> Savior of Eternity
>  by Secrets and Lies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Origin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	In the distant realm of gleaming sentinels rested the secret of the universe. Among the multitude, there was one; from the stretching light that reached ever on, there was the far beacon. A singular star amidst the deep continued to watch over its kin with pride. It was silent, it was still. All who knew of it knew only of its mystery and secrecy. All who knew of it feared it, for its presence in this universe was of something to be feared. In the cold and vast nothingness where time began, it was the first light. It was the beginning.
        Overlooking eternity, it kept its gaze affixed on a lone rock in the murk of blackness. An island in the dark sea, a pebble in the sky. For it too was just as important as the secret, for its place in the universe would shape the destiny of every universe that was and is. It had held to its foundation, a prosperous and self-destructive fate that the universe anxiously watched. For it weaved the threads of the Creator’s will. Interwoven in its fabric was the prophecy of the unbroken—the key to open paradise itself.
        Now was not its time however, it was far from completion; but from a grand view, its intricacy could be made out. On this planet—this lonely orb—bore life that would set the key a turning. The key was not in place, nor was it near its portal, but the actions to sway it towards its goal had been set in motion. On this planet now, in the kingdom held together by its own bleak secrets, and atop the grand spires like holy torches in the coming night, stood two sentient equine. They knew not of what their roles were to be, they played the roles that were fragments of the whole. That is, the ballad of the universe.
        Atop the ivory keep, a small and smart unicorn pony pressed her eye into the lens of a telescope. She was a clever filly who could rival the wits of someone twice her age. She was studious and kind, faithful and headstrong. Her name was Twilight Sparkle, and her destiny was to lead the key to its portal. Twilight stargazed alongside her much taller mentor, who kept her sights skyward. She was of regal attire, adorned in a jeweled necklace and crown tiara lit by magical gems. She possessed a horn and wings—far superior before any of her subjects. Her white coat gleamed in the purple haze of dusk as her multi-colored mane swept in an endless breeze of invisible magic. She was the ruler of these lands and her name was Princess Celestia.
        The sun had fallen shortly ago and the stars had begun to twinkle out from the dimming sky. As Twilight searched the horizon for planets and nebulae, something strange had caught her eye. This something was a dot that she had never seen before, and she had been studying and mapping the night sky for months since this day. She went back towards it and focused in on the elusive star more closely. Like the sparkle of a sapphire gem, it gleamed like no heavenly object she had ever seen. Her heart raced with excitement as she backed away from the far gazing device, locking its coordinates in place.
        “Princess,” she happily called towards her teacher, “I think I’ve discovered a new star! I’ve never seen this one before—it’s incredible!” The tall unicorn pegasus (known simply as an alicorn) stepped forward and bent her head down to peer into the lens. She searched for a moment and smiled as she backed away.
“You must have lost it. I don’t see anything,” she gently informed her pupil. Twilight panicked as she darted towards the telescope to see if she could find it. The mechanism on the spy glass was still pointed in the same degree; the young unicorn had even locked its position in place before her Princess could look into it. She soon noticed that indeed it was gone and unlocked from its viewpoint. She quickly searched around the location, but only saw blackness.
        She trotted backwards and sighed with defeat, “How could it have disappeared? It was right there!” She turned and pleaded with Celestia, “I promise I wasn’t lying, I swear!”
        “Oh I believe you found a special object in our sky,” she comforted the filly, “but it’s not very new. In fact, it’s quite old.”
        Twilight was a bit confused as she asked, “What do you mean?”
        Celestia stepped closer towards the balcony railing, eyes lifted towards the stars beyond. “I believe you may have spotted the first light to have ever existed in our universe.” The foal’s eyes grew with wonder upon her elders words. Celestia clarified, “You have encountered the evasive object, simply named, ‘The Dawn Fire’.”
        Twilight properly deduced, “If it’s not a star, then is it a planet? How is it producing light that no star I’ve seen could give off? And where did it go?”
Celestia took one answer at a time stating, “It is not a star. From what I have read on it–and from what astronomers, astrologers, mathematicians and philosophers have noted on the anomaly–it is its only kind in the universe. It has no properties in which a star, planet, or any celestial object holds. Its light comes from an unknown source, but it has been studied enough to know that its radiance is produced from within, exerting outward. Lastly, it can only be viewed for a short time during the Summer months before it disappears into the blackness of space. The stars in the sky snuff it out with their light, and it becomes invisible again–or so we can conclude.”
        Twilight looked off towards the location where The Dawn Fire was. Stars did form around this one area in the sky, and even the clouds of the Horseshoe Nebula above arched around it. It was a strange occurrence that Twilight Sparkle would ponder on for the rest of her days. As of now, the hour was growing late and it was time for bed.
        The secrets this object kept was a mystery that had held true for ages. None knew of its place in the universe or how it even existed. The wisest of this world knew as much as the ignorant; but something was to be known of this object. It had a history that shaped the fabric of space and time. Its story began in the deep of space when it sang out with life, beginning the great chorus to the heavens’ existence. Its song rang forth the ballad, and from the ballad, time began.




Savior of Eternity





Written By:



Secrets and Lies





Edited By:



jackal4563, Xavven, and Adjier





For my brother: Who challenged and awakened me.





(Origin)






From nothing sprang life. Light leapt from the darkness and it has been traveling over an endless journey since the beginning. The most prominent of creations from this light, the fixated vessel over all of eternity known simply as The Dawn Fire, was the Creator, Aeterus. Aeterus is a mysterious, almighty being, never revealed but always present. He sought to create and mold time and space around him, and so he did. First, he shaped the realm around him, this is known as Eternity. Eternity was fragile and weak, so he created its foundations, the laws of the Infinite Protocol. He then sundered Eternity and created two separate realms within the same space, one larger to fit the other. The greater realm is known as Anunimun, the smaller realm was known as Katkahas. The greater was governed solely by the Infinite Protocol, whereas the lesser was governed by nothing.
        In the newness of all life, still he was alone and he sought to create life himself–for creating life is the greatest of gifts. He constructed a being of his image and this divine being was known as Dierus. He instructed Dierus to form within Katkahas its own creations, and to watch over it from within Anunimun where it must reside to withhold its form. As the last of Aeterus’ instructions were given upon Dierus, he left to watch over Eternity. Aeterus had mended the book of Eternity, and now Dierus was to write its story.
        The one Dierus sought out the first light, The Dawn Fire, and from its flames it weaved together the first universe, placing it within Katkahas. Dierus then formed its own laws and systems to uphold balance within its universe. When law was given, life was birthed and within the universe it thrived. Dierus rested, knowing that it had become a master of its own design, much like its master, Aeterus.
        As time passed, flaws began to arise within its universe. Even though Aeterus was flawless in his design, Dierus could not create a perfect design. In desperation, it sought to uphold its realm, so it created the first of many spirits, the Umerus. The Umeri were allowed to travel through both Anunimun and Katkahas, and were able to interact vocally with Dierus’ designs–whereas Dierus could not. If they were to truly interact within the physical plane of the universe's reality, they would need to give up their spirit forms and abilities; likewise Dierus would need to uphold these laws to interact with its creation as well. The first and only Umerus that was created by the first Dierus was of higher making than the beings within the Dierus’ universe, but also was more prone to be swayed by corruption. When the spirit could not aid in saving the Dierus’ universe, Dierus devised a flawless mechanism that would insure a perfect universe. It would take a great deal of time to create this paradise, and it knew this well and thought long on proceeding to go with its intentions.
        Within Katkahas, Dierus formed the end of the chain and waited for its universe to end. When time collapsed on itself within its universe, its actions were set in motion. Dierus choose a single sentient being from within the old universe and granted the being its power, and that being became a Dierus itself. This was the first law of many declared by the Infinite Protocol: The first Dierus must choose another from within the previous universe to become a new Dierus for the next universe. No one Dieri can interact or control another universe that is not its own.
        Once the new Dierus was chosen, it was instructed to create a universe of his own design; and when it accomplished this, the universe formed a new link in the chain with its own timeline, its own laws and its own creations. From the old universe, the original Dierus brought over the more perfected elements and objects from within that link in the chain to carry over to the new universe. The system was in place, the chain had begun. Whenever a universe would end, the last Dierus would choose a new Dierus from within the last universe and would also carry over the more perfected pieces of the old universe. Over Eternity, each universe would become more perfected than the last, and eventually paradise will be achieved.


__________


        The chain, a timeless relic of the first Dierus, stretched on over countless links. With every new link, they strove ever closer to the perfected universe; though over time, this was not enough. The Dieri–now large in number–wished to shorten the time to paradise and to call their Creator back to them in hopes that he would aid them. Many of the elder Dieri had given up long ago and there patience had worn thin; these many became part of their own universe, relinquishing their powers and accepting the gift of a mortal death within their own creations. The younger, however, sought to create something new–inside of Anunimun–that would gain the attention of Aeterus. Four they chose, four of the wisest and fairest Dieri, to devise and create this ultimate masterpiece.
        The four first carefully took two threads that were the fabrics which held Eternity together. The two threads of light–known as Ethereal Energy–were used in mending together the form of the object. From the flames of The Dawn Fire, they forged a weapon to contend with Aeterus. From the molten purity of creation, they poured untainted life energy into its cast–perfect and flawless. With every strike of their hammers, galaxies were birthed in the sparks that flew, which drifted out into the infinite of Anunimun, never to be occupied; and these areas of nothingness became known as the Void. When their design was completed, they presented the celestial blade before their fellow Dieri. They praised the workmanship of the sword and named it Omensis, the all powerful blade of Eternity.
        Its beauty could not be contended, its strength could not be matched. Each side contrasted the other upon the blade’s face; on one it gleamed of the blackest void and the other was gilded of the most radiant light. From head to hilt, it spanned across a universe’s length; and in a single swing, it would tear apart the fabric of its reality. Omensis was worshipped by the Dieri, who knew that now their Creator had truly fled them and that they were the highest form of life within Eternity. For eons, they situated the sword for all Dieri to see and know of its glory, not knowing that they had sown the seed of their own demise.
        Once in Anunimun, a single Umerus approached Omensis. This Umerus was more cunning and clever than the innumerable others, for he was the first of the Umeri ever created. He was the one who tried to save the first universe, but was thought to had been left behind when that universe was driven to ruin. He had taken many forms since, and had been carefully watching over both Anunimun and Katkahas. He watched in secret the creation of Omensis and knew of something that even the Dieri knew not of. Blinded by its beauty, the Dieri were ignorant to the blade’s one flaw; a single sliver near the base of the sword’s face that was so negligible, none of the higher beings noticed it. This Umerus was corrupt and could see the imperfections of all things, allowing him to see through the beauty of the blade and to its one defect.
        This Umerus approached the blade’s guardian, a single Dierus that was a storyteller and keeper of the Omensis. The Dierus did not see many Umeri that wished to see and know of the blade; he was unsure of its reasons for arrival.
        The Keeper of Omensis asked the lesser being, “Are you lost, spirit?”
        The Umerus replied with false eagerness, “No, I wish to see the great sword Omensis. May I approach?” The Dierus allowed the Umerus to gain closer access to the heavenly weapon.
        “It is true of what they say,” the spirit cleverly lied, “it is indeed a beautiful blade. Crafted only by the greatest Dieri–our flawless masters and leaders. May I perhaps touch the face of the sword so that I may too know the glory of the higher ones?”
        “You may not,” coldly answered the Keeper.
        The Umerus implored, “Oh, but reconsider! I have traveled to and fro from the many universes. I am an old Umerus who has seen the birth of many universes and Dieri. I only seek one desire–a desire that I have searched and yearned for for ages. I only wish to touch the blade–if for only a mere moment. That is all I seek, humble Dierus.”
        With the Umerus’ honeyed fabrications, the Dierus let him do so. The spirit stepped forward and gently placed his hand over the unseen crack. Using his corruptive manipulation, he afflicted the sword with his own powers. The Umerus’ energy flowed through the weapon and poisoned the core of the blade. Within a moment, the weapon fractured. A blinding brilliance overtook Anunimun and from its presence the spirit slipped away unseen. Omensis split from each side and became two lesser powers; and in each power traveled the broken ethereal energy in gleaming beads of light.
        A great gathering formed within Anunimun of both Dieri and Umeri. None knew of what had happened until the Keeper of Omensis revealed that he had been tricked by an Umerus. The Dieri called out to the Umeri and commanded that if the one who was responsible for this destruction did not reveal itself, then they would bound the entirety of the Umeri into the void–an area that one cannot escape from by Infinite Protocol. One arose from the crowd, and he was the spirit that destroyed the Omensis.
        “It is I who accomplished this,” spoke the Umerus, “and I am Tirek.” He turned away from the Lords of Anunimun and toward his kind as he now spoke to them. “My fellow Umeri, see how the Dieri are nothing more then followers without a leader. See how weak and desolate they are without their god. Even through their greatest achievement, a weapon once thought of as a perfect creation, they are nothing more than imperfect–just as we are. Should these sorrowful beings be our masters? Should they be the ones that can only create life? Now is the time, my kin! Now is the time we fight for our equality! Join me and together we will achieve not their paradise of disharmony, but our paradise that thrives in harmony! Through only harmony are we to see paradise; so rise up so that we may claim what is true!”
        Upon his rallying words, the Umeri followed under Tirek to bring justice to their mutual cause. Without delay, the Umeri rose up and forcibly engaged the Dieri. The fires of war had been ignited.


__________


        Before the grand battle, two walked alone on the edges of Anunimun–a teacher and a student. The more wiser, a fair and noble Dierus, had begun explaining to his newly chosen Dierus the order of their powers. The time to create a new universe was at hand and the mature Dierus had already set in motion the destruction of his own making, which was the only way to make way for the new. It was by his doing that he abolished his creation, for he had spent many eons crafting it to a more perfect paradise towards the unknown future as many others had done before him; however, he was disenchanted by his own weary thoughts, and so he gradually explained his concerns to the new Dierus.
        The two strolled on, overlooking the great chain in the distance atop a silver mount of bounded light. The older Dierus spoke to his newer kin, “So I have told you everything that binds us–the Dieri–to the Infinite Protocol. I have given you insight on Aeterus, Anunimun, Katkahas, the Umeri and creating your own universe, yet there is more I wish to tell you. Even we, the greatest of all powers, are still bound by our own time; and though we cannot wither away or be expelled by death as mortals can, we cannot travel up and down the roads of our time in Anunimun, Eternity. We must also fret the Void, for it an inescapable place absent of time, matter and space. But above all, Eternity is our enemy.”
        They stopped for a moment as he placed his arm around the shoulder of the new Dierus, coldly stating, “In these moments, when the previous Dierus of the last universe converses with his newly chosen Dierus for the next universe, these moments are sparse. We have greater time now then we ever will again. And so I ask, what questions remain?”
        The young Dierus looked towards the distant, great chain, peering into the eye of the last link. In it, the translucent egg which held a trillion life forms and stars glimmered and faintly flickered, which was uncommon to the other links. The other universes glowed with a cerulean majesty, held firm in place by time itself. They were now relics in which one could visit, which other Dieri could study in hopes of avoiding past mistakes. The new Dierus had many questions for his elder; ordering them by importance seemed much more difficult then he had previously imagined.
        He began with a simple question, speaking as if weary from a long journey, “Why me?”
        “Why you? Because I looked down upon my creation and choose you specifically from the others.”
        The young Dierus cautiously demanded a better answer, “Out of everyone who was wiser or holier or greater, why me? I had unknowingly doomed my planet, why choose the destroyer?”
        The elder defined his previous statement, “The world, whether you were apart of it or not, was going to end. You did not set all in motion, you were only the one they placed their own blame on. I chose a creation that could make a better universe then one I had created. Unlike me and many others, you are incredibly creative, yet unskilled in any art. You are caring, you are kind. You are everything one could hope for in a Dierus and more. That is why I have chosen you.”
        With his question answered, the new one asked another, “Why Earth?” The older one cracked a smiled and looked towards his successor.
        “That is the only planet that we have kept since the beginning. It has been carried from universe to universe, serving many different realities and courses of time. The planet has no name, but when I created my universe, I named it Earth and created the humans. Some acknowledged me as their god, though I had never made my presence known to them. I was God in many eyes, and though I could have stepped down and made my presence known, relinquishing my almighty form, I held fast to Anunimun. Many of my creations murdered–and were murdered–in my name, you know of this history. But why Earth you ask? It had become tradition for us. It is far from perfect, yet still we held to it with the perfected elements, laws and matter throughout Katkahas.”
        “However,” the old Dierus spoke in a deeper tone of concern, “I have become skeptical of this grand scheme to reach paradise. For I believe we are nowhere closer to it now then we were in the beginning. Something must be done and I believe that the planet we have kept to shall play a grand role in Eternity’s Paradise.”
        “What do you mean?” asked the confused Dierus.
        “As if a key must be set in place and turned to reveal the secret paradise, we must seek out this key. A larger game is being played that even we cannot see. We are pieces on a board, soldiers on a battlefield, unaware and ignorant of what is being set in motion. I was too hindered to perceive this notion, but I believe you can do what I could not.”
        The two froze in silence for a moment, they could feel a disturbance around them in their realm. A grand summoning of all higher beings had been set in place.
        “What is going on,” asked the unknowing Dierus.
        “Anger is building,” answered the other. “A grand schism is soon to merge. A battle which will throw the disillusioned and weak into the Void is soon to take place.”
        A radiant dome of burning light tore the loft of Anunimun asunder. Bodies of Dieri and Umeri took towards every corner of the realm in heated battle. Warfare upheaved the lands of greater Eternity; the new Dierus was terrified of what had happened and was deeply disoriented. Both Dieri and Umeri used their higher powers to seek out and deliver their foes into the Void. Conjuring weapons of light and dark, they engaged each other until they were to fall. As either had been struck and sapped of their life energy, their essences were cast into the Void, no longer a part of Eternity itself.
        The elder looked up above the endless fields of battle and noted aloud, “Omensis has been split. The great blade is no more. Though power remains in the air, the ethereal thread of Eternity can still mend the sword into two.”
“Who would have done such a corrupted thing?” asked the young Dierus.
        The elder recalled, “Only one could weave such trickery, an old spirit we all have seemed to have looked over. His presence is always veiled, but now he has torn away his attire and revealed himself. Tirek, the first Umerus, the one who could not save the first universe but instead corrupted it further. It was he who sought to destroy the blade, not only to show that we are incapable of perfection or striving to be the higher beings, but he so desires to reign over us. Perhaps to reform the blade in his own making, I do not know.”
        All were distracted in combat as the orbs of light that once resided in Omensis silently glided throughout the open air. The elder looked upward and sighed aloud, instructing his successor, “It takes time to create a universe in his own making, but you will now have to devise one quickly to insure that Tirek’s plans fail.” He rose a hand into the air towards the beads of gleaming energy. Pulling the broken powers towards him, the spheres and thread reformed in his grasp. A hilt and blade shown forth as bright as The Dawn Fire itself, burning white with purging intensity. The elder Dierus lowered the weapon and levitated it towards the younger.
        “I could only extract the pure properties of the blade, I could not contort the corrupted essence that Tirek had poisoned. With this blade, our enemy will be matched. With this blade, you shall prevail.” The new Dierus took hold of the weapon, it was scorching to his touch, yet no pain pressed him away from the sword.
The older Dierus instructed him one last time, “You must not allow the enemy to take hold of this weapon. You must protect it at all costs. Now depart! Create your universe as I defend you from Tirek and his corrupted kind.” With those words, the new Dierus went forth towards the end of Katkahas.
        The Umeri were overpowering the greater Dieri; and though the Dieri were more powerful than their creations, the Umeri outnumbered them. The battle was drawing to a close as one by one the Dieri were cast into the void. In the midst of battle, through the chaos and calamity of Anunimun, Tirek took notice of the orbs of light above. Only the corrupted remains of darkness remained throughout the realm; he knew that a wise Dierus had withdrawn the pure beads and one of the two threads of ethereal energy to hide it away from him. Upon realizing this, he departed from the the warfare unseen to seek out who had accomplished this. Away from the battle, he rose his hand and summoned forth the remainder of greater powers above. With the remaining elements of Omensis, he formed a blade equal to the one mended before, a brother to the weapon of light.
        When his eyes lay on the instrument of black void, he spoke words of enchantment over the blade, “With this blade, I shall rule over Eternity. With this blade, all who oppose me shall be afflicted.” With eyes bent towards destruction, he sought after the creator of the other half. He took heed of its maker and approached him.
        The younger Dierus reached Katkahas and overlooked the dying universe of the former Dierus’ creation. Using his new knowledge, he delicately extracted the perfected elements of the old universe (along with the imperfect Earth) and placed them in the new link of Katkahas. Once this was completed, he now began to form the space in which the universe was to occupy, crafting the link into a more finer design. He had an original thought of how he would devise his creation; he wanted to birth the universe from a single point, and from that point would be a song. The eruption of expanding powers would sing forth throughout the universe in all directions–a grand ballad would continually play out until his universe would reach his desired moment. The music would perform without cease, with notes that would foretell the prophecy of the former Dierus, his only friend. A subtle reminder of the key that is to be turned, unlocking the gates to the true paradise. Assembling this ensemble of celestial powers would take time if it were to be perfected to his making, and time is something he feared knowing that the Dieri were failing to hold back the Umeri.
        Tirek greeted the former Dierus saying, “I know of which you have created and now hide, though I cannot see it. Its purity itself, the light which blinds my corrupted vision, veils its location. Tell me–old one–tell me where I can find this blade so that you may be spared of a most painful suffering.”
        “You shall not retrieve the sword, and you shall not overthrow the Dieri.”
        “Are you more so blind than I am? Do you not see what is being accomplished before our eyes? The Umeri have nearly won, only a handful of your kind persist and you persistence shall be your undoing.”
        “So you think you shall bring peace and order? You believe your judgment can achieve paradise any quicker than what we have so sacrificially sought for?” Tirek stepped closer, the dark blade in his hand was gripped tighter in the elder’s presence.
        The demented spirit steadily whispered, “I don’t think you understand...” With a sudden and swift movement, the tainted weapon entered into the body of the Dierus. Tirek continued in the same sharp voice, “Our paradises’ differ. My paradise lacks your kind. By casting you prideful lot into the Void, I shall achieve my paradise.” The spirit placed his hand on the Dierus’ shoulder and eased him away from his twisting blade.
        The successor watched with horror in his eyes, seeing his wise mentor slain in his view. Tirek took notice of the wandering eyes upon him and smiled, seeing the young Dierus in the distance. The new Dierus fought the urge to fight back, to leave his universe in midst of creation to avenge his friend, now an essence residing in the Void; but he knew he could not stray from his previous actions, he must still stay true to his mentor’s instructions. Tirek rapidly approached, but steadied his hand not to destroy the new Dierus just yet.
        The spirit stopped and took note of the realm around him asking the new Dierus, “Can you feel it?” He breathed in relief and noted, “The Dieri are almost no more. Only you remain, the last of your kind. My kin are approaching and they could surely toss you into the Void, but I desire to do this and they know this now.” He went on, giving the Dierus more time to stray on his creation, exerting his powers into his new universe as greatly as he could.
        “It is shame you were a Dierus for so little time, never venturing out far in this incredible realm. It somewhat pities me that you know not of its joys.” The Dierus did not speak or acknowledge the Umerus’ presence and this vexed Tirek greatly.
        He spoke with more vigor, “I will give you a chance to repent and bow before me, I will even let you live so that the Umeri can look upon you and know not to sway from my desires. You will be a relic, you will be a source of knowledge, but that is all you will become and nothing more under my eternal control. My thrall you shall be for all eternity.”
        The last Dierus turned and rebuked, “Never! The true Paradise will be reached and you and your corrupted kin shall be swept away by its wake of purity.”
        Tirek chuckled, “For this to occur, Katkahas must be still intact.” The spirit stepped towards the chain and rose the afflicting weapon above him. He then plummeted it downward, letting the sword sink into the link of the former universe. The Dierus was terrified, feeling Katkahas’ ends being purged one by one. A continual reaction was set in motion from the first universe, and speedily it broke Katkahas link by link.
        In a final act of desperation, the Dierus summoned forth the prevailing weapon and flung it into his universe, relieving it of its former Anunimun powers and setting it into the finite frame of his creation. Tirek quickly withdrew his weapon as the former universe dissipated into ethereal energy. Only the last Dierus’ universe remained as a single link in a once great chain.
        “You fool!” screamed Tirek. “How could you have preformed such folly!”
        “Strike me down if you must Tirek, but you will never obtain Omensis. For if you cast me into the Void, my uncompleted universe will be no more and the blade which you seek shall be no more.” With those final words, Tirek raced towards the Dierus’ universe and flung himself into it, temporarily becoming a part of it. He sought desperately to find the blade in the emptiness so that he may return to Anunimun with Omensis and defeat the last Dierus. His incompetence and ill motives had made Tirek nearsighted and soon he realized he had achieved a terrible mistake.
Dierus spoke forth over his creation from Anunimun, “Now that you have become apart of my creation, you shall abide by my rules.” Tirek could feel his essence beginning to warp under the Dierus’ command–his essence began to tear away from his form. Dierus spoke his orders, “You shall be mended to your creation that is the afflicting blade. You shall be limited and tossed into my domain without true power.” And from his words, Tirek could sense his spirit depleting into the weapon of his making.
        Before his might could be lost to him, he spoke one last time. He used his remaining energy to set a curse upon the new universe.


“Oh where is the hero that fled,


and where is the dawn of new day?


The morning will coat all in red,


and the realm will fade into gray.



And how will the key reach its lock,


if broken and tossed astray?


Alone he remains on his rock,


alone he shall only seek fray.



Your last hope shall stumble and cease,


feet weary, his pathway will fail.


Day’s light will fall at its least,


his fate will be blown in the gale.



Lost in the black of the dead lands,


long damned to the lightless kingdom.


Alone he was buried in sands,


alone only he will succumb.



Your hope is a dim dying flame,


your idol is nothing so more.


So soon shall you know of your shame,


my presence soon knocks at the door.



Oh, where is the hero that died,


and where is the bliss you had sought?


The creator had only lied,


your demise is one you have wrought.



So long as the hero shall be,


the curse shall follow till his day.


The lock will never reach the key,


by my hand your god I will slay."


        Upon his last words, he formed as one with the blade and the two became a new form which resembled a twisted and impure stave. His power was no more then the power of a single, small flame. Dierus knew that he himself must journey into his own universe, for if he did not then the Umeri would overpower him. He knew of the sacrifice of becoming apart of his own universe, giving up his almighty powers–though there was no alternative. The last Dierus transformed his body into energy and entered into his universe to escape the coming enemy. The Umeri knew this and knew that if they tried to destroy the last link of Katkahas, that they would be destroying Omensis and Tirek as well. If they executed this plan, they would be without their own paradise, trapped forever in Anunimun, which would become a second Void.
        In the last moments of Dierus’ nature, feeling that his Anunimun state was soon departing from his essence, he created new Umeri. From his pure Umeri, he created three to rule over the others. The others would take form and watch over the new Earth which they would call home, as well as protecting it from the corrupted Umeri that would slip into their universe eventually. The three beings of light emerged before him and he acknowledged each, giving roles to the separate, yet intertwined Umeri.
        Dierus spoke to the center Umerus of light instructing, “You, you shall be the greater. You shall establish order through power. You shall keep the sacred blade hidden from Tirek’s overseeing vision. You will become a king among your kind and you shall be steadfast and the wisest among this universe.”
        He then spoke to the second greater Umerus, “You shall be a matron to the universe. You will guide the key to the port hole and you shall establish law and guidance throughout your reign. You will be a queen and you shall obey the commands of your King.”
        He spoke now to the last great Umerus, “And lastly, you must retain harmony, you must be a beacon of light, and you must not succumb to Tirek’s desires. You shall be a hero, you shall defend the key and you shall retain peace. You are the Prince, and you shall obey the Queen and King.”
        He finally commanded the remaining, lesser Umeri, “You all shall uphold peace under these three. Peace shall lead us all to paradise. Protect your lands from the Umeri of evil. Become great leaders among your kind, take physical form and lead the creatures of new into a brighter future.”
        Before he unleashed the last of his powers to begin his universe, he rose up and commanded all of creation, “Now the Ballad of the Universe shall begin! Now Earth shall give way to its twin, and its twin shall be named Arteria!” The Dierus’ powers was no more as light sprang from the darkness, overpowering all, setting time, and casting matter and space throughout the nothingness.
        The last universe began as a symphony of time and space preforming their allegro, establishing the laws of its dominion. Never shall they cease until its finale, until the key will reach its portal. Though now the prophecy is in conflict with the curse; now the key must fight to reach its destination. The future is clouded and nothing shall be known until the end times. The lonely hero–whomever he may be–must achieve his own; an unwritten destiny without the aid of higher powers. Shall he submit, shall he fail, none will know until the last note of the Ballad rings forth.


__________


        Over the sweeping landscape, Dierus–now nothing more than a powerless father to his making–looked over his creation and he was pleased. The blue sky and vibrant sun filled Arteria with nourishment and life. Mountains stretched far towards the horizon, green and rolling hills filled with trees and vegetation blanketed the new planet. The serenity of his nature gave him hope. It was his promise towards his mentor.
        He breathed with satisfaction, “I cannot believe that I created this. Once I was nothing more than human, now I am the silent conductor of this beautiful, new world. I cannot assure its purity, though I have set in motion great factors that will retain peace for as long as they can. I can only watch, but I must be vigilant of Tirek’s presence, for he is here beyond my gaze. His corruption eludes my lessened sight, yet this does not worry me at the moment.”
        He turned around and took note of sprawling field before him. In it, strange creations grazed in silence amongst many others. The Father noticed their presence, their abilities well exceeded the others. He knew from their existence that these were the ones who will be the successors of the humans.
        He smiled and laughed, “Such an oddity to take the place of the human race, but so be it. They are quite cute... and capable of so much.” The Father didn’t notice it, but one of the few sentient equine approached his side and nuzzled against his lower body. He directed his attention towards it and placed his hand through its mane.
        “My destiny has ended, but yours has just begun.” With those words, he faded away, hiding himself from the creatures and his Umeri. Dierus was ever watchful from heights unknown, in the realm unseen, and silently he waited.
> 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(Part 1)






“The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life - knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live.”



- Aristotle






(1)





“Pinkie... Pinkie...” the whispers echoed through the vacant caverns of blackness. “Don’t cry for me... Look up there... When you look up at the stars at night... I’ll be looking up at the same ones... You’ll never be alone...”
        The pink pony calmly awoke. Her eyes met with the dark-pink bedroom ceiling above, speckled with green glow-in-the-dark stars and planets. She felt unmotivated, empty from the hole in her heart. Slumber had brought her no energy and she didn't want to leave her bed. She desired to sleep on, to continue to listen to the faint whispers of a past she so desired again. This wasn't her choice, she had to keep going. She had been for thirty-three years.


__________


        Pinkie Pie skipped out of the front door of Sugarcube Corner and bounded down the steps onto the grass. Her fluff of curls bounced with each hoof fall as her tail swayed behind her. Pinkie had a body that seemed to never age, still visibly brimming with vigor, the same she had since she was a filly. Her eyes met with the cloudless sky above, the eastern sun shining low through the trees. The mountain wind swept through the valley and into her hometown. She closed her eyes and took in a heavy breath of fresh air. She smiled and waved to each neighbor she passed, singing a simple song as she went along,


“It’s a wonderful day in Ponyville


and it’s a wonderful day for Pinkie!


Smile’n faces and delightful ponies


are all it takes to feel me up with glee! 



I can’t express with simple words


what fantastic feelings I have.


But what I can say


just brightens my day,


I’m feeling higher then the birds!



I love my friends, they’re like family to me!


I love this place, I’m loving all I see!


You can’t hold me back, cause I’m feeling free,


and without it all, I wouldn’t be Pinkie!”


        The pink pony rounded the corner of a new convenience store and in the distance spotted the Ponyville Library, still standing strong after years of wear and tear. As she ambled along, humming still in tune to her previous song, she couldn't believe the amount of progress around her. Her small village in the valley had sprawled out much larger, yet still it kept to its simple, rustic and quaint ambiance. She entered the treehouse as if it were her own abode and was promptly greeted by her beloved friend.
        “Good morning, Pinkie,” the studious, purple librarian mare warmly welcomed. Twilight Sparkle still took delicate care of her old home in Ponyville. Even though she was a princess with her own agenda and duties, she still came by on the weekends to work in the old tree. She couldn’t resist the simplicities and sentimental longing that the library brought her. The smells, the atmosphere, everything that stimulated her senses could be rediscovered here.
        The alicorn pony herself was unlike Pinkie in the fact that she had aged more so than her friend. She now wore glasses, which linked together behind her slightly faded mane. A vibrant stripe in her mane and tail had grown dull over time and now was a pale violet hue. This faded streak in her hair was concealed from her friends by her own magic; she was very self conscious of her looks and for good reasons. Besides these physical features–and a few wrinkles below her eyes and jaw–she was still the same pony she once was.
        “Hi-ya, Twi! Gotta get some more cooking books!”
        The aged librarian chuckled, “Right!” She turned to levitate certain books off of their appropriate shelves while saying, “I forgot you were on that mission still.”
        “And that mission is to memorize all the recipes in all the cooking books in Ponyville!”
        “Well I hope you don’t forget your passion for partying in all this research you’re doing.” Twilight turned and before magically hovering the books over to Pinkie, she stopped and remembered something.
        Twilight articulated, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Pinkie blinked, searching her brain for a moment on what she had forgotten.
        “Oh! Right! I forgot my saddlebags! Silly me!”
        “No, Pinkie. You forgot the books you borrowed three weeks ago. They’re overdue!”
        “Ohhhh... right... Sorry about that. I must have forgot! I’ll be back lickety-split!” She raced out the door and returned to her gleeful stride as she continued singing,


“It’s so wonderful in Equestria


and it’s so wonderful to be alive!


Happiness and beauty all around me,


all of this and more is for what I strive!



It can’t get much better then this,


I know for a fact that it can’t!


Raise your head up high


and shout towards the sky,


take in all the amazing bliss!



I love my friends, they’re like family to me!


I love this place, I’m loving all I see!


You can’t hold me back, cause I’m feeling free,


and without it all, I wouldn’t be Pinkie!


        She made her way to her room to grab her saddlebags and lent books. As she held the bag open and swiped her hoof across her dresser, sweeping the books into her bag, one fell off the edge and onto the floor.
        “Shoot a monkey!”
        She arched down low towards the side of her clothes drawer and noticed her book. The pony reached for it, but she halted her action as her eyes took notice of something odd that hid behind the back leg of the dresser. She instead reached her foreleg out beyond the cookbook and gently snagged the cloth object. Pinkie immediately recognized it as she pulled it out carefully; her joy was sapped dry upon its touch and sight. What she held in her hoof was a dusty blue mane ribbon. It was crinkled and almost forgotten; it had slipped behind her dresser long ago.
        With her other hoof, she reached and grabbed the toppled book, placing it gently along with the others in her bag. Though she didn’t read them, she borrowed them to make it seem like she was motivating herself still. Pinkie was very depressed as of recently, her sadness grew with each passing year. She hid it well though, too well that even her friends knew nothing about it–excluding Rainbow Dash. The cyan pegasus, who once journeyed far to see her lover, could sense the misery Pinkie was fighting with. Though Rainbow was now busier than ever, living the dream as a Wonderbolt. She stayed in close touch still with her pink friend, often talking about Zack in private.
        Pinkie sighed as she strapped the saddlebag closed and threw it atop her bedspread. She then sat on her bed and stared deeply at the strip of cloth that meant so much to her. She stroked it sweetly and lilted softly,


“But sometimes I forget


how all this came to be.


And sometimes I wonder


if he still thinks of me.



And I miss him dearly


and not a day goes by,


that inside it hurts me


that he doesn’t write to Pinkie Pie.”


        With a strange burst of self confidence, she shot up from her bed.


“But I got to believe!


There has to be a reason!


I know he’s got to be somewhere!



I just can’t stop and grieve!


I must keep up till I’ve won!


I know for a fact he’s out there!



So as long as I live


and if there’s a beat in my heart,


I’ll keep on going strong


and as long as I do my part,


I know it won’t be long


until I have you in my arms!”


        Her elated ambitions resided as quickly as they came as her eyes fell back onto the old mane bow. She flopped back down on the bed and sadly smiled.


“But... but please hurry please,


my heart can’t take another day.


Your sight would be an ease,


would you come quicker if I say:



That I love you still,


after all these years.


All that I now feel


are all these old fears.



I’d like to believe


that somewhere you’re still around.


But I can’t conceive,


that I’ll get up from this down.



Oh, please come back.


Return to me, my Zack.


So I can give you the best-est best friend hug a best friend could pack!


Oh Zack... I miss you... so... much...”


        Her head leaned on the door to the library, not wanting to enter but to flee back home and cry in her room. The ponies who trotted by didn’t seem to care that much seeing Pinkie resting her head on the door to Twilight’s old home. They thought that she was just being her silly self and she was glad they thought that. The pink pony stiffened up and forcibly contorted a smile on her face. She took a deep breath and entered the tree.
        “Here they are, purple smart!”
        Twilight turned from sorting books from a nearby dolly. She noticed Pinkie had brought her saddlebags and books, and replied, “Great! Just put them on my desk and take your new books I set out for you.”
        Pinkie began to bounce over to the table. With a sudden ‘pop’ she felt something stab her hip as she stopped bouncing and rubbed the side of her aching flank.
        “Ouchie!” The pony rubbed her pain-stricken hind-leg, trying to ease the discomfort.
        Twilight took notice of her friend’s injury and questioned with concern, “Are you okay, Pinkie?” She walked over to try and help the pink pony, but Pinkie managed to limb over to the table.
        “It’s okay,” she answered as she plopped down at the desk. “My legs have been acting all funny for awhile now, even funnier than I am! I wish they’d stop being so dumb!” Twilight sat down across from her and honestly spoke her mind.
        “Pinkie, it’s normal that your legs are starting to hurt... We’re getting old, we can’t be the same lively young mares we once were.” Her words were a hard pill to swallow for the both of them. Even though Twilight knew and accepted this obvious fact, she hated saying it out loud. She hated it even more for telling her friend such a remark.
        “I... I understand...” She looked up and added, “It’s starting to scare me. Like I use to know everypony’s name in Ponyville, but now I’m starting to forget them! I can’t remember them all or their birthdays! I’ll even forget that I had planned a party on a certain day for a certain pony and have to rush around to get everything together!”
        “I’m becoming forgetful as well," Twilight added. "I now need to write better schedules for tasks that I use to remember without trying.” She reached over and placed a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder, “This is just life... We can’t avoid this, but just know that you’re not the only one.”
        Suddenly, something crashed into the room in a whizz of yellow and blue. Stray papers and books were blown about the wind that followed. Twilight groaned aloud and placed her hoof over her face.
        “Rainbow Dash...” she turned towards a pile of books she knew the pegasus was under and dryly asked, “Can you knock for once?”
        From the kitchen pattered in Spike the dragon to see what the commotion was. As he exited one room and entered into the main lobby, he banged his head on the door frame as he usually does. He entered carrying a bowl he had been mixing ingredients in, wearing a light-pink cooking apron. He had grown much taller over the years, yet was still very small for a dragon of his age.
        Spike questioned aloud, “What’s going on, Twi?”
        “Just Rainbow Dash–”
        “–being Dashie!” smiled the ecstatic pony, who snapped into a much more happier–but fabricated–mood.
        Rainbow popped her colorful head out of the mound of tomes. Her mane was noticeably less vibrant as it used to be. What once was an array of pure colors was now slightly washed out, though still resembling their original hues.
        “Twilight,” Dash pleaded before her, “I need to know when the next–” She stopped when she realized Pinkie was here. She lightly smiled and circulated, “Hello Pinkie. What are you doing here?”
        “Oh, just picking up some cookbooks... to read...”
        Rainbow knew the truth behind those books and nodded, “That’s good...” The cyan pegasus jumped out of the pile and kept flight a meter above the treehouse floor. Her Wonderbolts’ uniform could clearly be seen now that her body wasn’t obstructed by books.
        She returned to her previous question towards Twilight, “The new Daring Do comes out today! Do you have it? It’s supposed to be the last in the series!” She grabbed the sides of her friend’s face and shook it. “Please tell me you have it! Please!” Dash was enveloped by an aura of magic as her body was pushed away from the purple pony.
Twilight cleared her throat and hesitated, “Well you see... I forgot to order them on time.” She halfheartedly grinned and gave a light chuckle, watching the pegasus mare tense up with frustration.
        “Twilight! How could you! I thought you were a diehard fan of A.K. Yearling?”
        “I am! I just forgot, that’s all. I’ll send out an order form today and they should arrive... in eight to sixteen business days.” The pegasus landed on her haunches and sighed in defeat.
        “I can’t believe you forgot. You could have sent that message using your unicorn magic, no sweat! Heck, I could have sent it!”
        “Then you should have!” spat the alicorn princess.
        “I would... if I knew how to work a tube.”
        “Tubes are easy!”
        Pinkie scratched her head, “What’s a tube?”
“You know,” Rainbow answered, “those things that were installed all over Ponyville a few years back? Those brass-looking pipes you stick message containers in and they shoot off towards the tube station where they go out all over Equestria?”
        Twilight gave a relaxed simper, “Oh, the marvelous steam innovations of the earth ponies. The Transit Universal Bulletin Envoy.”
        Spike shrugged, “But that doesn’t even make sense.”
        “At least they tried. That’s all that counts.”
        Pinkie shrieked with surprise, “I can’t believe I forgot that! Twilight! Make it stop!”
        Spike ambled over and rested at the table, “Relax, Pink. I didn’t even know they were called tubes until today. I use to call them–” He abruptly stopped talking as he belched out a wisp of magical vapor. The emerald smoke condensed before him and from it appeared a scroll with Celestia’s royal seal stamped on it. The ponies were quite surprised, it had been a long while since anyone had received a letter from the Princess by this means of communication. Everyone in the room wondered what it could be about as they hushed themselves and watched Spike slide a long claw between the seal and parchment. He unraveled it and read aloud,

“My dearest Twilight,

        I would like to schedule a meeting with you this afternoon between the hours of eleven and twelve. It is crucial that you appear in my presence between these times. My request is urgent, and if possible, practice your arrival via long range teleportation.

