Guardian of Legends - Return of the Sage

by The Hero of Harmony

Chapter 2 - The Return

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Town Hall, Ponyville

Near dawn

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Twilight Sparkle is many things: gifted, studious, intelligent, fond lover of all things written. But the one thing she lacks is being social with others. Everything felt like it happened in a flash for the unicorn as she looked up at the balcony, as shocked as the other ponies in the room, as the tall, regal black alicorn with a blue misty mane and tail, and cat-like eyes stands and looks down at the ponies.

One moment she was in Canterlot, her home, as she read a story involving two regal sisters that once ruled Equestria together in harmony, before the youngest refused to lower the moon to make way for the sun as she slowly grew more btter and jealous of her elder sister, becoming corrupt and turning into the figure known in legend as the Mare of the Moon, Nightmare Moon.

Next, she finds herself riding to Ponyville with her assistant, a young baby dragon named Spike, by being tasked by her mentor, Princess Celestia, in overseeing preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, the thousandth one since the day Nightmare Moon was banished to the Moon by Celestia with the use of the Elements of Harmony, the very relics young Twilight mostly wishes to research and seek out after seeing the signs of Nightmare Moon's return on this night. Celestia received Twilight's letter about Nightmare Moon's return, and rather trying to prepare for the inevitable, the princess instead tasked her student to ensure preparations for the Celebration in Ponyville were in order, as well as trying to make some friends.

The thought of trying to make friends with any of the ponies in the town, from what she seen, seemed ridiculous and not as important as trying to prepare for Nightmare Moon, and to uncover the location of the Elements. Twilight already had to endure the meeting with five other ponies who were involved in the preparing for the Celebration, all whom Twilight considered crazy and awkward to be around.

Now, her theory of the Mare of the Moon's return has come true, as the ancient alicorn from lore has made herself known to all of her 'subjects', and wishes to continue what she wanted to start centuries ago: bring about eternal night. Before anything can happen, namely the guards ponies trying to apprehend Nightmare Moon, she escapes out of the building and into the night, cackling wickedly, leaving the denizens of the town in shock and fear.

Twilight would return to the Golden Oaks Library, the place she would be staying while in town, and tries to find out any information about the Elements, before being confronted by the five ponies about what she knows about Nightmare Moon's return. After finding a guide on the Elements, mostly in thanks to Pinkie Pie, the six mares learn about the Elements of Harmony and the location where they are kept: the Everfree Forest.

Despite the protest she made about wanting to search alone for the Elements, the five ponies agree to join and help her find the Elements as to not let their new friend wander in the dangerous woods alone, much to her chagrin. Unbeknownst to them all, they weren't the only ones in the forest looking for the Elements of Harmony...

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??? - Within the Everfree Forest

Ten minutes earlier.

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Kurisu awakens as he finds himself in a familiar setting. He looks around, seeing a dim lit chamber that reached high above, with an old stained glass window above. Before him, a familiar blade rests in a pedestal.

"Hmm... Figured I appear back in here. Did leave here months ago, would make sense my only exit point would be the recent entry point from the Rift I left." Kurisu remarked.

He observed the blade, realizing something was off about it.

"...This is strange. I recall the blade being a bit more... Lustrous when I left it here. Where has the light gone?" He questioned.

He looks up at the window, as the moon's light shone through. Seemed like the chamber hasn't been visited in years, as dust caked the window.

"The Elements... Has something happened to them? Has something happened to...?"

It dawned on him, as he turns around and heads for the exit. Upon opening the doors, he found himself walking through what looked like a portal as everything around him grew bright white. As the light began to fade, he found himself in a cave, with crystals sticking out of the walls.

"Right, the only way to and from the chamber is... Right here."

The sage said to himself, as he turns around. There, he stood face to face with a large tree that appeared to be made of crystal, a large starburst was seen in the center of it with five spots that branched out around the center of the tree.

"...The Tree of Harmony... And it appears my suspicions were correct. The light from the tree is not as strong as it was."

The tree itself, while standing proudly in the spacious cave, appeared a lot more dimmer than how he remembered. It can only be a sign that the Tree's magic has grown weaker over time, meaning something happened to the Elements.

"I can't help but feel this to be an omen of some kind... I better ensure the Elements are safe, ensure Celestia and Luna are alright..." Kurisu nodded.

