//------------------------------// // Fall of Harmony // Story: The Dragon that Would be Pony // by The Dragon Warlock //------------------------------// 'You are the last Element of Harmony.' The words echoed inside Spike as he felt time slow to a snail's crawl. He could see the raindrops pounding against the window, but couldn't hear it. He saw Princess Celestia's mouth move, but couldn't hear a single word. Everything seemed to have stopped for Spike and his mind went into overdrive with questions. He felt like this was all a bad dream, but couldn't wake up from it. All Spike could do was just try to understand what was going on. The more the purple pegasus thought about it, the more questions popped in his head. He wanted to say something, but he felt like his tongue was cut out. Spike just sat on his haunches and stared in disbelief. "Spike!" The purple pegasus broke out of his thoughts and looked to see Markus looking at him with a stern look on his face. "Stay with us Spike, I know you must have a lot of questions to ask." The gray stallion said. Spike just nodded slowly and looked brain dead. "Where would you like to begin?" Spike just looked on into space, but in his overflowing mind he tried to find one of the seemingly endless questions to ask. He knew what he had to ask, but yet still couldn't fully believe it. "How...how am I...an Element of Harmony?" Spike asked in a small voice. "There...there are no other elements." "So you and every other pony were led to believe." Markus said. "That is not the case though. The seventh element does exist and you are proof of it." "It...it can't be true. Twilight never found any books based on another Element of Harmony. How can there be another if it's not in any book?" "That's because all traces of it have been disposed of. It used to exist millennium ago, but today not a single pony knows about it at all." "Not a single one? But then how did you know about it?" Markus used his magic to open a part of the wall near his ruined workbench to reveal a gray safe. He used his magic to fiddle around with the combination. The safe opened to reveal a worn out blue journal. "This is a journal about my research." The gray stallion said. "The notes in this journal come from a few tablets that I researched ten years ago. The disciples have been after them since they hold key information in regards to your element. I decided that rather than keep the tablets, I destroyed them and kept the information a secret." "But wait a minute." Spike said. "There can't be another Element of Harmony. Only Princess Celestia would know about them." "Why don't you ask her then?" Markus suggested. "She's lived well past the last one that existed." Spike turned to Princess Celestia, only to see her looking a little distracted. "Princess, do you know anything about the last element?" He heard no answer, and saw her turn away. "You need to tell him your highness." Markus said. "He deserves to know the truth about what happened." The white alicorn looked back and slowly nodded. "Very well, but only if you tell him the truth about yourself Markus. If he deserves to know the truth, then he needs to know about you as well." "Don't worry your highness, I've been running for ten years, What do I have to lose now?" "You have a point there." She looked at Spike again. "Spike, I need you to listen carefully okay?" Spike slowly nodded and said, "Yes Princess, I'm ready." Princess Celestia nodded and turned towards the window of the lab. She used her magic to close the blinds of the window. She turned back to Spike with a little bit of a regretful look on her face. "Spike, what you are about to be told is only known to myself and Princess Luna. That is, before another pony found out himself." The white alicorn shot a quick glance towards Markus. "It's never been mentioned at all, not even to Twilight." Spike felt a little shocked upon hearing this. He knew how much Princess Celestia trusted Twilight. "We can't waste anymore time though. Let's get started now." The white alicorn said as she moved towards Spike. "What are you doing?" The purple pegasus asked. "I'm going to show you the memories of what happened Spike." Princess Celestia explained. "It's an old spell, but I can show you what happened. Now close your eyes." She lowered her horn towards Spike's head. "Are you ready?" Spike gave a nod and placed his head near the white alicorn. Princess Celestia's horn glowed a bright white aura for a few seconds. The next thing Spike knew, he was going through a wormhole. He felt like the skin of his body was going to tear off with how fast he was going. After a couple of minutes, he was whisked into a bright light at the end of the tunnel. He closed his eyes from the brightness and expected the worse. Spike opened his eyes to see he was lying on the ground. He got up and looked around to see where he was. The purple pegasus saw to his surprise he was in what looked like Princess Celestia's castle, but there was something different. The room had several rounded pristine white marble columns. The walls, ceiling, and floor were also made of marble and were white. There were six large windows on each side that let in Princess Celestia's sunlight. In between each window was a sky blue banner that had the sun and the moon combined together. Spike noticed he was standing on a red velvet carpet and looked to see where it ended. He saw something that made him jump back a few feet. At the end of the carpet was none other than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sitting on their thrones and being guarded by two stallions with forest green metal armor. Spike noticed something different about each princess though. Princess Luna looked like her younger self when she was freed from Nightmare Moon's spirit. Princess Celestia was still taller, but she seemed to be younger and her mane and tail was hot pink. "What's going on here?" Spike asked. "You are in my memories Spike." The voice of Princess Celestia rang out. Spike jumped again and looked around. "Princess, where are you?" "Relax Spike, you're not in any danger." The white alicorn explained. "You are in my memory of what happened to your element. This all took place well over a thousand years ago. It was before Nightmare Moon and a couple of decades before Discord came to be. You are in my old castle since the one in Canterlot wasn't built yet. You are looking at a time in Equestria when we were growing in prosperity after we had a long war with the Dragon Empire and the Griffon Kingdom. Canterlot was still a small town, Manehattan had its first of many skyscrapers up, and we were in a period of peace." "What about the ponies here? Are they going to see me?" "Don't worry Spike, these ponies can't hear you, see you, or even detect you. You're nothing more than a spirit here and you are in no danger." "But what does this have to do with my element?" "You're about to find out why in a couple of seconds." Before Spike could ask anything else, the doors to the throne room opened up. The purple pegasus looked to see a group of ponies marching in. One pony was a buff orange pegasus stallion, a long and tangled green mane and tail, and had a bag of bits as his cutie mark. Next, there was a very skinny green unicorn mare, a short brown mane and tail, and a crosshair on her flank. Then, there was the tight muscled red Earth pony stallion with purple eyes, a short orange yellow mane and tail, and had a police badge on his flank. There was another pegasus mare that had green eyes, a navy blue coat, a clown face as a cutie mark, a dark brown mane and tail, and was a little muscled. Next, was another skinny Earth pony stallion with a white