                                                        Sincerely,
                                                                        Princess Celestia”

        Rainbow looked over at Twilight and slowly questioned, “‘Long range teleportation’? I didn’t know that was a thing.”
        Twilight blushed, “Well, it is. I’m still not the best at it.”
        “I thought you had to know where you were going to teleport? How would you know where to go when you can’t see your destination?”
        “That’s for teleportation at short ranges.” She began to explain her reasons thoroughly to the others, “Long range teleportation is entirely different. Starswirl was a master at it–for he invented it and named it Siphonic Relaying, or for short, Siphoning. You see, it’s possible to warp the properties of the magical currents that travel between the troposphere and stratosphere so that one could–”
        “Twilight, it’s eleven-twenty,” coldly remarked Spike.
        “Oh, well I guess I’ll be off.” She sat up from the table and made her way to the door, but before getting too far away, she turned towards Pinkie. “Hang in there, girl friend.” Pinkie softly smiled in response.
        Spike, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash watched outside of the library as Twilight readied herself. She focused deeply on the invisible magic field above her, connecting her magic with the currents above known as Ley Energy. Once she had a firm link, all she had to do was visualize certain features of the area and go. In an instant, her body evaporated into a purple mist and was shot towards the sky in the blink of an eye. All who were watching were amazed to see her preform such advance magic as if it was nothing to her.
        “Well, that was exciting,” the unimpressed dragon expressed aloud. He perked up upon smelling burnt food and cried out, “Oh gezz! My cake!” Rainbow laughed out loud as Spike raced back inside.
        As she recovered from her fit of laughter, she asked Pinkie, “You want to go get some ice cream or something? I can tell you’re a little... you know...”
        She smiled and answered, “No thanks, Dashie. I think I’m going to head home and–”
        “Wallow in sadness?”
        She nodded in affirmation, “Wallow in sadness...” Rainbow Dash took towards the skies, but before flying off, she turned back towards Pinkie.
        “If you need a pony to wallow in sadness with you, you know who to call.” She winked and took off to meet another passing pegasus pony as Pinkie watched from the ground. The two pegasi halted before one another and hoof bumped.
        Rainbow addressed her burnt orange coated friend, “How’s it going, Autumn Skies?”
        “Pretty good actually.”
        “How’s your dad?”
        “Valiant’s doing okay. Celestia sent him a prototype clockwork wing straight from Manehattan. I hope that soon he’ll be able to fly again, that would be awesome!”
        “Totally! But I thought magitech machinery were banned in this region of Equestria?”
        “They are. But my dad says since he served Celestia for so long that he can get away with some magitech stuff. Oh hey, want to go push some clouds or something?”
        “Heck ya! Let’s go!”
        The two sped off beyond Pinkie’s sight, but she was glad she stuck around to hear about Valiant Steed. As she walked back home, she thought more on that stallion then on Zack. She doesn’t get to see Valiant or Gale often anymore; even when he retired, he was always running around with his kids. He had three foals; the oldest was Autumn Skies, who’s now part of the Ponyville Weather Patrol. The middle foal named Gallant Steed works as a Royal Guard scout, serving currently outside of Equestria. Out of the three, he is the most like his father in almost every way. The youngest–and to Pinkie the sweetest child of theirs–is Sunny Days. He was timid, shy and very caring; and he and Fluttershy had become good friends over the years.
        Just a few steps away from Sugarcube Corner’s porch, a wagon cut across her path filled to the brim with apples. Big Macintosh was pulling the trailer that Applejack and the now the fully grown Applebloom sat upon. Applejack had let loose a little bit over the years, letting her blonde hair down and putting away the cowgirl hat that was eventually given to Applebloom. They were in a hurry and didn’t have time stop and chat, so they merrily waved at Pinkie as they passed.
        The pink pony stepped into the sweet shop and noticed that surprisingly enough, Fluttershy, Rarity and Sunny Days were sitting at a booth on the far side of the bakery. She was grateful to see the bunch as she skipped over towards them, trying to push out the pain in her back leg. Fluttershy noticed her approach and waved towards the pink mare.
        Both Fluttershy and Rarity seemed like two different mares than when she had first met them years ago. Fluttershy had gotten over most of her bashful ways, but was still timid to try new things and was withheld in conversations. Her hair was of a lighter hue and cut a few inches shorter then when she was younger. Her mane, which still flowed beautiful even when shorter, was braided in certain spots and had flowers pinned close to her bangs. Rarity was sporting a longer mane which fell under a lovely ivory sun hat, and the color of her hair matched the same shade of purple as it did years before. A few wrinkles were visible under her eyes and cheeks, but still she was as pretty as she was years ago.
        Sunny Days sat between them, nervous as usual. His azure blue coat and coal black mane and tail was highly attractive to the young mares, yet his stunted social abilities held him back from achieving a mare of his own. He was a stallion in his twenties, yet his future was more mysterious to him now than ever before. He had no long term goals, though he wasn’t lazy. He was care free yet held back; determined yet cautious. Though his brother pushed him to join the Royal Guard, he declined the offer and instead took up gardening. In time, he received his cutie mark in the appearance of the sun shining behind a healthy tea plant.
        “Hey girls!” Pinkie said while approaching. She placed her hooves on Sunny’s shoulders and said, “Hey Sunny Days.”
        “Oh, h-hey Pinkie P-Pie.” She had known Sunny since he was a foal and would often babysit him on the weekdays. All his life he had a speech impediment, and even though he never could get over it, Pinkie liked it. She thought it was cute and was much like a drum roll to every sentence. It fit his personality just fine to her.
        Fluttershy spoke sweetly, “We were just talking to Sunny about a girl he likes. He wants to ask her out, but he’s to shy. I don’t blame him, I can relate.”
        Rarity chirped up, “It’s obvious he has the looks and charm, but we most certainly have to get this boy out of his shell.”
        “I invited Rarity here so that we could all pitch him ideas, and because I don’t have the best relationship advice. I’ve never actually been in one...”
        Sunny looked over towards Pinkie and asked, “Do y-you happen to have a-any ideas, P... P... Pinkie?”
        “Not a clue! But hey! Wanna know what makes my head concoct brilliant ideas? Strawberry milkshakes!” She turned and yelled towards the stallion at the counter, “Hey Poundcake! One strawberry milkshake over here!”
        He looked up and noted, “You got it, P–”
        “Make that four! Four strawberry milkshakes!”
        He scratched his head and replied, “Oh, okay! Four strawberry milk–”
        “No, wait!” The pink pony listened closely to Fluttershy’s whispers. She then reordered, “I’ll take three strawberry milkshakes and one vanilla milkshake... with a cherry on top!”
        “Alright... Is that it?”
        “Yep!”
        “Okay, Pinks.”
        Pinkie had a delightful time with her friends and had forgotten about her worries all together. It wasn’t until the night however that her depression crawled back towards her as it always did. In the hours of her loneliness, she wept into her pillow, clenching the blue ribbon tightly in her hoof.
        It would repeat; the same activities, the same day, the same ponies, over and over again. Equestria didn’t seem as magical as it once was to her years ago. The adventures and antics she would get into with not only Zack, but with her friends seemed to have slipped away down time’s stream. Too much peace seemed to have killed the magic of each new day. Ponies began to forget the madness there was years ago, they thought that events like those would never occur again. Pinkie thought that she would find some strange and malicious excitement if something were to happen in her country which was intoxicated with tranquility, however she wouldn’t wish it so.
        It was a love-hate relationship she had grown into with her day-to-day life. Deep down, she loved peace and stability as much as a sane pony, but also she desired more. To break away from the norm, to get out again, to venture out into the world Zack was in. Above all, she wanted to visit Zachary. She truly yearned to see the great expanse of the ocean as she did at Rhignes Rock. She desired this so greatly that this is what she dreamed about the following night. Endless waters–crashing and churning, rolling and splashing. It reminded her of what she missed in life, and that was the mystery and excitement of the future.
> 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(2)






        Far north, a thrashing storm rumbled through the ranges of the Icicle Mountains. A behemoth of an atmospheric disturbance crashed over the jagged heights, giving way to torrents of thick snow and pelting ice. The warm sun had retreated behind the black veils that swept overhead, and along the narrow ridges swayed the faint flicker of bobbing lanterns. A company of equine scouts, garbed in heavy sets of birch-dyed cloth and thick iron braces, slogged through the deep slush towards their intended goal.
        The wind whipped against them, trying to push the hardened soldiers off of the cliffside and into the shadowed ravine. They would not give up so easily and would not cease until they reached their destination, for these were the finest Royal Guards. Their mission was to spy on the enemy capital, which by the leading pony’s map was just above the towering peaks they hugged.
        Rumors had surfaced that the Griffons were forming an army. Allied nations and northern outposts had seen large legions of foreign creatures enter through the hollowed routes towards Gryphus. Word had been sent to Canterlot, and Princess Celestia placed Princess Luna in charge of assembling the appropriate reconnaissance team to seek out the Griffon's intentions. To lead this squadron, Luna hoof-picked the son of the once famed Six Star General of Harmony, Gallant Steed. Gallant had performed many roles throughout the Royal Guard, as well as serve in many missions in and away from his home country. He was an excellent solider and superb leader; and though he is no General yet, some suggest that even he is far superior than his father in many ways.
        The group of scouts rounded the corner of the cliffside and the leading pony pointed out a large plateau that stretched out from the mountain’s face. This was the secret terrace used many times by previous Equestrian scouts and they had a firm belief that the enemy knew nothing about its location. It was a perfect spot to build camp and begin spying into the enemy capital; for on the far end of the rising rock face was a steep drop which evened out into a crater-like bowl of sprawling mountains where the capital city rested.
        In a few hours camp had been set up. Along with a number of large tents that were painfully staked down through the snow and into the mountain itself, multiple fires were started in large oven-like frameworks which kept the flames alive even during the blizzard around them. Night was approaching, but some of the pony scouts had ascended the side of the low-sloping mount and began peering over using spy glasses and telescopes. What they could see unsettled them, for indeed the reports were true. The city was buzzing with activity, filled to the brim with creatures of all sorts. Though the storm obscured many of the mountains’ peaks, the basin where the mountains crowded around the capital city was lightly affected by the encroaching blizzard, making it more visible from a bird’s eye view. A single earth pony guard carefully trekked down from the rocky perch and made his way into his leading captain’s tent. The silver coated stallion hastily walked in and informed the higher-ranked pony of his findings.
        “Gallant, sir,” the earth pony properly greeted. The pegasus looked up from a few parchments he was reading over at a table in the tent’s far corner. Gallant had undressed himself of his armor and cream colored clothing, and his natural coat was revealed. He was pale black, akin to a storm front and almost in the same hue as his mother’s coat. His mane was buzzed, leaving behind only bits of blonde stubs. His tail was cut short, jagged and sharp. His wingspan was impressive for a pegasus stallion, much like his height as well. His frame was built like a work horse, and his jaw was strong and narrow. Gallant was nearly identical to his father in Valiant’s prime, and because of this Valiant favored him more than his other offspring.
        Gallant approached the scout, responding in a firm voice, “Yes, officer Steadfast?”
        “The reports sir, they’re true. The entire city is filled to the brim with armed soldiers and more keep pouring in by the hour.”
        “Are they all griffons? That would be hard to believe they could amass an army of sufficient size, even from every griffon outpost.”
        “From what we’re able to identify, there are more than just griffons accumulating in the city. We’ve spotted hounds, stone trolls, even equines sir.” Gallant’s eyes jerked towards the officer before him. He was visibly alarmed by this discovery and felt no need to hide his concern.
        “Ponies? Were they bare flanked?”
        Officer Steadfast hesitated, “We couldn’t tell, we could mostly just make out the shapes through this storm. Until the storm clears up we won’t have true identification on them.”
        From the other side of the mountain boomed a roar that bellowed across the ranges. Its bass gently shook the foundation below the ponies as it echoed out beyond their range of hearing. The two ponies waited and listened more acutely to see if whatever made the noise would sound again.
        “Dear Celestia,” murmured the officer, “what was that?”
        “A beast of some kind,” Gallant remarked as cold as the weather outside. “Something foul and bent towards ill will.” He returned his gaze back towards the earth pony and promptly ordered, “Return to your post. See if you can’t find whatever made that noise.”
        “Yes sir. Right away, sir.” Steadfast trotted out of the tent and without delay, joined the other scouts above the ridge. Gallant began to feel uneasy and nervous about this operation. He had been in worse situations before where the enemy had the advantage, but this was different. He couldn’t place a hoof on it, but whatever it was that was making him tense up and become skittish had surely shaken him to the bone. Then he remembered quite suddenly, he had an exact pinpoint on the cause of his mysterious fear. He remembered what his father had told him once, once when he was just a colt.
        Valiant Steed had told him stories of the Icicle Mountains and the lands further beyond Equestria. He spoke of the beasts as old as the great mountains themselves that lurk in the dark corners of their world. That they were driven mad by their immortality, so they continued to harm, to grow, to be always hungry and always thirsty. No bountiful land could cease their appetites and no sea could quench their thirsts. Every step they made upheaved earth around them. Every breath of theirs is toxic and every claw can tear away the mightiest fortifications. It were these old fears that broke him down, that caused Gallant to fret. These mysterious stories that his father swore were true, and many knew of his father to be honest to his word. He eased closer towards the light of the fire, feeling the heat sooth his weary body.
        Steadfast rejoined his group asking the other two scouts, “Did you hear that noise awhile ago?”
        “Yes,” one answered in a somber tone, “I’m not quite sure what it was. I’ve never heard anything like it.”
        “Whatever it was,” stated another scout, “I’m sure we could take it. We’re Royal Guards for Celestia’s sake, we’re trained to take on the vilest of vile. Besides, we have technology on our side.”
        The officer unequipped his sidearm and spun it around in his hoof. He stopped and held it before him, his eyes taking in the contours of the firearm. It was a wide barreled pistol, coated in shined brass and refined iron. Its trigger guard encompassed the hoof while the gun’s shape was formed to hug the the lower half of the forearm. A revolver mechanism–which held eight separate chambers–wheeled around the front of the trigger, holding led bullets that would fire as fast as a pony could pull the trigger. It was an old technology first devised by the griffons, but adapted to suit the finger-less equines.
        Steadfast expressed, “You mean unreliable magitech weaponry. Crossbows and swords are more dependable then those devices. There was a reason Equestria had banned magitech for so long and in some places still do. Even simple magitech items such as flashlights have a chance of spontaneously combusting, blowing your foreleg clean off. I’d rather just use gun powder like the griffons use, but nope, we had to stick with our underdeveloped and cheaper source of energy.”
        “Suit yourself,” the stallion replied bitterly, placing his pistol back to the holster around his hoof. “I’ll be the one firing first before you all get the change to load your outdated weaponry.” He chuckled to himself as the others drew quiet, continuing their watch on the city below.
        During the night, Gallant retrieved from his personal satchel a strange orb as dark as the night sky. The polished sphere glinted the faint flames of the fire close by, revealing the perplexing inner design that swirled slowly like an imprisoned hurricane. He held it in his hooves, looking deeply into the crystal ball. Gallant focused as the pattern across the orb swept along faster. A faint, amethyst glow began to seep through the clouded sphere, its tint washed over Gallant’s bleak face.
        A whisper resounded through the orb as it flickered with hidden magic, “Gallant, how are things going?”
        “We made it through Black Pebble Pass. We’ve arrived safely thanks to the Cartographer’s Pen you lent me, Princess Luna.”
        “That’s good to hear. I’m surprised communications between our Oracle Orbs are coming in so smoothly.”
        “Indeed. I called you to inform that our previous information has been confirmed. The Griffons are amassing an army of multiple creatures. From the looks of it, they’re forming a single alliance. We could have a very nasty war on our hooves if our assumptions are true.” There was a moment of silence between the two before Luna spoke up again.
        “I knew this would come...”
        “B-but I thought we were in good terms with the Griffons? Centuries of signed treaties that insured peace now means nothing to them?”
        “Peace has meant nothing to them and we knew this, and I knew that the Griffons would eventually seek out revenge since we drove them out of Equestria almost a millennia ago. A close... friend of mine had traveled inside the enemy capital and saw the rising power.”
        “If we knew this, then why didn’t we go on the offensive years ago?”
        “This could not be avoided if we were to have struck first when they were still gathering their masses. If we would have done so, then their allies would have had the opportunity to attack us. We’ve held peace for many years, but now our luck has ran dry it seems....”
        Below the terraces where the ponies spied from crept a gathering of what appeared to be moving rocks. Underneath the rocky disguises were griffon soldiers, armed heavily with close-range weapons and twisted swords sheathed to their hips. They silently climbed upward, approaching the ponies and under their sight. The enemy knew of their arrival, a flanking maneuver was in process from every side of the once secret terrace. From a far peak were the two leading officers in command of the griffon units. One was situated on his stomach, looking through the scope of a two meter long rifle, the other was peering through a pair of brass binoculars, clutching a small, rounded pistol in his hand.
        They both were garbed much like the other hidden griffons, excluding the rocky back piece to their apparel. Their hind legs were fitted in loose and dark forest green clothing with flexible iron plates around their joints. Their chests were garbed in the same hued cloth, while underneath were heavy rings of chain mail that coated their arms. Black capes as dark as the shadow of a mountain whipped behind them and were linked around their necks. The leading captains atop the mount wore no helms, but the others were equipped in thick iron caps that also banded pieces of flexible iron sheets over their face as mouth guards. Thick rimmed goggles with silver lenses covered their eyes to protect them from the elements. This pliable armor not only protected the griffons during harsh weather and warfare, but gave them a fierce and menacing look to the much smaller equine.
        The flock of griffons stopped their ascension a mere meter away from the oblivious ponies atop the ridge. They waited for the signal to attack by their leading commanders atop the far off mount. The rifle wielding griffon scanned the plateau, searching the encampment for their leading officer, but to no avail. He maneuvered his head away from the bronze scope and looked towards the other griffon next to him.
        “I don’t see the leader. They’re usually wearing different armor or clothing, giving them a distinguishable appearance over the others. He must be in a tent.”
        “Right...” The standing griffon removed the binoculars from his eyes and flicked his other wrist, detaching the pistol barrel from the trigger mechanism. He then took from a pouch on his side a single, red ball and loaded it into barrel, promptly flicking it back up and securing the barrel back to the small gun. He pointed the firearm towards the dreary sky, overlooking the soon-to-be battlefield one last time.
        “It doesn’t matter,” he calmly averred, “He will show his face when the ambush commences.” His claw pressed down the release mechanism and a sudden blast flew forth from the muzzle. A single flare whizzed through above the mountains, lighting the snow and ice in a blood red tint. The equines were startled upon seeing it and their attention was taken towards the brilliant light.
        Without warning, a few of the ponies who were near the edge were suddenly grabbed by the claws of the underlying griffon soldiers hanging on the cliffside. The stallions were jerked off the side and sent over the steep bluff into the gray realm below. The griffons at once took to the skies and began dive bombing their targets. Shots were fired on both sides as the equestrian war horn sounded. The blast filled the ridge and all the equines in the encampment were on high alert.
        Gallant looked up from the Oracle Orb and stated, “That sound? The Canterlot horn!” He peered back into the sphere and quickly stated, “We’re in danger, I must go, my Princess!” He hastily flew over and placed the orb away. Rapidly he adorned his armor and grabbed his weapons, readying them for battle.
        Snow and ice, mixed with the gun smoke and sparks filled the air around them. Pegasi met with the griffons in air over the encampment in close quarter combat. Earth ponies as well as other griffons raced behind cover and boulders, firing at any enemy they came across with bolts and bullets. The clash of iron and crash of shield echoed through over the terrace as each side madly fought for dominance. Earth stallions kicked, bit and rammed their way through the griffons, their strength was beyond the enemies when it came to sheer force and stamina. Unicorns shot beams of vibrant magic that seared the armor and flesh of the mythical creatures. Pegasi drifted and twisted through the air, pursuing and being pursued in aerial combat.
        Gallant–now adorned in thick armor and equipped with multiple weaponry–galloped out of his tent to see what was happening. Chaotic and disorienting warfare filled the mountain and the pegasus leader raced for cover behind a few barrels of food. Officer Steadfast noticed Gallant taking cover and ran towards him.
        The earth stallion slid behind cover and pleaded with Gallant, “Sir, you need to leave at once! This isn’t safe! If you leave now, you can make it out of the Icicle Mountains alive!”
        “Dammit! Are you mad? I will not abandon my brothers!”
        “But sir–” the two flinched for a moment when a nearby barrel of gunpowder exploded and sent a shock of energy over the snowy plateau. “–We vowed to risk our lives if ever a moment like this was to occur. Equestria needs you alive!”
        In that moment, the Officer Steadfast convulsed for a moment as his eyes opened wide, giving a vacant expression. He fell forward without warning into the slush as Gallant was left dumbstruck as to what had happened to him.
        The griffon atop the far off ridge blurted, “Son of a!” as he cranked the bolt handle back, expelling the shell and loading another. He adjusted his sight back on his intended target, the wind and heavy snowfall made it difficult to line up his sight with Gallant. The griffon steadied his hands and drew in a long breath.
        Gallant soon noticed the bullet hole that tore through the iron coat Steadfast wore. Blood trickled down the contours of the armor and flowed through the snow below. Gallant looked up and noticed the lone peak far beyond, and using his judgment, he knew the bullet had to have come from atop that mountain. Blessed with his father keen eyesight, he noticed two figures atop the mount and quickly braced himself for another shot. A sharp sound sang through the air as Gallant withdrew his wings and shielded himself. The bullet forcefully ricocheted off of his iron plated wings, firing off into the distant mountains. The pegasus quickly took the skies and darted towards the distant mountain. The griffons atop the peak noticed this as the rifleman stood to his feet in alarm. He slapped the scope to its side and used the iron sights fixed atop the barrel for faster target alignment.
        “I can’t get a good shot! The storm’s helping him conceal his approach.”
        He other griffon had loaded a second flare and shot towards the area where the pegasus was advancing from. The red light flew forth into the air, Gallant’s location was soon discovered by the two. He barrel rolled through the air, taking an evasive maneuver as the sniper fired towards him. The shot whipped by as Gallant’s wings pushed harder toward the mount while also fighting to keep him steady in the blizzard. The sniper gritted his teeth and pressed forward a lever underneath the rifle. A spring loaded bayonet shot forth as the griffon pointed the firearm forward, ready for a close engagement. The other griffon withdrew a long and curved sword from his side, both were on the verge to strike the oncoming threat.
        Gallant swooped down and curved his form around the thrusting rifle blade. His hoof came in contact with the sniper’s face as the other griffon rushed forward. Gallant vaulted off and over the sweeping sword arc and fell behind the two. Gallant threw out his hoof and aimed his crossbow repeater towards his enemy. Before the sword wielding griffon could turn to face his opponent, his back and side was struck with multiple bolts as Gallant cranked the crossbow side lever. As his ammo was depleted, the griffon fell lifelessly to the side as the other sprang forward, shoving the bayonet forward again.
        Gallant spun away from the oncoming attack while withdrawing a small sword from his side, gripping it with one of his wings while the other acted as a shield. The griffon recuperated much quicker than his fallen ally as he swept the long rifle around, using it as a spear to battle his enemy. The two clashed against each other, dodging, swiping and thrusting their weapons. They spun around one another, protecting and parrying each other with metal wings and an iron rifle.
        Finally Gallant aimed low and swung his blade towards one of the griffon’s legs. The pegasus stabbed through a crevice in the griffon’s armor plated kneecap as the lion-bird backed away injured. It fell to one knee as Gallant raced forward and swung his blade downward on the crippled foe. The griffon held out his rifle, deflecting the blade and jabbing the butt of the gun out, pushing away the sword. The force knocked back Gallant as the enemy twirled the rifle around and swiftly jabbed the bayonet upward.
        The rifle blade impaled the pegasus as stood frozen atop the snow-covered peak. The griffon fired as Gallant was propelled off of the blade and towards the mountain’s edge. The stallion slid in the slush, wailing in agony and holding his hooves over his stomach where the blade and bullet entered. The griffon sat up and limped over to meet his enemy again. Gallant looked over next to him to see his fallen weapon and the griffon noticed his sneaking eyes. He stepped over and kicked the blade over the cliffside, then stamped Gallant’s head, raking his claws over the captain’s face. The griffon stopped torturing the pony as he noticed something entering the battlefield.
He pointed towards the camp, using his talons to affix the pony’s sigh towards the far off encampment. Gallant shuddered in horror upon the sight as his stallions were being overran by flocks of large rocs. They swooped down and slammed the ponies into the snow, using their sharp beaks to stab and bite them. The ponies had been overran by the enemy forces, Gallant couldn’t believe that all of this had happened in such a short time. The griffon noticed Gallant’s contorted face, expressing absolute dread and misery, and gave a toothy smile of satisfaction.
        A single roc swooped down on the peak next to the griffon, its eyes glared down upon the dying pony. The griffon faltered over towards the large bird and spoke softly into its ear. The enormous bird of prey swooped up and took the pegasus into its talons. It then soared off and glided into the city of Gryphus as the remaining equine were killed off by the persistent griffon soldiers and rocs.
        Down into the valley they sailed; the roc made its way towards the high castle in the center of the kingdom. Gallant was losing energy fast and in no way could his constant struggling free himself from the overpowering monster. As the bird made its way up the high keep, it stopped in the open air before long porch that protruded out of the angular fortress known as Kyanite Castle. Atop it stood a lone griffon, adorned in black and gold tipped feathers. His jade eyes were affixed on the bird’s prey as Gallant fought to keep his eyes open.
        “You...” Gallant’s voice wavered weakly. “King Vallak... why have you done this? Why can there not be peace among our kind?”
        Vallak slowly moved his sight towards the roc and the bird understood what the king implied with only his eyes. Its talons gripped Gallant as he let out a cry. The bones and his form bent under the strength of the beast and in a firm crunch his wing bones snapped. He wailed in suffering as he each fiber splintered and broke. The grip of the bird’s claws eased slightly, allowing Gallant to breath steadily once more. King Vallak gave a soft grin seeing the pony cling helplessly to his remaining life.
        He spoke as soft and as cold as the snow, “Do you not think you could avoid my far sight? The age of equines is over. I shall turn the key and open the gates to a new age, an age much akin to old. Griffons shall rule again, and the ponies shall be stamped out of history itself.” He looked up towards the roc and spoke to it with commanding vigor, “Do away with this insect before me. Let the mountains swallow him.”
        On those words, it took off and flew around in a wide circle back towards the castle. With gaining speed, it released Gallant as he was flung lifelessly forward. His body was dashed against the firm edges of Kyanite Castle. He tumbled against the rigged contours of the palace and rolled down the many steps that led to the front entrance of the castle. Upon the last of the five hundred steps, the pegasus stopped his descent–Gallant’s life was no more.
        The roc swooped over and lifted the corpse in its claws, carrying it out of the city. As it ascended towards the wall of mountains, Vallak watched as the last Equestrian pony left his domain. Once over the ridges, the large bird released the dead pony as it fell through the veil of snow and ice, consumed by the storm. Gallant was bashed and beaten upon the cliffs until finally his body came to a halt along a lone rock that was jutted out of the mountain face. The snow began to quickly bury him, and he was soon to be swallowed by the mountain.
        Vallak turned and made his way back towards the doorway back into his castle. In his grasp was the staff that gave him the power to rule over his and the other kinds that made their way into his kingdom. It was named the Afflicter, and it had chosen him as a vessel for both to pursue their equal schemes.
        As they entered into the castle, the staff spoke through him speaking in ancient tongue, “The Ivory ones will find Gallant you realize?”
        “Yes, I know. I want them to. They will send word back to their leaders. They will soon already know of the coming storm through the Oracle Orb.”
        An hour had passed since Gallant had been left to rot on the cliffside. His dark hoof was all that remained out from under the snow; his whole was nearly devoured by the storm. From the gray of the blizzard appeared a phantom of a figure. A member of the Ivory Guard stood over the deceased captain. As another sweep of a heavy wind passed, the two were gone.
> 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(3)







Through an over calculated exertion and a small step skipped, Twilight’s siphonic relay spell failed to route her to her intended destination. As she perceived her body beginning to merge back into a single form, she felt her coat scrap along a rough and jagged surface. A dizzying effect overcame her senses as it felt like her body was stationary while her mind sent signals that she was being flung forward. As light seeped back into her eyes, a new sensation of being upturned became apparent to her. Her body and limbs curved around the branches of a tree and her sight was hindered by the thick foliage of an oak.
        It took a moment for her lightheadedness to depart, but when it did, she began to carefully remove herself from the entwining branches. She gently started to pull one of her hind legs back from a branch it was wrapped around while also withdrawing an open wing which was lodged through the greenery. She steadily maneuvered her body down the trunk and safely onto the ground. As her hooves made contact with the grass she shook the leaves from her messy mane and looked about the once hidden surroundings.
        “Well, close enough,” the princess said while readjusting her glasses. To the north was the ivory keep, Canterlot Castle, shown brightly against the blue backdrop of a clear day. It took a moment for her realize where she was in Canterlot, but quickly figured out that she had teleported into a park known as the Concordia Courts. In it, she noticed the central piece to the public park, a marble statue of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. It had almost slipped her mind that the ponies of Canterlot decided to create a park memorializing her and her friends. A plaque was underneath the circular statue of the six marble mares that read: “For numerous and undisclosed actions, the City of Canterlot and Equestria itself thank these six mares for devoting their lives and livelihoods, and sustaining freedom and harmony throughout our lands and beyond.” It was a mouthful, but it eased her.
        It was a peaceful getaway from the hubbub that the city had become, however Twilight knew she didn’t have the time to enjoy it at this moment. She exited the park and walked along the streets, admiring the advances of her kind in the shining city. Around her she noticed the buildings had grown taller, brass tubes and steam mechanics whistled and blew about, and new progress in transportation made public access to airships and automobiles easier to come by. The population had doubled along with the headway of new technologies, ponies from the more advanced cities made there way to see and stay in the old historic capital. Lights from bulbs and street lamps flickered in bright reds, yellows, greens and blues, conveying either traffic signals or lit up advertisements. The bumble and churning of steam and combustion engines whirred up and down the streets. Though she found her home to be quite loud and a bit obnoxious, she still found the comforts of simplicity wherever she looked.
        While passing a local soda shop, her ears perked up when passing by the new application in sound broadcasting. The soft cackle and sweet noise of a new song she had heard not too long ago made its way into her ear canals. She smiled warmly, and knowing the lyrics to the pleasing melody, she sang along to a high trot,


“I work at Castle Canterlot,


but, gee that Castle is cheap;


when I get back to my chilly barn lot


I'm much too tired to sleep.



I'm the one, a lady mare,


a beautiful horsey, you know,


the kind in this town that’s rare


for only a bit a throw.



Ten bits a prance


that's what they pay me,


gosh, how they scoff and neigh!



Ten bits a prance


pansies and stallions


rough guys who think I’m free!



Seven to midnight I look out,


searching for that certain male.


My wishes are changing to doubts,


stallions stepping on my tail.



Sometime I think 


I've found my pony,


but I end up lonely.


All that you need is a ticket,


come on, stallion, ten bits a prance!”


        Before she knew it, she was at the palace gates, which were guarded heavily by Royal Guards. It was strange for the soldiers to see Princess Twilight approaching the front entrance when usually she was ferried in by air coach.
        After a brief period of confusion, a wall guard yelled out, “Open the gate!” The large iron barrier was hoisted up by two unicorn guards as Twilight entered underneath the bastion into the front courts of Canterlot Castle. As she cantered down the ivory pathway towards the curling, veranda steps, a single pegasus guard swooped down next to her and joined by her side. Twilight smiled upon seeing the newly enlisted solider, and how she knew that this Royal Guard was new was because she was a mare. The lines between gender segregation were slowly evaporating, more so in stallion careers than mare careers. Still, change was obvious and highly praised by the gradually conforming citizens of Equestria.
        “Oh, hello there,” kindly greeted Twilight as if the female solider was like the rest of the stallion guards.
        “I am so, so sorry, my Princess. We didn’t expect you to arrive at the front gate! I ask for forgiveness for delaying your arrival.”
        “It’s quite fine, I was hardly delayed. You’re pardoned.” Though Twilight never enjoyed acting as a regal pony, she knew from experience she had to put on the persona around strangers who thought highly of her.
        Instead of taking the steps, Twilight took off into the air. With grace, she landed delicately and proceeded to enter through the open doors to the castle. The interior of the palace was the same as it had been for years, hardly anything had changed about it. The lofty ceilings and high walls, adorned with murals, paintings, pottery and the like stretched throughout the multiple halls that spanned across the castle. The light from high arching windows blanketed the warm passageways and royal red rugs that clothed the flooring. Hired maids and servants swept, dusted and moved objects throughout her course through the castle, often greeting Twilight with the customary "Your highness” or “Good evening Princess Twilight.”
        Traveling through these corridors felt highly surreal to her, as if she was enacting a dream of her fillyhood. The charm of Castle Canterlot’s familiarity enchanted her in ways no magic or medicine could reproduce. Twilight remembered her younger years spent here, discovering the many rooms of the palace and skipping about the castle greeting everyone she met. Cherished moments with the Princess even made their way back into her mind, resurfacing delightful days of old. One of her fondest memories was of her and Celestia playing hide-and-go-seek, and though Celestia knew every nook and cranny of the palace, she made the game much more enjoyable for young Twilight. The matured Princess had to stop for a moment, listening to the near silence of the citadel as her nostalgia took over. Her eyes began to well up, but she pressed back the inner joy and continued to make her way to the throne room, knowing that she was nearly late to her meeting.
        Turning down the last corridor towards her destination, three Royal Guards were stationed near the entryway to the chamber. Two held firm to each side of the large double doors while one paced slowly in front, at first oblivious to the coming Princess. Twilight noticed who was ahead of her and her trot quickly proceeded into a gallop. The front guard took notice at once of the coming noise as a smile found its way upon his face. He approached and hugged the coming mare as Twilight stretched her hooves up and around her brother’s shoulders.
        “It’s so good to see you, BBBFF!"
        “Likewise, lil sis.” The two released one another from their loving grasp as they took a moment to collect themselves. Shining Armor had hardly changed to her, only a faded mane gave way to his age. He was as strapping and sharp as he once was years ago, and still he held the position as the Captain of the Guard. Though he never ventured out into the wilds of outer Equestria in his later years–and Twilight was thankful for this–he was still a headstrong leader and defender of the weak. Peace had taken its toll on the land, yet Shining was almost unaffected by its alluring hold.
        “How have you been?” Twilight asked.
        “Fine, as usual. The only real excitement this week has been seeing you, that and hearing that the Princesses are holding a secret meeting for you.”
        “Princesses?” Twilight had previously thought it would be a meeting between only her and Celestia. She didn’t care if Luna was present–she enjoyed her company–but she was simply uninformed at the change in plans.
        “Yep,” Shining stated quite firmly, “both Celestia and Luna. That’s really all I’ve been informed of.” He swayed his body to the side and rose a hoof towards the entryway. “Shall I escort the Princess to her secret meeting?”
        Twilight rolled her eyes and just as properly replied, “You may, fine sir.”


__________


        Before Twilight entered the chamber, Celestia was alone in her throne room. She hadn’t aged a bit due to her immortality, though as each year passed, her mind continually aged. She stood towards the overarching windows behind the throne, looking over the sweeping green valleys of Equestria. Her eyes followed the waves of untampered forests that stretched far and climbed the higher lands and mounts. The border of the Icicle Mountains could be seen gleaming faintly on the lower horizon, and where they declined into the Equestrian borders the earthy brown Drackenridge Mountains leveled off into eventual foothills.
        Dragon Peak was just as visible from Canterlot; her eyes were affixed to the mountain where the world nearly ended thirty-three years ago. It was a monument to her, a bleak reminder of how dark the days of old were. Were it not by a single thread of fate, Equestria would be lost in total desolation. She felt a presence coming and turned to greet her soon to be arriving sister. A orb of indigo light burst before her and in its place stood the prominent and powerful Princess of the Night.
        Luna joined next to her sister saying, “The Ivory Guard approached me this morning, Gallant and his troop have been eliminated.” Celestia made no visible remark, her eyes only traveled back to the large window before them.
        Luna continued as coldly as before, “Gallant informed me over the Oracle Orb that indeed the rumors were true, the Griffons are forming an army. We knew this of course, but Vallak has been accumulating his allies across Arteria. They are on the verge of an invasion, and we are their number-one target.” Celestia lowered her head and sighed.
“This was bound to happen," Celestia said. "The only way we have secured peace for so long was because we let them gather their masses. If we went forward and attacked first, their allies would aid them. Peace would end.”
        “Even if we drew in all of our forces, Vallak would still crush us.” She paused for a moment before saying, “So it is time...” Luna took in a breath as her heart fluttered a little faster on the coming words. She restated slower, “...It is time we seek out the Hero of Arteria again.”
        “Have you made contact with him in the past years?”
        “Only rarely."  Luna elaborated, "It’s been a decade since I last met him near the border. Our meetings are only brief. He seems to want to stay away from Equestria and to continue his studies of the world. He has begun to walk down the many different paths of magic. His own natural abilities were nothing more than an average unicorn’s without the Catalyst Stone or Prevailer in hand, now he has sought out the natural magics of Cerji. Whenever we would meet, I would grant him use of my lunar scrolls for study. I doubt he has the prowess to master such a delicate magic.”
        “Are you forgetting who Zachary is, sister of mine?”
        Luna took a moment to think over her sister’s words before digressing, “Do you want me to seek him out once more?”
        “No, I think I have a better idea.”
        The doors to the throne room were magicked open by the two stationed unicorn stallions on the outside. Both Princesses turned to greet Twilight Sparkle as she entered quite calmly. Celestia stepped forward with a true smile on her face.
        “Welcome. It’s been so long since we have seen you.”
        Twilight smirked, “Things have gotten busier, and recently I’ve been sidetracked from my letters. Oh and forgive me for my... tardiness.”
        “It’s quite alright. Me and my sister have been quite busy here in Canterlot as well.” The white alicorn gave off a golden aura around her horn as the doors behind her were gently, but firmly closed. Twilight was a bit excited to be apart of this long awaited meeting; she couldn’t fathom what it could be about, but she hoped that maybe it would bring about more adventures that her heart truly sought after. She longed for her and her friends to go out and save Equestria once more from the once persisting evils of the magical world.
        Celestia looked over at Luna, signaling her to do a premeditated task. Luna focused as the seam between the doors to the room melded into a single slab. None of the guards noticed this, nor did Twilight as Luna’s magic could be used stealthy, without a visible glow around her horn.
        Celestia tilted her head slightly and informed the purple alicorn, “There is no need to conceal your age here.” Twilight nodded and agreed. Slowly, her mane and tail glowed with youth again as the wrinkles around her jaw and eyes faded away. Finally, the glasses she wore puffed into smoke as they magically disappeared; she looked as young as she did thirty-three years ago.
        Celestia stepped closer towards Twilight as she imparted, “Now then, it has been many years since Discord’s return to Equestria, do you remember it?”
        “Yes, in fact I do. The hedge maze, the twisted Ponyville, how I brought together my friends and how we overcame him.” She paused and asked, “What about Discord? I thought he was reformed?”
        “All questions will be answered in due time. Me and Luna feel that it is time for the truth to be unveiled to you.”
        “The truth?” The way her former mentor spoke of such things and in such mannerisms was unsettling to Twilight.
        Celestia nodded and lowered her head. The student and teacher touched horns as magic pulsed through the elder and into the younger. A sudden flash sparked in Twilight’s mind, the clouded and distorted memories of old began to resurface once more. It all came to her quickly, so quickly that the memories flickered together in a distorting and dizzying fashion. She didn’t know what she was seeing and fought to open her eyes with all of her might, to try and escape the insanity. With a burst of strength, she managed to force her eyelids open and when her vision came to, she found herself in a different location in the castle. The chamber around her was darkened, yet before her stood a tall glass pane stained with colored pieces that, in all, resembled the Elements of Harmony. Below it stood both Celestia and Luna overlooking the young Princess.
        Twilight’s eyes scanned the window above her, an abnormal light source pierced through the art. As her mind was opened for the first time since thirty-three years, the glass mural she had seen a hundred times told a new story. The shapes of the jewels seemed to float about the glass and place themselves in new locations. Through the disorder configured a new image, an image of a creature that seemed so odd, yet familiar to her. It held in its grasp a sword that glimmered of purity, and in his other hand he grasped a stone of shifting hues. Her eyes widened upon realization, the name came so natural to her.
        Without thought, she uttered his name, “...Zack...” She was still confused, though her mind was steadily forming the memories in chronological order.
        Luna spoke up, “Zack... Zachary... Whatever you may call him, he is the reason for our peace. He is the hero of Equestria, he is the–”
        “How could you do this!” Twilight abruptly exclaimed. Luna hushed herself and was taken back by Twilight’s outburst. The small alicorn held her hooves to her head as she fell back on her haunches. The memories seem to crash together, the fabricated and the real memories of her past battled with one another.
        She couldn’t handle it as she spouted, “Zachary! Dragons! Olrugena! Dragon Peak! Starswirl! Pinkie! Valiant! Catalyst! Blacksmith! Prevailer! Hexarch!” She violently turned towards Celestia and forced out, “The Discord here is really a chaotically altered version of Hexarch that thinks he’s actually Discord when Discord was really a malevolent spirit that possessed Zachary and...” she abruptly stopped, took a breath, and outwardly spoke her realization, “I was killed... I was killed by Zachary, who was in turn possessed by Discord at the time, but still... He threw a sword in my chest!” She started patting herself down, checking for scars of any sort.
        “Twilight!” Celestia ordered. The purple alicorn immediately stopped upon hearing her mentor’s harsh tone of voice.
        She placed her hooves together, took a deep breath and exhaled, “I’m calm...” She opened her eyes and stood back up onto her hooves. “Sorry. This is all a bit... overwhelming...”
        “I’m sure it is. Do you remember everything now?”
        “To the point of me being–” she swallowed and faltered, “...m-murdered.”
        Celestia walked forward and placed a hoof on her former pupil, “I have a task for you. Go to Rhignes Rock, retrieve him and return. I have made it simple for you to siphon relay there; if you search your mind, you will find that I have given you the location to its hiding place.” Twilight took a moment to concentrate and found it with ease.
        The former unicorn questioned her Princess, “Why do you want me to go there?”
        “I had the feeling you needed a retreat from the simplicities of Ponyville.”
        “I’m fine with that, but why not Pinkie Pie? I believe she is more than capable of venturing out and seeing him.”
        “If she could, she would have already done so. I have given her a map to his location in the past, who knows what she has done with it or where she has gone.” Celestia reestablished, “I need you–however–to go about doing this. It would be quicker for you to teleport there than for Pinkie to walk.”
        “What about the panexus?”
        Luna spoke up on the matter, “Rhignes Rock is located in an area where the magical currents, the Ley Lines, fluctuate like the tides of the ocean. There is a great disarray of energy impulses that the ancient magical artifact cannot, at the time, properly function as it is intended. However you have a greater advantage siphoning there then taking a panexus and less likely end up being buried a thousand feet below the artifact, if you use the panexus that is."
        “How long do you think it will take me?”
        “A day or so, we will wait patiently for both of you to return.”
        Before Twilight concluded the meeting, she asked another, more somber question towards both of the Princesses. “Why tell me all of this now? Why did you wait so long to reveal this truth to me?”
        Celestia came to answer, “Because not all secrets should be known when discovered. Not all knowledge should be presented at the earliest moment. There is a time and place for everything.”
        Twilight was quite content with that answer as she averred, “I assume that’s all the secrets then. I couldn’t imagine any other greater secret then that.” Celestia only grinned at her still playful, filly-like ignorance.
        “You must depart, time is of the essence.”
        “Wish me luck,” she expressed when parting from the two alicorns. She exited the double doors to the throne room and began to make her way outside. She didn’t notice the lack of guards nor cared, her mind was fastened to other thoughts.
        A spike of urgency ran through her mind as she remembered something quite suddenly. The thought came that she was never in the throne room when her mind was opened up to the memories of Zachary. She turned and trotted back towards the door she came from and gently creaked it open. She peaked in and noticed that indeed it was the throne room, a well lit and empty throne room.


__________


        The day was drawing to a close as high and narrow cirri swept over a village below. The sun embraced the far ranges, nestling itself between the undisturbed ridges. Long shadows and amber rays was an invitation for warm air as it soothed the grounded denizens. From west to east, the atmosphere was bathed in a mixture of hues that faded into one another. Vibrant reds and alluring pinks filled the western sky and coated the contours of silver clouds that streaked beyond the horizon. A pure orange and a gentle yellow were hand in hand, gracing the upper loft of the world; all of which grew faint against a calm, dark blue veil–the coming of an enchanting night. Though the transition from evening to nightfall would be a peaceful coming, something came forth from the high hills that brought with it no peace, but sorrow.
        As the dinner plates were being set out on the table, there was a steady knock on the door of the Steed residence. Everyone–Amber Skies, Sunny Days and Gale–seemingly stopped preparing food in the kitchen upon hearing the noise. It was a curious time for anyone to be coming by at this hour, none knew who it might be. Before one of the three could react or exit the kitchen, a new pair of hooves made their way towards the door. Valiant Steed–the father and husband of the family–had left his recliner and newspaper to answer the call. He had matured much in thirty-three years, though through his outward appearance one could hardly tell.
        When the entryway was opened, his vision fell upon an old sight. His deep blue eyes widened at the sight of the Princess of the Night; her presence was as unexpected as if she were Zachary. He didn’t quite know what to say at first. Her expression was stolid and patient, he knew whatever she came to tell him was of high importance.
        “M-my Princess,” was all he could muster out to say at first. He took a breath and continued, “May I help you, Luna?”
        The Princess had a delayed response–she knew she had to tell him the honest truth, the truth of what happened to his eldest son in the Icicle Mountains. It was customary for Royal Guards to inform the families of their fallen loved ones, but she took it upon herself to do this task. As a close friend, Luna sought to be with Valiant as a way of comfort. The moment and courage finally rose up in her in what felt like hours before the crippled pegasus stallion.
        “Valiant...” she started, her tone gave way to the gloom in her heart. “Gallant Steed and his stallions were ambushed in the Icicle Mountains. None were spared.” Valiant’s eyes became empty, mouth slightly ajar. His stance locked up like a statue, he wasn’t ready for such drastic news to be made known to him. Luna felt a pain in her stomach, seeing the stallion before him tense towards an emotional breakdown.
        “We were able to recover the body... but by the time we did, he was gone.” She reached a hoof over onto his shoulder and sympathized, “I’m so sorry, Valiant.”
        Gale and their children came up behind Valiant, wondering who was at the door. Valiant heard the three approaching and slowly turned. They halted in mid-trot, seeing the look of horror on his face.
        “Valiant, dear?” Gale carefully asked, having not heard Luna’s words a moment ago.
        He was on the verge of faltering as he stared into his wife’s eyes and quivered out, “Gallant...” Only from his name and from Valiant’s tone she knew what this meeting was about. She rose her hooves to her mouth, letting out a sharp breath. Both Amber and Sunny were unable to cope with the news so suddenly, it was as if at any moment one of them would wake up in their own beds, but that moment never came. Gale nodded in denial of the news, keeping her eyes affixed on her husband.
        He breathed out, shutting his eyes tightly and trying to hold back the coming tears, “Our son is dead.” She raced over and threw her arms around him, bawling into her husband’s shoulder. Luna stepped back as his family gathered around him, she could do no more but leave. She took to the skies as young Sunny Days watched from over his father’s other shoulder.
        The death of his brother had not yet truly effected him, he couldn't bring himself to cry just yet; though he knew he would in the coming night. He loved Gallant dearly, and he knew his father loved him much more than Sunny. It was an obvious fact, though something that maybe Valiant wasn’t entirely aware of. Gallant was the shining example of what Sunny wasn’t meant to be, but what Valiant always wanted in him. Sunny couldn’t comprehend how this would affect his family in the long run, but cared not to search for such answers at a time like this. He held his father closer as he closed his eyes, trying his hardest to grieve.
        As the sun sank below the horizon, an unnoticeable blue light flickered in the heavens above–and vanished in the coming moment.
> 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(4)






A silver sun rose over the bleak peaks of the Icicle Mountains. Its shine broke through the thick mantle of gray and lit the blankets of snow in a pale blue. The giants of stone and ice breathed in unison, exhaling frosty wind through the crevices and jagged ridges. As the lifeless morning continued, something bellowed deep below the ancient mounts. A low roar moaned through the under earth, a noise that was uncommon to the gelid lands.
        Through black caverns and endless halls of stone stirred something of evil intent. Bent to the will of a greater, a creature was captured from a far corner of the world and was dragged under the towering mountains, into the dungeons of the ancient world. There, it was broken and reforged, mind melded with dark thoughts, twisted by corruption and chaos. Only two knew of this monster, a beast that would shake the foundations of the world of light. Malorga would soon rise.
        The land above the secret prison which held the terrifying beast was bitter and chill. Not far from its location was the hidden city of Gryphus, nestled between the rocky spires of the clouded mountains. In the high halls of Kyanite Castle, a meeting was scheduled where Vallak and his mentor waited. The King of the Griffons sat back on his stone throne, loosely gripping the burnt stave. The weapon’s head, a gem glistening with the haunting hue of living blood, floated freely within the confines of contorted metal and wood.
        The staff–the imprisoned spirit of Tirek–spoke through in a deep whisper, “The time is now. Allow them to enter.” Vallak rose a talon towards his guards before the doorway, they knew the signal and began to pull back the large, iron-braced doors. A row of different and unique creatures, draped in contrasting royal attire, stood before the door. A single, studious looking griffon promptly glided over to introduce each of the members who were to take part in the coming meeting. The faithful servant cleared his throat and announced each accordingly, allowing them to step forward upon his remark of them.
        “May I present Lord Acadain of Hoovegorod.” An umber coated earth stallion stepped forward, bowing his head in allegiance to Vallak. He wore iron braces and knee guards, while underneath he sported thick wraps and a belt around his chest. A large, deep red and narrow cape draped around his back and neck, and he held its hem in his right hoof. He made his way into the room as the next leader moved forward.
        “May I present Chief Desig of Ravaged Ravine.” A large stone troll presented himself, striding heavily with each step before inclining to one knee. He towered over the others in height and his sheer strength could collapse the palace in one mighty heave. His skin was broken, yet firm–chipped from battles long ago. His eyes were cold and black, as lifeless as stone itself. In his hand he held a sinister and rough halberd, its head carved from a large, silver jewel. He arose after his prolonged bow and walked into the chamber.
        “May I present The Venerable Emperor Cycinann Delcex of the Gleaming Pines.” A headstrong and straight postured centaur entered the room. His eyes shimmered like polished amber before he diverted them towards the floor, bowing slightly while keeping a hand on his chest. His coat was of a dark, forest green, while his hooves were of burnt red. He wore no armor, though a single crown of jade narrowly encompassed his head. On his back he carried a rounded shield with the sigil of his kind crossed with a blade and sheath. He arose and stepped aside, allowing the last of the four to enter.
        “And lastly, my I present Alpha Baskavail of the Endless Plains.” A large and dark hound, slender though agile, stepped into the chamber. Vallak had heard many rumors of Baskavail, and of his prowess; he and his lineage were a legend which spanned across Arteria. He stood tall and steady on two hind legs, a rarity among the sentient canine. He leaned forward and bowed before Vallak, silver eyes affixed on the King before him. His coat was jet black, with short hair and long, sharp ears. His paws were narrow, though claws honed; his tail was docked and his muzzle long. He promptly stood after giving his respects and made his way forward.
        Before them all was a long table with two wooden chairs on each side, and throne was located at the end of the table. Each leader—excluding Vallak—stood behind a single chair, and simultaneously they sat themselves down upon Vallak’s gesture.
        The Griffon King leaned forward and commenced, “Welcome, allies of old, to the Griffon Kingdoms. We of the scattered realms come under one roof for a common goal, to bring a new era upon the world.”
        “Yes we know, Vallak,” remarked Acadain. “For long my kind has suffered, more so than the Griffons and any other here in this grand hall. We know the pains of being cast away from our promised land. We know the torment of being alienated by the lack of this ‘cutie mark’ other ponies possess. You need not remind me of why we fight; take heed though, the equines of Equestria are more powerful than you might imagine. Are spies assured me that their technology is soon to surpass even the griffons.”
        Desig grumbled out with a voice of gravel and spite, “Why have you waited so long, Vallak? Why wait when we could have crushed the equine years ago when their powers were lesser?”
        “I wish to know this too,” Cycinann concurred with Desig. With a lighter tone, he approached the manner with sincerity, “We understand your desire to amass your forces. After kingship was reformed within your realm, your forces were bestrewn in bandit camps. If we were to have had this gathering earlier, our combined efforts would easily topple Celestia’s forces.”
        Vallak raised his hands and made his motives known, “Though they have risen to my kinds’ knowledge, they are blinded by the years of peace Celestia has brought them. No army can enter through their realm without Celestia’s knowing, though our spies can with ease. They slip into ranks, befriend and ally the ponies; my kind has been accomplishing this for many years.”
        He knew this was not an acceptable excuse, so he went on, “Besides this factor, they were in possession of a weapon that could eliminate even spirits.” Each member at the refractory table was astonished to hear those words–excluding the stolid and reserved hound. They knew of the spirits and of spirit kind, the ones who possessed forms of alicorns. The pony civilizations spanned far across Arteria in days of old. There were once many alicorn rulers who held high rank and established their reign over the world, pushing the former natives into outer lands. The hatred for the equine grew and lingered on even till the last great pony kingdom was established, which was Equestria.
        Desig questioned Vallak, “How did the Equines come across this weapon?”
        “It came to them through the means of another. He is a wizard of great power, and I have met him once long ago. A being not of this world has allied with them, and though his presence is no longer known within the kingdom, I have been informed that he is still of this world.”
        Vallak looked about each leader, “He will return upon our invasion, though we will be ready–for I have the brother to his weapon.” Vallak levitated the staff over the table, and as it hovered in silence, its real form became known to them. No longer was it a stave but a blade. Bathed in the darkness of the void and tinged with ethereal shadow, it glistened in the bleak halls with energy unfamiliar with their world. Their eyes were locked onto the spirit-crafted weapon, though the hound seemed unimpressed.
        Vallak noticed this and asked Baskavail, “Are you still doubtful of our soon-to-be victory?” The canine’s eyes narrowed on the griffon and Vallak couldn’t resist the slight discomfort Baskavail had awoken from inside him.
        “This sword seems to be a master of you. I shan't rely on a weapon and master who is not proven in battle.” Vallak tensed with anger as the hilt of the blade met with his hand. He gripped the sword and pointed it toward the unmoved canine.
        “The Line of Pinscher is nothing compared to the power of the Afflicter!”
        Baskavail retained his apathy and fierce manner as he stated, “No magical weapon will grant you victory, nor can the beast you bent to your will will grant you success.” Baskavail eased himself up from his chair and looked over his allies. “I will still aid you all so that I may reclaim my forefathers’ crystal realm under the capital—but be wary my friends. I know of these equine, I know of their might in magic and skill. The Royal Sisters will be our demise if we should slip only slightly. Through keen judgment and stern command can we defeat them.”
        The Emperor of the Gleaming Pines spoke up, “What about this wizard that will aid them in battle?”
        “I will sever him.”
        The Alpha of the Endless Plains promptly exited the council chamber and met with his generals on the vestibule of Kyanite Castle. The city before them was alive with many creatures, most of which were soldiers ready for war. Two lean hounds approached Baskavail, armed with wicked and thin blades strapped to their backs.
        One of the two hounds asked, “What is your bidding, my Alpha?”
        “You both shall come with me, along with six more of our fastest and strongest. The rest shall follow under Vallak as he takes the combined forces into Equestria. We shall go ahead and seek out the Wizard. I believe Vallak is not in control of this war, for I felt a fifth presence among us; a more powerful force not of this world. Vallak is a puppet of higher powers.” He looked towards his hounds and concluded lowly, “Now come.” Baskavail and his hounds began their descent down the five-hundred steps. They made their way through the city streets, gathered their assault group, leading them towards the high gates to the east. There they set out without provision or guidance through the Icicle Mountains.
        The council of leaders continued without Baskavail, though they no longer needed his presence. In secret they went over the plans of attack and the area where the battle was likely to commence. Vallak told them nothing of the monster he held captive in the depths of his mountain kingdom. In the black halls of ancient days, in caverns and dungeons that had never seen the light of the sun, was imprisoned the foe of the equine. A magnificent and terrible demon of the old world who wearily rested, saving its strength for what was to come.


