No dawn, no day.

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

"No dawn, no day..."

The light click of hooves echoed across the stone as a small flicker of light shone from a spell-lit horn, illuminating the spiraling staircase upward. The faint rustle of wings accompanied the hoof falls as the princess reached the top of the stairs.

Her horn glowed brightly, causing several orbs placed around the room to glow, making the room shine as bright as day.
Thousands of paintings, photos, and trinkets lined the walls of this chamber, covering nearly every available bit of space. It had gotten to the point that there were even some on the ceiling and she had added some pillars just to make more room for those she wished to remember.

The alicorn trotted along the wall slowly, her gaze tracing over the images of old friends, old students, and old loves, a smile touching her lips as memories of who they were came to her mind as she saw them once again.

After a single circuit around the room, she moved to the center and a pair of tables before a cushioned bench. These two tables perhaps held some of her fondest memories. Despite all the others she had met and loved over the course of her long life, it was these that she always returned to. Unlike other parts of the room, these tables had no other photos or images adorning them save who they were made for.

The item on the first table was a simple book: an old weathered tome of history embossed with a golden unicorn head and written by one she remembered fondly. The book lay in the table’s center; age marring the leather bound cover of an otherwise pristine item.

Behind the book, acting as a stand for the tome, was a threadbare giant stuffed bunny. She was amazed how something that was little more than a fair prize had held up so well.

A pair of goggles was placed over the rabbit’s eyes; one of the lenses was cracked from their owner’s last flight, but they were otherwise perfect. Around the bunny’s neck, a heart-shaped gem dangled on a simple chain set into an elegant locket; the gem still seemed to sparkle with its own inner fire.

A battered old cowboy hat that had seen better days rested on the rabbit’s head, yet like the other items, it showed little sign of its true age and seemed to be in its worn state simply from use.

The last item, like its former owner, baffled her. A single red balloon tied to the rabbit’s ear floated above the entire ensemble. A gift from the last party, the balloon had simply floated, never deflating and seemingly unable to be popped or even show a sign of its age.

On the table before the book was a framed picture of six mares with the photo of a small purple dragon taped to the corner.
She smiled, looking at the picture and easily remembering them, even without her spell. There were plenty of places in their lives she could have gone, but she wished to see what she considered the greatest point of their lives.

She sighed at the thought, looking again over the items. What she wished to see this time was going to be hard. For as with everything she viewed, she did not shy away from the heartbreak and sorrow that came with it; that was just as much a part of their lives as their victories.

At this point, she had plenty of time to simply remember the past. Canterlot practically ran itself now; it was rare she needed to step in anymore. She turned her head slightly, noting a blue flame flickering along the item on the other table.

This table, too, was unadorned with images of others and simply focused on the ones upon it. These five were perhaps the luckiest and most unlucky group ever to exist in Equestria.

Two swords lay across the table, both double bladed with a grip in the center, though one was a nearly-silver weapon that was edged on both sides of the blade. The other was a darker metal and was only bladed on one side; the weapon had a gradual curve to it that gave the weapon its name: The Waning Moon.

The flames licked lightly along this blade, lighting up the table and the scant other items adorning it. Unlike the varied trinkets on the other table, this one only had six necklaces with chains of differing material, all holding a single bit of jagged steel from a shattered sword as the set piece.

The painted image showed three ponies, a dragon, a zebra, and Luna.

She looked back to the blades. Luna had not wished to keep the items; she had refused to live in the past and let the blade and items join the other trinkets in this room as she moved on with her life. That was perhaps the best thing to come out of the entire series of events.

A small smile crossed her lips as she settled down on the bench, with a last glance to the glowing blade. Her gaze fell on the lightly bouncing balloon. Her smile grew wider as her horn glowed, casting an old spell of viewing.

The spell knew where she wished to go and took her there immediately. Time had granted her the chance to improve the spell to the point where she no longer was bound to the item's location to follow what she wished.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trees seemed to rush past as Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie galloped along the path to Fluttershy's house at the edge of the forest.

Both AJ and Pinkie Pie were in a panic, Twilight, however, felt oddly calm at the dire nature of the situation. She didn't understand why she was so calm, particularly with a thousand scenarios going on in her mind about what happened and what to do, but still, there was no panic. Odd, considering how she tended to freak out over nearly anything, even something so minor as missing a friendship report to her teacher.

As Fluttershy's cottage came into sight, she wondered if it was her time watching the events of the War of Night that was helping her remain calm in this situation. Perhaps seeing what she had had steeled her nerves more than she could have expected against disasters.

Running up the front path, the first thing she noticed was the overturned and smashed apple cart with a white bunny sitting atop it, gesturing wildly. Following his gaze, she saw scores of birds flying around over the nearby woods, searching for something.

Several bears and other larger animals patrolled around the forest’s edge, glancing towards the small group as they ran up. The yard was covered with a multitude of dead animals, many of them sliced in two or simply crushed to death by large hooves.

“Is that… Angel?” pants Twilight.

“Yeah, seems that bunny was what kept stuff from getting worse. Remind me tah have Granny cook him up a carrot cake or somethin’,”Applejack gasps.

“Where are Fluttershy and Big Mac?” Twilight questioned.

Angel stared at them a moment, pointing inside, before returning to his directing. AJ looks to him, then back to Twilight.

“Mac's in tha house and Fluttershy is under her bed, probably,” responded AJ.

Twilight rushed into the house, her saddlebags bouncing against her sides. She winced upon seeing the destruction in the small cottage. More bodies and blood splatters covered the room; large gashes were torn out of the walls and floor. Twilight thought they looked like they were caused by a large blade of some kind.

Big Mac lay on the remains of Fluttershy's couch, a large gash running from his shoulder to just short of his cutie mark on his left side. The wound itself was not deep enough to even scar, but it was clear he was poisoned.

His breathing was labored, a trickle of blood oozing from his muzzle. Black spirals of discolored flesh spread from the shallow cut, darkening even his fur and making the wound look as if it was forming a cloud pattern under the skin.

Twilight glanced over to Rainbow Dash, who was practically dancing in place, stressing out as she stared at Big Mac. With what had happened to Gilda, it was a wonder she was not hyperventilating yet. Applejack was dancing in place right along with Dash seeing her brother like this and Pinkie Pie was muttering something about twitchy hooves.

Twilight's eyes narrowed as she became only dimly aware of the chaos going on about her. She yanked her book from her saddlebag, flipping through it to when Jer'rahd was poisoned. The descriptions matched. It was time to use this oddly clear focus to fix this.

“How long ago was this?”asked Twilight.

“Prolly an hour at most,” sighed AJ.

“Then we only have a little bit of time. RAINBOW DASH!” yelled Twilight. Her yell briefly froze the pegasus's dance of panic as she looked to the purple unicorn, her features still etched with a mix of fear and anger. “I need you to go find Spike as quickly as possible. He should be at Sweet Apple Acres. so start there. Tell Granny to take the girls to Rarity's and stay there. Bring Spike back here as fast as you can,” she ordered.

“Ri~right! I'm on it!” stammers Dash. The blue pegasus was out the door in a flash, causing Twilight to wince. She flipped through the book, tore out a page, and offered it to Applejack.

“Applejack, get to Zecora's as fast as you can and tell her you need all the items that are being used here,” Twilight barked out.

The Earth pony grabbed the list and tore out of the house in a rush.

“Pinkie Pie, I need you to calm down and help Angel do something about the bodies of the animals. Take them outside or something. Fluttershy is not going to do anything if she sees them like this. I am already going to have a hard enough time getting her to talk about what happened so I can figure this out. I don't need more panic,” sighs Twilight.

“Right, I'm on it,” pipes Pinkie Pie

Twilight sighed looking down at Big Mac as he coughed up more blood. Jer'rahd had survived this. Why wouldn't Big Mac?

=======================================

The cauldron bubbled under the zebra's watchful gaze. It had been a few weeks since she had seen Twilight at the library. It had been a rather calm and relaxing time.

She expected that to last a whole five more minutes. Something always came up when things were settling down. That seemed to be the joke of her life to be stuck in the middle of things.

Her door exploded inward, crashing to the ground with a massive thud as the oak struck the hardwood floor. She had predicted it and it still made her jump. An earth pony in a cowboy hat burst into her home and skidded to a stop, gripping a piece of parchment in her mouth. Zecora looked down at the broken door as AJ shook the dust free of her mane, trying to catch her breath from the run.

“Applejack, with your coat of orange, why have you broken my door hinge?” rhymed the zebra.

“Big Mac's in trouble. Twilight gave me a list a’ stuff tah see if you had any of it fer making a potion tah help him,” panted AJ.
She took the list, letting the farm pony catch her breath as she read it over.

“Hmm, even if we take blood from Spike's paw, I do not have the ursa claw,” mutters Zecora.

“Jus’ get what yah need an if me an’ Dash have tah go beat down a ursa tah save mah brother, we will,” shouts AJ.

Zecora nodded, rushing to gather what she had.

=====================================

Twilight poked her head under the bed at the quivering pegasus hiding there. Rainbow Dash had brought Spike back rather quickly and both of them helped Pinkie while Spike worked up the courage to give some of his blood.

“Fluttershy, can you come out and tell me what happened? I need to know. It might help Big Mac,” Twilight said softly.

The yellow pegasus shivered and whispered something that Twilight could barely make out: “I don't really want to remember it, but if it will help Big Mac...”

Twilight laid, down reaching a hoof under the bed to rest on her friend’s shoulder, rubbing it. “Tell me what you can,” she encouraged.

The pegasus swallowed, closing her eyes. Still speaking barely above a whisper, she said, “Big Mac had just shown up with the apples and I invited him in, as I had just made some soup. He just sat down when a big pony smashed in the front door. He was a sandy yellow color and nearly as large as Big Mac. His mane and tail were black, though streaks of white and silver were mixed in. He was covered in scars and his left eye had a black patch over it. He also carried a sword that was bigger than he was. Mac got up to go try and throw him out and that's when I saw the second pony.”

Two ponies, the first sounded familiar, but she could not place why. “Go on,” Twilight responded.

“Well, the second pony was a black-coated mare with a bright blue mane and tail. She had a cutie mark like a book. She just sort of appeared next to Big Mac, and I guess he didn’t see where she came from, either, because he didn't move as she brushed along his side, and the next thing I knew, Big Mac hit the ground screaming,” Fluttershy swallowed, her shaking growing worse.

“I don't know what she did because the big stallion was focusing his attention on me. He had a strange accent and I didn't understand much of what he was saying, but... I think he was considering using me to breed offspring or something. He kept calling me a bunch of rude names and throwing in how he was going to make me his new pet. I only saw a bit of what the mare was doing as she destroyed my house. She finally stopped when she found your book,” finishes Fluttershy.

“My book?” questioned Twilight.

“The one about Nightmare Moon you have been writing. I am not sure what she did with it, but she stopped breaking things after that. I was not able to pay much attention as I was trying to fend off the big pony as he tried to mount me...” whispered Fluttershy.

Twilight's eyes narrowed. The mare sounded like the one Pinkie had seen and then lost track of the other day. The stallion's description was still nagging at the back of her mind.

“That's when Angel and the others attacked. Most of them focused on the stallion trying to hurt me. And that’s when he started swinging his sword… and I ran to hide. So many of them died trying to save me...” wept Fluttershy.

Twilight sighed, not entirely sure what to say to her weeping friend. Thankfully, a shout from downstairs announced the return of Applejack. The thunder of hooves up the stairs preceded the appearance of the farm pony who was still panting from the run.

“Ah got Zecora, but she says she dun have an ursa claw. Ah need tah know where that cave is yah put tha ursa minor when that show mare was here so me an Dash ken go git one,” panted AJ.

“Argh, that might take some time, it's not really close by,” grumbled Twilight.

“Um excuse me, I don't want to interrupt but...” squeaked Fluttershy.

“You ain't, sugar, go on,” says AJ.

“I have a few ursa claws out by the compost heap. I gave one a manicure a few days ago,” muttered the teary-eyed pegasus.

Twilight nodded, honestly not really surprised. She turned to head down to help Zecora when Fluttershy said something else. She glanced back as Applejack nodded.

“She jus’ dun wanna be alone, sugar. Go help mah brother. Ah'll stay here,” AJ sighed.

The purple unicorn nodded with a worried look and rushed down the stairs.

=========================================

“Pinions of a bird of prey, eye of a hunting cat, and the charred hide of a rat... Eww. Glad Fluttershy is not down here to see this,” listed Twilight.

Zecora nodded as she mashed the items into powder in the stone bowl before her. Twilight was looking over the book's torn page and floating the ingredients to Zecora. “Luna moth’s wing... Rainbow, we don't need it destroyed. Just break the claw into smaller pieces,” Twilight snapped.

“Sorry, I’m a little nervous here... This is gonna work, right? This will save him?” Dash pleaded.

“It worked in the past. Zecora agrees that it is cloud serpent venom, though she’s never seen anyone infected with it,” Twilight stated.

“In the long past, or so I have been told, the cloud serpents were killed off, both young and old. Some poison can be found every so often on ancient spear or kris; the effects of that poison are always like this. He has been poisoned much longer than I like, but the mix is now done, save for the blood of young Spike,” Zecora explained.

“Oh man; I was hoping someone else had dragon blood…” the young dragon grumbled.

“I'm afraid not, Spike, and you are the only dragon anywhere near us that we can even ask,” Twilight stated.

“I know, I know; this is gonna hurt,” Spike muttered.

“For Celestia's sake, Spike, just do it! I'll buy you a tub of ice cream or something later, but Mac needs this now...” Dash shouted.

“Alright, alright, calm down, Rainbow Dash,” Spike tried to placate. The dragon looked at his hand, then to his other hand, picking the one he didn't write with before holding it out and turning his head. Zecora pulled a small knife from her bag and made a quick cut over the dragon’s scaled palm, bring a small wince and a cry from the dragon.

“Spike, are you alright?” Twilight asked.

“I just had my hand cut open. What do you think?” Spike snapped.

Zecora watched the blood drip into the bowl for a moment before wrapping a bandage around Spike's hand and mixing the rapidly forming paste. She trotted closer to Mac as Pinkie Pie worked to keep the wound clean, draping a wet towel over the groaning stallions head to keep him cool. The zebra spread the paste along the length of the wound, making sure the mix was pushed into the cut as well before bandaging it. Rainbow Dash floated over, watching.

“How long will he be like this? Is there any way we might know if it’s working? I can't take the suspense!!” she fretted.

“We won't know until later; it took Jer'rahd a month to recover from this, and even then, he still was not fully healed for a while after that,” Twilight recited.

“I may not take quite that long; this poison is not as effective on earth ponies, if I am not wrong,” Zecora said.

“Yes, that’s about right. Jer'rahd was only half earth pony, so it took longer. I am sure. Big Mac might be better sooner than he was, but it will still be a few weeks,” Twilight added.

“If he survives the next few days, he will have come quite a ways. That is not the thing to be dwelling upon; we need to find out how this happened and what is going on,” Zecora stated.

“I'm gonna check on AJ and Flutershy and see if they need anything,” Pinkie sputtered.

“Right. Zecora, Rainbow Dash. can you stay here and watch over Big Mac?” Twilight questioned.

“No problem,” Dash replied.

“Alright. Let's go, Spike!”

Zecora nodded as Twilight scooped up Spike and rushed out the door, galloping back to the library.

===============================================

“Twilight, I don't think I’m up to taking a letter,” Spike grumbled as they galloped back into town.

“I just need you to send it, Spike; I think we have bigger problems than what happened,” Twilight said between gasps as she ran.

“Bigger than Fluttershy's house being attacked and Big Mac nearly dying?”

“That's just the start of it. Those two are still out there somewhere and both of them are armed. We don't have anyone here who can deal with that sort of thing. We need to get a letter to Celestia to tell her to send the guards. And I need to figure out where I know that stallion from,”

“What? You recognized him? He sounded like some kinda monster, from what you and Dash were talking about,”

“I think Fluttershy's description reminded me of something, but I can't figure out what,”

“Well, it's not like you were doing anything lately except studying. And after all that writing, I’m pretty sure there's no one in the book that had that description,”

“I know! Arrgh! Maybe I saw him in town somewhere and forgot about it. But then, how did Pinkie Pie miss him?”

“It could have been when you went after Applejack when she ran away, or at the wedding, or even when you took the cake to the competition with Pinkie,”

“There's a bunch of things it could be. Maybe the Princess knows. I'll be sure to put that in the letter. I want to check the library for anything I can about that poison,”

The pair arrived at the library, Twilight immediately gathering what she needed to start the letter and began to write. Spike listed a few things that were said that he noticed for her to write down. An odd change from the usual: Spike writing and Twilight dictating.

When she finished, Spike sent off the scroll and the pair headed out again to check up on Rarity and explain what happened. However, this time, she brought a large box along with her, despite Spike’s protests.

==============================================

Celestia yawned softly, watching as her sister began to raise the moon. It had not taken Lulu long to return to her routine after she was freed, though Celestia was sure her sister was suffering from depression and heavy regret.

Luna had only raised the moon from one spot since her return, and she lowered it from there as well. Despite what she had said when they were last awake, she still could not leave them.

The Princess of the Sun sighed, letting her sun sink below the horizon, a small smile crossing her face. Lulu would have some answer soon; Twilight and her friends should be making their decision sometime today.

Oddly, it was something that she was both dreading and hoping for. As much as she disliked Jer'rahd, what he had been through while waiting for Luna to return, as well as what they all had done since being placed in stone, made her hope for their freedom, despite the massive issue it would cause.

They, of course, would need the same adjustments and training Luna had gone through when she returned, but that was a minor thing so long as her sister could be happy again.

As always, however, the issue was Jer'rahd. She was still not sure he could be allowed to be free at this point. She was sure he would agree, but the others would not. Only Luna and herself knew the full scale of what had happened when they last woke, as well as the danger that was now presented.

The faint click of hooves on her study’s balcony brought her attention to the dark mare trotting into the room. “Has your student sent the decision yet sister?” Luna questioned.

“No, not yet, Lulu, but it should be soon. I am still unsure if you are right to withhold the information from Twilight, however. That could be very important to the decision,” Celestia sighed.

“Nay, sister. I wished for an unbiased opinion based on the past. Once I have seen what is decided, I will think to tell her the rest of the story. Or let her see for herself... I still regret what I did.”

“You were angry, Lulu. Seeing him alive just as he was a thousand years ago was unexpected to all of us at the time. Honestly, he is not the most endearing pony anyway; he did little to ease your anger.”

“He is always like that. He had a task to perform and he did so without regret or remorse as he always did. My reward for that loyalty was uncalled for.”

“Perhaps, though I hope he may have also understood it.”

“Aye, sister, but I shall not be able to ask him if the Element Bearers are divided. The five shall remain as they are if that is the case,”

“And you will sink further into your dark mood.”

“There is little we can do otherwise. I simply wish...”

Celestia held up a hoof at the feel of a familiar tickle of magic. A flicker of green flame appeared before her, forming into a scroll that Celestia immediately caught and opened with her magic.

“Well, it seems, little sister, we shall find out...”

Celestia read over the note, her ears flattening as she scanned it. She reread it again to make sure it was correct.

“What is it, Tia? Have they all voted no?”

“One of the Bearers was attacked in her home, along with another's sibling. They are both safe, but to think something like this could happen nowadays…”

Luna took the scroll from her sister, reading it over as Celestia began to pen a letter back. A loud gasp escaped the Princess of the Night's lips and Celestia looked up in time to watch her sister rush to the door, shouting for the guards.

================================================

Twilight and Spike had spent several hours at Rarity's, both explaining what went on and stopping Apple Bloom from rushing out to try and find the culprits. Thankfully, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle seemed to grasp that it was a bad idea and helped to stop her.

Big Mac was moved to Ponyville General Hospital. Zecora went along to make sure the treatment was going well, and Rainbow Dash went along to act as a messenger to everyone else if his condition worsened. Applejack brought Fluttershy to Sweet Apple Acres with her so that she would not be alone. Angel had remained at Fluttershy's cottage and was intent on cleaning it up with the rest of the critters, as well as hunting down the ones who did it.

The CMC and Spike all stayed with Rarity that night while Twilight went home to do some research and try to remember where she had seen the stallion without any distractions. Pinkie Pie fretted the whole time, though once they left the hospital, she went back home as well.

Twilight spent the rest of the night flipping through books and pacing, trying to figure out why that stallion seemed so familiar.

===============================================

(The next morning)

A pounding on the door woke her up from the pile of books she had fallen asleep on top of. She winced; not even having noticed, she dozed off in mid pace. The pounding on the door sounded again as the purple unicorn groaned, trying to shake the cramp out of her hind leg as she hobbled to the door.

“Stupid uncomfortable floor... HOLD ON, I'M COMING!” shouted Twilight.

She pulled the door open, expecting Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie, but it turned out, it was neither.

“Shining Armor?! What are you doing here?” Twilight gasped.

“Morning, Twily. Might wanna fix your hair; you have a lot of company,” Shining chuckled.

She blinked, confused, and leaned to the side to look around her brother, her gaze falling on a massive compliment of the Royal Guard, all armored and armed to the teeth, standing on the road behind him. She blinked, looking at the guards, then back up to her brother curiously. “What's going on here? Did the princess send you all here?” Twilight asked.

“Yep, though it was more at Princess Luna's orders than anything else. She even plans to send the Night Guard; they will be here shortly, I assume. Seems both princesses are rather upset your friends were attacked; otherwise, we probably would have been bogged down in red tape for a week or so. We've never been able to deploy this quickly,” Shining responded.

Twilight tilted her head, looking to the strange scabbard on her brother’s side, one that looked like it held a double-bladed sword. “What’s that?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Hmm? Oh, like the new toy, sis? Princess Celestia gave it to me for this mission. Seems whoever this is, she expects a great deal of trouble. After the changelings and all the other stuff, it shouldn't be anything we can't handle. Should be back home in time for Cadence’s home cooked dinner... Mind if I stay here a bit longer to avoid that? She means well, but she has been known to somehow burn orange juice...” Shining whispered.

She ignored the attempt at humor, looking to the guards, then focusing on the blade, noting the design around the grip. “If Princess Celestia gave you the Brilliant Dawn to use here, Shining, she expects this to be a great deal more trouble than you seem to think,” Twilight stated.

Shining seemed a little surprised she knew the name of the weapon, though knowing his sister, he chalked it up to some odd study or another. “Relax, sis. I've been doing this sort of thing for a few years now. I wasn't made Guard Captain due to just my good looks. A couple of rouges are no match for the Royal Guard. Sending a hundred of us is a bit overkill, but I suppose we have a wide area to cover in the search. I just stopped by to let you know we are here and heading out to start the search from Fluttershy's cottage. We should have these two nabbed before they manage to hurt any other ponies,” Shining remarked.

“While I am grateful that the response was so quick, I have a feeling that there's more to this than it seems. Be careful, brother,” Twilight sighed.

“No need to be so gloomy. I know your friends were hurt, but no pony died, right? And no pony will unless these two try to resist arrest. Then I may not hold back on them for upsetting my lil’ sis. Anyhow, we should have this all wrapped up in a day or so if they are still in the area, Twily, so sit tight and let me handle this,” Shining smirked. The Guard Captain turned, trotting to the guards filling the town in front of her house, shouting orders to get the force moving towards Fluttershy's cottage.

Twilight bit her lip as she watched them go, a feeling of dread forming within her as the stallion’s description continues to tumble around in her head. Princess Luna had sent the majority of the Royal Guard to search for the attackers, including the small force she had as her personal guards. Why would she do that? Were the two culprits someone she knew about?

Twilight closed the door after watching the troops march off. Fluttershy had said the mare had stopped trashing her home when she found the book about the past. Did she actually take it? If so, why? It was clear the mare was used to using poison. She had re-read all the parts regarding the poison and not found a clue about where it came from. Could she have been a last vestige of the Order? If so, why go after Fluttershy and Big Mac? More specifically, why the book? While the stallion wanting Fluttershy for breeding purposes was horrid enough, it seemed she was not the target. Everything pointed to the story of the rise and fall of Nightmare Moon being the target.

Who would want that? Who would know about that aside from her five friends? There was Zecora, the princesses, and Spike, though none of those three would want to hurt Fluttershy. The only other two were Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, but neither of them seemed to care about anything but the music that was around in that time. Still, that put them higher on her list than anyone else for little more than they had no connection to anything. The problem was the pair didn't know Fluttershy had a copy. The CMC knew about the study, but aside from an interest in the sword, they didn't seem to care.
This was maddening. If they were after the book, how did they even find out about it?

She was going to have to ask the princesses directly. Now, where was Spike?

=================================================

The drip of water was the only sound in the cavern for centuries; now they were filled with a different sound. A lone figure stood in the darkness in the middle of the cavern, its head dipped the only light: a small green glow from its eyes. The figure lifted its head, hearing a whimper accompanied by a growl and a heavy smack as another few joined it. A soft sigh escaped its mouth at the sound of one of its associates knocking its newest pet to the ground with the hit.

“You should treat your toys better; they may last longer,” sounded a raspy female’s voice.

“If they don't hold up to a little love tap like that, then they are not worthy of my seed anyway,” a hoarse male voice d

A low growl from the darkness behind the first figure announced another's presence, though aside from the growl, there was no other noise. The two who had spoken, however, did not do so again after the growl.

The first figure spoke up, the voice clearly female and sounding like a sharp blade running across silk. “You both screwed up. You let a bunch of forest creatures run you off and you left two survivors,”

“No one survives Cloud Serpent Venom,” stated the raspy voice.

“At last count, three have,” chuckled the male.

“Both of you, shut up. If you had not retrieved the book as I asked, I would let him kill you, but seeing as you managed it, I will refrain for the moment. So long as you two continue to prove to be more of a boon than a liability, your place is secure. Fail me, and I will destroy you,” snapped the first figure

[“You are too lenient. I would have killed them by now,”] a soft, almost snake-like voice said in the zebra's tongue.

“That is not your call to make. It is mine. You should address me in my own language if you bother to speak to me,” snapped the first figure.

[“I do not speak the tongue of lesser races. No matter how strong individuals are, they are still inferior due to birth. Your pet feels the same, I am sure,”]

“I AM NO ONE’S PET, MAGGOT!” the loud voice boomed, clearly coming from the one who growled.

[“Oh, look, it can do more than growl and bluff; how delightful. Have you taught it how to sit up and beg yet? Because if it persists in angering me, it will sooo need to learn how to beg,”]

“Be silent, both of you. I know you are back; give me your report,” the silken voice asked into the air.

“Yeah, I’m here, boss lady; don't know why, considering all you do is bitch and plot. Aside from that last mission, I am the only one doing a damn thing,” grumbled a new voice from the cavern over head.

“I am aware of that, mercenary, and if you continue to do your tasks well, the reward will be great. I am still upset you have started your own side project,”

“I got bored; besides, I only took three from other areas. No one will even manage to connect them. You have no idea how much work it took me to find those last two,” quipped the voice from the ceiling.

“I do not care. Just make sure your hunts do not interfere with my plans, and I care not what you do in your free time,” replied the first figure. “What is the current situation?”

“The two idiots bungling got reported. Looks like the princesses sent the best of what they have. There's about a hundred troops and the Guard Captain. Seems there more coming in as well, a couple of the backup unit look like half dragons, probably that Night Guard unit. This much force would not be called for a simple breaking and entering, or even a murder if it had happened; seems someone was recognized,” chuckled the voice from the ceiling.

“I expected as much. This is sooner than I wished, but it is still trivial,” stated the first figure.
The low growl sounded again.

“Yes, you may have your fun this time. Leave none of them alive.”

“I do not need to be ordered to do that,” snapped the booming voice.

“If you wish what is promised, then you will continue to do so despite that. Now go. I wish to study what this book may tell us,” ordered the first figure.

The loud clack of claws on stone filled the cavern as the owner of the booming voice left. The figures of the first two also departed; the male dragged his pet along, the pony’s whimpers being silenced with another smack.

[“Those three will be trouble, you realize?”] the snake-like voice muttered after the others were gone.

“They will obey for the same possible reward you seek. That chance alone will keep them in line. Even he will follow for the chance at godhood,” muttered the first figure.

[“It is that promise of power that holds many in line, though it is a thin security.”]

“I couldn’t care less about the power, so long as I can keep doing what I want. Living forever to hunt anything I choose; that removal from limits is all I care about. I honestly don't see what that book could tell you,” sighed the voice from the ceiling.

“It is a telling of both the books and the Elements. The rest is little more than fluff..” the voice of the first figure stated as she flipped through the book. She paused suddenly, looking over the first few pages, her eyes glowing a bit brighter. “Interesting. This has just become worth our time,”

[“Why would some study on the Elements be worth our effort?”]

“This is not a study on the Elements themselves, but on the bearers,”

“Yeah? So?”

“The Bearers that were Luna's generals in the Second Dragon War,”

The other two grew silent for a moment.

[“While that is unexpected, you don't seem displeased. It is not what you thought it was. Why should a history book be worth our time, let alone the trouble that came about from getting it?”]

“There is a good reason for that, and I am sure you both will agree. If this first chapter is correct, the generals are still alive,”

===================================================

Twilight yawned and looked over the books before her, grumbling. She had gone back over everything that she had read in the last few months and retraced all her steps around town, trying to picture the face. She and Spike had just gotten back to the library after running about most of the day

As soon as Shining and the Royal Guard left, she had gone to check up on Mac. Both Zecora and Rainbow Dash were passed out in his room, so she had left them be. The hospital staff said they had never seen a poison like that before
Although most of it seemed to have been drawn out of him by the mix, it would take time for his lungs and other organs that were touched by it to heal properly. They were quite positive that Big Mac was going to be fine with time to rest.

Fluttershy was still a wreck, though she did not have any more information for Twilight. Applejack suggested she tell Mayor Mare to make sure that everypony was alerted, at least in part, as to what was going on. With the amount of Guard that had shown up, that was not necessary. She and her staff were already on high alert, looking for any sort of trouble.

Twilight then checked in on Rarity and Spike, finding they had spent the better part of the day trying to keep Apple Bloom from breaking down or rushing off somewhere. The other CMC did their best to help, though Rarity figured it might be best if she went home.

She set Sweetie Belle up for a stay at the farm and Scootaloo simply needed to call her parents to let them know what was going on. Rarity decided to bring them to Sweet Apple Acres herself so she could talk to Fluttershy.

Now that they were back, she returned to her studies, trying franticly to figure out the name that went to that description.
Spike helped her for a time, though hunger got the better of him, and he slipped into the kitchen.

He returned as she flipped through another of the piled books, clutching an apple.

Twilight smacked her head into the open book before her and groaned. Spike winced lightly, turning the apple over in his claws and looking down at it occasionally as he fidgeted, not even sure he was hungry anymore.

“Still can't figure out where you saw him?” he asked.

“No, and it's driving me mad. I know him, I can picture his face in my mind, but I cannot place from where or the name,” Twilight responded.

Spike shrugged, fiddling with the apple again and sighing as he looked at it. Twilight glanced over, then down at the apple.

“If you aren't going to eat it, Spike, just put it back,”

“I can't, I already cut it up some with my claws... I just don't have an appetite any more. You want it?”

He held up the partially-mangled apple to her, his claws having cut into the peel, showing the white underneath, the cuts oozing with apple juice. She sighed, about to say something, but she stops dead, her gaze locking with the apple. Her eyes went wide before she rushed off away from Spike, her magic grabbing the large book that contained the story of The Five Beasts of the Moon, and flips through it frantically.

Spike looked to Twilight, then to the apple curiously.

“Umm, what just happened?” he asked.

Twilight flipped to the first few chapters, scanning over the pages. “I never described him; that's why I couldn't remember, and no one else recognized him. He showed up back when I had to write the story by memory. I never gave his description, but the scars and the weapon... It all fits,” she shouted.

“Ummm, Okay… wait, you remember? The guys is in the story? What?” Spike said, completely confused.

“Yes. I have to find Shining and tell him, he thinks this is something simple, but this is a nightmare waiting to happen. If he somehow got free.... Did the princess let him out? Why... ARRGH THIS IS EVEN WORSE NOW! I HAVE TO FIND SHINING AND WARN HIM!” Twilight shouted.

Spike watched her run about and grab things to shove into her saddle bags, including the box with the Waning Moon inside.

“TWILIGHT! Who is it!?!”

His shout fell on deaf ears as she rushes out the door still ranting and leaving the bewildered dragonling clutching a mangled apple.

==================================================

Twilight galloped through the woods following a large trail of broken branches and hoof prints. She had initially worried that she would not be able to find her brother and his unit; thankfully, the trail they had taken into the woods from Fluttershy's cottage was obvious and easily followed.

Twilight panted as she ran, feeling the weight of her bags as well as the book. In hindsight, she should have sent a letter to the princess first, though if they had sent this many troops, it was likely she already knew, or at least suspected. The presence of the Brilliant Dawn with her brother only added to that hypothesis.

A sharp curse escaped her lips as the trail ended, splitting off into multiple paths. This was likely where the group had split up to begin the random search through the forest. Twilight danced about before the multitude of paths, having no idea where to go now and realizing this was a horrid idea.

A loud roar in the distance pulled her out of that particular panicked prancing. Her ears perked, listening again as much fainter shouting accompanied the roar. She turned her head, looking about in the fading light of late afternoon as she tried to figure where the voices were coming from. A brilliant pillar of light shot into the sky to her left, several screams filling the air along with the flash.

The source was easily acres away, but Twilight swore she could feel the heat from it even here. She turned down the path that seemed to head towards it, charging down the new path cleared by the guards.

===============================================

Shining cursed as he charged the clearing. This was bad; none of the Guard had expected to find anything out here like this. A couple of rogues, sure, maybe a hydra or maticore, but not a dragon of this size; particularly not one that seemed to relish the chance to kill ponies.

They had not even seen the creature before it was on the first group. The whole unit was in communication with one another with simple spells on the helms they all wore. The entire unit was converging on the spot as soon as the first cry was heard through the magic.

The entire force of a hundred Royal Guard rushing the beast as soon as it struck should have been enough to cause a dragon to flee. This one had simply laughed as if it found the charging ponies amusing.
The four that had been ambushed were dead by the time the main section of the unit got to them. Shining was on practically on the other side of the forest with his small group and could only listen to what the others were saying as he ran towards the fray.

The dragon’s first gout of breath greeted the Royal Guards, cutting down dozens of their number before they even cleared the tree line. The screams were cut off as the magic was destroyed when the armor melted to slag around them, leaving molten puddles of goo and husks that were once ponies.

The pegasus guards flanked the creature, darting in and striking with their spears. The hoof-forged weapons shattered on the beast’s scales as the rest of the unit mobbed the creature.

The dragon continued to laugh as it lashed out with its tail and claws, shredding and destroying any pony near it as if they were not even wearing any armor. Its fanged maw ended the lives of several more guards before a second blast of fire incinerated the remaining pegasi, the pillar of white flame likely seen for leagues.

The few Guard unicorns cut loose with all the attack spells at their disposal as Shining arrived. The dragon was only slightly more affected by the blasts of magic than he was the weapons. No damage was being done, though the arcane shots seemed to at least cause some sort of pain as they impacted its hide.

The creature moved suddenly, far faster than any dragon Shining had seen before, its tail lashing out and smashing into the unicorns, sending the group of them, as well as the shield bearers around them, flying though the air to smash into the tree line or tumble across the ground to land in heaps of broken bones and shattered armor.

The beast turned, looking at the fallen unicorns and belching forth another column of flame to finish them off. A red shield formed around them, stopping the white-hot flame from reaching them. The dragon blinked in surprise, lifting its head up to look around as it sat up on its hind legs. Its gaze passed right over the few remaining guards and Shining as if disregarding them.

“I'm down here monster,” Shining shouted.

The white unicorn lashed out with the weapon the princess had granted him, the blade his sister had called the Brilliant Dawn. The weapon sang as it spun towards the dragon. The beast’s eyes widened and it dived aside, roaring out as the weapon managed to glance off its arm, drawing the first blood that had been seen from the creature.

The dragon glared at the graze on its forearm, surprise evident on its face before it focused all its attention on Shining. The other guards rush it, seeing that it could be wounded, though their weapons remain ineffective. The creature lashed out suddenly, tail, wings, and claws rending and ripping into the guards trying to swarm him, ripping apart chunks of pony flesh and armor with no motion wasted as it moved, stopping to stare down at the Guard Captain.

“It would seem that there is at least one here worth a damn. Pity it is still not enough to stop your death,” the beasts snorted along with a small burst of flame.

“Surrender now or we will be forced to destroy you,” Shining commanded.

“’We’? There is no longer any ‘we’, little pony. Or have you bothered to count your troops?” chuckled the dragon.

Shining spared a glance about and winced; there was not a single guard aside from himself still standing after the beast’s last attack. There were survivors, but they were scattered about the clearing in all directions as if intentionally thrown as far apart as they could be. A hundred of the best Royal Guard slaughtered and beaten by one dragon. This was impossible.

The dragon snatched one of the surviving guard, tossing the screaming Guard mare into its maw before silencing her with a crunch before Shining could react.

“So who do you save, little pony?”

Shining roared out, charging the dragon and lashing out with the weapon again. The dragon smirked. He grabbed the spinning blade out of the air and whirled about, lashing at the white unicorn with his tail.

The spiked length connected hard against Shining's side, shattering the armor and flinging him across the clearing into the side of a large tree. The great oak splintered from the impact, the ground at the base of its trunk lifting up as the force of the blow tore the roots of the tree from the ground. The large tree fell over with the bloodied mess of a pony lying atop it struggling to breathe through the blood filling his lungs.

“Ah, much pity; if you are the best they have to offer, little pony, than Equestria is doomed,” chuckled the dragon, looking down at the blood oozing from its hand around the sword. ”Such an interesting blade, too; the first star metal I have seen in some time.”

“SHINING!!!”

The dragon snapped its head up, seeing a purple unicorn at the edge of the clearing. Her eyes widened as she looked over the carnage of the field. The dragon smirked, watching the unicorn shake in her horse shoes. He would let this one go; let her spread the fear of what had happened. The one he was sworn to would be mad, of course, but what did he care about that bitch’s opinion?

He turned, his maw opening to fire a blast at the white unicorn lying on the tree. The white line of fire ignited the air between the two, only to bounce off a purple shield before reaching the fallen guard.

He whipped his head around, jaw snapping shut as his gaze fell on the purple unicorn and the glow from her horn. The look on her face had changed; her eyes were no longer filled with fear- they now glowed with rage.

The shield remained on the fallen pony while others started popping up around him, covering the guards still moving. His head whipped about, looking at the sudden abundance of protective globes. This was getting ridiculous.

He was simply going to move forward and crush her when a box lifted from her saddlebags, floating up in the unicorn’s magic. It was an impressive feat that she was casting this much at once, but it was pointless. There was no way this many spells by one young mare could hold up to his attacks. He moved to smash the nearest shield, chuckling darkly before freezing in place, his eyes locked on the unicorn and what she had.

The box had split open and a weapon had emerged. This weapon did not sing as it cut the air as the other did, but screamed with the rage of its former owner as it spun in place above the unicorn. Dark fire licked along its edges as the light from the silver orb in the night sky fell upon it.

“The Waning Moon...” the dragon spit the name, taking a step back, his full attention now on this mare.

The mare screamed, charging him, her horn glowing bright enough to cause the air around it to sear. He grinned; this one was just as foolish and predictable as the others. He flung the weapon from his hand at her, launching a blast of white fire behind the thrown blade. Even if the blade missed, his breath weapon would not.

There was a strange noise before his fire hit, though when heat and fire passed there was nothing where the mare had been. He chuckled softly to himself before he stopped seeing the blades were gone as well. Shifting his gaze around the clearing, the guards were also gone. There was nothing but broken weapons and armor, blood, and the burnt remains of the forest around him.

“What in Tartarus just happened?”

================================================

Celestia and Luna were both in the throne room. Celestia was trying to calm her sister down, though at best, she had managed to get Luna to slow her pacing. Once her sister had calmed enough to tell her what it was about the message that set her off, they both had gone to make sure her suspicions were correct.

The size of the gardens had made it nearly impossible to tell for sure, and they had returned to the castle to wait word from the guards they had sent. It was during this wait that they heard the screaming.

At first, there was no source for it, yet it seemed to come from everywhere at once. Suddenly, a massive wave of energy rocked the throne room, sending tapestries and the few guards present flying as dozens of forms materialized in the middle of the room. Corpses, charred and bloodied, heavily wounded guards ponies, and a entire tree with a nearly dead Shining Armor atop it appeared in the expanse of the room

In the middle of this chaos, a purple unicorn stood shakily on her hooves, a pair of star metal blades dropping to stick in the stone floor on either side of her.

The alicorns stared in shock as Twilight Sparkle lifted her head, her fur and mane singed around her horn, which still glowed hot. Blood was oozing from her nose and running from her eyes. She locked her gaze with Celestia, her whole form quivering.

“Silver Claw has been freed,” Twilight whispered before collapsing.

At the End of Days

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...at the end of days.”

Twilight was unaware of what transpired for several days after her escape from Silver Claw. However she was dimly aware of her friends coming to see her and of Celestia, Luna, and Cadence watching over her.

It was her former foal sitter that was present when she finally woke.

The first thing that greeted her however was a pure white ceiling, well almost pure white there was a small patch where the tan that had been there before was starting to bleed through because the painters only put one coat on the spot when they clearly should have used two. She rolls onto her side before the spot could annoy her any further.

The room was fairly large, though only four beds and a host of medical equipment both magical and mundane filled the room. The empty bed looked like it was being used more for a table than anything else, as a few half eaten trays of food were piled on it. The bed on the other side of the room from the foot of her bed contained a small sleeping dragonling half curled under the blanket.

She smiles at seeing Spike, glad for something familiar in this place. She sat up slowly, her head pounding, turning her attention to the last bed.

The bed next to her held a heavily bandaged pony, his breathing was ragged and most of the medical equipment in the room seemed to be hooked up to him. Princess Cadence sat on a small bench next to his bed her forelegs resting on the side of the bed with her head resting on it.

Shining Armor.

Cadence looked as if she had simply passed out there, judging by the state of her mane it also looked as if she had not gone any where since he was brought here.

Twilight tries to move from the bed to get up, another lance of pain around her horn giving her pause and making her gasp at the lance of agony, the faint noise waking Cadence. The pink alicorn first looked to Shining then turns around to see Twilight struggling to get up.

The purple unicorn was nearly knocked off the bed by the sudden impact of the pink pony's hug.
She remained there with a death grip on Twilight for several moment before speaking shakily.

“Thank you Twilight.” stutters cadence.

“Thank you? For what?”questions Twilight still some what weakly.

“First you save me at the wedding and now Celestia says you saved Shining from getting killed.”Cadence stammers.

“Do you think I would let anything bad happen to my brother if I could help it?” chuckles Twilight. “How is he, I didn't have the chance to check on him.”

“He was hurt really badly, some of the doctors did not expect him to make it at all until Princess Celestia arrived. She healed the Guards at least ensuring they would recover quickly. With the damage Shining had she could only heal him enough to ensure he lived. I guess healing magic is not the cure all we hoped. Rapid healing might cause more damage than the actual injury. She said she could help enough so that it was sure he would live, but not how long it would take him to recover, or even wake up.” sighs Cadence.” She was sorry she could not do more, but with the nature of who attacked she was trying to conserve what power she has as well.”

“I understand that, but what I do not understand is how he managed to get free. “Twilight mutters.”I need to speak with Princess Celestia as soon as I can.... Where am I any way?”

“Canterlot General Hospital. You have been here almost a week and have been asleep the whole time. Princess Celestia called it some sort of magical burn out from the spell you cast to save the Guards.” whispers Cadence noting Spike shift in the bed.

Twilight pushes her self out of the bed standing shakily on her hooves. Cadence bites her lip moving around to try and put her sister in law back in bed.

“You shouldn't move yet, I need to let the doctors know you got up and you probably still need more tests done, at the very least more rest to recover fully.”placates Cadence.

“I don't have time to rest Cadence, this is an emergency. I need to talk to Celestia.” growls Twilight.

“An emergency like the ones you claimed to have as a foal after reading a bad story?” Cadence smiles briefly though the smile fades as her gaze turns back to Shining.

Twilight refrains from saying something mean about her comment in response, though she was having far too much difficulty staying on all four hooves without the room spinning.

“I.. I’m sorry for that....”sputters Cadence. “I know it is bad but you are in no shape to do anything...”

“I can't just lay here.”Twilight sighs barely keeping up right. “Fine, tell the doctors and get me a wheel chair and a chariot, I need to talk to the Princes as soon as I can.

“I will do what I can, but please lay back down on the bed at least.”whispers Cadence.

================================================

“The Waning Moon... are you certain?” mutters the voice.

“Positive, I have seen that blade countless times on that fools side. I know it when see it. It is a very distinct weapon.” growls the large form of Silver Claw.” It was being wielded by a purple unicorn. One who managed to teleport with it, a second star metal blade, at least thirty injured royal guards, and a bucking tree.”

[“I think you are simply covering up for a failure dragon.”] utters the snake like voice.

“When I want your opinion maggot I will tear it out of your cold corpse.” snarls Silver Claw.

“He is being truthful. There is very little that could damage his hide with the enchantments I have given him, yet it is clear he has been bloodied by something. I also felt a tremendous amount of power being called and that matches what he described.” sighs the voice.” This will cut into my time line drasticly, there was not supposed to be any of that power level aside from the Princesses. Let alone one wielding that blade.”

“So what now? Should we simply destroy the town and kill the current Element Bearers there?” mutters Silver Claw.

“For all that the Bearers have been reported to have done, none of the ponies we questioned seem to even know who they are. It is infuriating, either Celestia has some how managed to keep it hidden again, or the ponies here are simply too stupid to remember anything past a few days.” grumbles the voice.

[“We could not enter the town now any way. Some one has warded it quite heavily. I am unfamiliar with the spell, but it is keyed to the dragon and the two failures. There are many other things woven into it as well, I cannot tell what would set off the barrier. I can tell you the alarms and spells that would go off from breaking this barrier would give even a god pause.”] utters the snake like voice.

“So for the moment Ponyville and the Element Bearers are out of our reach. Silver Claw you have become too known to stay here I will need you to check out several locations for the next phase.” the first voice says.

“Get your bird to play scout for you. Why would I bother with this sort of nonsense?” snaps Silver Claw.

“My 'bird' is busy. You are not. We need to find a suitable site for the ritual since the one that I knew of was destroyed.” says the first voice.

[“ You have also been spotted and likely named. I believe that this unicorn you speak of may be the one who wrote the book. If she is as powerful as you say she may have also set up the ward as it does not bear the markings of Celestia or Luna. With a foe that powerful against us we must be careful. You leaving this area may well be for the best at this point.”] mutters the snake like voice.

“So be it.” Silver Claw snarls stomping out of the cavern leaving the other two shadowed forms looking after him.

[“ Why does he insist on playing the dumb brute? Does he really believe we are fooled by it?”] questions the snake like voice.

“It is hard to tell with him. He may only be acting like this because he wants others to think that, not just us. Of course the others have worked for him in the past and that in itself is worrying. He is too powerful an ally to simply destroy however.” explains the voice.

[“You play a dangerous game with that one mare. I do not care for any of you lesser creatures, but I know the value of having allies. Besides, our goals are similar enough with out conflicting that we have no need for any conflict, for now.”] smirks the snake like voice.[“Since that is now settled shall we move on to any other things you may have found in that book that could interest me. Perhaps you have discerned the location of the one I seek?”]

===========================================================

There were few things in the world that would give Celestia pause out of fear. There were far fewer than even those few that would bring fear to Luna.

Both of them had just added one more item to those lists.

Twilight sparkle sat in a wheel chair in front of the thrones of night and day staring at the pair of alicorns with such venom Celestia expected herself to burst into flames. The pony that had wheeled her in had taken off as soon as she saw the look on the purple mares face.

Celestia knew why her student was here, though had no idea where to begin. Her sister seemed to be having the same issue though Twilight only seemed to get madder the longer the pair just stood there.

“How long did you know?” Twilight questions angrily, breaking the silence.

“We did not student....this was...” begins Celestia.

“Bullshit, as many dangers as you told me about in that garden and you cannot keep track of the worst of them?” snaps Twilight.” Sixty three ponies were killed, one of my friends was nearly raped, another's brother is still in critical condition, and Shining armor is practically crippled and might not even wake up again. You cannot tell me you did not know something. You sent far too many ponies for what most thought was a simple break in, and you gave him that sword, you knew exactly who he was up against.”

“We knew about Claymore from your letter Twilight Sparkle. Silver Claw was not one that we expected to see.” placates Luna.

“How the heck did you not know? Is there another unicorn running around in the garden casting anti basilisk stare spells that you missed somehow?” growls Twilight the edges of her mane beginning to spark.“ I nearly lost several ponies I care about because you couldn't keep track of who you locked up. If I had not remembered where I had seen that pony before my brother would be dead now and a very powerful weapon would have been in enemy claws.”

“I am aware of what you have done Twilight, but please calm down.” says Celestia.” We will try to explain.”

Twilight continues to stare though her mane stops smoldering the faint glow surrounding her horn fading. Celestia glances back to Luna who nods and trots off.

The Princess of the sun inhales deeply moving to stand before Twilight.

“I am sorry for what happened, but were were unaware of even Claymore's being freed until your letter. Do you recall Luna telling you that the five have been freed once before?” questions Celestia.

Twilight simply nods as Celestia smiles slightly at her student. Did the mare even understand the amount of power she had channeled to save all of the ones she did? Twilight had progressed far beyond anything she could have hoped for. Though this perhaps was not the time to bring that up

“Nearly two years ago you defeated Discord and resealed him in stone. Have you never wondered where my sister and I were during those events. I sent you the letters, but that was only after the situation here was under control.” sighs Celestia.

“I have wondered, but I assumed it was either some test or he had sealed you in Canterlot somehow.”notes Twilight.

“He did not seal us no, I doubt even he has the power to do that to other gods. He did however find a way to keep us busy.” sighs Celestia. “ After you and your friends lost his little game, he freed the inhabitants of the garden to ensure that Luna and I would be too preoccupied to stop him.”

“He what?” yelps Twilight. “I thought there were things in the garden that were worse than him? To hear him talk he was only after some fun. If he let some of those things out it goes a bit beyond fun.”

“Discord is far more dangerous and deadly than he seems. Strangely, he was rather subdued this time as opposed to how he was when Luna and I first sealed him. He did not free all of them, Forge Scale and several others remained locked in stone. It seems even Discord knew certain things were far to dangerous to be free.” explains Celestia.

“Who else is missing from the garden?” questions Twilight.

“We do not know Twilight Sparkle. There are far to many prisoners in the gardens now for an accurate count. There are many we do not even know why they were sealed, as they were there before us. The same can be said for Tartarus. That was a creation of the pony gods that left the Windigo lands two hundred thousand years ago.” explained Luna as she trots back into the throne room, a small box gripped in her magic floating along side her.

“Two hundred thousand years? Hearths Warming is still being celebrated after all that time? “ responds a surprised Twilight.

“Give or take, we are unsure of the exact dates to be honest as neither of us was alive at that time. Even so, it is that lack of knowledge of all of those contained within the garden that make it difficult to keep track of. The modern version of the gardens may have been my doing, but there are many from the former gardens as well. When Discord let them all loose very few of them stayed in one place.”responds Celestia.

“What happened.... arggh I don't need to know this Ponyvile and my friends are in danger, they already attacked Fluttershy.” argues Twilight.

“You need not worry about Ponyville Twilight. I have contacted some old acquaintances and they have set up a ward around the city. The moment one of ill intent crosses the ward we will know and we will deal with them.” explains Celestia.

“For now Ponyville is safe, they have avoided our attention for over a year. Their discovery must have been an mistake. Silver Claw had Colonel Claymore working for him before. It is little surprise that if those two escaped at the same time that they are working together. Have there been any other events that may have seemed strange lately?”questions Luna.

“It's Ponyville, everything is strange.” sighs Twilight. “I guess you two want me to look at what happened when Discord freed the statues.”

“Yes, you are still recovering from the spell you cast, a simple spell like the scry will keep you preoccupied without straining yourself. You may also glean some insight from it I may have missed. You are the best researcher I know of.”Celestia chuckles.

Twilight shakes her head a bit as Luna floats the box over to set it in her lap. The purple unicorn seemed to be having trouble keeping her head up as her anger left her.

“I understand you may be angry with us Twilight, but we did not know what was going on. We may know a great deal of what happens in Equestria, but even we cannot know everything.” explains Celestia.” I expect you know that already just from what you witnessed with the task I gave you studying the Five Beasts.”

Luna signals the nurse again who trots back into the throne room to take Twilight out. The two Princesses stare after the purple unicorn who was struggling to remain awake after burning off her anger. As the doors close Celestia sighs.

“What now sister?” questions Luna.

“We wait, to actively search for them might cause them to do something rash that would harm more ponies. There is also the fact that most of our subjects now a days are skittish. We need to tread carefully to avoid a full blown panic. Unless you wish to get involved?” explains Celestia. “ Your skills would be useful in this.”

Luna winces lightly at the suggestion her ears and tail drooping.

“No sister, I do not, I am unsure if I am able to do anything like that after what was done the last time I sought conflict.” mutters Luna.

“You have changed sister, you do not make the same mistakes twice, you are better than you were.” encourages Celestia.

“We both know that a lie Tia. I would not even have the Night Guard if you had not forced them upon me. I am fit to lead no one.” mutters Luna.

====================================================

“There may be a bit of scaring on your temple miss, but its not like it will really be noticeable under your fur.” the unicorn stallion in the doctors coat encourages.

Twilight nods thanking the doctor before heading back towards the room she and her brother were in.

Shining had yet to wake up, though as soon as she did she was mobbed by both her parents and Spike just as she had been by Cadence.

After the praise, panic, and parental presence she could put up with, she had been taken out of the room to be checked out by the doctor. Aside from the scar and a bit of magical burn out she was fine. Upon returning to the room Spike had told her Rainbow Dash had come by and the others would probably be on the next train to Canterlot to see her.

She told Spike to let her know when they got there and sent him to meet the group at the train station while she spent some time with her mother and father explaining what had happened though leaving out things that would make them worry more. That she had rescued her brother was no secret, neither were the deaths and injuries of the other Guards, but who the dragon was could be left out. Not as if any of them would know the name any way.

In a unexpected turn, news of her being awake spread like wildfire through the hospital and the city. She was soon mobbed by ponies she did not even know thanking her for saving their sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, significant others, family, or friends. Evidently enough of the Guards she had saved had been conscious enough to see who it was who rescued them from the dragon and they had told others.

It was not long after that, the deliveries started. Everything from candy and flowers, to jewelry and cards even more expensive gifts such as tickets to concerts and rather expensive clothing. Shining received quite a few get well cards and flowers as well, though the sheer volume she was receiving was staggering. It was enough that her parents were making several trips a day just to bring all the stuff back home,it seems that quite a few nobles had family in that guard unit.

Twilight was more depressed by the gifts than anything else. Out of a hundred Guard, at best she saved thirty or forty. A number of the ones she brought back had succumbed to their injuries mid spell or soon after from the shock. The amount of ponies that she had seen die right in front of her was weighing heavily on her any time she had more than a moment to herself. She had just started to reflect on it again when Spike returned with her friends.

For some reason being nearly crushed by her friends made her feel a great deal better. Her mother offered to pay for lunch for the group of them if they would keep watch on Twilight while she was out.

Despite her protests, Twilight's friends all but carried her out of the room, barely giving her time to grab her saddle bag.

========================================

“I have heard this place is absolutely divine. Canterlot quarterly gave it six stars out of five.” proclaimed Rarity.

“So long as they don't have those teeny tiny portions of food, that gets annoying.”quips Dash.

“I hope they serve gems.”states Spike.

“Ah dun think it matters so long as we git left alone fer tha most part.” proclaims AJ.

“Honestly this is a little much I would have been happy with just Doughnut Joe's or something.” mutters Twilight.

“No can do Twilight, I got banned from there after the MMMM incident. He's still mad I ate the whole cake.” reflects Pinkie.

“Um anything you all want is fine with me....” stammers Fluttershy.

“It's settled then what good is having contacts in the city if you never get a chance to use them.” states Rarity, quickly pushing all of them in the door. “Besides , your mother offered to cover the bill.”

After some fuss from the matricide that Rarity dealt with rather quickly, they were seated in the corner of the restaurant at a table large enough to accommodate the seven of them. The waiter stared at them a moment a frown crossing his face.

“Welcome to the Golden Platter. I would very much ask that you contain your pet before it disturbs the other guests.”enunciates the silver maned unicorn waiter.

“Hey now, Spike ain't no pet.” Snaps AJ.

“I was not speaking of the dragonling madam.”responds the waiter, turning his head to stare at Pinkie as she leans over some one else's table ogling their food.

Twilight chuckles as Applejack face hoofs, going to drag Pinkie Pie back to the table.

“Sorry about that, we would like to start with crisp cider and salads, we should have out meal orders by the time you return sir.” explains Rarity.

The waiter nods trotting away with a snobbish swagger and all eyes turn to Twilight. Pinkie pops up looking over the back of the bench seats to make sure no one else was listening.

“Alright sugar, git tah explaining, Spike said yah recognized tha pony that hurt mah brother and went after Fluttershy. Yah better tell me who he is, cause ah'm gonna geld that mother bucker.” growls AJ.

Twilight blinks as the others nod, the look on Rainbow Dashes face at AJ's suggestion was a little worrying, as she seemed rather excited at the notion. She sighs seeing even Fluttershy was interested in knowing.

“The description Fluttershy gave me matched a pony from the book I wrote.” explains Twilight.

“What you mean one of Luna's Generals did it? I thought they were supposed to be the good guys?”questions Dash.

“No, not one of them, one of the ponies that caused a problem for them, Colonel Claymore. He was the pony that betrayed Equestria to the dragons and allowed Dullahan keep to be over run. While he didn't do much directly, he was responsible for Jer'rahd becoming widely known and climbing the ranks as fast as he did as well as the death of Platinum and for Bleu and Jer'rahd becoming partners. He was sort of a key element early in the story that faded after he was sealed in stone.”rattles off Twilight.” I never described him because I was still learning how to work Celestia's spell and I missed a few things when I had to write it all out after ward.”

“What the heck is he doing loose? Did the Princess forgive him for some reason?” questions Pinkie.

“No, I went to find out, perhaps a bit angrier than I should have been, but I think they understood. The Princess told me that Discord had freed most of the garden when he escaped.” explains Twilight.

“Most of the garden?” asks Fluttershy.

“Yes it seems there were some really dangerous ones that Discord didn’t free. It makes about as much sense as anything else we have seen or heard about him.”sighs Twilight.

“So an escaped prisoner tried tah rape Fluttershy an nearly killed mah brother?” states AJ. “ Yah figure out who the mare is? She's next on mah list.”

“No, I don't know if shes some one new or another escapee, but Pinkie Pie talked about her before.” mentions Twilight.

“What I did ? When? I don't remember that.” questions Pinkie.

“The one who got away from you before you could make friends with her...”Twilight face hooves.

“Oh yeah her... she was goooood.... I mean bad... I mean good at hiding, bad as a pony …. I mean...” rants Pinkie.

“We get it, Pinkie enough already.” grumbles Dash. “What about the dragon?”

“Silver Claw.”states Twilight.

“Ooh, that one I remember easily, he's the one who nearly killed Princess Celestia.” mutters Rarity.

“Crap he got free too? How did they all manage that?” questions Spike.

The waiter returned with the salads and drinks as they let Rarity do the ordering for them having no idea what any of the fancy names were in relation to real food. The conversation continued as soon as the waiter left again.

“I don't know, the Princesses said with as big as the garden is and as chaotic as it got, they don't know what happened. They gave me a way to check though.” Twilight mutters between bites of salad.

She opens her saddle bag with a hoof pulling something out, trying not to use her magic as she sets the small wooden box on the table. Pinkie's ears perk up as she spots it almost shaking with curiosity the others look mildly interested as well.

“So what is it? Better still hows this suppose tah help?”grumbles AJ.

Rarity opens the box with her magic lifting out a scrap of fabric that seemed torn from a something. Twilight had already seen it, but the patch still impressed her. A silvery white crescent moon imposed on a black shield with purple trim. Along the top and bottom of the patch stitched in old Canterlot were the words, '42nd Guard, Luna's Hoof'.

The others stare at it a moment with confused looks on their faces.

“No offense to the princesses Twilight, but how is this supposed to tell you anything?” asks Dash.

“The princesses want me to use that scry spell on it. The spell doesn't use much power and they think it might be something for me to do while I recover.” states Twilight.

“Darling this thing is ancient, how is some old patch going to help you see what happened a few years ago?”questions Rarity.

Twilight takes a sip of her cider.

“I think because up until then, it was on the uniform Jer'rahd was turned to stone in. The five of them are in different poses now than they were when they were first turned to stone.” explains Twilight.” I suppose that will show me what happened in the gardens prior to its removal. Maybe I can figure out how Silver Claw and Claymore escaped, and see if any others did as well.

“Mmm good salad. Problem is Twilight what do we do if we find that out? If a hundred guards couldn't stop the dragon what chance do we have? I mean come on you guys couldn't even stop a buncha parasprites.” rambles Pinkie.

“I don't know, but there's got to be something. I am sure the Princesses could seal them back up again once it was found out how they escaped. “states Twilight.”They already told me they made sure Ponyville was being protected some how.”

“Well that's good at least.” grumbles Spike.”Six of five, bah, I give this place a two, still no gems....”

=========================================

“Surely you jest!” snaps the first voice.

The darkness near the silken blade like voice sighs.

[“ There is no point in my jesting now. I know what I sensed and there are three in the city now, one keeps leaving and returning, likely going to Canterlot, but the other two have yet to move after making their presence felt.” growls the snake like voice.”None of the three are as powerful as Celestia and Luna, and one I had to double check simply to make sure I had correctly assessed the power, but they are all there. Ponyville is host to three gods right now, we are not prepared to deal with that many. We are not prepared yet to even deal with one. This fact coupled with the wards is a sure sign we need to fall back.”]

There was silence in the cavern for a time.

“So be it.” the silken voice breaks the quiet. “ I disagree with your assessment of our power, but I cannot fault the caution. We have ways to keep them busy. We did not plan for Celestia keeping close enough relations with other races that she can call other gods for aid. This is a small problem but not insurmountable.”

A slight shift from above draws the shadows attention.

“Your hunt will have to wait mercenary, we cannot risk another trip into that city for a time. Where are the ponies?”questions the first voice.

“Claymore went along with Silver Claw, the other ones trying to be sneaky in Canterlot.” mutters the voice from the ceiling. “She's good enough not to get caught, but its still risky.”

[“ We need to let all three of them know that we are leaving, can you get to her with out alerting the Guards?” ] questions the snake like voice.

“Pffft that oaf of a dragon could get through what passes for a Guard in Canterlot. I mean buck ,I could walk right in and tell her with out any sort of issue.” Chuckles the voice from the ceiling. “ But she has a dead drop set up for me to use. I can leave a note there if you want secrecy.”

“Take no unnecessary risks, once she knows, track down the dragon and tell him of the situation, he knows what to do. We shall meet again at the first place we fled to.” states the first voice.

“Not a problem boss lady, I’m off .” states the shadow by the ceiling wings spreading allowing the form to glide towards a larger cavern opening to the outside.

[“So what do we do now?”]questions the snake like voice.

“I will leave the history book with you. I need to make a small trip before we fall back. I will need to strike at her while surprise is still on our side. If all the attention is focused on Ponyville, then Canterlot will be less guarded. “ the first voice chuckles.

[“Canterlot is a big place. Finding even one such as her will be an issue.”] mutters the snake like voice.

“The book has shown me where she will be. Her routine will be her undoing.” mutters the voice before her form vanishes from the darkness.

The snake like voice sighs as the first voice leaves.

[“ We all have something we want, but your revenge is far more dangerous than I am comfortable with.”] the voice mutters.

=====================================================

“This is bullshit and you know it Claw. That bitch has no intention of fulfilling her end of the deal and we are out here doing all the grunt work.” growls Claymore.

“Do not let your misogynistic tendencies stop you from seeing the very nature of her. She will follow through on her end of the bargain.”responds Silver Claw looking down from his perch atop a large rock.” For a stallion so obsessed with mares, you oddly hate them quite a good deal.”

“I am focused on rebuilding my family line by breeding the strongest of these bitches I can find. Once I become a god I don't have to work so hard at it and their greedy natures will simply have them lining up to be fucked by me. “grumbles Claymore, idly rubbing a deep set of scars along his chest with a hoof.

“Is that why you killed the last pet you had? She was not strong enough?” questions Silver Claw.

“No I killed that bitch cause she wouldn't shut up when I told her to always bucking whimpering or crying.” growls Claymore. “She should have been thanking me for choosing to use her.”

“I question how you were able to find a female to breed with in the past.”sighs Silver Claw. “Your entire process of finding a mate seems flawed to me. You want the strongest mare, but the one with the weakest of will. That is quite contradictory.”

“No, its just rare. My former wife was a tough little bitch, could take anything I threw at her and come back for more, all while doing everything I wanted.”reminisces Claymore.“ Watched that little yellow one for a while, not fond of pegasi really, but that one fills most of what I want. Definitely tougher than she looks, not bad on the eyes either and submissive as they come.”

“If you say so. Please remember to keep your hooves to yourself until we get what we were promised. We have come to far to allow your taste in mares to set us back.” grumbles Silver Claw.

“I'm not the one you need to worry about. I might complain, but you know damn well I can follow orders. The one you need to worry about is that bucking mare I keep getting paired with.” curses Claymore. “ She's a manipulative, conniving little bitch who won't hesitate to offer us up on a platter to any one so long as she gets what she wants. She's the very definition of why I hate females.”

Silver Claw tilts his head looking down at the fuming pony before the campfire.

“Why do I have the feeling you two dated?”

==========================================================

Twilight lay back on the bed with exhausted sigh. Her mother looked over curiously, a small smile on her face before she looks down at Shining again. She rises from her chair trotting over to Twilight tucking her daughter in. Cadence had been forced to go home to get changed and cleaned up before she was allowed to come back.

The pink princess protested profusely, but paled when presented the piercing peer from the peeved parent.

Twilight had to smirk seeing Cadence all but fall over herself to get away from her mothers glare. She was quite used to that stare, which was why she got into bed without incident before her mother turned it on her. It did not help matters that just going out to eat had exhausted her.

She sighs as her mother tucks her in and kisses her cheek before trotting back over to where her father sat watching over her brother.

He was still healing nicely, but he had yet to wake up. She expected him to recover, but it would be nice if he at least be awake enough to say something to Cadence. She was taking this very hard.

Twilight shifts laying on her side, her eyes focusing on the little box resting on the table next to the bed. She had wanted to start on that tonight, but just the effort of moving around today had drained her.

The others had gone back to Ponyville for the night though they planned to come back soon. All of them had their jobs to take care of back home. Twilight had made AJ and Dash Pinkie Pie swear that neither of them would try to do anything until she got back. She did not want to have any of her friends hurt after what she had already been through. The pair reluctantly agreed with Fluttershy guaranteeing that they would be doing nothing of the sort.

Spike had gone home with Fluttershy and Apple Jack, to make sure nothing else happened.

It was not as if she did not trust the Princess that the town was secure, she just wanted something extra just in case. Spike's ability to send letters to the Princess could be invaluable, just as it had been in the past.

She sighs listening to her parents quietly talk on the other side of the room, the soft mutters sending her to sleep.

========================================================

Her hooves made no sound as she moves across the tile floor. This was not the first time she had been to this place, likely it would also not be the last. Getting past the guards was foals play, it was like they just grabbed any idiot off the street and slapped them in armor.

A small smirk crosses her masked and hooded face as she ducks into a shadow avoiding another patrol. The lock on the door was easily picked, she slipped inside before the patrol returned.

The mask over her face helped with the dust, though even she was not skilled enough to hide her tracks in the thick layer of it that covers the floor. Luckily,enough ponies had tread here lately that her hoof prints would not be noticed among them.

It was this place that she had found one of the fabled books and secured her place in the ranks of the darkness. The Book of Blue might not have been as useful as she had hoped, but the rambling speech of a mad creature had shown the way to more interesting things.

Tonight this place was not so much a destination, but a path. The Order had secret passages everywhere and she had found only a hoof full of them sealed in her scouting of the city. The one in this old library led to a place she truly wished to go.

Her current 'leader' had her own agenda, and she had found it was always a good idea to keep her options open. Considering the last time she had relied on some one else, she was left for dead at the mercy of a mad pony.

She refused to have that happen this time. While the promise of becoming a god was a tempting prize indeed, it was always nice to have a back up, just in case things went south.

The shadow clad mare slips behind a book case pushing on a section of wall with a hoof. The brick slides and the well built device pulls the wall back allowing her access to the damp tunnel beyond.

Closing the door behind her she moves down the tunnel a small smirk on her hidden face.

==================================================================

Princess Luna trots slowly through the garden, a look of sorrow on her face. This had not gone as well as she thought. The escape of Sliver Claw and Claymore had possibly turned even Twilight against her. Her sisters grand plan was falling apart because of Discord's actions, Luna was not sure it would have worked any way.

Twilight and her friends were key to the whole plan, but if they did not all agree on the course of action then the whole plan would fail any way. It was far to reliant on too many factors coming together, and that was even if she could agree as well.

She sigh softly, looking up at her full moon, it was almost time to lower the silver orb for the evening. The faint light shown from behind the tall dais that held her friends, their shadows cast across the lawn she stood on.

She lowers her head. She could not keep doing this, even after all this time she still hated and loved them. As they were, she could hold back her anger, though when she had seen them alive the rage was uncontainable. It was primarily directed at him, the former friend and lover who had betrayed her in a effort to save her. Her mind could easily grasp that he done it all to help her, but her emotions would not be so easily held in check.

Her ears perk up suddenly as she whirls about, staring into the darkness behind her. She bites her lip realizing her gaze could not pierce the shadows as they could the rest of the night.

“Who is there !? Show yourself!” demanded Luna.

A bolt of dark green energy rips out of the darkness striking the Goddess of the Night dead in the chest, blasting her backwards into the side of the massive dais. The marble splinters and shatters, crumbling around her, the massive pillar remains standing, though with a large crater in the side of it.

Luna winces lifting her head, struggling to regain her hooves, the unexpected blast making clear thought difficult. She glares at the darkness as she pulls out of the crumbling stone. A black coated mare with green gossamer wings, and a emerald horn emerges from the shadows, the gold and blue mist of her mane and tail whips in a unseen breeze as she looks down at Luna with red and green eyes. A small smirk crosses the alicorns fanged maw.

“Hello again mother. It seems you have seen better days.”

Luna's eyes widen at the sight of the crescent moon over a shield that made up the mares cutie mark. It took her not time to match the image with the name of the mare before her even with the effects of the spell still making clear thought difficult.

“Nocturne.......”whispers Luna.

=============================================

“Thrice damned spell lock, cannot these stupid unicorns use standard locks ...ah there we are.” rants the cowled pony.

The vault door swung open silently revealing nothing behind it save a small gilt silver box. The mare smirks under her mask, lifting the lid of the box with a hoof looking inside.

Six items rest withing, made of gold and gems, five necklaces and one crown. The Elements of Harmony.

Wasting no time, she shoves the lot of them into a saddle bag. She sets the box up with a little surprise before closing the vault door back.

She moves to the secret door taking a last glance around the large chamber. She halts as something something catches her eye on the far side of the room, a blue glow that looked like flame in the moonlight streaming in through the stained glass windows. She swiftly trots over to it curiosity taking hold as she regards the items on the table. Her eyes widen as she pulls off her hood and the mask off her face.

The face of the black coated mare was deeply scarred by fire, sections of her bright red mane were also singed and the scars looked to cover her entire form under the sneaking suit she wore. Two chunks were carved out of her ears where earrings might have been. The wounds were healed, but the scars remained.

Scarlet's grin widens as she looks down at the Waning Moon and the Brilliant Dawn resting on the table in the Royal Treasury.

“This has got to be my lucky day. Magic trinkets and two very dangerous toys. “ muses Scarlet.

She perks her ears, shifting her gaze about to make she she was unheard before moving closer to grip the Waning Moon by the handle. She was all too familiar with this blade, having been the first to feel its bite. Even trapped in stone, she had seen and felt what that fool had done,though she did not blame him after what she had done to him, but that did not make it hurt any less.

She grips the weapon with her teeth planning to tie it to her saddle bags though she stops dead. Another tug produces the same results. She lets go of the handle rubbing her jaw a little, the blade had not moved from the table, it was if it weigh a ton, she had not even managed to budge it.

She ponders simply leaving it and taking the other when a green glow joined the blue fire licking across the blade. If she had not been so close, she might have missed it, at least until the weapon lifts from the table into the air.

She steps back her eyes wide staring at the blade as it slowly spun in mid air, suddenly lurching towards her causing a scream to escape her lips before it banks and launches to the side, shattering one of the stain glass windows as it soared into the night.

She trembles, her head turning to the door as shouts and the thunder of hooves rush to the main entrance.

The door of the chambers burst open and several dozen Royal Guard pour in, spreading about the room looking it over with magic lanterns. A few of them noticed the broken window, and others saw the Waning Moon was missing.

None of them how ever, saw the wall on the far side of the chamber slowly click back into place.

=======================================================

Another blast of magic lashes out at Luna throwing her through another of the gardens statues smashing the horn blowing pony to dust and she is flung through it.

The Princess might have paused for concern at the lives that were being destroyed, but there was the more pressing issue of the dark alicorn that was doing little more than toying with her at the moment.

She had launched several failed counter attacks with her spells, but it had been a long time since she used any combat spells and Nocturne took full advantage of that fact to bat them aside with a shield or simply dodge the weak attacks. It did not help matters that whatever spell she had initially been hit with had made all of her thoughts muddled somehow.

Luna knew she was running out of time however, while Nocturne was simply toying with her now, she must be aware that Celestia would soon wake, if she had not already.

If her 'daughter' was going to kill her it would be soon.

As if reading the goddesses mind, tendrils of magic lash out, wrapping around Luna's neck and wings lifting her in the air and sending jolts of energy into her flailing form.

“So it finally ends mother. Worry not, you shall not die alone, father and the rest of Canterlot shall be joining you soon.” laughs Nocturne.

The dark alicorn was perhaps going to say something else when a scream cut though the predawn air, a blur of blue fire and green energy slices through the tendrils holding Luna dropping her to the ground as the object embeds into the stone path between the two alicorns.

Nocturne's eyes widen at the sight of the Waning Moon before her. She whips around looking up to the top of the dais of the Beasts, seeing a faint glow of green around the kneeling unicorns horn.

“Impossible, YOU CANNOT DO THAT FROM STONE FATHER! THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!”screams Nocturne.

The raging alicorn whips her head back to Luna as the Princess of the Night regains her hooves, the sun suddenly soaring into the sky in the distance, illuminating the forms of dozens of pegasi guards flying towards the garden with the white alicorn princess at their lead.

“Damn it all.”curses Nocturne, blinking out of existence with a faint glow of her horn.

Luna sits down hard as the Guards swarm the garden, Celestia lands before Luna looking concerned as she scans for her sisters attacker.

Luna's gaze falls on the blade still embedded in the ground before her, looking down at the burn marks Nocturne's magic had left on her. She lifts her head looking up at the statues atop of the dais, biting her lip.

“Luna what happened here?” questions Celestia.

“This is by far worse than we thought sister.” mutters Luna. “Much worse.”

"Only the weak are not lonely"

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“Only the weak are not lonely...”

Twilight sighed, looking up at her mother and Cadence as they stared down at her. The pouty face didn't work, nor did logic; it was time for old-fashion stubbornness. She was feeling better and had decided to try to scry on the patch; the keyword here was “try”, as she was going to have to fight to be allowed to do anything. Even after a week of lying on her back, Cadence and her parents were refusing to let her so much as lift a cup with her magic.

“You are barely recovered enough as it is; you do not need to be casting anything yet,” her mother scolded.

“I do have to agree; with the magnitude of that spell, even the doctors say you should refrain from casting anything for a while,” Cadence added.

Spike sat on the bed across from the trio, munching happily on a few small gems her mother had brought him, most likely to keep him distracted enough to not take her side in this.

Twilight sighed. Her magic gripped the small box, yanking away from Cadence. The pink princess glared down at Twilight with the same glare she used when she was her foal sitter. That coupled with her mother’s parental stare was on the verge of freaking her out.

“Shining, they are both doing it now... help,” Twilight whimpered.

A soft chuckle greeted her from the other bed. “I may have said I would be the one to rescue you next time li’l sis, but I’m not crazy enough to try to beat those two,” Shining said softly.

Her brother had finally woken up two days prior. He was not too happy to learn of what she had done, nor how many they had lost. Of course, it had taken all of them to stop him from getting up to go see the Guard still in the hospital. The doctors had finally needed to sedate him. When he woke after that, he at least decided to listen to reason. The reduction of the pain killers probably helped with that as well. While he was still weak, as he healed, he did not seem to mind that Cadence was fawning over him like she was. She had requested ear plugs after only a few moments of those two talking.

She and Shining had spoken as well about what happened, with Twilight filling him in on bits and pieces of what she knew. She was still unsure how many ponies the princesses would want knowing what happened in the past, but by the same token, her brother was nearly killed by the past, so he deserved to know something, at least.

“This is important, though; it's not like it's even a big spell. Princess Luna gave me the patch to find out what happened to allow Claymore and the others to escape,” Twilight pleaded.

“Including the dragon?” Shining muttered.

“Yes!” Twilight yelped as she struggled to keep hold of the box, as both her mother and Cadence had grabbed it and were trying to pull it away from her.

Twilight's father had been staying out of this, simply looking between the mares fussing over his daughter and the damage done to his son. His horn glowed, yanking the box away from all of them and floating it over to himself to look inside at the cloth patch within.

“So this patch will somehow help you?” he asked.

“Princess Luna seems to think so. It should show me what happened in the garden that lead to the escape of the ones who did all this. Maybe some sort of hint as to what they were doing,” Twilight explained.

“And you are sure it is not going to strain you further?” her father questioned again, ignoring the protests of both Cadence and his wife.

“No, it won’t,” Twilight responded.

“Spike, you know about this spell, I assume. Is she correct?” her father asked.

“More or less; there are other issues that have come up from this stupid spell, but nothing that should hurt her,” Spike mumbled around a mouthful of gems. “Besides, like any good assistant, I anticipated something like this and came prepared.”

The purple dragon slipped off the bed and dug around in a bag before pulling out a quill and blank book, as well as the gem she had enchanted to break her free of the spell if something went wrong.

“You try and stop her, and she's just gonna get more stubborn,” he noted sagely.

“While you are the best assistant ever, Spike, your tone still needs a little work,” Twilight chuckled.

“Fine; Twilight, you will be stopped if it looks like something is going wrong. I did not start teaching you magic for you to hurt yourself with it. I am quite familiar with burnout, and even if the princess thinks you one of the strongest unicorn spell casters of our age, you still have limits,” her father explained.

“You were the one who told me to always try to break my limits,” Twilight pointed out.

“Your limits, yes. Yourself along with them, no. Limits can change based on the situation. Remember that, too... Don't give me that look, dear; you know quite well I developed an immunity to it,” Twilight's father spoke, looking at his wife.

He floated the box over to Twilight and set it down next to her.

“Did you need anything else for this?” he asked.

“No, looks like Spike brought everything,” Twilight replied.

“Of course,” Spike beamed.

“Well, everything but humility. I may be out of it for a little while. I am not sure how long this is going to take, really. I just hope I can find something useful,” Twilight sighed.

She adjusted herself in the bed to where she would be most comfortable, altered the spell for the new setup, and took the patch out of the box as the others looked on.

“Spike, make sure that if you use that gem, it’s because something happened. I don't want to sneeze and be yanked away from something important,” Twilight cautioned.

“I only did that once...” Spike grumbles, “Don't worry, I got this.”

“Thanks, Spike,” Twilight said. Her horn glowed lightly as she let the all too familiar feeling of the spell envelop her.

========================================================

Twilight opened her eyes and her lifted head to look around the starry void. There was only one window this time, but she had something else she wanted to check first. Her attention turned to the black space in the darkness where the stars that bothered her had been. The darkness that had hidden them was gone, but only one star remained. Even as she watched, that star moved and was lost in the speckled sky.

She sighed, cursing to herself. If she had asked Celestia about them or even looked into it herself, perhaps this could have all been stopped before anypony got hurt. She was certain now those stars were the ones who had escaped. That there were only six was a relief, but at the same time, which six? She only knew about two at the moment.

She sighed, looking back to the window as she floated closer to it. There was little time to dwell on the past, as she would never get anything accomplished if she focused on what she had failed to do. There was another past to focus on right now, one that might aid in the present.

Gah, this time stuff was annoying.

She paused before the window, looking at it a moment before turning her attention to the stars again.

“Is this what the challenge is, Imbrium? Was this the great pain and trial?” Twilight wondered with a sigh. “I suppose you won't answer that, or you can't. I doubt you stayed around long after you accomplished your goal. Let's get this over with.”

She moved forward, slipping into a window of the past once more.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five statues stood atop a dais in the garden’s center: a zebra in medical garb and light armor, an earth pony in even lighter leather armor robes, a pony-sized dragon, a pegasus in an armored flight suit, and a heavily-armored unicorn. All five have their gazes turned skyward as if following the path of something in the sky each night.
A peal of mocking laughter filled the air as a strange creature poofed into existence on top of the dais in a flash of white light.

The creature had a pony-like head topped with a twisted gazelle horn on the left and an elk antler on the right. A goat-like beard dangled scraggly from its chin, with one long fang jutting from its mouth. A snakelike tongue flicked across the fang as it surveyed the garden with red and yellow eyes.

The creature clapped its two mismatched hands- a lion paw and an eagle’s claw, and danced about on a minotaur leg and a dragon’s leg, fanning the bat and pegasus wings that emerged from its back. Its serpentine body lifted up as it tossed its mane and grinned.

“Well, well, well; oil, water, and brine, in that order, I suppose. it seems the pair of them have been doing some redecorating around the ol' castle while I was locked up. Hmm, so much here I could use. Where to start? Ooooh, is that old Forge Scale? Last I knew, that wench had locked him in Tartarus... Hmmm. Sorry, Forgey, you get to stay put, I really don't want to try to explain what I am doing to one such as yourself. It would take far too long and you always hated my games anyway,” Discord sighed. “Odd, I don't see Ruin here, though. I wonder if he finally got what he wanted? Ah well; Lots of new faces too... hmmm.”

The draconequus looked over the garden, tapping a finger against his chin. “No. No. No... Yes. And No.” Discord muttered, his tail pointing at a few select statues. “I want a bit of fun, not untold death and carnage. I suppose the rest will do nicely to keep those two busy, don't you agree?”

He glanced back at the statues behind him, a second version of himself appearing suddenly behind the lightly armored earth pony, ducking down to barely hide behind the large pony.

“Oh yes, Mr. Discord, a wonderful idea, you are so clever to have thought of it. I cannot wait to be free again,” the second
Discord rattled off in a high-pitched scratchy voice.

“Thank you for the compliment, though you forgot to say I was handsome, too. Ehh, I suppose I don't need a stallion saying that to me anyway. Well, that settles it. Time to go see if Twilight Sparkle can give me what I want, or if I need to wait longer,”

Discord chuckled, raising his fingers to snap.

“DISCORD!!!”

The draconequus tilted his head, looking with mild annoyance at the pair of alicorns flying across the sky towards him.

“Ahh, Celestia, and Princess Moon Butt as well; so nice of you to join me. I am terribly afraid I am unable to stay and chat, as I have some business with the Element Bearers, but don't think I have forgotten your earlier meddling into my affairs. Years of work wasted because of you two and your friends,” Discord snarled briefly before smiling. “Still, the result turned out better than I expected in the end. We just need to repeat it one more time and everything should be perfect.”

He tapped his chin as the two got closer.

“You didn't pay attention to any of that, did you?” Discord sighed. “No matter; I will not allow you to interfere again, so let me introduce you to some old friends.”

The draconequus snapped his fingers. A wave of white energy flooded over the garden, knocking the two alicorns back. As the light cleared the pair saw that Discord was gone. Screams and cries filled the air below them as the statues of the garden began to chip and flake, the living flesh underneath becoming free. For many of the garden’s inhabitants, this was the first freedom they experienced since the first alicorns joined the pony races at the founding of Equestria.
The two alicorns watched in horror.

“Luna, gather the Guard. I will do what I can to contain the worst of them here.”

The princess of the night nodded, tearing off across the sky towards the castle as Celestia dropped down into the maze, her horn glowing brightly.

========================================

The crack of stone sounded out from atop the dais, drowned out among the screams and cries of rage that filled the garden. Stone chips flaked off the five figures standing there, falling to the marble surface at their hooves.

The pegasus screamed loudly, shooting straight up into the air, a small bundle of twigs and straw falling to the ground where she had been. A little blob of pink fur and cuteness poked its head out of the nest in protest.

The earth pony rubbed the rock dust out of his eyes, looking up at the flailing pegasus as she shot skyward before looking back down at the nest and the creature inside.

The dragon and the zebra stared after the mare as well until a blood curdling scream turned all their attention to the unicorn in the middle of the group. The figure burst free of the stone and staggered forward a few steps, his eyes rolled back into his head and a froth rapidly forming from his mouth as he managed a few steps more and collapsed to the ground to lay unmoving on the marble.

“JER!”

“BOSS!”

[“JER'RAHD!”]

Velkorn rushed over to the fallen pony, pressing her nose to his neck to feel for a pulse, her eyes widening at her failure to find one.

[“Bleu, get the armor off him now. Rhede, get Starfall; we might need the Princess,”] Velkorn shouted, digging into her bag.

“How the buck am I supposed to do that? I don't even know where she went thanks to this little guy,” Rhede pointed a hoof at the parasprite, which cooed softly.

The dragonling yanked on the straps and peeled the chest plate from the fallen unicorn. Velkorn shooed her away, smashing a vial on the ground at his nose. The vapors made both Rhede and Bleu cough, but the unicorn had no reaction. She placed her ear to his chest, her eyes going wide before she rolled him onto his back, striking a spot on his chest with a fore hoof repeatedly. She pressed both hooves together shoving on the spot hard as she lets loose a string of swear words that caused Rhede's ears to flatten.

“Velkorn, what the buck happened?!” Rhede asked.

[“His heart has stopped. Bleu, I need you to shock him with your breath weapon. Aim for his chest.”] Velkorn ordered.

The zebra hopped away as Bleu bit her lip. She reared up and let a blast of electricity loose from her maw, trusting the zebra medic knew what she was asking. The bolt of power slammed into the chest of the unicorn, scorching his fur and making his mane and tail stand on end.

Velkorn darted back over, pressing her ear to his chest before striking against the same spot she a few more beats before hopping back and ordering Bleu to do it again.

The blast once more struck the gray unicorn, sending his body into a spasm, the mark on his chest from the blast becoming larger. Velkorn rushed back over, her ear pressing to Jer'rahd's chest again. A small smirk crossed her face and she sat down with woosh of breath.

“Velky, what the heck happened?” Bleu asked

[“I have no idea. Perhaps if we can figure out why Starfall flew off, it will be the same as him,”] the zebra suggested.

“We know why Starfall left in a huff. She had a parasprite nest under her wing.” Rhede muttered. “Does anyone know why we are awake? I don't see Luna or Celestia anywhere.”

“I saw Celestia, though there's a rather large problem here,” Starfall said in a huff, landing lightly back on the surface of the dais. “What happened to Jer'rahd?”

“Boss died again,” Bleu grumbled, “Velky says he’s getting better, though.”

“What? Why?” Starfall questioned.

“We don't know and we would likely have to ask Celestia. Now what's going on, Starfall?” Rhede asked.
The pegasus ignored him a moment as she trotted towards the nest with the little ball of cooing fluff in it. She trembled visibly, staring down at it a moment before rearing up and slamming her hoof down on the nest ,crushing the creature within, a violent shudder running though her form.

“You done now?” Bleu snapped. “Or should I go look myself?”

“From what I saw from the air, the entire garden has woken up. There's total chaos right now in this place. There's a large pack of some kind of wolf creatures attacking a section of guards at the main exit to the garden, and quite a few ponies in the gardens are getting killed by other things in there. There's a bunch of guards surrounding the garden, and the princess has gathered a small number to herself as she tries to deal with this,” Starfall explained. “I am not sure what happened or why, let alone what we should do.”

“What we should do is easy,” a voice groaned, “We go help the guards and try to get this place under control. There are far too many things here that do not need to make it out.”

“Boss!” Bleu shouted as the unicorn struggled to get his hooves under him.

“Jer, what the buck happened?” Rhede asked.

“I fed it,” Jer replied, pushing himself to his hooves.

“You need to lie back down; you are in no shape to be up and around,” Velkorn lectured.

The pony ignored her, trotting to the edge of the dais and looking over the scrambling chaos below. Ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and other unimaginable creatures rampaged about below, killing each other, trying to escape, or just trying to hide.

“Starfall, go let Celestia and the guards know we are here to help them. Velkorn, I need you to take down as many as you can without killing them. We don't know if any of them are innocents trapped here with the escapees. Go with Bleu. Bleu, I want you to find the ones that do not seem much of a threat and move them up here. Rhede, I need you to watch my back and make sure they are as little of a threat as they seem when Bleu brings them back here,” Jer ordered.

“And what are you going to be doing? Resting I hope,” Velkorn said.

“Your heart stopped.” Rhede added.

“Better if I didn't recover from that. Maybe it will give me a second chance to die this time,” mutters Jer.

“What?”

“Never mind, just go,” Jer commanded, his horn glowing brightly.

Starfall nodded, taking off into the air as Bleu changed sizes, allowing Velkorn to hop onto her back before she takes off into the air. Jer'rahd's horn glowed brighter as he started to cast, but it went out suddenly as a red globe of energy covered the sky, surrounding the garden as far as he could see.

“I am impressed, Jer,” Rhede whistled. “Used tah be you couldn't do half this much.”

“That was not me,” Jer replied, “Someone else cast that.”

“Well, I suppose so long as it works. I guess they managed to get a competent guard or two in the Royal Guard,” Rhede's eyes narrowed as he looks to his friend. “So what did you feed?”

Jer'rahd sighed, looking up at the sky before trotting over to put his armor back on. Rhede was about to say something when he saw the scar from Bleu's lightning was all but gone. It was little more than a dark scar added to the ones already covering the unicorn, one that looked like it happened years ago.

“How did you spend your time, Rhede?” Jer asked, “Do you remember any of it?”

“No; slept like a foal, I figure. I don't really remember anything. I know I was being turned to stone, then nothing that I can clearly recall ‘til the spell started wearing off a little bit ago,” Rhede rambled. “Why?”

“I slept as well, but I recall everything from the entire time,” Jer muttered as he pulled a strap of his armor tighter.

“I don't see how that explains why your heart stopped when you woke up,” Rhede said.

Jer'rahd lifted his head, looking at his friend before sighing. “Rhede, what happens when I sleep?” Jer asked. “More importantly, what happens when I sleep after we went to Neighlantis?”

“You get nightmares...” Rhede's eyes widened. “By Celestia...”

“She only had a little bit to do with it Rhede. I just spent a long time in absolute terror with something inside me that feeds on fear,” Jer stated without a hint of emotion. “Better Velkorn had not revived me than let something like that loose.”

“Buck... there's got to be something we can do, isn't there? You seem alright now,” Rhede questioned pleadingly.

“I am keeping it in check, but I have no idea if I can keep doing that.” Jer replied, “It used to be I just heard it whispering, but now it’s screaming.”

Rhede looked as if he wanted to keep asking things when the sound of leathery wings drew their attention upward.
Bleu flapped her wings as she came in for a landing. Her forearms crossed her chest, holding three forms cradled in them as she touched down on her rear legs.

Velkorn did not even wait for Bleu to land fully before leaping off her back and darting over to Jer'rahd, shoving Rhede out of the way as she glared at the now re-armored unicorn. Rhede staggers to the side a bit, blinking at Velkorn before moving to the bodies Bleu was setting on the stone dais.

“What's with these three?” he asked as Velkorn started shouting at Jer'rahd.

Two earth pony mares lay on the ground in what looked like short skirts and partially torn open white button-up shirts. The two mares were a pale peach coloration, though one’s mane and tail was bright green and the other’s was an almost neon blue.

The male pony looked somewhat feral. He was a dark sickly green with patches of scales and leathery skin that showed he was not quite fully earth pony. Granted, the dozen or so strange tentacles sprouting from his back helped cement that fact.

“Strangest thing I have seen in a while. I think the stallion was trying to rape the pair of them with those tendril things. Velkorn kinda jumped off my back and landed on him. She belted the other two when they turned to attack her once they were let go. Insert an 'I’ve seen enough hentai' joke here,” Bleu muttered.

“Enough what?” questioned a confused Rhede.

“Never you mind. Velky, let’s go. We have a great deal of ground to cover, and you know Boss ain't gonna listen, even if you were talking in pony,” Bleu shouted.

The zebra cursed again, rushing towards the dragon, but stopping to stare at Rhede. Her ears flattened and she snorted angrily and smacked him rather forcefully on the nose.

[“Hooves off them, Pelt,”] Velkorn snapped before bouncing back onto Bleu's back as Rhede rubbed his nose. He looked at the unconscious ponies before trotting back over the Jer'rahd.

“Did I miss something between you two while I was out, Rhede?” Jer asked.

“If so, I must have slept through it, too. So how long do you think we were asleep?” Rhede asked. “Do you think Luna is free?”

“I think she is. I think she has been here as well. Sometimes the nightmares stopped, always with a silvery full moon that kept them at bay. Same as it was before,” Jer explained.

Rhede nodded, though he was not quite sure what his friend was talking about.

“Well, as soon as Starfall gets here with Celestia, we will know for sure,” he smirked. “I kinda want to go have a look at the Guards at the gate, see how some of the mares look nowadays.”

“Rhede, depending on how far in the future we are, most of those mares likely have a little bit of you in them with how you got around,” Jer grumbled.

“If they look good enough, and it's been long enough, I am more than willing to put a lot more of me into them,” Rhede stated with a smirk.

=====================================================

Starfall glided under the red shield, rather curious as to who raised it. Below her, all manner of chaos was going on. Things were fighting below her that she had never considered existing. Some were creatures that she recognized from fables as a child: a smiling purple feline and a creature that seemed similar to something called a Jaberwocky from an old foals poem, a old pony that seemed like a zombie screamed about her horse shoe, and a headless pony galloped through the maze, chasing a host of diamond dogs with metallic skin. In the distance, a number of shadowy flying creatures beat themselves against the shield seeking escape. Screams and roars filled the air, echoing loudly against the red dome.

It felt good to get into the air again; she was not sure how long she had been in stone, but she had been aware of bits and pieces of it. It had been odd when she was first changed to stone. She had woken up at the first snowfall, unable to move, though she could see and hear everything around her, though she did not feel the cold and could not move or react to anything.

It was boring, though; she had dozed off again before she could panic about being stuck like that. She woke at various times across the seasons and spent a long number of years freaking out as a parasprite found a small gap between her wing and her body and built a nest there.

She had always been terrified of the things, ever since she was a little foal and she found one in the woods. She had thought it cute and brought it home. Once there, it proceeded to eat nearly all her toys and the contents of her room. She had been sure it would come for her next, though her screaming had brought her father into the room and he had killed it.
She was unsure how long she had been in that state with the creature under her wing. The moment she was free, her reaction was the same as it always was: fly far, fly fast. She had not gone far when the fear left her and she could take stock.
There was no reason for her to be afraid of the things; she was no longer the same little girl she was before. Not for who knew how many years. She had scouted where she was and seen Celestia and then returned to the group to report her findings and kill the creature that haunted her foalhood. She was still terrified facing it, but she managed to kill it nonetheless. Now if she could only get rid of her hatred for griffons as well.

--------------------------------------------------------

Twilight pulled back, shaking her head. How had she suddenly focused on Starfall? The patch was Jer'rahd's wasn't it? Had she gotten good enough that she could focus on anyone, or was the spell still keyed to the former Element Bearers? Perhaps she had been using and tweaking the spell so often that all she needed was a focus for the time and not the pony. This could open a whole new world of possibilities. It was something that she needed to look into later, as it could be useful.
She slipped back into the window.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starfall tilted her head at a noise like thunder. Looking down into the hedge maze, she spotted the source.

A bolt of lightning slammed into the side of a large pale red scaled form. A multitude of heads thrashed around, taking bites at its attackers or firing blasts of fire at several ponies in Royal Guard armor. Princes Celestia was among them, trying to cast a spell, but the creature was not giving her a chance to focus with its constant attacks.

As she watched, a guard with a large ax cleaved off one of the beast’s heads. Rather than pressing the attack, he bounds away as a pair of heads sprouted from the stump. Both of them fired a blast of flame at the guard, setting his tail on fire.
Starfall regarded it curiously; she had never seen a hydra that spit fire. That was normally what was used to stop their heads from regrowing. The beast was large, but not nearly as massive as some of the ones she had seen. Besides, there was an easier way to take these things out if you could get past the heads. Hopefully, that still worked with this creature.

The purple-maned pegasus flew up to the top of the dome, hoping she had enough room to do it. She kicked off the shield and rocketed towards the creature, a grin crossing her face as the air started to cone around her outstretched hooves.
It had been far too long since she cut loose.

==========================================

Celestia cursed, dodging another blast from the pyro hydra. These things were exceptionally rare in the wild and never lived anywhere near ponies. This one had been different. Just over five hundred years ago, it had rampaged across the countryside making meals out of ponies and anything else it could shove into its gullet. Hydras tended to be tough beasts by nature, but they were normally vulnerable to fire. This type of hydra healed from flames, this one in particular also had a strong magical resistance that allowed it to shrug off all but the strongest spells.

If she recalled correctly, it had finally been captured after losing a staring contest with a cockatrice that somepony had herded towards it. She had been trying to reseal it in stone, but a spell that would get past its resistance was taking longer to cast than the creature would allow.

“Princess, what’s that sound?” a guard shouted as he deflected an attack from one of the heads with his spear.

Her ears perked, making out a high pitched whine that was drawing closer. The Goddess of the Sun looked up just as a pegasus broke the cone of air around her. A corona of light burst from her form moments before the purple-maned mare slammed into the main body of the beast.

Celestia raised a shield around herself and her guards as the hydra screamed out from all its heads, exploding into flaming chunks of charred meat as the impact forced its insides out though its multiple heads and the few wounds the guards had managed to inflict.

As the dust and smoke started to settle, the black-armored pegasus climbed out of the small crater, cursing about the mess as she shook herself off. Celestia lowered her shields as the guards move to surround this new threat.

Starfall paused, looking at the weapons pointed at her with mild disinterest before looking up at the Princess of the Sun and bowing lightly.

“It has been a while, Princess. I expect longer for you than me, however,” she quipped.

It only took Celestia a moment to piece together who she was. She had only ever seen two pegasi perform the sonic rainboom and rainnuke, and only one would speak in Old Canterlot. The name came easily once that connection was made.

“Starfall Silvertail...” Celestia chuckled. “It has been a while. Over a thousand years, to be exact. Would you mind not doing that again? The young lieutenant Shining Armor's shield is quite strong, but I am not sure how many rainbooms it could take.”

Starfall's slight smirk faded as Celestia told her how long she had been in stone. Her daughter would be centuries dead by now. There was no hope at all of ever reconciling with her.

“If you say so, Princess. General Kaisur wanted me to find you and get an assessment of the situation,” Starfall reported, then nodded towards the guards around her. “You mind getting them to stand down?”

Celestia noticed the pegasus’s tone darken and nodded to the guards, who stepped back. Of course this one would be thinking about her daughter.

“The situation is this, Starfall: Discord has escaped and woken nearly every creature in the garden. The Royal Guard is outside the shield trying to contain the ones that escaped, along with Luna. A compliment of Guards and I are in here trying to recapture the more dangerous ones before they have a chance to make it to the barrier,” Celestia explained.

“I see. He has Velkorn and Bleu moving about stunning and rescuing some of the ones that seem to be in trouble. They are bringing them back to where we were in stone,” Starfall explained. “The General made the offer to help if you needed it before; I suppose that still stands. It does look as though you might need some assistance.”

Celestia noded though her attention was turned to one of her guards who had been struck by the Hydra. He was alive, but badly injured. Her horn glowed, the aura surrounding the armored pony before he blinked out of existence. Celestia sighed, hoping that the medics outside the garden were prepared to receive the number of injured she was sending them.

“I would prefer if you try to keep them alive; not everything in the garden is a dire threat. Some were sealed because they have a chance at redemption,” Celestia sighed, “The same as you five were.”

“I am sure the hydra did not care for redemption, Princess,” Starfall muttered as she scooped up the injured guard's blade. “I will inform him, though I would ask you go find him; something is wrong with him.”

“Something is wrong?” Celestia questioned.

“Yes; Velkorn says he died again,” Starfall replied as she took off into the air.

Celestia looked up after the pegasus curiously before turning her attention to her guards.

“Alright, we need to head for that pillar.”

“Princess, are you sure you can trust her?” a guard asked.

“Something wrong, Sergeant... Peach Blossom, was it?” Celestia questioned.

The white pegasus nodded.

“Yes, Princess. It's just... she killed the hydra and didn't even seem to break a sweat or be bother by the blood and mess it made. Just the sight of what’s left of that creature is making me ill and she barely gave it any more thought than some pony would swatting a fly,” the orange-maned stallion complained.

“She is from a different time, Sergeant,” Celestia sighed, “If this bothers you, one of the more hardened ponies of this era, then my thousand years have not been wasted.”

“Princess?

“Never mind, Sergeant; are you up to continue? If she bothers you, then her commander will likely make you wet yourself.”

====================================================

When they first flew over the dead-end section of the maze, the ponies were facing off against a white maticore that had them cornered. A dozen or so bodies exactly like each other lay strewn at the beast’s claws. A wall of the same ponies stood between the beast and what Bleu figured was the source at the back of the group.

Sweat ran down the blue and white spotted pony’s body. The stallion had no mane or tail and he seemed to turn to some kind of goop before splitting, though each split seemed to wear it out further. As Bleu circled, the pony in the back collapsed and the others slowly followed suit like dominoes.

The maticore roared and leaped for the source pony, only to smash into the ground as the full weight of a blue dragon impacted its back, crushing the beast’s spine and ribcage under her weight.

[“I said gently, Bleu!”] Velkorn snapped.

“That was gently. If I did it hard, the thing wouldn’t need to have a grave dug for it,” Bleu replied “What’s with you? You’re all snappish today.”

Velkorn checked over the strange ponies, nodding for Bleu to gather them up as she climbed onto the dragon’s back.

[“Do you recall any of your time as a statue?”] Velkorn asked.

“A little; it’s like I was asleep sometimes and woke up other times,” Bleu replied, “It was kinda weird.”

[“I spent the whole time awake. It is small wonder I have not gone mad. I spent the entire time in either meditation or reciting my books and studies from memory,”] Velkorn grumbled.

“Religious fecal matter, that sucks! Are you sure you're okay, Velky?” the dragon asked. “How long were you staring at nothing? I have no idea how long we were out.”

[“Nor do I. It is rather hard to keep track of days when they number in the thousands of thousands and you have no way to mark the time aside from your thoughts. It has, however, been a full season since Princess Luna returned.”] Velkorn stated.

“Oh cool, Lulu's back? It is her, right, not Nightmare Moon?”

[“Near as I could tell. She has come to look at us with Celestia on more than one occasion. The last few months, she has been on the dais every night to raise the moon and lower it.”]

The conversation paused as Bleu dropped off the first load of clone ponies and flew off for more. Rhede had found some rope somewhere and tied up the first group. Jer'rahd had not moved from the edge of the dais.

“Well, I guess that means she's not forgiven us yet,” Bleu muttered.

[“I do not consider that much of an issue now. I would much prefer to be freed; the rest of you can wait for her forgiveness if you wish.”] Velkorn snapped.

“What? You agreed to wait before.”

[“I did so for the wrong reasons.”]

“Rhede?”

[“Pelt... yes... were it not for him, I would not even be here. I would likely have been back in my homeland as a Queen still. All that is bad that has happened to me has come from my pursuit of that stallion.”]

Bleu landed, collecting the remaining clone ponies.

“Well, I think you would have been dead by this point in time. But if you stayed home, you never would have met any of us.”

[“I could have dealt well with that.”]

Bleu turned her head, looking at Velkorn with as cute a face as she could muster as a massive blue dragon. The zebra leaned back, trying not to meet the dragon’s gaze.

“But, but, I thought we were friends...” Bleu whimpered, still offering puppy dog eyes.

Velkorn rubbed her face with a hoof.

[“We are friends Bleu... I am... I am just taking it out on you when I should not. I am sorry.”]

“S'okay,” Bleu perked back up as if not upset at all. “That long just staring at things would get me pretty pissed, too.”

[“It has given me a long time to think about my situation with Rhede as well. Despite what was done, he has always been correct.”]

“Correct about what?” Bleu launched herself into the air, carrying the rest of the clones.

[“That I should have found someone else to love. But I let myself succumb to the curse because I thought him worthy.”]

“The what?”

================================================

Jer'rahd looked up at the white alicorn and to the Guard surrounding her.

“So what did you want us to do then, Celestia?” Jer'rahd asked. “I gather you want as many as possible taken alive.”

“Yes. The pyro hydra and the maticore could not be helped, it seems, and there are likely other creatures that will be the same way. If they cannot be safely taken alive then do what you must,” Celestia commanded. “There are three of these large pillars in the garden. They will make good places to put those that you capture or send those who are cooperative. I will also post a pegasus at each for contact. There are a number of guard units doing the same as you are; I will inform them that you are going to help.”

Jer'rahd nodded as Celestia's horn glowed, forming a map.

“I want you five to focus on this section of the garden here,” Celestia said, pointing to a large spot deep in the hedge maze with a hoof, causing the area on the map to turn red. “Some of the more dangerous creatures are housed there, as well as many things I am not sure of from the previous garden. I have made one pass through that point already and sealed some of them, but there are more than I can safely deal with by myself. I would send Luna with you, but she is still busy outside the shield with the things that escaped before it went up.”

“I doubt she wants to work with us again anyway, Celestia,” Jer muttered, “though once this is done, I would like to know how she was cured.”

“The ones currently combating Discord freed her with the Elements of Harmony. The very thing we were unable to do so long ago, they accomplished last year,” Celestia explained.

“Does she know we are here?” Rhede asked.

Velkorn winced a little at Rhede's comment. Bleu looks at the zebra and sighed, knowing the answer already.

Celestia sighd, “We need to get moving before this gets worse. Pausing to explain the situation even this long may have been too much. I will be on this side of the same area. There are not many of the Royal Guard who would be able to deal with this as well as you five can.”

“Fine; there will be plenty of time to talk about this later,” Jer'rahd said.

[“Celestia, if I might pose a question,”] Velkorn asked.

“Hmm? Yes, what is it? Please make it brief, Velkorn.”

[“When Jer'rahd was first freed of stone, his heart stopped, yet now he seems as if it did not even happen. I have never known one to recover from death that quickly. Even someone such as him should not be back on his hooves less than a hour afterward.” ]

Celestia looked from the zebra to the gray unicorn as he climbed up onto Bleus's back, yelling at the others to hurry.

“I will look into it later, Velkorn. Perhaps he is simply being stubborn again. I do not know why he would have died, though. Please keep an eye on him, stop him if something like that looks to happen again.”

Velkorn nodded, darting over to join the others on Bleu's back. The dragon nodded and she and Starfall took off into the air headed for the section of the garden Celestia pointed them to.

“Will they be alright, princess?” a Guard asked. “They only took a dozen daggers and a pair of swords from what we offered.”

“I suspect that they will probably do better than us, Sergeant. Let us go.”

==================================================

Bleu landed at the edge of the zone and they decided to move in and sweep the area between the shield and the pillar.
There was already a hole in the barrier that was growing wider as they approached. Bleu landed among a collection of skeletons and scraps of cloth. Most of the skeletons seemed to be of unicorns, though alicorns’ and some other creatures’ bones covered the ground as well, picked clean with little bite marks on them. It was not clear that the skeletons were unicorns at first until the holes in the skulls were noticed, the horns either pulled out or devoured.

A blur of winged movement was swirling around the edges of the hole in the shield with what looked like metallic parasprites gnawing at the magic barrier.

Starfall froze and Bleu fired off her breath weapon, vaporizing a large mass of them. While thinning the numbers, it also drew the swarm’s attention to them. Jer'rahd formed his own shield around the group to keep the swarm at bay, only to have them start gnawing on his shield.

The unicorn winced feeling the first bites on his barrier.

“HURRY UP BLEU, THEIR EATING MY SHIELD,” he shouted, raising another green glowing barrier between the group and the swarm.

“I can only do that every other round, Boss; gotta give me a moment to recharge.” Bleu snapped.

“Shit, they are getting through Jer,” Rhede yelped as he impaled one with a dagger. “Weapons work fine on them, though. What the hell are they made of?”

