> The Alicorn Theory: The Treachery > by Prince Aeon > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: Ashes > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why does my brother have a stone cold heart you ask? It's because love destroyed him long ago, and I think that it's still tearing him today In Ponyville, there was a young unicorn named Time, she discovered the secret of the titans spirits that were mentioned in an ancient book. Since then, she always looked for books about them but nopony ever heard of them. One day, in the library, she spotted a cardboard box behind old books that haven't moved in centuries. A single book was inside it, an old, partially torn book. She blew the dust from it before opening the book. The writing was old, older than this era. It was an alicorn writing, Time could recognize it. She closed the book and went dowstairs. "Hum... Twilight... Can I borrow this book?" The purple unicorn turned around and looked suprised when she saw the book. "That's strange, I've never seen this book before... Yeah, I guess you can take it for a while." "Thank you Twilight!" Time left the library and ran at her home, excited to read the novel. Inside her house, she locked the doors, shut her windows and her blinds... The inside of her house was dark as the night. She opened a single lamp over her couch and layed in a confortable position. She put the book on her belly and opened the written antiquity.... I just want to scream, let all the anger go, but I can't. I feel that I am the only pegasus that feels this way, I am lost, in my head and in my heart. First day of the summer, it is a beautiful day, but inside all the hearts... it's darker than coal. We are on the edge of a complete war between races. My father, Sunset GoldFeather, the high king of the pegasi rule with an iron hoof and marked in the whole race's mind that the others races are inferior and should be destroyed. Obviously, I am against this idea. But father thinks that I feel like him. We were attending at a flying show. My father was proud of his winged forces. But wasn't that impressed, he looked at me. "Son, show them the speed of a prince." I bowed to him. "Yes father..." I deployed my wings. "Midnight..." I looked at him. "...impress me." I sighed "Yes father..." I rocketed in the airs, my lift-off caused some guard to fall on the ground. I waited three wingflaps before breaking the soundwall, I made sure to cross it fast enough so no sound could've been heard. Rumors were said that I was the fastest pegasus that ever lived but I never really trusted them, flying was a piece of cake for me, I thought it would be the same for many more, it's when I saw how the "best flyers" were that I realised my talent. When I was flying faster I could feel my heart burning, turning into ashes and reborn from them, it was another world, another life. I was like a phoenix, borned in the airs, like an arrow piercing the sky. I was at two wingflaps from the wall. The Wall is a pegasi technique that only I can perform. I go to a speed superior to pony vision, so I become invisible, but my organic body can't hold this speed, too exposed to this speed, I could kill myself. So at the precise moment that I enter the speed, I kick the "Wall" that separates me from it. The impact cause me to immobilise myself, unharmed, but the reality, itstelf crackles and creates an explosion, not dangerous at a safe distance and quite pretty to see. The crowd was crazy after the explosion, but I felt bad because they didn't came to see me. I acted under the order of my father and I think that they don't applause for me, but because they had to... I landed at the sides of my father. "I am proud of you son. You proved them that their prince is worth his rank." "If I was a bad flyer father, would you still be proud of me?" "No... no I wouldn't. You wouldn't be worth to be a pegasus prince..." I was shocked, how can a father say that to his own son. I didn't said a word. I turned away and left the coliseum, a tear in my eye. On the way back to the palace, I heard a voice... "Let me go you monsters!!" It was the voice of an angel, so divine I cannot describe it. No words in ancient pony can express the beauty of the sound that kissed my ears. I looked back, my heart broke. It was a unicorn mare, in a cage, there guarded by pegasus, she was literally exposed to the insults of the crowd. I hated my race this day. On the balcony of my room. I was sitting on the edge, lost in my mind. The sunset was the only thing that was warming my heart. "Beautiful sunset isn't?" I bumped, the voice was unknown to me. I turned around to see an Alicorn behind me, almost twice my height. It's to ask, who is the evil one between him and his other side... > Chapter 2: Choices > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Love is what destroy Titans But Compassion is what kills them. -Paradoxus- I had no choice but to bow to it. It was so majestic, it's mane, it's wings, it's... horn... His gray colors was somehow almost translucent. He had long hairs attached at the height of his nuzzle. He had white eyes with a single black line as a pupil. He laughed. "Don't bow to me, I am not any kind of royalty... after all, you are the prince here..." I shook my head. "But Alicorns are so rare that we must show some respect and this is the least I can do." "I am not any kind of Alicorn young pegasus, I am Aera, the spirit of Space, one of the three creators of this land. But this is not important for the moment. I saw your little performance at the coliseum, impressive for a mortal to go at such speed and I am pretty sure that if your could, you'd go faster." I had to admit... "But this Unicorn you saw earlier, she will be executed tomorrow." "WHAT!!!" I screamed by accident! The guards will come in any moment to see what's going! "You have to hide yourself, the guards must not see you?" "Why is that?" "My father hates Unicorns and even more Alicorns..." "Oh... I see..." Too late, the door opened. "Anything wrong my prince?" How could the guard couldn't see the giant Alicorn right in front of me? He was watching me and seems to not notice Aera... "Hum... nothing, I just realised something..." I felt really embarrassed... "Just making sure Prince Midnight." "Thanks soldier, you can exit now." He bowed and left the room. I looked at Aera, unable to understand why I was the only pony that the guard could see. "You see Midnight, I control what ponies see in this world..." He took an apple "...I can decide if you can see things..." The apple slowly fade away "...and if you don't... But about the unicorn. She is the niece of the General of the unicorn armies. The king is dead and the general took is place. The death of his niece will cause a race war for sure. She must not die, you must free her by any possible ways." "But I can't, she is guarded and if I make the guards go away and free her, they will know that it was me..." He stood silent. "Well make it worth it..." He deployed his wings and poofed in the roof with grey smoke. What am I going to do... The night was sweet and quiet. The clouds were all empty, oh, did I forgot to mention that Pegasia is a flying city? The lights in the houses were shut. I jumped out of my room and flew towards the unicorn's location. When I arrived, my heart died, she was crouched in the corner of her cage, covered in rotten tomatoes that the civilians threw at her. I approached her when two guards stopped me. They recognised me then apologized. I offered them to take a break(it was actually an order...). I approached her, she looked broken, inside, her heart becoing dark from the hate and fear. She opened her tired eyes then squealed when she saw me, she squeezed even more on the bars of her prison. "You have all the reasons to fear me, to fear my race.I cannot understand your feelings but I can see that it hurts you... It's a shame that such hate can exist between two living beings... I don't see unicorns lower, I see them as a wonder of our time, like all the other pony races. I feel that we are all the same inside." She released her hold on herself and calmed down. I