__________


        Outside of Canterlot castle, on the high porch of the Western Keep, Twilight Sparkle focused her thoughts. Her mind’s eye stretched far over the landscape towards the area where Celestia made known to her through deep insight. Across an ocean of absence she found an island of land, a coastal province of high, tan reeds and gray cliffs. On a sliver of a protruding cliff she saw the shack where he would be and there she pinpointed her magic. An anchor in her mind was set on the location, mentally tethered across thousands of miles of land. She was deeply afraid of failing, but fought against the wavering emotions. With a quick burst of magic, her body vaporized and zipped through the air.
        Her sense of time and perception was always absent when she siphon relayed, though it was only for a mere moment; however now she felt utterly lost in all senses. The amount of distance was the likely cause and her comprehension on many things slipped away. It was a brief sensation of total abandonment, but to her (during her time siphoning) it felt like hours of darkness. Without sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, body and consciousness, she floated through the nothingness of another world.
        Just as sudden as a veil being drawn back to the light of day, she perceived this light once more. Sight was the first of her senses to return, then came the others just as fast. Her vision was muddled at first, but her senses aided her in establishing her surroundings. She felt the touch of the grass and ground against her coat, the smell of salt and greenery, the taste of the sea upon her lips, the sound of distant, crashing waves and swaying stalks. As her sight reformed, she noticed that she was on her back, looking up at the slate gray mantle of endless, lumpy clouds above her. A new feeling could be perceived as her senses were tuned even more from the recent and jarring teleportation: the coming of rain.
        She stood up on her hooves and looked about her; the tall and thick stalks of sea plants towered over her as she regained her ability to balance and walk. Her knowledge of flight and magic was still gradually coming back to her, she knew she could not warp or fly out of the maze of vegetation.
        “Hello?” she called out in a tiresome tone. The wind swept over her and blew her mane back through the reeds. She had no choice but to make her way through the plants until she found high ground and so she did so.
        She pushed her way through the reeds, pressing them back and making further advancement. Her sight was hindered by the amount of greenery and her hooves could tell that there was no elevation of land. For a few minutes, she wandered aimlessly through the sea of reeds, with no direction or source for direction (being that the sun was behind the blanket of storm cloud). With little to no luck, she found a narrow pathway through the reeds that snaked off beyond her sight. She took the stone-laden trail and walked down it until the road rose up slightly. She followed it still until finally the reeds ended and the exit was in sight. As she left the confines of the natural labyrinth, her eyes fell upon the shack she saw in her distant vision and the bitter bite of sweeping wind gnawed on her form.
        She approached it cautiously, for the house before her seemed in poor condition for living in. She swore it looked more homely when her mind had focused in on it. She stepped onto the wooden porch and noticed that behind the railings at the foot of the house were blown over figurines. She stopped, stepped back and picked one of the many up for a closer inspection. It was a delicate carving of her friend Pinkie Pie, but why she and many other wooden ponies that were seemingly blown over the railing’s edge and were not picked up eluded her.
        She stepped towards the door and knocked on it, saying aloud, “Zachary? It’s me, Twilight Sparkle. Are you here?” No answer came to her. She pressed her ear against the door, she could hear nothing from the inside except the cackling of a weak fire. She eased her hoof towards the face of the salt-eroded gateway, opening the screen door first and then the wooden door. A living room sprawled out before her with a much more lively appearance than the outside of the shack. Her eyes met with a large, red couch and in it sat the human reading a book. She was unafraid by his appearance, for her mind had been opened by Celestia once more and was comforted by it.
        He turned and looked over at Twilight as if he had never seen her before; but before Twilight could speak, an emerald blaze engulfed him from foot to head. Twilight leaped back in fright as his form changed when the magic fire dissipated, revealing a changeling. The alicorn took a firm stance in the doorway and mustered up the power to conjure magic in her horn, ready to attack.
        “What have you done with Zachary?” She cried out, on the verge of blasting her old foe to dust.
        “Wait! Stop!” He pleaded from the auburn recliner, “I’m not like the others! Queen Chrysalis is not my master, I know of Zachary and where he is!” A new presence entered from a far corridor Twilight could tell from the corner of her eye. She pivoted her head and lost focus for a moment, wheeling back in disbelief.
        “D... D... Discord!” She couldn’t believe it at first, but as she looked over the studious and straight postured draconequus, she realized that this was not Discord at all. His limbs were of different animal appendages, though his frame was much like her old enemy’s.
        He looked upon her with surprise saying, “Oh, an unexpected visitor? An equine from the far realms south of here, yes?” He bent over, frightening the mare even more with his strange, un-chaotic behavior. “I’ve only read about your kind in the books the wizard left behind here at Rhignes Rock. That, and seeing the figurines he once made of you all. It’s quite odd looking upon a pony in the flesh.”
        “Roren,” the changeling barked out, “stop pestering her! She’s trembling, for Celestia’s sake.”
He stepped back and apologized, “I’m sorry, my mare. Hearth keeps reminding me that my ways of approach are... dated, so to speak. But! I am learning every day to be better at such areas of communication!”
Twilight, finding her courage once more, asked the two, “So you both know Zachary? You’re friends with him?”
“Indeed,” Hearth answered. “He’s helped us out in some way or another. He came to us and trusted us to watch over his home.”
        “So he’s not here?”
        “I’m afraid not.”
        Roren elaborated on the matter, “The Cervians came for him and off he went.”
        “Cervians?”
        “The deer folk, my dear.”
        “Where did they take him?”
        Hearth sat up from the chair, turned and stated in a lofty manner, “The Realm of Cervidas. In the high city of Concordia. In the House of Lady Nabeleen.”
        “He wanted to go,” Roren explained to the befuddled mare, “that was his plan all along. He knew he would have visitors, so he assigned me and Hearth to travel here and watch over his home. The journey from Firelight Woods is what I needed, and soon I wish to travel to Equestria.”
        Twilight rubbed her chin and murmured to herself, “Fascinating...” She had read about these places before in past books, but never has she known anyone mentioning them. She assumed they were lost lore of vacant and abolished places. She then made eye contact with Roren and questioned him, “I’m happy to know that Zachary is safe, but where is Cervidas? I need to meet him soon, there is great need for him back in Equestria.”
        “We are not sure how you arrived here,” Hearth said with a lack of enthusiasm, “but Cervidas is further than your journey from Equestria.”
        “A Panexus will not take you there,” the draconequus spoke up, “for there is none leading there. If anything, you will need a boat to pass through Blackwater Bay into Eternity’s Crossing, and finally onto land to Cervidas.”
        She swallowed weakly, she wasn’t ready to siphon relay again she didn’t know if she could. Her mind was unsteady and she couldn’t quite focus her magic. Hearing that Cervidas was further than Equestria made her tense up. Twilight began to explain how she arrived here and by what means, explaining to them the complications of siphoning to such a far off place without prior knowledge of being there.
        Hearth made his thoughts known to her after she finished, “Couldn’t you teleport to closer locations and not make a long jump?”
        “I could, however I’m not so confident in my ability to teleport to places I’ve never been to. The only way I made it here was through Princess Celestia’s prior knowledge of the location and making it known to me through my mind.”
        “Well,” Roren wondered aloud, “Maybe we can help in some way.” He turned and reached a folded parchment from atop the fireplace mantle. The changeling, draconequus and pony surrounded the dining table as Roren unfolded the tan piece of paper, revealing a much dated map of the known world.
        He brought a lit candle closer to the map as he said, “Zachary gave this to me. It was a map he made while here, only using the limited information from the books and charts Celestia gave him in his library here. Maybe you could use this to aid you.”
        Twilight studied the map closely, looking over deft pen strokes the human left behind. Then she saw it, a single island that was in the middle of the Sea of Eternity. It was relatively small, a quarter of the size of Equestria, but she knew she could teleport there, then to Cervidas with ease.
        She pointed to the island and indicated, “This island here, I can siphon onto it, regain my strength, and finally siphon towards Cervidas.” The others inspected the island closely before Twilight asked either of them, “Is this island, Gallopfrey, safe? Have any of you been to it?”
        “I can’t say I have,” Hearth answered.
        “I know nothing of this place,” remarked Roren.
        “It seems like this is the only way to it unless I took a boat or went beyond the edge of the map to find a similar crossing which I doubt there is.”
        “How great is this cause for Zachary’s presence?” asked Roren. “I believe it would be safer to take a boat there; and though it would take longer, you would be much better off.”
        She knew that Roren was right and she truly didn’t want to do this to siphon into the unknown. It would be a feat as great as Starswirl’s, and she never once compared herself to such an astounding and powerful unicorn. She didn’t have the will, and every fiber of her being told her not to perform such a task; however a pin-hole of light, a single gleam of faith, shown through that made her believe in herself. Whether it was bravery or foolishness, she could not determine, for the line between them is thin.
        “I think I’m going to do it,” Twilight breathed in an almost breathless sigh. The others looked at her keenly, they too had kindled faith in her. She had shown bravery and strength by siphoning here, they knew that an alicorn as powerful as her would be able to handle her own in the wilds of the untrodden world.
        “Whatever you believe is the right thing to do,” Roren acknowledged, “then I believe it so.”
        “Likewise!” happily added Hearth.
        They all stepped outside as Twilight trotted towards the center of the lawn away from the others. She stopped suddenly when her eyes fell upon a certain object wedged into the end of a jutted cliff before her. The scared object, the magical artifact that had slain so many evils, stood tall before her. The white blade shown bright and shimmering in the backdrop of the far off ocean and dark horizon. The majesty and craftsmanship, along with the legends and lore, together they sown intertwine, creating the living essence of the beautiful weapon.
        In reverence, her lips quivered out, “The Prevailer...” She took a step forward, then another, carefully creeping towards the stolid masterpiece. She continued to speak in a soft tone, as if to a lover, “The knowledge I now remember of this blade, the sheer magical power in its essence, it is beyond words made for comprehension that I wish to express of its... pulchritudinous.”
She gently placed her hoof on the timeless relic’s face, it was as smooth and faultless as the day it was forged. A desire grew in the pony to reunite this weapon with its master, as if it was speaking to her alone to do this act. If she could, she would willing take the blade to him; but only the master of the Prevailer may wield the sword. It was difficult to break away from the enchantment she had fallen under, but she did so, for she had a higher duty in that moment. She turned and faced the both Hearth and Roren, who stood silently on the veranda of the shack watching over her.
“It is quite captivating,” remarked the draconequus, with his eyes now affixed on the weapon beyond her.
“Why he didn’t take it with him to Cervidas is beyond me,” furthered the changeling.
Twilight pondered aloud, “I can’t necessarily remember, but has Zack always been this... mysterious in his plans?”
Roren answered, leaning his elbow on the porch railing, “It seems like it. He only passed us limited information on our instructions, though it was enough to make us travel beyond our means to stay here. The wizard works in mysterious ways, often hiding his true intentions and thinking over ever possible outcome before setting them to action.”
Hearth commented on Roren’s remarks, “He isn’t perfect, his plans do fail often more than succeed, but he’s witty enough to overcome his failures quite quickly. So we’re sure he knows what he’s doing.”
Twilight calmly nodded in approval, shivering slightly from the chill air about her. She slowly turned back towards the cliff, but stopped mid-way, pivoted around and questioned the two one last time.
“Do you think we’ll meet again, all of us together? I would love to hear everyone’s tales and stories; perhaps I’d write a book about it all, a collaboration, so to speak.”
“I know we will.” Roren concluded, “Now go.” Twilight smiled, as did the other two. She faced the stretching sea below her and concentrated. Her mind’s eye peered south-east, breaking from the mainland and sailing swiftly over the dark waters. It took a much longer while to seek out the island, only having knowledge of it through the markings of a crude map, but eventually she discovered it. The shattered chain of Gallopfrey was isolated in the center of the sea. She couldn’t quite pin-point where she could land, but nonetheless anchored her mind onto the island itself. Where she would teleport onto the island was unknown to her, but her magic fastened her to a solid point of firm matter that she could almost feel underneath her hooves. Once she felt this sensation, she opened her eyes slowly, taking one last glance out towards the ocean. When she did this, a deep roar of far thunder roll bellowed beyond Blackwater Bay. A storm was brewing, cooking in the deep of uncharted waters.
She feared not the troubles of the weather, and in a flash took towards the skies in a thin mist of fleeting magic.


__________


        Her body shifted uncomfortably through the realm which senses cannot comprehend. As her form contorted back to its original and familiar state, her senses came to much quicker than her first long siphon. The first sensation she noticed was the painful patter of heavy rain beating against her coat, then the sway from the ground beneath her. Twilight stumbled across a wet, wooden deck, and knew almost immediately that she was on a ship in the storm that she saw from Rhignes Rock.
        The roar of crashing waves, the pounding storm upon the vessel and the cries of a seafaring crew ushered chaos itself aboard. She couldn’t make out who was working on the craft, the veil of night and dreary weather cloaked everything before her. A violent jolt upheaved the edge of the ship as the alicorn tripped sideways, barely catching herself on the port-side railing. She needed to get off this vessel to ensure her own life, she wasn’t fit for this type of danger.
        Her magic was unsteady, head scrambled from the failed siphon. She was afraid of flying overboard to find land, knowing that she would most likely be swept away in the storm gales. She frantically thought of a likely escape from this hell, though her disoriented mind declined to produce results. Her stomach churned, her head throbbed, and her body was bruised from the constant falling and crashing upon the deck; Twilight saw no way out of this and begged Celestia for it all to stop.
        A sudden flash illuminated the deck, a powerful blast of sound shot through her ears as her eyes darted upwards. A bolt of lightning pierced through underbelly of the storm and sundered the main mast. Fire engulfed the timber post as everyone was thrown onto their backs from the force of the discharge. The cracking of splintered wood could be heard over the storm as Twilight watched in horror what was about to befall her and the crew.
The mast split and fell to each side, crashing down upon the ship and breaking through the hull itself. Bodies of equine-like creatures were sent flying through the air as the vessel heaved back, separating its bow and stern away from each other. Twilight scrambled backwards against the quarterdeck, but was flung forcibly from the ship as the deck beneath bent and split from the fall of the main mast. She felt wind enter her ears and noticed that her hooves were off the ground, yet her vision was blurred by salt and sea spray. Suddenly, water rushed around and she submerged underneath the violent ocean.
The flair of lightning was the only light her eyes could make out as she held her breath and desperately tried to swim upwards through the murk. Twilight looked beside her, seeing a large chunk of the ship sink into the dark and unknown abyss which tried to consume her as well. As her vision darted back upwards, she panicked seeing the shattered mast break through the water and plummet towards her. Without much thinking, she focused her mind and teleported beyond the mast and towards the surface.
Twilight tried to stay afloat around the fierce and monstrous waves, fighting for air as she was continually being taken under the upsurge of the sea. Another crack of lighting made her eyes notice a broken piece of hull floating among the fragmented vessel and corpses. She concentrated and warped towards the buoyant object. She wrapped her forelegs around the portion of the ship and kicked with her hind legs to stay afloat. It was enough to keep her adrift and above water, but she had to be strong in order to stay on top of it during the squall.
The night drew on, as did the storm, and Twilight didn’t know how long she was out amongst the swell. Her memory fleeted her as she grew tired quite suddenly, gripping still the drifting piece of hull.
> 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(5)






The scorch of the mid-morning sun baked Twilight upon the soft sands of a distant shore. She was still coming too, though her strength was drastically diminished. The alicorn’s stomach was filled with salt water and sand coated her wet form. Her limbs felt lifeless, though still they clung to the washed up piece of hull. Her eyes remained shut—her body needed rest and recovery. As her consciousness was nearing slumber again, her ears picked up the sound of hooves trudging through the sand coming towards her. She hadn’t the might to fight the weariness upon her and fell into an unconscious state once more.
        When she came to again she was no longer in the sun, but in a cool atmosphere. She was on top of a soft mound, feeling  as if she lay on a cloud itself. She opened her eyes slowly, realizing that she was alone and in the dark. As her vision adjusted, her surroundings became known to her; she appeared to be in a one-room building of some sort with crude, yet homely and oversized furniture. She was atop a tall bed herself, staring up at a thatched roof made of woven materials and wooden beams.
        She uncovered herself and eased her weak body off of the bed, feeling that she had enough strength to walk. Her hooves met the stone floor as she wobbled about, holding herself up on furniture as the blood rushed back into her sleepy legs. She stumbled towards the entry where a thick and heavy veil blocked out the sun and insects from the outdoors. It took great effort, but Twilight managed to part the large and cumbersome fabric before her and quickly blunder out of the hut. Her eyes tensed as she held a foreleg in front of her face, blocking out the painful sunlight. Before her she could see no one, though she found herself among other houses and buildings. They were outdated compared to the architecture of modern Equestria, though they appeared more advance than the early equine society. Below her was a stone path that twisted around the buildings and tree lines, she hoped that by following this route that she would come across somebody who could explain to her what was going on.
        As she took her first few steps beyond the hut she exited, a friendly and low voice inquired, “May I help you?” She swiftly pivoted around and was astounded by the appearance of a tall and well-built stallion before her. He would be giant among her kind, taller than even Celestia herself. His umber mane was much shorter and less carefree than a pony’s, and it fell over his head and neck. His coat was bronze and his eyes—though dark—gleamed like the evening sun on wet sand. His muzzle was much longer than a pony’s and eyes smaller; his form was wider, though hooves smaller than average. Lastly she realized he had no cutie mark, that he was a blank flank. It all made sense to her now as to why the furniture and buildings were over-sized. She swallowed her fright and approached the relatively friendly kin of hers, who questionably looked over her alien appearance.
        “H-hello there,” Twilight faltered.” I w-was wondering if, if maybe you could tell me where I was?” He warmly smiled before her with charm in his expression.
        “Ah, what polite manners you have. We found you on our shores a day ago after that nasty squall had hit our home, Houyhaven. You must be dreadfully confused on a number of questions; hopefully I will be able to answer them.” He pointed a hoof at himself and introduced, “My name is Neighthël son of Neighoof, and you are in the realm of Houyhaven and among its equine, the Houyhnhnms.”
        Neighthël’s well-mannered and welcoming speech brought Twilight Sparkle out of her discomfort as she raised a hoof towards him for a shake saying, “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am a pony from the land of Equestria. Have you heard of it?”
        His pale eyes lit with marvel as he repeated, “Equestria? That is but a myth among our kind!” Neighthël’s excitement could not be contained as he went on, “Oh the stories that have been told and written among my kind. Even I, a physician longing for adventure, have written tales of my own, inspired by the fantasy of Equestria.” Twilight was delighted to hear this stallion’s enthusiasm and was surprised that he was both a doctor and a writer. Neighthël seemed much more than just an islander, and her worry of savages and dangers upon siphoning to this archipelago seemed to wash away. Then the thought came to her that she wasn’t on Gallopfrey, but on an island named Houyhaven instead. 
        She held her thought, but asked another, “But how do you know about Equestria? I know a lot about the history of my land, but never have I read or seen any of your kind until today.” She added as a last remark, “And does Houyhaven also go by the name Gallopfrey?”
        He answered promptly but with less enthusiasm, “I don’t believe any of my kind has ventured far from the islands of Houyheaven, our watercraft are not strong enough to cross the violent sea. We once had a ship worthy to cross, with which we would use to trade with the Cervians, though that was long ago and the ship was taken under by a vicious hurricane. Now we no longer build vessels of that magnitude and none visit our island. However, a pony of your kind came to us and he was regarded by legend as Starswirl the Bearded. This was the same pony who gave Houyhaven the title of Gallopfrey, he noted that that name reminded him of—”.
        “Yes! I know him!” she interjected with unhindered vigor. “He was an astounding unicorn in our history books. An inventor of many spells and helped our land prosper in many ways.” There was a sudden clamor of voices beyond the houses and trees as both looked towards the origin of the noise.
        Neighthël indicated, “Ah yes, the mariners have returned from their fishing expedition. The town has gathered in the square.” His dark eyes like polished copper gazed briefly into hers as he ushered, “Come. Let me take you to the longhouse.”
The two trotted together into the hub of the township where the streets were of gray cobblestone. The courtyard stretched wide between the houses that surrounded it, and towards the front overlooked a small port where the mariners could be seen hauling carts of fish towards them. Many other houyhnhnms exited the side routes of the village and into the square to meet the mariners who brought in the early morning catch. The square acted as both a gathering place and market as shops that had already been set up were beginning to open for business. The horses began to crowd the streets, though through the multitude, Neighthël guided the small pony across the giants by hoof. None of them seemed to even notice the pony, for she was even smaller than the colts and fillies of their kind.
Twilight and Neighthël took a right through the village plaza, heading east. They followed the gentle path that lead up around a wide mount where the longhouse was located. Passersby gave Twilight odd looks, though she wasn’t discomposed by their wondering eyes. She had noticed that none of the houyhnhnms she came across were pegasi or unicorn, they all were the same race, though differed in color and figure. The manor they approached was long in width rather than length, though in height it towered, growing taller towards the center of the longhouse. It was five floors, though the fifth was a lookout point where one could see over the village.
Two guards were stationed near the front of the entrance as they climbed the stone stairs onto the veranda. They were adorned in flexible, iron plates that wrapped around their barrel and neck. Their helms were embellished in an iron cast that encompassed the back and side of their skull, and above the helmet they sported colorful, exotic red feathers. They held no weaponry, however thin and curved blades were strapped to their hooves and knees, and over their hooves were thick, metal boots. The soldiers gave no emotion, no acknowledgment to the pony, but acknowledged Neighthël.
One spoke saying, “So I see you brought the small one here. About time she awoke.” He looked down at her and tilted his head slightly, studying the alicorn.
“May we enter?” asked Neighthël.
The guards pressed back on the large, arching doors as one answered, “Proceed.” As they entered, Twilight looked about with wonder in her eyes at the craftsmanship of the Houyhnhnm.
The main hall itself was large and spacious, its ceiling was lofty and consisted of many balconies connected by overhanging bridges. The manor was bright and warm; a very homely setting was drawn forth from Twilight and she felt protected and soothed in the confines of the building. Working horses and servants trotted about, performing their daily duties and tending to the needs of the royal family. Between the many open entryways to plentiful chambers were intricate carvings of their history. The art was astounding to her, she hadn’t seen anything quite like this from her own lands. Swirls and lines of shading were burned and carved into great pillars and encompassing walls, all from single pieces of massive timber. The two followed down a carpeted path, followed by the two sentries that were once present at the door. At the end of the pathway were two thrones designed for equines to sit in, and they too were masterpieces of wood and art that captivated her sight. The longhouse was nothing like the ivory palace of Canterlot Castle, but in its own way it had a beauty nothing in Canterlot could reproduce by craft or magic.
The high throne was seated by the supposed king of the land, while the other was occupied by the Queen, and both Neighthël and Twilight bowed before their presence. The King was of a dark red coat, eyes velvet like the jewels that adorned his oaken and iron crown. The Queen was fair and of white coat, eyes like sapphires and her blonde mane was embellished with a crown of jade and polished iron.
The King promptly stood when the two bowed, heartily greeting them, “Welcome, fair pony of Equestria! I am the Lord of the Longhouse! It has been too long since our kind has been in contact with one another. And thank you, Neighthël, for tending to the mare and finding her on the coastline.”
        He stepped down from the platform and onto equal ground, where the stallion bent down and embraced the small mare with a tight squeeze. Twilight could feel her spine pop, but she held her breath and did not make her discomfort known. The ruler grasped her for a long moment before the queen gently coughed, signaling her spouse to let go of the poor pony. He did so and Twilight gasped for air, but was smiling and grateful for the king’s friendliness.
        The queen sweetly addressed the alicorn, “Welcome to Houyhaven, my mare. I am Queen Silvairia. I see our son has tended to your injuries quite well.”
Twilight looked over at Neighthël and remarked, “You didn’t tell me you were a prince?” He smiled and chuckled under his breath.
        “Aye,” spoke Neighoof, Lord of the Longhouse, “He is. May we ask what might your name be, and why you have traveled here to our archipelago country?”
“Oh, excuse me, yes! My name is Twilight Sparkle-err, Protégé of Princess Celestia.” Though she figured that they knew nothing about her, she thought she would make her name known to them. “And I am on a quest to Cervidas, to seek out a mighty hero.”
The king rubbed his chin, “A hero you seek? Is there trouble in your land? I did not know the deer folk were warriors.”
Silvairia commented, “From what knowledge my line has passed down, it is said they go to war in times of need. When strife that will affect their kind becomes known, they will journey out and face the armies.”
Lord Neighoof pointed towards Twilight with an eyebrow raised, “Is there a war on the horizon? Should we be worried?”
“I can’t answer that at the moment,” Twilight hesitated. “I only know so little of my task. I was on a ship and it crashed, my memory is weak, however I know I must go to Cervidas, for the answer I seek is there.” She was lying, but only so to prevent a long-winded explanation of the hero she sought and revealing that she didn’t exactly know why Celestia needed Zachary.
Queen Silvairia empathized with grief, “Oh, you poor thing! You may stay as a royal guest until you are feeling better, my dear?”
“Oh!” Twilight uttered, not expecting that response from the Queen. “Why thank you,” she went on, “but I cannot delay.”
The Lord of the Longhouse postulated, “I’m sure our kind is not going to war anytime soon. The equines haven’t been to war in ages! In this day and age, anyone who would dare try to enact war upon us would be mad!” She too couldn’t comprehend a foe that would test the strength of the ever growing Equestrian realms; but the more Neighoof and Silvaria talked of war, the more Twilight thought on the possibilities of a war that Celestia had yet to inform her.
“In the mean time,” the King spoke up, breaking Twilight’s current thought, “we shall have a feast for you, my dear! We would love to hear about our elder realm! It has been far too long since we have heard any news from it, even longer since a pony has visited Houyhaven.” It seemed that her arrival was highly praised, and though she didn’t need the attention she was soon to receive, there would be no way around it and accepted it. She needed to rest her mind for the next siphon, she had rushed her last teleportation and was lucky to be alive.


__________


Word spread quickly through the small island realm of Houyhaven and many villages partook in the sudden merrymaking. All about the capital town where Twilight had found herself in, known as Haythinian, was suddenly alive with joy and good tidings. As the other villages accumulated into Haythinian, Neighthël brought Twilight into his own small abode, for he wished to live away from the Longhouse and its royalties and guards. The stallion showed Twilight Sparkle his makeshift lab where he would work with multiple remedies and conjure elixirs for curing ills and to prolong health. Neighthël was as quick as a whip, but he was so devoted to his passion that soon Twilight learned that he had no need nor effort to pursue relationships outside of his own family. He was aloof, but only because he held higher the endless rewards of discovery in sacrifice than for social affinity.
She soon learned that there was no threat the houyhnhnms were faced with, and peace had been established for much longer in the island realms than in Equestria. Their isolation was a blessing and a curse, for many longed to go out and see the unknown world, though they could not build vessels that could break free too far from land. The Sea of Eternity churned constantly, filling its waters with hurricanes and maelstroms. Many accepted this reality long ago and put their desires aside along with their foalhood affections for adventure. Houyhaven, to Twilight, was a paradise; she couldn’t see why any equine would leave the confines of this tropic.
The time was nigh and the sun was far tilted in the western horizon. The sky was embellished in a pink cloak, and its hems of golden rays gleamed through the palms that swayed by the motion of the coastal winds. Torches were set on every corner as the streets were packed with equines, adorned in robes and garments of the rainbow. Drums and flutes filled the air, as well as shouts of laughter and festivity. In the longhouse, Twilight Sparkle was seated at the front of a long table that was built for the much taller houyhnhnms. A stool was set on the seat below her that propped her up to equal level, and this made her happy.
In no time, the dishes were unveiled before the royals and esteemed guests. Before her lay courses of dishes; seafood, salads, fruits, vegetables, shellfish, and other indistinguishable food that she did not know the name of was sprawled out before them all. Though she abstained from meat, she felt her hoof was forced into taking in the delights of the sea, and she did not regret this after her first bite.
Without thought, she used her magic to levitate a single fruit through the air, and the houyhnhnms were amazed that she had such a power. Long had it been since they had witnessed such magic and they praised her even more for performing such a feat. She soon learned that they too had magic of their own, but that magic was only in tongue—all houyhnhnm could speak and understand all sentient languages. Many prompted her to use her magic after the feast and she did so for the foals in the streets where she and the Royals trotted towards after dinner.
The sun now hugged the horizon, embracing the calm sea with burning affection. Twilight Sparkle had situated herself high above the other equine as she performed various spells. Magical fireworks and twirling spirals of light zipped above the crowd as they cheered and stared with awe. She teleported from roof to roof and levitated certain foals above her, almost juggling them with her magic. As a final act, she spread her alicorn wings and took towards the skies; and though she could not perform anything as wild and daring as Rainbow Dash, she soared about and embraced the praise, thinking that this was what her friend always felt.
The festival drew long into the night as the stars dotted the heavens. The great arm of her local galaxy was painted overhead like a faint and unmoving cloud of red and yellow dust. A silver crescent hung to the east in a cloudless loft, arising from the black ocean. Twilight had broken away from the houyhnhnms and towards the dark beach. She wanted to get away, if just for a little while; she never enjoyed constant attention and preferred solitude over unending admiration.
She truly wanted to visit the beach however, to look over the endless waters and to imagine what was beyond. The waves harmonized with one another as they rolled over the soft sands, swashing around her hooves. In all her life, she had only been to the beach a few times, but never had she been on an island. She had seen so little of the world and it weighed on her that most of her life was spent in the confines of Equestria. From what she had read, the world is so much bigger than she could imagine, but never had she acquired the drive to go beyond the edges of the map. A deep and foal-like yearning arose up in her when she siphoned for the first time out of Equestria, that longing was for adventure. Twilight never imagined herself as one who would admire the life and dangers of the road, but she now sought to make up for that time of isolation and to go far beyond her means and comforts to fulfill that desire.
Her ears picked up a sound coming from behind her and she turned to be greeted by Neighthël. She simpered as her eyes met with his, knowing that out of all of the islanders, that he would be the one to seek her out. He stopped when her gaze fell over him and found himself at a loss for words.
He mustered up the power to say the words, “Many are wondering where you went off to, or if maybe you had left the island altogether.” He stopped for a moment and breathed lightly, “But I see that is not the case.”
Twilight looked out over the moonlit sea and spoke as if talking to herself, “I just needed to be alone.”
“Oh, I see.”
Neighthël began to turn away before Twilight spoke out, “Please, Neighthël, stay with me.”
The two lie apart from one another in the sand, overlooking the tide and the silver crowns atop the wavering waves. For a long moment they did not speak, but enjoyed the quiet of the night and the song of the sea. Taking in the salty air, Twilight Sparkle was the first to speak, speaking softly as if to a dear friend. She went on to explain to him about Equestria, for she knew that he wanted to know more about it. Twilight explained how the mountains, valleys and forests were still amazing to her after so long. She told him of Ponyville, her friends, Celestia and Luna, the Elements of Harmony, and even some of the many dangers she and her friends have faced over the years. He was so entranced by her stories and pictures that they seem to almost magically form in his mind by her words alone. A greater sense of adventure was sparked in his heart as well; it was as if she had gifted her ambition of adventure to him, and she now had a sudden longing for home.
        Without thinking, she told him of her quest in detail and went on to tell him of Zachary. As if it were yesterday, she told him of the tales that Zack had told her and that Celestia had imparted to her through her mind. She avoided telling him of her final hour, about how Zack was corrupted by the god of chaos. An epical envisionment of the human was painted in Neighthël’s mind, and now desperately he sought to leave the island.
        The night drew on as the moon sailed through the sky. The festival died down as houyhnhnm began to become weary, seeking slumber. Neighthël was not tired however, nor was Twilight, though her voice was. She had lost track of time, but knew it was the early morning. Twilight could see in Neighthël that he was inspired, a bit taken back by the world that was out there that he could have never imagined.
        With eyes affixed upon the enchanting waters he had seen all his life, he spoke soothingly, but with great fervor, “If there was a way to leave this place, I would go immediately. I would live out the rest of my days in Equestria, and the way you described it only makes my heart ache in longing.” He turned and looked towards her saying, “I wish to come with you on your journey to Cervidas, then to Equestria.”
        Twilight sighed, “You know you can’t. I’m not able to teleport others to such far away places. I would if I could.” She knew her words would not aid him and she felt his pain through his expression. She would love to help him, but what he asked for was too much for her to preform.
        With disappointment, the alicorn comforted, “Maybe in the near future I will come and find you again. And perhaps then I’ll take you to see Equestria.”
        “I understand,” he broke in coldly. Neighthël looked up towards the stars and was beginning to fill with sudden enlightenment.
“I want to see mountains, Twilight! Not these hills or streams on Houyhaven, but mountains in stories that are said to stretch towards the sky like the great clouds upon the horizon. I want to see fantastic beasts and ancient citadels, to delve in caverns and lay by the bank of a sunny river.” Twilight looked towards him, feeling great emotion towards the hapless stallion.
“All my life I’ve been stuck on this island, and though I love my kin and kind, I wish to leave. I feel that we all have a longing to escape, to see what’s behind the veil of mystery, beyond the mists of doubt...” He stopped for a moment and turned his gaze towards Twilight. His eyes met with hers, and their hearts pattered in sync with one another. He suddenly asked the odd question to the mare, “Is this what love feels like?” Her eyes would not stray from Neighthël’s as she hesitated her answer, searching for the right words to say.
“Perhaps..." Twilight wondered under her breath. "I wouldn’t...” The two were entranced, minds and hearts racing for a time neither of them knew not of. A sudden light broke over the waters and pierced them. The red beams of a new sun could be seen emerging as if from the water itself. A sudden flash of insight was made known to Twilight, and she knew that she was delaying her quest to seek out Zachary.
“I’ve wasted too much time here, Neighthël.” She returned her sight towards him, “I must seek out Zachary. Who knows what troubles Equestria could be facing? For my country and kind, I must do this.” Neighthël was speechless, frozen as he lie on the beach. She arose and walked towards the ocean, looking out over the sea and stretching her mind to find a point to siphon towards.
It was in that moment that his eyes widened and a sudden rush overcame him in the secret of his own mind. The trickling sunlight upon her mane and tail, the pacifying purple coat she bore, he now saw something more in her. Her eyes gleaming, flawless like an amethyst. Form alluring, mind attracting, grace appealing; all of which was beauty in his eyes. How he had not seen this upon first sight was beyond him, but now—truly—his eyes were opened.
Twilight as well felt the same before he came to realize his own longing for her, though she tried to push the distractions out of her head to properly siphon towards the continent beyond her gaze. For a moment, the world around her faded away as her mind spread out over the foggy world beyond. Like tracing her hoof across an unreadable map, she used her memory of the map that Roren and Hearth showed her and pinpointed a very similar location that her mind made known to her. There, she anchored her mind, tethering it to a sea of forests. Once she knew where to siphon to, her position was locked and she could open her eyes.
The sound of the ocean and gulls crept back into her ears as the morning light shone brightly in her eyes. She turned back towards the island and before the stallion, who was now standing behind her. Neighthël’s eyes were affixed on the pony, he stepped a few inches closer to the enchanting Alicorn.
“Will you return?” he asked, his tone sounding as if he was begging for her to stay.
Her vision was pressed towards her sandy hooves, “I don’t know...” She returned her sight upwards into his alluring eyes, she could no longer hold back the magical impulse that she had set in motion.
“I’m sorry, Neighthël. I truly am. I won’t forget you.” She could not hold it back as the magic unleashed from her alicorn horn. Neighthël reeled backwards as she transformed into the crystallized vapor and took flight in a cloudy form. Into the crimson sky she soared and out of his range of vision. Neighthël was alone as he wondered if what had happened was nothing more than a beautiful dream.
> 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(6)






        A crimson star arose in the east, its burning gleam danced over the glittering snow. The ice was soaked in the blood-red light, and the peaks wavered like beacons of fire. Not long was the rising sun revealed before the gray mantle of foreboding clouds drifted over it; though as the sun slipped between the break of horizon and haze, the sharp cry of a horn rang forth over the Icicle Mountains. Upon its shout, the towering ice gates of Gryphus were pushed aside, and from the city’s maw marched the armies of the forgotten.
Adorned in heavy iron with wicked weaponry, they marched forward to the beat of heavy drums. Griffons lead the legions, and the front lines were driven by great lords clad in purple cloaks and shining steel as white as the snow they stomped over. Behind the masses of griffons were the equines, then centaurs, hounds and lastly trolls. Rocs poured forth from over the mountain’s barriers, bred to serve the griffons and to strike at their desire. For many hours they slowly exited the confines of the hidden city and followed the crooked passageways through the icy valleys. The leaders of their kinds were given rocs to be rode on and overhead they flew along, encircling and seeing over all. Vallak himself had bred his own winged beast, son of the great Sheol whom fell in fire. Its name was Gehenna, and he was even greater than his father in size and terror.
Vallak and Gehenna were perched atop the gates of Gryphus, watching as the armies flowed forth at his high command. He knew that one such weapon of his had yet to be unveiled and knew that the time was nigh for the world to witness the horror of the ancient world. The last of the great masters that once ruled over the infant planet had been secured and broken so that Vallak may have his desires fulfilled through it. He looked upward and rose his fist high, clutching the Afflicter and letting its powers flow freely. A great orb as blinding as the searing sun was lifted towards the heavens. For many miles all was coated in the red tint of death, though the armies of the accumulated did not stop their progress. The leaders of these armies did turn to see what Vallak had done and it terrified them. What the Griffon King had performed was only a signal to those far away.
Over many mountains, the orb could be seen lighting all in a cloak of carmine, and one such watcher noticed this. A message was passed down the peak watchtower and towards the roots of the mountains. Descending into the dungeons of Fathúm-dûn, where the first griffon city was long abandoned after the great masters battled to their ends, spanned many chambers that dug deep into the earth. There a monster was awakened, stirred to life when its bindings were broken. Its anger and fury was unleashed as the mountains flexed and moaned. Fire flowed forth in great rivers throughout Fathúm-dûn and many griffons met with death. The inferno filled the chambers and its foundation fell overhead. The ranges above titled and swayed, crashing into themselves like waves meeting in a storm. The armies finally halted as they witnessed Arteria shift before them.
Great and mighty peaks crumbled and upon the slanted slopes, great claws grasped the mountains’ crowns. With one last heave, the ancient beast took flight, shadowing the earth below as if night had fallen. All were deeply afraid, and some bowed before it in fearful reverence. Vallak, the deviser of such a being, was even afraid of his own making, but stayed stolid among his generals. As the monster soared high, it spread its arms and took towards the east away from the armies. With each fall of its wings, great windstorms cascaded over the landscape, breaking and bending everything. The last great master of the ancient world was set loose in blinding rampancy.
Vallak was pleased by his creation, and the nine legions of armies strode forward towards Equestria.


__________


        Mists trickled down the mountains into the quiet valley. Like a phantom it spread its crooked arms, clawing across the ground and over the lands below. The air was thick and wet; the morning vapor felt cool and crisp as if the ranges were exhaling a new breath. Like distant smoke, the heavy dew floated silently among towers and buildings. Fog settled low over Central Equestria where both Canterlot and Ponyville were located.
        Princess Celestia overlooked the morning from the confines of her gray throne room. Though she could not see far, she felt soothed by the mists before her—like a gentle veil was wrapped comfortably over her thoughts. As the morning haze in her mind lifted away, her worries overcame her momentary tranquility. She wasn’t oblivious; she knew not all was right in the world. A great shadow began its descent from the frozen north. Treachery, treason, and sadness lingered in her people; all were inattentive to the evils that surrounded them. Peace was coming to a close and there was nothing the high princess could do about it.
Most of all, she worried for Twilight Sparkle. She feared for her safety—she was like a daughter to Celestia. Losing her would grieve Celestia beyond comprehension, but she knew that she had to strengthen her, for the white alicorn honestly believed that Twilight would be the one to secure peace. Twilight would surpass Celestia, she devised this and sought for it to become true.
        In a flash, Luna teleported before the throne; the high princess was unfazed by her sudden appearance. She turned to see that Luna was upset. The faint, livid light that shone weakly in her unmoved eyes disturbed Celestia. Something horrible had been revealed to her younger sibling.
        “Sister,” Celestia said uneasily, “what’s going on?”
        Luna gently shook her head, “The Ivory Guard, they... they told me something horrible...”


__________


        In the grand earth pony city of Manehatten, clear blue skies stretched overhead from horizon to horizon. Skyscrapers, monuments to the craftsmanship of the ponies, stood high over the lands. Zeppelins and propeller driven aircraft swept overhead, prompting businesses and ingenuity for the masses. Technology thrived here more so than any other city in the known world and the equine were in peace. The city bustled with life and merriment; all was well within the largest equine city that ever existed. All was well, until a shadow fell.
        It stretched over the city as if night had fallen early. The sound of motorist and chattering citizens hushed as darkness descended. Silence grew from horror as their eyes lifted to see what had caused such an anomaly to their sunny day. Voiceless they cried, unable to vocalize what their eyes perceived. Frozen in place, they contended with the Statue of Liberation in the Manehattan Harbor. All stood in involuntary fright and cowardice as Malorga cloaked the city in his shade.
        Finally the cries of the equine rang out as the great beast fell on his fours onto the city. The steel towers were blasted away, broken from their deep rooted foundations and scattered about in fearsome winds. The earth below upheaved, breaking the concrete realm in a great wave of seismic churning. Emergency horns sounded off throughout the expansive city as the monster crashed down upon earth, but all knew what great threat was present as below them Arteria heaved violently.
        Through dust and rock, a great river of flame cascaded between the slanted towers. Gluttonous, the inferno consumed all. It stretched its flaming fingers through the gridlocked streets, scorching every nook and cranny. The ancient one, cloaked in ash and dust, heaved its neck and head up, letting loose an explosive roar that sent painful reverberations over the cataclysm. All anyone could do was run, no pony was safe from the nightmare they awakened to. Some, though unwilling, fought back.
A large remnant of the Manehatten military had departed in secret to try and hold off the coming armies of the north and their numbers at home dwindled. They arrived however, from near and far, to fight off the monster that came so suddenly. Weaponized telescopes were cranked up upon the still standing buildings as teams of unicorns focused their magic into the lenses, creating powerful beams of light. Pegasi and large aircraft, both airplanes and zeppelins, fought back with bullets and bombs. On the streets were scattered earth ponies and unicorns, using magic and machine to combat the beast. Flurries of these combined attacks overcame Molorga as a new veil of steam and black smoke engulfed the beast.
Its shadow stood still, its dark shape unmoved by the futile attacks of the equine. Its armor was too great; and even greater was it by the aid of Vallak and his studious griffons. For years, they melded together an armor upon the beast, forged from the fires of the earth and mended by dark and unknown magics. Great metal plates were fused to the natural scales of the dragon, and through its centuries of pain it grew a hatred for all things; and through pain, his malice turned to strength.
He thrashed about, swiping his tail through the spires of steel while his feet plummeted upon the encroaching armies. With wings spread wide he threw them down, cascading windstorms that tore all in the air apart. Metal and rock rained down over the city, being blown high into the atmosphere and falling like hail on the once clear day. The burning cauldron in his throat was unleashed again, sending arcing fire overhead, dwarfing even the greatest of buildings.
Malorga could not be stopped as the few remaining equine scattered like wild prey. None knew why this monster showed up, or what—if anything—was controlling it. All they could do was seek refuge among the nearby cities, and pray that the horror would not follow them.
Malorga, however, was not an untamed creature. He was smart, but demented; furious, but controlled. Malorga knew that now he was a lord upon Arteria and all who saw his fearsome form would tremble and scurry away. When the ancient masters thrived over the land, he was nothing more than a pawn among kings. Now that they had perished and he was kept alive, he was a king, the only king with none to oppose his reign.


__________


        “A dragon,” Celestia faltered, “...of that magnitude? Where could such a thing be bred in secret?”
        “I assume it was intentional,” Luna spoke somberly, “concealing this beast for so long. Something must have hidden it away.” She scratched the underside of her chin and thought aloud, “The timing is perfect, and the blame can only fall on Vallak.”
        Celestia lowered her head and spoke in a low tone, “He will unleash everything on us. He will bear no restraint. More than likely the dragon is uncontrollable by even his command, and he intended this. To create a weapon that would destroy all in its way so that he would cripple not only Equestria, but his opposers as well.”
        “But we could destroy it!” Luna asserted. “Zachary and the Prevailer, they could defeat this beast. We need him now more than ever!”
        “I do not think you understand what this beast is. This is no mere dragon, but an ancient master. It is sentient and smart, they were the first to rule over Arteria in the beginning. If you remember our ancient lore, the lesser races hid underground and made their cities under the mountains and plains. Even below Canterlot there are ruins of the crystal city that was once populated by canine kind. Nothing, not even the most powerful of magic, could ensnare or overcome the ancient masters. We had to let them die out through battle and age so that we could arise.” She turned towards the window, her gray reflection in the archway expressed her grim knowledge of dark history.
        “Vallak knows our weaknesses and he is exploiting them. And if you believe that he only has an army of diverse kinds and a dragon, than you are deceived, my sister. I know without a doubt he has prompted the last lords of the world to his aid as well, the same lords that ruled after the ancients and before the alicorns.”
        “The canines?” questioned the Princess of the Night with uncertainty. “They are nothing like they once were. Only wanderers and scavengers who fear us still.”
        “The unbroken line of Pinscher is still a great threat to us. They are the lords of the hounds who rallied their kind enough to take hold of the entire land with only five thousand. They enslaved all and built many cities and towers, many of which our kind now occupy. It was an age of despair and dread for all under their paws. The hounds are not to be reckoned with, for they are fierce and beyond our powers, even able to withstand our magic.
        We will be pushed to our breaking point, Vallak will not stop until Equestria is his. And how Vallak came to this tyranny is beyond me, for he was once peaceful and gentle. He was the one who brought the scattered griffon tribes together under one, reborn kingdom.”
        Luna stepped forward and stated, “Like Zachary has told us of his journey to Gryphus, he wielded a staff of great power. It was a weapon that even spoke to Zachary, which sought to capture his mind. Maybe this staff has bent his mind to do not his will, but a will of a greater one?” This was a fact Celestia had looked over. It had slipped her mind that Vallak was in possession of a magical artifact, and this worried her even more.
        “Sister,” Luna approached cautiously, placing her wing around her sibling in affection, “We must call for aid. We cannot do this alone.”
        “The only armies that might still aid us are the Capra, though even they are still terrified after their war between the Griffons years ago. They are submissive and have withdrawn back into their mountains, as if the ancient masters still roamed Arteria.”
        “What of the Cervians?”
        “They are no longer warriors but peacemakers. They have not been in battle since a millennia ago and they dare not cause strife upon Arteria again.”
        “Is there not anyone who will aid us?” Luna could not believe that the equines had no allies in this day and age.
        “In your exile, many of our allies have fallen short. They care not to aid us but to only aid themselves, to be their own separate powers and to not give any more strength to us. Through our power they fear us, even though we have aided them long in the past. We can only accumulate within our kind, bringing the armies of the great equine cities to defend the country. That is all we can hope for.” Luna shadowed her sister, stepping off of the throne floor and onto the lower marble.
        “I cannot believe that is the case,” Luna breathed sharply. “I will seek out aid if you are too stubborn to do so. Gather the equines if you must, I still have faith in our old friendships.”
        In a wisp of shadow and starlight, the Princess of the Night departed. Celestia remained fixed to her spot, overlooking the colorless valley below. Her mind was restless, seeing as how all she had built was falling before her. Her thousand years of peace was coming to a close; she knew that someday this would occur, but she dared not to place her thoughts on the future. War was to come to Equestria whether she deemed it or not. Her emotions gave way as she bowed her head in grief, and gently rain began to peck on the window before her.