coat, brown eyes, a combed back yellow mane and tail, and had a stethoscope as a cutie mark. Then, there was a little toned yellow unicorn mare with brown eyes and a long flat purple mane and tail, and an opened red spell book as a cutie mark. Finally, there was a buffed forest green unicorn stallion with blue eyes, a buzzed cut black mane and a very short tail, and a long silver sword for a cutie mark. "Who are these ponies princess?" Spike asked. "These are the Elements of Harmony." Princess Celestia said. "Before they were used to take down Nightmare Moon or Discord, they served as ambassadors and peacekeepers of Equestria. Whenever there was a problem going on that was really dire, I would summon the Elements of Harmony. They were seven special ponies who had inherited the traits of each element. They've been serving as guardians for Equestria for well over four hundred years now." "The first one you saw was Flint, the Element of Generosity. He provided finances to maintain the kingdom thanks to his chain of merchant shops all across Equestria. His selflessness radiated from him strongly and I could see he cared for the land he grew in dearly." "Then, there was Meryl, the Element of Loyalty. She was a sergeant in the Dragon Griffon War and never left one of her troops behind. She even resisted the torturous techniques the Griffons used to interrogate prisoners for information. Her unwavering will was indeed a sight to see and she showed more than enough that she was one of the elements." "Next, was Richard, the Element of Honesty. He was a cop who was let go after he confessed he shot a robber who was fleeing. Despite his arguments that he was about to barge into a house to take hostages, he was still let go due to insufficient evidence. I saw in him though truth to those words and knew he couldn't just lie to his fellow officers like that." "The next pony was Tanya, the Element of Laughter. She was a former performer that was down on her luck. She loved to entertain and make others laugh and giggle, especially the foals. I saw her one day on royal business and could see she was meant to be more than a performer." "Then, there was Elliot, the Element of Kindness. He pioneered several medical practices that saved countless pony lives during the war. He refused to take rewards and strongly believed that he shouldn't impose on other ponies for their wealth. He strongly represented his element." "The next pony was Crystal, the Element of Magic. She was one of my first apprentices who excelled in magic even as a very little foal. She was the team leader of the group and commanded them, but she didn't do it alone. She had a second in command who was the last Element of Harmony." Spike could feel his heartbeat increase and couldn't help but feel a little excited. "The last pony you saw was Leon. He was a member of the army and an expert in using his magic to wield a sword. He went out of his way to always keep his fellow friends and soldiers safe, even if it meant life or death. He led a team of soldiers against several Griffon Kingdom armies that resulted in winning key battles in the war. His devotion towards protecting his fellow soldiers and his countless near sacrifices proved without a doubt he was the last element. He was the Element of Nobility." Spike couldn't believe what he was told. "N-nobility? Whoa...I like that name. This pony was great, so why wasn't he mentioned in any books?" "I want you to look in the middle of those seven ponies Spike." Princess Celestia said . "You'll see who brought down your element." Spike looked amongst the crowd of ponies. He saw in the middle a leaned dark orange unicorn with yellow eyes, a combed back black mane, and a wrench as a cutie mark. "Who's that?" "Arnold...perhaps the worst pony I ever came across." Princess Celestia said coldly. "Arnold? How come I've never heard of him? "He's not somepony to be remembered at all Spike. From what I've gathered about him, it seems he was an orphan and was mocked because of his terrible lack of magic. What he lacked in magic though, he made up for in his mind to create some weapons against other ponies. It was rumored that he destroyed the orphanage using a bomb he built to kill them all. I found out about him from his file that had survived the explosion." "So did you capture him because of that?" "No, take a listen Spike and you'll understand." Spike looked back towards the group of ponies and young princesses. He saw them all bow, with the exception of Arnold, and got up. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, we have finally caught him." Flint said in a thick Manehattan accent. "We caught Arnold trying to sell his own weapons to some griffons looking to start another war with us." "And what of the griffons?" Princess Celestia asked. "They have been handed over to the Griffon Kingdom your majesty." Tanya said in a gentle voice. "They thanked us for what we did and promise to deal with the prisoners." "We found several materials to make bombs your highness." Elliot said with a Trottingham accent. "We've sent them to the police station for further investigation." "I'm proud of all of you." Princess Celestia said. She turned to Arnold who had a blank expression. "Arnold, I've been watching you ever since the war. I noticed the griffons were using weapons similar to yours and knew you had to have some connection. To betray your country like this carries a severe punishment." "You had no right to spy on me." Arnold said in an icy tone. "Leon here arrested me on no grounds of being a criminal." "No grounds huh?" The green unicorn asked in a commanding tone. "I heard you talk to those griffons about doing a weapons deal. You would give them bomb parts if they gave you safe passage to the Griffon Kingdom in return. I saw you exchange the materials in your hideout and shake hooves with the griffons. If that isn't evidence of your crime, then I don't know what is." "Regardless, you still had no right to do this!" Arnold barked. "You didn't have any right to spy on me and being me to these two pompous alicorns!" "BE STILL YOU FOAL!" Princess Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice. "WE ARE MOST DISPLEASED WITH YOUR TREASON TO OUR KINGDOM! YOU SHOULD BE BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS FOR WHAT YOU SAID TO US!" "Calm yourself dear sister." Princess Celestia said. She turned back to Arnold. "My sister does have a point Arnold, you are a threat to all of us. You are going to be taken to the dungeons, where you'll be held there until your trial. Now then guards." "Yes your highness?" the two guards asked in unison. "Take Arnold here to the dungeons and lock him up." "Yes your highness!" The two guards saluted and moved towards Arnold. They cuffed him in chains and put a magic prevention lock on his horn. "Before I leave, may I say something?" Arnold asked. Princess Celestia looked at Princess Luna and then at the group of ponies. They all gave a hesitant nod. "We're listening." "Leon...I'm going to get you for this." the orange unicorn said sinisterly. "You will suffer for what you've done and for ruining everything for me. You will soon learn the true meaning of the word pain." He laughed coldly as he was escorted out of the room by the guards. "Well, it's good to know he's finally put away." Meryl said in a thick Canterlot accent. "Maybe now, we can actually enjoy some peace in this land." The others nodded and mumbled in agreement upon hearing this. "We'll be leaving now your highness." Crystal said in a soft voice. "We'll see you tonight at Leon's place." "Farewell my faithful student. You all have done well and ponies everywhere are in your debt." Spike