Sweat formed on Jer'rahd face as he raised more barriers. “Star metal. They are damn parasprites made of star metal,” He growled. “I think they might really want to eat me, judging by the bodies here. Starfall, a little help!”

The pegasus whimpered at the mass of the bugs around her as Bleu fired another blast of lightning though a hole eaten in the shield. Velkorn and Rhede both dashed around, stomping the things. Jer'rahd cursed, yanking his head to the side as one of them made it through to snap at his horn.

Starfall fanned out her wings suddenly, pulling her goggles over her eyes. “General, drop the shields when I say so. Bleu, get ready to zap them,” she snarled.

Jer'rahd whipped his head to the side again, avoiding another bite, before lunging at the parasprite. His own jaws snapped down on the little beast, crunching it to paste. The unicorn suddenly looked as green as his shields as he spat out the bits of parasprite, nearly retching. He managed a nod.

“NOW!” The pegasus was moving before the green glow of Jer'rahd's shields vanished completely, her form a blur as she whirled and spun about the clouds of parasprites. The little creatures flailed wildly as they were drawn along in the speedy pegasus's wake and quickly sucked up into a vortex as Starfall flew in a tight circle in the air, a small funnel cloud forming of dust, debris and parasprites.

Bleu grinned, launching into the air over the spinning dervish. Breathing in deeply, her fangs crackled with lightning as Starfall yanked herself away from the whirlwind just as Bleu cuts loose with the bolt of lightning, frying all the metallic parasprites that had been sucked up within.

Starfall's hooves hit the ground, her body still spinning, leaving corkscrew-like grooves in the ground before she managed to stop. She stood there a moment before turning green herself and rushing off to a bush to review what she ate a thousand years previous. Evidently, the spinning was a bit much for her.

Jer'rahd was not doing much better, and was currently chewing on grass trying to get the horrid taste from his mouth.
The others kept watch, but no other parasprites seemed to be present in the area.

“It seems there's some rather nasty things kept in here,” Rhede chuckled, “And here I thought we were the worst things in this garden.”

“We are still alive; they are not, fluffy flank. I say that opinion is still unchanged,” Bleu countered.

“Don't get cocky; we just started this mission. Gah!” Jer'rahd gagged. “Please tell me someone has some wine or something to get this taste out of my mouth.”

================================================

“Oh, not these things again. Bleu, tell them to wait by the pillar over there,” Starfall groaned.

Bleu sighed, looking down at the tribal teddy bear-like things that were bowing and scraping before her. There were only six, but they were decidedly the same things that the group had encountered in the Darklands.

“I don't speak... whatever these things are,” she grumbled.

“Just point and yell; seems to be how dragons got them to listen before,” Rhede suggested.

Bleu sighed, roaring and gesturing wildly pointing to one of the nearby pillars and then the bear creatures. After a moment, they seemed to get the gist of it and raised their spears up screaming and hollering as they charged the pillar like it was a castle they needed to conquer for their overlord.

Jer'rahd slapped his face with a hoof as Velkorn simply chuckled.

“If those turn out to be some sort of invincible teddy bear things and take over Canterlot, I am blaming Rhede.” Bleu grumbled.

===================================================

“What even were those things?” Rhede shudderd.

The group departed another section of the hedge maze, waiting for Bleu and Starfall to return from dropping the strange creatures off.

“I don't know, but they seemed as confused as we were at first. They knew Bleu was a dragon, but they did not seem to grasp that we were ponies,” Jer considered. “The large one called itself a Reeka and the tall one called itself a Draggle. “

“I think those where their names,” Rhede suggested. “They didn't seem dangerous though; rather incompetent with all their arguing.”

[“I wonder what a phlume is....”] Velkorn muttered.

======================================

“Okay, going by what we have seen before, I expect this to be some sort of monster that will try to eat us, just like that blasted rabbit,” Jer growled.

“I told you to look at the bones, Boss, but no one believes the dragon,” Bleu whined. “Everyone just says 'Oh it was just a harmless bunny'; you're lucky to still have your head.”

“Bleu, stuff it. We get it, so what are we going to do with this... puppy?” Jer wondered.

“Maybe we can confuse it by running away further?” Rhede said.

“It's a white, blue-eyed puppy in an unbuttoned teal shirt sitting alone in a grass field,” Starfall shrugged.”Can anyone see what the collar says from here?”

[“I think it says ‘Peter’. I also believe he is chewing on an earthworm.”]

“Let's just let Princess Celestia know where this thing is and move on. It doesn't seem to be going anywhere,” Rhede grumbled.

“Fine. After that rabbit, I don't trust anything innocent around here,” Jer'rahd replied.

The group slowly slunk away, leaving the puppy with its strange chew toy.

==============================================

Bleu peeked around the corner of a hedge, looking at an object on a hill, before ducking back around the corner. Jer'rahd poked his head out to see what she was looking at and sighed.

“What is it, Jer?” Rhede asked from behind the dragonling.

“It's a gazebo,” Jer replied.

“What color?”

“White or off-white, I think. Hard to tell from here.”

“How far away?

“About fifty yards or so.”

“How big?”

“I dunno, about four ponies long and three high, with a pointed top. What does it matter, Rhede?”

“Is it doing anything?”

“What? No, it’s just sitting there. It’s a gazebo.”

“Think it will be a problem?”

“Rhede, honestly, are you messing with me, or is your brain still part stone? It's a gazebo. Look!”

Jer'rahd dragged the earth pony around to show him as Bleu chuckled. Rhede stared at the thing a moment and then glared at Jer'rahd.

“You could have just told me it was a pavilion,” he snapped.

“I did.”

“No, you said it's a gazebo. What the heck kind of made up word is gazebo any way?”

Starfall and Velkorn both smirked as the pair started to argue as they continued on, the small taste of normalcy rather comforting.

======================================

“Bleu, stay back; this thing doesn't seem to like you,” Jer ordered.

Bleu nodded, slipping back behind the bush and looking over the top of it at the massive green dragonfly seemingly made of crystal. The creature rested on an overturned pedestal, one of its wings crushed and several cracks led the length of its side.

“Velkorn, you know anything about this?” Starfall asked.

“I can see the damage to its side, but with what it is made of, I could not help it if I tried.”

“Everybody shush... it's saying something. I know this language...” Rhede said before quickly trotting closer, his ears perked as the creature seemed to hum something, sounding all the world like a crystalline chime.

“Careful Rhede,” Starfall snapped.

Rhede listened to it intently before the creature gave a last shudder and turned into dust, collapsing to the ground like a shower of green crystal sand. The others slowly moved up, looking at the remains of the creature.

“What did it say, Rhede?” Jer asked.

“I didn't get all of it. The thing was using a dead language that I only partially studied. I think it said, ‘tainted generosity returns, the love-cursed king, the empire will rise.' That's it,” Rhede recited.

“Great, another ominous warning. Remind me to pass that on to Celestia when we see her again,” Jer sighed. “Like we do not have enough problems.”

======================================================

Rhede twitched at the monstrosity before them. Both Jer and Starfall looked ill as well. Bleu was simply staring at it and Velkorn was tilting her head to one side, then the other, as if unable to comprehend its anatomy properly.

The 'pony', as it called itself, was on some sort of tangent about her hat, seemingly to herself though she occasionally would ask their opinions about it then completely ignore the response.

The creature appeared to be a pale blue earth pony with multicolored mane, tail, and eyes. It did sport a cutie mark that was a rainbow stretched between two clouds, it also had a pink heart tattooed on its left forehoof.

From there, the similarities to any pony any of them had ever seen ended. Its eyes were tiny and stared vacantly into ones soul; the creature’s body was plump and its legs looked unsuited to carrying its bulk. The head looked like a foal’s attempt to sculpt a pony out of clay. Its snout was long, square, and flat; Velkorn briefly described it as looking similar to a massive beast from the zebra lands called a hippo.

And then there was the hat. It seemed to have started life as a simple sun bonnet of thatch with a purple band around it. The hat band, however was so full of feathers, it looked like it an entire continent’s worth of birds died to supply them. At first, they had thought it was part of her head, until she took it off.

“Yes, well, anyway... Miss... umm, Rainbow Dash, was it? The party, I suppose, is over there at the large pillar, so if you leave now you can, err I guess, be fashionably late?” Rhede suggested.

“Of course dahling; so kind of you to let me know,” Rainbow Dash declared, “I must admit, you all look quite dashing in those uniforms. Ah do hope to see you if you are at the party, dahlings.”

As the strange 'pony' trundled, off Starfall chuckled. “So, did we just meet Rhede's newest conquest?”

Bleu nearly choked trying to hold back a laugh, and Velkorn simply smirked.

“Not a chance,” Rhede stated. “I wouldn't touch that thing with someone else's dick.”

===============================================

Celestia looked down from the top of the pillar, wincing a little at the report Jer'rahd was giving. All of the creatures they had sent back to the dais were stone statues in varying poses atop the structure now.

“I am sorry about the parasprites, Kaisur. I knew there was a statue of a single one, but I did not know why one would be turned to stone,” Celestia explained.

“Something before your time, I suppose. Likely something else of Aviana's,” Jer grumbled. “It doesn't matter. As far as I know, we killed them all, but they seemed to have eaten a few unicorns, at least two alicorns, and some other things, judging by the bones.”

Celestia nodded, ignoring the comment about her old friend. The Princess of the Sun turned to Rhede.

“Please tell me again what the dragonfly said, Pelt”

“Like I said, the first time, all I understood was, 'tainted generosity returns, the love-cursed king, the empire will rise.' Not exactly much to go on,” he muttered.

“I know what it means, and that is a bad sign. I am sorry to hear that Greenwitch passed. He was another who chose to be turned into a statue by choice. He had hoped to see his land returned from the curse it was under. I will need to send some ponies north to watch for its return,” Celestia reflected.

“Yes, that's nice. What is it?” Jer snapped.

Celestia seemed about to respond when a green flash of flame spiraled into existance above her horn, dropping a scroll before her. Celestia's magic caught and unfurled the note, her expression darkening as she read it.

“Oh no... She has lost her way. This is terrible.” Celestia lamented, starting to pace, her ears flat against her head. She suddenly stopped dead and brightened considerably. “The letters... Kaisur, take the others and return to your pillar. I will meet you there again once I have dealt with this.” She commanded. “Sergeant, I need you to inform my sister of what has gone on in here, and tell lieutenant Shining I will wish to see him once this crisis is averted. I will return soon enough.”

Before anyone else could say anything, Celestia's horn flashed and she vanishes.

“Busy mare,” Rhede muttered.

Sergeant Peach Blossom nodded. “She has been quite rushed in the year since her sister returned to her. The events of today have been especially trying with Discord's return,” he explained. “I am not exactly sure who you five are, but your help has been invaluable. Thank you. You may have helped save Equestria a great deal of grief.”

“Wouldn't be the first time,” Bleu quipped. “We flying back, Boss?”

Jer'rahd shook his head, saluting the Sergeant as he headed down the ramp of the west pillar. The others followed suit, leaving the Royal Guard to finish up.

“What's up, Jer?” Rhede asked as he caught up with him. “Something else on your mind?”

“We forgot to check on some statues that we should have gone after first,” Jer replied.

“Really? Who?” Bleu asked.

“Razor Wing,” Starfall snarled, catching on to what Jer'rahd was suggesting.

“Silver Claw and Scarlet as well,” Jer grumbled.

“Claymore,” Bleu hissed.

[“Bloodtail,”] Velkorn shivered.

“Shit... what the hell are we walking for?” Rhede growled, starting to gallop.

Bleu shrank down, hopping onto Jer'rahd's back as the group rushed to the last place they had seen the statues of those they would have rather seen dead.

================================================

“HAAAAALP!!! SOME PONY HAAAALP!!”

The group skidded to a halt at the yell. The sound of foals screaming and the occasional thwack of something striking an unyielding surface was easily heard in the row of hedges along with a host of slavering growls.

“Now what?” Jer growled.

“Sounds like foals. Could be a trap,” Rhede uttered.

“If it's real, we can't leave them. You all go check it out. I'll go on to the statues,” Jer ordered.

”I'll go with you,” Starfall snapped.

“You will go with them in case it’s a trap; they will need you as well. I don't need anyone to help me look,” Jer replied.

“I have a score to settle, General,” Starfall snarled.

“Abandoning another foal for revenge, Starfall?” Jer growled.

There was a loud crack as Starfall's hoof connects to Jer'rahd's face, actually staggering him back a bit. The rage on her face made it clear she was refraining from doing more than just slapping him for that comment.

“Damn, Jer. That was cold,” Rhede uttered.” I'd smack yah myself for it, but I don't think Starfall wants to share kicking yer ass.”

Jer'rahd ignored him, staring at Starfall until another scream echoed through the hedges. Bleu belted Jer'rahd in the back of his head with her tail as she hopped off his back.

“Let's go. He needs some time to cool down.” Bleu grumbled. “Don't you, Jer'rahd...?”

Jer'rahd turned, ignoring their glares, and galloped off as the others took off to find the source of the screams. He knew what was inside of him, and he knew what would happen if it got out. Luna had been back as herself for a year now and had not awoken them.

If he found them awake and they killed him, he would no longer need to worry about the beast getting free. Not that he didn't plan to take a few with him when he went.

==================================================

Three fillies huddled together atop an ornamental tree like strange panicked fruit. A pale yellow earth pony with red hair and a large pink bow clung to the top. Just under her a white unicorn filly with a disheveled mess of purple-striped pink mane and tail clung to another branch. On the lowest branch, an orange pegasus filly with purple hair gripped a broken tree branch in her teeth, swinging wildly at a pack of creatures clawing and jumping at them from the ground below. Occasionally, she connected with the branch and sent a creature who was trying to climb the tree tumbling to the ground.

Starfall's eyes narrowed. “Trolls.... good, I need to work off some frustration now. Rhede, back me up. Velkorn, Bleu, get the fillies,” she ordered, ”Take them back to the dias with the guards, then get back here.”

“Finally remembered you’re second in command, huh? Alright, you got it: brave kid there with the stick,” Rhede remarked.

The others nodded as Starfall tore across the ground towards the pack of trolls. Rhede stood up on his rear hooves, spinning a pair of daggers on his forehooves, his teeth clamped on the grips of six more blades as he picked his targets. He tossed the two he was spinning in the air, whirling to land on his fore hooves, and kickd out hard with his back hooves. The pair of daggers connected with his rear hooves ,shooting though the air like cannon shot. They slammed into a pair of the trolls leaping into the air after the lowest filly, sending the bodies tumbling across the field away from the tree, daggers buried deep in the twitching creatures’ necks.

The others after the fillies turned just in time for Starfall to be among them, her borrowed blade ripping into the creatures as more daggers zipped through the air. The fillies watch in shock at the two coming to their rescue, though the screaming started again as a massive shadow descended on them from above. It gripped the tree with them on it and ripped it out of the ground, carrying it into the air.

Scootaloo smacked the branch against the blue scaled claw holding the tree as it rose higher in the air. Velkorn dropped down from Bleu's back and landed on the tree trunk, smiling at the surprised fillies.

“Zecora?” Apple Bloom asked.

Velkorn shook her head. “Hello there. You fillies are quite brave. Please relax, though; we are here to help, not send you to your early grave.”

===================================================

Bushes were destroyed by his one-pony stampede as he charged through the maze, cursing his luck for getting lost like he was Rhede. After smashing through another hedge row, he finally recognized a path and darted towards it, trotting into a clearing with a multitude of empty pedestals.

“Buck it...” Jer snarled.

The sound of a deep breath was the only warning he got before the bush to his left ignited in white fire, a line of it searing the air as it raced towards him. A green shield was raised between himself and the white line of fire, the blaze striking the panel and fanning off of it like water poured onto a plate, setting the grass and surrounding bushes on fire.

“Well, well, there is a face I was never expecting to have to see again. I should have known, however, with all the blind charging through the bushes. Hello, Kaisur. It has been some time,” Silver Claw hissed, stepping through the flaming shrubs, advancing on Jer'rahd. “No toy or princess to save your ass this time.”

“Where are the others who were here?” Jer demanded.

“We are exactly where we are supposed to be, father. Well, some of us are. You should be dead like your friends,” Nocturne chuckled, fading in from the shadows.

A strange zebra dressed in ragged robes with a skull of some creature resting on his head slowly trotted after her, giving the gray unicorn a brief look that turned into a hard stare. Jer'rahd did not recognize him, but figured it must be the one that Rhede and Velkorn had put here.

[“There is something wrong with this one, Nocturne. There is a power within him that is the same as that which you utilize, but it is far stronger in him. We do not have time to be trapped in a battle,”] Bloodtail grumbled.

“This shall not take long, and I would think he had some power like mine. Stronger, however, is incorrect,” Nocturne chuckled. A blast of energy left her horn and arced towards the gray unicorn, striking another shield he raised. “No magic armor or weapon this time, father. I saw the blade mother gave you. Very nice. Pity you do not have it.”

[“You misunderstand, pony,”] Bloodtail sighed. [“His power is stronger than yours as he has made a contract with the books.
If you actually looked at him rather than let your ego get the best of you like the lizard has, you might just see that.”]

Silver Claw growled, though Nocturne seemed to consider, looking back at Jer'rahd. The unicorn seemed to be weighing his options here, though running did not cross his mind.

“He has used the books. What have you done with them, father? Is that why you are here?” Nocturne demanded.

Jer'rahd's only answer was to send the borrowed blade whipping at the black alicorn. The mare chuckled, stepping to the side and bumping into a shield Jer'rahd had flung up to prevent her from dodging. Her eyes widen though a blast of white fire melts the blade before it touches the mare.

“She doesn't die ‘til I get what I want, Kaisur,” Silver Claw snarled.

“Like I am going to allow that. I suppose I will have to just kill you all with my bare hooves. You are fargakkkkGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!” Jer screamed, his shields dropping as he collapsed to the ground.

[“Impressive spell, Nocturne. Though I can see the power, I did not see you cast. What did you do?”] Bloodtail asked.

“I did not do anything... We need to finish this and find the gate to Tartarus. That is most likely where Celestia hid the books... what is happening!?!?” Nocturne regarded.

Jer'rahd pushed himself back to his hooves, the flesh of his legs rapidly turning to stone as he growled, his red eye flaring bright enough to make the trio squint before stone covered his head, leaving an expression of rage on his face.
Bloodtail lifted his head, looking away from the scene as the red shield faded, a bright light flareing brightly from down the mountain filling the horizon with a soft white glow.

[“I no longer feel Discord's energy,”] Bloodtail considered. [“I believe he has been defeated. Is this the power of the Elements? Impressive.”]

Both the zebra and dragon flinched looking to their legs as the stone prison started climbing up them. Nocturne’s horn flashed brightly and the climbing rock turned to dust, leaving the trio untouched by the stone spell.

“Hmm, just as you predicted. Everything is returning to stone now that that draconequus is gone. I am glad you removed that spell, pony,” Silver Claw hissed.

“I did not do it for my health, dragon. I have need of your abilities to fulfill my own goals,” Nocturne replied. “We need to gather Mustang, Razor Wing, and Scarlet before we leave this place. We do not need to encounter one of the Princesses at this... what the buck is that?”

A writhing mass of darkness surrounded the statue of Jer'rahd. The stone cracked and more shadow bled from the stone’s 'wounds'. A large chunk of stone fell away from the pony’s chest and a large red eye that could not possibly fit inside such a small body stared out at the group. A low rumbling growl like thunder sounded from all around them as more shadows gathered, racing across the ground towards the broken statue.

Silver Claw and Bloodtail both took a step away from the creature. Nocturne shivered under the things gaze.

“This is why he was sealed. The books have corrupted him as they did mother. Celestia trapped him in stone and the power does not wish to go back to sleep. We must flee,” Nocturne shouted. Her horn glowed brightly, enveloping the dragon, zebra, and herself before her power flashed, teleporting the trio away.

Another roar filled the air as the statue started to crumble. A massive clawed paw smashed free, pushing a huge shadowy form upright and free of its tiny prison.

====================================================

[A short time earlier]

Starfall glided over the pedestal, dropping Rhede down onto the marble surface and landing next to him, panting.

“I do not remember you being this fat, Pelt,” Starfall snapped.

“I am not fat. That's all tone muscle there, girly,” Rhede grumbled, “And don't you forget it.”

“HEY, THERE'S THE OTHER ONES!” a filly shouted.

Rhede and Starfall looked over to Bleu and Velkorn. The former was buried under a pile of young ponies while the guards and a purple pony with pink striped mane and tail with three smiling flowers as her cutie mark tried to get the group of them to calm down.

Three fillies darted over to the trio, shouting as they bounced around the pair, firing off a million questions along with various thanks and compliments for saving them. They finally stopped as the purple mare with the smiling flowers approached.

“Calm down girls. Hello, my name is Cheerilee. I heard from the others you two took care of the creatures that were after these three. Thank you. I don't know when they got separated from the group. Everything just went crazy after we stopped for lunch during the tour.” She sighed, “What do you say to them, girls?”

“THAAANK YOU!” the three sang out before firing off a host of questions again.

“Girls, you are in enough trouble as is for wandering off on your own. Go join the others and we will discuss this later,” Cherilee commanded.

The three lowered their heads and headed off with the others, being escorted with the other foals down from the dais and out of the garden.

Bleu and Velkorn moved over to the teacher, along with Sergeant Peach Blossom.

“Thank you all again. I am not sure what would have happened if you had not been there to help them,” Cherilee said.

“Oh, not a problem miss, though if I would have known they had such a pretty teacher, I would have made sure to have them embellish my exploits a bit more,” Rhede chuckled.

Cheerilee stared a moment as if putting the words together in her head before she blushed a bit and bowed lightly to them. The four returned the bow, though Rhede dipped rather low with his bow as if she was royalty, though his gaze was still on her. Velkorn looked like she was about ready to belt him when the shield dropped.

Neither Rhede nor Velkorn had time to react before the stone encompassed their forms again. Starfall managed to rise and look at the others with worried expression before she turned back to stone. Bleu turned snatching a bit of drawing charcoal one of the foals had left and writes something quickly on Velkorn's armor, starting to laugh at the joke before the stone encompasses her.

Cheerilee backpedaled, bumping into Peach Blossom in a bit of panic.

“Wha, what happened to them?!?!” Cheerilee gasped.

“They were prisoners in the garden as well, ma'am. I gather Discord has been defeated and everything that was let loose will be turned back to stone,” the sergeant replied. “I would ask that you not pass on anything you learned here, Miss. It may cause issues. The words of a foal may be ignored, but not when backed by somepony such as yourself."

"That explains why they were speaking Old Canterlot," the mare sighed. “Don't worry, sergeant, I won't tell anyone. I can see the problems ponies knowing the truth about this place would cause."

A deafening roar filled the garden, nearly causing both the school teacher and the guard to take off running. Both barely managed to avoid panicking, though they were both shaking at the sound.

“Annnd and what was that?” Cheerilee quiverd.

The light beat of wings was heard behind them before the soft thud of hooves on the marble surface.

“That is a creature that doth not belong in the world of this time,” Luna stated. “Sergeant, take the teacher to her students and get them to the castle proper. It may end up being the only safe place if I cannot contain this. Inform my sister that I require her aid as well.”

The two ponies jumped, turning as the princess strode past them .

“Go now,” Luna commanded, “before it is too late.”

They both barely managed a bow before running off. At the sound of the roar, the red shield had formed around the garden again. Luna sighed, knowing that regardless of the young lieutenant’s skill, the shield would not last long against the creature within it.

Her gaze turned to the two ponies, the dragon, and the zebra frozen in stone again. Her ears flattened as the roar sounded a third time.

“Jer'rahd.” She muttered, launching into the air.

========================================

The shadowy form grew, reptilian jaws snapping at the air as the creature breathed in deeply, catching scent of its prey. The last command the one who shared its body had given was to destroy the dragon, the zebra, and the alicorn.
The command was pathetically short-minded. It only wished to do what it wanted, but it was enslaved to at least obey a command and what its master... wait...

The creature lifted its head, standing up on its back legs and balancing on its thick tail to lift itself higher as it sniffed the air. Its face smashed a hole in the red shield as if it were little more than the surface of the water as it inhaled great breaths of air.

It did not feel her. It did not smell her. The one that held its leash was gone. It dropped back to all fours, its maw spreading wide, rows of teeth exposed as the grin slid back almost to where its neck joined its head. Its master was gone. Once this last command was fulfilled, it could do as it liked and never obey or listen to any others ever again, a slave to no one and nothing but itself.

The creature laughed, the sound like bones being ground to dust, with the living flesh of their owners still attached and screaming in anguish. It would never be enslaved again as it would destroy any who could and any others who lived until it was sure that it would be the only thing left to control its fate.

It took a first step, quivering at the first taste of freedom it would feel as soon as three creatures died... It sniffed the air again. They had gone north; a strong scent of fresh water and mist filled its nostrils as it traced the teleport spell. There was great water where they went; great falling water, judging by the roar it heard on the other side of that spell.

“BY MY ORDER AS THE GODDESS OF NIGHT, CREATURE, WE BID YOU STAND DOWN AND REVERT BACK TO THE ONE KNOWN AS JER'RAHD KAISUR.”

The beast froze, feeling the inkling of its master’s power suddenly. It whirled about, the multitude of red eyes across its face snapping open wide, more reminiscent of a spider than the dragon it seemed to be shaped after.
Where was she? ...There she was. No, this was not right.

The beast turned, glaring down at the dark alicorn before it curiously. She smelled both like one that was being hunted as well as the former master. There was no power in her voice, though, and that confused the creature a moment. It considered the ways to respond to this order. Crush her? Eat her? Ahh, that would be a proper way, the first time it could utter the word since it had memory.

~”NO”~

The bellow knocked the princess out of the air, sending her to land heavily on the ground. She righted herself quickly, staring up at the creature towering over her.

~”YOU DO NOT COMMAND ME. ONLY MASTER DOES, AND SHE IS NO LONGER HERE. I AM FREE, AND I WILL NOT BE TOLD WHAT TO DO EVER AGAIN.”~

The creature turned as Luna staggered to her hooves. It had not listened to her? Was she not the one that was its master?
She had stopped it twice before... No, Nightmare Moon had stopped it twice before. First Discord and now this?
Luna shivered as the creature stomped across the garden, crushing everything underfoot, seeming to take great joy in destroying statues as it headed towards Canterlot Castle on its path north. Luna's eyes widened, realizing she sent the foals there herself, right into this danger.

“No... I will not let something happen to young ones again… even if... so be it.” Luna muttered, “It needs to be stopped.”

Shadows began to move around the Princess of the Moon, the dark energy swirling about her form covering her in shadow as she brought forth the power that had only been suppressed by the Elements of Harmony. Her body grew larger, her fur turning black as her mane and tail darkened to match the midnight sky, becoming ethereal. Her eyes snapped open, glowing green as the raw power that had been repressed flowed through her.

The beast stopped dead, whirling around quickly, obliterating a large pedestal as it turned all of its eyes wide at the mass of swirling darkness and the creature at its center.

~”NO!”~

Nightmare Moon screamed out, her eyes locking with the monster’s as it tried to back away.

“YOU WILL STAND DOWN AND RETURN TO WHENCE THOU CAME, BEAST. THIS WE COMMAND!” Nightmare Moon screamed, her voice echoing over the entire garden.

The creature trembled, the leathery skin making up its form slowly starting to peel away and dissolve into dust. The creature roared as the process sped up, the entire thing puffing away to shadowy ash, leaving a small form of a gray armored unicorn to fall from the air where the creature’s head had been.

Nightmare Moon's magic caught the figure, yanking it roughly through the air to drop heavily atop of the marble dais where she had been banished from. She launched into the air, gliding over as Jer'rahd tried to get up.

A hard thrust of magic shoved the pony back down against the marble. She landed lightly on the dais before him, glaring down at the barely conscious pony as he struggled to get up, muttering something. She lowered her head a little, ears perking to hear.

“I... I’m sorry princess. I couldn't save you... I’m sorry I couldn't stop it from coming...” Jer’rahd muttered.

Her eyes narrowed as her magic slammed him hard enough against the marble top that his body bounced off the stone surface. Her lips drew back, baring her fangs at the pony before her.

“Sorry? You are sorry? YOU BETRAYED ME! After all I did for you... I gave you my friendship, I trusted you, I... give you my love and you turn on me!?!? You are sorry; a sorry bit of shit that I never should have trusted. How you even managed to bear the element of Loyalty is beyond me. I should have left you to die in the desert without your leg to bleed to death with the dog corpses,” Nightmare Moon snarled.

The unicorn visibly winced at the words, managing to make it to his hooves, though his head remained lowered as the alicorn continued. Her mane lashed out, striking him across the face every so often to punctuate her insults. Her own green eyes were filling with tears as she ranted.

“You are not worthy of anything I have given you. Not the weapon, not the rank,” she screamed, her magic ripping free the medals and patches from the unicorn’s armor, throwing them to the ground at his forehooves. “And certainly not worthy of being my consort...”

“LUNA!” Celestia shouted, landing lightly behind her sister, the white alicorn glaring at the dark form her sister had taken.

The dark alicorn's eyes widened. Her magic still gripping a patch, the shadows began to fade away from her, returning her form to normal. As they cleared, a shamed and crying Luna remained. She turned back, looking down at Jer'rahd, who had not lifted his head from the ground since she started laying into him.

“You made me turn back into that Nightmare as well...” Luna stuttered. “Better if you had died long ago instead of seeking forgiveness. You will not receive it from me, Kaisur.”

“Then I will wait in stone, forever,” Jer whispered, “It is all I have left.”

Luna glared at him. Her horn glowed, turning him to a statue again before her. She stood there a moment more before falling to the marble top herself, curling up and crying as Celestia rubbed her back with a hoof.

The Goddess of the Sun picked up a single patch of cloth that had not turned to stone with the others- the one Luna's magic still gripped: the patch of the 42nd, torn from Jer'rahd's shoulder.

“I cannot do that again sister... I wanted to go back. I felt it… I needed to use it again... I don't want to be that ever again,” Luna whimpered. “It was there, calling me. Every fight, every time I called my powers to attack; I couldn't stand it...”

Celestia looked down at her sister and sighed, her gaze turning to the unicorn in stone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight opened her eyes. Spike, Cadence, and her parents were staring at her wide eyed.

“What?” Twilight asked, blinking.

Spike points to the pillow behind her head. She sat up, turning around to look, her jaw dropping at the scorch marks burnt into the white pillow case.

“We got a bucket of water to put you out. Everything was fine ‘til a couple of minutes ago, then you started growling and your mane caught fire. What happened?” Spike asked.

“I found out what I need to do,” Twilight answers.

================================================

It was two days before the doctors cleared Twilight to leave. She sent Spike back to Ponyville to let the others know she was coming home after she spoke with Celestia and Luna.

She did not even bother to go through the proper channels and simply stormed into the throne room. The guards initially moved to stop her, though once they recognized her as the pony who saved the captain and the others, they let her pass, much to the complaints of those lined up to see the princesses.

Both the princesses were there on their thrones, looking rather bored by the rambling of Prince Blue Blood who stood before them.

“I need to talk to you two now,” Twilight shouted.

“You need to wait your turn. I have been waiting to go over these documents with my aunts for the last month,” Blueblood scoffed. “Even for a lesser house, you would think the Sparkles would teach some manners. Now begone; I still have fifty six pages left to go over about the zoning laws.”

Blue Blood yelped leaping back as his paper work caught fire in his hooves. He flailed about with his magic before being yanked off his hooves and floated in the air upside down to face Twilight.

“Leave now of your own power.,.” she growled, “or you will leave through a window!”

The prince flailed as he was dropped. He dashed out the door with a cry for the guards about being attacked.
Celestia smirked a little at her nephew’s departure, but the smile faded at the expression on her students face. Luna looks a little puzzled until Twilight pulled the little wooden box from her saddle bag, floating it over to drop at Luna's forehooves.

“They tried to help you, and this is how you treat your friends?” Twilight growled. “I don't care how much you think they wronged you; that was uncalled for. And don't you dare tell me that Nightmare Moon was in control. That was all you, Luna!”

The Goddess of the Moon's eyes widen. She turns her head, not able to meet the angry unicorn’s gaze. Celestia winces, looking to her sister.

“Silver Claw, head of the Flame Party and the one who nearly killed you both; Scarlet, assassin for The Order, a group that did its best to screw you over as much as it could; Bloodtail, the one who started the zebra war and tried to take over the whole country; Razor Wing, the mercenary griffon with a higher pony kill count than any other living creature of her time; Colonel Claymore, the pony that tried to betray Equestria to the dragon nation; and Nocturne, the Discord-created child of Luna and Jer'rahd who wants to kill them both and rule. All of them are free and they are looking for the books, if they have not already found them,” Twilight listed. “She knew to look in Tartarus two years ago, and that's where you put them.”

Celestia bit her lip and sighs, her ears flattening.

“We knew about Nocturne...” Celestia began.

“Great, so you are sitting here listening to Blue Blood and you know!?” Twilight snapped.

“We know because Luna was attacked by her two nights ago in the garden,” Celestia replied. “Jer'rahd saved her there as well, so your words are all the more harsh due to that.”

“How did he even… in stone?” Twilight wondered. “You know what? Never mind; every time someone mentions that pony’s name, it’s along with something impossible. I am not even going to be surprised anymore. So you know; what are you going to do? Why didn't you scry on this before now?”

“We did not scry because it has taken us this long to even get the garden back in some semblance of order. Then there is the fact that Discord's statue is missing and we are still hunting for it. Then there was the wedding on top of the day to day of running a kingdom. We barely have a moment to ourselves, much less look into something we did not even know was a problem until your friends were attacked. Right now, there is nothing we can do,” Celestia said. “We do not know their next move, and it has been proven that they can attack us even here. We must be careful and wait to see what their next move will be so we can deal with it.”

Twilight was listening, but her glower was growing more and more with each word.

“So in other words, you plan to sit here and do nothing,” she snapped. “Ponies have already died and there's no telling how many more might, too, before they do anything you will even notice.”

“I could not beat Nocturne when she attacked me by surprise, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna replied. “Seeking her out without a plan would make it worse. It is not as if we have been doing nothing. More guards are being trained and old contacts are being found.”

“You likely only lost because you are still too scared to fight because of what you did in the past,” Twilight fires back. “I saw that much from the patch.”

“Twilight Sparklem stop this now. If all you came here to do was taunt my sister, you may leave NOW,” Celestia commanded.

Twilight flinches a little, but she quickly steels herself against Celestia's gaze.

“As much as I care for you, princess, we will not survive if we follow the tactic of wait ‘until something happens before we do anything’.” she replied, looking up at her teacher andbiting her lip. “That never worked in the past. Why would it start now?”

Celestia blinked looking down at her student.

“And what would you have us do, then, Twilight?” Celestia asked, still glaring at her.

“I am not even going to begin to think I could tell either of you what to do, but I am going to do what always seems to happen anyway,” Twilight snapped in reply, “I am going to get my friends, and we are going to handle it ourselves. I cannot just wait like you are doing. Unlike you, I do not have the time to be that patient.” The purple unicorn turned, heading towards the door before pausing and looking back at the two alicorns staring after her.

“If you are not going to help, then please stay out of my way,” she added before storming out the door.

==========================================================

A cold wind blew across her back, sending a shiver along her spine. She lifted her head, looking up at Canterlot Castle with a sigh. That was the dumbest thing she had ever done. She managed to probably piss off and alienate herself from both Luna and Celestia. She truly hoped her teacher would not hold it against her, but she could not wait. There was too much at stake now.

It was infuriating; neither of them seemed to be able to see the obvious solution. Well, maybe not a solution, but a start. Celestia would not do anything overt and Luna was too scared of turning into Nightmare Moon again to do anything. The guards nowadays could not handle this situation. Centuries of peace had dulled ponies’ fighting skills. Just from what she had seen, she felt more experienced in war than even her brother.

There were, however, those who did know how to fight- those who knew the enemies that they would be facing. Those whose skills had not dulled with time.

She shifted as a cold breeze blew over her again. She had visited the treasury first and found the Brilliant Dawn. She was tempted to gather the Elements as well, but she was not sure she could get them from the Celestia-locked safe.

She had found the Waning Moon embedded in the stone on the path to the dais. Two guards placed by it had told her that not even Luna had been able to pull it free.

Twilight glanced at the blade and yanked it free of the stone, panicking the two guards. She ignored their looks of shock as she climbed the path to the top of the dais with only a brief glance to the damage that had been done to it.

There were those she had seen that could be trusted to do right in the long run. Those who would help Equestria as they had done before in the past.

She had two spells prepared for this, and cast the first over the statues themselves: a variant of the language spell she had used with the scry. They would be able to speak and somewhat understand modern pony even if they did not understand the slang. It was potent enough as-is without trying to add zebra into the languages as well. It should help them adapt a little better.

She set the Waning Moon before the unicorn in the middle, her horn glowing as she cast the same stone curse removal spell that had started her on this path.

The gray stone faded, chips of rock falling from their forms as they shifted, breaking free of the prisons they were in. They stood up straight and looked around before focusing on the purple unicorn before them.

“Queen Velkorn the First, Starfall Silvertail, Rhederic Pelt, Bleu Scale, Jer'rahd Kaisur,” Twilight announced as the figures looked at her curiously. “Equestia is in peril; we need your help.”

“the schemes of the dreamers”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“the schemes of the dreamers”

The reactions of the five were not as Twilight expected and only Jer'rahd even seemed to hear her statement.
Velkorn whirls on Bleu as she continues to laugh and jabs the dragon in the belly with a hoof as her tail moves to cover the message written on her flank.

“How dare you do that, you dragon nut! you let me stand here for two years with that joke on my butt!” Velkorn snaps.

The jabs into the dragonling’s stomach and ribs just cause her to laugh harder. “Worth it,” Bleu cackles. “Totally worth it! The joke that just kept going!”

Rhede tilts his head, looking Twilight over with an appraising eye, and she suddenly wishes she had worn something to cover up.

Starfall dances around in plac,e nervously looking herself over for any parasprites that may have made another nest on her.
Jer'rahd stares at Twilight before cleaning off the remnants of his tears off his face that had been frozen along with him.

“Piss off, Sparkle. You don't have the authority to free us,” he snaps.

Twilight was taken aback a moment that the unicorn before her knew her name. At Jer'rahd's snap, the others turned to look at him, then they all focused on her even more than Rhede was. That was making her even more uneasy.

“How did you...?” Twilight begins.

“I have been awake since I was sealed this time. I saw Celestia bring you here and explain what happened. She forgot a great deal and screwed up many details,” Jer states. “I know you are little more than her student and doubt you will be even that after this. We are waiting for Luna, not some filly. Starfall, fly up to the castle and find Celestia, let her know her student’s releasing things in the garden again.”

“You were awake? So you know who's loose then?” Twilight snaps.

Starfall pauses her takeoff, looking at Twilight, then back to Jer'rahd. “Who's loose? Someone got loose? What is going on, General?” she asks.

Jer'rahd ignores her, his gaze still locked on Twilight. The purple unicorn was doing her best not to wither under that glare.

“If Celestia needed our help for something, she would have let us know by now,” he responds.

“You know as well as I do, General Kaisur, that the princess will wait ‘til the last moment to do anything. I have seen it and you have lived it many times,” Twilight states, “It is the way she is.”

“Jer. Who got loose?” Rhede questions, looking down at his friend.

“You going to tell them, general, or should I?” Twilight asks, gaining a little more confidence now that his own friends wanted to know.

“Silver Claw, Nocturne, and some zebra,” he growls, “Nothing that Celestia should not be able to handle.”

“That ‘nothing’ has killed around sixty Royal Guards, and nearly killed my brother. That ‘nothing’ nearly killed Princess Luna as well if you had not somehow done something to stop her,” Twilight snaps, “And that's just the tip of it. You want to know the others? The zebra's name is Bloodtail. The others that got free were Scarlet, Claymore, and Wind Razor. I am sure you are all familiar with those names.”

“So is this true, general?” Starfall questions with a slight growl as she looks from the gray unicorn to the purple one.

“I only knew about the three,” Jer responds.

“Well, even if it was just those three, Jer, it's still enough for us to get involved,” Rhede states, glancing to Velkorn, who had yet to move, aside from a small shiver at the mention of the name Bloodtail.

“Celestia didn't call for us, and Luna has not forgiven us,” Jer'rahd mutters.

Twilight grows a bit as she glares at the unicorn before her. “This is not what I expected. I came here because I thought you might be able to help. I didn't realize you would be too scared of your own shadow to do anything,” she rants.

“Lay off him, mare. He's been though a ton of shit that would probably make you a whimpering mess just to think about,” Rhede snaps.

“Considering I have seen nearly everything all of you have done since you joined the Guard, I doubt that,” Twilight responds,
“You want to go back to hiding in your comfortable little stone casket until there is no one left to remember you, then go ahead. The next time Nocturne comes for the princess, she might not be near enough to you for you to do anything. I am giving you the chance to go out and stop the ones that are trying to kill her. So do you still want to protect her, or did that loyalty get ripped away with the medals she tore from you?”

Twilight finishes the rant in a huff, staring at Jer'rahd. She had no idea how she was managing to do this. Yelling at the princesses was bad enough, but here she was, alone, yelling at the most dangerous pony she had ever heard of. One that in the past had been ranked to be more deadly than a full grown hydra and only slightly less dangerous than an Ursa Major, and that was before he did half of the things she knew about. She had told off both princesses and taken two very dangerous swords, and now she had freed prisoners from the Garden.

Yep, she had completely lost it. She should have done something safe like just make a list of what to do. Nooo... she had to let her own emotions sway her actions. She clearly had been hanging around Rainbow Dash too much.

The pony before her said nothing for a time. Then, his horn glows, his magic gripping the blade at his hooves and floating it in the air before him. The Waning Moon seems to hum softly, as if welcoming back its master.

“Alright, Sparkle, you have my attention,” he states, “What exactly do you propose we do?”

==================================

“Train... train get me on outta this town. Traaain wooooo train............... train train trainy train trantrin ta train....” Bleu singsongs with her head out the window as the train from Canterlot chugs down the mountain. Rhede, Velkorn, Twilight, and Jer'rahd sit on the other side of the passenger car from the ecstatic Bleu. Starfall had felt ill the moment the train had started moving and ducked outside to fly instead.

“So Ponyville was rebuilt?” Rhede asks.

“Yes; supposedly for the third time. It was built and destroyed again around three hundred years ago, then rebuilt into its current incarnation about a hundred years ago,” Twilight rattles off.

“And that is where the first attack happened?” Jer questions.

“The first one they know about, Jer. Keep in mind these guys have Scarlet with them,” grumbles Rhede. “That mare trained me. I doubt I could track her if she wanted to hide.”

“Both attacks happened within a few days of each other. The one where Silver Claw was seen will probably be easier to track them from,” Twilight states, “I don't think he was in the mood to be stealthy.”

“He spent a hundred years disguised as a high-ranking general of the Equestrian forces. He may be harder to follow then you think,” Jer points out. “So what exactly is the first plan of action, then, Sparkle?”

“First, we get you to the library, then I get the rest of my friends together and we go from there. A great deal has changed since you were last free, and we need to get you used to it as fast as we can,” Twilight responds. “We don't need to be slowed down any because we have to deal with some sort of disaster you didn't know you were making. Also, it might be a good idea to put the armor you have away in one of the saddle bags. No one but the Guard wears armor nowadays.”

“Relax, miss; we might be a bit antiquated, but we aren’t savages. I am sure we will adjust just fine,” Rhede snarks.

“Woooooooooooooooooooo wooooooooooooooooo hahahhahahah!” Bleu shouts.

“Well... most of us will, anyway,” he adds.

“While we know your name, and now from where you hail, I would still like to know the rest of your tale,” Velkorn comments.

“I agree. In particular, I would like to know how much you actually know about us, Sparkle,” Jer adds, glaring at Twilight. “You seem far more up to date on what each of us was doing than I am comfortable with. I saw when Celestia was with you in the gardens, but we don't know anything about you or what you do, let alone HOW you know so much about us. Celestia's story was rather brief and mostly incorrect.”

Twilight sighs, expecting this and not liking having to reveal this part. She doubted they would like that she had been spying on them for so long, but telling the truth would probably get a bit better reaction from them then trying to hide it.

“You already know my name is Twilight Sparkle. I am the current Bearer of Magic and was one of the six responsible for both freeing Luna from Nightmare Moon and beating Discord. I am Celestia's top student from her school for gifted unicorns, and as such, am a little more privy to certain things than the average citizen of Canterlot,” Twilight lists.

Bleu ducks her head back in as Twilight starts, her interest seemingly gained by speaking of the school.

“Not long after Discord was freed, he made an off-hoof comment to Celestia that he did not seal ponies in stone. That got me thinking, and after he was beaten, I brought a cockatrice stone cure spell I had developed after I was caught by one to the gardens. I figured if it was fake, then a spell would at least let me know, and I could stop worrying about it. I was not exactly prepared for it to work properly. The first mare I tried it on woke up screaming and distracted me so much I lost control of the spell and she turned back to stone,” Twilight continues.

“And that is the night Celestia told you about us,” Jer states.

“Yes. Later on, she offered me the chance to study you as a way to help Luna figure out what to do about you, a third party opinion of the situation by someone who was not connected to you in any way. She sent me the Waning Moon to use as a focal point for the scrying spell that would enable me to view what happened. The spell went a little deeper and started showing me everything from first day you and Rhede joined the guard,” Twilight rambles.

Rhede winces a little and Jer'rahd buries his face in his forelegs with a groan.

“All of it?” Rhede asks.

“Enough of it. Until the Darklands, when his grandfather’s sword was broken, it was just on Jer'rahd, though. After that, I could choose who to watch by the shards of the sword you all wear. Since the sword also has parts of the first blade in it, I could view that as well. Over time, I actually started picking up surface thoughts as well, which is far beyond what the spell was supposed to do. Suffice to say, everything you experienced, everything you did that was of any importance past that point, I know about, including your talk with your grandfather when you died, Jer'rahd,” Twilight states.

Jer'rahd's eyes narrow as she says that, but he does not say anything otherwise. Bleu and Velkorn both look uncomfortable at this information, and even Rhede has a serious expression on his face.

“So you didn't see what any of us did before the Darklands unless we were around Jer?” Rhede questions. “If I understand correctly, that also means that you did not see anyone else until we started wearing the blade shards?”

“Correct. At the time, it was not to do anything more than help Princess Luna decide if you should have been freed or not,” responds Twilight.

“That was not Celestia's decision to make. Did she honestly think we would be okay with some pony we didn't even know watching what we did, how we lived? There are a great many things I did that I am not proud of, but I do not deserve to be judged by someone who does not even know what life was like when we were alive,” Jer growls, “least of all some filly who decided she can do better than a pair of gods who have ruled over Equestria for centuries. I may not like Celestia, but most of the time, I can understand what she is planning. This just seems to be little more than some busy work for some pony who found out too much.”

“That busy work is why you are here now, and why a great many ponies, including my brother and my friend’s brother, are still breathing,” Twilight snaps. “Celestia could have told me to forget it, and I would have. She evidently had enough trust in me that she knew I might be able to help. Princess Luna herself asked me to continue my study when she found out I was doing it, and she even allowed my friends to get involved to give a broader collection of views. You want to complain about you being judged, yet you are doing that without hearing me out first. If you have a problem with it, go find Luna and feel free to complain to her for allowing me to continue.”

Jer'rahd winces visibly, though Rhede and Velkorn both seemed to have have calmed down a little.

“Relax, Boss. If she thought you were the monster you think you are, she wouldn't have come for our help,” Bleu points out,

“‘Sides, we got a mission now; a mission that will get us back to helping ponies and fix a few mistakes we didn't fix in the past. Might be enough to change Luna's mind as well.”

Jer'rahd still says nothing; he simply rises to his hooves and walks to the back of the train car, opening the door to stand outside on the rear platform. Twilight watches him, wondering if she might have said a bit too much.

“So, anyway, Miss Sparkle. Who all has seen our history?” Rhede questions.

“That is one of the larger problems. I wrote four books from the scry. Three of them are at my library. One of the incomplete ones, I think was stolen by Scarlet when she and Claymore attacked Fluttershy's cottage,” Twilight says.

“Shit... How incomplete was it?” Rhede asks, tensing back up along with the others.

“Let me think... When she borrowed it... The Lunar Republic had just been formed; the castle had not been built yet. Like I said before, though, somehow Bloodtail could tell Jer'rahd had an encounter with the books even before he turned into a monster in front of them,” Twilight replies.

“Well, at least they won't know about the worst of what we did,” Bleu grumbles. “Wait, Boss changed again? You didn't mention that part.”

Twilight looks to where Jer'rahd stood outside. “Yes, and it got away from him, too. Princess Luna had to turn back into Nightmare Moon to stop it,” Twilight explains.

Rhede slaps a hoof to his face as Bleu and Velkorn's eyes widen.

“She changed back? Buck, I thought you said you cured her!?” Bleu exclaims.

“We did. I thought we did, but it seems it didn't go away; it just got repressed. She changed back when Celestia showed up, but before that, she all but told Jer'rahd he would never be forgiven by her. Ripped off everything that was any sort of award or rank, as well.”

“Crap. I thought that he might have got in a fight, or knowing Jer, even ripped them off himself,” Rhede mutters. “Not sure I like the idea that Luna did it. That doesn't bode well for the rest of us. I think we can put this as another mark against us. They probably know things we did that we forgot, depending on how thoroughly that book was written.”

“I am sorry. I really did not know that anyone who could cause trouble might even look at the book,” Twilight admits.

“Equestria has been at peace for over a thousand years, and until last year, no one even knew you five existed at all.”

“Ahh, well, we have dealt with worse, I guess. We just need to work on what we can do. We never really expected it to be an easy thing; we did sort of turn on her, after all,” Rhede sighs.

“Yeah, but Boss is taking this rather hard, and we still don't know why he died all of a sudden,” Bleu adds.

“Actually, Rhede knows,” Twilight says.

Bleu and Velkorn both look at Rhede, though the earth pony seems as surprised as they are. “I what?”

“He told you what happened to him for a thousand years. That sort of trauma and terror could very well stop his heart,” Twilight explains.

“All he told me was that he was asleep and had nightmares,” Rhede responds. “Oh... OOOOOH... damn...”

“If what you say is true, why did he not have a heart attack this time, too?” Velkorn wonders.

“Considering he saw me, I guess he was awake this time. What happened to the rest of you?” Twilight asks.

“Slept the whole time,” Rhede mutters.

“I was out as well. You weren’t stuck awake again, were you, Velky?” Bleu questions.

“Only for a little while. I slept enough not to wake as hostile,” Velkorn replies.

“Alright, now that the preliminaries are out of the way, and we seem to be mostly caught up, miss, unless Jer says otherwise, this is your show,” Rhede states, “What do you want us to do now that you woke us up?”

“Honestly, I have no idea. I really didn't think the princesses would let me get this far,” Twilight says sheepishly.

The resounding smack of the zebra and earth pony’s hooves and the dragon’s claw slapping their faces at the same time echoes though the train car.

================================================

“I do not like this, Tia. Why are you letting her get away with this? They are not supposed to be awake!” Luna rants, pacing in Celestia's bedroom.

“Circumstances changed, Lulu. Neither of us expected that anyone got away from the garden, and certainly not those six. We also did not expect them to be any sort of issue for us or the guards. That has been shown to be fallacy,” Celestia calmly responds. “In regards to the five, they are quite adept at dealing with this sort of thing. As for the plan, well, need I remind you that I would have asked them directly and they would have done it simply because of that. It was your hesitation and fear that wanted a unanimous decision before you allowed it. Now that choice has been taken out of our hooves entirely; I consider that to be for the best. To be honest, though, I did not think Twilight had it in her to go against us as she did.”

“She also raided the royal treasury for the Brilliant Dawn,” Luna adds, glaring at her sister as the white alicorn chuckles.

“The blade was made for her ancestor. That she has it rather than her brother is of little concern. She has the two best sword ponies alive in Equestria right now with her. I am sure one of them can teach her how to use it properly.”

Luna paces, her ears flat and her tail and mane whipping wildly.

“What if it wakes up again, Tia? What then?”

“You will turn into Nightmare Moon and stop it once more. The same as you did two years ago.”

“But what if I lose control again?”

“That you worry and stress so much about that happening makes me consider that your losing control will be very unlikely, Lulu. You do not have the books to urge you on and no great threat to push you over the edge. The ones who escaped are troublesome and dangerous, but there are only six of them. Every nation in the world is watching for them; they have no allies as they did a thousand years ago. The order is gone, the dragons are no longer a nation, and the diamond dogs, griffons, and zebras are all in agreement with how things are. We have been at peace with all of them for a long time.”
Luna continues to pace, clearly not convinced.

“Even if the five do not manage to stop the escapees, this will be an interesting lesson for my student. The five will have quite the culture shock, and Twilight will certainly learn that even the best options will have their drawbacks.”

============================================================

Twilight looks over the list she had made on the last part of the train ride as she walks through Ponyville. She was explaining as much as she could on the changed culture and history to the five following along with her as she made her way towards the library.

“Okay, that should cover the change of currency... granted, the inflation rate has only made things that were one bit in your time be two or three now. Anyway, first, I need to find Spike and find out where everyone is. Then you can hear what Fluttershy has to say, and I can take you out to where the Guards were attacked for you to look around there. I think after that, we can take a look at the maps I have in the library and try to figure out the next course of action,” Twilight lists. “Ah, speaking of which, there's my faithful assistant now. SPIKE, HEY SPIKE!”

The little dragon looks around from the shop booth he was in front of. He says something else to the gold coated, silver maned earth pony behind the counter before taking a bag and trundling towards Twilight.

“Spending your allowance on gems again?” Twilight asks.

“Hey, what can I say? This guy’s got the best selection of them I’ve ever seen. He said he didn't think there would be a market here in Ponyville, but Rarity and I are making it worth his time. I still wanna meet his supplier, though. Some of these are hard to find, and he sells them cheap, too,” Spike rambles as he looks behind Twilight.

“So where are the others?”

“Rainbow Dash was at the library, but she got bored and decided to practice to kill time. AJ and Fluttershy are still at Sweet Apple Acres as bucking season is coming up, and with Big Mac still in the hospital, she needs to get started. Fluttershy is there because she’s still too scared to go home. Pinkie is watching Sugar Cube Corner while the Cakes are on vacation again, Rarity is in her shop, and I'm out here talking to you,” Spike rattles off. “So who's this guy? And why is he staring at your tail?”

Twilight turns to glare at Rhede only to see that it was ONLY Rhede behind her.

“What!? Where are the others?” Twilight gasps.

“Hmm, let’s see, Jer left to take care of something, Starfall got annoyed with walking and took off to look the place over from the air, Bleu smelled something good and went looking for it, and Velkorn saw a hospital and ducked in to look at the marvels of the modern medical field,” Rhede responds a grin on his face.

“Why they heck didn't you wander off to chase a mare then?” Twilight grumbles.

“Miss, with a flank like yours, I would follow that plot anywhere.” Rhede says, his grin widening a bit more before Twilight smacks him with the rolled up scroll.

“Umm, Twilight, those names, is this?” questions Spike.

“Yes, this is one fifth of the Beasts of the Moon, Rhederic Pelt,” Twilight sighs.

“Just Rhede will do, young fellow,” he adds.

Spike ignores him, glaring at Twilight. “Why is he here? Did the princesses decide to let them go, or... oh no... You did it, didn't you? Aggggh, I knew you were going to do something like that, but I thought you had better sense, or somepony would talk you out of it, or a guard would stop you... The princess is gonna kill us, or worse, banish us to the moon, or even worster turn us to stone, or even worsest yet, lock us in the dungeon and force us to eat alfalfa. I can't take that, Twilight! Do you know what they do to young dragons in the dungeon!?!?!”

“Actually, no I don't. I don't think I have ever seen a book that explains that,” Twilight says.

“Great, if you don't even know what happens, how am I supposed to know what to brace myself for when I get there?” Spike rants.

Rhede chuckles as Twilight sighs.

“No one is getting sent to the dungeon, Spike. As far as I know, Luna and Celestia either don't know yet, or know and are not doing anything. In either case, it’s too late to worry about it. We need their help to catch the others who got out,” Twilight explains.

“What? There’s more of them loose than just the dragon and Claymore?” Spike panics.

“Yes. Bloodtail, Scarlet, Nocturne, and Razor Wing are free, too. I need you to take him to Rarity while I find the others. Don't lose him, Spike. When you get there, let her know who he is and what’s going on, and tell her to meet the rest of us at the library.”

“Bring him to Rarity's, explain who he is, don't lose him. Got it. Wait, why don't I just bring him back to the library?” Spike asks.

“Spike, this is Rhederic Pelt...” Twilight begins.

“Rhede,” the earth pony corrects.

“...do you really think he is going to stay put by himself, let alone with all the mares in Ponyville who walk past the library?”
“Which is why I don't want him anywhere near Rarity!” Spike explains.

“Hmm, she must be something else if she caught a dragons eye. Though, you don't need to treat me like a bad puppy,”
Rhede states, rubbing the spot on his head where Twilight had hit him with the scroll. “Unless you are into the whole spanking thing... then, maybe...”

Both Twilight and Spike stare at Rhede as he hums softly to himself, ignoring their looks.

“Spike, please, Rarity can handle herself. You know that, and I need to find the others before they cause a bigger crisis than than the one we already have,” Twilight pleads.

“Alright, but if he tries to make a move on Rarity I’ll... I’ll do something he won't like,” Spike growls.

“Thanks, Spike. Rhede, did you see which way any of the others went?”

“Well, let’s see... Starfall went up, then up again, Bleu went down one street then down another, Velkorn went left to the hospital, then right inside, Jer went left down one road then right behind a building with either a B or an A on it, hmmm B or
A... not much help, but it’s a Start,” Rhede rattles off.

“Just great. If I had thirty lives, I might be able to spread out and follow all those directions. At least Velkorn is in one place and not likely to cause much trouble. I can get her later,” Twilight growls as she dashes off.

“Ooh, hate to see you go, but oh so fun to watch you leave,” Rhede whistles.

“Give it a rest will yah? She’s with some pony,” Spike grumbles, starting to trundle towards Carousel Boutique. “Come on, already.”

“Oh, and who might the lucky stallion be to have such a fine-flanked filly as a mare friend?” Rhede questions, nearly prancing along behind the small dragon.

“It's not a stallion,” Spike grumbles.

“Oh? Even better then! Who’s is the very lucky mare?”

“Princess Celestia,” Spike says.

Rhede stops dead, looking back at the purple unicorn as she runs off.

“You're kidding.”

“Nope. She and Princess Celestia have become a thing.”

“Oh for bucks sake, I barely got the princess to go to the gala with me. I worked for her for years as a double agent, and she played more with Jer than I got from her, now this!” Rhede rants.

Spike grins slightly at the rant. “Oh, she had a thing with Baelit at one point, too, according to Twilight.”

“What? My own student surpasses me!? gaaaaahhhh!”

===========================================

Starfall had circled the city a few times and not seen anything of any real note. The place was big, though. It was easily four or five times the size of the Ponyville she remembered. Every time she looked the place over, she spotted something new she was sure had not been there before: a dam, a moat of some kind, a drop-off at the edge of town into a pig field, a tight-knit, almost mazelike series of buildings... It was suitably impressive, and she was glad of the distraction. She knew if she stopped for any length of time, she would start to sulk over Cloud Dancer. When they saw Celestia again, she knew she would have to ask about her daughter.

Movement in the clouds caught her attention. As she moves in closer, she spies a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane and tail tearing through what looks like some sort of cloud obstacle course. She drops down to the hill top below to watch.

Some of what she was doing was modified aerial combat vectors and maneuvers. Quite a few of them seemed to be variations of flight training Starfall had done in the past. Some of them were even more advanced techniques of escape and combat that she had taught the Shadowbolts.

This mare was not too bad. There were a few mistakes here and there, but they were minor and easily missed unless somepony was looking for them. Starfall could not help to watch for mistakes, however. Still, for a civi, she was already better than most of the rookies she was forced to deal with in the past.

After a few more tricks, the mare spots her and glides in for a landing that was more style than anything else. Granted, watching her smash through a rain cloud and land just to fan her wings and make a rainbow briefly appear between them was an impressive little bit of show, though it spoke to Starfall as more ego than anything else.

“Well, looks like I got a new fan. I expected Scootaloo, though it’s good to see some older ponies taking an interest in my skills,” the pegasus brags.

Starfall's ears flatten; this filly did not just call her old. Oooh, that was it...

“You need work. You tuck your wings too tight on the dive and lose maneuverability and waste too much energy recovering.

On the sharper turns, you extend too much and risk injuring your flight feathers from drag. Your landing was all style for a pointless show, and your descent was too slow for the type of pull-up at the end you tried to do,” Starfall lists. “Very pretty, and also pretty sloppy. Perfect for a show pony, however.”

The filly was clearly annoyed by this list of faults that Starfall was pointing out to her, and judging by her ruffled feathers, the comments had sunk in.

“Well, excuse me for not being perfect in practice,” she snaps.

“You should always fly to the best of your ability so you can push yourself harder each time you do something,” Starfall replied.

“Right, like I need that sort of advice from some old mare who just trots up out of nowhere,” the other pony scoffs, getting more annoyed.

Starfall bristles. Though Rainbow Dash was doing much the same, the two were nearly nose to nose glaring at each other.

“Well, excuse me for trying to give you advice, you stupid filly. It's usually a smart idea to take help when it’s offered from someone better when you obviously need it. Those were rookie mistakes you were making up there,” Starfall growls.

“Oooh, that’s it! Listen, grandma, I don’t know how much cider you've had today, but I don't see any other pegasus here that is even close to being as good as me, let alone better,” Dash bristles, “I can have you lapped three times before you even get your flank into the air.”

“You have no idea what you are talking about, filly. You need to stop offering bits your flank can't pay for,” Starfall growls.

“You, me, in the air. Now. I'm gonna show you exactly what I can do. Just try not to fall too far behind. You wouldn't want to miss my awesomeness, grandma,” Dash snorts.

“The only thing I am gonna miss is the look on your face when all you see is my tail, filly,” Starfall snaps.

The two snarl at each other again before they both launch into the air.

==========================================================

Velkorn trots slowly along the inside of the hospital, her hooves lightly clicking on the tile floor. She pokes her nose into every room, looking over the strange equipment and practices curiously.

The place was so big and clean. It was not the sterile environment that she was used to seeing in large medical facilities, either. There were plants and paintings and what she could only guess were some sort of strange beeping sculptures in every room. She was not sure where the beeping was coming from, but it had a somewhat soothing tone, almost like a heartbeat, though much higher pitched.

She pauses behind a few ponies in white coats who were looking at some black sheets of paper on a wall. She tilts her head, trying to figure out what was going on, leaping back suddenly as a light came on in the white box the paper was pinned to.

She stares a moment, recognizing a pony’s rib cage and much of the center torso's skeletal structure. On one sheet, the other was the same image from a different angle.

She trots further in, heading up a flight of stairs to look around more, somehow not being noticed by the busy doctors at all as she explores the facility. There were a number of injuries here she recognized, though there were also a number of clearly sick ponies she was unsure of the symptoms for.

She trots into one room with a stallion lying in bed, one at least as large as Rhede, the same fur color as well, if much more muscled. A large draft horse yoke sat on the small dresser across the room seeming to weigh more than the dresser itself.

The stallion appeared to be sleeping, though his state was not something she was concerned with. It was the cloud like pattern of scars that were marring his exposed side. Something she recognized immediately as the lingering effect of cloud serpent venom. The scar would fade with time, but for several weeks, it was very vivid.

She steps in further, looking around for the small data sheets she had seen before. She picks the one for this pony up, looking it over and not understanding a word of the short hoof that was scrawled on it. He was alive, and the symptoms were fading, so that meant he had been treated properly, at least. Still, to think that such a rare poison would be used in this day and age.

[“And who might you be to be so interested in my patient?”]

Velkorn looks up from the sheet to see a zebra mare at the door sporting a mohawk and a series of gold rings about her neck and forehoof. The rings chime lightly as she shifts in place in the door frame, returning the look that Velkorn was giving her.

The zebra did not seem to be threatening, though Velkorn could tell from how she stood that she was ready to move if Velkorn tried something.

[“My name is Velkorn. I am simply visiting the hospital and found this one with signs of cloud serpent poison. That is a difficult poison to cure, as it has very many hard-to-find reagents. Is it common enough around this town that you have the materials easily available to cure it?”] Velkorn questions.

The other zebra raises an eyebrow.

[“No, this is the first case that has been seen of it in my memory here. If not for a friend of this pony finding me and knowing the signs of this poison, this one would be dead. Though I must ask this, there are only one or two zebras around Canterlot that I know of, and there is only one zebra I can recall that was ever given the name of Velkorn. Supposedly none were named the same after her passing, due to respect. It seems Twilight may have done something rather foalish after all. Am I correct in assuming I am speaking to Queen Velkorn the First?”]

[“I do not answer to Queen anymore, and I never understood why the title of 'the First' was added to it. If what you say is true, and there were none who shared my name, that would be a little silly. Velkorn will do. Though how do I address you?”]

The other zebra smiles, seeming to relax as she trots into the room.

[“The pony on the bed is Big Mac. Do not let his seeming slowness fool you. When he wakes, he is much smarter than he lets on, and also speaks fluent zebra. As for me, my name is Zecora, formerly of the zebra lands and currently of Ponyville. And you, if my father did not lie, Velkorn, are my many times great aunt, or whatever the term is for the descendent of your nephew would be,”] Zecora states.

==================================================

The dust kicked up by his hooves blew away in the stiff breeze in which he walked. The mountain was unchanged in a thousand years, Canterlot perched on its side. The town was in the exact same place as it had been a thousand years ago.

He had followed along and listened to Sparkle's plans until he had come to the vacant lot.

It looked like something large was being built there and had collapsed. The place was then abandoned rather than completed. Something about it bugged him and he slipped away from the group to have a look.

The lot was filled with debris blown in from the wind and a number of metal beams were imbedded into the ground where they had fallen from the higher parts of the structure.

The design was impressive. He had watched Winnysor Castle being built, and there was nothing in that even remotely like how this was being built. He walked up a ramp to the second story to have a higher vantage point over the structure and froze as he looked out though a tear in a tarp, a wave of nostalgia coming over him.

The mountains in the distance, Canterlot where the sun was positioned, and the location of the river... He knew this place. He knew this spot.

He whipped his head, grumbling at the impossibility of that. It had been a thousand years, and he had seen nothing like this place in his time.

But he knew the feeling. He knew where he was. This lot was where he had grown up with his grandfather. His room had been right here facing the mountains. The view through the tear in the tarp was the same he had looked out upon for the first fifteen years of his life.

He knew what he had to do and he knew he could walk the route blindfolded.

That had been about half an hour ago. He was now outside of the town, following along a path that in his mind was the same as it was a thousand years ago. He pauses briefly at a split rail fence before hopping over it and walking into a grove of trees. In the middle of the grove, he pauses, not able to see any of the landmarks he was familiar with, and sighs, rubbing his forehead with a hoof.

“This was a stupid idea,” Jer mutters.

“Yah ken say that again. Ah gather yah missed the large no trespassing sign on that fence yah hopped over gitting in here.”

His ears perk as he glances to the voice’s source. An orange-coated mare with straw blond hair and a hat of some kind on her head stood between a pair of apple trees, a pitchfork cradled in her forehooves as she glares at the unicorn before her.
Just behind her was a much older green earth pony mare with a white mane and tail, wearing some kind of military style helmet and wielding a frying pan in her mouth. Cowering behind those two was what he assumed was a pale yellow pegasus with a pink mane and tail that had somehow tried to make a suit of armor out of pillows and rope.

“Sorry about that. It has been a while since I was here last, and I was trying to follow the route by memory alone,” Jer sighs.

“So much for that.”

“Z'at him Fluttershy?” AJ questions, glancing back to the cowering mare.

“Um, no, but I think he has a weapon in that wrapping on his back...” Fluttershy whispers. “Please be careful, Applejack.”

“Pfft, ain't no pony gonna beat me on mah own land,” AJ grumbles.

“No offense, but I hope you have some other ponies circling around me or nearby, because I think only one of you seems to be ready for anything,” Jer observes, tilting his head a bit. “And with how you are holding that pitchfork, it is not very effective against someone of the same height as you unless you plan to take out their legs.”

“Ah Ain't gotta listen tah no trespasser. Yer on Apple Family property, and yah ain't welcome here. Now git,” AJ shouts.
Jer'rahd blinks, looking over the trio curiously.

“Apple family? The Pelts... that's what I forgot,” Jer'rahd mutters to himself, starting to trot off again, ignoring the trio.

“Hey, what? No, git back here and go out the way yah came in, consarn it… Are you even listening to me!? HEY!” AJ shouts, starting to chase after him.

Fluttershy squeaks and darts after Applejack as Granny Smith plods along trying to keep up.

Jer'rahd steps out of the grove and stops with a curse, having lost track again. He whirls suddenly, causing Applejack to hop back and crash into Granny Smith, while Fluttershy screams and shoots up into a tree.

“Why are you all following me so close?” Jer asks. “Never mind. How long have the Apple's lived here?”

“What the heck is wrong with you? Don't you understand? Git!?” AJ shouts, accidentally dropping the pitchfork.

“‘Bout a hundred years or so, give er take,” Granny rambles. “Had tah beat back tha forest ourselves.”

Jer'rahd barely pays attention to Applejack aside from picking the pitchfork back up with his magic and pushing the handle into her mouth to shut her up a moment as his attention turns to the elderly mare.

“Was there an old foundation to a building or a stone wall when you arrived?” Jer asks.

Applejack spits out the pitch fork about to say something, before realizing she just got rid of her weapon and scrambles to scoop it up again.

“Well, there was an old piled stone wall that was mostly worn down due tah tha weather at the edge of the farm. Been using it as a marker for tha edge of tha land. Apples own a bit further intah tha forest than just tah the wall, though,” Granny states.
“Wall’s a bit northa here towards tha mountains.”

“Ah, thank you,” Jer says, trotting off in the direction the elder Apple told him.

“Granny, what did yah tell him that fer?” AJ snaps.

“He seemed an alright young fella, just a bit addled is all,” Granny responds, to Applejack’s frustration.

“Granny, go call tha guards. Ah'm going after him,” AJ says, tossing the pitchfork aside. “Shoulda done this from tha git go.”

Applejack grabs the rope that’s holding Fluttershy's armor together, yanking hard, and sending the pegasus into a spin as the farm pony makes a lasso, before galloping after the gray unicorn. Fluttershy recovers with a meep and chases after them as well.

===============================================

Bleu simply stares in awe at what was before her. She had seen cakes and pastries at banquets and the Gala, but compared to what was staring her in the face from the other side of this glass. She might as well have been looking at rocks. Plain rocks, too, not tasty gem rocks.

The whole place smelled like the inside of a cake she had once worn, only sweeter. There were things here she could not even begin to describe. Okay, that was not true; she could easily begin to describe them, but that description was boring and always started with 'some type of colorful biscuit', so not the best description in the world even if she did begin.

There had been a few other ponies in this shop, as well as a cow, though once the little dragon had come in and started zipping around the store, most of them had made their purchases and got out as fast as they could.

The only one left with her in the shop was a bouncing pink pony who was not really paying the dragonling any mind as she went about cleaning and setting new things out on display.

After a time of Bleu drooling on the glass, the pink pony poked her head over the top of the display.

“Can I help you? I mean, I am sure I can somehow or another, considering you came in here for something, and since I'm working it’s my job to help out the ponies that come into the store, but I mean it as more of an immediate thing rather than a general ‘this is my job to help you’ sort of thing,” she rambles.

Bleu blinks at the rapid fire description, actually catching most of it. “Yes, I know this is a cake and that's a pie, but what are these things?” Bleu asks.

“What!? Those are chocolate chip cookies and the ones here are fudge brownies. These ones over here are strawberry cupcakes and fudge with walnuts,” the pink pony explains with a giggle. “You've never seen a cupcake before? That's really weird, but I guess dragons don't really have any bakers. Here, try one. We only really sell these to Spike due to the crystals, and this one might be getting a little stale, but it works for a free sample and I hate to waste it.”

Pinkie Pie offers a little tray to the blue dragonling. On it was a large cupcake with blue frosting and a multitude of gem chips and bits sticking in the frosting. Bleu's eyes widen as she reaches up to take it looking up at the pink pony curiously.

“What's in this?” questions Bleu.

Pinkie grins, darting around the counter and grabbing the little dragon, rushing off to the side and setting her in a chair with the cupcake. Somehow or another, a large curtain and a spot light appear before the confused dragon.

A slow guitar and what sounded like a squeeze box begin playing from somewhere, and the curtain parts, showing what Bleu thought sorta looks like a kitchen, but much smaller and with no ovens; just some metal boxes with little odd windows in them.
The pink pony pirouettes in, her poofy mane now somehow short and black with a small red bow in it. She has a blue blouse on with a high collar and a long yellow skirt as she spun around in the room in time to the music.

Bleu blinks, rather confused, though she was not about to pass up free future food and a stage show.

“The way to bake a sapphire cupcake,
that would make a princess proud.
Is to use all the right ingredients.
And none that are not allowed.”

The pink pony set a bunch of items up on the counter top, including a bag of what Bleu assumed to be flour wearing some sort of cone-shaped, brightly colored hat.

“It's fun to bake a delicious cupcake.
But make sure you prepare.
Here's a list of things you'll need
to make one you'll be proud to share!”

The music suddenly picks up in tempo as the pink pony dances about throwing the ingredients into a bowl as she lists them off. Bleu could not help get a little caught up in the beat and tempo, a grin slowly crossing her face.

“There's cake flour, baking powder,
sugar, shortening, salt.
We got baking soda,
and some blue gems for yah!
Whoops I dropped the salt...”

The pink pony scrambles for the shaker while somehow still keeping in tune.

“Buttermilk should not be split,
the eggs should all be cracked.
Carefully!”

Bleu watches the pony bobbing along with the song, her tail swinging to the simple tune as she holds the cupcake.

“Pure vanilla, water too
any mixing bowl will do.
A great big massive cup cake pan,
Blueberry frosting to top the cake
and that's the baking plan!”

Pinkie shouts, tossing the filled pan into one of the steel boxes and adjusts the dial before bowing.

Bleu holds the cupcake with her tail clapping loudly at the show.

“Wow, that was great! Okay, that does sound good. I have to try this now,” Bleu applauds, tossing the cupcake into the air and opening her mouth to catch it.

==================================================

On a small beach on the east coast of Equestria, two earth ponies lay back on the beach while a pegasus and unicorn foal played in the sand between them.

The slightly pudgy blue mare sits up suddenly, pulling a strand of her pink hair from her eyes.

“Dear, did we pay the extra amount on our insurance to cover dragons?” Cup Cake asks.

The yellow stallion, with a bit of an underbite, sits up, pulling his straw hat from his eyes, considering as he takes a sip from a straw stuck into a coconut.

“We renewed it right on schedule, Honey bun. After all, it was that extra coverage that helped us after the dragon wrecked our shop last time. Don't worry, I am sure Pinkie Pie can handle anything that comes her way,” Carrot Cake states as he lies back down. The lanky pony sits up and lifts his hat off his eyes again, looking to his wife curiously. “Umm, why do you ask?”

“Nothing. I just got a bit of a shiver for some reason.”

===========================================

The blue cupcake spins in the air and is snapped up by the little blue dragonling. After only a few chews on the cake, she suddenly freezes, her eyes going as wide as dinner plates.

Pinkie blinks, looking at the dragon’s reaction curiously.

“Oh no, don't tell me it was too stale. It’s only been in there since the start of the week. It shouldn't have gone bad that quickly. I make them for Spike and he usually buys the one I make, but since he was in Canterlot all week...” Pinkie rambles, trailing off and staring at the dragon.

Bleu's eyes seemed to spark with little fireworks going off in them. A rapid thumping was heard, as if there was some sort of earth quake rattling the pots and pans in the kitchen. Pinkie Pie watches the little dragon actually start to vibrate before her, causing the chair to dance about.

Suffice to say, exposing a young dragon to modern confectionery when all they were used to was the tiny amount of sugar that was put into the rare pastries of the past was not Pinkie Pie's best idea.

Particularly when Pinkie loaded this pastry with extra sugar and frosting, as it was supposed to be for a friend.

Stale or not.

========================================================

[“What do you mean you are my grand niece?”] Velkorn questions, looking at the other zebra as she moves over to check on Big Mac, who had slept though the whole conversation.

[“Well, as I have heard, I am descended from the first king of the zebra lands. That would be King Baelit. Going by the story young Twilight Sparkle has been witness to, he was your nephew. Since I am descended from him that makes us related, I suppose. From my understanding, he had some family pop up in Manehatten as well,”] Zecora explains.

Velkorn closes her eyes, her ears flattening to her head. She should not have expected him to remain chaste at any rate, particularly if he followed Rhede's example. It was not that she was upset that he fathered children, it was more that he had fathered them so long ago and that he was now dead.

She sighs, moving to take a seat on the bench across from the bed.

[“I am sorry if I said something that bothers you,”] Zecora blurts out. [“I did not mean any offense by it.”]

[“No, no... It is not you...”] Velkorn placates. [“It is just the realization of how long it has been has fully started to sink in. Everyone I know aside from the others who were sealed with me has passed on and likely been reborn again. Even the zebra lands are possibly far changed from what I remember.”]

Zecora smiles softly, taking a seat by the door.

[“The zebra lands have not changed very much, I would think, since the days you remember. There is more diversity, and most of the old ways as you would remember them are gone. The capital is still the same, with a queen at current, though her name eludes me, as I have not been in the lands since before her coronation. She is not of your line, however,”] Zecora explains.

[“I gather the untouchables are still the lowest caste?”]

[“There are no untouchables, as there are no zebra gods. The last that appeared was destroyed by the ancestor of the mare currently on the throne. At least, that is what the legends say. Granted, aside from old tales, there is no proof of it. Even if we do not rule from the throne in Asclepius, your family has ties to a small noble house in Canterlot. It is not as if we live in any sort of exile. Well, I do, but that was my own choice to live apart. It makes it easier to do my work living in the Everfree,”] Zecora chuckles.

[“Do you know what happened to Baelit after I left?”]

[“Not directly, no. My father claimed he met a mare as beautiful as the sun, wed her, and then ruled the zebra lands the rest of his days. His child, however, was soon exiled for breaking some taboo or another, though she was accepted in Canterlot by the princess. Many generations later, here I am. Though before my father passed, he gave me something very special. I think you may appreciate it. Granted, I never expected us to ever meet; it is a strange boon to be found in a wound such as Big Mac has suffered. I brought one relevant volume with me. This has been passed down in my family since King Baelit's time. A strong magic protects them from harm, but even so, it is a treasure.”]

Zecora leans to the side, opening her saddle bag and pulling out what looks like a book wrapped in white silk cloth. She sets it on the end table, opening the cloth to show a plain, leather-bound book with a number fourteen on it in silver stitching.
Velkorn's eyes widen as she approaches, slowly pushing open the cover with a hoof as Zecora steps back.

Just inside the cover on the first page was a hoof written number fourteen, as well as the simple title of 'The Collected Knowledge of Medicine. Volume fourteen.' written in zebra.

Velkorn flips a few pages in, looking at the written work within, her eyes watering a little at the diagrams and potion recipes for various ailments and poisons that filled the pages.

[“This is a guide book, one of the books I left for Baelit that I wrote over my time traveling. How... do you know where the others are?”]

[“Of the rumored twenty six volumes, I have twenty. Two I know of were destroyed, volumes twenty one and twenty two. Three reside in the Canterlot royal library, as their spells have degraded and their age is slowly catching up to them. The last is sealed in Princess Celestia's personal collection and is rumored to be about how to cure alicorns.”]

Velkorn smiles, slowly turning the pages, looking over her hoof writing and the multitude of rough sketches she had filled the pages with. Many of them are images of wounds and injuries as they were placed on a sketch of Jer'rahd. In the middle of the book was an image of him with a shallow gash in his side. A scar was forming from the wound that looked like thunder clouds, the effects of cloud serpent venom and its cure.

[“Turn to the back cover.”]

Velkorn turns to the back cover, looking at a script that was decidedly messier than the writing in the rest of the book. It simply stated, 'the works within were collected and preformed initially by Queen Velkorn, the First Rightful Queen of the Zebra lands.'

[“The first volume has a note in the cover as well, instead of just saying who wrote these books. It is a message from Baelit to his daughter. I assume it was from when he first gave her the books. It reads 'To my darling daughter, I hope these books will aid you well in your life and that you will be able to follow the author’s example and seek to aid all who have need of it, no matter their race or beliefs. Love, your father, Baelit, Head of the Queens Cross, First King of the Zebra Lands."]

A soft sigh escapes Velkorn's lips as she closes the book.

[“Much of the medical knowledge of today has come from your writing. Technology and magic has evolved, but the base treatments you have in these books are still being preformed, as none better have been found.”]

[“Dragons.”]

Zecora blinks.

[“What?”]

[“Volumes twenty one and twenty two. They were about Dragons. If I am able, I will be happy to copy them for you, as well as the damaged books. I also have this.”]

Velkorn turns, reaching into her own saddle bag and retrieving a notebook from it. Zecora's ears perk, looking at it curiously.

[“This was the start of the twenty seventh volume. It continues with a few more things about alicorn treatments. It also adds in some hangover cures, as well as treatments of alcohol poisoning, treatments to remove the effects of various mind controlling drugs and spells, as well as a few pages on various potential cures to those cursed by the books... I never managed to test any of the latter treatments. They are simply theories.”]

Zecora's eyes widen at the idea of recovering some of the hidden volumes. She could have used the books on dragons when Spike went through a growth spurt, though having them now...

[“I will require something from you, however; Zecora, was it? Particularly if you are indeed of my nephew’s linage.”]

Zecora blinks, curiously looking at the older mare.

[“And what is that?”]

Velkorn smiles tucking the note book back away.

[“You must call me auntie.”]

=============================================

Pinkie Pie did not think she had ever been this scared in her life, and it was absolutely the most fun she had ever had.

The little dragon had started to bounce around so much, Pinkie had to eat three cupcakes and drink a whole pitcher of sugary lemonade just to keep up with her. They must have sung twelve different songs, gone through and entire plate of cookies, and baked more pies and cakes than the bakery could possibly hold on its shelves.

And that was just the first hour.

Pinkie had found out that this was Bleu Scale, the former bearer of the Element of Laughter, and Bleu had found out Pinkie was the current Bearer of Laughter. This led to a joke battle, then a song battle, and then a prank war.

In less than two hours, there was not a single soul that had stepped outside in Ponyville that had not been painted, pied, or otherwise ranked from the pair. Twilight had been hit several times trying to get them to calm down, and they had taken to the air to get away from the angry unicorn.

They had stopped to go swimming, tested out Pinkie’s one pony marching band, ate a few more cookies, and repainted half the rooms of Sugar Cube Corner. Bleu had opted for a plaid coloration, while pinkie went with the classic paisley.

Pinkie was currently clinging to a spine on the blue dragon’s back as she cartwheeled and spun through the air like a drunken European swallow that was carrying a coconut.

Bleu suddenly pulls up short and lands, changing back to her smaller form as she stares at something.

“Huh? What is it, Bleu?” Pinkie questions, moving beside her.

“What are those?” Bleu asks pointing at you.

“What are what?”

“Those things on the other side of that glowy square. There's a bunch of them, too. That one looks like he’s wondering what’s going on.”

“Oh them? Their just the readers. HI READERS!!!” Pinkie waves at you.

“Readers?”

“Yeah, readers! See?”

Pinkie points a hoof up at the wall of text above her that was scrolling up even as she points.

“Yeah we’re in some kinda Brony story. I think they call it fan fiction.”

“Ummm, I have no idea what you just said.”

“Don't worry about it. See? Just wave to them.”

Bleu and Pinkie both wave at you.

“Ooh look, that one waved back. Thanks! Hey, how big is this thing now, anyway?” Pinkie wonders, looking at the word count on this chapter. “Ooooh, TDR got it OVER NINE THOUSAND words... this time. “

“Ooooh, sounds big. Wait, wait, who’s TDR?” Bleu questions, hopping from one clawed foot to the other, still unable to stand still.

“Wow, you have a lot to learn, young pupil, but don't worry. You only see the bronies if you have too much sugar... oh, ewww. Hey, put some pants on over there! Yes, you with the little scrolly box with the little Big Mac cutie mark on it. No pony wants to see that. I don't care if you are going to the bathroom.”

“Ooookay, yeah, that was a bit much. So what are we supposed to do now that we can see them?”

“Nothing. Keep doing what we were doing. They don't do anything much, anyway. Although, we should have a line break coming soon that should take us to what Jer'rahd is doing.”

“Oh, you mean this thing?”

================================================

Applejack and Fluttershy continue on after the pony, losing him once they reached the tree line at the back of the farm.
“Well, guess we lost him. We should go back. Nothing more to do here,” Fluttershy mutters.

“Ain't going nowhere. That pony's still around here somewhere. Come on; that wall Granny was talking ‘bout is over here,” AJ growls, galloping further into the trees with the pegasus following cautiously.

To Fluttershy, the 'wall' looked little more than a few flat stones that had managed to be piled atop one another. Getting closer, however, she could see that there was a long line of stones piled much the same way in places, though most of it seemed to have eroded or fallen over.

A loud crash disrupts the pegasus's investigation as Applejack gallops off again, forcing her to fly along after in a rush, only
to bump into the farm pony as she suddenly stops.

“Oh sweet Celestia, what is he doing? How is he doing that? ….” AJ mutters.

Fluttershy peeks out from behind her friend as a small tree gripped in green glowing magic is ripped from the ground and flung through the air to crash on the other side of the wall.

The stallion stands in the middle of what was now a clearing, facing a massive tree. Sweat already ran down his face as he uproots another smaller tree entirely and throws it into the pile that already contained a half dozen, the broken ground forming a large circle of fresh earth around him.

Taking one of the trees, he turns it over, using the branches like a broom to sweep the area around the big tree clear and fill in some of the uprooted holes before tossing his makeshift broom back onto the pile of uprooted trees.

He exhales deeply, getting his panting under control as he moves closer to the large tree and starts striking at it with his forehooves, chipping away wood and bark from the large pecan tree. Fluttershy was tempted to yell at him for disturbing the animals who lived in the trees, but she wanted nothing to do with this crazy stallion.

Jer'rahd finally stops, looking at something on the tree with a sigh. His gaze shifts around the clearing before he starts pulling rocks from the fallen wall behind the tree. He moves around the clearing, placing perhaps fifty or so piles of stone in neat little rows before moving back to look at the tree. He places the last two piles on either side of the scoured trunk before cleaning off the splintered wood from something.

“What is he even doing now?” AJ whispers, her earlier mission to get him off the property on pause.

Fluttershy watches for a moment before her eyes go wide. When she first left the house after the attack, she was greeted to a similar sight, if on a smaller scale behind her house thanks to Angel Bunny. It was rare that animals would honor their dead like that, but the rabbit had been insistent that it happen for the ones that fought to protect her.

“It's a graveyard. He's making a graveyard... No, wait, he's restoring one,” Fluttershy whispers back as she slowly moves around from behind AJ, watching the gray unicorn as he kneels down in the dirt before the tree, adjusting his saddlebag and the wrapped item that was strapped to one.

She slowly trots closer, with Applejack behind her, this time to see what he was staring at. Imbedded in the large tree’s roots around where he had cleared it away were two weatherworn stones. There were markings on them, but the stone itself was so worn, neither of them could make out what they said.

Age and nature had turned all the other markers to dust; only the pair that the tree had grown around were protected by the elements enough to remain even partially intact.

The mares move a bit closer, but remain at the edge of the clearing, barely hearing his voice as he starts speaking.

“Hello, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa... it's been even longer since I’ve come back to see you this time...” he whispers.
“I suppose you may have been wondering what I was up to after the last time I came by...”

=============================================

Rarity looks over the stallion that was following Spike with an appraising eye. He was the handsome sort, quite attractive in a roguish way. She was, however, curious as to why Spike was leading him here. Of course, the poor dragonling did not seem happy about it. That in itself made this interesting.

“Hey, Applebloom, Scootaloo look! I think it’s him that pony fromt he field trip!” Sweetiebelle shouts from the other shop window.

The rest of the CMC rush over to the window, plastering their faces to the glass and ensuring that Rarity would need to wash the show display windows again.

“Hey, yer right, Sweetie Belle. That's one of ‘em. Where dah yah think the others went?” Apple Bloom questions.

“I dunno, but I wanna meet that pegasus again. She was almost as cool as Rainbow Dash,” Scootlaoo shouts. “What’s he doing with Spike?”

Rarity looks at them curiously. After the Discord incident, the trio had been talking about how a dragon and some ponies rescued them on their field trip to the Canterlot Royal Gardens. No pony paid it much mind, as Discord had done a number of odd things, and the fillies’ story was lost in the tide of strangeness. After a few weeks, even they stopped talking about it as they started working on getting their cutie marks again.

A knock sends the trio charging towards the door ahead of Rarity and throwing it open, nearly trampling Spike as they started yelling questions at the earth pony.

“Hey thanks for before.”
“What was your name again?”
“How did you get so tall?”
“Where are the others?”
“How did you get your cutie mark?”
Why arn't yah speaking funny anymore?”

Rarity catches Spike by the tail, pulling him away from the mini stampede before he’s trampled. She rights him and dusts him off briefly as he composes himself.

“Spikey, what is going on, and who is this stallion?” she questions, leaving the aforementioned stallion at the mercy of the
CMC.

“Ugh, this guy’s Rhede Pelt. Twilight said I should bring him over here for you to keep out of trouble.”

“Rhede Pelt... Rhede Pelt... wait, THE Rhede Pelt? The Rhede Pelt from Twilight's book? Princess Luna's friend Rhede Pelt?”

“Yep. That's the one.”

“How is he... did Luna forgive him and let him out, or did Twilight... what did Twilight DO? This cannot be good.”

“I don't think it’s either, but Luna didn't do it, Twilight did. She said she found out who the others where that escaped: Bloodtail, Scarlet, Razor Wing and Nocturne, on top of Silver Claw and Claymore. She let t them all out to help with them, and then lost all of them but him. She told me to bring him here for you to watch him and she was going to find the others.”

“She freed them ALL?”

“Yes, she said she'll explain why later, but she wants everyone together first.”

He continues on a bit, but Rarity was not listening. She had a small number of things running through her mind to do at the moment. Of course, with the girls bouncing around him, she wouldn't get a chance to do so.

“Spiky, I would like you to do me a favor.”

“Huh? Oh sure, Rarity, whatever you want.”

“Thank you, Spike. I’ll give you a few bits to take the girls down to the ice cream shop and watch them for the rest of the afternoon. I have no doubt Twilight will bring the others back, and I would like to speak with him without having to yell over Sweetie Belle and the others.”

“Oh no, I am not leaving you alone with him. Keep in mind I know how he works; I read the books too. I won't let him touch you.”

“I assure you, Spike, he shall not be laying a hoof on me. Please, Spiky, I'll throw in a few extra bits so you can get a triple scoop.”

He hesitates a moment as if considering the offer, though he glances back to Rhede and the others.

“Fine... but with extra sprinkles, too.”

“Of course. The sooner you get them and go, the faster you can get the ice cream.”

Spike nods and in an impressive display of wrangling, manages to get the lot of them to leave Rhede alone. With a few urgings and hints on new ways to get cutie marks, as well as the promise of ice cream, they all rush out the door, leaving Rhede with Rarity.

Rarity sighs as the girls and Spike run off for the ice cream, her gaze turning to the tall earth pony who was doing his best, it seemed, to not directly stare at her.

“I am terribly sorry about that. It seems they may have confused you for a guard that helped them on a field trip to the Canterlot Gardens,” Rarity states.

“I'm afraid while I am unsure what a field trip is, those where the three some friends of mine and I rescued from a pack of trolls when Discord got loose,” Rhede responds, a small smile on his face adding to his suave tones. “Might I ask the name of this lovely young mare before me, or should I simply create something that would pale before what her true name is?”
If Rarity did not know any better she would swear he was related to Hoity Toity... Granted, if this was Rhede Pelt, he may very well be.

“My name is Rarity, Mr. Rhederic Pelt,” she states.

“I was right. What I thought of in no way matched your actual name,” Rhede croons. “And please call me Rhede.”
Rarity shakes her head with a sigh. “No, Mr. Pelt, I do not think I shall,” Rarity states, doing her best to shut down the charm he was practically oozing. “And what might I ask has brought the former Element of Honesty here?”

“Generosity actually, Ms. Rarity. Honesty was carried by Starfall. It would not have been a good fit with my preferred methods,” Rhede chuckles, “Although at least the mares would know I was not simply flattering them.”

“I would think the one who seemed intent on claiming you as her own would be rather upset. Bleu, I think, had her eyes on you?”

“Well, it’s possible. I assume she's only playing, unless you mean Velkorn... ahhh, I see,” Rhede chuckles, “You have an interesting, if somewhat blunt, technique, miss Rarity. Shall we just skip the game and just say you do not believe I am who your little dragon friend says I am? I gather you read the book Twilight was talking about, so you probably know quite a bit about me.”

Rarity flicks her tail in a bit of annoyance at calling her manipulations ‘blunt’, though he was supposed to be a rather good spy, so perhaps they were.

“I suppose we can skip the games, then, Mr. Pelt. As I said before, my name is Rarity. I am the current Bearer of the Element Generosity. I have quite a number of questions for you.”

“I am sure you do. Five apples long and at least one around. That is the most common one asked by pretty mares any way.”

The white unicorn flushes as Rhede chuckles.

“There is no need to be crude!”

“Crude? What, that is a very decent pick up line.”

“It may have been a thousand years ago, but it is something that is more than a little crass nowadays. What I have to ask has nothing to do with the length of your... Never mind, nothing to do with that.”

“Then what?”

“A bit of your history, to be honest. There was a blank point that caught my attention and it may well be useful at this point.
The one explanation that was given did not make much sense.”

“And what is that, miss?” questions Rhede the smile still wide on his face.

“What really happened between you, Velkorn, and Bloodtail in the Zebra lands before she came back with you?”

Rhede's smile fades.

“That is not something I wish to discuss, Ms. Rarity.”

“Actually, Mr. Pelt, I am not planning to give you much choice. Bloodtail is loose and any information will be useful, particularly since he is the one we know the least about. Now you can tell me what I wish to know and I shall keep the non vital information to myself, or I can ask again when we are all gathered and have your friends question you as well.”

“What Bloodtail did is not going to help him get caught.”

“Mr. Pelt, I shall be the judge of that.”

Rhede blinks, then snorts in annoyance.

“I have been out of the game too long. This is yet another time I have let a pretty face get me in trouble.”

“That, Mr. Pelt, I shall accept as a compliment,” Rarity smiles.

“So you heard, or read, what I told the others?” Rhede grumbles.

“Indeed, though I felt it was rather vague. As a unicorn, I know spells do not work like that. It is nearly impossible to tailor something to only one pony, or zebra, as it were.”

“Noticed that, did you?”

“I am an artist in my trade, Mr. Pelt. I tend to have a knack for noticing the small details.”

“Fine,” Rhede sighs, turning to drop with a whoosh of breath onto one of her couches. “What really happened was I failed...”

=======================================================

Jer'rahd takes another sip of the cider, rather enjoying the taste even if he did not feel the alcohol. It was one of the little things he missed since becoming the monster.

Well, being able to get drunk enough to forget he was a monster.

He was seated at a small picnic table outside of the farm house with the orange earth pony in a fedora of some kind, and pale yellow pegasus staring at him. The pegasus was mostly hiding behind the earth pony, though the look she was giving him was making him more uncomfortable than the glare the earth pony was giving.

“So you're Jer'rahd Kaisur,” AJ questions for the fifteenth time.

“As I said repeatedly, miss, I am,” Jer responds yet again.

“What tha heck are you doing free? Shouldn't you be a statue?” AJ snaps.

“I agree. I should still be in the garden. But an annoying purple unicorn decided it would be a decent idea to free me,” Jer mutters. “Now if you are done repeating yourself, who are you, and how do you know I was supposed to be a statue?”

The earth pony blinks and tips her hat up, stammering as she tried to find some sort of excuse to give. It was the yellow pegasus who finally spoke up.

“Umm, well, you see, I think the purple unicorn you mentioned is our friend. I mean, she can get to be a bit much sometimes, but I wouldn't call her annoying, but I guess you can if you want, though it is a bit mean, if only a teensy bit correct. Oh, she was studying you and your friends and we read the books in order to help out,” Fluttershy. rambles

“Oh...” Jer blinks. “You know Sparkle, then.”

“Yeah, we know Twilight. We’re her friends,” AJ snaps.

“Yes, well, that still does not tell me who you are,” Jer responds, taking another sip of the offered cider. “It's a bit much for me to simply say ‘hey you’ when I’m talking.”

“Oh, sorry, how rude of me. I'm Fluttershy and this is Applejack,” Fluttershy mumbles.

“Nice to meet you...” Jer looks at the scowling AJ. “Well, one of you, anyway. Are you two also Element Bearers like Sparkle?”

“Yeah, so what if we are?” AJ questions.

Fluttershy nods in response, though she yeeps as Jer'rahd rises to his hooves, setting the mug aside. Applejack shifts as if expecting him to try something, though she blinks in confusion as the gray unicorn bows before them.

“Thank you for doing what we could not and saving Luna,” Jer states. “You have my gratitude for accomplishing that. Despite my misgivings on the situation, I will help with this situation if I am able, to repay you.”
Both Applejack and Fluttershy look to each other, then back at the unicorn bowing before them.

“Uh, thanks, ah guess... yah ken get up now. Ah don't need no pony bowing tah me....” AJ stutters.

Jer'rahd rises with a stretch and takes a seat again to finish the cider.

“This is quite good,” Jer comments, “It seems you are just as surprised that I am free as I am. I suppose that means that Sparkle did not tell you anything, either?”

“Nope, notta thing. Granted, ah also didn't expect a strange pony tah be wandering across tha farm after all this went down, either,” AJ grumbles.

“Yes, well, sorry about that. But following instinct to return to a location is not as easy as the birds make it out to be,” Jer grumbles.

“Oh, it's not easy for them at all. They sometimes have to stop and ask directions too,” Fluttershy comments.

Jer'rahd looks at her confused a moment before sighing. “I suppose we should get back and find Sparkle... is that a normal occurrence in this age?” Jer questions, looking up at the sky.

The other two turn, looking up as well.

===================================================

Spike simply stares at the commotion going on in the center of Ponyville and wishes the ground would swallow him up.

Pinkie Pie and a pony-sized blue dragonling were tearing down the street in a yokeless apple cart loaded with a multitude of cookies, candies, and pies and were plastering anyone who they saw with one of the deserts within. Spike had been on the receiving end of both an eclair and a bit of fudge.

The CMC had taken a pie and a pair of cakes respectively, though they got off rather easy compared to the purple unicorn galloping after the pair screaming at them to stop. There was a fair sized mob of annoyed and confectionery-covered ponies behind her chasing the cart as well.

To her credit, Twilight seemed to be trying to stop the cart with magic, although every time her horn glowed, a pastry impacted her, disrupting her spell.

The CMC charges off in pursuit as well, though it’s more to join in rather than stop the pair with those three, so that left him standing alone with his triple scoop of ice cream. He was rather content with this, considering he did not want to be associated with any of them at the moment.

He turns his head and gives his ice cream a lick, only to find there was nothing there. Looking down, he saw his triple scoop chocolate, vanilla, sapphire swirl ice cream had been the victim of the drive by pieing.

Spike sighs, dropping his head in defeat just in time for a blueberry pie to splatter in his face as the cart comes around again.

======================================================

“Failed?”

“Yes. Bloodtail not only managed to sneak back into the castle without any pony noticing, but he also managed to get to Velkorn,” Rhede spits out. “Turns out on top of being a rather potent mage, he was also a skilled potion maker and an expert at a strange death curse magic the zebras called hoodoo or voodoo or something. In any event, it was three days before I even noticed.”

“Were you not supposed to be watching over her?” Rarity questions.

“I was... partially.”

“Dare I ask what happened?”

“You should be able to figure it out. Exotic stallion in a new land with a dark story about why he was there, mares ate it up.”

Rarity sighs, rubbing her temples.

“Anyway, I got lucky, really damn lucky. When we first officially met, she was at least cordial, though cold. I doubt she really forgave me for killing her brother, whether he needed to be taken out or not. She warmed up a little once she found out how close I was with Jer'rahd. Seems he made an impression on her. It was a small connection that I exploited to try and remain close to her. Even then, I didn't try anything with her. There's still something about her that keeps me from wanting to touch her, as if I would ruin it. Like seeing a perfect snowflake that will melt if you so much as breathe on it. “

“Very poetic, Mr. Pelt, but you are stalling.”

“I am reminiscing; there’s a difference. Anyway, she suddenly turned cold again, and I was not sure why. I decided to investigate on my own and found Bloodtail had set himself up in her quarters. The entire room was covered with some ritualistic symbols. I am not sure what they meant, but I saw them again in the volcano of the shadow walkers much later. I believe they were to increase the chances of a god being born, though I don't know for certain. I spent a good hour outside that window watching him. Velkorn eventually came in and he blew some sort of powder over her face and chanted some sort of nonsense.”

“You let him do that?”

“I did not have much choice. I had no idea what he was doing and aside from her changed attitude and that she was allowing this, she seemed unharmed. What he was speaking, however, was ancient Zebra; at the time, I only knew bits of it. I became fluent after this event. I still might not have intervened if he had not tried to bed her after that. I have a issue with that sort of thing. It's why I never pick up drunken mares. I slipped in and took him down. I didn't kill him, as he was probably the only one who knew what he did. That's when it went bad.”

“How would rescuing her go bad?”

“Well, for starters, she tried to kill me. Seems just taking out the one who cast the spell was not enough to break it... and, well, again, I am not proud of this, but I panicked.”

“You, of all ponies, panicked?” Rarity chuckles.

“In case you did not read those parts, Velkorn is very, very dangerous. She has the bare hoof training to defend herself that her brother taught her before he went nuts, as well as the medical knowledge to hurt you in ways you did not know you could be hurt. The only thing that keeps her from ranking right up there with Jer on the scale of dangerous creatures is she has a great reluctance to kill. With whatever was done to her, however, she really did not have that limit. In my panic, I took the bag of powder that he had used on her and flung it in her face. I ranted off the words he used and she stopped dead. I told her to sit down on the bed and she did. At that point, I think I freaked out a little more and started digging through Bloodtail's gear, trying to find any information on what he did.”

“Why was that even worse if you did not plan to take advantage of it?”

“Politics. At the time, the whole nation was in turmoil. There was a growing resentment that Equestria had poked its nose in the zebra lands and was trying to take over. Total garbage, but it was the popular belief. We had invaded, we put a mare in charge, and we were working towards turning their society into one that was similar to our own. So it was not an invalid view. Now picture the reaction if they found out the Equestrian ambassador was in control of the queen completely through a taboo magic. Yeah, that would not have ended well for anyone, especially me. I spent a week interrogating Bloodtail in that room, sending her out every so often to 'act normal'. I learned enough ancient zebra to find out what the commands were just in that week. The spell was a simple one; the important command was: 'Obey and Love'.”

“So what, you just switched the words with something that removes the spell?”

“Errr, no. The wording of it needed to use the proper phrases and terms; basically, the rhyme meditation that is used by a few zebras nowadays... well in my time, is an off shoot of ancient zebra. Suffice to say, the last line needed to be rhymed with what translated to ‘Mourning Dove’. Rhyming in pony is easy. Rhyming in zebra is near impossible, as not only do the words need to rhyme, but so does the meaning. At the time, I could not think of anything that would rhyme with that, so I left it as love, though I changed the ‘obey’ to ‘be free’. I was already too pressed for time as it was.”

“Why not simply inform the other zebras what you found and let them deal with it from the start? They should have been able to cure her, and you would not be so suspect with Bloodtail right there.”

“Like I said before, Equestria was not very well liked at the time. There were those who still supported her brother's regime, and more still who still believed that mares were the lesser part of their race and not fit to be anything but breeding stock and home makers. I was not willing to risk someone like that getting a hold of her, or worse, her brother’s supporters letting Bloodtail finish what he started.”

“I see. So she was compelled to love you, then?”

“Yes, but for all other purposes, she was back to herself. She was clearly not happy, though. Due to the nature of the spell, she took most of it out on Blood Tail, healed him up, and then took it out on him again. She argued with me, disagreed, and acted as she would had there never been a spell, but her feelings were compelled to love me. I spent the rest of the time trying to get her to hate or dislike me, hoping that would break whatever the problem was. No matter how annoyed she got at me, she forgave me every time.”

“Why not get Celestia or Luna to cure it, or try the spell again when you understood the language better?”

“Neither of the princesses could find anything wrong with her, and there was no more powder. Bloodtail would not give up the recipe no matter what I did. I think I gave him too much recovery time, and he entered some sort of trance. I let Luna have Bloodtail turned to stone and explained the story I gave everyone else. No one questioned it,with Velkorn backing me up. Since I was still a member of The Order at that point, I went back when they called, and Velkorn followed me.

“From my understanding, she did not wish to be queen, anyway. Or was that part of the spell?”

“No, that was all her. Aside from her love for me, everything was still her.”

“Why not tell the others?”

“Celestia's fault there, actually. Her nonsense with the Elements got everyone’s hopes up, and when we failed, I was too distracted by the vision I was given to bring it up. When I got over that, well, everything else happened and it became rather moot.”

Rarity ponders for a time. She was not sure how much of it she believed, though he had not tried to flirt with her a single time since he started the tale.

“I must say you have been rather forthcoming with all this to me.”

“Heh, you are the first one who has asked about it. Besides, I felt like I needed to tell someone at some point, and it was going to be Jer, though he has enough problems without me adding to it. Besides, you were chosen for Generosity as well. I figure that we met like this had to mean something.”

“So do you actually care for her?”

“She was nice enough, though at first, no. I didn't see her as much more than some pony to have a bit of fun with if she was up for it. After the incident with the spell, it was still more about my own reputation and how her tagging along after me would affect me.”

“And now?”

“It's a whole new world out there right now. She didn't find anyone before; maybe she will now.”

“So you have an entire relationship built on a lie?”

“Most of my lasting relationships are built on lies. I've done nothing but make mistakes and errors in judgment my entire life. The only times I succeed spectacularly are when I am trying to fix a previous mistakes.”

“Like the Elk.”

Rhede winces. “That I do not want to talk about at all. Threaten all you want.”

“Do not worry. While I do not agree with your methods, I could see where you were coming from in that instance.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, and to be honest, you have told me far more than I expected and I have quite a bit to think about now. I suppose I should reward you for being so open about it, and must say despite my earlier coldness, I am getting more than a few ideas looking you over.”

“Oh really?”

“Indeed” Rarity smirks, her tail swishing a bit as she trots deeper into the shop. Her magic locks the door as she glances back to Rhede. “If you would follow me Mr. Pelt, I think I have something you may have been needing for some time now.”

“Please, call me Rhede.” he smirks as he rises to follow the mares swishing tail like a cat after a string.

“Of course... Rhede.”

===========================================================

The cart lifts up on two wheels at the edge of the cliff, almost going over into the pig pen far below. Bleu fans her wings, keeping it on course as Pinkie lobs a rather large cake at their pursuers, knocking a number of them down the hill into the mud. The angry purple unicorn chasing them, however, somehow avoids joining the rest of the mob at the bottom of the hill.

“Captain, we’re almost out of ammo!” Pinkie shouts.

“Yar,” Bleu responds.

“What are we gonna do!?”

“Yar.”

“What?”

“Sorry Yar is the only piratey thing I know how to say… Yar...”

“Oh Okay! OOOOh, what’s that?”

The cart stops dead in the middle of the road as if brakes were suddenly applied. Twilight runs right into the back of it with a loud thud as the two pirates of pastry gaze skyward at the points of light growing brighter as they fell from the sky.

==========================================================

Zecora and Velkorn had spoken for quite a while about the various medicines and herbal cures that where to be found. Velkorn was quite impressed with the younger zebra's knowledge, and Zecora had actually started to jot down a number of things they had spoken of.

Big Mac had woken up at one point and seen the two zebras. He looked rather confused for a moment before shrugging and laying his head back down on the pillow. Not long afte,r he lifted his head, ears perking up. With a bit of struggle, he makes his way from the bed to the window, looking outside.

[“You should not be up, ye, Big Mac. You are not fully recovered yet.”] Zecora cautions.

[“Is something wrong outside?”] Velkorn questions, rising to her hooves.

The large pony smiles, moving a little so the pair of zebras could see two rapidly falling lines of light bright enough to be seen against the noon sky. Velkorn's ears perk, hearing a familiar whine in the air.

[“Eenope.”]

========================================================

Dash could not believe this; this mare was good. No pony was this good unless they were a Wonderbolt. This had to be some kind of test for her. Maybe they heard about her and sent a scout. That was the only explanation Dash could come up with.

The pair had torn around the course Rainbow Dash had set up, and the gray pegasus was leading on her. She was sure she had seen this mare somewhere before. Maybe it was in a Wonderbolt's uniform. Yeah, that would make sense; she just looked different without her mask and with those old time goggles she was wearing.

