A metallic figure smashed through the roof and fell down into the fire that separated Shimarak from Princess Luna. The figure immediately recovered and pointed a long metal rod at Shimarak while the fire scorched and burned the creatures legs. The metal rod exploded in a ear splitting noise and launched a projectile at Shimarak in super sonic speeds. From point blank range.
"STOP"
Princess Luna watched as the projectile froze in place and the splinters that were still falling, freeze as well. Luna tried to look around but found that she couldn't even move her eyes.
A deep black rift opened up in front of her and a figure dressed in all black stepped through the expanse. The figure stood hunched over and had a hood that obscured his face. The Pony's face had dark tendrils that extended from the shadows that covered its face.
Despite all of the intimidating features its eyes were a warm yellow that calmed the soul when you gazed into them. Luna found herself focusing on its eyes instead of the body of the figure.
"Goddess of the Night. I have come bearing news and a message. As this is our first meeting and most certainly not last, I shall introduce myself. I am the Pony of Shadows, according to your subjects. I am the Angel of Death, Mistaken for the true god of Death. I am the Pathfinder, mistaken for the true god of life. I am Xür, named so by the mortals who created the robot you see before you. I have many other names, but the one that should matter most to you is, The Agent of the Nine."
Luna was confused but couldn't show it due to her being frozen in place. Agent of the Nine? Who were the Nine? How did he get here (it was most definitely a stallion)? How did he hold so much power.
"I suspect you have many questions, I shall answer as many as I can without hearing them. First, at this very second I am sending a similar message to the rest of the Nine. However similar, they are different. Each of you needs to receive a certain piece of information to give you advantage without giving unbalance or favor, as is my job. Now, Because you don't know who I am or what I am, I shall start there.
"I am the God of Messengers, I have the power to rob a God of their power for a period of time to rebalance the Universe. My job is to send a message to both sides of a conflict, giving both sides a chance to win, I am the Balancer. As I am sending this message to you, the Universe is paused and currently only the Nine minds are active. To properly send this message I have robbed number six of his power and used it appropriately.
"As I am assuming you don't know who the Nine are I shall tell you. Number One is none other then Twilight Sparkle, the Goddess of unity. Number two is Cadence, the goddess of Love. Number three and four are you and your sister, the Gods of Day and Night. Number Five is Discord, the god of Chaos. Number Six is Aetheon, the god of Time. Number Seven is Crota, the god of War. Numbers Eight and Nine are Death and Life, they have no other names."
Princess Luna was having a hard time understanding what this so called Agent of the Nine was talking about. Apparently there was Nine total gods, Five of which lived in Equestria.
"Number Six grows impatient so I shall relay his direct message to you, these are his exact words."
The Agent of the Nine placed his four hooves around him and braced himself before raw power coursed through his body and took control of his thoughts and voice.
"Heed my voice Brother's and sister's, For I am Aetheon, God of Time. For too long the Mortals that have in-prisoned me have tried to rid me of their pathetic world. Their last attempt has set me free of their so-called Vault of Glass, not realizing that killing my body has freed my spirit.
"So I call to my fellow Gods, will you help me vanquish these mortals that look to us as mere ruler's and not the creators that we are? Or, will you take the side of the mortals and be enslaved by my hand for all of eternity? You cannot kill time, you cannot even control it properly, take my word for it. So I shall leave you with the Prophecy that I have seen from the Future, make of it as you will.
"To kill the invincible,
To hurt the invulnerable,
To control the uncontrollable,
You will find death.
To bow before the weak,
To praise the sick,
To slave under the slaved,
You will find death.
To strut with the everlasting,
To serve the untamed,
To worship the impossible,
You will find Life."
With the last shuttering breath of the prophecy, The Agent of the Nine regained control of his body before shaking his head to clear the fuzziness from his brain.
He walked over to the robot that still had the metal rod pointed at Shimarak, where he gently moved the firey object away from his head. He then moved the metal rod from pointing at Shimarak's head and instead at the ground between the two figures. The Agent then turned towards Luna again.
"So, if you choose to serve Aetheon then you will be transported to him, but if you choose to defend the innocent then you will meet with the others who choose to as well. Now I leave you, good-bye."
The Agent stepped backwards as the Black expanse opened up behind him and he disappeared with it's depths.
Luna felt the heat of the fire on her face again before she was temporarily blinded by a bright, white light.