saw the group bow and turned to leave. Suddenly, everything disappeared in a fog. He looked around to see what was going on. "Don't panic Spike." Princess Celestia said. "I'm merely skipping to later that following day." Spike nodded and saw the fog clear up to show he was now outside. It was now nighttime and Princess Luna's moon was lighting up the large field he was standing on. He suddenly heard a group of ponies chatting and looked to see Princess Celestia with the Elements of Harmony walking down a dirt path. He galloped over there to see what was happening. "I'm surprised you're coming to see my family princess." Leon said. "It's no trouble Leon, Princess Luna volunteered to watch over the kingdom." The white alicorn said. "When I heard your brother was going to be hime, I was more than happy to see him. After all he was my personal bodyguard during the war and kept me out of harm's way. I've been meaning to catch up with him ever since he left the army." "Well you'll be happy to know that he too is..." "Leon look!" Richard shouted in a southern accent. The group, including Spike, looked to see something that horrified them. There was a large red brick house at the end of the path. In front of the house were three ponies all tied up, gagged, and had a large gray box on the ropes. The sound of a pony laughing coldly caught everypony off guard. Suddenly, Arnold came from behind the group of ponies tied up and laughed coldly. "Welcome to the party everypony." He said in a mocking tone. "I brought everypony's favorite party favor, fireworks." "What are you doing here!?" Crystal demanded. "You were thrown in the dungeons!" "You'd be surprised what a little smuggling can do. I figured if I was going to be caught, I might as well make sure I had some insurance. I managed to smuggle in one of my hoof crafted lock picks to remove the lock on my horn and dungeon door. I then proceeded to steal a sword and used it to kill the guards to escape. I overheard what you said about meeting here while I was being taken away and made my way here." "Thanks to some bombs I kept in storage, I was able to bring enough for the whole family. I captured that mare and threatened your family to surrender or I would kill her. It seems I finished just in time for you to see the surprise." "Let my family go Arnold!" Leon shouted. "They've done nothing to you! If you want somepony, then it's going to be me!" "Don't be too hasty there Leon. I'll let your family go if you decide to play a little party game." "That's enough Arnold." Princess Celestia said in a stern tone. "If you dare to hurt any of these ponies..." "If you or any of your precious Elements of Harmony try to intervene in this, then the entire family goes boom. So what will it be Leon?" The green unicorn looked at his family and saw they had fear in their eyes. He looked back at a smug looking Arnold and nodded. "Fine, so what's this game?" Arnold levitated a small gray box to Leon. He took it and saw there were three thick black wires and some flashing lights. "This is the master control box for all the bombs." The orange unicorn explained. "If you cut the right one, then the bombs deactivate. If you choose the wrong one, then they'll go out with a bang. You only get one chance at this Leon, so choose wisely." The green unicorn turned to his friends and Princess Celestia for help. "Ah ah ah! No help from your friends. This is something you need to do alone." "But these are all black!" Leon shouted. "That's half the fun!" The orange unicorn laughed insanely. "You have a one in three chance of saving your family! It's like a new way to gamble!" Leon looked at the wires and panicked on which wire to choose. His friends said nothing and could hear the cold laughter of Arnold. He closed his eyes and used his magic to cut the middle wire. The next thing Spike and everypony knew, a loud booming noise rang out. The entire field lit up in a bright orange as the bombs detonated and engulfed Leon's family and house. Spike shielded his eyes and could hear the horrifying screams of the group. As the dust settled down, Spike looked to see Leon's house was burning down and there was a large crater where his family once stood. He then turned to see Princess Celestia using her magic to encase a protective dome around the others and released the spell. Leon stepped out and had an anguished look on him. He looked around to see the carnage and destruction of his own family. He heard the cold laughter of Arnold and collapsed to the ground. He started to shake with anger and sorrow and could feel something in him snap. "Before I continue Spike." Princess Celestia said. "Do you remember when Discord broke out and disrupted the Elements of Harmony?" Spike didn't need to be told twice about Discord. A week after the Grand Galloping Gala incident, the Draconequus broke out of his stone prison and caused mayhem across Equestria. He nearly defeated the Elements of Harmony and witnessed his friends as their discorded elements. The dragon was spared Discord's wrath, but seeing his friends act the way they did hurt him more than enough. The memories of what he and his friends suffered left scars in their minds that would possibly never heal. Spike wearily nodded and said, "How can I not? But what does he have to do with my Element?" Princess Celestia had an anguished look on her. "As you know Spike, each Element of Harmony has their own negative version that can corrupt them. Cruelty, Sorrow, Greed, Deception, Treason, and Despair. For Leon though, he was blinded by his anger and despair for losing everypony he loved so dearly." "So he had a corrupt...corr...uh bad element as well?" The white alicorn nodded. "Yes Spike, Leon too had a negative element. After everything he witnessed he had become the opposite of Nobility. He became the Element of Vengeance." "V-vengeance?" Spike asked with his eyes widening. "Yes Spike, now observe." Spike saw Leon started to glow a black aura like what happened to him. He saw the green unicorn let out a roar of anger and his body started to twist. He and Leon's friends watched in horror as his body started to grow in size. Leon kept growing until he was as three times taller than Princess Celestia and resembled a timber wolf. His body was completely black with bright yellow eyes. Leon howled out in anger as the group took several steps back. "Leon, calm OOF!" Meryl was kicked to the side by Leon. "Well it seems that's my cue to leave." Arnold said nonchalantly. "Thanks for playing everypony." The orange unicorn's horn glowed and teleported out of the area. The group paid no attention to Arnold and looked at the monstrosity that was Leon. He let out another roar and looked at Crystal, who was shaking with terror. He made his way over to her and growled. "Leon stop!" The yellow mare cried out. "I know you must feel terrible about what happened, but please let us help you!" "YOU ALL COULD'VE STOPPED HIM!" Leon boomed in a demonic tone. "YOU COULD'VE USED YOUR MAGIC TO STOP HIM PRINCESS!" "I know you're upset Leon, but we couldn't risk threatening to hurt your family!" "LIAR! YOU LET THEM DIE! ALL OF YOU DID!" "Listen to reason for a couple of minutes!" Elliot shouted. "We wanted to do something, but Arnold would've killed them!" "YOU...YOU ALL DON'T UNDERSTAND!" The shadow like creature roared. Leon raised his front legs and sent them slamming against the ground. The group was sent flying back and were knocked to the ground. By the time they all got up, Leon had fled the area and was headed towards a nearby town. Everything went into a fog again for Spike after he saw that. "I'm going to skip ahead quite a bit Spike." Princess Celestia