Well, then, if this was a talent scout, time to show her what Rainbow Dash could really do.

==========================================================

Starfall was enjoying herself for the first time in a long time. The mare was a great deal better than she had shown before. All the mistakes that Starfall had pointed out had been corrected. She was still making other mistakes here and there, but they were always new ones. They had lapped the course at least three times now and were coming up on the last climb and downward straight shot. Starfall had held back a bit, content to stay just ahead of the mare. Not anymore.
It was time to show this little filly some real speed to drive home that she needed improvements.

======================================================

From the ground, a figure watches the pair. A heavily bandaged griffon hid in the shadows with her amber eyes locked on the climbing ponies, a smile spreading wide on her beak.

That was her, that was definitely her, oh by the Griffon King's Horde, that was her. Razor Wing nearly dances in place where she was. Nocturne had not been lying. She had come here to complete the short hunt and claim the multi colored pegasus's mane before she left, making that odd colored mane her first trophy in this age.

It had taken some work finding anything out about the mare called Rainbow Dash. She had wanted to start with old acquaintances and work up to family as she usually did before adding that multi colored pelt to the new collection. After a few small favors, Scarlet had found the documents in Canterlot that told of the mare’s family and where she grew up.
Checking Cloudsdale was easy. Nearly everyone there knew who she was and who she was friends with. Finding the griffon had been even simpler.

A little chick named Gilda; it was rare she was allowed to kill one of her own kind. It became a special treat when it was allowed. Of course, she might have gone a bit overboard, as she could not decide what to take as a trophy, at first leaving the body as little more than a mutilated corpse. She finally took her tail, making it the first trophy to adorn Wind Razor's belt in over a thousand years.

Finding her parents had been harder, but with Nocturne's ban on killing in Ponyville, she did not have much choice if she wanted to continue the hunt. The two drug-addled drunks were hardly fit to call themselves ponies, much less prey. She had spent nearly a week trying to get their smell out of the tails she took.

She had slipped back into Ponyville to take out the last targets she knew of: the closest friends of the pegasus. The white unicorn and the purple unicorn were the first targets. She planned to claim the yellow pegasus as well, Claymore’s preference be damned. The pink earth pony seemed to be her best friend and the rumor was the orange earth pony was her lover. That one would be the one she killed in front of the pegasus before she took her final trophy.
That had been the plan, anyway.

The purple unicorn had caused the Silver Claw issue, and she was unsure if she wished to solo anything that gave that beast a hard time. The white unicorn had been hanging around with foals all day. Despite her want to hunt, unless they were a target, she did not like killing children. The pink pony had been so surrounded by others while she worked that taking her out would have been impossible.

She then decided to take out the yellow pegasus and the orange earth pony. There were both together at the farm house and an easy mark. That was until she saw him.

Jer'rahd Kaisur, General of Princess Luna was on the farm being chased by the two mares she was targeting. That he was not dead was the first thing that shocked her. She had seen him twice: once during the attack, and once when he stopped Starfall from destroying her as she sat in stone.

In both instances, she could feel the back of her mind telling her to run as if he was a greater predator than she was. She got the same feeling from Silver Claw and Nocturne, so she left them as well and came to watch the pegasus and hope for a better shot at one of the others before she was forced to leave.

And now there was this.

She was watching Starfall Silvertail. The only one who had ever escaped her.

It was at this point she was torn between finishing the new hunt and finishing the old one. As she watched the pair climb into the air, she thought back to what the zebra had said about the book that they recovered.

Something about a greater reward for this hunt than she had ever considered. She shook her head, hearing the slight scream of Starfall's decent into that Sonic Rainboom effect of hers. She braces herself in the bushes, typical showy pegasus going full on Rainboom in a stupid race. It seems louder then she remembers it. She glances up, her eyes widening at the two falling lines of light.

=======================================================

The air before Starfall began to stretch as she pushes herself harder, her hooves pushing the air before her as she fell faster. She glances back briefly wondering what the mares expression was, her own eyes nearly bug out of her head seeing the cyan pegasus right next to her, the younger mare's own hooves nearly breaking the air before her.

Starfall grimaces and starts pushing herself harder.

=================================

This was impossible; not only was the pegasus still ahead of her, but she was starting to pull away again.
Rainbow Dash growls her wings straining as she pours on eve more speed the flickers of the rainbow nimbus begin forming around her forehooves.

She wouldn't lose.

===================================

Celestia stands out on the balcony with a bleary-eyed Luna, looking out over the mountain towards the town of Ponyville far below.

“Sister, I still protest. We barely get enough sleep as it is with all that is happening, and now you wake me in the middle of what little sleep I do get to watch the clouds,” Luna grumbles.

“Not at all, Lulu, and look down, not up. We may see something that even in all our years we have never witnessed. If what has been reported back to me is correct... ah, there it is,” Celestia smiles.

Luna blinks, looking down as Celestia suggested; her mind was far too filled with the troubles of the escaped prisoners and the treasonous actions of Twilight in freeing even more prisoners to focus properly.

When she finally does realize what she is seeing, her eyes widen, the haze of sleep leaving her instantly just as the brilliant flash of rainbow colored light flickers into existence.

Two perfect rainbow-colored rings spread out from a point far below the mountain, forming something akin to a Mobius strip. Clouds around them vaporize as the rings spread, the trees far below whipping as if tossed by a massive storm. The two rings collide above the falling points of light seeming to pause and warp the very air around them before both expanding edges change directions at an imposable angle and arc away from each other rather than collide. The two lines of rainbow colored light streaking towards the ground pull up and leave a corkscrew trail of rainbow colored light as they spin about one another, rising into the air.

“It seems Starfall has met Rainbow Dash,” Celestia smirks.

Luna's response was drowned out by the massive boom that shook the very walls of Canterlot.

======================================================

Jer'rahd and Applejack both manage to brace themselves as the wash of color and light whips around them. The farm house rattles and an old shed collapses. Fluttershy yelps as she was blown backwards, only to have a lasso catch her. A green shield forms to protect the trio from the savage wind.

The trees in the orchard shook, apples falling from the trees to thud onto the ground and land in the prepared buckets. Applejack pulls Fluttershy behind Jer'rahd's shield as the wind finally dies down.

“What in tarnation was that? That wasn't like anything Rainbow's done before,” AJ shouts.

“Rainbow?” Jer responds. “I am pretty sure that was Starfall... though I have never seen her do anything like that, either.”

“So much for being subtle,” AJ mutters.

“It's fine. Shock and awe are sometimes better than surprise. Something like this is bound to scare anyone looking to cause trouble in Ponyville,” Jer chuckles.

“Umm, what about Princess Luna, though? Do you think she might have seen that and have issues,” Fluttershy asked.
Jer'rahd's faint smirk fades.

“Oh, sorry, I didn't mean...”

“It's fin,e Miss Fluttershy. I expect everyone saw that. I should get back to Sparkle,” Jer sighs, “I do not suppose I can get one of you to show me where she lives? I do not wish to wander through anyone else’s yard.”

==================================

The rumble was still echoing across the fields around Ponyville when magic grips both Pinkie Pie and Bleu, lifting them bodily from the cart and pulling the pair to face a angry, slightly bruised, and dessert-covered unicorn whose mane was steaming under the frosting coating it.

“Oh, hiya, Twilight. You've got some cake on you,” Pinkie giggles.

“I wanted you to be subtle and not draw attention to yourself, Bleu. And this, and then that, and Arrrg!!!” Twilight shouts.

“And Pinkie, what was with the rampage?!? You weren’t helping!”

Bleu shrinks down to her smallest form, trying to give Twilight her cutest look and playing innocent.

“Well, it started out with a song and then it went to a cupcake and the world blurred then there was candy and cake and those little square things that tasted sooooooooooooo good them the was the rolling and the bronies and the typing and then there was the racing and the pranks and the swimming and the flying and then the pirate pie attack and its rather clear this town is not ready for that sort of thing then the big boom and then you caught up and then I started explaining what happened by saying it started out with a song....... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,” Bleu rants before suddenly passing out and dangling in the air, held by Twilight’s magic and snoring loudly.

Twilight blinks at the unconscious dragon.

“Sugar crash,” Pinkie scoffs, “She's still an amateur.”

==============================================

“Ooh, that feels nice. Shift a little that way dear.” coos Rarity.

“I have to agree, though do be gentle, Miss,” Rhede chuckles.

“Oh dear, the tough stallion afraid of little old me being too much for him? I assure you, if I do anything that hurts, you will still be enjoying the end result.”

“Mmm, with as skilled hooves as yours are, Miss Rarity, I can agree with that easily.”

“Flattery even now... You are a charming one. Ahh, hold still and let’s put this in ahhhooo there we go....”

“You are right that is very nice, but do be careful… Do you hear something?”

A loud boom shook the building, causing Rarity to jump with a yelp and drive the sewing needle into Rhede's flank, bringing a even louder yelp from the large earth pony half-dressed in a custom made suit.

“Oww, I said be careful. Ow... what was that?” Rhede grumbles. “It sounded like Starfall.”

“Sounded more like Dash to me... hmmm, perhaps we should head to Twilight's house and see what is going on. I suppose we can finish the suit later. I truly do need to see you in something from this century. You are quite the model, Rhede. I simply must have you come in to be fitted again.”

“Sounds like fun, though next time, try not to jab me as much.”

=============================

Razor Wing slunk off, nursing a bruised wing and her fur and feathers full of leaves and twigs where she had been flung along from the shockwave that the pair of pegasi had displayed. A low guttural chuckle escapes her beak.

They were related; they had to be, that had to be what the damn zebra had been hinting at. She needed to get back and let Nocturne know what she had seen. She could wait on this hunt; the one that got away and the rainbow haired pegasus. The only two ponies to do the Rainboom, one was her first target after a thousand years, and one was her last target from a thousand years ago, and she could now get them both.

She could think of no greater hunt than this.

“Can there be beauty in life? “

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“Can there be beauty in life? “

The faint click of hooves echoing in the cavern ceases as a large golden eye opens and turns down to stare at the trespasser. A cloaked figure covered out in various pouches and strange little symbols and fetishes stares back up at the eye, pulling its hood back to show the red painted face of the zebra Bloodtail. The owner of the eye snarls at the sight of the creature before it before the large red dragon lifts its head from the pile of gems it was resting on.

“Claymore, I thought I told you I did not wish to be disturbed!” Silver Claw growls.

“Yeah, like anything I coulda said would stop that one,” Claymore responds from somewhere else in the cave. “If he tried anything aside from just walking up nice and calm, I woulda taken him out, though. Got no love for stripes.”

[“And I have no love for your pathetically mewed threats, pony; you could barely kill a gnat hiding be-... GAH!”]
Bloodtail winces as he leaps back, a massive blade suddenly burying itself into the ground before him. The blade quivers a bit as dust and rock rain down on it, thrown up from the force of the impact into the rock.

[“First off, stripes, I speak your language fluently. Second, me and Silver Claw here might not like each other, but we like the rest of you a lot less,”] Claymore curses

“If you blunt that blade, Claymore, I will not make you a new one,” Silver Claw growls, shifting on his bedding of gems as the earth pony trots out of the shadows.

“Shouldn't be a problem; this is a well made weapon,” Claymore responds. He grips the swords handle in his mouth and yanks it and a large chunk of the cavern floor free. “Not star metal like I wanted, but we have yet to find enough of that crap to make anything.”

The earth pony curses around the grip, looking at the rock on the end of his blade that was bigger than him before tossing his head from side to side, shaking the boulder loose. Bloodtail stares in mute shock at the weapon that seemed to him like little more than a hunk of metal vaguely sword-shaped, though he rapidly composes himself.

[“It seems that I am not the only one hiding things,”] the zebra observes.

“I ain't been hiding anything, stripes. I was the highest-ranking non-noble officer at the great wall. Some might have been placed there simply from knowing the proper ponies, but us commoners had to work for it. I fought shit out there that would make you soil yourself, stripes,” Claymore snaps after smashing the boulder against the cave wall, freeing his blade.

“What do you want, Bloodtail? We were told to wait here until Nocturne returned from the north lands,” Silver Claw growls,
“Were you not supposed to go with her?”

[“While waiting on your stolen horde might be fine for you, Nocturne has been busy. She finished up the history book that was acquired while waiting on Scarlet to return, though it seems Razor Wing brought some interesting information that Nocturne felt necessary to pass onto you two. The three of them went north and sent me to speak with you.”]

“And what information might that be, zebra?”

[“General Kaisur, General Silvertail, and General Scale have all been spotted in Ponyville.”]

Claymore curses and Sliver Claw tilts his head, looking at the zebra.

“This is troublesome news, particularly with what we witnessed Kaisur do,” mutters Silver Claw. “I do not care how reluctant he may be to use it; the fact he has it and we have no counter yet bothers me.”

“Least it means I will get a chance to pay back that damned dragonling for what she did to me,” growls Claymore, running a hoof over his scarred face.

[“Do not get too ahead of yourselves. We shall not be attacking them until we are ready,”] states Bloodtail. [“However, she wishes us to share what we know about them. Scarlet has brought some information on the current Element Bearers as well as acquiring the Elements themselves. Nocturne also wishes for what information you have on the previous bearers”]

“So the spy bitch does what she is supposed to be good at finally; big surprise,” growls Claymore.

“Good, that means one more step in the alicorn's plan is done and we are that much closer to what she promised,” smirks
Silver Claw. “What makes you think I know anything about the previous bearers?”

[“Do not play coy, dragon. You lived among them for years. I doubt any one knows more about the princesses and the five generals than you do.”]

=========================================================

Twilight sighs, looking over her library. She had wanted all of them to meet at the same time, though is seems that the former Element Bearers had mostly already met the current ones.

Bleu was passed out still, draped over Jer'rahd's back as the unicorn glares at Pinkie, seemingly blaming the pink pony for his friend’s current state. The little dragon had been nothing but dead weight the whole trip back to the library and her snores were enough to rattle the windows of the tree. Jer'rahd had arrived with Fluttershy and Applejack and simply flipped Bleu onto her back to stop the snoring.

Pinkie was, of course, completely ignoring the glares of Jer'rahd and was bouncing around happily, introducing herself to everyone and nosing in their business and, well... simply being Pinkie Pie.

Rhede and Rarity were hitting it off fairly well, it seemed, though Rarity did seem to be watching Velkorn carefully as she was discussing current events and the modern world with Rhede.

Rhede, interestingly enough, had not been staring at Rarity's flank like Twilight thought he would have been. Twilight was quite curious about what the pair had talked about while she had been trying to find the others, but if it was important, she trusted her friend to let her know. Rhede was trying to avoid Pinkie the best he could, though his eyes did linger as she bounced past, so he was clearly not ill or anything. His gaze was also constantly running over Rainbow Dash and Applejack, though he had not so much dared to look at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy sat in a corner half-hidden in a hastily constructed book fort. She was talking calmly with Velkorn about something in zebra. Twilight had not known her friend spoke the language, though Fluttershy tended to be full of surprises.
Velkorn, for the most part, seemed to be doing her best not to look at Rhede. She had borrowed a blank book, ink, and a quill from Twilight and was writing something down, rapidly filling the pages of the book as she talked.
Rainbow Dash and Starfall had not shut up yet about the double Rainboom they had done. The cyan and gray pegasi were doing little but talking about maneuvers and tricks, both of them seemingly eager to get back into the air and do something else.

Only Jer'rahd and Applejack were silent. The pair of them seemed content to just listen to the goings-on around them. While a small smile touched AJ's face at everypony’s antics, Jer'rahd was stoic.

Twilight sighs, looking back as Spike finishes setting up the desk to start writing. Twilight wanted to start the first meeting of every pony with an information exchange and introduction, then move on to getting to know each other better.
Well, at least she could cross the last part off the list, particularly with how well some of them were getting along. Time to get this started, anyway.

“Alright, every pony simmer down... hey now... Hey...” Twilight stammers, “Hey… quiet... stop. If I could just...”

“AH-TENN -SHUN!!!!!” Jer bellows suddenly.

Starfall and Rhede suddenly snap to attention instinctively. Oddly, so does Pinkie Pie. Bleu yelps, waking up and falling off Jer'rahd's back. AJ glares at him and Fluttershy whimpers and sinks deeper into the book fort, which gets Velkorn to glare at him as well. The ones at attention finally settle back down, glaring at Jer'rahd as well. Everyone else at least quiets down to stare at Jer'rahd, who points a hoof at Twilight

“Floor's yours, Sparkle,” he states.

“Wow, that was loud. Okay, I have a feeling some of you are already getting to know one another, but I figure we could at least start with the introductions and then move on from there,” Twilight begins.

“Twilight, darling, since you know who every pony is, it may be faster to simply have you say who we are rather than let us do it. Not that Pinkie Pie isn't a darling, but I would rather not get her started, and we are pressed for time as it is,” states Rarity.

“Actually, that is a good idea,” Twilight responds pointing at Jer'rahd. “We'll start with the newcomers here. Alright, this is General Jer'rahd Kaisur, former Bearer of the Element of Loyalty.”

“You can drop the rank, Sparkle. I doubt any of us hold it anymore except with each other,” Jer states.

“Okay then,” she points a hoof at Starfall. “This is Starfall Silvertail, former Bearer of Element of Honesty.”
Twilight points to Rhede. “This is Rhederic Pelt, former Bearer of the Element of Generosity.”

“Just Rhede will do, Miss Sparkle,” he comments.

That is Velkorn, first Queen of the Zebra lands and the former Bearer of the Element of Kindness,” Twilight states, pointing to the zebra in the back of the room.

“As with all of our rank and file, you can drop the title of queen. It has been a good while,” Velkorn mutters.

“And lastly, Bleu Scale, former Bearer of the Element of Laughter.”

“Hey...” Bleu mutters, still not entirely certain how she got where she was after Jer'rahd woke her up.

“Alright, my name is Twilight Sparkle, I am the current Bearer of the Element of Magic, Next to Rhede is Rarity, current Bearer of the Element of Generosity. The pink pony bouncing about is Pinkie Pie, current Bearer of the Element of Laughter. The pegasus next to Starfall is Rainbow Dash, current Bearer of the Element of Loyalty. The pegasus hiding in the book fort is Fluttershy, current Bearer of the Element of Kindness. And lastly, in the hat, is Applejack, current Bearer of the Element of Honesty.”

“Ahem...” Spike coughs.

“Oh yes, and this is my assistant, Spike”

Bleu perks up noticeably, staring at the purple dragon curiously as if rather surprised he’s there.

“Wait, your assistant? I know Boss said you were Celestia's student, but you’re a student of her actual school? You hatched the little one here?” Bleu questions.

“Hey, who you calling little!?” snaps Spike.

“You, what are you, eight at best?” Bleu quips.

“I'm thirteen,” Spike growls.

“Oooh, big numbers. Lemmi know when you get a fourth digit in that age.”

“Don't even; you can't even count that thousand years, and for being nineteen, you act more like you're three.”

“Bleu, knock it off. Sparkle, control your pet,” Jer'rahd snaps.

“HEY! I'm not a pet!!”

“Spike, stop... yes, Bleu, I did. Spike was one of the last dragon eggs to be hatched,” responds Twilight. “Anyway, the introductions are in order. I suppose we should move to exactly who and what we are up against. Unfortunately, aside from the little bit of information I found in my studies, we don't have any information on the ones who are loose aside from the names: Bloodtail, Silver Claw, Nocturne, Razor Wing, Scarlet, and Claymore. I was hoping that you might be able to fill in a few blanks as to what they might be able to do or even want.”

“Rhede, go ahead and tell her what you know about them,” Jer states.

“Anything I should leave out, Jer?” questions Rhede.

“There's no reason to do so. Anything we leave out, they may know already from their spying on us,” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“It was not spying,” Twilight snaps, “It was more watching history unfold.”

“Really, Sparkle? You watched us without our permission, in your own words, for every major event of our lives and many that were not. Now picture someone was doing that to you, seeing everything you did for the majority of your life, silently judging, or stars know what else with the information they get from it. I think we might have been lucky just to have some story written about us,” Jer'rahd rants.

Twilight looks sheepish and the rest of the main six look uncomfortable, save Pinkie, who looks at you and holds a hoof to her mouth as if to tell you to shush.

“Hey now, there's no need tah be hostile here. We got permission from both princesses tah do that. If the princesses allowed it, do yah really think their permission wouldn’t supersede the want of some pony who was a rock at the time?” AJ fusses.

“How many copies of this book do you still have, Sparkle?” Jer snaps, ignoring Applejack.

“I still have three copies of it,” Twilight mutters.

"I want to read this over, and I want Rhede to pour over it as well. Then I want them burned,” Jer growls.

Twilight's eyes narrow at that. “Like Tartarus I will. do you know how hard Spike and I worked on those? I am not burning ANY books, let alone those. That you would even suggest burning a book is beyond comprehension,” she rants.

“I don't care what you think of my order. It is bad enough you six know my history and the enemy has access to it. I see no reason to give anyone else a chance to find out more about me!” Jer'rahd shouts, his eye starting to glow.

“You're an angry jackass with delusions of grandeur and a ‘woe is me’ complex that you can't get over. If it wasn’t for Celestia, there wouldn't be a single pony who would even give a crap about you,” yells Twilight. Her mane and tail start flickering with flames.

“BOTH OF YOU SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE BUCK UP BEFORE I KICK BOTH YOUR FLANKS,” Starfall hollers.

The two unicorns turn to stare at the pegasus.

“Seriously, you two are already set to kill each other, and it hasn't been a full day yet. Another perfect idea, Twi,” Dash mutters sarcastically. “Maybe we should go ahead and overthrow Celestia ourselves to make it even easier for these guys to do what they want.”

“Seriously, Boss; sit the buck down, already. I was teasing the whelp, but you're going past that right now,” Bleu mutters.

Jer'rahd and Twilight both let out a held breath and turn, moving back to where they were initially.

“Well then, I suppose now that the yelling is over, I can start,” Rhede smirks as he stands up, “You planning to write this down, little dragon?”

“It's Spike, Rhederic, and yes.”

“It's Rhede... ahh, I see. Alright Spike, let me know if you need something repeated. I tend talk quickly.”

==============================================================

The cold wind whips across the plains, sending eddies of snow and tossing it high into the air to fall back down on the figures below. A large bundle of furs shudders as the wind cuts through the layers of cloth.

“I despise this,” Scarlet snarls, “What fool hides things in places like this ice cube?”

“One who wishes for them to never be found,” states Nocturne, her hooves crunching through the snow, barely seeming to notice the cold, though her horn glows softly, indicating some spell or another was active.

A shrill cry draws their attention skyward to the third member of their party, a griffon who seemed to be having far too much fun in this frigid place.

Wind Razor lands, kicking up a great deal of snow that showers over Scarlet.

“Area's clear of any life, save a couple of wide patrols of pegasi. Easy to take out, but you told me this is covert, so they are still there. Only land mark is a cleft in the ice about is about a league ahead. There's some strange crystals growing around the edges of it. Odd, but otherwise nothing of note,” Wind Razor reports. “Seriously, are you two cold? Wusses; the weather’s finally decent.”

The bundled earth pony and the alicorn glare at the griffon as she ruffles her feathers a bit, a smirk crossing her beak.

“When all is said and done, bird, you can have these damned lands,” Scarlet snarls.

“Awwww, is the poor wittle pony cold? Want me to start a fire for you?” Wind Razor coos. “I figure you had enough fire in your life.”

Scarlet snarls and the chink of metal is heard under the piled furs.

“ENOUGH,” Nocturne bellows, “I did not bring you two along for you to drive me mad with your whining and taunts. Now that you have returned, Scarlet can inform us of what she found out. That chasm you spoke of with the crystals may be what we were looking for.”

The pair winces at the yell, though neither seems to be willing to back down for a moment.

“Let's at least keep walking. I want to get out of this wind,” Scarlet grumbles.

“So be it,” snaps Nocturne as she starts to walk towards the chasm.

======================================================

Rhede cracks his neck, looking at the eleven pairs of eyes staring up at him. He grins and strikes a few poses like a model before a couch cushion is flung at him.

“Get on with it!” shouts Bleu.

“Well now, tough crowd. Alright, alright, let’s start with the hard one, shall we?” mutters Rhede. “First up is Colonel Claymore. His rank was stripped from him after he betrayed Equestria to the dragons, but that's probably how you might know him from the book.”

Applejack nods as most of the others shift to get comfortable.

“Claymore is an earth pony from a newer noble house called the Blades. On his name alone, it rose from nothing to the standing it had before his fall. He was placed at the Great Wall; that's the wall Luna and Celestia raised between the Discorded Darklands and the rest of Equestria. I don't think it exists now after Nightmare Night, but I digress. Claymore rose through the ranks at the wall to achieve command of Duallahan Keep. His whole goal seemed rapid acquisition of power, and when the enemies he made while climbing the ranks of nobility stalled his advance, he went to the dragons.”

Rhede pauses as Spike catches up.

“Okay, let me back up to history. Claymore was a known misogynist and had a few rape charges that were never brought to light. He is reported once to have claimed that he preferred stronger mares, as they were more fun to break to his will. No female that came under his command was ever promoted or praised and more often than not, they were demoted for slights or for made up reasons. More than a few fought this and were kicked out of the service by him along with rather long lists of why. This was brought up after his betrayal and resulted in the reinstatement of at least seven former Guard mares. Married five times, sired a good dozen or so foals, it was rumored, but never proven that he abandoned the wives who only bore him fillies and cut them off completely from any support. Again, not truly relevant, but worth note.”
Rhede glances to Fluttershy, who sinks further back into the book fort, only the tip of her pink tail still visible.

“Before the events of Dullahan Keep, he made a deal with the leader of the Flame Party, Silver Claw, to turn over Dullahan to the dragon forces in exchange for a small section to rule as he saw fit. It is thought this was how he planned to get around the limit on his climb to power. We expect that the dragons were going to betray him, but due to the Demon of Dullahan and Bleu, he was stopped. Rather than fight, he gave up, expecting some sort of leniency for being a noble, which he was not given. He was sealed in stone after all information could be extracted from him.”

Rhede notes the wince that Twilight gave, making a note that she had probably seen that event from Jer's perspective.

“Unlike most nobles, Claymore actually fought for his position and earned a reputation for being particularly strong and tough. His weapon of choice was... is a great sword that was easily the same length as he was. It was described more as a flat hunk of metal with a handle attached than an actual sword. He was said to be quite a skilled swords pony with it as well. Other than that, no other special powers or abilities of note,” Rhede concludes.

=====================================================

[“The current bearer of the Element of Generosity is a white unicorn mare by the name of Rarity,”] begins Bloodtail, looking at the paper before him, [“She resides in Ponyville and is known to own a shop there called the Carousel Boutique. She has a mother and a father living in town, as well as a younger sister.”]

Claymore spits off to the side, waiting for something useful as Silver Claw simply stares at the zebra.

[“She has limited magic and no known attack spells and is somewhat of a self-proclaimed fashionita or fashioner... … damnable pony words... she makes clothes. She also has investments and contacts in Canterlot and across Equestria as a whole to various nobles and semi-powerful figures.”]

“Not really useful. No combat data?” grumbles Claymore.

[“Some; it seems she has had some training in fencing and in at least two schools of hoof-to-hoof fighting, though there is no note here on how far her training went. Notable conflicts include aiding in the defeat of both Nightmare Moon and Discord, as well as negotiations with a dragon god of smoke and fending off a changeling swarm. Granted, all of them have those accomplishments.”]

“Who else?” rumbles Silver Claw

========================================================

“Scarlet, a.k.a. Lady Jayn, aka Snake Eyes, aka Zartana the zebra... oh buck this, she could be anypony. Highly trained assassin for The Order. A master infiltrator, a master spy, a master of disguise... and a serious bitch.”
Jer'rahd sighs.

“Look, she trained me, Jer, and that's a sore spot still. She has a penchant to do everything she can to be the very best, like no pony ever was. To catch her would be a real test, particularly if she has a cause.”

Pinkie and Bleu start humming something and Rhede ignores them.

“Her preferred methods of assassination involve rare poisons and seduction. Her signature poison is made from the venom of a rare breed of flying snake called a cloud serpent. I don't suppose I need to elaborate on that any?”

Rainbow Dash growls and Applejack shakes her head a little.

“I don't know who she was before the order found her, but in little under a year, she had managed to teach me everything I ever needed to know about what I do. I was not the only one she trained; I was just one of the three that survived her training. All the others were killed by either Luna on her rampage or me when I went on the purge.”
Rhede glances to Spike, who nods.

“Anyway, with the Order gone, there's no telling what her motivations might be. She was not the sort who would bother to seek revenge on someone who slighted them, though with Luna turning her to stone while she burned alive, that may not be the case anymore. There is also the fact that while she taught me nearly everything I know, I seriously doubt it was everything she knows.”

===========================================================

“The next one is named Applejack, bearer of the Element of Honesty. Her family runs an apple farm at the edge of Ponyville. She is somewhat the town hero, having single hoofedly rescued or come to the aid of the place several times. The stallion I poisoned was her brother,” lists off Scarlet as she trudges through the snow next to the others.

“Her parents are deceased, with the only relatives remaining in the town being her grandmother, older brother, and younger sister. Her primary skill set involves farming and orchard tending, though she has been to a number of shows to show off her skills and placed first, or at least high enough for a ribbon.”

“So she is a show pony, big deal,” grumbles Wind Razor.

“I would not simply dismiss these sorts of shows, bird. I witnessed one, and the primary objective seems to be pushing one’s physical attributes to the limit. She is also shown to be quite adept at using rope as a weapon, as well as a level of stamina far exceeding the norm of most earth ponies,” Scarlet states.

“Okay, a tough show pony then,” mutters Wind Razor, “You also seemed to miss the part where she's a filly fooler with my prey.”

“Rainbow Dash?” questions Nocturne.

“That's the one. Young pegasus, lives in Ponyville in a cloud home at the edge of town. She was turned over to an orphanage when she was born, grew up in Cloudsdale. First pegasus in over a thousand years to perform the Sonic Rainboom, Bears the Element of Loyalty. Fairly tough, very headstrong, though with good reason, won Best Young Flier competition last year, runs the Ponyville branch of the weather pegasi. Has a serious fanfilly crush on the Wonderbolts,” rattles off Wind Razor. “Was planning to kill the lot of them before going after her, but there’s too many and they’re too high-profile. It would be too much of a pain in the ass to take them all out just for one target. Besides, now that I know the best part, she’s a secondary target. The best part, ooooh, the best part is, she’s related to Starfall. I can take out either one just to see the expression on the other’s face before I collect my trophy.”

Wind Razor giggles and bounces around in the snow like a happy cat, making both the alicorn and earth pony rather uncomfortable.

“She's psychotic,” mutters Scarlet.

“But useful,” responds Nocturne, “Continue.”

================================================

“Bloodtail the zebra,” Rhede begins, watching both Rarity and Velkorn flinch. “First appeared in the zebra lands with the Warlord Zal' Torack, Velkorn's brother.”

Rhede takes a sip from a cup before continuing. “Zal'Torack ruled over a large section of the zebra lands as it was. With
Bloodtail's urging, he expanded his influence and either destroyed or absorbed every other tribe, forming a massive army and ruled the land entirely. The Order stepped in to try to influence the new ruler and gain rights to some of the natural resources of the region in return for aid in dealing with the warlord’s foes. This worked for a time, until Bloodtail convinced him to bite the hand that was feeding him and attack several border towns and military outposts,” Rhede rattles off. “I was sent in to kill him at the end of my training as my first assassination mission. It worked out well in my favor, as Jer was there to take all the credit for the operation.”

Jer'rahd harrumphs and Rhede simply smirks.

“Oh you loved it, don't lie. Anyway, Bloodtail was captured and turned to stone not long after that.”

Rhede glances to Velkorn, who does not meet his eyes. The earth pony sighs and continues as chipper as before.

“He openly admitted to being trained by a race of creatures called the Shadow Walkers. Not much to describe there, aside for the fact they were already rare and we might have made them extinct,” rants Rhede. “Bloodtail is a rare creature in that he is the zebra equivalent to a unicorn. Most foals like that were killed when born as it was one of the signs that the foal might be a zebra god. We know he is extremely skilled in potion brewing, some sort of black magic, and a spiritual corruption magic the zebras call voodoo.”

“OOO OOO he's an evil enchanter? Does he do evil dances? WhemmmmPPFFFFH!!” Pinkie Pie starts before being tackled by Rainbow Dash.

“Thank you. As I said, he has a great deal of supposed power, but no one has ever seen him use very much of it, as he seems to prefer to use others to do his work for him. He seems to have two main weaknesses. First, he seems unwilling or too lazy to use what magic he has access to, if any,” Rhede continues, “The other is that he seems to have a fixation on Velkorn. He has attempted to coerce or claim her on several occasions. It is one of the reasons Velkorn left the castle in the first place to be able to meet Jer.”

Jer'rahd glances back at the shivering zebra, his eyes narrowing a bit as he sees her fear.

“He also has a bit of a pride issue. He understands nearly as many languages as I do, perhaps more, and I will tell you that number’s in the scores. He will, however, only speak Zebra or ancient Zebra. He feels that speaking a lesser tongue is beneath him. Due to his notes, we expect he is attempting to find a zebra in order to give birth to a new zebra god. With his fixation, it is possible that he believes Velkorn will be the one who would have the highest probability of that. What he planned to do after fathering a god is unknown, but it's a safe bet that he was not content to be a good role model.”

==========================================================

[“Fluttershy, pegasus, and the bearer of the Element of Kindness. Also seemingly the current target of our scarred companion here,”] mutters Bloodtail having stopped for a sneeze.

“What!? That flighty bitch is an Element Bearer?” snaps Claymore. “I knew there was more to her. Shoulda ignored the damn critters and made off with her.”

[“Orphan, also from Cloudsdale. Moved to Ponyville as soon as she was able and started an animal rescue at the outskirts of town. Her family was well off before they died, and when she came of age, she inherited quite a large sum of money. Seems their deaths have created a rather prevalent phobia of dragons, however.”]

“Hmmph. A thousand years, and I finally meet a pony afraid of dragons,” growls Silver Claw.

[“She is shown to have a rather low wing power, whatever that is; likely a pegasus thing. However, she seems to have an ability that I have not heard of before. Something that the document refers to as 'The Stare',”] reads Bloodtail.

“The stare? What the buck is that supposed to be?” questions Claymore.

[“According to the document, it is some sort of gaze attack. There is an unconfirmed case of her staring down a cockatrice and forcing it to reverse its stoning of a number of subjects. There is also a confirmed report of its use against a dragon god, forcing him to depart Equestria. There are a number of rumored uses of this ability, though only one report from a subject affected by it. The description simply calls it 'like a disapproving stare from your mother, only much, much worse.'”]

“What the buck kinda lame ass power is that? She didn't show any sort of shit like that when I was there,” Claymore ponders briefly before grinning wide. “Bitch had an ability and didn't use it to try and stop me. I get it now. She didn't use it ‘cause she wanted it. Typical mare; all of them are sluts when you get down to it. At least I know what I am dealing with fully next time. A thousand years and not a bucking one of them has changed their nature.”

Bloodtail and Silver Claw both stare at the earth pony as he starts to laugh, somewhat embarrassed that they know him.

============================================================

“To be honest, this one kinda scares me. The folder for her was massive. There was, like, thirty pages of nothing but the word 'cupcakes' written in red ink,” begins Scarlet. “Pinkamena Diane Pie, Bearer of the Element of Laughter.”

“From my understanding, the bearers of laughter are always somewhat unhinged. Discord supposedly held that Element at one point as well,” responds Nocturne.

The group had stopped outside of the cleft in the ice; the alicorn was currently studying a snow covered crystal while listening to Scarlet. The earth pony took note of the interest Wind Razor was displaying on this pony and decided not to even ask.

“Earth pony, lives and works at a bakery in Ponyville. Also the town greeter, and the town odd jobs pony, and the town party pony... and that list goes on for another four or five pages with nothing important save the pyrotechnic pony,” grumbles Scarlet. “Skills list includes improv, singing... nothing really combat oriented save the ability to produce some sort of spell cannon from nowhere, though the only ammunition type listed is 'party'. There is also an evident ability to pop up anywhere despite the laws of reality... something called a Pinkie Sense that alerts her of danger... Honestly, what the buck is this pony?”

“A problem. Wind Razor, I understand this one was part of your hunt. Do you have anything to add?” nocturne asks.

“Nah, fire hazard there's got the right of it. Damn pony is the most random thing I have ever seen. She doesn't even stay still while asleep, most times. Eats more than her body weight in food almost hourly, acts more like some sort of taffy sometimes, and I swear I have seen her in more than one place and actually standing beside herself at least twice,” lists Wind Razor.

“Damndest thing is, she seems to know when I am about to strike, ‘cause she gets all jittery then looks in the direction I was gonna come from until I opt not to attack. Got some weird alligator thing as a pet, too; calls the blasted thing Gummy, as its got no teeth. Buncha weird shit in her room, too. Only got one look, but it’s like a tornado blew though with a bunch of party crap, statues, and half eaten food. Only thing of any real note is the owners of the place have a couple of foals she seems to be willing to do anything for. I was gonna grab one of them to lure her out to make the kill, then the owners left.”

“It is something we will deal with later. Her abilities should be little more than a annoyance unless she is affected by the books. We can deal with her well enough when the time comes,” Nocturne states. “We are going in. I sense it down there. Continue with the next one, Scarlet.”

The others nod as the trio moves into the darkness of the split in the ice.

======================

“Starfall, I think you should take this one. You probably know more about her than I do, considering,” states Rhede.

“You mean Wind Razor?” curses Starfall, rising to her hooves. The gray pegasus sighs, ruffling her wings as everyone turns to look at her.

“Wind Razor, a griffon soldier of the Cloudscraper Aerie. It was one of the aeries that was destroyed during the events of Nightmare Night..... errr, you do know what that is, right?” questions Starfall.

“Yeah, Twilight's study was pretty clear on that. Doubt ah'm ever gonna look at tha holiday tha same way anymore,” responds AJ.

“Alright, anyway, she is one of the daughters of the griffon god Storm Ripper. Using his power, he made sure she had the best training and covered up her more perverse tactics. Griffons claim, well, claimed, to be a highly honorable race with a strict set of codes they were set to follow in life. It was a requirement of a warrior to follow these codes of honor to even be considered a warrior. Failure to follow the code could result in anything from exile, forced grounding by wing removal, or death,” grumbles Starfall, “Wind Razor got out of having to follow these rules by having her father cover it up or blame someone else.”

The pegasus sighs, her ears flattening to her head.

“She has the best military and survival training that the griffon nation could provide and was decorated in the War of the North as one of the best soldiers that they had. The only problem is during that war, she developed a taste for killing and collecting trophies of fallen foes,” mutters Starfall. “She soon got bored with hunting warriors and started making up her own rules in the intervening years. She would kill someone, then find out everything she could from them from unsent letters, visiting family, stolen documents. The last hunt she was on started with my brother Wisp and my husband Loc. From the letters both of them had on them unsent, she found out about me, my sister, and my parents. Loc's parents had all but disowned him for joining the Guard, so he never spoke of them.”

Starfall pauses, exhaling deeply as the others simply wait for her to continue.

“She found out both of her kills had a connection to me, and I suppose that’s when she made me the main target. Thankfully, Loc did not mention Cloud Dancer in his letter. Unfortunately, when my parents came to collect the bodies, she killed both of them as well. Revenge on her was why I entered the Guard to begin with. When I performed the Rainboom for the first time and became famous for it, I knew she would have seen that and would come for me, so I worked to become as widely known as possible while on duty and all but invisible while off so no one would find out about my family,” finishes Starfall.

“I had a few contacts searching for her and found out she was still after Starfall and the remaining family. When the war ended, she and a number of other griffons left the military and became mercenaries. It was still easy to tell she was obsessed with Starfall, but before someone could deal with her, the entire mercenary unit she was with vanished. We expect that was the point when her group made contact with Silver Claw,” Rhede interjects.

“Next time anyone saw her, she was part of the attack on Canterlot and had already killed my sister and her lover. Considering who Silver Claw was posing as, it was easy to put together how she found my home. Thankfully, Cloud Dancer was at the gala. Unfortunately, Wind Razor found out she was my daughter,” continues Starfall. “She is a highly skilled aerial combatant who prefers to use her race’s own natural weapons along with clawed gauntlets that add extra lethality to her attacks. She carries another blade that she uses to claim trophies with, though she is not known to use it in combat. She's proven she's more agile in the air than I am and is adept at traps and ambushes. All in all, she's one of the more dangerous of the ones who got free, as her sole purpose seems to just be to hunt and kill.”

Everyone blinks, staring as Starfall exhales and settles back into her seat.

“That everything, Starfall?” questions Rhede

“There is one more thing,” Starfall states, “When the time comes, the bitch is MINE!”

=================================================

[“Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic, Princess Celestia's favorite student. Top marks from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, known as one of the most powerful unicorn spell casters of the modern age, though how much of that is her and how much is what she was given by the Element of Magic remains to be seen,”] Bloodtail starts, [“She is the de facto leader of the current Bearers, as well. Currently, she is head librarian in Ponyville, along with a dragonling companion she hatched during an entrance exam to the Princess's school.”]

“So the blasted ponies are still using our young as slaves to their gifted,” snarls Silver Claw, “I have seen the others who shared that fate in the past. Some of them actually thought they loved their captors; disgusting. Ponies are meals or underlings; they are not our masters...”

“Oh buck, not this again,” grumbles Claymore, “Yer not in a position to push those views right now. I may have agreed to work for you, but I am damn sure not your underling.”

“You would rather be a meal?” snaps Silver Claw, glaring at the earth pony.

[“If you two wish to fight, allow me to get out of the way so I do not get any blood on my robes,”] rattles off Bloodtail. [“While I would enjoy having two less headaches to deal with, it would disrupt Nocturne's plans too much and I may never get what wish. I would suggest you two calm yourselves and allow me to continue.”]

The dragon and the earth pony turn from glaring at each other to glaring at the zebra, who barely seems to register their disapproval.

[“It was found that this unicorn was the one you encountered in the forest, the one who possessed the Waning Moon.”]

Silver Claw's eyes narrow. “Are you sure?”

[“According to the documents, quite a number of Guard were saved by this pony. There was quite a ruckus caused in
Canterlot as she brought them all to the royal throne room.”]

“Impossible; that distance with two star metal blades, three score of ponies, and a tree? How did she bypass the castles wards? Even Nocturne had great difficulty getting us out of the garden,” stammers Silver Claw not knowing whether to be awe struck or horrified.

[“I do not know, but I have no doubt what is in this report is true. If it is any consolation, she was out for some time due to magic burnout. It clearly took its toll on her.”]

“A toll? The mare should be dead without even succeeding in half of what she did. Celestia herself would have a hernia trying to do that,” growls Silver Claw.

“Heh, you really have no idea about ponies, do you?” chuckles Claymore. “The more you tell us we can't, the easier it is for us to do. I don't do magic myself, but I’ve seen unicorns do shit that doesn't follow any sort of logic I can fathom. Also, you of all creatures should know that Celestia sure as buck doesn't show half of what she can really do. She's got some damn code she follows. So long as she follows that, we are safe, ‘cause if she ever decides to break it before we end her, we are royally bucked.”

Bloodtail looks at the earth pony as he focuses on his blade, wondering how much of that might be truth and how much simply bluster.

[“You seem somewhat knowledgeable on this, Claymore,”] Bloodtail observes, [“How is it you figure that?”]
“Most powerful mare to exist, was one point in my life I was trying to figure out a way to break her and make her mine. Never cared for her sister, though; something about her bothered me, probably how dangerous she was,” rambles Claymore, “The pair of them beat Discord and tore a path through the Darklands to do it, and after that, they had the power to raise a gods-damned wall from the very earth itself to seal off the Darklands from the rest of the world. I've seen things on the other side of the wall that nearly made me shit myself, and this is centuries after Discord's gone. They walked through that in its heyday and came back unscathed.”

“You forget the dragons did the same, Claymore,” snarls Silver Claw.

“Yeah, ‘cause I gave you a few dozen of those damned maps to the towers. How many of those things did you actually manage to find?”

“We acquired six of them,” snaps Silver Claw.

“SIX? You only got SIX? Those maps should have lead you to two or three score of those damned things. How many did you lose trying to get just those six?” Claymore snaps, watching as Silver Claw looks away as if ashamed to admit the amount.

“Now keep in mind that Nocturne came from one of those towers, and clearly not one the dragons had. That shit alone is enough for me to actually listen to her when she talks.”

[“Enough already. The past is past and the Darklands are no more, anyway,”] states Bloodtail. [“Silver Claw, I wish to know what you learned about Luna's generals so I might pass that on to the others. I have information on Pelt from Scarlet and more information than I ever wanted from that obsessed Griffon on Starfall. What of the others?]

=============================================

“Nocturne... that one’s a problem,” sighs Rhede.

“Care to explain why, darling?”coos Rarity.

“Wish I could. No one knows a damn thing about her aside from what Jer and Luna heard that crazy machine of Discord's say. And all that is was that she was a fused mix of Jer and Luna. She seemed to have little trouble beating the snot out of those two, though she couldn't multi target when the rest of us got involved,” Rhede states. “We know she's an alicorn made by a machine that was powered by the Red Tome and the Gray Grimoire. The Book of Blue said nothing about the machine or the books aside from to curse them, quite often. She showed the ability to mimic Jer's shield and Luna's fighting style and magic. She also seemed to sport the same durability Jer has shown. She called the pair of them mother and father and seems set on destroying them.”

“So what you’re saying is: she’s acting like angsty teen with way too much power,” considers Rarity.

“Yeah, that seems about the size of it, unless Jer wants to add anything else,” Rhede states, looking to his friend.

“No, that about covers it. She made an attempt on Princess Luna's life recently, though that is to be expected. What I did not expect is that she seems to be the one who freed the others,” Jer responds. “From what Sparkle said, she made sure the ones were are dealing with now remained free specifically. I am rather curious as to why.”

“She did say she was after the books,” responds Twilight. “Though they are in Tartarus, so I have no idea how she would get them.”

“Not knowing what her goals really are is going to be a pain, particularly since she is probably calling the shots for the others if they are all together still,” agrees Rhede.

===============================

“Starfall Silvertail,” coos Wind Razor her voice echoing in the cavern as the group walks.

“First pegasus known to perform a move called the Sonic Rainboom. The move starts when enough speed is obtained to form a cone vortex around her. This vortex starts to disrupt the air as well as bending light around the one performing it, resulting in the boom as the barrier breaks and the sudden expansion of light. This rainbow has been shown to bolster any ponies witness to it and even increase the magic power of unicorns and alicorns in its effect. The noise also tends to cause excessive pain in Diamond Dogs due to what they call a whine that proceeds the light. Due to this, the Dogs nick named her 'The Light of Death'. A secondary effect of this is the Rain Nuke. This is when the barrier is not broken but pushed along until it impacts something solid and then detonates with all the force that usually breaks in the air,” Wind Razor grins laughing. “The effects of this are delightfully devastating and because the one performing the move is behind the shock wave, they suffer no ill effects from the impact as they are cushioned by the force involved.”

Scarlet leans over to Nocturne whispering, “Why are we letting her talk again?”

Nocturne ignores the pony, trotting further into the cave.

“Starfall is a highly trained flier and was the first pegasus to fly above the frost line and border the stars. She’s a skilled fighter, nothing on me though, she's easily riled by talking about her husband or daughter, or buck, anyone I’ve killed,” Wind
Razor chuckles. “Like most pegasi, she’s great in a straight shot of flight, but sucks at lateral movement at high speeds. She exceptional with the twin blades she has and can wield them with her mouth, wings or hooves. She’s also the only one known to repeatedly beat Kaisur in spars, though the ass could be holding back ‘cause she’s a mare. Suffice to say, she didn't make second in command of the Guard forces by being a pushover.”

Wind Razor shudders with a soft moan, her wings stiffening as she speaks.

“She's the perfect prey.”

Scarlet inches away from the griffon, getting even more freaked out by the bird.

=====================================================

“Bleu Scale. Former Bearer of the Element of Laughter, known as the Laughing Traitor by the dragons after she sided with the ponies,” growls Silver Claw stretching out on his rock. “She was hatched from her egg by a unicorn after the ponies stole it from a great warrior of the first war, one I was proud to call a kin despite her being an inferior blue. Her honor got her killed and her children taken as slaves to the ponies. When her former master was killed in Dullahan, she chose to serve Kaisur rather than be free.”

[“There is a term for that, I have heard. Stockholm, where the captive come to love its captor,”] mutters Bloodtail.

“She is dangerous, as the ponies taught her several abilities, including the ability to change her coloration, to breathe a green flame that allows messages... and in one case, a pony, to be sent akin to a teleport,” reminisces Silver Claw. “She also has a rare ability to change size at will, allowing her to become much larger than a dragon of her years should be able to. At her age, she should be unable to alter her size more than that of a large pony, yet she attacks as a nearly full-grown dragon at times in both size and ferocity. She has clearly trained with both Pelt and Kaisur, as her style of combat seems a mix of the two, ambush and brute force, respectively. But she is no stronger or more resilient than a normal dragon of her age, though the armor given to her by her Element changes that considerably.”

“You got a plan for her?” snarls Claymore, rubbing one of the scars on his face.

“No, she is of no use to me. Despite her linage, she is little more than a traitor.”

“Good, then I want a crack at her when the chance comes... think I’ll just slowly cut her apart...” Claymore continues on, muttering to himself for the most part, tracing the wounds covering his face as if remembering.

========================================================

“Rhede Pelt, hehehe,” laughs Scarlet. “Ahhh, that one’s an idiot. Stallion’s got some skill, for sure, but he also has this noble streak that pops up from time to time that makes him suck as a spy or a killer. The Order wanted him trained to be the mole in Celestia's garden. He was new enough that we could put him in without any issue and he was already a member of the Guard, so it would not have even been strange. He performed his first information-gathering mission on Luna's whereabouts with no problem, and even the assassination mission he was sent on. Always had a bad feeling about him; I would have killed him in training, but, ehh, orders were orders.”

“Why did they want him alive?” questions Nocturne.

“At first, it was just because he was unknown, and he wasn't bad with what he was trained in, took to it rather well. He learned how to craft the disguise bracelets much easier than a non-unicorn should have been able to pull off, and he was adept as concealment and verbal sparring. Then the Rainboom happened. The Order had supplied some Diamond Dogs with weapons and information in hopes of making the princesses look bad so they could take over the kingdom. Even had a rather nice plan to kill off the pair of them and make it look like someone else’s fault. Luna was supposed to be the first to go, being the warrior of the pair. Kaisur and Silvertail managed to not only save her, but turn the tide of the battle so it was no longer possible to supply the Bone Hounds discreetly; The Order scrubbed the whole operation at that point. Despite the failure, Pelt did his job and the Order recognized he was worth the effort to keep around due to his knowing both Kaisur and Silvertail and the ease with which he got close to Celestia. Granted. at the time. the idiots didn't realize he was a double agent and I wasn't paid enough to tell them otherwise.”

“You killed others for money?” scoffs Wind Razor. “How pathetic.”

“At least I had a reason beyond whatever took my fancy like you do, bird,” snarls Scarlet. “He was sent to the zebra lands to deal with a rogue zebra that was in our employ that broke contract. Killing him netted an unexpected bonus that Pelt managed to pull out of his ass. The full blame for the assassination was placed on Kaisur, and he was made a hero. That put him higher on The Order's list of ponies that might recover the Elements. It also placed Pelt in the right place to have the new queen’s ear. Bloodtail bucked that all to hell when he showed up and they pulled Pelt back to Equestria. The zebra came along with him and somehow, the lot of them managed to end up as Luna's personal Guard. He still dropped intel to us, but it was getting less and less useful. When Celestia selected Kaisur over The Order's primary choice to recover the Elements, the plans were laid to have him killed, but held off when he failed. Of course, after Kaisur pissed off one of the higher-ups, I got the order to take him out. Pelt kept Kaisur from dying and got me trapped in stone while on fire, thanks to that damn bitch princess.”

“Sounds like someone else has a vengeance issue,” chuckles Wind Razor.

“Honestly, I don't give a damn about any of them. If the opportunity presents itself, I would kill any of them. It was just a job to me. Besides, Pelt is not an issue. I taught the little snot everything he knows. Despite what he might have picked up in the meantime, I still know a hell of a lot more, and I know his weaknesses. Out of the mess of them, he's gonna fall the easiest.”

==================================================

“Silver Claw, red dragon, son of the dragon god Forge Scale, one of the leaders of the dragon group called the Flame Party. Lots of background on this one,” Rhede begins, “The Flame Party was the predominant force of military might in the Dragon Empire. It was lead by two dragon gods, primarily: Onyx Wing and Snowbeard. Silver Claw also held a rather high standing in the group due to his being one of the few remaining children of Forge Scale. However, despite his power, he was not a god.”

Twilight tilts her head, listening. Quite a bit of this was not in the story.

“The oldest of Forge Scale’s children, his exploits in the first dragon war were overshadowed by some of the other terrors of that time. Krisis, Bleached Bone, Star Scream, and so on. He was thought dead like most of the others at the time of Forge Scale's defeat, but it seemed he had instead gone into hiding, somehow managing to take the place of one of the heroes of that war, a young officer named Mustang. He managed to somehow convince both Mustang's children and wife that he was Mustang, though over time he managed to outlive or have them all killed save his youngest, who he used as a way to keep another of the Generals, Meteor Shower, in line through relation. He duplicated Mustang's ability to resist magic by wearing chains made of star metal. This also served to deaden his own powers to further aid his disguise.”

Twilight flinches, then looks to Bleu. She had forgotten about that. She would need to keep Jer from reading the books until she could ask Bleu how he would react to finding out about what his grandfather was.

“Through his skill, he managed to get the information he needed about where his father was and set up a rather elaborate plan to destroy Equestria. He kept in contact with the other members of the Flame Party and somehow even managed to slip away to make sure he was well known to be alive in Cindervale, though that was most likely a body double. Onyx Scale, however, was not patient and began the attack after acquiring Discord's towers, thinking he had the upper claw, as it were. We found out later the dragons found the towers by following the same sort of enchanted maps we did, most likely provided by Claymore. The castle that Nocturne came from was not among the ones the dragons had acquired, which was a pity, as we did not have a chance to study the machine that made her. Also, that alone was proof that there were far more than six towers... Well, until the Darklands sunk into the sea, at any rate. “

“Rather curious as tah what those things were anyway… why tha heck did Discord make so many moving castles?” questions Applejack.

“That I can actually answer,” beams Rhede. “Discord didn't build them, he grew them. The castles were alive- a giant creature of some sort, kinda like a massive snail or something. What everyone assumed was the rock under them was actually a giant foot. Buttercup had a field day with that information... honestly, I am not sure if they were wiped out or are still just trudging around at the bottom of that bay the Darklands became.”

“Not our problem, Rhede. Get on with the report of Silver Claw,” grumbles Jer.

“Right, right. Anyway, like his father, he can wield his fire like Jer wields a sword. He’s in the prime of his life, so his strength, power, and scales are the strongest they will ever be. Seems he has a fairly high resistance to spells as well, though the limits of it have not been tested. He is also a skilled infiltrator and is familiar with both armed and unarmed combat, both dragon and pony varieties. He is also a master tactician, having planned for much of the first dragon war’s battles, many successes as Mustang, and the entire invasion of Canterlot. His primary goal is the release of his father. After that, his goals seem little more than kill all the ponies, just as his father wanted.”

Rhede pauses, allowing Spike to catch up. A thumbs up from the purple dragon starts Rhede talking again.

“Now the good news: He's got a rather sizable problem with chaos. The few times something unexpected comes up or his plans are altered, he freezes or rages until he comes up with a alternative. Basically, his long game is impressive, but his short game sucks, and that’s all the good news I have... Alright, everypony take five, grab a drink, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, and come back for questions. I gotta hit the little colts room soon as I figure out where that is.”

Spike points him in a direction as Twilight moves over to Bleu, pulling the dragonling away from Pinkie.

“Yeah? Whats up. Sparkle?” Bleu questions.

“Bleu, did you ever tell Jer'rahd about who his grandfather was?” Twilight asks.

“Who told you? ...oh crap, you saw that too?”

“I did, and I wrote it in the book as well. Now Jer'rahd wants to read it.”

“Ahhhh buck, I didn't even tell Rhede about that… Okay, okay… I got this.” Bleu starts darting over to where Jer'rahd was sitting. “Yo, Boss.”

Jer'rahd looks to the little dragon padding towards him. “What is it?”

“You reaaaaaally want to read that massive thing Sparkle wrote? I mean have you seen it? Got to be over five hundred thousand words at least,”

“Not particularly, but I need to know what info is in it,” responds Jer. “Why?”

Bleu leans in close looking at the others. “Well, to be honest, Boss, I kinda feel like being lazy. Carrying you lot around looking for the bad guys is not really that appealing right now. All that running about this morning didn't help, either. I'd rather kick back a bit ‘til I’m really needed. I mean, you guys are one thing, but some of these pampered modern ponies look a little heavy.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” Rarity shouts, glaring at the dragonling.

Bleu grins. “Well, we know who the snoopy one is now.”

Rarity flushes and Twilight sighs.

“Alright, Bleu. If you want to stay here, go ahead. I expect you to tell me everything that is in those books, though,” Jer says.

“No problem, Boss. Leave it to me... and to a lesser extent, sexy tail over there,” states Bleu, gesturing to Rhede as he comes back in.

“Stop calling me things, Bleu...” Rhede grumbles.

====================================================

“So what is the deal with you and that zebra mare?” Claymore questions.

[“Do not speak of her as if she is one of your base conquests, Claymore. I will have none of that,”] snarls Bloodtail with enough venom in his tone to make even Silver Claw take more notice.

“Fine, I don't find your stripy mares all that attractive anyway, but there's got to be a reason you are after her over every other zebra in those lands. Frankly, it's not like I can tell any of you apart anyway,” Claymore grumbles, and even Silver Claw sighs, remembering his problem with that very issue.

[“She is from perhaps the only pure line of the gods that remain. All the others became Untouchables or were wiped out. Her brother was, as well, and he gathered enough forces to rule the lands utterly. I managed to make myself useful enough to be his advisor, and when the time was right, to gain control over him,” Bloodtail states, “She is a elegant beauty of a kind unseen in the land for centuries; delicate, gentle, yet still able to utterly crush any who would dare stand against her. Her brother had her trained in several styles of unarmed fighting, and she herself took to being a medic like a duck takes to water. By the time she was ten, she was utilizing medical and martial skills of a zebra three times her age. I sought to court her, and while her brother accepted, she refused and fled. When I sought to pursue her, the invasion started and I was forced to limit my searching.”]

Claymore leans a little closer to Silver Claw’s head muttering softly. “Great, a stupid bitch, a crazy bird, the Darklands walker, and now a lovestruck stripe... what next?”

The dragon sighs, tuning Claymore out as the zebra continues.

[“I had her, as well. Even after the warlord fell, I had her, but then Pelt...”] Bloodtail growls.

“That does not explain why she is so important, aside from her bearing the Element of Kindness,” Silver Claw rumbles.

[“Ahh, but her blood line does. The spirits foresaw that she would bring a god into the world, and that initially led me to her.
The vision of loveliness that she is kept me interested.”] Bloodtail chuckles. [“Even after she bore the god, I likely would have kept her as a pleasurable distraction.”]

“What the heck did you want a foal stripe god for, anyway?” Claymore grumbles.

[“That matters not now, as it is likely out of my reach, though not as far as it seemed when I was first freed. In any event, it can wait until Nocturne delivers on her promise,”] Bloodtail smirks, then looks up at Silver Claw. [“There is one you know of I wish to hear more about, particularly after what he revealed about himself. Tell us about the one named Kaisur, dragon.”]

=====================================================

The crunch of loose ice under hoof and talon was the only sound for a time after Scarlet finished detailing Velkorn.

“So pretty much, aside from our zebra going head over hooves for her, the mare’s primary weaknesses are how stuck on

Pelt she is and that she won't kill. The only exceptions to this seem to be zebra godlings and fish,” rambles Scarlet. “Both of those can be traced along in zebra history. There's some belief or code that doesn't accept that fish have souls and are therefore already dead and the only safe meat to eat. The gods are a long story that has no real point.”
Nocturne nods, pausing and shifting her head a little.

“I have read the book you recovered involving my father, and I suppose I have more knowledge on him that you do,” Nocturne states.

“Really? Did it say anything in the books about him being a decent lay?” Scarlet grins. “No imagination, but damn did he have some stamina.”

“That is not relevant information. What is relevant is that Kaisur is descended from a dragon god and a pony god,” Nocturne responds.

The griffon and earth pony pause.

“He's what?” snaps Wind Razor.

“Jer'rahd Kaisur is the son of Amano Kaisur and Crystal Blueblood. According to the book, the Blueblood line is a direct line of descendants from a pony goddess named Aviana. On his father’s side, the book has revealed that his grandfather was a dragon turned into a pony. That dragon was the son of a dragon god from our time,” explains Nocturne, trotting deeper into the cavern. “Even with it being relevant he has displayed no traits of either parent, by the same token, neither have I. Thus, while interesting, the information is pointless. The only thing of worth is the name Aviana. There is no mention of her anywhere that I have been able to find outside of this history book Scarlet recovered, and that is worth note considering how many have mentioned it with ties to both Discord and the sea pony queen Aqua.”

The alicorn pauses, looking at the darkening tunnel before them, her horn beginning to glow softly, illuminating the ice and rock path before the trio. She starts forward again, continuing the information exchange.

“Father is very limited in magic; he only can perform two spells. Those two spells, however, he has gotten very good at using. His practice with star metal has given him, as well as myself, a rather potent resistance to its magical deadening effects. Then there is the Waning Moon, a star metal blade enchanted by my mother to never dull or break and forged by the nameless dragon smith who created the dragon blades that could kill his own kind from the first war. His skill with this weapon was not matched by anyone other than Starfall and my mother, according to the book. He is possibly the most dangerous one out of all who stand before us, but he has far too many weaknesses that can easily be exploited.”

“Pffft, I could have told you that,” Scarlet grumbles. “He's got some serious trust issues with mares.”

“That seems to have changed after you tried to kill him. He and my mother actually became something more than a princess and her subject. When she left Canterlot to become Nightmare Moon, he followed. The book does not go into much further detail of what happened after that point. It seems we have an unfinished copy. No matter; we have what we need.”
Nocturne pauses briefly before taking the right path in a branching tunnel.

“His anger issues remain, and he is easily controlled by that emotion. His is devoted to his friends to the point that any harm to them will lead to him becoming an even greater threat than he is now, but holding them as leverage will neutralize him completely. While skilled at the spells he knows, he only knows the two. Magical manipulation and shields do have limits, since the latter cannot be used to attack, and I have the same level of power in addition to what my mother knows. He is also at odds with Celestia and quite headstrong. Even the massive creature he can become is a liability, for while it may be nigh invulnerable, he is reluctant to use it as he has no control over it. He also has a crippling fear of deep water and nightmares plague him as well, though how the latter can be used, I do not know. He is fully devoted to my mother, and yet, she wishes nothing to do with him at all in this age, it seems, considering how she left him as a statue for the time she has been back.”
Nocturne stops dead, growing silent as she peers into the darkness before them. “We are here.”

The others look around as the light cast by the unicorn’s horn brightens, their gaze falling over countless dark ice-covered crystals. A drop-off several pony lengths ahead of them opens to a massive cavern under the ice. The glow from Nocturne’s horn did not show far past the cliff’s edge, though a few streams of light came from above through cracks in the thick ice.
It was a city, a sprawling collection of buildings and sweeping arches. A massive tower rested in the center of it, the tip nearly meeting the roof of the ice cavern. A dark mist seems to flow and drift among the city, barely indistinguishable from the darkness of the cavern.

“That is our destination. Wind Razor, gather Scarlet and do not drop her. We are going to that tower,” orders Nocturne.

================================================

Rhede sighs, looking over the group. “That's about it, really. That's everything we have on those six, unless anyone wants to add anything else?”

“Actually, I got something else on Claymore dainty hooves,” shouts out Bleu. “Well, least something I suspect.”

“Oh, and what’s that?”

“He's a jerk.”

Pinkie giggles as Rhede rolls his eyes, though Bleu continues on as if not even noticing the reactions.

“If he's like his daughter, he's using dragon magic, or it’s in him. You remember the fun you had with Oak Leaf? That was because she's an earth pony that innately used dragon magic. Made her nearly invincible on the ground and buffed her strength insanely, too. That's why when I lifted her off the ground, in the air she wasn't much more than a normal pony.”
Rhede blinks. “Alright, that is a good bit of information, but how do you know that?”

“Duh, she's a dragon,” Pinkie Pie replies, and Bleu smiles wide.

“Alright, you have anything to add, Sparkle?” Jer questions.

“Just that Nocturne freed all of them for some specific reason, and she knew about the books... I think she wants to retrieve them. There was also a hint in the last scry that they may have fled somewhere to the north. From what I could gather, somewhere around Neighara Falls,” Twilight responds.

“Nocturne getting ahold of those books is a worst case scenario. Where were they hidden after we were sealed?” questions Jer'rahd

“From what I saw, Princess Celestia said they were sealed in Tartarus.”

“Good place for them, along with the rest of the damned,” Jer growls.

“Okay, yah know what? Ah heard this before, an ah'm not sure what Tartarus actually is. Is it some kinda jail house?” questions AJ.

Rhede shakes his head. “Sorta, but not quite. It’s like a pocket dimension ruled by vengeance, or something like that. Even I don't know all the details.”

“That is really about all anyone knows, Rhede. It is another dimension that seems to have come into existence solely as punishment to those trapped inside it. The gods of the world made an agreement with the gods that exist in Tartarus long ago. We would guard the main door that had somehow linked to our world, and in return, if there was something too vile or evil that we could not deal with, they would imprison it. The current guardian of the gate is a three-headed hound named Cerberus,” Twilight rattles off.

“Umm, not that I doubt his skill or anything, he was such a cute puppy, but how is he going to protect the gate by his self?” Fluttershy mutters.

“Well, the gate itself is not very well-known, unless you have read the right books. Plus, no one really wants to find it, anyway. Cerberus is there to keep us out, the gods of Tartarus keep everything in... mostly.”

“Mostly?” questions Starfall.

“Yes, well, the book I read listed a few times when other doors were temporarily opened and somepony got in or something got out. The last one that the book listed happened about fifteen hundred years ago; a rift opened due to a conflict inside Tartarus, though it was sealed before anything got out, according to the book.”

“Honestly, with our luck, now that some pony mentioned it, it's going to bite us on the flank,” Rhede mutters.

=======================================================

The sound of wing beats and the light click of hooves on stone fills the small chamber, followed quickly by a loud thud of a body hitting stone and a curse and a chuckle from a griffon.

Scarlet picks herself up as the griffon lands nearby. A glare from Nocturne stops any argument before it starts before the mare trots around the room curiously, looking over everything.

A large dais with a crystalline heart rests in the center of the room. A strange power radiates from the stone, though the dark alicorn ignores it, trotting towards the far wall, where a group of black crystals forms a jagged table. A small teal book rests open on it, the black mist that clung about the city seeming to ooze from its pages.

“They were right... The Teal Text is here. With it, we can find the others,” exclaims Nocturne, her magic gripping the book and lifting it from the table, snapping it closed.

“Umm not to butt in to your self-praise and excitement, but don't you think it would have been good to let me see if it was trapped?” questions Scarlet.

“Pffft, this place was old before we were even turned to stone. I doubt any one would bother...” starts Wind Razor, cutting off
as the city starts to rumble.

The cavernous ceiling far above them began to crack as the rumbling grows stronger. Scarlet yelps as she’s knocked off her hooves, crashing into Wind Razor and sending them both tumbling across the room. Nocturne barely manages to keep her hooves, but even she loses her balance as the tower they were in jerks upwards, rocketing towards the ice above.

===============================

“So what the heck are we looking for again?” questions a pegasus guard.

Captain Peach Blossom sighs glancing over at his companion as they glide over the snowy expanse of the delta sectors ice field.

“As I said, Breezy, the princess did not tell us. she only said that we were to patrol these sectors and look for signs of something that was unusual,” grumbles Peach Blossom.

“Any idea of what that might be? All I see is snow, rock, and ice. That's all I’ve seen for the last few months,” questions Breezy. The blue-tinged pegasus banks a little bit to avoid brushing wing tips with the captain while they were in flight.

“No, and we are going to keep patrolling until we are told to do otherwise, just like in the ...” A loud roar and a sound like shattering glass cuts off the rest of what the captain was saying. In the distance, a massive structure stabs upwards through the ice, lifting into the air and flinging debris as it rose.

The ice and snow cascades away from the tall structure as a massive city rises from the ground at the base of the tower. The roar slowly subsides as the light of the sun catches the tower glinting off the crystalline structures and reflecting a rainbow of colors onto the snow around the city nearly blinding the Pegasus.

Breezy winces, squinting to look at the city. “You think that counts as unusual enough, Captain?”

============================================

Nocturne, Scarlet, and Wind Razor slowly push themselves up from where they had fallen, looking out over the edge down at the city that had risen from the depths. The brilliant glow slowly fades as the dark mist that had surrounded the city burns off and the power that brought it up from the depths fades. Far below, they see the signs of movement as ponies formerly frozen in time by the darkness begin to stir for the first time in centuries.

“What the buck just happened?” questions Wind Razor.

“The book must have been the lynchpin holding the curse in place over this city,” Nocturne responds. “Troubling, as there was no indication of this happening, let alone that this much power was being sealed on that table...”

Nocturne glances back and whirls, her rear hooves at the edge of the drop from the tower. The others look back as well before both move to the defensive.

The black crystal table appears to be melting and flowing across the floor like a thick viscous smoke. A pair of green eyes open in the miasma, scarlet pupils turning at odd angles before focusing on the trio before them. Its gaze locks on the book, then shifts to the crystal heart resting in the room’s center before going back to the trio, the eyes flaring brightly. Purple flames erupt from the sides of the eyes as a large fanged mouth opens at the base of the smoke. The form rises, taking a vaguely pony-like shape that towers over the alicorn and her companions.

“...Crystal....”

“By the stars, he is still alive!?” Nocturne yelps causing the other two to stress further that something had shaken her.
Scarlet and Wind Razor do not even manage a response before Nocturne's horn flares and the three of them vanish from the tower in a flash of light from the alicorn's teleport spell.

The darkness blinks staring at the spot they were before roaring loudly and launching itself out of the tower flying towards the fading feeling of the teleport’s destination

“CRYSTAL!!!!!!! RAAAAAAAH!!”

================================================

Deep in the Hayseed swamps, the constant drone of insects fills the air around a dormant volcano riddled with caves and covered with strange green ichor. Inside, the changeling queen sat in her throne room, surrounded by guards and workers, ignoring them as they mill about and tend the cocoons containing captured prey for their queen to feed on until they were fit to join the swarm.

Chrysalis's eyes snap open suddenly, and she rushes from her throne, knocking several drones aside in her gallop to the balcony that overlooked the forest and Canterlot in the far distance. Her attention was not directed to her failure, but past it and the energy that had drawn her from her boredom

It had been several millennia since she last felt this... could it be?

“Ready the swarm. I want scouts to me at once for a mission. Move,” orders Chrysalis ignoring the scurrying of drones behind her.

She stares to the north, hoping for another sign of the power, for anything.

“Is it you? Has my Generosity returned to me after all this time?” she questions to no one in particular. “If it is you, there will be nothing to keep us apart again now that she is dead. NOTHING.”

“The moment to live......”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“The moment to live......”

“Once upon a time in a magical land that only recently became known as Equestria, there lived two sisters. These sisters ruled this new land as goddesses. The older sister was the Goddess of Fairness, Truth, and Order, and the younger, of Strength, Joy, and Love...”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A scream is the first thing that Silver Claw hears. Both he and Bloodtail are moving before Claymore can even ask what is wrong. Arriving at the source of the scream to find nothing, the pair looks around, confused, before a brilliant flash of light blinds them both and three bodies fall from the air, crashing to the cave floor. They see an earth pony wrapped in the tattered and smoldering remains of bundled coats, a griffon that looked as if she had been flown through a hurricane, and an alicorn whose horn is still smoking with the over use of her magic. Clutched in the alicorn's forelegs, a teal covered book rests, seemingly unharmed.

“What the buck?” snarls Claymore, rushing to catch up with the dragon and zebra.

Nocturne slowly lifts her head, wincing from the effort of teleporting the group nearly to the other side of the world.

“The Love-Cursed King still lives and he is awake,” Nocturne mutters before passing out.

“What the buck does that mean?” questions Claymore.

[“It means that we have more problems than just Luna's generals, especially if the one that followed us out of Tartarus is the Love Cursed Queen,”] mutters Bloodtail, [“All you need to know, Claymore, is that both of them were once sealed in Tartarus for a reason, and they were put there by Celestia.”]

“And if that peace-seeking pony sealed someone in that hell, they are a larger threat than anything she put in her damned garden,” grumbles Silver Claw with a rather worried expression on his face. “Tend to them as best you can, Bloodtail. If she is correct, we will need her on her hooves as soon as possible to finish her plan. A new piece has been put into play, and we know nothing about him. If Nocturne fled all the way back here to warn us about him, then she was running from him, which means the book is his and he is not likely going to sit on the sidelines.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“The younger goddess was loved by her subjects, and under her leadership, the land grew and prospered. The older sister was unhappy with this, as she did just as much to ensure their subjects were happy. That her sister was the one receiving all the recognition weighed heavily on her, until she met someone...”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia sighs, looking over the paperwork that lies before her. The morning duties are a pain: raise the sun, and then deal with this nonsense. It’s all boring forms and zoning issues from the nobles, as well as an invite from Prince Blueblood to attend the christening of his new airship. Didn't he have one built just last year? The Lusititanic, was it? This new one is to be named the Flying Dundenburg? Where did he get these names?

Her pondering a proper refusal is cut short as a guard bursts into the room, dashing towards the throne. She happily sends her assistant away, hoping that the guard is here to inform her of some silly little disaster that could be solved in a moment, but she could pretend to take all day to do. She rather enjoys those.

“News from Northern Equestria... .uhhhh, your Highness,” the guard stammers as he bows.

“Yes?” Celestia replies. She hopes it is a cake-related emergency, though the look on the guard’s face has her worried that it has something to do with her sister’s generals or Twilight. There was a great deal of panic over that double rainboom the previous day. Wait … did he say Northern Equestria? Oh no...

“I am simply to tell you that IT has returned,” says the guard.

Oh buck... that was the code phrase she had been dreading. She truly hopes Greenwitch had been wrong, but she had sent ponies to the north to watch any way. It had been so long since it existed that she was unsure of its location. A train led to an outpost at the edge of the snowfield where she expected it to be, but that station was a recent addition; no pony had been that far north since Velkorn and Bleu traveled there to find a way to heal her own injury a thousand years ago.
She turns to the guard at her right.

“Find Princess Cadence and Shining Armor.”

“Yes, your highness,” the guard nods before dashing off along with the others in the throne room to find the pair.

She floats a scroll and a quill into the air and starts to write. Luna is not going to be happy about this, and by the same token, neither will her student and General Kaisur. This is far too important than somepony’s annoyance, however.
Celestia sighs as she writes. If things had gone smoother in regards to Luna's friends, she might have even set this task as a test of some sort for Twilight, though with all that was going something, something as simple as a test is the last thing that is needed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

“A handsome Prince from a unicorn kingdom saw her distress at the love her sister was given and offered her his own love so she would not be distraught. The Goddess was reluctant, but soon came to accept the Prince’s affections. The Prince’s kingdom, seeing that their ruler had found love, prepared a great festival to celebrate the coming wedding and to crown the pair as their King and Queen. And for once, all the attention and love in the land was not held by the younger sister.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of a page turning is heard, as well as the faint sizzling of a candle burning low in its holder disrupting the quiet. In the silence that usually fills the library at night, these noises are enough to wake her.

Twilight yawns, trotting slowly down the stairs and looking at the mess that was left in the main room. After the briefing was done, Pinkie Pie had somehow managed to throw a massive party that looked like it had been planned for weeks. Her friend’s ability to create a party from nothing never failed to amaze her. This, of course, kept things going far longer than she would have liked, but at least the sleeping arraignments were settled.

Rhede and Velkorn were going to be staying with Applejack. With Big Mac still in the hospital, she had two spare bedrooms. Starfall was all but dragged off to stay with Rainbow Dash, although Twilight made her promise not to do any loud tricks before ten in the morning. Pinkie tried to cart Bleu off, but was stopped by Jer'rahd, who was insistent the pair of them stay in the spare room in the library. Pinkie had left rather disappointed, though Twilight was thrilled she would not need to deal with another pair of sugared-up Element of Laughter Bearers.

That had been hours ago. Celestia's sun was just climbing over the horizon when Twilight woke to find the gray unicorn next to a pile of books he had been going through.

“Hmm? Sorry, I did not mean to wake you, Sparkle. I thought I was being quiet,” he mutters.

“Shouldn't you be asleep?” she asks.

“I slept days for a long time; that sticks with you. Besides, I had been asleep for a thousand years until yesterday morning. I can take quick naps as need be.”

She trots over, looking at the books on magic and recent history piled on the table.

“If you say so, but don't blame me if you collapse.”

“I assure you, if I could find a way never to sleep again, I would take it. Short naps limit the damage.”

“The nightmares...”

Jer'rahd nods, turning the page of the book he was reading.

“I am surprised you are not looking over that history I wrote on you.”

“Bleu does not want me to read it. I suspect she has a good reason, and I trust her enough to assume it is not vital,” Jer'rahd looks up at her. “Why, is it?”

“No... it isn't.I it was, it would have been a problem for you a long time ago. As it stands now, it's fairly meaningless, but she is worried about your reaction.”

“I doubt it would be anything that could bother me at this point.”

“Considering that death wish you seem to have, no, it wouldn't.”

He looks up at her, his eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about, Sparkle? What death wish?”

“Don't even go there. You tried to piss off your friends to get them away from you so you might be killed by Silver Claw or the others in the garden. You were going to kill yourself before you came up with the idea to be turned to stone. I fully expect you are looking to die here. Don't. I don't want your blood on my hooves.”

“Then you should not have awakened me. My princess hates me, I made my best friends suffer by getting them to follow with me after Luna, and then again into stone. Everything I love suffers because of my actions, be they for good or ill. Let us not forget that I have something far more dangerous than the idiots we are hunting locked away inside of me. I have a number of reasons to be suicidal. The only thing that keeps me from taking my own life is that I can still be of some use to save others. At least, for now.”

“She cannot forgive you if you are dead.”

“She does not want to forgive me.”

“Then why did she always raise the moon from where you were imprisoned, why is she still so mad at you, and why does she still have that bit of metal around her neck?”

Jer'rahd pauses his reading, glancing down at the shard of his grandfather's blade dangling from his own neck.

“I do not pretend to understand her motives...”

“Then shut up and stop trying to throw your life away until you figure them out...”

“BLARRRGH!” Spike sits up suddenly in his bed and belches loudly, sending a blast of green flame into the air. He catches the scroll, glances at it and tosses it to Twilight before rolling over and pulling the blanket over his head.

“Too early for this,” he mutters.

“Seems you have a message, Sparkle. Best you see what it is,” Jer grumbles.

A loud belch and a crackle of fire echoes in the other room, followed by cursing.

“GAAAAH, BLEAH, BLEAH, Oh what the buck? By the stars, I forgot how foul that fire tasted... gah who in Tartarus is sending messages at six in the morning... oh great Celestia... BOSS, MESSAGE!” Bleu shouts. A dull thunk of rolled paper striking the closed door of her room is met with silence for a moment before Bleu's snores once again resume.

“Seems like you have a message as well, Jer'rahd. Best see what it is,” Twilight chuckles.

“I swear to the stars if this turns out to be another ‘grow your horn size’ ad, I am tracking someone down to murder them,” Jer growls as he trots to the door to get the message.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“At first, the younger sister was happy for the couple. She was content to share the devotion and worship that their subjects gave. Over time, however, more and more of the subjects turned from the younger sister, seeking to follow and devote their undivided attention to the elder sister and her husband. Soon, the younger sister was all but forgotten by the kingdom she had helped create.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure about this, Shining Armor? You have not fully recovered from your injuries just yet,” Celestia comments as she looks down at the pink alicorn and the white unicorn before her throne.

“With what is out there, do you truly think I would allow my wife to face the dangers of this place alone, Princess?” Shining responds. “Besides, you said yourself you will be sending some others to help as well, including my sis. Hey, if Twilie can't handle it, no pony can.”

Cadence chuckles, but stops herself at the glare Celestia gives.

“Do not make light of this, Captain. If the need were not dire, I would not be sending anyone into this place,” Celestia warns.

“As it stands, there is a city of ponies that will need our help.”

“I should be the one going, sister,” Luna says from where she stands near Celestia's throne. “I was there to deal with this the first time; it should be no trouble for me to do so again.”

“We have been over this, Luna, and you know the reason why I cannot send you,” Celestia responds, ignoring Luna's snort of annoyance. “So be it, Captain. You two will leave immediately; the Guards at the outpost will give you more details that you may need when you arrive. Captain Peach Blossom is in command until you get there; then it will be your show, for better or worse, Shining. Keep in mind that it will be a day or two before any help arrives, so you will have to make do.”

“Yes, Princess,” Shining responds.

“Cadence,” Celestia begins, “Do be careful; this city has been sealed for over fifteen thousand years. We are unsure what might have woken with it.”

“I will, auntie. Don't worry, Shining and I can do this,” Cadence responds. The pink alicorn offers a nod to her husband and they both depart to prepare. Luna moves closer to her sister, watching after them as they leave.

“So you still do not trust me?” Luna questions.

“I trust you absolutely, Lulu, but I also know how you choked when you saw Nocturne. If she is behind this, there will be no one who would be able to help you,” responds Celestia.

“Yet you will send them and your student?” Luna snaps.

“You of all ponies should know there are none more fitting to go. My student and her friends have saved the land numerous times, as have your friends,” Celestia smiles. “To be honest, this might be a bit overkill to be sending both groups.”

“It took me a year to grow accustomed to how the world is now, and you expect them to function and be combat ready immediately?”

“Twilight and her friends shall help them with that. In truth, the only trouble you had was with the new technology, and now, I dare say you know more about those game thingies than even I do. Even if you did destroy a microwave and most of the royal kitchen trying to make popcorn.”

“This is not something to make light of, sister.”

“That is what I do sister... I make light, when I raise the sun...”

Celestia smiles seeing Luna flush and stammer in response to the pun. While teasing her sister was a small joy that she had missed for centuries, Luna was correct.

“You know as well as I do this is the best choice, given the situation. If Nocturne and her followers are behind this, sending the group there to deal with them will limit much of the damage that could be caused,” Celestia sighs. “It is not as if the ponies that live in the Crystal Empire are unaccustomed to conflict and battle.”

“The empire’s magic is powerful, Tia. It cannot fall again. If they fail...”

“They will not fail, and when this is over, we will be that much closer to both our goals.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“The younger sister could not bring herself to defy or harm her elder sister directly. Even if she did confront her, the elder sister was the more powerful of the pair, and the young goddess would not stand a chance in direct contention. Besides, a fight would not win her the love and loyalty she craved.”

--------------------------------------

“I do not like this, Sparkle,” Jer'rahd growls.

“You think I am looking forward to this any more than you? I knew this meeting was going to come eventually; that is why I prepared for it,” Twilight smirks, holding up a rather long parchment full of counter arguments to what she expected Celestia to say about freeing Luna's generals. She had also packed her bags so full of books on law and history to try and prove her point. There is barely enough room for the Brilliant Dawn to rest at her side.

The pair of them trots towards the throne room, their hooves clicking loudly on the stone. Jer'rahd's attention had been mostly focused on the changes that the city had undergone. A chariot had been sent for them, although Jer'rahd had opted to have Bleu fly them, much to the dragonling’s protest. Spike had come along as well, and Jer'rahd was forced to repeatedly tell Bleu to calm down as she did everything in her power to terrify the new passengers.

They had left Spike and Bleu at some place called Pony Joe's. Jer'rahd had told Bleu to listen to the younger dragon until he returned and not to do anything without his approval first.

Neither he nor Twilight expecte that would go over well with her, but the messages said for just the pair of them to come. As they entered the castle, the guards allowed them to pass without any incident, although a long line of other petitioners glared daggers at the pair of them as they were allowed past.

The pair finally enters into the throne room; Jer'rahd glances back as the guards close the door behind them. A pair of guards approaches, standing between them and the princess on the throne.

“Please surrender your weapons,” the dark brown unicorn guard states.

“Oh, right; sorry about that. I keep forgetting I have it,” Twilight pulls the Brilliant Dawn free, offering it to the guard.

“Not a chance,” Jer responds.

The guards shift, leveling their own weapons at the gray unicorn.

“This is not a request,” snaps the guard.

“Well, it's a piss poor order, because you are not getting this weapon from me just because Celestia decided she wants to talk to me.”

“Kaisur, what the heck are you doing? You'll get it back. Just give up the sword,” Twilight whispers as more guards move into the room behind the pair.

“Butt out, Sparkle,” Jer snaps. As the brown unicorn guard's horn glows gold, a cry of pain escapes his lips as his magic comes in contact with the star metal blade at Jer'rahd's side. “That's what you get for trying to take something that doesn't belong to you, colt.”

The others gathered, jumping at the cry of pain. Thinking the unicorn had attacked the sergeant, they lash out with their weapons.

Celestia sighs, watching the events on the other side of the room unfold and rubs her face with a hoof as the sounds of combat echo through the chamber.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So the younger sister studied and watched. For years, she was kept in the shadow of the elder goddess and her love. It was in an ancient book that she discovered a potion. A potion that would amplify the love of those who drank it. At first she nearly passed it over, but the effects of the potion caught her attention. “

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Pathetic,” Jer states, spitting out the spear he had taken from one of them before stepping over the fallen guards.

Twilight's eyes remain wide, staring at the unicorn as he walks towards Celestia. A dozen guards lay strewn on the ground around where they had been stopped. Jer'rahd had not even drawn his sword or used his magic, and he had knocked out all of them in less than a minute.

Twilight darts forward, catching up with him as he stops at the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne and glares at Celestia. She sinks down into a bow, looking up at him again, seeing that he did not even move.

“You’re supposed to bow,” Twilight hisses at him.

“You bow as a sign of respect. I do not have any of that for Celestia,” Jer responds.

“You know, Kaisur, there was once a time when I wondered why I was often so angry with you,” Celestia sighs. “Thank you so much for reminding me. It is alright, Twilight. I did not really expect anything less from him.”

“But...” Twilight stammers.

“It is alright, and do not worry. I did not call you here to punish you for freeing him, either. To be honest, after what transpired, it was something I accounted for in a few of my predictions, though it was nice to see you showing a little backbone instead of simply falling over yourself to try and remain on my good side.” Celestia looks to Jer'rahd and sighs.

“Fine, go ahead. I know you want to. Best get it out of your system now, Kaisur.”

Jer'rahd takes a deep breath. “What sort of half-brained nitwits are you recruiting in this century? I've fought mud crabs more skilled than this lot, and they are the ones you have protecting the throne room? Seriously, it is small wonder you are only having trouble now. Is the requirement for intelligence now based on horseshoe size? Also, what the buck are you doing not keeping tabs on that shit in the Garden? I figure after everything was woken up, you would be all over keeping tabs on the most dangerous things in there.”

Jer'rahd snorts, re-catching his breath as Celestia looks on, clearly unimpressed, though Twilight could see a small smile hinted on her lips.

“Feel better, Kaisur?”

“Oddly, yes.”

“First off, let me say that you have mastered the changes in language rather well in the short time you have been free.
Secondly, the guards are at the skill level they are at because Equestria has not seen conflict since the fall of the Lunar Republic. The Lunar peace accord ceased ALL hostilities between the nations. The few conflicts we have needed to have were settled politically or with mock combat that was more like a competition than a battle,” Celestia explains.

“So you finally got what you wanted.”

“In a sense. There are still problems that occur that cannot be dealt with by my methods. As such, I still have need of guards and specialists. The events in the garden showed that. As for keeping tabs on those in the garden, Nocturne, Bloodtail, Silver Claw, Scarlet, Claymore, and Wind Razor are still in the garden.”

“What?” Twilight gasps. “How... I know that was Silver Claw!”

“I have no doubts it was, but the six statues of them are still in the garden, but in this instance, they are only statues, not prisoners. It seems Nocturne wished to hide her escape for as long as she could and made duplicates of their statues. They are even posed differently, as if they had been freed and re-caught by the spell when Discord lost. We have spent the last two years recovering the gardens from that event; we did not think to check to see if the statues were really statues.”

“I hope Princess Luna has better guards then what you have,” mutters Jer.

“Luna only has a hoof full of guards to watch her Moon Court or pull her chariot if she wishes to go somewhere. She was reluctant to accept them, but they are trained the same as my guards, though she does have a few half-dragons that were trained differently than my guard that she recruited herself from the Gallopagos,” Celestia glances at Twilight as her student looks over her list in frustration. “Something wrong, student?”

“I thought I prepared for everything, but I wasn't prepared for this...” mutters Twilight. “If you did not ask us here because I freed Jer'rahd and the others, why did you ask us here, Princess?”

“The Crystal empire has returned,” Celestia states flatly.

Twilight blinks, pulling out a number of books and flipping through them, in a bit of a panic that there was something she had not heard of before.

“I... I am sorry Princess; I don't think any of my books...”

“What the heck is the Crystal Empire? And what does it have to do with us?” Jer snaps.

“Direct as always, Kaisur. The Crystal Empire would not be in any of your books, Twilight. Few remember it ever existed at all, and those are mostly the older gods who survived the war,” Celestia states, floating a lavender crystal from a pedestal behind her throne and setting it between the pair of them. “Even my knowledge of the empire is limited.”

The crystal flashes, forming the image of a city around it. Twilight backpedals as the image forms, though Jer'rahd simply stares at it as the edge of the image stops at his hooves.

“What I do know is that it contains a powerful magic. Over six hundred years before the rise of the Lunar Republic, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was black as night, took over the Crystal Kingdom, killing its former ruler. He enslaved the ponies that lived there using them to his own ends. Luna and I managed to overthrow him, though we could not destroy him. His body was turned to shadow, and we sealed him in the ice of the frozen north. However, we were unable to save the empire, as Sombra had managed to place a curse on it. A curse that made it and all its subjects vanish into thin air at his defeat.”

“Must have been something fairly important for you to get off your throne to go personally, Celestia,” Jer'rahd comments.

“Why the rush for one kingdom? What sort of magic did it have that you were so worried about?”

“The Crystal Empire has been around since the beginning of Equestria. I do not know how it was made or what its purpose was, but I do know what effects it has on the land as a whole. If the empire is filled with hope and love, those emotions are reflected across Equestria and the world, bringing peace and prosperity,” Celestia explains. The golden magic of her horn suddenly turns a sickly purple as her eyes flare green. “But if hatred and fear take hold...”

Her magic strikes the crystal, turning it black. The image of the city fades and shadows start to flow from the shard towards
Twilight and Jer'rahd. The gray unicorn leaps back as a series of black crystals erupt from the shadows.

“War and suffering are all the lands have to look forward to.” Celestia's horn flares golden again, destroying the shadows and the crystals. “Because the empire was filled with suffering and pain due to King Sombra's reign and those were the last emotions that covered the world from the empire before it vanished, the age of war began. Races which were formerly at peace fought over triflings, and eventually the first dragon war happened.”

Twilight glances at Jer'rahd, then back to the princess. The stallion's expression is unreadable.

“Which is why I will need your help to find a way to protect it. After a thousand years of hard-won peace, we do not need
another war to be brought about due to the empire falling into darkness once again.”

“You... you want us to protect an entire empire?” Twilight stammers.

“How do we begin?” Jer'rahd asks.

“By joining Princess Cadence and Shining Armor in the Crystal Empire,” Celestia responds, walking past the pair and floating the crystal back onto the pedestal.

“My brother is there?” Twilight blinks, looking up at the princess.

“He is, and your friends will be joining you as well.”

“No, not like this,” Jer responds

“Excuse me?” Celestia glances over at Jer'rahd.

“As important as this seems, we have another task with which to perform as well. Sending everyone to one place makes little sense. Bleu, Starfall, and I will head to the Empire from my group. Rhede can take the time to catch up on the modern world so he can show the rest of us, and Velkorn still wishes to study the modern medicine. With what we are to face, either one of those could mean life or death. I suggest you leave Spike behind to relay messages as well, Sparkle.”

“Why not leave Bleu?”

“She can fly us if need be. We will have to send them through Celestia to get from one dragon to the other. That will keep her informed of our progress as well.”

“That makes sense. I suppose I can ask Fluttershy and Applejack to stay to make sure they stay out of trouble,” Twilight stops, looking back as Celestia stops at the door.

“If that is your decision. Though I do know that it is imperative that you assist Shining Armor and Princess Cadence in protecting the empire,” states Celestia.

“What? Alright, I will do what I can Princess...” Twilight begins, but Celestia ignores her.

“Kaisur, I wish to speak with you alone for a moment. Twilight, if you will excuse us.” Jer'rahd trots back into the room with a shrug as Celestia closes the door in Twilight's face.

The purple unicorn blinks and sighs. “What the heck is that about?”

“She is trying to shelter my feelings in this matter by distracting Kaisur so that we do not meet at this point,” a calm voice responds from behind Twilight.

She turns quickly as Princess Luna steps from the shadows.

“My sister also knew I wished to speak with you about your actions, Twilight Sparkle...”

--------------------------------------------------------------

“The love potion would amplify the love of those who drank it to the point where nothing else would matter to them but each other. A devotion so strong that any hint that something bad could happen to their love would cause them to do anything to prevent it from becoming so. It would be easy to manipulate this effect to make them both go away. This was less a love potion, and more a love poison.”

---------------------------------------------------------

“I gather you know the situation by now, Jer'rahd,” Celestia begins. “I also expect you are rather cross with me.”

“No more than usual. I did say if you needed our help, you could wake us and ask,” Jer responds. “Shall we say Twilight doing this was asking by proxy?”

“Yes, that will do, I suppose. I am sorry for what happened, Jer'rahd. I did not expect my sister to react that way.”

“I made her bring something back she thought she would never have to again. I honestly do not blame her for her actions.”
Celestia nods, trotting back to her throne, slowly being followed by Jer'rahd.

“I have a request to make of you, Jer'rahd.”

“That seems fair, since I have one as well. Go ahead with what you want.”

“It seems that I have made a mistake in my quest for peace and I wish for you to correct that for me.”

The gray unicorn blinks, tilting his head to look at her.

“Dare I ask?”

“I allowed the guard to grow lax over time. While they are far more trained and ready to face danger than the average pony, their skills are more suited to dealing with mundane threats. They are fit to be just guards, dealing with petty squabbles and the occasional wild beast. Events have happened from time to time that require more skill and combat ability than are currently present in the guard, or any pony of this age. There also tasks which need heartier ponies ... In these situations, more suffering and loss of life has been caused than there would have been if someone from your time was present. Peace has weakened us more than I had realized. Silver Claw's attack on a force of guards that should have been more than a match for even him was a clear showing of this.”

“So you want me to train ponies the way I was trained.”

“Yes.”

“Fine then, I have some conditions for that. I will bring them up when the time comes that I am able to train anyone, if I have the time to do so.”

“If?”

“Starfall and Bleu should be able to train your guards if I do not. Keep that in mind.”

“I suppose I can accept that, though I now fear I know what your request is, and I will have to deny it now. I will not kill you.”

Jer'rahd snorts.

“Celestia, you have seen what this thing that is in me can do. You have seen the end results, if not the beast itself. Nightmare Night was just as much my fault as Luna's, and you saw the damage I caused the garden by just walking through it. I was asleep for a thousand years in that statue. That thing fed on the fear caused by my nightmares. If I am turned back to stone and go to sleep again, I may not be what wakes up next time I am turned back from a statue.”

“I see. Does any pony else know about this?”

“Rhede knows I had nightmares, but he does not know how much stronger it got because of that. Sparkle probably has the best idea, but she has not put two and two together yet. She just thinks I am suicidal because of what Luna did.”

“And you are not?”

Jer'rahd pauses a moment looking at the door.

“Honestly, it would not be the first time a mare has torn my heart out and stomped on it, though I expect it will be the last, one way or another.

------------------------------------------------------------

“The younger goddess had everything she needed for the potion that the book had shown her. All she had left to do was get the new King and Queen to drink it. Then she could make the both of them go away and cede all their power to her. No one would be harmed, and everyone would get exactly what they wanted. She would have the power, and her sister would have all the time in the world with her beloved out of the light of their subjects.”

“The younger goddess asked one of her most trusted friends to present the potion to the pair. A young red dragon who ruled a neighboring land, he had been her truest friend for as long as she could remember, and there was none she trusted more. He was not told what the gift was, only that it was to be presented to the couple as a wedding gift. Something that would ensure their love would last eternal.”

---------------------------------------------------------

Twilight cringes as Princess Luna steps out of the shadows. Her horn glows as she fumbles for her list. She yelps, sending the scroll flying as she tries to pull it from her bag, the parchment unraveling across the floor to stop at the Moon Princess’s hooves.

She apologizes profusely as Luna looks down at the scroll, curiously picking it up and looking over the notes.

“Oh, I see. No, Twilight Sparkle; while I am not happy with what you did, I am not here to scold you about it. What is done is
done in this instance,” Luna sighs, rolling the scroll up and tucking it back into Twilight's saddle bag with her magic.

“Then what did you want to talk about?”

“Walk with me, Twilight. I do not wish my sister and Kaisur's conversation to end before I finish speaking with you. I... I do not wish to see him right now.”

The princess turns, heading down the hall, and Twilight struggles to repack her bags and follow along hastily. Luna slows her gait to allow the smaller pony to catch up.

“Judging by your outburst the other day, you must think I am a horrid pony for my actions.”

“Well, I cannot say I approve of much of what you did, particularly how you have treated your friends.”

“I can understand that. I cannot explain it myself. My head knows just what to do, but my heart won't follow though. When they are in stone, or when I do not see them, I clearly know that everything that was done was for my sake, yet if I see them, Jer'rahd in particular, the only emotion that I can bring myself to feel is betrayal and anger. They were my best friends and they only did what was needed to try and save me, and yet I cannot give them the words they wish to hear. I cannot even offer them aid without my emotions stopping me.”

“I understand that somewhat, princess, but it has been two years. There has got to be a limit.”

“You sound like Tia. There are other things that prevent me from forgiving them, though they are my personal fears and regrets. I do not truly think that I have the right to forgive them. I should be asking them if they would forgive me. But I still do not believe I deserve that. Besides that, however, there is another matter that presents itself, Twilight, and it is what I wished to speak with you about.”

Twilight simply follows along, not entirely sure what to say, though she is inclined to agree that the princess should be asking them to forgive her. The study of the past had painted a picture of Luna as a fragile pony emotionally, one who could not readily deal with others. The only time she seemed to have any real confidence was when she had a task to complete or when she was Nightmare Moon. She had slowly opened up to the others, perhaps for the first time she had done so to any one since her first love, Hooper, had died. Her first friends had betrayed her and stolen the Elements, only to give their lives to guard them rather than explain why they did it. She had only found out about their deaths well after the fact from members of the fledgling Order. Then she found love only to have it ripped from her far too soon. When she was finally ready to trust others again, it seemed they betrayed her as well.

Twilight was starting to not be angry with Luna, but to pity her.

“And what is that, Princess?”

“The corruption of the books is not gone from me. I gather you have seen this. I can feel it gnawing at me, urging me to give in and let it loose. That is why I try my best to avoid conflict if I can help it. I do not wish that side of me to be loosened on the world again. There was a small part of me that was almost willing to let Nocturne finish me off so Equestria would never have to worry about Nightmare Moon ever returning... Twilight?”

The princess blinks, wondering why the dark hall had suddenly gotten so much brighter. Glancing back, her eyes widen seeing a white unicorn with a mane and tail made of fire standing behind her. The pony’s eyes flare red as she glares at the Goddess of the Night.

“Twilight?”

“For bucks sake, both of you are perfect for each other, because you are both suicidal idiots. I am getting really sick of this pity party you two are throwing for yourselves. Both of you are afraid of what you might do even though neither of you show any sign of giving into it. Yet both of you think your death is going to fix everything! Guess what, it's not going to fix a damn thing! If he dies, you'll still be an emotional wreck, and all his friends are going to be devastated. If you die, it’s the same way with him, and that idiot’s likely ready to take himself out as well for thinking he failed you somehow!”

“Ummm, Twilight...”

“Here I am stuck in the middle of this mess, and I sure as heck am not going to let either one of you freaking kill yourselves. Do I make myself clear?”

“Ummmm..”

“DO I?!?”

“Yes, quite clear, although....”

“ALTHOUGH WHAT?!?!”

“You seem to have set your saddle bags on fire.”

Twilight blinks, glancing back and screaming loudly. She yanks her saddle bags off her back and tries desperately to put out the fire and not stomp on the books at the same time.

“GAAAAAH! And I just yelled at him about burning books!!!”

-------------------------------------------------------------------

“The younger goddess’s plan went perfectly. Both her sister and her sister’s love gave up their crown in order to spend more time with each other. The younger goddess was once again returned to being the sole focus for their subjects’ adoration. However, she did not realize the depths to which the love poison would drive those afflicted.”

“While the elder sister was an immortal goddess, her love was simply a mortal unicorn, and they both knew he would eventually die...”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[“She's awake. Claymore, get the dragon,”] Bloodtail orders.

The earth pony curses, trotting off to find Silver Claw as Nocturne sits up, wincing at the pain shooting though her head.

“How long have I been out?” Nocturne mumbles.

[“Nearly three days. Silver Claw has been keeping watch for anything following you, although we have seen no sign of anything in pursuit.”] Bloodtail smiles, flicking a teal book onto the pile of furs beside her. [“You brought back quite the interesting bit of reading material.”]

Nocturne snarls, “You were not supposed to read it.”

[“Oh do calm yourself. You have nothing to fear from me in regards to the plan. However, I am always after new information. It seems the writer of this book knew ancient zebra as well. There are quite a number of curses and spells in there that one of my kind could use. But that matters little to you. Interestingly enough, it seems the books you have broadcast your return. Both Silver Claw and I heard your screaming as you traveled the ether. I expect it is due to the nature of the books seeking those who could best use them that we heard you. The Red Tome is clearly set for Silver Claw with the spells in it. With how it is written and what it contains, the teal text seems suited more for me. But in light of the information this one provides, that is irrelevant. It seems you were correct.”]

The alicorn's ears perk up as she stares at the zebra as he packs a pipe with some strange herbs and lights it with a small spell. A faint flicker of a red glow from under his dreadlocks is the only sign of something being cast.

[“The Elements of Harmony are needed as a filter for the power. Otherwise, we would likely end up as trolls or some other wretched beast when the ritual is performed.”]

“I suspected that the ritual was far too easy, even if it has taken us nearly two years to gather the materials we needed for it. The spell and layout were far too simple.”

[“Quite lucky we managed to find the blood of the corrupt before we even left the garden. In this age, I could see that being nearly impossible to acquire, and after killing only six of the occupants as well,”] Bloodtail smirks [“There is more good news.”]

“And what might that be?”

[“This book shows how to find the next book to add to the three we already have.”]

-------------------------------------------------------

“The lovers enacted a powerful ritual, utilizing powerful artifacts, rare materials, and a book thought to be written by the very source of the land’s evil. They knew the tome to be a great danger, but the effects of the love poison were such that the lovers did not heed warnings that they otherwise would have.”

“The ritual was completed successfully, and the King was granted the longevity to match the elder goddess’s, although a curse accompanied this success. Where the goddess was once a beacon of truth, there was a mare of lies; where her stallion was generous beyond measure, now only greed filled him. Despite the changes that they had undergone, their love for one another remained unwavering.”

------------------------------------------------------

The trip took two days by train. The plan had been to travel by chariot or dragon, despite Bleu's protests, but a storm had blown in and flying was nearly impossible.

Twilight and Jer'rahd had explained the mission to their respective groups before they left and while Rhede, Velkorn, AJ, and Fluttershy were okay with this choice, Spike was not. He complained that he felt like he was going to miss something important that he should be there to do.

The trip there was rather depressing, to say the least. It had started out alright with Starfall and Rainbow Dash flying along outside of the train doing a trick here and there, while inside, the others discussed possible plans and strategies. But when the weather finally turned cold on the second day, it went downhill.

Starfall spent the rest of the trip with severe motion sickness, doing her best to pretend she was anywhere else. Bleu started complaining about the cold and trying to hide under the trains cushions, and Jer'rahd seemed to be further on edge than normal, though he would not say why, and became even crabbier than usual. Twilight had watched him for a time and noticed he tended to nod off and wake with a sudden jerk after only a few moments.

Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash kept themselves occupied on the trip with a few small books and a couple of games, but the mood of the other three brought them down as well.

Rarity clearly has had enough of it, and trots to Jer'rahd

“Excuse me, Jer'rahd darling, I have a question.”

The gray unicorn jerks upright suddenly as if he had been asleep again before looking up at Rarity.

“Yes Miss Rarity, what is it?”

“While I understand that Starfall is ill from the train ride, I am curious as to why the rest of you seem so grumpy. Even Rhede and Velkorn seemed out of sorts before we left. Granted, they looked more relived that they were staying in Ponyville than anything else.”

“That's an easy answer,” Jer'rahd grumbles, closing his eyes again.

“Oh do tell, dear,” Rarity coos.

“We have been at war in one conflict or another nearly every day for over a thousand years,” Jer yawns. “We fought the
Lunar church, then a few days later, we fought Canterlot, then we fought Nightmare Moon, then we were sealed in stone only to wake up and fight in the garden. Then we were woken up to fight old enemies who should have remained beaten. Now we are off to fight for a land we have never even heard of at the princess’s order. When we finish this, we will go back to seeking a conflict with our old foes and whatever else comes along. Is it any surprise we are out of sorts, aside from the time in stone, which was worse for some of us than others? There has not been a moment’s peace to enjoy.”

“Speak for yourself, General. I just feel like I am gonna vomit...” Starfall growls.

“Seriously, Rarity, ignore Boss. He's just being a drama queen again,” Bleu chuckles, “I'm just cold.”

“I see. Well, Zecora might be able to find some sort of help for you, Starfall, though that doesn't help now. And I have a good number of warm scarves that should be able to help you out Bleu, though I daresay I am not sure I have any that match your unique coloration. As for you, Jer'rahd, perhaps you should simply relax...OOH, IDEA! I know! we should take a trip to the spa when we get back. That should be just the thing!”

Both Pinkie and Dash struggle not to laugh, picturing the rough stallion made up like Rarity usually wound up being when visiting the spa. Twilight could not help but smile, though the joke was lost on the three warriors... and Rarity.

“Errrrr, I am not even sure what that is, but I doubt it will help much,” mutters Jer'rahd as deadpan as ever.

“Delightful; I shall ensure that an appointment is set up for you,” Rarity says happily before heading to her piled bags to see if she could find a scarf that would at least not clash with Bleu.

Jer'rahd blinks and looks at Twilight as Dash and Pinkie fall over laughing.

“What did I just get roped into, Sparkle?”

“Nothing horrible... well, most ponies don't think it’s horrible,” Twilight replies.

The speaker crackles to life above them.

“Guard outpost three four one, designation Clever Pony, last bit of civilization in the frozen north, end of the line,” it announces.

“Guess this is our stop,” Twilight mutters, seeing Jer'rahd flinch at the name of the outpost.

------------------------------------------------------------

“Through all of this, the young dragon watched, realizing he was at fault with the gift. His heart filled with regret for what he had done, and rage at the one who had tricked him into committing such a dishonest act.”

---------------------------------------------------------

“Honestly, and you all laughed when I brought so many scarves...” states Rarity proudly as she presents the massive ball of multicolored silk that Bleu was inside of somewhere.

A muffled comment from inside the ball was the only response from the dragonling until Pinkie Pie kicks the ball of scarves, sending it rolling out the train's door and into the snow, where she chases after it like a cat with a ball of yarn.

“So glad to get off that thing,” Starfall groans, stepping into the wind. “What’s the plan now?”

“My brother is supposed to meet us out here,” Twilight says squinting into the flurries of snow.

“There's someone coming,” Jer'rahd says, the click of his scabbard’s catch lost in the sound of the blizzard.

“Twilight!”

“Shining Armor?”

Twilight waves a hoof at Jer'rahd, trying to get him to stand down from attacking as a white figure wrapped in a long black scarf and hood steps out of the storm. Thick bandages wrap around his midsection, and a pair of snow goggles rest over his eyes. The unicorn looks the group over for a second before pulling up the goggles and pulling down his mask with a smirk.

“Twli, you made it,” Shining chuckles.

“Shining Armor!” Twilight exclaims, darting into the snow to meet him.

Jer'rahd and Starfall relax a little, only briefly glancing at the scarf-bound Bleu rolling past them with a giggling pink pony in hot pursuit.

