//------------------------------// // The Pheonix Rises. // Story: Celestia's Oldest Friend // by midashguy //------------------------------// The tears had dried. Will knew he only had one chance... He just hoped that The Order of the Spectral Hoof was as clever as they claimed. Because if he was wrong, then they would pay. They would burn and turn to ash, and Will would watch the ash blow into the wind. They only had one chance. "Will, I have something I would like to tell you." Princess Celestia said. The newly revived Will could only look at her with confusion in his hospital bed. "The blue phoenix that we used to revive you...It has been stolen. We aren't sure who did it, but I know you know who took it." Celestia muttered. Will coughed and hacked for a moment, gasped for air and answered. "Spectral. But, why?" "I don't know..." They took it thinking they could find a way to end their immortal enemy. That they could learn his secrets by studying the bird. They foolishly kept it for nearly a thousand years. Never once did they think that a human would stride right through their doors to reclaim it. They were wrong. Will looked around, examining the pillars around him. They reminded him of buildings in Rome, back on earth. But why build it here? Neighagra Falls, possibly one of the most terrible puns Will had come across in a long time. He wasn't entirely sure why Spectral had chosen this place to maintain as their base. Perhaps they knew who built it? Did they built it themselves? Will couldn't care less. Will shook his head, trying to understand why they didn't have any guards posted outside. Surely they expected him? Was it a trap? Probably. Did he care? Probably not. Will opened the door and walked in. He was not attacked immediately, he was not shot by crossbows, nor did anything try to slit his throat. Instead eight ponies sat in a half circle in the middle of the room, apparently waiting for him. "Please sit." a gravely voice said. So Will sat, facing them. "This isn't usually how you guys play this game, so what's up?" Will inquired. "We know why you have come, and we have an answer." Another voice said. "Really? And what exactly have I come for?" Will questioned. "You think we believe that you still wish to wipe us out? To end us? No. You have come for what was stolen from you." Yet another voice answered. "I'm getting kind of sick of you all knowing what I'm going to do before even I do." Will sighed. "Enough." The first voice said. "We will aid you in your goal." "Wait, why?" Will wondered. "We have learned why we hunt you." One voice said. "We are puppets, serving our masters. The strings have been cut." Another voice added. "This is the first time in ages that we have been able to chose for ourselves. We will use this choice to spite those who control use." The gravelly voice muttered. "Why?" Will asked. "We have our reasons." The gravely voice whispered. "We will let you return what was lost, but first we must give you what was taken." The first voice said. A blue phoenix flew out of the shadows and landed on Will's shoulder. "Thank you." Will said nodding to the group, and began to walked away. "Our hopes are with you." Will turned around. "I never did ask your name." "Regret. They simply call me Regret." The hoarse voice said. "Well then, thank you Regret." Will said, and walked away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will flew as fast as he could back to Las Pegasus, a blue phoenix tailing close behind. He landed at the site of Arigos grave, and with an orange flash, a human face looked pleadingly at the blue phoenix. The bird tucked its head under one wing, and preened a feather. With the feather now in its beak, it gingerly gave it to Will. Will took out a small knife, and cut his hand. Though he felt nothing, he smiled as a few drops of blood landed on the feather, and it seemed to glow slightly. He carefully placed it on the grave and waited. Nothing. Nothing happened. At first Will was confused, and then angry. It didn't work. Arigos was gone, and nothing in Equestria could change that. Will cried out, shouting at the sky like only someone who had lost everything could. Because the world wasn't fair. Because life wasn't fair. At first the phoenix looked confused by the way Will acted, then it just looked at him with sympathy. Unfortunately, as Will walked away, he did not notice the spark that glinted off the feather that still rested on top of the dirt mound. Nor did he notice the ground shift ever so slightly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Your treachery is unforgivable. The only reason we leave you alive is the others see you as the leader of this cult." A deep voice boomed. "We understand. This was a plan we have set in motion. The demon knows nothing of what we have done. He will not know what has happened until it is too late." Regret explained. "So you say, but our trust in you has diminished greatly. How do we know that you don't have your own reasons for what you have done?" Another voice boomed. "Because we live to serve you. We took the oath, we will aid you till the end of eternity." Regret gulped. "Never the less. We will be watching with interest..." "Yes, of course. Masters." Regret said. "So what is this plan that you have created? What could merit giving him our pet?" The masters asked. "The ability to strip him of his immortality." Regret explained. "Impossible." "I have to disagree. If you don't mind me saying." Regret said. "He is immortal because of his link to the princess. If we were to stretch the link to the point of breaking. We could sever it, and kill him." "What do you have in mind?" "Something he will never see coming."