said. "I'd rather not show you the destruction Leon caused as that...beast." "Didn't the elements stop him?" The purple pegasus asked. "They did their best to Spike, but they failed on each attempt. Many small settlements were destroyed as a result and almost everypony died in those towns as a result of Leon's rage. For three whole days we had to evacuate towns and place them in refugee camps near the castle. Crystal came up with an idea that if she combined the Elements of Harmony and used it against Leon, it could destroy that creature that was possessing him." "I agreed with the plan and we tracked Leon to another town that had been evacuated. I oversaw the battle and witnessed the elements goad him into fighting them. When they were in position, I ordered Crystal and the others to use their Elements of Harmony. I saw the group's necklaces glow and encased Leon in a bight rainbow. For a few minutes, I heard him roar in anger, but the roars slowly died out as well as the rainbow covering his body. We found his real body unconscious and I took him to the medical ward in my castle." "I was there when Leon woke up and he remembered all the destruction he caused. He was crying his eyes out as his friends comforted him and held onto him. I did my best to comfort him, but I knew the pain was never going to go away from him. I stayed close to him as well as his friends in my spare time and never left him. I thought with all of this, it was over, but I was wrong." Spike was suddenly back in the throne room and looking out a window. He saw a large crowd of ponies outside and yelling in protest. Some of the ponies had torches and some were throwing rocks at the castle. There was a legion of royal guards keeping rioters out of the castle and trying to maintain order. He looked to the side to see Princess Celestia and the Elements of Harmony standing there with worried looks on their faces. "It's been three days since they've begun this riot." The white alicorn said. "I don't know what to do my little ponies. I've been getting death threats about each one of you and they want your blood." "Ah know they are madder than a group of angry bees, but this is gittin' out of hoof." Richard said. "I know all of you did your best, but the ponies feel like you abandoned them in their time of need. Some said that you're all to blame for the death and destruction across Ponyville. Others believe that you all didn't act fast enough to take down Leon. I have to admit, I'm running out of options now on how to coax the crowd." "Pardon me princess, but I have an idea." Crystal said. "What is it my faithful student?" "What if we all fake our own deaths and start new lives?" "That sounds rather risky Crystal." Meryl said. "Are you sure about this?" "I'm positive about this plan. It's the best way for Equestria to avoid a civil war." "If you do plan on doing that, then leave me out of it." A voice said. The group looked to see Leon, who looked like a wreck. "Leon, I know you feel bad about all that happened, but try to listen to us." Tanya said in a reassuring tone. "We'll be here to help you and..." "No...I can't live with this." The green unicorn said. "Princess Celestia, please sentence me to death for what I've done." The white alicorn's eyes widened and said, "There's no reason for you to die Leon. You weren't in control of yourself and..." "That's just it, I went insane over what I did. I tainted my element and used it to destroy so many lives. I deserve death for all I've done." "That's not true." "What do you mean?" "Leon, all that had happened was not your fault. You're not alone at all, you still have friends with you. Is this how your family wanted you to live on?" The green unicorn said nothing and looked down. "Princess Celestia has a point." Tanya said. "We're your friends." "And friends don't leave others behind." Meryl said. "We'll always be there for you Leon." Flint said. "We got your back there." Crystal said. "Y'all can trust use." Richard said. "You'll never be alone my friend." Elliot said. Leon took the words in and looked at his friends with a tearful smile. "Thank you...all of you." He hugged the group and felt them return the hug. "Princess Celestia!" A voice called out. The group looked to see a royal guard standing nearby. "We've found Arnold at last. We caught him trying to sneak into the Griffon Kingdom." "Hmm...I think I know what to do now." Princess Celestia said in an icy tone. "Bring him to my personal chambers immediately. I'll deal with him." "What's going on princess?" Crystal asked. "You'll see in a couple of minutes, but let's just say you won't have to worry about faking your deaths. You all can start new lives and not worry about being the Elements of Harmony." "Why not?" Elliot asked. "I've decided to disband the Elements of Harmony and only use them for emergencies." "What!?" The group shouted. "I know it's a shocker, but I think maybe it's best that something like this never be used again. I will be taking control of the elements with my sister and we'll maintain Equestria." The group looked at each other and then nodded at the white alicorn. "We understand your highness." Flint said. "If it means saving this land, then we'll do so." "I'm very proud of all of you and I can't thank you all enough for what you've done." "Princess, can I speak to you privately before I leave?" Leon asked. "Of course Leon." The white alicorn said. "The rest of you pack your stuff and leave your elements in your room. I'll collect them shortly." The group bowed and left the throne room, leaving Leon and Princess Celestia alone. "Princess, I want you to promise me something when I leave." "What is it?" "Please...never use my Element of Harmony again." The white alicorn was taken aback by this. "Why do you ask this?" "I tainted my element and I turned my back on everypony I fought for. I betrayed them and I refuse to let anypony wield an element that's corrupted because of me." "Leon, it wasn't your fault." "I am to blame for this mess your highness. If I hadn't panicked and thought of something, then none of this would've happened. I don't want you or any other pony to suffer my fate. Please just lock it up for good and never use it again. I'd rather that Equestria never know about this element and that it be forgotten." Princess Celestia said nothing for a few minutes and hesitantly nodded. "If that's what you wish, then I'll do so. I just want you to know Leon that if you or the others ever need to talk to me, then come see me and I'll help you. Remember, you are never alone and there will always been a friend standing by you." The green unicorn smiled and nodded. "Thank you princess...for everything." Leon bowed and left the throne room. Spike saw everything go into a fog for a few seconds before he went through another wormhole. He felt himself flying through it for a few seconds before finding himself back at Markus' shop. He looked up to Princess Celestia as her horn dimmed. "I think that's more than enough of a trip down memory lane for you Spike." The white alicorn said. "But what happened to Arnold?" The purple pegasus asked. "I managed to convince the crowd that Arnold was the one who released the beast and killed Leon. I sentenced him to a new form of punishment. I banished him to the sun. I did more than that though, I made sure he would never die and could never escape. I check on him every month and to this day he's still howling in pain and agony. He can never get used to the burning heat of the sun and I won't give him any mercy. After his last act of cruelty, he deserved such a punishment for what he did to ponykind." Spike was left in complete awe and disbelief. Not only was he