could feel that she agreed with me. "I never had the chance to see a unicorn before, not even with my age. I am 19 and I still didn't discovered the world. My father only wants me to train to become a soldier. My name is Midnight, what's yours?" She came closer to me. "I... My name is Ruby... Ruby Heartfire..." She was shy, but her voice was like angels in my ear. "Did you ever talked to a pegasi before?" I pulled out a tomato of her mane, it was a bright red, her coat was a bright beige. "No, we try to avoid you... we know what happens when you capture us, and what will happen to me..." Tears were forming in her diamond eyes that were like a shining pure Ruby. "I promise that I won't let that happen Ruby, I will avoid anything to hurt you further more. Keep your heart fine and hope will shine." The guards came back and I flew away. I didn't got able to sleep. How will I be able to save this mare from being hang in front of a whole unicorn death hungry crowd, and from my father, this unicorn changed my life. Do I even have the choice? If I don't save her, my heart will forever be broken from regrets and I will never be able to forgive myself. Let's not forget that the unicorn general will declare a race war to the pegasi race. If I save her, my whole race will see me as a traitor, I could die and... actually... I don't care if I die. I would rather see me dying than her. Is there really a choice? > Chapter 3: Faith > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Society was made by the weaks, this is why it's so fragile. -Princess Nucleus- The sun was rising, a beautiful sun, I shouldn't enjoy any seconds coming in this day. I didn't closed my eyes during the whole night, I wasn't tired, I was scared. It was alost ten and I didn't moved. The door opened. I turned around... him... he was here, why now... Corr... General of the pegasus forces. I hate him for his barbarian solution to kill everypony that isn't a pegasi. "My prince, your father request your presence to the Unicorn execution." "I know Corr, now please leave my room." "Right now Midnight." What! NOW?!?! Why now!!! My heart did a bump there. Too soon! Too soon! I followed Corr to the main city place. His pride and thirst for power will destroy him someday... "So Midnight, how do you feel when you see Unicorn die? Me, I feel even more alive every time." With that came an evil grin from him, almost like if he had razor sharp teeth. I never answered his question. My father was awaiting in his big cosy chair... Me I had this small bench by his side. But when I entered, there was something off... too quiet, everypony watching at me. Corr kinda forced me to go foward, I didn't noticed that I've stopped moving. I sat down... *Click* Hoofcuffs were attached to my hooves at my bench. "Hey what the... Uncuff me on this instant Corr." He smiled. "This order is not from me..." I looked at my father, there was a sad look on his face. "Why father." "I had no choice Midnight, Corr heard the discussion you had with the Unicorn then he warned me and I will not let you betray your race." I was angry. "You are betraying the whole pony race father, all of them! You don't know what you are doing father, don't kill this mare." "I know exactly what I am doing son, she is the only niece of the Unicorn General. This execution will be the first step in the elimination of their race." Two pegasus arrived with Ruby. She was looking at the cloud under her, magically created to support non-pegasi creatures. The crowd was booing at her. Corr joined the two guards. He put the rope around her neck... I looked at my father. "For the last time dad, don't do this!" He ignored me. Corr closed up to Ruby. "Any last words, unicorn?" She looked at the crowd. "I don't hate the pegasus that hate us. I pity them." She closed her eyes. I imitated her. The silence killed me. I opened my wings. "Midnight, you do this and you are no longer my son." "Don't worry, you are not my father for a long time." As Ruby began to fall, I kicked the cuffs, breaking it in half, I dashed toward the scene. She was going to hit the end of the rope. I kicked Corr away, I swinged my wing, it whipped through the rope like the wind. I grabbed Ruby and held her in my hooves. She opened her eyes. "I am sorry, I had to do that so they won't search for us." She looked scared. "What are you talking about?" Suddently, my back began to burn, Ruby screamed. Corr stabbed me in the back The blade went through my wing and inside my back. It didn't reached my lung. I whispered to Ruby. "Hold tight." And let myself fall through the clouds. "CORR! I DIDN'T ASKED YOU TO KILL HIM!!" Corr laughed. "You asked me to stop him." She was squeezed to me. The ground was getting closer. I touched the ground only twice in my life so I knew that a freefall with no stop would destroy us. I held my breath, closed my eyes, clenched my teeth and forced my wing to tear off the grasp of the knife. The pain was heavy but surviveable. I opened them and pulled back, the curve was too long, we hit the ground horizontally, everything went dark. I could barely move, I slowly, painfully opened my eyes. It was raining... "...Ru... Ruby?" She was there, on the ground, not moving... a shadow was close to her. "Ge... get away from her, she didn't do anything to you, leave her be!" The shadow looked at me. "She is in pain... a pain that she doesn't deserve... it's your fault if she is suffering right now, and you too, you could have decided to let her die and none of you would be suffering." It was a mare, but she was strange... some kind of living dark shadow. Her eyes, all black and two single white stripes to reveal the pupil. She came closer to me, sharp teeth showed her smile. She had a long horn, wings... another Alicorn, and obviously not a good one. " I am the shadow that let you see the light. Without me, no one is happy. Everyone love me by fearing me. Who am I Midnight?" What is the thing that without it we cannot be happy... Pain > Chapter 4: Lighting > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- She give them Life and Death I give them Pain and Happiness Why should I be the evil one? -Amber- The Alicorn started to laugh. "Hahaha, Yes, you are correct. I am indeed Pain and Agony, the name is Amber... and I am here to make a deal." A deal? What could she want. "Your girlfriend here is in extreme pain from the fall, I can transfer all her pain to you, but it'll kill you, or I can transfer all your pain to her, heal your wounds and it'd stop her suffering. If you catch my meaning..." A shiver went down my spine. What am I doing here? Here in front of the demon, forced to make the hadest possible decision. But at the same time, I had no doubt. If I chose to save her, I'd die and the unicorns wouldn't know that my father will attack them. If I choose to live, the Unicorns will attack the pegasus race, and I will never be able to forgive myself... "I choose me, give me her pain and stop her to suffer." She looked at me with a weird face. "Are you sure?" "My choice is done." A grin went in her face. "Very well!" Her horn started to glow. The pain, already big in my body started to grow, I could feel my bones cracking one after anothers. The trees around me were dancing and my vision started to fade. I heard a Scream... "HEY ARE YOU ALRIGHT!!" I hit the ground. Everything was black... there was no time, seconds felt like days... suddently there was something... a light... a white sky... I was lying on a cloud. "Where am I?" A voice came out of nowhere. "You are in your head..." "In my head?" Black eyes like Amber's opened out of the mist. The voice had two red stripes under each eyes. "Yes, your head, it's here that I normally judge if you are worth to go to Heaven or Hell. I'd say that you'd go to heaven... but not under my sister's deal. Also, I cannot let you die, you are under the protection of Aera. I am Wit, Spirit of Life and Death and I say that you will not die yet. Make my choice worth it." I opened my eyes... I was floating in a tray of white magic. The magic softly dropped me on a couch in a house. "His eyes are opened!" Hooves grabbed me and squeezed me tight. "Thank you Wit!" A big white Alicorn was sitting by the bed, her eyes were shut, but I could recognise the red stripes. The pony that was hugging me was Ruby. I blushed a bit. "Wit told me everything about the deal that you made with her sister. That you sacrificed your life to spare me to suffer. You truly have a heart of gold!" I looked at the Alicorn. "Why are you still here Wit?" She opened her black eyes. "My sister didn't knew but the blade that stabbed you was made of pure darkness. The only beign that can heal this kind of wound are the Titans. Luckily for yu I am one of them. I removed the darkness from the wound, you can make the healing faster with a flower named «Morning Wonder». But what is more intriguing, is how did a mortal could've possessed this kind of blade..." A greenish unicorn came at the door, a plate with four cup was floating in front of her. "Pegasus...