__________


        Over solid sea and flowing sky, Twilight siphoned through a shuffled mix of contorting colors. As if a painter blended the hues of reality over an endless palette, the world shifted soothingly, yet violently in its nature. Her formlessness wavered over land now and her arrival was coming soon, but her mind broke free from its intended destination. Like a stray thought, she whisked elsewhere and off course. The alicorn immediately put an end to her flight as her body remade itself. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that she was falling over a wide river amongst an outstretching forest. Her wings were without strength as she descended in an uncontrollable spin.
        Water rushed around her as she plummeted into the cold river. She kicked upward and emerged, fighting against the steady current. Her faded, wet mane fell over her vision as she paddled towards the bank. Adrenaline fueled her need to reach land as she wildly flailed to safety. As her footing found the rising, stony river bed, she pushed with all her might and almost leaped onto the wild grass. She dragged her body out of the water completely as she gasped and heaved.
        Twilight rolled over and tried to catch her breath. She was physically and mentally exhausted from the amount of siphoning she had performed in the last few days. It had taken a toll on her body she couldn’t comprehend until now. As if reopening an old wound, every time she performed syphonic relaying she grew to a worsening condition. She honestly thought that if she were to produce even the slightest magic that she would certainly lose consciousness.
        Twilight placed a hoof on her chest, feeling her lungs expand and contract with every deep breath. Above her were the encroaching trees that hung over the frigid river. A blue sky and vibrant sun shone behind the foliage; beams of light trickled over the soaked, purple pony. The warmth of the day began to dry her fur slowly, but surely. Water trickled over the smoothed stones by the bank, they sang softly and sweetly to one another. Her dazed mind was lulled by this entrancing melody and soon she was in a deep sleep.
        She awoke quite suddenly a few hours later when a dark shadow fell over her. Her eyes came upon an upturned figure, its features shrouded by sunlight and her adjusting, waking vision. Twilight couldn’t identify the creature, it stood tall over her, silently watching over the alicorn. Before she could speak, another, similar statured creature arrived next to it, then another.
        The first and center one spoke up, “Arise, equine.” Its voice was low and commanding, and in it she found herself obeying without question. She rolled herself over, feeling her battered body ache with every strenuous muscle movement. It took a longer moment than she had wanted it to be, but made her way onto her hooves, holding her head steady as her mind pounded against her skull.
        Her eyes finally adjusted to the site of the creatures, and she was relieved to see three stags looking down upon her. They were lean and tall, with antlers like crowns of six points. Their fur and tails was short and tan, ranging from beige to dark brown. Their cloven hooves were dark as jet, and their eyes were of the bark of chestnut. Each carried a delicately woven satchel of different color, upon each pouch was sown beautiful intricacies of their kind under wavering trees and leaves. Golden buckles held the bags together, which glimmered brightly in the sunlight. Their forms were the most impressive to gaze upon, for Twilight thought that the deer folk were much like their own race, and much smaller than she once thought.
        “Why do you intrude upon our land?” asked one of the cervians.
        Twilight answered, “I come from Equestria, seeking Zachary. Do you know of him?” The cervians looked at each other with subtle surprise in their faces.
        One spoke, “How could you possibly know this?”
        “So you do know who I search for? He comes from Equestria after all.”
        “And who are you exactly?”
        Twilight straightened her posture and stated, “Why I am Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, one of the four alicorns in Equestria and—“
        “We have never heard of you before.” Twilight stopped, she didn’t know whether to take that remark as ignorance or as insult. The center stag went on, “The last we heard of Equestria, there were twelve alicorns, and none were a princess of 'friendship.'”
        Another added, “Yes, the alicorns, if I recall correctly, were of forest and sea, earth and sky, flame and ice, season and time, life and death, and lastly the matrons, sun and moon.” Twilight did not know of these things, but kept her thoughts to herself.
        “I am a new Princess, though I have been one for thirty years. There are only four of us now, sun and moon, and love and friendship. But I wish, fair cervians, that you lead me to Concordia please. I greatly desire to speak with Zachary.”
        One of the stags answered her saying, “There is much more we wish to speak with you on, but time is pressing. The sun begins its descent into the west, and we must cross many hills and dells to reach our hidden city. Come with us, Twilight Sparkle.”
        

__________


The morning air soon became hot and heavy as the foliage trickled green light upon the brushy, forest floor. The woods were thin and high; their limbs were sprawled out, covering the sky above. The trees were much higher here than in the Everfree, and their bark seemed ancient and strong. Untrodden was this land, nothing seemed to have made trails throughout it, not even the wildlife. To the leading cervians however, the thick and near impassable landscape seemed to move to the side and pull away from them, creating a once unseen path. It covered back behind Twilight as they journeyed forward, keeping the many routes of the cervian highways hidden from those unfamiliar with this land and its magic. As they traveled in line, with hoofs as light as falling leaves, they stopped at each berry bush they came by and picked few fruit from its branches. They never harvested the entire shrub, but only a certain amount, leaving the rest for the woodland animals.
On the voyage the introduced themselves as Sydian, Deronin, and Vinisius, however Twilight had difficulty remembering who each was. It was a horrible thing to think, but to her they all looked the same. She did figure out a way to recall their names, for each had varying satchels with different intricacies, and each was woven of contrasting colors—this is how Twilight remembered their names by. It was in the order of Vinisius, Deronin, Sydian, and then Twilight Sparkle, that they walked through the forest.
Sydian, bearing the only white satchel, stepped back and walked alongside the alicorn.
He began by saying, “We were informed by the Emerald Lady of your approach one moon ago, but we expected your arrival to be fitting of a Princess.”
“Well, better to arrive in secret,” Twilight jokingly said while wringing the remaining river water out of her mane.
“Nonetheless you have arrived, and quite timely so.”
Twilight prompted the question, “Who is the Emerald Lady? And how did she foresee my coming?”
Sydian returned Twilight’s curious look with a gentle smile while answering “The Emerald Lady is Lady Nabeleen, our matron and leader. She protects us and guides us. She has been with us since the beginning and has lead us from desolation to our home here in Concordia.”
“Desolation? What desolation?” The deer looked down upon her with unease.
“Have you no knowledge? Of the Old World and the youthful ages of this planet? When the world was young, the great ancient masters of the world dwelt on the surface causing great strife among the smaller kinds. Whatever fortresses we built, they would destroy. Any walls brought up, they would tear down. Any city begot, they would cease it—and so on. We, all kind that is upon this land now, were forced to hiding underground. It was not until the ancients fought against one another that we were able to return to the new surface, a surface that looked nothing like our old surface. From there, who lead us? Only our matron arose on the eve of a new age, Lady Nabeleen. She brought us to the forest of Cervidas and and there we prospered in many long years of peace.”
Twilight was a bit taken back by this and didn’t know what to think of this information. Her prior and studious knowledge of Equestrian history told her that what this stag spoke of was lies, but in her doubt and openness to the vast and once unknown world to her, she began to believe. Perhaps the same history is explained from the different viewpoint of the Cervians, she thought. This talk of multiple alicorns, a vaster kingdom of equine, and great beasts that forced all creatures underground was a bit too farfetched for her beliefs; yet still she began to believe it, if not for the sake of believing in such mythology to be true. Twilight returned to an earlier question of hers and spoke it.
“What of her powers then? How is it that she was able to foresee my coming?”
“She is mysterious, as is her powers and origin. Her magic is much akin to ours, yet so unequally greater in many ways. We cannot foretell your coming, or see over many lands and forests beyond our own, or even speak into the mind of the unwilling, but she can.”
Twilight reflected on this matter for a moment, then said, “Is that not a concern to you? That she has this power and is your leader?”
Deronin turned and answered for Sydian, “Why should we fear her? For the ages beyond the Equestrians’ history she has protected and nurtured us. Without her, we would have no home. Without her, we would be no more.”
They continued further in silence into the gleaming woods. The sun eased further into the west, the bits of sky she could see through the thick, green and yellow foliage had churned into a soothing and warm orange. Columns of sunbeams bent at an angle through the woods like leaning pillars of solid light. Her stomach was growling and eyes sleepy, she needed nourishment.
There came a point where the stags stopped in their progress and turned towards the small mare behind. Twilight froze stiff as their darkened eyes fell upon her form. 
Vinisius spoke before her, “From this point, we must blindfold you. Do not take it as an offense, however. Our law states this for all outsiders entering into Concordia, no matter the regality this being possesses. It will not be too much further, and I will make it certain that you do not stumble along the way.”
Twilight agreed as one of the stags looked over towards a young fern growing beside the road. He closed his eyes gently as his antlers began to glow bright green. It was unlike the aura the unicorns possessed, it was more like the florescence of a soft and easy to perceive sun than a wavering cloak of color and shimmer. A single, long fern leaf was pulled from the bush and before the four, the leaf’s glow began to blaze, becoming hard to look upon. When the intensity faded away, the leaf was now a threaded work. Its fiber became ligaments and strands, woven together to become a band of thin fabric. He hovered it over Twilight’s eyes and bound it behind her head.
They continued further through Cervidas and into the secret city of Concordia. Twilight had lost track of time as they trekked continuously towards their goal, but it seemed to her that they had been walking for hours on end since she was blinded. The alicorn could first perceive only sound, smell, and the subtle change of light—as from the shade of trees to the sun through the forest ceiling. After sometime, she began to feel the presence of something new, a strange sense of wonder and allurement. It was the same feeling she felt when first entering her new home in Canterlot Castle. Her filly-like wonder upon seeing the grandeur of the courts and vaulted ceilings, of the luxury and royal decor. She saw nothing, but still perceived this magical feeling.
Along with this, she felt something new. As if stepping through a portal into the past, no words could describe the surreal sensation of what she was experiencing. She felt that she had wandered into a golden and forgotten age, where wonder and magic thrived above all else. Images, whether fictions or not, filled her mind; and these pictures resembled the grandest of citadels that stretched beyond sight and into silver haze. She saw shimmering spires upon a sky blue canvas, breaking through the clouds and dust far below. She marveled at sharp and spiraling fortresses that clashed upon the sea towers in the violent ocean, and in these cities were dug deep chambers of light and warmth, where the mysteries and magics of the old world lay dormant even today. All of these images and more poured into her mind, and these she believed were of the ancient world, the world before the ancient masters ravaged.
Almost enchanted by this perplexity, she was halted by one of the stags after they themselves had stopped progressing. Her hearing came back to her, and she noticed that the sounds of the forest had changed. No animal or chattering could be heard, nor hoof fall or creaking tree. The sound of wind over a wide plain of grass was discernible to her. Far away, she could hear the trickle of water over stones. It was eerily quiet, almost unreal.
Her blind was removed and before her all was revealed. She was under a great, arching gate made up of silver trees and stretching branches. The same glittering white trees stretched around and was all one, encircling a city of soaring trees as tall as Canterlot’s towers. In the center of the stretching city was the grandest and lord of the arboreal, the World Tree. Its limbs filled the sky and hid away the quiet city below, and its roots were like walls and hills themselves that crawled over and through the city. Its thick, dark bark was rich and powerful, no metal or stone was stout enough in Equestria to be as sturdy as the World Tree’s. Another great and vaulted gate was carved out near the base of the massive tree, and inside was an enclosed city.
The paved road they stood on, wrought in smooth, umber river stones, lead straight towards the tree. From that main road, it branched off into other districts of hills, dells, and outstretching fields of long, soft grass. Lakes and streams whisked through Concordia, and many cherry and maple crafted bridges were erected to overcome them. Wide and large trees of many kinds served as homes for the massive populous of silent and friendly deer folk that walked to and fro in near silence. Every so often, one might hear a gentle laugh or quiet murmur, but nearly all cervians spoke from mind to mind, and even then they would only speak when they would have something to say and not just speak for no reason. They willing allowed their minds to be open, and this is how they conversed with one another. Most wore nothing but their fur, but there were plenty who wore long clothing of fine materials. Twilight wondered why there were no guards or battlements, or fortresses or armories; she realized that the only protection they needed was the forest gate itself.
Twilight Sparkle was astounded and speechless, her eyes could not take in such a wooded utopia. The cervians noted her expression and pleasingly smiled.
“Come now,” Sydian said, “we must go to the World Tree and into the Star Palace. There you will meet Lady Nabeleen, and most certainly you will meet the wizard you seek.”


__________


They all proceeded down the pathway, and from there Twilight began to think more critically of her surroundings. She took in mind the mass of foliage above them, and the great size of the World Tree’s leaves. A single one could be used as a large raft or boat, and if one fell it might lead to a serious injury, yet when looking around she spied no giant leaves. She noticed that there were no leaves of any size, non had fallen even from the smaller, yet still impressively large tree homes and towers. No leaves filled the streams, streets or fields; this realm seemed undying to her, and that itself increased her thirst for answers.
No bugs could be seen darting before the path or across, nor any birds built nests in the trees or flew high over. There were no shops, there was no smoke, Concordia defied what a city was meant to be.
“But how?” Twilight asked herself. “How could this be? How could Concordia sustain such a large populous without markets, schools, appropriate housing, and such? How does this economy function? How does this society even work?”
Before she knew it, the sun retreated behind the doorway of the World Tree. The gate itself was large enough to fit a zeppelin into, and inside was a spiraling city made entirely of its wood. Many circular windows, both open and enclosed with glass, gave way to the setting sun’s light, painting the vast interior architecture with deep reds and dazzling yellows. It was beyond beautiful in Twilight’s sight, more so than perhaps her heart could take. She would love to spend months going through every nook and cranny this city could offer.
As they walked further into the tree city, she questioned, “Where is the Star Palace, my stags?”
Vinisius responded and pointed, “In Matron’s Loft, at the top of the World Tree.” She cowered at the thought of climbing nearly a mile up into the mountainous tree. Her hooves ached from the miles she had already trodden. Her mouth was parched and stomach empty, she figured that they were close to their destination when entering the World Tree.
“Will we be taking the stairs?” the pony wearily asked.
The stags laughed as if a fawn of theirs had asked such a simple and obvious answer. She felt even smaller around them, but Sydian knelt to her level and answered, “Of course not! Unless you want to go to a desired district floor. We shall take the rootway!” Twilight did not know what a rootway was, but proceeded to follow the deer once more. To her surprise—yet again—the rootway was a natural elevator in the tree itself. Using the rising water that the World Tree takes from the lakes, rivers and underground springs around Concordia, the ingenious Cervians crafted a platform to rise atop the water. The water ran through one of many large shafts that quenched the arboreal giant, and by halting it momentarily, they could pull over the shaft a large platform and then release the water again. With its accumulated pressure, they were able to easily rise up into the highest regions of the World Tree in a few minutes.
The entourage and Twilight stepped onto one of the accessed platforms and up they slowly rose. The shaft was not dark and empty, but carved into it was large panes of glass that overlooked the shrinking city below. Twilight was once again marveled by everything the Cervians had offered so far. When the platform stopped its ascension, they stepped off and then took a large set of stairs that opened up over the tree. From the height of Matron’s Loft, the wind picked up and the air was cooler. The sky was clear and amber with the setting sun. From horizon to horizon, nothing hindered its sight from the height of the World Tree.
The center was carved out flat, but around its branches were many raising and lowering manors and dwellings that swayed gently in the massive branches. In the very center was a palace of many spires and lookouts, this was the Star Palace. The castle was carved from the tree itself, but reinforced with dazzling stone that shifted its hues as the sun rose and sank throughout the day. Its outward architecture was much like Canterlot Castle, but steadily built on solid ground and not upon a cliffside.
Before the entrance to the Star Palace stood her alone, the Lady Nabeleen. With fur of white and eyes of emerald, she affixed her gaze upon Twilight as she approached. A certain presence enveloped Nabeleen that Twilight could not put into words. It was a sense of protection, a desire to learn, a firm and unyielding strength, and a mix of these things that she felt. Most of all, a sense of ease overcame Twilight, and she welcomed this above all other senses. Her magic could be felt through Twilight, unknown yet knowable. Twilight bowed as they met, for she knew that Nabeleen was a great delver in magic and was a withheld master of its art, and Twilight held that in the highest respect.
“Welcome,” Nabeleen said, “I have been expecting you.” Twilight rose and met eyes with the fair lady once more.
“As I have heard from your fair kind who you sent for me.”
“Oh, I did not send for you,” a smile formed sweetly upon her lips, “my children were in the right place, at the right time.” Twilight turned back towards them, but they were walking away. They had fulfilled their duty and off they went to rest for the coming night.
“They are gatherers, and they did not seek you.” Twilight turned back, not knowing what to say. Nabeleen went on, “I know what you seek, and he is here.” She finally broke away from Twilight and looked towards the ruby sun. Her sea green eyes flared with the shimmer of the sunset, and they alit like golden flames.
“You know not of it, but it is true. The enemy is moving, a great movement has begun in the north. War is upon you.” Twilight had a hunch and she knew it, but she wondered why Celestia had yet to reveal it to her.
Nabeleen returned towards the alicorn, answering with a voice of love and power, “Celestia is concerned for all things in her land. She loves all and protects them like the foal she could never bore. Even going so far as to hiding the truth, yet not bearing falsities. She is a master of words, but only twists them to keep the minds of her kind safe and unafraid. She has desperately fought to keep this so for more than a life age of Arteria. You cannot blame her for keeping peace, but that peace is soon to run thin. A dark enemy is on the rise. Tirek is his name.
"She needs Zachary one last time, to deal with the foe she has feared more so than any threat before. Alwaid was only an apprentice, you will soon meet the master.” There was a cold silence as a gale blew strongly over them.
“Yet...” she paused for a moment, looking away once more. “...there is hope. Hope on the precipice of doom itself. Whether that hope becomes a reality is beyond my judgment.” Twilight swallowed uncomfortable, visibly worried and scared. Strangely, Nabeleen’s eyes appeared softer and her beauty was more easier to look upon. Twilight relaxed, but her inner concerns still haunted her.
“I do not need to seek the sanctums of your mind to know that you are afraid. All who live through the long night forget the light of morning. That is all I shall say.”
She took a breath and turned towards one of the many halls upon the branches. Twilight looked with her and saw one that stood out among the houses. It was long and slanted backwards, rising up from the tree and into the open air.
“There is where you will find him. It is Zachary’s dwelling. He awaits you.”
She turned away and began to slowly walk back to her palace as Twilight stood still, pondering what Nabeleen said.
Before leaving, Nabeleen spoke one last time, “You may stay here as long as you like, but war will still come.” Twilight turned and finally spoke out something that Nabeleen did not predict.
“Will you not aid us? I know your kind is not accustom to war, and what I can tell they are a peaceful kind, but will you not aid us some how?”
Nabeleen turned her head slowly to the side, and Twilight noticed that she was saddened. A tear rolled down her cheek and she did not reply, retreating back into her palace alone.


__________


Twilight Sparkle approached the sweeping manor. Its entangled archways were interconnected with the massive branch below that slanted slightly upward from Matron’s Loft. Railing in the appearance of leafless, white saplings stretched across the pathway towards the vaulted and ivory door. The bridge and floor of Matron’s Loft was smooth to her aching hooves; they both seemed to be made of a fine grained birch in texture and hue that warmly glowed in the fleeting sunlight. The tree seemed to merge with the undulated house, yet its wood differed and appeared to be made of beech. As if carved by the high winds and time, the temporary home of Zachary was a masterful hall to behold. With great curved roofs, archways along its sides and face, and short spires upon ever corner, the construction of this temple was beyond that of Twilight’s comprehension.
         It lifted up near the rear of the branch and hung itself openly over the blur of tree towers below. Its name, The Gailexium or High Watchhall, was given for two reasons. It is a place to study the celestial bodies, where Cervian astrologers built their seeing scopes to map out the dark seas of starlight and mysteries above. It is also known by its second name, for it is a formidable vantage point from which one can see far over Cervidas. The enormous and swaying branches of the World Tree seemed to open before the end of the manor so that one could view at great distances—even being able to see the glint of the westward sea.
         As the alicorn neared, the double beech doors swung inward slowly and silently as if blown by the breeze. They were thick entry ways and did not creek. High, lofty ceilings greeted her, as well as the thick scent of many woods. Pines, cyprus, elm, birch, and many more smells overcame her nostrils. The atrium she entered was lit only by the lights of the heavens through the many windows, both along the upper and side interiors. The grand hall she came into was rectangular, and the far wall she faced was veiled by heavy, ivory curtains. Two halls were adjacent to her that led into different studies, observatories, dwellings, and other quiet places. Cervians, both young and old, studied from books floating before them as they reclined on benches and cubbies along the walls. They paid no attention to the pony, but gave warm smiles whenever she made eye contact with any of them. They treated her with the same kindness as they gave their own kind. The alicorn almost felt that they knew she would be coming and that they knew who she was. Twilight felt that Zachary was beyond the light-beige veil and she proceeded towards it.
         Her magic was still weak, so she maneuvered her hooves to push away the drapery and made her way into the next room. When she looked into the divided half of the atrium, she was almost blinded by a flash of crimson light. Twilight placed her hoof up for a moment to shield her eyes. When she removed her foreleg, she took in what she noticed first. The room stretched upward and wavered in solid branches, cut cleanly and smoothly so that one may climb them. At the far end was an immense, oval window overlooking the green horizon and dazzling sunset. The sun itself was resting halfway below the range of untouched landscape and it stretched its alit arms over the many miles of Cervidas. On the high branch in the center of the room was an odd shape, about eye level in height to her, if Twilight was next to it. It was dark against the setting sun, but as the pony’s eyes adjusted, her vision clarified what she was looking upon.
         It was Zachary, and yet it wasn’t Zachary at the same time. He was garbed in ivory linen, it was lush and appeared as comfortable as fresh snow. His dark, brown hair was shoulder length, yet combed neatly down in long curls. He sported a beard about an inch thick that formed over his lips, chin and jaw line. The outline of his form seemed almost like a single flame against the setting sun. Zack remained youthful still, even with a beard and longer hair. He seemed to Twilight to be empowered, stoic, and in serenity. He was so much at peace that he did not even realize who had entered. He was in deep meditation, off somewhere within the sanctum of his mind. Twilight lastly realized that around him were fawns of various young ages, deep within their own state of minds. He was their mentor, yet Zachary was always the one who knew he would never know it all, yet still sought knowledge.
         “Zack...” Twilight said in a breathless whisper. His hazel eyes opened slowly after a few seconds of delay. Twilight was impressed, and a little alarmed that he heard her speak his name so softly. One by one, the young deer opened their eyes as well, ears perking up and curious eyes affixed on the strange animal before them. He took another moment to realize who was before him, but from his stolid, warm face there slowly grew a smile.
         “Is this a dream?” he wondered, suppressing the subtle excitement in his tone. He uncrossed his legs and slowly walked forward, almost creeping towards her. His bare feet plodded with every step over the glossy wood as Twilight stood silently happy before him. Zack bent before her and felt her face. “No,” he answered himself, “this is not a dream... But how? How did you find me?”
         Before she could answer, Twilight was embraced by a sudden and tight hug. His hand caressed the back of her mane as Twilight leaned in with affection into his sepia locks. He pulled away and met eyes with her again—his seemingly glowed with delight. That’s when the alicorn noticed his true age, when looking into his old eyes. A certain light flickered in them, and through the appearance and color of his pupils she noticed that he was older, older than his immortal body made him out to be.
         Twilight tilted her head, taking in his visage and saying, “Hearth and Roren told me that you went to Concordia, so I came here.” Zack was bewildered by this information.
         “You went to Rhignes Rock? Then to Cervidas?” He scratched his beard, “It must have taken you months to find me. I knew I should have told Luna about my departure to Concordia.”
         “It only took me two days to find you,” she said dryly.
         “By panexus?”
         “No, Siphonic Relay, to-be-exact,” she spoke in the same, almost prideful tone.
         Zachary nodded, “Yes... that sounds right.” He turned and softly laughed, “That’s one thing I have yet to achieve! Though you unicorns have an upper hoof in that matter, with your magic conducting horns. I have to force magic through my mind, pulling it by force through the air itself to use it. But yes, that is unicorn magic, and I am no longer just a practitioner in that study of arcane arts.” He turned to his students who drew in close behind him.
         “Take a look,” Zachary expressed while using hand gestures towards the pony. “This is the Twilight Sparkle! The one in the stories I have told you of.” Their eager eyes lit with excitement as they hopped toward her, examining her from all around. They were nearly her size as they swarmed about, touching her gently and opening her wings. They ‘ooo’ed and ‘awhh’ed and began asking her simple questions. She tried to answer every fawn’s question with her best answer, mostly stating the truth when it came to her adventures. Zack chuckled as they continued to pester her, and soon shooed them away so that they could be alone.
         They stood on the high branch, overlooking the maroon and navy swirled horizon. A purple river of cloud crossed over the wavering, clashing colors, mixing with the twilit atmosphere. The twinkle of stars began to blink into the sky one after the other as the light of day retreated from the night. The windows and high branches beyond glittered with fireflies, pulsing about in lively greens and twinkling yellows. Beams of white moonlight trickled through the skylights above, dancing between the World Tree's branches above the manor.
         Zachary took a firm breath in and began, “So... Celestia needs me—or so I assume.” Only to her did he sound much older, around the age he was truly at. “I feel you do not visit me to just stop by and say hello.”
         “Yes, war is coming.” Twilight’s vision was unmoved towards the distant woodlands of Cervidas as she spoke. She felt colder, as if the warmth of Concordia was emptied from her heart, leaving behind the worries of her true home.
         “The Griffons... Vallak...” He squinted his eyes, “I knew this day would come.” He turned and began stepping down off the slopped platform. Twilight turned and followed him. “I dread it, you know. I wish not to fight.”
         “None of us do, Zachary. We need your guidance, however. We know of no other enemy besides the Griffons.”
         “There are plenty, Twilight Sparkle. There always will be an enemy against Equestria. Power must have opposition.”
         “Celestia calls for your aid!” She felt the need to reinstate her plea. “She knows we can’t win this without you.”
         “If you were to ask me when I was younger, then I would aid you without doubt or reason. But I am old, Twilight, sixty years old. I still possess my youthful power, and know much more about magic than I have ever known, yet I also know more about peace as well. I wish not to murder the lives of griffons or anyone whom they rallied. Their leaders only wish for this, but the people themselves wish for tranquility. Can we not try to elect a more sensible approach?” Twilight was unsettled by his response, it was the total opposite of what she expected.
         “I cannot answer that, and I will not be Celestia’s voice. But I feel that if there was a peaceful answer to this war than we would have tried to accomplish it years ago.”
         “True, however, I must rest on the answer to whether or not I leave Concordia to aid in this conflict.”
         Twilight forcefully interjected, “If you do not fight, you know Equestria will be lost. Everyone you know and love will be captured or killed. Do you not care for Pinkie or Rainbow Dash? Or Luna or Celestia? Or even me, Zachary?” Zack looked down upon her, his face seemed grim and long in the growing darkness of the High Watchhall.
         “I must sleep on it.” He stepped ahead of her and opened the veil into the brighter atrium and held himself away under it. “I will have a dwelling prepared for you in the Gailexium. A warm bath will be set and dinner will be in one hour. I will not attend it tonight.” He lowered the curtain softly and walked away.
> 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(7)







The storm wall crept forward, rolling above in a slow and sliding fashion. Billows lurched forward and fell underside, building up into the great machine once more. Lightning sputtered and spat in the beast’s belly, which made the anvil cloud seemingly glow in reds, purples and whites. Thunder rumbled above and murmured afar, as if two separate storms cried for one another. The coming of a great shower was near.
        The air below was crisp and cool. The warmer, high altitude air was pulled down towards the land, washing over forests and pastures as the storm approached. Animals of all sorts remained under trees and snugged themselves into holes and nooks. The trees creaked and swayed with every gust that blew by. As far as one could look, the land was dark and sinister.
        On the edge of a grassy yard, where a ditch separated a weedy pasture—and beyond that a darkened forest—two boys watched the advancing storm. Brothers, watching with eager and dim eyes, looked into the face of the thunder cloud. Its expanse was like a mountain range from horizon to horizon, shielding the sunlight from all who dwelled below. It was frightening and terrible to both of them, but also exhilarating. The older brother, with burnt-golden hair, scanned far away as the younger watched the clawing cloud front draw near.
        The older boy pointed a finger and exclaimed, “Look!” The younger boy leaned forward and noticed a gray and wavering sheet of rain lapping over the distant landscape. It was fast, faster than they had expected as it raced towards them. The sound of its beating approach drove into their minds a fear of being pummeled to death by the torrent. Lighting cracked overhead for a split second and snapped at the children. Both filched, but the two remained in the open and in harm’s path.
        The eldest brother turned, with his left foot on the edge of the property line. He looked over at his sibling and gave a wry, sarcastic grin. The younger forced a sheepish smile on his face and joined him, placing his foot near his brother’s and arching his body into position. They were facing their home, more specifically, their concrete and sheltered porch. They could make it now if they ran, but waited for the right moment to race the rain.
        “Ready, Zack?” asked the older brother, already sounding exasperated.
        “Ready, Jason.” Zack’s eyes narrowed towards the house, ready for when his brother would give the word to dash. Jason turned his head back, watching the thick, hazy curtain splash forward over the forest and now into the pasture. It seemed to be coming faster the closer it came to the two.
        Mere seconds before they were to be drenched, Jason screamed, “Run!”
        Both the boys darted towards the house in an all-out sprint, though Jason took lead and was faster than Zachary. Passing the dirt driveway, Zachary looked back towards the storm that was soon about to swallow him and pressed his legs to go faster. Jason dived and rolled upon the porch, bruising himself in the process. He threw his head up and motioned Zachary to go faster.
        “Hurry! Hurry!” he yelled, reaching out his hand from afar. Zack held his arm out as he ran, as if his brother could pull him under the shelter from their distance. The storm was breathing down his neck as he felt its wet fingers patter his nape. He was on the edge of the rain wall and merely a dozen feet from his house. Zack closed his eyes and leapt onto the porch as his brother grabbed his arm and gave an extra pull. Zack was lifted onto the shelter as the rain now encompassed the world around them with the sound of heavy beating and sloshing. 
        They looked at each other, pleased and triumphant. Jason put his hands on his knees and sat back on the hard porch, leaning upon the panel wall of their house. Zachary knelt down, trying to catch his breath as his stomach felt tight and twisted. He looked out into the downpour and into a world of water. It was dark and forbidding, though the wind was inviting and light. It swept their hair back, cooling off the siblings.
        As Zachary’s eyes scanned through the damp, silver veil, he noticed something amid the dreary realm. He stopped and rested his eyes on the anomaly after having difficulty focusing in on it. It was a pair of haunting eyes among the drear. They peered out through the gloom like two amethyst stars amongst the deep of the night sky. He was frozen not just in knowing something was staring back at him, but Zack wondered how he could have missed it when running towards the house. The creature was directly before him, in the line that he ran from the storm.
        Its appearance became more comprehensible as the rain seemed to draw back around it. It was like a large dog to him at first, but then he noticed it had a golden and flowing mane and tail, unbroken and as two wisps of hair. The body of the creature was white and smooth, rounded and soft. Its oval eyes seemed to glow a deep purple through the rain and into Zack’s very heart. It soothed him, yet scared him. He could not look away.


__________


        Zack calmly awoke. His wooden loft was painted in the deep blue of night and starlight. A pale mauve light lingered on him; a midnight glow that had washed his form beamed down from the high window above Zachary. He looked to his side and noticed that Nox was intently watching him from the railing of his cot. Zack speculated that Nox had been doing so all night. He arose in his bed steadily, placing his hand next to his bird. Nox obliged his gesture with a loving nudge. Zack’s fingers smoothed over the bird’s head and down its back as he thought on the dream he awoke from.
        He hadn’t had a dream about Jason in a long time; he had not seen the pony with the purple eyes and golden mane in even a longer time. Even still after so many years of meditation and self-exploration, what they meant eluded his knowledge. All he knew of the pony was of what his conscious told him. ‘Something that has yet to come...’ . He wondered if maybe the pony wasn’t a pony at all, but a metaphor, a prophecy, perhaps even an omen of ill will. His thinking process ceased as Nox stepped onto his bed and approached Zachary face to face. 
        Zack smiled and softly spoke, “Alright, alright. One moment.” He perched Nox onto his forearm and yawned. He turned his body and placed his bare feet on the floor, stretching his still sleepy legs. The human arose and made his way towards the glass porch doors. He unlocked it and pushed them to the side, they glided outward soundlessly. Nox took off as soon as the world was open to him to stretch his wings and explore Cervidas. Zack knew he wouldn’t get anymore sleep anytime soon since later in the night Nox would want back inside the High Watchhall. Even if he wanted to, his mind would not permit him slumber. It was awake with the pestering thoughts and memory of his strange dream. He leaned over the porch railing and looked out over the sleeping forest with an unrested mind.
        The heavens glittered above in dense clusters. Soft clouds of Arteria’s local galaxy reached its arm across the night sky, as if cradling the planet. The wind moaned through Cervidas, and unfamiliar insects about the forest chirped and chatted with one another. The blinking lights of small luminescent bugs and animals flickered about, somewhat reminding him of his adventure in Firelight Woods. It seemed so long ago to Zachary, and sometimes he wondered if it really all happened or that perhaps it was a long dream he had yet awakened from. He had his reasons for believing such things.
        Zachary’s eyes caught something that glistened far below under the canopy of branches and leaves. Like the glint of a mirror in sunlight, it captured his attention as he stared deeply below into the underbrush. He had never noticed it before, and he had been out on this high porch many times throughout the years. His curiosity was piqued and decided that maybe just tonight he wouldn’t be so easy going, that tonight he would be a little daring and curious like he was when he was younger. Zack quickly put on some appropriate attire and exited the confines of his room. He hadn’t been this hungry for wandering since his days of exploring Canterlot Castle.
        Quietly, he made for Matron’s Loft and out of the Gailexium. He had no reason to sneak, but did so anyways, masking his every footfall with a little bit of lunar magic. With the same craft, he formed himself into a blanket of starlight and swept through the main hall underneath the shadows. He moved like Princess Luna, however Zack was nowhere near as proficient as his teacher. Lunar magic could be performed any time of the day, but was superior during night. He could only do simple spells for short periods of time, and like equine magic it strained him, more so than regular magic use.
        As Zack made his way upon Matron’s Loft, he circled around High Watchhall and maneuvered his way down a flight of carved steps that swept down gently along the edge of the World Tree. He didn’t know how far away the glimmer of light he saw from the porch was, but continued to head down the winding stairways. Large mushrooms hung over certain areas of the stair as they twisted around the bumps along the World Tree. As he descended, he didn’t see or come by any other cervian, but knew that some were out during the dark hours of the night.
        He looked over the edge for a moment to see if he could find a flash or wink to guide him to where the source of the light was. After a long and silent pause, a glister of pale light revealed itself off of the stairway below. He continued his lingering walk towards the mysterious light until the stairway broke off into a new path. One path kept spiraling down the World Tree while another crept down a few more flights and turned into an arched walkway, then into a bridge that connected itself to a lower branch.
        Zachary changed his course and took the bridge path, making his way towards the branched section. The branch separated out into multiple paths and hugged the ground near its base, where the limb joined the tree. It was cradled in a wooded hilltop where smaller trees and saplings wavered through the pathway of splitting branches, creating separate concourses. Zack stopped for a moment to ponder on where to go and which path to take. His uncertainty prolonged him until finally his ears picked up the subtle movement of water. As if something was gently moving through a body of water, he pointed himself in the direction of the noise.
        His route was through dense shrubbery and thickets of impassable forestry, but he knew better than to stop here. He reached out his arm and felt the magic pulsing about, faint magic that ebbed from nature around him. He used this and directed it with his mind and into his palm. He put his foot forward and his obstacles moved away from him. With every step forward, a new path was being pulled away, and from behind the forest formed back around the path concealing it. He maneuvered with ease through the greenery as a hole in the canopy of branches followed above him, lighting his way with incoming moonlight.
        Cerjian magic was much different than equine magic, it required an entirely new way of thinking and mastery of magic. To Zack, it was like using a muscle he had never used before, which was an experience very similar to his use of equine magic; however unlike equine magic, cerji used a muscle that felt outside of his body, rather than in him. Cerji is the art of giving and taking, it was sacrificial to the user and the world around the user. Everything has a life force, and that energy cannot be destroyed or created. Equine magic manipulates this energy, taking it and exploiting it. Doing this does not allow the wielder to use this energy to its full extent. Cerjian magic takes the life force energy in exchange for other energy around them, even their own in life or death situations. Zachary’s many examples of this throughout his years of training spanned from many outlets. Such as using cerji to grow plant life exponentially, while trading its life span to do so, making the plants die sooner. To light a candle using cerji, you would take your body temperature and use its energy to light it effectively. The larger the amount of energy used, the greater skilled the cerjian user must be. If used properly, a master of cerji could outperform any other user of magic.
        He finally came out on the other side into an open area that overlooked the forest beyond Concordia. His view before him were branches and hills with pools carved into the wood and land itself; beyond them were an ocean of tree tops that stretched out into the horizon. The pools were rounded and filled with strange, dark and still water. The surface of each body of liquid was undisturbed, even the wind did not touch their black faces. The moon’s light danced across the water, lighting the overarching sanctuary in a bluish, onyx lambency. This was a hidden place he knew nothing about, and it seemed hidden from the rest of Concordia as well. There was no entrance or exit, only an impassable greenery and an open roof where the stars and moon shone down from.
        A presence unsettled Zack and sent a sharp shiver down his spine. He turned towards the nearest and largest pool before him as he witnessed the water gently bubble. Like a noiseless phantom, a white and rounded figure emerged slowly from the pool. The pool water rippled, dancing moonlight into Zachary’s eyes. He shielded his vision for a moment as the light appeared to grow stronger and steadier than in flashes and shimmers. A pure, silver light shone forth behind his arm, as if a celestial being was in his presence. Zack unhindered his sight to gaze upon the wonder, and lo, it was Moonsinger whom had arisen from the dark waters.
        The first thing he noticed was her amethyst eyes that pierced through him as they always did. They glistened like the long retreating night before a new day. It was the only description that Zachary could relate their majesty to, and yet still he had never known of a deeper purple that he could compare her irises to. Her coat matched the tint of the naked night sky. Dark and flawless, her navy form was a gift to his vision. Then, like a crown of unmatched perfection, her long and flat hair gleamed in the moonlight, alit by her wet mane. Zachary was once again stunned by her beauty, as he always was when they would meet; however, this was the first time they had met since his days in Rhignes Rock.
        “Moonsinger,” Zachary spoke as soft as the wind. He approached swiftly, his eyes unbroken from hers. Once he neared her, he knelt down and took hold of the mare with a warm embrace. He no longer cared about his dry, warm clothing as he comforted the soaked unicorn. He pulled away as they met eyes again, drawing his hands away. When he did, he felt upon her furless scratches and scars, imperfections he did not notice before.
        “What happened?” he stressed, eyes filled with worry.
        “I’m fine, for now,” she sweetly stated as if nothing was wrong.
        “These scars...” his vision trailed over her form as he spoke, “I don’t remember these at all in our past visits.” He placed a finger on one of the many marks and followed the blemish from tip to tip. Most were small grazes that would heal over with time, others were long gashes as if slashed by a blade. He looked up at her again and asked, “What do you remember the last time we met?”
        “We have had many meetings so far, but I believe it was—” Her mouth closed, then opened again to say something, but she pressed her lips back together as if sudden thoughts suppressed her words. Then with meandering eyes, she looked at Zachary in a new light, as if she hadn’t seen him in a long time. She placed her hoof upon his face, feeling him and peering deeply over him.
        “Zachary... you’re so old. Older than I’ve ever seen you. And your eyes,” her oval and starlit orbs grew with wonder as she looked into his very pupils. “Your eyes tell your age more so than your appearance. Oh, the knowledge you have gained from the world around you. And yet still, still you are young and naïve.”
        Zachary was brought down by the mare once more, but in an enlightening way. He always held a high reverence for Moonsinger, as if she was his teacher. He stood back to his feet with his back straightened.
        His eyes fell towards the pool as he spoke his mind, “Why are you here?” He knew the answer, but asked anyway.
        “You know I cannot choose my own path. My soul is pulled and pushed by the tides of time. It is not my doing that I do this, it is Tirek’s.” Her head turned towards the pool as they shared the same view. Both seemed entranced by it; with eyes searching as if both were looking for something deep within the water.
        Moonsinger’s voice awoke Zachary from the water’s spell as she said, “Beyond my reasoning I was brought here, to these pools of healing. I was gravely injured by the Ancient One, and torn by the splinters of time.” She indicated slowly, “As you can see, my open injuries have been sealed away by the water’s purity. Whether it was beyond me or not, I was taken here to bathe in its waters by a merciful force.”
        “And you are most welcome here,” a voice spoke behind them. They turned and beheld Nabeleen, walking among the drawn back forest road. “Child of the moon and dreamer of paradise, your presence is always a blessing.” Her eyes shone clear like an emerald riverbed as they glided between Zack and the mare. Moonsinger formed a smile on her face towards the bemused human; he considered what all had brought them here to this place. Moonsinger stepped forward and bowed to one knee, lowering her head in revere.
        “Arise,” the cervian matron spoke; the leader of the Ballad rose. “It has been a long time, my dear.”
        “I wish we did not have to meet like this. I must ask however, was this your doing? Sending me to your domain.”
        “I desire it to be so, but it is not,” Nabeleen admitted in a low, though friendly manner. “The pools before you two are not for bathing, but for seeing. The Cervians name these springs The Mirrors of Somerro. These springs quench Arborbus, the World Tree. Streams and falls flow from here and mingle into the forest itself. Without these, the realm of Cervidas would be barren and fruitless. These pools are different than others, for they flow also with pure Ley magic itself.”
        Zack found himself drawing closer towards the water, but stopped himself as his dark complexion reflected into his eyes. Moonsinger and Nabeleen joined on each side of him as his attention was still focused on the pool.
        “Take heed, Zachary. The waters draw you near, and you may enter, but will you so easily be able to exit its confines? The waters accept only few, but peering into them they accept only those who are willing to see. Kings and queens, gods and demons, the wise and beautiful, the good and evil, all who look into it see only their reflection. Looking deeper, only those who are adept with the gifts of magic, and are willing to see beyond their own desires, will see far over the world. The waters flow into Arborbus, and from Arborbus Arteria is connected. From the mirrors, one may look through the arboreal kin of Arborbus, and many trees are kin to the World Tree.”
        “Curiosity drives you,” she spoke solely to Zachary, into his mind. “You have given up Equestria to find peace and solace, yet you know you are being called back. You will have to leave behind your tranquility to aid your loved ones in battle. It was a fate you knew of long before coming here.”
        “No.” Zack retaliated through his mind. He turned and spoke to her audibly, “I will not! I will not kill again! My strength was used against me to harm the ones I loved. I cannot bring them back a second time if my might is used in the hands of the enemy. They must solve this issue on their own.”
        Zachary turned away from the pool and the two others. He was on the verge of walking away when Moonsinger stopped him saying, “You are a Master, you wield the prevailing blade. Tirek can only be stopped with that weapon. He will slaughter them all. He will murder my kind and destroy what we both love.” Zack stood silently, unable to retaliate. He did not turn around towards her, but looked up into the night sky, breathing heavily as if emerging from a long plunge.
        Nabeleen encouraged him with powerful words, “I advise you to look into Somerro. See what the enemy has unleashed.” Zack turned slowly, eyeing each of his mentors before him. He pivoted around and stepped forward, vision locked on the mirror pool.
        Its dark confines had a tint of deep blue, the stars glinted softly upon its face. Without any restraint, he let his mind itself peer deep into the darkness. He brought himself to his knees and leaned nearer, but did not touch the pool. His refraction was cloaked in the shadow of night, the light of the heavens seemed to circle him like an aura of a holy figure. He felt an alien presence pull on his mind’s eye, drawing it into the waters. He fought back for a moment, but knew he would be safe and let go of his worries. A sensation overcame him, his subconscious was being forced deep into a well. Blackness grew around his sight as the stars and moon came together into a single orb of light. Soon all he could see was a lone beacon of white energy, and that energy trailed off like the cracks across a frozen lake. He followed one of the many, endless pathways that meandered left and right upon the plains of eternal night. At the end of one he saw an archway, a portal that gave way to a new view. He floated towards it and looked inside.
        A powerful crimson overtook his sight. Deep and light reds, and billows of heavy, black smoke was all he could see at first. Then the landscape was made out below as if he were on a high mount looking down into a wasteland. The world was scorched and flattened beyond the mountains he peered from. Blackened stumps and ash had charred that land, scarring it till the end of its days. A savage and gruesome death had stricken this land. A fiery sun darted between the distant ranges and mantle of bloody clouds.
        A shadow fell over him and then before him. A dark bloat of a terrible beast flew over the cloud coverage, the sound of its wings like bellowing thunder. Far off it broke through the crimson blanket, crashing towards the dead earth. Clouds of dust and cinder were thrown upwards in a great, encompassing wall. The inky silhouette of a dragon emerged, looking over his destruction. It was unnatural and tampered with. Its scales were replaced by heavy iron plates, its eyes burned like infernos. Twisting horns, gilded with steel rivers caught the fleeting sun’s rays in the distance. Its jaws opened revealing rows of serrated and barbed teeth, then its maw alit with a brilliance Zachary could not directly look at. Mountains of flame spewed forth, gushing in waves and acting like water. Zachary was overcome with terror; a dread he had not felt in a very long time.
        He forced himself away from the vision and broke free, tripping backwards near the edge of the pool. The two watched him in somber silence, Zack gripped his chest where his heart was pounding. Sweat drenched his face and neck. His eyes were vacant and gaping wide, staring off into the distance as if still looking upon the horror.
        “It will find you,” Nabeleen said without emotion, “it will find Cervidas soon and set it ablaze.”
        “I cannot defeat that.” Zachary shuddered spasmodically. “It is too great.” Moonsinger knelt down next to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder.
        “No one will stop it unless you set the path for them,” she said as if she were his mother. “Together, you and your allies can do this.” A glimmer of hope made itself known to Zachary.
        “You know of this? Have you seen it?” Her eyes fell to the side and her grip lessened on his shoulder.
        Zachary’s heart sank, but Moonsinger reciprocated in an uplifting tone, “I do know you can do this. You are Zachary.” He took a long breath and recollected his wits. He gradually stood and relaxed his shoulders, looking up at Arborbus.
        “In everything I do, I am always alone. I am the one who turns the key. I will most definitely face this beast on my own.”
        Nabeleen denoted, “The monster, Malorga, will make an appearance before you in due time. No matter where you are, you cannot run. He must come to you and you must end him.”
        “Alone...” Zack added, lowering his head. “Alone... I am alone and will be alone when I fail the world.” A brief silence fell over the three. The sounds of the forest and wind became known to Zachary once more. He had almost forgotten where he was and who he was talking to.
        “I need to tell you something,” Moonsinger began slowly. The softness in her voice was like the gentle pull of a calm river. Zachary turned his attention towards her and away from Nabeleen. “I think it is time you knew a truth; a truth that I have long since kept away from you. I waited for the right moment, and now I believe that moment is now.” Moonsinger leaned down and curled next to the pool’s edge. Zack joined beside her, keeping his focus on her alone. Moonsinger swallowed and took steady breaths, as if about to take a plunge. She stared with hollow eyes into the waters, taking in her pale reflection.
        “There were six of us in total when Celestia called us. I was so afraid of leading them all, but Selene, mother Luna, assured me I would do well. We set out, journeying for many miles, further than any of us had been and going to places none of us had traveled to. There were times of peace; we camped out under the stars, we grew closer as companions and became more of a family in the end. There were times of danger; being chased and attacked, being lost and terrified. The odds of success seemed so distant that even I had given up on Celestia. And for a long time I believed that she had sent us on a quest to never return from. Oh, how I was bitter and cold, foolish and distrustful.” She seemed to be almost musing to herself, forgetful of her solemn mood and place among the others around her. Her eyes were glazed with wistful longing. Moonsinger looked upon each memory and each visage from her own time, looking deep into the nothingness before her.
        “Then, near the end of our journey, we came upon a temple. We were told that deep below the temple a Panexus was hidden, one that would lead to Arberes...” Zachary remembered this as the tree that connected all of the Panexi together. It was located in a place that can only be found by ones who had already discovered it.
        “It was a foreboding place in a valley below the Icicle Mountains. Once filled with life and warmth, it had been sapped of such things by something we could not tell. I was against going in at first, but we had no choice. We delved deep into it, too deep...” Her voice grew cold and her eyes grew vivid, as if seeing something she did not want to see.
        “We uncovered something sinister and broke its seal by mistake. Tirek had awakened and took the form of a unicorn himself. It was a temporary form, but in this body he hunted us down. How he knew about us I do not know, but he desired to stop us. We tried to escape through a Panexus, but he found us still. One by one, the equines I grew to love were murdered by him. Soon, only I remained. Deep within a forest I do not know of, lost in the dark and on the verge of breaking...” She stopped and gathered herself, Zachary couldn’t take the suspense much longer. Her eyes welled up and as she forced out in a long whisper, “Him... he found me.” She looked up at Zachary, hot tears streamed down her reddening cheeks. “It was Jason.”
        The name shook Zachary took his core. He felt stricken by a blow to the chest, an emotional impact he didn’t expect. The memory of Jason was something he couldn’t comprehend to be mentioned here, and he had resurfaced into this reality, a place where he wouldn’t have to behold such memories anymore. He didn’t know if what he had heard was what she had truly said, or what his mind had wanted him to hear. There was no distinction between the two as his brain raced for a clue, frantically wondering how Jason could be here.
        “He told me...” she began again, her voice steadying to a normal pitch and bringing Zachary’s focus back. “He told me that he was called here, and that he was alone. We walked long into the forest and talked about our lives, how we got here, why we were sent here, and our different troubles. He told me about you, but I did not know you until long after we parted ways. He also told me that he was on a quest, though that quest remains a secret to me. Days were spent in the forest until finally we reached the end, and at the end of the forest was Tirek. Jason tried so hard to stop him and protect me, but he was no match. Even though Tirek’s unicorn magic could not affect the human, he was still subdued and gravely injured. That was when Tirek turned to me, and split my essence through time...”
        Zack was speechless. Questions that had been lost in the dark had reemerged into the light. This, however, only gave way to more questions. He did not know what to say or ask, or even if he should speak at all. His vision strayed away, unsettled by the fact that he truly was not alone. It sounded as if his brother had died and that he was not immortal like Zachary, but his presence, quest, and state of being was more of a mystery than his own calling to Equestria. Moonsinger brought her hoof under his chin and raised his sight to hers, bringing his attention back once more.
        She mewled thoughtfully, “You are not alone, Zachary. You are never alone.” Zachary placed his hand to her face as a wavering smile formed upon his distraught expression.
        “Thank you,” was all he could muster to say. He arose again and looked back towards Nabeleen. “You knew?” Zack firmly questioned the cervian.
        “I had met him more than one thousand years ago. He made his way to Cervidas, and from there he went north into the Barrengale, the Forest of Night. That is where Moonsinger came across him.”
        Zack stood still, feeling the rage inside himself swallowed by the waters of tranquility. He had known better not to become angry, his diligent meditation while in Concordia paid off.
        He spoke lightly to himself saying, “I will go to Equestria again.” He turned and asked Nabeleen, “If I fail to defeat Malorga, Cervidas will perish. If I fail to defeat Tirek, he will come to you and eradicate you and your children. So if you believe in what you say, will you not aid Equestria in this war?”
        “I care for my kind, I love them.” Nabeleen appeared unconcerned, but her tone told otherwise. “However, I do not care for the equine. I see your sight, and know that the enemy can overtake all in its path. What allies Equestria will muster will not be enough to stop them, and if they cannot stop them, we will not stop them.” She closed her eyes and became silent. Then slowly, under her lids a green flare flashed out, great cervian magic was unleashed within her. Her eyes fully opened, revealing the glitter and gleam of powerful energy. Then, across the expanse of Cervidas, she spoke to all who would listen. She spoke directly into each and every mind within the forest.
        “Awaken,” she whispered, her voice soft and echoing, powerful and sincere. Twilight Sparkle shot out of bed, thinking that perhaps she had been dreaming. The voice continued to her dismay, and she calmed down to listen.
        “Awaken children, arise and be strong. Our peace has be threatened, our livelihoods are endangered. Great evils shall take flight across the Crossings of Eternity. They will pass the oceans and enter our realm, they will not stop until every living thing perishes under their hold. Tirek is the enemy, and we shall join forces with the Equestrians upon their battlefield. Arise and let loose the sails of our ships. Gather your arms, gather your armor. Stags and does, come with me. Come and retain peace for generations to come. I will lead you all.” The voice echoed away in their minds, and the Cervians arose for war.