“We better get moving. There are things out here we really don't want to run into after dark,” Shining states, pulling his goggles back down.

“What kinds of things?” questions Jer'rahd.

“Let's just say that the empire... isn't the only thing that's returned,” Shining responds starting to walk back into the blizzard.

The group trudges, and rolls, though the snow, following after the unicorn. Jer'rahd trots up a bit closer to move alongside of the Guard Captain and Twilight hurries to match their pace.

“What sort of threats are we looking at out here, Captain?” Jer'rahd asks.

“Huh, oh, aside from the usual ice trolls, Cryo hydras, and the rare frost dragon, there's something that keeps trying very hard to get in. We think it's the former King,” Shining lists, looking at Jer'rahd curiously.

“The Princess sent us to find a way to protect the empire. If King Sombra can't get in, it must already be protected.” states Twilight.

“It's not as safe as you think... But anyway, I suppose I should ask who this guy is?” Shining responds, looking at Twilight and nodding his head towards Jer'rahd. “I know most of your friends and I don't remember him. Finally picking up stallions, ehh, Twili?”

Twilight stammers, though Jer'rahd responds before she can.

“My name is General Jer'rahd Kaisur. I was one of Princess Luna's personal guards before the war. The pegasus guarding our flank is General Starfall Silvertail, my second in command, and the ball of scarves is General Bleu Scale, my dragonling partner.”

Shining stares at the pony for a moment, stopping in his tracks as he processes that.

“What? There are no ponies of general rank. What war? Princess Luna doesn't have any personal guard; we had a devil of a time even getting her to accept a personal escort half the time.” Shining glares at the stallion. “Who the buck are you?”

“He is exactly who he says he is, Shining. These are three of the five I was studying; after I got out of the hospital, I freed them from the garden.”

“You did what? Twilight, I didn't expect you to go free them. This is a Guard matter, and you shouldn't get involved further than you already did.”

“You met Silver Claw, Captain,” Jer'rahd glares at the white unicorn. “How many did you lose?”

Shining turns his eyes wide behind the goggles, staring at the deadpan expression on the gray unicorn’s face.

“I don't see how that...”

“How many?”

“Thirty-seven deaths, twenty-two serious injuries. All the rest were hurt in some way as well.”

“It took four of us and a wounded Princess Celestia to even stall him a little to prevent Princess Luna and Celestia from being killed. That was five years before we were sealed in stone, and we have gotten better while he was stuck in a rock. I've seen what passes for a guard in this era, and frankly, I would rather have angry foals with sticks on my side then your sad bunch of rabble.”

“LISTEN HERE, YOU BASTARD, I don't know who the buck you think you are, but am not going to have you talk bad about my guards like that...” Shining starts before a roar cuts him off.

They all turn to see a massive dark shape looming up though the falling snow. A pair of green eyes glows in the middle, staring down at the group.

“EVERYPONY RUN!” Shining shouts, turning to gallop away.

Jer'rahd snorts, letting the others run past him as he starts to draw his sword.

“Let’s go, General. We don't know what this thing is and I am still unarmed,” Starfall shouts to Jer'rahd.

He nods, gripping the ball of scarves that bound Bleu and carrying it as he gallops away.

“We’re almost there!” Shining yells, glancing back at the looming shadow. He stops, whirling to face the creature.

“Bleu, get yourself out of that thing right now,” Jer'rahd snaps, yelling at the ball.

The silk cloth shreds as Bleu shifts to her largest form, bursting from the silken scarves like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. She roars in response to the shadow’s rumbling call and fires a blast of lightning at the shadow, forcing the darkness to pause to avoid the attack.

“Get them to the dome, Bleu; I'll hold it here,” Jer shouts, the Waning Moon slipping from its scabbard and leveling before him, blue flames beginning to dance along its length .

“I am supposed to get you to the Empire. I'll deal with this,” Shining growls.

“Don't argue with the General, Captain, or you'll likely get more hurt than you already are,” Starfall snaps, scooping up Shining as the others are quickly grabbed by Bleu before she takes off towards the glowing dome in the distance. Twilight looks back, seeing the glow of several green panels block attacks from the darkness and the glow of the blade lashing out at the shadowy form.

Bleu bursts through the shield onto a grassy field that looks and feels like it’s spring. Starfall slips through right after, carrying Shining. A scream echoes across the field coming from the tower. Shining looks up, his eyes wide.

“CADENCE! GET ME UP THERE NOW!” he shouts at Starfall. The pegasus nods, zipping through the air towards the massive crystal structure.

Bleu lands and Twilight slips from her grasp, looking at the tear in the shield where they had come through. She winces, glancing down at the star metal sword on her side before her horn flares and her own shield forms to patch the hole.

“Oh dear, that was a rush... where is Jer'rahd?” Rarity asks.

“Boss is still out there. Like the idiot he is… he better get here in five, or I am going back out after him,” Bleu snarls. “What happened to the shield, and what was the scream?”

“It must have been Cadence. This shield is likely her doing, and when I brought the Brilliant Dawn in, it ripped a hole... crap, I should have known...” Twilight starts, but a flash of light distracts her as a beam of energy shoots up from the tower to touch the shield. The whole shield glows and the tear Twilight is covering heals.

She drops her patch and considers going back for Jer'rahd herself when a form bursts through the shield, landing hard and rolling across the grass. The gray unicorn pushes himself up with a groan, shaking his head, a cluster of black crystals glinting in the light growing out of his horn. The Waning Moon is sheathed at his side, and aside from the crystals, he seems no worse for wear.

“Boss!!” Bleu shouts, all but tackling the unicorn, sending them both tumbling across the grass again.

“Get off of me…” Jer'rahd growls, pushing the small dragon away.

Bleu blinks a little, looking at the crystals in the unicorn’s horn. “You smell kinda strange. What the heck happened to your horn?”

“Nothing that can't be dealt with, though it seems I can't cast anything now until I figure out a way to get rid of them.” Jer'rahd glances at the shield. “Not like I was doing any good against that thing anyway. My sword couldn't even hit it.”
Rainbow Dash sighs. “Great, so we can't even fight it. How does Celestia think we can protect this place, Twilight?”

“I don't know. Let’s head to the tower. Starfall and my brother are there with Cadence; maybe they can shed some light on what’s happening here,” Twilight mutters as she starts towards the tower.

“Not like I have anything better to do,” Jer'rahd growls, trotting after her.

-------------------------------------------

“The cursed goddess soon found that she no longer required food to live. She only needed to feed on her husband’s love. Though his love for her was great, it was not enough to fully replenish her power.”

“The Cursed King feared his bride may come to harm if she did not regain her full powers. He sought out those couples with the strongest love from the land, stealing them away and letting his wife feed on their love to restore her strength.”

----------------------------------------

The crystalline castle towers above them as they make their way through the city. Dash and Twilight do their best to ignore Rarity's constant comments about the beauty and spectacular nature about the place. Jer'rahd seems to be doing his best to ignore Bleu's comments about how tasty everything looks.

By the time they make it to the throne room, Bleu and Rarity are arguing with each other about food versus fabulous, with Pinkie pie piping in both for and against both sides.

A large crystal throne rests at the back of the room, and a pink alicorn sits atop it, looking half asleep with Starfall and Shining Armor on either side of her, rather worried looks on their faces as they look at the princess.

“Cadence!” Twilight exclaims.

The pink alicorn looks up and smiles. She hops off the throne and rushes to meet Twilight. The two stop before each other, grinning wide before the pair start dancing.

“Sunshine Sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” the pair sing together, finishing up with a giggle.

Shining Armor smiles, though Starfall simply sighs, shaking his head. Both Bleu and Pinkie clap along with the short tune, but Jer'rahd doesn’t seem to have a reaction to it one way or another.

Cadence winces and the shield flickers. “One of these days, we need to get together when the fate of Equestria isn't hanging in the balance.”

“Are you okay?” Twilight questions with concern, reluctant to bring up the damage she caused with the sword.

“Cadence has been able to use her magic to spread love and light. That seems to be what is protecting the Empire, but she hasn't slept, barely eats. I want to help her, but what I can do with my magic is very limited in this situation,” Shining responds.

“It's alright, Shining Armor. I'm fine...” Cadence starts.

“She's NOT fine. She can't go on like this forever, and if her magic were to fade... Well, you saw what's out there waiting for that to happen,” Shining grumbles.

“That's why we're here,” Twilight responds.

“Why we're all here,” Starfall adds as the others either nod or agree in some way. “What have you found out so far?”

“With Cadence putting all her strength into keeping her spell going and me looking for other signs of trouble in the arctic, we have not been able to gather much information from the crystal ponies...”

“CRYSTAL PONIES?! Heheh...” Rarity giggles, “There are crystal ponies!?”

Rarity blinks, looking around as everyone else stares at her before chuckling nervously. “Ahem... I mean... please continue...”

“We have to believe one of them knows how to protect the empire without using Cadence's magic,” Shining finishes.

Twilight’s eyes glimmer. “A research paper!”

“What?”

“We gather information on the crystal ponies and deliver it to you,” Twilight smiles, poking her brother. “I love research papers.”

“Yeah… who doesn't...” Rainbow Dash mutters.

“Oooh oooh lemi guess! Is it Rarity? Starfall? Bleu?” Pinkie Pie shouts as Dash facehoofs.

“Don't worry, big brother. I am really good at this sort of thing,” Twilight reassures, “We'll figure this out. Don't worry.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“Such was the power of the Love Poison that when the Goddess fed on the king, he did not suffer for it, and his love remained unwavering. When she fed on her subjects, however, they shriveled and became hollow shadows of their former selves. Monsters with no love left in their hearts to give. Despite her actions, the Goddess took pity on these wretches, considering them her children, and granted them the power to change themselves into whatever they desired so that they might hope to find love once more.”

----------------------------------------------------------

(Hours Later)

“Any luck, Twilight?” Jer'rahd questions, trotting into the central square.

“No, not a thing. No pony remembers anything at all. It's like there's some sort of block. Maybe it has to do with Sombra's spell,” Twilight rambles on, stopping suddenly as Fluttershy trots up.

“Fluttershy!? What are...”

Both she and Jer'rahd jump back as Fluttershy unzips her face and Pinkie Pie steps out of the costume with Bleu sitting on her back, fiddling with some sort of goggles.

“Our cover has been blown! I repeat, our cover has been blown!” she whispers.

“Oooh night visony,” Bleu observes, looking through the goggles as Pinkie darts off with the little dragon still on her back.

“Ooookay.” Twilight glances up as Starfall and Rainbow Dash land with Rarity trotting up close behind.

“Got nothing. No pony can remember a thing,” Dash states.

“Same thing here. Only thing I could get out of any of them was something about a library,” Starfall mutters. She yelps, leaping back as Twilight dashes up into her face.

“A library!? Why didn't you say so?” she gasps.

“Umm, I thought I just did...” Starfall explains as Twilight darts off. The pegasus leans closer to Jer'rahd, muttering, “This mare is nuts.”

The unicorn shrugs and follows after Twilight.

--------------------------------------------------------

“The land quickly turned to darker days. Swarms of the love-drained creatures roamed the land. The ponies took to calling these monsters 'Changelings', for their ability to mimic others. The swarm took up the King’s bidding, bringing any with strong love to their King and Queen to allow her to feed and adding more to the swarm.”

---------------------------------------------------------

Bleu stares as Twilight practically prances like a particularly pleased pretty pony as soon as the library doors open.
Starfall is still growling about the crystalline griffons that adorn the front of the building and Boss is being rather quiet about this whole thing. Not so much a sarcastic remark or even a grumble.

“May I help you?” an elderly pony asks.

“We’re looking for a book,” Twilight states with a smile.

“Well, we have plenty of those,” the mare says.

“You do... you really do!” Twilight giggles, prancing about in circles.

Starfall rolls her eyes, pushing the unicorn to the side. “We're looking for a book on possibly defenses, strengths, and spells. Something that might be able to tell us how the Empire protected itself from danger.”

“I... yes... I am sure...” the mare begins.

“Yeeeeeees...?” Dash questions leaning closer.

“I don't remember… I'm not sure I even work here...”

Dash and Starfall both facehoof.

“We'll look around. I'm sure we can find it ourselves,” Twilight states.

“Let me know if you find anything.”

A production line of sorts starts with Starfall, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash zipping around, grabbing books from the shelves that look promising. These get dropped into a pile and collected by Bleu, Rarity, and Jer'rahd, who pick through the pile, refining it further before setting them were Twilight can look over them fully.

Bleu glances to Jer'rahd, who looks far less than enthused to be doing this sort of thing, actually tossing out books seemingly at random without so much as a glance at their contents or covers.

Twilight's voice gets more and more strained as the pile of books next to her grows larger. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no... YES!!”

Bleu winces at the crash of several score of books hitting the ground. She slinks over to where the others are around Twilight and sighs as she's unable to get a clear view. She steps back, about to hop on Jer'rahd's back, when a book Twilight had dropped caught her attention.

“A love potion?” Bleu reads, smirking and thinking how easy some of her matchmaking would have been if she had this a long time ago. She flips though a few pages, stopping to read over a story curiously.

“Hey Bleu, whatcha got there?” Pinkie asks, popping up behind her.

“I dunno. This kinda caught my attention. It's something about a love potion. Kinda looks interesting,” Bleu mutters.

“Oooh, I’ve seen that book. Twilight had a copy of it that the girls took before she finished reading it on Hearts and Hooves day before she could finish it. Twilight was not happy about that.”

-----------------------------------------------------

“The young red dragon soon had enough, and sought to confront the younger goddess about what she had done. The younger goddess, however, had also seen what her elder sister had become, and had gathered followers with powerful artifacts in an effort to stop her older sister.”

-------------------------------------------

The rest of the day and long into the night was a rush of activity. The book had described an event called the Crystal Fair, a seasonal event that was used to renew the spirit of love and unity in the empire and protect it from outside threats. The small group works through the night, setting everything up just as the book describes it. Every so often, she finds Jer'rahd either asleep or slinking off somewhere, likely to take nap.

She knew his dislike of sleeping was going to catch up to him at some point, but this is not the time for it. After repeated awakenings, he seems to catch a second wind, borrowing the book from time to time to rush off and make sure something is set up properly.

Twilight sets the last finishing touch to the event at the base of the palace: a crystal heart she had carved out of a block with her magic.

Once everything had been set up, she and Jer'rahd make the announcement from the balcony of the Crystal Castle with Cadence and Shining Armor. They invite every pony in the empire to the fair being held at the base of the castle.

Twilight smiles, looking down at the ponies gathering at the sound of fanfare, the mass of them making their way towards the fair.

“Well, Twilight, it seems they are starting to look better already,” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Perfect. It won't be long now ‘til our job here is finished and we can go back to trying to stop Nocturne's group,” Twilight states. “Come on, let’s go on down.”

Rainbow Dash lands on the balcony next to Twilight and grabs her. “Twilight… I think we have a problem.”
Dash explains what she had overheard, and Twilight rapidly whips out the book and flips through it.

“This is not good. There's nothing in here about there being an actual crystal heart... There's a page missing! How did I not notice?” Twilight groans.

“It's okay... you… did your best...” Cadence mutters before collapsing to the ground. The shield flickers before going out.
The four on the balcony look on with horror as the shield starts to flicker and fade, revealing the snow-swept wastes beyond.

A loud roar echoes across the city as a dark shape looms and rushes towards the empire. Shining shakes Cadence awake again and she strains herself, raising the shield once more just as the shadowy form reaches the border.
Shining looks down at his wife and grits his teeth. “I have to find the Crystal Heart...”

“No. You stay here. Cadence needs you. I'll find it.” Twilight states, taking off running. Rainbow flies into the air to follow.

Jer'rahd pauses, looking at the shield, then back at Cadence and the glare that Shining is giving him, flinching a little he rushes off after Twilight, catching up with them as they rush down the stairs.

“Alright, here's the plan: I'll look for the heart. The rest of you need to keep the fair going,” Twilight states as she runs.

“What? With that thing trying to get into the Empire?” Dash snaps.

“The whole point of the fair is to try and lift the spirits of the crystal ponies so they can re-energize the heart. If they find out Sombra is trying to get back in again, their spirits are going to be anything but lifted,” Twilight explains. “If that happens, it won't matter if I find the heart or not. They won't be able to do anything with it. You have to keep them happy at the fair.”

“Keep the fair going and the Crystal Ponies’ spirits high. Done and done,” Dash salutes before flying off.

“I'm sticking with you, Twilight. There's a better chance of finding this thing with two sets of eyes looking,” Jer'rahd states.

“I expected as much. You don't strike me as the cheerful type anyway.” Twilight smirks, rather surprised to see a nervous smile from the gray unicorn as well.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Jer'rahd states, galloping off into the city.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Using the artifacts and their wielders, the younger goddess was able to stop the cursed King and Queen, banishing them both to the nether realm of Tartarus. The land was once again safe, though in a final act of betrayal, the younger goddess also sealed the young dragon in Tartarus as well to prevent him from ever revealing that she had been the cause of her sister’s downfall, and responsible for the terror that had plagued the lands.”

“I want a flugelhorn!” Pinkie shouts.

Bleu looks up from her book at the pony dressed like a jester and the cyan pegasus trying to keep a instrument away from her.

“Who else wants a flugelhorn?” Dash calls.

“I want a flugelhorn!” Bleu shouts, tucking the book away in her flight bag.

“Who else, else, wants a flugelhorn?” Dash grumbles.

“We want a flugelhorn!!” Pinkie and Bleu holler.

Bleu might have continued to yell with Pinkie Pie when she spots Jer'rahd and Twilight galloping back towards the tower.
Rainbow turns to yell at the pair, only to find they are gone. Bleu wings her way after Jer'rahd and Twilight with Pinkie Pie in tow.

=====================================================

“Where are we going exactly, Twilight? There's a great deal of town left to check,” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“The castle. If I am right, the King would have hidden it there, counting on the fact that no pony would dare come look for it,” Twilight states.

“Sounds good to me, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie states, bouncing between the two unicorns with a little blue dragon on her back .

“What, Pinkie? Bleu? Shouldn't you two be making sure the Fair is still going well?” Twilight questions.

“Dash and Starfall have that covered. Shining brought the crystal heart you made into the tower to make sure nopony sees it. Rarity is making baskets, but the big event is that Starfall and Rainbow Dash are going to joust. Honestly, with so many ponies there, we figure we can spare some time to help you look for it,” Bleu explains. “Problem with that, Boss?”

“Why should I have a problem with what you do?” Jer'rahd growls.

“See there, sparkly flank? No problems,” Bleu grins.

“Sparkly flank? “Pinkie giggles, “I'm gonna have to remember that one.”

======================================================

Starfall smirks, looking across the field at Rainbow Dash. She had taken a liking to the young mare; brash, uncouth, stubborn as all get out... It reminds her of herself before Cloud Dancer was born. As close as she was with the others, none of them flew. Bleu and Luna both could fly, but they didn't FLY. Dash is the only pony aside from Loc who seems to have the same pure joy at just the action of flying.

This is also the most fun she’d had in years... well, a millennium, by this point. She shifts the armor a little, not entirely comfortable in such heavy gear, but it is quite well made. The lance is interesting as well, though she had seen the armory these lances had come from. These ponies are clearly warriors. The weapons were elegant crystalline instruments of death. She couldn't wait ‘til all these ponies regained their memories and she could find out which one was the weapon smith.
That would be in the future, though; right now, she is supposed to keep these ponies in high spirits.

Rarity sounds a horn and Starfall levels her lance, galloping towards the armored cyan pony charging her from the same direction across the bar, a wide grin on her face.

This was going to be fun.

==================================================

“You find anything yet?” Twilight shouts.

“Not yet,” Jer'rahd responds from another hall.

“Nothing yet!” Pinkie spouts, popping out of a vent in the wall.

“I think I found somepony’s bedroom, but nothing in there but this old painting. I think it's King Sombra, but who's the alicorn?” Bleu questions. waving the painting out of the door towards Twilight.

Twilight glances at it a moment. seeing the black unicorn stallion that bears a resemblance to the face in the cloud monster, standing next to a black alicorn mare with a flowing green mane. The painting looks very much like the wedding photos Shining and Cadence had sent to everyone. She whips her head with a growl.

“That's not helping us find it... wait a minute... Of course!” Twilight exclaims as she rushes towards the throne room.

“What? Did you find it, Twilight?” Jer'rahd shouts.

“No, because this isn't King Sombra's castle.”

“This painting says otherwise, sparkle butt,” Bleu calls out. “This is definitely him.”

“Hehhehehe, you said butt,” Pinkie giggles.

“Well, this is his castle, but it didn't look like this,” Twilight smirks, closing her eyes and straining as her horn glows. The magic of it slowly turns black before lancing out and striking the throne. Black crystals form, casting a long shadow across the floor. The shadow passes over the center of the chamber, revealing a deep staircase.

“Whoa, Twilight, where did you learn how to do that?” Pinkie gapes.

“Princess Celestia taught me,” Twilight beams.

“It's a good thing the Princess taught you that, then,” Jer'rahd comments, looking down the hole. “Bleu, you and Pinkie stay here and watch Twilight's back. I'm going to go check on the others.”

“Right, boss,” Bleu states as Jer'rahd gallops away.

Twilight glances after him before starting down the staircase.

Bleu looks to Pinkie as Twilight descends.

“There's something wrong with Boss.” she mutters.

“You mean aside from the fact he's been nothing but a grumpy grump and has black crystals growing through his horn?” Pinkie comments.

“Umm, yes...”

“Pinkie!” Twilight shouts up from below, “Can you see outside?”

“Yeppers!” Pinkie shouts back, hopping over to the window. Bleu hops onto her back, looking outside as well.
The shield flickers and fades. A small patch of black crystals can be seen growing in the distance and a few flakes of snow drift down from above.

“Not good. Not good at all, Twilight,” Pinkie shouts, trembling. “I think Princess Cadence is getting weaker.”

Bleu leans out the sill a little bit, seeing something far below.

“Is that... who the heck put Twilight's heart carving back outside? If the crystal ponies see that and think it's the real heart...” Bleu growls.

A yelp from down below brings the pair back to the edge of the pit.

“Twilight? Hey Twilight!?” yells Pinkie.

“HEY SPARKLE BUTT, YOU DOWN THERE... crap,” Bleu leaps into the hole, flying down to land lightly on the stone floor, looking over at Twilight as she stares at a stone wall in a door frame. “What the heck?”

Twilight yelps again, backpedalling from the door. She whips her head about before tripping over Bleu and crashing against the floor.

“What! Wha? Bleu? Is Pinkie alright? Are the others...?” Twilight stammers.

“Jeez, calm down. What the heck happened?”I duck down here ‘cause you yelped and didn't answer and I find you staring at a wall. What’s the big deal...”

Bleu moves over, slapping the wall with a claw. Her eyes suddenly flare bright green as the gem above the door activates.

“What the heck...? Dullahan? What am I doing back here... oh no... Platinum! No... Boss, you too... Rhede? Velkorn? Anyone? Is anybody alive? ....Don't no… I can handle this... Don't leave me ALONE!”

Twilight slams the door shut as Pinkie bounds down the stairs to see Bleu stagger back crying.

“By Celestia... they were all gone... every one... it... I was alone...” Bleu blubbers.

Pinkie pats the little dragon on the head with a hoof. “That is not going to happen to a friend of mine so long as I am around,
Bleu. Don't you worry.”

Pinkie gags as Bleu suddenly hugs the pink pony tight enough to make her squeak.

“So what is this thing, Twilight?” Jer'rahd asks, trotting down the last few steps and glancing at the door, barely seeming to notice Bleu's state.

“King Sombra's dark magic. A doorway that leads to your worst fear,” Twilight's eyes narrow. “A rather clever trap, but not clever enough.”

Twilight’s horn glows. A bolt of energy arcs from her horn, hitting the gem at the top of the door frame. The lavender energy seems to flow down along the frame like water until it reaches the floor and the door opens into another room.
Twilight hops though triumphantly and looks around.

“What in there, Twilight?” Pinkie asks.

Twilight sighs, dropping her head. “Stairs.”

“Not doing this again. We don't have time.” Bleu moves into the room and looks about before changing to a large dragon and scooping up Twilight and Jer'rahd in her fore claws. Pinkie leaps onto her back and the dragon launches herself into the air, flying towards the top of the spiraling stair case.

====================================================

Starfall winces, glaring up at the smug-looking pegasus above her.

“That's three for me and two for you. Guess I win,” Rainbow Dash chuckles.

“Oh, we are not done yet, mare. Not by a long shot,” Starfall growls. “I gave you best two of three and best three of five, so you are giving me best five of seven.”

“Girls, we have a problem. I am out of materials for the traditional crafts booth,” Rarity whispers as she trots up to them. “I just made a hat out of three pieces of hay and a drinking straw.”

A pony wearing the aforementioned hat canters by.

“I made it work, but we can't keep this up forever. No pony seems that interested in your jousting any more, either. They are all collecting by the castle and... Oh no...”

Looking across the field, Starfall could see what Rarity had spotted. The fake heart Twilight had carved was back outside and the mass of crystal ponies had gathered around it, speaking in hushed whispers and panicked murmuring. More than a few of them were starting to lose the luster they had previously acquired from the fair.

“Oh boy, we have a problem,” Dash mutters.

Rarity rushes over with Rainbow Dash and Starfall in tow.

“Now, now, everyone; let us not panic. This was merely a placeholder. The REAL crystal heart is, umm, being polished and should be brought back shortly, shiny as ever and ready to top off the fair,” Rarity beams. She is about to go on, but a loud roar cuts her off and a group of crystal ponies gallop towards the castle with a looming shadow following them.

“Crap...” Rarity exclaims.

========================================================

Bleu lands at the top of the stairs, shrinking back down and hopping on Pinkie's back as the group trots the last stretch of stairs to an open air landing at the top of the castle. Four massive pillars hold up the point at the top of the castle. Floating in the room’s center over a raised dais is a crystalline heart.

“We found it! Yay! Now Twilight can take it and teleport it to Cadence and we can get back to the party!” Pinkie shouts, glancing over as Jer'rahd rushes towards the heart. “What? Hey, now!”

A bolt of lightning arcs from Pinkie's back, making her hair stand on end as Bleu fires a blast of electricity, striking Jer'rahd in the side and sending him tumbling across the floor to come to a stop against one of the pillars.

“Bleu, what the buck!?” Twilight shouts.

“That's not boss,” Bleu growls, hopping off Pinkie's back.

A snarl comes from the figure on the floor as the disguise fades. A black chitinous form seeming more bug-like than pony-like rises back to its hooves. It bares its fangs at the trio and rushes towards the heart again, its hole-filled insectoid wings buzzing rapidly.

“A changeling... what?” Twilight begins.

A blue blur impacts it as the dragonling shifts to pony size and collides with the creature, sending them both crashing into the pillar again. The creature changes forms, matching Bleu's, though the dragonling changes her coloration, flickering across the rainbow of the spectrum so fast the changeling can't keep up.

“QUIT STARING AND GET THE DAMN ROCK, SPARKLE BUTT!” Bleu shouts wincing as the creature’s claws rake across her scales, actually cutting into them.

Twilight nods and rushes to the platform, but the moment her hoof touches the raised dais, an alarm sounds. She looks around in panic and leaps for the heart. Her hoof barely touches, it sending it bouncing away before black crystals erupt from the ground and surround her, trapping her in a cell like cage. Twilight tries to teleport out, but the spell grabs her as soon as she reappears and slams her back inside the cage. She gets a brief glimpse of black crystals starting to grow and cover the floor outside of her prison before she’s snapped back inside.

“Oh no! Twilight! Bleu... oooooh what do I do what do I do...?!” Pinkie yells, watching the crystal heart slide across the floor, coming to a stop between her and the trapped Twilight.

“PINKIE! GET THE HEART AND GET IT TO CADENCE!” Twilight shouts.

“But...”

“No buts! Hurry up and go!” Bleu snarls, firing a bolt of lightning at the creature she was fighting, only to have it shoot a crackling green bolt of corrupt power back at her. Thankfully, neither seemed to be able to get a proper bead on the other, though shards of black crystal explode from the contact with the energy.

Pinkie darts over and grabd the heart in her mouth, leaping back as the staircase is blocked off by the rapidly growing black crystal. She backpedals, looking down over the edge. The city below is almost completely engulfed in black crystals. Far below at the base of the tower, it seems every crystal pony in the Empire has gathered. She glances back to Twilight and Bleu and the growing crystals before hopping off the edge.

========================================================

Rarity looks down from the balcony, waving politely at the ponies below, a fake smile crossing her features. Rainbow Dash and Starfall had rushed into the strange stairwell trying to find the others. Cadence and Shining Armor are with her, but Cadence is barely able to move. Rarity glances back as the last few flickers of magic leave the pink alicorn’s horn and fade. Screams echo from below as the shield drops.

A roar sends the ponies below into a panic as the dark shadow rushes over the city, pushing towards the castle and turning everything it touches to black crystal.

“Ahhh I see you have all gathered to welcome me back, my little slaves,” the shadow growls, slowly taking on the shape of a massive smoky black unicorn.

Rarity winces, looking up as she hears somepony yelling.

“You guys! Up here! I got the Crystal Heart! I got the- whoops!” Pinkie shouts as she tries to carry the heart down, bouncing between growths of black crystal. As she yells, she missteps and slips, losing the heart and tumbling off the tower as well.

The dark form of Sombra looks up at the heart as it falls and growls, “NO! Mine!”

He drops back into a shadow, a massive crystal erupting from the ground and stretching up to meet the falling pony. Pinkie flails, trying to grab the heart as she falls. Shining Armor snorts, picking up Cadence onto his back. The pink alicorn's eyes slowly open, focusing on the crystal heart as it falls. Her wings suddenly snap open wide as Shining heaves her off the balcony.

A black armored unicorn with a red horn solidifies on the end of the giant black crystal shooting towards the falling heart. Sombra leans towards the end, his eyes locked with the falling heart, eager to recover it.

=========================

Bleu growls, her claws clutching the changeling around the throat, her claws not finding enough purchase to puncture the thing’s armored skin. The creature snarls, its claws raking across her belly as it pins her to the floor. She strains, trying to kick the creature away without any success.

A faint prickling at the back of her neck causes her eyes to go wide and she shrinks down suddenly, forcing the creature to fall forward as it loses its grip on the suddenly smaller dragon. The black crystal that had poked the back of her neck bursts forth, rapidly meeting the falling changeling’s face with a sickening crunch as its face becomes impaled on the sharp black crystal.

She slips out from under the body as more crystals form, impaling the creature further, taking to the air and fluttering around as the room becomes blocked off with black crystals. She slips past them, diving into a crack in Twilight's prison to avoid becoming impaled.

“Ugh, now what...” she growls as the gap closes behind her.

“I don't know,” Twilight mutters.

==================================================

Sombra grins as the falling pink pony screams as he draws close enough to reach for her falling form, and more importantly, the crystal she had. A bright pink blur whips in front of him, snatching away the crystal and the pony and causing him to flinch.

“What?” Sombra looks around, seeing a pink alicorn glide towards the ponies below with the heart and the pink earth pony on her back.

Cadence flies to a clear area under the tower to the sounds of surprise and astonishment from the gathered ponies. She lands hard, crushing Twilight's mock crystal heart and lets Pinkie Pie slip from her back as she looks at the ponies gathering around her in awe.

“The Crystal Heart has returned. Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not,” Cadence commands, guiding the heart to its place under the castle where pale blue crystals shift to hold it in place at the heart of the empire.

The ponies look around at each other before they start to bow to the Princess, their bodies quickly changing to a crystalline material. Wide smiles cross their faces as a brilliant blue light expands from each of them, growing in size as more and more bow.

Sombra looks down from his perch, his body having solidified finally after all this time. “No... Stop! You do not understand...”

The heart gathers the energy from the ponies, shining a brilliant blue before erupting in a massive wave of power that washes over Cadence and the gathered ponies, granting them a full crystalline appearance. The shockwave reaches Sombra and he looks down at himself. His solid form starts to crack. A sorrowful look crosses his features as the energy rips him apart, flinging the shards and black smoke away from the empire and out of the spring-like valley hidden in the frozen north.

===========================================

Bleu and Twilight wince as the light runs over them, destroying the black crystals and freeing them. Once the light clears, a crystalline unicorn and a crystal blue dragonling stand at the top of the castle, looking down at the grisly remains of the changeling.

“How did you know it wasn't Jer'rahd?” Twilight questions.

“I know more about that pony than anyone else. Even then, this thing still fooled me for a bit. What the heck is it?” Bleu questions.

“A changeling, though I am not sure how long it was posing as him,” Twilight begins.

“He was himself on the train. There’s no other pony that could be that depressing, so it must have been when fought Sombra outside,” Bleu growls. “His sword didn't cut the barrier like yours did when he came in, either.”

“This is really bad; it means that Sombra could be working with the changelings. That's something we really don't need added to our plate,” Twilight shudders.

“I don't give a crap who is teamed up with who, Sparkle. All I want to know is where's Boss, and who do I have to kill to get him back?” Bleu snarls.

“.. and the moment to die...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight's
By TDR

“.. and the moment to die...”

Jer'rahd awakes with a startled cry, flinging the blankets off of him as he thrashes. He sits up, panting, his eyes wide as he stares into the darkness. He glances down at his hooves and the dark blue blanket they are tangled in.

A soft yawn next to him causes him to turn his head as the mare at his side sits up slowly. Her platinum blue mane falls over her face and horn in a messy, yet somehow remarkably beautiful way.

“The nightmares again? We really are going to have to pay Aqua a visit to pay her back for that one of these days.” Luna yawns again. Her horn glows lightly, pulling her mane back out of her face. Her aqua eyes regard the gray unicorn beside her. “Are you alright, Jer'rahd?”

“I… what...” The memories came back to him slowly.

The Grand Galloping Gala had been a month ago. Much to Bleu's excitement, her plan had worked and he and Luna had become much closer, admitting fully what they felt for each other. Celestia was somewhat less than thrilled, but honestly, he never cared what she thought anyway.

The Dragon Empire had pressed for peace, as had many others after their failed attack on Equestria. Neither he nor Luna expected it would last long, though, but for now, the lack of conflict was rather nice.

“I think am alright, It...just seemed more real than usual this time,” Jer'rahd mutters, tensing up a little as Luna shifts closer to nuzzle against his neck, chuckling at his reaction to it.

“I would think by now you would be used to attention from me, but still you seem shocked at my touch.”

“I certainly hope I never get used to it. I would hate to think any attention from you could be considered ordinary.” Jer'rahd chuckles, turning to kiss her lightly.

Luna's magic pulls the blanket back over them both as she nuzzles against him, covering his exposed side and hiding the fanged chess knight of his cutie mark.

============================================

( The Crystal Kingdom.)

“Twili! We did it! Sombra's gone,” Shining shouts as a crystalline Twilight trots onto the balcony. “No thanks to that friend of yours. I think he was trying to sabotage everything. Why did he put that fake heart back outside, anyway?”

“Wasn't Boss,” Bleu growls from the doorway of the balcony, throwing the body of the changeling in a heap to Shining Armor’s hooves.

“We have bigger problems than just Sombra. The changelings are involved,” Twilight adds.

“Shit... I didn't need to hear that. I guess this, at least, explains why he was such a jerk on the walk from the train,” Shining grumbles. “Pretty sure all of them hate Cadence and me for the wedding fiasco.

“Uh, no, that was Boss alright,” Blue murmurers, rubbing her claw over the back of her head spines. “He can be a dick at times...”

“We think that he was captured when he went to fight off Sombra so we could make it to the city.” Twilight blinks as Shining rips the shredded saddle bag from the changeling, digging through the contents.

“Hey now; my kill, my loot!” Bleu snaps as Shining pulls out a shredded page and a few other objects that look like they came from the castle.

Shining glances up at the little dragon as he looks over the items.

“Bah. No orders, though here's the missing page from your book. So much for an easy answer,” Shining grumbles. “This is a scout. Oftentimes, they are on long missions away from the swarm and have orders for various situations.”

“What?” Twilight asks.

“Seriously, sis, an army of these things attacks Canterlot during my wedding and you don't think Princess Celestia and the guards would be doing everything they can to find out information on them? We found out quite a lot, though most of that information is back in Canterlot. Princess Celestia has her entire network hunting for these things’ home base. So far, all we know is it's somewhere south of Appleoosa.” Shining glances at Bleu and the claw marks crossing her scales. “You alright?”

“Nothing got through enough to even make me bleed, but he was trying,” Bleu grumbles.

“Well, I never heard about the Princess doing anything of the sort... wait, where’s Cadence?” Twilight asks.

“Down with the Crystal ponies. Crap, there may be more of them...” Shining growls, glancing up as a pair of crystalline pegasi fly down from the top of the tower and land on the balcony. “Twili, wait here. I'm going to go let her know what’s happening.”

Rainbow watches the unicorn as he dashes out, then looks from Twilight to the mangled body on the ground.

“I guess we didn't need to find you after all, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash comments. “Whoa, is that a changeling?”.

“Bleu, where’s the General?” Starfall asks, looking over the corpse. “Does he know about this thing?”

“Yer looking at him... or at least what was trying to be Boss. We think he never made it into the Empire,” Bleu explains.

“This is bad. Do you think he's … d…?” Rainbow Dash stops as Bleu growls at her.

“You don't know Boss, there, Captain Skittles. No bucking way some bit of smoke and roar is gonna take him out,” Bleu snarls, clutching at the necklace she wore like a lifeline.

“Actually, I think I have an idea how to find him,” Twilight states, looking at Bleu's claw.

================================================

“So General, when should we expect wedding invitations?” Starfall asks with a smirk as she dodges a blow from the training weapon.

The crack of wooden sword meeting wooden sword is her response as she barely manages to block the blow he aimed at
her.

Jer'rahd growls, lashing out with the wooden sword again, having it blocked. He deflects a swing of Starfall's weapon with his shield and darts forward under the green panel, tagging the pegasus on the foreleg.

Starfall curses as Jer'rahd spits out the blade, waggling it in her face with his magic.

“The goal of taunts is to make your opponent mess up, not yourself,” Jer'rahd chuckles as Starfall snorts in annoyance.

“That's match.”

“Ah, give her a break, Boss. She just wants to see if she looks as good in a bridesmaid’s dress as she did in a wedding dress. Frankly, I know I would look stunning,” Bleu comments from the sidelines of the training area. “Twenty-five to fifteen. Starfall's buying drinks.”

“Buck it,” the pegasus growls.

=====================================================

The starry void greets her as she steps into the spell. Using the shard of the sword should allow her to follow the past by all the other blade shards connected to it, much as she had done before when learning of the five.

The void is strange this time. The two bright stars she is used to seeing are in the far distance. A glowing pair of pink and white stars she had not seen before are nearby, the light from them nearly intertwined.

She smiles, recognizing it as her brother’s and Cadence’s stars seemingly joined though the love they shared. This place grew more and more curious every time she was here. She tilts her head slightly, staring at a brilliant blue star before her and a slightly dimmer purple one to the side of it next to the multicolored blinking light she knows as Rainbow Dash's.

So Starfall and Bleu had them as well. One day she would discover the meaning of this place. But that was not the point now.

She turns her head, looking about, and spots the window she recognized as the Waning Moon.
There is no sign of any of the stars that worried her, though a sickly black void ringed in red flickers in and out of existence. Sombra? Well, that was more bad news that he was not destroyed, but it did not help her find Jer'rahd.

She turns, looking at the windows before her that are connected to the shard she is using. Rhede, Starfall, Velkorn, Bleu, and Luna's... for once, she was not really interested in these particular views. The Waning Moon and the shard that was

Jer'rahd's are her prime interest. She dives into the Waning Moon's window.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The blade sings as it cuts through the air. This is the second time its master had used it in a thousand years and the weapon seemed to be jubilant to be used for what it was made for.

Jer'rahd dodges to the side, a tendril of black smoke tearing the ground up where he had been. He couldn't fight this thing; his weapon was being avoided and even if he could connect, there was no solid form to cut. His shields were effective at stopping it for a moment, but it quickly flowed around the energy. He would buy the others a bit more time before making a dash for the dome himself. That, at least, seemed to keep it at bay.

“Jer'rahd!”

He glances back to see Twilight charging towards him.

“I told you to go with the others. Didn't Bleu grab you?!” Jer shouts, dodging another attack as the smoke moved around his shield.

“I'm here to help you!” Twilight yells back, drawing the Brilliant Dawn and lashing out at the tendrils of smoke trying to hit
Jer'rahd.

“I don't need help. Now... shit,” Jer curses, raising a shield to block an attack on the purple unicorn as the creature notices her and lashes out.

He tries to move closer to the clearly brain-dead unicorn to make sure he only needed to focus on blocking one set of attacks. The smoke creature seemed intent on keeping the pair separated. Twilight was not helping either, practically running away from him in her pathetic attempts to dodge.

A blow from the smoke monster manages to get past his shield and knock the purple pony to the ground. Jer'rahd curses, rushing to stand over the fallen unicorn, his shields flashing to life as he focuses on defense until she gets back to her hooves. The Waning Moon falls as his magic leaves it to focus on shields. The weapon bounces off the ice and lands at the base of a jutting ice stalagmite.

“Damn it! Celestia told me to watch out for your sorry flank and here you are trying to throw it away. How ‘bout you listen for a cha... uurrrk!” Jer'rahd begins to yell, but a sharp pain at his side stops his rant.

He glances down to see a black blade of some sort jutting from Twilight's forehoof stabbing into his side. The black coloration quickly runs along her form to reveal some sort of strange bug-like pony creature lying in the snow. The blade retracts from his side with a spray of blood, sinking back into the creature’s foreleg. Jer'rahd growl, whirling to smash the thing, but a dark tendril of smoke slams into him, flinging him through the air to crash though a pillar of ice. Jer'rahd curses as he slides to a stop, feeling like he was just hit with a runaway cart.

“Leave the sword. Neither of us can touch it anyway. Make haste, little one; it will not be long before they send someone to find him. Locate the Crystal Heart and bring it to me. Do not let them succeed,” a deep voice rumbles.

Jer'rahd winces, trying to sit up. He winces again as his legs are kicked out from under him and he looks up into his own face staring down at him with a malicious grin.

“What the buck?” he manages before the changeling slams its hoof into his face, making the world go black.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight pulls back with a gasp, shaking her head.

Bleu glances up from the book she had been reading as Twilight gasps. Rarity and Princess Cadence look on as well. She doesn’t see Pinkie, her brother, or Starfall.

“Did you find him?” Bleu asks.

“Not yet. It looks like he was captured. I know where his sword is, though; we are going to need to get that back. Rainbow, you and Bleu head back to where we were first attacked and look at the base of some of the snow spikes in the area; it should be there under a broken one, I think.

“On it. Come on, Bleu, let’s find that thing,” Rainbow shouts as she takes off.

Bleu looks at Twilight before taking to the air as well, following Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight, what do we do now?” Rarity asks.

“Where are the others?” Twilight asks as she stretches a bit.

“Your brother is hunting changelings and Starfall found a weapon smith and is trying to have him craft some weapon she can use. Pinkie Pie is running about making sure every crystal pony is still having a good time,” Rarity replies. “I am still lamenting the loss of that gorgeous crystalline form. Oh, why did it have to be temporary?”

Cadence chuckles as Twilight sighs. “I just came here to check on you before I head to bed for a looooong while, Twilight. Don't hesitate to wake me up if something else happens, though, okay?” Cadence mutters between yawns. “Try not to let anything happen for at least a few hours?”

“I will, though there shouldn't be anything else,” Twilight replies. “I still have to find Jer'rahd. So long as he is wearing that amulet, it should not be that hard to find. Then I need to send a letter to the Princess informing her of what’s happening.”

“That is a rather useful spell. You are going to have to teach it to me one of these days.” Cadence nods as she trots out of the room with a final yawn.

======================================================

“Seems Celestia is doing rather well for herself now that we managed to get the dragons off Equestria's back. Make's my job a heck of a lot harder, though,” Rhede grumble,s looking down at the table and the half-full mug resting before him.

“How could peace make your job harder, Rhede?” Jer'rahd chuckles, downing another shot. He pauses to stare at the empty glass curiously, not really feeling anything.

“More work on the ambassadorial side of things. It doesn't make it any easier when she's paired me to Velkorn,” Rhede mutters. “Much as I enjoy her company, that zebra tagging along with me kinda makes me inflexible in what I can do while away.”

“Inflexible? That can’t be right; you told all the mares in the bar differently the other night...” Velkorn laughs out, already red-faced and giddy from the alcohol.

Jer'rahd watches as she and Rhede start a bit of banter. Starfall and Bleu are at the bar laughing about something that
Starcloud, the bartender, said. Something was wrong here, though. His friends were enjoying themselves and he was content with their company, but something was nagging him. It bothered him to the point where he was not enjoying himself as much as he should be.

The door to the bar swings open, admitting Princess Luna. Whatever doubts he had about what was wrong were pushed aside as she made her way over to him, leaning down to kiss his muzzle lightly.

He ignored the catcalls from Rhede and the laughter of his friends and the other bar patrons. Luna flushes a little at the attention, though that only makes her look cuter. In her presence, he could not remember what was bothering him.

=============================================================

Rhede sighs, slamming his head into the book. He needs a drink. The last thousand years in Equestria had been one big mess of politics. It is giving him a headache of epic proportions. It also doesn’t help that most of what Twilight has in her library are books on magic and legends. It had gone a great deal smoother when Spike was here; that little dragon seemed to know where every useful tome is, and even some that Rhede was sure had not been on the shelves when he looked them over.

Of course, the little dragon had also been pissy about being left behind and had stormed off when Rhede had brought it up to try and smooth over any brewing trouble. He had been tempted to go after him, but it really was not any of his business; the issue with the dragonling was between Spike and Twilight. He had enough to worry about without trying to play mediator for the two. Besides, he was just getting started on this book about them Twilight wrote. Hopefully, it had painted him in a flattering light.

Velkorn is another one who has been helping with the headache. It is clear the spell that originally tied her to him was gone; while she is still rather friendly towards him, she is also a great deal colder than he was used to. To be honest, he almost finds himself wishing for the infatuated zebra to return, though it is still better this way. A whole new time period, she could easily find somepony who would treat her right in this time. Maybe that massive decedent of his, Big Mac. She had been spending a great deal of time in the hospital with him.

He winces at that thought and blinks. Is he jealous of a farm pony? Oh yeah, he needs a drink, though mostly, he just needs to concentrate on something and ignore the past; it’s not as if he can change anything now.

==========================================================

“Ahhh, hello again, little dragonling. Back for more of my tasty gems?” the earth pony shouts, waving a hoof as Spike trundles up.

“Hmm? Oh hey, Lodestone. Nah, not today; not really hungry,” Spike mumbles, pausing before the market stall.

When he left the library, he had been mad, but the longer he had walked, the less angry he had become and the more depressed he became. There’s this great adventure going on in an unknown land and he is stuck here playing foal sitter to an oversexed earth pony from a thousand years in the past. He had not been paying attention to where he was going while he mused and his feet had followed a familiar path to the market square before he realized it.

“That's too bad; I was hoping for a bit of business today. With Miss Rarity gone and you not hungry, I might as well close up for the day,” Lodestone sighs, tossing his head and flicking his mottled gray and black mane out of his eyes.

“Sorry...”

“Hmmmmm. You look rather down, my boy.” The dirt colored earth pony regards the dragonling curiously, rubbing his hoof along the underside of his scruffy chin. “Tell yah what, no sense in having a sad customer. It's bad for my shops image. You remember when you asked me where I got the gems? Well, I am going to go meet him in a bit, since I’m closing early. If you want to tag along, I don't think my supplier would mind. He seemed curious when I said someone was interested in where he got his gems.”

“Huh, what?” Spike blinks, looking up at the pony. “I didn't really mean it; I was just making conversation.”

“Oh, not so curious, then?”

“Well, maybe a little. I am kinda curious how you work. I mean, these gems are cheaper than anywhere else.”

“Hah anyway, if yah want tah tag along, feel free,” Lodestone chuckles. “Got a little meeting spot outside of town. He prefers living alone, has me bring him a paper and supplies every so often. Doesn't seem to like crowds.”

“Kinda like Zecora, then?”

“Yeah, I suppose so. She occasional stops by too tah buy a few things for her potions; mostly pearls, though. Mighty hard to get those. But for such an attractive mare, I cut her a bit of a deal on them regardless.”
Spike sighs, ignoring the pony as he rambles on about Zecora for a while. Lodestone is a fairly nice guy, but he seems to always be attracted to mares that are his exact opposite.

“So you up for it, kid? Shouldn’t take more than an hour or two.”

“Sure, why not? Beats going back to the library.”

=============================================================

Velkorn is amazed. There are new technologies and new cures that she had not even considered. Granted, there were new diseases and illnesses popping up just as often as the cures were developed, but the speed with which these were countered is astounding. The hospital, the machines, the way medication and cures are prepared and found is unbelievable.

If Zecora was correct and all of this had come from the books she left her nephew...

She still had not been wont to believe it, but two major things pointed out the truth in her descendant’s words. The Queen’s Cross, a red plus on a white backdrop, is the most recognized medical symbol in the world of today. The second most recognizable are a multitude of variations of her cutie mark.

The caduceus adorning her flank is an old zebra shamanistic symbol, one that is used often to mark medicine or a healer. Long after most had forgotten its meaning, it became her cutie mark when she discovered her gift for treating the sick and injured. Now, a thousand years later, it is almost as common as the Queen’s Cross as a symbol for doctors and pharmacists.

While most of the doctors know Zecora from some of the work she did in gathering rare plants, as well as her knowledge of obscure and unusual sicknesses, none of them are willing to believe Velkorn is who Zecora said she is.

To tell the truth, that they were willing to let her stay and watch how some of their treatments went is enough for her. She does not care about recognition. That the hospital had a massive medical library was a great help as well. Most of the books even show how to treat injuries with magic and without it. Many of the newer terms confuse her, though Zecora stayed with her to help out.

Still, there is no way she can learn a thousand years’ worth of medical knowledge in the short time she would have to study it before the others return and the hunt begins again for the ones who escaped, particularly if she was going to help the one named Applejack with what she wanted.

There is also another matter that she was trying very hard not to dwell on: Rhede. Now that the spell is gone, she is unsure what to think of him. At first, she had been of the opinion that she only befriended the others because of him, though she soon realized that she met and became friends with Jer'rahd before she even knew Rhede existed. Bleu was very difficult not to like. She had empathy for Luna and Starfall's situations and despite her disagreements with their methods, she rather liked the pair of them.

Once all that had been settled in her mind, she had felt a good deal better at realizing it was not just for Rhede that she had done everything.

Then there was Rhede himself. She still has a lingering feeling that she had lost something when it came to him. She no longer has the desire to pursue him as she had before. She could easily recall all the times he had wronged her, and yet, there was also all the times he had gone out of his way to try and help her.

With no compulsion, she is unsure exactly how she views him anymore. She wants to be angry at him, but she had found she could not hold onto it for long. In truth, while he might have been a reason she had chosen to be sealed for a thousand years, he was not the only reason. While she is not happy to have lost what little family she had in the past, she knew he is by far worse off in that regard, despite how well he has been hiding it.

This is not something she should be dwelling on now. She still has much to learn before she would be of any use to her friends in this time.

=======================================================

Twilight curses silently to herself as she floats in the void of stars. She glares at the window before her; something is blocking her ability to view what is happening right now. Every time she had tried, she was either shown blackness or thrown back to watching Jer'rahd get knocked out by the changeling. She knew how to adjust the spell to supposedly get past that sort of thing, but… wait....

She glides back, looking at the windows to the other shards, and then to Jer'rahd's window. It is dark, much darker than the
others, and she had been so focused on it that she had not seen it was a different shade. This is Sombra's magic, it has to be. She drifts around the window, looking at it from all sides and comparing it to the others before growling lightly. Her eyes close, her horn starts to glow, and the coloration of her power changes to black again. Her eyes snap open, green light flaring from them.

The other windows brighten considerably, though the darkness seems to fade from Jer'rahd's window and she quickly slips into it, not sure of how long she can keep the dark energy going like this.

---------------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd groans, slowly lifting his head. His left eye is swollen shut and his body won't move properly. Thankfully, there had been no dreams. Of course the reality is just as bad.

He is in some sort of ice cavern, light filtering in through the crack in the ice above, illuminating the whole place with a blue and white coloration. He seems to be in a central chamber with several tunnels that lead away in front of him. He can feel a gentle, if frigid, breeze against his face and guesses the tunnel directly ahead of him is the way out. Granted, it does not seem like he would get a chance to use that information.

He is encased in a strange black crystal all the way up to his neck. He can barely turn his head as it is, his horn is studded with the black crystals, and to top it off, he has no idea where his sword is. He briefly attempts to cast a spell, seeking to make a grab for his weapon if he can, or at least pick up a rock to try and chip his way free of his bondage.
He flinches as his attempt fails, a sharp stab of pain running through his horn the only reward for the effort.

“Sonnova...”

“Ahhh, finally awake, I see. Good; I wish to speak with you, pony,” a deep voice rumbles from behind him.

Jer'rahd turns his head as best as can, though the jagged crystals about his neck jab into his flesh, preventing much movement. Thankfully, the shadowy form moves into his line of sight, settling down in front of him. The head of a pony seems mounted on a body of smoke. A red horn juts from its skull and green glowing eyes regard the trapped unicorn.

“And who the buck are you?” Jer'rahd growls. “And what's with the weird accent?”

“Hmm, more vulgar than I had expected from a bearer of an Element, but you do not seem of noble blood, so I should have expected no less. Granted, your attitude may well be justified in this situation, so I shall let it slide for the moment. My name… never mind my name; I am known as King Sombra now. What I went as before no longer matters.”

“So you're the one trying to conquer the empire, eh?”

“I am simply taking back what is mine: that which was stolen from me not once, but twice by Aviana and then her successors. And now, once again, the kingdom of Equestria seeks to stop me. I will have what is mine to end my love’s suffering.”

Jer'rahd growls at hearing the name. “That name... you know her. Who the buck is Aviana? Why the hell is it every time I’m up to my neck in shit, that's the name that gets dropped!?”

Sombra seems taken aback by the rage Jer'rahd is displaying, but he recovers quickly. “Hmmmm, another who is pissed at her existence. You and the dragon would be quite close in your mindset if he still lived. A bearer of Honesty dragged down by the lies of one he believed in.”

“Back on the subject, Sombra, who the buck is Avaiana?!”

“Here I thought I was the one to be asking things, but no matter; I will humor you. It may reveal more of what I wish to know.

She is my love's little sister, one quite jealous of the power we shared, the one who cursed us, and sealed us away along with the dragon, though that poor beast only sought to make things right. Tartarus was not kind to him. Not as if it was kind to any of us, but he was young and soft when he was sealed. When he emerged, ripping his way across dimensions with his bare claws, he was naught but a creature of rage and death, hell-bent on revenge. He wanted her blood more than any of us. We both followed him, fought with him to escape. My love was dragged back and I was thrown clear along with the beast.

A greater torture I have never endured than to be apart from her. Revenge was not coming for any of us. The one we sought was far gone from the world.”

“Who was she?”

“My love, or the one you hate so much? Never mind, it matters little. It is my turn to ask the questions. You are a bearer of an Element; Loyalty, if I am sensing correctly. You have a great deal of power within you, a great deal of energy, a great deal of love, though there is a darkness about you as well. Proof that you, too, sought the books, and used their power. Perhaps you loved a goddess as well?”

Jer'rahd narrows his eyes and Sombra smiles at the reaction.

“Perhaps you will tide my Crystal over until I can retrieve the heart, a gift of sorts to apologize for not being able to save her for all those years. “

“If you were going to feed me to someone, why bother to tell me a damn thing?”

“Because if my plan works out, there will be no need of her to feed from you. Millennium upon millennium of power, all fueled by love and hope reside in that crystal. I started on it long ago before Aviana banished us. The foals stole it after my defeat and are using it for something as pathetic as a defense system. The crystal ponies have lost much of their ability since my first fall; they forget their true purpose.”

“I thought it was sort of a feel-good energy or whatever.”

“No, nothing of the sort. The empire was more of a... canary in a coal mine, I believe was the term. While what happens in the empire can be felt across the lands, the reverse is true as well. Those functions have been left to the crystal, despite its original purpose to aid my love. If I can acquire it, I can save her and perhaps the rest of the swarm as well.”

“Swarm? What are you talking about?”

Sombra sighs. “If I fail, you will find out once she drains you. It is a side effect of her feeding that makes the swarm, but one that cannot be helped. With the power inside you, you should last her some time.”

“That still doesn't explain why you are bothering to explain all of this.”

“You are insurance. If I succeed, then you and many others will be freed. If I fail, you will be a food source to sate her until I can recover, if I recover. If you are turned, the power you have will be turned as well and you will make a potent ally for the swarm. I do not wish to be the bad guy in all this. I am simply doing what must be done.”

“Not the bad guy? How the buck does attacking an empire you enslaved and feeding ponies to something not scream out
‘hey, I’m the bad guy here?’” snaps Jer'rahd.

“You bear, or bore, the element of Loyalty. What would you do to save the one you love more than anything else?” Sombra notes Jer'rahd's flinch at that. “Or should I ask what have you done? Something worse than what I am? It seems we are somewhat of kindred spirits in that way... I expect you would do anything for the one you are sworn to as well.“
Sombra glances back and sighs softly as the crystal starts to grow up over Jer'rahd’s head. “You had best pray that I acquire the Crystal Heart, Bearer of Loyalty....”

Sombra floats off as a massive black-armored form crawls into the cave. Its legs and wings are full of holes and spines run down its back. A great horned head with wide bug-like eyes stares down at the trapped pony. Jer'rahd squirms as the crystals rise higher. The creature may have once been a dragon, though it looked more like a mutant bug of some kind now.

“Take him to the hive. Tell your queen he is a gift from me, and I will join her there as soon as I can,” Sombra orders.
The dragon changeling’s response is lost as the black crystal covers Jer'rahd's head.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight yanks back all the way out of the spell, her eyes wide. What the heck was going on here? What did Aviana do to them? Chrysalis and Sombra were in Tartarus and got free? Who was the dragon?

“Welcome back, sparkle butt. We found his sword; you find out where Boss is?” Bleu asks from where she sits on the table, the Waning Moon resting before her.

Twilight blinks, looking up from the amulet as Bleu scoops it up and puts it back over her neck.

Rainbow Dash turns her head to the pair of them, clearly curious herself. “Found the sword right where you said it would be, Twi. I hope you have some more good news.”

“The changelings have him,” Twilight sighs. Dash winces and Bleu tilts her head curiously. “Bleu, I need to send a message to the Princess.”

=================================================

Starfall snorts as she looks over the weapons in the store with a disapproving glare.

“Problem, ma’am?” the shop keeper asks. He is a white crystal pony with a blacksmith’s anvil as a cutie mark who had introduced himself as Quartz when she came in.

“I thought you said you sold weapons. All I am seeing are these stupid crystal decorations that look like weapons. If I wanted a show piece, I could have gotten something in Canterlot. What the heck are you trying to pull with this shit? I thought the empire had seen battle and was actually able to make a decent blade?”

Quartz glares at Starfall before flinging open the small door of his counter and storming over to her. The white crystal pony is a little taller than her and has no problems shoving his face into hers.

“If you had not helped save the empire, mare, I would beat the tar outta you and throw you from my shop on your flank for that insult,” Quartz snarls. “I don't give a shit what you think about my weapons. I know that there's not a damn weapon better on the planet than what I make.”

“All I see are some tourist trinkets made out of the same crap as the rest of the city. You might as well be selling snow globes. Most of this shit looks ready to fall apart the moment you hit something harder than a sponge,” Starfall retorts, not backing down in the slightest. “I don't buy for a moment this colored glass is better than a common steel blade, and most of those I’ve seen in this era are shit too. I was hoping a shop from an older time might have something worth a damn.”

“Yer getting dangerously close tah making me forget my manners, mare.”

“Good, you should be ashamed for shilling this crap. You say they're better; prove it!”

The crystal pony grins. “Now that's the challenge I was waiting fer.”

He trots away, leaving Starfall standing there blinking. He ducks back behind his counter and pulls out a large blue crystal ax. He trots past her again and out the back door with a muffled order shouted around his ax's grip for her to follow.

She follows, curious as to what the pony is doing. Behind the shop is a strange garden of some sort, filled with towering crystals as well as a normal smithy to the side. It is towards this he trots, setting the ax down atop the anvil before heading back further into the smithy. She follows along, looking at the strange shards of crystal growing in the garden and wondering what the point of them is. A loud clang brings her attention back to Quartz as he yanks a sledgehammer from under a pile of scrap metal.

“Now watch closely, girly, an’ yah might learn something, like how to be properly appreciative of a stallion’s trade!” he grunts.

He picks up the sledgehammer in his mouth and smashes it down on the crystal ax. He hammers on the weapon for a few moments, dropping his full weight into each blow, but doing little more than making the crystal chime and bounce atop the anvil with each hit.

Starfall tilts her head as he beats on the ax. She is a little surprised it is that tough, though with the crystal buildings around here having more stress and weight on them than this, it was not that impressive to see the crystal was stronger than it looked.

The shop keeper notices her nonplussed look and tosses the hammer aside. He then picks the ax up in his mouth again and brings it down suddenly, cutting through the cold iron anvil as if it was a stick of warm butter.

Starfall's eyes widen as the shop keeper raises the ax up again, showing the edge is not even dulled before he chops the anvil up a few more times, each piece sliced though cleanly. He leaves the weapon embedded in the steel and wood block beneath it, shaking his head and looking up at the pegasus with a wide grin.

“Well, mare? Whatcha got to say about my work now?”

“How much?”

=============================================

“Ya'll sure about this?” AJ questions.

“I should be asking you that; you said you wanted some training.” Rhede smirks.

Rhede and Fluttershy both lean over the railing, looking into one of Applejack's rodeo training pens. Inside, the pen is clear save for Applejack and Velkorn. The CMC are draped and bouncing on the other side of the pen along with Zecora, all
curious to see what’s going on.

“Yeah, but I expected with some sort of weapons or whatnot...” AJ looks apprehensively over at the aebra mare limbering up.

“Ah'm no stranger tah brawling, but ah don't think ah'm set fer her sorta fighting.”

“You're not really built to use a weapon, either,” Rhede counters.

“What tha’ heck is that supposed tah mean?” AJ snaps.

“I figured that would be taken the wrong way. Look, I can teach you to use a weapon if you want, but judging by your build, and rear legs in particular, you are more hooves on than that,” Rhede placates.

“What are you looking at my flank for!?” AJ shouts, getting more annoyed, though Fluttershy has to stifle a giggle.

“Oh for the love of Celestia's rump... I am related to you; I am not looking at you like that. I am going by your strength; I think that you would be better suited to put that leg power into training unarmed. As an earth pony, your primary attacks would be holding the weapon in your mouth to strike. Neither your jaw nor your neck is built up as much as the rest of you. I mean, crap, look at Jer. He could bite a tree in half. I’m not any good to train you, as I rely more on dexterity than strength. We could train you in a weapon, but that would take a great deal longer as you have probably not used anything more than a rope as a weapon you whole life.”

“And rocks!” Apple Bloom chimes from the other side of the pen. “‘Member what yah did tah those timber wolves?”

Rhede grumbles. “Despite the situation, the less any of you know about killing, the better.”

“Oh right... well, why Velkorn?” AJ questions as she looks over at the zebra a bit nervously.

“She can go all out and still pull her blows enough that you might not even bruise,” Rhede states. “Plus, she's much better at this sort of fighting than I am. To be honest, I doubt there is any one better in this age.”

“You ken do it, sis! Kick her flank!” Apple Bloom shouts.

AJ sighs. “That ain't tha point of this, Apple Bloom. Alright, ah' get where yer coming from, yah dun got tah be so critical of how ah look.”

“You realize in my time, what I said would be considered a compliment?”

Velkorn snorts. “The time for this sort of talking is done. You have much to learn and we have not even begun,” Velkorn growls before launching herself at the orange earth pony.

“Aw crud...” AJ mutters as she scrambles to try and defend herself.

================================================

Luna is asleep, but he cannot bring himself to do the same. Something is wrong, he can feel it. None of this is right. Every time he had started to try and think of why, something had distracted him, or his mind had gone fuzzy.

“This is aggravating; he continues to resist.”

His ears perk at the voice. It is barely audible, though it is clear, as if the one speaking is right next to him. The books again?

Wait.... what books? Where did that thought come from?

“He fights you, my queen?” a crackling whiny voice hisses.

“No; it is strange. Most tend to fight me and the spell; he is more fighting himself than me. He is a wealth of food, though it is trying to extract it from him. The damnable guard captain was not even this much trouble.”

What is going on... what food? Jer'rahd glances over to Luna, seeing her still asleep as he sits up.

“Maybe an older memory. This gala he has been relating to, perhaps I can base something off of that. Most of his memories are buried deep, though this is something that he remembers fondly. Perhaps I can use that to craft something to keep him complacent.”

Jer'rahd stands up from the bed and moves around the room. The voice is unchanging in volume or tone. He is not sure why, but he knows that the female voice he is hearing is part of what is off about all this. His eyes widen as his body suddenly fails to respond and he falls to the floor, his consciousness leaving him.

“In any event, once he is changed, he will be a powerful member of the swarm.”

-========================================

“What the buck do you mean ‘no’? You show me all this, and then you tell me ‘no, you won't sell it’?” Starfall snarls.

“Of course I won't sell it. The ax is mine and the blades out on the floor are just display pieces. So no, I won't be selling them.” Quartz smirks, trotting back into his shop with the annoyed pegasus on his heels.

“Then why did you bother to show me them?”

“Because you came here for a weapon. I still plan to sell you one; just not the one of these.”

“What?”

“Iron is an interesting choice for a weapon; you mine it, smelt it, forge it, and sharpen it. Repeated use dulls it, and if the weather gets to it, it will destroy it. Only time I have seen iron defy these rules is when a dragon forges the weapon. The magic they put into it ignores all those factors. Ponies can't replicate that level of devotion to something of the earth. Well, most ponies. We crystal ponies are something else entirely.”

He pulls a small box from a shelf behind the counter, gesturing for her to follow him back outside. Starfall snorts, though she follows the pony again. This time, he trots to the strange garden. Several even rows of multicolored crystals jut from the ground, and he looks at some of them sadly.

“The last vestiges of the resistance. When Sombra first took over, more than a few of us were going to fight him, and I started making weapons, though many were killed when the resistance was found out before they could collect what was made. I leave them as a reminder, though with Sombra defeated, these paltry markers may not be needed any more if we can make a proper memorial.”

“What are you talking about? What are these?”

“They are the weapons of fallen warriors, miss. Ones for soldiers that never made it back to collect them. They have grown wild since they were planted, and I don't have the heart to cut them back. You don't forge crystal weapons... you grow them.”

“How long does that take?”

“Depends on how much you feed them.”

He stops by a blank spot in the garden, digging a hole with his hoof and setting the box aside with his tail.

“Never seen what happens when a pegasus does this. Should be interesting.”

“When a pegasus does what?”

He opens the box, showing a small shard of light blue crystal. “Go ahead and pick that up.”
Starfall reaches over with a wing, lifting the tiny bit of crystal out with her feathers and looking it over curiously. “So what is this?”

“A weapon seed. The color of it doesn't matter right now, as it will change depending on the desire of its planter to become what it will. So what is your desire?”

Starfall glares at him. The pair lock eyes, both keeping a straight face for a few moments before Quartz cracks a smile.

“Fine, fine; can't blame a stallion for trying to flirt a little,” Quartz chuckles.

“Anyway, what do I have to do with this thing? Just plant it?” Starfall asks, ignoring his attempt at charm.

“Give the seed blood and it will grow. The rest is basically magic. It will grow into the weapon that most suits you or that you are best with. Now then, the good stuff: for as long as you live, a weapon bonded as such will never break or need sharpening. Even if some how you do manage to break it, it will heal with more of your blood. The bad news is that if someone can make a spell using your blood, they can do the same with the weapon.”

“Hmmm, a bit problematic if Bloodtail knows a spell like that,” Starfall muses. “Growing a weapon is going to be pointless, however. As soon as we find out where Jer'rahd is, we are going after him. I can't wait for a weapon to grow.”

“Then just feed it a bit more at first.”

“What does that even mean?”

The pony holds up his foreleg, showing a scar that shows even through the crystalline fur he had.

“Like I said, it feeds on blood. Another down side is the wound made to feed it will never heal properly and will always leave a scar. From experience, I can say that it sometimes still aches.”

“Blood?” Starfall mutters looking down at the crystal a moment.

“Yep, a bit of blood and then drop it in the ground. One of the reasons we don't do armor. A weapon is one thing, but getting a pony to stand in one spot for several days as it grows around them is another. Plus they could never take it off....AKK NOT THAT MUCH!”

Starfall had not really been listening as she grips the shard in her teeth, the head bending down to draw the sharp edge of the crystal across her chest. The pain is sharp, but not anything more than she had felt before in battle. Quartz rushes back inside to get bandages as she takes the shard with her wing again, rolling it over though the blood as it runs down her chest from the wound.

She hopes this will work as the shop keeper said; if his ax was any indication, the weapon would be potent and might just give her an edge she would need to save her friend, as well as finish some old business with that damned bird.

She drops the crystal into the hole, letting the blood drip from her wing tips into the ground along with it. Besides, why should Jer'rahd and Twilight get the only cool weapons?

She blinks a moment at that thought, chuckling to herself. Seems her new friend Rainbow Dash was rubbing off on her a bit more than she thought.

=============================================

It had been several hours since Celestia had received Twilight's letter. She and Luna had seen the visual effect of the Crystal Empire's restoration and had expected a message. They had not expected the one they had gotten.

Luna was alternating between depression and panic. It was clear to Celestia that her sister thought she had time to ease into interacting with her former companions again. Now Jer'rahd was missing and in the hooves of someone who could easily make him into a larger threat to Equestria than he already was.

Much as Aqua had claimed Andre and his power, Chrysalis could find a way to make the beast within Jer'rahd serve her.
She had sent several squads of pegasus chariots north to retrieve the group there. The reactivation of the empire and the power flowing from it made any sort of teleportation at that distance risky at best. Cadence and Shining would remain in order to make sure everything was secure in the empire. Despite the defeat, Celestia was not convinced Sombra was destroyed.

The trip back should have them in Canterlot the day after tomorrow. She had much to prepare by that point. At the moment, however, her concern was Luna.

“Lulu, please calm yourself,” Celestia speaks reassuringly to her sister.

“Calm myself? Calm myself?! Sister, if any point was a time not to be calm, this is it. Are you grasping what will happen if he is turned? The beast under Chrysalis control? Any plan we might have had to save him will be gone, along with the rest of Equestria,” Luna growls. “We do not even know where they took him and you expect me to be calm? This is the worst-case situation that I have feared.”

“It is not a worst case scenario. We know where they have likely taken him, and though this speeds up the plan a bit further than I wished, I am growing used to that when dealing with your friends,” Celestia states taking a sip of tea, and watching her sister pace back and forth in her sitting room. “It will take some time for someone as strong as Jer'rahd to be converted to the swarm. Twilight has confirmed this from what she saw in her scry, as something Sombra was counting on.”

“With how I have treated him, I doubt he has enough love left to last long at all,” Luna mutters, her ears drooping. “Yet another disaster that is my fault...”

“Despite how you have treated him, it is clear he still loves you, and even if he did not, he loves his friends. She may find him a feast, but the time it will take her to eat that feast buys us a little time.”

“You know where he is, then?”Luna questions. “You have found the hive?”

“It was discovered several months ago, an old volcano in the Haysead swamps. Luckily, my scouts were not found out or she may have moved it again. We have the location, and we were already preparing to capture the changelings or destroy them if we had to. I planned to have Kaisur train the guards that would be raiding the hive, or at least participate in the raid when it happened. Unfortunately, there is no longer time to wait. With luck, this will be the end of the queen for good. Granted, I thought that when I first faced her as well,” Celestia sighs.

Luna's eyes narrow a bit. “When you first faced her? You speak as if the wedding was not the first encounter with this creature. What do you mean, Tia? You have battled her before?”

“Yes. Aviana and I fought her long before you were born. We sealed her and her swarm in Tartarus, as per our agreement with the ferry mare. Back then, she did not look as she does now, I only recognized her from the feel of her magic in our duel. All the old fears and memories of that time came back to me at once. When it did, I panicked and she gained the upper hoof.”

“I had wondered how you lost so easily in a test of magic power, sister. You defeated me on your own in the past at the
height of my power and you have waxed in strength since then. You still should have sent someone to get me from the garden...”

“There was no time... there is never enough time... I do not wish you to be involved in this at all, Lulu. You will remain here at the castle for this operation.”

“What? Why is that? I can be of great aid in this conflict and you know this.”

“I am sorry, Lulu. While I would like to be able to trust you in conflict, this situation is too much a risk for me to allow you to go,” Celestia states, and continues before Luna can protest. “You are eager to go and that is good. It is nice to see you returning to how I once remembered you: a mare willing to take action. However, we both know what is at stake here. Your emotional state is already a wreck, just from your friends returning from stone. You are not fit to be in a life or death situation at this point. What control you have over yourself is likely to slip in a stressful situation, and judging by the last time you met
Kaisur, his mere presence will unbalance you. Do you have issue with this?”

Luna seems to deflate a bit. “Nay, sister; I understand your worry, you need not remind me. I know my own actions in situations such as this. In the heat of battle, I may lose myself, or call upon more power than I wish. I will remain here.”

“Thank you. With all your worry of what you might become, I was afraid this might cause you to rush in with little regard to what may happen. It is a reason I have not informed the ones remaining in Ponyville of what has happened yet. I do not need
Rhede and Velkorn charging in without giving us time to prepare. While I know you will do your best not to rely on the darker powers you have, emotion and stress may bring them out whether you wish them or not.”

“Then it seems this conversation is over until the others arrive. I shall retire for now, sister.” Luna trots towards the door, her head low as she sulks. She stops suddenly, her ears perking as she raises her head. Celestia is certain that her sister has a smirk on her face for a moment, though it was gone before she could be sure.

”Tia... when the others return from the Crystal Empire, would you send Rarity to me? I wish to speak with her.”

“As you wish, though I fully expect you to be present for the briefing.”

“Thank you Tia. I shall see you this evening.”

================================================

Spike sighs, looking up at Lodestone as he takes a seat on a rock in the clearing. The pair had walked for about an hour along the edge of the Everfree Forest before Lodestone went into the woods, up a path to this clearing.

Lodestone had been pulling his cart, though when they arrived, he unhitched it and settled back on a rock, glancing occasionally at a fair sized cave on the other side of the clearing. Spike could smell something; he was sure it was a dragon. That made him rather nervous, but also curious. As far as he could tell, it was rather rare that wild dragons had any contact with ponies, and for one to be so close to town, too.

“So this is where he is?” Spike questions.

“Yup, first place I met him too. I was gonna mine some gems in the cave over there and he sorta popped out on me. Figured I was a goner for sure, though I guess he stayed his hoof, errr claw ‘cause he found out I was a merchant. Started discussing business with me.” Lodestone takes out a pipe and packs it with tobacco before lighting it with a match.

“So he trades gems to you?”

“Yep; I occasionally get old relics from him as well. I’m guessing it’s either stuff he hoarded or there’s something in that hole that he keeps finding stuff in. In either case, not my business. I pay him in bits and other odds and ends and he’s content. Fair price, too.” Lodestone chuckles as he puffs on his pipe.

A rumbling from the cave stops the line of questioning as a pair of glowing eyes slink from the darkness of the cave. The red orbs pause as they pass over the pair before the creature emerges into the light, the eyes belonging to a rather large green dragon. The creature squints in the sunlight, sniffing the air and glaring at the pair of them.

“‘Sup Jade; didn't wake you, did I?” Lodestone smirks.

“Not this time, but that foul weed you smoke is enough to wake the dead. Did you get what I requested?” the dragon rumbles as he stretches. His attention turns to the little purple dragon hiding behind the earth pony. “Who is that?”

“Everything on your list is in the cart, same as always.” Lodestone smirks. “This little guy is Spike, the one we talked about last time who was curious about the gems you been getting.”

“Umm, hello, sir…” Spike mutters.

“I was unaware there were any dragons in Ponyville..” Jade blinks, tilting his great spined head as he looks at the smaller dragon. “And with such an interesting scent as well...”

“Yup, Spike here’s one of my best customers. Didn't see much harm in bringing him along for this trip,” Lodestone states.

Jade nods, slipping back into the cave. He pushes out a cart full of gems before moving over to look at the cart Lodestone brought while the earth pony looks over the gems.

“What is it you wanted to know, dragonling?” Jade grumbles, seemingly satisfied with the supplies in the cart.

“Errr well, just kinda curious actually. I mean, some of these gems are hard to come by, and I sorta wanted to know where…” Spike rambles.

“Hard to come by for ponies, perhaps. Tell me, are you even a dragon, or some sort of disguised pony? Your scent fits neither,” Jade growls.

Spike winces, having heard a variation of that question asked to him by a dragon before. “I'm a dragon... I just...”

“He's the librarian’s assistant, one of the Princess’s students, fairly potent little unicorn mare. Nice flank on her, too; a little too young for me, mind you. Smart cookie, though,” Lodestone informs as he attaches himself to the gem cart.

“One of the ones from the Princess’s school huh? Interesting. A dragon that likely knows nothing of itself. Have you ever considered what being a dragon actually is, whelping? Ever wonder what you missed by being raised by ponies?”

“Well, I did, until I followed the migration last year....”

“Those uncultured beasts are not dragons. They are simply shadows of what dragons should be. All muscle and no brains,” Jade snorts as Lodestone rolls his eyes. “I would not have another of my kind grow to be like them. I am sure there have been times you wish you knew more about what you are and can do.”

“Well... yeah...” Spike nods.

“I am a bit of a scholar myself. If you wish to learn, I am willing to teach. You know where to find me now, if you decide learn a dragon’s proper place in this world. Do not enter my cave, however; simply wait out here. I will smell you if you come,” Jade rumbles. “I shall see you next week then, Lodestone. I have nothing special to request this time; my usual order will do.”

“Not a problem, Jade, see yah next week. Come on, Spike. Let's hit the road.” Lodestone says.

"Um yeah... errr, thanks...” Spike calls as he leaves with Lodestone.

A rumble from the cave is his only response.

=====================================================

“I never should have waited so long to say
What I've always known since the very first day
Thought that you would stay forever with me
But the time has come to leave....”

Bleu is in rare form tonight. He knew she had been practicing this song for a while, though he is unsure if she was going to sing it. The song is a tribute to Platinum, though for some reason, he is sure she had never sang it before He had heard her practice it while she was training him to dance, so why wouldn't she sing it here?

He and Luna had retreated from the dance floor after a thunderous applause following their showing on the dance floor. The effort and the attention had left both of them red faced and they had slipped off to avoid anyone else trying to congratulate them. Neither of them is much for the attention, though they can still hear Bleu singing in the unused side room they found.

Jer'rahd thinks this song is a bit too morbid, though Bleu insisted it would be the last song, as she couldn’t stop herself from crying as she sang it. He glances over to Luna, watching her face have the same effect from the music as Bleu's did, though perhaps she was thinking of Hooper. He had known this was a bad choice.

“Hold, draw me close, close to my lips
Listen intently, as I tell you this
Outside the world wages its wars”
I'll rest in peace as long as you know.....

The tempo increases in the tune, though only Bleu's voice came through the walls clearly. Something feels off. He feels like Mustang should be doing something here that he needs to stop, but nothing of note had happened at all, and most everyone was enthralled with the band and Bleu's singing... what was the last song? She had said there were six the band was allowed to do, but so far there were five, and this was to be the last... what was the song before this?

“Before we blow out the lights and close our eyes
I'll tell you a secret, I've held all my life
It's you that I live for and for you I die
So I'll lay here with you, till the final goodbye....”

The music pitch rises again and his thoughts are brought to a screeching halt as he feels Luna press against his side, her head draping over his shoulders. He stands with mute shock, doing his best not to move as to not disturb her. Granted, he is not sure if he can move if he tries with her this close.

“Promise you our love will carry on
Until you turn eternal, we belong”

This song... was she thinking about Hooper? Or could it be, is actually thinking about him?

“Before we turn out the lights and close our eyes
I'll tell you a secret, I've held all my life
It's you that I live for and for you I die
So I'll lay here with you, till the final goodbye.....”

He struggles not to tense up, feeling the weight of the Goddess of War pressed against him. He swallows slightly, turning his head back a little to try and see what is wrong... is she crying?

“respectful lips for the last time
Spell out the lyrics to love in the sky
It's you that I live for and for you I die
So I'll lay here with you, till the final goodbye, goodbye.....”

“Please Jer'rahd... don't go anywhere... I do not wish to be alone...” Luna mutters.

He blinks, closing his eyes as the final notes die off. “I won't leave you, Luna. I never will...”

====================================================

“Alright, bring them out!” a crystal pony guard shouts.

Another group of guards trot out into the throne room: four earth ponies, two pegasi, and a unicorn.

Cadence is still asleep, though Shining Armor had stood in for his wife in this instance. When the crystal ponies had regained their memories, a rather large number had remembered that they were part of some sort of resistance against Sombra's rule. Shining had gathered them up and made them the new Royal Guard until others could be trained.
Bleu, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight were present as well. Rarity had gone shopping and Starfall had not returned from her search for a weapon. Celestia had sent word that she was sending chariots to bring them back to Canterlot.

Twilight, with Bleu sitting on her back, looks over the seven ponies before her rather curiously. Like her group, all of them are still normal ponies. The rest of the empire had all turned to their crystalline forms. They had as well, though the power change had been temporary, much to Rarity's annoyance. Now there were seven others. With the threat of the changelings, it would be best to check out anything odd, and seven normal ponies in a city of crystal ponies fit that.

“HI, BERRY!” Pinkie yells.” What are you doing here?”

Pinkie bounds past the others, hopping over to a lavender earth pony with a reddish purple mane and tail. The earth pony waves back, then glances to the guards as they glare at her.

“Hey Pinkie, ummmmm whats going on?” Berry questions.

“Oh, just a changeling check. What are you doing here in the Crystal Empire?” Pinkie blabs as Twilight and Shining both face hoof.

“Research” Berry grins.

“Research? What kind?” Pinkie asks.

“Well, I know some ponies in Canterlot who heard about this place coming back and well, as soon as I saw the train, I hopped on to get out here,” Berry explains.

“Umm, why would you do that, Berry?” questions Dash. “Why the big rush?”

“Crystal Cider!” Berry nearly drools and Rainbow Dash face hooves. “A booze that has not been seen or tasted in Equestria for who the heck knows how long. I had to be the first to try it!”

“Cider... you came all the way out here for cider?” Twilight asks in disbelief.

“Yep, that's definitely Berry Punch alright,” Pinkie confirms.

Twilight sighs and floats the Brilliant Dawn over, tapping the pony on the head lightly anyway. Berry just looks at the sword confused for a moment and shrugs as Pinkie drags her off, her mouth still going nonstop at finding a friend out here.

“Are you sure this will work Twili?” Shining questions, watching the two earth ponies trot and bounce off.

“Sombra said that he and the changeling couldn't touch the sword. I figure this may be why. I studied what I could about star metal, and I think it disrupts the natural flow of magic, which is why it makes it effective against gods and magical creatures, as most gods are full representatives of their race showing every aspect of their kind and thus loaded with magic from each the...”

“TWILIGHT!” Rainbow Dash butts in. “Save the egg-headed stuff for later and just try it on the next one.”

“Right, right, here goes,” Twilight mutters, looking a bit dejected she had been stopped in the middle of explaining, though the glazed-over look Shining was giving her reinforced that none of them were really interested.
She floats the Brilliant Dawn over to the pegasi. Both glare, though they don't move away as they are tapped, though one huffs in annoyance.

“I informed you that we were of the Royal Guard,” the first snorts, though the other sighs.

“Calm down, Breezy; it's a safety precaution,” Peach Blossom mutters. “Commander, we are here to assist you if you need it.”

“Thank you, Captain. I shall keep that in mind, though Celestia wishes you to return to Canterlot along with the others. Sergeant Breezy can stay, however, as a few more trusted guards will be helpful in getting the empire back on track,” Shining points out as Twilight taps the first of the earth ponies.

A screech from the pony snaps everyone’s attention to it. Where the sword had touched, the illusion of a pony fades away, showing a black chitinous form underneath. The change continues to spread, though the creature seems to be pained by it and struggles to keep itself transformed. It cannot keep the spell up and falls thrashing to the floor, crying out in pain.

Two of the other ponies make a mad dash for the door and are brought down by the guards. The reverse transformation finally stops, leaving the changeling panting in pain on the floor. Twilight stares as the guards grab it as well. The effect is repeated with one of the other two, though the third had simply panicked when he ran. She taps the last earth pony with no effect aside from a flinch as the blade flat touched him. Twilight looks at the blade and sighs.

“Well, at least we know it works,” Rainbow comments.

======================================================

He is not sure how they had wound up here, but he is also not entirely certain he cares. He had seen Luna's bed chamber once before, though that time, he had been too drunk to acknowledge where he was. This time he had been invited in, and to her bed. It is rather a surprise to him; he seems to know more than she does given her age, though he’d likely had more experience in his short life than she had in her longer one. It is not something that either of them really cared about.
The night had passed by far too quickly, and Luna had fallen asleep almost immediately after lowering the moon for the morning to come. He had not lasted much longer in the waking world, though his nightmares had woken him much earlier than her. It had given him time to ponder.

Usually, his nightmares were dull, terrifying things with no real shape or form that lasted with him in the waking world aside from a dread that lingered. That was not the case this time.

In his dreams, Mustang had become a dragon and tried to kill Celestia and Luna. Ponies had died and Canterlot had nearly fallen. After that, Luna had become something evil and changed him into a creature that matched her new outlook as she sought to destroy everything.

Looking at the Princess lying beside him, he cannot see how any of that can happen, yet the images linger well into the afternoon.

===============================================

[Two days later.]

Celestia looks down at the force of ponies gathered before her throne. A small group of crystal ponies had come along with Twilight's group, adding another dozen seasoned warriors to a collection of over a hundred of her Royal Guard. The Night Guard had also made a showing, and forty members of the half dragon race had answered the call as well.

It is, in a sense, pathetic.

The changeling swarm is several thousand strong. Despite their mindless nature, the swarm could easily overrun this small force. For this reason, Celestia had changed tactics and called in some favors.

The old element bearers as well as the current ones stand directly before her, along with the Captains of the Night Guard and the Royal Guard. Rhede and Velkorn seem highly curious about the half-dragons, though that would have to wait.

A magical map fills the air between Celestia and the gathered forces as she explains the plan. “This is all the data we have on the volcano. As you can see, all the data we have is its location and what is living there. There are three decent routes that we could take to the objective. All of them are likely being watched. Your force will be traveling to Baltimare. There, you will meet with the promised forces from the Griffons and the Diamond Dogs. The changeling threat has been felt by their nations as well, and they have pledged aid in this conflict. I do not expect them to be able to offer much aid, however, and the brunt of the work will be on your shoulders.” Celestia looks around, noting a few flinches and some depressed-looking ponies at that news. None of the crystal ponies or any of the Bearers, save Fluttershy, seem the slightest bit perturbed by this.

“From Baltimare, you will travel by sea to moor in this inlet.” A spot on the map lights up from Celestia's magic. “There, you will venture to the hive and seek to remove the threat it contains. Our goal is subdual rather than destruction. The unicorn mages have all been trained in the magic of flesh to stone to try and capture as many of these unfortunates as possible. That said... That said...”

“That said, if it is safer for you to kill them than capture them, do so,” states a voice from behind Celestia. Most of the ponies in the room bow as the Princess of the Night makes her presence known, though the former Bearers and Twilight simply stand there looking uncomfortable at her presence. All save Bleu, who glares at the dark alicorn.

The Princess of the Sun glances back as her sister steps out of the shadows where she had been hidden since her friends had come into the throne room.

“Yes, thank you, sister. We know the Queen is there; her capture or death will end the threat of the changelings for good.
Even if she manages to escape, it will take her time to rebuild what she has lost here, and that is time we can use to succeed in a second attempt to oust her,” Celestia finishes. “This information is classified. The cover for any who asks is this is a training exercise in Fillydelphia. You are all dismissed until tomorrow.”

The host of guards salutes and begins filing out of the chamber, leaving the Guard Captains and the Element bearers. As the door closes, Celestia looks to Twilight.

“Did your test work?”

“It did, Princess. I checked all of them when they came in, and I will check every one when we get on the train. We found three changelings among the guard and one among the half-dragons. I wish you had more star metal. Just using these two swords takes far too long,” Twilight responds.

“I had all of the metal I could find destroyed long ago. It is highly likely that those two swords are the last of it in the kingdom. Captains, it seems the changelings cannot mimic the crystal ponies’ multifaceted appearance. Use that to your advantage and have them relay messages and deal with risks that could involve a changeling taking over. Coordinate as best you can with the other forces as well. Now that the general mission has been stated, here is the real one,” Celestia sighs shifting the map.

“The black crystal and the dragon you spoke of have been sighted being brought to the hive. Twilight, you and your friends will remain with the guards offering what aid you can give them, be it magic or physical; I want all of you to stay out the conflict directly. Bleu, Rhede, Starfall and Velkorn will-”

“Good, then Jer'rahd is there. Can you deal with this, Starfall?” Twilight questions.

“Wouldn't be the first time our groups dealt with shape-changing things.” Starfall mutters.

“Think you can avoid kicking my ass this time, though?” Rhede smirks, receiving a glare from Starfall.

“So what is your plan, then?” Celestia questions.

“The same tactic we used on you. The larger force is going to be the diversion while the rest of us slip in, grab Jer'rahd, kill the queen if able, and basically make a mess of the place,” Starfall states, shifting a little, not quite comfortable in bringing up Celestia's failing in the last conflict.

“I'm going as well,” Twilight states.

“No, you are not. You are not trained for this sort of thing, Sparkle,” Starfall grumbles.

“You badly need some sort of magic support, and I’m the best you have at the moment.” Twilight glares back. “I also know more about the changelings and the star metal than you do.”

“Sparkle butt has a point, Starfall,” Bleu points out. “Besides, once we get in she, could be useful for a hasty exit if need be.”

“Rest of us are coming, too,” AJ adds, though the earth pony looks like she had fallen down one hill and up another a few times. She doesn’t seem too badly injured, but she has bruises on her bruises.

“Forget it; one clueless pony is going to be hard enough to watch over, particularly if we have to carry Jer'rahd out as well. The four of us cannot protect all six of you,” Rhede retorts.

“Hey, we beat the snot out of the ones we fought in Canterlot. If there had not been so many, we would have won that hooves down,” Dash shouts, flying over to get in Rhede's face. She backpedals in the air furiously to get away from him as he makes kissy faces at her.

“Darling, that is part of the problem; we were outnumbered there, and this is the very heart of their swarm. Far too many for us to handle. Who knows what else might be in there besides the dragon? Fluttershy and I would be nearly useless in a
situation like that,” Rarity points out.

“If I may offer a suggestion…” Luna states rather subdued.

“And what is it you suggest, Princess?” Starfall asks.

“The others should go as well, but they should remain with the main force, as my sister says. Fluttershy and Rarity can both aid with any medical needs that arise, and Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack are quite capable of defending themselves enough to guard the wounded,” Luna points out. “It may not be the front line conflict you wish, but it is a needed task.”

Velkorn nods at this, though Rhede and Starfall look doubtful of the suggestion.

“Interesting that yah seem worried about the wounded now,” Bleu grumbles, the remark making Luna flinch a little and drawing a harsh look from Celestia and the gathered Lunar Guard, which the dragon ignores.

“Ah suppose we ken do that,” AJ replies. “Ah suppose tha’ the ten of us Element Bearer types and tha Princesses have a better idea of what’s at stake than anyone else. We dun need tah screw this up.”

“Indeed, the destruction of the swarm takes a secondary role. The rescue or the destruction of Kaisur is priority,” Celestia states flatly, bringing a wince from the entire group. “We cannot allow him to be turned. You all have read or experienced what happened with Aqua and Andre.”

“Ain't happening, Celestia. We are gonna save Boss and rip apart anything that gets between us and him,” Bleu snarls.

“Down, Bleu,” Starfall snaps. “We take the train to Dodge City and then it’s a half day’s travel to the swamps. We set up camp at the edge and go in at first light. If we leave now, we will be able to slip in along the mountain range to the hive while they are focused on the attack from the sea.”

“Captain Peach Blossom and Captain Lion Heart of the Royal Guard and Night Guard shall be in charge of the primary attack for this mission Starfall” Celestia states.

Starfall glances back as the pegasus that had come with them from the Crystal Empire and a talln broad-shouldered half-dragon step forward, offering a salute to the pegasus. Starfall twitches a bit, feeling dwarfed by the pair.

“Ma'am,” the pair respond.

“Everypony knows what needs to be done.” Celestia continues. “A buffalo named Long Feather will meet you in Dodge City to guide you to the hive. He is one of my informants, and has kept a watch on the hive for me since its discovery.”

Luna looks to the ones that she once counted as her friends and sighs. There is much she wished to say to them. Unlike Jer'rahd, however, it is regret and shame that keeps her from speaking with these four. She turns her attention to Rarity, trotting over to the white unicorn as the guards and the others start organizing the last of what is needed.

“May I speak with you a moment, Miss Rarity?”

“Hmm? Of course, Princess. What is it you need?”

========================================================

“Well, Rhede,” Bleu grumbles, “you have a better handle on this sort of thing. What do you think?”
Rhede looks up from the small huddle his friends had made. Twilight had moved off to talk to the captains, along with the other Element Bearers from this time, perhaps to talk some sort of strategy for their end of things.

“I don't like that we need to take Twilight, but we can't avoid that. The guards will make a good distraction, but that's it. We don't have any sort of information past the location of the hive and that Jer is in there somewhere along with Queen Chrysalis.”

“Not that. I know all that,” Bleu snaps. “I mean Luna.”

[“She wants to go, but she is afraid of what might happen if she fights,”] Velkorn chimes in. [“Her body language betrays her eagerness and her eyes betray her fear.”]

“Well that's perfect. Boss is in danger and she's too scared of herself to do anything,” Bleu graons.

“Calm down, Bleu. We'll get him back. Sparkle is a suitable replacement for Luna magic-wise,” Starfall comments.

“I know that. She shouldn't have to be. This is all bullshit and you know it,” Bleu sighs. “It's more pride with both of them. Boss doesn't want to see Luna until she forgives him and Luna doesn't want to see Boss ‘til he forgives her.”

“Wait, Luna wants us to forgive her?” Rhede asks.

“Yeah. Sparkle Butt brought it up while we were up north. She’s just as annoyed at the pair of them as I am,” Bleu growls.

“They both still have their damned ‘woe is me’ death wish going, too.”

“Well, if we manage to save him, what can we do? Jer is stubborn as a mule in that regard,” Rhede grumbles.

“Take the train. Go to the hive. Kill the queen -sorry- grab Boss, get back here, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all this drama with the two of them to blow over. How's that for a slice of fried gold? Bleu lists.

“I like that plan.” Starfall nods. “But someone else is buying.”

========================================================

“Thank you again for this, Miss Rarity,” Luna says, looking down at the nearly-prancing white unicorn.

Rarity clutches an old book with her forelegs, bouncing about on her back legs trying to dance “Oh, it is no trouble at all, Princess. I should have everything ready for you in the morning. Oooh, this will be fun,” Rarity squees. “Are you sure about this, though? I mean...”

“I will be fine. I have a goal set for myself that I shall not deviate from despite my sister’s and Miss Sparkle’s urgings. However, due to issues that have arisen, I will be unable to do anything without your help. Do you believe you can accomplish what I ask of you?”

“Of course, Princess. I have all the materials already and if this spell you pointed out works well, I might just have a new product line.” Rarity giggles like a mad mare clutching the small book tighter. “Where in Equestria did you find this?”

“I have little use for the Night Guards under my employ, so I often send them on menial tasks of cleaning or exploring old areas of the castle. Busy work mostly, though at times, they find gems in the dark corners. This book was one of them.”

“Eeeeeeeeeeeee... oh dear, that was unladylike. I need to compose myself before I tell the others I shan’t be going. Hmm, what should I tell them?” Rarity ponders.

“Tell them the truth. I have given you another task. Do not be specific, though.” Luna smiles softly. “I would ask you keep the particulars to yourself, for obvious reasons.”

“Of course, Princess. My lips are sealed.”

“... the moment to fight ...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“... the moment to fight ...”

Celestia grumbles as she looks down at him from before her throne. Jer'rahd swallows hard; for the first time, he is actually terrified of what the Goddess of the Sun might do to him. Granted, he’d barely had the courage to ask her in the first place, but when he did, this entire fiasco had started.

“If you hurt her, I will ensure no pony will ever know you existed.”

Jer'rahd bites his tongue, not meeting the goddess’s eyes. A flame he had never seen before had flared in them and did nothing to help calm him. He jerks upright with a clatter of medals and ribbons as a loud blare of a pipe organ fills the chamber. He struggles to smooth out the mess of jangling awards, wishing to be rid of his dress uniform as soon as possible.

He glares over to the piano and at Bleu, who seems to be taking great delight in playing something that is only forty percent what it was supposed to be and sixty percent her own creation. He does not even recall anyone allowing her to be the one playing the organ, and fully expects the real pianist to be tied up in a closet somewhere. After the first few notes, the members of the Platinum Swan add their own accompaniment, which he is also sure is not supposed to be happening, but it is too late to do anything now.

The massive doors at the other end of the room swing open and his attention turns from Bleu to sweep over the gathered crowd of nobles and nearly all of the 42nd that fill the throne room. He had not expected any of the 42nd to turn up, let alone all of them. General Shower and her husband, Staff Sergeant Stonehoof, are there as well. She seems greatly amused at the events, though she has to keep poking General Mustang to keep him awake. Chief Three Bear is also present and towers above all the other guests, and a number of pegasi and unicorns with levitation spells had decided that flying over the crowd was an easier way to see. The room is quite packed, which does not help his nerves, either.

Golden Pelt cautiously trots out of the doorway just behind Cloud Dancer, practically clinging to the young pegasus’s leg as she tosses out hooffulls of what he assumes are blue rose petals. He sighs as he hears Starfall and Maw Pelt both squee at how cute their daughters look in the royal blue and purple dresses they each are wearing.

The young colt trotting down the aisle next amuses him greatly, possibly the only choice he got to make in this event, and Cyan Sparkle seems just as out of sorts to be there as he is. The colt is dressed in a first year dress military uniform, as he is supposed to be in basic training right now, though with a little suggestion and pull, the colt was now floating a fancy blue pillow down a blue and silver carpet in front of a great number of ponies. It had been a bit of a sneaky plan on his part, as this task now links the orphan colt to a rather large family; he can already see Maw Pelt studying the young solider trying to play match maker in her head.

He glances to Rhede, who is standing not too far from him and flirting with some mare or another from Celestia's court, though he goes silent, pretending to have just been standing there, as the last ponies enter through the door. Jer'rahd is dimly aware that Velkorn is in the small group as well, though it is the mare trotting ahead of the others that locks his attention.

He had not even known that much lace existed in Equestria, let alone that it was that shade of purple. The gown seems to be designed to conceal her fully, yet add to how her form moves. A massive silver crown and collection of silver jewelry adorn her forelegs, neck, and head. Her mane and tail are done up with gems and silver wire that must have taken half, if not more, of Canterlot's treasury. The dark mare seems somewhat out of sorts as she slowly makes her way down the aisle, the light catching the adornments covering her and making the Princess of the Night sparkle as if she is covered with thousands of stars. His eyes lock with hers for a moment and she softly smiles before demurely turning her head as she approaches, stopping beside him and chuckling lightly at the stare he gives her. Luna lifts a forehoof, pressing it lightly to his chin, closing Jer'rahd's mouth where his jaw had dropped.

Luna leans a bit closer to him, a smile still on her face. “It is good to see you did not manage to lose any of your medals this time, Jer'rahd,” she softly chuckles.

Celestia sighs again, looking down at the pair, ready to get this over with. She clears her throat and everyone turns to look at the Sun Goddess before the pair.

“Dearly beloved...”

*********************************************************

“Princess, may I speak with you?” Twilight asks.

Celestia stops glancing back at her student as the purple unicorn trots down the hall towards her. The Sun Princess yawns, glancing at a window and the darkness that is prevalent outside, even with the moon’s soft glow, and looks into her study and the bed beyond before nodding softly.

“Of course, Twilight, though please make it quick; you have a train to catch in the morning and I am already up well past my normal hours.” Celestia stifles another yawn and offers a small smile, though that fades as her student draws closer and she can clearly see the expression of worry on Twilight's face. “Is something wrong?”

“Perhaps this is not the time, but... I want to know about Aviana. She has been a harbinger of disaster throughout everything I have read and now... now, I believe she may be the reason why Sombra and Chrysalis exist as well.”

Celestia bites her lip, not liking where this is going. “How so?”

Twilight turns, lifting a book out of her saddle bag and floating it over to the Princess.

Celestia looks over the book curiously. “What is this? Romance of the Two Kingdoms?”

“It is a book that Bleu found in a library in the Crystal Empire. She gave it to me after I told her about what Sombra said and about the changelings. I had the same book before, though it did not go into this much detail. In fact, going by the date and the age of the tome, it may be the first document of the account made.”

“Twilight, theRomance of the Two Kingdoms is nothing but an old mares’ tale. There isn’t any truth to it...”

“Like Nightmare Moon was an old mares’ tale?”

“That is a different matter...”

“How? Because you want to believe that your friend is innocent and all the things that have happened are simply coincidence? There has got to be more to her than you are letting on, Princess. Now more than ever, what you know about her may be of help to us. I am not trying to be like Jer'rahd and simply blame her and you for everything bad that is happening, but there is far more information painting her as the bad guy here. As it stands, you are the only pony who knows of her existence who even tries to defend her. I want to know why.”

“I... Come into my study; we will talk there.”

Twilight nods and trots in after the Princess.

========================================================

“Damn it, Bleu, why didn't you tell me?” Rhede snarls, glancing over to the dragonling as she downs another pile of gems.

“‘Bout what, Rhede? Don't be vague; I'm not in the mood for it,” Bleu snaps. The dragonling looks up from the dining room table, the pair of them the only ones in the dining hall this time of night.

“About Jer'rahd's grandfather, about you letting those dragons go in Cindervale, about one of the eggs being made a dragon god, and about you and Jer'rahd being related and both of you being descendents of that blue dragon god!”

“Would it matter?” Bleu looks up from the table at the earth pony behind her. “We are a thousand years past all that now, Rhede. No family or history matters anymore because it's long gone. All we have left of anything we did is each other, a princess who doesn't want to acknowledge our existence, an annoying sun goddess who is just using us, five ponies and a dragonling who don't want our help or just see us as a curiosity, and a spastic unicorn who thinks too much. The only other ones who know who we are we plan to kill. Far as I can tell, nothing we did matters awhit any more. What the buck’s the point of worrying about it all now?”

Rhede blinks, not really expecting this dark attitude from Bleu, though he easily puts together why.

“We will get him back, Bleu. You know well enough that he would charge through Tartarus itself to save one of us and destroy anything that got in his way. Now we get to show we would do the same. You need to cheer up; I get nervous when you get mopey.”

“I'd cheer up, but I have to talk to someone else, and chipper ain't gonna get through to her.”

“Luna, I gather... Don't be too hard on her, Bleu. Celestia is forcing her to remain here.”

“You think that would stop him from saving her if she was in trouble? It never did before; none of us paid attention to orders like that from anyone. Why the hell is it stopping Luna? If Twilight is right and she's so bucking sorry for what she did, then she can start to try and fix it by helping.”

“It is not such a simple matter. There's politics involved in this with the other races sending aid as well.”

“Then to hell with them. She needs to do what she knows is right regardless of what the heck others might think...” Bleu trails off before slapping her forehead with a claw. ”Oh buck... that's why.”

Rhede nods. “Yeah, she knew what she did a thousand years ago was right, too. We both know how that turned out. Both Luna and Jer are terrified that the monsters within them will be free again; that is going to change how they do things. The last part of the book goes on about what happened in the garden. He tried to drive us away because he wanted to be killed; he felt the beast had gotten stronger. Luna had to bring back Nightmare Moon to stop him. Neither of those monsters are gone, and the pair of them are still living with them. Don't bother her tonight, Bleu. Just get some sleep. You can take out your frustrations on the changelings when we get there.”

“Yeah... I should probably do that... you're better at this pep talk stuff than you let on.”

“Heh, I’ve had plenty of practice getting Jer to cheer up. Night, Bleu.”

“Night, fluffy flank...”

=====================================================

“What is it, captain? I should be asleep right now. I am pretty sure you should be, as well.” Starfall grumbles, trotting along after Captain Peach Blossom.

“Don't try that with me, miss. You were probably pacing as much I usually am before a mission.” Peach Blossom smirks.

“Besides, with as boring as the train ride will be, you can sleep on that.”

“Not unless I get something for motion sickness ahead of time,” the gray pegasus grumbles.

“Well, at the very least, it should cheer you up to know that Sergeant Breezy just arrived.”
Starfall glances over at the white pegasus curiously as the pair trot towards the guard barracks.

“The pegasus you were partnered with in the Crystal Empire? Why would I care that he showed up here? He's not in the op.”

“No ma'am, but he didn't come here for no reason. Guard Captain Shining Armor was informed of your order, and when it was done, he sent Breezy back with it.”

“My order?”

“Yes Ma'am. Suffice to say, we checked it and Breezy out just to make sure. Despite his complaining, he was rather impressed to see what he was carrying; honestly, I want a pair myself.”

“Pair? Captain, what the heck came in?”

He pushes open the door to the guard barracks, showing a very tired Breezy sitting at a table along with a dozen or so
guards looking at a long box that lay open on the table.

They all move aside as Starfall trots up to the box, her eyes widening and a grin growing on her face as she looks at the contents.

“Not at all what I expected...” Starfall smirks.

“Your weapons, Ma'am,” Breezy mutters in a sarcastic tone.

===========================================================

Celestia closes the book Twilight had given her and rubs her hooves against her temples. The book never said who any of those involved were, but she knew the story rather well; after all she was in it.

Thankfully, Twilight remains quiet and simply lets Celestia read. Not that it had taken long, but at least the lavender unicorn is being considerate while Celestia's memories of Aviana are tarnished. It had not been just this story; there had been multiple accounts that she had found in documents and older gods that cast Aviana as not the princess she remembered.
That Twilight confirmed this matched what Sombra had told Jer'rahd adds a bit more credence to the story than Celestia likes.

“So who was she, Princess?” Twilight questions.

“Aviana was my mother.”

The purple unicorn blinks and is about to respond when Celestia cuts her off. “Not my real mother... I suppose a bit of history is in order. For a bit of scale, I was born fifteen hundred years after the events of Hearths Warming.”

Twilight blinks, her eyes widening. Celestia winces, seeing her student doing the calculations in her head.

“Princess, that makes you over six thousand seven hundred and thirty five or so years old... errr, if the history is correct on the time of Hearth’s Warming.”

Celestia's ears flatten. “Yes, thank you, Twilight. While your skill at math is appreciated, reminding me of my age is not.”

“Errrr hehe, sorry, I mean… you look good for your... I’m gonna shut up now....”

Celestia presses on, pretending not to have heard her student. “In that time, there was a darkness devouring the land— demons that took the form of loved ones only to drag their victims screaming into the night and replace them with copies. If your book is correct, these were the first changelings. Much smarter and much more vicious than the ones present now, however. I was a foal when my parents fell victim to them and it was only by the intervention of the forces of the goddess that saved any in my village at all. They may have driven off the changelings, but there were only five who survived the attack. A city of hundreds, and only five foals survived. To make matters worse, the changelings came during my cutecieñera party. I had just gained my mark that very day and my gift was watching my friends and family be killed or dragged off into the night. The gathering of parents took what foals they could and sealed us in the cellar. A dozen ponies fought with such ferocity for their children that the changelings killed them rather than try to drag them away.”

Celestia closes her eyes as if trying to dredge the memory up fully.

“Ponies of the time were a cowardly and superstitious lot. Five foals surviving when so many other lives were lost had us marked as cursed at best and the cause of the attack at the worst. Only Aviana did not seem to care about these rumors. When no other pony would help us, she did. The survivors were raised in the royal courts by Aviana herself. After how we were treated by other ponies after our families were killed, we trusted no one but each other, and the Goddess who came to our aid when no pony else would.”

Celestia takes a sip of water, smirking in spite of herself behind the glass at Twilight's rapt attention. It was not the best tale by any means, but after so long, it felt rather good to let another know it.

“As we grew older, we did our best to make her proud of us. To be worthy of the attention she bestowed us. I refused to follow what my talent was and worked to make sure that what happened to us would never happen to another. My friends did the same; we trained as warriors, hunters, and killers. The five of us grew up to become perhaps the first personal Royal Guard, answering only to Aviana. For several years, we were the only ones who even stood a chance against the attackers.
The tactics of appearing as family or friends that the changelings usually employed broke against our resolve.”
The Sun Princess sighs.