(oh yeah, I didn't told her my name yet) this is my friend Emerald Shrine. We are hiding from the other pegasi in here all the time. We are safe in her house." I saluted her. "This is very nice of you Miss Shrine." "All the pleasure is mine dear... I'd hide all the ponies I can from these filthy pegasi, no offense, even from themselves." "I am not insulted Emerald, I also don't like my race,they chose a path against ponies law." She gave me onne of the cup that contained Hot chocolate. She offered one to Wit that respectfully denied the offer. "Sorry, I don't drink liquids, I don't eat either. I also have to go, take care of you, all of you..." In the blink of an eye, she wasn't there anymore. Ruby looked at me. "Are you feeling alright?" "My wing hurts a bit but it's fine." "Why did you saved me?" She suprised me with the question. "Because I had no choice. I needed to protect you and ponykind, my friend as my enemies. But more I see the Pegasis go on, the more I see that the Unicorns are my friends." She hold me again. Then she said. "Then well bring you to Unicornia." The Unicorn capital. > Chapter 5: Chances > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are not gods We are guardians We are not divinities We are demons -Aeon- The more the city was growing, the more I was slowing down. I couldn't stop think that at the single sight of me... I swallowed. But I needed to warn the Unicorns... Somepony grabbed me! I jumped to see that it was Ruby... Her glazing eyes looking into my golden ones. She saw how lost I was... "Are you alright?" A shiver went down my spine, no I am not alright, they don't know who I am, not even you Ruby... I lied... "Yes, it's just that, they should probably not learn that I am a Pegasi." She saw how much that detail matter to me. "Oh, yes... probably... lemme check what I can do..." She pulled out a white and pink blanket and covered my wings with it. The light colors weren't matching with my dark grey coat... Guards will obviously be suspicious. "Ruby, I still can't go, they'll now see me as an Earth pony." A cute grin came on her face. "Unicorns and Earth ponies are in peace. Don't worry, you don't need to worry, everything is going to be fine." The gates were getting closer. "By the way, I still don't know your name, nopony told me yet, not even you." "Oh my! Really? I... I thought you already knew it, it's Mid..." "STOP WHERE YOU ARE!!" I don't know if it's a good thing that I didn't had the chance to tell her or a bad thing that we might get arrested... "It's okay sir! I am Ruby HeartFire and this is... uh..." She looked on the ground and saw a flower, then she tought about the healing flower Wit gave us. "Morning Wonder" I looked at her. "Really? Don't I look already silly enough like that?" "I am saving your life" "They are going to find out one day or another." "But you'll have their trust." She had a point... "We searched everywhere for you lady Ruby! Where have you been?!" "Just let us enter soldier!" The gates opened and revealed the streets... desolated, filled with fear, the population was obviously scared of every coming seconds. Scared of my race, scared of the winged. Could I really save a race from fear? Four unicorn guards were with us, they were obviously taking us to the castle. It was a big fortress, the rock walls where one hundred foot tall and the gates themselves were gigantic. Fillies and foals were playing in the streets but were immediately called back by their mothers, their fathers probably all on guards duty, all sent to protect themselves. Compared to there, Pegasia was a happy place... but here, they fear something, they fear... us... The Castle was gigantic. Guards were everywhere, a single sight of my wings and I was screwed. There was a red carpet leading to a big hall. The seat of the king was empty, Aera did told me that he was dead and the Unicorn General was given the commands until they found a new king... The General was sitting on a chair, close of the throne. His age suprised me, he was awfully old. Still strong, but wouldn't survive a fight with a pegasus cadet. "Ruby? Is that you?" "Uncle! I am so glad to see you!" She jumped in her uncle's hooves. "Ruby! I tought I'd lost you..." A tear almost came out of his eye. "I am okay uncle, I was kidnapped by the pegasus and brought to Pegasia..." Fear overtook everypony in the room, including the guards, seems like they feared the place more than hell. "And you survived?!?" Her uncle couldn't believe his niece, nopony, well not any Unicorns came back alive from there... "...but this stallion helped me escaped!" She pointed me... oh dear... The General got suspicious... "But how did you managed to go down and survive?" He slowly started to come closer to me. Ruby reacted... "We uh... we.. we.......we... we were able to escape because..." A random voice cut Ruby. "Because he have a heart of gold." Another Alicorn... She has these strange eyes like the others, slit as a dragon, a cat... but hers were blue... Her coat was a pale blue and her mane was a white-blonde mix, she was magical... Everypony bowed at her sight. Her expression was neutral... and she was looking at me... "I know that you've already met my brother and sister, I am Aeon, spirit of Time... My duty is to protect the unicorn race from extinction." The General still wanted his answer. "but this doesn't explain how they survived the fall." Aeon looked at him... "Of course... a pony need a pure heart to take over pain to save others than himself." Her magic raised my cover and exposed my wings to the audience. There was a dead silence. The air felt cold. The guard couldn't react, a pegasus was in their walls. Aeon acted at the good moment. "You have no reasons to fear him, he is on your side, he betrayed his race to protect his and yours." The silence was still overwhelmed. "You will stay here, and protect the Unicorn race, train them to fight back and possibly, find out something... Midnight." She dissapeared out of my sight during the half of a second. Everypony was now looking at me. My eyes were closed. For them, Midnight was the future powerful evil pegasi king and I was just standing there. Scared, surrounded by pegasus blood thirsty Unicorns. Ruby was the first to break the silence. "You... You are Midnight... the son of the Pegasus king himself... what... who... why......" She looked at me like if I wasn't the pony that saved her. Now I was a bloody pony murderer. "I was against my father's way of thinking since I was young. They all tought me to hate but I kept thinking otherwise. So when I learned that your execution would cause a race war, I couldn't let it happen so I saved you." She started crying, I didn't know why... "And all that time I tought that it was because you loved me!" I didn't had the time to answer that she was running away, in tears. This silence was even more awkward than all the others. The general turned around. "Lieutenant, can you please bring Mister Midnight to a free room." The guard started to walk without warning and I followed it without waiting, all eyes on me. The silent walk was starting to be embarassing. "I understand you Midnight, but the pegasus themselves must make their part, they follow their king, even against