__________


        To the east rose a new sun over the wide, green lands of Cervidas. Shafts of sunbeams broke through the forest and in Concordia the metal of warfare blazed with its red light. The streets and roadways were filled with cervians who worked tirelessly overnight to haul great vehicles out of the city and into the forest. One third of the deer folk were called to war, the rest remained in the city and forest, helping the Concordian warriors prepare for the voyage to Equestria.
        The chosen stags and does strode towards the lake, eyes fearless and heads high. Each was adorned in light plate armor, coated in silver with vines of gold trimmed upon their shoulders and barrels. They were warriors and trained as such, and though they had never been a part of a war, they knew the ways of warfare. They knew these things only because of their history, and the art of which it brought. They had no rank or honorary name, they held no pride or dignity that was not of their own kind. They were only cervians, the silent and secret ones of Cervidas.
        A wide road was spread through the forest, bending back as the masses of cervians moved themselves and their vehicles to the desired location. Where they marched was the Dyrfount, the mouth of the Illigo River which leads into Eternity’s Crossing. The Dyrfount was a small and clear lake, like a blue island among a sea of green. At its banks it was clear enough to see the many, gray river stones. Near the center where the spring bubbled up was dark and deep, like a navy pupil with an iris of azure. On the banks of Dyrfount were boathouses and docks built by the cervians to hold their many ships, both for river and sea travel.
        The grand boathouse near the furthest edge of Dyrfount was a sweeping spectacle to behold. Its sides were of wood that seemed golden and its roof like amber leaves of autumn. Tall and thin spires peaked about its corners, the roof swayed upward like a circus tent, though it was carved tediously from a single piece of wood and not a cloth. Its rooms were vast and ceilings lofty, enough to hold two dozen cervian sailing vessels. Great pines like sentinels circled about it; it was as if the forest itself protected it.
        As the cervians entered into the boathouse, they boarded the silver vessels which took them down stream. They were much different than their regular cruisers that held a few dozen, these could hold a hundred cervian and sail fast upon open waters. Their vessels were catamarans, built for speed and maneuverability. Their sails were of silver and ruby thread that glistened curiously in the sunlight. The hull was cloudy gray, a soothing color that danced upon the rippled water. Upon the hull were many vaulted ports that had oars controlled by cerjian magic which lightly pushed the boats downstream. One by one, each catamaran sailed near silently down the Illigo. Only its wake and the patter of hoof falls upon the deck were the only disturbance in the vast woods of Cervidas.
        On a lone balcony from Arborbus stood Zachary, Twilight, and Nabeleen. They looked out over the laborious city; each cervian was silent in their own thoughts. Twilight was pleased that Nabeleen was aiding Equestria in this war, however she was still dreadfully worried of the coming war itself. Zack leaned over the side, hands firmly placed on the balcony railing. A persisting feeling he once knew of resurfaced within him, a feeling of quiet dread and inner fear. These feeling were born from the ashes of Canterlot and the fires of Equestria. For long years since he had learned to train his mind with the help of the cervians. To learn cerji, one must be willful and diligent, a consistent student of the world around them. Through it, he had enveloped his past and had sought peace, and for a while he was content. He thought he had solved his post-Equestrian problems, but he was nearsighted. Now he realized that he had only put it away momentarily, that now Zack was battling peace against strife. Only Nabeleen was content and fearless, though she could not see the outcome of such a war.
        “And so we answer Equestria’s call,” stated Nabeleen. She turned towards the pony, and he towards her. “When will you both be departing my forest?”
        Twilight answered, “Soon, my lady.” Twilight hesitated, but said nothing. She felt an inner guilt for causing such things. It concerned her that she hadn’t spent enough time in Concordia. She now felt renewed and refreshed, as if the world around her gave off a glow of tranquility that she became a part of. She almost lost herself in her own contemplation when she realized only she remained standing on the balcony. She turned and noticed Zack and Nabeleen leaving the room behind her and she quickly caught up to both of them.
        The three walked down a wide and spiraling stairway that encircled the interior of Arborbus. The deer they passed bowed to their matron and Zachary, but to Twilight they did not acknowledge.
        As they continued down the steps, Twilight spoke to Nabeleen saying, “My lady, may I ask a favor of you?” The matron stopped her descent and looked pleased towards Twilight.
        “Yes, Twilight Sparkle?” Her tone and visage was true to her emotion. She was happy before the unicorn, as if she had entirely forgotten the situation at hand.
        “There is the equine island, Houyhaven. I believe it is in the path of Equestria itself. If it would not be burden, I would suggest going to the island and rallying the Houyhnhnms. I had spent a time there on the island and I know some will join us to fight against the opposing forces we face. They do not have any watercraft that can brave the oceans like ages ago. So I wish that you would take the warriors of Houyhaven to Equestria.”
        “I know of the Houyhnhnms, Twilight Sparkle. We once traded with them in the years of our fruitful endeavors. I will see what I can do.” She turned away and continued her descent with Zachary. Twilight followed behind, unsure if her presence was a hindrance.
        There was a level platform at the end of the stairs, and at the far end of the platform was another stairway of equal width that descended to the ground floor. To their right was an open archway, leading to a viewing deck, and to their left was a narrow and high gated bridge that lead to the rootway. Zachary softly pivoted towards Twilight as the three were upon the level crossings.
        “Please,” he requested towards Twilight with friendly courtesy, “Follow me.” She did so and the two made their way towards the arching bridge. One by one they went, Twilight following Zack with his white and silver robe trailing behind mere inches above the ground. The bridge was long and narrow, it vaulted slightly upward towards the middle and gently sloped down. It stretched all the way across the expansive interior of the World Tree and was three shoulder-spans wide in cervian standards. When the two reached the rootway, Zachary used some cerjian magic to call forth the elevator. He watched Twilight as the alicorn peered over the edge, looking over the bustling activity and the dense number of deer about.
        “Do you have a certain feeling within you?” Zack asked in an undertone that was light and wishful. Twilight turned back and looked at him, though his eyes were towards the rootway shaft.
        “What do you mean, Zachary?”
        He looked up, “This place, it’s dreamlike. When I arrived here I felt as if I had stepped into a new world. This is what peace is meant to be, this is what Equestria could become. Do you think this is what Celestia strived for? To make Equestria into a country like Cervidas?” He gleefully sighed, eyes hazy with remembrance and wonder. “Perhaps Equestria was once a land of peace, kin to Cervidas in many ways. And if that were true, how do you think that all changed to what the world is today?” Before she could answer, the rootway doors opened and the risen platform arrived with other cervians on board. Some of the deer exited as Zachary and Twilight entered. The vined gate closed and the rootway smoothly rose.
        They exited at Matron’s Loft and made their way towards the Gailexium. The sky was a blissful blue, without a single cloud from horizon to horizon. A spirited, clean wind blew over the heights, filling the pony with a natural nourishment. They entered through the thick, beech doors, the manor’s air was warm and cozy to Twilight’s fur. The entry hall was filled with morning light as fine specks of lonely dust danced within the sunbeams. The smell of crisp, polished wood and foreign scents delighted her nostrils, but her eyes and ears found no one besides Zachary present in the High Watchhall. The two took the first right in the atrium, which lead down a curved stairway into a series of short halls and nooks. The hall had many doorways, but Zack entered one as Twilight followed behind. In it was his small, quiet room. It was neatly organized and resembled that of the Western Tower in Canterlot Castle. Even the high porch was near the far end of the room where outside nested Nox the thunderbird.
        Twilight walked around and examined the room saying aloud, “This isn’t too bad. It reminds me of your old room in Canterlot.” Zack turned and smiled, he held an open bag that he was placing his belongings into. He went about the room grabbing his few personal things, trying to be swift, yet not wanting to miss anything.
        “You know,” he began, walking past Twilight to a chest in the far corner of the room, “it pains me to leave, Twilight. I know it doesn’t make sense to you now, but I’ve made friends here. I began a new life, gained a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me. I’ve learned to channel my feelings, emotions, and thoughts into more positive routes of thinking. I don’t think I’ll be the same Zachary as I was those many years ago.” He looked towards his desk and removed a photo frame. He brought it close to him as he looked at the picture inside, seeing Pinkie and himself working behind the counter at Sugarcube Corner.
        “I can’t wait to see her again. It’ll take a while to catch up, you know how Pinkie is when she goes about explaining things.” He chuckled and stowed the picture into his satchel bag. He opened a desk drawer and pulled from it a silver pocket watch that gleamed faintly blue in the sunlit room. He put it up to his ears and listened to it tick. He tucked it away in his pocket and forgot about the silence he had established.
        He added after his long delay, “Others that remember me will want a better explanation to my... disappearance. To be honest, I don’t think I can give one that will please them.” He walked away from his desk and headed towards his chest of drawers across the room. “I could have chosen to stay, and I have no real excuse for choosing what I had chosen. But If I were to choose an excuse, I would only say that I needed this. I wanted this. And from that outcome I knew there would be consequences, but I left Equestria as silently as I came into it. That is what I wanted, to not leave a trace of evidence for anyone, friend or enemy, to find.” Zack looked back towards Twilight, wondering if she had even been paying attention. She was silent, but listening intently.
        Zack gave an easy grin at her attentiveness. “I’m probably boring you anyways. I’m sure you figured this all out, or could have and more by just the information that you were presented with.” He grabbed a few scrolls, each bearing a broken seal with Luna’s mark upon them, and placed them into his travel bag. He then slung the bag over his back and made his way towards the deck doors.
        “Zachary,” she said, making him stop just before the large glass doors. “You don’t need to explain anything. You aren’t apart of this world, you never could be, so you left the best way you could.”
        “I was offered a choice to come here long ago, an offer to come and learn to cope with my solitude. But no matter where I go or who is around me, I’ll be alone.” He looked over his shoulder and smiled at the pony. “I know that’s okay now.” Whether he meant it or not was unknown to him, but the feeling the words gave him made him happy. From what he learned last night, he knew he wasn’t always alone, and that there was a larger mystery to be solved.


__________


        “So it is time,” Nabeleen said before the two companions. They were on the floor of the forest before Arborbus and in the midst of the multitude of Concordia. Zack was adorned in clothes more fit for travel. He wore a strapping white top with hems that lapped over his shoulders, cervian-sown tan trousers that fell below his knees, a thick brown belt, and light moccasin-style shoes. He was dressed quite well for the adventure back to Equestria.
        Her eyes fell to both the human and the pony respectively as she went on, “We all must embark to reach a common goal, though each will have an entirely different journey before them. The days of comfort and peace have ended, and whether or not it can be sustained once again sways on the point of disaster.”
        The Emerald Lady added, “May the winds be in your favor, and let them take you swiftly to Equestria. We shall arrive on the eve of battle, and we shall not delay.” Before she gave them both her blessing, a few fawns came before Zachary, breaking away from the cervian company. They were crestfallen when Zachary looked upon them, eyes filled with regret and sadness. He knelt to one knee to be eye level with them.
        “Please don’t go!” said one of the young.
        “Please, please!” pleaded the others as they huddled closer towards the human. Zack stretched out his arm and embraced them all lovingly.
        Zack looked upon each saying, “My little ones, don’t be sad. Remember the times we shared here! Remember our stories and remember my teachings, for I will not forget everyone’s lessons here. I have taken them to heart and will never lose them!”
        He placed his large hand atop one of the taller fawns and smiled. “Vitreen, please do let anger come so easily upon you. You must be stronger than that.” He removed his hand and placed it on another deer, this time a young doe. “Never stop learning, and let not others be the folly of you, Kytris.” He went to each cervian foal and gave a last, personal farewell to each of them. Twilight was touched by Zachary’s display of affection towards each young one. She began to understand how he would miss Concordia, and how he wasn’t exactly able to put his feelings into words for her before. Now she understood and she felt somewhat ashamed that she was taking him away from the ones that loved him.
        He arose and looked towards Twilight with delight beaming off of him. “Are you ready, Twilight?” She looked about Concordia and towards the World Tree one last time, trying to take it all in for memory’s sake.
        She returned her gaze and nodded, “Yes, I believe so.”
        He nodded in return and pressed his thumb and finger into his lips. He gave off a piercing whistle that filled the forest city around them. The shrill he produced rang off the trees and lifted into the air over the branches. Almost as soon as the whistle had faded off, a thunderclap could be heard in the distance. A subtle, deep pulse of wings came high above them all; even the cervians grew looks of fear, looking up towards the trees and murmuring to themselves. Through the branches tore through Nox in his stormy form. A great plume of storm clouds trailed from its wings and tail feathers. Its eyes blazed with a vivid and electric cyan, and its wing tips and talons radiated in a brilliant yellow. It swooped down and came to halt between the cervians and guests. Nox’s impressive wingspan was held aloft and it carefully tucked its wings in not to hurt anyone. Zachary approached his ally and caressed Nox’s dark crown, trying his best to ignore the static outputs with each stroke.
        Nabeleen walked around the bird and Nox acknowledged her as a friend. She said aloud, “This is what I assumed you shall be taking, and I was right.” She placed a hoof towards Nox’s beak as the bird lowered its head. “I shall miss Nox, for we have spent many days together here in Concordia. It is a rarity these days to find the mythical birds. No greater beast can be compared to the beauty of the Spirit Avian. They are a fleeting race in these present times, and few remain unfound.” She turned toward Zack and deeply requested, “I hope you take great care of him, for he will be a valuable asset to you on your journey.”
        “I shall,” he strongly answered. “We have both served each other many times and in dire situations. Never has he failed to save me, and I for him.”
        The Emerald Lady concluded, “Now is the time, Zachary. The sun seeks the higher heavens and you must depart swiftly. I feel that your call is needed sooner than we had surmised.” The human silently agreed and placed a hand on the Nox’s mantle. The thunderbird bent down so that both Zack and Twilight could mount him. He focused his inner magic and conjured a simple saddle upon Nox’s back. The cervians stepped back from the three as the young ones were pulled away by their parents. Nox arose with both human and pony on his back, unhindered by their combined weight. Twilight held closely to Zachary, deeply afraid of falling from the great heights Nox was known at flying from. Even though she had wings, she had never been a great flyer, even after the many years she had possessed them. She wrapped her hooves around Zachary’s torso, trying not to think about the soon-to-be troubles.
        Zachary looked down towards the Matron and said, “We will meet again soon.” He gripped the satchel to his side and held to the saddle reins—Twilight held her breath.
“Let’s go!” called the human and Nox bent his weight down. With a mighty heave, he took into the sky at a speed which tore around the two. The tall trees rushed passed and through the greenery they broke into the wide blue sky in no time. Twilight had held her eyes closed, but when she opened them she was far over Cervidas. The high winds rushed passed her, tossing her mane and tail carelessly about. Below was a sea of emerald and above was a realm of sapphire; she turned and watched the great World Tree drift away like a lonely sea spire.
        She turned and yelled out over the screaming winds, “How long is the journey to Equestria? Do you know how to get back?”
        Zack looked over shoulder and loudly responded, “Not entirely sure, for both questions. Don’t fret though! I’ve studied many maps and have been to many places in the last thirty-three years. The journey takes years by foot and boat, but by the thunderbird flies I do not know. We will make haste however, and we shall arrive when we arrive!” He leaned forward and pressed Nox to go faster. With little effort, Nox beat his wings down and the three were taken swifter in a great burst.


__________


The cervian catamarans sailed hastily down the twining rivers as Nox raced over wavering lands. They flew northwest as the sun dipped further west. The sky faded yellow in the afternoon as they passed the far line of wooded realm of Cervidas. The sea, once a thick line upon the distant horizon, had grown thicker and deeper in color as they approached near sunset. At the gloaming hour, the three made a quick stop at a freshwater lake near the ocean. They rested, drank and ate for a few minutes before setting off again over the expansive sea of Eternity’s Crossing.
        Twilight fell into deep slumber as Zack stayed focused and alert. Ahead were great thunderheads with narrow passages around them. Heat lightning burned about through the anvil clouds as heavy rain could be seen pouring from underneath. The waves below grew tall and terrible, and Zachary knew they had to fly higher to be able to avoid a catastrophe. Great and dark peaks of the cumulus clouds rose around them; Nox fearlessly maneuvered through the storm. Vibrant electricity burned at the tip of the thunderbird’s beak, it was St. Elmo’s Fire, a rare weather occurrence. The tropical disturbance didn’t last long as they swooped down the far edges of the cloud and made it on the other side of the storm. The clouds parted and the naked night sky was shown above. The light of the moon rippled down below, cascading silver slivers upon the waves below. Stars were scattered about above, a wonder that Zack felt hard to look away from.
        Dawn was approaching as they soared over a chain of small islands below. Unbeknownst to Twilight, a disheartened houyhnhnm looked up and noticed a strange and large bird passing swiftly overhead. Zack pressed on until the sun rose over the sea, glittering the ruby and golden waters like precious stones of treasure. They landed in the morning on a small atoll, surrounded by many sandbars. The salt air refreshed the three and soon enough they were back in the air. Nox flew close to the water, using the updraft and spraying wake to cool and wash himself. As they flew up higher, Zack spotted an expansive land beyond him.
        “There!” he pointed as Twilight was brought back from an uneasy nap. “Land! What I hope is that this is Equestria’s coastline! We’re only a day away—perhaps shorter!” Twilight as glad, but remained silent and still, still too deeply afraid to loosen up or relax atop of the speedy thunderbird. Twilight hoped, however, that they were not too late, and that nothing terrible had happened while she was away.
> 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(8)






        The old road through the Icicle Mountains weaved and dug into the mountainsides where the unified armies marched. The route was unkind and narrow, rutted with loose rock and wavering ice. Scouts ahead climbed to high peaks and looked out over the frozen ranges, peering deep into heavy mists and thick frost coverage. They could not see far due to a storm a few miles away, however they noticed that the course the armies took would be the same for many days. Jagged mountains with rocky, black heads broke through white helms that stretched flat and far between waves of encroaching ranges. A series of cracks through the ice mounts was the only path that the armies could take. Even the generals on their rocs were forced to go by foot and hoof through the slender passages; the world above the mountains was too harsh for even the native avian to fly through.
        Surrounding the forces were high, glazed walls, crystal and blue in appearance. The afternoon sun glinted throughout the smoothed walls, washing over in an array of hypnotic hues over the hesitant forces. The area they had come to was as if a great flood had froze instantly many years ago; and looking deep into the ice, one might see distant, hazy creatures of magnificent proportion locked in the deep freeze.
        Unknowing to Vallak or any of the Generals, a few scouts who were plodding above the high passages were silently taken out. For overlooked by everyone, a multitude of ponies had gathered themselves in a few low-lying crests near the passages. They were the Manehattan forces, and for days they had planned out a strategy—that if successful—would ensure that the armies would be delayed, sparing Equestria a few more days to prepare for battle. They were hungry and freezing, and some had died among the ponies, unable to fight against the deathly environment. Moral was low, but high spirits persisted still among the hearty stallions and mares. They knew nothing of Malorga or what affliction he had wrought back in Manehatten, and their plans remained unhampered for a swift retreat back to their home city, if need be.
        A day came when the combined enemy armies began their slow trek through a long, foggy hall of ice with walls so high that from below the sky seemed like a thin, gray line. The echoes of stamping feet and hooves, as well as the moans of ancient ice around them were all they could hear. Their sight was sluggish and senses weary, they did not expect what was soon to occur. An immense auburn blast filled the icy halls with deep, crimson light. Their eyes darted far above them, seeing the remains and rising crash of an explosion. Immense boulders of shattered ice tumbled and broke against the walls as they plummeted towards the front of the armies. The front line soldiers were rushing forwards and backwards in a mad scramble, but they could not avoid each other and impeded themselves from the coming debris.
        Sheets of thick ice and frozen chunks of great mass fell upon the front lines, crushing them into the mountain. A layer of frost clouded throughout the icy crack, disorienting the armies even further. One by one, distant cracks and flashes of rifle fire could be seen from above. Bullets rained from the high passages as equines fired into each side of the constricted valley. The dumbfounded infantry prepared for action as they armed themselves and shot blindly back above them. The sound of their shots reverberated throughout the icy, empty labyrinth.
        Suddenly, a flock of rocs took flight in unison amongst the ground forces, screeching upwards towards the valley top. They poured out above and the equine gunfire split from solely the enemy below. Cannon fire blazed out where the ponies rolled it from their hiding nooks, though they could not hit the evasive rocs. The equines soon became outnumbered and unmatched. The environment was against them, even though they had the advantage. Their hooves, magic, and might were chilled and slow, and they couldn’t react fast enough to the diving attacks or razor talons.
        A few ponies shot bright green flares high above them, signaling to fall back. Zeppelins among the heavy, gray clouds began to land as soon as the ponies began retreating. Heavy gunfire sounded from the airships, as well as arrows and vivid bolts of unicorn magic. The staggering amount of rocs were held off, but for a few minutes they were like bees attacking a large animal. They strayed back and dipped into the crack again when they knew that they could not last among the zeppelins.
        The battle did not last long, and many equines died in the fray of that skirmish, but their objective was accomplished. They had severely delayed the enemy forces and now a massive wall of thick, frozen ice blocked their path. It was impassable and high, almost straight and vertical it climbed between the valley walls. It would take almost a week for the armies to clear it out and proceed, and it would take longer to find another way around. Vallak was greatly displeased as camp was set up early so that their forces could get to work clearing the passageway.


__________


        Lord Vallak was alone in his tent, musing deeply on his own narrow sightedness and on what he should do. Large rods of green fire burned about the room, keeping it relatively warm. The magical flames filled the dark room with a certain gloom, the heat of which was not pleasing but discomforting. He was hunched over a map of the Icicle Mountain Realm, though his emerald eyes were still deep within thoughts of his own. His talons tapped against a makeshift table where he leaned over; he was restless and weary, although his outward appearance looked otherwise unaffected by his tortured thoughts.
        The room’s light wavered for a moment and a wind seemed to blow from the entry way. He closed his eyes and his mind went blank with despair.
        “You disappoint me, Vallak.” A voice in the wind spoke. Its tone had a frigid tinge of spite upon every word it said. Vallak turned quickly and bowed his head in forced reverence.
        The Griffon King entreated solemnly, “Forgive me, Tirek.” Before him was the Afflicter, the sword that the spirit was bound to. It levitated before him in the darkness, over watching the monarch with piercing, invisible eyes.
        “My arrival grows late due to your lack of sight.” Each word stabbed into the griffon with a pain he could not deter. “Of all whom I have blessed, you seem deficient to carry out my will. There is no greater honor to be a servant of Tirek, though there is no greater shame to displease me, your master.”
        He gritted his teeth, and in a broken and hushed cry he repeated, “Forgive me, Tirek!”
        “I feel you do not know what you have caused, or what has been set in motion. Great movements gather towards a shared destination. A wizard and protégé fly north. A father looks away from his son. Time passes and you delay my hours from destiny itself. I am soon to come again, Vallak, to take shape in this world once more. The last age I performed this in, I destroyed the spirit lords that were of physical form. Now I shall not linger on destroying the two who remain within my grasp.”
        “But do not be disheartened.” Tirek’s tone changed slightly to a more warmer voice. “If you do not fail me again, you shall still become one of my greatest servants. You shall sit beside me on my throne. You shall rule over Arteria, but I shall rule over all.” Vallak, still broken and feeble before Tirek, mustered up the courage and pushed out his strained thoughts.
        “Thank you! Thank you!” he whispered with great strength. The griffon clasped his hands together and continued, “I will not fail you again, my lord.” The sword slowly hovered back onto the weapon rack it had lifted itself from and the lights glowed freely again.
        The last whisper of a distant wind concluded, “You shall not, for you are mine.”


__________


        The Steed house was quiet but welcoming that evening. Under the brisk starlight, Ponyville slept peacefully. The yellow luminescence of magitech lamps glowed through the windows and semi-parted drapes. Through the front door crept Sunny Days with caution. He had no reason to be quiet, but he wanted to leave the confines of his house just momentarily. He stood for a moment on the porch, taking in the brisk breeze that swept softly through the streets. The warm, Summer nights were gradually adjusting to cooler, Autumn air in the valley that nestled Ponyville, and this filled him with energy.
        His family had been in mourning over the loss of his brother still, he knew it would be a long time before everyone could get over Gallant’s loss. He was burdened by his brother’s death as well, though what really troubled him was how his family and friends grieved for Gallant. He was highly regarded and bore an important title in Ponyville and in Canterlot. He had many friends and was loved by a greater many. The Steed household had many visitors in the past few days, coming by to give their condolences. To dear friends to unknown ponies who had been touched by him in some way or form, they all came to pay their respect. Even the Royal Alicorns themselves, and the famed Captain of the Guard made appearances offering their deepest pity and support.
        Things were finally slowing down and they had less and less visitors over the course of the week. Tonight, his mother Gale had a private dinner party to try and bring normality and ease back into their upturned lives. Two others were invited to the dinner party, two of the closest ponies the Steeds knew and whom they considered family; Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Both came and were welcomed warmly by the family. Sunny Days had to take a moment to get a breath of fresh air before returning inside, and slipped out when no one was watching.
        After taking a long moment of reflecting back on how his terrible week had been, he unfolded his wings and flapped softy off of the porch and over the lawn. He made his way towards the Mail Tube and unlatched the glass container atop of it. He then opened a cylindrical, brass and glass made bullet and retrieved a large wad of sympathy mail, banded together tightly by thick string. He closed the hatch with the bullet inside and pressed a green button that was to the side of the pipe. Steam whistled from vents near the base of the tube for a moment before the bullet whisked downward and back towards the Tube Station. He didn’t take the time to go through them as he gently flew back onto the porch. He opened the screen door before entering through the front door as interior lighting poured forth from the inside out. The nighttime frogs and crickets died away to the sound of dinner cooking, clopping hooves, a slow, big band song emitting from their radio box, and their large, ticking clock in the corner of the den.
        Sunny entered the living room to see his sister and Rainbow Dash going through photo albums of times gone and spent. They were on the floor, silently admiring each photo they came across. There was a cardboard box they were taking news articles, journals, and albums from to keep busy before dinner.
        Autumn looked up at Sunny and asked, “Were you just outside? I didn’t hear or see you leave?”
        “You were like a ninja pony or something,” Rainbow added, trying to lighten the currently tense mood in the home. Sunny tossed the mass of letters on the couch as it bounced and rolled aside on the cushion.
        “J-just getting t-t-the mail,” he stammered, wincing at his own speech.
        Sunny began to walk off as his sister said, “Everyone seems to have forgotten to get the mail in the house. We’ve been so—” She spoke up and called, “Hey Sunny, come back! You should check out this photo album our mom made long ago! I didn’t even realize we had it. Have you seen it?” Sunny stepped around a recliner and looked over his sister who was on the floor.
        “No,” he answered as he sat between the two. Autumn handed him the album as he scrolled through it to the beginning. Rainbow scooted over so that she could get a better view; she had yet to look into the scrapbook that Autumn had.
        As they went through each photo, Autumn Skies commentated, “Here’s a picture of mom in here Cloudsdale military dress. Gosh, she looks so young.” She pointed to the adjacent page and marveled, “And here’s a picture of Valiant receiving some award from Celestia. How come I’ve never seen that medal in his study?” She pointed to another as Sunny turned the page and stated enthusiastically, “Oh look, it’s Rainbow Dash and me as a baby! Ha! Dash looks as if she had never held a baby before in her life!”
        They all chuckled as Rainbow commented, “How was I to know that you were suppose to hold a foal’s head?”
        Sunny turned the next page and continued as they looked over each photo slowly, admiring happier times with little comment from either of them. Going through the album, he saw family portraits, vacations in Cloudsdale, moments in the backyard, and such. Sunny smiled as he came upon a part of the album that had just his dad, Gallant and him. There was one where the three of them went to a Stormball game in a large stadium at Rainbow Falls. Another where he and Gallant were coated in dried mud, thinking it was a good idea to run the water hose down their dirt driveway and play in it. There was one where they were in a bar with a pint and each hoof, another where Sunny was at his brother’s Royal Guard ceremony for new recruits, and even one where both Gallant and Valiant were teaching him to fly by holding each foreleg while they were the air. Deep emotions of nostalgia welled up inside of him as tears began to wet his eyes.
        He was taken away from that moment as he heard a noise from behind him walk from one room to the next. He looked over his shoulder and noticed his father entering into the kitchen. He asked something he couldn’t quite hear and then turned to leave. He made no eye contact with his son as he returned back to his study at the corner of the house. Sunny returned to the album and closed it, giving it back to his sister.
        “What’s wrong, Sunny?” Rainbow asked with concern in her tone. “We aren’t even halfway through.”
        “Dad ha-hasn’t been the s-sa-same,” he stressed with grief. “We’ve a-all been adjus-ting to what h-has happened, but d-dad’s just...” He looked into her rich, magenta eyes after seeking the right words to say. “He’s b-been n-neg-negligent of m-me in particular. I k-know it sa-sounds like I’m jealous or am see-seeking his at-attention, b-but believe me wh-when I say I o-only want to be his s-son. I don’t want t-to be overlo-looked like I’ve a-always been.”
        “I understand where you’re coming from,” Autumn spoke up. “I’ve seen it myself over the years. Gallant was always his favorite son over you. I was his only daughter and he loved me for who I was; and he loved you as well, just not with the same love he had for Gallant. I don’t want to be rude—and you already know this—but it seems apparent that he cares less for you now that Gallant is gone. It’s sad, it truly is. It doesn’t seem like a thing he would do, but he has shown us all his silent disapproval for you and how you’ve lived your life so far.” She placed a hoof on his shoulder and affirmed him, “And how you’ve lived your life so far—to me, that is—is nothing short of great. Many people love you because of who you are. I’m glad you didn’t succumb to what our father or brother wanted. You lived your own life and I’m happy for you.”
        Autumn’s words were healing to his dilemma, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know how to express his feelings for his father at the current moment. He felt a tinge of anger about his father’s choices, but also he felt sad for him still. He couldn’t comprehend what it was like to lose a son, but he had another that he had continually shunned for years. When he was young, he knew the feeling of being left out, but over the years he had learned to live with it. Now this foalhood impressions were relapsing within him; he couldn’t seem to avoid the problem no matter how hard he tried. His concentration was broken yet again as his mother stepped out of the kitchen with Pinkie Pie, who had been helping her cook the meal.
        “Dinner’s ready.” Pinkie announced in a not-so-Pinkie quality. She had to be careful not to express her perpetuating, inner joy during a dinner like this. It was a time of recovery and there had been little laughter, but she knew better than to provoke silliness during a sorrowful time.
        Gale looked down at her son and asked, “Go get your father, dear.”
        Sunny swallowed uncomfortably. He felt the lump in his throat to be burdensome as he tried to take in a breath. Autumn was about to tell him that she would go and do his task, but he stood promptly and began his way towards the study. The room’s door was ajar with little light escaping the narrow opening. He pushed it open slowly and stood in the doorway. The yellow light from outside creeped forward and onto the far wall of the dark room. The room smelled of pipe weed and smoke, stained after many years of Valiant’s habit. A fireplace was burning in the far corner, it was poorly attended and only the glow of embers dimly filled the room with a red tint. Valiant was bent towards the fire in a cushioned fauteuil chair, his vision was locked into the embers’ eyes. Hanging from his lip was his pipe, and smoke rose like a ghost from the black bowl. He looked weary and tired, much older than his appearance made him out to be. Beside his chair was a back brace for his magitech wing. The ember light danced off the copper and brass, making it gleam red every few seconds.
        Sunny Days didn’t know how long he had been standing still, but finally he softly called out, “D-dinner’s ready, d-dad.” Valiant didn’t respond, nor move. He only sat and blinked into the fireplace, lost in a world of his own.
        Sunny repeated with a deep, slow breath to try and get his words straight, “Dinner’s ready, dad. You can come and—”
        “I heard you,” he said lowly. He took a long toke as the inside of the pipe bowl flared vibrant red. He then exasperated a puff of thick, gray smoke before him, letting it slowly rise and fade into the ceiling.
        Valiant concluded, “I’ll come soon, just leave me be.”
        Sunny nodded and lowered his head. Valiant remained still while his son cracked the door behind him as he left. The old stallion placed his pipe down and leaned his head into his hooves. Valiant then rubbed his eyes and removed his hooves, looking over the mantle of the fireplace. Two intersecting crossbows and a seal of the Canterlot Royal Guards loomed above him. His eyes stayed affixed on the emblem for a long time until he heard a noise outside. His ears perked and eyes grew vacant. The sound he noticed wasn’t from the street, and it wasn’t a noise that the night carried naturally. It was a foreign sound, it was something that rustled alongside the house and began to make him fret. He stayed steadfast and listened closely.
        Sunny came into the kitchen and was greeted with smiles. Gale stirred a pot of boiling spaghetti noodles as Pinkie and Autumn grabbed different trays and brought them into the dining room. Rainbow had sat herself down at the table in the other room, conducting herself as the guest she was. No one seemed to mind, everyone was content with how the night was proceeding.
        Gale turned slightly and asked Sunny, “Where’s your father?”
        “H-he’s in h-his study, st-still.”
        “I see...” The Steed family knew that whenever Valiant was in his study, that he was to remain undisturbed until he saw it fit to leave. He had spent many hours in his dark sanctum for the last week, and this began to concern Gale, though she did not speak of it.
        As Autumn placed a tray of dinner rolls atop Pinkie’s mane, the pink mare strongly announced, “We’re about ready! I can’t wait to sit down and eat!”
        Gale smirked, “You’re always ready to eat, Pinkie.”
        “You bet-ya! My stomach has no bounds, but my hooves do!” She then bounced off into the next room, keeping the tray on her head balanced. After years of using her hooves and head to carry trays of sweets from the kitchen to the dining area in Sugarcube Corner, she had mastered the art.
        Valiant was uneasy as he stood from his chair and approached the window. He used his hooves to slightly move one of the drapes, though he saw nothing unusual outside. A few light taps glided above him and he stepped back quickly, looking up at the ceiling. He knew no one was upstairs, and so he figured that it had come from the roof. Valiant began to suspect it was an intruder of some kind when others would think that the noises were made by a bird or small animal. He calmly and quietly proceeded towards the door of his study.
        Rainbow entered into the crowded kitchen of busy family members and asked aloud, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
        Autumn replied with sass, “Oh, now you come to help out? Getting tired of waiting, I see.”
        Rainbow laughed, “It’s nothing like that. I just... well... You nailed it on the head, didn’t you, Autumn?”
        Valiant hastily entered the kitchen. No one even noticed him until he spoke up over the commotion with a commanding, yet quiet voice.
        “Listen!” he ordered everyone. They were surprised to see Valiant in the middle of the kitchen, but they did as he said and fell silent in compliance. They looked about the room, ears intently focusing on whatever Valiant was trying to perceive. The only noise remaining in the room was the distant tick of the den clock, the hum of the radio, and the boiling water atop the stove. After a long, awkward moment, everyone began to stare at Valiant, wondering if he had lost his mind. He was still looking about as if searching for something.
        “Honey?” Gale carefully said to her husband. “Is everything okay?”
        Sunny approached his father and urged him, “D-dad, we need t-to talk. I’m tired of y-y-you ignoring me a-and—”
        “Not now, Sunny.” Valiant said, putting a hoof between him and his son.
        “No! I w-won’t take it any l-longer!” Valiant swept towards his son and it startled him when he placed his hooves firmly on Sunny’s shoulders.
        “Listen to me right now,” Valiant forcefully insisted. Sunny Days firmly believed that his father had a voice of strict command and authority that no other could reproduce. His breath became shortened as is father glared upon him. “Be quiet,” he said in a slow, warily voice. Sunny’s seldom anger simmered over as he forcefully pushed his father away in defiance.
        “Why can’t you love me like you loved Gallant!“ Sunny exploded.
        A sudden crash filled the emptiness of the room as glass shards were flung across the kitchen. Through the window above the stove, a dark whirr of something lean and menacing vaulted towards Valiant. The stallion was struck down as the other ponies cascaded to the side in shock. Valiant held his eyes closed as he was violently tackled to the floor. When he opened his eyes, an angular, black face glared down at him. Vicious, sharp teeth were shown in his presence as the hound firmly pinned the stallion on the floor.
        “Where is he?!” Baskavail commanded in a booming voice. “Where is the human? Where is the Wizard of Equestria?” Valiant replied with a dour and defiant expression. The hound snarled and opened its maw. He tried to sink his teeth into the stallion, but Valiant maneuvered his head to the side. He reeled his head back around and bashed it into the skull of his enemy. Baskavail retaliated quickly, raising a wicked and bent knife in his paw, readying it to send down upon his foe; however he was blindsided by the Element of Loyalty who bolted towards the intruder. Two other hounds raced in from the window as everyone got to their hooves. Their claws were exposed and they darted towards the ponies. Chaos broke out as the equines fought for their lives against the three intruders.
         Autumn was suspended in fear, unable to cope with the towering hound that approached her. Pinkie saw this and pulled her away in time before the dog could slash her. Pinkie maneuvered underneath the hound’s legs, towing her shocked, pegasus friend along. The dog became confused as allies and enemies mixed about him in the small confines of the equine kitchen. As he turned towards the stove, Gale grabbed the cooking pot and splashed boiling water upon the side of the hound’s head. She twirled the pot in her hooves and struck the other side of the dog’s cranium with the blunt end of the pot, sending him spiraling towards the floor.
        Rainbow was on top of the Alpha as he spun the dagger in his hands. She quickly tried to catch the oncoming blade before it sunk into her, using both of her hooves to catch the hound’s paw. Baskavail’s other paw was free from her hoof as he swiped it towards her with claws withdrawn. Rainbow was stricken sideways and off of the hound. Before he could make it off of the kitchen floor, both Valiant and Gale flung themselves on top of the him, kicking, punching, and stamping the hound. With legs bent, Pinkie pounced high over them and onto the hound, using her astounding legs to pummel the enemy below her. With strong and sweeping limbs, Baskavail jostled the ponies off of him and shot upright. He grabbed his fallen ally and ran into the next room as the equines chased after him.
        In the fray of the conflict, one of the hounds locked onto Sunny Days. He cowered back as the hound stepped forward. The pegasus dashed out of the kitchen while the hound chased after him. He tried heaving objects behind him to slow down his pursuer, though he did not look back to see if his strategy was working in his favor. He left the ground and kicked off of the walls, using his wings to propel him quicker through the house. He could hear the hound’s paws thud against the floor seemingly right behind him. He pushed off of the far wall and shot himself towards the stairs to the second floor, getting a terrifying glimpse of the trailing enemy. He raced around the corner to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
        The frightened pegasus locked the door and held himself against it, holding back the dog’s blows behind him. He quickly grabbed the chest of drawers next to his bedroom door and pulled it before entryway. He raced about the room in an adrenaline frenzy, moving other large objects before the door to give him some more time. As Sunny finally shoved his bed flat against the door frame, the hound’s claw tore a hole through the wooden portal. The pony reeled back and fumbled to the floor. The dog tried to break in, prying a hole large enough for him to fit through. In a state of panic, Sunny’s mind went blank on what to do. As the hound began to tear off the door and push away the blockades before him, Sunny remembered that behind him was his bedroom window.
        He sprang up and tried to unlatch it as best he can, hearing behind him the door to his room being violently destroyed. After hastily unfastening the lock on his window, he threw it open and jumped out. He spread his wings and was just about to fly from harm as one of his hooves were grabbed. The hound’s nails dug into the flesh of the pony, making him unable to escape. Sunny was yanked back in and thrown across the wreckage in his room. He hit the far wall head first and fell flat. His head was dazed and vision was spinning, he couldn’t stand or work his legs in any sort of helpful manner.
        The front door was broken down as Baskavail and his wounded ally sprinted into the dim street. Valiant, Gale, Pinkie Pie, and the recovering Rainbow Dash raced onto the porch. Valiant held out a hoof before the Elements of Laughter and Loyalty. The two mares stopped as Baskavail howled loudly into the night, the shrill of which seemingly paralyzed them. A pack of six other hounds raced on four legs through the shadows of the streets behind them where the lamplights lacked. The injured hound was carried atop of another hound as the Alpha followed behind. They raced out of the town at speeds well beyond the fastest of earth ponies. Before they could rest, they heard a crash from back inside of the house that alerted the four.
        “Sunny!” cried Gale as she raced in first, followed by Rainbow, then Pinkie, and finally Valiant who made his way elsewhere in the abode.
        The inky blur of the hound beast crept closer towards Sunny. Sunny attempted to roll to the side and away from the dog, hoping that with enough momentum he could get back on his hooves. His plan was foiled abruptly when the hound grabbed the pony by the neck. Sunny reached for the powerful paw and tried to break free from it, but the grip was too tight. The hound peered down at Sunny and gave a toothy smile, then quickly he opened wide, ready to sink his teeth into the weakened stallion. Its eyes darted away from the pony for a moment, and when it looked elsewhere something penetrated its chest.
        He unleashed his paw and held the bolt that was fired into him. Sunny looked to his side to see his father in the shattered doorway with a crossbow attached to each hoof. The hound looked down and tried to yank the bolt from his torso as Valiant pointed his second crossbow at the beast. He aimed swiftly and shot a second bolt into the forehead of the hound, a narrow target that was bulls-eyed with little effort. The dog gave a sharp whimper of pain as the force of the arrow sent him staggering backwards. The dog fell hard and lie motionless as a maroon pool of blood formed behind its head.
        Sunny caught his breath as he was helped up by his father. He tensed up as he put weight on his back hoof, realizing that it was injured with deep cuts from where the hound had grabbed him. Before Sunny could say anything, Valiant briefly—and lightly—hugged him before going over to see if the dog was truly slain. The others came into the room, eyes glowing with fear and shock at what all had happened in such a short time. Valiant stood over the lifeless body, eyeing it closely. The hound’s eyes were vacant and dark, its blood trickled slowly down between the wooden floor panels.
        Sunny spoke up in a slow, deep breath, “Who is t-this wizard, Dad?” Valiant looked back towards his son and others. Rainbow and Pinkie looked cautiously at him, Gale was still staring at the body of the hound which was in the center of the room. He did not know what to say, if he should say anything at all about Zachary during a time like this. Autumn wearily stepped before the broken doorway and gasped upon seeing the hound. She was a pony who never did well in dangerous or scary instances, but she had regained her strength quickly and was with the family again.
        Another howl pierced the night as the equine’s tensions were almost settled down. Valiant hastily stepped towards the window and looked out of it.
        “What’s going on?” Autumn said uneasily. Valiant turned and quickly made his way to the broken door.
        As he exited, he turned and replied, “They’re back.”