an Element of Harmony, but he Leon went through the same thing that happened to him. Fear and regret surged through his body as he felt sorrow for what he did. His knees buckled a little and collapsed to the ground in shock. "Spike?" Princess Celestia asked. Spike got up and was shaking a little. "I-I'm fine." He lied. "I-I just can't believe all this." "I hate to say it Spike, but you must believe it. I know it must pain you to know your element is 'tainted', but that doesn't mean anything." "I understand Princess. But why haven't the other ponies gotten angry over Twilight and the others having the Elements of Harmony?" Spike facehoofed himself with saying that. "I uh...didn't mean it like that Princess." "There's no need to worry Spike." The white alicorn stated. "As for the reason, after the banishment of Nightmare Moon for the first time, everypony forgot about the elements over a period of time. When the element bearers returned, everypony was glad to see them back. By that time, the anger once held by the ponies passed over." "What happened to the other elements?" "After Arnold's execution, they announced that they were stepping down as Equestria's guardians. They said they couldn't risk another 'casualty' like Leon. I took control of the elements with Princess Luna. Soon, the element bearers, including my student Crystal, left and all went their separate ways to start new lives. They all kept in touch with me and we would see each other on the anniversary of that fateful night of what happened to Leon's family. Well...almost all of us." "You don't mean..." "Yes Spike, Leon himself never was seen again. I wished him the best of wishes with his friends and told him that he could see me anytime. As soon as he left, it's like he dropped off the face of Equestria itself. Nopony knew where he was and his body was never found. We all waited for him, but as time went on, the others passed on as well. It wasn't until Crystal passed away that I gave up waiting for him. All I can hope for is that wherever Leon's body is, his spirit is at rest now." Spike nodded a little, but felt overwhelming guilt from what he did a few nights ago. He tried his best to hide the guilt. Princess Celestia however, noticed the purple pegasus' expression. "Spike, are you okay?" Spike shook his head and said, "No...that thing Leon did as a beast. The same thing happened to me a few days ago. I nearly became that beast." The white alicorn maintained a calm look on her. "Can you tell me when this happened?" She asked. Spike nodded and explained of what happened. He told Princess Celestia about the fight against Jordan how he went mad with power as he hurt Applebloom. He explained the gruesome beating her gave Jordan when he went berserk. When he finished, Spike looked a little hurt and regretful for what he did. "Spike, I'm proud of what you've done." Princess Celestia said. "I am glad to hear you didn't fall to becoming a beast like Leon, but I do wonder one thing. How did you do it?" "Well Princess it's kind of hard to explain. I heard some voice tell me how to stop myself." "A voice?" The white alicorn asked. "Yeah...it's really strange, but when I was knocked out, this pony in a white hood told me about what happened. I tried to ask what was going on, but then he disappeared. The next thing I knew, I saw a pony in black hood tell me about the disciples." "That would be me." Markus stated. Spike and Princess Celestia looked at Markus with a shocked look. "You?" The purple pegaus asked. "I know this is a surprise, but let me explain. I've been watching you closely ever since you took my potion. I saw you save Rainbow from falling to the ground after she was attacked. I saved you from Captain Sanderson's attempt to kidnap you at the apple farm when I attempted to shoot him. I healed most of your wounds after your fight with Jordan. I talked to you in your mind when you fell unconscious and informed you about the disciples." "I wanted to find you after I lost contact with you, but I noticed the royal guards had started to move in. I noticed some of them were meeting secretly and talking to Captain Sanderson in secret. I knew if I went out there, I would be targeted immediately." "Why didn't you talk to me in my mind again?" Spike asked. "I was worried that if I used that spell, you would panic and cause a commotion. I decided to instead bide my time and see what I could do." "Perhaps you'd like to explain to Spike then more about yourself." Princess Celestia said. "You're correct princess." The gray stallion said. "He needs to know about something in particular I told him on the first day I met him. It involves a certain potion." Spike's eyes widened and curiosity overwhelmed him. "What happened Bar...um Markus?" "My name is...or was Dr. Markus, a researcher at the Canterlot Scientific Institution. I was only a mere apprentice when I began, but even then I amazed the community with some of my potions that helped improve ponykind. Princess Celestia herself even took notice of my efforts. She honored me for finding the cure to the dreaded Rotting Horn Virus: a disease that affected unicorns and destroyed their horns, rendering them unable to use magic. I however, didn't care much about my accomplishments ever since I met her." "Who was it?" Spike asked with wonder in his voice. Markus gave a sad look. "I was like you at one time Spike. I too was in love with a species not of my own kind." The purple pegasus was shocked by this. "What creature was it, a dragon?" "No, it was a griffon actually. Her name was Melissa, a wonderful and kind griffon who's beauty to me was like a goddess. I first saw her while walking around Canterlot and worked up the nerve to talk to her. We both became fast friends since she too was actually a scientist and an alchemist as well." "Alche what now?" "An alchemist Spike or rather a potion maker. We would both meet up to talk to each other about how our research is coming. I felt like we were both kindred spirits meant to be together. She wasn't like most of the mares I've met in my life. She was interested in what I did and laughed with me at my attempts at jokes. Overtime though, I heard whispers of disapproval from my colleges about me liking Melissa. I ignored them, but one thing I did hear them say I did agree on. I was just a pony and she was a griffon." "So what did you do?" "One day, I met Melissa and I heard her talk about a potion that could change any creature into a griffon. She said it was meant to help her species if they neared extinction and needed new ways to repopulate them. The potion was meant to take any creature and turn it into a griffon. The new 'griffon' would be educated about their ideals and views until it was conditioned into its new lifestyle. She said this would probably be her greatest achievement ever and would mark a milestone in history. That's when I got an idea." "What was it?" "I did the same thing as you Spike." Markus said. "I knew that the two of us couldn't be together since we were too different for each other. So I took the research needed to create the potion. I gathered all the necessary materials needed to create the potion. It took me a few days, but I managed to create the griffon changing potion. I drank the whole thing up and waited to see what would happen. At first nothing happened, so I looked over to make sure the formula was right. After a few hours though, I felt my body burn and protest in agony. I saw my hoof transform into a golden yellow claw and my fur coat changed into brown and white feathers. As the pain slowed down, I looked in a mirror to see I was a griffon and was ecstatic." "I then came up with the idea to go meet