//------------------------------//
// Nightfall, The Tide of War and the Return of the Aspects 
// Story: The Appearance of The New 
// by Castok the Shadow 
//------------------------------//

Storm Days POV:

It was a beautiful night, the time of night you would walk outside, enjoy looking at the stars and forget that there was a war raging on in the background as well as in the throne room and within the boring politics.

But for me, this wasn't a time to walk outside or to enjoy star watching. I was deep in my planning, the moment the princesses summoned a barrier over the city, things were not looking good for us all. Ponies are starting to whisper of defeat, that this war was going to be lost and Dynol's Horde will occupy Equestria. The ULE weren't doing good as well. Princess Celestia called for more aid against Dynol and his armies. The Griffins were the first to answer with a shameful objection, explaining that their war with the Dragon Holds, as well as the Zebra Rebellions, were draining their resources and soldiers, meaning that they couldn't spare any help. The Minotaurs response was worse, with the death of Rock-Axes, infighting between the clans are roaring on, trying to make their chiefs leader of all clans. The Yaks sent another token force, but explained that because of their Treaty of Fel-Horn with the Crystal Empire, they cannot mass a huge army incase it looked like an invasion. Basically, Equestria is not getting any help anytime soon. This enraged Princess Selena, who wanted to lead a surprise attack into the Everfree and in turn their former castle where Dynol and his Council were most likely making any plan of attack. Princess Celestia and even Princess Cadence denied that idea, saying that they need to spare their soldiers and defend other regions of Equestria.

So here I am, in the Lunatic's Headquarters, writing terrible plans of reclaiming our lost territories. The lack of sleep does that, but I must find a way of making a plan that will turn this war in our favour, otherwise The Fall of Ponyville and the Battle for The Golden Highway would be nothing compare to the Fall of Canterlot.

I heard a knock on my door before Firestorm entered. "Hey Storm, how are ya?"

"What do you think?" I sighed. "Losing the Golden Highway has made everyone doubts of winning this war, let alone what Dynol's next strike will take place"

Firestorm walked in and sat on my desk, ever minding the notes and scrolls. "Did you hear, Snow is getting out of the hospital tonight!"

My head shot up from resting on the desk. "Really? How is she? Will she be-" I stopped midway when I noticed my sister's grin.

"I knew it, you have a crush on Snow!" Fire laughed as she fell off my desk, with her front hooves over her belly.

Blushing I went on. "You have no prove, what I could be saying is more of a warrior's concern"

"Oh, oh stop! You're gonna make me sick!"

"It's not funny!"

"You're right, it's comedy gold!"

"Look! Can't you see I'm in a very busy mood and would like to get back to work" I huffed in angry, I have no time for this.

Went my sister finally finished her laughing fit, she wiped a tear with her wings and sat back on the desk again. "Look Storm, I love you, but you really need to stop all of this and ask her out, who knows it meant help you come up with a plan"

"How?"

"Well put it this way" Fire got off the desk and stood next to me, placing a hoof around my shoulders. "Equestria is holding her last stand, Dynol is laughing in victory and the war is won by the Horde of the Forest. And what would you regret if it was the last day of yours or even Snow's life?"

I stayed silent for a couple of seconds before giving in. "I would regret not asking her out"

"Right, now imagine you're at a fancy date-"

"What does this have to do with-"

"Hang on, you're at a fancy date. You looked into Snow's eyes when all of a sudden Dynol's forces blasted in and started attacking everything. What would be your first action?"

Sighing once more in defeat. "I would defend Snow till my dying breath"

Firestorm smiled at me. "We both know what could happen if we fail, don't make you not asking her out as one of those failures"

"As much as you're right" I said as I threw a draft of a plan into a nearby bin, filled with other bad drafts. "Our main concern is the protection of our country and Selena, I cannot abandon what I signed up for, Fire"

The was a moment of silence before my sister punched my shoulder hard. "We all know what we signed up for, but sometimes duty comes second in some cases, and this is one of them" she got off my desk and gave me a disappointed frown. "I thought you were the smartest pony in the Lunatic, but I guess not"

She began to slowly head to my door with her ears down. I watched her with actual guilt, she always thinks for the best for me, rarely does she ever get disappointed with me. But she's right, what if we lose the war? What will be the terms of defeat? How bad will it effect our lives...?

And who'll survive the aftermath of the war?

It was when Firestorm placed a wing on the door knob that I called her. "Wait, Fire!?" She looked at, still having that disappointed frown on her face. I got up from my chair and moved around my desk to stand in front of her.

"You'll help me when Snow returns? I don't know what to say or where to take her out tonight"





Third Person POV:

Painful groans and worried faces was all happening in the where Llofrudd rested.

Things were not looking well, even with the aid of Iachau Llygad and his methods. All he could do is slow down the pain in the Ogre's spine, but not fix it. Iachau's face was focused on the task at hand, whilst getting help from his assistants' and quote healing phrases.

"Iachau, can't we use the Red Flowers?" One of his assistants asked. "They'd work on similar injuries"

"No no" The doctor shook his head. "The chemicals in the flowers would only cause more pain, plus it only works on bones like tibia, ulna and sternum, anything else would just do nothing"

"Well what's good for the vertebrae?"

