Shepherd of Fire

by ERich935

Genesis

I gathered everypony at the castle in Ponyville to discuss the next Summer Sun Celebration, which was also celebrating Princess Luna's return to Equestria. However, unlike other celebrations, this one was very special.

"So what should we do for this Summer Sun Celebration?" I asked everypony.

Pinkie Pie bounced up and down as she stated her suggestion, "Well, first things first! We need a LOT of balloons! No party or celebration is a party or celebration without balloons! How many should we have though? Twenty? Fifty? A hundred? A thousand?"

"Pinkie, please. I think we get the idea. I'm sure we can imagine how many balloons we should have when we're setting up." I said while taking out a sheet of paper and quill.

"How about something awesome! Maybe have something like those shooting gallery games, and you shoot moons at dark monsters!" said Rainbow Dash, putting a lot of enthusiasm in her explanation.

"That sounds like a good idea for entertainment. But we need something more." I said, thinking.

As I was continuing to think, Angel was trying to get Fluttershy's attention.

"What is it Angel? Is something… wrong?" said Fluttershy before she looked out the window. "EEEK!"

We all heard a voice coming from outside the house after Fluttershy shrieked, "Ah crud! GERONIMO!!!"

Then there was a loud thud after we heard the voice.

"What was that?" asked Applejack, looking outside the window.

"Lets go find out. I'm almost certain that somepony was trying to spy on us, and failed." said Rainbow Dash, heading for the door.

"Oh nonsense. I'm pretty sure somepony just got in an accident." I said, also heading for the door.

I opened the door as the light shined in my eyes. We looked around to see if anypony was around, and we found an Earth Pony lying down. We weren't sure if he was hurt or not, so we walked up to ask,

"Um, are you okay there? It sure sounded like you had a big fall."

The stallion got back on his hooves as he began to speak, "Ah it's okay. I'm used to falls like these."

"Ah, a tough pony eh?" said Rainbow Dash in a mocking voice.

"You want to see tough, Rainboom Girl?" the pony asked, getting the dust off of him.

"Oh, somepony recognizes me for my Sonic Rainboom." said Rainbow Dash, looking surprised.

"Of course, who wouldn't?" he said, shaking off the adrenaline. "It's catches the eyes of sightseers."

"That's right! It's just so AWESOME!" said Rainbow Dash.

"Kind of like you?" the stallion asked.

"You think I'm awesome? Please, where I'm at right now is just the beginning." said Rainbow Dash.

"Right. By the way, I don't think you've introduced yourself, have you?" said the stallion.

"Don't think so. The name's Rainbow Dash." she said.

"Well, nice to meet you Rainbow Dash." said the stallion. "Oh, and you must be Princess Twilight Sparkle. It's an honor to see you."

"Well thanks uh... what's your name?" I asked.

"My name? It's Star Blade, best parkour athlete in Equestria!" said the stallion, striking a pose.

"You do parkour? That usually takes a lot of time to learn?" I said.

"That is true, to most ponies. Me however, it's just as simple as watching for a long time and it comes right to you." said Star Blade.

"Well that's interesting!" I said, giving a smile.

"Princess Twilight, it’s an emergency!" said a Royal Guard as he ran up to me.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked, very worried.

"Princess Luna is…" said the Royal Guard before he paused his sentence, looking at Star Blade for some reason but immediately looked back. "She's missing!"

"What do you mean she's missing?" asked Rainbow Dash, giving the guard a serious look.

"The last time we checked on her was in her room. After looking at her for at least a second, she was gone." said the guard.

"Well keep your search! I’ll also keep a look out, but we can’t continue the celebration without her!" I ordered the guard before giving the message to my friends. "Come on girls! We have to find Princess Luna, she's missing!"

"Hey before you go, take this!" said Star Blade as he passed one of my books from the library. "Page 11, paragraph 5. Just as a reference point!"

"How will this help us?" I asked before he walked off.

"Spoilers..." he said, with a smile on his face as he walked away.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Twilight? What’s wrong!" asked Princess Celestia as I walked into the castle.