their mind, they see us as a threat. So they brought the hate we have towards them on themselves. To stop this, a war is inevitable, even against our desire, we are only grunts that are moved by the kings. They take the decisions that we settle. I don't hate the pegasi but if I have to protect our race..." "What's your name Lieutenant?" "Eclipse NightFall" > Chapter 6: Friends > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reach your heart to see that it's breaking you. -Wit- Eclipse opened the door. It was big and quite similar to the pegasus royal suite. She was there, the blue Alicorn Aeon, at the sight of my arrival, she smiled. "Oh Eclipse, I can see that you've met our guest." Eclipse shook his head in affirmation. "...but I'll need some privacy with Midnight. So I'll see you later." The Unicorn saluted the Alicorn. "Yes Aeon, I'll be outside." He closed the door behind him. I looked at the powerful mare. "Why revealing this now? Couldn't it wait?" "Truth should not wait or your friends may have difficulties to trust you in further times." "But now the mare I love hate me..." "Do you really love her?" "Yes" "Well if that's the only important thing to your heart, you will have to deny this love." I was shocked by these words. "What! Why!" "Because love can carry you away from your priorities. Love can make you take blind decisions and risk everything else. Love is dangerous." "Have you ever loved?" Aeon's eyes changed of expression, she was obviously not expecting this question. "Well... yes..." "So stop lying to yourself, you know what really love is." "And I know what destroyed me, Midnight." I stayed quiet to her words. But there was something I needed to know. "What's this thing so much important that you want me to do, I never knew what all the sacrifices I did were for..." Aeon looked at me with her blue eyes and her dark pupils like a slice of darkness. "To save the pegasus race and the unicorns, you will have to face your father at the unicorn's side" I stopped for a second, some kind of rage was slowy awakening in my head. These Alicorns were imposing my reality, controlling everything around me so I could accomplish their desire... "Amber was right..." Aeon looked astonished. "What?" "Amber probably causes pain, but she is the one showing to us all that life is important and you must live it your way. But you... Wit and Aera. You are forcing me to have another life. I will do what I consider the best thing to do." She looked down. "I'm... I'm sorry... You are right, we shouldn't force you to do things. If you consider it being the best thing... We will leave you alone..." "Yes please, leave me..." She kinda looked sad, but I was still angry. "Very well Midnight... I hope that you will find what you need but remember, love changes everything." I turned around to look at her but she was gone... I opened the door, Eclipse was standing there. "Oh, hum... can I help you?" "Yes, uh... can you lead me to Ruby's room." He looked suprised by my request. "Yes, of course Midnight." He started walking and I followed. I had to see Ruby, she clearly didn't understood things well. She thought that Ioved her but I am. I loved her at the moment she entered my sight. We arrived in front of her door. I looked at Eclipse. "It's okay, I will remember my way back Eclipse. Thanks for your help." "I'll be at your room at the first hour if you need me." He turned around and left. I slowly opened the door. Ruby was there... starring at a corner... a really unusually dark corner, her horn was glowing. "Ruby?" Suddently, all the darkness dissapeared, I thought that it was probably due to the fact that I was tired. "What do you want M. pegasus Midnight?" "Your forgiveness, I should have told you my identity sooner. I should have told you how I really felt about you sooner..." I closed my eyes... "... I love you, I loved you since the first time I saw you, I can't put your beautiful red diamond eyes out of my mind... but I was scared that due to the fact that I was a pegasi, you might find me creepy more than anything else..." When I opened my eyes, she was in front of me, her eyes were watering, a smile on her face. She layed forward to meet my lips. My heart started to burn. I never kissed a mare before. My mind went crazy... I'll keep the rest for myself... I actually found my way back in the dark of the night after... I hope that Aeon was wrong... > Chapter 7: Reality > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's sad that we have to face a world like this. But I still trust hope. -Eclipse- So much to think, so much to tell. But why is it just me, my mind is going crazy. I could feel some sort of shadow looking at me... blazing eyes filled with anger and hunger... Am I watched by a guardian angel or a demon? I still don't know... The cold night was freezing my blood, sending shivers down my spine. I looked outside to see the glazing moon shining down the dark forest. I moved out of my bed. I deployed my wings, letting them feel the fresh air, I closed my eyes. My mind was empty. I stayed like this for what... Twenty minutes? Fourty minutes? An hour? Time was no longer important to me. The knocking at the door broke my internal vortex... some kind of controlled sleep, I couldn't explain the exact feeling... I slowly walked to the door, each step being more quiet than a draft in the wind, us pegasi are extremely light. If a living being lift us, they'll feel that we are as heavy as a normal pony, but for anything else, we are as light as a feather. I slowly opened the door. The big blue Stallion that was Eclipse was standing there, with his helmet on, I never had the chance to see his long, dark mane like mine. Mine of course was shorter. He was careful of being quiet, whispering to me... "Sorry to disturb your sleep Midnight, but you need to come with me." What time was it? Past midnight? How important could this be? "What is it Eclipse? Something is wrong?" He looked very scared, as much as all the guards that were almost sprinting towards the grand hall. Even in the silence, the tension was rising, I could feel it in my coat. ""I am afraid so... something really bad..." Two guards came and put a goden blanket on me, matching my eyes. It was decorated of rubys and sapphires. "What's the blanket for?" Eclipse started to walk away, I hurried to follow him. "In this situation, the general wants your identity hid." What is this kind of problem? But actually I feel kind of happy that the general cares for me... Each step that we were making was just raising the volume of the voices that we could hear. The room of the Grand Hall opened. Groups of unicorns in civilians clothes, blood, some burns. They were carrying corpse, I don't know if some were alive or dead... They were obviously all refugees. I went to the general that was just answering and asking around. "General! What's going on?!?" He turned at me. "Midnight... the pegasus are attacking." What? Now? Why!!! I starred at the General for a second, mouth wide open. I looked at all the ponies in pain in the court, they probably got able to escape or the pegasi let them go as a warning... "Why do you need me here?" He looked at me, I couldn't say if he was angry or scared. He had this look when a pony saw millions of his kind die in front of him and it was my fault. "You knew that they were going to attack us! Why didn't you warned us!" I knew but I wasn't expecting an immediate assault, I am such an idiot. But something worse happened, one of the village chief heard him. "What? General who is this?" The general turned at him, acting casual like if no blood dripped this night... "This Stallion is Morning Wonder. The Earth pony ambassador." The old chief mumbled in his grey beard. I came closer to the General, who just save my coat. "I didn't had the time, I am sorry, I knew indeed, but I didn't expect my father to act this fast, something must've pushed him..." Then I thought... Corr... This cursed, drastic, son of a... He could kill everypony but him if he could... He is obviously behind this. HeartFire looked sad, but he had to protect his race. "The pegasi next stop is here, but