“I am unsure if Aviana planed it that way, or if she simply accepted that it was what we wanted to do. When she thought us ready, she presented us with the Elements of Harmony and joined us in seeking to destroy the heart of the swarm. It was this age that I earned a nickname not unlike what Jer'rahd and his friends had earned. Just as unflattering, too.”

Twilight tilts her head a bit as if about to ask, and Celestia backs up her story a bit to explain it.

“I defied the very nature of myself and what I was supposed to be to learn the magic of fire and light. I used it to rip apart any sign of the swarm and the changelings that had been plaguing us, often times destroying anything in my path, and just like the flame, I was far too quick to anger and destruction. I was called the Solar Flare, as it was said my anger burned hotter than the sun. This was reflected in my magic and the charred corpses and scorched land I left in my wake. With Aviana's help, my friends and I banished the darkness that was the swarm and their queen, sealing them in Tartarus. I do not know the dragon. I did not recall any others save Ruin being around her, and he was only there once, when he refused to aid her.”

“So who was Ruin, then?” Twilight flinches a bit at the glare Celestia gave her for trying to change the story again.

“Ruin was a very strange earth pony. I am not sure of what his true motives were or why he was placed in stone. To be honest, I am not even sure he was a stallion or even a pony at all; he could have been a zebra or donkey for all the armor he wore. Aviana said that he once was her friend, and he had borne the Element of Kindness to help her defeat a god trying to destroy the world long, long ago. She said that he asked to be sealed in stone before his life would have ended so that he could help against the enemies of Equestria. He chose to fight so that others would not have to know the loss and pain that it could bring.”

Twilight nods a little, her hooves itching to write this down.

“When she awoke him to aid with the changelings, however, he refused to help her. He did, however, say that if I survived, he would come to my aid if need be. The next time I attempted to wake him was millennium later, at the start of the Discordian War. He almost refused to aid me then, but Luna managed to convince him to at least remain in Canterlot to protect it. He was only woken for the two dragon wars after that, and never spoke of himself. When he was finally killed by Silver Claw, there was nothing left to try and find out about, even if I was up to it. The only thing Ruin seemed to want was a death in battle. At the very least, he got that wish.”

“I was hoping you knew more about Ruin, but what happened to Aviana?”

“After the swarm was sealed, I joined her in ruling the lands. When my friends passed, she was still there to comfort me. I wanted nothing to do with the court, and at the time, I preferred to hang back much as Luna does. Aviana was the peaceful one, while I was the warrior. Discord showed himself in time, and although a strange creature, Aviana seemed thrilled with his presence as if she had known him forever. I found his clowning annoying, but I was not going to say anything when Aviana seemed so happy.”

Twilight blinks, considering this. “What about the Garden and the Blue Bloods?”

Celestia rolls her eyes, but still answers. “The garden already existed, though it was little more than a collection of statues in a field by the castle. Aviana and I made the garden into the beginning of what it is today, and Luna and I finished making it into the multidimensional space it is now. Raising the wall to seal off the dark lands was easier, I assure you. The Blue Bloods were started from a tryst Aviana had with a noble. The child born was a unicorn, though that sealed the bloodline’s fate as being tied to royalty forever. Something their descendants still flaunt even to this day, though most of them believe they are descend from me, a line of thought I do not try to discourage, as it gives me a little more control over them to think I am family. Princess Cadence is from an off shoot of that bloodline, one that split from the Bluebloods long before the Dragon Wars. Now then, may I continue my story before I decide it is time for bed and run you off?”

Twilight meeps and puts her hooves over her mouth, having lost herself in the questions.

“Discord and Aviana went off somewhere for a time. When she returned, she was a mess in both mind and body. She told me Discord had raped her and run off with some dark magic artifact they had been trying to seal away from the world.”

“The books? AKKK sorry...”

“Yes, the books, or at least two of them. While she was gone, Equestria had come under attack. Many of the scattered tribes of ponies had pulled together to try and fight off the strange creatures. There was a sizable force in Canterlot, and I took the best of what soldiers I had and set out after Discord. Countless numbers died as I pursued him, and by the time we cornered him in the Dark Lands, only six of us remained fit to fight: myself carrying the Element of Loyalty; Nightshade the earth pony stallion, bearing the Element of Honesty; the unicorn mare, Shadow, carried the element of Laughter; the pegasus Dusk bore the Element of Kindness; and Imbrium... well, to be honest I am not entirely certain what Imbrium was. She did not appear to be a pony; more like something that only had the shape of a pony. She bore Generosity. And the last was Luna, wielding the Element of Magic.”

Celestia glances to the clock on the wall and decides to speed up a little.

“To make a long story a bit shorter, we defeated Discord's forces, gained the ability to control the sun and moon that he had stolen from a griffon god, acquired new cutie marks, beat Discord by sealing him in stone, and raised the great wall to protect Equestria from the rampant creatures that Discord had created and returned home.”

Twilight looks like she is about to ask a question, but Celestia silences her with a glare.

“Aviana was in no fit state after all of what had happened to her, and she asked me to take her place as ruler of Equestria.
Her last wish was that I follow in her hoofsteps to always seek a peaceful solution to everything. Even with all the problems that caused me, I could not deny what was asked by the mare who raised me, the one who had been my only stable companion for thousands of years.”

Celestia lowers her head, clearly upset over the memory. Twilight flattens her ears, moving forward to nuzzle her cheek.

“I still have a lot of questions, princess, but I want to know what is really going on. I am sure you do as well. Despite your story, the facts are starting to say otherwise about her benevolence.”

“I know. But I am the only one left who truly remembers her. Luna was young and only met her briefly once or twice before she vanished. I looked for her for a long time after she left, but I never found her again, or any trace of her.”

Celestia rises to her hooves and stretches out her wings.

“It is far too late for any more stories. You might be able to sleep on the train tomorrow, but I still have a job to do in the morning.”

“That is true... though...” A strange smile crosses the purple unicorn’s face along with a bit of a blush.
Celestia raises an eyebrow at Twilight's reaction. She slowly smiles, catching on.

“Yes Twilight; so long as you do not ask anything else or snore, you may join me.”

==========================================

“Applejack, I really don't know about this... Can't I just stay here with Rarity?” Fluttershy mutters as she hides under the bed.
AJ sighs, slipping out of her bed and poking her head under the bed and grabbing Fluttershy by the tail, pulling her out.

“Sugar cube, yah really need tah stop worrying. We beat ‘em back pretty well before, and we got an entire guard company coming with us this time tah deal with them. ‘Sides, with Velkorn and tha others going a different way, we need somepony who knows how tah patch up any injuries that happen. An’ I know you know more'n most when it comes to that.”

“I know, but...”

“No buts. Git tah bed, not under it. We got a lot tah do in the morning before we leave. We might not have wanted tah bring that lot back, but now that they're here, ah sure as heck ain't gonna leave any of ‘em in the claws of that Chrysalis thing. We got a job tah do, an’ were gonna do it.”

“But...”

“What did ah say? Am I gonna have tah get Dashie in here tah have a word with yah? She still ain't happy ‘bout that promise yah had her make. Tah be sure, it don't sit right with me, either, keeping something like that from our friends... Well, maybe not keeping it from Rarity, but most of them suspect it anyway, ‘specially with what’s been going on with mah brother.”

“Yes, sleep might be a good thing to have right now...” Fluttershy meeps as she turns red and dives under the blanket.

“Mmmhmmm. Ah'll keep that in mind fer later, then...”

=======================================================

A lone light shines from a single window in Ponyville. The golden glow of a lamp is accompanied by the whirl of sewing machines and the flap of fabric and frantic working emanate from the Carousel Boutique.
Just before morning graces the countryside, the commotion stops and a peal of laughter fills the air.

“It. Is. DONE!!! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!”

The figure in the window can be seen dancing with something that could very well be one of the mannequins in the store.
This is all brought to a crashing halt along with a loud yowl of a cat, a hiss, and the sound of fabric ripping, followed by a scream.

“Opal, NO!!... Why did you do that!? I am sorry about your tail, but this is for the princess! Out, out… Ooooooh, that is an interesting thing to see... I don't recall the book saying that would happen... though it would explain that spell I had to put on my tools.”

=========================================================

[The next morning]

The door swings open, slamming loudly into a bucket of swords and sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air. The group of figures in the door is illuminated briefly by a bolt of lightning that fries a suit of armor on a rack, starting a small fire that the lead pony franticly tries to put out.

Rhede, Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all glare at Bleu, who rubs her muzzle.

“Celestia bless you,” Fluttershy says.

“Thanks. Dusty in here. When was the last time the guards cleaned this place?” Bleu mutters.

“Probably not long before the changeling invasion. Most of the palace guards prefer pikes and spears to swords and the stuff in here.”

Rhede grins as he steps in, leaving the others behind in a rush of dust as he starts digging through the piles. Starfall, Rhede, and Velkorn already have their armor, but Rhede is currently without any sort of weapons. The goal is to equip the current Element bearers with some armor and retrieve gear he could use. Rarity had arrived a little over an hour ago and went to see Luna directly after confirming what the others had already known: she would not be coming along.

The main brunt of the force meets one last time in the main hall before they leave for the train station. Velkorn and Starfall are currently using Twilight's and Jer'rahd's blades to check them all out again for changelings.

“Ahhh, here we are... just what I have been looking for. I felt naked without some of these little beauties,” Rhede coos, pushing open a box full of daggers and starting to refill the bandoleers hidden in his mane and tail. He is a little upset that there had been no time to fit himself for a proper robe, but Rarity had promised to make something up when they returned.

Bleu steps in with the others, though she pauses, sniffing the air rather than starting to dig through the boxes.

“Not sure ah like tha idea of wearing armor. Ah ain't any kinda guard pony,” AJ mutters.

“Hey, I don't care so long as it doesn't interfere with my flying... and looks cool,” Dash states.

“Um, I would rather just not really go...” Fluttershy mutters.

“Ooh, ooh, do we have time to paint it? I want the armor those night guards are wearing, but it’s too dark. Does it come in pink?” Pinkie Pie bubbles.

“Geez, how long has this stuff been in here? Is there some sort of catalog?” Twilight asks.

“Does anyone else smell oranges?” Bleu questions.

There was a collective 'what' from most of the group, though Pinkie giggles.

“No, I am serious. I smell oranges...” Bleu mutters, slinking into the room and looking among the crates and racks.

“Alright, anyway, some light armor would work for all of you. While you shouldn't be in the direct fighting, you should have some sort of armor,” Rhede states. “To be honest, after what happened to Twilight's brother, I really don't have much faith in the ponies calling themselves guards in this time. Stick close to the crystal ponies. They at least should know how to carry themselves in combat.”

“Not you too Rhede. I expect that out of Jer'rahd, but now even you are griping about the guards?” Twilight sighs. “They were trained in combat the same as you all were.”

Rhede glances back at her as the others start trying on armor.

“Miss Sparkle, the guards of this age are not warriors— they are guards. They do not know serious conflict and likely have never even heard of a war. All the training in the world means nothing if they cannot put it to use in battle.” Rhede slides another dagger into a harness. “If your history books are any indication, there has not been a war or even a serious battle since the Equestrian Civil War, or the War of the Night, as we called it. That whole era is referred to vaguely, if at all. The book you wrote was the only thing I could find with any real details about our time. Nightmare Night and the attack on
Canterlot are not even hinted at anywhere else. That silly little fable about the sisters is the closest to what really happened that I found, and it was little more than a foal's story. To top it off, that you have a foals holiday for such a dark event as Nightmare Night, where Luna is made out to be a pathetic theatrical villain, aggravates me to no end. There is clearly a reason behind it, but I am too disgusted to bother pursuing the why with Celestia.”

Twilight blinks as Rhede rants on. “Wait, what is your problem now?”

Rhede whirls, glaring at the purple unicorn. “My best friend is in the clutches of an unknown creature who is trying to turn him against us, we are forced to rely on untrained louts to last long enough to be a distraction for us, mostly by being sacrifices. Luna is still viewed by her subjects in a way she hated all those years ago. To top all of that off, nothing, absolutely nothing we did was recorded. All the good, all the bad, none of it. I would gladly be considered a monster of history so long as that information was there so ponies would not make the same mistakes I did.”

“I really don't know what to say to that, Rhede,” Twilight mutters.

“There is nothing you can say about it. The sooner we rescue Jer'rahd, the better I will feel. I think I am simply channeling everyone else’s annoyance with this situation as well. I am no stranger to conflict, though I do not wish it to be the sole purpose of my existence. After reading that book, I have seen a host of things that could have very easily been avoided or dealt with much better than they were. To have my history laid out for me like that, highlighting every wrong and right I have ever done is somewhat an eye opening experience for me.” Rhede sighs, relaxing a bit. “I think some secrets should be edited, but I would like you to try and publish that book, Sparkle. History does not need to repeat itself because Celestia thought it best everyone forget it.”

“FOUND IT! I knew I smelled oranges. Holy Buck, I can't believe this is here,” Bleu shouts.

Rhede and Sparkle jump back from a large chest that rushes towards them on blue dragon legs. A pink pony sits atop it waving a cowboy hat with an annoyed orange earth pony, sans said hat, running behind them.

The chest bucks hard and Pinkie Pie gets flung off to crash into Applejack as Bleu drops the chest before Rhede and
Twilight.

“What is this?” Rhede questions.

“Oranges, sexy mane, oranges... and if that prim and proper little Celestia's fan colt could wear it, It's a safe bet so can you Sparkle Butt,” Bleu grins opening the chest.

Twilight looks in curiously and tilts her head a little. Rhede peeks over her shoulder and smiles.

“Nice one, Bleu. This will be perfect if it still works.” Rhede nods. “I'm surprised it wasn't destroyed along with all the star metal.”

“What are you talking about? How is a box of old bones perfect?” questions Twilight.

=====================================================

Starfall taps another guard on the shoulder with the Waning Moon, her neck muscles screaming at the weight of the blade.

How did Twilight and Jer'rahd carry this thing, let alone use it?

She could have sworn the weapon was fighting her at first as she tried to test it on the guards as Sparkle had done. Velkorn had the same problem with the Brilliant Dawn, though she had given up and set it on the table, making the guards all touch it as they passed.

Starfall is too stubborn to give up, however, refusing to let the damn blade win.

Goddess, this thing weighs a ton.

=======================================================

“You are already completed with the task I asked of you?” Luna states in awe. “I am quite impressed, Miss Rarity. I knew you were skilled, but to understand that book and to complete all of this in little more than a night is astounding.”

“What can I say, Princess? I was inspired, and this was a rather rushed situation.” Rarity beams as Luna looks down into the crate a smile on her face. “I am quite glad you approve. I had some difficulty at first, though after a bit, I found my groove, as it were.”

“And what might that groove have made her, Miss Rarity?” Luna and Rarity both whirl as Princess Celestia trots in the door, looking at the crate curiously. “Not something to aid my sister in defying my command to stay here, I hope.”
Luna grasps for the words, though Rarity beams.

“What? Of course not, Princess. Your sister here had a marvelous idea and presented me with the means to make it happen,” Rarity chuckles. “I dare say I have outdone myself even more so than usual.”

Luna glances to Rarity then back to Celestia. Both of the alicorns seem a little confused though Celestia is the first to recover.

“If it is not the case, then you will not mind me having a look at what is in the crate?”

“Of course not. In fact, take one yourself. It will look delightful along with your mane.” Rarity's horn glows and a pink ribbon floats out of the crate and over to Celestia. “As I was telling your sister, the items in question were quite easy to make once I managed to narrow down the spells that were used in the formula. I dare say even in such a rush, I have made enough for the entire force of guards going on this expedition.”

“Pink ribbons?”

“Oh, I do know they will clash with about everything, though I daresay for once, fashion needs to take a back seat to usefulness. That book was absolutely a wealth of things I had never even heard of before, and yet I only had time to make the pink ribbons. And I am quite exhausted by that alone, just as I expected I would be when I spoke to Twilight and the others before I left last night. I feel ready to fall over any moment. If you do not mind, Princess, might I borrow one of the guest rooms so I might catch up on my beauty rest? I fear if I return home, I will simply continue to work myself to death.”

Luna nods lightly, though Celestia still seems confused.

“Book? Ribbons? What are these?”

“Pink ribbons, of course,” Rarity states, batting her eyelashes.

“No... Miss Rarity, what do they do?” Celestia corrects, rubbing her forehead with a hoof. At this point, she would rather deal with Pinkie Pie.

“A minor spell, sister, but one that will help with what the group is going to face. Normal poisons and insect-borne disease will not afflict the wearers of these ribbons. The theory in the book was that things like a cockatrice’s gaze and a manticore’s stinger's poison would not workm either. The creator theorized this would be true, though it was never tested.” Luna picks up the conversation.

“The best thing about it is the only requirements to make these delightful things were all items I had available at the time: mostly crushed gems and few spells. To be honest, I thought they would be out of my league to cast, but I had no trouble at all,” Rarity continues. “More proof that I am a fabric bender haha.

“There is an added benefit to this as well, Tia. If the guards mark an ‘X’ on their forelegs, then cover it with this ribbon, the changelings will only know about the ribbon and copy that. If someone refuses to show what is under the ribbon, or thinks the ribbon is all they need to show, then they will be known to be a changeling.”

Celestia blinks, looking at the ribbon, and then looking over in the crate at the pile of ribbons within.

“I see... I thought perhaps you were up to something to accompany the others, Lulu. I am sorry I doubted your sincerity,” Celestia apologizes.

Luna was about to say something else, clearly accepting, though she stops and her expression turns quickly darker.
“I cannot believe after all of this, you would doubt me as such, sister. I understand in the past there have been issues, but that you are this suspicious of my motives now is an affront. I wish this mission to succeed more than anyone, as I know what is at stake even better than you, yet you come here accusing me of dishonesty before anything truly even gets underway?” Luna snorts in annoyance and both Rarity and Celestia are taken back by the sudden change in her mood. “I will see them off with you sister, but after that I wish to be left alone until they return.”

Luna trots closer to Celestia, her horn nearly banging the white alicorn's.

“You have denied my giving them proper aid, as well as accusing of lying before you even have any sort proof. You claim to trust me, yet then you check on everything I do?” Luna seems to growl. “You may raise the moon yourself, as well as deal with full weight of the court until this expedition is over. If you accuse me falsely again I will ask the Guard Captains to take their time in returning, perhaps even setting the guards going with a few weeks of leave in Baltimare. Begone from my sightm sister. I would not have any more of your accusations thrown in mine face.”

Luna whirls, yanking the ribbon from Celestia's magic and tossing it into the crate and slamming the lid shut, glaring at her sister until the white alicorn slowly backs out of the room, looking ashamed of herself.

“Umm... yes, of course... I am sorry, sister, as well... I shall see you later on, Miss Rarity. Feel free to take the guest room you stayed in the last time you were here,” Celestia mutters, closing the door.

Rarity looks at Luna, surprised as a smile crosses the Princess of the Night's face. The Princess of the Night opens the crate back up and pulls a sizable box from under the ribbons, quickly shoving it under her bed. Luna trots over to her door, opening it to look up and down the hall to make sure Celestia is gone before trotting back over to the crate and Rarity.

“Princess, what...?” Rarity asks still in a bit of shock at the reaction.

“I shall surely never hear the end of this day when all is said and done, Miss Rarity, though you would do well to know that
Bleu is not the only one who knows how to put on a show,” Luna chuckles. “My plans have not changed.”

===============================================================

Everypony had armored and geared up by the time the last of guards had been cleared, with no changelings this time.

Rhede had found a pair of robes that fit him, the red and gold of the thick cloth hiding the bulk of the gear he had stashed underneath as well as the light armor he wore. It is a little heavier than he likes and did not contain any hidden pockets, but it would do.

Velkorn had recovered her Lunar Republic armor. The leather is tight over her form, and sewn with metal plates in various places, yet still gives her full movement. The massive patch-adorned saddlebags she always wore completed the outfit, though a number of new patches from various medical fields now adorn the bags as well.

Starfall wears her Shadowbolts armor, though she has a new pair of goggles and a new pair of weapons resting across her back. The massive scabbards seem far out of place on the small pony's body. The grips are wrapped in purple silk and only the pommels of the weapons are visible, revealing the deep blue crystal the swords are made of. Starfall fidgets with the scabbards, not used to wearing something of that size.

Bleu, as usual, had not bothered with any armor, as anything she wore aside from her flight bag would not fit her when she changes sizes. This time, however, she is leaving her flight bag and all the treasures from her era with Rarity.

Applejack wears light guard armor, though she had seen fit to paint her cutie mark on the flank. She is also wearing her hat rather than the guard helm, and is carrying a coil of rope at her side.

Pinkie Pie had not only found some Night Guard armor, but had somehow managed to paint it a bright neon pink that hurt most ponies’ eyes to look at for very long. Rarity had nearly fainted at the sight of it.

Fluttershy is a tank. There is so much armor covering the shivering pegasus, it is a wonder she can move at all, let alone be of any help. If not for the pink tail sticking out of one end of the massive pile of armor, no one might have known what direction she is facing.

Rainbow Dash is the most excited of the lot, as she had only found one uniform that she would wear, and she is doing flips that she had been allowed to wear it. Much like Starfall's armor, the outfit is tight to her form and allows maximum movement and protection for a flier. Unlike Starfall's, the armor is a blue and yellow rather than purple and black. Where she had found a Wonderbolt's costume that fit her in the castle, however, is unknown.

Twilight is the one who caused the most stir, however. When she had entered the throne room, she looked like nothing more than a massive walking skeleton with glowing purple eyes and a horn poking out of a hole in the skull. There had been quite a ruckus from the gathered guards, but seeing none of the other Element Bearers were concerned, and neither were the princesses, they eventually quiet down as the skeletal mare trots to the front of the group.

Celestia relays out the plan and Luna explains the purpose and the uses of the ribbon to the group. After everything is explained and Rarity and Spike start passing out the ribbons, Celestia trots over to the Element bearer group.

“This stuff is heavy... are you sure I can't just skip the armor?” Twilight complains.

“I would prefer that you have some sort of protection, Twilight, though I did not expect this armor still existed. Is it still even effective?” Celestia questions.

“First you doubt my word, and now you doubt my ability at crafting items?” Luna scoffs from behind Celestia, making the white alicorn wince lightly.

Rhede sighs and nods to Bleu, who rapidly changes sizes and wallops Twilight with her tail, sending the hapless unicorn flying over the gathered ponies to smash into a wall on the far side of the chamber. There is a collective sound of jaws dropping at the act before Twilight pushes herself up to yell at the dragon.

“What the heck did you do that for!?” she shouts. “You could have killed me!”

“Really? Are you hurt?” Bleu questions.

Twilight blinks. “Well, no, but...”

“Armor still works; she’s good to go, Celestia.” Rhede grins. “No worries, we'll be sure to take care of your special somepony on the trip.”

“WHAT?!”

Rhede jumps at what is practically a roar from the gathered guards, the current Element Bearers, and even Luna.

“Was Spike wrong? Are you and Twilight not a thing? ‘Cause if no, that opens both of you back up for me and all...”

The little purple dragon slaps his forehead with his claw, trying to ignore Rhede and pass out the rest of the ribbons. Celestia flushes and Twilight sinks back into the crater she had made hitting the wall.

“Pelt, you have absolutely no tact...” Celestia growls.

“Oh, I have plenty of tact, Princess... when I want to have it. Somepony needs to keep you on your tippy hooves; might as well be me.” Rhede whirls to the stunned guards. “All right, fillies and gentlecolts, in addition to that ribbon trick, you now also have a password. No one outside of this room knows who Celestia is currently doing the horizontal mambo with, and if you ask that question and some pony gives the wrong answer, there's a changeling.”

There are a few chuckles, including one from Bleu, which had been what Rhede had been hoping for. The rapid fire smacks to the back of the head from Starfall, Applejack, and Velkorn are the only down side.

“It is clearly ‘Torment the Sun Goddess Day’ today,” Celestia curses under her breath.

Rhede is not sure, though he thinks there had been a brief smirk on Luna's lips as well. He is still suspicious of what she was planning and what she hadneeded Rarity for, but if none of the others had noticed, he is going to keep that to himself. The ribbons are nice, but that seems tame. Perhaps she does not care for Jer anymore, after all.

“Alright, you have your commanders and you have your orders. Make it so,” Celestia commands to a loud roar of affirmation from the gathered guards.

****************************************************************************

This is ridiculous. What the buck are all these ponies doing here, anyway? This is not a some stupid speech or award ceremony.

Starfall had brought him the news and he had galloped here from the guard training grounds where he had been running some new recruits though exercises. The last year since the wedding had been rather insane, and now this.

Ruin had gone back to being a statue and Three Bear went back to his village as per the agreement, his Equestrian Guard service finally up. Though, surprise of surprises, Mustang had decided to retire and is letting General Shower take his place as Luna's top general. He was set to take General Shower’s rank of second highest general in Luna's Royal Guard, but there had been talk that General Shower was looking to retire as well rather than accept the promotion. He had already suggested Starfall for a position as general, though his friend is rather leery at the suggestion.

He is still taking flak from Celestia and a number of nobles, though at least Celestia's issues are made in good humor.

Though this latest problem might change that.

Bleu and Starfall had caught up to him; clearly there were advantages to flight, though in the packed hallway, there was little hope that would be a help. This may call for something drastic.

“Oh crap... I know that look, Boss. Calm down... we got this. No need to lay into any pony,” Bleu says, changing size suddenly and standing over the unicorn glaring down the hallway.

“EVERY PONY, GET THE BUCK OUT OF THE WAY!” the dragon roars over the mass of subjects gathered.

Jer'rahd smirks slightly as all of them suddenly look back at the dragon, then at the angry unicorn under her, and dive for whatever cover they can get as he charges down the hall, knocking aside the few who had not bothered to move or are too slow. Rhede stands at the door, shoving it open as he sees Jer'rahd rushing towards him.

“You're late, Jer. Celestia's gonna murder you for sure this time,” Rhede chuckles, closing the door behind the galloping pony.

He skids to a stop in the room, ignoring the glare of Celestia and the brief glance from Velkorn and another doctor that is present. His eyes first go to the exhausted looking Luna on the bed, though it is the soft cry of a newborn foal that has his full attention.

“Before you get your tail in a whirl,” Velkorn smirks, “I suppose I should tell you that it is a healthy baby girl...”

*******************************************************

Spike had once again found himself in a situation that pissed him off. He is back in Ponyville alone. Rarity is staying at the castle, and everyone else had gone off to battle, leaving him to watch over everything.

With Bleu around, he is not even useful at passing along messages anymore. He had offered to go with Applejack and the guards, but he was told it was too dangerous for a baby dragon and left at the castle. Once there, he was sent home rather quickly. All he had been doing was trying to be helpful and live up to the dragon code. It was not his fault no pony seemed to need any help.

Once he got back to Ponyville, he tidied up the library, made a gem cake, and took care of a very short list of things he wanted to do. After that, he pretty much had lied around, bored and annoyed. While he is worried for his friends, he also feels angry and a little betrayed that they once again went off without him. It’s like the moment Bleu shows up, everyone forgets or chose to ignore him. It's not like she was anything special; yeah she had wings, and could sing, and could cook, and fought wars, and spent a thousand years in stone. Okay, maybe she is something special, but that was still no reason for everyone to ignore him.

He snorts a bit of flame in frustration, getting up off the floor and putting a few slices of the gem cake into a box to take with him. For lack of anything better to do, maybe he should go have a talk with Jade. Maybe he would learn something that even Rhede didn't know about dragons; at the very least, it would keep him distracted from worrying about the others.

===========================================================

[Later that day]

“Honestly, this is annoying,” Rhede mutters as Starfall whimpers in a corner of the train. “I mean, it is a lot quicker than marching, but all you have time to do on this thing is wait. At least if we were walking or flying, there would not be as much time to think.”

Twilight sighs, looking out her window at the trees zipping past them, and then glancing to the other side of the train to see nothing but flat plains and desert. The sun is slowly setting and the moon is just beginning to peek out from the hills in the distance. It is a very picturesque scene, though she does not feel like marveling over it.

“I am not happy with this either. My friends are going into an actual battle and I’m not there to help them,” the purple unicorn says.

“You were the one who wanted to come with us, Sparkle Butt, so no complaining about it now,” Bleu grumbles. “‘Sides, we got the important job, anyway. Faster we get in, smash the queen, and get Boss, the faster the battle is over.”

“She's right. You better be up for this, Miss Sparkle. Chances are that you are going to have to use one of those swords you are carrying to kill Chrysalis, or at the very least, a changeling or two,” Rhede adds. “If that book Bleu read was any indication, she is a god. And with those being the last two known star metal weapons in Equestria, and you being the only one of us who can use them? Yeah, best be ready.”

“While I am not one to interject, have those pills my niece gave you shown any effect?” Velkorn questions, looking at Starfall.

“Well, I have gone from feeling ready to vomit to just feeling ill, so I suppose that's an improvement,” Starfall mutters. “How long ‘til we get there?”

“Another hour or two,” Twilight responds. “The main force should be getting to the docks in Baltimare by now. Everything is still on time for the start of the attack at dawn tomorrow.”

“Great, now so long as ponies can keep from calling anyone clever, I think we might have this in the bag,” Bleu grumbles, glaring at Rhede.

==========================================

The wind whips at the figure, billowing its cloak out behind it and threatening to throw it from the top of the train. It can hear the voices of the ponies and the dragon below it and is doing its best to silently move further up to the next car where it can get inside and hide.

It does not want those below to see it, as all sorts of problems would arise that it would never hear the end of. That was, of course, if the ones inside the car managed not to kill it.

It lifts its head looking towards the rising moon and smirks a bit under the mask. It had a mission and it would not fail.

=================================================

“Ugh, this is boring...” Rainbow Dash mutters. “Can't this go any faster?”

Dash flutters in the air in small circles above the dock as the others stood nearby watching the large sailing ship the Equestrians would be taking, the H.M.S. Ill Tempered Sea Bass. Pinkie Pie had pressed a hoof to the corner of her mouth and laughed rather diabolically at the name before sitting down with the others as if nothing had happened.

“Easy there, sugar. We’re only here ‘til the ship is ready. Not like we are gonna be doing any fightin' as it is. We're mostly the backup unit here. Ah know yer raring tah go, but best leave tha fighting tah ponies who trained for it.”

“Yeah... I'm kinda nervous too. I mean, I know we are really here just to help out with any injured, but...” Pinkie starts constantly glancing back at her rear hoof as if expecting it to do something. “I'd rather not even be here. I know we did alright at the wedding, but...”

“Get over it. Geez, Celestia said that the drones are pretty much only wired to capture, so there's not any danger of ponies getting too badly hurt unless they do it to themselves,” Rainbow Dash grumbles. “What the heck are we even doing here if it isn't to help them fight?”

“I don't think the drones all work like that, but… there's not going to be just the changeling drones this time... there's changeling dragons, too...” Fluttershy meeps.

AJ sighs, looking over the docks and watching as three ships are loaded with cargo and gear for the trip down the coast.

The diamond dogs and the griffons have sizable forces here as well, though they had been here since the day before and will be ready to go as soon as the ponies have their ship loaded.

Lion Heart and Peach Blossom had left the group of them with the medics while they spoke with the leaders of the other forces, passing on what information Celestia had wanted the Griffons and Diamond Dogs to have. The pair had pretty much treated the four of them as precious cargo the whole time, not even allowing Applejack to help with the gear.

“Honestly, ah'm not certain why we bothered tah come at all,” Applejack finally sighs. “Ain't like we’re gonna be doing anythin' but sitting back and maybe watching the docs patch up some ponies, anyway. I mean, with the Griffons and Diamond Dogs here, there's close to five hunn'red running about who are ready tah fight. Four of us ain't nothing tah that.”

“Applejack, there is much more to this then you seem to know. It is sad to say you are here for little more than pomp and show,” a voice states behind Applejack.

The small group turns as a hooded zebra trots up behind them, pulling the hood from off her head and smiling to the group.

“HI, ZECORA!” Pinkie shouts. “What are you doing here?”

“Ain't you supposed to be watching my brother?” Applejack grumbles.

“Big Mac is doing quite well, though if I am really needed here, only time will tell,” The zebra shrugs. “I am here to share my medical skill, with potions of healing for the injured and ill.”

Zecora, oddly, is not wearing any armor, though she has a multitude of saddle bags and is wearing her cloak to cover them.
A pink ribbon is clearly visible on her leg. The zebra follows Applejack's gaze and shifts the ribbon, showing the x underneath.

“If you need something else to add to your belief, I can inform you of Celestia's heart's thief.”

“Nah, that's fine; ah git it,” AJ mutters.

“Hey, what did you mean by ‘we're only here for show’?” Dash pipes in.

“In truth, Celestia did not want you to come to this, but if Equestria did not send the Element Bearers, the other nations would have given this attack a miss.”

“Great, so yer saying that if we didn't comes, the griffons and the diamond dogs wouldn't have?” AJ growls as Zecora nods.

“That does sort of make sense, Applejack,” Fluttershy adds. “I mean, all of them have heard that we beat Discord and Nightmare Moon and a bunch of other things. It makes sense that other nations might think of us as some great weapon to be used if they fail. Our presence would probably boost morale as well.”

“‘Cept I’m gonna deck the next pony who starts staring at our flanks for his morale boost,” AJ grumbles, looking at Fluttershy.

“Friend Fluttershy does speak true; they are all here because of you.” Zecora smiles. “But just because that is what they wanted to see does not mean that is all you have to be.”

Pinkie Pie grins as she seems to follow Zecroa's hint a bit better than the others.

“OOOh, that’s a super idea. Like Dashie says, it would be boring to sit back and let everyone else do stuff,” Pinkie giggles before pulling a pirate hat from somewhere and putting it on her head. “After all, it's not every day you get to overthrow a nation of bad guys... yar...”

==================================================

[In a cavern, somewhere in Equestria]

“So how is she?” Wind Razor asks.

[“Tired is all; that spell took far more out of her than she cares to admit, though it will not take her long to recover.”] Bloodtail glances to the griffon. [“Why the concern? That is rather unlike you.”]

The griffon pushes herself off the wall. cursing softly.

“She dies and we don't become gods... simple enough.”

[“Odd that you are concerned with that now. Aside from the interest of a long life of hunting, you are the only one of us who never seemed to care about becoming a god in the slightest. Are you sure there is not something else bothering you?”]

“Pfft, a nosy bint, aren’t you? Fine, whatever. Damn mare saved my ass twice. She coulda let me bleed tah death when the stone came loose, and she coulda left me there with that thing. I get the first time ‘cause she needed me, but this time...”
Wind Razor growls. “I hate feeling like I owe someone something.”

[“It rather interferes with what you wish to do when you feel like you have to listen to what someone else says, doesn't it?”]

“Why the buck am I even talking to you? You don't even get it,” Wind Razor spits, turning and flying off away from the zebra further into the cavern.

Bloodtail chuckles, watching her go. [“Interesting that even you have a shred of your race’s normal nobility... I can use that.”]

================================================

Twilight steps off the train, her gaze shifting over station. Where is that contact the Princess had mentioned, Long Feather?
Rhede, Bleu, and Velkorn are looking around the same as she is. Starfall had taken to the air the moment the train stopped and is somewhere overhead.

After waiting for a time with no buffalo showing, the small group gather up their things and start towards the edge of town.
They still have to rescue Jer'rahd even if the buffalo is a no show. They had barely made it off the platform when Starfall returns.

“Found our buffalo, I think. There's a young male at the edge of the road just outside of town; looks ready to travel, judging by his gear, and he matches the description Celestia gave us,” she reports.

The group leaves the town quickly. They spot the buffalo, who seems rather jumpy even with such a small group approaching him. The deep red buffalo is small for his species, though he still towers over everyone else but Rhede. His horns are caped in steel and his black mane is pulled back into several braids adorned with feathers and beads. He perfectly matches the description Celestia gave of the contact.

He looks nervously at the small group, glancing around every so often.

“You Long Feather?” Rhede questions.

“If I am, who are you to ask?” the buffalo responds, his voice higher pitched than Twilight had expected.

“A mutual friend sent us, said you would guide us where we needed to go.”

“The sun guided you this far, then lumped the rest on me... typical. I expected there to be more of you, however.”

Rhede shrugs. “Can you do it or not?”

The buffalo nods. “I can, though only within sight of the place. After that, you are on your own. I don't get paid enough to do anything else,” Long Feather responds, shifting his gear and starting to trot off. The group looks to each other before following after.

===========================================

“Where did the bitch get off to, anyway?” Claymore grumbles. “Not seen her since she woke up.”

“It is not my task to watch her, Claymore. I have my own issues to deal with, and I need to tread carefully with this one,” Silver Claw growls, looking over a book. “So much that can be done with this...”

“I don't like not knowing where she is. No telling when that bitch'll decide to stab us in the back.”

[“You should relax, Claymore. She is not here because I sent her on a mission. Of course, she was not happy about it, but at the moment, it is too perfect of a chance not to make a play for it.”] Bloodtail smirks, trotting into the cavern.

“And what did you send her for this time, carryout from that Japony place again?” Claymore snapa, looking down the edge of his blade before idly attempting to sharpen the massive chunk of metal.

[“Nothing so crass. We know the location of another of the Books, and she was sent to recover it. Equestria and several other nations are attacking the current owner of it as we speak.”]

“And who is the owner?” Silver Claw questions, suddenly interested.

[“The one who followed us out of Tartarus, The Love-Cursed Queen, the one called Chrysalis. The current Bearers of the Elements are rumored to be there as well. Perhaps they are warriors after all.”]

“You sent the nut job instead of the griffon to that crazy mare’s stronghold? Oh, this is a win-win; either the bitch recovers the book, or the queen kills her. Must be my birthday. HA!” Claymore laughs; as usual, the other two ignore him.

“I doubt they are any sort of warriors. It is clear they are skilled, having driven the queen off before, and if the information is correct, they drove the Love-Cursed King away as well. But it is certain they are not warriors, or they wouldn't have bothered to free Kaisur and his group,” Silver Claw mutters.

[“I am amazed you are not calling for an attack on Canterlot while they are away.”]

“We do not have the resources to do something such as that. Dragons are quite used to playing the long game. We will continue to bide and work on all our plans for gathering strength and information. I am willing to wait for this group of Bearers to die of old age if need be.”

“Yer the only one willing to wait that long. Some of us would like to be gods while we still got the youth to enjoy living forever,” Claymore snaps.

================================================================

The last of the changelings staggers towards the blood-splattered Twilight before collapsing at her hooves, green icor gushing from the wound cleanly sliced across its body. It offers a last gasp before lying still.

Twilight stares at the corpse, her eyes wide, her whole body shuddering. She glances over to Rhede, who is prying several daggers from the changeling corpse of what had been their buffalo contact. Bleu stands to the side, poking one that was lightning-scorched with a stick to make sure it is dead.

Velkorn had been only watching the creatures closely as they moved at first, though when one of the changelings went after her, she stunned it with a few quick strikes then ignored the mess as Bleu crushed it under claw.

Starfall stands right before the stunned unicorn, a six apple long slightly curved blade made of dark blue crystal and perhaps no thicker than one of Spike’s scales gripped in her mouth. The pegasus jerks her head, flicking the blood clear of the blade and splattering more of the green goo on Twilight's hooves before she sheaths the weapon in the oversized scabbard and stares disapprovingly at the frozen unicorn.

“So much for our contact. I wonder how much of this mission has been compromised because of this. Judging by the number in this ambush, they clearly expected a larger group to be on this mission. Guess they don't know about the other half out at sea,” Rhede sighs. “Least it was an easy to spot ambush. So what’s the plan, Starfall?”

“We keep going with the mission. It's not like our guide was of any real importance anyway. We have a job to do,” Starfall states turning to trot towards the forest. “Besides, even without him, we know where to go. We just have to be more careful.”

Bleu looks down at the frozen Twilight. “You okay, Sparkle butt? You knew this was gonna wind up being bloody.”
Rhede, Starfall, and Velkorn all look back at the purple unicorn.

“If you are going to back out, Sparkle, this is your last chance to do so,” Starfall warns. “It's only going to get worse from here, and if you freeze up again, we are leaving your ass. Our mission is to save the general, not foal sit. If you stick with us, you will follow everything we tell you to do. You might be a hot shot spell caster, but to us, you’re nothing but a green civi.”

“Reading about war and killing is one thing, Miss Sparkle,” Rhede adds. “Seeing it, however... No pony will think less if you turn back.”

Twilight swallows. “No. I said I was going to help you all out, and I will. I woke all of you up to help us with our problems. It wouldn’t be fair if I was not willing to help you with yours. I just… I can deal with this. I can… let’s just go.”

Rhede smirks and Starfall simply nods before proceeding.

“Good answer, Sparkle Butt,” Bleu chuckles. “Let's get a move on. We only have a couple of hours before dawn. Might wanna put that armor on as well. That last bug got a little close to you.”

Twilight nods as the group presses on deeper into the swamp.

====================================================

The figure stops, looking down at the corpses of the changelings.

They had come this way recently. Dawn would be coming soon, and they are nearing their goal. The figure sighs behind its mask. It needs to hurry; there is little time left and it needs to get ahead of them. The scant time left is far too precious to waste here.

The shadowy form darts off into the swamp, vanishing into the darkness.

********************************************************

The clopping of little hooves on the grass gives him all the warning he needs before the tiny foal lands on his back, her wings fanning like mad from the attempt to fly high enough to land on him.

Jer'rahd grins, throwing himself to the ground at the light impact of his daughter’s tackle, and faking the death throes of a great beast being attacked.

The dark gray filly giggles, trying to tickle him into submission, blowing a puff of air from her mouth to get her long sandy blond hair out of her eyes. The little nub of her horn barely pokes out of the mass of curly hair.

His grin widens as he rolls onto his back, lifting his daughter up with his fore hooves. A soft breeze flows across the grassy field, carrying the filly's giggling and the light chuckle of a mare to his ears. It is a greater collection of music to him than his ears had ever heard. The silver moonlight shining across the grassy hill shows the silhouette of Luna at the top of the hill, watching the pair of them with a smile across her lips.

“Yay, I got him, mommy!” Venus calls out, her little hooves pounding on his chest.

I can see that, honey,” Luna chuckles.

“Heh, yep I am got.” Jer'rahd smiles.

“It’s okay, daddy... I still love you, even though you can't beat me,” Venus giggles.

“I love you too... my little morning star.” Jer'rahd smiles, holding the wriggling filly up higher.

This is a life he had never dreamed would happen, and yet it really had happened, and he is holding the proof of it right in his hooves.

“... the moment 'two' fight ...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“... the moment 'two' fight ...”

“In the beginning there was naught but the wilds, the races that exist today were nothing like they are now, they were little better then animals frightened by the very nature that they were born from. All of that changed with the coming of the first god.” Jade glances down to the little dragon rather curious that he was writing all this down. “ Each race will claim their own as the first though going by the simple age of the races, it was most likely that the first god was not anything like any of us. That is not the point. This first god shaped the others and gave them their place in the world.”

Spike glances up at Jade not sure where he was going with this, but at least it sounded cool.

“The god gave all the races a gift to aid them in their place, those to watch the waters were given fins and gills, those to watch the air were given wings and those to watch the land were given the power to shape it and to cultivate life. At that time the ponies only tended the earth. However unlike the other races, the ponies were not content and went before the first god again. They were jealous of the other races abilities to fly, and swim, and even of the gods power over every thing.”

Spike tilts his head as if considering this, that sounded a bit greedy though he had seen such actions from a number of ponies, like Flim and Flam, of course he himself had fallen into that too.

“The god was amused by the audacity of his subjects to question him,though for some reason he granted them snippets of the power they craved, he made the first sea ponies, unicorns, and pegasi. He gave them these powers with the promise that they would aid others in tending the lands. They did not, and soon the four pony types split. The pegasi and unicorns treated each other as rivals and often went to war with each other,both subjugating the earth ponies they came from. The sea ponies left those of the land to fend for them selves and vanished into the waters. The wars raged to the point that other races entered into the conflicts and learned magic from the ponies with which to kill. The god watched the conflict and was disheartened.

“What does this have to do with dragons? “

“Patience whelpling, I am getting to that. The first god decided that he could not live with his mistakes and set out to leave the world, though he created a last race to watch over the world and attempt to restore the balance where his lone voice could not. He made the dragons. We were given the magic of the land itself, forms impervious to most damage, the wisdom and intelligence to aid the other races into following the proper path, and the power to make them listen if they refused. There were many colors of dragons made, one for each of the land types that was in the world. The reds were given charge of the high places, the mountains and volcanoes. Unlike the other creatures of the sea, the green dragons could live and thrive on land as well, though in the oceans they were masters of their domains. The black dragons took the swamps, rivers and fresh water of the world, while they could not breath the water as the greens, could they were nearly as good swimmers. The blues took the plains and deserts preferring the wide open spaces and the air above it, they rode the storms and were the best fliers. The aloof whites took the places no other dragon wished all of the cold places of the world the icy mountain peaks and the frozen north and south of the world.”

Spike blinks jotting it down though a glance at his own purple and green coloration stalled him a little in wondering. Jade did not seem to notice and continued on.

“The god also gave us the powers he had used to alter the heavens. The first race to move the sun, moon, and stars were the dragons. Unlike the ponies the dragons did not fight among themselves, they knew their place in the world and they knew their task. It took time, but peace was brought to the world , one that did not last long. Even the threat of with holding the power of the sun and moon did not stop the conflicts that came about when the new gods came into being.”

“The new gods?”

“The first god had long since left the world and in the absence of his power new deities began to be born of his children. With the powers of these new gods the dragons protection of the world was threatened. Each bore strange powers that had never been seen before, calling the stars from the sky, controlling the storms and the sea, there were as many strange powers as there were new gods. Nearly every race had a god born to them. Those races that were a mix of the two, such as the hipogryphs, and the harpies had no gods, as the first god had not created them. Thus, perhaps, they were not deemed worthy of their own deities. With the new powers the watchful rule of the dragons was ended as in the time it took for the dragons to mature from eggs the other races had raised their gods to warriors and set about the conflict again. It was during this time that control of the sun and moon were taken from us.”

“Was sort of greedy to try and keep the sun and moon from the other races, they should have expected others to have problems. It is one of the reasons Princess Celestia never brings that up in any of her negotiations.”

Jade looks down at Spike curiously.

“You know the pony Princess?”

“Yeah sorta, I’m the assistant of her favorite student and growing up in Canterlot we got to sit in on a lot of meetings. Boring, but you pick some stuff up. I also know the pony take on this same tale, it is really different. They say there was a whole bunch of gods who wrote out how the lives of the creatures in the world would unfold and what challenges would befall them, all under the lead of one larger deity that was called by a bunch of different names.”

“Yes well, every race has their own take on the tale, even I am skeptical that the dragons of old did not play up their part in things. At any rate, with what you said about greed. Greed does run in a dragons nature. It is a survival trait, what we horde is also what we use as a food source and bedding. Gems and precious metals have always been a dragons primary diet, and the compulsion to horde things we find precious is quite strong at times more so than our own common sense.”

Spike thinks back to his last birthday and sighs.

“You can say that again...”

“Do I need to?”

“No, no.. it's.... never mind. How's the cake?”

“Not quite enough of it to satisfy fully, but quite tasty regardless. I am however under the impression that you are not hear to listen to old tales of the creation of the world. You have something specific you wish to know?”

“Yeah...... you said before that the dragons now were what was the term... not true dragons? What was that supposed to mean?”

“Ahh that. Exactly as it sounds. Many if not all of the current dragons have been raised after the downfall of the dragon empire so long ago. They are no longer taught, they are no longer trained, there is no culture or appreciation for any sort of art, music, or natural beauty. They literally are barely above beasts that think only of filling their bellies and of mating. The ignorant migration they preform is something best left to birds and yet it happens still even after a thousand years. They mimic what has been ingrained into them since the fall of our civilization, run and do not stop. They do not even know why they run, just that they think they must.”

“The fall of Cindervale... they were hunted and told if they wanted to live they needed to keep running only a claw full made it out with some eggs. I guess that was all the survivors passed on was to keep running.”

Jade raises a brow at the little dragon.

“That is not common knowledge, lest of all to ponies, how did you come by it?”

“I errr..... I do work in a library... I probably read it some where.”

“Hmmmm a bit of a scholar as well?”

“Well I do kinda like to read, not as much as Twilight, but I get enough.”

“I gather Twilight is the one you are bound too?”

“Yep raised me up from an egg...... then practically works me to death while she runs about doing her own thing.”Spike grumbles.

“Not a very decent arraignment I would have to say. No matter we are not here to talk about what choices your life has presented you. We are here so that you may learn something.” Jade comments.
“ Let me know if there is something specific you wish to know … I can start from that point. If nothing else I do enjoy hearing myself talk.”

“Actually I do want to know something, you seem like you might know about it.”

“Oh? Ask away.”

“Why did the dragons go to war with the ponies? The first dragon war I mean.”

====================================================

Dawn was just cresting the horizon when the ships moored in the river, the new dawn casting the shadow of the monolith across the moored ships.

A mad rush of activity had brought many of the supplies to the shore and a number of engineers that started setting up the primary base camp and medical tents. A small scout forces pushed into the swamp trying to find the best path to the volcano before the enemy took notice of them.

Applejack curses yanking her hoof out of the mud looking up at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hovering above the muck.

Fluttershy was still in her heavy armored and flitted around more like a bumble bee than anything else. Dash kept having to catch her from crashing into things as AJ sloughed though the mud at the rivers edge trying to get to drier ground.

“Good thing Rarity isn't here, dun think ah'd be able tah handle her complaining.”growls Apple Jack, yanking herself the last bit of distance out of the mud along.

“Your doing enough complaining for her as it is AJ.” Dash smirks flying up a little higher to watch the pegasi and griffons ferry some more of the gear away from the long boats and up to the drier ground.

Applejack was not the only one sloughing through the muck. All the earth pony Guards and the Diamond dogs were in the same situation. Not as if the fliers were getting off easier as they were stuck carrying the gear over the muddy river banks.

Pinkie Pie, Zecora, and the medics were already working on setting up at the medical base camp that was positioned behind the beach head head quarters.

Fluttershy lands next to Apple Jack looking around nervously before giving the earth pony back her hat.

“This is much closer then I ever wanted to be ..”mutters Fluttershy looking up through the canopy of trees at the towering monolith.

Thanks sugar cube.” AJ states putting her hat back on after trying to shake clear her armor of the mud before following Fluttershy's gaze.

The volcano looms above them, this close it was easy to see the green icor that appeared to pour from every crag and cranny on the surface of the mountain.

“Huh... kinda surprised they haven’t noticed us yet. We practically parked on their door step...” begins Rainbow Dash, her words cut off by a loud droning noise as if hundreds of wings were flapping in unison.

The sky darkens as the predawn glow is hidden by a swarm of bodies flying towards them from the volcano.

“INCOMING!” shouts a voice from the camp.

Apple Jack glares at Rainbow Dash as Fluttershy whimpers.

“Yah had tah say somethin, didn't yah?”

===============================================================

“What is going on?” Chrysalis hisses at the darkness.

“My queen, there is a sizable invasion force from the Griffon, Pony and, Diamond Dog empires on the banks of the river. We had been tracking them for a time while they were at sea though all our intel suggested that they were headed elsewhere for a training exercise. Before we could react they sailed up river. We had just enough time to gather a force to repel them, though we are recalling all of the drones from their hunting and gathering to aid us.” A changeling grunt mutters looking up at Chrysalis.

“And my husband?”

“The king has recovered enough to travel and is being guided here as you requested my queen.”

“Good..... capture all of the attackers you can, my current meal is almost done, some other flavors would be nice.”

“He is no longer fighting?”

“No, once I figured out what he wished to see all I needed to do was set it up and his own mind trapped him in the vision.” Chrysalis grins looking up at the cocoon hanging from the ceiling behind her throne and the gray unicorn within.

“Pity he will not be ready for this fight, but when we take the lands of the fools that dare attack us he will be a perfect weapon.”

=====================================================

“So that's the one Bleu?” Starfall mutters.

“Yep. Smelled it following us all the way from the train station.” Bleu mutters looking up at a figure clamoring up the side of the volcano.” Seriously, who wears a cape?”

“It's definitely a mare.” mutters Rhede. “Look at the way she moves.”

“Not a bad idea doubling back like that Velkorn, that put her in front of us.” mutters Starfall as the zebra nods.

“What are you three talking about Twilight grumbles trotting up to the group looking up at the volcano.

“Hmm? Oh Sparkle, you have any idea who that is?” Starfall points up to the side of the Volcano.

Twilight follows the direction Starfall was pointing, seeing nothing at first but groups of flying changelings in the early morning light.

“Who what is, I don't see any one but...” Twilight squints spotting the movement over a rock as the figure takes a last few hops up the slope and vanishes into a cleft in the rock. Twilight's jaw drops in confusion.“Mare-do- well? What in the world?

“So you know her?” Rhede questions.”She's been following us since the train station.”

“It's can't be. That was just a costume that we put on to stop Dash's ego from running unchecked.... who the heck is wearing it now?”

“Rarity maybe?” Starfall questions.

“No, she never made a costume for herself, besides shes still in Canterlot.” Twilight exclaims.” She wouldn't be trying to sneak around like that either, there would be no point in her trying to hide who she is from us.”

“So we have to assume it's a changeling who is going to tell the queen we are coming.” Starfall curses.
“Bleu be prepared to go loud.”

“No, wait a moment, she went in at the top up there for a reason. If she really was a changeling why would she be sneaking into the volcano like that? It's time for us to start following her. Velkorn and I will follow and leave markers, you three follow behind us when you can.” Rhede states. “Stay quiet though it might still be some sort of a trap.”

“Fine we'll do it your way to start Rhede. You have five till we follow, make it count.” Starfall directs.

He nods to Velkorn and they both pull their cloaks from their bags pulling them over their heads and vanishing.

“I really want to study that spell.” mutters Twilight.

================================================

Spittle flew from the changelings face as a orange hoof connected with it. The drone lets out a cross between a whimper and a screech before spinning away to crash into a tree. Apple Jack didn't bother stopping watch where it landed as a number of drones were banging on the armored cover Fluttershy trying to get at the whimpering pony under all that steel.

“Oh you are messing with the wrong pony now yah idjits.” AJ snarls gripping her rope and lassoing the group around Fluttershy yanking it back squishing the four changelings together. She jerks her head pulling the group off their hooves and over to her. Spinning around as the bound drones tumble towards her she lashes out with both rear hooves bucking the group sending the whole mass of them flying through the air to crash into the river.

Her ears perk as a small group moves up behind her and as she turns to deal with them another changeling is knocked out of the sky crashing into the group advancing on her sending them all into the mud. Dash smirks as she looks down at her hoof work.

“Buck it, there's too many.” hollers Dash as another boom from Pinkie Pie's party cannon echos across the swamp.

Another changeling body falls past the hovering Dash along with a white pegasus in Guard armor. The creature struggles from the impact before the butt of the Guard spear knocks it out cold.

“You three alright?” A bruised and bloodied Peach Blossom looks up at the three, whirling his spear and belting another drone across the face with out really looking at it. “They are not doing anything but charging in blindly trying to over run us. There's no tactics here, it's just numbers.”

“Yeah, we kinda noticed.” grumbles Dash.

“Mustn’t run away, I mustn't run away.... “chant's Fluttershy in a rapid fire mantra as she shakes under her armor like a turtle in its shell.

AJ looks down at her and then up at seemingly endless swarm in the air still pouring from the volcano.

“Dash, remember tha book, you practice any of that stuff yah read?” shouts AJ driving another Changeling into the mud.” We could use something like one of them area of effect attacks Starfall did.”

“Awww yeah! I got that no problem, I just need a couple of fliers that can keep up with me.” Dash glances to Peach Blossom. “ Hey cap' Hows your wing power? Think you can keep up?”

“ That's kinda a personal question..errr. Keep up with what?” The white pegasus leaps back as a half dragon crashes into the mud before him skidding to a stop just before a tree. “Lionheart! What?”

The half dragon growls rising from the mud, opening his mouth wide. A trickle of flame spills from his maw before billowing forth to engulf a larger changeling that seemed to have once been a buffalo setting the creature ablaze and sending it shrieking towards the river. The half dragon coughs turning to spit into the mud as if hacking up a foul taste.

“Gah … I hate that...... What the buck are you doing over here Peach, they are going for the ship!” hacks Lionheart looking up at the white pegasus.

“That was awesome! Alright you two will do perfectly both of you follow me and try to keep up!” Dash shouts shooting off into the air.

“What the heck is she talking about?” Lionheart questions as Peach Blossom shrugs.

“Best you two follow her, she's an ornery sort if she don't get her way.” Applejack responds. ”Side's this should help out if it gets done right, show you Guard types we ken hold our own and don't need no special treatment either. Though the Diamond dogs ain't gonna like it I reckon. Now GIT!”

The two Captains look from Apple Jack to each other then to the rising figure of Rainbow Dash, before they launch themselves upward after the cyan pegasus.

=================================================

The swift crack as the changelings neck snapped was the only sound in the hall before the body vanishes into a shadow. A wide brimmed hat on a masked figure peers out of the shadow ears perked seeing if any one noticed.

So far she had no luck navigating this place, there were quite a number of signs of heavy wear on the floors and drag marks, she hoped those lead to what she sought.

Her cloak flutters a little as she moves deeper into the volcano.

A white chalk arrow suddenly appears on the wall by where she had been, pointing after her.

“Seems she might be on our side after all.” mutters the invisible Rhede looking down at the body.

[“ Or she knows we are following her.”] responds Velkorn.

“In any event lets keep after her. There's something about this place … “

[“What do you mean?”]

Rhede shakes his head following after the masked pony. “I dunno this places seems familiar somehow. Not sure why.”

[“Have you been in many volcano strong holds?”] Velkorn jokes.

“A couple, lets go.”

===================================================

Rainbow Dash loved this.

After reading about Starfall preforming this move she had wanted to try it so bad, but she had never found any pony that could keep up with her long enough for that to happen. When Starfall showed up it was one of the first things she asked about. Most of the trip up to the empire they had been practicing. Starfall was thrilled to show her some of what she knew and Dash was excited to pick up some new tricks, though the whole thing still turned into a who could out do who by the end of it.

Still while she wouldn't admit it she was glad for the things the older pegasus was showing her, almost felt like she had a actual parent for once. Not that she would admit to it.

“Alright guys, tuck your wings and lets go.” Dash orders, folding her wings against her back, letting the momentum lift her up higher into the air before gravity catches her and she starts her decent back to the ground. The two guard Captains looked a bit nervous though they followed suit.

“Wait, isn't she supposed to be following our orders?” mutters Peach Blossom.

“Bank off when I tell you, but you need speed If you don't get enough speed to keep up your gonna wind up burrowing into your own grave when you hit.” Dash orders as she falls through the clouds the volcano and battle far below. She smiles looking down at a group of Changelings that was flying up after them, they were just in the right spot to be hit by the first shock wave. “ Keep up with me and this'll be awesome!”

She grins kicking her wings forward and stretching out starting to build speed.

===================================================

Starfall pauses at the cave mouth looking off into the distance at the white streak falling from the sky a high pitched whine echoing across the rocks of the dormant volcano. She grins looking up at the streak as the first boom sounds, changelings already starting to fall out of the aim from the effect. Another pair of booms follows as the ponies that were on her tail break the weakened barrier as well.

“Oh she's going to do that.” Starfall beams. “Best pegasus I ever trained right there.”

“She's doing your moves already? You haven’t even known her a week yet, she is quick.” comments Bleu poking her head into the cleft in the rocks spotting the white chalk arrow.

“Well she does kinda take after your side of the family I suppose, granted I am not even sure what the other side of her family was like, but if Cyan was correct it was likely a rather strong flier as well to be in the first group of Wonderbolts… I should look into that.” mutters Twilight.

Bleu pulls her head back as Starfall turns to look at the armored unicorn as Twilight struggles to get up to the cleft in the rock.

“My side of the family? What are you talking about?” Starfall questions glaring at Twilight.

“Huh? Didn't she tell you? Rainbow Dash is your direct descendent, I mean the pair of you are the only ponies ever who have been able to preform the sonic rain boom, I thought that might have been obvious.... where are you going?!” Twilight begins not noticing the panic starting in Starfall's eyes. Thankfully however Bleu did spot it and tackles the Pegasus before she got off the ground.

“Let me go hand bag, I have to stop her from doing those damned tricks... gah I put her in danger my own great..... however the buck many years granddaughter gahhhh let me go!!” Starfall yells as she flails.

“Sparkle Butt there is such a thing as a time and place for information such as that .. and that time WAS NOT RIGHT NOW!” shouts Bleu dragging the struggling Pegasus inside.” The sooner we rescue boss the sooner you can go play mother hen, OW, stop biting me you fool feather duster!”

“Aheh..... sorry.” mutters Twilight sheepishly following after the pair.

========================================================

Celestia looks at the closed door of her sisters room and sighs, knocking lightly once again.

“We told you we did not wish to be disturbed.” shouts a voice from the other side of the door.

“Lulu this is far below what should be expected of you. Even if you are mad at me you have subjects who need to speak with you at you Night Court and there is no reason to be upset with them.” Celestia sighs. ”You need to come out.”

“No, go away and cease bothering me.”

Celestia frowns. “ I am not leaving, in fact I am coming in to drag you out by your tail, I detest this sort of pouting from you I always have. I will have none of it now.”

There was little more than a light squeak from the other side of the door and some rapid scrabbling of hooves on the wood floor.

Celestia's horn glows as she checks the lock, Luna had set some sort of spell on it that looked far too time consuming to bother with. Her horn glows a bit brighter as she pulls all the pins holding the hinges to the frame and moves the entire door to the side to allow herself entrance.

“Luna this is for your own good that I am doing this, sulking will not help and …. what in the world?” Celestia mutters looking over her sisters room.

Nearly every dress and gown that Luna owned had been removed from her closets and chests and lay draped over various parts of the room, a small mending kit lay on the floor in front of some of the more damaged older dresses including the one she had worn to the ill fated Gala a millennium ago. The sound of movement drew her attention to the bed and to a large white Persian cat sitting atop it with seemingly no care in the world about being spotted.

Celestia looks at Opalescence who simply yawns and waves a paw down to the bottom of the bed. Celestia's magic grips the blankets lifting up to see a white unicorn with a purple styled mane hiding under her sisters bed.

“Rarity?”

“Umm hello Princess.....” Rarity mutters sheepishly sounding exactly like Luna. The unicorn seems to notice this and quickly takes off a necklace she was wearing her voice returning to normal.” Umm yes hello Princess Celestia.... ummm how are you? Something I can help you with?”

=============================================

A shadowy form slips from the rocks above the cavern mouth tossing two changeling bodies off the side of the volcano. The masked figure looks down at the opening shifting the wide brimmed fedora atop her head and hops down to the hole.

Her ears perk listing to the complaints of the ponies and dragon that slipped in before her, before she sneaks in herself following after them. There was a powerful presence here in this place as well as a familiar tinge of madness that she could not identify.

She spots one of the arrows on the wall though the feeling was coming from another path. She opted to chose instinct this time and trotted down the divergent hall, leaving the others to look after themselves.

==================================================

“This is a bit of history that is quite a strong focus for me as it is the downfall of our civilization. The first dragon war happened for one reason and one reason only. Revenge.” Jade explains.”As a species ponies are a traitorous and cowardly lot. Like all races there are exceptions to that stereotype, though for the most part it takes very little to make the average pony freak out over nothing. I am quite sure you have witnessed it”

“I have first claw experience with that.” grumbles Spike thinking of both Pinkie Pie and how the ponies in town panicked over anything.

“This is also quite true in their leaders. The current Princess, Celestia, is no exception to this. It was because of her and the other pony god, Aviana that the seeds of war were planted at all.”

“Wait, I know Celestia, she's not any kind of coward or traitor.”

“Hmmm, I will admit I have never seen any traces of that from her either in my studies. Perhaps she was an unwitting dupe as many others were in history. Though perhaps cowardice is why she refuses to fight even though what was done to Discord's forces is proof she has the capacity to fight. The draconequus likely would not have even bothered with an army if she had not been so Tartarus bent on destroying him. Then again, he was quite mad as well so there is no direct way to tell, however this is not a lesson on Discord, this is a lesson on the First Dragon War, and to learn about that you must know of the one who started it, a great dragon god named Forgescale.”

Spike perked up, he had been curious about this dragon from the get go as he seemed to be the source of all the troubles between ponies and dragons.

“Now this is only what my father told me, though I have no reason to disbelieve him and there is proof in history itself. Forgescale was once an ally to Equestria, a strong supporter of the races working together. To this end he even lent his aid to the ponies in the Sky King War.

“The what?”

“ The Sky King War happened in a time were most history was passed on by word of mouth and very little of it was written down. I am unsure of all the details, dragons have very long memories but this event was ages before even most of our gods came to power. There are certain gifts granted to the gods that are coveted because they effect things other than what is of this world. The power to control the sun and the moon are two such powers. While once held by dragons they were stolen by ponies. The unicorns of old in fact used to raise and lower them for ages after the Pony Gods hid themselves away to try and simply watch over their subjects without getting involved in their lives. After the Ponies left the north, a great wizard, Starswirl the Bearded, well one of them any way, it seems the name has been used by a number of pony wizards in history, but I digress. He found a way to simplify the spells that gave control so that it only took one individual to move the celestial bodies rather than a gathering of them as was the norm.”

Spike tilts his head knowing Twilight would love this sort of thing.

“The problem was the spell was too potent for a normal unicorn to use with out burning out all the magic in their bodies. He realized that a god was likely the only creature with enough power to do so and despite the protests from the unicorn nobles, he granted the spell to a creature he thought trustworthy and honorable enough to not abuse the power as his kin had been doing. The Sky King, a griffon god of great power and respect,The Sky King was leery at first though he was also intrigued that this unicorn would put more faith in a creature of another race then his own kin. In time he accepted and the world progressed on. With the power to raise the sun and moon taken from them the unicorn nobles were forced to ply their powers in more menial tasks and with their aid the fledgeling nation of Equestria grew more prosperous, just as Starswirl had anticipated.”

“See even that history shows ponies are not all bad.”

“I said that before whelpling, if I thought all ponies were bad I would not trade with Lodestone. I simply say most because those that are not out only for themselves are much rarer than you think. For a time the Sky King used the power as he had promised though after Starswirl's death greed started to get the better of him. He studied the spell and devised variations of it that could alter the stars and call them from the sky, going so far as to bond the spells to himself so that no other would be able to use the spells even if they learned what was needed to cast them.”

“A griffon god made the spell to call meteors?”

“And others so I have been told. He used the abilities to rule harshly over everything. It was the Elements of Harmony that finally put an end to him. A group composed of several nations banding together to end the threat. Two from Equestria, one from the sea, one from the zebra, one from the dragons, and one from a nearly extinct race of creatures called draconequus ....”

“Draconequus ? The only one I know of is Discord..... wait?” Spike questions.

“Yes, Discord was a Element bearer, the bearer of Laughter, which is rather fitting of him. He was also thought to be the very last of his kind. The one from the sea was a Sea pony Goddess named Aqua, she bore Generosity, Loyalty was a pony named Andrew, Compassion was a zebra named Ruin, Magic was a pony named Aviana, and the dragon bore Honesty, his name was Forgescale..”

“Aviana.......”

“Indeed, the group of them defeated the griffon though the beast scattered his spells to the corners of the world in the hopes that the world would pay for ending his tyranny. However it did not work like that. When he was killed all his powers were lost save the ability to move the sun and moon,since they were granted to him by a spell created by a pony, these instead went to his killer. Ruin gained control of the sun and the moon after dealing the deathblow to the Sky King. The other powers the griffon created appeared in other gods as they were born so the celestial skills were never lost. Ruin decided he did not wish the powers and offered them to the others. Aqua and Aviana refused to allow each other to have it and neither wished for Forgescale to have the powers. None of them wanted Discord to have them and thus it was decided that they would be granted to the next griffon god that was born. He would be properly raised and then the abilities would be given to him and he would be watched closely to prevent another Sky King. When the time came the powers were given to the griffon chick.”

Jade downs the last bit of the gem cake Spike had brought before continuing.

“Quite good though we perhaps need to make a bigger one. Any way, peace was achieved for a very long time, all nations thrived and enjoyed this time, but then the goddess Aviana fell to her own greed. She used her own friends to steal power from her sister, a goddess that had ruled the ponies fairly if from the shadows. She was one who had secretly guided the ponies to their new lands from the frozen north, with the aid of the Windigo. It was Aviana who convinced her sister to rule over the ponies rather than guide them from afar, and it was Aviana who tricked Forgescale into helping destroy her sister so that she may claim full control over Equestria.”

Spike's jaw drops wondering how this dragon knew all of this, so far a great deal of what he was saying matched up with things Twilight had found out, but this was far more information than he expected any one else to know. Even Twilight had only come across it recently. Jade was speaking as if this was all old news to him.

“Being the Bearer of Honesty Forge Scale was furious when he found he had been tricked and went to confront Aviana directly. During that time Celestia came into being and the pair of them used the Elements of Harmony to seal the malignant force Aviana created, along with Forgescale in Tartarus. My father claimed the last things Forgescale saw before the gates closed were the triumphant looks of the two ponies goddess as he was locked into a torturous hell for thousands of years.”

“Celestia did that? That matches the book, but I don't think she knew...”

“It really did not matter at that point. No one knows what Forgescale endured while in that realm and he never spoke of it. When he was trapped, he was young by a dragons standards and nearly a child by a god's. When he returned he was a scarred monster of a dragon that wielded powers from the very pits of Tartarus themselves. I cannot fantom the amount of power and hubris it must have taken to tear apart the very fabric of reality to enact revenge. All for naught as after he emerged, he found the source of his ire, the very creature whom he wished revenge on was already long gone from the world, yet the other who sealed him remained alive and was ruling a land far larger than had existed when he was last free.”

Spike tilts his head a little feeling the strange passion Jade spoke with as he spoke about Forgescale, it was rather odd the amount of emotion he was placing into it.

“He returned home to find his seat of power was gone taken up by a upstart dragon god whose power was little more than show. A draconian civil war broke out, and was over in less than a year as Forge Scale claimed leader ship of all dragon kind, whether they liked it or not. He sired many whelps during his time and with so many females it is a almost sure bet that any dragon with even a hint of red in them are his kin. Once his children reached a proper age, my father raised them up to be his generals, for he felt it was only those he sired that could be trusted with his goals and legacy. Those who did not meet with his expectations were killed or simply used as fodder in battle. Unlike most he did not consider any dragon to be below another simply in terms of their coloration or mixed breeding. If one could prove themselves to be worthy of a position, they were granted it. Those who did not wish for war, but did not fight against him he let be, the rest he banded together into the first Flame Party and launched the attack against Equestria. “

Spikes eyes widen as the green dragon seems to get a bit bigger as the rather passionate rant continues..

“Again he was betrayed by one of his own, a trusted general of his forces tricked by a pony into turning on Forgescale, and when my father fell so too did his army, so too did the force seeking to cleanse the taint of the betrayers and the curse they brought to the land...”

Spike steps back, swallowing hard, looking up at the now massive dragon before him, the green fades slowly from the figures scales turning to a cherry red that seems to flicker with its own internal flame. Ashen gray claws that are almost silver, each larger than he was, dig into the ground as the dragon towers above Spike fire burring in it's eyes.

“....sss.....Silverclaw........” Spike whimpers.....

“Ahh, you have heard of me... nothing good I would expect...” chuckles Silver Claw settling back on his haunches.” Perhaps that was a bit too dramatic of a reveal.... oh do calm down, I do not harm my own kind unless they instigate a conflict.”

============================================================

Rarity cowered under the bed, wishing she knew Twilight's teleportation spell so that she could be any where but under the gaze of the alicorn Princess of the Sun. It had seemed such a good idea at the time too, Princess Luna had even suggested she could look through her closet and see if there was anything she might like to have.

All she needed to do was use the voice changing necklace if any one came to the door while Luna went along with the others and tell them to go away.

Granted that all looked much better before, she was sure neither of them expected the ruse to be found out after barely a day. Rarity did not think anything terribly bad would happen, though that may depend on how mad Princess Celestia was, Luna had put on a rather convincing show of indignant anger the day prior.

A low rumble sounds from Celestia's throat that had Rarity covering her face with her hooves. She yelps as she was yanked out from under the bed by Celestia's magic and lifted up to hang upside down before the Princess the frown on her face enough make a hydra flinch. Wait... she was laughing?

Rarity yelps again as shes flipped right side up, still floating before Celestia for a moment before she is set down atop the bed, the frown clearly a rather wide smile from this angle.

“Hehe, she actually managed to fool me this time, she is indeed getting better.” Celestia chuckles.

“Umm, not to wonder about your mood Princess, but you are not mad? Rarity questions hesitantly.

“No, not in the slightest, granted I will of course need to give that impression of anger when she returns, but that she went out of her way to go help her friends is by far a greater step towards her recovery than I thought her capable of. And she risks defying me as well to do so. She is starting to be the sister I remember again.”

“But you told her not to go... What about all of the risk of her returning to Nightmare Moon?”

“There is that risk yes, but it is not so high as my sister likes to think. Besides my little pony, as clever as you are, surely you must understand that sometimes the only way to get some pony to do something is by telling them they cannot do it.”

===================================================

Dash was sure one of the ponies behind her was screaming... maybe both, it was hard to tell. The pair were caught in her slipstream and were doing their best not to be pulled out of it.

The ground was getting closer by the second. With the way the pair behind her were flying they wouldn't be able to turn as well as she could so best to put them at the heaviest part of the fighting. She shifted her course angling to a spot just before the HQ base camp. She banks suddenly letting the two behind her drive towards the target while she alters her own course just enough to hit a spot closer to the river.

The two ponies behind her panicked as she suddenly turned away. The wave of concussive force from the rain boom pulling them along to impact the ground with a rainbow colored mushroom cloud.

Pinkie Pie had somehow gotten most of the other flying Guards to land and brace for the impact so the majority of those hit were the changelings, and the diamond dog's ears.

Fluttershy looks up and had enough time to tackle Apple Jack into the mud. She hunkers down over AJ in her armor before the blast of concussive energy washes over the clearing. Fluttershy's thick plate armor rattles loudly as the changelings are bounced about the clearing crashing into each other and the trees and rocks.

Three massive explosions of color and sound erupt from the points of impact where the three winged ponies hit. Dash grins feeling the sudden jar under her hooves as the sonic wave hit the ground before she did, cushioning the landing and sending a wave of force out from the point of impact. It was still a hard landing, hopefully the other two were smart enough not to try and land with their faces.

The impact sent the changelings flying and sent most of the diamond dog forces into howling fits clutching at their ears. It was not a victory over the changelings, but it would give them all a bit of breathing room before they recovered to try and swarm again.

She shakes out her wings looking at Fluttershy as AJ crawls from underneath the armored pony to retrieve her hat from a nearby tree.

“Why tha heck did yah crash over here Rainbow!?” snaps AJ.

“You two looked like you could use some help, besides the Captains had the rest of it down pat...” Dash smirks.” I think”

===============================

Pinkie pie leans over the edge of the crater, down at a pair of dazed pony Captains laying at the bottom. Zecroa peers over the edge of the crater from the other side curiously.

MEDIC!” Pinkie screams out.

“You need not yell into my ear, if you pay attention I am right here.” winces Zecora.

“Yeah but I always wanted to yell that.” Pinkie smiles.

“PRESS THE ATTACK GET THE BASE CAMP UP AND PUSH ON. WE KNEW THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE EASY, GET TO WORK YOU DOGS AND STOP SNIVELING” a griffon with an excessive amount of ribbons on his uniform bellows, drowning out the sounds of the whining Diamond Dogs and the echos of the shock wave off the volcano..

“OOOOH he looks like he knows the value of a good shouting. I'm gonna go make friends, you help these two out okay Zecora?” Pinkie Pie bounces off towards the griffon as Zecora sighs looking at the cursing Captains at the bottom of the pit.

==================================================

Rhede leans over looking into the room where the masked pony had gone. To be perfectly honest the costume was a silly looking, seriously, who wears a cape?

Movement behind him drew his attention to the group of slightly less quiet ponies and dragon slinking up behind him, he spares them a small glance before before pulling back the hood and fading into view. Bleu spots him and runs through a rapid fire set of coloration’s that made his eyes hurt, but was enough to prove it was her the same as his cloak.

“You find anything fluffy rump?” mutters the dragon peering around the corner.

“Dammit Bleu stop calling me names.....” growls Rhede quietly.

“Well I know you are you now... whats the masked pony up too?”

“Not sure she seems to be digging around for something.” Rhede sighs.

Twilight leans around the corner peering into the room. Floor to ceiling of this chamber was filled with stuff. Gear packs, books, treasure chests, gems,various odd items, weapons, and piles of other bric a brak filled the large room. In the middle of the room digging though a half rotted chest was the masked pony. The outfit was a fancy looking costume of dark gray and purple with a wide brim hat, a billowing cape and a M clasp at her throat.

It was decidedly Mare-Do-Well.

Twilight frowns stepping out into the door way despite the others silent protests.

“Who are you and why are you in that costume?” Twilight questions loudly.

The masked pony slowly turns glaring back at the armored Twilight before whirling around fully, sending a mass of daggers at the purple unicorn. Twilight yelps falling back over her own hooves as the daggers bounce off the armor. The masked pony snatches up a book from the chest she was looking into sending a pile of papers flying as well. She tucks the book into a saddle bag under her cape and turns towards the floundering Twilight.

“What the heck did you do that for? I only asked a question.” grumbles Twilight.

“I thought that armor looked familiar.” comments Mare-Do-Well. “ So where are the others then?”

“Now that is a voice I recognize, granted I should have realized it was you just from the daggers.”

Rhede steps around the doorway his eyes narrowing as he stares at the masked mare.

“Well well, now you are here too, I expect your little striped pet is not far behind.” Mare-Do-Well snarls.

“Of course, every one who want's your head on a stick is here.” Rhede growls. “Been a while Scarlet.”

“Not long enough Pelt.” snarls the masked Scarlet.

=================================================

“Why should I believe that. You.... you attacked all those Guards... and Shining Armor....!!”

“No little whelping, they attacked me first and I defended myself.....” Silver Claw holds up a fore claw showing the large gash across it.”They managed to strike a blow too, honestly there were a hundred or so of them after only me. It is with no small amount of swallowing my own pride to say that had they been better trained I would be dead. Right now.”

“Yeah right, except those two working for you nearly killed Big Mac and Fluttershy! That’s why the guards showed up in the first place!”

“At the moment I cannot be too picky with whom I associate with. Those two were only told to recover a certain book so we might know what happened while we were in stone. The attempted rape and murder were all their own ideas. More proof of ponies true natures.....”

“But..... wha, what are you going to do to me.....?”

“Do? Why would I do anything? You came here to learn the history of your kind did you not?” Silver Claw smirks lightly.”If you wish for the lesson to end you may simply leave. Though if you inform any one of my location I will be gone by the next time you arrive. I have a feeling though you will not, simply from what I have taught you thus far.”

“But that had to all be lies..... how..”

“My father told many of us why he hated the ponies, for certain there are those that might be worthy within the races ranks. No species is truly worthless, but as a whole, as I stated before, ponies are a greedy and cowardly lot. They are willing to strike down their fellows to save themselves or make themselves stronger. I have seen it in the wars and I have seen it in the life here, our meeting was not chance whelping.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I have been watching you for some time, it was quite fortuitous I met Lodestone, as this made it all the easier to finally contact you.”

“Watching me? “Spike mutters glancing around as he hides behind a rock.” Why?”

“Do stop cowering,it is unbecoming for a dragon. I have stated I will not harm you. “

“I don't trust you....”

“As well you should not at this juncture all you have is my word, despite what you may have read that is a rather strong bond with in certain dragon groups. I did reveal myself to show I have no reason to lie, my father was the Element Bearer of Honesty after all, he did try pass that to his hatchlings as a matter of principle. Besides if I had wanted to harm you why would I have bothered with all of this conversation and history? I could have ended you as Jade when you first arrived with Lodestone or again when you came by yourself.”

Spike swallows still behind the rock though the massive dragon had yet to make a move closer.

“I can tell that you believed much if not all of what I have said and that is fine as well. I admit some may be colored by a dragons take on things, and most history tends to be written by the victors. After all why would Celestia do her best to hide all knowledge of her sister and the disaster that was caused by her? It is just something again that proves my point.”

“That doesn't answer the question. Why were you watching me?”

“Ooh yes, I suppose not, you will have to excuse me it has been far to long since I have had a chance for any sort of scholarly discussion. I have have been watching you young whelping for one reason that you clearly are unaware of yourself, but that I can sense from you quite easily. You are exactly the type I need to help me with my goals.”

“I won't help you destroy Equestria.”

Silver Claw sighs. “That has never been one of my goals. My main goal is to free my father, he was... well is, the only family I have and this is twice he has been unjustly imprisoned by the pony gods. I do not need your aid for that. Even if I did you are far too young for the conflict freeing him would entail.

Spike glances back to the woods wondering if he could run or if he should listen. Silver Claw was right at some points. A great deal of what he said matched up with some of Twilight's research and that book Bleu had found about the changelings and the love potion.

“Yea so what is it? Why are you watching me?”Spike questions, curiosity having won out.

“With the dragons in the current bestial state they are in, even with the help of my father bringing, them back to the heights of civilization would be a long arduous road. The aid of another dragon god such as yourself would speed that process along quite nicely...”

=============================================================

The clang of daggers connecting mid flight fills the room along with the barely audible clatter of hooves, as the two assassins dart around the room in a flurry of flying steel and frantic dodging.

Rhede's brow furrows in concentration, though the masked pony seems to simply be smiling under her mask.

Bleu checks on Twilight as she shakes off the shock of the attack while Starfall watches the corridor in case something comes up behind them, Velkorn was somewhere, but still hiding under her cloak. Rhede knew that Scarlet was at a disadvantage here, so why was she still smiling?

“What the buck are you doing here Scarlet?” snarls Rhede losing a bit of his mane to a dagger that got past his defenses.

“None of your business Pelt, though as soon as you are out of my way I can get out of here, my jobs done.” chuckles Scarlet hopping back through the piled items in the room, using statuary and the treasure piles as cover.” You being here might be considered a bonus, though I don't have time to play with all of you.”

A blast of magic knocks the hat off the mares head turning it to stone as twilight gets back to her hooves.

“Well that's a dirty trick, no fair throwing spells at a poor little earth pony...yeep!” Scarlet ducks as another blast turns a bag of scrolls to rock.

Rhede and Bleu both look at Twilight who seems quite pissed, both of them rather shocked at the sudden aggressive turn of the purple unicorn.

“So she's the one who nearly killed Big Mac....”Twilight growls.” Do you have any idea how much that upset my friends?!”

“Holy crap, Sparkle Butts being useful?” Bleu exclaims.

Another blast from the armored Unicorn sends Scarlet diving for cover, she sends a slew of daggers at the unicorn only to have them bounce ineffectively off the armor barely even causing Twilight to flinch. Scarlet mutters to herself planning to try for the mares eyes or exposed mouth in the next shot, when her cover explodes from a blast of lightning. Before the masked pony can offer a retort another pair of daggers is flung her way forcing her to move again, things were getting bad.

Scarlet scrambles for cover franticly kicking gems and piled items about as she tries hiding behind other objects barely avoiding getting blasted, stabbed, or turned back to stone by the skin of her teeth. The mare curses, risking behind a massive pile of treasure as a blast of lightning strikes the pile.

Rather than scattering the massive pile of coins and gems with the blast, the mass instead screams out in pain and rears up with a massive roar and a crash of items tumbling from it. All of them stare a moment as the pile of treasure flails and thrashes before the glitter and golden disguise fades from the figure. A massive chitinous form of what might once have been a dragon slams its claws to the ground staring down at the group in the door way with bulbous insetiod eyes.

“Bout time he woke up.” Scarlet states drawing the attention of the dragon.

The masked pony grins snapping a gold wire around her foreleg and with a sudden flash of magic turns into a changeling, though her saddlebags and cape remain the same.

“The queen says to kill the intruders!” Scarlet orders the dragon. The beast blinks at the changeling before turning to look at the others in the room with a low growl.

“Oh you incorrigible bitch....” growls Rhede.

“Oh you know you love me... have fun.” Scarlet laughs as the dragon rushes the group.

=========================================================

The masked figure perks her ears looking back down the tunnel at the roar. That must be the dragon changeling. It was close where ever it was, perhaps only a hallway over. It was a little worrying that the Queen might have more than just one of those creatures.

Granted that was not the point of her being here. The point of her being here was before her, the Queens throne room.

She peeks around the corner, wide brim hat falling low over her eyes as she scans the room. The place was a mess of green ooze and broken green pods. It oddly looked like it was once a great feast hall as there was a icor covered stone table stretching the length of the long room. At one end was a opening that seemed to lead out side judging by the daylight streaming in the doorway, at the other end a rather elaborately carved throne sat at the head of the table. A variety of old chairs of wood and stone ringed the table and a plethora of old silver ware and cutlery covered it. A large collection of slime and a number of strange pods ran along the walls and ceiling of the room.

The high ceiling and walls of the chamber were covered with these pods, some were broken open though most were still closed and seemed to be pulsing softly.

She trots over to one wiping away the green gunk from the corner of the pod to look in. A griffon of some kind rests bundled up in the strange sack its feathers having already turned black and its body seemingly emaciated, its fore legs already developing a chitinous growth as well.

She moves around checking some of the others finding a few ponies, some cows, diamond dogs, and a cockatrice of all things. It seems the Changelings were not limited to just the intelligent races. Though it was just behind the throne she found the pod she was looking for.

A emaciated gray unicorn pony that that barely seemed to be moving hung suspended in some sort of fluid.

“Jer'rahd.....” Mare-Do-Well mutters.

She glances around again before tapping lightly on the casing of the pod, then smashing her hoof into it sending a crack across the egg shell like surface. A few more blows shatter the pod letting the strange liquid inside rush out along with the sodden sickly looking form of the gray unicorn.

The masked pony crouches to check on him as smirk crossing her hidden muzzle as he coughs a gush of the fluid escaping his lungs as he drew in air though remained unconscious. He was still alive and had not started to undergo any visible changes yet.

“I will not allow you to take that one, I am not done feeding from him yet.”

She looks up quickly leaping to the side with the unconscious unicorn as a massive blast of energy rips apart the throne and vaporizing the pod he had been in.

“Oooh a little too much kick there, been feeding on that one a bit too much, he's chock full of tasty nutrients a growing changeling needs.” Chrysalis cackles stepping in from the path that led outside. “But it looks like someone ordered delivery for dinner tonight. Guess I can savor him a bit longer and just eat you!”

Mare-Do- Well sets the unicorn down behind the edge of the table and turns to face Chrysalis.

“We think that thou shall only be eating our hoof and thine own teeth foul creature.” Mare-Do-Well growls, rearing up on her back hooves, dark wings unfurling from under her cape. “Have at thee, cur.”

===========================================================

Sickly green flame envelopes the floor where Rhede had been a moment before as the changeling dragon fires off a breath weapon that seemed to be a mix of fire and acid. It growls at the failure and lashes out with a claw at Twilight sending the encumbered unicorn bouncing out the door and down the hall way. A string of curses in several different languages manage to bring a laugh from Bleu though the changeling dragon just seems more pissed that it couldn't kill anything.

“You alright Sparkle Butt?” shouts Bleu.

“Oh just fine, I was only smacked by a freaking dragon!” shouts Twilight trying to pull herself out of the rubble.

“Oh whine whine whine, get up and blast this thing already..... bugger.” yelps Bleu as she dives out of the way of the beasts tail.

“Sparkle watch the hall, I'm going in.” states Starfall.

Starfall seems to blur zipping past the creature, a thin blue line whipping across where she passed. She skids to a stop holding the strange crystal blade in her mouth. At first nothing seemed to have happened and Bleu wondered if she had missed. A roar of pain from the beast proved other wise. It lifts its tail and only half of the length of it raises in a bloody clean cut stump.

“Oh I love these things hehehe.” giggles Starfall flicking the blood from her new sword.

“Nice... I need to get me one of those. Maybe not as sharp so I don't have to wear a scabbard three times the blades size to stop from cutting myself but still.” Rhede mutters. “ Bleu get this thing out of the way so we can get to Scarlet.”

“On it Dainty Hooves.” Bleu growls her size increasing to nearly match the changeling dragons size. The large blue dragon grins and a odd coloration that looked like a fancy mask that donkey wrestlers wore appears on her head.

Twilight slams her forehead with a hoof nearly braining herself even in the armor.

“Pinkie showed you that Pedro wrestling league thing, didn't she Bleu?” curses Twilight.

“No Bleu here, I am El Super Mega Draco YEHA!” Bleu shouts tackling into the changeling dragon and sending them both crashing into the piled treasure.

“I do not even want to know.” mutters Rhede.

==========================================================

Chrysalis had not even seen the masked pony move before it was in her face and had landed at least three blows. Chrysalis bounds back wards her wings propelling her quickly away, barely dodging a strike that hits one of the chairs, shattering the stone furniture as if it was glass. She lashes out with her hooves only to have the masked pony effortlessly flip away with a flap of her wings and land atop the table.

The Queens eyes narrow realizing this was not a normal attacker. Her horn flares firing off another massive blast of energy that rips a hole though the middle of the table vaporizing it and a few of the pods on the wall. The masked pony stood on the table still, having stepped aside from the blast effortlessly, the only damage done was the destruction of a small portion of her cape, though as Chrysalis watched the material slowly repaired itself back.

The masked pony lept off the table spinning in the air so that the flaring cloak masked her outstretched wing. The changeling Queen ducks the blow though the outstretched wing strikes her horn jerking her head to the side and throwing her to the floor from the force. She rolls out of the way as the masked ponies fore hooves crash into he ground where her head was turning the stone to dust.

Chrysalis snarls skipping back, her form changing to resemble a Timber wolf more than a pony, her claws and fangs dripping a green icor.

“An interesting trick, though it shall avail you not. Were I to have been the one to challenge you at the wedding rather than mine sister your head would be adorning a wall some where.”

The changeling queen flattens her ears realizing who this was.

“The Princess of the Night....” growls Chrysalis lunging at the masked pony.

Luna easily sidesteps though by the time she realized the attack was not meant for her the queen was past her. The queen smashes open one of the egg cases letting a small half formed changeling fall free. She slashes it with her claws splattering Luna with the blood from the creature.

Luna flinches despite herself though the blood does little more than stain her costume.“Tis not acidic? What was that supposed to do. We are not intimidated by your willingness to kill your own, that simply means less work for us later.”

“I know a thing or two about you mare.” Chrysalis grins shifting her form again to look just like Princess Luna. A smile crossing her face as her horn glows gold before zapping the prone form of Jer'rahd.

Luna's eyes widen under the mask as she leaps forward to stop the Queen though a pair of Changelings she had not seen plow into the side of her sending her crashing into the table scattering silver where across the room. She dispatches the pair quickly enough though in the scant moments that took Jer'rahd had risen to his hooves.

**************************************************************

The screams roused him from his slumber. He winces falling from the bed and struggling to free himself from the sheets. He stands shakily to his hooves for some reason a odd lethargy settling in, he felt like he had slept for weeks rather than just the night, it was a uncomfortable feeling. His gaze shifts over the room, was the bed room always this big? He looks to the bed seeing Luna was not present though as his eyes sweep the room again he spots her on the other side of the room with a strange masked pony in a cape and hat, splattered in blood.

The fuzziness vanished from his mind as he saw the blood. His eyes focus on Luna seeing a number of scuffs in her dark coat that might mark where she was hit though no open wounds, she was panting hard as if she had been fighting, though the masked pony did not seem injured or even winded. Where did the blood come from then … ?

He takes a step forward his fore hoof nudging something on the ground. His gaze lowers spotting the small shredded form of a foal strewn across the stone floor. His eyes widened as he looks down to his hooves, tears welling in them at the severed leg that lay before him, and the dark fur that covered it.

“Jer'rahd... she killed Venus....” Luna chokes out pointing at the masked pony. “ Help me!”

A low growl escapes the gray unicorns throat. As his head lifts to glare at the masked figure the wall to his left lights up with a blood red coloration as the glow from his eye flares to life.

He roars out charging across the room towards the masked figure, revenge the only thing filling his mind.

*********************************************************************

Luna was not quite sure what was going on though she still knew the warning sighs of Jer'rahd losing it when she saw them. The gray unicorn had looked at the changeling Chrysalis had killed as if he recognized it and then went into a full beserker rage rushed her with a roar.

She dodges to the side barely avoiding the unicorns lashing hooves. A brief flash of light was the only warning she had to throw herself flat to the ground as a beam of energy lanced through the air where her head had been, losing the fedora from the wave of force. She leaps back into the air wings fanning to pull her out of the way as a stone chair smashes into the spot she had been, courtesy of the furious unicorn.

She had not considered this would happen, beating Chrysalis would have been little trouble if things had continued as they were, though with Jer'rahd practically throwing himself at her with no regard to his own safety it would be much harder to get to the queen without hurting or killing him.

Luna fires off her own blast of energy at the changeling only to have a green shield block the shot. The green shield cracked under the blow though Jer'rahd did not seem to notice.

Chrysalis cackles firing off blasts at Luna with no regard to the pods on the wall or Jer'rahd. The Princess of the Night raises her own shield blocking a shot that was going to strike the raging pony and was rewarded with a pair of hooves impacting her side.

She gasps tumbling across the ground and catching herself before she slams into the wall. Jer'rahd was on her before she could even assess the damage done to her. Chrysalis cackles and starts directing more of her attacks at Jer'rahd forcing Luna to block them with her own magic and try to dodge the things the rampaging pony was bringing at her. With out the Waning Moon she was unsure if he could kill her, though with the power Chrysalis was flaunting the changeling queen likely could.

“Hold still cretin and die!” shouts Chrysalis blasting a series of energy bolts at Luna as Jer'rahd rips the remains of the throne from the ground and swings it at the dodging figure.

She fans her wings drifting up over the chair, to have her rump bumps into the wall, before she can react a series of green shields forms around her trapping her in place and Jer'rahd rushes the boxed in masked alicorn.

“Stop General it's me....”Luna begins, though she is cut off by a roar and a loud shout from above.

“SIX STAR FROG SPLASH!!”

The vaulted ceiling explodes as a massive black reptilian form crashes through the ceiling with a equally massive blue scaled form atop of it wearing some sort of vibrantly colored mask. The pair smash into the unbroken section of the long stone table.

“WHERES THE REF START THE COUNT!” shouts Bleu just before the changeling dragon flings her off of him.

Jer'rahd looks up as several stones impact slam into him and he slumps to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

The others look down through the hole at the mess as Bleu grabs the other dragon in some sort of choke hold and starts throttling him. Luna stands up straight as the green shield fades around her, the very thing that boxed her in protecting her from the falling rocks.

“Chrysalis!” hisses Twilight.

“General Kaisur!” shouts Starfall.

“ Scarlet...” snarls Rhede glaring at the masked pony.

“Twilight Sparkle..” growls Chrysalis.

“Oh buck.” mutters Luna still disguised as Mare-Do Well.

“GANGWAY!” shouts Bleu as she and the changeling dragon crash through the door way leading out side to a crumbling balcony, the dragons breath weapon setting fire to a number of the pods and and melting them at the same time..

Velkorn darts in from another door flinging back her hood as she skids to a stop in the middle of the chaos.

[“Incoming!”]

Twilight glances back at the Velkorn with them, then to the one who just ran in. She pulls the Brilliant Dawn from it's scabbard slapping the one with them in the chest with the flat of the blade. The Velkorn shrieks and starts to flail tumbling through the hole to crash into the ground landing with a sickening thud at Chrysalis’s hooves. The real Velkorn winces a little watching herself die from a fall before the changeling was fully revealed.

“Alright Sparkle, you can't kill them directly, but you can do that?” snaps Starfall.

“If they were smart enough not to fight the cancellation it wouldn't hurt them.” grumbles Twilight looking down as a swarm of changelings rushes into the room from all sides.”As much any way.”

************************************************

“Luna!?... Venus!! …. Guards?” Jer'rahd shouts looking around the flat gray expanse he was in.

There was nothing as far as the eye could see. No bodies, no assassins, nothing it was a open expanse. One he had seen before however, though the last time he was here Andre had shown up soon after to fight.

“What the buck is this place?” Jer'rahd mutters.

>“My prison, where else would it be host....”< snarls a deep booming voice from behind him.

Jer'rahd whirls winding up facing little more than a massive claw, lifting his head up his eyes follow the reptilian spiked arm, covered in mismatched scales and spines to a wide thick muzzle full of teeth larger than he was. The creature growls staring down at him, chains of star metal wrapping around the massive thing. Jer'rahd's jaw drops as realizes he is looking up the muzzle of The Beast itself.

“>Hello host, I think it is time we talked.<”

***************************************************

Pinkie Pie bounces over to the large imposing griffon to try and get his attention, though the gold feathered and silver furred creature seemed to ignore her at first, shouting orders to the others as the medics work to pull the Captains from the crater. Pinkie Pie bounces up and down in front of the massive griffon and his fancy outfit trying to gain his attention. The large griffon continues to ignore her as it whirls it's massive claw ripping a changeling from the sky and smashing it into the muddy ground.

The bird twitches a little with every rambling shout of hello from the hopping pink pony before he finally had had enough.

“What is it !!!?”

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie... who are you?” Pinkie looks up smiling.

The griffon blinks looking down at the earnest expression on the ponies face as if expecting some sort of joke or another. If this one was a changeling , it was the strangest one he ever met.

“You're kidding me?” he mutters.

“Nope I have no idea who you are and you seem interesting so I wanna know.” Pinkie states.

“We are in the middle of a battle here and you want introductions?”

“Well yeah it's the best time to do it, Dashie knocked them back for a while the unicorns are turning the ones who are unconscious to stone and the Diamond Dogs finally stopped whining. It's the perfect time to meet new friends.” Pinkie responds.” On top of that most of them seem to be running away to head back into that big volcano thingy.”

The griffon blinks looking up and watching the changelings doing exactly what the pink pony said they were doing.

“Pfft, you are a strange one pony.. wait...Pinkie Pie you say? Hmmph if you really are that one then I will grant you my name if you manage to survive this.”

“Oh Okay.... see you when we win then.” Pinkie hops off leaving a very confused griffon behind her.

*************************************************

“What the buck do you mean talk? What the heck would you want to talk to me about?” snaps Jer'rahd backing up a few paces unnerved by seeing this side of himself face to face.

The beasts shifts, the chains groaning as they barely seem able to hold him.

“>I always get bound to the ignorant fools, though I suppose if they were smart they never would wielded Loyalty, let alone have used the books . Those two things require a special sort of stupid.<”

“What the buck is that supposed to mean?”

“>Fine. I will explain this, it is far easier than just assuming you will get it and it is likely faster than waiting for you to ask the proper inane questions to do what needs to be done. I will lend you some of my power so that you may remove the love cursed queen from existence.<”

“I can do that with out your power.”

“>Not in the state you are in, she has been draining you for the last three days and it is only though your connection with me that you are even still a pony at all.<”

“Better I die that allow you to be free.”

“>You truly are a fool, I did not say I stopped you from dying, I said I stopped you from no longer being a pony. She would have you join her swarm and I would be drug along for the ride, forced to be a slave to another fool who knows not what they are dealing with. At least with that reluctant goddess you follow there is a small chance of my finding my freedom, with the Love Cursed Queen there would be none.”<

“What?”

The beast rolls all six of its eyes and glares down at him.

“>You truly are dense mortal. It is rare I bother to converse with my hosts at all, though this is a dire matter. It does not hurt that the aspect that made you an bearer of the elements is the strongest I have felt in a long time. The stronger the loyalty, the stronger the slave the books make out of it. You tie yourself to others with your loyalty, I would kill them so I may be free. Your goddess has limits to the power she has, magic is nothing with out the others and weakness in the others leads to a weakness in magic. Only you and the zebra were even truly worthy of that which you claimed. Bah, None of this is the point, though your ignorance of that which affects you has distracted me from the crux of the matter.<”

“Then what is the point, why tell me this crap?”

“>So you would listen host, something which you are still not doing. The point, is that the Love Cursed Queen has been feeding you a false reality to keep you subdued as she fed on you. You are nearly depleted of energy now. You will not survive much more with out my aid, and I would not be enslaved by another creature.<”

“Whats with the chains then?”

“>Your will was quite strong at first and as I was forced to devour the mountain, these chains were forged of that accursed metal to contain me.<”

“I don't recall doing that.”

“>I don't care what you think you remember host... accept my power and destroy the queen before she enslaves me, I will not even try to free myself for the duration so long as you are not defeated again. That is my offer and I will only give power with out consequence once host.<”

“So if I stay here what happens?”

“>Your body will likely go comatose and die. With no soul present as you are here the Queen will have to feed on and she will likely discard it.<”

Jer'rahd grins.

“Sounds good to me... not who I wanted to keep me company in the end , but you'll do.”

“>You think your death will stop me? So long as the books and the Elements exist so do I. Harmony and Entropy, law and chaos, death and life. One cannot exist without another and your life will be meaningless.<”

“Yeah, but you will be stopped and my friends will never worry about your sorry ass escaping due to me. So it's still a good deal.”

The creature chuckles, a rather creepy sound by no stretch of the imagination.

“What's so funny?”

“>Your friends will die before you do, they came to save you and are now in a failing conflict against an army they have never faced before. Add to that they wish to kill their greatest ally because she wears a mask and are combating a goddess who is surging with the power she has stolen from you. Though if you are alright with their deaths as well as Twilight Sparkle's, the force of Guards Celestia sent and perhaps the entirety of the world when the Cursed King reunites with his Queen then by all means. Feel free to stay here and listen to me call you a fool in several thousand languages. Perhaps I might even teach you zebra to pass the time as everything you care for dies.<”

*******************************************

“Scarlet....” a dagger is flicked from Rhede's tail punctuating the name, as he slides down the rubble with Twilight their focus on the masked pony. Rhede skids to a stop as his dagger is blocked by a dark blue glowing shield that forms between the masked pony and her attackers.

“What? Twilight looks at the shield as it drops suddenly. “ A shield spell? I thought Scarlet was a earth pony?”

“She is grumbles, this may be Nocturne however.” Rhede mutters taking note of the dark horn on the now hat less ponies head.

Bleu flaps back inside from the hole firing a blast of lightning at the flailing changeling dragon outside.

“You wanna peicea me come on tall dark and drooly come get some!?” snarls Bleu making a rude gesture at the changeling dragon outside.

“Enough with the theatrics fools, destroy them!” Chrysalis shouts as a swarm of changeling rushes out of nearly every crevice rushing towards the group.

An explosion of rock, pods, an changeling bodies erupts in the rooms center. A battered and slime covered gray unicorn flings the remains of the stone table off of him crushing a number of the changelings as he drops it with a exhausted sigh. He shakes himself off, half lidded gaze looking between Bleu and then Chrysalis who quickly changes to look like Luna again.

“Oh shit he's up.” mutters Mare-Do -Well. ”Be careful he was under thine enemies control a moment before.”

Twilight's eyes narrow as she scrutinizes the costumed pony “So he is under the queens control... just like my brother was.”

“Boss?” questions Bleu.

The gray unicorn turns trotting over to Chrysalis seemingly not noticing the swarm around her. The changeling Queen grins evilly As Starfall utters a string of curses that made several of the changelings blush.

“Umm Starfall you can still beat him right?” mutters Bleu.

“Sure if we were in a spar, you know how he gets when hes out for blood.....” complains Starfall gliding down with the others.

“Destroy them Jer'rahd, they attacked your love and killed Venus how can you allow such assassins to live?” snaps Chrysalis.

“Pretty easily since they didn't do shit.”

Chrysalis glances down as a pair of rear hooves slam hard into her face clearly shattering her jaw and perhaps even her skull though the damage had healed by the time she hit the ground.

Twilight yelps loudly as shes lifted into the air by the Waning Moon's scabbard and yanked towards the mass of changelings. A quick jerk yanks the blade free of the scabbard sending Twilight flying off in a arc to crash into another wall. The blades whips down towards the prone Chrysalis only to be deflected by a changeling griffon throwing itself in the way of the blow. Before Jer'rahd can attack again a massive buffalo like creature plows into his side sending him tumbling across the room to skid to a stop at Bleu's feet.

“Son of a bitch that hurt.” snarls Jer'rahd.

“Boss?” Bleu questions.” Are you alright?”

“Don't worry I'm fine, the WALL BROKE MY FALL!” hollers Twilight from the other side of the swarm

“I will have your head for that peasant” hisses Chrysalis.

“Bring it you vile whore, after what you put me through, I am going to decorate this room with your insides!” thunders Jer'rahd galloping across the room and plowing into the mass of changelings before the queen.

“Oh for Celestia's sake does he ever stop?” grumbles Starfall.

“Nope, and I for one am glad to see that.” smirks Bleu.

======================================================

A mud covered Applejack and Fluttershy trudge into the camp as shouts of soldiers fill the air and groups of Guards of all types rush past the pair.

Pinkie Pie bounds up looking the two of them over before pointing and laughing at them. Applejack flicks her tail splattering the pink pony with mud snorting in annoyance at her laughing. Pinkie looks down at the splattered mud covering her, giggles, and somersaults off making pig noises.

“Ah am never gonna understand that mare...” mutters AJ.

“I think she is trying to do what Bleu did in the past and keep moral up... though it seems like we don't need it.” Fluttershy mutters as Rainbow Dash flies over.

“This is awesome, they are fleeing in terror from my might HA HA!” Dash exclaims.

“What in tarnation are you talking about?”

“All the changelings are running back to the hive, the forces are sweeping forward capturing any they can get their hooves on. The main brunt of them are probably cowering in a corner of the volcano already. All because of my awesome skills.”

“Not to be a downer umm Rainbow Dash, but I don't think that's it at all......” Fluttershy mumbles.

“Huh then what is it then?” Dash snaps seeming insulted.

“Well with ants and bees, when the hive or the queen is attacked they all rush back to protect it.. so I think, though I am not really certain, Twilight and the others might be fighting Chrysalis at the moment and the drones are going back to help.”

“Not a bad guess sugar, but we dunno fer sure.” Apple Jack comments before a roar fills the air.

Looking up the trio see a chitinous black dragon burst out from the side of the volcano. A large blue dragon with a brightly colored mask on stands in the hole that was made for a moment before shouting something at the other dragon and slipping inside. The black dragon rights itself rushing back before having to dodge a blast of lightning from the hole.

“Looks like proof to me.” says Pinkie sagely popping up behind Fluttershy. “ Looks like Super Mega El Draco really took those videos I borrowed from Cranky to heart.”

================================================

The bellow of rage and mad attacks did not seem to sway the resolve of the drones and warriors surrounding the Changeling Queen, but then the wall of bodies pressing on the furious unicorn only stopped him from moving forward for the moment.

As the sound from the first impact of the battle died in the room the air was quickly filled with the flash of magic, the whistle of daggers, and the blast of flame and lightning from breath weapons.

Mare– Do-Well darts around Rhede running up Bleu's back and leaping over the Changelings to land crushingly atop a group of them attempting to attack Jer'rahd's flank. The Gray unicorn spares a glance at the masked pony before returning his attention to the fray.

Starfall grins drawing both her thin blades and shedding the bulky scabbards, seemingly quite content to be rid of the only things that her new weapons had yet to cut though. She darts among the changelings Blade sweeping through the attackers like scythes through wheat.

Twilight keeps her back to the wall she had hit, her horn glowing hot as she blasts the approaching drones turning them to stone and slowly building a small wall around herself.

Bleu pops up behind a Changeling Chimera her claws sinking into its sides as she lifts the flailing beast up over her head and falls backwards bringing the creature down to smash head first into the floor and its fellow drones.

Rhede rushes back up the rubble flinging daggers about and felling changelings with each shot. His smirk fades as he flicks his tail and no daggers fly out. Cursing loudly he rushes up the rubble back into the room above followed by a group of changelings.

Velkorn bounces about striking vital points on the creatures she recognized letting their unconscious forms fall to the floor and letting the ones she didn't recognize take themselves or others out by dodging when they tried to hit her.

Chrysalis fires off energy blasts trying to hit the attackers in the midst of her swarm, shouting out orders to the drones as even more of the deformed insectiod creatures pour into the room.

=============================================================

Twilight winces, pressing tighter to the wall as the forces kept coming, her head was starting to hurt, threatening to make the scar she received teleporting to Canterlot that much bigger.

The waves of changelings suddenly stop climbing over the wall of stone bodies, she looks up seeing the top start to rock as the changelings push the precarious stone statues over atop of the unicorn.

==========================================

Rhede curses rushing back into the treasure room grabbing up anything that even remotely looked dangerous on the way and slinging it at the changelings chasing him. Several more fell to the edges of plates and broken chunks of rock though many were simply knocked out by the impromptu weaponry the earth pony was using.

“Damn it what sort of bucking language consists of just screaming kekekeke over and over? I don't get these damn things at all.” snaps Rhede bounding up a pile of the treasure as a massive blue scaled tail whips though the changelings sending them flying.

