’t the same as they once were before. They cannot be.” 

Next, he confirmed firmly to himself while whirling his unsheathed longsword, “Our kind have been given centuries to change, to better themselves and, if the Spirit of Destiny has come to believe in them again then… that should have been more than enough reason for the goddess of the sun to call to Yonderland and not continue to act purposefully against him. Against us. She knew Equestria was always going to need help during this age. Yonderland was always going to be that answer.” 

There came a moment of silence. Then, with another spin of his sword, the golden knight added, “Like Luna had to be shown in the past, it would seem Celestia needs to be shown the same.” He pumped his fist again as finished, “And, once together again, the Elements will do just that for her!”

“Sadly, Celestia has been given more than enough reason to be afraid of our kin, of that which resides amid the sun, moon, and stars.” The ebony knight put in, sounding a bit saddened about the matter also, “Still, it is disheartening to think that she’s starting to take a forbidding path most similar to Luna’s previous one in continually ignoring the Spirit of Destiny’s words and trying to keep Twilight in the dark about our prophecy.” 

He flicked his katana as he chuckled next, “Still, when determined to see it done, none can keep Destiny from completing his prophecies. Even now, even as she fights against him, Celestia has failed to keep Twilight from learning about Yonderland, from coming to us. Soon enough, as it should have been a year ago, like it had been during the Spirit of Valor’s time, there will be seven elements. Not only six. And Yonderland will not just be an aged fable anymore. It’ll be real enough with one of its kind walking among ponies once more.”

“That’s true enough.” The warrior of the sun concluded, “Nevertheless, knowing Celestia, her attempts at ignoring us about the prophecy can’t be all bad. She’s not so much the traitorous tyrant as the ravens have made her out to be. I know we know that she’s no King Sombra.”

He crossed his arms along with nodded his head in thought while continuing talking, “I suppose it can be said that her stubborn actions mean she only wants to protect her loved ones, her kind, from the sort of harm only a Yonderlander can accomplish. However, she knows this mare with us wasn’t merely named for nothing. Twilight Sparkle is the chosen one who will help the universe during its most conflicted hours between the light and the dark. She is Twilight itself and, if not careful in interfering with that truth, if not careful in dealing with our chosen Yonderlander, Celestia is going to lose everything for us.”

“Hmf, perhaps you are both right. Perhaps you are not.” The golem grumbled sagely, “Ahem, regardless of our thoughts brothers, Destiny is taking matters into his own hands by bringing us together. By bringing, ha, that tricky Spirit of Disharmony into the fray also. Either way, let us begin with our blessings over this pony and let her be on her way with utmost haste, shall we? After all, if anything is to be proven to Celestia in the end, this Element of Magic must continue onward, no? She has to see the prophecy to complete it, right?”

Again, with their worries about the future’s fateful plans finally set aside another time, not trying to think about their pasts, the quiet the three comrades fell into was sliced with a sharping ringing of steel as the same majestic swords were brought back about to criss-cross over one another like beforehand.

It was as Twilight was allowed to resume her journey of being carried along by the river of stars that the most respectful mystical trio who would be secretly aiding her at dawn voiced their prayers. They prayed for her continued glory, for her eventual success in not only summoning help from Yonderland to save Equestria but also to show supposedly stubborn Celestia the error of her recent ways.

It appeared that the keeper of the sun had even greater secrets hidden away in her heart than anypony, even Luna, thought. Regardless, remaining focused on the task at hand and not on other matters, the three friends began casting their blessings upon the drifting alicorn princess.

“By day’s glorious sun…” The golden knight stated firmly, swinging back his longsword, taking aim after the Element of Magic.

“By night’s reflective moon…” The ebony knight said in turn, copying his shining warrior companion.

“By the crystal that makes up the north…” The golem moaned after the duo.

“By all that which holds the fabrics of this world and all worlds together, by all that is good in existence, by the beliefs of the Spirit of Destiny who is son of those that keep the balance of the Natural Order,” The expectant three chanted together, watching unconscious Ponyville’s princess getting further away, “we will be watching over you, protecting you, and guiding you where we can, little Twilight Sparkle. Please, help us bring one of our kin back. Please, help us keep hope alive.”

And with that said, the unusual event in itself came to a gradual end. The golem, the knights, the infinite number of stars, slowly faded into the darkness one by one but not before – with the swipe of the swords available – they summoned a mystical wind that speeded Star Swirl’s heir along at a slightly quicker speed. Soon enough, still being guided along by the current to wherever, the star made river blinked away as did unknowing Twilight Sparkle. With a most powerful blessing of ancient origin renewed upon her this time, mind.


++++++


End of “The Gathering of the Expectant Three”…