we will face them at unico's wall. I will let the quarter of my army here if something goes wrong, that's around ten thousand spears. If I fall, I give my rank to Eclispe, he is the only of with the heart to lead us to the victory, and about you Midnight, Iwant to be sure that you won't come with us. Now go back to your room, sleep and prepare for anything." Eclipse showed me to come in his direction, I was on my way went I saw a mare sleeping with her filly crouched in her sides, the filly was not more than eight years old, her mind already filled fears of my race, her front leg was covered in blood, a cut of a pegasi spear was formed in her coat. I couldn't stand to see her in pain. I tore the back part of the cape that was on me and I went closer to her. "Hey there... what's your name little filly." She opened her eyes, a small tear was out, they were a bright gold, like mine, but her purple coat broke the resemblance. She had a long dark blue mane that could easily reveal her small horn. "My name is Serin..." I tried to smile in the sadness of the moment. "Don't worry Serin, you are safe here, let me fix your wound a bit." I took the rag and tied a node around her leg. She smiled a little. "Thank you mister earth pony." I stood back up and kissed her on the forehead, in our time, this was a meaning of protection. I smiled while turning into Eclipse's direction. "Yes, I am an Earth pony..." I shook my wing a bit to let fall a feather in front of her, while I was getting away. The feather slowly fell on the ground, she starred at it for a moment, mesmerized by the situation than she slowly took it in her hooves and turned her head in my direction. I gave her a last look and winked. I could swear she grinned and keeped it for herself. Me and Eclipse were walking in the quiet corridor. There was nopony in front of us, neither behind, Eclipse stopped. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Are you alright Eclipse?" He took a deep breath. "I can't do it but this order is from higher. Please forgive me..." "Uh... What do you mean?" I turned in his direction when something strong hit me on the head. Sending me in darkness. > Chapter 8: Betrayal (Part 1) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoy dreaming because being awoken is the hardest part. -Amber- I could hear screams, fire crackling, shouting, hooves at walking pace, there was nothing else but dying faces, some were the unicorns I saw in the hall. Then all the faces were spinning around me, then I heard a single scream... "Midnight" I reconised the small filly I helped earlier, I looked on the ground, she was dead. A dark knife came out of nowhere and pierced my chest. I screamed of agony as I looked up to see a black and green mane... Corr... He looked up at me and said. "Game over" Everything went black. My eyes were slowly opening. It was just a dream... I couldn't hear anything, probably because I was alone... I was regaining consciousness. I was on a bed. I couldn't move, I struggled a bit before realising that I was tied up. The room was empty, the shiny windows could reveal that it was day outside. My head hurts... Eclipse hit me hard on the head... "It's sad that the Unicorns had to tie you up to avoid that you go at the war." I recognised the voice, I wish I haven't, she, somehow is the one I understand and the one I fear, I looked at the chair in front of me. She was sitting there, she weren't a second ago. Even if my vision was a bit blurry, I knew it was her... Amber... She stood on her black, dark hooves. Some kind of black smoke was coming out of her coat, but it wasn't going very far before dissapearing. She was slowly coming around me with her dark eyes. I could hear some kind of laugh coming from her. Her teeth were sharp as spears and her smile could show how much fun she was having during this was situation. She moved her head closer of the things that were holding me. "Magic chains? Wow they really don't want you to leave. I could easily break them but since I am going to be gentle towards the unicorns. I will let them decide when will be the good time." She was teasing me, what did she wanted? That I beg her to free me? "What do you want Amber, it's not like I can do anything useful tied under the general's orders." She laughed, not loudly but enough to annoy me. Was this some kind of joke? "My poor, poor Midnight. You think that the orders to Eclipse came from the Unicorn general? HAha... It wasn't, actually, it was from that mare you saved, the one you love... Ruby." I couldn't believe what I heard... Ruby was the one that ordered to tie me up, she decided that I wouldn't go. "But you are right, there is nothing you can do for the moment so..." She thought for a moment. "yes... I will make you see what I see." She moved her horned closer of my head, I tried to fight it but at the second it touched my forehead, I felt weak, unable to move, my vision spinned and soon, I was looking at myself. I couldn't speak or move, it's like the only thing I could do was watching. "Is it weird to look at yourself Midnight?" The voice didn't come out of her mouth but from all around me. I was in Amber's head My body was there, like if it was sleeping... "Now come dear, I have a meeting that I don't want you to miss." A meeting? With who? Who would be twisted enough to meet... I was afraid of my thoughts... could it be Corr... Probably if she want me this bad to show me... The black smoke around us became bigger and covered us. Sending my vision into darkness, I couldn't see anything. It was like this during five minutes. Not a single sound, not a single word. Then there was light, Amber was walking out of the smoke. Everything around us was white, there was hill with a waterfall going down of hit, flowers were everywhere but at each steps, all the pretty daisies that touches her hooves faded on her sweet touch. There was a beautiful small lake, the sun was reflected on the water. But it was all awfully quiet, no birds, no squirrels, no rabbits... no sound, just the water dripping. There was a big cloud floating on the water. A big white pony was on it... A big... white... Alicorn... Wit? Amber opened her dark wings and flew over to the cloud. There was a chess table with two pillows. "Aaaaah sister, It has been so long since I've saw you! I am so glad that you accepted to come." I couldn't saw Amber when she said that but there was obviously a smile on her face. Wit turned around to look at her wicked sister. "It's not for my pleasure that I am here «Sister» but because the situation forced me to." Amber sat down on one of the pillow, she took the black team, that were shaped like pegasus. The white, were unicorns. I got what was going on. The fate of the war was with this game. "Should we get going sister? The two armies are really close to each others." Wit sat down, facing her dark opposite. "I don't agree with this solution, but it's better than directly interfere with the ponies." Wit took one of her pawn and moved it forward. Amber closed her eyes and some kind of vision appeared, we saw many Unicorns soliers galloping. "The game started... It's so sad about all these ponies that fights for themselves." Amber moved her own pawn. We saw hundreds of pegasi flying. "They fight for their leaders that hates eachothers, it's different." She moved another pawn. "Au contraire Sister, the hate is in each of them. All of the unicorn soldiers left their capital to fight to kill the pegasus race." Amber moved her second pawn. "Did you saw them leaving? I looked at them Amber, I saw them crying when they left their wifes and their children. I saw each of their tears going down their scared faces. All scared to not coming back. How would that feel? Never coming back..." Wit moved her jumper(Knight). "The pegasus were all motivated to go to war." Amber moved a third pawn. "But did you saw their families? There is no more soldiers inside Pegasia, all gone, all the ponies are hidden in their houses, praying that they win or their city will be lost and they will all be exterminated." Wit moved her first pawn closer of Amber's. "Perhaps we should destroy