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// Twilight's next lesson 
// Story: Twilight's meeting of Thanatos, the god of death 
// by 21latenighter 
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		Twilight sat in her bedroom in Canterlot castle.  It had been a few years since Kaorn's defeat and Equestria had changed since his army had purged the land.  The Crystal empire had fallen to ash, burying those who had resisted Kaorn in his usurping of the throne.  It also stood as a memorial to Princess cadence and shining armor, the first victims of Kaorn's tyrannical takeover.  Canterlot had become the only large city left in equestria, and Twilight had moved to Canterlot until Ponyville could be rebuilt.  Ponyville had been completely leveled during his invasion, and there were only a few ponies left in the construction industry.
After Celestia had died, Fury Flight had taken on the responsibility of the bringer of the sun.  Luna had become more detached from the world after Celestia died, and was rarely seen outside the castle.  Twilight's friends had also moved into the castle as Fury had deemed it good to have the Elements close by, just in case.
Twilight heard a noise coming from the hallway outside of her room.  It sounded like a coarse whisper, calling her name softly from the darkness.  She walked into the hallway and turned towards the library where the voice resounded from.  She entered the library to see a lone hooded figure draped in a black robe.  he was a pale white from what Twilight could tell.  The figure removed the robe and revealed his form.  He was indeed a pale white in color, almost too pale.  His horn was long and sharp at the edge, and his wings were not just one, but a double set of a pale blue.
"Twilight Sparkle, it is truly an honor to meet you", the figure said to the purple alicorn.
"How do you know my name stranger", Twilight asked, a touch of fear in her voice.
"Where are my manners", the figure said slowly.  "My name is Thanatos, and I am the old god of death.  I was banished ten thousand years ago for a punishment that I have paid for in full", Thanatos said to Twilight as her eyes widened at the sound of his name.
"What punishment did you pay for, Thanatos", Twilight asked slowly.  Her fear began to grow as Thanatos' horn lit up.
"My punishment was for a long time ago, before this world began.  Me and my brethren ruled this universe for thousands of years, and we destroyed every bit of creation that came along until the new ponies arrived here.  They waged a war, killing off my brethren and banishing me to a land of the dead for ten thousand years", Thanatos said very calmly.  "I did not come to this castle to explain why I was banished though princess.  I come bearing a message of great importance to you", Thanatos said.
"What kind of message would appeal to me that a being, banished for thousands of years would have", Twilight asked.
"A way to change the past princess, to bring back those fallen and save a future filled with death", Thanatos said with a smile on his face.
"That would mean changing the past, and rewriting history forever.  That kind of magic doesn't exist", Twilight said angrily, staring into the eyes of death itself.
"For beings such as yourself, it is impossible", Thanatos said, and then continued his answer.  "But for beings such as myself who can control time itself, it is not out of the question.  The planets are aligning and my magic is growing.  When they are aligned, I will be able to open a hole in time and rewrite history", Thanatos said as he let his magic dissipate.
"this is unreal, a way to change history and bring back my brother and the princesses.  what's the catch", Twilight said as she pranced happily in place in front of Thanatos.
"The price is only your greatest achievements.  As with all powerful magic, a sacrifice is needed to make the magic work", Thanatos said with a solemn face.
"Oh, I guess that would make sense.  Can I have some time to think about it, and talk it over with my teacher and mentor", Twilight asked sadly.
"Of course Twilight, take all the time you need.  Remember that the alignment is coming though, and it will not wait for you to decide", Thanatos said as he disappeared into the shadows, becoming nothing as his body faded away into the darkness.
Twilight stood alone in the empty library, thinking about the decision that had just been brought before her.  A way to change history, and save the world from a war that destroyed it.  It only cost her everything she had ever done, could she do it?  Could she give up everything she had, her castle, the Guardian, Her friends?  Twilight knew she couldn't make a decision of this magnitude on her own.  She decided to use the whistle that Fury flight had given to her to call him from anywhere.  She blew on the whistle and nothing happened.  She blew on it again and again, and nothing happened.  She blew on it harder and a popping sound and Fury Flight was now standing in front of her, holding his ears with his hooves.  He used his magic to take the whistle out of Twilights mouth.
"Once or twice is good enough Twilight, you don't have to blow your lungs out", Fury said as he took his hooves off of his ears.  "What is so important that it can't wait until morning Twilight", Fury said annoyed as he folded his wings.
"Fury Fight, there was a pony here who said that he could change time and save the future.  He also said that he was banished for a very long time", Twilight said to Fury Flight.
"What was this pony's name Twilight, there haven't been very many ponies banished", Fury said as he looked to a corner in the library.
"His name was Thanatos, and he said he was an old god", Twilight said as she looked over to Fury Flight.
"Hmm, I don't recognize the name, let's look in the records here", Fury said as he used his magic to bring a book to him from one of the aisles of the library.  "It's not in here.  There isn't even a record of a Thanatos in the war records.  This is very strange, even with my knowledge I can't find this name or face.  Go back to bed Twilight, I'll stay here and look some more for this Thanatos", Fury said as he turned to the first aisle beside him and started to look on the shelves at the books.  Twilight started to walk out, but then turned around and started to search the shelves next to Fury.  "I told you to go to bed Twilight", Fury Flight said as he looked to Twilight.
"You can't search this library all by yourself Fury, and I haven't been able sleep tonight anyway", Twilight said as she continued to search.  The two then began to search the library early into the morning.