He was about to turn and leave, before he stopped and couldn't help but feel a presence with him. He looked around, not seeing anyone else in the cave. When he looked back at the tree, he saw it pulsating weakly.

"Wait... The Tree. Is it...?"

Before he could ask further, he started to hear a voice in his mind.

"...Blessed Warrior... Of the Light... My... Chosen... Bearer of... Unity...~" The voice said faintly.

"Huh...? Who are you... Are you the Tree...?" Kurisu asked, surprised.

"No time... The Stars... The Stars shall aid her... Escape." The voice continued.

"Her escape... Whose escape...? I don't understand." Kurisu shook his head.

"They are coming... Help them restore the light... Free her from... The darkness." The voice replied.

Before he could ask for more, the voice fades away, leaving him alone in silence, and confused.

"Free who from the darkness...?" Kurisu asked himself.

While pondering on this, he suddenly heard multiple voices coming from somewhere outside. Curious, he walks out of the cave and looks around, finding himself in a ravine, split between the rest of the Everfree Forest, and what he knows to be the castle that Celestia and Luna reside.

"Hmm?"

He sees six figures up near the bridge, which one side was hanging from the other side. He noticed a blue pegasus flying across the ravine to likely get the bridge back up to let the others cross, but then sees a lot of fog rolling in from that side, as the pegasus seemingly disappears in it. The other ponies looked to be calling out to the pony in question.

"Could those be the 'they' the voice was telling me about? Kurisu thought as he watched on.

Soon, the pegasus reappears as she gets the bridge back up and the other ponies, all seemingly cheered for her as they pressed on, with the fog disappearing. He couldn't help but feel a rather strong, ominous, feeling coming from the castle. He would then make his way up, namely to tail the ponies and see what was going on.

Upon reaching topside, he sees the castle and was shocked to see the state it was in.

"What? It looks as though the place has fell into disarray for years... No way the place would be left in this state over six months. This is strange..." He noted.

He quietly makes his way to the castle entrance, but sneaks over to one side of the entryway and watches from a nearby window, seeing the six ponies gathering around what looked like the centerpiece: five rounded stones with a familiar gemstones embedded in them, yet also appeared to be made of stone.

"Are those... The Elements? I sense no power from them... Could they be inert?" He thought.

He then hears the lavender mare begin speaking after the six brought the inert Elements down to her, after the blue pegasus asked where the sixth Element was.

"The book said: when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed." The mare recited.

"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?" The orange one asked.

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Stand back. I don't know what will happen." The lavender mare replied, as she gets up.

Her horn begins glowing as she focuses on the Elements.

"Come on now, y'all. She needs to concentrate." The orange mare said to her friends.

The other five all move away so the unicorn could focus on trying to release this spark. Kurisu watches on in intrigue.

"Hmm, might explain why there are only five of them, with the sixth needing to appear. There is something strong in this mare, a lot of potential in magic. Maybe she is the--"

"Twilight!" The girls collectively cry out.

"The Elements!" Twilight cried out.

Looking back, he notices a blue mist that surrounded the Elements as it starts spinning around, forming a tornado that was taking the Elements. Twilight then promptly jumps in it after them, causing the girls to rush back in, as they watch Twilight and the Elements be whisked away in a flash of light.

The five all begin talking over each other calling out for Twilight.

"Look!" The white mare yelled toward her friends.

They all see light shine out of another part of the castle, liking indicating where Twilight and the Elements disappeared too.

"Come on!" The orange mare yelled, as they all rush into the castle, heading to the upper part of that section of the place.

Kurisu would also head up, taking the outside path, as he climbed up the ruined structure, as he was familiar with the layout of the castle during his time here months prior, when it was occupied by the princesses. He reaches for one of the balconies and looks on from one of the windows, finds Twilight who appeared to be ready to engage a tall, black alicorn with a misty, ethereal mane and tail, standing on a small platform surrounded by the inert Elements.

His eyes widen when he got a better look at Nightmare Moon, seeing the cutie mark.

"It can't be..." He said softly to himself.

"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" Nightmare Moon sarcastically asked.

He sees Twilight, appearing to take a stand at the alicorn. The sage had to admit, this girl was either brave, or a fool if she thinks she could take on Nightmare Moon, by herself.

Twilight than began charging at her, as Nightmare Moon did the same. Kurisu watched as Twilight teleports at the last second, causing Nightmare Moon to miss her completely and leaving the taller alicorn confused. She looks back as Twilight appeared on the platform around the Elements, and quickly tried to use her magic to find the 'spark' needed to bring the sixth Element.