Melissa, but I had to be careful not to reveal myself. If she found out about what I've done then she'd be furious at me. My plan was to let her know I knew Markus and coax her into talking about me. I came up with the name Barry, a college of mine, and introduced myself to her." Spike could feel his jaw about to drop again. He was hearing the same events that happened to him over the past week. "Melissa and 'Barry' became friends quickly. We hung out on a daily basis and made idle chat with one another. A week had passed since I took the potion and I was finally going to make my move on Melissa, but as it turned out she made her move on me. She invited me to the Griffon Scientific Union Awards Ceremony and I gladly took the invite. She was going to present her experiment to the Griffon Science Council." "I watched with Melissa as the other nominees were selected and the chosen ones given their awards. Then, it was Melissa's turn and she even brought me up to the podium to help with her presentation. As I heard her talk about the potion, I heard something that made my insides twist. The potion she created was still a prototype and that it wasn't exactly permanent. It seemed she was going to win an award, but that's when I started feeling something. It was the same burning sensations that I felt when I took the potion a week ago. Slowly my body changed back from a griffon and back into my old self again. As I finished, I looked to see Melissa and the entire Griffon Science Council were shocked from what they saw." "Did you try to say something?" Spike asked. "I tried to Spike, I really did." Markus said in a sad tone. "I tried to explain what I did, but the council silenced me and had Melissa and I taken away. The next day, Melissa and I were brought before the Griffon Science Council and charged us with illegal experimentation. I pleaded to the council that I was responsible for all this, but they rejected my arguments. They knew of the relationship between Melissa and I and believed that we both were leaking information to each other. It took only the council an hour to decide that we were both guilty as charged. Melissa was immediately stripped of everything and exiled from the Griffon Kingdom for her actions. I on the other hoof was to face judgment at the C.S.I. Leaders." "I was taken to the C.S.I. where they learned of what I did. They called me a disgrace to the scientific community and stated that I what I did was beyond treason. They sentenced me to exile from Canterlot for the rest of my life and I was stripped of everything. I wandered around Equestria for a bit before I ran into Melissa on the streets. I did my best to tell her of my true intentions, but she lashed out at me for what I did to her and that I ruined her. She thought I was a nice pony, but after what I did she considered me the worst pony she ever met in her life. She told me she never wanted to see me again. I watched her fly off into the sky and my heart shattered." Spike was left in shock and sorrow from what he heard. "Markus...I'm sorry to hear that." He said. "Didn't you ever see Melissa again or say you were sorry?" "Oh believe me when I say I tried Spike." The gray stallion said. "I tried to find her again to make it up to her, but I never saw her again. That is...until one fateful night." "What do you mean?" "Spike, I'm sure you heard Captain Sanderson call me a traitor at one point. Why do you think he did?" Spike thought back to what the brown stallion said and felt a dark realization dawn upon him. "You...don't mean..." He tried to say. "I...you can't be...a..." "Yes Spike I am." Markus said remorsefully. "I was once a member of the Disciples of Nightmare Moon." "What!?" Spike and Princess Celestia exclaimed in unison. "Markus, what is the meaning of this?" The white alicorn demanded. "Allow me to explain myself Princess." Markus said holding a hoof up. "Two weeks after I met Melissa, I was on my last leg. I ran out of bits, I had nowhere to stay, and I was delirious. I thought that out on the streets, that's where I'd meet my end, but then he came along." "Who?" Spike asked. "Captain Sanderson himself. He introduced himself as Dr. Crane, a scientist who actually had been looking for me. He told me he had a message from Princess Celestia herself and gave it to me. The letter was an invitation to an alternative scientist's foundation called the Solar Science Division. It said it was an organization known only to those who were part of it. They worked in the shadows and only Princess Celestia knew of them. Feeling like I had a new chance to make things right, I joined the S.S.D." "But didn't you find it a little strange?" Spike asked. "I did find it a tad suspicious Spike." Markus said. "But I was tired, delirious, and desperate for any form of help. In a way, you can say I succumbed to weakness. I was taken into the Whitetail Woods, where the S.S.D. was located for reasons they never told me of. I was shown around the laboratories, but strangely enough I never saw any other scientists. Almost every room was restricted and I wasn't allowed in those rooms. I thought maybe something was a little suspicious, but Sanderson told me those rooms are for top personal only. " "I was brought to Sanderson's office and was interviewed by him. He asked me one thing after another about certain theories and what I practiced. One thing though that he really wanted to know was if I could translate Ancient Equestrian. I said I could and he seemed a little well...too happy. At the time I didn't think of it and I was accepted. I was even given my own personal lab complete with a potion making set, a diversity of ingredients, and some books on Ancient Equestria." "On my first day, I was brought three certain tablets with hieroglyphs on them. I was told they came from another area that the S.S.D. was working at and ordered me to translate the tablets. I worked tirelessly into the night for days on end. Even with my expertise in Ancient Equestrian language, I was still having trouble translate the tablets. It felt like whoever wrote these wanted to make sure they were never deciphered. Sanderson was getting angry for my lack of progress and I had no clue why. He told me it was important that these tablets be translated. I asked him why it was important, but he didn't give me a straight answer ." "After a full week, I translated the tablets and discovered the Element of Nobility. It went into description about its history and how it met its terrible fate. The tablets revealed about the traits of how the element worked. How the wielder was willing to give it all up for somepony. The way they act and doing everything they can for somepony close. Then I read about its downfall and how it was sealed for good." "I read a few spells in the other tablets like the mind communication spell and some other ones that I've never seen before. I wrote the research down in my journal, but before I could continue on Sanderson came in and I told him I did translate the tablets. Strangely, he took the tablets and notes I did and said nothing. Thankfully, I still had my journal and it was hidden." "Immediately the next day after I rested, I was told to create something that I thought I'd never make again. It was a potion that could turn any creature into a pony." Markus said with a tinge of sorrow in his tone. "At first I resisted, but they told me that Princess Celestia was coming. I was told that she cooperated with the Griffon Kingdom and the knowledge of the potion was shared with her. Without any choice and possibly redeeming myself, I got to work on it." "For three full days I slaved over a formula that I was given, but was never