everything, start all again wipe out all the ponies and let new ones, more tolerant than these ones..." Amber moved her pawn close enough so it could be eaten. The two armies were close. I could hear, somehow, their battle screams. All bracing for impact. "Don't talk about the ponies like if they were object Amber... Anyway, even if I would agree, Aeon and Aera would never accept." Wit took her pawn and captured Amber's. At the same moment, the Unicorns and the pegasus armies faced eachothers in an impact of blood. "Talking about Aera, he really care about that pegasi Midnight doesn't he?" Amber moved one of her bishop. "Oh yes, but also for this mare Ruby, did you know that she is pregnant?" Amber smiled. WHAT! > Chapter 8: Betrayal (Part 2) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ru... Ruby is pregnant? I couldn't believe what I heard. The game continued for about an hour. I wasn't listening to them anymore, afraid of learning any other things that I shouldn't... Meanwhile all the ponies on the war ground were killing each other each moves that the two Alicorns were doing. I could hear the screams, the sound of the cries when blades pierced the flesh. I wanted it to all end. Then I listened to Wit again. "I hope that this war will give them a lesson and it'll be the last game that we'll have to play Amber." Wit's pieces were in bad situation, I was afraid that it was the same for the Unicorns. Amber took her Queen and captured Wit's last bishop. Putting her in check state. "But what if they don't? Check." Wit smiled. She looked at the game, took her own Queen and... "Then I'll have to put my faith in the ponies. Checkmate." The smile on Amber's face dissapeared. Indeed, she was angry. How can I tell, I couldn't see her cheeks anymore. Wit stood back up. Turned around and flew away like a lightning. Amber tipped her king down. "So it's settled... The unicorn will win this... Then I guess that I will play my cards." She took a large momentum with her front leg and materialised a black blade, identical to Corr's. She stabbed her own king that broke on the impact. Time slowed down as all the dust was blowing away from the piece. I felt a pain inside me, some kind of feeling. What just happened? "Now let's see how things is going on from your friend Corr's eyes." Oh no... The decor changed. Bodies were all around me, there was dust coming out of spots all around. Pegasi were flying, others were falling soldiers charging in one another. But most importantly was this black leg which hoof that held a black blade. It was inside a pony, a pegasus, the worse thing is that I recognised my father... "Corr?" "I... I am sorry your magesty! It's like if the blade had a mind of it's own." Without saying anything else. My father's body dropped on the ground... with all his dead soldiers that fought for him until the end. My vision went back to the chess table. Amber was holding her queen... "Now for the grand finale..." She stabbed the piece in her hoof, but this time, the piece didn't broke. The blade was inside it, not moving. The next thing I saw was Corr's hooves holding his blade in his own chest. I couldn't believe what I was seeing... What's going on? Corr fell on his back, on a pile of bodies. All around him, pegasi were retreating, leaving him for dead. Quickly, the battleground was empty, only filled with corpses. But Corr was holding to life. She came from out of the mist, this dark Alicorn. She was walking straight towards Corr. She leaned in front of him. Corr's hooves were on the ground, unable to move. But the blade was still in his chest. Amber approached her hoof from the blade and pressed on it. The dark Stallion howled in pain... "I am sorry, I am just so happy that I found my blade back." Corr coughed then looked up at the witch in front of him. "Why didn't you looked for it earlier?" Amber had this grin I hated, showing her teeth like if she found humor in sadness. "I had to use you Corr. After all, you've been quite useful to me today... You see, this blade is not like any other kind of blade. You should probably have noticed that already. The fact is, this blade cannot kill, actually, it can't quite kill. Any wound she causes send it's victims into darkness." She looked behind her, there was a unicorn on the ground with a wound in his chest that was dark as the night. Amber's magic surrounded the grey Unicorn. " And all what I have to do is to spread this darkness..." The body of the unicorn started to twitch, like if it was having some kind of spasms. The black of the wound started to spread all over his body and soon, the unicorn was black. The body started to move and he stood up. His eyes opened, they were nothing but white... Amber went closer of the undead and started to cuddle his face, the dark unicorn didn't flinch to the contact of the Alicorn. "They are called Darkars... ponies who fell into darkness and now belong to us. The Darklords, opposites of the titans. Their souls are ours forever, well, sometimes, titans find a way to free them... but it's a great service that you've made to us today. " She looked at her minion. "Now go home my dear." The unicorn bowed and dissapeared in a dark smoke. Amber came closer of Corr. She took the blade and pulled it out of his chest. He groaned but Amber ignored his pain, after all, she was the one causing it. She looked at her blade seeing that no blood was on it. Then she thought a moment... "You know what... I will make a deal with you... You can keep the blade. For each soul that you will give me, I will make your life longer... Is that a deal?" Corr starred at the Darklord for a moment. "Yeah, of course..." "Perfect! Oh and you can keep the darkness that you injected to yourself, it's there but won't evoluate." Corr looked at his chest to see that the wound dissapeared. "But it takes some time with darkness in your body before being able to move. And I will give you the instructions to summon the blade in times" Corr looked back up but she was gone. He looked around him and all the ponies he killed also all dissapeared. He closed his eyes. I heard a voice in my head. "I hope that you enjoyed what you saw as much as I did Midnight. Now go back to these friends of yours." I opened my eyes surrounded by unicorns. I gasped like if I was out of breath. I need to get out of here. > Chapter 9: Freedom > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Calm down Midnight!" Ruby was holding me in her hooves, but I pushed her back. I still remember that she is the one that ordered that I would be chained up and knocked down. But I was free now. I looked at her. "We don't understand, we tried everything to wake you..." I couldn't tell her that I was with the Spirit of Pain... "Why did you chained me up for the first place?" She swallowed then went suspicious... "How do you know that it was me?" Dammit, I remembered that it's Amber that told me that. The door behind us slammed open. Eclipse came inside. He looked at me, I saw in his eyes that something bad happened, he turned his look at Ruby. "Mylady, few hundreds of soldiers are back... The general didn't..." There was a cold silence in the room. I looked at Ruby. She looked sad but wasn't crying, she knew that he had a 50% chance to come back and she was prepared for this announcement. I stood up and looked at Eclipse. "What's the direction of Unico's wall?" Ruby grabbed me. I didn't looked at her. "No! Don't go please! With my uncle gone, you are the only I have remaining. I don't want to lose you too..." I could feel her tear falling down my neck that she was holding tightly, her head lying on mine. But I was still angry at her for forcing me to stay. Eclipse looked sad but with the look on my face, he felt forced to tell me. "Head north, follow the trail... it'll bring you to Unico's wall." I looked at Ruby and removed her hooves from my body. Her face was in tears. "Don't worry, I'll be back." Without hesitating, I jumped out of the window and flew towards the north. My wing wasn't fully healed but I fought the pain. I was going fast enough to reach the wall in about ten minutes. I landed on the red grass... I thought that it was going to be hard to find him. The decor was alwys familiar, corpses everywhere around me. I won't enter in details because some things were very gross. I walked for about twenty minutes in the dead flesh. In the corpses of my brothers and my friends. Then I heard a laugh. A weak one. I turned around to see him. Lying there. "You came just for me Midnight? How flattering!" "Corr..." I took a sword from the ground. He was smiling. "Oh! You are going to kill me? Avenging someone? Your father maybe? You know that I killed him? I am sure that during his last moments he was thinking about you, how much of a failure that you are." I was getting closer "You know I killed hundreds of Unicorns! I saw each one of them falling into darkness." I took a momentum. " Even some pegasi during the melee. I just didn't lke their faces." Rage was surrounding me. I didn't waited a second longer, I hit with all my strenght. All we could hear was the piercing of an armor echoing as a big bang. Corr's eyes were closed. I catched my breath. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the sword inside the armor of the body behind him, close of his face. "I should kill you, but I can't." I knew he couldn't move so I grabbed him and put him on my back. I started walking further north. "What... What are you doing?" He looked confused. "I won't let another pony die because of this war, not even you Corr. I am bringing you home." "You know if you save me, I will kill again." I sighed. "I know, but it doesn't mean that I can't show you a bit of compassion." He started laughing. "They still see you as a traitor in Pegasia. If you go back there, they'll kill you." I thought for a moment, this act will probably kill me... I looked back at Corr. "I'd rather die as a traitor than live the life of a killer." He stayed silent for the rest of the walk. When we were close enought of Pegasia. I let him fall on the ground, he chuckled, then I grabbed him with my hooves and started flying towards the sky. I could see Pegasia at the distance, it was higher than ever, some sort of defense position. I took a deep breath. It wasn't long before I was at the edge of the city. Guards at the distance shouted: "GET OUT OF HERE MIDNIGHT! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME!!" I dropped Corr on the cloud under my hooves. I could hear them. "Oh my goodness, it's the general! He is safe!" I turned around and walked to the edge of the city. Two guards came and grabbed him. I looked at him getting carried back in the capital. I closed my eyes and concentrated to hear them asking him. "What are your orders sir?" "Kill him." Without hesitating I opened my wings to fly. Too late. An arrow pierced my back. Another. Then another. And Another. My body couldn't answer. My mind was lost. My vision went dark. I could just say... "Corr..." I felt my balance quit my life. I tipped off the cloud and I fell in the void. > Chapter 10: Gift > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everything went white, I was somewhere... Somewhere else, different... It's not like if I've been here before but I had this feeling. I could remember the pain of the arrows in my body but it was gone. I started to wonder where I was? "Hellooo?" My voice echoed in the infinity... where was I? "You know I knew that you were the good one since I've saw you..." I turned around to see the big grey Alicorn coming in my direction... Aera... "What? I... I don't understand..." He smiled. "The day I saw you, I told myself: «I've found a pony» a pony that cares more about the others life than his own, including his ennemies..." I looked away from his slit eyes. "I only did what I considered the right thing to do, but not the best..." I looked up to see that he was still in front of me... "And that's exactly how a guardian needs to be..." I couldn't understand where he was going with this... "Wha... What do you need?" He slowly started to fade. "5000 years is enough for me, I've seen many things that I want to forget, it's time for a new titan Midnight." I stayed quiet seeing where he was going... "But... I still need to respect the deal I've made with Amber... To save you, I had to accept that when I'll give you Aera, Half of my powers will go to your worst ennemy..." Corr... "...but my restrictions was that he'd never know about them. You'll have Aera's appearance and Corr will stay a pegasi. Sadly, Amber is hardly trustable." I looked back at him. "No... let me die... You have no idea what Corr can do if he discovers his powers." He slowly started to fade. "I have made my choice Midnight, I trust you, and I know that you'll do the right things." I looked down to see that the white zone around me changed into the decor I was... falling, I just had the time to look down to see the ground coming towards me. I opened my wings, something felt different...I hit the ground, I was obviously falling too fast, I'll break my legs for sure. I closed my eyes and hit the ground, there was a big bang. There was no pain, no movement. I slowly opened my eyes to see the dust cloud around me. It slowly dissipated I saw around me, the hole I was standing in, dug by the impact. I was taller... My coat was grey... I looked at my wing, they were bigger. Up on my forehead was a long horn... I felt a presence behind me. I turned around to see Ruby... She followed me... But somehow, I knew something, I could feel it in her eyes, her body... She was looking straight at me... "Midnight?" I was angrier than never. I avoided her sight. "It was you all along..." She smiled, the dark cloud came out of her body and shaped the dark witch... Amber... I closed my eyes, trying to calm down. She started to laugh... That laught, like a hyena happy of her meal. "Every single pony walked straight in every line of my plan... Corr, Wit, Aera, Ruby, The Unicorns, The Pegasus and even you Midnight, I am suprised... You see, Aera knew I couldn't save both of you so he told me to save only you and maintain Ruby alive by myself. In exchange he'll have to give you his powers and half of them to your worst enemy, being Corr... Making him immortal, he'll give me more souls thinking that this is what causing him to live longer, and in my part, I literally fooled him. HAHAha... Also you, Midnight, you fell in love with Ruby,and... oh... I won't spoil the fun... don't worry about her, she is all yours..." She walked away. "...Oh and Aera..." I understood that she was referring to me. "...take care of my daughters." Didn't let me the time to fully realise what she just said that she dissapeared in her dark cloud in the airs. My daughters are also Amber's. I looked back at Ruby that was lying on the floor. I came and lied down, my head over her's. She slowly opened her eyes. She stared at mine, somehow, she could recognise me... "Midnight?" I grabbed her and held her tight enough to not make her suffocate. "I saw everything... heard everything... she was controlling me, I couldn't do at thing..." I could feel her shaking... A tear came out of my eye. "It's over Ruby... It's over..." She was hugging me harder. "I love you Midnight..." I closed my eyes. "I love you too Ruby, now let's go back home..." > Chapter 11: Destiny > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was slowly walking towards the gates, carrying Ruby on my back. They slowly opened, showing me a crowd of Unicorn carefully watching throught their windows and doors. I slowly walked like this, without making any eye contact to her room. I opened to see Wit... The white mare was standing there, looking outside. When I opened the door she turned around, I could hear her in my head. "Aera chose you? I trust his judgement, but do you trust it?" I responded without even trying, without knowing how... "I trust myself Wit." She smiled back and looked at Ruby, her grin slowly faded to a neutral state. "The baby is growing faster than usual..." I was wondering about this, but if it's a problem for Wit, then it is a big problem. "Yes... I noticed, what do you think Wit?" She looked at Ruby in the eyes. "I'll give it approximatively four weeks before the baby will be