"Princess Celestia! I'm so sorry!" I said, bursting into tears. "It's Star Blade... he..."

I was struggling to speak. It was too much to handle.

"Twilight... Star Blade did the right thing for Equestria. Good things don’t come without sacrifice Twilight, you do know that right?" said Princess Celestia.

"I know that… but we’ll never see him." I said, still tearing up.

Celestia chuckled before she said, "Oh Twilight, just because he’s in the ancient realm doesn't mean that he’s gone."

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking up at Celestia.

Celestia began to explain, "Well, when Star Blade entered the ancient realm, he was in the middle of the Space-Time Continuum. The power from the Element of Leadership closed the Void and the paradox was gone, which means he's still in there waiting."

"Waiting for what?" I asked.

"Maybe I can’t tell you, but the past most certainly can." said Celestia before she took out a large vile.

"Wait a minute... that’s Zecora’s potion! The potion I used to find you and Princess Luna in the Everfree Forest with the Tree of Harmony!" I said after taking a close look at the vile.

"Star Blade may not be here to tell us who he is, but at least he knew we had to find out sometime…" said Celestia, giving me the potion.

"What will I see?" I asked.

"Some memories you've seen before, and some things I never saw before." said Celestia.

With that said, I drank the potion, and almost immediately felt the effects as I saw the first memory.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I opened my eyes to see me at the Tree of Harmony, at the time Princess Luna and Princess Celestia first discovered them.

"The Tree of Harmony!" said Princess Luna upon seeing the tree.

Princess Celestia began to explain to her sister as she retrieved the Elements of Harmony, "We have managed to discover the only means by which we can defeat Discord and free the citizens of Equestria. Even without these elements, the Tree of Harmony will possess a powerful magic. As long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here."

"Then we must get going. We have no time to lose." said Princess Luna before departing.

Princess Celestia nodded as she followed her sister. However she was stopped by a familiar voice, almost as if it were spoken through telepathy,

"It's all been leading to this..."

I was shocked with what I was hearing. I looked around, hoping I would see who I was hearing. "That was... Star Blade..." I thought to myself.

Princess Celestia went back to the tree, and using her magic, something else came from the base of the tree. "Young Shepherd of Fire… I do hope I see you soon…" said Celestia before she put the object in her bag.

"That was the Element of Leadership! Princess Celestia was right before, she did discover it and kept it safe with her!" I said, just before the next memory came into shape.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I looked around where I was this time, it was the old castle of Equestria on the day Princess Luna transformed into Nightmare Moon.

"Luna, I will not fight you! You must lower the moon! It is your duty!" said Princess Celestia, standing in front of her own sister, transformed before her very eyes.

I could hear Star Blade's voice again, "Celestia, there is nothing you can do about this. She’s changed out of pure greed!"

"Luna? I am… Nightmare Moon! I have but one royal duty now; to destroy you!" said Nightmare Moon as she turned against her own sister.

"Celestia you can’t save her, and if you try to she will bring you down and take over! You must use the Elements!" said Star Blade, begging to Princess Celestia before she flew away.

"And where do you think you're going?" said Nightmare Moon, chasing after Princess Celestia.

As I watched the two sisters fight against themselves, I realized what was going on, "Princess Celestia said that she knew Star Blade a long time ago…"

Nightmare Moon fired a shot, a direct hit on Princess Celestia as she fell into the main hall of the castle. I flew down, watching, waiting for what would happen next.

"He’s been guiding her along the right path…"

As I was waiting, I heard the maniacal laughter coming from the greed that was once Princess Luna, until I heard Star Blade again,

"Princess… I know that this is a very hard decision to make, but it’s for the greater good. I know she’s your sister but there's no other choice! Celestia please, you can’t just watch your kingdom be conquered by her! Celestia!!!"

"Without spoiling her future…" I said, watching Princess Celestia get back on her hooves.

"Oh, dear sister. I am sorry, but you have given me no choice but to use these." said Princess Celestia as she used her magic, in which the Elements of Harmony arose.