“We need to construct additional pylons.....” shouts Bleu laughing as the changelings try to swarm over her only to get flung to the sides as she shakes like a dog drying off from a swim.

“What the hell are you talking about.... INCOMING!” Rhede shouts as the changeling dragon plows into Bleu's side sending them both through another wall.

“This is ridiculous..... wha....?” Rhede blinks as the dust from destroyed wall settles showing a room filled with statues on the other side of the wall, all of them either mounted or floating at odd angles, and all of them of Discord.

“What the buck is going on here?”

=====================================================

“So Twilight let slip that Rainbow Dash is descended from me, like my great great great or whatever granddaughter... how the heck do I bring this up? Is it even a thing?” states Starfall flicking her wing and nearly cutting a changeling in half as she spins the second blade sliding along her other wing to impale a changeling diamond dog causing it to fall back into it's fellows.

[“I do not know why you ask me. I have no idea how to bring something like that up.”] states Velkorn as she leaps into the air landing all four hooves on the head of a changeling manticore driving it into the ground and rendering the beast unconscious.

“Isn't that Zecora your niece or something? How did you manage to ask her about that?” Starfall asks ducking under a changelings attack severing the creatures foreleg for its trouble before spinning and slamming her rear hooves into its chest flinging it back into another mass of them causing a whole pile up of the creatures falling over themselves.

[“No, she came to me, evidently I was famous enough to be recognized by her. I suppose it helps I am a doctor and wrote all those books.”] Velkorn states, her fore hooves bringing a pair of changelings heads together hard enough for impact to sound like coconuts colliding before they fall.

“Crap .. always considered writing a book on flying skills, but its hard to write about something like that, flying is more a physical experience, it's easier to teach the skills then write them down.” grumbles Starfall blocking a changeling griffons claw and severing the beasts hand with a flick of her wing.

[“I am sure there is some one who can help you breach the subject, perhaps one of the Apple's I have heard they are close. Perhaps even lovers if what I am hearing is correct.”] Velkorn comments flinging one changeling into another and sending the pair tumbling through a doorway.

“Crap, here I was hoping she had better taste then one of Rhede's relatives.” Starfall sighs tossing some small unknown creature over her head with the flat of her blade sending it into another changelings head.

=======================================================

Jer'rahd blocks an attack with the blade gripped in his mouth trampling a changeling under hoof before gutting another attacker and trying to push forward only to have two of the bug creatures replace each one he killed. Every step towards Chrysalis was met with another wave of these infernal bug creatures.

Several of them had tried to take the form of Venus, his friends, or even Luna. After he beheaded a few of the copies and sent others falling to the ground screaming just by blocking with his sword they stopped trying to disguise themselves.

He was not sure the deal with that, but when they didn't try to take on another ponies form just smacking them with his sword did little more than annoy them. He was not in the mood to be simply annoying.

The issue right now was his magic, the surge of power the beast had loaned him was rapidly waning against the tide of bodies before him. The malnourishment from days with out food or drink was wearing heavily on the rest of him.

He turns as a changeling screams behind him, a hoof caving in the side of its face as the masked pony hits it and whirls to take out another one to clear a spot to land. A blast of magic from her flash fries a small group of them giving the pair the first breathing room he had seen since the fight started.

“Not bad assassin, or what ever you are.” mutters Jer.

“You are weak, you need to fall back. After what was done to you, you should not even be standing.” Mare-Do -Well comments some strain in her voice as if she was trying to speak a language unfamiliar to her. She whips about, her tail clotheslines a changeling that was moving up behind them.

“You don't know me very well then do you, gonna take more than these idiots to make me retreat.” growls Jer'rahd.

“Honestly I expected that, I also expect that you are barely standing, your movements are far more sluggish than what they should be. All that energy you are missing the queen has...” Mare-do Well was cut off as a beam blasts from the horn of the aforementioned queen at her only to impact hard against a green glowing shield that forms before the pair.

The shield slowly starts to crack due to the energy, though the beam fades before it does. Jer'rahd pants around the grip of his sword dropping the shield and looking to the rush of changelings.

“Pay attention mare, this is battle, not some sort of game.” snaps Jer'rahd rushing back into the fray with a roar.

“Oh you did not just scold me......” grumbles Mare-Do-Well darting after him.

=================================================

Pinkie Pie hops along with the charging Guards staying within sight of the large griffon she had targeted. The few changelings that got near enough to her were either dispatched by her party cannon or some how managed to miss her catastrophically and knock themselves out with their own hooves.

She glances up at the volcano looming above her with a large smile on her face as the allied group pours into caves, taking out the changelings as they progress.

She had been waiting for her hoof to go itchy, but so far nothing was happening. It had stopped for a time and no one had died that she knew of, though it picked back up again right before Fluttershy had been attacked and continued to twinge every few days with no sign of any pony even being in any danger until now. Fluttershy's animal friends being killed might have been why it was going crazy that day, as they were losses that truly bothered her friend. Normally her Pinkie Sense only told her of immediate events with in the hour or so, the itchy hoof however was never tested enough to see how long it would take. At least it had been quiet the last few days.

All her other Pinkie Senses were going strong. Her tail twitches and she flips the party cannon to point upward as she takes a step to the left. The changeling trying to drop from a tree to surprise her instead lands in the cannon. Pinkie spins the weapon as the creature tries to claw out of it, its head poking up from the end of the cannon to hiss at her as she points the party cannon and mashes the button launching the changeling into its fellows with a loud boom and a shower of confetti.

“STEEEERIKE!” Pinkie shouts as the group is knocked down like bowling pins.

This was fun.

=============================================

Twilight looks out from behind one of the few still intact pods around the edges of the room. The teleport had given her a headache, though she would have to suffer through it, for the moment the changelings all seemed preoccupied with other targets and had not noticed she was not buried.

Most of the changelings were rushing over to Mare-Do-Well and Jer'rahd trying to protect Chrysalis. Bleu and Rhede were back through the hole in the other room and Starfall and Velkorn were fighting around a growing pile of bodies, though the pair were being forced towards one of the doorways.

Twilight sighs looking about trying to figure what to do, the moment they noticed her they would be all over her again. She couldn't cast anything big at that point.... unless.

Her horn glows brightly as she bites her lip pushing through the pain. Starfall and Velkorn vanish from the middle of their pile reappearing next to the armored unicorn.

Velkorn catches her balance rather quickly though Starfall lands shakily looking rather green as she tries to make sure she doesn't see her lunch again.

“I need you two to keep the changelings off of me for a bit, I have an idea.”... states Twilight trying to rub her aching head through the armor.

=======================================================

A blast of lightning cooks a number of the changelings trying to swarm Rhede though the changeling dragon takes the distraction to tackle Bleu ,its claws digging into her scales. Bleu shrinks in size suddenly slipping free before returning to full size and grabbing it's stump of a tail and yanking it off the ground to throw on another pile of Changelings that was rushing in.

“Rhede much as I am sure you like to do nothing more than stand there and look pretty, would you mind doing something? Rhede...? Rhede? What... Oh COME ON!” Bleu growls glaring down at the lump of gold and old gear that was propped up and draped with a robe and a swath of red cloth to look like the earth pony.

“Damn it where the buck did he go?”

======================================

Captain Peach Blossom steps back yanking on his spear and kicking the changeling that had become impaled on it off with a fore hoof. He was still a little shaken by the impact with the ground, though like the Night Guard Captain, Lionheart he was uninjured and rushing back into the fray.

It did not make him less annoyed with the Element of Loyalty however.

Even that bit of addling did not slow him down when the push towards the hive began. No one was sure why they were all falling back, but the gathered forces were not going to miss the opportunity.

Knocking aside another changeling with a small squad of troops at his back he was greeted with the sight of half a dozen changelings beaten unconscious or imbedded with daggers. That there were bodies was not odd, that they were arraigned into an arrow pointing further down the hall however was decidedly so.

Lionheart tosses his head, flicking the blood off his halberd as he trots up beside the pegasus looking at the arrow.

“Think it's a trap?” mutters the half dragon.

“Maybe, though it may also be Miss Sparkle's group.” Peach Blossom responds.”In either case it's a lead, I'm tired of running around in this maze of tunnels, lets go.”

========================================

A beam of energy blasts apart a group of changelings trying to swarm over Jer'rahd. The unicorn growls at the masked pony who seems to smirk under her mask.

“That is twenty three to nineteen, my lead, now then what was that about this not being a game?” Mare-Do-Well chuckles.

“I warned Bleu not to keep score, I am warning you the same.... GET DOWN!” Jer'rahd tackles the masked pony as a long glowing whip like beam of light slashes across where they were beheading a changeling that was sneaking up behind them.

I am tired of playing with you foals!” The queen shouts as another tendril of sickly green energy forms from her horn lashing out with a crackle of electricity and a wave of heat. The beams rip apart the ground near them sending body parts and rock every where.

Jer'rahd raises a shield wincing as it was cut in half by one of the energy whips. Mare-Do-Well yanks him aside by his tail before the beam hits him as it cuts through his shield. He mutters a halfhearted thanks before the pair split, rushing away from the lashing energy whips.

The masked pony fires off a small grouping of dark energy bolts most of which get knocked out of the air by the whips, though one strikes the changeling queens wing searing the appendage as if it had been doused in acid.

Chrysalis screams out, the mass energy tendrils growing ticker as she pours more power into the attack. The whips acting more like snake heads striking out at movement and destroying anything they touched, including the ground, bodies, and changeling drones stupid enough not to move.

Jer'rahd glances to the queen as he dodges, the Waning Moon gripped in his teeth as he could not muster the energy to even levitate it right now. His eyes narrow as he watches the bug like wing grow back.

“I hope you have something more up your sleeve assassin, that didn't seem to phase her much.” Jer'rahd growls around the blade's grip as he finds himself standing next to Mare-Do-Well again.

“She is destroying more of her forces than we are, I would say this is a advantage for us.”

“If we live though this freaking attack at any rate.” grumbles Jer'rahd getting ready to rush forward again when the flash of a spell lights the whole room in a purple glow.

The pair risk a glance back at the armored purple pony standing on a pile of statues flanked by Velkorn, Starfall, and a mass of fallen changelings.

The energy wave blasts across the room causing the pair to wince though nothing happens to them as it washes over them. However every changeling that it strikes, alive or dead, rapidly turns to stone. The wave of power breaks over Chrysalis, her flesh quickly hardening to gray rock starting from her legs.

The hydra like whips vanish as the stone that was encompassing the queen begins to slow, the mares insect like body rapidly changes to other forms, the effect disrupting the spell and slowly reversing it.

“Something as simple as this will not be enough to stop ...... oh shit...” Chrysalis begins before the forms of Jer'rahd and Mare-Do-Well fill her vision, as both leap at her partially bound form with intent to kill.

Chrysalis screams in terror as the two swing hoof and blade, seeking to end her reign for good.

The attack never lands however, as both of them are knocked out of the air by a tendril of black smoke and a wall of mist rising between Chrysalis and the others glowing eyes forming a a ponies head solidifies in the mist.

“You shall not touch her peasants.” Sombra commands.

A crash from the door announces the arrival of the main force bursting into the chamber lead by the group of crystal ponies. Upon spotting Sombra they all immediately level pure white crystalline pikes at the smoke monster.

Starfall notes the pikes, Sombra's reaction to the sight of them, and grins, brandishing her own crystalline blades with her wings as if waiting for a excuse.

The smash of stone announces Bleu's return as she flings the remains of the dragon changeling across the room and into the last undamaged wall. She looks over the room her eyes locking on Sombra and she grins lightning crackling about her teeth.

“None can defeat El Super Mega Draco!”announces Bleu triumphantly.

Both Mare-Do-Well and Twilight's horns glow even though the purple unicorn seems greatly pained to do so.

Jer'rahd musters enough energy to lift the blade from his mouth glaring at Sombra.

“Buck you, I do what I want Sombra.” he snarls taking a step forward as if to attack the cloud though he barely manages one step before the Waning Moon clatters to the floor followed by it's owner.

“Not at the moment it seems.” Sombra glances back at the struggling Chrysalis who was still fighting Twilight's spell to a standstill.”Bluster will only get you so far Element Bearer.”

Jer'rahd struggles to push himself back up to his hooves glaring at the shadowy pony.

Sombra looks around the room with a sneer floating back to hide Chrysalis in the smoke.

“I should take my advice as well, there is no easy win at this point.” Sombra mutters.

“This thing is your queen then? You must be one desperate stallion.” Jer'rahd quips.

“She was not always like this.” Sombra responds sadly, backing up further.

“Enjoy what time you have then, because once I have gutted Silver Claw and that lot, I’m sticking around to rip you and that mare of yours apart.”

“While you do not carry honesty, I believe your words.... Though I do not believe you will manage to follow through with all of them.”

The form suddenly solidifies and rushes forward past all the ponies, carrying Chrysalis out the hole punched in the wall leading to outside. The smoke cloud soars up into the clouds gathering around the volcano and vanishes.

“We should have ended it, there was plenty of time to stop them once and for all.” Mare-Do-Well scolds looking at the guards as Twilight sits down hard and Jer'rahd slumps all the way to the ground not even able to lift himself out of the gore covering it. Velkorn and Bleu rush over to him knocking aside a few of the diamond dog and griffon guards who were unsure of what was going on.

“Awful haughty for an assassin.” Jer'rahd mutters. “Who are you?”

“Rather curious about that myself.” Bleu mutters standing over Velkorn and Jer'rahd as if protecting them from the masked pony.

“No one of consequence. Though it was nice to do this once more.” the masked pony states her voice taking on a fillyish twinge. She glances behind her noticing a curious Twilight, an angry Starfall ,and a large gathering of Guards moving about her.

“Umm thanks for the help and all but Who are you? Not Scarlet I assume by the horn.....” Twilight mutters as the masked pony glances around for her hat and fails to find it in the mess.

“I am exactly who I appear to be Twilight Sparkle. I am Mare-Do-Well” the masked pony states rearing up suddenly her horn glowing brightly.

“Like we are just going to take that as a answ.. Auugh!” Starfall winces as a bright flash of light pulses from the masked ponies horn, when their vision clears Mare- Do-Well was gone.

“She teleported away?” Twilight blinks looking at the spot the masked pony had been and the half circle burned into the floor.

Bleu sighs, spotting Mare-Do-Well's hat and scoops it up sniffing lightly, her eyes widening as she looks at the hat and grins. “ Well mission accomplished any way. Let's get boss out of here before he falls asleep. This is not a good spot to nap.”

====================================================

So guess we won huh?” Pinkie Pie chirps peeking over the shoulder of the massive griffon as he tried to scan over some notes his troops had brought him.

“That seems it is the case.” mutters the griffon. “ Though I was unaware there was another strike team.”

“Yeah that's just Twilight, Bleu, and the others, though that's not important right now. Sooooo then … whats yer name, huh, huh, who are you huh?” Pinkie pesters her grin widening

The griffons feathers puff up in annoyance as he glares at the pink pony. Pinkie Pie seems not to notice the glare popping up all around him looking at the map or batting at his head feathers or wings and at one point rearranging his medals into a smiley face

“Enough already, go away pony, I do not have time for you inanity.” he snaps.

“But, but, you said when we won....”Pinkie pouts, her eyes getting wider as she mimics Bleu's cute face, doing it far better than the dragonling did.

The griffon winces at the look, glancing at his subordinates who were doing there best not to look at the pony either.

He looks back to the map only to see Pinkie sprawled over it facing up at him, her bottom lip quivering.

“GAH fine just stop it already. Persistent pest...” the griffon snaps. “My name is King Sharp Talon the Second, member of the Holy Trinity of Sky Watch Aerie, and one of the ruling deities of the griffon kingdom of Worlds Rim.”

“ OOOh, long name... can I call you Taly?”

“No”

“How bout Sharpy?”

“No!”

“Kingy?”

“NO!”

“Do you mind if I call you Fred?”

“NO!!!... wait what?”

“Okay Fred.”

“GAH Whatever just cease your chatter.”

“Okay Fred, that is a rather long long name to be saying quite a mouthful any way I'm ...” Pinkie 's face suddenly gets serious as she breaths in deeply.

“I'm Pinkamenia Diana Pie, or just Pinkie Pie. Head baker at Sugar Cube Corner, professional party pony, and Pony-Ville's officialll greeter .. umm oh yeah and Bearer of the Element of Laughter..umm of Equestria,, oh yeahI’m'm also thofficialal evenannouncerer for the Running of the Leaves, and …...”

The griffon's eye twitches as Pinkie starts listing off other titles as well, showing no signs of stopping and likely inventing a few things to call herself here and there.

Sharp Talon sighs, if this was truly the sort of creature that was needed to hold an Element of Harmony, he was quite glad to let the ponies have that honor.

====================================================

Rhede shifts through the rubble and the half destroyed relics that fill the room, the statues of Discord grin madly down at him. The room that Bleu had broken through into seemed to be sealed up before the changelings arrived as it was clear of any sort of green goop or evident wear and tear. Minus the damage a couple of dragons did. With the way the place was designed and the presence of those statues it was clear this was not a dormant volcano. This was one of Discord's castles, though apparently a dead one.

Of course none of that mattered at the moment, what mattered to him was to figure out what Scarlet was doing here. While much of the room was destroyed, thankfully the chest Scarlet had taken the book from had been flung against a wall and was undamaged.

Now that the fighting was over he could check it out. Digging through the contents of the chest he was hoping for at best just a clue to what she had grabbed. What he found however was better than that.

There was another book in the chest, a journal of some sort written in common pony, along with a few scattered papers that had not fallen free of the box. He looked over the papers first finding what he was after on one of the pages.

Sketched onto the loose sheet of paper was the image of a closed book, even with just the image Rhede felt uneasy, the description sent a shiver along his spine.

It was a quote, possibly from the one who drew the charcoal print.

“When the book first spoke to me it requested that it be known by it's proper name, The Silver Script...”

“Everybody, needs somebody...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
by TDR

“Everybody, needs somebody...”

Journal entry 1,

My assistant has suggested I write these notes for the prosperity and potential book deals that may come from the success that will be had. Quite the optimist that we will find anything at all. Normally, I would not bother with such a thing, but she is most persuasive, and I have little else to do on this ship right now. Perhaps she is correct. At any rate, I suppose I should start from the beginning.

My name is Crystal Crusade. I am an explorer and cartographer for Her Majesty, Princess Celestia. The year is 6407 or 6407 AD. A number of pundits are attempting to change the yearly cycles to AN or ANM. The Princess is refusing to accept that, though the defeat of Nightmare Moon would be a significant event, perhaps one fitting of a new age. In any event, if the writers succeed, then this will be 23 ANM. Personally, I prefer AD; “After Discord” sounds much better than “After Nightmare Moon”.

I apologize for my rambling. I have never bothered to make notes of an expedition before. This will be the first. so I best explain it. Flying scouts have reported that a new mountain has appeared in the center of an area of land called the Hayseed Swamp, named after the first pony to explore it centuries ago. Granted, it was called the Hayseed Forest until the events of Nightmare Night flooded the region. Ours will be the first expedition into the swamp since those events, so we have a full team with us in this exploration. There is no telling what we will find.

I am the lead of the expedition, primary cartographer, and primary mage.

My assistant, Golden Glow, is the secondary cartographer and second in command of this mission, as well as our aerial scout. She is also the primary medic, having trained with the rather legendary King's Cross before coming into my employ... and, ahem, other things...

Charming Chime is another from the explorer’s league. He was primarily responsible for the full exploration and subsequent discovery of numerous mineral veins in the newly-raised Foal Mountains. To be honest, I am surprised I was named head of the expedition over him; his track record is much longer than mine. His primary place in the group is as an adviser, mineral expert, and practitioner in some of the more esoteric forms of magic, having studied both dragon and zebra spells while he was in the Royal Guard. Needless to say, the small group he has brought with him is also armed to the teeth in case we encounter trolls, rogue dragons, stragglers from the Lunar Republic, or any other assorted nastiness. While nervous about the griffon and zebra company he keeps, I trust that we are very well-protected.

Velvet Moss is our earth pony botanist and zoologist. To be perfectly honest, I do not think there is anything that grows or moves that she does not have near-encyclopedic knowledge of. Given her rather excessive age, I did not expect she would accompany us on this mission, though for her age, she is still quite spry and sharp as a tack. She seems to be hoping to find something she has never seen before in this newly formed land. Perhaps more than some sort of life form adapted to a new environment.

I do hope she finds something, considering she is the reason this entire trip even got off the ground. Years ago, she presented the Princess and her husband a wedding gift of a single phoenix egg. Since then, the Princess has offered to bankroll anything Moss wished. I am forever grateful that she decided that my trip was worth calling in that favor.

==============================================

“Spike! Spike? Are you even here?” Twilight shouted, pushing the door to the library open.

“Yeah, I'm in the kitchen, Twilight,” a voice shouted from the other side of the library.
Twilight sighed and let the saddle bags and the Brilliant Dawn fall off her sides and thud loudly on the ground. At least nothing here had changed. Had it only been two weeks since Fluttershy was attacked? Time was rushing past with as many trips as she had been forced to go on. It didn't help that even three days after the events in the volcano, her head was still killing her from all the casting she had done. She looked wearily at the stairs leading to her bed and opted instead to move over to the much closer couch and collapse on that.

“Well, you've looked better,” Spike commented. “I guess everything went alright. Where's every pony else?”

“Well we won, though Chrysalis was rescued by Sombra, so we can expect to see them again. Most everypony stayed in Canterlot, though Rhede is still at the volcano. Only AJ and Fluttershy came back to Ponyville with me. Sooo tired and I have to go back to Canterlot tomorrow to report...”

Twilight barely opened her eyes to look at her friend, though for some reason, she thought he looked apprehensive about something. Maybe she was imagining it.

“Well, it's good to know everyone’s alright. Rarity came back from Canterlot yesterday and has been locked up in her shop ever since. I've been worried sick about what was going on and no one told me anything. Anyway, I've got something really important to tell you: I found Silv-... you're already asleep and not listening to anything I say anymore... great...” Spike grumbled, heading back into the kitchen and leaving Twilight passed out on the couch.

”Probably better if I keep that to myself for now, anyway.”

=========================================================

Journal entry 2,
3-17-6407 AD

Our third day aboard this ship. We have been traveling the coastline looking for a suitable place to go ashore. A small river was thought to be a likely landing point, but it was far too shallow. The long boats would likely not manage to traverse it, either. Perhaps in time, it may grow to be a mighty river, but for now, we need to find another landing point.

Pity, as it seems that little river might have run right up next to the new mountain.

=====================================================

Rhede trotted among the ponies and griffons that had been scouring the changeling hive, looking over the things they had found with interest. Lion Heart had informed all the troops that if they wanted to keep anything, they needed to let Rhede and some of the unicorn mages look at it first to make sure it wasn't dangerous. He was also given a small group of guards to help him dig through the place for any sort of information.

The griffons’ leader was rather curious as to what Rhede was doing, let alone who he was, and also left a few of his own troops to aid and watch him. Rhede would not have minded a bit of help from the diamond dogs as well, but as soon as the battle was over they packed up and left.

Most of the other guards were loading the statues of the changelings onto the ships for transport to the Canterlot gardens until there was some way to cure them. While a typical Celestia tactic, Rhede figured that to be more trouble than it was worth. He doubted there would be any way to save them, and if Chrysalis or Sombra managed to figure out a way to un-stone them, they would have a readymade invasion force already in the heart of Canterlot. Unless Celestia had something else in mind, this was a bad idea.

Strangely, while there were a large number of injuries, there were only two deaths in the forces attacking the changelings.
One was a Diamond dog who fell off the ship and drowned before even finding the river and the other was an earth pony killed in a rock slide after the battle was already over. The changelings had done exactly as predicted and done little more than try to capture everything. The only time they started to use lethal attacks was when protecting their queen, and by that point, it was too late.

Rhede was a little worried that those seeking trophies of their victory would hide what they were really taking. Having Lion Heart hint that some things might be cursed as well as letting most of the trophies go helped make this a bit easier. Very few guards had collected things he was looking for to take home and place on their mantles.

Rhede sighs as he looks over the last batch of things. A troll skull, some archaic pottery, and what he assumed was a dragon scale. Nothing of any real interest until what a young griffon wanted caught his attention. He almost passed her and the small dagger she had by; in fact, he had taken several paces past her before backpedaling to look over the weapon again.

The blade was old, possibly even before his own time, very intricately done and the grip was made of jade. It had not been wrapped, either, which hinted that it was used by creatures that had use of hands or claws. The blade itself was the issue, however.

Star metal.

The other troops he let keep what they found, though as they filed out, he made sure the griffon stayed. This was going to be a bit tricky; with the griffons, he normally had to explain why he wanted something in great detail before they would give it up. The ponies followed orders; the griffons were loaned from another force and tended to be somewhat temperamental if asked to give something up.

A book or some script, even something strange that no one understood was easy enough to claim as needed to investigate the changelings. A simple richly decorated dagger would not be that easy.

“I take yer are interested in this thing, huh?” the griffon began, twirling the blade in her clawed hand. “Any special reason? Not much to it, but it would be a fairly good trophy. ‘Specially with all this jade on it. Though I guess you noticed that.”

“It is the blade itself that is important. If you want the handle, you can have that, but the blade is connected to a few of the notes I have found, and until I figure those out ,I would like it to remain with the other items I have gathered, errr miss?”

“Dusty, though my call sign is Dust Devil; don't ask. And who might you be? Only name that I have heard dropped around you is Pelt, or Sexy Tail by that dragon of yours.”

Rhede slapped his face with a hoof. “Do ignore what Bleu calls me. My name is Pelt; Rhede Pelt, to be exact. I am an... investigator for Princess Celestia, though your commander was informed of that when he set you to work for me.”

“Not quite right there, Rhede...” Dusty smirked, scratching her chin with the pommel of the dagger, ruffling up her white feathered head a bit. “We were sent to help you, but not work for you. I rather like this toy, and I'm not willing to give it up without you giving me something else I want in return.”

Rhede raised an eyebrow. The dagger was important, to be sure, but depending on what she asked, he might simply let it go. Still, he was amused the black-furred and white-feathered griffon was trying to put one over on him. It was also clear she had no idea about the significance of what she held. However, if she brought it before the griffon god who was in charge of their expedition, she would find out rather quickly.

“Alright, what is it you might want?” Rhede stopped, a little unnerved by the griffon’s grin. It reminded him a good deal of Bleu's smirk when she wanted something.

Dusty slowly walked around him, her grin remaining the same. She was quite a bit smaller than he was, though that was not saying much, as nearly everyone was smaller than he was. Though she was also smaller than most of the other female griffons he had seen.

“Yup, I think you will do nicely. Unless you're one of those racial purity snobs.”

“Not sure I follow,” Rhede muttered, though in truth, he had caught on just from the looks she was giving him, though he was quite content to let her take lead and pretend to simply be pleasantly surprised. Griffon females, in his experience, did tend to enjoy taking the lead in such things.

“We just got finished with a big battle; sex and violence always tend to go together. As for why you, well, let’s just say I picked up some interesting tastes hanging around Equestria. I know pegasi are judged on wing size and hope earth pony is height. I mean you have griffon dick,” she spread the claws on one hand apart as if to show a size of something, “then you have pony dick.” She spread both her hands apart to show size.

“Really? That seems a bit small,” Rhede mentioned idly, turning to look over some papers on a crate he was using as a desk. The griffon's expression at that line was priceless. “Hmm, I suppose that is acceptable, though I do hope you would not get attached. I am not looking for anything long term over a simple dagger I need for my task. This would be only a one-time thing.”

“Ahh, no deal then, I suppose,” Dusty sighed.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, dagger this nice should be good for a couple rolls in the hay while were stuck in this rock, don't yah think?”

Rhede smiled, not able to help himself. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

=======================================================

Journal entry 3,
3-19-6407 AD

It has been slow going, as we stop every so often for inland treks to test the feasibility of landing points. So far, we have had no luck in this regard. This land is naught but marshlands. Much further along the southern coast, however, we have come across something strange.

A very large swath of the forest is clear and the land exposed all the way down to the rock. The edges of this strange formation are raised where the swamp itself has been pushed aside into an earthen barrier. This great furrow has created a natural bay that the ship can easily moor in. This strange path seems like something had gouged the very earth itself in a long line. In all my years of cartography, I have never seen its like, nor has anyone else aboard the ship.

Charming Chime and his team disembarked to investigate and came back as confused as those of us with no knowledge of
minerals. He claims he at first thought it was a lava path and that the mountain most likely was a volcano, but it made no sense that there was only one path to the sea, and nothing along the route had been burned— merely pushed aside. The path that was left, however, seemed to lead directly to the mountain, and the bed rock was a solid path that we could follow easily without worry of the swamp.

This mystery is a most perplexing one, though I suppose we shall not find out the true answer of what it is until we investigate the mountain itself.

Thankfully, it seems that fortune has smiled on us and provided a clear path directly to our goal.

==========================================

[“I do not see what the issue is, auntie. He seems in perfect health aside from the exhaustion,”] Zecora stated, glancing back at the door to Jer'rahd's hospital room.

[“Physically, he is fine, which is a surprise in itself, considering his track record, and he has been what one could consider a model patient,”] Velkorn commented, rubbing her face with a hoof.

The two zebras started to head down the hall towards the dining hall to grab something to eat as they talked.

[“I am still not seeing the problem. Why are you so worried about this, Auntie? Everything seems to be perfect.”]

[“It is perfect. TOO perfect. Jer'rahd is one of the worst patients I have ever dealt with. He doesn't listen; he doesn't stay in bed or do anything he is supposed to do when injured. He has been in much worse states than this and he was up and back in combat before the blood from the first wounds was even dry. That all he is doing now is sitting there following my instructions is frankly rather terrifying,”] Velkorn sighed.

[“Ahh, now I see the issue. Perhaps age has mellowed him some?”]

[“I could only hope it was that. Unfortunately, I do not see it being the case.”]

==================================================================

Journal entry 4,
3-23-6407 AD

Disembarking has taken more time than anticipated. We have set up a primary base camp on the edge of the clear land. There are forty-six of us in the party, each with our own role. Several members of the crew seek to curry favor with us should we discover something valuable, and have offered to aid us in setting up the forward base. The ship’s captain and most of his crew will remain on the ship moored in the bay for the next ten days before returning to the harbor in Fillydelphia. He shall return every three months as per our agreement with fresh supplies and crew as needed depending on what we find.
He agreed to wait the ten days simply in case we did not find anything of interest. Moss, however, already has shown that this time was unnecessary, as a number of things have caught her eye. She has already filled a notebook with sketches of strange plants she claims to have never seen. They all seem like weeds to me, but that was never my area. I am more interested in the idea that this is some sort of volcanic eruption, particularly one that could change the terrain in this strange sort of way. I have already started to sketch a few maps of the landscape.

I will say even if the rest of this expedition is a failure, it is nice to see the old mare’s last trip was not for nothing.

======================================================

Sleep would not come, and he was rather glad of that. He knew what he would be seeing if he did fall asleep, and witnessing the foal's death once in his mind was bad enough. Velkorn and her niece had just left; Pinkie and Bleu had all but been thrown out a few hours before that.

The pair had done their best to try and cheer him up, but after repeated failures, their mood had gone south as well. Velkorn refused to deal with the pair of depressed pranksters and threw them both out.

Jer'rahd was simply content to lie back in bed and stare at the ceiling. He had been through bad situations before, but he was usually too busy for any sort of depression like this. Now he had seen what could have been. Every detail of another life had been laid out before him. He knew what had happened was a false memory, and the real one was there too, but all it took was one event to change and his life would have been entirely different. He likely would have circled back to making himself feel worse from the beginning when the door swung open again.

“Forget something, Velkorn?” Jer'rahd muttered questioningly.

“Well, it is good to see you are alive, Kaisur, but no, she is still gone,” a rather subdued voice responded.
He turned his head, sitting up suddenly and wincing at the sudden head rush that brought. “Princess Luna... what are you doing here?”

Luna sighed, glancing back at the door as she closed it behind her quietly, but she did not move any closer to his bed. “Lay back down. You do not need to hurt yourself further just because I am here,” Luna softly commanded. “I came to see how you were doing after all that has happened.”

“I am fine...” he laid back down with a huff, his head hitting the pillow with a little more force than he intended. Of all ponies, he did not wish to see her right now.

“That is good to know.”

“I did not expect you cared on my state after the last time we spoke.”

Luna winced a little. “I apologize for what was said, and how I was not in a proper state of mind the last two times we spoke.”

“You spoke quite a bit when you sat before us while we were statues.”

The princess’s eyes widened and she flattened her ears, looking away even though Jer'rahd had not moved his gaze from the ceiling.

“Despite everything, I still felt that you five were the only ones I could speak with. I was unaware you were able to listen.”

“I was awake from the point of the battle in the garden. Before that, I was asleep, though Velkorn was awake the whole time, I believe.”

“I did not know...”

“I wouldn't expect you to have known, and before this, you never bothered to ask. That doesn't matter now, I suppose.”

“I see.”

“I don't blame you for anything, Princess. I cannot say that for the others, but you don't need to apologize to me for anything you have done. I am quite aware I deserved it. Was that the purpose of you coming here? I know you did not just show up to check on me. You could have asked any pony in the hospital and they would have told you, yet you waited ‘til I was alone. Why?”

“I ... I did not wish any of this Kaisur... I just...”

“Ahh, I see... I am sorry that I caused you any concern with my failure. I should never have gotten caught. This whole operation could have been avoided if I kept running with the others rather than try and fight. How many were lost trying to save my sorry flank? No one else will tell me.”

“What... No, that's...” Luna sighed. “Just two, and neither of them from the conflict itself.”

“Just two? That is a record for anything I wind up being involved in. Guess I was a shitty leader after all.”

“Do shut up a moment, Kaisur. I do not know what you underwent, but you were not a poor leader. You never would have reached the rank you did if you were not skilled.”

“Never thought I deserved any of that. There are a number of things from the past that I don't feel add up. Everything you did for me and what I did to you... I feel I still owe you for a great number of things; it is unlikely I will ever feel we have broken even in that.”

Luna sighed, her ears flattening to her head. “I will agree with that. We never will be 'even' in what we have done, Kaisur. However, I only came here to check on you. I did not come to dredge into the past. I am curious as to what you were subjected to, however.”

“A perfect life.”

“What?”

“Never mind, it is not important. Nothing worth troubling you over.”

“As you wish, then,” Luna sighed, turning to leave.

“Princess.”

“Hmmm?”

“One last question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Do you think Bleu might have succeeded?”

“In what?”

“Trying to get the two of us together.”

Luna went quiet a moment, not turning from the door.

“I have no answer for that, Jer'rahd. Too much has happened since then. Perhaps if Canterlot had not been attacked, we may have had time to explore the possibility. I do confess an attachment for you, though it never truly progressed beyond that. As Nightmare Moon, I used the affection I knew you had to keep you in line. So do not judge that as how I felt.”

“I see. It was nice of you to visit, at least.”

“I would not call this visit ‘nice’, Kaisur. ‘Depressing’ and ‘futile’ are more fitting words,” Luna muttered as she stepped outside and shut the door behind her with a faint tug of her magic.

====================================================

Journal entry 5,
3-29-6407 AD

It has been some time since I have written here, though with the travel and setup of the forward base camp, it is an understandable delay.

The trek to the foot of the mountain was a rather uneventful one. The cleft in earth formed fairly high walls of dirt, which kept
the swamp water from retaking the furrow and made our travels easier. We left most of our team to watch the main base camp and fifteen of us followed the gouged rock. Chime stated that it looked very much like a glacier had been dragged across the land with how it was ripped up, though he had never thought of a glacier so small nor one that moved away from the sea and up a slope towards the mountains. There was speculation that an iceberg or floating island had been thrown onto the land in the midst of Nightmare Night, though the mountain had only been in sight for perhaps a little over a month, not the years since that horrific event.

Less than a day’s travel from the mountain, the smell hit us. The great scent of rot and decay, coupled with rancid sea weed, as if some great sea creature had beached itself and was left to dry in the sun. Progress was slowed, and little by little, we became used to the odor, though most of us tore strips of cloth and soaked them in wine or perfume to cover our muzzles with. Moss thought we all looked like some sort of roguish bandits and laughed a great deal when Chime gave her his best pirate impression.

It seems nothing can spoil the old mare's good mood, and thankfully, it is quite infectious.

============================================================

The Princess of the Night sighed, glancing back to the door of Jer'rahd's room. She managed a few steps before a weight suddenly dropped down onto her back. A tail flicked over her face, stifling a yelp before a small pair of claws pressed into her mane and a blue reptilian face leaned over her head to meet her gaze.

Luna's eyes narrowed as the tail loosed from her mouth and she hissed at the dragonling. “Bleu, what in Equestria are you doing? I could have blasted you from existence!”

“Not likely. Your combat skills suck when you’re depressed. Plus, with that whole ‘woe is me’ shit you have going on right now, you're hesitant about even using your magic.” Bleu snarled. “I was hoping your visit would cheer him up, not depress him further. I am regretting even letting you into the room now.”

“Why are you even guarding his room?”

“Rhede thinks after that threat he made to Sombra and the Queen, he's gonna be a target for them.”

“They did not target Shining Armor and Cadence again after they were defeated. I doubt they will after losing such a large percentage of the hive.”

“Was that a bit of optimism in your voice?”

“Bleu, please get off my head before anyone sees you. This is rather undignified.”

“Since when did you give a crap about that? What happened to the overly efficient princess I used to know and torment?”

“A great deal has changed in a thousand years.”

“You mean in two years? ‘Cause that's all you have been free more than us,” Bleu stated, sliding down to sit between the princess’s wings.

“You are acting much more bold than usual. I am still royalty, Bleu.”

“Yer a royal pain in my scaly flank is what you are, Luna. Besides, I'm a dragon. You don't hold a lick of sovereignty over me
past what I am willing to deal with. I am sure you realize the whole reason we even agreed to be turned to stone was because we felt sorry for turning on you when you went crazy.”

“I am aware of that, yes.”

“Good, then I don't need to explain that, and can get right into calling your sorry flank out. Right now, I don't give a shit about you forgiving me. Honestly, you deserved to get smacked around ‘til you stopped being a bitch.” Bleu glanced up at the back of Luna's head, seeing her ears droop. “To add to that, how you have treated Boss since being cured puts you on my little list. I never considered regicide before, but you are trotting that fine line, and you know damn well I am more than capable of pulling it off.”

Bleu glared at Luna, who didn’t respond, before continuing.

“Now let’s add to that; because of you, Starfall lost any chance of making up with her daughter, Rhede lost his entire family, and that last dragon you killed— turns out she was my grandmother, the first dragon outside of Celestia's school that I was actually starting to like.”

“If your goal was to make me feel even worse about my actions, Bleu, then you have succeeded marvelously.”

“Good. Now wrap your mind around this: after all you did to us, possessed or not, Boss and the others still want you to forgive them for turning on you to save the world. And you can't be asked to even do that? Now you see why I am so pissed?
But there are a few reasons I am not about to write you off as hopeless.”

“Dare I ask?”

“Don't bother; I plan to tell you anyway,” Bleu stated as she hopped down off Luna's back. “First off, Boss would be in even worse shape if something happened to you. Do you know what he saw while he was under Chrysalis's control? He saw himself married to your sorry flank and you had a kid. A little alicorn filly he called Venus. Chrysalis showed him the kid getting killed. The idiot has been dwelling on that since we saved his ass.”

“So that is why he asked that... No, I did not know that. He said nothing of the sort... Though that is not possible...”

“Like that matters in a dream? What Aqua did to him is still affecting him, and now after this crap, the nightmares have even more fuel to buck with him about.”

Bleu glared up at Luna, who refused to meet her gaze.

“Another reason I have yet to so much as slap you silly is I know what you were talking about in there. When Boss said there was no way to be even, you agreed, but you weren't talking about him owing you, were you? You don't think he owes you, but you feel you owe him. That, at least, is a step going the right way.”

“So you heard that...”

“Hey, I'm watching for changelings— I pay attention everything. Another interesting thing: changelings don't have a smell. You, however, do, which brings me to my third point in all this, and this is the one that actually makes me smile.”
Luna blinked, looking to the little dragon as she hopped over to dig into her flight bags sitting against the wall. Bleu whirled about suddenly, slapping something onto Luna's head.

Luna jumped back, her magic yanking it off her head with a glare at Bleu, but she froze as she recognized the purple wide-brimmed fedora the dragonling had put on her head.

“You ran off so quick, Luna, you forgot your hat.” Bleu grinned. “I know what Celestia told you, and I know you ignored that to come anyway. It means there's some hope for you after all.”

=======================================================

Journal entry 6,
3-30-6407 AD

It was as we were setting up the forward base camp at the foot of the mountain where things got a little odd.

The mountain itself is quite large, though what we took as a jagged stone edifice from a distance instead seems to be a massive collection of dead coral and limestone. This cover is so thick that the structure looks like a massive white tower of stone. In fact, the upper part of the monolith seems almost carved under the coral. The lower part of the mountain, however, bears a striking resemblance to an oversized cow pie.

All of it is swarming with birds. Birds of all types, including a number that Moss said were so rare, she had never seen them before. Despite that interest in the rare ones, it was the reason they were gathered that confused her.

The birds seemed to be eating the rock and dirt at the base of the castle, drinking up the oily tar that seeped from the rocks and devouring strips of the stone and earth. Upon closer examination, it was discovered the rock and soil they were feasting on was, in fact, some sort of flesh and blood creature. Quite deceased, though clearly not for very long.

It was a young sailor that had tagged along with us from the ship that finally gave us our first clue. The young pegasus claimed his mother told stories about these sort of things from her time in Dullahan Keep. It seems his mother had been a specialist on the creatures of Discord that resided on the other side of that great wall. He claimed it was called a Discord's Castle, and that it was, in fact, very similar to a massive snail in its existence.

His information was laughed off at first, until Moss confirmed that she, too, had heard of this sort of creature, though she had assumed all of them were destroyed when the Darklands fell into the sea. We sought to question the young pegasus further, but he only spoke of the horrors that his mother said such places contained, and we would all be smart to flee. He himself took the first opportunity to wing his way back to the ship as fast as he could.

A rather ominous portent, but after consideration, the four of us decided to investigate the mountain anyway. Moss was even more excited to think these massive creatures could still exist. Golden was clearly curious as to how it may have gotten here, as well as what treasures might be inside. Chime was up for a challenge, and even I was intrigued by what sort of magic might dwell in such a feared place. We were not worried about the young pegasus's warnings.

After all, with unicorns of mine and Chime’s skill about, there would clearly be very little we would have to fear from magic.

================================================

“Next time you send me on a mission, you had best give me more information. I was nearly caught by the Element Bearers in there,” Scarlet snarled, glaring at the zebra, who simply grinned.

[“I am sorry. I was under the impression you were competent enough not to get caught,”] Bloodtail explained. [“Now that I know otherwise, I shall endeavor to give you much less important tasks in the future, like taking out the garbage or making Claymore a sandwich.”]

Claymore didn’t bother to hide his laughter as Scarlet seemed ready to burst into flames in anger. Nocturne ignored them, looking over the table before her and the four books seated on it— The Red Tome, the Teal Text, the Gray Grimoire, and now the Silver Script. Four of the six books were in their possession.

The Gray Grimoire had a few spells, though was mostly a book on the rituals. The Red Tome was a book of dark magics and vile power. The Teal Text was a book of history of the books, along with a listing of all of those who had successfully used the books. The Silver Script was a book full of foul acts and summoning spells that pulled evil creatures from Tartarus to do the caster’s bidding. All of them had a part of a ritual to attain godhood within their pages, though each of them added a small measure to the puzzle that the others did not.

The Gray Grimoire added locations of ritual sites that added to the power of the spell. The Red Tome explained how more
than one individual could use the same ritual to gain power. The Teal Text explained why the Elements of Harmony were also needed as filters for the power. And the Silver Script showed ways for the ritual to be performed with almost no materials to be gathered.

Bloodtail watched the alicorn as she compared the notes between the books. He did not like the idea of the power the mare might gain by learning all the spells in those tomes. Even though he learned the scant spells in the Teal Text, he could make neither heads nor tails of the spells in the other books. However,the alicorn did not seem to be able to cast the spells that were in the Teal Text, either, so he had hoped there was something in the Silver Script he could use.

“I have deciphered the location of the next book,” Nocturne stated suddenly, the squabbling between the two ponies stopping dead.

[“So where is this one? In the belly of a giant whale?”] Bloodtail muttered.

“No, it is in the lands south of Los Pegasas, beyond the San Palomino Desert near the edge of the zebra lands,” Nocturne stated, as if not catching the snark in Bloodtail's voice. “This also confirms that there are a total of six of these books.”

[“According to Discord’s book, the other two were destroyed.”]

“Yes, the Teal Text and Silver Script were the ones supposedly destroyed, and as you can see, we possess those.”

“So what’s the plan, then?” Claymore questioned.

“You and Silver Claw go retrieve the book,” Nocturne ordered.

“Don't think that's gonna happen. He's got some plan of his going right now that he can't leave. That's why he ain't here. I'll take the stripe head and the bird with me. Both of them have been too lazy as of late, anyway,” Claymore explained.

“Fine. I do not care who goes so long as it is retrieved. Each book has more parts to the ceremony. While all of them say what is needed to perform it, they all leave out certain details that the others cover. I wish to gather all the books to have a full understanding of this before we proceed.”

“Make sense to me.” Scarlet shrugged.

Claymore stareed at Scarlet and sighed. “Alright, since yer all avoiding it, I'll ask. What the hell is up with that goofy looking outfit ,mare?”

“I don't have to tell you shit, Claymore,” Scarlet snapped, still wearing the Mare-Do-Well outfit, sans hood and hat.
[“I will admit to a bit of curiosity myself.”]

“Hmm, why are you wearing that? Judging by the state it is in, armor is not the reason, and you need not any aid to hide with your skills,” Nocturne pointed out.

“Bah, fine... Like our lizard, I have a contact. Unlike Silver Claw, my contact is in Canterlot. This costume is of someone that the papers consider a local hero. I have a bit more freedom running about in Canterlot with it because of that. If, by chance, I am seen, no one is going to bother a local hero or even consider it suspicious. I wore it hoping that the effect would be the same on the Canterlot Guards at the volcano, thinking a hero came to help or something like that. I didn't expect Pelt and the others to show up as well. My intel also did not include the information that Jer'rahd was a captive of the Love Cursed Ones.”

“That was unexpected, though considering what we saw him do in the garden, it is easy to see why Celestia would send a force to rescue him. If he was turned to the changelings, we may even have fallen to the swarm,” Nocturne stated.
Scarlet sighed. “Do we know who has used the books? I do not want any more surprise gods dropping on my head.”

“The Teal text lists several. I am unsure if this is all of them, but there is quite the list,” Nocturne replied, flipping open the book to the list. “Jer'rahd Kaisur, Princess Luna, Queen Crystal, King Sanguine. There are a host of various names here— several pages’ worth; not many that are recognizable, though. Queen Aqua, Andrew the Brobdingnagian, Queen Clopopatria, Discord, some princess named Aviana and a host of others. To be honest, there is no telling if any of them are still alive or dead. As such, we must proceed with caution and expect any of these to possibly be near the books.”

“Yes, that is news I really wanted to hear,” Claymore cursed. “Fine, guess it's better than sitting around here. Get yer shit together, stripes; soon as we find the bird, we're going on an adventure.”

[“Oh yay...”]

====================================================

Journal entry 7,
4-04-6407 AD

We have come across an entrance that we may be able to use. It has taken us some time to bring the rest of the camp to the forward camp. The main camp will still be used for those who cannot deal with the smell of the rancid carcass as it rots, though I have been here long enough that I can barely remember what fresh air smells like.

We saw the ship off, though before it left, I offered the young colt some bits to keep the discovery to himself and perhaps try and persuade his mother to come with the next supply run to offer information on the structure. He refused the bits and explained that his mother had been killed in the events of Nightmare Night, and would not have helped them anyway. He warned us again to leave, and when he was refuted, he refused to have any more to do with us.

The captain was informed it was a dormant volcano by Chime, and that we would be staying to survey everything, and that supplies would still need to be delivered as per the agreement.

We did not bother to watch the ship sail out of the bay. Chime and I returned to the forward camp as rapidly as we could; the crew was only waiting for our return before breaching the entrance.

On our return, there was a great deal of panic going on. The birds had all gone and the remains of the creature were calcifying into a strange bone-like rock rather rapidly. The change had happened so suddenly that several birds that had been trying to feed were caught in the newly formed stone, trapped in the rock.

Moss was doing her best to rouse the team to save as many as they could, though a large number of them were mired to deep in the rock and expired before they were able to be freed.

The samples we had taken remained rotting flesh, so likely, whatever had caused the strange process was focused on the main body under the towering monolith. Golden pointed out that it made a twisted sort of sense: even if the creature the castle was built on died, the structure would not fall if a solid foundation was created below it.

Truly Discord was a mad creature to have concocted this sort of thing.

==============================================

“Twilight, you're headed out already?” Spike asked, watching the unicorn as she started packing things into her already-overloaded saddle bags.

“I need to. The Princess is waiting for a full report from me on what happened and what’s going on, and she wants me to meet the ambassadors form Saddle Arabia as well. Besides, you know I can't leave that lot alone for very long. Zecora is keeping an eye on them for me right now, but who knows what’s going to happen,” Twilight responded as she continued packing. “In the state Jer'rahd is in, there's no telling what’s going to happen.”

“Right... oh, before I forget, you got a letter from Octavia.”

“Really? That's kinda odd. What did it say?”

“She says that the opening of the new music school in Canterlot is coming up on... let’s see, the seventh... wait, that's tomorrow. She says the last album that was made from the first Platinum Swan concert did so well, they managed to create a music school for Platinum in Canterlot rather than just donate the money to other schools. It says that Princess Luna actually extended the Pelt Grant to include music scholarships for the new school. She sent us two tickets to the opening. There's going to be a festival with live music for the opening featuring the Platinum Swan, and being headlined by... HOLY BUCK!!! Pontera is going to be playing!”

“Who? Never mind. Send her a letter thanking her but... it's tomorrow?”

“Yeah! Can we go?”

“A School for Platinum... I think Bleu would love this, and it might cheer her up. I never even told her about anything I've done with the music. This is perfect. Maybe it will get Jer'rahd out of whatever state he’s in, too. Thanks Spike. Now I gotta go; I have a train to catch.”

Spike blinked as the tickets were yanked out of his claw, along with the letter, by Twilight's magic as she rushed out the door, leaving the little dragon standing there staring after her.

“ But...Yeah... not like I really wanted to go, anyway...” Spike sighed.

=========================================================

Journal entry 8,
4-05-6407 AD

The entry was discovered during a small scouting mission around the base of the castle. On closer examination, it is quite clear that this thing was a castle at one point. Its time at the bottom of the sea since the Darklands sunk turned it into some sort of strange mobile reef. It was the creature’s movements that made the furrow in the earth. A large mound of rock and dirt was piled before it, covering the forward half of the dead creature. Its movements and weight had simply pushed the soil up before it as it moved. The question remained as to why, however.

The doorway was a curiosity, as it was clearly not part of the castle originally. A great double door of some unknown metal seemed to have been bolted into a frame that may have once held a much more normal door. The doorway was covered with runes and marks in a language I recognized as Aquian, or Sea Pony.

The warnings struck me as odd, as they were common symbols for various undersea threats, sharks lava vents, and other dangers. They all seemed to have been written by more than one hoof, or fin in this case, but there was no clear information on what was inside— just multiple warnings to keep away.

Chime thought perhaps it was a way of marking ‘no trespassing’ to those under water. Since the creature was dead and we were on dry land, then there should be no problem, with half of the dangers listed and the other half would likely be dead by the time we got to them inside.

I agreed, and work on opening the doors began.

====================================================

Rhede sighed, taking a sip of his ‘coffee’, as it was called. It was nasty stuff, really, but he had never felt this awake in his life.

The journal was an interesting read, though it was not telling him anything useful yet. There were a number of pictures of wildlife and maps that had not aged well, though the artistry of them was the same as the image of the book, and all save the maps were initialed with a VM. This confirmed what he had deduced about the changeling hive being a Discord's castle. The sea pony writing was a bit odd, though everything else made sense. With the normal wear and tear of weather, the limestone and coral would have worn and collected enough sediment to look like a mountain in a thousand years.
Still, this did nothing yet to tell him about the Silver Script and what it might contain. Several pages were missing from the journal, though a few had been recovered and he had pieced the disintegrating paper together carefully enough to copy a transcript.

It was slow, tedious work, though the occasional distraction from his new companion did help break up the monotony more than a little. Not to mention he now was in possession of a star metal dagger that had somehow escaped Celestia's purge of the element.

Of course, Dusty still claimed that she had not been paid in full yet, and he was not one to complain about that.
He had expected some sort of subterfuge or attempts at information gathering on the griffon’s behalf. Instead, she seemed solely fixated on exactly what she said she wanted.

A refreshing bit of honesty, though he still was not fully trusting of her motives.

========================================================

Journal entry 9,
4-07-6407 AD

Well, that was a rather unexpected event. We have two ponies injured who will be headed home on the next supply delivery. One of the porters broke both his back legs and the other suffered a mild concussion and an eye injury. The rest of us gathered about the door received minor injuries; those two were the ones who opened the doors. As soon as the seal was broken, the ocean itself came to meet us.

The door was sealed with some sort of mud and stone mix that the sea ponies used. Moss stated it was taken from the adhesive that barnacles clung to ships with. As soon as that seal was broken, the double doors all but blew off their hinges, causing the injuries and sending the rest of us tumbling down the hill with the force of the draining water.

We spent the next few days collecting all the items that had rushed out of the castle along with the water.

There was nothing of any real value: a few grinning statues of who I assumed was Discord, a great many sea pony furnishings and art, and a great many ruined tomes and surface items, likely stolen or salvaged.

There were also a large number of live fish and at least fifteen nearly skeletal sea pony bodies.

Any thoughts of a fish dinner quickly died when we figured out their food source.

Water is still flowing out of the front doors, though with not any notable force, the mass of water seems to be pushing towards the swamp rather than the furrow caused by the castle's passage. This is a boon for us, as that is where we set up both camps. It would be a waste of time to move them again.

We are already behind the schedule we were trying to set due to the injuries. It has been four days now, and we have accomplished very little.

The suspense is what is getting to me.

==================================================

“...GAAAAH, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?” Rainbow Dash shouted, landing on a cloud and glaring at Starfall.

“Err, nothing… umm, why do you ask?” Starfall muttered, landing on another cloud.

“Bull crap. I don't know what you saw in the volcano, but you’re the only one who seems to have anything wrong aside from that Jer'rahd guy.

“Bleu is actually rather depressed as well.”

“Yeah, well…Wait, that’s not the point! What is causing you to be chicken now?”

“I am not being chicken.”

“You freaked out when I did a simple stunt and you've been trying to get me to stop by saying they were too dangerous. Those were my warm up exercises! Then you refused to show me a couple of moves that you promised you would before. I wanna know why the heck you are doing this sort of crap now.”

“Umm, no reason...”

“Oh, come on! You wielded the Element of Honesty. You suck at lying, just like AJ, so stop trying.”
Starfall winced, withering a little under the menacing glare the younger pegasus was giving her.

“Well... umm, your friend Twilight...”

“Yesss, what about Twilight?”

“Well she told me that we were related... like my grand, I dunno whatever a thousand years is, granddaughter.”
Dash blinked, staring at the other pegasus, then slapped her face with a hoof.

“Oh for buck’s sake! Why did she tell you that? Geez! That explains why you suddenly turned into a wuss around me.”

“Hey, that's not fair...”

“No, you listen. I read the book, I know how you are. And I am stopping it right now. I don't need a mother,” Dash snapped, her ears flattening to her head, “so get that thought out of your head.”

“Twilight said your own mother abandoned you so… I thought…”

“GAH, WHY DID I TELL HER THAT?! Look ,I never met my mother, and my father only came by the orphanage a few times to try and pretend to be a dad. After I threw a fit over Cloudsdale not hosting the Equestrian games, I never saw him again. Evidently, all he wanted was a perfect angel, and that's not me. I don't need or want a mother. And if this sort of crap is what you are going to do when you’re in that mother hen mindset of yours, I can go train on my own again. I don't need or want that sort of crap.”

“But...”

“NO BUTS! I 'm gonna have to slap Twilight upside the head over this. When you just thought of me as a skilled flier, it was a different story, I might have learned something and you were pretty cool. If today is any indication, that's over. Yer trying to show me stuff I mastered in grade school ‘cause it's safe. GAH, forget it. I'll train myself from now on, you go do whatever it is that leader of yours wants you to do and leave me alone.”

“I just...”

“Look, I AM NOT YOUR DAUGHTER! She's a thousand years dead and gone. The faster you get that in your head, the better off you'll be.” Dash growled, kicking off the cloud and leaving Starfall alone.

=================================

Journal entry 10,
4-09-6407 AD

The search of the castle has been rather slow going. Nearly all of the closed rooms are still filled with water and much of what was in them, not of seapony make, is ruined. Rather disappointing, really, or it was until we found that the uppermost parts of the castle were dry— untouched by the sea.

We set out to have a look over everything before we started a more thorough search of the dry area. A few sea pony bodies were in this area, though they seemed more ripped apart than simply gnawed on by fish. That should have been our first warning.

It was Chime and his team who discovered the cause; unfortunately, the discovery cost one of his group’s number their life. They were exploring the uppermost section of the castle when they were set upon by dozens of monstrosities. They lost one of the griffons before they realized what was going on and counterattacked.

I will say this about Chime's troops: they are very skilled, and if they have a purpose, they are bloody effective. The death of one of their own gave them the purpose. By the time the rest of the group got up there after the first scream, a dozen of the monsters lay dead and the group was fanning out seeking the rest, destroying them where they hid.
Looking over the bodies of the creatures and the one dead member of the team was done in total silence save for the scream of the monsters and the rage of the warriors that were killing them.

Moss broke the silence with one word, a word that gave name to the monsters and mad the castle all the more threatening by its utterance.

'Trolls.'

=============================================

“Forget it. I have no plans to go anywhere, Sparkle.” Jer'rahd muttered.

“Jeez; trust me, this is for your own good. You and Bleu need to get up and go to this,” Twilight fussed.

“Hey, if Boss ain't going, neither am I,” Bleu stated, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Oh no, I might accept a ‘no’ from this lout, but you are going to this festival if I have to drag you by your tail, Bleu,” Twilight snapped.

“Sounds like a good idea. I really don't need an angry and depressed dragonling around me right now, anyway,” Jer'rahd stated. ”She's getting annoying.”

“What was that, emo colt? I'm surprised you aren’t listening to angsty teen music and wearing black eyeshadow yet!”

“What the heck is an emo? Some kinda bird?” Jer'rahd asked, frustrating Bleu further.

“Never mind. Let's just go, Sparkle Butt; I can't handle being near mopey pants here much longer, either,” Bleu snarled, hopping on Twilight's back.

“We'll be back later to check on you, Jer'rahd,” Twilight added.

“Don't rush,” Jer'rahd replied as the pair headed out the door. He sighed lightly, looking to the open window across from him, his eyes narrowing.

“I can hear you out there, Starfall. Go ahead and come in before somepony spots you and tell me what the heck has got you bawling like a foal.”

===================================================

Journal entry 12,
4-17-6407 AD

As I stated in my last note, the troll bodies were odd. Moss has spent quite a bit of time studying them and deduced that they were some sort of aquatic variety, having fins and gills. They seemed to be surviving on the fish that were trapped in the tower. At least, that was the first thought. In one of the flooded rooms, we found a pit still filled with water that led down into a jagged rocky cavern that seemed to tunnel under the castle. We soon realized that the rocky tunnel was the petrified remains of the creature that made up the castle. The trolls had been eating the castle from the inside out. That would explain why it had left the sea and tried to forge inland before it died; it had been driven mad by the pain of slowly being eaten.

We removed the bodies of the trolls and sea ponies, burning both in a pyre well away from the castle. Chime set his troops on full guard and would not allow any of us to go anywhere without at least one of them until he was sure the keep was clear. No pony had any problem with this.

================================================

“So you were left again?” Silver Claw muttered. “Not exactly what I would consider a fair situation, particularly since all the work you put into the books and she gives the ticket to another, ignoring your obvious desire to go to this festival.”

“I know, right? She didn't even listen to me the short time she was back. I still have no idea what even went on or if everyone is alright,” Spike sighed, dropping his chin into his hands as Silver Claw stretched out on a large rock across the clearing, soaking up the sun. “I get that Jer'rahd is alright, but I have no clue about any of the others.”

“If she managed to come home to sleep, then I am sure they are fine. At least she let you know that much,” Silver Claw muttered letting the dragonling rant.

“Bah, she only came back to grab a couple of books, then she took off again as soon as she woke up,” Spike sighed. “Not fair in the slightest. It's like she doesn't even care so long as I keep the library running.”

“She is simply busy with all that is going on. I am sure she has never done anything like this before,” Silver Claw commented idly.

Spike winced and sighed. “More and more often, it seems. Not the first time she’s run off to do something fun and left me to do her work for her.”

“It cannot be that bad, or I am sure you would have left before.”

“Yeah, that didn't work out too well. Almost got eaten by another dragon.” Spike grumbled. “She had to run up and rescue me along with that owl of hers.”

“Well she did save you, so there is that.”

“Yeah, but her ignoring me is what started that whole thing to begin with.” Spike threw his hands in the air. “It's not like I expect her to fawn over me , but a 'nice job Spike', 'thanks for the help Spike' or at least allowing me to tag along to some of the stuff she does would be better than being stuck at home. Of course, it's not like I can do much of anything about it for a good number of years yet.”

“Well, you are still a hatchling for all purposes, god or not. You still have not even discovered what you are the god of. I have not noticed anything odd about you save for the energy you radiate that marks you as a god. Well, that and your ability to tolerate all the annoyances in your life.”

“See? Even you are pointing out I can't do anything.”

“Not entirely true; while your rambling is somewhat annoying, I am quite cheered due to your apparent commitment to learn more about your kind. I still hope you plan to aid me with the rebuilding of our race.”

“I am still on the fence about that. I mean, I've read a lot of what was done, and I've seen how the dragons act nowadays. Something needs to be done; I still don't think I am the one to do it. And I still don't trust you.”

“Good. I have done little to actually earn your trust, though I have also done nothing to betray it, unlike those you currently call friends, if your rambling is any indication.”

“Just ... stop... I'm not going to help you with that. It's bad enough I am still coming out here three days after finding out who you are to talk.”

“I told you I will handle that part on my own. I only need your aid in rebuilding the dragon empire. I may also have a way to aid you and that task at the same time. I have other caves from my time as Mustang; I made a number of lairs around Equestria. Most of them have been found out this far in the future, but several have not, including one not far away in the Everfree Forest that is of significant importance.”

“Why is that one important? It have your horde there or something?”

“Some of it, though that is not the reason. This lair was not found and remained sealed. It contains my personal library.
While not as large as the one lost in Cindervale or even as large as the one you now reside in, it has a number of tomes that give the history of the Dragon Empire, as well as the rules and codes created in the Empire’s heyday. There are a number of a pony books as well, and a fair amount of books of a fictitious nature, including a rather insulting one about the tale of Kaisur and his sidekick. I am highly amused that bit of smut survived.”

“Yeah, so what about it? Does this mean you have a few books for me to read instead of just your word?”
“Indeed I do, though with how rare they are, I will not be risking them outside of the cavern. However, if you wish to study them, you are more than welcome to go there. This will keep you out of the coming conflict and give you time to decide on if you wish to aid with the rebuilding of the empire or not.”

“Why would I want to go anywhere with you?” Spike grumbled.

“Considering how much you complain about your current living conditions, I thought a change might be good for you. It is not as if I need to watch over you all the time, and I know you understand the care of rare books. If it is not to your taste, it is perhaps a day’s journey back to Ponyville and the comfort of your solitude in the library and your foal sitting duties, but the choice is up to you. Learn what it means to be a proper dragon, or stay with those who treat you as little more than a pet or an inconvenience. Unlike them, I could truly use your help to rebuild what my race has lost,” Silver Claw remarked. “The only thing stopping you from learning more about dragons is you, and the ties you have to those who do not seem to feel the same.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 17,
6-07-6407 AD

We have finally completed our months’ long exploration of the tower. We have sent our dead and injured back on the supply ship. A wave of new ponies has come as well, and our expedition has swollen to a rather large sixty-three members.
At Chime’s and Moss's insistence, we have sent no word back on what we have found and the few sent back have been silenced with a sizable collection of bits, as well as the agreement to acknowledge their contributions when the time to reveal our findings comes. All of the new team members have agreed to the same treatment.

A rather sizable trove of random artifacts of both Discordian and sea pony make has already been recovered, as well as a rather large collection of precious metals and gems.

Moss was quite excited with the finds in some of the still-flooded areas. She also had plenty of notes to take on the trolls and sea ponies before they were disposed of.

Chime and I, however, made the greatest discovery in a half-destroyed chamber the trolls had been using. The chamber looked to be prepared for some sort of ritual— strange lines and archaic writings covered the place. We first thought it Discordian, but the runes were proven to be sea pony. In the center of the chamber was a large pedestal with a single book in the middle of it.

While investigating it, we found that it was written wholly in some sort of dialect of sea pony, though as Chime and I watched, the script changed itself to Equestrian. It was at that moment that the pair of us first heard the voice.

It had a feminine tone to it, and Chime seemed to be certain it was being flirtatious in its discourse with him. With me, it was rather straight to the point. It asked that it be called by its proper name.

'The Silver Script.'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sparkle Butt, what the heck is all this?” Bleu questioned, standing up on Twilight's back and looking over the mass of ponies, griffons, and other creatures filling the large park in front of a massive stage.

There were vendors everywhere, selling everything from ice cream to flugelhorns and everything in between. A number of small stages, that were little more than planks stacked on barrels in some cases, filled all the other open spaces. Each had a performer of some kind atop it, the mish mashed melodies drowning out normal conversation anywhere near the impromptu stages and joined with the other performers to create a mad cacophony of noise everywhere else.

Bleu resisted the urge to fly up and check everything out, wondering exactly was going on. The main stage was little more that an open platform with the wings hidden by curtains. A large building behind the stage was partially covered as well, with a massive curtain hiding the entire front of the building. A few small statues were scattered around on pedestals in the park. Bleu did not recognize any of the names of them, though most were depicted with an instrument of some kind and a small plaque depicting what they were best known for.

“It's a music festival, Bleu,” Twilight explained.” A rather special one at that, now if only I could find the... ahhh there she is. SCRATCH! MISS SCRATCH, OVER HERE!”

Bleu looked to the pony Twilight was yelling at— a white unicorn mare with wild blue hair and a pair of purple sunglasses covering her eyes. The mare grinned, trotting over to the pair of them.

“Yo grape flavor, what’s up? Didn't think you would make it when we didn't get any sort of response from you,” Vinyl chuckled, looking up at Bleu. “Hey who's this? Yah trade in the purple assistant for a newer model with wings or something?”

“No, this is Bleu; Spike is still at the library. He wanted to come, but you only gave us the two tickets.”

“Babe, this whole deal is thanks to you. If you'd have told us to let the entire Canterlot guard in for free we woulda done it. Shoulda brought him any way.”

“Ooh I hadn't thought of that... maybe I should try to get him an autograph or something. He seemed interested that Pontera or whoever was playing.”

“Hah, little dragons a Pontera fan. Figures. You can ask Tavi ‘bout that one; I was supposed to meet her here someplace.
She and the lead singer kinda hit it off; bet she’s back stage now giving that lucky colt some special encouragement for a good show.”

“Watch your tongue, Vinyl. You should not be gossiping about someone else when most of your trysts are near public knowledge, or need I remind you about that debacle with Spitfire?” Octavia snapped, trotting up behind Vinyl.

“Heh, speak of the devil. So what kept you? A little sucky-sucky five bits on yer new colt friend?”

“Certainly not!”

“Then what’s that white stuff on your face?” Bleu remarked in mock seriousness.

Twilight slapped her face with a hoof as Tavi blushed, rapidly wiping her already-clean face. Vinyl simply fell over, laughing her flank off.

“That was great! I like you, little lizard,” Vinyl gasped out between her laughter.

“Scratch, do you not need to be in the sound booth with the show this close to starting?” Octavia muttered coldly.

“Oh yeah. Later, li’l lizard; nice seeing yah again. Grape. A genius's work is never done.”

“That explains why you are often unemployed,” Octavia snapped at the retreating Vinyl.
Bleu chuckled. “I like her. She's silly.”

“Yes, well, ‘tis a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Sparkle, though I did expect you to bring Mister Spike along with you. Who might this be?”

“This is Bleu Scale,” Twilight stated again.

“Ahh, nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Scale. I am afraid I do not know of many dragons, though you are the second one I have heard of with that name. Is it a common one?”

“Not that I know of. I was the only one I ever knew named Bleu Scale, and I had other dragons refuse to acknowledge it as a real name cause my sister gave it to me,” Bleu remarked.

“Sorry to hear that. I see nothing wrong with the name. though I would like to welcome you and Miss Sparkle to the opening of ommmph,” Octavia started, stopping as Twilight put a hoof to the gray earth pony’s muzzle.

“Sorry, but I don't want her to know what this is about until it’s fully revealed.” Twilight commented, getting a strange look from both the pony and the dragonling.

“Well, I suppose... though you could have refrained from shoving your hoof in my mouth.”

“Sorry,” Twilight remarked. “Oh, Vinyl said you could help with getting an autograph or something from this Pontera group?”

“Um yes, well, the lead singer and I… well, I suppose since he is in costume, I should use that ridiculous stage name he has of Bloodmoon, met some time ago when we were first trying to publish the music you gave us. He pulled a few strings with his record label, Black Shuck, and made it happen. Since then, he has been supporting this endeavor rather single mindedly. Despite his appearance on stage, he is quite the quiet shy type with a strong interest in all musical types.”

A loud guitar riff from the curtained stage followed by a mass of fireworks drew everyone’s attention, along with a loud cheer. Octavia smirked and gestured for the pair to follow her.

“Did I say single-mindedly? I meant dramatically, as when in costume, he seems not to have any other way about him. Frankly, I find it rather annoying, though I can see the appeal of it for the younger generation. I still prefer him out of costume; he is much calmer. I am sure he would be willing to sign something for Mister Spike.”

She trotted up a ramp into a large booth standing on stilts before the stage. Vinyl and another white unicorn mare were already up there working the sound boards and firework triggers, both wearing large ear phones. Vinyl glanced to them as they climbed up, smirking with a nod, though the other unicorn ignored them.

“Be sure not to touch anything in here or Bass will throw us all out, I am sure,” Octavia commented, getting a rude gesture from the mentioned unicorn. “At any rate, Pontera playing here is one of the reasons the crowd is so large. There is only going to be one song, though it is a preview track from one of their albums that has not come out yet. After they are finished, the Platinum Swan shall preform a number of songs before it finishes with the song that started this being sung by Fleur of all ponies with Pontera offering back up accompaniment. At the end of that I will conduct the opening ceremony.”

“Wait, the Platinum Swan? The Platinum Swan? Sparkle Butt, what the heck is going on here?” Bleu comments bouncing about on twilight's back.

“Can you shush and just listen, Bleu,” Twilight snapped, ignoring the glare from the dragonling. That glare faded as a strange rhythmic twanging started from the stage as the curtain was raised.

The stage was dark, save for a spotlight on a black suited pony playing a strange instrument that was giving off the rather eerie music. Bleu and Twilight both stiffened at the sight of the tall, lanky pony. He had no face, and tendrils of darkness emerged from his back to wave about in time with the music.

“Wha,.. what is that?” Twilight questioned.

“Oh, one of the band’s costumes. Bloodmoon tracked down a pony from Saddle Arabia who could play the sitar solely for this song. The costume is some creature from his homeland called Slender pony or some such rubbish. I warn you, the other band members are all in very realistic alicorn costumes. Bloodmoon is really a pegasus, while his brother on the bass is a unicorn, the drummer is a earth pony. Jerrad, Nico, and Percussive respectively. Now shush,” Octavia commanded.

A soft voice with a rather smooth tone reverberated from the darkness as a spotlight illuminated a black alicorn stallion with dark blue hair that fluttered and flowed about his head, not unlike Princess Luna's.

“There must be some way out of here
Said the zebra to the chief.
There's too much confusion
and there is no relief...”
“The ponies they clear my vines
Plow mares dig my earth.
Cutting along my tree line,
Exposing more of the earth.”

The drums kicked up with a thunder as a soft bass and guitar began to play, backing up the sitar player. A white alicorn with flaming orange hair was on the bass, his magic pricking across the strings. A brown alicorn sat at the drums, his black hair flicking across the spectrum of visible light as he laid into the drums.

“No reason for you to worry
the chief he kindly spoke
there are ponies among us
who do not fear the poison joke
But we both know a cure for that
our words still carry weight
these lands do not suffer for now
We can change its fate.”

The sitar and guitar started, for lack of a better term, wailing, before the music built into a crescendo. The singer dipped his head a little, his wings flicking across the powder blue guitar he held.

“All along the Everfree
Princess kept the views
while all the ponies came and went
element bearers too.
Outside in the forest
A manticore growls
The forest began stirring,
And the wind began to howl, YEAH!”

The music kicked up again from the crescendo, and the band laid into the end of the song fully.

“All along the Everfree.”

The music slowly began to die, ending with a last few energetic notes before dying out completely to the scream and carrying on of the crowd.

Bleu stared at the stage and the band, her mouth agape as Twilight rubbed her ears.

“Well, that was certainly loud. No wonder Spike likes them,” Twilight muttered.

“Well, it was an attempt at an environmental song about the rapid deforestation of certain parts of the Everfree, though he feels the message won't carry unless it, as he puts it, 'has a kick-ass song to go with it.'” Octavia sighed. “Frankly, I do not share his opinions of what is good, let alone kick-arse.”

“Get over yerself, Tavi, you know you love it,” Vinyl laughed. “Anyway, is Lyra gonna be able to handle your spot with the Swan?”

“She only specializes in the harp; she is a talented pony who can play a number of things. I have had too much else to do with setting everything up here to have practiced with them for this,” Octavia commented, looking to Bleu. “Not to alarm you, Miss Sparkle, but your companion seems to have gone catatonic.”

“I am surprised she lasted this long; this will be the first new music she has probably ever heard, let alone music with this sort of style. Once the Platinum Swan starts, I am sure she will be fine,” Twilight replied.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF LUNA'S FIRM SLAPPABLE RUMP WAS THAT!?” Bleu shouted, falling off Twilight's back.

“Or sooner,” Twilight sighed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 19,
6-17-6407 AD

Chime and I have been studying the tome we found. Apart from the rather creepy ability it has to speak with us, it is filled with a number of names and rituals for various purposes, few of them benign. It is with some interest that I take note of the names Princess Luna and Jer'rahd Kaisur in this tome.

We questioned what had happened, and it simply explained that it was once part of a collection with three other tomes in Queen Aqua's library. With the destruction of Neighlantis, it was cast adrift with a number of survivors who sought shelter in this sunken tower. They resided in the tower for a short time before they were beset by Scrags, or aquatic trolls.
In desperation, the few surviving sea ponies tried to enact a ritual within its pages. The ritual had been used by the queen and her consort. The queen had gained tremendous power and her consort had become the behemoth protector of Neighlantis until they were defeated by the treachery of the Princess of Night using the stolen power of the other tomes.
The group had started the ritual with hopes to gain power, and perhaps their own god-like abilities with which to rebuild the nearly destroyed sea pony race, when the Scrags found their way inside and fell upon them, killing nearly all of the sea ponies present. The few survivors sealed the door and fled, leaving the ritual incomplete and the book in the claws of the Scrags.

The book was unsure how the castle had wound up on dry land, though it was aware of the Scrags feeding on something. It lay undisturbed on the pedestal for what it assumed to be years before we recovered it.
Chime collaborated a bit of its story, knowing that Nightmare Moon had indeed beset the city of Neighlantis; that encounter was what brought about the events of the dreaded Nightmare Night.

The story had interest for me as well, though not in the explanation of history or what happened in the castle. I was rather curious about this ritual that could make gods of mortals.

A pipe dream, really, as I had no belief that it could be done, although...

It is best I not continue this train of thought. This thing is an artifact that needs to be brought to the princess to let her deal with it. If even half the power in its pages was true, then it was something far beyond what we should have access to.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So that's what happened?” Jer'rahd mused. “Sorry.”

“Don't be. I brought it on myself. I just hope I can fix it somehow. I don't want someone else hating me like that,” Starfall muttered.

“She is not your daughter, Starfall; you know this. Trying to make her into something she’s not will not end well for you,” Jer'rahd sighed.

“I know, but....”

“Starfall. Just be glad you even had a daughter to be missing. Mine was not even real, and I am still depressed over it.”

“Yeah, that is pretty bucked up. So what do we do?”

“Well, if Rhede was here, I am sure he would tell us to just fuck and get it over with.”

“Sorry, General, you are not my type. You need a decent pair of wings before I would even consider that.”

“That's fine, my next mare friend is going to die anyway if the pattern holds true.”

“Luna didn't die, General; she just turned into a monster.”

“Close enough to death; she no longer existed, and the mare that holds her name now is not the same one we once knew, either. Our Luna is dead, and Nightmare Moon betrayed our belief in her just as we betrayed her to Celestia.”

“Fine, I am too depressed to have this argument. So what, should we just track down some training weapons and spar ‘til we get over this crap? That's the usual plan for you after something happens. At least, it has been since you can't drink anymore. I do feel like working out some frustrations.”

“No, I have a better idea this time.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 20,
6-24-6407 AD

It seems I have made a mistake. Chime and I were going to be tight-lipped on the results of our study with the book, though I let what we found slip while basking in the afterglow of one of Golden and my... liaisons.

She was far more interested in the possibilities than she should be. The concept of immortality likened to the Princesses or other gods was a tempting fruit. To be able to live to see what the future held, to experience history as it happened, to chart the world with no fear of injury or age that would stall mortals.

Suffice to say, Golden's descriptions of what could be done with an immortal lifetime were much more vivid than my own.
Perhaps the book bears more consideration.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a brief explanation of rock music from Octavia, with snide comments added by both Vinyl and Bass, Bleu went silent.
Twilight was a little worried at first on how the dragonling would react, though as the classical music playing Platinum Swan took the stage, Bleu went silent. Twilight noted it was not from anything wrong, but from rapt, and somewhat judgmental, attention she was paying to the group’s playing.

Octavia seemed rather concerned with what Twilight's reaction to the music was, though she seemed to be surprised at the rapt attention Bleu was paying the playing.
Vinyl, at this point, had dozed off.

When the last few deep cords of the cello faded for the song, Bleu finally spoke.

“Not bad, not bad at all, though it's all wrong,” Bleu muttered.

“What do you mean?” Octavia asked.

“They had three songs, and they only played orchestra pieces. Not familiar with the composers of any of them, but seriously, is that all they play? Just orchestral?”

“Usually, yes. This is not the whole group, though the Platinum Swan is the premier orchestra in the world.”

“Impressive accomplishment, I suppose, though they missed the point.”

“Then what was the point?” Octavia watched the dragon, clearly getting rather miffed at Bleu, though she let the dragonling speak.

“Music itself is the point. They were never supposed to play only one type of music. There's hundreds of cultures and races with their own taste and their own styles of music. I mean, the Platinum Swan's first play list pulled from pony, griffon, zebra and dragon music types... okay, so the dragon culture was represented by me and I’m a terrible dragon, but still. We also altered the griffons’ song to fit better with our audience, but that's not the point, either. The goal was to play a bit of everything. Yeah, this orchestra stuff is nice, but it's too strict, too set in one path. Not everyone is gonna like it, so it fails in what the point is,” Bleu ranted. “Least, that was how it was supposed to be. Guess this is the end result... pretty, but diluted.”

“While rather poetic, I must say you have quite a bit of hubris to claim to know exactly what the Platinum Swan should be about. I apologize for my ire, Miss Sparkle, but who does your companion think she is?”

“One of the founders of the Platinum Swan. And the partner of the one the group was named for.”

“What!?”

“Miss Octavia, when I introduced her as Bleu Scale, I meant she is THE Bleu Scale. She is one of the founders of the Platinum Swan and the main singer in the last collection I gave you and Miss Scratch.”

“Yeah, I thought she looked a little familiar, but all lizards look the same to me,” Vinyl snarked.

“If yah took off yer glasses every so often, you might see stuff apart from a purple blur, Scratch,” Bass grumbled with a chuckle.

Octavia seemed stunned at the revelation, and Twilight was sure Bleu was going to lay into her when the first few strains of a new song filled the air.

“Woop, looks like Pontera and the swans are set up, and there's Fleur,” Vinyl commented, sliding her hoof over a few switches.

Bleu's eyes widened as the notes were repeated in the sound check as a rather lithe white unicorn mare trotted onto the stage wearing a rather ornate gown. The mare stopped before the mike in the center stage. The lights on the stage dimmed until she was the only one visible, humming the first lines to herself as the band finished the set up.

“Wha... that song.... I know that song... Sparkle, HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT SONG?!” Bleu shouted, glaring at the Purple unicorn.

“We do not have the real name for it, so it was simply called Platinum's Last Song when it was published,” Octavia commented, still reeling from the revelation of who Bleu was, her focus fully on the dragonling now.

A visible shiver ran down the dragonling’s spine as the music began again, the clear notes of Fluer's voice filling the air.

“A falling star fell from your heart...”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 21,
7-04-6407 AD

Things have taken a rather predictable turn. It seems I am not the only one with loose lips. I was confronted by Moss today.
She had spoken with Chime while the pair was taking a respite from their work.

Chime did indeed have a weakness for alcohol and Moss had happily provided som,e only for a drunken Chime to let slip what we had found.

The elderly mare was positively brimming with excitement, though she wanted more details. It seemed she and Golden shared the idea of wanting to extend their lives so that their work might continue indefinitely. Moss was interested enough she confessed almost planning out how she would live if immortal. She would get to see her granddaughter grow up and have her own children, and she would be able to teach them everything she knew about animals and plant life.

I must confess the old mare rambled for a time, seeming to have forgotten she and her daughter were not on the best terms due to her marrying of a pegasus. Though as excited as Moss was, perhaps this was not the time to bring that up.
Still.

With both Moss and Golden clearly for attempting this ritual, my own hesitation was quickly slipping away.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Rhede sighed, shifting in his seat as the train pulled away from the station. This was a dire situation after all. Scarlet had one of the cursed books— one that was supposedly destroyed. Assuming she was working for Nocturne with the others, it was clear they seemed to be seeking information.

Twilight's history book, now the Silver Script? How had they even known where it was? The only book’s location that was listed in the history book was the Red Tome and the Gray Grimiore, both of which were supposed to be in Tartarus...

Rhede blinked, his ears flattening. According to Twilight and the book Bleu found, Sombra and Chrysilis were also supposed to be in Tartarus. The rant Twilight had overseen made it seem that Sombra had gotten out first and been trapped by Luna and Celesita, along with the Crystal Empire. It was a known fact that Chrysalis’s first appearance in Equestria in this age was an attack on Canterlot and a disruption of a wedding as she sought to take over.

Could it be that the escapees already went into Tartarus and stole the red and gray books, freeing Chrysalis in the process? Exactly how the Crystal Empire suddenly returned after Sombra supposedly cursed it was also in question. Were all these things connected?

He needed to speak with Twilight, Jer'rahd, and Celestia and drill them for every scrap of info he could. There was something there; he knew there was a connection and a reason for what they were doing, but too many pieces were missing.
He would need to scour more of Twilight's library, and the one in Canterlot as well. He needed to know more about Tartarus; hopefully, Celestia still had access to Discord's Book of Blue, though he was not very hopeful on that. That strangely worded little guide might be a wealth of information that he missed last time he read it.

He had not been in the frame of mind to do more than skim it before, and with as smart as Twilight and some of her friends seemed to be, their insight might shed more light on this.

It would be tomorrow morning before the train made it back to Ponyville. He would check on everyone there before heading to Canterlot.

They finally had a hint of a lead as to what Nocturne was doing, and he would not let it slip past him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 24,
8-17-6407 AD

As I have stated in my last few entries, a consensus has been reached among the remaining crew. There are perhaps forty of us left. A conflict broke out among the crew over who would be involved in the ritual.

There was a rather large number of the expedition that did not want any part of this. Some who considered it profane and threatened to inform the Royal Guard as to what we were planning.

I regret their loss, but the gain far outweighs any risk. Chime and his crew should be finishing the graves of those who would try and stop us now. It seems there is no turning back, though once our goal is achieved, what we have done here will only be an unpleasant memory as we move through time unaffected by its cold grip.

The others have started to hear the book speak as well. It is attempting to prepare us for the ritual and what we must endure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia's ears perked up at the sound of conflict outside the throne room where she was holding a meeting with the griffon god. King Sharp Talon bristled, hearing the sound of conflict as well, his eyes widening as an armored guard was sent barreling through the double doors to crash in a bruised heap, followed by several other guards and a couple of griffons as well.

“Pathetic!!” a voice shouted.

“Seriously, you weren’t kidding. Jeez, the training dummies put up more of a fight. How the heck did they manage to storm a volcano without stabbing themselves?”

Celestia groaned, burying her head in her hooves. King Talon looked at her reaction, then back at the door as a pair of ponies trotted in.

A gray unicorn stallion with a sandy blond mane and tail, with a double bladed sword resting on his side strode in first. He sidestepped suddenly, avoiding a griffon diving at him from above. The solider backpedaled in the air to keep from crashing into the ground and slammed head-first into a shield created above it. The impact caused even Celestia to wince as the griffon tumbled to the ground unconscious.

The other pony was a light gray pegasus with a short-cropped mane and tail wearing what looked to be two massive scabbards on her back. A pegasus guard launched himself at her and was casually flung aside with a bat of her wing, sending the armored pony to crash into another guard trying to attack from behind.

“What is the meaning of this!?” King Talon shouted.

”Calm down, Talon. These two are on our side... mostly.” Celestia rolled her eyes as the pair approached. “While I am happy you have recovered, could you simply set up an appointment like everypony else, Kaisur? I do not like having half the Royal Guard applying for medical leave every time you come to see me.”

“Kaisur? This is the pony your strike force rescued?” King Talon growled. “This is the due he pays you for this rescue— attacking your own? Why bother to save him at all?”

Jer'rahd cricked his neck, gesturing back to the mass of unconscious ponies and griffons filling the hall behind them, as well as a few terrified guards and griffon troops were peeking into the throne room, urging each other to try and do something.

“I did that without drawing my blade,” Jer'rahd commented. “Did you really want to see what happens if I get serious? Think of the result if Chrysalis controlled me.”

“We did that, General, though honestly, I expected a bit more fight from the birds,” Starfall sighed. “Did everything go soft in the last thousand years?”

“I told you,” Jer'rahd stated.

“Would you stop patting yourselves on the back long enough to tell me why you interrupted the royal court this time, Kaisur?” Celestia groaned. “And please do not adopt his disregard for authority, Starfall. I do not need two of him.”

“Errr, sorry, Princess. Kinda got caught up in it.” Starfall smirked sheepishly.

“You the one leading the griffons who helped in the fighting at the volcano?” Jer'rahd asked, looking at King Talon.

“I am. What of it?” King Sharp Talon bristled.

Jer'rahd looked him over a moment before nodding. “Thanks for the assist. We'll let you add a few troops to this training as well.”

“I disagree with that General,” Starfall snapped.

“Give it a rest. They are supposed to be on our side this time, and if they turn out not to be, you will have more of a challenge taking them out,” Jer'rahd commented.

“KAISUR!” Celestia shouted. “Why are you here?”

“The request you made before I left for the Crystal Empire. We accept. Training begins tomorrow. Pick your best and his best, and I'll weed out the ones worth a damn. But there are conditions.”

“While that is uplifting news, I doubt I will enjoy your conditions.”

“Only three for now.”

“And?”

“We train them our way.”

“I shall have the medics all on standby.”

“We get our ranks back.”

“General is no longer an existing rank. Guard Captain is the highest rank in the Royal Guard, and there are only three of those at a time. Currently, they are held by Shining Armor, Nicker Fury, and Silver Sword. I am not placing another in that rank.”

“Then put me back to the last rank I served with you as. That's higher than any of those, anyway.”

“Fine, though you shall not be of general rank. You will only be allowed a rank above the guards you are training. The Guard Captains will still be your superiors, and since you will be back in my employ, you will actually listen to what I tell you to do.”

“Fine. Unless you or they order something that I disagree with.”

“That is not how it works.. . gah... What is the last one?”

“You reinstate the 42nd as a valid force.”

“The 42nd were stricken from the Guard record when they all followed you to the Lunar Republic.”

“Then un-strike them. The ones that pass are going to be the new 42nd. I refuse to let anyone that manages to make it through my training be anything as simple as a Royal Guard.”

“You still have issue with the guards?”

“Bleu calls them Rent-a-cops. Not sure of the meaning, but it sounds degrading enough to fit.”

“I do not like the idea of reviving that unit, Kaisur.”

“There are six members of the 42nd alive right now, Celestia, if you count your sister. It has no need to be revived, just reinstated. If the idiots you send our way can be taught, then there will likely be more than enough to make it a proper unit again. Luna's Hoof has gotten dusty and depleted. I plan to bring it back to what it should be.”

“Fine. Though it is a stupid name.”

“You had one of your Royal Guard units calling themselves Celestia's Tail. I don't want to hear it,” Starfall chuckled, covering her mouth quickly and pretending she didn't say anything. “Err, sorry, princess.”

“If the dogs want in, too, tell them to send their best. We have our own task, so once we start, it will be a rush job. We can only spare a week or two tops, maybe less depending on what Rhede has found out. We'll go set up a training spot, you get what you need going, Celestia.”

The pair turned and strode out, sending the few guards still up running for cover. Starfall offered a slight bow to Celestia, ignoring the griffon, though Jer'rahd offered the King a small nod and ignored Celestia.

King Talon watched them as they left, then glared at Celestia as she sighed, sinking down into her throne more.

“Who in your lands were they? I have never heard of such insolence and disrespect. Demanding to have what they want as if they themselves were royalty? I know of the 42nd— they were a unit of your sister’s when she was possessed by the malevolent spirit. What logic would have that fool wish their restoration?”

“King Talon, you have a very interesting distinction. You are the only non-pony god to meet those two and not be either imprisoned or slaughtered. That Kaisur thanked you is possibly unheard of as well. “

“That explains nothing, Princess. Why do you let them speak to you as such? Your own subjects?”

“They are not my subjects. No matter how my sister denies it, they are hers. Jer'rahd Kaisur, also known as The Demon of Dullahan. Starfall Silvertail, also known as the Light of Death. Two of the Five Beasts of the Moon.”

“The Beasts of the Moon? They live? How?”

“A long story, I am glad you actually recall them. Few to none do anymore.”

“I was born after the events of Nightmare Night, princess. I grew up during Equestria's civil war. You may have hidden what they did from your own people, but the griffons and other races remember. This will cause just as much trouble for you as your sister returning, if not more so. That both Princess Luna and The Five Beasts are free will cause no end of panic in some circles. That they seek to restore the 42nd as well.”

“I know. I expect that, though. They will be a great help with what lies ahead. I trust that none of them will fall back to what they were before.”

“You seem far too confident of that.”

“There is a reason why I am not worried about a return of the Lunar Republic.”

“Then you best start explaining that now, Princess. I do hope that your reasons are just, or you will have violated your own treaty. Those who remember the War of Night will not sit by for it to happen again.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 27,
9-01-6407 AD

Tonight is the night. We have gathered all we needed from the castle itself. The seaponies clearly were prepared to invoke the ritual multiple times with all the ingredients gathered.

The book suggested that we utilize them all, as our group was rather large. Its seductive voice had gotten quite strong now, and I could hear it even in my sleep.

I write that I experience a great deal of regret and worry. This is a change that shall perhaps shake the very fabric of the world. Thirty-two new gods suddenly created— the other nations likely would not be tolerant of such things. It was unlikely Princess Celestia would, either. Though she would not seek to destroy us, at worst, we would be imprisoned for a time.
I informed the ship’s captain at his last supply drop that there was an issue with trolls and a number of our expedition was killed. This should give the families of those we had to kill some closure. The last of the funds, as well as a good amount of the treasure we recovered, was sent to the families of those dead as per the agreement.

The die has been cast. When we do not meet the captain at the next supply drop, he will likely assume we have all fallen to the trolls. In truth, we shall be on our way to other lands with our immortality. Once all who would link us to the expedition have passed on, we shall return to Equestria as previously unknown gods. Celestia may remember us, though perhaps the act of ascension will render us unknown to even her.

We can hope, though we may also simply pressure her into leaving us be. Thirty gods against one, no matter her supposed power, would still place the odds in our favor.

It should not come to that, howeve; the Princess does prefer peace to conflict.

---------------------------------------------------

“Alright, Sparkle. What is going on?” Bleu questioned, wiping tears from her eyes as she looked down at the softly smiling unicorn. “Why do they know that song? No, better still, why do they know it so well? That was almost spot-on.”

“I am needed on stage, Miss Sparkle, if you will excuse me. Please do not depart. I wish to speak with both of you again,” Octavia said, slipping out of the booth.

“When I was studying the past, I heard a great many bits of music and songs I had never heard before. At the time, I asked Princess Celestia if there was a way to copy them. She showed me a way to copy the music into a crystal. She also contacted Miss Octavia and Miss Scratch here to help me with what to do with the songs once copied.”

“You... you have a copy of the song... sung by Platinum?” Bleu asked shakily.

“Yep, word for word and tone for tone. Got published real quick, too; made a small fortune with just the single. A voice from the past was the compilation. Most of that money was invested in music schools to help finance some students... then we got another message from Grape here,” Vinyl chuckled, flipping her sunglasses up and looking the dragon and Twilight over.

“That album had a few more songs on it, but damned if it didn't sell even better that the first one. It was enough bits for this.” Vinyl pointed out to the stage where Octavia stood, having just finished thanking everyone involved.

Octavia, the members of the Platinum Swan, Pontera, and Fleur-de-Lis all stood on stage as a pegasus flew over, handing a cord to Octavia. The rope draped over the top of the stage to the massive curtain covering the building behind it.

“The funds of that album were turned into this,” Vinyl finished as Octavia pulled the cord and the curtain fell from the building.

The marble structure practically glowed gold in the setting sun. A massive multistory window took up most of the front of the building. Simple metal braces and lines crossed over the glass and reinforced it, but all of them were strategically placed, and the giant window looked like a page of sheet music.

Bleu swallowed hard, recognizing the song that was displayed by the window.

“I would like to welcome you all to the grand opening of the Platinum School of Music,” Octavia announces to a massive cheer from the crowd.

------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 28,
1-19-6408 AD

This was a horrid mistake. We never should have done it this… this is an abomination.

I must write this down before my wits fully take leave of me as they have the others... even my Golden...

The ritual was completed successfully, though the book did question if any of us had borne the Elements of Harmony before. The artifacts were lost some time ago during the war of Night, so none of us had done so. The book explained there were some side effects to former wielders and urged we progress.

The ritual was performed and finished as it should be, though none of us felt the slightest bit different after it was done.
Chime was the first to test our supposed immortality, drawing his blade and running it across his foreleg. We all watched as the wound rapidly healed itself before our eyes and left no scar or sign there was a wound, save for the blood on his fur.
We rejoiced, taking the Silver Script’s laughter as participation in our merriment.

It was not the case.

Moss was the first one afflicted, as she was the most ill of health out of all of us. Her temper soured and her anger grew. One day, she vanished into the woods, leaving the bodies of two of our number torn apart on the ground. It was a stark proof that our immortality was not what had been promised.

The book itself had stopped talking to us, yet its laughter was still heard. Others vanished into the woods, compelled by the same madness that took Moss. As the months passed, our numbers dwindled, either to the madness or the trolls that had come to stalk the woods. The few unicorns seemed to be resistant to this madness, though even they eventually lost themselves or were killed by the trolls.

My own Golden succumbed to the madness just before the fall of the new year. I spent much of my time comforting her after the horror we were witnessing. One night, she turned, leaning close, as to whisper something in my ear, before she bit it off and attempted to kill me.

I fended her off and before I could stop her, she fled into the woods. All Chime and I could find of her the next morning were her wings and patches of her fur that seemed to have been peeled off.
I wept at discovering the patch that held her cutie mark.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Velkorn's ear twitched as she looked over the empty room. Zecora and the mass of balloons and deserts that was Pinkie Pie took a few steps back away from the clearly-annoyed zebra.

“Where did Bleu and grumpy-head go, Zecora?” Pinkie asked.

“To be honest, I do not know. This is the first movement I have seen Jer'rahd show,” Zecora mutters.
Both of them winced as Velkorn screamed, clutching her head with her hooves.

[“Auntie?”]

“Though it is clear he is better, I must be quite frank: when I see that fool Kaisur again, I am kicking his flank!” she shouted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Journal entry 29,
1-21-6408 AD

Chime was my last companion, and he took his own life yesterday. I plan to do the same; I am the only one left now, and the madness has started to come to me in fits. My ear and the wounds Golden inflicted upon me have healed, though it is not the ear of a pony that adorns my head now, nor are the wounds healing with the flesh and fur that should be my own.

The long, whip-like ear on my head is more akin to a troll’s, as is the flesh that covers my scars. I fear this is what happened to the others. The trolls that harried us are not some random encounter, nor were the Scags in the castle attackers. They were the sea ponies that completed the ritual, just as the ones in the woods outside now are the remains of our expedition.

I... I can barely think straight now. I can no longer even concentrate fully on writing. I am finishing this warning with my hoof
writing as my magic is gone, my horn simply fallen off my head to reveal the sickly troll flesh. I am not sure how much longer I can write. I will not be ending my life as I first expressed, though that would be the proper way. I am giving into the change so
I might still, at least in body, be with my Golden.

My skin feels like it is covered in fleas. So itchy... all I hear is that book’s laughter, though I wish I had the foresight to bury Chime's corpse. The smell of it is making me… rather hungry... even as it rots... it seems so tasty...

Itchy.

Tasty.

-------------------------------------------

Claymore was pissed, though there was nothing new there; it was becoming a constant state for him.

Due to the bird being on another task, his plans to seek the next book would be delayed for a time. That gave the stripe head more time to try and weasel his way out of work. That thought and the boredom of waiting put him in a foul mood.

He had a new sword, he had a mission, and yet he was still in the process of hurrying up to wait. He thought he got away from that shit when he left the guards, but noooooooooooo. His boredom was not helped by the fact that his latest toy had killed herself several nights ago. He had thought she was properly broken in, but she still saw her own death as a way to escape him. It was clear he had not broken her enough.

Nocturne was too damn skittish after her encounter with Sombra or whatever his name was. She was always cautious, but her reluctance to do anything without looking it over twelve ways was grating. This was a new height of paranoia for the damn mare.

Scarlet was off at Canterlot again with some contact or another. Claymore didn't know who she found, but if they trusted that bitch, they were fools.

Silver Claw was focused on that new protégée of his, and the dragon was never really that good of company to begin with.
The stripe head was buttering up to Nocturne as it was. Stupid racist bastard made himself out to be better than anyone else by the sheer fact he was born with a rock in his forehead and a monochrome coat.

He needed to get out of that hole, and since no one was stopping him, he set out. There was a small town not far from the hideout along the road leading away from Ponyville. A couple of unicorn brothers ran a bar there, Flick and Flame or some such nonsense, he didn't care. The booze was strong and cheap so anything else didn't matter. Maybe he could find a new pet in that place like he did last time.

The faint clack of hooves on the trail ahead of him caught his attention. He paused at the top of the hill, looking down at a
single cloaked figure trotting along the road heading towards Ponyville. The sway of her form and her canter gave him the impression that this was a female.

He considered ignoring her and pressing on to the bar, though he seemed to have a spring in her step that was a sign of confidence and youth. He smiled darkly his scared face scrunching up hideously. He might not have to go to the bar for a bit of fun after all.

He stood in the path watching her approach, either she did not see him as a threat or had not seen him at all, as she continued on as if he was not there .

A swift twist of his body moved his massive blade within reach of his mouth. He whips the blade from his back slamming it down before her blocking her path, the grin on his face widening as she comes to a stop.

“Well, well, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone this time of day. Night's coming, mare. You looking to end up in some monsters belly or some ruffian’s bed being out like this?”

“You do not know with whom you speak, knave. Be gone before what good humor is to be had in your antics flees.”

“Seems you don't know who the heck yer messing with, either.” Claymore grinned. This one was haughty; he was already picturing what he would need to do to make her more pliable.

“Thou were warned.” A soft glow appeared under the mare’s hood and both Claymore and his sword were lifted into the air and flung out of the road to crash into some bushes.

A unicorn, of course. He gripped his blade, leaping at her and bringing the massive weapon around with a growl, planning to knock her across the road with the flat of his blade. The weapon clanged loudly, stopping dead and rattling his teeth in his skull to the point he was forced to drop the weapon.

“What the bucking hell?” Claymore growled, looking at the red shield around the mare.

“You do not know when to give up, do you?” the mare laughed, a wide grin crossing her face.

A shield suddenly formed around Claymore, squishing him into a ball. The tiny prison bounced a few times, bludgeoning him about in its confines. He curseedprolifically as the mare lifted his sword with her magic, taking a few test swings. She grinned under her hood, a lock of white hair framing the pale blue fur of her face. She swung the blade, suddenly connecting with the shield and rocketing the globe into the air towards the Everfree Forest like a baseball headed for the bleachers.

“Let that be a lesson to you brigand, one that Twilight Sparkle will learn soon enough. You do not mess with THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!”

“..tears he left behind long ago...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“..tears he left behind long ago...”

[Training. Day One.]

The murmur of voices filled the air as the gathered group tried to figure out what was going on. Two dozen Guard ponies from both the Night and Day watched and half as many Griffon and Diamond Dog soldiers stood in the large court yard by the Guard barracks.

The order had come down from their superiors that they were to take part in some sort of training exercise, though no one knew what that was, and speculation was running rampant. Most of them had just come from the mission against the changelings and had expected some sort of leave or reward, not more work.

Only three of those present knew what was going on and none of them were talking. Two of them had volunteered for the training and the third was practically dragged along kicking and screaming.

Breezy Mist was not comfortable with this at all. Unfortunately, though, he was not able to defy a direct order to attend from a superior. For some reason, Peach Blossom wanted him in this training session, much to the blue pegasus's annoyance. It probably had something to do with eating all the doughnuts while on watch with Peach Blossom that one shift. He really had not thought the captain would stoop this low for payback.

Captain Peach Blossom and Captain Lion Heart had both volunteered themselves for the training. It was easy to tell why
Lion Heart wanted to become stronger, given who he was back in Gallopagos, Peach Blossom was a bit tighter-lipped as to why he was so eager to be there. Something had clearly happened during the invasion, though Breezy was not sure what had happened to get the captain so fired up.

Breezy had thought Guard Captain Nicker Fury would be supervising this, since guard Captain Shining Armor was in the Crystal Empire and Guard Captain Hospice Moskau was still on leave. To be honest, he was always on edge when the zebra mare was in charge.

One bonus to this was that Guard Captain Fury had rewritten the schedule of postings so that those in training would have a few weeks free for the exercise. Breezy hoped the training would only be some little thing that would take a couple of days and he could use the rest of the time to slack off.

Another thing that bothered him, though, was the Griffons and the Diamond Dogs. The dogs looked like their kind always did to him: slouched over as if they could not figure out if they wanted to be on all fours or on two legs, and they had the vacant stare of creatures with maybe two brain cells to rub together.

The griffons were a little more worrying. They had all come straight from the attack on the changelings the day before and looked ready for anything. Most of them were larger than the average pony, with the hooked beaks and claws of natural predators. While they unnerved him at the best of times, he had to admit the little female in their lineup was kinda cute. Of course, he fully expected to have a limb ripped off if he said anything about it.

There was no way a pony could come close to being as intimidating as the birds. He would be surprised if the trainer managed to teach them anything without pissing themselves from those looks.

A massive clang echoed through the courtyard as the large double doors of the guard house were flung open and a trio of figures trotted out. A flash of green from the lead figure slammed the door shut again.

Breezy sighed, wondering if these were more 'volunteers' to this training. A pegasus, a unicorn, and a zebra... wait a moment.

Breezy's attention focused fully on the small group. One he recognized as Starfall, that mare he had been ordered to deliver those weapons for. The zebra he did not recognize, but suspected she was a medic, judging by all the saddlebags she wore covered in medical symbols. He had never seen a zebra with a mane and tail that fluffy, though. Granted, he had only seen a few zebras, mostly the mohawked one who came to visit the castle on occasion and Guard Commander Hospice.

It was the unicorn that actually made his blood run cold. The stocky gray stallion was nothing special to look at; he wore no uniform, only a weapon’s harness with a rank symbol Breezy didn't recognize. His choice of weapon was a little odd; Breezy had never seen a sword like that before, but that was not what bothered him.

The stallion’s eyes were hidden under an old, wide-brimmed brown hat with two cuts in the brim. Breezy recognized that style of hat from some older war movies he had seen, mostly belonging to the pony who made the main character of those stories into a badass who took out all the enemies with a pocketknife or a leftover plate of beans. They were also the ones those main characters still feared even after they saved the world.

With how this unicorn was carrying himself, coupled with that hat, Breezy kept getting flashbacks of those movies.
He glanced back at the rest of the group. Most of them were ignoring the newcomers and just talking among each other or goofing off. This would not end well; he glanced over to Lion Heart and Peach Blossom, who had quickly shifted to attention when the trio showed up. Breezy rapidly followed suit, hissing at Peach Blossom.

“What the buck did you get me into here, Captain?”

Peach Blossom's response, if any, was cut off by a booming voice.

“SHUT UP, YOU MAGGOTS! WHAT IS THIS CLUSTER BUCK?! GET IN FORMATION NOW!” Starfall screamed, bellowing with a voice that did not match her small size.

The unicorn in the hat shook his head sadly as the group stumbled over each other trying to get in some form of order. Breezy swallowed hard, trying hard to remain at attention with the others jostling about him.

“This is what she gave me? I ask for the best, and I get these idiots?” Jer'rahd demanded.

“Do not start to despair just yet. There is one or two worth the effort, I bet,” Velkorn commented with a roll of her eyes.

“Might as well start this while they are still fumbling about,” Jer grumbled stomping up before the still-shuffling group.

“SERIOUSLY!? What the buck is this? You idiots are supposed to be the best your respective nations have to offer, and you cannot even get in a simple formation?” he barked, glaring at them from under his hat. He gestured a hoof to Breezy and the two captains. “You see these three here? Get in line with them. STOP GAWKING AND MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!”

The group flailed about again, rushing to do as was ordered, finally getting in some semblance of organization. Jer'rahd paced in front of them, looking the group over and taking note of several returned glares and a number of faces that clearly wanted to be somewhere else. A few seemed to be taking this seriously, though, and that was enough for the moment. Time to pull a Stonehooves on them. By the stars, he was going to enjoy this.

“I am Major Jer'rahd Kaisur, your senior instructor in this training exercise. To my left is Instructor Captain Starfall Silvertail. To my right is the company medic, Instructor Velkorn. Captain Rhede Pelt and Captain Bleu Scale shall also be instructing you when they arrive from their duties. From now on, you will speak only when spoken to by an instructor, and the first and last words out of those filthy sewers you call mouths will be 'SIR'! Do you maggots understand that?”

An assortment of grumbles and a few clear “yes, sirs” are heard.

“Bullshit! I can't hear you. Sound off like you are from a species that actually has mastered the use of language past grunts and gurgles!”

“YES, SIR!”

“Pathetic. If you worthless sacks of shit manage to pass my training— buck, if you manage to survive, you will be a weapon, a minister of death, ready to destroy any that stand in your way. But until that day, you are pukes! You're not the lowest form of life on this planet; you are not even sentient beings. You are nothing but unorganized grabasstic pieces of amphibian shit.”

Jer'rahd paced before the group, glaring down any of them who dared to meet his gaze. “Because we are going to be hard, you will not like us. But the more you hate us, the more you will learn. This training will be hard, but fair! There is no species or racial bigotry here. I do not look down on stripes, feather dusters, mudsloggers, birds, or mutts. Here, you are all equally worthless. My orders from the princesses themselves are to weed out all the non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in the 42nd Guard! Do you maggots understand all that?”

“YES, SIR!”
“LOUDER!”
“YES, SIR!!”

“Bucking clever pony thinks he's all that,” a voice muttered.

Jer'rahd didn't even seem to turn, but he is suddenly in the face of a griffon in the middle of the group, his head turning slightly to look between the large griffon and the half-dragon standing next to him.

“WHO SAID THAT? Who the buck said that? Who's the slimy little parasprite turd-licking little arrogant prick that just signed their own death warrant?” Jer growled. His eyes narrowed under his hat, the red glow of his left eye clearly visible as he glared at the troops.

“Nopony, huh? The bucking fairy godmother said it? Out-bucking-standing! I will run you all until you bucking die, I'll P.T. you until your assholes are sucking cider!!”