ready... honey, this will be a painful month..." She didn't looked scared, in fact she looked ready for anything. I watched over her, every single day, her belly was growing faster each day... But then I realised something... Amber told me "Take care of my daugthers." I felt it inside of Ruby, there was two mares... two... oh my... The day came faster than I could feel it... Over all the painful scream I gave her courage and power to reduce the pain. A blue filly came out... the doctor handle her to me... I held her in my hooves. She had her eyes closed... she had a small horn and wings... "Oh no..." I gave the flly to the nurser and I turned around to see Wit watching over Ruby. Her body was slowly becoming Black. "Wha... What's going on?" Wit looked at me. "Amber,she must've put some kind of curse on Ruby before leaving her. She will fall into darkness soon!" My mind went crazy! But Ruby took the commands. "Please... the second one!" I looked back at Wit. "Is there a chance that the filly might be affected?" "Maybe, I have no idea! I can delay it a bit but not for long..." I looked at Ruby. "I'm here Ruby, everything will be fine... But your daughter must be saved, I'll remove all the pain I can." A tear came out of her eye before a clench came out and changed her expression for pain. It lasted for five long minutes... The doctors gave me the yellow Aliorn filly, the nurse came for her. Wit sat down, exhausted to counter Amber's malediction. The darkness continued to cover her belly. I was scared... scared to lose her... "Wit! Can you save her?" She looked at me with a sad expression, almost like if she was at the edge of crying... I understood everything in the moment... but refused to believe it. "But Amber said that sometimes, We saved them who fell in darkness!!!" Wit looked on the ground. Ruby was stuggling in spasms, I was helping her to resist. "Ponies that falls into darkness are ponies that are supposed to be dead. But Amber hold their souls into darkness to prevent them from fully dying..." There was a big silence, all we could hear was Ruby's shaking... "... by releasing them, it fully kills them..." I swallowed reality but still couldn't handle to see Ruby suffering, darkness reached her legs. I held her as hard as I could... "I... I'm sorry I can't save you..." Under the pain she dragged me to give me a kiss... a kiss I will never possibly forget. "You already did." The darkness was going to reach her head. "It is time Aera..." I looked at Ruby one last time. "I love you..." She smiled, then Wit put her horn against her forehead. A bright light came out and I looked away for a moment. When I looked back, Wit was gone and Ruby was there, back to normal... but wasn't moving... she was gone... The door bursted open, it smelled like smoke... the doctor was in panic... "There's something in the nursery on fire!!!" I didn't even realised what was going on that I was already inside the nursery. There was smoke around me... but no fire. I went to see my daughters and saw that they were next to eachother. I picked up the yellow one, her eyes were opened and she was giggling. Suddently her head caught on fire. My head had a small back move but I didn't panic, I actually understood what was going on... So I knew what she was, so I found her name... "Flare..." I looked down at her sister to see that her head was covered around a bubble of water, I saw their connection... "...and Tide." I smiled, but then... I thought... "Aeon?" Aeon was behind me... "I felt like you'd need me..." The blue mare came closer behind me. "I need you to protect Flare and Tide from Corr and Amber." She had this look with a question mark. "And what exactly do you want me to do?" I looked at her with a serious look. She thought for a moment... "Well, I could stop them from existing in time, then remobilise them in place. For a filly their size, it's a big exception, I could send them around in 2000 years. For them it'll be around four seconds." "You'll take care of them in times?" "You have my word brother." I slowly gave her my two daughters. Her horn started to glow and the second after, the fillies were gone... "Don't worry, they are fine." Her smile reassured me. We made the funeral as discret as possible, there was only Me, Eclipse, Wit and Aeon. Her grave was beautiful, it was a rising sun and a flying alicorn in front of it. I wasn't sad, I wasn't happy, I wasn't... anything. "Aera, are you fine?" I looked at Wit. "My emotions died with her..." I slowly moved to drop a flower on her grave... A Morning Wonder. > Epilogue: Memory > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Time turned the page to see that it was blank. She closed her eyes to let out a tear, she turned her head to look outside. The sun was rising, she skipped all night. She let out a deep sigh, she closed to book that blew dust away. "Ever since that day, I brought a fresh Morning Wonder to her grave. Every single day..." Time jumped and turned around to see a big shadow in the ray of the morning light. A deep gray coat, the mass in front of her was about twice her height. The candle on her desk could only reveal the reflection of his white, slit eyes. Somehow, even if she never met him, she exactly knew who it was... "You... You are Midnight!" The eyes of the giant had a suprised look. "Midnight? It has been a long time since I've heard someone calling me like that... But still, you know exactly who I am from a single sight of my coat and my eyes... Oh well let's had some light." Aera's horn glew from a bright gold color, my living room was suddently filled with a bright light, revealing his real size. Time felt small compared to him. When he looked back at her, her blood froze. "I... I'm sorry, Maybe you didn't wanted your book to be read, I should've asked you first..." Aera didn't looked angry, happy or sad... "My dear, a book is made to be read, after all, it wasn't there 5 seconds before you found it, you found it because I wanted you to." "Bu... But I don't understand... why me? What do I have so different than the others?" Aera walked closer to Time. "Because of All the ponies I saw during these 5000 years, you have a power. Many of the ponies with a that sort of power have fallen into darkness, some became minor Darklords, others, well... biggers... So when I found you, I had to show you what's the right thing to do when evil is overwhelming." "But at the end of the line... Amber won..." Aera looked like he was thinking... "Not quite, you see... Her goal was to turn Midnight into darknes by destroying everything that was worth around him, you can break walls, but love and friends have only one life. If I would've turned into darkness after Ruby's death. I would have became probably a Darklord and everypony you know wouldn't be here... So no, Amber had what she wanted, she broke me, but she didn't won." "Wha... What do you expect from me..." Aera lowered his head to Time's height. His horn started to glow and a book popped out of nowhere. "I want you to learn how to fight Darkness, a higher rank of spells. I want you to become my apprentice." After saying this, Aera had a rare grin and after a small moment of reflection, Time had a big smile on her face. "Oh yes! I would love to!!!" Aera's magic gave the book to the small unicorn, then he looked outside to see the shining sun. "Very well... You had a long night, I suggest that you gain some rest and I'll see you soon." Aera turned around and walked away. "...but I must warn you that some of the spells in this books, if failed, may have a problematic result. But I trust your judgement." Area was walking towards the wall but after to steps, he was in a beautiful green meadow. He looked behind him to see the ruins of a mighty castle vines invaded the place and it was now nature's home. He walked in the high grass towards a stone on which a sun with an Alicorn was engraved on it. He raised his hoof and a golden flower appeared in it. He slowly dropped the Morning Wonder of his love's grave. He stayed silent for a moment. "I know you can hear me Ruby... Somehow... But we'll soon be together again... I've found a pony"