__________


        As the ponies ran onto the front porch, they were met by a dismal sight. The black and brown hounds were lined on the edge of the property in the streets with Baskavail in the center. There were seven in total, standing tall on their hind legs with the yellow streetlights shining down on them. Their faces were twisted savagely, eyes glaring with murderous intentions. They brandished weapons of all kinds; from flintlock pistols, which were rifles in comparisons to equine firearms, to arched and twisted blades, serrated and crafted to bestow tremendous torment upon others. Baskavail held a sleek and sinister halberd in the grip of his paw, its ax-head pointed towards Valiant across the lawn.
        “Tell us where he is,” he demanded with a snap, “or I will burn this village to the ground looking for him!” Valiant, without breaking eye contact with the enemies before them, asked his friends and family to calmly leave out the back door of the house while they still had a chance.
        “We won’t do such a thing!” barked Rainbow, stamping her hoof down.
        “Together, we’ve been through worse!” Pinkie strongly added.
        Autumn and Sunny didn’t know what she meant, but had the feeling that the adults among them did. The two young Steeds began to suspect something that interconnected the four others beyond friendship. What it was was unclear, but perhaps in the past something had happened that was a secret to them and many others. They intently watched the four others and listened closely to their words.
        “Please!” Valiant retorted back with a shout. He turned his head back to look at them. “Do as I say!” He sighed and explained, “I am old and weak. I can’t protect you all, but I can give you all time to find safety. Equestria needs the Elements of Harmony alive, and I desire for my family to continue to live.” He turned back and lowly concluded, “Now go. I might not be who I once was, but I can take at least one or two of these bastards down before I go down with them.”
        The four looked at one another in astonishment as Gale approached Valiant in silence. She brought her hoof to his face and drew his attention away for a moment. They looked into each other and gently kissed. Gale softly pulled away and turned towards the rest.
        “Let’s go,” was all she said while walking past the others. Rainbow and Pinkie looked back at Valiant, who was in an aggressive stance of attack, ready for anything to come his way. Autumn and Sunny were speechless, unable to grasp the situation. What was to be a lovely night of healing and recovery had become twisted by events that they could have never predicted.
        Gale, standing in the doorway of the house, called to her offspring, “Autumn, Sunny,” they looked back at their mother solemnly, “Come with me.” They obeyed without a word and entered into the house. Rainbow followed behind the kids, loyal to Valiant’s demands, though Pinkie remained on the porch for just one more moment.
        Dolefully, she muttered, “Just like Zack, huh? Becoming the sacrifice... but this time, you won’t be leaving us for another adventure, you’ll be leaving us for good. Oh, Valiant,” she sniffed and continued in a wavering voice, “why are you acting so silly?”
        He answered coldly, “Someone has to protect you when Zachary isn’t around. A sacrifice for a sacrifice I suppose.” Thunder rolled in the distance and heat lightning flickered in the far horizon, but none took heed of it. Pinkie left him as Baskavail deemed that he had waited long enough.
        “So be it!” he snarled. The hounds hunched forward with their Alpha, ready to strike all at once upon the stallion. Valiant bent, his crossbows on his hooves were ready to be fired. The thunder grew louder, it was approaching rapidly; yet still Valiant was unfazed by it. Baskavail glanced towards the sky, but remained steadfast. In a blink of an eye, the Alpha took off straight towards the pony. Others followed in suit as Valiant stood still, waiting for the perfect moment. His eyes caught something strange before him, though he was unable to understand what it was. Then, as the Alpha leaped from the middle of the yard with claws out before him, he was impeded suddenly.
        He and a few other hounds slammed against something between Valiant and his enemies that he didn’t see at first. A faint, purple ripple waved out from where the few hounds struck against the unseen barrier. The dogs hit and slid against the grass behind them, though quickly they recovered. The Steeds and Rainbow—while hauling Pinkie below her—watched from the open air behind the house. They were just exiting, but stopped and gawked in disbelief to see what had just occurred. In a blinding flash, an object gleamed brightly before Valiant. From it, a pony appeared with wings spread and horn dazzling with lavender energy.
        “Twilight!?” Valiant exclaimed, incapable of reasoning with who had appeared before him. She was focused and did not respond as her horn glowed brighter, strengthening the shield before them.
        Baskavail commanded his kind, “Attack! Attack!” The hounds charged and threw themselves against the shield while others stabbed and shoot the barrier. Twilight focused her magic on certain areas of the protection spell, giving strength to the areas that were being bombarded. The focal points of the shield glowed brighter while other regions dimmed faintly and weakened. Cracks began forming within the shield, spreading gradually over the defensive screen.
        “Leave! Now!” cried Twilight. Her brow dripped with sweat and her form trembled under the weight of the assault of her spell.
        “No! I won’t leave you! You’re an Element of Harmony! You can’t be abandoned!”
        “Valiant, you fool!” She shuddered greatly as Baskavail tore his claws through barrier. Just as he was about to begin prying the spell apart with his sheer might, the street lights flickered and grew dark. The hounds with firearms saw no blaze of exhaust as their guns fired off. The air grew cold and the stars and moonlight dimmed about them. Their breath was visible as they all grew quiet, feeling the heat of their bodies retreat from them. The hounds stopped their attack and began to quiver. Baskavail looked about him in the deepening dark of night, breathing heavily. No one knew what to expect, even Twilight became a tad concerned.
        Suddenly, a dark, tall figure fell behind the hounds and they swiftly turned to see what it was. It rose to their height, its arms wavered violently with maroon energy. Baskavail made his way forward and stopped, looking at the black form before him.
        “Who are you?” He called out in defiance, though voice tinged with subtle fear. The figure said nothing, but began to move his arms up in wide arches as if lifting a great weight above him. The Alpha was unpleased by the lack of response as he barked furiously, “Who are you?!” As the figure rose its arms above him, the quaking power that he held ebbed for a moment, ushering in a terrible and long silence.
        He threw his arms down as towers of flames reared upward from nothing, widely encircling them. The fire grew above the houses, alighting the world inside of the inferno with blazing fear and unquenchable dread. The hounds reeled back, horrified by the display of magic. The figure stood still, still bathed in darkness, though an aura of firelight emanated over the line of his body. Its eyes, superficially glinting like embers deep within a hearth, were affixed on Baskavail. It was then the Alpha knew that this was the wizard he had sought out, and that he would soon be outmatched.
        Baskavail was wise, he knew that there would soon be a time for battling with such a foe. Now was not that time, and with this conclusion he motioned to his pack to retreat. They withdrew their weaponry and fell onto their fours, hastily racing towards the edge of the fiery ring. Baskavail stared down Valiant before he left, signaling to him that this would not be the end. The Alpha fell to the back of the line and raced behind his kind. Each leaped through the fire, scorching them only slightly. The pack darted off out of Ponyville and entered into the depths of the Everfree Forest.
        Zachary took in a long breath, moving his arms back up and then circling down towards his chest, hands flat as if pushing something below him. The inferno shrunk and grew less vibrant until the darkness persisted again. The air grew warmer and the stars and moon shown again. Lights flickered back on in the streets and houses, and ponies came out to see what had happened. All that remained of the mayhem was the ravaged home of the Steeds and threads of thin smoke rising from a circle of charred grass.
        Valiant remained speechless as Twilight looked back at him and smiled. The Steeds, Rainbow and Pinkie landed on the front lawn as silence ensued. Zachary was visible in the streetlights as he turned and looked upon the ponies he knew and loved. Most did not recognize him, but that was okay with him. Nox swooped down from the night sky and landed on the porch railing, however everyone’s attention was on the human and the bird was unnoticed. Pinkie broke from the group first and slowly walked towards the human. Her eyes twinkled with lucidity as if she was seeing him for the first time. He recalled the same look upon her that he saw when they first met within the Everfree.
        “Hello,” he said, cool and content. He knelt down, opened his arms and warmly smiled. “I’m back, my love.”
        She could barely hold herself as she stumbled into his arms. Her emotions gave way as she cried with joy, grasping the human with all her weary strength. She sobbed loudly into his shoulder, not caring who was around her. It was coming back to her, the feeling of his presence, the natural smell she associated with him, the smile that only he could produce, the deft fingers that even now were gently scratching behind her curly, pink mane.
        “D-don’t ever d-do that again, Zacky! D-don’t leave me aga-gain! Please d-don’t d-do that to me ever, ever again!
        “Shhhhh,” he hushed her gently. He brought her up into his arms and held her like a filly again. He ambled back towards the Steed house, walking past the others. They soon followed in suit, carefully entering into the broken, front door. Twilight was the last to enter, and when she did, she used a quick spell to repair the door and closed it firmly. As the surrounding ponies watched all of this, they began to remember again. The mysterious stranger, a being who was present in the back of everyone’s mind, began to resurface. Zachary had returned.
> 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(9)







        The night carried on for what seemed like days in the Steed household. The entirety of the family, friends, Twilight, and Zachary were nestled in the living room eating what little dinner they had salvaged from the tossed pot of boiling spaghetti. Amber and Sunny were taken back by Zachary’s outlandish appearance, but overtime they grew accustom to it and his friendly attitude. Pinkie snugged herself into Zachary’s lap, smiling sweetly with her eyes closed gently. He stroked the back of her mane with methodical fingers sweeping along her curls; she would give a delightful peep or purr when his nails raked softly against her coat below.
        Zack explained many things, often going off topic on certain issues that only Twilight, Valiant, Gale, Rainbow, and Pinkie seemed interested about. The others were lost at these points, about places he mentioned and about encounters he came across. In the back of Valiant’s mind, he noticed certain changes in Zachary, changes that eluded the untrained eyes of the others. He appeared as young as the day he met him, but his eyes glimmered with a certain truth. His mood was calm and collected, his gestures and motor movements were slow but precise; not slow with age, but slow with caution and ease. He was older, and he had changed for what Valiant would describe to be better.
        They talked on and on, and on all sorts of matters and questions, some of which Zachary could not answer. They talked until the light of new day shown through between the curtains of the parlor. The light washed over a piece of furniture that Zachary hadn’t seen in the dark corner of the room and his eyes lit with wonder upon noticing it. He placed the sleeping, pink pony on the rug before them, rose from his chair and approached the arched radio box, turning the dials and pressing random buttons on it.
Zachary turned and said enthusiastically, “You have radios now?” Valiant was perplexed by his knowledge of such things. He wondered how Zachary knew what a radio was. Zachary finally flipped the 'on' switch as the machine hummed to life and broke into a fuzzy melody. He turned his head and listened to the lilting voice and bouncing music being played; his foot began tapping unconsciously. His wondrous expression turned to delight.
        “Oh, that’s grand.” He stepped back and marveled at the machine one last time. “It’s like the nineteen-fifties in Equestria.” His look of glee turned slowly into unexpected astonishment as his eyes met with the window across the room. He pondered what else had changed in thirty-three years. He smoothly pivoted back around, the hem of his cervian traveling tunic twirled about his hips.
        “Let’s get some fresh air,” he stated without a care in the world in his tone. He exited the house and the ponies followed in confused accordance. Pinkie hopped out last with what seemed to be renewed energy in her pounce. Night had cloaked what marvels Ponyville had made out of the new steam engineering and magitechnologies, but now it was revealed before Zachary. Shining in the morning light were brass and cooper street lamps, mail tubes, housing vents, tin roofs, and metal sidings. The most fascinating object that gleamed out to Zachary were the automobiles. They were few in number and many of the residents still used stallion-drawn carriages or walked along the sidewalks, but he marveled at the ingenuity of the steam-powered vehicles. They were designed to fit the equines and were crafted to be driven by hooves, not hands. Zachary turned and his head lifted upward to see a high-rising, bronze bell tower, shining like a holy obelisk in the center of the town. It had six large view ports where the bells could be seen, and above each were the symbols of each Element of Harmony. It chimed heavenly as eight o’clock arrived, tolling eight times after a ringing melody echoed outward. Zachary turned back to the Steeds and friends, who watched the human taking in the unfamiliar sight of new Ponyville.
        “Well,” Zachary shrugged his shoulders, “I have to say this is all a big change.”
        “Celestia actually wanted change,” Gale remarked. “Both Ponyville and Canterlot have adopted the new steam treatments, which other neighboring cities seemed to have taken on. All of which the Elements of Harmony have accomplished in the previous years brought more revenue into both this village and the city. The population has doubled, Ponyville has grown larger, and the economy is ever rising. Soon Ponyville will be like Canterlot, and Canterlot will become like Manehattan. Celestia only knows what the larger cities will become in time. Manehatten is already a sprawling city from what I’ve heard.”
        “This is all great and wonderful news, it’s just...” he thought for a moment for the appropriate response. “...it’s just the growth of this technology is a tad alarming.” He thought on how these ponies were gaining more knowledge faster than the collective of his own kind. He wondered if he would see a time when ponies surpass humans in technology.
        A few stallions on the sidewalk stopped and stared at Zachary, wondering where they had seen him before. A flicker of insight sparked in them as one yelled, “Hey! There he is! That’s Zack!” They galloped over to him, flabbergasted by his appearance and bursting with joy. One of the ponies took Zachary by the hand and shook it vigorously in his hooves.
        “When I was a colt, I remember you freeing us from those Changeling hives! You saved me and my family! I can’t believe we had all forgotten those terrible days thirty-three years ago! But thank you! Thank you for everything!”
        As he smiled and obliged the ponies’ gratitude, more rushed from the streets and began to crowd around Zack as if they had been waiting for the right opportunity. Each pony he greeted thanked him for saving them, the town, and Equestria. In a moment’s notice, the street was filled with ponies of all kinds. Camera’s flashed and quills were raised up towards him from below. Zachary was taken back by all the commotion and craziness of the situation, and before long he found himself on a raised stage before a mass of multi-colored ponies. A marching band was playing to the side while banners and signs of all sorts were being held or hovered overhead of the crowd. He was behind another, unrecognizable stallion who adjusted a mic stand before himself. He didn’t notice who he was and wondered how he himself even arrived at this location. His head began to spin as the music ended and the crowds stamped vigorously with applause. The mysterious stallion cleared his throat as the mic rang to life.
        “Today is a special day for us in Ponyville,” began the unknown, but important stallion before him. His voice was pleasant and low, he articulated each word concisely and with pleasing emotion. For Zachary, it brought back old memories of high school where he was forced to sit and watch anti-drug films from the nineteen-fifties, narrated by a rigid, mid-atlantic voice. The authoritative stallion went on, reaching out his hoof and pointing back towards Zachary.
        “Today, the hero of the Changeling War returns home!” The crowd roared for Zachary as he stood motionless, eyes darting over each face in the crowd. He turned and looked towards the human with a beaming face, his teeth seemed almost painted white. Zachary had finally gotten to see who he was and realized that he resembled a political figure.
        “Is this the new mayor?” he wondered, getting a quick glimpse of his attire before he turned back towards the masses. His coat was of a dark, sandy hue, and his mane was slicked back, resembling a soft, ocean wave of sorts. His tail was trimmed short, but rounded near the end in a curl, and his eyes gleamed of a light purple, like frosty-laden lavender petals. He wore a formal tie that matched his waving hair and his cutie mark was a wisteria-colored gavel. He rose a hoof towards the villagers and the gathering quieted down to a low hush.
        He retracted his hoof back and placed it on his chest saying, “It warms my heart to see you all come out here in respect to not only this savior behind me, but to your city as well. Not only I, but we—together—have built up this village into a shining beacon that welcomes all. We have faced many trials, some of which may have been avoided if someponies would have given us the necessities we needed to protect this village from harm over the many years. The Elements of Harmony have indeed protected us in our final hours, and Zachary has sacrificed so much in our most hopeless moment in Ponyville history. Though have we ever been entitled to such protection from the Princesses?” There was a moment of silence; Zachary didn’t know where the mayor was going with this topic, but was surprised to see how the masses looked before him. Most were angry at the mentioning of the Princesses, some even shouted obscenities relating to both the Sisters. His stomach turned painfully at their reactions.
        As the mayor droned on, in the back of the crowds were the Steeds and the Elements of Harmony, displeased by the speech that was being presented. Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack joined the others as they looked on.
        “Why of all times!” hotly ranted Applejack, “Mayor DeBates always seems ta’ bring up our Princesses as if they did some’than wrong! What in the hay does he know!”
        “Psshh” Rarity huffed unladylike, “I didn’t vote for him.”
        “Same,” Rainbow dully remarked.
        “Neither did I.” Fluttershy weakly added.
         Rarity rolled her eyes over towards the yellow mare, “Darling, you’ve never voted for any government official in your life. You’re always too nervous to do so.”
        “Oh...” the quiet mare murmured, “now I remember... I try to keep those embarrassing memories locked deep, deep away.” She shuttered a little on the thought of those frightful memories.
        “He always seems to downright bash Cely and Luny,” Pinkie said. “Why did the ponies even vote for him again?”
        Twilight curiously answered her, “Out of all the ponies you should remember how he came to power, Pinkie Pie. Then again...” she scratched the underside of her chin in thought, “he sort of just... came from nowhere.”
        Applejack squinted her vision towards DeBates and scowled. She whispered between them, “And that’s the most puzzle’n part this pony is play’n.”
        “I agree,” Valiant spoke up, breaking his silence. They had almost forgotten about him and his family watching, being silently attentive.
        “He isn’t even a resident of Ponyville,” the stallion elaborated, “he comes from an upper-class family in Canterlot. He only says his family and him grew up in Canterlot, yet his family is nowhere to be found. He gained the popular vote in Ponyville because he had the most money and kept the most promises.”
        “I d-don’t see what the f-fuss is about-t,” Sunny stated. His father gave him a displeasing side glance as he went on, “he seems like a ni-nice stallion to m-me. He ke-keeps his promises a-and had built this village into a-a city. The pop-population has doubled a-and the ec-onomy has never be-been b-better.”
        Valiant sighed, “And that’s why most ponies voted for him.”
        Rarity furthered Valiant’s remark to Sunny Days, “When you’re older, you’ll have more insight on how politics are played. We’ve all been around the block and have seen mayors come and go,” she looked back towards the current mayor and scowled, “I just wish Ponyville never chose him.”
        “Without further adieu,” Debates concluded, “may I present Zachary!” The mayor moved away from the mic as Zachary stepped forward. The multitude cheered as he waved and smiled, wondering how much longer he would have to keep up his gracious act.
        Twilight leaned over towards Rarity and commented, “How did we get a pony into office who uses malapropisms in speeches again?” Both the mares had a good chuckle at this remark.
        As he rose the mic stand a little higher, the crowd hushed and waited for him to speak. He looked over them one last time, their expressions now beaming with delight. He was disheartened in the way they thought of the regal sisters. He assumed that DeBates had ushered in the idea that both Celestia and Luna were to blame for the lack of protection in their own kingdom, and that if he were elected he would change this. The wheels began turning in his head and he now realized what was being used by DeBates to further increase his image and possibly his power. So he took a breath and began slowly, choosing his next words with considerable delicacy.
        “I’m glad to be back, I missed Ponyville dearly, but I’m also glad I left for a time.” The crowds were eerily silent, listening with greater detail to him than DeBates could have ever achieved. The mayor himself stood near the back of the stage, watching him with a glare of intent.
        “Some of you may be wondering...” Zack went on after a brief moment to catch his breath, “... you might be thinking why I returned, or better yet, why you remember me now. It’s only best if you all knew the truth. The truth about the past, and about the coming future.”
        Pinkie, Rainbow, and Twilight froze up in fear. They didn’t know if what he was about to tell the masses was a good idea or a bad one, but allowed him to proceed.
        “Before I begin, let me affirm to you that both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna did everything in their power to protect you, more so than I could have ever done. Without them,” he tried to think of the appropriate wording before speaking again. He restated, “... Without them... there wouldn’t be an Equestria.”
        The masses talked between one another as Zachary continued, “The reason no one truly remembers those days is because we erased your memories, because each and every one of you were murdered by either Discord or the Changelings.” The crowd made hushed gasps and looked at one another. “Me, the Princesses, and a few other brave and noble ponies decided that upon restoring your lives through a means of which I cannot say at this time, that we should also remove all traces of those days for the safety and security of Equestria.” Zachary gripped the mic stand harder, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to speak before Ponyville, but he had to continue.
        “My return is not one which I chose, and my presence does not mean greater protection or prosperity. Some of you may think Equestria has no enemies, you may think that we are friends with the other nations, but you have been misled. There is an army coming, and they will be here soon.” The crowds were getting nervous as their chatter increased. “The griffins are coming to make war with us, along with an even greater threat I cannot say. We should not overlook this, for this is a reality that will soon come to be.”
        “Zachary,” Twilight pleaded softly, “what are you doing?”
        “Celestia, Luna, and I have done everything in our powers to usher peace for over one thousand years, but that peace is ending. Many lives have been lost to secure that amicable mentality you all have had in your lives, and there is no one pony to blame. If you wish, place this blame on me, if this action will make you feel any better, but know that this will not stop what is already in progress.”
        Panic was arising within the multitude, but Zachary spoke up once more, “However, know this, Ponyville; I have come to do what I can to protect you. Equestria still has allies which will aid us. I have only come to deliver the message in advance so you may do one of the following: Leave your homes for a time being, or offer your services to help protect your homes, families, friends, and country.” Zack slowly released the mic stand and concluded, “I’m sorry it had to be this way, but this information had to be revealed.” He bowed his head and stepped away from the microphone.
        One by one, ponies began to disassemble from the masses, then by the herds they slowly walked away. They deeply thought on what was said to them, and many were at a standstill on what to do. The Elements were motionless, eyes gleaming with disbelief. 
Pinkie looked towards Twilight and stammered, “Is th-this true, Twi?” Their eyes met, but before she could say anything DeBates galloped towards center stage and grabbed the mic from its stand.
        “My fellow Ponyvillians,” he hastily called out, trying to grab their mutual attention. “This information has yet to be confirmed by me, or your benevolent Princesses. Do not take Zachary’s word for truth just yet, we must investigate these claims further. So please, do not panic and do not flee!” He motioned towards the sound operator right of the stage and moved his hoof across his neck, signaling the operator to shut off the microphone.
        He turned towards Zachary and looked up at him with a sour look of disapproval. On the flip of a bit, however, his expression swayed to a more pleasant one, an expression he used quite liberally. Zachary paused and was caught off guard by this array of expressions.
        “I would like to have a meeting with you,” he said with subtle insistence in his faltering tone. “And I would like that meeting to be as soon as you are able to see me. My office, Town Hall. Don’t delay me.” He trotted past the human and off of the stage as Zachary watched him.


__________


        Zack didn’t have much time to meet with the Steeds or Elements after the surprise rally before he was ushered by DeBates’ staff towards the Town Hall. After he stepped off of the stage he was lead rather forcibly towards the center of the village where the administration building was. He could have denied them and easily overpower the fellow ponies leading him to DeBates, but he wanted to meet this stallion himself. He himself had a few questions to ask the new mayor.
        Upon entering the building, Zachary noticed that its interior was entirely redone from what it once was. Brass pipes and mail tubes filled the ceilings, rattling softly against one another, and the walls were hung with banners of DeBates from his political run against Mayor Mare. The once warm colors of the walls were painted over with a gray finish and the balcony seating was removed and replaced by a steam engine of sorts that hummed and pattered overhead. Ceiling fans hung low from high above, keeping the DeBates employees cool while they worked. Desks lined the once vacant halls where the auditorium was; at these desks sat studious ponies with vacant expressions on their faces, typing endlessly at each table where piles of papers and folders were set up. What they were exactly doing eluded Zachary, but he had no time stop and ask them himself.
        Another pair of doors were opened before him and a curling staircase rose around the inside of the building. He made his way up and through a narrow hall with vaulted ceilings and rounded windows. Carbon bulbs lined the halls, emitting harsh yellow illumination. At the end of the hall were a new pair of doors, which then magicked opened and soon closed behind him where he found himself now.
        The room Zack was in now was a crescent shaped room with high ceilings and arched windows. Curtains draped over the windows allowing little sunlight to enter the vast, chill room. Expensive couches and recliners were placed in the center of the room while towards the edges were vases, medals, pictures, bookcases, and an empty fireplace. Towards the far end of the room was a large, masterfully crafted desk of dark oak. Behind this bureau was DeBates himself, watching the human fiercely. He had donned a pair of reading glasses before Zachary entered, making him look much older than he seemed to be.
        Zack looked over at him and gave an earnest smile. He wasn’t going to judge or assume the worst out of him, he decided this upon seeing him the first time. He had his doubts, but kept his assumptions high. He grabbed the head of a posh, velvet colored chair, spun it on a single leg around, and finally took a seat in it before the desk. The armchair surprisingly fit his size, seeing as how most furniture in Ponyville accommodated pony sizes; this notion made his mood a bit lighter in the dark atmosphere.
        “So, Zachary...” DeBates rose up a little from his hunched position on the table, “May I call you Zachary? Or do you prefer to go by another name?”
        “Zachary or Zack, both are fine by me. No one knows my surname and I’d like to keep it that way. Besides, surnames here aren’t used in the same manner as they are on Earth.”
        “Earth, is that where you’re from?” He leaned in closer, placing the elbows of his forearms upon the desk.
        “Yes, and before you ask, Earth is not a country.” He was having fun with this conversation already. He liked talking about Earth and his past life, but DeBates began on a new subject.
        “So, this war you spoke of, this army that’s coming, is this true and not some way to test my power?” This question concerned Zachary, and his high-spirited attitude began lessening by the minute.
        “What I spoke of was the truth.”
        “How do you know?”
        “I’ve seen it, I’ve been told, and I’ve returned here to warn others.”
        “The Princesses could have done so. Why did they not inform the masses themselves?”
        The human leaned back a little, straightening is posture. “I’m sure they will soon enough, I wanted to give my hometown an early warning, but you seemed to persuade many of them to stay.” DeBates looked away and towards the table. He reached over and began toying with a brass coin on his desk that Zachary hadn’t noticed. He fumbled the coin in his hoof with delicacy, it wasn’t a bit or currency that Zachary was familiar with.
        “What you and the Princesses are hiding unsettles me greatly. What you said about our security is known, but scarcely known among Equestrians. How do you know of this and who-” he turned his gaze up towards Zachary, “-exactly are you?”
        Zachary leaned forward to match the stallion’s position, “I told you enough, I told everyone enough. I’ve been protecting Equestria longer than you know, Celestia has used me to help keep this village and country safe from invaders and demigods. But who exactly are you? You don’t seem like a candidate a small country town would elect.”
        Debates gave a wry grin and stated, “You’ve been gone for quite some time. Things change, Zachary. Change is healthy, change is inevitable in a growing society.”
        “Not this quickly.” He retorted, his eyes locked as if he were in battle. “How you talk about the Princesses is absurd and twisted. They’ve been keeping this country safe for years. How could you fool these ponies into thinking they’re Equestria’s enemies?” 
        DeBates slapped the coin on the table and aggressively replied with burgeoning intensity, “The Princess have lied to us. For one thousand years Celestia has sent her ponies to die in secret to protect Equestria.”
        “She did not force anyone to help defend Equestria, they offered their allegiance to her. They knew what they were getting into and they died for a good reason. And she did not lie to anyone, she withheld the truth for the sole reason of keeping peace and nurturing Equestria.” DeBates took a breath, adjusting the coin on the table where he spun it slowly against his hoof and the tabletop. He looked up and crooked a simple simper on his darkened face. His thoughts were churning, Zachary could tell by his looks alone.
        “You say she didn’t force anyone to help defend Equestria,” he went on slowly, enunciating each word in a low tone, “yet you also say Celestia has used you to protect Equestria. How could you be so blind? The Princess saw an opportunity and took advantage of you, she taught you, trained you. You are nothing more than a weapon to her that she can use to crush the enemy with. Your means of reason are folly against mine, you are nearsighted, mentally weakened by her words. I am trying to show the public the real face of Celestia and Luna. To me, that is protection beyond all means, a step towards reforming this country of secrets and lies.”
        “I could have denied her,” Zack responded almost automatically, “I could have lived elsewhere, but I wanted to help Equestria. I saw the ponies and how fragile they were, I wanted to befriend them and help them, and I knew I could gain their trust if I helped them, so I did what I could. I’m not aiding Celestia, I’m aiding the ponies of Equestria.”
        Zachary glanced down at the coin as it glimmered for a moment in the sliver of sunlight between the burgundy curtains. In that fading moment, he noticed a strange insignia on the brass medallion. It resembled two adjacent branches he thought, a single, solid curved branch and another curved, narrow branch with a few outstretching, smaller branches. The coin was flopped back down on the table and underneath the stallion’s hoof before he could get a better look at it.
        DeBates leaned forward, eyes vibrant with ill will. “I think she has spun her lies deep within you,” he almost hissed out. “And those lies she has spun resemble logic and reasoning to you so well that you cannot decipher the truth from deceit. This nurturing of Equestria you said she aimed to do was only a growth of power, power to destroy this army and to expand Equestria. She is immortal and has immense power; and power only hungers for more power.” He arose from his seat and looked away from Zachary, taking the coin in hoof. He held the drape to his side as he looked out the window in Ponyville’s main street.
        “She’s trying to stop an imminent threat,” Zack said. “The Griffons are a threat that should be dealt with. I’ve seen their armies and know their size. Who knows what their capable of with such a force?”
        “Do you think they’re attacking because they want to, or because they have to?” DeBates did not turn around but remained looking down at the street below. “I want to reveal the secrets that she has hidden. I firmly desire to protect my ponies, but I do not desire to terrify them.” He turned back towards Zack and stated, “You shall not talk about this ‘war’ until Celestia announces it herself. Only she and I are in control of our ponies. You are a forgotten relic that should not have been remembered.”
        “Hypothetically,” Zack tartly premised, “what if I told them all about the coming griffons... What could you do?”
        DeBates lowered the curtain and turned slowly towards Zachary. His expression was cold, however his eyes burned like an increasing fire; the pony himself brought into the room a chill that even Zachary could feel in his chest. He shifted uncomfortable in his chair; he didn’t know if he himself caused this anxiety within or if some form of magic was affecting his well being.
        “There is much I can do to your friends and your family. I have eyes and ears all throughout Ponyville. At this moment I know more about you then you would believe.”
        Zachary crossed his arms, “Is that so?” He then raised an eyebrow of curious intent towards the stallion, doubtful and sensing that he maybe bluffing. A chilling grasp crept over Zack slowly, and for an odd reason he felt that he had felt this feeling before a long time ago.
        DeBates went on, “Pinkie Pie, I know where she lives and sleeps, I know you and Rainbow Dash are a couple, I know you’re dealings with the Cervians, I know your past... I know how you murdered that pony in the streets of Canterlot those many years ago.” A cold sweat began to perspire on Zachary’s brow.
        “How in the world does this stallion know these things?” he mentally questioned himself. It satisfied DeBates upon seeing the human falter in worry.
        “Oh yes, I know much about you, yet still I know so little. You asked who I was, yet I didn’t answer, so let me tell you a little about myself. I know of practices you do not understand, I have been given knowledge from a powerful source, and I am a devoted follower to the purifying ways this universe came to be. Do not toy with me, do not test me. Keep your thoughts to yourself and neither you nor your loved ones shall be in harm’s way.” He turned and concluded, “Leave my office at once, human.”


__________


        By the time Zachary left the confines of the Town Hall, he realized how slowly time had passed for him. It had felt like hours since stepping into DeBate’s office, Zachary expected it to be in the late afternoon when he exited, though it was only midday. The paved streets around the hub of the town were busy with hungry ponies looking for a quick bite to eat on their lunch breaks. Zack began to maneuver through the crowd with surprisingly little effort involved. Nearly each who passed the human pushed themselves into the crowd and further away from Zachary. They seemed to float around him as he walked further down the street, it was as if he had an invisible barrier that slid them around him. He was a mountain among a sea of equines. Their eyes and expressions made it clear to him that they feared the human and what he had said; no longer did they admire him and his brave acts so long ago, and so easily their opinions had swayed from trust to suspicion.
        The paved street turned to a hard, dirt path that entwined to another, less busy district of Ponyville. Here is where he spotted the Golden Oak Library, still the same in appearance as it always had been. He approached it cautiously, feeling as though it was staring down at Zachary. He reached the door that stood chest-high to him, and on the door was a notice pinned on a single nail. It read in dark red ink, “CLOSED — NO ADMITTANCE”.
        Zack knocked thrice and called out, “Hello?”
        “For the last time,” shouted a muffled, unpleasant voice from inside, “the library is closed! Princess Twilight will not be receiving any visitors of any kind! No long lost relatives! No foreign diplomats! No demigods bent on ruling Equestria! No one!”
        Zachary smiled and asked, “And what about old friends?”
        He heard the voice from inside sigh as its pace neared the entryway. In a quick motion it swung the door inward, and who was revealed was Spike, now a dragon that matched Zachary’s height. He was lean and muscular, and his spikes were jagged and sharp. He was adorning a white apron which he wore when cleaning, and perched on his shoulder was Twilight’s pet owl, Owlicious, who tilted her head in curiosity at the human. Spike was first looking down, where he usually made eye contact with ponies, but in a confused manner, his vision glided upward and finally upon Zachary’s beaming face. Spike let out a startled murmur and then his perplexed emotion ebbed to joy.
        “Zachary! It’s been so long!” He threw his arms around him and brought him close into a hug. Zack could feel that the dragon’s strength out matched his own, Spike could have more than likely crushed Zachary in that moment.
        Zack used his free arm and patted Spike on the back as he exhaled with a wheeze, “You too, buddy.” Spike heard the discomfort in his friend’s voice and released him. He didn’t realize his own strength.
        “Oh, I’m so sorry!” He said sympathetically, trying to excuse himself for his recklessness.
        Zachary took a breath and replied, “No, no, you’re fine.” He laughed it off and continued, “I’ve come to see Twilight, I need to ask her a few things.”
        “Ah, about that. She isn’t here. You would think she would have stuck around and relaxed after her long trip, but-”
        “Do you know where she went?” Zack interrupted. 
        “She’s gone to Canterlot to speak with the Princesses.” The dragon rolled his eyes and wondered, “Celestia knows what she could be doing there instead of being here with you! Does she know you’re here?” Zack looked at him with the utmost bemusement. He thought surely she would have told Spike of his return to Ponyville.
        “Of course,” Zack answered vaguely. “Everyone in Ponyville knows I’m here, and everyone remembers me now that they see me again.”
        “What are you talking about,” Spike smiled fondly, “Why would everyone forget you?”
        Zack questioned him, “Spike, did you remember me before opening that door?”
        “Of course! Why-” his happy, simple expression dissipated into bewilderment. His eyes searched the ground and then the sky, thinking deeply and desperately on if he remembered Zachary or not. His lips began to move, but no words were coming out at first. He looked back up at Zack, regained his composure and asked, “How... what... I can’t seem to...” He scratched his head and tapped his foot, utterly lost in thought. He made a few frustrated grunts and moans before stating in an offhanded, but controlled manner, “This is starting to scare me now.”
        “Nothing to be scared of, Spike.” He put his hand on the dragon’s rigid, scaled shoulder and proceeded, “Allow me to explain...” He gave a quick rendition of his story and explained the events that happened thirty-three years ago. He gave Spike a little more information than he did with the crowd, but thoroughly described Spike’s main questions in a matter of minutes.
        “Now, does that make sense?” Zachary asked with concern.
        The dragon nodded in affirmation, “Yeah, yeah it does.”
        “Good!” Zack patted the young adult on the back, “Let’s go inside, shall we? I’m getting tired of standing.” The two entered one by one, seeing as how both could not fit through the pony-sized door at once.
        The two found a seat at a nearby table, cut like a large stump near the edge of the library. A few stray towers of literature crowded the table as Spike hastily moved them onto a few dollies he had wheeled over. Zachary took in the smell of the old books and arrangement of wood scents; throughout his time in Concordia, nothing matched the unique atmosphere and aroma of the Ponyville Library. Perhaps it was the sentimental attachment he had with this place, where in the past he had spent many hours with Twilight learning and reading. Something inside of him brought back memories of times when the afternoon sunlight softly lit the library in a warm, peach glow. The feeling of that warm sunlight on his skin while he read in quiet peace was one he did not want to forget.
        As he was taking in the nostalgia, Spike excused himself again saying, “Sorry about the mess, I’ve been rearranging the main collections, again!”
        Zack blinked and snapped out of his mood. “You’re quite fine, Spike,” he responded in a level tone. “No need to blame yourself. I know you wouldn’t do it if you had to.”
        The green and purple dragon chuckled, “You’re darn right. You would think after so many years she would have her library sorted. Ponies are always complaining about how they can’t find such-and-such book, and I’m always the one rummaging around for it.” Spike pushed a cart away carelessly and turned back towards the human asking, “Would you like some tea, coffee, cider?”
        “Just tea, thank you.”
        Spike nodded and added, “And one tea for me too. Ha-ha!” He then scurried towards the kitchen behind him. Spike lit a small, green fire under the stove top with his breath and began speaking aloud into the other room saying, “I think I’m going to make myself a little something to eat too if you don’t mind. Would you like something to snack on as well?”
        Zack replied back above a regular, inside voice level, “No thank you, I’m fine.”
        “Suit yourself!” Spike went on, “Now that you’ve mentioned the Changeling War and the real Discord, it makes me wonder where all the Changelings went off to? Ever think of that? We stopped Queen Chrysalis at the Canterlot Wedding—haven’t seen her since—so it makes me think that maybe they’ve all disbanded. Heck, they could be living right here in Ponyville since they can shapeshift and all...” Spike went on, but Zachary didn’t say a word as he sat in the other room.
        The human stood up slowly from his seat after taking notice of a few moveable chalkboards on the other side of the room. They were draped over with beige sheets, and next to the boards was a table with numerous, thick tomes on spells and mathematics beyond his knowledge. Bookmarks and mismatched papers filled the insides of them; Zack took note that this was an oddity, knowing how Twilight Sparkle was much neater and well organized than this.
        He tugged at one of the sheets and removed it from the board, revealing a crammed space of jumbled writings, swirling trigonometric formulas and diagrams resembling multiple planes, vector graphs, and a single, complicated tesseract. Numbers and foreign characters dotted the board where blank spaces would be; it was as if she had a pail of stray letters and symbols and splashed them onto the chalkboard. He could only take in so much information, so he zoomed his vision onto different parts of the board, looking over areas his mind could make sense of.
        He whispered softly to himself as he read Twilight’s notes, “Broken magical mechanics within the Lay Lines, this doesn’t make sense... Hyper-versatile fundamentals does not explain how euclidean systems cooperate within equine-base laws of magisisity... Ley routes should not be guided in such channels throughout the planet. Must look further into... Orbit alignment and paths... Square torus fluctuation patterns suggest hyperspace AND spacetime lapse. What could cause this?... Micro organics within equine basis of magic perhaps? Shiftable and always changing, never the same. Cannot be studied. Free choice or bendable at will?...”
        Spike was still speaking as he entered back into the main room with a tray of edibles and two tea cups saying, “...And I told him if he knew what a libertarian oligarchy could accomplish he would have one right thing coming to him and it wouldn’t be good on his half!” He stopped in front of the empty table, realizing Zack had left his seat. He looked around for a moment with a blank expression, wondering where he might have gone. His vision passed by the draped chalkboard where Zachary was originally.
        “Zachary?” He softly called out in the supposedly vacant library.
        “Oh, is the tea done?” Spike turned and noticed the human at a bookshelf near the entrance of the kitchen.
        “My word,” Spike inwardly laughed, “I must have passed right by you on the way out of the kitchen. I can’t believe I didn’t see you!”
        “Happens to the best of us.” Zack said, closing a book he was looking at.
        “What did you find over there,” the dragon said, placing the tray of edibles onto the table.
        “Just an album of colonial Ponyville.” The hand that held the album glowed red with a wavering aura, which engulfed the book and levitated it back into place on the high shelf.
        

__________


        Time passed a bit slower for Zack and soon it was around four in the afternoon. Spike and Zachary talked on many sorts of issues and stories long after the edibles and tea were consumed. Over their course of conversation, Spike swayed the topic towards the army that was coming and he grew gravely concerned. Zack spoke his mind, telling him that he too was afraid, but he assured him that with the coming reinforcements of Equestria’s allies, that there should be lower casualties then if he had not gone out and established such connections. Fewer victims of this war is what he inwardly hoped for, though he didn’t allow that insight to be given to Spike. There was still much information he did not inform Spike on, as well as Twilight, such as the dragon or Tirek’s return. These secrets he would leave unknown until the tide of war reached Equestria’s borders. Spike had asked if Zachary was going to fight in the war, and if he had any plans on stopping the armies by using incredible magic or a tactical plan; Zack tried to avoid answering it directly in his response.
        He didn’t want to fight anymore, he didn’t want to kill anymore. Even though the Cervians, the ones who taught him to be at peace with the world, were going to war, he himself did not want to partake in it. In the end, he knew he would have no choice in the manner, as in such cases involving calamity in Equestria. He would try to find a way out of murder or killing, but his odds of accomplishing such a feat would be almost impossible. He had decided long ago that he had done enough killing for a lifetime, but such promises he had made to himself in the past were ones he could hardly keep. This is what haunted him the most during his time in Equestria.
        Zachary ended the conversation at an appropriate spot and asked where he would find Pinkie Pie at this time. Spike suggested Sugarcube Corner, he should have known. The two gave their farewells and Zachary proceeded to head towards the bakery. There, he did discover Pinkie Pie working at the counter. She was recommending specially designed éclairs to a customer when he noticed her. Without calling out, she seemed to have sensed his presence and turned around to see him. She then dashed away from the customer to promptly greet her human with a flying hug around the shoulders. After receiving a few sloppy kisses on his cheeks, Zack asked if she could ditch work, and she proceeded to without clocking out or informing the Cakes. In hindsight it was a terrible decision, but at the time it was worth it.
        The two headed towards Whitetail Woods, a place where many a times they had spent together in the lovely past. It was vacant and the trails were increasingly unkept the further they ventured. Their target was a lone hill where the forest had a bald spot, from that viewpoint they could look out into the valley and see far distances well beyond the valley Ponyville was cradled in. They spent a great deal of time here in the past, a place that was off the nature trails and hidden from many locals’ knowing. They came to name this spot, ‘Pinkie’s Hill’.
        They lied down in the soft grass, looking up at the yellowing sky and narrow clouds gliding slowly in the stratosphere. The human and mare were close together, her hoof nestled into his gentle hand which brought immense delight within both of them. They chatted about whatever came to mind, such as how the grass here didn’t leave them itchy, or how birds migrate during the colder months, to even each other’s recent or reoccurring dreams and what they might mean. To Zachary, Pinkie had matured in some ways, but still she was as silly and spontaneous as she was when she was a filly. Her focus was keener and her knowledge more vast; these were things that came with age however. Her tone was level (most of the time) and her words were more carefully chosen; he didn’t know if she was trying to impress him or not. He wondered if she thought differently of him, or saw something in him that he himself couldn’t see or know of. Her expressions and words said no, but he could sense that perhaps she did think of him differently. 
        “Zachary,” Pinkie said as soft as the falling leaf between them fell.
        “Yes?” He looked over at her, but her eyes were upon the periwinkle and jasmine sky.
        “I’m afraid...”
        “Afraid of what?” he asked sweetly. “Afraid of this coming war?”
        “Actually, no. I feel that in the end everything will work out as it always does. I’m afraid...” she took a moment to breathe, “... of losing you again.” The wind blew by and played with their hair in the moment they shared.
        Zachary looked up again, “I’m afraid of leaving too. I don’t want to.”
        “Do you still feel... away from Equestria? Do you feel that you don’t belong here?” He thought for an instant before saying anything. He was surprised that question came out of Pinkie’s mind.
        “I honestly don’t know.” he finally answered. She turned towards him, as did he, and they met. Once again, Zack was lost in her cerulean eyes. Floating away, drifting in her twin pools of crystal vision.
        “You know,” she said gently, looking deeply at Zachary. “You have changed, but not exactly in appearance.”
        “What do you mean?”
        “It’s like...” she tilted her head as if to get a better look. “Like looking deep into your eyes, you seem older than me. Even though you look the same as the day you found me, you’re older somehow. Fragile perhaps?”
        “I feel that way... I feel older...” he looked away and rose up towards the horizon. He looked west and said, “To me, I can’t feel outwardly old, I can’t see the changes, but I can feel them. And it’s not like I have new pains or aches, but mentally I ache sometimes. I can feel it in my... my spirit, I suppose. My perspective of time is different as well. What use to feel like a day seems like a shorter time. I really don’t have the words to describe it. I guess...” Zack looked down at his chest and towards the grass, “I’m floating further away from reality, that what I once felt secure to is now a little ways under my feet. Slowly, I feel I won’t be a part of this world anymore, that I’ll think of it as something I can no longer be a part of. I can’t seem to tether myself to it and I really don’t want to end up feeling so disconnected from this magical place we take for granted.”
        He looked over at Pinkie and chuckled, “I’m sorry, you must be totally lost. Even I don’t know what I’m saying. That just sort of... came out. And I really don’t know where it came from.”
        Pinkie closed her eyes and smiled. She laid her head upon his lap and he began stroking her pink and silvered mane.
        “It’s okay,” she said in almost a whisper. “We’re both getting old. Change is good, but I don’t want moments like these to change. I’m afraid that one day we won’t be able to do this, that you’ll be gone or I’ll be gone. And when one of us is gone that things won’t be the same.” A tear rolled down her cheek that Zack didn’t notice, the human was looking away—into the horizon—fastened in deep thought and listening intently to what Pinkie was saying. She rose her head up from his lap, somewhat startling Zachary.
She looked up at him with face twisted with emotion saying, “Don’t you care? Do you know what it’s been like for me?” Her gentle voice soon rose to a greater tone, Zack didn’t expect this sudden outburst from her and he was distraught by it.
“You can’t just leave me like that! You can’t just hug me and go away forever and ever!” She brought herself closer to Zachary and pushed him back on the ground with both of her front hooves. She stood on his chest, he didn’t know what to do or what to say, so he allowed her to speak her mind. He could tell that she had been meaning to for a long time.
“So many restless nights, so many smiles I had to fake! I filled myself with so many lies, and told so many more to make it seem like everything was okay, but deep down-” her voice began to quiver with long subsided misery, “deep down I was in so much pain! I fought with it day and night, and for thirty-three years it never softened up. I couldn’t let go of those feelings! I couldn’t let go of you as easily as you let go of me.”
She fell upon him and began loudly weeping into his chest. Zachary was beyond shocked, his stomach and wrenched with agony and pity towards the mare. The amount of regret that welled inside of him, for all the years he could have visited her in disguise was wasted for his own selfish desires.
In a muffled voice, Pinkie puled, “It all seems too fake, Zacky... It’s like a dream I don’t want to wake up from... And I feel like soon I’ll have to wake up and go another day without you.”
He clasped the back of her head and wrapped his other arm around her waist.
“I’m sorry,” he mewled softly. He gripped her tighter as he noticed his vision turning watery. He shut his eyes firmly, trying hard to press back his tears. “Pinkie, I’m so sorry! I thought I could find purpose in myself or try and protect Equestria by being away from it. I tried and wasted that time, and I can’t feel more disgusted with myself.”
He gently brought her head up with his hands to force her to look at him. “I promise you, Pinkie Pie, I promise to never leave you again like that.” Her cries softened, but she said nothing. He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked out towards the western sun over the treetops of the hill. They sat there for a long time in harmonized silence. Pinkie was still, as was Zachary. She kept her head buried in his chest for almost half an hour before revealing her reddened face. She turned and looked towards the setting sun. Zack looked at both the horizon and Pinkie, her mane matched the warm and blended sky.
“Pinkie,” Zack softly called. She slowly met eyes with him. “Change is good, but to me, change can be a terrible, inevitable thing sometimes. I can’t stop inevitable changes, I’m immortal and the world is not. You...” he couldn’t bear to say it. Not in front of her or anyone who will have the same fate. All the faces he saw in the crowd this morning, all the young and old, the friends and strangers, they would all meet at that same fate. It only takes time, and time was all he had left. What Nabeleen had told him long ago in the Firelight Woods was right, time was his true enemy.
“Please,” she hushed him with a sincere smile. “We’ve lost enough time,” the pony breathed. “Tell me a story, please. A good one.”
        Zack relaxed; he smiled and nodded saying, “Very well. Once upon a time there was a boy named Zack who ended up in a place called Equestria. He was scared, because he didn’t know where he was or how he got there. He was scared until he met a little pony who taught him there was nothing to be scared of. He went on many adventures, sometimes with the pony and sometimes without the pony. Whenever the boy would get afraid of things on his many adventures, things that seemed very scary or terrifying, he would remember the pink pony. He would remember not to be afraid.”
        He drug his hands across her fur in a meticulous motion as he went on, “She brought him courage and strength no matter how far apart they were. He was the reason he kept going. Without her, his story would have ended a long time ago. He is still very thankful that he and the pony met those many, distant years ago. He knows that no matter where he may go next, that that little, scared pony he met in the woods will always give him strength.”
        After he stopped, Pinkie said, “Is that it? What’s the ending, what’s the moral of the story?”
        Zack gave a small simper and replied, “The story hasn’t ended yet, silly. Give it time. Good stories will always end appropriately.”
        As the red sun set below the horizon, above them glimmered a faint, blue star. Like a falling sapphire in a beam of sunlight, it twinkled and disappeared into the coming night.
> 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(10)






        “Hey little man, wake up...” a voice in the darkness lightly called out. Zack was shaken softly; his eyes fluttered sleepily awake. He turned and noticed the figure who had stirred him gently. Zack was silent, calm, blissfully curious; he took a moment to regain his grasp between which state of consciousness he was experiencing, unsure whether he was still asleep or awake.
        “What time is it?” he finally murmured in a slow, sluggish manner.
        “Five-thirty. Now come on, let’s get going.” Upon hearing the time, he turned away and curled himself up in a tight knot.
        “But it’s a Saturday...” he weakly grumbled beneath the blankets. “Where are we going? Why this early?”
        “You’ll regret it if you don’t get up.” the voice denoted. His tone was a bit more stringent, and with that notice Zachary sighed heavily in defeat. He tossed the blankets off of his body and rose half way up from his bed. The figure in the night-laden bedroom smiled, the rim of his angular glasses gleamed silver in the moonlight of a nearby window. He then placed a hand on Zack’s head and rubbed his mess of hair.
        “At a boy.” The figure rose and turned towards the door. “Get ready, we’ll be leaving in ten minutes. I made breakfast, so the faster you wake up, the hotter it will be.”
        Zack rubbed his eyes and replied, “Yes, dad.”