Jer'rahd whirled again, his horn flaring as he yanked Breezy backwards off his hooves into the air to float him upside-down and meet the startled pegasus's gaze.

“Was it you, you scroungy little piece of crap, huh?!”

“Sir, no, Sir,” Breezy whimpered.

“Sir. I said it, Sir,” an earth pony two rows back shouted. Jer'rahd was on him before the last “sir” was said. Breezy gasped for air, jumping back into formation the moment he was dropped.

“Well...” Jer spared a glance at the pale yellow pony’s uniform name tag. “No shit. You a comedian, Tiberius? A bucking joker? I do admire your honesty and the pair you got on you. Hell, why don't you come on by the house and mount my sister...”

Jer'rahd's fore hoof came up suddenly, slamming his knee into the pony’s chest, flinging him back over his own flank to fall in a coughing fit on the ground. “You little scumbag. I got your name, I've got your ass. You try to make a crack like that again. and I will hang you by your own entrails from the barracks so everyone else can look at the squirming bag of maggots that will be your earthly remains and know what not to do. Now get up on your hooves and unbuck yourself or I will unscrew your head and shit down your neck!”

“SIR, YES, SIR!” Tiberius coughed out, getting back up to his hooves as Jer'rahd moved back to the front of the group.

“I don't give a shit why any of you pukes joined up for this little training. I don't give a shit what your rank is or what you did before this. All your accomplishments to date mean diddly squat. You will do nothing unless an instructor tells you to do so. You will not fly, you will not dig, you will not use magic unless we give you permission. If you can't hack it, if you quit or screw up so bad that I throw your ass to the curb, you are done!” Jer growled. “Your senior officers and your princess gave me your hides. If you fail or give up, you are out of the Guard, or pack, or wing, or whatever the buck your superiors call it. No pension, no medical, nothing. You will be finished and branded a sack of shit for the rest of your pathetic days. Do you understand that!?”

“SIR, YES, SIR!” the group shouted, though quite a number of voices seemed shaky at the prospect.

“What the buck was that warbling in those shouts? You maggots scared of me? Is that what all that stuttering bit of nonsense was? Yer legs knocking, teeth chattering, and pissing yerself already?”
Some mutters filled the air, though there was no definite response.

“SPEAK UP, MAGGOTS! I ASKED IF YOU WERE BUCKING SCARED OF ME!”

A mixed chorus of ‘no’s and ‘yes’es was the response. Jer'rahd’s left eye flared a little brighter red.

“Well, looks like I found a few of the smart ones, and the rest of you either have balls of steel or are too stupid to realize what I am going to do to you.” Jer smirked, baring his fangs, an act that caused a few flinches in the first row even by some of the half-dragons with their own fangs.

“Captain Silvertail, get these maggots out of my sight. Run them ‘til you get tired. Feel free to smack the shit out of any who decide to try and fly or use magic. Yer all ground-bound from this point on. Any attempts at magic or flight will be met with severe punishment. Not a damn one of us has any qualms about breaking off your ass and handing it back to you. NOW
MOVE!”

Jer'rahd took a step towards them as Starfall took to the air. The group bolted away from the insane unicorn, being herded by the pegasus as they galloped off. Velkorn trotted up next to the still-grinning unicorn and shook her head.

“I know this is all training and such, but I think you are enjoying it a little too much,” she commented.

“Oh, I know I am,” Jer'rahd chuckled dryly.

“It is obvious that you do, though I suppose I should ask: where is Bleu?”

==============================================================

The creek of the door to her office drew Octavia's gaze up from the paperwork on her desk. She was briefly hoping it was Jarred, but he was back on tour with the rest of Pontera; they were already off schedule due to being here for the opening. At this point, she would be happy with some inane banter with Vinyl if it meant avoiding more of those forms.

Twilight Sparkle was not expected, however, nor was the small blue dragonling sitting on her back.

A nervous smile crossed the earth pony’s face. She was really not sure how to react to those two. If not for Twilight, the school would have never happened, and without Bleu, The Platinum Swan and the songs that allowed the school to be built would never have been.

The problem was that the little dragon did not seem happy with the situation. Octavia was not sure what to do about it;
Twilight had put her in a bit of fix here. Legally, she and Vinyl had the rights to all the songs after Twilight signed the contract, though considering who Bleu was, it did not feel right to simply continue using them if she did not wish it. That went double for the school’s name.

The little dragon had run off after the concert yesterday and Octavia had not had the chance to talk with her or Twilight. She was a rather surprised that the pair was here now.

“Miss Sparkle, Miss Scale, greetings again. I apologize for the mess; while the school was opened officially yesterday, there are still a number of things to be done before the first students show up next week, not the least of which is the paperwork.
What can I do for you?” Octavia questioned hesitantly.

“Don't worry about me; I'm just here because Bleu asked me to bring her back over here,” Twilight responded, smiling sheepishly and looking at the piles of paperwork around the gray earth pony.

“Oh?”

“So are you the one actually running this school?” Bleu questioned in a rather somber tone.

“In part. While I am considered the dean, that is really only due to Vinyl foisting her share of work onto me along with the title. There is a whole staff of ponies to run the school proper. It does cut into my playing, however.”

“Oh? What do you play?”

“Cello, mostly, though I am skilled with a few other instruments as well.”

“Did you want to go back to that? Seems you have a rather cushy spot right here running this school.”

“Yes, well... This is not exactly my forte— office work, politics, and such. Unfortunately. it is going to take a good bit of work and time before someone more suitable can be found for the position and I can simply go back to my playing. Might I ask what this has to do with your visit?”

“It has a few things to do with it,” Bleu muttered cryptically.

“I see. Might I ask, Miss Bleu, what you are planning to do about this? I understand that the school and who it is dedicated to is a bit of a shock, but without the songs that we were given, the school would have never been possible. We thought it fitting that this is the name to be used. Was there a problem with that?”

“No, no... I think she would have loved this. Honestly, this is what I was trying to do after she died... not really to this scale, mind you, but no, this works perfectly— no worries there. I wouldn't mind seeing the place, though. I wasn't really up for much of anything like that yesterday. Got a bit emotional.”

“Of course.” Octavia nodded, rather glad to be away from the paperwork for a time, and relived at the dragonling's seeming acceptance.

=====================================================

Rhede yawned, stepping off the train in Ponyville, the ideas and possibilities still running rampant though his head. He hoped Twilight would be back at the library so he could ask her some questions.

A short walk through town gave him glimpses at what the current Element Bearers did. The few clouds in the sky were rapidly being demolished by a seemingly angry Rainbow Dash. A glance into the Carousel Boutique showed Rarity fitting some stallion for a suit. Moving past Sugar Cube Corner got him ambushed and given a cupcake by Pinkie before she rushed off to help some other customer at her boss’s call. He didn't see Fluttershy or Applejack, but he figured they were around somewhere.

He stopped in front of the library, looking over the town. It was all very idyllic, very picturesque, even. Rhede could barely stand it.

“So this is what Jer feels like. Like my every step is tainting this place,” Rhede sighed. “No wonder he's always so moody.”

“Yeah well, you could always go back to being a statue. Not much you could screw up doing that.”

Rhede glanced back at Spike standing in the doorway, glaring up at him.

“That is not much of an option, either, Spike. There's too much at stake right now... Though afterwards... might be for the best if we all copy Ruin's example,” Rhede grumbled as he reached back to the small plate and offered the cupcake to the little dragon. “I'm being as depressing as Jer. Here, I lost my appetite. Is Twilight around? I need to look up a few things and I could use her help.”

“No, she left yesterday to take Bleu to a concert,” Spike grumbled, though he accepted the cupcake.

“Well, that's good. Bleu needed some sort of cheering up, considering how she gets when she gets depressed. Odd for the Bearer of Laughter to be giddy as a school filly one moment and then depressed to the point that you have to worry about them killing themselves the next.”

“Pinkie Pie sometimes gets like that too,” Spike commented between bites of the cupcake. “Starts talking to rocks and bags of flour. Kinda creepy.”

“Oh? Huh. Maybe it is an Element of Laughter thing then. Anyway, mind helping me find some stuff since Twilight's not here? I think I have a lead on the ones we're after. Unless you have something better to do.”

“The cupcake bought you a bit of my time,” Spike responded, nodding sagely. “I can assist you for a while.”

“Well alright, now I know how to bribe you for help,” Rhede chuckled, heading into the library.

====================================================

“Pathetic,” Jer'rahd growled, looking down at the group of troops panting in front of him. A number of stragglers were still working to catch up, mostly pegasi and griffons. The earth ponies and Diamond Dogs had done well enough, and he was a little surprised that the majority of the unicorns had made the run with good time. All in all, it was exactly as he expected. Whatever guard training was now, it was nothing like it had been in the past.

He glanced over to Velkorn as she pushed a few tubs of water out to the group, reprimanding those who tried to dunk their head or gulp down the cool water too quickly.

“What is this crap? You only ran around the castle a few times. How the heck are you tired? Captain Silvertail, are you tired?” Jer shouted.

“Not in the slightest,” Starfall responded, landing lightly next to Jer'rahd.

“You’re not even breathing hard? How the heck are you louts letting this little mare outdo you so easily?”

“Watch it, Major,” Starfall muttered, causing Jer'rahd to smirk slightly. He had almost forgotten she had a slight complex about being vertically challenged.

“Sir... she was flying, sir...” one of the Pegasi ed “ That's a lot easier than running... err, sir.”

“That is a very good point. Look at yourselves. You see how weak you are like this, running on the ground? Yes, it would have been easier for you to fly because that is what you have done all your life. Those of you with wings fly more often then you walk, and this had made you weak. This is something any enemy you face will know. Go for your wings and you are finished. You lose a wing or suffer an injury to one, what are you gonna do, lay down and die? What happens if you go down in the middle of the enemy forces? You just gonna let them win or try and limp back under fire or lie there and hope their prisons serve hot food that isn't you?”

“Sir, there hasn't been a war, or even a battle in years. The changeling attack was the biggest thing most of us had even seen, and we won that... sir,” a griffon replied.

“That was because of luck. The drones were all but brain dead; all they were told to do was capture. What would have happened if the Queen had time to tell them to kill? Not to mention most of that battle was fought inside the mountain. Those few of you there surely remember the bodies that were hauled out of that place. That much carnage was done by a small force of five, JUST FIVE well-trained soldiers and a rookie mage.”

There was an assortment of muttering amongst the troops as some of them that had been there confirmed the statement to some of the others about a special strike team.

“Now then, since that creature has tasted defeat once and managed to escape, do you really think the next time the changelings show up, they are going to just try and capture you? Think like that and you will be one of the first bodies that gets put in the ground with a sad song playing before they fill in the dirt on top of you. That said...” Jer'rahd pulled off the drill instructor hat and floated it and the Waning Moon over to Starfall.

The pegasus winced a little struggling to carry the sword out of the way as Jer'rahd kept pacing before the group.

“That said,.. I am sure a number of you are quite annoyed at being here. You think you already know how to do things and how much better you are than me. How you're a badass... isn't that right, Tiberius?” Jer glared at the earth pony, who flinched from the glare. “So I will tell you what. You think you are all hot shit that can take on anything that gets thrown at you? Fine; you beat me, you pass this training. No ifs, ands, or buts. There's a training weapon rack over there against the wall; grab whatever you want from it and come at me. Heck, let me make it even easier on you. I'll only use a shield spell and my own skills— no weapons at all. you lot can use whatever you want. Shit, team up if you want to. You win, you pass and go on to whatever you want to bucking be doing. You lose, and that's all the proof you need to realize you don't know shit.”

Jer'rahd stepped back, dragging a line across the ground with his hoof before moving behind it, cricking his neck.

“Any time you scum think you’re ready.”

Velkorn sighed, trotting off to get a bigger first aid box from storage as the first battle cries sounded. A pair of griffons crossed the line with a number of other troops rushing for the training weapons or charging the lone unicorn.

=============================================================

King Talon winced, watching from the balcony, as the first attackers impacted the ground. Celestia chuckled softly until an earth pony went spinning through the air to bounce off the courtyard’s wall.

“So was that tale enough for you to accept this as necessary?” Celestia asked.

“I still feel you are hiding some things from me, Princess, though it is interesting to know that they turned on Nightmare Moon in the last battle,” King Talon commented.

“They did not turn on her; they wished to cure her of what she had become. Their loyalty has no limits when it comes to my sister, but they also do what they think is best for Equestria as a whole.” Celestia watched a pegasus dive bomb Jer'rahd while he was distracted by a diamond dog. The flier looked about ready to nail him with a wooden spear when he bounced off a green shield that suddenly popped up. “That does not answer my question. Are you agreeable to this, or should I expect more fallout from the other nations?”

“You will not hear any other issue from me, Princess. While I do not agree with this choice or you allowing your student to do what she did, I know of the ones who escaped, and if they are working together, then this may be needed. He is correct about the changelings as well. Chrysalis will not likely be out to just capture next time, particularly since Sombra is with her.”

A diamond dog yelled as he was flung into a couple of half-dragons, taking the whole group down with him.

“At least I have that. I was hoping that this could all be taken care of quietly, but the return of the Crystal Empire and Chrysalis’s involvement in it was badly timed.”

“Perhaps they are all connected, Princess.”

“I have considered that as well. I have a number of ponies checking up on that, including Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, and evidently Rhede Pelt is looking into it as well. I am sure one of them will find something.”

The griffon nodded as a wooden spear shattered against a green glowing shield, the wielder quickly flung aside into a unicorn trying to cast a spell.

“I thought you stated the zebra was the unarmed fighting expert?” King Talon muttered, wincing as another one of his griffons hit the ground.

“She is; Major Kaisur is much better with his sword. However, his method of fighting is mostly pain tolerance and pure strength. He only has training in the old Guard's close quarters fighting, though I have a feeling he picked up a few things from both Velkorn and my sister.”

“He is using them against each other. Each race is used to fighting only with its own kind and they are getting in each other’s way, and he is using that to his advantage.” King Talon tilted his head a bit as a unicorn went flying and knocked a pegasus out of the sky. “I am impressed.”

“Is that why you put your own daughter in the forces training with him?” Celestia cooed lightly.

“I should not be surprised you knew that, but no, she needs some sort of discipline to go with her skill. I am quite glad he is not some stupid brute.”

“I never considered him stupid. Brute fits, however. He is a rude savage, though given what he has fought and lived through, I can safely say that he likely knows more about fighting than any other creature alive today, except perhaps my sister. Pair him with the others, and they are nearly unstoppable. They have felled nations, destroyed gods, and have turned the tide of a battle from a complete rout to a victory simply with their presence.”

“I suppose I can understand why you put up with them as you do. It is fortunate that they decided to turn on Nightmare Moon at the end then. ”

“Yes, or my sister would likely have been ruling this last thousand years.”

=====================================================

“And that is pretty much the tour, Miss Scale,” Octavia exclaimed as she trotted out into the main hall again.

The building was set up like a giant 'I'. The main doors opened into a massive hall that ran the length of the building and was open all the way to the lofted ceiling about the second floor. The great window over the main entrance cast the shadow of the massive music sheet across the marble floor at the rising of both the sun and the moon. The walls on both floors were lined with doors leading to classrooms and offices. The corners of the 'I'-shaped building held dance studios, concert halls, and performance stages. Numerous glass cases dotted the main hallway filled with musical instruments, pages, and fliers for a plethora of various musicians, along with their assorted information and history on plaques. A large staircase dominated the very end of the hall leading up to the second floor. The second floor was the same as the first, though the main hall was divided and had a wooden railing around the edges allowing students to look over to the floor below. A small grouping of tables was set up near the staircase for the class sign-ups in the morning, though those were temporary.

Octavia watched expectantly as Bleu walked up to the landing of the stairs where it split to lead to each side of the second floor hall. The little dragon’s gaze was on the massive painting of Platinum hanging there, taking up most of the wall. Bleu sighed, recognizing the dress as well as the background almost instantly. This was her on stage at Dullahan for the ESO show.

“How did you get this picture?” Bleu asked, glancing back at Octavia and Twilight before looking at the image again.

“Well, the crystal that was made the first time had a number of images... of Platinum at her last concert.” Octavia swallowed, looking at Twilight, who remained just as impassive as the dragonling. “Vinyl watched that crystal enough to know exactly what she looked like and had this commissioned once we decided to open this school.”

Twilight blinked.

“She watched that first song again, for this?”

“Perhaps a hundred times; my friend may be a slacker and a wastrel most times, but every so often a bit of the perfectionist she was when we first met comes through. She refused to miss any detail that she could. She is doing the same for the founding members of the Platinum Swan,” Octavia explained.

“No... this won't do at all,” Bleu grumbled turning from the picture and walking back over to the tables and slipping her bag from her shoulder. “The rest of the school is great, but that painting has got to go. It's too big and too showy; she wouldn't want anything bigger than what anyone else here got. Put a display case up there, a smaller painting or something, but get rid of that thing.”

Octavia struggled to find something to say, though she was quickly distracted by the host of items Bleu was pulling from her bags.

“So help me, if the Swan's painting is even half that big, I will set fire to it myself,” Bleu ranted as she unfolded a number of items.

“What is all this?” Octavia asked, looking at the rolls of papers, trinkets, and a few old photos scattered over the table, along with several sheets of music.

“Every dragon has a horde; this one's mine.” Bleu tapped each item with a claw as she explained it. “A poster from her first show, when she called herself Silver Sparkle. The first songs she wrote, both on the napkins here and actual music paper here. Four years of ESO posters that featured her as the main attraction. Numerous buttons, pins and cards bearing her likeness. An original ad she did to promote some bar in Manehatten that didn't survive the war. And this...”

Bleu picked up a tiny worn black cotton stuffed pony that had almost faded to gray and only had a few strands of silvery hair left for its mane and tail. A single music note doted its worn flank and was all but unreadable.

“This had been at every show she had ever done since I was hatched. It was the first thing she gave me, and it has seen every practice, every song, every joy and sorrow that our life ever had, right to the end.” Bleu sighed, slowly turning it over in her claw. “With that spell of Sparkle Butt's, you can get every song she ever did, or even write a biography of her from it. I wanted to make sure everypony remembered her after she died. And here it is, a thousand years later, and I'm not even the one who pulled it off.”

“Not entirely true, Miss Scale. If not for the songs you did for the Platinum Swan, we would not have had the funds to purchase all of this,” Octavia started, but Bleu cut her off.

“You could have let it go or even claimed it was your own, and you didn't. More a test to your character than anything else. Just... take care of this stuff, Octavia... None of it will ever be replaceable. Treat it the same way you have treated the rest of her legacy. She would have liked this.” Bleu turned, walking down the hall towards the door.

“I will get Miss Scratch the spell information when I can. If she has any trouble, just contact me and I will do what I can to help,” Twilight said, trotting after Bleu.

“I really don't know what to say, Miss Scale... This is...” Octavia stammered, looking down at the posters and tilting her head a bit at the name “Platinum Scale” announced across it. “Her name was Scale as well?”

“Yeah, her parents were accountants. Silver and Golden Scale respectively. They gave her a lot of shit for my existence and that she wanted to sing.” Bleu pushed open the door. “That she gave me the name Scale was my proof that I was her family.”

Twilight stepped out the door with Bleu and the pair headed off, leaving Octavia in awe over what she had been given.

==================================================

“Congratulations, maggots. I think you managed to get one drop of sweat to form on my brow... No wait, that's just some one else’s blood. False alarm,” Jer'rahd shouted, watching Velkorn move among the pile of groaning bodies about him. He floated his hat and sword from Starfall, putting the hat back on his head and sheathing his blade.

His eyes focused on the six who did not rush him and still stood in formation, watching. Two pegasi, a griffon, a half-dragon, a Diamond Dog, and what looked like some odd cross between a pony and a griffon. A hippogriff? Odd. He trotted over to the group and looked them over, watching the smaller pegasus flinch as he approached. Well, that answered why that one stayed— he really was scared.

“Any reason you lot didn't join in the melee?” he snapped.

“Sir, Peach Blossom, and I have already seen you fighting the changeling hive, and that was when you were barely able to stand. We are not stupid, sir.” the half-dragon spoke up, gesturing to the non-flinching pegasus, who nodded.

“I see, what about you? Captain Dusty, was it?” Jer'rahd asks looking at the short dark brown maned griffon with tiger like stripes on the feline part of her body.

“Sir, yes, sir. To be honest, I was just kinda curious what sort of pony invites a whole group of soldiers to attack him, sir.”

“And?”

“Sir, you are nuts, sir.” Dusty smirked.

“I've been called worse. And you? Corporal Ironhide?”

“Sir, I just wanted to sit back and watch my sister get her ass kicked, sir,” the hippogriff chuckles. A loud curse from the pile drew Jer'rahd's attention as a second hippogriff struggled to get up from underneath a diamond dog.

“I'm just going to let her do what she wants to you when she gets free at this point, Corporal. What about you? Private Tunnel Rat?” Jer'rahd raised an eyebrow, looking down at the smallest Diamond Dog he had ever seen. Starfall was taller than this one, though he was stocky.

“Sir, Never smart, attack first. Easy to get crushed fast, always others willing to test new enemy, let them fall first, learn from failure and do better. Sir,” Tunnel Rat growled.

“You are going to need to get out of that mindset and learn to work as a team,” Jer responded.

“Sir, that how Diamond Dog packs are. Strongest hit first when think they win, or throw smallest if unsure, see what happens, sir,” Tunnel Rat growled, a touch of annoyance in his voice.

“Hmph. I've been on the wrong side of that tactic, and it is a waste. What about you, Sergeant Breezy?”

Jer'rahd tried not to smirk as the blue pegasus nearly jumped out of his feathers.

“Err, me, sir? Well, I mean… um, it's your training exercise, sir. I wouldn't want to show you up or anything by beating you or something like that, err, sir.”

Jer'rahd ignored Peach Blossom and Lion Heart slapping their faces with a hoof as he stared down at the pegasus, who was doing his best not to shy away from the glare.

“Really now? Well, thank you for that. Much appreciated. In fact, I am liable to make you my special friend. HEY CAPTAIN, found my special friend over here already. How ‘bout that,” Jer'rahd shouted as he trotted away.

Starfall glanced over to look at Breezy and slapped a hoof to her face.

“Crap, I own Velkorn ten bits. I was sure it was gonna be Tiberius,” Starfall sighed.

Breezy looked to the others around him, confused.

“Umm, is that a good thing? Is being his friend a good thing?” the pegasus asked.

“Pony have balls as big as castle. No brain, but massive balls,” Tunnel Rat commented.

===========================================================

“Hey Rhede can I ask you a question?” Spike asked, dropping a stack of books on the table.

“Sure, so long as it isn't how to hook up with that purple-haired unicorn mare you like. She's got some weird way about her that I have no clue what she's thinking. Kinda impressive,” Rhede chuckled ignoring the glare Spike gave him.

“No, it's about dragons. I know you studied them a lot when you were an assassin and all that...”

“Ambassador. I never assassinated a dragon; I just talked to them, mostly. Well, I never killed one as an ordered assassination mission, anyway. I suppose I do know more about how they were before the fall of Cindervale than anyone else alive today. Well, ‘cept maybe the Princesses, and possibly Silver Claw, but good luck getting an answer from him.”

“Yeah... why do you think the first war started, anyway?”

Rhede flipped a page, pausing to consider that. “To be honest, nopony really knows. Forgescale just seemed to have a rather single-minded desire to kill ponies, and zebras, and mules, and donkeys... heck anything that walked on four hooves was a target for him. No clue what set him off, though. Why, something on your mind?”

“Err, no, nothing directly...” Spike paused a moment. “I take that back. You're looking for the connections right now between the Crystal Empire and Silver Claw's bunch, right?”

“That's the gist of it. Why, you figure something out?”

“What if the connection is Forgescale? What if the dragon in Bleu's book was him? Aviana sealed him in Tartarus along with Chrysalis and Sombra. Twilight said that Sombra spoke of a dragon that he followed to escape. The time matches up to when Sombra first showed up to enslave the Crystal Empire. Not long after that, Forgescale's first appearance happened. Sombra was alone and just attacked the Empire, though Forgescale would have had to gather allies for a bigger war, so it took him longer.”

Rhede tilted his head, looking at the dragon before turning to flip open another set of books and looking over them. “You might be onto something there, Spike. It would explain why he hated ponies so much, though it doesn't tie anything together... Wait... A book. The story said the lovers used a book to gain immortality, and that's what changed them. Okay, the Crystal Empire vanished when the princesses beat Sombra. That sounds like some kinda curse, though if it was like the ones we got from Discord’s Castle, as soon as we removed them, the power went out. Maybe the book was what kept the curse going over the empire. Its sudden return was due to Scarlet or someone grabbing the book. “

“Going by that, they have two of them then.”

“Yeah; at least the pair we had are still in Tartarus, guarded by whatever beast is watching it in this age.”

“Umm uh oh...”

“What ‘uh oh’? I don't like uh oh, Spike.”

“Err, about a year or so ago, the Guardian, Cerberus, showed up in Ponyville. It took Twilight a little over a day to bring him back to where he was supposed to be. She still doesn't know why he left. And later that year, Chrysalis showed up for the first time, too.”

“So either the guardian got free when the Changeling Queen got out, or someone broke in and freed her as a distraction
while they took the books.”

“This is really, really bad,” Spike grumbled.

“Oh yeah. Four books of six, two of them we don't even know what they contain.” Rhede sighed. “Still, not bad detective work there. I can see why Sparkle keeps you around.”

“Ugh...”

Rhede looked up from the book at the dragonling’s sudden change in attitude. Spike had already been a rather big help, and he would prefer if the dragonling didn't go off and sulk again.

“What's the matter?”

“Nothing...”

“I doubt that. I can tell something is bothering you. Let me write down that theory of yours and we can break for lunch. Tell me about it then. It may actually help, and besides, I've got over a thousand years’ insight to help you out of some fix or another.”

“I thought you slept most of the time as a statue?”

“I never said it would be good insight,” Rhede chuckled, noting the dragonlings small smirk.

=====================================================

“You all suck. This is clear. Though in this instance, there is a good reason for why you suck. You want to know how I beat the snot out of the lot of you?” Jer'rahd shouted as he walked in front of the group, most of whom were still being treated by Velkorn. Perhaps he did get carried away.

“Cause yer a bucking monster?” a voice Jer'rahd recognized as Tiberius quipped.

“Only when you piss me off, and strangely, after trouncing the lot of you, I am in a relatively good mood. No, you got beat because you spent just as much time fighting each other as you did me. A couple of you were working together well enough, but most of you were only out for yourself— no team work, no real cooperation. Just a bunch of rabble. Cooperation in numbers is what makes the changelings so formidable; luckily they are stupid and easily confused. They might forget who's disguised as what or what they were doing. If their chain of command is disrupted they are useless. Hence why when the queen left, the remaining drones were practically falling over each other trying to figure out what to do. You lot have the same problem. I plan to fix that, or make sure you die trying.”

The leathery flap of wings filled the air. A sudden rush of panic followed and was accompanied by scattering of the troops, all of them rushing to cover as a massive shadow fell over the courtyard. Jer'rahd slapped a hoof to his face, noting again that the only ones who didn't run were the same ones who didn't attack him. This time, Ironhide's sister remained as well, though the pair of them looked ready to bolt. Dusty and Tunnel Rat had their eyes on Jer'rahd, watching his reaction rather than the dragon. Another large Diamond Dog remained as well; Jer'rahd wasn't sure, but he thought it might be a female. She was switching her gaze between Bleu and Tunnel Rat.

Bleu landed with a little more force than needed; the resulting mini earthquake and resounding boom did little to ease those already panicking.

Jer'rahd glanced back at Bleu as she stretched, making herself seem even bigger. He noted Twilight slip off the dragon’s back a bit shakily and chuckled.

“Nice of you to join us, Captain Scale. You take care of what you needed to?” Jer'rahd smirked.

“Yep, all taken care of for now, Boss, but after this, you and me need to talk about it a bit.” Bleu stretched again, folding her wings across her back and looking down at the troops with a smile, lightning crackling along her fangs. “This is what we have to work with? Is there still the option for foals with pointy sticks?”

“‘Fraid not. Celestia wants this lot trained.” Jer'rahd sighed. “All right. you maggots, shows over. Back in formation; this is where things start to get interesting for you. Captain Scale is going to teach you basic claw-to-hoof combat. If any of you are not total buck-ups, you will receive an advanced lesson from Velkorn. Captain Silvertail shall be showing you fliers the same tricks in the air. Weapons training will be by me, and ranged training will be taught by Captain Pelt when he arrives. For those rare few who do any sort of magic, you will be shown some advanced lessons by Miss Sparkle here. Once that is done, I will drill teamwork so deep into your heads you will be working together while asleep!”

“Wait, what?” Twilight responded as Jer'rahd paused in his yelling. She looked about nervously as all eyes turned to her. “I don't have the time for...”

Jer'rahd trotted over to her, somehow managing to loom over her, though the gray unicorn was only an apple taller. Twilight did her best not to be impressed, and judging by the sound of sucking air from the gasps of the troops, she was doing well enough.

“Neither do we, Sparkle,” Jer'rahd muttered. ”But I want this lot to know everything they can as fast as possible. I know the theory, but I can't put it into practice. You're the only mage I know aside from Princess Luna who can put what theory I have to use. Besides, you need some of this training as well if you plan to put yourself in danger like you did at the hive. I can train you to use that blade you carry.”

“I am not one of your soldiers.”

“No, you are not; I won't force you to do anything, but I will strongly recommend it for your own safety.”

“And here I thought you didn't like me.”

“I don't, but I would rather dislike you than your corpse.” Jer'rahd turned, glaring back at the troops still shying away from the massive dragon in the courtyard. “WHY ARE YOU MAGGOTS STILL TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND ONE ANOTHER? GET IN FORMATION!”

Jer'rahd glanced up at Bleu and over to Starfall and they both nod, having taken note of the ones who did not flee from Bleu.
There might be some hope for some of them after all... unless like Breezy, they were just frozen in terror.

===================================================

“He has a dragon?” King Talon gasped out as Bleu landed, though the look of shock faded as Celestia laughed at his reaction.

“Indeed; for someone professing to be knowledgeable about the Five Beasts, you seem surprised that one of their number is a dragon.”

“Bleu Scale was supposed to be a dragonling at best— only as big as a pony, similar to many of your partnered unicorns. I was unaware she had grown to a full dragon.”

“She has not yet. For a blue dragon, she is still rather small, though she is just as dangerous as Kaisur, perhaps more so given her mood swings. Bearing the Element of Laughter is not as easy as one would believe.”

“So long as she does not refer to me as Fred like the other one does, I think I will be fine,” King Talon grumbled.

“I gather you have met Pinkie Pie, then? I was wondering who she was talking about when she told me of what went on at the volcano.” Celestia chuckled, glancing back out into the courtyard at Twilight, who still seemed stunned to be there.
“Is that your student?”

“Yes. That is Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic, one of those who freed my sister and defeated Discord and a multitude of other threats. She is also the one who awoke the Beasts after her friends and brother were attacked.”

“Is she also the one you chose?”

“I did not choose anyone. Twilight, it seems was fated for this; however, the Elements themselves seem to have chosen her when she first gained her Cutie Mark, just as they chose the others. As usual, however, destiny has been altered by chaos. I can no longer predict where her path will lead. When she helped save the Crystal Empire, I had plans to start her next phase of training. With all that came of that, everything has changed.”

“Good.”

“Good? That is an odd thing to say when one of my plans fails.”

“I do not feel like dealing with a new untested princess. I prefer our discussions; it is easier to deal with someone closer to my age.”

“Flattery will get you nothing but a smile from me, Talon. Besides, you and Twilight are closer in age then I am to you.” Celestia smiled.

================================================================

“Wait, so Fluttershy stampeded a herd of animals through the Gala? Was this before or after Rarity splattered that noble with cake?” Rhede laughs.

“Just after, from what Twilight said, and about the same time rainbow Dash and Pinkie destroyed half the ball room,” Spike chuckled. “Though I was at Pony Joe's by that point.”

“Heh, honestly, after that last Gala, I am surprised Celestia even bothered to have them anymore.” Rhede took another sip of his soup, glancing over to the nearly empty plate in front of Spike that was piled high at the start of the stories. He was quite glad he had gathered a large sum of bits from the treasure horde at the hive; otherwise, he would likely be washing dishes to pay for this meal. The little beast put away more than Bleu.

“Well, aside from that, you at least see what I am saying now,” Spike remarked.

“True; it does seem like she has been neglecting you, but I still feel that's not the whole story. You seem to have gotten over the owl, and they all each had something they wanted to do at the Gala. Still rude, but not neglect, as they didn't even stay with each other. I don't get the birthday thing, but by the same token, it seems she went all out for your birthday, maybe to apologize for it?” Rhede mused. “As for the wedding thing, well, I’ve yet to meet Shining, though he sounds like a jerk for setting you up like that. However, it is the sort of prank I might play on one of my younger brothers, so I dunno. Might be he considers you family enough to get away with it.”

“Well, at least you're being honest about it instead of trying to convince me I’m wrong or blatantly apologizing. I still don't like that she took Bleu to the concert over me.”

“That band will play again. How often does someone’s sister, who was killed a thousand years ago, get honored with a school?” Rhede responded.

“Okay, you got me with that one. It just seems like stuff keeps getting piled up.”

“It has been lately, I'm sure, though she has been running around trying to deal with the lot of us. Jer'rahd is not making this easy for her. He rarely makes anything easy. He's got his own problems as well, and is likely taking them out on her.”

“Hmmmmm.” Spike murmurs between bites.

“Hmmmmm? You got something else on your mind?”

“Still thinking back to the dragon wars with you guys. Do you think there ever could have been peace?”

“Rapid subject change, but after that bit about you trying to find out who you really are with the migration, I can understand it. Celestia seemed to think so. In fact, if it had not been for that attack on her at the Gala by Silver Claw, we might have even had it. The warrior types like Luna and Jer'rahd were looking for an excuse to wipe dragons out. Celestia and a number of nobles on both sides were still trying for peace. Most thought the Flame Party was finished in the attack on the wall. None of us realized that rather than attack the Discord’s Castle like he was supposed to, Mustang hid most of the dragon troops in supply crates and secreted them in storage areas around Canterlot. He planned for the failure of the main force. Tactical genius that one; far too patient as well. Though as I said, if not for that attack, things would have been very different. With
Celestia out of commission, the two most powerful individuals in Canterlot were fully focused on revenge. Cindervale might still be up today if Silver Claw had not tried to kill Celestia first. If he had gone for Luna or anyone else, Celestia would have stopped any attempts at revenge on Cindervale. Near as I can tell, he was so focused on rescuing his father that he gambled his entire race to the wolves and lost.”

“So what, you saying you would have done things differently?”

“Oh of course; he had the run of the castle as Mustang. What I would have done was get a few troops caught in a cockatrice's stare, then come to Celestia with some story of ponies being turned to stone by dragon magic or some such believable rubbish. She would have given up the spell that would change them back, and I could have just walked into the garden and freed whoever I wanted before scampering off.”

“The stone to flesh spell is not that simple,” Spike muttered. “You need insane amounts of power to do it.”

“He was the son of a dragon god, and at the same time, the most powerful stallion in Equestria. All he would have needed to do was ask and he would have had the magic to make it happen. What gets me is: why didn't he? He escaped with an alicorn, for Luna's sake. Why didn’t he ask her to free his father?”

“Maybe she couldn't?”

“But she could block a god-level spell that stopped six individuals from turning back to stone? Something doesn't add up.”

“So what, you think he doesn't want to free his father?”

“Oh I am sure he does, but I figure he wants to be famous for it. Every action he has taken seems to me simply to cry out that he wants to be remembered as a dragon that did the impossible. Killing the pony princesses would have been a good way; freeing Forgescale would have been another, but not as notorious, as anything he did would be overshadowed by what Forgescale would have done. Now what I am worried about is if he and the others are trying to gather the books to do what Jer and Luna did, to become more powerful.”

“Maybe he wants to rebuild Cindervale with them, and the dragon empire?” Spike chimed in.

Rhede leaned back, thinking this over and shifting some of the pieces of the puzzle around in his mind. The dragonling was full of insights; why the heck was Twilight not hauling him around everywhere with her?

“Maybe, though there have got to be easier ways to do it. He likely could have gone to nearly any nation and asked for help. The world’s at peace now, though that it still strained. If the dragon nation was restored, some of the nations that have fallen into disfavor would likely regain their lost pull with allies as strong as the dragons. It could all be done with politics, and if he played it right, Celestia wouldn't be able to touch him. No, the books are likely for something darker. I don't trust that dragon to have his claws on them.”

“As if a pony would be more trustworthy to have something like that?” Spike snapped.

“Good point. Those damned things need to be destroyed. I don't trust anyone to have them, of any race. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, or so it is told. I often wonder how Celestia manages to refrain from giving over to any sort of darkness.”

“Twilight says it's because she actually loves her subjects and cannot bear the thought of hurting them.”

“If that was the case, she should have gotten off her flank and helped during the wars instead of camping out in Canterlot. I know the tales of what she did during the Discordian War. If she did even half of that, the first war would have ended in a matter of days and the second would have never even happened at all.”

“Maybe she is afraid of becoming corrupted by it?”

“Hmmm, very perceptive observation for one your age...”

“I'm thirteen...”

“My comment stands. Now speaking of perceptive, what is going on over there?” Rhede muttered, looking out the window at a small crowd gathering around a cloaked pony.

============================================================

Jer'rahd trudged along through the mud, running alongside the group of soldiers on the second run of the day. The goal was to keep them as exhausted as possible through the entirety of the first few days of training. The others would be sleeping in shifts so that at any point in time they could join along with him in wearing them all out. Keeping them panicked, tired, and in situations they had little experience with was the whole goal of this exercise. A few days of this sort of thing, and they should be worn out enough to start on the real training. Fighting and thinking were easy when you have plenty of time to rest between. Fatigued, injured, and lacking sleep however... well, if they could deal with the training like this, then they should be set for anything thrown their way.

He glanced up at Starfall as she guided the storm clouds along with the marching soldiers. The occasional blast of lightning that added effect and kept them on edge was supplied by Bleu. It had only been six hours since they all first gathered, but he was sure most of them felt it was much longer than that.

Peach Blossom and Lion Heart were of the most interest to him. They both had signed up for this on their own rather than be ordered to participate like everyone else.

The two hippogriffs, Ironhide and Ravage, were brother and sister. The pair seemed a bit more durable than the normal griffons, though not by much. Of the ten other griffons, only two were worthy of a special note just yet: the small female named Dusty, and of all things, a half-dragon griffon named Rek'gar. He had honestly never seen or even heard of a cross like that before, and this was hardly the time to question him.

Oddly, two of the Diamond Dogs had his interest as well. The first was Tunnel Rat; despite his small size, he was doing everything he could not to lag behind or even slow up. Despite working twice as hard as the larger dogs, he seemed more inclined to press on than the others who seemed already debating giving up. The only other one of note from the six dogs was the only female; like the half dragon griffon, this was perhaps the only female diamond dog he had ever seen. Jynx, he believed was her name, and she was putting forth just as much effort to keep going as the small dog was. Complaining a lot less than the others, too.

The ponies were a varied lot. Thirty ponies and half dragons in all. Eight half dragons, three winged, two with horns and one rather large half dragon that seemed to have neither horn nor wings. He was aware that in the past there had been some half dragons that did not have wings and instead cast magic like a unicorn, but there had not been any earth pony variants as far as he could tell. Interestingly enough, he had caught a few of them looking to Lion Heart when orders were given, as if they were checking with him first. Probably something to do with his leadership in the Night Guard. It was something that needed to be stopped for this training, though it could also be taken advantage of later.

There were only five earth ponies, which worked out; they would likely have the easiest time with the physical training. He was somewhat annoyed that Tiberius was one of them; he didn't want anything to be easy for that one. The only other one of note was a brown coated pony named Mal. He had come the closest to actually laying a hoof on Jer'rahd during the spar.

There were eight unicorns, a small enough force that Twilight should not be too strained teaching them a few things, along with the dragon casters. At least, once Twilight returned from Ponyville, anyway. None of them struck him as odd or exceptional.

There were nine pegasi as well, including Breezy and Peach Blossom. All of them seemed to be suffering for the run almost as much as the griffons were. Peach Blossom was rather odd, however. At times, he seemed to be doing his best to look like he was not even winded from the workout and other times he barely managed to slog along, only to perk right back up again randomly. At first, Jer'rahd thought it was simply to inspire the others, or impress the trainers. Then it became quite clear he really didn't try to hide his exhaustion when Jer'rahd or Bleu were watching him, only when Starfall and Velkorn were... no, it was just Starfall. What the heck was he... oh no, Jer'rahd glanced to Bleu to see if she had noticed, and the dragonlings gaze was dead on the pegasus with a far-too-knowing grin on her muzzle.

Jer'rahd sighed and shook his head; thinking back, he had seen that far too many times and knew what it meant. He shouted at the group to move faster as he ran along with them. If Bleu had her way, that pegasus did not know what he was getting into.

==========================================

Rarity screamed out as a flash of magic struck her.

“You beast, this shade of brown should only be used for accents!” Rarity shrieked, falling over to be caught by Applejack and carted off.

Pinkie ran up after her. “Come on, Applejack; we've got to get her into a nice soothing pink, STAT!”

Rhede blinked, watching the show along with a large group of other ponies wondering what the heck this was all about. Clearly, he was not going to find out by just standing here.

“What's going on here?” Rhede questioned pushing his way out of the crowd. Spike darted along behind him, peeking around his legs as Rhede stopped.

“You there; you are her assistant!” a cloaked pony shouted from the middle of the circle, pointing an accusing pale blue hoof at Spike. “Where is Twilight Sparkle?”

“Do I know you?” Spike questioned, tilting his head.

The figure flipped back her hood, revealing a pale blue unicorn with magenta eyes and white hair with a light blue streak through it. Rhede gave an appreciative whistle at the mare’s looks something largely ignored by the clearly angry unicorn.

“Trixie? What are you doing here?” Spike grumbled, glaring at the mare.

“Oh jeez you again? You call that great and powerful?” Rainbow Dash shouted from above, gesturing to Rarity as she was carried into her shop.

The unicorn’s horn flared as magic struck the pegasus, making one wing grow larger and sending her into a spin.

“Cool. She's Rainbow Wobble now,” Snips quipped up, watching Dash tumble through the air.

“Yeah hahah,” Snails retorted, ducking as Dash nearly crashed into the pair, sending the other ponies around them scattering.

“Great spell, O Great and Powerful Trixie,” Snails yelled, waving.

Rhede noted Spike wince at the sight of the two colts and saw the anger grow in the unicorn’s eyes.

“You two, QUIET!” Trixie snarled, blasting the pair with a spell.

Rhede's eyes widened as the two colts wer suddenly joined together by the horn tip and started flailing about, screaming at each other.

“Alright, that's enough!” Rhede shouts striding forward shifting a little in his robes, loosening up his weapons in case he needed them. She was starting to push the limits of jokes now. “What the heck is this all about?”

“Who are you?” Trixie questioned, looking Rhede up and down, her eyes still flickering red.

“The names Rhede Pelt, I'm a Gen... agent of Princess Lu.... Celestia. Why are you attacking the town?”

“You do not seem so sure what you are, colt.”

“It's complicated. Now answer me,” Rhede ordered as the two conjoined colts flailed past. “Somepony fix those two!”

“Trixie has unfinished business with Twilight Sparkle, not you,” Trixie stated. Her horn flashed and grabbed Spike off the ground, bundling him up into a ball and bouncing him a few times. “If tormenting her friends will not bring her out, then perhaps, doing so with her assistant will.”

Rhede's ears flattened and he whirled, flicking a blade from his tail. The unicorn mare blinked and jumped to the side. The blade whisked past her and embedded into the corner of a house behind her. She glanced down as a strand of white hair fell, cut free from her mane.

“Leave Spike alone and fix what you did or the next one goes between your eyes and I get someone else to fix the problems,” Rhede snarled. “I don't know what the buck your problem is, lady, but I have far too many other problems to add you to the list.”

“You dare threaten Trixie, cretin!?” The mare’s eyes glowed red, along with her horn and an odd amulet about her neck. Rhede took a step back and flicked his foreleg, the tip of the star metal dagger sliding free to be ready.

“What the hay is going on here?!” a voice shouted from outside the gathered ponies. The crowd parted and Twilight trotted towards Rhede and Trixie. The purple unicorn paused, looking over her friends, the flailing Snips and Snails, and Spike squished in a ball. Her eyes fell on Rhede and she bit her lip, noting he was in a stance she had seen him in more often than not when he was about to kill somepony. “Trixie, what are you doing here? Why are you doing these things?”

“Trixie knew Twilight would show up eventually. Why... why? You humiliated me!”

Rhede's face took on a look of annoyed disbelief. Trixie's horn flashed, showing a red panel that started playing back some images of her in various scenes.

“After you showed me up with that Ursa Minor, I became a laughingstock. Everywhere I went, I was laughed at and ostracized. I even had to take a job on a rock farm just to earn a living! A ROCK FARM!”

“What the heck is a rock farm?” Rhede muttered.

“HEY, you’re lucky a rock farm would take the likes of you,” Pinkie Pie shouted angrily.

A red arrow appeared in the air and floated down, poking Pinkie's nose. It pulled her whole muzzle off and dumped it in a trash can, leaving a smooth, pale section of skin where her face had been. Rhede twitched, grinding his teeth a little.

“Okay, what the buck kinda spell was that? What the buck is your problem? And somepony please give me a back story on this, because that was quite possibly the weirdest shit I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of stuff,” Rhede stammered, looking at the depressed Pinkie.

“Trixie was a stage performer that came into town making some wild claims for her show,” Applejack responded, trotting up to small group. “She said she beat an Ursa Major by herself, and a couple of colts got overzealous and went out to find one so she could do it again.”

“Those two?” Rhede snidely remarked as Snips and Snails tumbled past again.

“Errr, yeah. Anyway, the bear came into town and smashed it up pretty good...”

“Along with Trixie's wagon with all her things!” Trixie shouted.

“...yeah, that too,” AJ continued. “Trixie tried to stop it and failed miserably. Then Twilight popped up and saved the day. Afterwards, we find out it was only an Ursa Minor, kinda proving she was a fraud after all her talk.”

“Okay, and did the stuff that happened in her story happen as well?” Rhede questioned.

“Well, I guess so...” AJ responded.

“Of course it did. Why would Trixie make this up!?”

“Ooookay, let me see if I have all of this straight,” Rhede sighed, rubbing his head. “A show mare comes into town plying her trade, which includes promoting herself as the best, and telling stories to increase her fame so she can draw a crowd to her show. This is done so she can make enough bits to live off of. A couple of idiot foals think it's real and go out of their way to put the whole town in danger. The show mare fails to live up to her boast, though tries anyway, even if she fails and her home and lively hood gets destroyed for her trouble. After all that, she's pretty much treated as crap by ponies who would have done little more than run away if put in the same situation, simply because she can't perform some massive spell against a bucking force of nature given a bear form? Am I correct in this so far?”

“Errr yeah... I wouldn’a put it like that, but... umm,” AJ responded, looking a bit sheepish. Twilight winced, having the same look.

“Right, okay then, I am done here. Far as I can see, she is completely justified with this crap, and I am not gonna get involved. All on you ,Sparkle.”

“Wait, you're not going to help?”

“Why? This is something you ponies did on your own. I need to work on the damage Discord did, not on what you brought to the table. We are not here to solve all your problems for you, Sparkle. We are here to make sure all the problems that do exist don't get worse. Just freaking apologize, buy her lunch, and send her on her way. Or whatever she wants.”

“Trixie has no need of an apology from one such as Twilight. I have been practicing and I challenge Twilight Sparkle to magic duel.”

“What?”

“Great, Jer is gonna flip at the word duel. This isn't to the death or anything, is it? “

“No; winner stays, loser leaves Ponyville forever!”

“Nope, sorry, not an option either.,” Rhede said flatly.

Twilight and AJ looked at him, wondering what the heck he was doing. Was he helping or not?

“You dare question TRIXIE!?”

“I was going to bury a dagger in the middle of Trixie's head before Sparkle showed up, so yeah, I do. Get your jollies in beating her if you can, but she remains in Ponyville. She has a job to do same as the rest of us.” Rhede looked down to Spike as the dragon rolled to a stop at his hooves. “I'm borrowing Spike as well, Sparkle. You can deal with this on your own however you want.”

“Trixie did not give you permission to GAAAAAAAAH!!!!” The blue unicorn screamed out, clutching her horn as Rhede lightly tapped Spike's bubble with the side of his foreleg, popping the magic shield. He lifted the dizzy dragonling onto his back as Trixie regained her hooves.

“How did you do that? Trixie's shield is impenetrable!”

“Guard secret. Believe me when I say I am not in the slightest bit in awe of your power; a bit in awe at that shapely flank you have hidden under that cloak, but not the magic,” Rhede commented, making a kissy face and getting Trixie to blush as Twilight and AJ rolled their eyes. “Anyway, we'll be at the library, Sparkle. Let me know how this turns out. Oh yeah, and one last thing, Trixie...”

Rhede turned back, glaring at the blue unicorn mare, his voice deepening as his look took on aspects of Jer'rahd's thousand yard stare.

“You actually hurt anypony or do any real damage in this little revenge prank nonsense of yours, and I will end you faster than you can say your stage name, you got it?”

Trixie's eyes widened and she nodded furiously. Rhede nodded in response, turning to trot off with the motion sick dragonling groaning across his back.

“An’ I thought that Jer'rahd fella was intense,” AJ muttered.

“.... and now it's left me blind...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
by TDR

“.... and now it's left me blind...”

[Training Day 2]

The dull thud of hooves and claws filled the air as the troops trudged through the darkness. Breezy led the group, carrying a lantern clenched between his teeth to light their path, an act that forced him to keep the time for the rest of the group. Every time he slacked, he risked being stampeded by the group behind him.

The troops had just finished day one of training a little over five hours ago. At best, they had managed three to three and a half hours of sleep before Jer'rahd and Bleu woke them screaming from their beds. They rushed the group into full gear and set out on a predawn march down the mountain along the train tracks towards Saddle Lake at the base.

Initially, Jer'rahd had planned to simply adjust some of the courses near the Guard barkers to suit his purpose, but a messenger from Princess Luna changed all that. He had sent Starfall ahead to confirm the existence; with that confirmation, plans changed.

The troops were currently carrying everything they owned, and in the cases of some of the ones with large souvenirs from the Changeling hive, barely managing that. Jer'rahd was carrying a pack as well, though he had nowhere near as much as the others.

As dawn rose over the land, the marching troops arrived at the lake and nearly collapsed when the order to halt was given. Breezy, however, kept walking along until he trotted right into the lake and just as quickly burst out of it sputtering in a panic.

“What, huh... oh, ummm... we're stopped… err, yeah...” Breezy muttered as he shook himself off and tried to wring out his gear.

Bleu leaned over to Jer'rahd. “Boss, how long was he sleep walking?”

“Almost since we left Canterlot. That stallion has some very unusual skills,” Jer muttered in return before advancing on the troops after a few moments.

“Alright maggots, you had your rest break. This is gonna be your new home for the rest of this training, courtesy of Princess Luna!” Jer'rahd shouted, pointing to the structures near the tree line.

The troops turned to look at where the major was pointing. At first glance, the structures seemed to be ruins, though after staring at the buildings for a time, they were definitely in ruins.

“Sir no offense, sir, but it looks like the Princess gave us crap. Sir,” spouted off a griffon.

“Crap? Bah, this is an outpost for the Old Guard training. The obstacle course and buildings were all built to last and enchanted to remain intact no matter what sort of idiot tried to ruin them with their stupidity. All this place needs is a little work and some elbow grease. And judging by how slimy you maggots look, I would say you all have some grease to spare. Flying restriction is lifted for the clean up, but magic is still a no-go. I want you all in teams for this exercise— groups of four two fliers and a spell caster to each group. Breezy, you, Dusty, Tunnel Rat, and Nightfeather are on a team. Peach Blossom, Lion Heart, Jynx, and Ravage. Tiberius, Ironhide, Kaylee, and Flint...” Jer'rahd started listing until every member of the group
was teamed up.

Bleu smirked a bit, craning her head up to look over the vine- and forest-covered training grounds. “Lot of work in store for today. Better get to it,” Bleu laughed.

“The faster you get it done, the faster you can rest. I catch any of you maggots using magic to speed up the process, I will dump a lake's worth of slime and mud on the whole damn camp and make sure every single one of you knows who broke the rule as you clean it up. After that, I’ll let it sort itself out. WE CLEAR, MAGGOTS!?”

“SIR, YES, SIR!”

“THEN GET TO IT!”

=========================================================

“Pelt what tha hay was that all about?!” AJ shouted.

Rhede glanced up from the book he was looking at to the ponies storming into the library.

“I told you they would be mad at you,” Spike muttered.

“I take things did not go well?” Rhede responded, looking over the six ponies glaring at him.

Pinkie Pie still did not have a mouth, though otherwise, she was unchanged. Applejack was wearing a fez rather than her normal Stetson, and she had yuck faces on each of the apples on her cutie mark. Rainbow Dash's wing was fixed, but her mane and tail had grown much longer and a great deal fluffier; she looked like little more than a big rainbow-colored puff ball. Fluttershy was plaid, and Twilight was covered in magic writing professing everything from ‘loser’ to much more personal insults. Rarity didn't seem to have anything wrong with her at first, though she danced around as if she was on fire. A brief glance at her hooves as she flailed about showed some strange neon pink shoes on her hooves.

“What the heck are those?” Rhede asked.

“Crocs... she's making me wear crocs! Oh, the agony!!!” Rarity whined. “I will never live this down!”

“Right... so what's the problem, then? Just take them off or fix it with magic.”

“We can't.”

“Why's that?”

“Because I lost,” Twilight muttered.

Rhede looked up at the purple unicorn as Spike stared in disbelief. “How the heck did you lose?” Spike asked.

“She did some sort of age spell on Snips and Snails. That's a high level spell, and only the strongest unicorn mages can cast something that changes time like that.”

“So says the mare who teleported an entire Guard company, two star metal blades, and a tree into the throne room of Canterlot,” Rhede muttered, flipping another page in the book idly.

“Yeah, well, be amazed there's something I can't do,” Twilight snapped.

“Some element of Generosity you were. You coulda saved the whole town some suffering back there by running her off,” Applejack growled to Rhede. “She's got the mayor dancing around in a clown outfit for her amusement.”

“As Rarity could tell you if she was not so concerned by her shoes, generosity is not specific. It doesn't count if you are only willing to help out your friends. This town screwed that mare over, and letting her blow off a bit of steam balances things out a bit. So long as no pony is getting hurt, she is not my problem.”

“You could have just used the sword,” Spike pointed out.

“That would have been cheating,” Twilight muttered.

“You mean like Trixie was doing?” Rhede yawned, sliding the book he had been flipping through over to Twilight.
The purple unicorn blinks looking down at the book curiously. “The Alicorn Amulet?”

“Seems it's an artifact of some kind that popped up and vanished after my time. I love how all these books dodge around the War of Night like it's the plague. Not so much as a hint it existed. It goes from the beginnings of the second dragon war to well after Luna was trapped in the moon,” Rhede sighed.

“The Alicorn Amulet bestows upon the user untold power, but at the same time, it also corrupts the user.” Twilight scanned over the book. “Ugh, she's the only one who can take it off.”

“Or you could use the Brilliant Dawn and touch it. The spell should be disrupted and it will fall off.” Rhede sighed.

“Right; let’s go teach that mare a thing er two,” AJ shouted as all six of them started to run back out.

“Oh yeah, payback time.” Dash grinned.

“HOLD IT,” Rhede hollered.

The group skidded to a stop, glaring back at Rhede. “What now?” Twilight asked.

“Isn't this what got you into the mess in the first place? She was treated so badly, she only came back for revenge. You really want to run her off again like before? Who knows what she might come back with next time? Keep in mind that we are in a conflict here, and any allies we can get would be good.”

“Are you sure you are not just trying to get us to spare her due to your fascination with her flank?” Rarity questioned.

“Geez, it's not like you’re one to talk, either, with everything you did,” Dash snapped.

“Yeah, what I did in the past. How about you actually learn from the mistakes that were made, then, and not repeat them?
After all, you are the only ones now who remember them besides us,” Rhede quipped back. “As for the flank; yeah, it's nice, but since the cobwebs of a thousand years got cleaned out, turns out the flesh is willing, but the spirit is a little weak and spongy for some reason.”

“What?” Dash questioned.

“Never mind; do whatever the heck you want. I've said my piece,” Rhede grumbled, flipping open a book.

“You're right, Rhede... Though if the book is right, Trixie might be too far gone in the curse for just words to work. I may need to come up with something else... I got it. Applejack, go get Granny, Big Mac, and Applebloom. Rarity, I need you to get Sweetie Belle and make something for me...” Twilight continued to list things off as she walked out the door, followed by the others.

“Well, that sounds promising,” Rhede commented.

“I'm surprised you managed to talk them down. They're all pretty stubborn when they get angry,” Spike commented.

“Anger is useful. It can allow you to get past obstacles that you could not before, and allow you to do what is needed when, if you had time to think clearly, you would not be able to. It also causes the biggest problems ponies can have.”

“Yeah, well, you are a testament to that, considering how many you killed when angry. What was the count of nobles, dragons and elk?” Spike retorted, glaring at Rhede, who flattened his ears.

“Not sure where that came from, but you're bordering between inquisitive and dickish, Spike.”

“And you're bordering on being hypocritical and dickish. After all you guys did, you are trying to be selective on who or what you help? You think turning on Nightmare Moon in the end clears all your blame, that you don't deserve any punishment for it? At the very least, you should be falling over yourself trying to help out anyone who needs it.”

“I was banished from my own family, fought my own kin, and was sealed in stone for a thousand years. I woke up once to help save Equestria from the dangers of that bucking garden before being turned back to stone again. Even now, I am trying to help ponies I owe nothing to, deal with mistakes that I didn't make. What more punishment do I deserve for what I did? Is there anything that could be enough, or do I just continue on like Jer and hope someone kills me before I make another mistake? I can regret and feel bad for what I did for the rest of my life and try to atone for it, but do you really think it would ever be enough for what was done? There's not a damn thing for it no matter what I do, so why bother to change how I live at this point? It won't matter any way.”

Spike blinked, looking up at the pony in surprise.

“Um, excuse me. I don't mean to intrude,” Fluttershy squeaked out. Both Rhede and Spike jump, not even having noticed the mousy pegasus. “Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to frighten you.”

“No, it's nothing... was there something else, Fluttershy?” Rhede sighed, somehow still unnerved a bit by the Pegasus. She was pretty and all, but there was a quality about her that reminded Rhede far too much of Velkorn. Probably the Element of Kindness that connected them it made it hard for him to look at her like he did most mares.

“Err, yes, well, it's just you mentioned your problems with well y... you know.” Fluttershy blushed. “And, well, when Mr.
Rooster had an issue like that, Zecora was able to brew something up to help him, so maybe she could do the same for you...Umm, I gotta go. Bye.”

Rhede and Spike stared after the yellow pegasus as she darted out, her face nearly as red as Rhede's fur.

“Did she just try to tell me how to get help for a limp phallus?”Rhede stammered.

“What's a phallus?”

“How old are you?”

“Thirteen, going on fourteen.”

“Yeah, I am not fielding that question. ask Twilight.”

“Damn it, is anyone gonna tell me?” Spike growled.

=============================================================

Jer'rahd chewed on an oat bar thoughtfully as Bleu reclined on his back, finishing her tale of what happened.

“Well, it took some time, but it seems what you wanted finally happened,” Jer commented, trotting among the soldiers clearing out one of the larger buildings.

“Yeah. I figured you would be a bit more cheered up by it, though,” Bleu grumbled.

“I've got an image to maintain right now. Don't expect me to dance a jig. I'll have to make time to see the place, though. You should apply, by the way.”

“Apply for what?”

“The job that Octavia pony is doing, the dean.”

“What are you, nuts? No way they would hire me for that.”

“Considering your background and what you can do, I figured the mare should have been throwing the offer at you. You founded the band she plays with, and your sister’s music is what started the school in the first place. I would say you’re a shoo-in.”

“Boss, do you even remember how old I am?”

“Seventeen, though you act a great deal more mature then most adults I know at times. Yer young, experienced, and likely to live for another two thousand years or so like most dragons. Perfect candidate for it.”

“You are far too optimistic of my skills, Boss.”

“And you are far too dismissive of the skills you have.”

Jer'rahd stopped dead at a chorus of screams. Breezy and Dusty flew at top speed out of a room, chased by a swarm of bees. The other troops in the building backed away or darted outside to get away from the swarm, following the pair. The bees started to spread out, going after anyone they saw. Several other troops rushed past Jer'rahd and Bleu to get away from the swarm, though the leading edge of the mass of bees pulled up short before Jer'rahd, buzzing madly a few paces in front of him, though not progressing any closer. Jer'rahd blinked and took a step towards the rolling swarm, causing the whole mass to turn and fly down the hall going the other direction towards where Breezy and Dusty had gone.

“Well, that was impressive.”

“Seems even the bugs can sense the Beast and are afraid of it. Guess it is getting stronger still; might not have much more time.”

“Stop being so damned fatalistic, boss.”

Jer'rahd trotted into the room to see a nearly comatose half-dragon unicorn and small Diamond Dog twitching on the floor next to a large log that had been broken open and was full of honeycomb and bees.

Jer'rahd sighed and lifted the log up, carrying it into the hall and flinging it out a window towards the woods. He looked down at the whimpering pair on the ground and sighed.

“Just great... MEDIC!!”

=================================================================

“Look, bitch, I don't care what the fuck you say. That was not a normal unicorn,” Claymore raged.

Scarlet laughed and trotted off, leaving the scared earth pony fuming. Nocturne and Silver Claw had gotten used to the pair and had left the moment the argument started. Strangely, Bloodtail had yet to depart, and he was usually the first to leave.
Claymore glared at the zebra as he approached.

“What, you want to start some shit, too?”

[“Not at all. I am curious about a certain thing you briefly mentioned in your story.”]

“And what the buck is that?”

[“You said she wore an amulet that also glowed red when she cast spells. What did it look like?”]
Claymore blinked, his ears flattening as he thought back.

“Pretty much a gray triangle pointing down, with the head and wings of an alicorn rising from the top. The alicorn’s eye was red, as were the ridges along the wing tops, and there was a large red gem in the center of the whole thing as well. Why, what the hell’s up with that bit of jewelry?”

[“I believe I know what that is. Quite a find if we can acquire it for ourselves. Not enough to make a caster a god, but it will increase one’s power enough to make our goals easier. It is in our best interest to find this mare of yours.”]

“Heh, glad someone finally seems to believe me, even if it is you.”

=================================================================

Thankfully, Velkorn had arrived not long after the troops did with a number of wagons loaded down with supplies. She had immediately started tending the bee sting victims as well as the other minor injuries that had happened in the mad rush to get away from the angry insects.

She had commandeered Bleu to fly Tunnel Rat and Night Feather to Canterlot for full treatment due to the volume of stings the pair had received. Tunnel Rat refused, going so far as to try and walk away from the annoyed zebra. The unicorn half-dragon couldn't even do that, as he was having trouble breathing. Velkorn was going to argue with the Diamond Dog, but she gave up with more than a little bit of cursing.

Jer'rahd glared down at the half-dragon as she was prepared for transport and shook his head.

“Taken down by a buncha bees... Ah well; I've seen dumber ways to be laid up. Tell yah what, Lieutenant. You relax and recover from this, and I’ll let slide the order to remove you from the guard due to failure.”

“Sir, thank you, sir,” muttered the injured half dragon.

“Don't thank me, ‘cause if you don't sign up for the next training session I do to make up for this one, I will see that you are finished. Now get out of here.”

He turned as Bleu launched into the air with the half-dragon and Velkorn, looking at the gathered troops in particular, Breezy and Dusty. Velkorn had treated them for a few stings, but the pair’s frantic flight had got them out nearly unscathed.

“SHOWS OVER! This place is not gonna finish cleaning itself. Get back to it and watch out for anything else that might pop up. LION HEART, take Tunnel Rat with you and keep an eye on him. He's on light duty, despite what he says. I don't need someone else collapsing; he drops, it's on your head. Breezy and Dusty, don't you two dare bucking move from that spot. THE REST OF YOU, GET MOVING!”

Jer'rahd watched as the others rushed off. Lion Heart stuck with Tunnel Rat as he hobbled away as well, bitching about the smell of the mix of vinegar and baking soda he was doused in.

When the others were out of earshot, he whirled on the two he told to stay put.

“What the bucking hell is wrong with you two? I lost one of my few spellcasting recruits and nearly lost the only Diamond Dog that seems to give a shit because of your fuck-up, and he still might not be able to pull through this with as many times as he was stung. I'll be amazed if he can see by the time the swelling peaks.”

“How the heck is this our fault?” Dusty snapped. “We didn't put the bucking bees in that damn log, and we didn't tell the dog to freaking try to move it, either.”

“You think I give a shit why the attack happened? I am blaming you little paraspite turds for the injuries, not the cause. Both of you are fliers; you could have each grabbed one of them and flown the buck out of there before those two were stung as bad as they were. You two decided to bucking chicken out and flee at the first sign of trouble, and you left the rest of your team behind. What if one of them was allergic, or what if Nightfeather had taken a few more stings? She was having trouble breathing from just the ones she got.”

“It was all we could do to get out of there. It's not like the damn things run away from us like they do you. Do you know how much the damn stings hurt?” Breezy snapped.

“Do you think I have the scars I wear without knowing what pain is, colt? You think I haven’t soaked that shit up to save someone? I have been wounded in ways you have not even begun to fathom, and I still did what was needed without running. You are damn lucky that nopony died from your cowardice, or I would have ripped both of you apart. You two are exactly what is wrong with the entire defense force of all the nations in this age: you're lazy, you're cowardly, and you're weak. I have more faith in that Diamond Dog finishing this training in his state than I do in either of you, and he can barely stand right now.”

“Your threats don't frighten me, pony. You can't touch me...” Breezy stepped back as Jer'rahd belted the griffon with a foreleg, sending her to the ground with a crash of feathers and claws.

“Seems I can touch you just fine. You think I give a shit that your father is a griffon god? I was killing three times his better before he was even hatched. In case you didn’t know, he's the one who put you in this training, top of the bucking list. Do you really think he doesn't know who I am and what he sent you into? I don't profess to know why either of you sacks of shit are here, but if you screw up again, You. Are. Done. Now get yer asses back to work. You’re down two members until Tunnel Rat recovers. If he recovers.”

“You hit me...” Dusty commented incredulously.

“Move, before I do it again.”

The griffon roared out, leaping at Jer'rahd, only to be tackled quickly by Breezy, who did his best to pin the smaller female down.

“Right, sir... we'll get on that …”

He watcheed as Breezy pulled the flailing griffon away.

He briefly wondered if he had been too hard on the pair when he remembered what Stonehooves did to Starfall for breaking the no flying rule to save someone’s life. No, better they hate him and learn from it, if they could get anything through those thick skulls of theirs. He wanted an answer anyway; time to find Peach Blossom.

===============================================================

“What a pain in the flank,” Starfall sighed, smacking her head against the table in the library. She hated this sort of nonsense. She wasn't a researcher, she was a fighter and a flier, yet here she was on her short bit of time off trying to figure out what had happened with the half-dragons, the Shadowbolts and the rest of the 42nd after they were turned into statues. Most importantly, however, what had happened to her daughter. Granted, the last, she already knew the answer to.

“Something wrong, Starfall?” a voice questioned quietly behind her.

The gray pegasus whirled, meeting Luna's gaze with her own. She winced, seeing who it was and not wanting to deal with it at the moment.

“Nothing of importance, Princess. Sorry to disturb you,” she muttered, turning back to her books. She had never really felt the same connection with the princess as the others had. Sure, she was comfortable enough to consider her a friend, though more along the lines of a friend that one of your closer friends was friends with and that was how you knew them. Considering Luna's status and what was drilled into her head regarding royalty by her parents, she was, at best, uneasy when there was no one else about to be a buffer between them. As a superior, she had no problem, though trying to consider Luna otherwise was not easy. Jer'rahd and Rhede, she had known since basic and they had only gotten closer, Bleu was hard not to like, and after Neighlantis, she had nothing but respect for Velkorn. Luna was always a bit aloof, however.

“I think I was the one who disturbed you. What are you seeking? I may be able to help.”

“I am sure you have other things to do, princess. No need to go out of your way for me.”

“Not at this time of morning, no. My sister is starting her day and I have ended my night. I can help, if you wish.”

“No really, it's fine...”

“I see. I expect you of all ponies should hate me for what I did. I am sorry to have troubled you, Starfall.”
Luna turned, trotting off just as softly as she had come. Starfall still did not hear her hoof falls even as she watched the princess go. Damn it; this was a reason she was in this mess to start with.

“I don't hate you, Princess. Let me make that clear. I chose to follow you the same as the others. What was done was my fault as much as yours,” Starfall sighed, watching the alicorn stop. “I also can't, in good conscience, let you think I hate you. Not when that worry was lifted from me.”

“I am afraid I do not understand.”

Starfall smirked a little. “I was awake when my daughter first visited me and told me she didn't hate me. I was awake for a number of times when she came back. She showed me the new Wonderbolts uniforms, she introduced me to her daughter, and later her grandson. I watched her grow older with every visit, then she simply never came again.”
Starfall inhaled deeply, wiping away her eyes.

“A parent should never outlive their child. They should never have to watch them waste away and die. I lost everything I cared for, and yet here I am, still pressing on, even after my daughter’s descendant wants nothing more to do with me. I think I might have been alright if I never knew who she was, but now I am even more of a wreck than I was before.”

Luna stood stoically, watching Starfall slowly break down before her. The Princess of the Night winced, not entirely certain of what to do in this instance. She approached a little, resting a wing on the smaller pegasus's back.

“I am sorry. I did not wish to make anyone I cared for suffer, and it seems that is all I have done. I am truly sorry for everything, Starfall,” Luna stammered, not really sure if she was doing it right or if the pegasus would even care, or even think she was trying to help.

“It's alright... I'm okay. I just... Don't worry about it, Princess. like I said, it was just as much my choice as anything you did. Rhede and Celestia said it really wasn't you at the end, and I've seen Jer'rahd do his thing, too. I can't blame you for having the best intentions fail.”

Luna bit her lip and sat down, her ears drooping. “It was never the best intentions. I may have not been in full control of my actions, but I was more in control then Kaisur ever is. All my actions were swayed by emotions, and they came and went far too easily, anger being the first and foremost. I could have listened to my sister, or even to Kaisur when they told me not to use the books, and I did not. We had the power to deal with any threat as it was, save perhaps Aqua. It was revenge and rage that drove me— nothing else. And that darkness is still there within me, but that darkness is me. It is not some other creature like what Kaisur hides. Everything that was done was my fault. I am sorry.” Luna looked away as Starfall stared at her.

“Rage... heh, yeah, I know that. Seems we all get stuck with that one. I would blame Jer'rahd for rubbing off on me, but I was angry and vengeful before I even joined the Guard,” Starfall gasped, still trying to clear the tears she had moments before.

“We can keep this pity party going, or we can try to simply get over it and work towards repenting for what we did.”

“Do you think that can be done?”

“Who knows? Honestly, I don't care. I just don't see much reason to dwell on what is past and what might have been. I still can't help to think on it when my mind wanders, though, so I need to keep busy or distracted. We can't go back, only forward.”

“This is indeed true.”

“Of course it is. I was the Bearer of Honesty, after all. Still working on that whole honest with myself thing, though. Hopefully, I can still salvage something with Dash.”

“I have heard about that altercation. I am sorry; I can speak with her if you like,” Luna offered.

“Nah, my own fault. Heck, she's probably more related to Rhede than she is to me, anyway.” Starfall looked up at Luna, inhaling deeply. It was time to point out the elephant in the room. “So here's the question I am sure all of us want to know, and frankly, it's been a week and I'm tired of waiting: what are you going to do with us once this is done?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know damn well what I mean. Despite this talk, you are still upset with us, and I don't see us fitting too well into this peaceful age.”

“You do not give yourself enough credit in that regard. Kaisur and I are the only ones who would have any difficulty fitting in, though that is not something I was ever very accomplished at any way. In any case, it is not my choice what you do. You were once my companions, never my servants. You life is yours to do with as you wish. You needn't even have agreed to aid Twilight; no one would force you to do anything. In truth, no one could.”

“Given who escaped, we wouldn't have refused.”

“You still wish revenge on the griffon?”

“Do I have anything else left at this point?”

“You could find something else. It is not as if you are an old mare, and unless you have aspirations of forming a relationship with Rainbow Dash, it is not as if you could not easily find some pony you have no relation to. Rhede cannot say the same, I am sure.”

Starfall stared at the princess a moment before smiling and shaking her head. “Never even considered that, though it's not like I have anything beyond the memory of Loc anymore to remind me of him, and, of course, a desire to kill Wind Razor. I could ask the same of you; despite your reclusiveness, I am sure there have been more than a few ponies trying for your attention.”

Luna snorts. “A plethora of station-seeking nobles and a few young guards with foalish crushes. None of them even hold the slightest interest to me. This age has made most of the stallions tepid, and I always disliked nobles.”

“Ahh, so you want one of those burly warrior types from those trashy romance novels Bleu likes?”

“Not quite that bad. If I recall, in those books, the 'hero' was always a brain-dead ball of muscle that was only pretty to look at, and perhaps in bed. Past that, he was little more than a toy who more often moved on after a conquest. One would need to display some sort of loyalty and intelligence to go along with the other attributes for me... Oh dear...”

“Yeah, it doesn't take Rhede to realize who you described. Add that to what you said about Nightmare Moon still being you with less control of your emotions, and I think we have a winner.”

“You have been taking pointers from Bleu and Rhede, I see.”

“Or I could just be relaying what I honestly see. So why are you able to come and talk with me so easily, but have so much difficulty with Jer'rahd?”

Luna bit her lip, not liking how the pegasus had turned the entire conversation around on her. Was Starfall always this clever in the past? Might as well confide in someone; Bleu already knew too much as it was. It was not as if she really could talk with Tia about this; her sister was fed up with her moping. Perhaps Starfall might offer some insight. At the very least, the mare was honest enough that if Luna asked her not to tell anyone, she would not.

=======================================================================

“Do you know why I asked for you, Peach Blossom?”

“No, sir; not in the slightest, Sir.”

Jer'rahd stepped out of the back of the wagon. He tossed a file down on a crate with his magic, flipping open the cover to show a rather large stack of disciplinary reports and other issues, all for one pony.
Peach Blossom winced at the small picture in the corner of one of the pages.

“Oh... that's why.”

“Why is this pony even still in the Royal Guard? I know that this era has slacked considerably, but everything in here should have been more than enough to drop kick any one out of even the foal scouts... do they have foal scouts in this era?”

“Errr, yes, sir, and filly scouts with the cookies.”

“Okay, that's new, but that's beside the point. Now then, why is your name on all of these as well? Usually as the one performing the disciplinary action, or failing to do so, or making some excuse that saves this idiot from court martial, and in two cases, jail time.”

“In his defense, sir...”

“I READ THAT! I read everything you wrote on every single incident. Some of it is pure bullshit, some of it is enlightened bullshit, and some of it even makes sense. The question is: why the hell are you defending him, and why did you sign him up for this training, Captain?”

“Because of what is not in those files, sir.”

“Explain.”

“Yes, he's a slacker, and a general annoyance, and a sad excuse for a pony pretty much all of the time, but he also has three commendations for bravery and a number of other accomplishments that are not even in those files. He has been with the Guard for the past four years, same as I have.”

“Go on.”

“He was part of a disaster relief team when a massive flood hit the towns of the unicorn range and Tall Tale; he saved a sizable number of ponies on his own in that event and broke regulation and orders in order to save a group trapped in rising flood waters.”

“I saw that report; it was something he was written up for.”

“Breezy was also present during the escape of Discord and helped contain a number of prisoners that were trying to escape; that was the battle that he made sergeant, and...”

“And what?”

“He saved my life and a number of others in that conflict. Distracted some creature made of fire and kept it occupied while the wounded were brought out, including myself, until a caster could get there to turn it back to stone. When the situation calls for it, sir, if he has the motivation, he can do what needs to be done. It is the reason I signed him up for this training, to try to straighten him out. I am aware of who you and the others are. I thought that if anyone could make a proper Royal Guard out of him, it might be you all.”

Jer'rahd sighed. “Quite a risk you were taking on his behalf. If he screws up again, he's out, and depending on how badly he screws up, you might be, too, Captain, for putting me and him in this position. There is very little motivation I can give him past that. You keep to your own group and don't help him. It's his own merit that is going to make or break him this time. Both of those situations sound like dumb luck to me. That he acted at all means there may be some hope, but I am not willing to stake anything on it. Flukes of heroism do not make a soldier, Peach Blossom.”

“Sir, yes, Sir.”

“Now then, there is one other thing.”

“Sir?”

“You say you know who we are. How did you come by that?”

“Errr, Lion Heart was on duty when you were first freed and heard Princess Luna ranting about it. I was there in the Crystal Empire. I brought back the ones there. I was also assigned to command part of the expedition force to the changeling hive where you were rescued. We talked about it then.”

“I see. Might I inquire as to your interest in Captain Silvertail?”

Jer'rahd watched the pony stiffen at her name. “Umm, sir?”

“Don't play dumb. If you are trying to impress her hard enough that even I notice it, you're being blatant.”

“I am sorry sir... I didn't...” the pegasus blurted out in a bit of a panic.

“Don't apologize. She's a friend, nothing more than that. Personally, I think she needs to get on with her life while she still can, though you did decide to crush on the most unattainable single mare you will ever meet.”

“That isn't... it... but… Right ,sir...” Peach Blossom responded with an exasperated sigh.

“I do wish you luck, if for nothing else than it will be nice to see her in a good mood more often, as well as seeing the look on Rhede's face.”

“Sir?”

“Nothing to concern yourself with, and don't expect me to go easy on you because of what I’ve said. In fact, you likely need to do better than anyone else in this training for even a chance. So good luck, because you will need it Captain. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.”

========================================================

“I'm gonna murder that gray turd!” Dusty ranted, storming across the nearly-clean room, her tail whipping across the floor like an agitated cat. Breezy would have found it funny if he was not so worried.

“You'd get your flank kicked from here to Canterlot and back again,” Breezy muttered.

“Then I’ll freaking kill him in his sleep.”

“Far as anyone can tell, he doesn't sleep.”

“Then you come up with something, you damned lazy crock of shit. You've been staring at the wall for the last hour. It's not going to clean itself!”

“Like you are doing a damn thing in that regard, either, aside from kicking up more dust and screaming. At the very least, I am trying to think of something.”

“Great. I can't wait to hear what your sorry flank comes up with.”

“All I can really think of is that he's right... and that bothers me. Neither of us should have any business doing this crap. Buck, I joined the Guard ‘cause it was the easiest choice.”

“Pfft, just bits and a life of slacking. Pathetic.”

“Well, excuse me, Princess. Why exactly did you join the griffon forces if all you were going to do was whatever you wanted? Could it be that you knew you would get away with anything because yer father would cover up anything you screwed up? Don't think that the tabloids haven't brought up news of the griffon king’s wild daughter this far south. I may have only guessed at who you were, though the Major confirmed it.”

Dusty winced a little. “Most of that shit’s lies.”

“Most?” Breezy snaps.

“That's what I bucking said. Damned male sleeps with a bunch of females, he's a stud, female does it…”

“That why you got stuck in the military, because of that 'most'?”

Dusty growled, sitting down hard on the floor, her tail still whipping.

“Dad said I needed some sort of structure in my life if I ever hoped to be anything of any sort of importance. Being a god, I can't even begin to think of how many wives and chicks he’s had over his life. He's even got a small shrine of them set up in a room in the palace. All those he loved in the past. You know how hard it is to live up to the expectations of someone like that? So I never even bothered, did what I want, and when I got in over my head, he bailed me out every time. He finally got fed up and offered me the choice to join the defense force or be shipped off as a political marriage to another aerie to cement relationships between two feuding houses...”

“Hmm. They still do that? I thought arranged marriages went out of style years ago.”

“So what's your deal, then? Sounds like you would want something easy. Why stick to this crap?”

“Story’s not far off yours. I'm from a semi-noble family. Real big in Cloudsdale, not so much anywhere else. Middle foal, older brother's a Wonderbolt, the little sister is already nearly running the weather factory on her own, youngest manager ever. Then there's me, not a damned accomplishment to my name, my whole life has been little more that a comparison to my brother and sister. Only time I have ever seen my parents even remotely proud or bragging about what I was doing was when I joined the Royal Guard, barely even made it into that and once in, I stalled, did a few things to that got me noticed, though mostly, it's the memory of that one moment my parents actually were proud of me is why I keep this up. Not as final as your issue, but it's what I got.”

“Great, so both of us get stuck in this damned training under one pony who doesn't play by any rules but his own. And now he wants us out of here. Now what?”

Breezy sighed, his ears flattening to his head.

“I think I have an idea.”

“Well what's that then?”

“We do what he wants.”

“That is a terrible idea.”

==================================================================

Luna looked away from Starfall with a small sigh. “I have a multitude of reasons, but the primary is that I still see Kaisur as the one who betrayed me. I can clearly see his reasoning and I understand why he did what was done. In the same situation, I would have done the same, but I cannot speak with him for long without getting angry or depressed. Out of all of you, he and I had the closest connection. I suppose with my time as the Nightmare, it became more than that. So the betrayal stings harder when it comes to him. My head knows just what to do, though my heart does not follow through with the logic.”

“You know he's a mess because of that, right? Chrysalis used it against him.”

“I am aware. Bleu was quite eager to torment me with it.”

“She never did master tact...”

“Not as if that was a skill any of us but Rhede was very proficient in, anyway.”

“True enough. So what are you going to do, then? Jer'rahd is kinda set on you forgiving us.”
Luna's ears drooped. “It is I who should be asking you for forgiveness, not the other way around. Where I failed, you all did what needed to be done. I cannot forgive you all for what was needed, as it was not wrong.”

“Plan on telling Jer'rahd that?”

“I can barely speak with him. How am I to broach this subject when his mind is set as it is, and my own anger wants an apology as well?”

“Well, you told me fine, and I'm sure you spoke with Bleu the same way.”

“Bleu did most of the talking. You are all friends, though he was a bit more than that... How should I even react to that?”

“Heck if I know. Not like I'm as emotionally invested in him as you are... you have absolutely no idea what to do, do you? I'm sure Hooper must have ticked you off once or twice. Hhow did you get over... that... I see... That's it, isn't it?” Starfall commented, watching Luna flinch as she said the name.

“What?”

“You're not mad at him because of what he did, you are mad at him ‘cause you want... or need to be.”

Luna blinks not meeting Starfall's gaze.

“Damn, how did I not see this before? Heck, how did Bleu and Rhede miss it, especially since that idiot is doing the same thing to Velkorn? You're doing your best to be mad with him, to push him away, so you don't start to really care again. All because you know you are going to outlive him the same as you did Hooper, and you don't want to feel that way again, so you are trying to replace it with anger.”

“That is not…”

“Don't give me that. I bet your sister has argued the same point; it's your own fear that keeps you from developing any connections. That's why it was so hard to get you to do anything or go anywhere, because you don't want to be hurt any more by losing someone you care about.”

“I cannot forget as my sister does. Every death of every friend I have had still lingers with me as if they died only yesterday.”

“That's why you kept showing up at the garden. In stone, we were never going to age or die and leave you... Buck, well at least I know how you feel now.”

“How could you possibly know how I feel, having to watch every one you love and care about die in front of you...” Luna shouted, looking down as the pegasus's ears flattened and stopping her rant before it even began. “...By the stars... I am sorry, Starfall... I…”

“Yeah... I think of anyone else who is alive right now, I know exactly, how you feel. Though after that outburst, you might want to go to bed. You're clearly too tired to hold a conversation.”

The menace in her voice gave Luna a bit of pause. Starfall was quite possibly the second most dangerous thing alive right now who was not a god. Even for her small stature, the pegasus's voice carried far more weight than it should.

“You are right. I do apologize again for my outburst. That is a sore subject with me as well. I did not mean to take that out on you after you could have done the same. You are correct that I should retire for the day. Good day to you, Starfall.
Luna turned, trotting off, and Starfall exhaled deeply.

“All you are doing is hurting yourself and him, Princess. Even a short time of happiness is better than making yourself suffer. I can attest to that.”

“Thank you. You are not the only one who has told me that, however. The advice is just as hard to deal with now as it was then.”

Starfall shook her head as Luna closed the door behind her. “Geez, Bleu was right; this is pure two-bit store trash novel crap going on with those two,” Starfall sighed, looking down at the books, then slapping herself in the face with both hooves. “I coulda just asked Luna about this crap!”

============================================================

“So how’s Nightfeather?” Jer'rahd asked, glancing over to Velkorn.

“Safe and sound in a hospital bed, though if a few more had stung her, she likely would be dead,” Velkorn retorted, flicking open the medical files of the troops and checking for any other potential allergies in case more bees were found. “Any more injuries or pain since I left? Any broken bones, burns, or idiots falling into a cleft?”

“A few scuffs and bruises. One black eye, nothing the few field medics in the troops couldn't deal with.”

“Whatcha gonna do about the two who led that bee team, boss?” Bleu questionsed, stretching out on a empty table, her tail flicking.

“Nothing. They are their own team now, so the only ones they can hurt are themselves. And if they screw up again, they can walk back to Canterlot, or wherever they are going to go. Of course, if Breezy hadn’t stopped Dusty from coming after me, there would have been another patient for you, Velkorn.”

The zebra snorted as Bleu rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Boss, why do I expect at some point you are just going to start flinging things at them and screaming 'Dodge'?”

“Been looking in my training manuals, Bleu?”

“Wait, you plan to do that?”

“No, though some dodgeball matches might be good to help with reflexes. I have another thing planned for their rest day tomorrow. They need to be completely worn out by then, however. Care to run them through some of the exercises once the obstacle course is set up?”

“Really? I can run them through it?” Bleu flipped up with a wide grin on her face. She stopped, running a claw along her chin, considering something. “Hmmmm... Fine, Boss, I'll do it, but only if I get to do it as a musical montage!”

Velkorn and Jer'rahd stared at the dragon a moment.

“Ummm, yeah, sure, have fun with that, Bleu...”

============================================================

“Where are you two going?”

“None of yer damn business,” Claymore snapped.

Silver Claw growled, glaring down at the pony, who met the large dragon’s glare without so much as a twitch.

“I couldn’t care less that you have been unable to wet your dic,k pony, but do not think to take your ire out on me. Now where are you going?”

[“We are investigating a potential item of power, dragon. It is not something you could even use, considering the type of magic it enhances. What I wish to know is: why would you suddenly care about where we go, particularly after all your time playing with your own side project?”] Bloodtail spouted, trotting up next to Claymore.

“The two of you headed out somewhere together strikes me as odd, particularly with my own objective coming to a head.”

“The whelp finally going to join you?” Claymore quipped, causing the dragon to raise an eyebrow.

“That you know about that worries me.”

“Don't you start believing I only think with my dick, too. You know me better than that. It's easy enough to put the clues together when they are right there. Yer moving to that secondary lair you found?”

“That is the plan, yes, though it is not as if you do not know its location, since you killed it's former owner,” Silver Claw sighed.

“Yeah, yeah; anyway, that still doesn't explain the concern with us.” Claymore questioned

“If you are going to Ponyville, it will cause more commotion than I want to have, and perhaps send a prior warning that might bring those I do not wish to deal with from Canterlot. They believe we have fled the area. My actions will change that. I would suggest you stay clear of the library, as that is my destination. The whelp has given the signal I was waiting for,” Silver Claw snarled.

[“If the necklace is there, we can give no such guarantee. That item is of far too high a value to be left in our enemies’ hooves,”] Bloodtail retorted.

“I got a plan fer this,” Claymore declared, suddenly drawing both the dragon and zebra's attention to the earth pony.

“That worries me more than anything else right now.” grumbles Silver Claw.

============================================================

“Well, well, maggots, I am impressed. You made this place look all pretty with only minor injuries for the most part,” Jer announced, looking down from a stone parade tower, his gaze traveling across the small complex and training course that had been uncovered. He did not remember this place; it may have been a Royal Guard training post, or where the Guard training base had been moved to. In any event, the course brought back memories.

“Tell you scum suckers what— you did such a good job, I'm gonna give you a break.”

There was a chorus of cheers and a few muted happy groans.

“I'm gonna let Captain Bleu run you through the course to break it in.” Jer'rahd grinned. “No flying rule is back in effect. You don't even want to know what the captain does to those who break the rules.”
There were even more groans and a few sarcastic 'yay's.

Bleu fluttered down off Jer'rahd's back and changed into her pony-sized form in front of the gathered troops with an extended stretch. She flicked her tail at a pile of wood, knocking a tent pole into the air and catching it with a flourish.
Jer'rahd perks his ears as music suddenly starts playing from some where. What the heck was this?

“Let's get down to business.
Now you all move your buns!”

Bleu sang out, sweeping her staff through the air and pointing to the start of the obstacle course, waving the lot of them at it.

“Did the guard send us children,
when we wanted their best ones?”

Jer'rahd winced as he watched a number of the ponies try to clamor up the length of some logs, only to slip off and crash to the mud below. A few made it up, and Bleu moved along with them, still singing.

“You're the saddest bunch I've ever met,
But you can bet before we're through,
Maggot, we'll make a Guard out of you.”

Once at the top of the first climbing logs, the gathered troops started to hop across stone pillars jutting up from the sand bellow. Again, a number of ponies fell, along with a few Diamond dogs.

“Tranquil as a forest,
But on fire within.
Once you find your center,
You are sure to win.”

Jer'rahd briefly wondered what the heck Bleu was singing about, but figured it was too late to stop her now.

A ramp ran down from the platform after the pillars leading to a rock wall that rose at least three pony lengths into the air. Quite a number of them plowed into the rock wall trying to clamor up the surface, though a hooffull made it to the top, either by using the speed from the ramp to bound up the nearly sheer surface or by using those that fell as springboards, though those ones were greeted by Bleu at the top and knocked back off the wall with her stick.

“You're a spineless pale pathetic lot
And you haven't got a clue.
Somehow we'll make a Guard out of you.”

The troops clamored down a staggered set of log stairs and rushed towards a series of stone rings set in the ground. They bounced between them as Bleu floated along, directing them with her stick and continuing with her song, completely ignoring the ones who were left behind.

“Never gonna catch my breath,” Lion Heart gasped out.

“Say goodbye to those who knew me” Dusty grumbled.

“Why was I a fool in school for cutting gym?” Breezy panted.

“This pony has all scared to death,” Jynx snarled.

“Hope she doesn't see right through me.” Peach Blossom winced.

“Really wish I knew how to swim!” Tunnel Rat yelped as he fell into a pool of water under a obstacle.

Jer'rahd slapped his face with a hoof. He slid down from the parade tower and trotted towards and up the first obstacle. The troops at the back saw him coming and redoubled their efforts, rushing across the pillars and to the next obstacle before he made it to the top of the first.

Jer'rahd slowed a little, his ears perking as a number of the troops seemed to be getting caught up in Bleu's song. She had a chorus now, of all things. This was nuts.

(Be a Guard)
“We must be swift as the coursing river,”
(Be a Guard)
“With all the force of a great typhoon,”
(Be a Guard)
“With all the strength of a raging fire,
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon.”

Jer'rahd continued at a normal pace, hopping between the pillars and watching most of the troops finally make it over the rock wall in front of him, save two. Of course it would be them.

“Time is racing toward us,
'Til the Hive revives.
Heed our every order,
And you might survive.”

Jer'rahd looked down at Breezy and Dusty. Both were covered in mud and trying in vain to scramble up the wall of the third obstacle, getting in each other’s way more than they were climbing. The pegasus cursed. He spread his wings, preparing to fly up, but he frose at a light cough from Jer'rahd. The stallion paled, turning to look back at him. Jer'rahd snorted. He rushed down the ramp, leaped into the air, and hit the rock wall forehooves first. He scrambled up it before his momentum stalled and landed lightly on the top of the wall. Bleu flew back over, looking down at Breezy and Dusty as they stared up at the two trainers. Jer'rahd glanced back at the pair, his eyes narrowing in the shadow of his hat.

“You're unsuited for the rage of war,
So pack up, go home, you're through.
How could I make a Guard out of you?”

Bleu looked at Jer'rahd in surprise. Jer'rahd flattened his ears to his head, realizing he just joined in her song as well. He snorted again, turning to trot across the next obstacle.

Peach Blossom and Lion Heart, along with a few others, were already standing, panting at the end of the course. Most of the other troops were pressing on ahead of Jer'rahd and Bleu. He was rather impressed that Tunnel Rat was one of the few already at the finish line as well, even though he likely could only see out of one eye at this point. Jer'rahd was also surprised at how Bleu could just suck everyone into her singing like this. Perhaps she learned it from the current Element of Laughter.

A cry of rage from behind him did little to drown out the chorus, though he was surprised to see a rather angry looking griffon claw herself up onto the platform at the top of the wall, then turn to reach down and pull a blue pegasus up as well.
The pair growled, rushing towards him and Bleu. Bleu fluttered up into the air and Jer'rahd shifted his stance, bracing, though the pair rushed past him down the next obstacle.

Jer'rahd watched as the muddy, bee-stung pair rampaged through the rest of the course. He raised an eyebrow curiously, watching as they practically dove into the mud hole, swimming to the other side under the wires, and the others trying to still cross it, bursting out of the other side and staggering up to the finish line panting.
The mud-covered pegasus lifted his head long enough to glare daggers at Jer'rahd while the griffon flipped him off as the last of the other troops crossed the line after them. All they got in return was a fanged grin.

“Well, well, seems there might actually be something to them after all,” Jer'rahd chuckled. “GREAT JOB! NOW ALL OF YOU
DO IT AGAIN, THE OTHER WAY THIS TIME!”

“That wasn't a line of the song boss...” Bleu scolds.

“Oh, sorry…. Wait, what?”

=========================================================

“So how did it go?” Rhede questioned.

Twilight dropped a box on the table and sighed. “Well enough. We tricked her and got her to take off the necklace, though it went rather downhill from there,” Twilight sighed.

“So do I even want to ask?” Rhede sighs.

“The rest of the townsfolk were so ticked off at her that they ran her off the moment it looked like they had an advantage. In their defense, she did kinda do her best tah be a complete pain while she was here,” AJ commented glancing to Twilight.

“So in other words, you got the necklace off, but failed,” Rhede sighs. “And to the point that a potential ally is likely going to turn into a threat.”

“Please, that boaster would have made a horrid ally anyway. Without that amulet, she is barely a hedge mage,” Rarity commented.

“She bested you twice. What does that make you, then?” AJ remarked snidely, smirking at Rarity's glare.

“I'm starting to see what he was talking about. She didn't even do anything worse than what others have done, and yet, since she's an outsider, they happily dump all the blame on her so they don't have to own up to anything. Wouldn't be the first time,” Spike growled. “I bet Snips and Snails are probably even considered victims in this when the whole thing was their fault.”

Twilight blinked and even Rhede turned from the book to look back at Spike, who stood in front of the upper floor's balcony door with a small suitcase and a book in his hand that he dropped on the floor in front of him.

“What are you talking about, Spike? Who is he, Rhede?” Twilight questions as Rhede shrugs.

“I guess this is what he was talking about with the history, greed, pride, anger, betrayal. No wonder Forgescale was set to destroy Equestria. With how he was treated, it's a small wonder. And now here I get to see it on a smaller scale myself. Someone gets wronged and seeks justice and everyone turns against them even though they brought it on themselves or don't even know what happened. Ponies really are despicable; I don't know why I ever wanted to be like you.”

“Spike, what....”

Twilight's question was cut off as the window and the wall behind Spike suddenly ripped free of the tree as the balcony was crushed by a massive red claw. The whole tree shook and groaned in protest as the hole was torn larger. Screams and sounds of panic echoed from outside as a massive dragon head and the front part of the beast’s body pushed into the hole, leering down at the seven ponies.

Rhede was already moving before the chunk of wall was ripped free, several daggers already flung, only to bounce off the dragon’s eyelids as the blinked.

Fluttershy screamed out, smashing through the door and vanishing outside as Spike sighed.

Silver Claw's claw whipped out, smashing through the stack of books and pinning Rhede to the floor, knocking the wind from the earth pony and sending a host of daggers clattering to the floor from the impact.

“I was unaware you were going to offer me up this lot when you called, whelp.” Silver Claw grinned, looking at Rhede. “It has been some time, Pelt.”

Rhede gasped and squirmed, trying to force a smirk as he met the dragon’s gaze, rather pained from the impact with the wall.

“Ahh, Silver Claw... you look good. Been working out with your friends much, flying them places? A bit of globetrotting too, I expect. Have fun up north?” Rhede panted out.

“What we are doing has no bearing on you, Pelt. Not considering that I will end you here,” Silver Claw snarled.

“No, you are not,” Spike snapped. “I called you to agree to your deal, but I will have nothing to do with your stupid conflict. I only agreed to help you restore Cindervale and the Dragon Empire. You want to kill ponies, do it on your own time. Besides, what do you think Kaisur will do if one of his friends is killed? You read the book. He's out for your blood now. What do you think he would do if something happens to Pelt?”

Silver Claw snarled as the others watched wide-eyed with shock. Twilight recovered first and drew the Brilliant Dawn, leveling it before her.

“LET HIM GO!” the purple unicorn snapped out. “Spike, what the buck is going on!?”

“It's rather obvious. I'm leaving. I am sick of being treated like a second-class life form to everyone. I'm like a servant to Applejack, little more than a prank target to Pinkie; Dash only needs me to feed her ego and watch her stupid pony tricks,” Spike snarled. “I'm a pet to Fluttershy, s tool to be manipulated by Rarity, and a slave to you. That I should allow myself to be subjected to this sort of crap when I could be ruling my own kind as a god is preposterous.”

Spike reached down, picked up the book he dropped, and flung it at Twilight. The book sailed through the air and bounced off her forelegs .Twilight stammered, a bit trying to put everything together.

“I am done with this. Let's go before someone else comes along,” Spike grumbled, climbing into Silver Claw's hand.
The large red dragon looked down at Spike and his suitcase, then over to Rhede.

“You should feel lucky that I at least respect the command of one of my race’s gods, Pelt,” Silver Claw growled, lifting his claw away from the pony. Rhede coughed once, trying to catch his breath, though that turned into a violent scream as the dragon's fist came down suddenly on one of the earth pony’s back legs, the crack of the wooden floor and bone almost drowning out the scream as the dragon smirked.

Spike looks ill and turns from the scene as Silver Claw pulls back looking at Twilight.

“Legendary toy or not, unicorn, even with your magic, you are nothing to us.”

The dragon pulled back out of the hole. His wings fanned wide as he launched himself into the air. Twilight rushed to the hole, looking out as the red dot of the dragon vanished into the clouds.

“SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

==================================================

Trixie stopped, looking back at the town as she heard the screams, a shudder running through her form as egg and tomato drip from her mane.

She bit her lip, fighting an urge to go back, to see what had happened. Her gaze looked to the bridge she just ran across at the outskirts of town.

No, she was beaten again and run out of this town for a second time. Those fools could suffer whatever fate they deserved because of it.

Still, Twilight had seemed to be trying to be polite. She had not lorded the victory over her… maybe... she could at least try to help.

The sudden impact of what felt to be a train car knocked the thoughts, and consciousness, from her mind. Her body spiraled through the air off the road to crash into a pile of bushes before she lay still.

“Damn, no shield this time,” Claymore grumbled, looking down at the still-breathing unicorn in the ditch.

[“This is the one that beat you? How convenient that she is out here. I do not see a necklace, though,”] Bloodtail muttered, trotting down to roll the unicorn on to her back looking for the item.

“Yeah, that's her. No necklace or cloak. Don't think I knocked it off somewhere, do you?”

[“No, I can still sense the lingering nature of the amulets curse. That impact should not have been able to knock it free. Only her death or taking it off herself could have removed that artifact. Likely, someone else has it now. Pity.”]

“So what now, then?” Claymore grumbled “Silver Claw's distraction is not gonna last for long. Do we go look for it?”

[“There is no way we could move unnoticed in this panic enough to search. It must be considered in enemy hooves now. It is advantageous that it is cursed; none of the ponies in this age will likely even think to wear it because of that. We will plan accordingly,”] Bloodtail said, watching Silver Claw fly into the air. [“My part in this is done. We need to depart. Do what you wish.”]

Claymore watched the zebra trot off and looked down at the mare, a wicked smile creeping across his scarred face.

“Well, I needed a new pet anyway.”

“Fill my heart with song...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
by TDR

“Fill my heart with song...”

“SPIIIIIIIIIKE!!!!!” Twilight screamed out.

She leaped from the hole in the wall and hit the ground running. Her head craned up to follow the path of the dragons as they rose into the sky. Her horn flashed brightly and a large pair of translucent butterfly wings unfolded from her back as she leaped upward, fanning them franticly trying to go after the dragons.

“DASH, STOP HER!!” AJ shouted rushing to the edge of the hole.

Rainbow Dash tore past the farm pony, impacting the purple unicorn bodily and knocking her out of the air. The pair tumbled to the ground, bouncing a few times before crashing into the side of a building. Dash winceed, leaping on Twilight again as the unicorn tried to get up.

“AJ, GET SOME ROPE! I CAN'T HOLD HER!” Dash shouted as she fought with the flailing unicorn. ”Twilight, calm down!”
“On it!”

“LET ME GO!” Twilight screamed out, her horn glowing again. A bolt of energy shot from the tip.

Dash yelped, diving to the side as a few strands of her mane went up in smoke. She growled, tackling the unicorn hard again and shoving Twilight's head to the ground to avoid getting attacked again.

“ANY DAY NOW, AJ; TWILIGHT’S LOST IT!”

Applejack rushed out of the tree house, cursing under her breath as she charged the fighting pair.

“There ain't no rope around here... Sorry ‘bout this Twilight, but it's fer yer own good at this point,” the farm pony muttered, jabbing a hoof hard into a spot in Twilight's neck. The purple unicorn’s eyes widened before they rolled back and she dropped, her struggles ceasing.

“What the heck did you do?” Dash gasped.

Applejack crouched, checking on Twilight's soft breathing with a drawn out exhalation of her own.

“Whew... glad that worked. Wasn't fully sure that was the right spot. Dun look at me like that, Rainbow. Ya ain't tha only one's been training with tha Beasts.”

=================================================

Rhede winced as Rarity's magic lifted him up from the crater in the floor.

He stopped himself from asking how bad it looked; the expression on the mare’s face was enough to ensure him he did not want to know, though he cracked a smile regardless. “I've had worse.”

“Yes, well, I have not seen worse, so excuse my repulsion at how your wound appears.” Rarity sighed. “I do hope Pinkie returns with a doctor soon. I am unsure at how much she can convey without her mouth.”

“If she's like Bleu, she'll find a way,” Rhede muttered having a strange vision of the pink pony playing a rather rushed game of charades. “Anyway, just set me down already. I don't need to be hovering all about.”

“In time; you will have to deal with it for now. It seems there is a good bit of…” Rarity swallowed. “...blood, and it appears a bit of bone is poking through your leg. I am staunching that, but if you move, you may increase the blood loss.”

“Okay, did not need to know that,” Rhede muttered, looking up as the door was pushed open and AJ and Dash trotted back.
The unconscious Twilight was draped over the farm pony’s back and Dash was fighting tooth and hoof to drag the Brilliant Dawn into the library.

“Stupid sword should not be this bucking heavy!” Dash growled, her teeth clamped on the sword’s grip.

AJ shoveed some of the debris from the couch with a forehoof and set Twilight on that before looking at the floating Rhede, her eyes narrowed in anger.

“Just what the hay were you two talking about? What the heck happened here, Pelt?”

“Do you think I know? Spike was talking about how annoyed he was at the lot of you. I kept talking to him and listening to what he had to say and he seemed to calm down some. Everything was fine until Trixie showed up.” Rhede winced, his eyes slipping past AJ to Twilight. “I see you did learn a few things from Velkorn.”

“Ain't the point. What the heck is going on here? Why did that dragon take Spike? Heck, why did Spike willingly go with him?”

“I DON’T KNOW, DAMNIT!” Rhede yelled out, his shout turning into another cry of pain as his leg shifted when he struggled.
After a moment of pained panting, he looked back at AJ. “He asked me some questions about dragons and the war, which I answered, because why the heck not? They seemed innocent enough. What I want to know is when did he have time to talk with Silver Claw? How much does he know because of Spike?” Rhede paused a moment. “Also, what was that book he threw at Twilight?”

“What the heck does that book matter? This is bad. I mean really, really bad!” Dash ranted, circling around the room in aggravation.

“Just... look, that's it on the floor there, I think. He had that before Silver Claw showed up and he picked it up and threw it at Twilight. That book was chosen and thrown specifically. What is the bucking book?”

Rarity glanced down and moved over to pick it up with a hoof.

“Daring Do and the Cult of the Hydra? I am afraid I have never heard of this one,” Rarity sighed, shaking out the book and quickly flipping through the pages. “No notes or writing in the book. So much for a message.”
“What's it about?” Rhede muttered, struggling not to black out.

“It's an older book that was written by a different author than normal, so the style’s really odd and it's a great deal darker, more like a mystery book than an adventure,” Dash listed off. “The main character isn't even Daring Do, it's her sidekick, Short Stuff, trying to figure out why Daring joined this group that has been stealing artifacts from all over the world. In the end, it turns out that Daring was working for the Royal Guard in trying to capture the group... wait... you don't think..?”

“That idjit! He's gonna get himself killed. If this is what he was gonna do, why didn't he tell anypony?” grumbles AJ.

“Because every one of us would have tried to talk him out of it. No matter; I think he is safer than we are right now. I just want to know why he said he was a dragon god, though.” Rhede winced.

========================================================

Bleu soared over the trees. Ponyville was directly in front of them now. Jer'rahd and Velkorn stood on the dragon’s back with Starfall hot on the her scaled tail. A force of pegasi, half-dragons, and griffons flew rapidly along behind them, trying to keep up. Several of the Griffons were carrying unicorns between them on slings. The half dozen spell casters were keeping a large glowing platform afloat that held the rest of the troops and all their gear and weapons floating along with the fliers.
Starfall had received the news an hour ago that Ponyville was under attack by Silver Claw. She had made it to the camp within ten minutes and the entire force was headed towards the town around five minutes later. The real surprise of this situation was the pair that had come along with Starfall.

King Talon had not spared any pleasantries and had passed on all the information he had, continuing the report while on the wing. The Royal Guard had received a message from an outpost in the town moments after the attack started, saying that a large red dragon that had been identified as Silver Claw was attacking the Ponyville library.

The other one who had flown in along with Starfall was none other than Princess Celestia. She had not stopped to gather the Guards as Talon had and continued to fly towards the town. Thankfully, she was a much slower flier than expected, and the group had caught up with her as Ponyville came into view.

Jer'rahd spared her a glance, noting the princess actually seemed to be struggling to remain at the pace she was keeping. It did not seem that flying was the Goddess of the Sun's preferred method of locomotion.

A crowd of ponies that had gathered by the library took off screaming at the sight of Bleu, not even seeming to notice the ones behind her or their Princess.

“Flighty group, aren't they?” Bleu muttered.

Celestia landed rather hard, hitting the ground at a run. Jer'rahd and Velkorn leapt off Bleu's back, landing next to her, the trio all rushing into the building.

Bleu blinked, looking at the griffon, then at the troops as she shrank down and the troops landed. Starfall flew over the group, barking out orders.

“All right, maggots, here's the game plans. Fliers and spell casters take ten; the rest of you secure this town like it's yer plot hole in a prison shower. I want the fliers in the air as soon as possible covering a wider area. The plains the river and the woods around town I want scouted. Casters, go with your groups and prepare to send up a signal flare if you find anything out of the ordinary or like it doesn't belong. You all have copies of the wanted posters, so be on the lookout. Do not, I repeat do not engage any of them. You get word back to one of us. I will be joining in the patrol. We are here for observation and crowd control only; do not engage any hostiles.”

A round of 'Yes Sir’s sounded off before the troops started to scatter and spread out over the city, including nearly all the fliers. They were clearly tired, though the adrenaline of the threat pushed them on.

“I have not seen the princess that motivated, Captain,” King Talon muttered, “let alone fly out ahead of her guards like this. I am not sure why she did not simply teleport here.”

“Prolly so she would have some Guards. Silver Claw almost killed her once. As for why, her and sparkle butt are kinda a thing. Thing is, Rhede's here too. You think Boss and Velky are angry now? If something happened to sexy plot, those two would burn down the Everfree to find Silver Claw.”

“Somehow, I do not doubt that claim.”

=======================================================

“Heeeeeeeeeeeeey, Jer, Velkorn, nice of you to visit. Oh, and you brought Celestia as well; I'm honored. This is Nurse Red Heart. She's got me on some rather wonderful pain killers that I have never had before and I can't feel a thing,” Rhede laughed from the couch as a white earth pony finished cleaning the blood up from around his wound.