tested. It took me many agonizing hours before I finally tested the potion on a simple lab rat and it worked. I brought it to Sanderson and he was more than ecstatic about what I've done to help him. He ordered me to stay in my quarters except for food or emergencies." "Okay you can't tell me you weren't a little curious out by that right?" Spike interjected. "By that time, I figured something was going on. I tried to find out what Sanderson was doing, but I was kept away from him and his private testing chambers. I carefully made my way around the laboratory to find some information. I did see one guard patrol nearby and decided to use the mind communication spell I read in one of the tablets. I was still a novice at it, but I heard his mind say something about Sanderson's experiment tonight." "I knew enough was enough, so I made my way into Sanderson's private testing chambers by disguising myself as a guard. I entered the chambers to see not a testing lab, but a bunch of hooded ponies in black robes surrounding a large blue stoned circle. I saw to my horror, Melissa was strapped to the stone." "I lost control of myself and charged after to save Melissa. Before I could even reach her, I was levitated and brought before Sanderson himself. He unmasked me and since he thought I wasn't going to live he told me of his plans. He revealed himself as the second in command of a group called the Disciples of Nightmare Moon and that he needed the potion I made to change Melissa into a pony. He explained that he had been watching me closely ever since what happened at the Griffon Scientific Union Awards Ceremony. He told me that I was a perfect choice since I was able to create the potion, while others had failed to do so. I learned the potion had originated from some of the tablets that others had deciphered. They just needed me since their last translator learned the truth too soon and was 'taken care of'." "He refused to tell me why I needed to translate the tablets, but said Lord Gavin was pleased about what I did. Sanderson stated he wanted to do a sacrifice to help bring Nightmare Moon back and that they found Melissa by herself in the woods. They captured her and have been preparing for this for a long time. They said that by changing Melissa into a pony she could be used as a host body to hold the spirit." "I pleaded with them not to hurt Melissa, but they refused to listen. They made me watch as they prepared to sacrifice her. I saw her look at me with her eyes full of fear and sorrow and I knew I had to do something. I remembered a spell that I read in the tablets and used my magic to create blinding white flash. The spell blinded the entire group for a couple of seconds. I was broken free of Sanderson's grasp and went over to free Melissa from the stoned circle. I noticed on the ground the potion I made was lying there and decided to take it in hopes of destroying it. I told Melissa to run for it and go get help about what's happening." "Before she left, Melissa gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me thanks. I had no time to think of romance though and ran off to Sanderson's office. I ran in and saw to my luck the tablets and my research all there on the desk. I gathered most of the materials in a saddlebag I found on the side. I hurried back to my lab and grabbed my private journal about the tablets. Sanderson's guards soon caught up with me and started blasting me with energy bolts. I ran out of the lab and bolted my way out of the building. As I left, I turned around and used my magic to create a fire to destroy the lab." "I heard the screech of a griffon and looked to see Melissa flying away. I smiled in content knowing she was okay and ran off to chase her. Before I knew it, multiple bolts of lightning hit her from the ground and I heard her scream in agony. I looked to see Sanderson and a few of his guards were responsible. I watched in horror as Melissa staggered around for a few seconds before she fell to the ground. I felt my world collapse around me and my body freeze in horror. I lost her like that and it was all because I couldn't save her." "I felt a few bolts of lightning whiz past me and saw Sanderson come at me. I used the blinding spell to get away again and I ran off with the only sounds being the crackling of fire from the lab and the furious screams of Sanderson. I remember him screaming that he would hunt me down no matter how long it took and that nopony ever got away from him. I used my magic to teleport out of the woods." "After that incident, I went into hiding for a long time." Markus stated. "I knew the disciples wouldn't forget me so soon, so I knew I couldn't be seen by anypony. I kept the potion that changed any creature into a pony for myself as a reminder of my failure and shame for my actions. I caused so much chaos and sorrow that I made Discord look tame in comparison. Every night now I look to the stars to tell Melissa that I was so sorry for what I did and I begged for her forgiveness. I know I don't deserve to be forgiven though, not after all I did. One year later, I finished researching the tablets and destroyed them, so they could never be used again." "I did hear about the downfall of Nightmare Moon and I figured that it was finally over. I figured it was finally time to start anew and that the disciples forgot me. I started a new identity and did my best to make sure that Markus was dead. But as it turns out they never forgot me at all as was demonstrated here tonight." Spike felt his jaw drop and couldn't find a single word to say. He couldn't believe his own pony ears from what he heard. The purple pegasus felt a few tears run down his cheek, but made no effort to hide them. Markus saw how shocked Spike looked and said, "Spike...do you remember why I said that potion you took was a curse?" Spike broke out of his thoughts and thought back to what the gray stallion said. He nodded slowly. "Yeah...but what was that about?" He said in a small voice. Markus looked down. "It's because ever since I took that potion, I was cursed forever. I lost everything to my selfishness and greed. My love...my life...everything was taken from me because of that damn potion. I didn't want you to suffer the same fate that befell me so many years ago." Spike nodded once more and then a thought hit him. "Markus, you said that in the tablets that for a pony to be the Element of Nobility, they need to display it. How can I be the one to be it? There are so many other ponies out there." "I think I have a theory as to how you became an Element of Harmony. On the day you came to see me after you took my potion, I did sense the power inside you and thought about what you said to me about your friends. I believe that when you took that potion to be with your loved ones, you showed that you were willing to sacrifice it all just so you can be with them. You didn't care about anything else as long as you were with them. You were more than willing to give it all up just for them." "But how can it be in me? The element was never used again ever since that incident with Leon." "All Elements are usually passed on from one creature to the next. Griffons, hydras, and even maticores could be the Elements of Harmony. Most of them don't realize that they're an Element of Harmony and ignored it. You were born with it, but it was so dormant with the lack of use over the millennium. It was so dormant, that not even Princess Celestia herself could feel the power inside you when you were born. When you took that potion I believe your desire to be with your close ones rejuvenated it. I thought it was merely a coincidence, but I saw you do some spectacular stunts like saving