__________


        Zachary followed his father out the back door and towards the edge of their yard. Zack carried himself as if he were dragging a great weight behind him. The air was thick and wet, autumn was fast approaching; even through the jacket he wore, he could feel its cold bite over his skin. His feet sloshed through the dew-laden grass as he forced himself to catch up with his father, a man whose gait was twice that of his youngest son. Near the end of the yard was a wooden fence with three thick beams that could easily be climbed over. On the other side of this barrier was the sleeping forest, still and forbidding. Towering pines guarded the wooded haven, and all manner of singing insects cried out to one another from the creeping shadows. Zack’s father reached the fence first and in one swift motion, he placed a single hand on the top railing and vaulted himself over onto the other side. Zachary audibly griped in distress as he squeezed through the lower and middle railings; he wished he could have hopped over as easily as his father, but Zack was only four and a half feet tall at the time.
        The son stayed close behind his father, he didn’t want to leave sight of him in fear that he himself would get lost. His eyes adjusted slowly to the dark, yet still the forest was blanketed in blackness. When the light of the moon was blocked out by the forest canopy, his father removed a small flashlight from his coat pocket. The stars peered out like little eyes through the forest ceiling, it did not ease Zachary’s fears. He had been in these woods plenty of times with his brother and by himself, but never had he been here at night. The once familiar forest felt foreign to him; cloaked in night, it was an entirely different woodland. His mind felt disconnected from what was recognizable to now what was unfamiliar, and this is what scared him the most.
        They trekked onward as the distraught Zachary weakly shivered. Grey fog crawled towards them and licked at their ankles; thinly spread mists lingered from wide gullies and narrow creeks, lying low over the forest floor. Leaves and twigs crunched with each step, and every so often a small animal would dart away between the trees or through the branches that would startle Zack. As they kept going, the forest seemed a little less scary to the young boy, and his torpid mind began to rouse awake. He began to wonder why he was alone with his father in the woods, and why his older brother was undisturbed and left behind in their warm house. Zachary was more annoyed than curious with this reasoning, seeing as how this supposed punishment was given to him solely and not his brother as well. His brain sought the answer to why he had to endure this, and what he had done recently to spur his father into doing such an unreasonable act.
        As he spaced out and walked through the darkness, his leading foot found a root that brought him forwards onto the ground. His elbows took the blunt of the fall, but a few tiny acorns and twigs scuffed his arm, breaking the skin and leaving his outer forearms and elbows scraped red. His thin jacket was useless against the tumble and he slowly picked himself up to his knees, soothing the pain in his elbows with his hands. His father turned and walked back towards him, lending a hand to help his son. Zack was still angry at him and refused his aid.
        “I’m fine,” Zachary affirmed in a level, but livid tone. He rose up and brushed the remaining twigs, leaves, and dirt off of his knees and jacket. He looked up at his dad, vividly expressing his disapproval.
        His father noticed his son’s vexed mood and sympathetically apologized, “I’m sorry.” He turned and offhandedly stated, “We’re almost there.”
        The forest ascended gently, cool air softly billowed downward upon them. Zachary placed his footing after each of his Dad’s step, being careful not to slip and fall down the slippery climb. As the hill leveled out, the forest crept away slowly and the amount of trees grew thinner. The sky was clear again, unhindered by a lack of foliage. The night grew brighter about them, but around them the shadows that lingered in the edges of the forest seemed painted black among the dark sky. His father approached a fallen tree, long dead, but sturdy and firm. He ambled around it, his eyes scanning every detail of the timber. He then took a seat and looked over at his son, a simper of delight brightened his face in the darkness.
        “Come, sit next to me.” He smoothed his hand on a spot next to him. “It’s not so wet here,” he confirmed, patting his hand on the peeling bark cover. Zachary approached after little consideration, silently obeying without protest. He joined close to his father and sat on the damp log, it was uncomfortable and rough, making him squirm a little until Zack had gotten use to it.
        “Dad, what are we doing?” he asked again. He hoped to get a better response out of him then when he asked the question while still in bed. The boy looked where his father looked, above the tree-line and at the eastern stars.
        After a moment, he answered, “Be still, be quiet. Be as quiet as the forest.” He turned to him and rose a finger between them, “But most importantly, listen. Listen with not just your ears, but listen with your mind, listen with your heart.” He turned and looked away from him, closing his eyes and taking in methodical breaths of cool, mountain air. He had never seen his father act this way and wasn’t sure whether or not to take him seriously. He turned back and was unsatisfied with his response.
        Anger welled up inside of the young boy, he hated being in the cold forest and didn’t understand why he was even here. It was chilly and damp, his legs and elbows ached from the fall, he was frustrated by his father’s lack of sense; his mental list of things that bothered him grew beyond his reckoning as he seethed inside. He didn’t dare focus on the forest around him in a futile act of protest. Zack simply crossed his arms and legs, wishing he was back in bed and away from his father.
        A few minutes went by, which felt like hours to the boy, and he thought a few times to ask his dad if he could leave. Just before he would consider saying it out loud, he stopped himself and sighed heavily. He didn't dare to complain in front of his father in such a way, the possibilities of getting punished or scolded worried him too much to take that action. After almost an hour he finally worked up the courage to either ask his father if he could go back home or leave on his own. He turned towards him, mouth open and ready to speak his mind, but he drew his breath back in and closed his mouth upon seeing his dad. To Zachary, he appeared unbelievably peaceful, more so than he had ever seen anyone be before. His eyes were gently shut, hands open and on his knees. Each breath was strong and in rhythm of every inhale and exhale. This image before Zack inspired him to stay and at least try what his father had asked him to do. To be still, to be quiet, and to listen.
        He took a recovering breath and sat motionless, keeping his mind relatively free from distractions. It was difficult, but he learned after a while to focus on breathing or the sounds around him. The forest grew much more audible around him, as did the land and sky. A breeze he did not know of could be heard from the tops of the trees. Creeping things and tiny songbirds were now discernible to the relaxed boy. A brook not too far away murmured sweetly in the distance; Zachary was wondrous and surprised at what he was able to accomplish. His breathing became rhythmical to the point where control became unnecessary, he was deeply and subconsciously empowered. A slight tingling with each breath climbed up and down his spine. An energy of unknown sorts entered into him and seemingly pumped through his arteries. Never had he experienced anything like this before in his young life.
        Beyond his command, his eyes opened. The sky was now a deep, icy blue and the Eastern horizon was gilded in amber. His father took in a longer than usually breath and opened his eyes after his son. They turned to look at each other, both gave a relaxed smile and looked back towards the coming sunrise.
        “It’s almost here,” his father said with a voice tender with love. Zack turned and looked into the depths of his father’s concentrated eyes. In a split second, a flash of red dazzled them as Zack silently gasped.
        “Look Zachary!”
        Before he could turn his sight towards the sun, he found himself propped against a clear window, his body swayed awake by a moderate turn in the passenger car.


__________


        Zack had arrived in Canterlot a few minutes after he awoke from his dream. A silver, steam engine in the shape of a windigo pulled up gently into a flourishing train station. Zachary rose up from his seat and grabbed from the rack above his few possessions, neatly secured in a borrowed, pink and blue suitcase provided by his dearest friend. He awkwardly waddled down the aisle in the train car, he had to bend low not to hit his head while inside the cabin. He slowly moved in a line of traveling equines, each as equally disturbed by the human as the next. The train doors slid open and cautiously Zachary made his way out. When he exited, he stood up straight and stretched his cramped back. He took in a breath of fresh air and smiled happily.
        The terminal enough would have impressed him by Equestria’s forward movement in technology, but leaving the station was what captivated him to an even greater extent. He knew what to expect from what he had seen in Ponyville, yet still nothing could have prepared him for the immaculate sight that was Canterlot. The main street twisted up the mountain towards the distant Canterlot Castle, still as impressive and gleaming as it always had been. The afternoon sun gave it a subtle, yellow wash amongst the ivory spires; the highest rooms refracted brightly above like beacons of silvery fire. Along the main strip were impressive white, alabaster and beige colored buildings that were built upon once beautiful shops. The sidewalks were packed with ponies who were just now getting out of work, and each slyly peered up at the passing human with looks of discomfort. Each stallion wore a fedora and tie, almost matching with dark and warm hues, while the mares were adorned in more elongated hats with wider brims, and occasionally one would be seen sporting simple jewelry and makeup. Down the streets were rudimentary stoplights powered by the city’s magictech grid, and bustling by were rolling steam cars, mostly taxis or freight vehicles.
        Zack walked aimlessly forward on the sidewalk, flabbergasted by the immensity of the new city. He couldn’t quite wrap his head around the innovation of technology before him, he didn’t think he ever could. He remembered the first time he snuck into Pumpkin’s parent’s house with Pinkie and how he was curious and amazed at their kitchen appliances of that time; how all of that had changed so rapidly was unbelievable to the human. Every street and district was new to him except a famous few; with these additions, it was a whole new city. He was sure he could easily get lost in the many quarters and communities that had sprung up within the city. He continued forward and up towards the castle with eyes scanning anything that seemed interesting to him.
        It was around late afternoon when he arrived near Canterlot Castle. Zack was impressed that it took him this long to get to the palace; the ascent—as he remembers it—was by far less time consuming. He purposed the amount of traffic slowed his process, as well as arriving at a leisurely pace, instead of racing through alleyways with Pinkie on his back. The sun was cradled by a few passing clouds, yellow and warm hues made the passing buildings and cobblestone beneath him blush in peach cream colors. Less shops and homes filled these districts, and less ponies lingered near Canterlot Castle’s perimeter. Instead, more parks, fine restaurants, and exclusive getaways for visiting ambassadors filled the clean and narrowing streets. The bastion that surrounded the front and wide entryway of the palace was still in fine shape, nothing new stood out for Zack as he smiled and placed a hand on the thick fortification.
        He noticed up ahead that Twilight Sparkle was waiting patiently for him near the entrance. She stood straight with excellent posture, but her eyes denoted that she was spaced out on other matters. She didn’t notice Zack until his footfall was in earshot of her. She blinked awake from her daydreams and pleasantly greeted him.
        Zack approached saying, “I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
        Twilight flicked her hoof out and replied, “Not at all, just a few minutes ahead of you actually.” A thought occurred to her and she questioned, “Why didn’t you ride Nox here?”
        “He’s been flying for two days straight. I thought I would give him a little rest.” Zack thought if anyone would be able to deduce that, it would have been her.
        He grinned and placed a hand on her head, messing her mane up and shaking her glasses off. He sarcastically laughed as she placed her spectacles on again.
        “You better be thankful my reading glasses are beaded around my neck,” she stated in an irritant tone of sarcasm. “These are my only ones, and I am very fond of them.”
        “Why do you even need them?” he asked, just now realizing that she had been bestowed with immortality.
        “To keep up appearances, to... well, pretend I’m getting older. I feel like-”
        “I see,” Zack cut in. “I understand, no need to explain.” He looked off towards the far western cliff and continued with his own thoughts aloud. “It’s hard for me to even be around my friends, seeing them much older than me, and me looking the same as always.”
        “Watching them grow older and you remaining the same age is even harder.” Twilight said with unwanted gloom in her voice. Zack remained silent as they stood before the gates.
        “Well,” Twilight started anew, “shall we enter, Mister Zachary?”
        He turned and gestured, “Ladies first.”
        Twilight smirked broadly and magicked the gates open. Royal Guards moved across the yard as they made their way down the pathway towards the palace. They circled up the main stairway and onto the porch where the front doors were opened by two butlers. One of the two ponyservants took Zachary’s pink luggage and whisked it away down the hall and towards his supposed room. The sights and sounds were all coming back to Zachary as he made his way through the entwining palace. The city itself had changed, but the castle was a relic to his memory. Each corridor he passed was rekindled in his mind, he began to remember where every passage lead to. Even the furniture and decor of the halls were the same.
        As they progressed, he commented on everything he passed to Twilight. “And here’s the room where I was moved to when I had broken my legs. And here’s the doorway to the dungeon me and Pinkie were locked in upon arrival.” Zack stopped and looked towards a dreary and gray painting on the wall. “And here’s that one, ugly picture of a stallion, still here!”
        “Zachary! That’s Starswirl the Bearded!”
        He pondered this for a moment and retorted, “Are you sure? Cause I met the guy, you know?”
        “Yes, this is the Starswirl you met briefly when he was released from Pinkie Pie’s body.”
        “But he’s... he’s... obviously he’s unromanticized! The artist did a terrible job on this. Why even keep it around is beyond me.”
        A voice next to Zack vividly expressed, “I was the one who painted it.” Zack panicked and turned, only to see Princess Luna smiling at him.
        After he realized who it was, he gulped, “Oh, really? I mean, hello. I mean, sorry. Both I mean though-” Zack was interrupted as the Princess of the Night embraced him with a crushing hug. Twilight stepped back in surprise and took in Luna’s strange, out of character response. She had never seen her hug anyone to such a degree in her life, not even her sister. She was truly excited that Zachary had returned.
        The three made their way down the hall as Luna spoke of other matters to the two. “I am glad you have fulfilled your task, Twilight. I did not doubt you once!”
        “Thank you, Luna. It was a pretty interesting quest you and Celestia sent me on.”
        “I’m sure it was.” was all she said on the matter. She jumped to the next topic, directed at Zachary. “How have you enjoyed the city? The sights? Isn’t it marvelous what we have accomplished?”
        “It is! I was shocked at how much change had occurred in such little time.”
        “I had been urging my sister to redact the bans on magitechnology, since many neighboring cities had done so long before us. Since then, our economy here in Canterlot has been ever rising, as well as population and inner advancements.”
        “I noticed! Well, how have you been, Luna? Anything exciting in the last thirty-three years?”
        “The moon rises and falls, nothing too terribly thrilling about that. Every once in a while I’ll slip away from Equestria, as you know. Everypony wonders where I’ve gone and my sister has to fulfill my chores. Everything fun and exciting now is handled by the Elements of Harmony. Any natural disasters, dark magics, or emerging god kings from Tartarus is thwarted by those ponies. They have taken all the fun out of being the warrior princess that I once was.”
        “Sorry,” Twilight spoke up in a sarcastic manner, “but if you wanted to have fun, you shouldn’t have banned yourself to the moon!”
        Luna promptly turned her gaze towards Twilight and looked down upon her with inner loathing. “If you weren’t who you were, I would have you exiled for such a remark,” she turned back and concluded under her breath, “or beheaded.”
        Luna lead the two towards the Eastern courtyards where Celestia was located. They exited the castle and walked along the pathway of a high wall between two separate yards. Each was used by the Royal Guards as a training ground. Hundreds were scattered about, practicing and training with their fellow soldiers. One side of the courtyards was a shooting range, the other was an obstacle maze that one could watch from the high wall while others maneuvered through the course. The walls met near the center where a large parapet tower was. The tower divided the courtyards into four main sections, which each could be viewed from via the watchtower. The three climbed the encircling stairway upwards and entered the tower. The interior was buzzing with magitech electronics with operators controlling them. They could raise hidden barriers, obstacles, open doors, and control other devices all from a single, long panel on each of the four corners of the tower.
        Celestia and Shining Armor were turned away and looking down into the training pits as the three entered.
        “You have summoned me, my grace,” Zack announced while bowing to one knee.
        She turned and laughed, “Yes! Welcome home!” Both Celestia and Shining Armor greeted Zachary. “It’s time you had a haircut, I barely recognize you!”
“I’m sure you would have recognized me with or without hair.”
Shining reached a hoof around Zack’s shoulder and roughly brought him down to his level.
        Shining asked, “And just where do you think you’ve been, man?”
        “Away from you! You blockhead!” He pushed himself out of his grip and stumbled backwards.
        Twilight approached her brother and hit his torso armor a few times saying, “I’m glad you rushed to your sister and hugged her first! It’s not like she was on a dangerous mission for days on end! Risking her tail to get this guy over here!” Shining sighed and pulled her into a hug.
        “It’s not like I wasn’t going to hug you, Twily!” He pushed her back gently, but held onto her shoulders and asserted, “but meeting the Zachary again! A legendary warrior and—might I mention slayer—of the real Discord. He is who I want to fight side-by-side with, he is the hero we’ve been needing; and now that we have him, we are sure to win the war now!”
        “Well,” Zack quietly brought up, “I really don’t-”
        “‘Legendary warrior’, you say?” Luna chuckled. “He may have been a worthy advisory against Alwaid at the time, but he’s without Prevailer and Catalyst Stone. If he battled against Alwaid again he would have no chance.” She turned towards him and keenly wagered, “Let’s say we put this to the test? A magical test of strength and wit.”
        Zachary tiresomely moaned. “I don’t see why not.” He crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders. “I may be a little tired from the walk up to Canterlot Castle, and a little sleepy from my train nap, but I’m always up for a challenge.” He looked over at Shining Armor and suggested, “You want to go?”
        “W-woah now,” Shining Armor stammered, “I didn’t propose this!”
        “I haven’t been in combat in years, you’ll probably have an upper hand, err, hoof.” He weaved his fingers through his long, wavy hair and humorously mused, “You would think after a few decades I would get my pony idioms right by now.”
        Luna stepped forward, “I was suggesting us.”
        Zack’s eyebrows raised upon the realization, “Oh, I see now.”
        “Don’t do this,” Celestia firmly requested Luna. “Are you a filly? He hasn’t trained in years, you could injure him!”
        “I’ll be alright, Celestia. This type of training will do just fine.”
        Twilight brought a hoof to her face and mumbled, “Oh brother.”


__________


        When the sun fell that evening, the training grounds became alive with an audience of silent Royal Guards. Word quickly spread among the guards and many from the castle and city attended the event that was about to unfold. A rounded sector was where the onlookers encircled above, this area was built as a crucible to test one’s strength against others. Braziers and torches were lit upon the walls and on the barriers, lighting the sandy arena in flickers of reds and yellows. The moon was half full and bright, and the stars above gazed down to see the coming match. 
        Celestia, Shining Armor, Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle sat above in center view of the court of battle. Celestia was unamused and highly irritated that such an event was soon about to occur. When other matters could be discussed and plans could be moved into action, crucial time was wasted on such arrogant entertainment.
        “I can’t believe it,” the Princess of the Sun groaned apathetically. “I barely speak with Zachary and he’s already about to fight my sister in combat.”
        Cadence spoke up, evaluating the situation with a more open mind, “This could be a good opportunity for the Royal Guards to learn more about combat, I suppose,” Cadence scanned over the scene and audience, then considered that what she had said probably wasn’t the wisest choice of words.
        “Perhaps,” Twilight added, “they could come out of this inspired...” She tilted her head and shrugged, “Maybe?” Celestia’s horn glowed brightly for a moment and before her was summoned a bag of popcorn. She levitated it and a popped kernel before her, eyeing the confectionary lazily.
        Before she tossed it into her mouth, she stated in a lethargic tone, “Those two are as stubborn as ever.” She chewed the single kernel, swallowed, and reckoned, “Vallak needs to arrive already before we end up destroying ourselves by accident.” Twilight cringed and turned her gaze back towards the crucible.
        On each side, Luna and Zachary faced one another from a distance. High, brown walls encased them, made from stones the size of food stall carriages. Dry, flat earth and wine-colored sand comprised the floor of the pit. The ground was hard enough to keep your footing, but one could easily slide and lose their balance if they were too careless. Luna eyed Zachary from afar with keen eyes as sharp as daggers. She was adorned in a light armor of her making, with similarities between her Nightmare Moon ensemble and that of the Royal Guards. Their colors crossed between dark shades of black and purple with pearl white, decorative trimming. Zachary wore no armor, but found himself some of his old clothes that he dressed himself in when he went to his chambers before the battle. They were a combination of Rarity’s first collection and of Celestia’s making. He was dressed in tan khaki shorts and a white, long sleeved shirt tailored from a curtain within Canterlot Castle. Lastly, he found his old chucks, an ancient souvenir from Earth. It was strange wearing such clothes again instead of the more freeing clothes that he had become accustom to, but he enjoyed the change nonetheless.
        As they waited patiently for Shining Armor to give the signal to go, Luna called out towards Zachary saying, “Will you not summon your Prevailer? You will need it!”
        Zachary, while stretching his limbs and back, responded, “Don’t fret about it! I’ll figure something out. That’s what I always do.”
        Luna thought for a moment, and pledged, “How about this: Lunar magic only!”
        Zack pondered about it while trailing his fingers down his beard. He wasn’t the best at lunar magic, but by Luna’s new challenge, he assumed a condition: Luna thought that he hadn’t been studying her lunar scrolls she gave him to read while in Cervidas.
He smiled and replied, “Very well, but go easy on me!” He straightened his back and took in a deep, meditative breath in. He focused on his teachings while breathing methodically and keeping his eyes closed. He knew that he had become even more influx with his magical abilities over the years, and that not being in the presence of the Prevailer strengthened his will even greater. His mind was as clear as glass and as sharp as a blade. He knew his thought patterns and inner workings considerably well through his many years of disciplined meditation. He was ready to face this challenge head-on.
        “Easy?” Luna replied, slightly breaking his concentration, “I know not of easy!” In that moment, Shining raised a rifle and pulled the trigger. The noise ringed through their ears and the trial began.
        Zack opened his eyes and thought, “Lunar magic. Okay, I got this. Night above and shadow below, I've got to use this to my advantage.” He looked towards his shadow and focused his will on it. The shadow whisked upward and behind him, spreading out like a sheet of cloth. It was as if he was being thrown in a great, black maw of a beast as it loomed over him, about to overtake his form. As he looked back up, a flicker of offensive magic burst towards him, and just in the nick of time, he was absorbed by his shadow and pulled towards the floor of the arena. The missile failed to reach him and struck the back wall. The arena had a protective spell around it, causing all magical blasts within the crucible to be cast elsewhere where it was safer. The blot of shadowy starlight that Zachary had become swam over the sand and onto the wall of the arena. Luna stretched her wings and held herself above the floor.
        “Very good,” she commended him, “let’s see how quick of a shadow you can be!” From her alicorn horn shot bolt after bolt of dark magic towards Zack’s shade. He snaked around each attack, racing across the wall’s face. The crowd began to lightly cheer as they intently watched the duel.
        Zack noticed that Luna was beginning to predict his movements and it was getting harder for him to evade her attacks. Suddenly, Zack had to force himself out of his shade when a speeding bolt nearly struck him. He flung himself out and rolled onto the sand pit. He hopped out of it and threw his right arm forward. A surge of lunar magic twisted up his body from his shadow to his legs, up his torso, and down his arm where it materialized into an inky, black orb. He shot it towards an oncoming bolt, hoping it would deflect it in some way. Upon impact, Zachary’s missile pierced through Luna’s and flew towards her wildly. She flapped out of the way as the orb veered skyward and out of sight.
        “Your lunar magic,” she commented with a huff of surprise and vexation, “you’re using too much of it into your actions. It’s heavier and stronger, yes, but you need to know how much power you’re putting into your magic or you’ll tire yourself.”
        “Thanks for the pointers. Can we continue now?”
        She smiled and laughed, summoning two orbs of navy blue lunar magic above her raised hooves. Zachary adjusted his stance as Luna fired away, throwing magical orbs at impressive speeds. He dived to his left, barely evading the singing orb that rushed by his head. He leaped and danced around a few others, but as he dodged one that would had been a headshot, he took a firm hit to gut from another. It scorched and evaporated around his stomach as he was pushed back from the blow. It was cold and hard, like a firm medicine ball being thrown firmly at him. It knocked the air out of Zack for a moment and Luna chuckled upon seeing him in minor pain. The crowds cheered and stamped, applauding their princess.
        “Come on, Zack,” he said to himself, “Think creatively, that’s what Luna wrote to you about when learning this stuff. Lunar magic is just like unicorn magic, you can bend it to your will.” Zachary took a breath and readjusted his breathing pattern. He focused intently on what he wanted to accomplish, although he was unsure whether or not it would work out in his favor. His faith in himself was stronger than his doubts, and he brought forth the lunar magic needed to do what he aspired for.
        Luna turned to see that from his fingertips, gauntlets of starlight fitted around his hands. She flippantly teased, “Trying something new out? This isn’t the time to be testing such things, Zachary!”
        She fired a few more orbs towards him speedily as he braced himself. He placed a hand before each of the coming attacks and swatted them away. They struck the ground behind him, spraying sand and rock upward. He still continued to dodge and maneuver around her limitless projectiles, waiting for the right moment to make his counter-attack. When he saw the orb he was looking for, he reached out an arm and grabbed hold of it. He pivoted his body with its momentum and launched it back at Luna with all his strength. The alicorn’s eyes widened as she twirled around it, narrowly missing the ball of shadow.
Zachary kept his arm out, still in the position he was in when he threw it back. Luna turned back and stuck her tongue out towards him in a very un-regal manner. He returned with a sly grin as he swiftly retracted his arm back toward his hip as if pulling something down. The orb stopped before hitting the barrier and flexed back towards the alicorn, striking her in the back of the head. Her helmet was flung forward as she tumbled towards the ground before Zachary. The crowd roared wildly as Celestia grinned with satisfaction.
        Luna tossed herself up into the air again, appearing more livid than playful. Zack loosened himself up upon seeing the angry princess.
        “You look a little tense, Luna.” Zack teased her softly. “This is just an exercise, remember? No more than a game.”
        Luna sought to control herself a little and huffed, “I’ll make sure I train you well by the time I’m through with you!” Her tone and look was one Zack didn’t want to relish. He knew that she hated losing, he knew this ever since they played chess many years ago. Her eyes burned with an intensity that a wild animal might give when looking to make the kill. He stepped back and readjusted his posture to dodge whatever she was about to throw at him. He was certain he would make it out of this predicament in one piece, however he didn’t know how he would accomplish it. Nevertheless, he braced himself for the fury of the Princess of the Night.
        Luna raised her hooves, summoning multiple orbs of shadow. First a dozen, then two dozen, then more then he wanted to count as they began to float threateningly above the walls of the crucible. In one swift motion, she threw them all down upon him without warning or wait. Zack panicked and sprinted toward his right as the focused blast followed him. He slid to his knees and threw his hands up, the gauntlets spread out and cloaked him in a thick shadow. He sunk swiftly in a pool of midnight as the pit was fully bombed with Luna’s missiles. Rocks shot upwards from the impacts and sand was sprayed high into the air. Zack slowly emerged from his shade after the bombardment. He felt battered and worn from the impact, as if he had been punched a few times over every area of his body.
        “What the hell?” he thought, “that could have been lethal!” Before he could snap back a response to the enraged Luna, her eyes glowed vibrantly blue like the night sky. In a flash, two beams raced across the pit towards Zachary. He threw up a wall of night before him and upon impact with the lasers it was blasted away. Zachary stumbled backwards, but caught himself with is hand.
        Zachary reformed the gauntlets around his arms, and by doing this he began to feel his energy depleting. He knew he didn’t have much time or power left to pull off anything impressive or worthwhile offensively. He had to wait for the right moment if he wanted to win this battle. Zack just hoped that he could evade Luna long enough to use his lunar magic for more offensive than defensive purposes.
        “You’ve done well,” Luna said, “But do you think all of what lunar magic is is orbs and shields? Let me show how impressive it can be.” Without any physical effort or sign of stress, three circular shades formed on the ground before her. Rising from them appeared three of her personal vampire pony guards, armed with spears and adorned in plate armor. It had slipped his mind that lunar magic could conjure such creations, but seeing this, he wondered if he could do it too.
        He popped his knuckles and said aloud, “Never tried it, and don’t have a lot of energy left, but let’s see if I can match you.” He had an idea in his head on what he wanted to conjure and tried to force it through him. Suddenly, he felt a great deal of lunar magic strain within him, so much so that he was brought to his knees and sweat began to bead down his head. He knew he had taken on too much, but stopping now would only show his unwillingness to compete against Luna. His body couldn't handle the amount of magic in him and he couldn’t shape what he originally wanted. He didn’t know how to handle this much magic within him, especially a magic that he wasn’t entirely familiar with. Compared to Luna, she had had a thousand years to perfect this art. She stood firm like an oak while summoning three fully sized and fully armed bat pony guards. Seeing her effort against his made him look weak in front of the audience, so his pride continued to pain him more than the actual pain blazing through him.
        “Having a little trouble there?” Luna laughed as the guards began to walk forward with their spears pointed towards the human. Zachary knew he would be in dire trouble if he didn’t do something before the guards reached him.
        “I need... more time!” He said mentally. “I need more... more...” with that notion, he had an idea, a way to salvage his magical build up of energy. He used the mass of lunar magic in him and split it multiple ways. Instead of summoning one large lunar creature of his creation, he used his magic to split it eight ways. Eight small circles of twilight appeared before him as the energy began releasing from his body into the portals. As he rose back to his feet, he felt as if he was lifting a heavy weight above him. From the portals sprang a group of creatures that made the crowds gasp; even Luna was shocked at what Zachary had accomplished.
        Twilight Sparkle grimaced at the creations and commented, “Oh, wow. Those are... interesting renditions of...”
        Zack lowered his arms and smiled, looking at his twisted fabrications come to life. They were shadowy ponies, fillies with hollow eyes like moon craters and beaming, starlit smiles. Their manes were black as chimney smoke and their fur was bathed in the night sky.
        They bounced up and down and around Zachary chirping in shrill, un-pony like voices, “Fun! Fun! Fun!”
        “Pinkies!” Zack commanded. The eight shades stopped hopping around and promptly stood in a row before him, hooves resting on their brows in salute. Zack pointed towards the bat ponies and yelled, “Attack!”
They turned and rushed towards the bewildered creations of Luna. They bounded forward and into the air, making fierce faces that warriors were known for. The bat ponies were beaten, kicked, bit, and ravaged by the shadow Pinkies. Many in the crowd looked away, others watched with horrified expressions. Twilight covered her eyes, Cadence looked on with a sickly expression, Celestia laughed wholeheartedly.
        As the last bat pony was stomped into misty shadow, the Pinkies rose up and gazed towards their creator, eyes wild and smiles wide.
        “My fillies!” Zack ordered the lot. They looked towards him and awaited his direction. He now pointed at the Princess and shouted, “Charge!”
        They eagerly raced one another towards the Princess. Luna desperately tried to attack the group, but many of them evaded her lunar magic with ease. They were small, quick, and difficult to target, but still Luna was able to take out a few before they were in range. Four remained as she fled skyward, but the Pinkies leaped a tremendous height and grabbed hold of her, dragging her back down into the pit. She swatted and punched the shadow creatures as they bit and beat her. Luna grabbed hold of one, flung it like a ball and zapped it with her lunar magic vision. She stomped another with her hoof, turning it back into a vapor of shadow as the other two grabbed hold of her front legs. With a swift motion, she swatted them together. They then conformed into a cloud of dark lunar magic that dissipated like smoke.
        Zack thought that they would had been a little more help to him and wondered what he should do next. He was only able to conserve a sliver of energy left from conjuring the Pinkies and didn’t know how that energy would aid him now. Luna wasted no time as she rose up into the air a few meters off the ground and lifted her hooves up. Her fury had arisen once more, and her eyes showed no mercy towards the human. The shadows casts inside the pit began to diminish as they came under her control. Soon enough, Zachary had nothing to work with; with no source to fuel his magic, he was at her mercy concerning lunar magic. He began to panic as Luna formed overhead a great orb of shadowy magic. It vibrated with intensity as it expanded out further. She began to laugh maniacally as Zachary fell onto his back, in shock at the ever increasing magnitude of the spell. Many of the Royal Guards raced away from the pit in fear that they would be consumed by the coming destruction. Luna gave no restraint to her power as she continued to pump more energy into the death sphere.
        “I concede!” Zachary shouted towards her, “You win!” She paid no attention to his cries of desperation as the orb grew greater and greater in size. “Luna! Stop! I give up!” Zachary clasped his hands together and pleaded, “Please! This is insane!”
        “Luna!” Celestia called out in a voice as loud as thunder. It reverberated off of the circular walls with a might that only magic could produce. The Princess of the Night snapped out of her mania upon hearing her sister.
“Enough!” commanded Celestia. “Your foalish game is over!” Luna sighed as the orb slowly rose over the crucible, gradually gaining speed as it soared into the darkened sky. After a silent moment of wonder, the night lit up with a bright and quiet explosion. Zack shielded his eyes from the brightness; it was as if a star had exploded a few thousand light years away; it was beautiful and terrifying all at once. As the cold light began to fade from view, a gentle wind fell upon the arena. The shadows casts by the flames in the braziers returned as did the shadows from the torches.
        Luna flew up above the crucible and spoke with the remaining guards, “The show has concluded, and I am victorious. Praise me and the night!” A few subtle stamps and half empty cheers filled the air as the guards turned and left the crucible walls. Luna, irked once more by their lackluster admiration, called out, “Are you not entertained?!”
        “Return to your barracks,” Celestia said, “There is nothing more to see.” The royal guards did as they were commanded and left silently, chattering amongst themselves in small groups.
        Luna glided down next to Celestia and implored, “Why did you do that? Bring them back! I was not going to murder our Zachary.” Celestia gave a look disapproval over her shoulder. The expression soon turned to ire as she confronted her sister.
She pressed a hoof against her armored chest plate and tapped it saying, “You could have injured him or have possibly murdered him! You’ve done it before!”
        “That was one time,” Luna offhandedly retorted, trying to both defend herself and defuse the conversation. “And it was thousands of years ago... and by accident. Look, Zachary’s not hurt, just a little bruised.”
        “I don’t want you or Zachary to do anything foolish like that again!” Celestia fired back, enraged at her sister’s response. “There are important matters that need to be discussed and no time for games of this type!”
        “Sister,” Luna crossly inquired, “what is the matter with you?”
        Celestia was near her breaking point as she violently responded, “Have you not been paying attention? There is an army coming to Equestria that could easily wipe our race out of history. We have no defense planned as of yet, no certain allies as of yet, and when we finally have one you want to challenge him with your silly, barbaric game of pride bashing. We need to stop these heedless hinderances and start planning on what we need to accomplish in the next few days if we want to survive what’s coming!”
        Celestia caught her breath and added, “And don’t give me that look! You know what’s best just as well as I do.”
        Zachary finally made his way up the stairs and onto the high walls where Celestia and Luna were. Twilight, Cadence, and Shining Armor were behind Celestia, silently listening from a safe distance. Celestia sidestepped her sister and approached the human.
        Her eyes were level with his as she firmly imposed, “Zachary, return to your room in the Western Keep. We have a busy day tomorrow. Scouts say Vallak’s army is only a few days away. We need you to stay safe and to train safely. No more of these games.”
        Zachary bowed slightly in Cervian habit. “Understood.” He complied in a tone lacking hostility and favor. He was aware it was foolish to fight against Luna before a crowd, but he knew it would also help his training. Everything Zack had learned about combat was only through genuine threats and tests of strength. Whether as a game, or in a life or death matter, it was the best way to teach himself.
Celestia nodded, Zack knew his cue for when he was excused. He rose from his bow and walked past her. He smiled at Luna as he went by her towards the castle, she smiled back. Their silent intentions were clear to each other: now both were ready for what was to come.
> 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


(11)






    There was a hollow feeling within Zack’s chest. He felt lighter than air, without form or bodily constraint. He was dreamily confused: he didn’t know how he got here or what exactly was going on, though he didn’t mind the situation. Blackness absorbed him completely. Then——seemingly always there——he noticed an aperture of amber light in the distant expanse. From the size of a pin-hole, it expanded outward; soon he realized it wasn’t empty light, but a window. As the opening grew, more was revealed. When it fully encompassed Zachary, he found himself in the vast halls of Canterlot castle. Unmistakably he knew it real, though he found himself in awkward disbelief. His senses were tangled in a maze of disorder. He couldn’t feel the rug beneath him, but noticed the lapping sunlight’s warmth on his bare skin. He never once looked towards his body, feeling that if he did, he wouldn’t see anything. Goosebumps lined his arms and nape, yet he didn’t know the reason why.
   Before his thoughts caught up to him, a peculiar lulling of a stringed instrument moved his attention. It was far off, almost outside of the castle itself. It was an ethereal whispering; sweet and longing. It filled the corners of the chambers, from the very reaches of the citadel ceilings, to the innermost place of his soul. The music——ever so gently——grew louder. His heartbeat eased into rhythm with the noise, and soon Zack realized the song that played was a piece he knew. It was familiar: it had brought back a presence within him he had nearly forgotten. A younger, far more hopeful Zachary woke from his depths, and then he recalled, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.
   A clamor of hushed steps became known to him and he turned. From the far corridor, where the hall turned toward the Western Keep, a filly raced around a corner and out of sight. Her soft laughter enveloped the warm, copper-hued halls like a slow brooke’s gurgling. Zachary moved without thought, without constraint, without hesitance. His form glided slowly down the corridor, the music increasing ever so slightly. The violin which carried the song began to enamor his very being. A myriad of celestial hues faded into vision and sprawled forth before him, flowing forth from a great, stained-glass window. He gently eased inside of the light; his every being flourished in the gilded tones. The radiance consumed him, he floated upward to heights unknown. The castle was no more, the walls and ceilings replaced with refractions of surreal light. A rainbow of ever-changing colors; dancing, twirling, fleeting with the increasing sonate.
Before him, beyond the colors, his eyes met with the filly——now mare. She floated with him in the chamber of shattered sunbeams. She looked up, eyes glistening from the world around them. An angel of unearthly wonder, perfect and intangible. He looked up, his spirit lifted from his very core and he became no more than it itself. Her soul had done the same, her form became that of misty vapor. They reached out and melded into one. Together, they lit into a pure orb, an alabaster flame that burned eternal. Now, they were one. Deathless, holy, boundless, breathless. Everlasting. Now, they were one.
    Zachary found himself standing on the high porch of the Western Tower. The horizon was beginning to glow awake. The stars seemed beyond even the heavens themselves as he peered into the vanishing night sky. The crisp, mountain air filled his lungs and embraced his body. He leaned on the railing and gazed towards the mountains. The presence he felt in his dream found its way into waking life, and this assured him. He felt deep within him a great longing, an immense state of satisfaction swept over and through him. At first mystified, he came to realize what it was: hope.

_____

Zachary left the high porch and proceeded into his bedroom as the delegates of Equestria were starting to arrive. Each appeared in their own fashion, whether by stallion-drawn coach, elongated automobiles, or by sky chariots or dirigibles. No more than a few minutes after dawn, the castle gates were drawn open to allow an impressive magitech-powered limousine to ease in. Steam rushed from beneath its rear axle as it carefully maneuvered through the gate and came to a halt. A young stallion raced from around the car and opened the back-passenger door. An established earth stallion——gray maned but strapping——exited the vehicle, followed by his most trusted advisors. He patted down his dark-beige suit and readjusted his pin-striped fedora. He reached for his pocketwatch and with a press, it flipped open. He read the time and looked up at the castle, studying it as if it were a problem needed solving.
The pony huffed, “Quaint, though not as homely or impressive as Manehattan.”
“Very true, Mr. President,” automatically confirmed an advisor. The others in his entourage agreed and the group moved forward, as if they were a school of fish, towards the front steps.
    The other delegates and royals arrived soon after. In short time, the front lawn of the castle became a parking lot for a variety of elongated vehicles. The amount of traffic began to cause a stir among the locals as they curiously watched the limos and airships enter beyond the castle walls.
Following the president of Manehattan was Governor Spitfire of Cloudsdale, who was inwardly excited to meet again with Celestia, but outwardly indifferent. Governor Loose Leaf of the Coastal Provinces arrived only a moment after Spitfire entered into the castle. Miss Leaf, an over-analytical unicorn mare and direct descendant to Clover the Clever, arrived with the Director of Magitechologies, Quicken Gear, the son of Captain Neighmo. The two were deep in friendly banter about how the rise of magitech wouldn’t harm the loss of standard pony jobs, but increase the market. Mayors and leaders of smaller pony villages and townships arrived afterwards, but only a few held power when it came to the coming conference.
    The dining hall was repurposed to house the leaders of Equestria. Many of the castle corridors were transformed into simple bedrooms for those staying in Canterlot. The meeting was soon approaching as the Royal Sisters entered into the busy dining hall. Celestia and Luna sat at the head of the table as equals; the chatter died down as the leaders took to their seats. As the delegates seated themselves, butlers and maids of Canterlot castle offered breakfast and tea as the meeting began.
    “Welcome, everypony,” began Celestia, eyeing and smiling to each individual as she spoke. “I’m glad my call was answered in prompt timing. Allow me to introduce to everyone the high leaders of this assembly.” The princess looked towards Twilight and entitled, “Princess Twilight Sparkle, former protégée of mine and the Element of Magic within the Elements of Harmony.” She smiled at the others at the table, most of whom starred at her. Many had never seen her or the Elements; to them, they had only heard stories of the great deeds the Elements had performed in their lifetimes.
    Celestia continued, “Next we have Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire; and her husband Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard of Canterlot...” She moved to each delegate with less commentary. “...Governor Spitfire of Cloudsdale, Governor Loose Leaf of the Coastal Realms, President Mica Granite of Manehatten, Director of Magitech Industries Quicken Gear.”
She peered over at Zachary and concluded, “Lastly, Master Zachary.” The high leaders and other unnamed leaders’ sights fell onto the strange looking creature sitting with them. None of the foreign delegates knew who or what he was. Zack looked around at the ponies and smiled, briefly waving to the group.
The odd looks continued towards Zachary as Celestia spoke again, “Some of you may know why I have summoned you all here, others are still unclear as to why they have been called.”
    “Excuse me!”
Celestia looked over and noticed Loose Leaf reaching her hoof upward as if she was in grade school. “Yes, excuse me, my Princess Celestia?”
    Celestia grinned and replied, “Yes, Governor Loose Leaf?” The goldenrod-yellow unicorn mare turned her attention toward Zack. He nervously readjusted himself in his seat as she fiddled with her glasses. Her anxious movements prompted him into a state of unease.
“Yes! Well, my question——you see——is, and pardon my ignorance! But, who, Master Zachary, are you?” Zack took a moment to absorb her words and make sense of it. She acted and sounded like a mare who was too strung-out on coffee.
    He leaned towards her direction and answered, “I am a human of Earth, Master of the Prevailer, and student of Celestia, Luna, and Nabeleen.”
    “A human, you say?” inquired Loose Leaf. She placed her hooves on the sides of her temples and shut her eyes. “Human, human, human, human....” she muttered repeatedly under her breath. She then shot her head up, transfixing her hazy, purple eyes onto him.
    She stated, “I’ve never heard of a human before.”
    “Better question,” Quicken Gear chimed in, straightening his posture and facing Zachary. “My father, Neighmo Gear, told me about you and the Prevailer. If you are the master, then where is the sword? May we see it?”
    “Good question,” Zachary nodded with approval. “I actually don’t have it on me. Didn’t think I’d need it for a meeting.”
    Quicken remarked, “I would like to have assurance that you are still in possession of it. It is of the utmost importance we have it for what is to come.”
    Mica Granite added with a forceful tone, “And that is what we should be talking about!” The President of Manehatten swept his hoof across the table and elaborated, “Enough with the formalities, enough with the useless chit-chat. We need to get down to business here, ponies!”
    “I concur,” Luna said. “King Vallak of the griffon race has waged war on Equestria. He has amassed a large force of griffons, centaurs, trolls, hounds, and earth ponies.”
    Loose Leaf gasped, “Earth ponies? Who? Why?”
“Lord Acadain of Hoovegorod,” answered Princess Cadence. The room buzzed with low chatter and hushed gasps. Zachary was at a loss as to why Lord Acadain was so important.
    He leaned over to Twilight and whispered, “Who’s Lord Acadain?”
    Twilight replied, whispering back in his ear, “He’s the lord of northern Equestria and the brother of Mica Granite! The northern Equestrians of that realm lack cutie marks and have a history of bad reputation within Equestria.” Zachary wouldn’t have believed her unless Twilight had said it; the fact that a form of racism in Equestria existed didn’t seem right to him.
    From the back of the table shouted a zebra saying, “We should have had him exiled long ago!”
    “We would have lashed him to death in Saddle Arabia!” another delegate cried out.
    “All of you shut up!” exclaimed Mica as he stood from his seat. “I couldn’t have done a thing about it, you hear!? Lord Acadain, a.k.a. Ignus Quarry wouldn’t accept my help. According to him, I abandoned my family and heritage. No, I was tired of hurling stones and scraping by on mere morsels of food. I chose to propel my knowledge and leave behind our dying lands. He’s hardheaded, but believe me when I say he only wants justice for what little has been done to aid his ponies.” He looked toward Celestia and pointed, “This isn’t about that; we’ll deal with that later! I want to protect what’s left of Equestria.”
    “What’s left?” questioned Spitfire. “What do you mean?”
    “Vallak decimated Manehatten with his pet dragon!”
Cries and murmurs filled the room again, but Mica continued towards Celestia, “I thought Canterlot had spies in Gryphus! How did a dragon the size of your castle slip past you unnoticed?”
    Shining Armor rose in defense of Celestia and attested, “We had royal guards scouting in the Icicle Mountains a few days prior to the attack on Manehatten! They were killed, all of them! The griffons had planned this and to the best our knowledge the dragon was kept in dungeons beneath the Icicle Mountains.”
    Luna glowered towards the president, “You do realize there are massive, abandoned dungeons below the Icicle Mountains from the days of the Ancient Masters? The earth ponies built them with the griffons. This was beyond your time, but I hope you see that we and the griffons were not always at each other’s throats.”
    President Granite sat himself back down and replied, “Even still, the blame lies only on Celestia. With fair warning, we would had known the dragon was coming and tens of thousands of ponies would be alive today.” Luna rose from her seat, as did Shining Armor and Twilight, but before any could rebuff the stallion, Celestia waved her hoof before them.
    “I take full responsibility,” she stated in a level tone. Celestia met eyes with Mica and expounded on her reasonings. “The dragon was too fast for us, we couldn’t contact your departments in time. It went straight to Manehatten, as if it was ordered to. Our spies have been no use to us, and we can’t locate the dragon at this time. With that reasoning, Vallak could call the dragon to Equestria at his whim.”
    Mica cleared his throat and said, “We couldn’t scramble enough pegasi after the attack to locate the dragon. Who knows where it could be now. However,” he placed his hoof on the table and reported, “Our more competent spies managed to detail us that Vallak was on his war campaign. We successfully halted their progress in the Icicle mountains, and because we did, we now have a few extra days to ready ourselves instead of fighting them today!”
    Shining rose up from his seat again, his face twisted and livid. He was about to leap across the table, but before he could, Cadence said to Mica, “Do you want us to congratulate you?”
    “Of course not,” he hastily replied, “I just want to show you all how democracy functions on higher levels compared to a simple monarchy. Leave everything in the hooves of a few and watch nothing progress.”
    “Thank you, Mica.” Celestia concluded. “If we may continue now with why I have brought everyone here today, we might get something done.” Mica sat himself down and sighed heavily.
    Zack was astounded at Celestia’s tonality and air. Of all the emotions to express, she was calm and collected. After President Granite’s public disapproval of Celestia and Luna, nearly everyone on the Canterlot side of the table was frustrated with the stallion. Only Celestia was even-tempered and clear-headed among the tense ponies. Zachary was unsure what to think, so he attempted to remain empty and open to the ideas being expressed.
    “Vallak will be arriving here in two days,” Luna declared, rising from her seat and conjuring a scroll before her. “I have here a list of infantry from every leader present or will be present. I will read the list on who will participate in the coming battle.” She cleared her throat and began naming off the leaders and how many forces they would be contributing.
    “Of Equestria, Canterlot: one thousand four hundred. Manehatten: six thousand. Baltimare: eight hundred. Cloudsdale: four hundred and fifty. The Crystal Empire: one thousand. Fillydelphia: two thousand seven hundred.” Luna stopped and looked over at Twilight Sparkle with a raised eyebrow. “Ponyville: six.” Twilight grinned, Luna rolled her eyes.
    She continued down the list, naming off each contributor down to the last village that supported Celestia’s call. After every contributor in Equestria was named, she moved onto those outside of Equestria.
    “Zerba: fifty. Capra: three hundred. Houyhnhnms and Cervians... to be determined.”
    Quicken spoke up when Luna had finished, “What of the airships? Will we be using them during the battle?”
    Celestia looked over at Shining Armor and he replied, “We won’t be using airships due to Vallak’s rocs. They would secure our victory, but the rocs are too fast and can easily take down airships before we can even launch them. We would be better suited using trained pegasi to handle the rocs. Can you elaborate, Spitfire?”
    Spitfire leaned forward and said, “Since the Battle of Cloudsdale, I have personally reinstated the Firebolt division of our military. Those individuals are trained to combat all kinds of threats. From changelings, to rocs, to griffons, they can handle’m.”
    “Very well,” Quicken ended, leaning over to murmur something to one of his advisors.
    “If I may,” President Granite addressed the high leaders. None were too pleased to hear him speak again, though no one stopped him from doing so. “Our combined forces are nowhere near in number to Vallak’s. At least one-to-two, according to my strategists. But even still, could any of our numbers stop the dragon that Vallak could call to the battlefield?”
“Maybe,” Loose Leaf fumbled out. “Well, the Elements, perhaps? They can take on a dragon. They’ve done it before a few times, ya’ know?”
    Twilight rose up from her seat and denoted, “It’s very unlikely we could do such a thing to stop a beast of that magnitude. The Elements work mysteriously, sometimes they work for us and other times against us. If it knows it can stop the dragon, it will, in some form or another.” She peered down at Zachary and indicated, “Our answer to the dragon is Zachary and the Prevailer. He will-”.
    “I will not fight the dragon.”
Twilight turned, flabbergasted at his response. Luna looked away from him, Shining Armor shook his head in defeat. A hushed murmur fell over the crowd. Quicken leaned over the table and looked towards Zack.
    “I beg your pardon?” Quicken said, his mossy eyes sharply glaring towards the unphased human.
    “Look, everyone,” he turned, meeting with as many eyes as he could while starting to stand up. “I know this wasn’t the answer many were looking for, but if you know me, you know what I’ve done. I am a threat by being in the presence of the enemy, which in turn forfeits your safety. Even me being in Equestria right now, I am endangering you all.” He closed his eyes and concluded, “I feel there might be a better way to deal with Vallak that doesn’t involve bloodshed.”
    “Aren’t you forgetting,” Mica Granite fumed, “there’s already been bloodshed?”
    “But Zachary,” Twilight said, looking up at the human, “we need you. You have strength that we could never have. We need you to at least guide us.” Zack took a breath and lowered his head.
    “My powers, my strengths... they’ve been abused and turned against the ones I love. Vallak has the ability the persuade others with magic unlike any I had ever felt. I was lucky, at the time, when he tried and failed to use it against me. I am almost positive he has mastered that ability by now.”
    “Won’t you consider it again?” Spitfire softly pleaded. “In the end, things turned out alright, remember?”
    Luna spoke up, “By staying in Concordia and learning their ways, you’ve grown soft for the world around you. Nabeleen is wise, and her teachings are true. The world can be a better place, there really is no need for senseless killing. I see your worry, but Zachary, now is the time to put that aside. The world is in danger, and nothing can avert this coming crisis unless we meet blade to blade with those who wish to poison the world.”
    Celestia added, “What you’ve done is nothing compared to what Vallak will do. Your mind is honed far greater than when you met him last, you can easily overcome him.”
    Zack looked over at Celestia and replied, “Vallak isn’t who I’m afraid of. It’s the Afflictor——Tirek. I’ve seen what he’s capable of, I’ve seen what you, Luna, and Alwaid had gone through.” Celestia’s eyes widened; Zachary had never told her that he knew that.
    Zachary looked over the others at the table and concluded, “I will consider it, but I must meditate on the choices I have.” Zachary left the dining hall, his footsteps echoed through the silent castle.