"The ones that comes to my mind are hard to find, even harder to make a medical aid for the spine"

As Iachau kept his nerves and crashed some herbs, the doors opened to let in the Lord of the Horde of the Forest, along with the Ogre Chieftain. The assistants looked at the leaders whilst Iachau continued what he was doing, never minding the important figures entering the room.

"Tell me" Dynol smiled, looking at the witch doctor as he moved to the injured Ogre. "How's the healing doing? Is he going to walk again?"

"I'm afraid we're doing all that we can, but his spine never recover from the assault, even with all of my experience" Iachau lowered his head in defeat. "I'm...I'm sorry, we can't...."


"You'd done your best, doctor" Dynol nodded his head. "But even though you cannot make him walk, perhaps it is best to let someone else take over" The witch doctors looked at the Lord of the Forest in confusion, what does he mean by someone else?

Dynol, along with Varlock, moved away from the doors, giving spare for something to walk into the room. As they moved, the doctors watched as they saw a bipedal water being, as tall as them and perhaps even taller, gracefully walked into the room. The crystal clear being held no face, but its slim and elegant appearance was all it need for the doctors to know it means no harm. Said doctors slowly moved away from the water being, some muttered words of awe, and other, words of shock. Doctor Iachau also moved, only pointing at the injured Llofrudd and like his assistants, muttered words of awe.  It looked at the injured Ogre, seeing the damage of his spine as well as how it was broken. The Ogre's father watched with concern and worry for his son. The water being then raised its arms over Llofrudd, hovering above the broken back. Suddenly, it arms broke apart from one another, like if a being's veins were coming out of said being's skins, gently coming to rest on the broken spine. One by one, the watery veins rested on the injury Llofrudd, making a coat around the wound as it went deep into the body and towards the spine. Llofrudd growled in pain, to which the being calmed him down by gently absorbing the pain, making him feel numb. Soon, sounds of bones being part to place echoed the room, blood was flowing into the being and vanishing, the wound was closing up thanks to the healing water. And before anyone knew it, the watery veins returned to the water being, leaving a fully healed Ogre, getting up off the table and standing on his own two feet.

As watery healer moved away, heading towards Dynol, Varlock rushed up to his son, checking on him. The young warrior was wary, but he was most then ready to get back into the war.

"By Red-Oath's oath, what is that?" Doctor Iachau broke the silence with a voice in awe and shock that something beats his methods of healing.

Dynol nodded his head as the healer left the room. "That? That'll be another healer among your ranks. They will be more of them in time"

"But what are they?"

"They are the Trobwlls, and they are the start, for the return of the Aspects is nigh" Dynol looked at Varlock. "Once you're done here, come to the throne hall, we got more planning to do, and I know a place that might get your attention"

Dynol went out of the room and closed the doors behind him. He turned and headed to the hall room where his throne would be. As he walked, he saw the Changelings with Ogres and Diamond Dogs, giving them tours around Castle Rhyfel so they'll know where is where. Dynol watched as his Horde has gotten more allies and winning battles against the ULE, but when Llofrudd almost lost his ability to walk, Dynol now wants to have that incident replace with another lose of territories owned by Equestria.  He has already called for the Ambassador, the Great Alpha and his most loyal companion to meet him in the throne hall.

For tonight, Dynol wants a new plan of attack, as well as inform them about the Aspects' return and their side in the Great War.





"Yes, yes it's good to see you again, Lighting" Fire grumbled. "It's been too long for all of us"

Lighting chuckled warmly. "Indeed brother, the Empire of Gwaed Newydd's Fall was a terrible event for all of us, brothers and sister alike" It turned it gaze at the other elementals. "Still, I thought we could of stopped it, for all powers we have, we could of ended it once and for all"

"I'm afraid we couldn't" Air said. "It was a surprise for all of us, more so than Dynol's arrival"

"Which by the way" Fire frowned. "If he didn't try and make a poor excuse of a campfire for me not to notice, we wouldn't of known of his arrival"

"Regardless, the whole purification was the only hope for this world, it was either the empire or everything"

Lighting sighed sadly. "A lot of good souls were lost in the Fradychwr's War. Souls that should of lived freely and peacefully, with the love of their families and the blessings of their Elementals as they return to the Nefoedd, unharmed and in their own time not by another" Lighting lowered its head with its eyes closed. "Where the Swiftness of time slows down"

Air followed suit with Lighting, lowering her head and closing her eyes. "Where the Support of enteral harmony grows"

Water quickly copied her sister's actions. "Where the Heal of life flows"

Fire looked at his fellow Elementals, his mark brunt bright like the sun, but then dimmed as he repeated the others' prays. "And where the Balance of civilisation never falls"

Silence fell in the Elementals' realm, a silence of remembering, of lose, of the forgotten old empire of Gwaed Newydd. But that silence fell, as tremble sounds of rock and stone bellowed throughout the realm. The Elementals opened their eyes and saw a pile of earthen rhyolites and diamond spires, floating and forming together, into what could only been...

"Earth, you've returned...."