"Just one spark... Come on, come on." She muttered.

Nightmare Moon appeared before Twilight, and was about to use her mane to smack Twilight away, but the moment Twilight's magic struck the Elements, Twilight was shot back as a spark jumped around the inert stones, causing Nightmare Moon to look on in horror, fearing that the unicorn managed to do it.

"No! NO!" She screamed.

Twilight gave a smirk, but it disappeared as the spark around the Elements fizzle out and saw nothing happened. She was confused, as Nightmare Moon slowly began to chuckle and full blown laughter.

"But... Where's the sixth Element?!" The mare yelled out in confusion.

No answer was given, as Nightmare Moon just continued laughing as she reared up and slammed her hooves down to the floor, the force was enough to cause the inert Elements to shatter into pieces. Twilight looks on with shock and fear, as the last hope to stop Nightmare Moon, was just destroyed before her.

"You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me?" Nightmare Moon questioned.

"Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night will last forever!" She laughed as her mane begins

To rise into the air, spiraling around, as if a hurricane was about to be formed.

Twilight could only sit there, looking crushed and hopeless.

She continued, but was interrupted by a sudden burst of... Flame? Flame that just exploded out of the ground, causing Nightmare Moon to hope back and shield herself, and causing Twilight to jump back in shock and surprise.

"What?! Who dares...?!" Nightmare Moon called out.

From above, Kurisu appeared in the air as he held out the Mace of Zeus, before floating gently down to the ground, standing between Twilight and Nightmare Moon.

The sage moved his head a bit, as if to look back at Twilight.

"It's going to be alright." He said calmly.

He then looks at Nightmare Moon.

"...Luna. What have you become? Have you let the darkness take you?" He calmly said.

Nightmare Moon suddenly felt something in the pit of her heart, as she looked at the human. She had a look of confusion, shock, and... For a split second, regret and sadness. But then, her expression became a bit of anger.

"I-It can not be... You've... You've come back. After all this time, you finally returned!" The alicorn glared.

"I leave for six months... six months, and what do I come back to? You have let the darkness overtake you, shattered the Elements of Harmony, and want to bring about night for eternity...?" Kurisu asked, not raising his voice, but there was a hint of disappointment.

Twilight just looked at the figure, just confused. Who was this creature, and how did he know Nightmare Moon? There were a lot of questions stewing in her mind now. And, did he call Nightmare Moon, 'Luna'?

"You think I became this way in six months...?" Nightmare Moon spat.

"You really are a fool then! It's been over thousand years, centuries of having been banished to the very cosmic body I raised and lower away from the world, a thousand years of being alone with nothing but my hatred and jealousy toward Celestia and ponies that enjoyed her sunlight, and slept and feared my wonderful night!" She yelled.

Thousand years... Kurisu was surprised, has it really been that long since he left in the perspective of Luna and Celestia? He cursed himself, not thinking about how drastic time flowed between here and his dimension. No wonder this place was in ruins.

"Had I known this was how events would play out after leaving all those years ago for you... I could've come back and done something to keep you from straying from the path you went down... That is the one thing I know that hasn't changed about you after all this time, it's your stubbornness." The sage calls her out on.

The alicorn would just frown and growl. He then slowly draws his blade out.

"No, just gonna have to try to give you a reality check, in the form of a swift kick in the ass. I am deeply sorry for what has happened to you, but your actions here can't go without consequence, so I will have to try to save you the only other way I know..." He points his blade at her.

"Time to see... If being locked away for a millennia on the moon has made you at all rusty." He smirked under the face cover.

He knew that if there was one thing that shows the old Luna being in Nightmare Moon, it is the alicorn's desire to best him. Even now, the alicorn just begins to chuckle and start laughing manically as she brings out what looked like corrupted versions of the blade she once wielded before turning.

"You underestimate my power now, Sage! Tonight is the night that not only did I bring out my goal of eternal night... But to also beat you down and show that I surpassed you, my eternal rival!!" She grinned widely, as she bear her fangs.

"...Bring it." The sage said.

And with that, the two leaped at each other. The fight was on.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Which Final Fantasy game? Also, friendly word of advice, don't make the synopsis so long. We shouldn't need to click on the More button just to read the entire thing.

[The Hero of Harmony]

10053762
Sorry. Anyway, this character is based around FFIX.