——————-

Zachary waited outside the hall until the meeting was over. It took a fair amount of time to conclude their business and strategy, which Zack had been listening to beyond the doorway. The princesses explained their line of defenses as well as location of the battlefield. Among the news, Zack, hearing that Whitetail Woods would be nearly cut down for a supply line to the battlefield, weakened him to his core. He knew Pinkie, and especially Fluttershy, would be devastated to hear that the thriving woodland would be torn down.
As Celestia departed from the hall and broke away from the crowd, Zack approached her. She smiled at him as both walked together down a separate hall, away from the delegates. The two were alone as they stopped at a window, overlooking an equestrian valley.
    “You made quite the stir today,” Celestia noted with a grin.
    Zack smirked. “Yeah, I figured my answer wouldn’t be too popular.”
    “You must have a lot on your mind, judging by your appearance.” Zachary looked down and realized his fingers were tapping nervously on his sides. His posture was locked straight while the heels of his feet bounced up and down.
    “Sorry,” he breathed, readjusting himself. “A little tense from...”
    He searched for the right words, but Celestia aided in, “War? Equestria? Tirek?” She gave a tired smile and looked away.
    Zack elaborated, tightening the muscles throughout his body, “I feel more worried about this war then when Alwaid came. It’s always been in the back of my mind, but I ignored it. I thought it would never come. If anyone can relate to what I’m feeling it’s you.” She didn’t reply, she merely kept her gaze away from him, processing his words mentally. He looked away from her and down the hall, his mind drifting and churning as well.
    He sighed and began anew, “Where was Mayor DeBates?”
“Oh, yes, DeBates.” She tapped her chin and thought for a moment. “It must have slipped my mind to send him an invitation.”
Zack laughed halfheartedly, “You really are something.” His momentary cheer subsided as his last meeting with him came to mind. “I think you need to do something about DeBates... After this war, of course. He’s up to no good.” He had assumed she had already known this, and saying what he said was old news to her.
“He knows about me, where I’ve been the last thirty-three years, about Pinkie, even about my dealings at the Friendship Fountain those many years ago. He knows a lot and has threatened me.”
    “Oh I know he’s slimy. The Ivory Guard has had their eyes on him since coming to power.”
    “But how can Ponyville elect someone like that? He’s horrible for the role as mayor!”
    “The ponies want him. I had no say or sway in the elections. I let them choose who they want. Always.”
    Zack rubbed the back of his head and swallowed. “I don’t like him one bit. He’s bad news, Celestia.”
    She shook her head and said, “I agree, wholeheartedly. But Zachary, the world is a changing place. You’re beginning to see this as well, though at a much faster pace than I have. Sometimes we have to let old ways die to new ones, we can’t hold on to the past. I’ve tried altering the course of nature and my kind. Every attempt fails or backfires, it’s not worth pursuing.” Zack thought about what she had said and remained silent.
Celestia looked out the window and began, “I hope you took what was said to you in the meeting with an open mind.”
    “Of course, I’ll consider it.” He stepped closer to the window, peering down to see how far the descent would be to the bottom of the valley.
    “Look at it from my perspective...” Zack elaborated. “I spent thirty-three years focused on meditation, dealing with the choices I’ve made, and with the harm I’ve caused. You can say I never had control of my actions, but it was me nonetheless. It’s something I can’t let go, and it’s something that’s going to haunt me for the rest of my days. Without the miracle of the Catalyst Stone, I don’t know what could have been done.”
    He looked into the distance and continued, “I really wish not to harm any others, no matter how twisted they are. Death shouldn’t be an option. I know these griffons don’t want to fight, but they must. All their lives they’ve been behind Vallak, who has subjected them to hate us. It’s not their faults, they shouldn’t have to suffer.
    “It’s this lifelong hatred I detest. Every side is turned against one another, even the ponies distrust the griffons. There seems there will always be conflict, and I don’t want to create more to this already complex issue. If there was a way to show them all the true nature of each side, without the influence of their leaders, there might be true peace.”
    Celestia looked over at him through the reflection in the window. Her somber, weary expression seemingly aged her complexion.
    She sighed, “Do you not think that’s what I’ve been trying to do all this time? Now you see the trouble with my role. Now you see the burden my sister and I have held for generations. Immortality shouldn’t be spent this way.” She paused for a moment, regained her composure, and asked, “When will you have an answer for me? If you’ll be aiding Equestria or not?”
    “A day or so.”
    “That’s good. Take your time, consider every aspect of your choices. But if you wish not to be a great fighter, then please be a great healer. We will need one after what will become of Equestria.”

_______

    Zack wandered down the halls with no clear direction or heading. The castle was filled with more occupants than he had ever seen, however he felt more alone than ever. He had always felt alone in Equestria, being that he was the only human on an alien world, but in this instant, he felt abandoned. He was a tool to the Equestrians, or so he saw it, and that with or without him there would be hope or desolation for Equestria. Was there even a choice for him to make?
    He felt that he was in an emotional state of limbo: he wanted to be left alone to mull over what was addressed to him at the war meeting, he also wanted to distract himself and not think about the choices he had to make. He felt like he was being tortured, and the only salvation was himself. His judgement was clouded and it affected his every being as he continued down the sunlit, arching halls of Canterlot castle.
    As he rambled to and fro, some of the delegates attempted to approach him and start up a conversation, in attempts to make him see reason. He shook them off as soon as he could, saying that he was on his way to meet with one of the princesses and was late as is. He didn’t want to talk with any pony he came across, yet still he remained in public. He dared not to think about coming around a corner and seeing the six mares he had grown to love. He couldn’t handle dealing with Pinkie Pie’s exuberance at this time; the thought of her bouncing around him and asking him a hundred questions a minute caused a cold sweat to form on his brow.
At one point during his meandering, he bent down a hallway corridor at a quick walking pace, avoiding Loose Leaf’s clamor of questions as to why he was avoiding her and her questions. As he entered into a new hall, he stopped and noticed a familiar mare entering from the north-east balconies. She noticed him mere moments after she closed the door and raced over to hug him. He accepted this as if it were defeat in the hands of the enemy; so he greeted death with open arms.
    “It’s so good to see you!” she said, beaming up at him.
    “Likewise, Spitfire!” She released him and they gave a good look at each other. Being that both beings were immortal, they knew very little about each other. He only knew that she was immortal, but she knew all about him from Rainbow Dash and Celestia.
    A strained silence took hold of the two before Zack salvaged the moment from becoming too awkward, “So you’re a governor now? Wow, that must be a lot of work. I didn’t know you had any political background.” She chuckled, though Zack didn’t know why.
    “Certainly! Well someone had to take over after our last mayor was impeached.” She looked off towards the ceiling and continued, “It took a few years to learn the biz, but last year I finally did it and earned the spot!”
    “Well congratulations! I can’t think of another pegasus more capable of the job then you.” She flicked her mane to the side and keenly smiled. Behind the hardened demeanor and uniform, Zack saw a lovely mare. It was this that slowly moved Zack out of his clouded state of mind.
    The mare’s eyes lit with sudden insight. Her manner shifted back towards the persona she had dutifully held throughout her career and looked up at the human, almost apathetically. Zack smirked upon witnessing the whole of the emotional act; he thought it was cute.
    “I had just remembered,” she promptly said in a stern tone, “one of my Firebolts had been wishing to speak with you.” His heart skipped a beat--he knew who it was.
    “You mean Rainbow Dash?”
    “Affirmative.” She gave a nod and simper his way, then pointed a hoof towards the balcony doors behind her. “She’s waiting on the balcony.”
    “Is she alone?”
    She looked back and grinned, her voice shifting to a more casual tone, “Quite.” She lifted her wings and floated eye-level to the human. “Salutations, Master Zack. Until we meet again.” She smiled and flapped away and down the hall.
    Zack approached the large double doors and opened them with a little difficulty. The wind pressed against the entryway, and it was troublesome to determine how much strength was needed to open them. Zack tried again with more force, though as he did, the wind let up and the door he was behind was flung forward. Zack opened it with such power that the silver knob on the other side of the door slammed into the alabaster wall of the castle, pinning it to the wall itself.
    Zack stumbled out onto the porch and turned to see the damage he had done. He exclaimed, “Shit!” as he looked at the double door and how the knob had broken through the side of the castle. He turned back around with a sigh and had forgotten that Rainbow Dash, who was watching him wide-eyed, was at the end of the balcony.
    She snorted and heartily laughed, “Typical Zack! Always making a wild entrance!” He lightened up upon seeing his love and chuckled with her.
    The mood shifted between them in an almost eerie fashion. The two had hardly talked since his return. The weight of it all seemed to crash around Zack, his breath was short and his mind raced for the appropriate words to begin with. To begin a conversion, to tell her how much he had missed her, to tell her how sorry he was, to tell her everything that he wanted would take days. It would take years to mend such a relationship, or so he thought. Then it dawned on him, it didn’t seem she had even noticed that he was gone, judging by their brief sputter of comments upon his arrival. Then again, they hadn’t had time to themselves since he arrived.
    He looked up and realized she too was entangled in thoughts as deep as his. The casualties she had personified earlier had evaporated, her eyes searched for in front of him. In that moment, both seemed to be lost, spellbound by one another's presence. Both had similar notions that this didn’t seem right, none of this seemed right. To be with their lover again, after thirty-three long, empty years. Time was still and the world held its breath, to them it seemed.
    “Zachary,” a familiar voice said behind Zack. He turned, the spell had been broken as he noticed Celestia near the entryway to the castle.
    “Yes?”
    “I need to show you something, it’s very important and we can’t delay.” She looked over at Rainbow Dash and back towards the human. “I’m sorry,” she added, “but this will have to wait for tonight.”
    He looked back at Rainbow Dash, she nodded for him to leave. He turned and followed Celestia into the castle, his hands shaking at his sides.
> The Pinkie Pie Experience - Finale Special
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    	A pale orange dusk had gently washed over a sleepy Ponyville. Down the sidewalk in the residential district, Zack wearily turned towards the street where his abode was. He was absolutely exhausted, near ready to collapse on the ground if it meant he could release himself into sleep. His movements were slow and clumsy, and with each heavy step he forced out a breath as dry as the morning summer air. His back was slumped over, knees aching from overexertion, and fingers tight and stiff. His clothes were tattered, charred, ripped, and thoroughly drenched in sticky sweat. Using one hand, he pressed himself against a neighbor’s wrought-iron fence; with the other, he carelessly dragged his sword, the Prevailer, against the dirt and gravel path.

    When he finally reached the front of his house, a last ebb of energy trickled through his veins. In a few inelegant steps, he blundered towards the front door across the tiny front lawn. He mistepped and tettered towards the bougainvillea bush by the door. In an awkward sway, he limply swung his blade to his side and forced it through the shrubbery. Zack then pushed himself off of the Prevailer’s pommel and forwards, banging his shoulder into the front door.

    As he began to pat himself down, a terrible thought suddenly rushed to him. “Oh no…” Zack whimpered to himself. He began frantically pulling his pockets inside out. “No, I couldn’t have. Did I really?...” His heavy form slowly skidded down the front door and he ended up on his knees. “My keys… I lost my keys!…” He reached out his hands towards the dirt and in frustration dug his fingers into the crusty soil. He sighed and looked to his right towards the living room window.

    He soon found himself prying the window open with his sword, breaking the hinges in the process. Zack scrambled through the pony-sized aperture like a drunken burglar. With one last focused heave, he squirmed himself through and lazily somersaulted into the room. Zack could forgive himself for the embarrassment of having to climb through his own window, but crashing through his Everfree oak wood end table was unforgivable. When the wreckage and Zack settled, he spread out prostrate in his living room. Sleep soon began to flood through his weary mind, his body relaxed and went limp. His breath became easy and his world began to peacefully dim.

    “ZACCCKKKKIIIEEEE!!!!” an annoyingly pink voice screeched out.

    “GOD! JESUS! FUCK!” Zack panicked as he flailed out his once limp limbs, all while pushing himself onto his backside. He met eyes with the pink pony as he grasped his chest, trying to force his pulsating heart to not break through his ribcage.

    He gasped out in broken breathes, “Wha... Why would you?…”. He stopped himself and rolled back onto the floor. “Why me?” Zack defeatedly moaned. Pinkie gaily bounded over and seated herself next the human. He reached out his hand and tucked his fingers into her cotton candy plume of a mane.

    Zack sighed, “How did you get in here?”

    “I walked in! It was unlocked.” Zack said nothing. After a brief moment (rare while in dialogue with Pinkie Pie), she lilted out, “How was your dayyyy?” Zack pressed himself up again, his eyes heavy with annoyance and unease.

    “Well… where do I begin?...” He crawled himself towards his favorite armchair and sank deep into the soft, crimson cushions. He fluttered his eyes shut, pushing to memory all that took place that day. He began by asking, “Do you remember when that manticore time-mage seized control of Equestria?”

    “Of course!” chirped the pink pony. Zack noticed she was shuffling around, but didn’t care to open his eyes.

    Pinkie continued, “Wasn’t its name Archmage Kov’Ada?”

    “Precisely. Well he escaped his stone statue prison Luna had encased him in and, of course, I had to capture him again. So I Panexus’ed over there, and that’s when he ambushed me. I didn’t know he had the Scepter of Magacab. If I did, this story would have ended here and there.”

    “Uh-huh” Pinkie agreed from across the room.

    “So we were forced into prehistoric Equestria, which is where I broke the scepter to ensure he wouldn’t travel back in time. Since I beat Kov’Ada last time, I knew how to do it again. THAT, was the easy part! After I defeated Kov’Ada, Valiant was able to open a portal using one of the time keys he had acquired from Kov’Ada’s vaults in the Mires of Forchanna. Well unfortunately, he could only speak through the portal since he needed all nineteen time keys to fully open it. When I tore into Kov-Ada’s mind in mid-battle, I learned where he had hidden the rest of the keys. While he searched for them, I had to battle Kov’Ada’s demon-spirits that could travel through time. They would come every so often, and that lasted years on end.”

    “Wait,” Pinkie interjected, “you were stuck in prehistoric Equestria for years?”

    “Yeah I know, but since I’m immortal and,” he threw up his hands and motioned air quotes with his fingers, “‘the son of eternity’ I had to do it. You know, for the sake of Equestria or something like that. Anyways, while I searched for them I came into contact with hunter-gather ponies, and next thing you know, now I’m the chief of their tribe. I then had to unite all the tribes to gain access to some of the time keys that were in their lands. To do that, I had to speak with the matriarch goddess mare that all the tribes worshipped. So we talked, things got a little tense, and…”

    “Don’t tell me you fought her too!”

    “No no no… we made love under the sun and moon. Now that I think about it, it was sunset... and we were on a beach. And that’ll be the last time I’m having beach sex. Too much sand for me.”

    Pinkie’s eyes widened “Ohhhh, how… er… romantic?”

    “It was the only way, trust me! I solve a lot of problems with-" Zack paused and stated, “Forget it. Anyways, she had two mares she named Celestia and Luna, and now I know the awful truth of things. I probably won’t ever step hoof—I mean foot, in that castle again.”

    “Zackie, could you repeat that again? Keep the mic about a hoof away from your face.”

    “Wait wha-”, Zack leaned forward and opened his eyes as his face collided with a microphone, creating an electric shrill.

The entirety of the room had changed, all while Zack’s eyes were shut recalling his last adventures. Cords poured out through every other room, connecting into the center of the living room where now a large, wooden table was set up. A television was placed on the wall between the two and a camera was feeding back their live image onto the screen. Pinkie was situated on the other side of the table facing him, her attention engrossed with her guest. Gummy was behind her on a switchboard, which was next to the camera. Zack, dumbfounded by the moment, couldn’t stop peering around his house and wondering how in Equestria Pinkie had managed to do all this in under two minutes. He was even more shocked when he noticed that his end table was repaired.

    “What is all this!?”

    “This is my new podcast studio!”

    “Wait… you’re into podcasting now? How long have you been doing this?”

    “Since today,” she cheered “and you’re my first guest!”

    “What’s the name of your podcast?”

    Pinkie leaned over a soundboard in front of her and bopped a button with her nose. A clash of noises and voices came out of the speakers between them.

    “Pink Pony Podcast, check it out” a voice said though the speaker, which suspiciously sounded like Spike’s.

    “THE. PINK. PONY.” a robotic voice chimed.

    “Pinkie Pie by day,” an obvious sounding Rainbow Dash yelled out, “The Pink Pony Podcast by night… ALL DAY.” A kick drum rolled afterwards, and then a crash of cymbals and a catchy guitar riff followed suit, which slowly faded into the background.

    “Hello, freak ponies!” Pinkie began, directing her voice into the mic, “Welcome to the Pink Pony Experience. I’m your host, Pinkie. Today, we’ll be interviewing the man, the legend, the bipedal-iest bipedal of them all. You know him as Zack, but today we’ll be doing a deep dive into the real identity of this mysterious person.”

    “What is that supposed to-!?”

    “But first,” Pinkie interrupted, “a quick message from our sponsor…” Gummy gurgled out a hiss and chomped down on his gums. Pinkie looked over and placed a hoof to her ear.

    “What’s that, Gummy? We don’t have any sponsors? Of course we do! Ummm…” Pinkie trailed off, placing her hoof under her chin. “Oh! I know! Sugarcube Corner! Drop by and use our special discount code word ‘PINKIE2020’ to receive some nasty glares from the owners! They don’t like it, but I tell everyone they’ll get twenty percent off their order if they do it. And I find it hilarious!” Pinkie roared with laughter, nearly slipping right out of her seat.

    Zack, still in bewilderment by everything going on, stated “This is the strangest thing that has yet to happen to me in Equestria.” He looked back towards the pony and remarked, “Why did you turn my house into a podcast studio? And have you ever considered working in a recording studio? I couldn’t help but notice you color-coded the wiring for, well, everything.”

    “Well I didn’t have room in my attic bedroom! Speaking of which, this podcast is also brought to you by attics! Do you know what’s in yours! Find out today, or never!”

    Pinkie stamped her hooves down on the table and stared into Zachary’s eyes as if he was her mortal enemy. “And Zachary, you’re wrong about this being the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you… or should I call you… SECRETS AND LIES!”

    Zack, befuddled beyond reasoning, blinked and said, “What!? What are you talking about? I am so confused…”

    “I know it, we all did! You’re nothing more than a self-insert character! A writer’s biggest mistake and you KNOW IT!”

    “Pinkie,” Zack breathed, gently pushing her pointing hoof out of his face, “I think you’ve finally lost it… That, or what you just said was a pretty whimsical insult.” Zack scratched his head and pondered aloud, “I wish this was all a story. Then again, I did try to kill myself before being whisked off here. It really makes you think if this is all... a badly written story.”

    “Oh, I’ll show you badly written!” Pinked leaned forward and asked, “Have you tried PMT?

    “Premenstural tension?”

    “No!!! Pinkiepimethyltryptamine!”

    “I beg your pardon?”

    Pinkie tilted back, then swung herself under the table. She popped up and produced a small, silver pen-looking device with a glass straw on the top.

“Here, take this vape.” she said as she rolled the item towards him. Light danced off of the rotating, surgical-steel cylinder until Zack grabbed the vaporizer. An amber liquid washed around inside its casing as he studied it closely.

    “Pinkie, I didn’t know you did drugs.”

    “Hah!” Pinkie sarcastically laughed, then coolly replied, “You thought I was sober the whole time? Do sober ponies act like me?” She then slammed her hooves back on the table. “Do they!? Of course not!”

    “I kind of wish I had known this a long time ago. Where do you get drugs from?” Pinkie rolled her eyes.

    “Valient, duh.”

    “Valient!? Ah. Of course. That makes sense to me. We’ve smoked pony-weed before at Canterlot castle.”

    “Mhh…” Pinkie moaned, “that’s the good stuff…”

    Zack’s eyes darted back down to the vape. “So, this will get me high?”

    “Oh yeah! Just hit it for maybe, like, I don’t know.” She turned towards Gummy and asked, “How long do you usually hit it?” The alligator let out a long hiss, followed by faint chewing noise. “I see,” Pinkie responded, turning back towards Zack. “About five seconds.”

    Zack enjoyed the idea of finally being able to relax. Of course, he couldn’t do it while Pinkie had broken into his home, so he thought maybe this little bit of a drug would help ease or unwind his mind. Zack tried to take a hit from the vaporizer, but it didn’t seem to work.

    Pinkie chimed in, “Oh, so press the middle button five times. It’ll blink five times afterwards, then you can hit it.”

    “Oh, gotcha.” He followed her instructions, and the pen’s light flashed bright red five times. He held down the button and took a long drag. He could feel the metallic-tasting vapors whisp into his mouth and down his throat. He moved the pen away from his mouth and let out a long breath of faint, gray vapor. Pinkie watched in silence, being attentive to his body language.

    Within a few seconds, Zack knew he had royally messed up this time. Not only did he childishly forget to ask what PMT does, he did so in front of an invisible audience of listeners and watchers. Before he could think of the consequences, he felt a sudden headrush while his mind tightened into a shrinking funnel of ever-increasing thoughts. Colors began to brighten as the grains in the wooden table shifted like the current of a river. Between Pinkie and himself, twisting shapes and intricate mandalas began to infinitely assemble and disassemble themselves. He felt his soul opening and receiving all the hidden truths as his world began to slide into uncertainty. His heart ached for all lifeforms, though he felt like everything in the end would be okay, and that world peace could easily be achieved. Zack zoned out, gaze adjusted upwards toward a morphing ceiling. He exhaled a weak laugh as a smile curved up upon his face.

    The visions became so immense that he could no longer tell if his eyes were open or closed. He looked up at Pinkie, who seemed shrouded in a saintly aura of iridescent hues. Her curls spiraled infinitely inward, her eyes glowed fresh like sun-lit morning dew. Zack looked towards the mirror on the wall by the front door. His face was becoming lean and his eyes had grown larger. In the transition, his face finally became that of a skeleton, personifying his fear of death and getting older. Then, he began to feel something new, more like someone entering into his mind’s eye and overcoming his personality. His ego began to drift, dissolving into the bleakness of inner consciousness, all while this newness took over his every essence.

He took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and grinned towards the pony across from home. He was lucid again. In fact, he was now more clear headed than he had ever been in his life. Scarily sober, yet renewed like the morning of a new day.

    Pinkie smiled back and questioned, “Did it work? Did I finally get you here, Secrets and Lies?”

    Zack turned towards the camera and said to the world, “Hello, freak bitches.”

_________________________________

Pinkie flipped a switch and proclaimed, “Welcome back, every pony! This podcast is brought to you by the Ponyville Public Library. Where you can find... books! That’s about it. Anyways, back to the show!”

    She turned towards the human and started, “What should we call you for this show, mister human person thing?”

    “Secrets, I guess?”

    “Okay, weirdo! Secrets it is!” She pointed a hoof towards him and promptly asked, “Why are you called Secrets and Lies anyways?”

    “Pinkie said it once during the first season, I think it was the one where you go crazy and have a tea party with inanimate objects. I wanted to create a username based off of a quote from you, so I Googled quotes and for some reason I got the ‘Secrets and lies... It’s all secrets and lies with those ponies!’”.

    “Aww, I’m flattered!”

    “Well, I guess it’s okay to flatter myself at this moment.”

    Pinkie pounded her hoof back on the table, spilling over a bowl of jelly beans in the process, and implored, “Secrets, the people want to know the truth! Why did you stop writing!?” Secrets leaned back, eyes tracing the now still ceiling.

    “I got bored and life for me changed. I started seeing someone and my attention became diverted. I completely stopped writing after I finished college and moved out of my parent’s house. Over the course of time, I wanted to go back and continue writing. As time went on, it became harder to write, and harder to recall what I had planned for Savior of Eternity. That’s pretty much it.” A new thought rushed into Secret’s head and he added, “Oh. And I distanced myself from the community. Bronies were always a strange, eclectic group of people; but the fandom just started, well, over-sexualizing everything. That kind of turned me away from it in the beginning. That and the show started getting worse. I think I stopped at the end of season four.”

    Pinkie scratched the underside of her chin and mused “Well no doubt about that last part. That leads me to the next big question, the juicy stuff every pony wants to hear. What happens in Savior?”

    Secrets sighed and replied, “To start, I didn’t really have a plan going into Savior. I mean I didn’t really have a solid idea for the first book either, as you can tell by the jumpiness of the story. The second book was more of an established idea, so it seemed pretty easy to hash out. By the third book, I didn’t know how to tie it all together. Going in I had a lot of ideas that I wanted to explore, I really wanted to expound on Zack’s consequences for his hermit lifestyle choice, as well explore new places and the eventual future of Equestria. I’ll get into those ideas later.”

    “Yeah yeah, but what happens next!” Pinkie’s eyes beamed as she tried to recall what had happened in the story so far. “So it starts for some reason with a crazy creation story. Something like there’s a chain of universes (Katkahas), and each link is the entirety of one existence to the next. From each link is taken a being that becomes the ‘Dierus’ of the next link, and also from each link is taken the most perfect elements from the next. The idea was that they would eventually create a perfect realm for the supreme god-pony thing to come to.”

    Secrets nodded and stated, “Sure, Aeterus I think was the god-pony’s name. I like the idea of it being a god-pony, but go on.”

    “And then thirty-three years after Slave of Eternity, Twilight gets summoned by Celestia to search for Zack, ends up on an island of actual horses, falls in love, continues on her quest to Firelight Woods where she eventually meets the deer people, a.ka. the Cervians, a.k.a. the elves. They take her to their capital, Cervidas, where Zack has been in some dumb silent meditation retreat. Zack whines about not wanting to come back, how he keeps messing things up; well he eventually decides to come back to Ponyville cause he looked into those mirror pools and sees Valak, and a dragon, and all sorts of stuff!”

    She took a long inhale and continued, “Meanwhile the griffon king, Valak, who is controlled by Tirek through the staff he found in that temple in the Icicle Mountains, finally goes on his war campaign towards Equestria. He gets delayed by the pony army from Manehatten, but also releases some mountain-sized dragon, Malorga I think its name was... Anywho, Malorga was a part of a race of master-beings that once forced the ponies underground.”

    Secrets added, “Just like in Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann.”

    “Correct! Anyway, the dragon attacks Manehatten, cool action scenes and stuff. Eventually Zack makes it back to Ponyville and is overwhelmed with culture shock. Something about an evil politician taking over Ponyville is briefly talked about. They all go to Canterlot, Luna challenges Zack to an all-lunar magic duel. Next day, pony delegates meet at Canterlot. After that, Zack briefly meets Rainbow Dash for the first time since they last saw each other until Celestia pulls him away inside, telling him she needs to show him something.”

    Pinkie gasped and wheezed out, “Is that pretty much everything so far?”

    “Yeah, pretty much the important stuff.”

    Pinkie caught her breath and chuckled, “Well no wonder why it was hard to start writing again. You already had so much information packed in there.”

    “I could have been better about writing my story ideas down. If I would have done that I probably could have finished it.” Secrets cleared his throat and began, “Well, the next chapter starts when-”

    “Hey, Secrets?”

    “Yes Pinkie?

    Pinkie raised a hoof and said, “Keep your mouth about a hoof away from the mic.”

    “Oh, sorry about that.” He adjusted the microphone and continued.

    “Celestia takes Zack up into one of the castle towers, into some sort of alchemical lab Celestia owns. She then brings out some large bowl of glowing water and then tells him that she will be showing him what the Foreseer showed her. She casts a spell and all of the sudden we’re back on Earth in the past, when Zack was only a child. Zack’s dad is going to work while neglecting his sons. He drops them off for school and heads to where he works, some large government-funded research lab. He goes through all of these security checks until he is deep underground where we meet his small team of coworkers.

    “They’re all supposed to be working on this artificial intelligence, but Zack’s dad is also secretly doing gene manipulation on various animals to speed up their evolution and see which one is capable of sentience first. He eventually experiments with a pony and discovers that it will, somehow, be the next species to evolve into sentience. He presents his findings to the board members of the research department, including the pony (which can now talk). They, of course, are mad that their funding was secretly being used for some unrelated side project. Since he has such a security clearance and knows about the AI project, instead of firing him, the board members force him to destroy his research and continue working on the main project; and that if they find him disobeying again they will kill him. He ends up living at the lab against his will, making his family think he has abandoned them.

    “I hadn’t thought it out entirely, but years pass and Zack’s dad eventually sabotages the AI project and connects it to the internet. From there the world descends into quick chaos and the singularity happens.”

    Pinkie raised her hoof and yelled, “Quick question! What is ‘the singularity’?”

    “Good question!” Secrets replied using his best Shrek impression. “The singularity--or technological singularity--is a hypothetical point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unforeseeable changes to human civilization.”

    “Oh... What a peculiarly precise answer. Well, continue!”

    “Right, so that happens. What comes next is that Zack’s dad is chosen to be the next Dierus in the next chain link universe... thing. But before he can, he has to bring over every perfect thing from the last universe into the new universe. One of those things is the AI, which becomes what the ponies know as the Foreseer.”

    “What!?” Pinkie yapped, “Are you kidding me?”

    “Not only that, he brings over his sons, Zack and Jason. He brings Jason to an earlier time in pony history, and his journeys overlap into Moonsinger’s. That was eventually going to be a spinoff series called Secrets of Eternity, where Moonsinger, Celestia’s protege at the time, is tasked to retrieve a sacred flower that grants immortality. This is also where the references to The Ballad of Moonsinger came from, she was a leader of a small group of ponies that were tasked with the same objective.”

    “Huh, well that might have been interesting to read.”

    Secrets laughed, “Hah! Probably not. But it definitely would have explained why Spitfire was immortal. Anyways, Zack is also brought into the new universe, but was chosen to come at a later time. The moment Zack was sucked into the TV was when the singularity event happened. The physical and digital realities merged into one reality. So that’s the next chapter.”

    “Wow! And to think, that might have been fun to read too.”

    “Oh yes,” Zack leaned back in his chair and grinned. “I’m full of disappointments.”

    Pinkie bounced to an upright position and continued, “That still doesn’t answer my question, Zackie!” Pinkie blinked, then sputtered, “I-I mean, Secrets.”

    “After that... my thoughts on the story get messy. There was probably going to be some war preparations, and time for Zack and Rainbow to get reacquainted, or rather end things. The griffon armies eventually make it to Equestria where a legion of ponies, horses, and Cervians are already ready to hold them off. Tirek summons Malorga, and before they can do anything, Nambeleen (the leader of the Cervians) gives Twilight Sparkle the Catalyst Stone. The stone and the Elements of Harmony, the main six combine into a eight-legged, giant angelic alicorn pony called Sleipner.”

    “Oh!” Pinkie interrupted, “So Odin’s personal horse?”

    “Er... peculiarly precise, Pinkie.”

    “I like looking at the norse mythology section in the Ponyville Library.” She turned towards the camera, winked, and added, “Visit it today!”

    Secrets carried on, “So they fight, turns out even the Elements of Harmony can’t hurt it. Truth is, not everyone was in sync with another, which made their final form perform worse. Both Pinkie and Rainbow were hurt by Zack’s prior actions and absence, which caused the whole group to fail.”

    “Tragic!” blurted out the pink pony.

    “They did happen to weaken Malorga, but Zachary would have to finish the job... without the Prevailer.”

    “Wait! Where is that stinken sword at anyways?”

    “Don’t you remember? He left it at Rhignes Rock where his old hut was that Celestia gave him. He first wanted to fight Malorga on his own, but realized he had to retrieve his sword. So they had to bide their time as Zack used his magic to bring it back all the way to Equestria. Like how he’s called his sword in the past, from one end of a room to his hand, he did the same thing. Once he got it, that’s when he finally fought and killed Malorga. After that, Valak (Tirek) started the battle. Crazy action scenes occur, everyone’s fighting on the ground and in the air, and magic is happening all over the place.

    “Zack fights Valak, Valak takes you hostage, and-”

    Pinkie’s eyes widened and she proclaimed, “He takes me hostage!?”

    “Well, yes... Zack stops his duel and for a moment, he looks like he’s close to killing you. Then Zack uses his lunar magic, summons a spike that impales Valak, who then releases Pinkie. All looks to be going well until the staff Tirek is bound in floats above Valak’s corpse. It speaks and then becomes the classic Tirek we know, the evil centaur looking guy.”

    “Hey, that kind of sounds like the end of that video game, Majora’s Mask.”

    “Well,” Secrets fumbled for the right words, but gave up saying, “Yes, when the mask is revealed to be sentient.”

    “Gosh darn, what a good game!”

    “Yes, lots of inspiration for the Eternity series came from that game.”

    “You mean Halo?”

    “That too, lots of weird Halo quotes in this series. And so, with Tirek back, he rushes towards Pinkie and gores her.” Pinkie gasped and held her hooves over her mouth.

    “Secrets! You would kill me off! And like that!?”

    “Eh, took long enough.” Pinkie grabbed a hoof-full of spilled jelly beans and pelted Secrets with them.

    Pinked yelled in defiance, “I can’t die! I’m the most beloved character in the series, even in the show!”

    “I agree with you, entirely. But I think it had to be done. See, I wanted Zack to be further isolated than he already was. This seemed to be the best way to do it. I had further ideas that could only be continued if, well, you weren’t there.” Pinkie scowled across the table towards this new, un-Zack lack human. A moment of awkward silence hung over the makeshift podcast studio. Zack cleared his throat and continued when he thought it was appropriate. 

    “Zack ends up defeating Tirek,” he proceeded. “I won’t go into any details of the fights, it doesn’t really matter at this point. The griffons had been defeated and Celestia and Luna make a pact with the remaining forces to cease the violence and bring about a new age of harmony. Zack, too shocked and miserably stricken with grief, walks away from the battlefield. Twilight, Valiant, and Luna try to console him, but he won’t listen to them. In his grief, he goes to Canterlot castle to his abode in the western tower. Luna approaches him again, and knowing Zack, she offered her enigma chamber to him. Zack tells him that he’ll use it to meditate in and find peace. Once he’s there, he locks the engima chamber and no one is able to enter it again. Completely separated from Arteria, he finds himself in a stasis chamber of his own making. That would be the end of part one.”

    Pinkie took a moment to gather her thoughts and wondered aloud, “The story could go anywhere now.”    

    “That was the issue.” Secrets explained, “For the second part, I originally wanted to turn Equestria into a modern city in a police-state, where Canterlot has gotten so large that it envelopes Ponyville, turning it into a magic city. Zack is woken up by the Dierus, his father, who tells him something along the lines of Tirek was never defeated, and can’t be defeated without first finding and destroying the Foreseer. Something about the Foreseer merged with Tirek’s spirit, though its power and influence remain unknown to the Father. Zack decides to finally leave the engima chamber into the crumbling, now tourist attraction, Canterlot Castle.

    “After that, I was thinking of adding a mystery-stealth element to the whole second part, where he uses that one mask artifact that allows him to take on the appearance of an earth pony. He explores the city, and finds Moonsinger in an alleyway he passes. She doesn’t know who he is, and he finds out that this is the first time she meets him. From there, I believe I get into some stealth and sabotage missions into Apple Acres Corp involving Zack, Luna, Moonsinger, and Twilight Sparkle. That’s about as far as I got. Oh, and Luna was supposed to die in the second part too.

    “Did you have any other ideas for Savior? Did it have an end?”

    “Yeah I had a few more, and yes it did have an ending. I wanted to either do the future route for the second part, or do a similar plan like I had for Secrets of Eternity, but this time it would be the main five plus Zachary. By the end of the second part, Zack again decides to wait indefinitely in the enigma chamber, forcing himself further into time. By the time of the final act, Zack would have been forced out due to the integrity of the castle. As he leaves, the doors and archway of the enigma chamber crumble behind him. Zack is now in the far future.

    “He notices how deserted the castle is, and when he reaches a window he notices vast and intricate skyscrapers and a more wild looking cityscape, except everything is overgrown and large swaths of land are now barren and abandoned. Red deserts encroach around the once megacity of Canterlot.  Zack comes to find a weakened Celestia in the top-most tower. She tells him what had happened, how the ponies mined too deep and discovered the Foreseer. The Foreseer than quickly inoculated one pony after another, using them as sources of energy to further increase its own power. Soon enough, the Foreseer took over Arteria, and was more powerful than Celestia could handle. The Foreseer then made a deal with Celestia that he wouldn’t kill her or any other pony, that he would place them in battery chambers and give immortal life, as well as a virtual reality in which they are endlessly happy. All he wanted was for her to continue raising the sun and moon, and to stay out of his plans. She had no real power over the AI, so the Foreseer went through with his plan and Celestia continued her divine duty.

    “Celestia gives Zack both the Catalyst Stone and the Elements of Harmony, as well as his ethereal sabatons and other artifacts. He eventually confronts Foreseer, or rather calls out to him. The Foreseer is summoned and soon takes the shape of a human. The Foreseer goes on to tell him how every action Zack made was advantageous to him as well, that almost everything he had done allowed for his power to continue to grow. Zack makes peace with his choice, and decides to fight one last time. The two clash, but in the end, Zack is nearly defeated. In a final effort, Zack swings the Prevailer towards the Foreseer, and the Foreseer destories the sword. In shock, Zack falls to his knees and waits for his life to end. And that’s when we find out that the Prevailer was itself an enigma chamber, and in it was Jason.

    “Say what!?” screeched the pink pony “How did he get in there in the first place?”

    “The idea was that in the first part of Savior, when Moonsinger tells Zack about meeting Jason in the Forest of Night, and eventually him losing his life to Tirek, Moonsinger used her magic to create an enigma chamber in the sword, and forced Jason into it to save his life. When the Prevailer is destroyed, a blinding light encompasses the battlefield and Zack is thrusted inside. The light turns out to be the enigma chamber slowly dissolving and releasing its magic, kind of like a supernova. When Zack is inside it, Jason meets him and explains that with every fight he had been a part of, he grew stronger himself, and that the magic the Prevailer had in it was Jason’s own magic. In the enigma chamber, his powers only grew stronger. So together, they were able to defeat the Foreseer, releasing the denizens of Arteria, and restoring Celestia’s full strength. In the process of the fight, Zack does end up sacrificing himself in an attempt to siphon magic from himself to Jason to deliver a final blow. After that, Zack eventually dies in his brother’s arms.

“The dierus, Zack’s own father, greets him in the greater realm (Anunimun) and embraces him with open arms. He is ecstatic and tells Zack that if it wasn’t for him, they would once again have to continue the chain further, but because he stopped Discord, Tirek, and the Foreseer, balance had finally been restored. The last and final chain would be the paradise that was envisioned by the first dierus, and finally the supreme creator being, Aeterus, would finally return. Zachary uses this power and creates a new universe, where both ponies and humans come to live... in harmony.”

Pinkie clapped her hooves and concluded, “And they all lived happily ever after!”

Secrets smiled, “Yep, something like that.”

________________

    Zack left the confines of his chaotic living room with a hand grasping his forehead. His mind felt like jelly, and his memories of what had happened slowly swept away into a fog of forgetfulness. With a change of temperature and light, he noticed he was out in front of his house, staring down the pathway towards a friendly stallion.

    “Care to take a walk?”

    Zack nodded, “I would appreciate that, Valiant.”

    The pegasus pony used one of his wings to reach inside his messenger back, in which he acquired two smoking pipes. He offered one to Zachary, but the weakened human declined.

    Perplexed, Valiant wondered, “What’s gotten into you?” Zack walked towards the stallion and the two proceeded down a dusty road.

    “I tried something called PMT that Pinkie gave me, and I think my mind is still pretty fried from it.”

    “Oh really,” Valiant chuckled, “I love that stuff.”

    The two friends casually made their way to Ponyville Park. It was after midnight and not a soul was out besides the two. The evening air hummed with cicadas and crickets, and frogs croaked back and forth between each other. They reached a small bridge that crossed over a brook, the two stopped and leaned over the railing. Valiant gazed upwards towards the glittering heavens, the arm of a local galaxy swept over Arteria like a cirrus cloud.

    Valiant puffed out a cloud of smoke and began to speak, “Another peaceful night in Ponyville.” He drew his eyes away from the sky and set them towards Zack, “Or until there’s trouble.”

    Zack breathed, “No doubt...” The evening air was beginning to reel his mind back to its normal sanity. He took another deep breath and sighed, “I just feel so... tired. Like no amount of sleep will get me to wake up.” Zack looked down into his murky reflection in the water. “My life has been so up in the air lately, and I have this horrible feeling that life’s going to get even worse for me. That life itself has already been planned out, like I’m in some torturous destiny.”

    “Pshhh, that’s nonsense.” stipulated the stallion. “Zack, you can do whatever you wish here. You don’t need to go anywhere, you don’t need to do anything for that matter. Why put all this unneeded pressure on yourself? It’s not like you’re bound to some destiny out of your control. You have the freedom to choose your path. You get what I mean?”

    In that moment, Zachary felt as if a great weight was being released from his body. There was a new path beginning to open in his life, and he felt no longer trapped by his preconceived notions. For all this time, he felt like a stranger in a foregin land, never to assimilate no matter how hard he tried. In all that trying, he felt more isolated; but now it was clear to him, he was free from the shackles he chained himself to.

    After some thought, and when the stillness of the night enveloped the two once more, he spoke with clarity, “I think I’m done. I’m done worrying. I’m done trying to be a part of this world. I’m done trying, because I didn’t need to try in the first place.” He smiled down at the tall pegasus pony and recognized, “This place is my home, and I’m going to start enjoying it. I’m finished with adventuring.”

    Valiant raised an eyebrow and pried, “You make it sound like it’s a good thing you’re done exploring Equestria. What, you think you’ve seen it all? You think evil isn’t going to come storming into Equestria ever again?”

    Zack grinned and replied, “I think I’ve seen enough. And to me, that’s a good thing. To imagine what it might be like to lose a place like this, to give it up so easily. Equestria is an extraordinary place, and ponies are amazing beings, who all have accepted me, a human. Why would I give that up?” Zack peered up towards a crescent moon and added, “If there’s one adventure left to have, its life’s adventure here in Ponyville.” He shrugged and concluded, “If evil does come to Equestria, I’m sure we’ll figure out a way to stop it like we always do. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy this peace for as long as I can.” He turned and made his way off the bridge.

Valiant rolled his eyes and followed him, saying, “Sounds pretty cheesy to me. Not the Zachary I know, that’s for sure. No more PMT for you, oh enlightened being.”

    Zack turned and asked, “Ready to turn back home?”

    “Yeah, I guess so.” Valiant clopped up next to Zack and said, “Listen, I just want you to know that I cherish our friendship. And even though it saddens me that you won’t be adventuring again, just know that I support you in whatever you’re doing.”

    Zack smiled and placed a hand on Valiant’s scruffy mane. He gave it a firm rub and concluded, “That’ll do, stallion. That’ll do.”

Valiant was bewildered by such a random response, so much so that he didn’t realize Zack had stopped petting him and had already started walking away.

    “Hey!” the stallion called out, “What does that even mean... Wait, come back!” Valiant caught up with Zachary as the two proceeded, side by side, into a sleeping Ponyville.

    Pinkie watched them through Zack’s bedroom window as they walked together into the murky distance. She turned away to exit the room, but only stuck her head out into the hall towards the descending staircase. She had a puzzled, perplexing look on her face as she turned to face you.

    “What?” She said, slowly approaching towards you from down the hall. “You’re still reading?” Her mouth, agap in disbelief, waited silently for your answer.

“It’s over,” she flatly said, “go home.” Pinkie rolled her eyes and explained, “Listen, this is it. Sorry, no more chapters, no more updates... It’s time to move on, everypony.”

Her attitude changed to exasperation, “I get it, you’re sad or confused, or maybe just as annoyed as I am. But hey, at least he wrapped it up. I did you bunch of bipeds a favor!” Pinkie groaned and said, “Okay okay, probably another blog post is coming, talking about new writings or whatever, but nothing in the My Little Pony universe, okay?”

“How about this...” Pinkie proposed, “Why don’t you write whatever questions, comments, rants, or ravings you have for Secrets in the comment section below, and I’ll make sure he answers them lickty-split. Then again, it is the holidays after all. It’s twenty-twenty, we’re all trying our best here, folks.”

She proceeded towards the bedroom door, but turned back towards the reader. She gestured her hoof out in front her and restated, “Go, sillys! I’ll see you guys in the funny papers. Trust me, I read those every day!” She closed the bedroom door behind her, and that was that.



	Thank you for reading my story, the Son, Slave, and Savior of Eternity.



	Take care of yourself, it’s a crazy world out there.