your pegasus friend and what you became at the apple farm." "Holy guacamole." Spike said in astonishment. "I didn't know that one choice would do this to me." "The elements work in ways known only to the Queen herself." Markus said with a small smile. "I'll admit, I've heard about some of the actions you did such as staying by your friends when things got bad and even willing to do anything for the one you loved. If that doesn't display being noble and loyal to your friends, then I don't know what is." Spike thought for a few minutes before another question hit him. "Markus, do you know why the disciples want me and the other Elements of Harmony so badly?" The gray stallion looked down and shook his head. "I'm afraid not Spike. What they want from you and the other elements, I have no clue." "Princess Celestia, can't you do something?" Spike asked sounding worried. The white alicorn gave a nod. "I can Spike, but we need to find out where Twilight and the others are being held." She said. "I can send out a patrol to look around the outer limits of Ponyville. They couldn't have gotten that far." Deep in a dark forbidding castle throne room, Lord Sandro sat at his throne. He tapped his hoof impatiently as he watched his guards bring in Twilight and the others to him and sent them to be kept in the dungeons. He kept waiting for his loyal second in command to come through the large wooden doors with Markus and "Sparky". He was starting to lose patience though and grew restless. "Where is he?" The hooded stallion asked with his teeth gritted. He looked to the side of a green unicorn guard. "Guard, have you seen Captain Sanderson?" The green stallion looked a little shaken and shook his head. "N-no my lord I haven't. The last time I saw him he told me to get the purple unicorn back to you. He said he was going to find the traitor and bring him back." Lord Sandro looked away and his horn glowed a dark aura. "Captain Sanderson, report at once." He said in his mind. There was no response from the brown unicorn. "Sanderson, what is your status!?" He heard no response again. Lord Sandro jerked a little and said, "It seems my worst fear has been realized. Captain Sanderson has fallen." One guard came up and said, "Shall we prepare a retaliatory strike against Ponyville for this?" "That won't be necessary. I know exactly what to do." Sandro's horn glowed once more and concentrated on Ponyville. Across Ponyville, the citizens staying in their homes and the royal guards heard a loud buzzing noise. They all cried out in pain. Spike, Barry, and Princess Celestia heard the noise and covered their ears. Spike looked to see where the noise was coming from, but couldn't find it. "Citizens of Ponyville, hear me out." A booming voice rang out. "I am Lord Sandro, leader of the Disciples of Nightmare Moon." "I would like to make this message go out to my dear friend Sparky." Spike flinched back little from what he heard. "Your friends are with me now Sparky. I'm willing to give you a chance to come save them. If you can come to where I am, then I'll let them go and you're free to leave, but if I catch you I'll have to incapacitate you. After all you are wandering into my territory and it is trespassing." "I will give you until midnight to save your friends. Know this Sparky, if you run or try to escape from me, your friends will be disposed of. I'm sure you don't want to live with your friends' blood on your hooves." "Oh, and don't think about calling for Princess Celestia for help. I'll know if she sends any assistance to help you out. The moment she gets involved with this, then her most faithful student will be sent to her in pieces." "I nearly forgot one other thing as well...Markus, I know you can hear me. I haven't forgotten about what you did and how you displeased Lord Gavin. I'll be sure to deal with you later on...I'm a stallion of my word." "So remember Sparky, you have until tomorrow night before your friends are taken care of. I'll make sure though that you are there to listen to them die painfully. I have your Element of Harmony and the others with me as well. If you even care for your friends, then come find me in the Everfree Forest. I'm sure you'll be able to find out where I am." A loud cold laugh echoed and rocked the town as the buzzing noise went away and the laughter died out. Spike had a horrified look on his face and turned to see Princess Celestia glaring. "P-princess, what do I do?" He asked in a fearful tone. "I don't know where the Disciples are." Princess Celestia looked down and said, "I know where they are now. I never thought they'd be there again." "Where are they?" "If they found your Element of Harmony Spike, then there is only one place they can be at; The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters." "Wasn't that where Twilight and the others found the elements?" "Yes Spike it is." Princess Celestia said. "It seems the disciples have purged the castle into their own twisted ways. It's appropriate since that's the castle Nightmare Moon was born at as well." She turned to Spike. "Spike, I'm going to send a squad of my elite guards with you into the forest to save Twilight and the others." "Princess you can't!" The purple pegasus protested. "They'll kill Twilight and my friends!" "That may be true Spike, but my guards can..." "Your highness, you know you can't do this." Markus interjected. "If you send even one guard or adviser with him, then this Lord Sandro will most likely keep his end of the bargain and kill your student and her friends. You have to let Spike go off on his own. After what I've seen him do, he's more than capable of taking care of himself. I know he can save his friends." The white alicorn nodded and looked to Spike. He looked determined, but was shaking a little. "Very well, but he does need to know how to get to the castle." "I kind of know my way around the Everfree Forest princess." Spike said. "I think I have an idea of where to go." Princess Celestia shook her head and said, "That's not good enough Spike. Time is a factor here and we need to find Twilight and her friends as quickly as possible. I want you to head to General Craig's tent with me to prepare to leave. That is if you aren't injured from your fight with Sanderson." Spike shook his head. "Nope, I'm not injured or anything. I'm...I'm ready to go out there." He said hesitantly. "It's okay to feel a little scared Spike." Princess Celestia said. "I'm sure Twilight would be proud to see how brave you are being right now. Now let's get going to General Craig, I'm sure he's scrambling on what to do now." Spike began to follow the white alicorn out, but stopped to look at Markus staring at him. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words at all to break the ice. "Don't worry Spike." Markus said in a calm tone. "I know what you've done for your friends and how much you care for them. Just focus on them and I know you can finally put an end to the Disciples of Nightmare Moon for good. Not only for me, or for Melissa, but for all of Equestria." Spike smiled a little upon hearing this and said, "Thanks Markus...for everything." The gray stallion gave a wave watched as Princess Celestia and the purple pegasus went out the room. He went over to the window to see the two ponies standing by each other for a few seconds. A glow then came from Princess Celestia's horn and with a flash, Spike and the white alicorn were gone. He smiled and looked up at the clearing night sky to see a star shining brightly. "Melissa...I know he can do it and I know he can avenge your death." He said. "Rest assure my love, soon this long fight will come to an end and your spirit can rest in peace."