"Our future…" I said as I looked to the left, to see Star Blade standing within the shadows looking up at Princess Celestia.

"Equestria’s future…"

I watched, once again, as Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony's power, banishing Nightmare Moon, before the memory was over.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I looked around to see I was back at the castle with Princess Celestia.

"Well, what did you see?" asked Princess Celestia.

I began to explain to Princess Celestia, "I heard Star Blade in the memories, he was speaking to you through telepathy. Then I saw him looking up at you in the memory when Luna was banished to the moon… He was guiding you, making sure everything happened.

"But there is still one more thing we must know." said Princess Celestia, taking the vile and pouring them into two separate cups. "Where he's going."

"I thought you knew. You said you knew who he was, that he was a close friend to you." I said, looking confused.

"Yes I did know who he was, but that was only when I met him." said Princess Celestia.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

"When I met Star Blade, he was seen by many as a hero yet I never understood why. I would like to know where he's gone, and of course, I would like you to see it as well." said Princess Celestia as Princess Luna came in with a box.

"Sister, it's time." said Princess Luna as the rest of my friends followed her.

Princess Celestia nodded as she called us to sit with her to witness what she wanted to show us. "My subjects, come here. There is something I would like you all to see.

"What is it?" I asked as I sat down next to Princess Celestia.

She opened the dusty box, to find what appeared to be a book that had the title; Shepherd of Fire. Princess Luna took out the book and placed it on the ground. "I think it is time we all took a look at Star Blade's fate." said Princess Celestia as she opened the book.

After a half hour of reading the book, everyone couldn't help but feel happy to know that Star Blade was okay. As the last chapter came to a close, everyone was speaking for our good friend.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't think that Star Blade would be awesome enough to have his own book! Not only that, it's history! said Rainbow Dash, before she gasped in realization. "Which means... I'm learning... I really am an egghead aren't I?"

"The Shepherd of Fire... this was all meant to be... I said after reading the last paragraph to the book. 'But what's going to happen to him now? How will he come back?"

"I am not the one to answer that question Twilight Sparkle." said Princess Celestia.

“Wait… there’s something on the back!” Said Twilight as she flipped the last page to the book.

The Mane 6 came up to her to see what it was, even the two sisters came to see it.

Twilight began to read the text written. “Afterword, by the Shepherd of Fire. Hello old friends, and here we are. I know how much you are all missing me right now, but I just want to let you all know that I’m still alive and kicking. When we will see each other again, I do not know. But when you look up to the stars, think of them as my soul. Don’t fret, when the time comes, I will come back. But until that time comes, you all need to be patient. After all, you all know that time is much more spent living… than waiting. So continue your lives like you usually would… and one day you may see me again. And one more thing. I know for a fact that one day, you; my friends, may not be there to save Equestria. But I know there is still hope… which is why I’ve called upon someone before I left to come in a few months time to be there if anything like that ever happens. I can’t say who… but you’ll find out in due time. I will say this though… he is close… very close to me… He can be someone who protects Equestria… a hero… I could be too… but not there. I am a hero of the past… but he… he… can be a hero of the present… However, if I cannot come back and this is the last time I ever talk to you… I just want to say… thank you for everything… You’ve made me realize who I am… Not just a leader… not just a hero… but a good friend… and I can’t thank you enough for that… So… farewell. Until we meet again.”

“F-Farewell Star Blade… my good friend…” said Twilight as a couple tears came from her eyes.

Princess Luna then placed her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Do not cry young princess, you should be happy that he is safe.”

“Yeah! For all we know, Star Blade may come back! And we’ll all live happily ever after!” said Pinkie Pie, giving Twilight a small hug.

“Hey, we all miss him now as much as you do Twilight.” Said Rainbow Dash as she patted Twilight on the back. “If he comes back, we’ll be there to see him.”

Twilight stopped crying as she spoke to her friends, “Thank you girls… thanks for being there to support me.” Twilight then looked up at the night sky, and reached her hoof towards the stars. “Star Blade… whoever this pony is… I will help him for whenever we are not here to save Equestria… I promise…”