Velkorn darted over to take a look at the leg, nearly shoving the white pony out of the way. “Please excuse any anger or curse, but what is the extent of his injuries, nurse?” Velkorn asked, looking over the half-covered wound.

“Multiple fractures, possible pulverized or shattered bone; a number of small fragments pierced the muscle and skin, somehow avoiding any major artery, or at least not damaging it enough to be a life threatening injury. I need to get him in to the hospital to get an x-ray to fully see the extent of the damage.”

“Aww, fawned over by two pretty mares. Now I know I am lucky.”

“Do ignore this big lug; he is on something— what type of drug?”

“A morphine extract. It's rather odd. He asked the same thing, and after a time, he started acting like he was drunk. While some giddiness is to be noted, this was supposed to be enchanted to remove the worst of the effect so the patient remains coherent. I don't understand why he is acting like this.”

“Be because he is likely looking for an excuse to slap your flank. Rhede, lay off it already,” Jer'rahd snapped as he trotted over.

“Geez, Jer, what a killjoy,” Rhede chuckled. “Not often I can easily pretend to get away with stuff like this.”

Velkorn rubbed her head and Nurse Red Heart looked annoyed, as if she wanted to slap the red earth pony.

Celestia had ignored the exchange and was standing near Twilight. AJ looks to the Princess rather sheepishly, exchanging glances with Dash and Rarity.

“What happened here?” Celestia asked calmly, though her voice seemed to be on the verge of cracking. Jer'rahd's eyes narrowed a bit, feeling a sudden increase of heat in the building.

“Hey nurse, take a little break and wait outside. The nice zebra lady here will be sure I don't die on you before we meet again. This talk's rather private,” Rhede expressed sweetly to the nurse, gaining a snort of annoyance from both the white earth pony and the zebra.

=============================================

“YOU DID WHAT!?!” Nocturne screamed out, looking up at Silver Claw, then down at Bloodtail, her voice booming through the damp cavern.

[“We sought an artifact that had fallen into the hooves of those in the town,”] Bloodtail commented, unimpressed with the alicorn's shouting.

“I had my own task and you knew this,” Silver Claw grumbled.

“I certainly hope that little whelp was worth the hornets’ nest you two have stirred up!” Nocturne snapped, turning from the pair and floating the four books into a saddle bag. “Because now we are going to have to leave this place.”

[“We were doing that anyway. We tarried due to the dragon’s task and Scarlet's. I would not worry, as they have yet to even come looking for us. What makes you think that they will now?”] Bloodtail grumbled.

“Because Celestia is in Ponyville right now, along with the Five Beasts and the current Element Bearers,” a voice from above cuts in. Wind Razor glared down at the group from a rocky outcropping above. “There's also a shit ton of guards.”

“Celestia came out of her tower. Impressive, though the Guards are no issue. I wiped out a hundred of them myself,” Silver Claw snorted, a bit of flame leaving his muzzle.

“Scarlet, inform them what you told me earlier before I found these fools were gone,” Nocturne growled, pulling the saddlebags onto her back.

“These guards are currently in training...” Scarlet reported, stepping out of a tunnel, her cloak already on and bags packed.

[“How is that supposed to be an issue?”]

“The Five Beasts are training them, along with Celestia's favorite student. Kaisur has also had the 42nd reinstated as a Guard unit. He's training them to be the new Luna's Hoof. He brought them into town with him; that means he expects they could be useful. He wouldn't risk bringing untrained fools.”

“Shit...”

“Couldn't your contact do anything? I thought he was a noble,” Wind Razor questioned.

“He can't touch this training. Three Princesses, all three Guard Captains, half a dozen noble houses, two Griffon Gods, and the three main Alphas of the Diamond dogs are all backing this joint training. It's under the guise of dealing with the
Changeling swarm when they return, but we all know Kaisur would turn them on us in an eye blink. Kaisur is building an army, and not just any army: HIS army.”

Bloodtail looked around at the winces the others showed at the information, though the effect was lost on the zebra.

[“Forgive my ignorance, but why is a stupid name such as Luna's Hoof cause for alarm?”]

The group looked to each other a moment as if rather shocked from the question, though before any could respond, a small voice spoke up from behind Silver Claw.

“The 42nd were the force cherry picked from all the Guard soldiers of the past. They were the best of the best, ridiculously skilled, insanely trained, and fanatically loyal to their officers and to their Princess. The 42nd are the longest lived Guard unit, dating back to the first Dragon war. When Nightmare Moon left Canterlot, every single one of them followed her and Kaisur without question. They single hoofedly defended the Grand Galloping Gala and Canterlot from an invasion force, were instrumental in ending the First and Second Dragon wars, and the Zebra Conflict, and the War of the North, and the Diamond Dog Incursion. It is said that the only reason that Canterlot did not fall in the War of Night was because the 42nd were sent elsewhere. After the War of Night, an entire city was conceded to them because no one could get them to move, no matter how many troops they threw at them. Princess Celestia granted them the land their commander told them to defend so long as they disarmed. After the war, the division was stricken from the Guard records and counted as lost. Only Princess Celestia herself could have reinstated them. If it was just a Royal Guard unit with the name in this age, it would be laughable. But with the Five Beasts training them, they will likely make the old 42nd look like rookies.”

The four froze as the voice stopped. Silver Claw sighed as the little purple dragonling poked his head up from under one of the great dragon’s wings.

“Can we go now? This is getting boring,” Spike grumbled.

“I told you to be quiet,” Silver Claw exhaled.

“He asked a question, so I told him,” Spike replied. “No point in someone remaining ignorant.”

“What the...? Who is this?” Nocturne snapped.

“No one you need concern yourself with. Your annoying summons prevented me from bringing him to where he needed to go before this meeting,” Silver Claw growled. “He was supposed to remain silent.”

“We both know one of them was going to try and drill me for information at some point or another anyway. I'm here to restore an empire, not deal with a game of twenty questions,” Spike stated, though he remained on Silver Claw's back, half hidden by a wing. “Here. This should answer whatever, and you can leave me the heck alone.”

Spike ducked under the wing, pulling a book from his bag and tossing it off the back of the dragon. Nocturne caught it with her magic and floated it over.

“What is this?”

“The book you stole wasn't complete. It only went up to when Luna left Canterlot. That book is the complete story. Do with it what you want, but I'm not helping you any further. I have my own goals in this. You can keep that so long as you don't interfere with our work.”

Silver Claw sighed, though he could feel the dragonling trembling under the others’ gaze; he was hiding that fear rather well, though his voice still sounded ready to crack as he gave his condition.

Nocturne flipped through the book, nodding, before tucking it into her saddle bag as well. “Fine. I have no issue with the dragons in any case, so long as you do not disturb my kingdom when I rule it. Where is Claymore?”

[“He and his new pet went ahead towards the location you gave us from the last book. I shall be heading there as well, along with Wind Razor as soon as we are set to go.”]

“Fine. Silver Claw, take your pet to where you need to and meet us at the location we started in. This place is no longer safe. Scarlet, I want this entire cavern prepared to give the ones who find it a warm greeting.”

“Heh, this'll be fun.” Scarlet smirked.

===============================================================

“...and then you all showed up,” Applejack finished, looking at the others gathered around her.

“A little too much pressure at that point of the neck; no damage is done, but if you had been off by just a speck...” Velkorn warned.

“Ah know, ah know, but ah didn't know what else tah do. Twilight ain't exactly easy tah corral when she's in a fightin’ mood.”

“Rhede, are you sure about the book?” Jer'rahd questioned.

“No, but the whole act seemed a little too obvious for it to have been chance to me. Why that book when he was surrounded by others? Also, I am certain he had that book before Silver Claw broke in,” Rhede muttered, glancing over to Rarity as she nodded as well.

“Well, we can't do much from this point, then. Has anyone found Fluttershy?”

“Pinkie Pie went after her once she got the doctor,” Rarity responded.

“Are you sure it was the Alicorn Amulet, Rhede?” Celestia questioned, finally leaving Twilight's side.

“That's what it looked like in the book. The box is on the floor over there if you want to look yourself,” Dash quipped drawing a rather angry glare from Jer'rahd just at the sound of her voice. Dash blinked, looking at the unicorn, confused by the glare.
Celestia floated the box over to her and flipped it open, looking the amulet over. She pulled it from the box, turning it over in the light, and sighed.

“Another one. I thought these were all destroyed centuries ago.” The princess shook her head, her horn glowing brighter. The amulet heated up and quickly burned up, puffing into little more than a bit of steam and a foul smell.

“Curse or not, we could have used that thing’s power boost,” Rhede pointed out.

“There is no power boost. The original alicorn amulet was destroyed close to nine hundred years ago. It was made by the remaining members of the Cult of the Moon after the war as a way to empower their mages. After the first was destroyed and the cult fully eradicated, a few hundred copies were made by various others trying to mimic the power the amulet gave. At best, the amulets did nothing, or gave a little power boost; at worst, they only held the first amulet’s curse. The one I just destroyed was one of the latter— it held only the curse.”

“So that was Trixie doing that all along?” Rarity gasped. “How did she get that strong if not for the amulet?”

“She must have always been that strong, but only her own self-believed limitations kept her from achieving that level. When she thought the amulet would make her stronger, she could push past her own preconceived limits,” Twilight groaned, slowly sitting up on the couch.

“You alright, Sparkle?” Jer questioned.

“No…” the purple unicorn moped, curling up on the couch.

“Fine. Celestia, talk with her or whatever. Everyone else, get out. Rarity, get smiley there on the cart thingy and pass him along to the nurse.”

“HOLD IT!” Rhede shouted.

“What?”

“You all need to hear what I found out before I pass out or am drugged further or whatever that cold hoofed mare with the sweet flank is gonna do.”

“Then talk quick, before Velkorn knocks you out for flirting again.”

“Go ahead and hit on the mare; it is not exactly as if I care.”

Jer noticed Rhede's slight wince, though that could have been from the shift in his leg.

“First off, judging by Silver Claw's reaction when I asked, the six of them are working together. Also, I think they are going after the books. From what I found out, they likely already have four of them.”

“The Books.... You mean THE books?” Celestia questioned as both she and Twilight stared at the injured earth pony.

“Yeah. If the journal was right, Scarlet was in the Hive for the Silver Script. Also, it is possible that it was one of the books that was powering the curse that kept the Crystal Empire hidden for all this time. We saw the same thing with the machine that created Nocturne. I expect when the book was pulled out of its place, it canceled the curse and brought the Crystal Empire back.”

“Even if that is true, that is still only two of them,” Rarity pointed out.

“I think they may also have the Red Tome and Grey Grimiore. “

“Impossible. Those books were sealed in Tartarus,” Celestia pointed out.

“And yet about two years ago, the guardian was let loose for some reason, and not long after that was the first report of
Chrysalis being free. It is reasonable to assume that given just that information alone, they somehow managed to not only
make it into Tartarus, but return with the books.

“That makes some sense, though if that is the case, it has now become a worst-case scenario.” Celestia winced.

=======================================================

“Okay, spill it. Something’s bothering you, stripes. What’s the problem? Is it that little rat Silver Claw grabbed?” Wind Razor grumbled. “Or the mass of troops flying around all over the place?”

Bloodtail glanced up at the griffon as she slowly moved from tree to tree, scouting the area around them as they moved to meet up with Claymore. The pair had opted to move along a ravine the griffon had scouted when they had first taken residence in the place. The cleft ran almost from the tunnel to within sight of a river nearly on the other side of the forest.

[“No, it was something else, though the whelp is part of it. The dragonling is indeed a god; I can sense his power. He was one of the ones I could feel in Ponyville. When he was acquired, however, there was still one other god in Ponyville. It was not the griffon king, or Kaisur, or either Princess. It was a wild, chaotic power that seemed to be masked as if hidden or sealed away. The energy I felt from it is both odd and familiar.”]

“Why worry about that now? ‘Specially since we are getting the heck out of town?”

[“I do not like mysteries. That town is hiding something else in its confines that either could not, or would not, interfere when Silver Claw attacked.”]

Wind Razor landed on a tree branch, her claws digging into the wood, watching as a patrol flew over the ravine.

“Think it might be something we can use?”

[“I do not know, but it feels like the power I sense from Nocturne. It is akin to what the books feel like, yet not. The closest to it I have sensed have been from our brief encounter with the Love-Cursed Queen and, of all ponies, Kaisur. If the energy was stronger, I might have been able to discern more, but it is clearly old and powerful if I could feel it without the others masking its presence with their own. I believe that even if it is not another of the books, it is somehow connected to them.”]

“Well, that's fucking vague.”

========================================================

Breezy swallowed hard, leaning out from behind the tree looking over the edge of the cliff, barely catching sight of the griffon’s tail as the pair moved further along the cleft. He did not need this sort of stress. He wondered if it was bad or good luck that he had landed to take a piss in this spot. Dusty was still overhead, though he waited a few more moments before launching into the air to meet up with her. He had her stay in the air above the spot and took off to try and find any of the Captains or the Major. He didn't know what the zebra had said, but the griffon saying the name Silver Claw was clear enough.

===================================================

“You should watch your tongue around that lot, lest they cut it out, whelp,” Silver Claw growled, heading further back into the cave. A large underground river rushed across the rocks before them and Silver Claw waded into it without hesitation, floating along with the current. The purple dragonling sat on his back, still shaking slightly.

“I know, but you said that they would want to ask me questions, and I don't want to deal with them at all,” Spike sighed, glances back into the darkness of the cavern behind them, having to speak up over the roar of water. “Besides, I need to learn to talk to things that scare me if I am going to be ordering dragons around.”

“It would be safer to speak that way to dragons. Is that why you brought the book?”

“You guys stole the first one; I figured if I let them know how that ended, they would leave me alone. Like I said, I want to see this library and do what I can to begin bringing back the Dragon Empire. I really don't care what the rest of you are doing so long as it doesn't interfere with that.”

“Heh, brave words from a whelp relying on me for protection.”

“You were the one who thought I could help you, so basically, that protection is helping you, too.”

“True enough. Scared as you are, you are also quite angry with your former owner, I take.”

“Pfft, she didn't even try to stop me. Why should I care now?” Spike grumbled. “I hope this library of yours is a good ways away; I don't want to see another pony for a long time.”

Silver Claw turned seemingly at random and Spike took note that the rush of water seemed like it splits, a louder roar of water coming from a different direction.

“It is in one of the mountain tops near Ponyville, I am afraid. You can see the city from the main entrance, though there are several back ways in and out. It is also nearly impassable along the ground and almost impossible to spot from the air. I found this waterway a year ago when I was exploring this place. The river emerges at the base of the mountain and a quick flight will put as at the lair. Quite a location— a perfect prewar lair to watch one’s enemies from.”

“I don't need to watch them. They aren't enemies unless they try to stop the rebuilding.”

“They just might, Whelp; they just might.”

===========================================================

Jer'rahd rubbed his temple with a hoof. This was quite a shit storm now. After ensuring that none of what was discussed would be told to anyone else save those already in the know, particularly about Spike, the group split up.

Rhede had been taken to the hospital and Velkorn went along with him to make sure they did everything correctly, or maybe to see some new bit of medicine, he wasn't sure anymore with those two.

Pinkie and Fluttershy had come back, and after a few disturbing moments with the faceless pony, Celestia fixed Pinkie's face, then ran her out before she could manage to start making up for lost time with her chatter.

Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity had gathered some of the less panicked townsponies and set up making some refreshments and a light meal for the troops that had accompanied Jer'rahd. The white unicorn had noted the state the soldiers were in and figured fixing something nice for them would take everypony’s mind off the situation. Busy work, really, but at least it was something.

Starfall, King Talon, and Bleu were all flying over the checkpoints and around the troop patrols, making sure there was nothing out of sort and all the groups were still intact.

This left Jer'rahd alone with Rainbow Dash. This was perhaps one of the worst times the pegasus could be around him. He was already fuming that he missed the attack, but what the cyan pegasus had done to his friend was still fresh in his mind.
Rainbow Dash, however, was completely oblivious to the unicorn’s ire with her, and was currently pestering him and trying to spur him to take some sort of action rather than simply stand around waiting. The little bit of tolerance Jer'rahd had with the mare was rapidly fading away.

“Seriously, the enemy was right here and you are just sitting here waiting for something to happen?” Dash grumbles flitting around the fuming unicorn.

“Do you really think charging off in a random direction is going to do anything? The first goal is to secure the area. After that, we start the searching. If Rhede is correct, then we are not likely to find any of them alone, and with him out of commission, the odds are not in our favor.”

“Pffft, you got me. We can take these jokers!”

That was it. The point had been reached.

“Yes, beware the power of a self-entitled, egotistical bitch. How the heck were you chosen as the Bearer of Loyalty again? Did you find the amulet in one of those surprise cupcakes Bleu was speaking of?” Jer'rahd snarled.

“What?” Dash flapped back a bit, looking down at the unicorn, unsure if he was serious or not, though the look on his face made it clear he was not joking. “Oh no, you are not gonna go there.” She landed in front of the unicorn, meeting his angry glare with one of her own. Had he not been so mad, Jer'rahd would have been mildly impressed that the pegasus was meeting his glare so easily.

“I am indeed. In case you happen to have forgotten, Loyalty includes family.”

“This is about what I said to Starfall, isn't it? Well, so what? You don't know my story, but I know yours. You're not one to talk about Loyalty. You're the one who dragged your friends along with you and ruined their lives with that stupid war and the choices you made. How the buck is that showing any sort of Loyalty?”

“They had the chance to do otherwise; they chose to come along despite my telling them not to, both to the Lunar Republic as well as into statues. If you know me so well, then you know I fought them in that regard. You, on the other hoof, seem to throw any connection you have with someone right out a window the moment they do something you don't like. Too hard to work around the issue? Is that the manner of things in this age? When something doesn't work, you dispose of it rather than try and fix it?”

“I don't have to stand here and take this crap from you of all ponies!” Dash kicked off the ground into the sky and just as rapidly bounced off a shield as the gray unicorn boxed them both in with his shields. She snarled, glaring down at him, offering one of the panels a swift kick to no effect.

“Like buck you're leaving until I've said my piece, mare. Starfall has cried like that perhaps only once since I've known her, and low and behold, someone in the new age manages it before we are even awake for two weeks. I've killed for less than making a friend of mine cry, mare. Don't think you're safe from me because you're a modern day holder of my Element, ‘cause I don't give a flying buck about any of you.”

“Some bucking loyalty there.”

“I'm loyal to my friends, my family, my princess, and to any deals I have made. You and your friends are not part of any deal I made, my family is all dead, and none of you are friends of mine, nor are you Princess Luna.”

“Wooo scary. I ain't afraid of you or any of the others that got free.”

“Then why didn't you try and take out Silver Claw yourself if you’re not afraid of him? You called that mare who had the amulet a boaster, but you are more mouth than she ever was. I suggest you curtail that ego before it gets someone else killed. I also suggest rather strongly that you apologize to Starfall. Even if you want nothing to do with her, your little tantrum hurt her more than you think.”

“What, you think that mothering didn't hurt me?! It's not like my real parents or family wanted a damn thing to do with me,” Dash hollered.

“I can see why, with an attitude like that.”

“You asshole.”

“I've been called worse. She was giving you a chance to have family that would care about you. You blew that off in a hissy fit rather than explain yourself.”

“I was abandoned as a filly by the only family I even knew,” Dash snapped, starting to tear up a bit. How dare this jackass bring this up now!

“And Starfall watched her daughter grow old and die before her. She watched her entire family get slaughtered around her. Before she even knew you were related to her, I saw her actually enjoying herself for the first time in a very long time. You took that from her. I don't profess to know your issues, and I don't profess to care, either. Now get out of my sight. I don't need any help from some self-centered little filly like you.”

The shield dropped and Jer'rahd turned, walking away and ignoring the scream of frustration and rage let out by Rainbow Dash as she launched herself skyward. A light clapping was heard from the corner of the building. His gaze turned to meet Bleu's as she glared back at him.

“That was harsh, Boss, even for you,” she muttered.

“You know how I am when someone I care about gets hurt, Bleu.”

“Still, not quite like you to fly off the handle like that without getting both sides of the situation. Something else eating you?”

“Quite a number of things, though nothing that you don't already know about.”

“Always more to pile up, I guess. Here's hoping Starfall doesn't hear about you going off on Rainbow. She'd kick yer flank.”

“Are you attempting to blackmail me?”

“Pfft, you would have to have something I want boss. Though I will say you need to stop trying to push everyone away. That suicidal bent you happen to be on is not going to do well for any one.”

“And what exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Buck if I know, but do you really think you dying is what anyone that you just ranted about wants? You think Luna would be better if you were dead?”

“Considering that she would no longer have to worry about turning into Nightmare Moon in order to try and control me if I lose it. It would be one less thing on her mind. Not to mention my death would ensure that I did not manage to hurt any of you.”

“Yer an idiot, Boss. Noble, but still an idiot. Anyway, speaking of Starfall, here's our speed queen now.”
Jer'rahd looked up as the gray pegasus landed, sliding over to the pair and kicking up a cloud of dust.

“We found something,” she gasped out.

==================================================

“Thank you again, miss,” a Guard said around a mouthful of cookie, prompting Rarity to float a napkin over to him to cover the griffon’s mouth.

“Please, I understand you must be starving, but show some manners now. Though you are quite welcome.”
Rarity pushed the cart along to the next group as the griffon’s fellow squad mates started to tease him about manners. She sighed, glancing around at all the troops Jer'rahd brought along. Her mind was not really on this. Pinkie's idea to offer refreshment to the troops that had shown up so quickly was indeed a good one, particularly given the state some of them appeared to be in after getting here. What in Equestria were they doing to become this dirty and worn out?

Her mind, however, was mostly on Spike and his accusations. If Rhede was correct and it was just a show for Silver Claw, why did what he said about her bother her so much? Surely she didn't take advantage of his crush on her, did she?

Rarity sighed, looking up as Pinkie Pie bounded past, calling out for someone named Fred. After the pink pony passed, a rather large griffon slipped from behind a tree and darted off in another direction. She was going to say something about it, but a number of the patrolling troops had seen him and were more amused than worried. Perhaps it was simply another Pinkie thing.

She was quite worried about Twilight as well, but if the Princess could not cheer her friend up any, there was little anyone
else could do. In truth, she was more worried about Fluttershy than any of the others. The poor thing was hiding in her boutique right now, having had an awful panic attack when the dragon ripped the wall off the library. AJ had been trying to comfort her; Rarity would have stayed as well to help, but she was sidetracked by Pinkie's plan.

The small cart rattled to a stop by another group of soldiers. Nearly all of them seemed to be in groups of four, with both
casters and fliers as well as a mix of races. This group was, oddly, five individuals. A white, blond-maned pegasus she recognized from the Crystal Empire, Peach Blossom or something like that, was the first to help himself to the cart rather politely, though he was also the only normal one there.

There was also small red and brown Diamond Dog who looked as if he had the mumps or something. Rarity was not sure she wanted to get too close to that one, though he seemed more pained than ill. Aside from his small stature, he looked much like every other diamond dog she had seen, club tail and all.

There was another, larger Diamond Dog— a female, it seemed. The gold and black coloration of her fur was rather striking, and the pattern was not unlike Applejack's dog Winona. She was polite enough, but seemed to be uncomfortable and was avoiding the smaller Diamond Dog.

The hippogriff surprised her, as she had never seen one before, though she had heard of them. The mare's pony parentage was clearly unicorn, judging by the somewhat stunted horn on her forehead above her beak. As the yellow and blue feathered female floated a cup of apple juice from the cart, it was clear that the horn was functional enough.
The last she had to look up at. The rather imposing black stallion was easily two heads taller than she was, and in the sunlight, the scales around his hooves and face glittered like gems, giving him an odd shimmer to his looks. He had a pair of short, straight horns that swept back from his head, partially hidden in the onyx coloration of his mane. With the purple and silver armor he wore, his cutie mark was hidden, though the Night Guard armor suited him quite spectacularly.

“Errr... something wrong, Miss?” Lion Heart questioned, looking down at the white unicorn staring at him with an unnerving sparkle in her eyes. He was getting a bit uncomfortable with her gaze.

“Hmm? Oh, nothing of the sort. Far from it... I was simply noting how dashing a figure you cut. I can honestly say I have never actually met a half-dragon myself. I was considering the difficulty of adjusting an outfit to match the attributes you have. I own a boutique here in town and I am always on the lookout for differing body types with which to try certain ideas out on,” Rarity revealed, switching rather rapidly to business mode as she circled a few times around the uneasy stallion. “You simply must come by when you have the chance and let me see if I can fit you for a proper suit. My stallion clothing line is severely lacking, to be honest, though I have been thinking of expanding.”

“Well, ummm, we are somewhat in a training exercise at the moment, miss...”

“Oh, please darling, call me Rarity. Training cannot last forever, can it?”

“Well no, Miss Rarity, it is only supposed to be for a few weeks...”

“Well, it's settled, then. You'll stop by once you are done, won't you? So long as you don't bulk up to terribly much more, I think I may have the correct size to at least start before I need to work on adjustments. Ooh, this should be fun. I suppose I should continue on; I still have refreshments to pass out. Until later, then.” Rarity hummed as she trotted off with the cart, leaving Lion Heart staring after her, still trying to form the words to properly respond.

Ravage and Peach Blossom looked at each other before bursting out laughing at Lion Heart’s expression. Jynx seemed less than interested, though Tunnel Rat even had a small smirk on his face.

“What's so funny?” Lion Heart snapped.

“With your upbringing and build, I expected you would be used to pretty mares flirting with you by now. No such luck, huh, Captain?” Peach Blossom laughed.

“Pony not know how good he got it. Figures mares fall over selves for his attention,” Tunnel Rat chimed in.

“Personally, I was amused at the whole ‘exotic body type’ bit line she was trying to feed us. Hippogriffs are a heck of a lot rarer than half-dragons, and she didn't so much as bat an eye at me,” Ravage chuckled.

“Please, she was just being nice... stop laughing at me!” the large half-dragon stammered.

===================================================================

Celestia looked down at Twilight with a sigh. The unicorn was curled up in a corner of the couch, basically being miserable. Her student had been ranting over why Spike might have left for nearly an hour now. Every time she thought of a reason, she nitpicked it apart and spent far too much time dwelling on how she should have done it so he would not have been mad enough to leave.

Celestia had tried to console her student or even distract her, though it seemed Twilight was not in the mood for any sort of sympathy or logic. It was a rather single-minded obsession with something, one she had seen her student dwell on before. That time, it had caused a great deal of trouble, particularly with a misguided spell. That time had been dealt with the help of Spike, so Celestia was hesitant to bring it up now. She needed something to snap Twilight out of this angst-ridden thought loop she had put herself into, though for the moment, she was unsure of how to go about doing that.
Thankfully, the stars were more than happy to provide a way.

“Sparkle, get yer flank up! We have a lead.” Jer'rahd shouted, knocking open the door with an explosive crash that sent Twilight diving over the back of the couch and easily took a few years off Celestia's life. Bleu waved sheepishly from the unicorn’s back as he marched in, clearly embarrassed by the gray unicorn's antics.

“Do you know how to knock, Kaisur?” Celestia groaned, peering over the back of the couch at the hiding Twilight.

“There's a big freaking hole in the wall. You should consider yourself lucky I even used the door. Now move yer butt, Sparkle; we're down Rhede and we need an egghead and a local for a guide. You cover both of those.”
Celestia glared daggers at the gray unicorn, who, as always, ignored it. The gray pony instead stared at Twilight as she poked her head up from behind the couch.

“What do you mean ‘lead’, Kaisur?” Celestia questioned.

“One of the patrols came back having spotted a griffon and zebra moving along a crevice in the Everfree. He overheard one of them mention Silver Claw and the descriptions he gave sounded like Bloodtail and Wind Razor,” Bleu spouted off. “We need to move now in order to catch them. Starfall and King Talon are already moving to the spot they were seen to try and track them. Personally, I am impressed that Starfall came back to tell us what happened instead of rushing off after the damned bird. Boss and I are headed there as well, soon as we get Sparkle Butt.”

“I don't think... I'm not going,” Twilight muttered.

“What?” Jer snapped.

“I'm not going. This whole thing was stupid I should have woken you lot up and let you handle it yourself. I spent so much time trying to fix your issues I neglected Spike, and now he's gone.”

“So?”

“What do you mean ‘so’? He's been my friend for years... my only one for a long time before coming to Ponyville.”

“How nice. So are you just going to let him go then, not even try to get him back?” Bleu growled lightly, bringing a glance from both Jer'rahd and Celestia. The little dragon was getting more annoyed than either of them were. “He's your partner and yer just gonna let him go?”

“What am I supposed to do? I was useless when he left. I couldn't even try to talk to him.”

“Well git off yer ass and come find him or yer never gonna get the chance!!!” Bleu snapped. “He's not dead, so there's still a chance to say something. Not everyone is that damn lucky!”

Celestia blinked looking back at Twilight before her horn glowed, lifting the purple unicorn into the air and setting her on the floor before the couch. “She is correct, Twilight. You should not give up so easily on your friends. Even if Pelt is correct and he did this intentionally, you should at least make the attempt to find him.”
Twilight nodded softly, shifting her gaze between the warriors and then back to the Princess. “I know. I just... You're right... I need to get past this...”

Celestia rose to her hooves, stretching, and troted towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Jer'rahd questioned.

“With you. You will likely need all the aid you can get in this situation, with Rhede out of the way for a time.”

“Not happening,” Jer stated.
“Nope.” comments Bleu.
“Princess, no,” Twilight pleaded.

Celestia glared at the three of them in annoyance. “I am not some frail thing that needs to be kept away from conflict; I am more than capable of dealing with any trouble we come across.”

“Bad enough I have to put up with your rules while in Canterlot; I'm not dealing with them on a mission,” Jer grumbled.

“Seriously, what are you gonna do, diplomb a hydra out of attacking us?” Bleu snarked.

“Silver Claw nearly killed you once. You shouldn't give him another chance,” Twilight cautioned.
Celestia snorted in annoyance. “I am the ruler of this kingdom. Why should I have to obey any of you? I am going.”

“Because you're known as the Goddess of Peace. And I'm one of the Generals of the Goddess of War. This is a conflict, pure and simple, that will likely get worse before it gets better. With Princess Luna not participating, this is now my command as of article six-dash-four of the Equestrian war treaty.”

“That treaty was considered irrelevant a thousand years ago when Luna was sealed away and the Equestrian Army disbanded into the Royal Guard.”

“And now Princess Luna is back, as is a branch of the Equestrian Army. As such, in a time of conflict, I am allowed to veto royal commands if they are considered detrimental to either the success of the war effort or have potential to harm or disrupt the ruling of the kingdom.”

“I cannot believe you even remember that old law. It was only used twice.”

“It is not old to me, and it's how we got you to go back to Canterlot when Princess Luna was kidnapped.”

“It still requires a majority vote of the Generals, not just your say so, Kaisur. And you are a major now, at any rate.”

“Perhaps in your version of the forces. Besides, Rhede is in no condition to vote and even if Starfall and Velkorn voted yes for you to accompany us, which they would not, Bleu and I both say no and seniority wins out in a tie. You are going back to Canterlot, Celestia. Your sudden rush to get here has probably already caused more trouble than need be. What would have happened if they decided to attack Canterlot while you were here?”

“Luna and another visiting god are in Canterlot. They would not have managed much.”

“Yes, because Princess Luna has been so successful in defending herself lately,” Jer'rahd snapped. “Let's go, Sparkle. Go home, Celestia; I do not have any more time to argue with you.”

Bleu rubbed a claw over her muzzle, hiding a smirk that only Celestia caught.

“Hey Princess ,why don't you tell Luna to send that agent of hers down here to Ponyville? I'm sure that mare would like to stretch her legs a bit. And with Rhede out of commission, we could use a little backup,” Bleu chuckled.

“Agent?” Twilight questioned, pulling the Brilliant Dawn's scabbard on.

“Yeah, that Mare-Do-Well pony who was in the hive with us,” Bleu grinned, an expression suddenly matched by Celestia.

“Yes, I think I might just do that, Bleu. Thank you for the suggestion.”

==========================================================

The white unicorn collapsed in a heap on marble floor with a groan.

Princess Cadence peered over the edge of the bed curiously and chuckled at Shining Armor laying spread out on the floor.

“Are you alright?” Cadence questioned.

“Nothing that would stop me from performing my royal- ow -duties with my wife... Okay, maybe a little.” Shining winced, barely managing to lift his head to smile at the pink alicorn.

Cadence laughed, tisking at him. “You were the one who wanted to go through the training, Shining. You can blame nopony but yourself.”

“I know, but after we got the crystal pony rebel fighters to form the Guard here, it sounded like a good idea to train with them and see what I could pick up,” Shining groaned. “I almost wish I was back in Royal Guard basic… that was easier.”

“Considering that they all were trained to fight Sombra and his forces, it is not surprising that you are worn out. These are war ponies, after all. Not unlike how Twilight refers to those ponies she brought with her.”

“If that Kaisur is even half as tough as Commander Rose is, I won't ever talk crap about him.”

“That may be for the best, anyway. If you are having that bad of a time, perhaps you should stop the training.”

“No. These are the best warriors that exist, and they were willing to train me. I am not going to give up on that. Sombra is still out there, and I need to be ready to fight for the empire when he returns.”

“Yes, I am sure he would be terrified of you in your current state. You are as threatening as a rug right now, dear.”

“Hey, I made it to the bedroom tonight, at least,” Shining grumbled.

“Yes, dear, you are improving...” Cadence snickered, her magic enveloping her husband and floating him onto the bed with her. “Did Commander Rose leave yet?”

“Yeah, he left this morning for Canterlot. He claims Princess Celestia owes him something, but he wouldn't say what.”

“Well, I sent a message back to Canterlot to let her know that Rose was coming. Whatever it is, I am sure she will know how to deal with it. I guess you are still too sore to do anything, hmm? If I didn't know better, I would say you are trying to avoid providing a heir to the empire.”

“Not this again... We have barely been married a year and you're already trying to be a mother? The Empire is not even fully recovered yet. Do you really want to have a foal here if Sombra attacks again?”

“And what if you are killed the next time he attacks? What then, Shining?” Cadence murmured.
The unicorn winced a little and the pink alicorn frowned, rubbing lightly across his shoulders with her hooves.

“Sorry...” she muttered with a soft sigh.

“No, you're right... I suppose I do need to take a break from the training here sooner or later, anyway. Royal duties do take precedence,” Shining chuckled.

“Well, glad you see it my way, finally.”

“I don't need much convincing of things if you're giving me a back rub...” Shining smirked. “Just don't stop...”

=====================================================

Pinkie Pie flopped over the top of her bed, sending streamers and balloons everywhere. She rolled onto her back, staring at her rear hoof. The itchiness of it was driving her crazy. No matter how much she tried to convince herself she might have stepped in some of her joke itchy powder, she knew what it meant.

She could barely distract herself anymore. Even looking for Fred had barely kept her attention for very long. Her hair unfloofed as she flailed on her bed, growing more and more depressed as she thought about it.

“What am I supposed to do... I can't watch everypony to try to protect them all the time... what am I gonna do...?” Pinkie whined, looking about the room. Her gaze stopped on a large pile of party favors and various outfits that buried something in the corner of her room.

“What do you think I should do? What would you do if your friends might die and you didn't know when or where? I mean, I just want to be able to help them if something did happen. I would need to be everywhere at once, like a dozen of me to watch every pony...”

Pinkie's voice trailed off, and her eyes widened, her hair exploding back into its poofy state as a grin crossed her muzzle.

“OF COURSE! Why didn't I think of this before? The mirror pool!” Pinkie bounced around the room. “I can use it to keep an eye on everypony and make sure nopony gets killed!”

Pinkie Pie whirled suddenly onto her back, grabbing her itchy rear hoof and bringing it up to her face so she could yell at it.

“HAH! I'm not letting you come true no matter what, you stupid itchy hoof. I'm gonna make sure everyone stays alive and is happy!”

She hopped up back to her hooves, bounding over to pat her forehoof on top of the pile she had been talking to.

“Thanks for helping me with the idea. This'll work great!” Pinkie giggled, darting out of her room.

A stray breeze was kicked up as the door slammed shut. The errant wind blew over the pile, knocking loose a large feathered hat that fell to the floor, exposing an outstretched stone lion’s paw.

“... secret, where no one can find ...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“... secret, where no one can find ...”

“I know this place.” Jer'rahd muttered.

“You too, boss?” Bleu quipped, standing up on Jer'rahd's back to look about the forest curiously.

“I thought it was just me,” Starfall grumbled.

Twilight glanced back at them as the group emerged from the ravine looking over the small clearing. King Talon snorted at the delay, though he was not about to say anything to the trio behind him. A series of overgrown paths and crumbling walls skirted the edge of the clearing, nearly retaken by the forest. The towering remains of an old structure rose above the treetops ahead of them.

The small group had left the town perhaps an hour ago and made their way to the point where Bloodtail and Wind Razor had been spotted. After some arguing, Starfall grudgingly agreed to go back along the path the pair left to find where they had been hiding rather than chase after Wind Razor.

King Talon and Twilight took the lead, Twilight for being somewhat familiar with area, and Talon because he was the best tracker of the small group. Starfall was annoyed that the griffon had come along with them, let alone was being useful,
though she was the only one griping about the griffon god’s presence.

As they emerged from the ravine, however, things started to seem oddly familiar to the Beasts.

Twilight sighed softly. “This should be familiar to you all. This is the start of the ruins. These are the remains of castle Winnysor. It’s the place where Nightmare Moon was finally defeated.”

The three looked to each other before Bleu finally broke the silence.

“Those asshats have been using this as a base? What nerve.”

Leaving the clearing and moving further into the trees, the first of the remaining recognizable structures of the castle were noted. There were, flanked by vine-covered walls, defaced or outright smashed symbols of the Lunar Republic dotting them all the way to the main castle's courtyard.

Jer'rahd and Starfall looked up at the ruined towers and fallen arches of the castle they had helped design and support. The mood seemed to darken within the group. It was fully apparent on the trio's face that the lapse in time was fully sinking in. When they had left this place, it was a castle not unlike the one in Canterlot— bustling with life; that seemed little more than perhaps a week or two ago in their minds. Seeing the ruins now was clearly a sobering thing.

“Boss, you think they might be hiding there...?”

“It would be the most likely thing to survive this long. See if you can find the stairwell.”
The pair nodded to Jer'rahd and took to the air, circling around the ruins in search for something.

“What are they seeking?” Talon questioned.

“There was an underground complex under the castle. Looking at the state this place is in, it is likely the only thing that would offer shelter to a group of that size,” Jer'rahd responded. “There was a main stairwell leading down; they are checking to see if that is passable.”

“This is where the tracks lead. Should we send back for your troops?”

“No. They are all exhausted anyway, and still training. The only ones that should be here are Silver Claw, Nocturne, Scarlet, and Claymore. None of them are gods, and it is highly unlikely they have access to any star metal, so you should be fine.”

“So what is your plan?”

“Sparkle should turn Scarlet to stone; out of the four, she would be the most annoying with her training and poisons. You should be able to take out Claymore; he's well-trained and strong, but he's just a pony. Bleu and Starfall can keep Silver Claw busy, and I should be able to finish off Nocturne before moving to aid them. The dragon and the alicorn will be the biggest problems in a longer fight.”

“Yes, because you did so well last time you fought her,” Twilight snapped.

“We have another six years of experience to fall back on now, as well as what I picked up in the meantime. I didn't have the Waning Moon or the Beast the first time we faced Nocturne. You also have the Brilliant Dawn. We have the advantage for once.”

“I want to deal with Silver Claw.”

“No; you will do what I said, Sparkle, or you can turn around now and go back to town. I don't care how pissed you are at the dragon for running off with your assistant. You are not even trained with that blade yet.”

“He also nearly killed my brother.”

“Sparkle.”

“Fine... but when Scarlet is dealt with, I am blasting that dragon whether you like it or not.”

“Acceptable. You alright with the plan, Talon?”

“I expect it would be too much for you to use my title?” the griffon grumbled.

“There's only one god I address with any respect. You've at least earned enough for me not to talk crap, so you're a step above Celestia. I've seen you do something aside from just sitting on your flank hosting parties.”

“I suppose that's something. And yes, I am quite ready. So long as they have no weapons of star metal, I doubt they have anything that could be an issue to me.”

“A bit confidant about that?” Twilight muttered.

“More that I know what I am capable of and what I should worry about, Miss Sparkle. Star metal, other gods, and powerful magic are the only things that can truly kill a god. This group has one of the three in the alicorn, though if Kaisur removes her fast enough, there should be nothing to worry about with the zebra gone.”

“I hope you are right about that,” Twilight muttered.

Jer'rahd looked up as Bleu and Starfall dipped low to look at something. “Should I ask what you spoke with your daughter about before we left?”

“It is none of your business,” Talon snorted.

“If it was something that is going to affect her training, then it rather is.”

“It is not. I simply informed her that I was impressed she had not deserted it yet. She tends to do such things when she does not like them.”

“It's not even been three days yet; it's going to get much worse.”

“I have seen this training before, Kaisur. The first days are always the most brutal. If she has made it this far, she will likely be in for all of it.”

“I almost threw her and another one out already.”

“I am aware of that. I am aware that you hit her as well. I have issue with that.”

“I expected you would. That doesn't change that she deserved it.”

“Nonetheless, when this is finished, we will have a discussion about that.”

“When this is over, I need to get back to training them. Talk to me again in a few weeks.”

Starfall glided up into view again, landing atop a broken pillar, and Bleu flew back, changing in size, before landing in front of the small group, ushering the unicorns onto her back.

“We found the stairwell; it's been covered up and hidden from the air and the ground, but it's a clear path for at least a level,” Bleu reported.

“Then we have our entry point.”

========================================================

Rhede dropped his head back onto the pillow, thankful the full run of tests was finally over. Even with the painkiller, he felt as if he had been poked and prodded with every sharp object that the hospital had to offer. As the first drugs had started to wear off, he was given something else and had dozed through most of the remaining tests. He was currently in a waiting room waiting for a specialist to look over the x-rays and to give him a prognosis on his leg.

Velkorn had taken command of the troops at Jer'rahd's insistence and was currently setting up shifts to allow some of them to sleep. A chariot had arrived for Celestia, and the princess had fixed the hole in the library with her magic before departing back to Canterlot. He was not sure where the others were, though the last he had heard, Fluttershy had gone off somewhere outside of town. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity had gone home. Pinkie had vanished at some point, though no one seemed concerned by that even with the current state of events.

Rhede struggled against the drugs that were eating away at his waking state, not liking that he was going to be knocked out while his leg was being worked on. There was little help for it, however, as the wound would not heal properly without the aid of magic, and even then he would need to remain off of it for a time. He was also worried that Scarlet might find him in this state. He was already outmatched compared to her; wounded like this, he would be dead before he could blink.

“HI, RHEDE!”

“GAH!!!” Rhede jerked in surprise, yelling out as the movement sent a lance of pain through his leg that was felt even through the haze of the drugs.

“Oops, forgot about that,” Pinkie Pie commented, looking down at his leg. “Is there anything I can do to help out? I mean, I know I’m not a doctor, but you did get hurt and, well, that's bad, but I could... ommph.” Pinkie was cut off by Rhede's hoof.

“Thank you, Miss Pie, but I am going to be headed into surgery soon, and I would like that you did not bother the doctors there. No offense.” Rhede pulled back his hoof from her mouth and patted the pink pony on the head with a small chuckle, the scabbard holding the star metal blade against his fore hoof bumping her head lightly as he did so.

He had given Velkorn his other weapons, but that one he was not willing to relinquish. It was something that needed to be a surprise if he encountered any problems— a last defense against casters.

There was a light pop, like a balloon quietly bursting, and his hoof passed though the air where Pinkie's head had been. He blinked, opening his eyes fully to look around for Pinkie and not seeing anything or hearing her chatting with some other pony. He lifted his head a little to see if she was on the ground next to the bed, and he saw nothing past a rapidly drying puddle of water.

“Miss Pie?” Rhede laid his head back on the pillow as he started to feel dizzy once more. “Heh, guess these meds are stronger than I thought.

===========================================================

Celestia groaned, sitting back in her throne. She had cleared the court rather than listen to any of them complain about how she had ignored their pleas and appointments. In little under an hour, Lulu would be taking over, and the Court of the Night would begin. Luna's audience was rapidly gaining favor with some due to the efficiency at which she heard the claims. Most of the nobles avoided the night court as Luna did not put up with any sort of rambling speech. She heard the claim or plan and judged it on merit, not on the words of those trying to push it.

Celestia was a little annoyed that she had let them all get away with their speeches for so long. All it took was one impassioned noble pony convincing her of the worth of something over a hundred years ago and they all thought they had to give speeches now. She only put up with it due to the fact that if the noble families used most of their time writing speeches, they would have less time to cause other issues. A bored noble tended to be annoying at best and dangerous at worst.

“So how were Ponyville and your student faring?” a voice questioned from the supposedly empty room. “Clearly, nothing too disastrous to have you back here in the same day.”

Celestia's ears flattened at the sound of the voice, though they quickly perked back up and a smile crossed her face as she sensed the speaker.

“You picked a bad time to make your usual dramatic appearance. Ponyville is fine; my student is stressed, as her partner has seemingly joined the enemy, though it is possible he is trying to play counter spy.”

“I apologize for my truancy. If I had been there like I was supposed to be, this may not have even happened.”

“No. Your power put you in exactly the right place yet again. If you had not been in Canterlot, I would not have been able to go to Ponyville myself. My presence there was needed for the citizens to calm themselves enough to not go into a panic. To be honest, I am still not sure why the ponies of that town are so flighty.”

“It keeps them alive. So much happens there that is of great danger: the parasprite swarm, the Ursa, and even the dragon attack. If they had not fled at the first hint of trouble, each of these events would likely have resulted in more than just property damage.”

“I suppose you are right, my little sunshine.”

“Of course I am... though I am nearly a thousand years old now, mother. Please stop calling me that...” the cloaked figure muttered as she stepped out of the shadows.

“We really should throw you a big birthday party for that. Seventeen days into the second month of the year, if I am not mistaken?”

“Is this really the time for that?”

“Considering both of your aunts are freed in this time, I would think a large party would be in order for once. I expect even Lulu would agree with me.”

“You will do what you wish no matter what I say. After all, you ignored my unease at your dating your student. A much younger mare than you even if we do not count the age you put on as a goddess.”

“Oh please; your father was younger than Twilight when he asked me to marry him. Besides, if he could see who I was in a relationship with now, he would simply ask if he could join in, not complain,” Celestia chuckled.

“Ugh, I assure you I did not need to know that...”

“You brought it up, Sunshine. Was there something you wanted to ask?”

“Nothing I am sure your student has not brought up. I, too, have grown curious about this Aviana mare.”
Celestia sighed, her ears drooping a bit.

“I told Twilight everything I remember.”

“Yes, everything YOU remember. Have you not thought to use your spell to find out more? Perhaps even the truth? It is clearly been wearing at you, mother.”

“I have considered it, Sunshine, but there is nothing I can scry on to find out. There is nothing left from her time here.”

“The Elements of Harmony remain. Aviana used Magic, did she not?”

“Yes; she also wielded Generosity for a single conflict.”

“You have something to scry on then... What is that?”

A loud crash and the cursing and swearing of guards were heard from the main doors of the throne room, along with the sounds of conflict. The hooded pony stepped back out of sight as Celestia sighed.

The doors burst open and a pegasus Royal Guard crashed to the floor, rolling into a heap, followed by another of the armored guards.

“PATHETIC!” a voice shouted.

Celestia rubbed her head as the hidden pony chuckled.

“Kaisur, do you have to do this every time? Shouldn't you be looking for Spi... You're not Kaisur...” Celestia trailed off, looking at the pony storming into the throne room.

The white crystal pony stomped across the red carpeted room. A bright red mane and beard ran wild over his shoulders and chest, though it was tinged with a great deal of gray. His tail was of the same red fire coloration, though unlike the hair around his head, it was cut short, though jagged as if it had been lost to an enemy’s weapon rather than a barber. That image was further added upon by the myriad of cuts and cracks running along and in his crystalline form. A blue diamond rose studded with thorns that looked like spear blades made up his cutie mark, and a massive green crystal spear rested across his back. He approached the throne not even acting as if he was going to bow. The pony’s green-eyed gaze locked on Celestia as if the look alone would kill her.

“What is the meaning of this? Who are you?” Celestia demanded.

“Ye forget mine face this quickly, ye godly wench? Ah stayed in that accursed place. We held tha bucking ground so yah could seal tha bastard, an’ ye bucking fergot us for thousands of years. Ah only stayed cause yah promised tah care fer mine wife and child. So where are they, yah damned harpy? What happened tah mine family!?” the crystal pony bellowed.

===============================================================

Bleu shifted on Jer'rahd's back as the small group moved down the stairwell. The heavy thud of Jer's hooves announced their presence as they descended. Bleu was annoyed with the noise, yet she doubted she could convince any of them to try for a stealthier approach, particularly the angry gray unicorn in the lead. As the path grew darker, Twilight's horn lit up, casting light as they descended further.

A loud click sounded, followed by an equally loud twang as Jer'rahd stepped down. Bleu yelped as a dart bounced off her scaled hide and clattered to the floor. She smacked Jer'rahd in the back of the head with her tail and glared at him.

“Jeez, Boss; be careful. You shoulda known Scarlet probably trapped this place!”

“Fine then. Plan B it is,” Jer'rahd muttered, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. A green shield formed over the top of the stairs. The gray unicorn stepped up onto that and walked forward. A series of panels formed over the steps, lighting the path further and shielding the group from any other pressure traps.

The stairwell ended, leaving the group in a wide area before a pair of large rotted wooden doors that half hung off rusted hinges. One of the doors had fallen and lay in a soggy splintered heap in a pool of stagnant water. The whole area smelled of mildew, mold and stagnant water. Several hoof prints and the large clawed tracks of a dragon covered the floor of the muddy chamber.

“Don't fly,” Talon commented, pointing up into the air and to the condensation collecting on a number of cords and wires that lay strewn across the chambers at random intervals.

Jer'rahd pressed on, remaining atop the shield panels as they progressed into the next room. A loud snap as a shield formed over a bear trap echoed in the remains of an old guard barracks.
Bleu's gaze was drawn up to a stone vent in the far wall that trickled a steady stream of water into the dilapidated chamber.

On the other side of the room, another double door lay ripped from its hinges and thrown to the floor.

“I guess they never bothered to fix this place after our last visit,” Starfall muttered, looking down at the broken bear trap under the shield.

“There really was not any time before we attacked Canterlot,” Bleu replied. “I think the river or some runoff is flowing into the chamber through the vents. Place should be flooded unless there's a drain somewhere.”

“We had wells dug in certain points that tapped into an underground river. My guess is that in a thousand years, the river shifted,” Jer'rhad commented.

“That would definitely be something worth investigating...” Twilight muttered, “…at any point in time other than this.”

The next room held the remains of the prison. Metal cells still lined the room, though the rust and decay of the ages was telling on the old wrought iron; many of the bars had rusted enough that they had fallen free, leaving gaps in the cages. The steady drip and trickle of water filled the air, as well as the distant echoing sound of rushing water.

The next chamber lead to a dead end and a path down. The room that once held the remains of the Cult of the Moon's experiments was gone, the roof evidently collapsing and burying the chamber in earth and stone. The staircase leading down to the caverns was a rush of water as the trickle of liquid from the other rooms pooled at the top and started a cascade down the smoothly worn stone steps.

Jer'rahd set up more panels, pressing a shield against each wall, the ceiling and the floor. The tick and thunk of more darts against the green barricade was proof enough of the wise foresight of such action. The group descended further, finally stepping out into a massive cavern. The chamber was partially lit by what at first glance appeared to be torches, though they gave off no heat or smoke— clearly some sort of magic.

The water pooled and flowed around the edges of the room, leaving the slightly raised middle of the massive chamber dry.
The bones of some great beast lay crumbled against the wall of the room. The statue of a pony lay on its side near the bones, half buried in the silt. The statue’s features were mostly worn away by time and the flow of water, and it was covered with a multitude of cracks and chips.

“That's a big chicken,” Bleu muttered, looking at the moldy skeleton

A faint chuckle drew the group’s attention to the center of the room. A burst of magic flared to life from the darkened rise in the chamber’s center, revealing a black alicorn with a sandy blond mane and two-toned green and violet eyes.

“It took you long enough to find us, father...” Nocturne snarled.

“Stick to the plan,” Jer'rahdmuttered. The Waning Moon yanked from its scabbard and launched towards the dark alicorn before he even finished the order.

====================================================

“Sir, you wished to speak with me, sir?”

[“You need not use that nonsense with me; please sit.”]

“Umm, sir?”

Velkorn rolled her eyes, looking up at the large half dragon before her. She had taken over the library as a command post when the others left. It was a not only a good position, being in the center of Ponyville, but it was also a chance to browse Twilight's collection of medical books.

She had not had much opportunity to do that, however; right after she had gotten Rhede to the hospital, Pinkie Pie showed up and tried to help. Velkorn sighed again as she thought about it; she had to have thrown that pony out of the library at least eight times before it seemed to sink in. She still wasn't sure how the bubbly earth pony managed to get back in so quickly.

“My apologizes for speaking like that. Do drop the ‘sir’, though; I simply wish to have a chat.”

“Err, yes, sir... err, miss. What is it you wanted to talk about?” Lion Heart questioned, looking down at the zebra mare, a bit worried that he was asked for and still somewhat distracted by his encounter with the Bearer of Generosity not that long ago.

“Nothing drastic, I assure you. I am curious about the state of your race and its history.”

“The half-dragons? While it is kind of you to consider us as a race, miss, there are no half-dragon gods, and thus we do not class as our own race.”

“Unlike the hippogriffs and yeti, your kind breeds true. Does that not sound like a proper race to you?”

“The council of gods does not seem to think so. Princess Celestia has been supportive and has nominated us such several times, though the Gallopagos is still considered as little more than a territory even if its population has well passed what is needed to be considered a civilization. Harpies and the minotaur are much the same; the Harpies lost their spot after nearly being wiped out after the civil war and the Minotaur never had a high enough body count to come close. And, well, the zebras also have no gods, but they, ummm... Well, you know.”

Velkorn waved that last bit off. She was quite aware of the zebras’ tendency to kill godlings at birth.

“It is the history of the last thousand years I wish to know. Silvertail and Pelt worked to ensure it would grow. To that pair your kind owe quite a bit, but I want to hear what has changed since our time. Now, do please sit.”

Lion Heart glanced down at the couch a moment before settling back on it, still a bit uneasy.

“So you just want me to tell you the history of the half-dragons since the Equestrian Civil War?”
Velkorn nodded. “Though I do hope you will not skip the part of how you, like the founder, have the name of Lion Heart.”

“Founder? Oh... you mean my grandfather.

Velkorn blinked, opening her mouth to question about that, but Lion Heart continued evidently having heard the questions before.

“I know who your small group is and I know what you all did for the half-dragon race when it first started. My grandfather fought alongside all of you and used to tell me stories about the Second Dragon War and the Lunar Republic. It was those stories that made me wish to join the guard, though it was far easier than he said it was. I suppose I am paying for that now.”
Velkorn opened her mouth to interrupt again, but he continued, not seeming to have noticed this time.

“Sorry, I am rambling a bit. The first generation of half-dragons that survived the miasma and Nightmare Night lived to be about a thousand years old approximately. There are still a few of them alive today. It seems that they inherited at least half of a dragon’s normal life expectancy, along with the rest of the traits we share. The second generation, the ones born of the first and including those that were made by the Cult of the Moon, only lived half as long. The third generation, which I am somewhat a part of, only lives around two hundred years. It seems to have leveled off there, as we are on the sixth generation now with a few of the seventh being born before I left, and it is still around two hundred years before old age takes us.”

Velkorn blinked a little, trying to figure out any other question to that, though yet again, Lion Heart seemed to have a set number of responses to this line of questioning prepared as he continued on.

“My grandfather had my father close to his five hundredth year. It was at that point he finally allowed himself to relax enough from running Gallopagos and convincing the other nations that we would not start the war again to find a wife. He had four children, mostly mares and my father. His wife convinced him to name his son Lion Heart the 2nd, and when my father married and I was born, he continued that somewhat annoying trend. My full title is actually Prince Lion Heart the Third of Gallopagos, though here, I am only referred to as Captain Lion Heart, which suits me, as my proper title is far too long and annoying.”

“The prince is something new. How did that manage to be attached to you?”

“Gallopagos is mostly a democracy. There is a council of elected officials that make most of the decisions with supervision from Equestria and the griffon nation on our borders. The Princess, however, convinced my grandfather that a royal family would perhaps add a bit of familiarity that the other traditionally god-ruled races would accept a little easier. We would have a government not unlike what the Zebra Nation enacted. The ruler would still make decisions, though they needed council approval in order to put any of them into law. The council’s decisions would likewise have to pass royalty.”

“Indeed, not at all unlike what happened in my home land. I take it for once things went as planned?”

“Quite; my grandfather ruled for most of his life and took over again when my father died thirty years ago.”

“My condolences on your loss, though if you are here, is your grandfather still the boss?”

“Err, no. My younger brother is currently ruling at the moment. He does not want to, mind you, but with me in the Guard, he really has little choice. My grandfather is the reason I joined, to tell the truth. He was a great leader and warrior, something he professes to have learned from when he was part of the Guard and the Lunar Republic. I thought that if I wanted to be even half the stallion he was, I would need to do the same and joined the Guard. I was fairly disappointed until Princess Luna returned and I was appointed Captain of the Night Guard. I was hoping to learn something, but, if you will excuse my rudeness, she reminded me far too much of a scolded foal. I did not think I would learn anything from her. I expected to serve out my term in relative boredom and wished something interesting might happen.”
Velkorn winced a little.

“Yes, I got that wish not long after Princess Luna returned... a parasprite swarm, the dragon god of smoke moving to Equestria, the gala riot, Discord, the garden riot, the dragon attack in Ponyville, the Royal Wedding, the defeat of the Royal Guard in Ponyville, the return of the Crystal Empire, the attack on the changeling hive, and now this. When the training was offered, I jumped at the chance, knowing who was going to be doing it. I had hoped I would learn what it was that made my
grandfather great. No luck with that so far.”

“You need not worry too much about what you might learn. Being a good leader is not something you are taught, it is something you earn. Though before you go complain about what it is not, the training is not over by a long shot.”

“I suppose that is true. Was there anything else you wished to know, miss?”
“You have barely scratched the surface of what I would like to know. I assure you, when I have had my fill, I will tell you, though. But this will also be of interest to Starfall and Rhede, at least when the latter is not drugged out of his head.”

“Err ,so I guess I keep talking then...”

=======================================================

Spike lifted his head, looking up at the veritable wall of books before him and sighed.

“I'm gonna need a ladder.”

“I shall see what I can find; this place was not designed with a small dragon in mind.” Silver Claw responded, looking up at the wall himself.

The bookcase of the cavern stretched up perhaps as tall as the town hall of Ponyville; the shelves were brimming with so many books that a large number of them could not even fit and were piled on the tables and rocks dotted about the room.
Silver Claw was correct, however, that there were fewer books than the Ponyville library, despite the greater space. Dragging one of the smaller books off the bottom shelf, Spike sighed as the tome rose above even his tallest head spike.

“I didn't expect them to be so big.”

“Pony books do not work very well for dragons. The tiny script does cause problems with eyesight. I will, however, make a few suggestions for your first books of study.” Silver Claw stated. He lifted up on his hind legs and pulled a book from the top and another pair from the middle and set them on an empty stone table.

“So what are these?”

“The first is a book that should help you learn to read dragon. It is rather simplistic, though; it is a book designed to teach whelps to read. I assume you only know the pony written language, so it will be useful. The other two are an abridged history of Cindervale and the Dragon Empire that should fill in many of the gaps that I have forgotten or neglected to mention. History was never my best subject.”

“You say that like you are leaving.”

“I am. I have other things to take care of and since you do not want anything to do with my current associates’ actions, it is none of your concern.”

“You're right, I don't care what you do with them. I'm wondering how I’m supposed to eat. There's not exactly an easy way for someone without wings to get down from this place.

“There is a wellspring in the back for water.” Silver Claw moved over to another part of the cave and pointed through an arch into another cavern. “It is back there behind your food source.”

Spike moved over to look where the larger dragon was pointing and his eyes widened almost bigger than his head. The entire room was filled with gems of all shapes and sizes, some set into jewelry or other items, though most were loose and lay about like candy spilled from an overeager Nightmare Night reveler’s bucket.

“I assure you, you will not starve,” Silver Claw chuckled. “I will check in on you every few days to see your progress with learning the ways of our kind. Everything you need should be here. Don't gorge yourself too much; you do have a job to do, whelp.”

“I know, I know. I'll learn what I need to. Once I get all this out of the way, I want to see what's left of Cindervale. I want to know if it's in any shape to be restored or if we need to find someplace else.”

Silver Claw tapped his chin with a claw, thinking.

“Hmmmm. That is something I have not even had the time to check on. The suggestion has merit; I will see what can be done. I will take my leave now, little whelp godling. With some effort on both our parts, our nation may rise again.”

======================================================

“I am not sure I understand you. Who are you?” Celestia questioned, looking down at the spear-wielding crystal pony.

“Thou art not making it any easier fer me to resist bludgeoning yer plump arse, 'lestia. Mine is already a fouled temper an’ thou art making it worse with thine witless stalling. Should go ahead an’ wail on thine thick skull tah knock loose thine memories, lest thee plans tah move off thine posterior to try an’ stop me.”

“Just answer me already. Who are you?”

“Thou art as stupid as ah remember. Perhaps this'll unfrost that vapid hole where thy thinking muscle is supposed to be.
Thine sister and your own rotund self came seeking a way to stall Sombra ‘til thou could set up a way tah be rid of him. You promised a score of crystal warriors that our families would be removed from the empire to avoid tha king's wraith when we sided with ye. Now here ‘tis far in the future and ahm here to make sure that thou fulfilled that promise you made tah protect mine loved ones.”

Celestia winced a little at the broken old Canterlot the pony was speaking. The harsh bastardization of the language was only adopted by a select few groups of ponies in the most northern parts of Equestria before the fall of the empire, though even before the fall, there were very few who used it, and only a hooffull whom she could recall in the group who agreed to fight Sombra's constructs so that she and her sister could be free to go after the king himself.

“Briar Rose.”

“That's Commander Briar Rose tah ye, ye cake-munching limp-hooved frail!”

Celestia rubbed her temples. “Oh joy. I really do not need another one.”

“What is the commotion, sister? Who is this?” Luna questioned as she trotted in from the back of the throne room, her eyes passing over the hidden robed pony and then focusing on the crystal pony.

“Oh, now the other bint shows her face an me still without mine answer. This whale fat lump of a sorry excuse for a poniee is clueless about mine questions. Since she's as useless as a second ass on a fish, the question goes to you: what happened ta mine family!?”

“We are sorry, but who are you?” Luna asked, sending the crystal pony into another rant of near unintelligible rage.

Celestia sighed again, waiting for the ranting pony to catch his breath. If this was not so annoying, it would have been quite amusing watching Lulu's face grow brighter and brighter red from the crass language and the inventive swears the pony was coming up with. Surprising as well that Luna would be this taken aback by this sort of language, considering that Starfall was known to go off on tangents just as bad, if not worse. It was time to put an end to this at any rate.

“Oh, do shut up already, Rose. We fulfilled our end of things, but no one expected Sombra to take the entire empire down with him,” Celestia blurted out, putting a bit more force behind it than she meant to. Unfortunately, the only ones who seemed cowed by her tone were the cloaked pony and Luna. “It has been over sixteen hundred years since that event. I am sorry, but you must have been told that and realized your family is long dead.”

The crystal pony seemed to deflate a great deal from that, though it was clear that he had known that.

“Aye. That was the thought of the others, but mine has never been one tah give up on such a thing. Aye know they be gone, but what of became of the family, and what of Greenwitch?”

“Your friend died as well, though he passed more recently after delivering a warning of the empire’s return. It was that warning which allowed us to act with enough speed to ensure that Sombra did not retake the empire. I am sorry Rose; it seems time has caused a number of problems for a great many ponies as of late.”

“So Damask and Bourbon have passed... Did... did they find a place here alright?”

“They did. A number of the refugees from the empire took residence in Canterlot, though I am unsure if any of their descendants are around anymore. There has been turmoil and a number of wars since they arrived.”

“Damask Rose and Bourbon Rose?“ Luna muttered to herself, bringing a glance from both Celestia and Briar.

“What was that ye said lass? Speak up.”

“Damask never remarried; Bourbon married a minor noble and had a foal, Generosa. He sired two foals: Khordes and Macrantha. Khordes never married and Macrantha had a foal...” Luna muttered to herself as if reading something in her mind.

Celestia blinked. “Luna, what...?”

“When we returned, we started seeking a number of the older families and tracing where they went. We wished to see what happened to those we once knew. We found a number of books on old family lines in the library’s cellar; there were a multitude of names, including the Roses. There are a number of offshoots to your family through marriage that are alive now, but the only direct descendant was a mare named Vermillion Rose...”

Celestia's eyes widened and a small twitch started in her lip at that name. No, it couldn't be. It had to be a coincidence... she had been joking about that...

“We are afraid that if the book was accurate, she served in the Guard as a member of the 42nd during the First Dragon War and was killed soon after, along with her husband and child by some insurgents of the dragons. We are sorry.”

“Ah see... deh yah remember the name of their child? If ah'm gonna drink tah those lost, might as well get blasted tah them all.”

Celestia flattened her ears at the sheer ridiculousness of this situation. There was no way; there was no way this violent psychopath and that violent psychopath... She didn't care how similar their mannerisms were... It just couldn't be.

“If we recall correctly, the colt was named was Amano Rose...”

Celestia screamed out suddenly, falling off the throne and flailing about. Oh for the love of the stars she could even see the resemblance now that she was looking for it. Why this? What did she do to be forced to have two of them at once?

“Sister what...?”

“By the stars, NOT ANOTHER ONE! I CAN'T DEAL WITH TWO OF THEM! I was joking about that before, but arrrgh!” Celestia whined.

“Is the portly git having an episode or throwing a tantrum?” Briar commented.

======================================================

Jer'rahd had to give the griffon credit: he already moved like he was one of the team. The moment the Waning Moon was slung towards Nocturne, Bleu, Talon, and Starfall were fanning out seeking any others who might be present. Even Twilight, it seemed, had picked something up as she was getting out of the way as well, a shield spell already raised.

Nocturne easily stepped out of the way of the blade, though her gaze followed it as it passed her, eyes widening, feeling the magic deadening properties of the star metal.

“Seems you picked up a new toy, father, and some new allies— the modern Bearer of Magic and a griffon god. How quaint, though you are not the only one who has gained allies in this time.” Nocturne laughed as she took to the air, dodging

Jer'rahd's attacks with the same effortless grace Luna showed in battle.

Jer'rahd cursed, not able to get a single hit on the alicorn with his blade. He galloped across the cavern, kicking up damp sand as the alicorn laughed again. A flash of light to his left sent a few spells arcing towards the alicorn, ones that the dark mare easily blocked with a purple shield of her own. Bleu's lightning attack was similarly deflected.

His hooves thudded on the dirt as he closed on the hovering mare. The sudden click of metal on hoof kicked on his survival instincts and he dove to the side quickly, raising a shield. The ground where he had been standing erupted in a pillar of flame turning the damp sand to glass around the small crater. Even with his shield, he was singed by the gout of flame. He glanced up to Nocturne and to where his blade had fallen when he raised his shield, and gathered the weapon up again.

“You think some fireworks are going to stop me?” Jer snarled.

“Clear!”
“Clear!”
“Empty as my horde, Boss; the bitch is it!”

Jer'rahd grinned as the others sounded off from around the massive cavern. All three of them knew who they were looking for. Bleu had the ability to attack and secure the area while he and Sparkle kept the alicorn’s attention. That Nocturne was alone was a bit worrying, as this felt like a trap of some sort. He hoped it was simply that they had caught her unaware. It would be nice to have things go as planned for once.

The griffon tore out of the darkness clinging to the edges of the room, his armored claws lashing out at the alicorn, forcing her to dodge again as Talon flew past, vanishing back into the darkness. A blast of lightning and an attack from a spell sent the alicorn flailing off balance as the group started coordinating attacks. The dark alicorn was already off balance when Starfall tore out of the darkness, lashing out with crystalline blades on the edges of her wings

The mare cried out as she failed to fully dodge and lost a few feathers of her wingtip to the speedy pegasus. She fell hard on the sand, a metallic click forcing her to freeze in place as she hit on one of Scarlet's traps. The Waning Moon flew over quickly, blade poised at the injured alicorn's throat.

The alicorn's horn started to glow and the weapon spun, quickly slapping Nocturne’s horn and causing the mare to scream out as the weapon touched it, the magic backlash making her feel as if her head had been split open and salt dumped in the wound.

“It seems that your allies have deserted you. Tell us where they are and we'll just send you back to the garden. Don't, and, well, you know quite well from reading that history book that we don't have issue with making you talk in ways you won't like.”

“Heh, you would do that to your own daughter?”

“You're no foal of mine, and every time you bring it up, you just remind me of something that couldn’t be, and that pisses me off more,” Jer'rahd responded. “So where are the others?”

-------------------------------------------------------

“Well, this is quite a predicament.”
“Gah, the dumb bitch failed already? I gave her another month at least.”
“Do shut up, Red. We need to figure out what to do now, particularly since Teal is useless in this.”
“‘cause this is too much a pain to bother with”

-----------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd blinked, looking around the cavern.

“Did any of you hear that?”

“Hear what, Boss?” Bleu questioned.

Nocturne blinked, a little confused as well, though she smiled wide.

----------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh, delightful; it seems the container can still hear us. Hello, you magnificent monster. It certainly has been a long time. I was quite amused at the way you negotiated your contract to be able to slip free of the agreement and even drag the princess out of hers as well. It's quite like something I would do; my plan would have worked better, but still impressive for some one of low birth as yourself.”
“Perfect, this jackass as well. Shouldn't your old ass be dead by now? Quit fucking, shut up!”
“Ooh, this is one of the ones you trained? Not a bad specimen, I would have to say. And such savagery... I am intrigued.”
“not in as much control as he likes”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four voices, there were four voices now. The first two he knew, but the others...

“Kaisur, might I question what you are doing?” Talon commented. “I do not hear anything and you seem to be freaking out. It is clear she is not willing to talk, so finish her off and let us be on our way.”

“General, what’s wrong?” Starfall questioned.

“The books... I can hear them...”

“Really, father?” Nocturne chuckled from the sandy floor. “You can as well?”

------------------------------------------------------------------

“We have come too far to allow this to happen now. I have no desire to return to that awful place.”
“So that's the go then? Yesssss, I’ve been waiting for this!”
“Just a taste dear, no sense giving up everything for free.”
“just get it over with”

-----------------------------------------------------------------

“EVERYONE SCATTER!” Jer'rahd shouted. The Waning Moon slammed down violently into the alicorn’s throat; the dull thunk of the blade striking stone echoed in the cavern as Nocturne was no longer under the blade. The ground exploded where she had laid, lighting the cavern up with a pillar of fire.

“Wha? GAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Twilight screamed out, teleporting across the room suddenly as the section of wall she had been next to exploded in a mass of molten rock.

Jer'rahd threw himself to the side as a shadowy form ripped past where he stood, carving a flaming gouge in the mud and rock where he had been. A series of clicks kept him scrambling away as more explosions burst out of the sand from hidden bombs. He skidded to a stop as his hooves hit the pooled water and the last pillar of flame he set off died down.

“Where the buck is she?” Starfall shouted.

Another explosion illuminated Bleu as the wall burst open, showing the pony-sized dragon's silhouette as molten rock showered down over the blue dragon. Bleu ignored the flaming rock and lashed out with her tail, sending a shadow bouncing across the room, setting off more explosions and splashing down hard in the slowly running water on the other side of the room.

“That should have killed you!” Nocturne hissed as Bleu flew towards her, molten rock showering from her back.

“Pfft, dragons bathe in this crap,” she growled, firing off a blast of lightning. A second bolt launched from the darkness, catching the alicorn across the chest as she tried to dodge the first.

Starfall glared over at Talon as the griffon smirked, electricity crackling about his wings.

“What? Do you think I am called the God of Storms because I make it cloudy?” the griffon quipped.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well, that was a pathetic display. A rookie mistake at that. She did not even last two full rounds.”
“FRAKING DAMNIT!”
“Honestly, what can you expect from the poor thing? She's not even two full years old yet— far from mature. Besides, she is facing two of the primary targets, after all.”
“not over yet”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Waning Moon again struck nothing but rock and water as Nocturne teleported again, vanishing into the shadows.

“Give it up, Nocturne; you cannot win against all of us,” Twilight shouted.

“I have no need to win,” the darkness responded. “Just occupy you until Scarlet is ready.”

“What?” Bleu questioned as the archway behind them suddenly exploded. The stairs leading up and out of the cavern collapsed from the blast. Dust and rocks fell from the ceiling as the path out was caved in.

“Oh dear, I think that was bigger than expected.” A flash of light flew from the darkness. Twilight yelped, bringing the Brilliant Dawn about suddenly and knocking the blast away from her, though a second shot nailed the purple unicorn in the chest, flinging her back into the wall with a sickening thud.

“SPARKLE!” Jer'rahd shouted.

“Well, now that the teleporter is out of the way, enjoy your new tomb, father,” Nocturne chuckled, her horn flashing quickly as another series of explosions started raining stone and fire from the large ceiling above.

“The crazy bitch is trying to bury us!” Starfall cursed.

“Bleu, grab Sparkle and head for the back exit. With some luck, they didn't blow that up yet.”

“Luck is not on our side, Kaisur,” Talon shouted as he took wing and followed the dragon.

=======================================================

“He's what!?”

“You heard what I said, Lulu. The universe is clearly conspiring against me at this point. I cannot believe that I have to deal with him now, too.”

“Then why not just tell him?” Luna hissed, looking at the clearly depressed crystal pony being escorted to a room by one of the palace staff.

“Because of what Kaisur plans to do. Better that Rose gets the depression out of his system now than meet a family member who is plotting to kill himself at worst or simply return to stone at best. Not to mention the fact we do not need something akin to how Rainbow Dash took the revelation of who she is related to. Kaisur is bad enough without being pissed off even further.”

“Does everypony know about that?” Luna cursed.

“Everyone within earshot of the pair, which, with Dash's yelling, was about half of Canterlot. You know how rumor travels in this city.”

“Yet you somehow managed to keep your daughter’s visits a secret from everyone all the time.”

“She does that on her own. She is watching Ponyville for me, at any rate. That is not the subject at hoof, however, Luna. What good will come of telling him anything?”

“Plenty; for one, we owe this pony a great deal for our failure to stop Sombra in time to save him. We cannot allow him to remain in the dark, as he seems to be as interested as Starfall in who he is related to. And for second, sister, having a relative alive, even if it is one he has never met, might keep Kaisur from doing anything stupid.” Luna wilted a little under her sister’s glare with that comment. “Well, anything more stupid than what he has already done.”

“And why is it you are concerned with the state of mind Kaisur is in?” the cloaked pony questioned. “His death would alleviate the risk of you needing to become the Nightmare again. It would also clear your slate of any affections you may have had for him in the past that you felt were misguided by your other self. He seems quite content to make a rather final sacrifice to ensure that you will not have to suffer. You plan to try and deny him even that with this strategy?”

Celestia raised a brow, looking at her daughter curiously as Luna stammered, glaring at the hooded pony. “Because letting somepony die because of a mistake I made is not how it should be,” Luna snapped back.

“Ahh, I see. So is that the only reason? You have let quite a number of ponies die in the past because of mistakes that you made. Why the sudden push for this one in particular?”

“Because unlike most of the others, he still lives,” Luna snarled.

“Luna, calm down, and Sunshine, you shush. Don't you have somewhere else to be?” Celestia cooed. “I don't need you playing matchmaker as well.”

“It is not matchmaking if the there is already a match that is being denied. The only one missing that is her,” the hooded pony chuckled. “But yes, I do have some where else to be. I shall try to visit again soon, mother. Goodbye for now, auntie.”

The hooded pony trotted to a side door and pushed it open before hopping off the balcony and vanishing into the shrubberies.

“Does your daughter need to be so dramatic?” Luna grumbled. “And annoying?”

“She thinks it gives her an air of mystery and she thoroughly enjoys that. I am going to let you deal with this how you see fit Lulu. While I do not have the same connection as you do to Kaisur, I do not wish to see him throw his life away for nothing. I doubt my old threat still carries any weight with him.”

“Alright, I shall go speak with Commander Rose before he gets too settled in for the night. Or too far into the cups.”

“And my shift is finally done,” Celestia commented, rising from the throne and stretching. “Oh, one more thing, Lulu.”

“Hmm? What is that, Tia?”

“Bleu has asked for your representative to come aid the group in Ponyville when able.”

“My representative?”

“Yes; she called herself Mare-Do-Well, or something silly like that.” Celestia paused, stepping back a bit so she could lean closer to her sister and mutter in the dark mare's ear. “I do hope you have not eaten too many moon pies already that you can no longer fit in the costume after all that work Rarity put into it.”

Luna's eyes went wide and her ears flattened as she turned to meet her sister’s gaze, her dark coat seeming to pale visibly.
“Wha-… what do you mean?”

“Oh, relax, sister... we shall talk of that bit of disobedience later, after I have my beauty rest. Have fun with your shift, sister.
Good night!” Celestia chirped, all but prancing out of the room and leaving a somewhat panic-stricken Luna behind her.

============================================

“Please, please stop, before my ears get sore. Who is pounding on my front door?” Zecora grumbled, pulling open the front door of her hut.

The zebra blinked a moment, looking around into the empty night in confusion for a moment. A slight scrap of hoof on wood off to the side drew her attention to the roots around her hut, and the pink mane and pale yellow face peeking over the top of one at her.

“Umm, hello, Zecora. Sorry to trouble you... Ummm, you're not mad, are you?” Fluttershy squeaked.

The zebra smiled at the shy pegasus. “No, I am not angry at you. Please come in; I have some tea I can brew.”

“Oh thank you, some tea would be lovely.”

The zebra mare trotted back inside with the pegasus zipping in after her like a shot as an owl hooted behind her.

==================================================

The large owl looked down at the hut as the door closed. It reached a wing up and pulled its head off, revealing Pinkie Pie.

“Pie two to Pie six. Do you copy, over? Kssssst, the butterfly has flown to the enchantress, ksssst; I repeat, the butterfly has flown to the enchantress. Ksssst.”

A rather large opossum dropped down in front of the owl Pinkie, hanging from its tail before pulling off its head to show another Pinkie Pie.

“Well duh, I was right here the whole time. I saw it too. Also, I will have you know I’m Pie two and you're Pie six.”

“Amm not, kssst.”

“Are too, I mean six. And you don't need to say ‘Kssst’ after every time you talk.”

“Oh yeah. Oh, you do know that opossums don't really hang by their tails to sleep, right?”

“They don't?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, shoot,” the opossum Pie said before suddenly falling out of the tree to crash into some bushes.

===========================================================

Zecora glanced back from where she was setting a kettle over the fire pit and sighed as Fluttershy hid, shaking, behind one of her masks. The pony’s long pink tail was all that was sticking out from the hiding spot.

“Miss Fluttershy, is there something I can do for you? It must be important for you to brave the night, and the forest, too.”

“Well, um, actually, it sort of is...”

Zecora glanced back, her ears perking, waiting expectantly as the pegasus sighed loudly. “I ran away again... A dragon showed up and I just ran off, leaving everyone there without me. I… I couldn't help it. I was just so scared and I let everyone down.”

“I thought you took a confidence class. I was quite sure you would pass.”

“I did... but dragons are something else entirely for me. I mean, I managed to stare one down before that was the same size, but I really don't remember how I managed that...”

“I have heard of this stare that you use. Why not use that? I am sure that you would not lose.”

“The Stare doesn't work like that. I'm not even sure how I can use it. It's just something I found out about when I first came to Ponyville and started working with animals. The Stare only works if they have even the teensy tiniest bit of regret for their actions. If they don't, the Stare doesn't work. That's why it doesn't work on hydras or changelings. Neither of them have any regret for their actions at all.”

“You have used it on a dragon before. What is one more?”

“The only reason that one dragon did have any regret was because we tried negotiating first and it rebuffed us. It had no remorse over sleeping where it chose, but he evidently had a bit of lingering doubt as to how he treated Twilight when she came in peace.”

“You do not feel that Silver Claw would have reacted the same. You think he believes he is without blame?” Zecora trotted over, setting a cup of tea on a small table before the hidden Fluttershy, trying to coax the mare out of hiding, with little success.

“I don't know. I never stayed long enough to find out. I couldn't even try.”

“So what is it you want me to do? What do you think I have that can help you?”

“I want to be able to not flee every time someone even so much as mentions a dragon. Even Bleu makes me nervous, and she’s just a little thing like Spike most of the time. I was hoping you might know of some way; I mean, you helped us out with things in the past…”

“I have nothing that can quench the fear in your soul— no potion of bottle, herb or bowl. Though perhaps there is indeed something you can do: you simply need to hang around more with the dragon known as Bleu.”

“Wh-... what do you mean?”

“You know Bleu will not harm you. This is the truth; since she changes her size so easily, you can gradually learn not to fear the dragon’s claw or tooth.”

Do you think she would help?”

“Why not? I am sure she would have your back. After all, the others have been training Rainbow Dash and Applejack.”
Fluttershy thought for a moment, her ears flattening, though she slowly slipped from behind the mask as she thought on it. She picked up the tea, though she flinched, and sloshed the drink at another loud hoot from outside.

“That may work. You... you know, you have some very large and scary owls around here... not cute at all.”

“Those are not owls hooting at you. Those are simply disguised Pinkies, both number six and number two.”

“What?”

================================================

Another explosion showered the cavern in rock. Bleu cursed, shifting her grip on Twilight and the Brilliant Dawn. She had taken a moment to re-sheath the blade on the mare’s side due to the weapon’s resisting her touch far more than the Waning Moon did.

Bleu wasn't sure what the deal with the weapons was, but both of them seemed to try and fight if anyone but their chosen owner used them. At least, that was what she thought until she watched Twilight fling around the Waning Moon like it was her blade; Luna had done the same. The Brilliant Dawn was just as finicky, though; supposedly, Twilight's brother had used it, too. Bleu grumbled, wondering why she was thinking about stupid things like those swords at that moment.

“Bad news: the back doors collapsed already. That must have been one of the earlier explosions,” Starfall stated, winging back over to the group.

“So what now, Boss?”

“I can put up a shield until Sparkle wakes up. That should protect us, and she can teleport us out of here.” Jer'rahd cursed.
“That is going to give them far too much of a head start, though. I have no idea how bad she's hurt.”

An explosion of light blinded the group for a moment as an arc of lightning struck a wall, detonating a section of it with a shower of rock and a sudden gush of water that surged around the low points of the cavern. Talon nodded, looking at his claw work. He gazed into another dark cavern as water rushed over the bottom edge of the new hole.

“I knew it had to be around here somewhere. This level of water was indicative of an underground river or lake.”

“So did you plan to just blast walls ‘til you found it?” Starfall snapped.

“No; this wall was oozing water. I have been around long enough to have helped dig a number of new aeries and mines; I know what to look for.”

“Any clue where it leads?” Bleu asked as she looked into the hole at the rushing water on the other side while the explosions behind them illuminated the churning water with every flash of fire.

“Does it matter?” Talon asked. “Anywhere is better than here right now.”

Jer'rahd stared at the hole and the dark water beyond, his ears flat to his skull. “I believe the shield will work better...”

“No time, you damned pony,” Talon shouted, zipping over and grabbing the gray unicorn bodily and flinging him through the hole into the water before he even had a chance to so much as scream out.

Bleu winced as the pony hit the water, surfacing again with a scream before being dragged under. Starfall cursed and leaped in after Jer'rahd.

“You know he's going to kill you for that?” Bleu muttered.

“If we live, he can try,” Talon chuckled as he dived into the water.

“Yeah, I am not gonna miss that fight. Ready, Sparkle Butt? Of course you are. No complaints... Hope I can keep your head above water,” Bleu muttered, leaping into the rushing water as an explosion brought down a large part of the ceiling where she had been standing.

====================================================

Celestia nodded to the guards on either side of the double doors as she pushed them open with her magic, trotted into the room, and closed the doors behind her. Her hooves clicked lightly on the marble floor as she approached the vault. She paused, looking up at the plywood still covering one of the large broken stained glass windows. Those things took far too long to order.

She chuckled, considering moving the one in the hall of heroes before the throne room to take its place— perhaps the one where Pinkie Pie was the centerpiece after saving the Crystal Empire. That had been an unexpected image, particularly since the pink pony was in a jester costume as well. Maybe she should pull one out of storage and have at least one window devoted to the five heroes of the Second Dragon War and her sister. Being considered a hero worthy of a window would, of course, piss Kaisur off, which would make it all the more amusing.

Celestia sighed and shook her head, looking across the moonlit room to the vault door where the Elements of Harmony were kept. She was stalling, trying to find anything that might delay or stop her from scrying the Elements of Magic and Generosity to find out what really happened with Aviana.

Princess Celestia steeled herself again, moving purposefully towards the vault. Her daughter was right— it was high time these rumors were either put to rest or proven true, and no one but her should be the one to do it.

She slid her horn into the lock, the magic wards unlocking with a series of clicks as she turned her head slightly. She pulled her horn back as the vault slowly swung open.

The white alicorn's ears perked at a series of unexpected clicks and a loud hissing sound. As the vault swung open all the way, the collection of fuses on the mass of explosives sitting in the vault burned down all the way.

Celestia's eyes widened at the sight.

“Oh, buck...”

================================

Princess Luna was flung off the throne as the tremor from the explosion knocked nearly every pony in the throne room who had gathered for her Night Court on their flank. Luna righted herself quickly, rushing to throw open the doors of the balcony looking out over Canterlot and to the massive cloud of smoke rising from a building in the eastern area of the castle.

“What now?” she growled. “Somepony clear the court and go and wake our sister, as if that explosion would not have already done that. The rest of you, with me.”

As Luna watched, the burning roof collapses in on itself along with tons of marble and stone. The Princess of the Night narrowed her eyes at the explosion before kicking off the balcony and gliding towards the fire, a group of her night watch taking flight after her as they flew towards the remains of the treasury.

“Now my disbelief, lay smashed at my hooves... “

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“Now my disbelief, lay smashed at my hooves... “

Jer'rahd flailed about, struggling violently. A loud series of rips filled the air as his flailing deposited him off the bed and onto the floor with a loud crash. He flailed a bit more as he woke, turning the sheets into rags before he finally got his hooves under him enough to stand. His gaze ran over the place, a sigh escaping his lips at the far too familiar sight of a hospital room.

“I am glad to see you have once again avoided death, Kaisur,” a voice quipped, “though I am sure you still consider that bad luck when it happens.”

Jer'rahd raised an eyebrow at the voice, and more importantly at the white alicorn princess sitting patiently in the corner of the room. How the heck had he missed her?

“Celestia? What the buck are you doing here? What's going on? Where am I?”

“You are back in Canterlot. You are recovering from that last expedition you went on, and quite frankly, I do what I wish, Kaisur. Besides, I have need to, oh how was it put, debrief you on the results of your last fiasco.”

“Fiasco? We found a base of operations that they had been using, and that was far more than any of your guards did.”

“Do not even attempt to start with that, Kaisur; I am in no mood to hear you complain. The enemy got away, you nearly drowned, Starfall broke her wing, and Twilight Sparkle is still missing. Fiasco. Lord Talon informed me of how you lost it in the conflict and did not simply kill Nocturne.”

“I heard the books; they were there somewhere.”

“Then you should have killed the clone and then found them.”

“Rather odd for you to be telling me to kill something.”

“If killing something would mean that my favorite student was still here, I would quite happily do it myself. As it stands, we do not even have a body to bury and the underground waterways stretch for leagues. She was already knocked out when she was lost, so I do not have any real hope of her being recovered alive.”

Jer'rahd blinked, feeling the heat rise rapidly in the room as the Princess spoke.

“It is bad enough I was going to outlive her, Kaisur, but to have the time we could have had together cut short…”

“Shit...”

“You see my dilemma at the moment. I would like nothing more than to simply give you your wish and burn you to ash where you stand, but despite that, you still have a task to do. So I shall simply pass on another form of punishment for you to deal with while you find the escapees.”

Jer'rahds eyes narrowed at the threat, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

The white princess rose to her hooves, the heat visibly flowing off her in waves.

“I am going to tell you the real reason why Luna cannot seem to come to grips with you, Jer'rahd. Why she has no issue with your friends, yet cannot speak to you without becoming angry or morose.”

“And why exactly is that, Celestia?” Jer'rahd snapped.

Celestia pulled the door open with her magic, trotting out and pausing on the other side of the door, looking back at him.

“Nightmare Moon was pregnant when she was sent to the moon, Kaisur. She gave birth to a foal on a ball of rock devoid of life and air. She no longer even sees her moon when she raises it, just the tiny grave that exists there.” Celestia spat out the last and slammed the door, leaving Jer'rahd alone.

Jer'rahd's eyes widened at the words, then they narrowed rapidly as he glared at the walls of the room

“Nice try. You are getting shittier at this dream stuff, Entropy.” Jer'rahd snaps.

There was no sound for a moment, then the world around Jer'rahd started to melt away to the sound of dark laughter.

*****************************************************

Twilight gasped loudly for breath, coughing violently against the sandy shore in the darkness. She whimpered, curling into a shuddering ball, her body feeling bruised and battered. It was almost as bad as the time she had tried to find the source of Pinkie's Pinkie sense... almost.

Pushing herself shakily to her hooves, she ran her gaze over the dark cavern. Water rushed wildly over the rocks behind her, drowning out any other noise as she moved further up the sandy slope. She yelped as she tripped over a rock, crashing to the damp sand in a sprawl. She cursed lightly, her horn flickering as it lit up, casting a soft purple glow over the area.

Twilight glared back at the rock she tripped over and her eyes widened; it was not a rock. The large, dark purple scale-covered length shifted before slithering out of her globe of light with a small hiss of scales over the sand. Something that big, living in a cave, slithering...

“SNAKE!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!” Twilight screamed out, galloping away and colliding with a wall, knocking herself out again.

=========================================

Spike yawned, looking down at the page as the words in the book started to blur. He glanced up at the massive bookshelves and to the rather unstable stairway of books that Silver Claw had made for him to reach the higher shelves before the large dragon left. Useful, unless he needed a book that made up the staircase.

Spike picked up the old lantern on the table and trundled over to the cave mouth before dousing the light and looking down at the lights of Ponyville far below, shining in the darkness like stars on the earth. He briefly wondered what everypony was doing before he whipped his head side to side, trying to clear those thoughts away. He had work to do and couldn't dwell on how he got to this point, or it would just slow him down. Still...

He turned, heading back into the cave, figuring it was time to get to sleep himself. The moon was already high in the sky. If he kept going, at this rate, he really was going to end up pulling all nighters like Twilight did...

Spike sighed, rubbing his eyes and relit the lantern, heading back into the depths of the cave towards the gem pile. Something about that seemed comforting, even downright inviting to sleep on. He trundled past the stack of books he had already gone through with a yawn. This was going to be a lot of work still to rebuild an empire, but hopefully, it would keep him too occupied to think about how he left Ponyville.

========================================================

Velkorn twitched, looking out from the balcony of the library at the state of the town, and more importantly, at the vast armada of bouncing pink ponies that filled said town's streets.

The flood of Pinkie Pies was trying to do something. From what Velkorn figured, they seemed to be trying to protect everypony from themselves, and it was causing more harm than good in many cases. So much so that she had needed to move most of the training guards to protect the hospital as new cases flooded in due to the overzealous nature of the Pinkie Pie protection ponies. With luck, Rhede would be done with surgery and awake again soon. She could use his input on this situation. The surgery for his leg had gone rather well last night and he was expected to wake sometime this morning.

That was something else that had bothered her; the sun had been late this morning, and had risen somewhat shakily, as if it was unsure what it was doing. It reminded Velkorn of when Princess Luna needed to lift the sun after her sister was nearly killed last time. At that thought, a tinge of worry crept over her and she wished to go back to Canterlot herself to check, but with the Pinkie Pie army, she was somewhat stuck here.

She had yet to be able to find Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash. Applejack was at her farm attempting to stop the bouncing ponies there from ruining her crops. Rarity was in little better shape in regards to the Pinkie invasion. She was currently downstairs in the library lamenting the disaster that was left of her shop to anyone who would listen, which at the moment was a Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, and a large rock that had showed up from somewhere with the small filly.

Something needed to be done soon, and Velkorn had no idea what; she could not even tell if any of them were the real
Pinkie Pie or if this was a swarm of changelings. With both Twilight and Jer'rahd gone, she did not even have any star metal with which to check.

Not long after the sun rose, all the Pinkie clones suddenly left the town, rushing off into the forest, rapidly leaving whatever they were doing behind.

While she was thankful for their sudden removal, she was leery as to the why.

====================================================

“Bleu, what did you do?”

“Don't yell at me; the crazy mare screamed and plowed into my side, yelling something about a snake.” Bleu retorts looking down at the darkness where Starfall likely was.

“Great, we had some light for all of three seconds. I don't suppose you can see in the dark?”

“What do I look like, an owl?”

“Well, when you shrink down and squish your head just right...”

“Shut up; seriously, leave the jokes to me, chicken wings,” Bleu grumbled. “Speaking of which, how's your wing?”

“Likely just sprained. I doubt anything’s busted. I can still fly without too much pain. Any sign of the griffon?”

“Nah, you find Boss?”

“No, I lost my grip on his fat ass when we were swept over that waterfall. That pony has put on a great deal of weight since the last time I had to carry his sorry flank.”
“Pfft, how do you think I feel? Though he'd quickly point out it's all muscle.”

“‘Cept what’s between his ears,” Starfall chuckled. “He should be fine; he's harder to kill than a cockroach.”

“Not worried about him this time; that thing inside him wouldn't let him die here. We just need some light to check on this one and find the idiot before he gets into more trouble,” Bleu grumbles.

“Perhaps I might be of some assistance in that regard,” a voice cooed from the darkness.
Bleu and Starfall whirled to face the sound of the voice as a flash of light blinded them.

=========================================================

“So this is where he is?” Nocturne muttered, glancing back at Silver Claw and Scarlet as they looked over the river bank as the sun startsed to cast its glow over the forest.

---------------------------------------------------------------

“Yes, both of them are still alive, though Loyalty’s curse is still in the mountain.”
“Damnit, I want to see them both bleed!”
“Now now, red, that will happen in time. Personally, I would like to know that one better, anyway; I am somewhat depressed I missed out on his creation, and he killed the two I altered as well.”
“He killed one. Magic got the other”

-----------------------------------------------------------

Nocturne flattened her ears as the books started to ramble and argue again about some sea pony princess and her pet. This was not the time.

“Silence. Where is he? We came here to kill the god you wished dead, now where is he?” Nocturne snarled.

“She finally lose it, dragon?” Scarlet questioned under her breath.

“Likely, the books are speaking with her as I have heard they sometimes do.” Silver Claw yawned. “I am not sure why or how, but I doubt she is any crazier than she has always been.”

“You two shut up as well, and look for that griffon! The books claim he is a hindrance to the plan. We need to find him and kill him.” Nocturne shouts.

Silver Claw was about to retort when a blast of lightning struck him in the chest, flinging the massive dragon back over his own tail to crash into a strand of trees.

A whirlwind kicked to life before them as a waterlogged griffon climbed out of the river, his fur and feathers rapidly being dried by the sudden tempest. Electricity and sparks of fire and ice danced among the whirlwind and the griffon’s fur and wings. Arcs of lightning lashed out from the slowly growing storm, turning the sand and ground where they struck to glass.

“Looking for me, I take? Well then, my little pony, you have found me,” Talon stated, the rumble of thunder punctuating his words. “So you wish to kill a god? Let us see if you can.”

=================================================================

Luna looked over the rubble curiously, wondering what exactly happened here. She had a number of ideas, though the magnitude of the explosion was far larger than she had seen before. Even the spell cannons did not wreck a building so thoroughly in only one blast.

Perhaps this was some new sort of weapon that had been developed, though why had there been an attack on the treasury? The structure barely even contained anything of value, save a few items too large to fit in the Royal Vaults, and even that was nearly bare. Celestia had moved most of the country’s wealth into a banking system here at the capital to collect something called interest. It all seemed rather dull to Luna, so she had not bothered to find out much about it. Her sister was better with figures, anyway.

Luna sighed, kicking a bit of marble with her forehoof and watching the Guards and some servants run about the rubble. An out-of-breath cream-colored pegasus mare fluttered over to her, a rather panic stricken look on her face.

“Princess. haaaa, I have ahhh news...” The mare panted out.

“Please catch your breath, then tell us your news.” Luna said, looking over the mare curiously. She wondered what might be so important to have the mare running around so out of breath. Odd for a pegasus; perhaps Tia had sent her to tone down the noise? That would be very like her.

“Your sister... Princess Celestia...”

“Ahh yes, tell her we shall endeavor to keep this to a dull roar next time a building explodes. She needs to get out of bed and see this.”

“She's gone, Princess.”

“Gone?”

“She was not in her chambers.”

“What about the kitchen?”

“Not their either, Princess; we also checked the library, the solarium, the game room and everywhere else in the palace. Princess Celestia is not anywhere.”

Luna regarded the rubble of the building again. Could she have been the cause of this? Why had she been in the treasury?

“Please step back.” Luna commanded.

Luna closed her eyes, her horn glowing dark purple. The shadows surrounding the area started lengthening before bursting, sending a myriad of tiny spiders of shadow scuttling over the rubble and into every nook and cranny of the collapsed building.

She ignored the yelps of surprise and a number of screams at the sight of the spiders as she urged them deeper into the debris until she found what she was looking for.

She opend her eyes, letting the spell fade as she strode over to a large pile of rubble.

“This pile here. Focus your efforts here!” Luna ordered, lifting a few of the larger chunks of marble off the pile and tossing them aside.

A number of unicorns rushed over to do the same, clearing away what debris they could lift and pulling it aside. After a few tons of rock had been tossed aside, the pile shifted on its own. The last large section of wall was flung away, only to be caught again by a golden glow and set aside gently before it hurt anypony.

Luna looked down into the hole at Celestia. The large white pony was half crouching in the hole, her wings spread wide, holding up a number of loose rocks. Her white fur and feathers where covered in ash and soot, and the melted and fragmented remains of her crown and necklace were stuck in her fur.

The Princess of the Sun stood up fully, flinging the rocks loose from her wings and revealing a pair of rather battered, but still alive, Guards who had been posted at the treasury's entrance.

“Ahh, good morning, Lulu. What kept you?” Celestia beamed. “Do be a dear and get someone to look after these two. Also, I didn't manage to get that much sleep last night, so would you mind raising the sun for me while I freshen up a bit? Also send notice to Ponyville that I wish to see both sets of Element Bearers as soon as possible.”

“Sister, is this the time? What happened here?”

“I will get into that when everyone is here. After I get some sleep, and after you get some sleep as well.”

“What...? Why?”

“Because I am now forced to admit Kaisur was correct in his statement about the state of things, and I doubt either of us will be sleeping well once this goes into full swing.” Celestia sighed, looking back as the two injured ponies were pulled free and flown off to the hospital. The Princess of the sun sighed, looking down at the gold melted to her fur.

“This is going to take forever to get out...”

========================================================

Fluttershy and Zecora glanced warily at each other, and then at the group of three Pinkie Pies bouncing around Zecroa's hut, making sure everything was safe for the pair. Though they were also making a rather large mess of the zebra's home...

Zecora's ears twitched as something else was broken, though she was getting used to that happening with these ponies by now. She really needed to invest in a vault somewhere on the other side of Equestria for some of her things.

Fluttershy was certain they were not changelings, as she had never seen changelings mimic a pony so perfectly, particularly Pinkie Pie. That simply made Zecora even more wary.

“Look, loooook, look!” one of the Pinkies shouted, pointing at the open fire pit that was still burning from when the zebra had made tea. How they had missed something in the center of her home for this long baffled Zecora.

“This is dangerous right here!” a second Pinkie shouted.

“It is not a danger, so quell your fears. I have been using that to cook for years,” Zecora grumbled, wondering what the deal was with those Pinkie Pies’ attempts to foal-proof everything.

“It is so!” The Pinkie speaking zipped off, exchanging her opossum costume for a Fire Marshall Pie outfit as she zippped back.

Zecora blinked, looking at Fluttershy, who just shrugged at the random act of Pinkie.

“Lemme show you somethin'. Let's just say here, it's late at night and you're coming back from a long day frolicking in the field, or whatever it is you do in the fields. Don't worry; I don't judge. You come back home to your cozy cottage, ready to brew some nice tea or you had some stew going and the fire’s all warmed up, burning happily. Now let’s just say as you come in, your hooves decided they are not quite done frolicking and decided they have a few more in them...”

Zecora and Fluttershy watched as the Pinkie in the fire marshal outfit acted out everything as she said it. Zecora did not like where this was going.

“…they decide to give you a couple extra frolics that you're not ready for, and...” the Pinkie stated, starting to skip, then suddenly losing her balance and tumbling directly into the fire.

The pony screamed out a moment as the fire burned a bright blue. Fluttershy fainted and even Zecora was made quite ill by the sight of a burning Pinkie Pie, but that only lasted a moment before the fire was suddenly doused as the burning pony turned into a large puddle of water that rapidly evaporated.

Zecora glanced down at Fluttershy before rising to her hooves and trotting towards the huddled group of Pinkies that remain.

“Now that was something I have never seen Pinkie Pie do, so out with it now. What are all of you?” Zecora questioned as she seemed to loom over the remaining Pinkies.

=================================================

Bleu growled, whirling in the sand and changing to her largest size as she stood over Twilight. Lightning crackled across her fanged maw as the flare of light died down to little more than a glowing lantern.

A rather large purple serpent stared at the pair and the unconscious unicorn with a look of mild annoyance. He had on a rather large hair net of some sort that seemed to be filled with curlers. A pillowed bit of cloth sat on his forehead that looked to be used to cover his eyes for sleep. What drew Bleu's attention and brought a small chuckle from Starfall was the handle bar-styled mustache done up in curlers on his face.

“Now that is just rude… planning to attack a man in his own bedroom. How crass. I am quite tired of you drunken louts finding your way in here... Is that Twilight Sparkle?” the serpent remarked, glaring at them.
Bleu blinked, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the serpent, sniffing the air lightly.

“It is, and we were not planning to attack you. We sort of washed down river and wound up here,” Starfall said.

“Geez, more of you? How am I ever going to get enough beauty sleep with all this barging into my bedroom?”

“What do you mean ‘more of us’?”

“Yes, a gray unicorn; I just came back fromdrop dropping him off outside. Still breathing, though he was flailing about something awful. Frankly, I'm too tired to deal with some drunk on a bender like that, though he did look frighteningly familiar.”

“Seamore,” Bleu stated.

The serpent froze, staring at the blue dragon. He lifted the lantern up, lighting the room a bit more to show a massive pile of waterproof pillows in the corner of the cavern, as well as some decorative items hanging on the rock walls.

“It's been ages since I was called that. How do you know that name?” the serpent questioned.

“A thousand years later, and you are still fawning over that fuzzy caterpillar on your face, huh?” Bleu smirked, shrinking back down to her pony-sized form with a chuckle. “Unbelievable. Lily's spell must have really taken hold on that ugly mug of yours.”

The serpent seemed confused, though realization finally dawned on him as Bleu continued with a bevy of insults directed at everything from the dragon’s mustache to its parentage, though Bleu at least dodged about anything to do with Lily.

“Bleu Scale?... That's not possible; I heard you were killed at the end of the civil war...”

“I got better. Now show us where you dumped the drunk.”

=======================================================

Pinkie Pie looked down at the mirror pond with a small smirk on her face. A dozen of her mirror clones stood around her getting ready to step into the pond again. Everything had to be working properly; her hoof had not itched at all since she started doing this. Her plan had to be working. Every pony would be safe.

She looked down at the pond curiously; the water had dipped considerably since she started. Maybe she should have the clones wring out their hair as they came out of the pond?

A crash of thunder sent the group of them to the cave floor. The crackle of lightning echoed loudly in the cave before another boom of thunder and the howl of wind drowned it out.

Pinkie blinked, darting up along with a mass of clones to the entrance of the cavern to look out. It wasn't supposed to be storming today. Did Dashie fall asleep on the job again?

A number of the brambles were burning, and even more were blasted away. In the clearing on the other side she could see two ponies and a dragon fighting a griffon... wait… was that Fred?

===================================================

Lord Talon smirked as the dragon’s breath washed over him, drying out his feathers further. He was somewhat annoyed that his favorite flight bags were destroyed by the flame, but he could buy a new pair after these three issues were dealt with.

The moment the blaze stopped, he moved, kicking off the ground with a fan of his wings, his claws ripping into the dragon’s scales as he flew up the beast’s front towards its throat. The dragon was fairly quick, and its arms were up lashing at the bird before Talon managed to carve a furrow through the creature’s scales all the way up its body. A whip from the creature’s tail was dodged, along with a swipe from the red wyrm’s claws.

Talon flipped back in the air, covering his face with a wing as a blast of magic struck it and splintered off. A weak spell— what had this alicorn been doing before that made Kaisur think she was a threat? Perhaps the pony had overestimated the mare?

No matter. His arm whipped up, blocking three daggers that were aimed at his head. He felt the bite of the steel and winced a
little as they exploded. As the smoke cleared, he flicked his undamaged arm free of the soot and metal fragments, his gaze turning to the red earth pony mare who threw them.

He glanced up briefly as the dragon leaped up, looking to come down on him like a cat on a mouse. Another bolt of lightning from the griffon god sent the dragon flying back, taking out another row of thorny hedge growths in the process. He kicked off the ground on the red mare before she could react and sank his claws into her foreleg as she tried to throw another set of explosive daggers. The mare yelpd as his claws sank into his leg. Her eyes widened as the griffon glared at her.

“Kaisur considered you a high threat. Best to remove you now, then,” Talon stated.

Scarlet's eyes widened as the griffon god stepped back, yanking the mare along with him by her foreleg. He turned quickly, yanking her foreleg across his chest with his left claw and bringing his right down hard on her shoulders, shoving her to the ground while still clutching her leg.

Scarlet screamed as she hit the ground, the bones cracking and snapping in her fore leg as her leg was bent at an unnatural angle, nearly up behind her back. He dropped the mare’s leg and lashed out with his wing, sending the still-screaming pony bouncing across the clearing to crash into the river. He barely spared her another glance aside from to see she was still moving before he was back in the air dodging another blast from the dragon’s breath weapon.

The dragon was indeed powerful— more so than most of its kind he had fought before. If it was allowed to become a god, it truly would have been a threat, particularly as it moved like a soldier. That was rare in dragons of this age, and Bleu Scale was the only other dragon he had seen with any training. The other two clearly had no real combat training. The alicorn was fumbling her spells and the mare had expected her toys to save her. The dragon was still relying too much on its size and brute strength to defeat the griffon. If he was a normal griffon, that may have worked.

None of those tricks would help them.

His rear paws slammed hard into the alicorn’s back as he landed atop her, his fore claw balling up and punching the back of the mare’s head hard, sending her face first into the mud as her legs collapsed under her from the additional weight of the griffon.

His claws extended on his rear paws, digging deep into the mare’s back before he kicked off of her again to dodge a claw swipe from the dragon.

The alicorn screamed as the griffon’s claws ripped into her back, shredding into her flesh and tearing the tendons of her wings, nearly ripping one from her back enough that only a flap of skin and a bit of sinew kept it from being completely severed.

Two down, though he didn't count either of them out until their throats were removed. The dragon was too much a threat to spend time on making sure the pair was dead just yet.

Silver Claw growled, lashing out at the flying griffon, who simply dodged his attacks before landing on the beast’s snout, his fore claw rushing towards the beast was the last thing its left eye would ever see before the Griffon God of Storms tore the orb from the creature’s red scaled head.

Silver Claw roared, lashing out at the griffon and throwing him from his muzzle, only to be sent crashing back into the trees by another blast of lightning that further shattered the scales on his side, sending the fragments falling about, along with the beast’s blood like red rain.

Lord Talon landed in the middle of the clearing, his gaze shifting over the three still-moving targets. He snapped his wings tight to his side and flicked his claws free of blood.

“I do not understand why Kaisur or Princess Celestia would want you alive, but I must at least ask for your surrender before I finish you off,” Lord Talon stated loudly.

=================================

The Pinkies’ jaws all dropped as they stared at Fred in awe. The whole fight had taken, at most, around thirty seconds from start to finish and aside from the charred remains of a pair of flight bags around his waist, the griffon did not have a feather out of place.

Pinkie was about to go out and congratulate him when a familiar itch made itself known with a vengeance.

==================================

“This was far more complicated than I anticipated.”
“HOLY SHIT! Did you see that?”
“There is a reason he is one of the targets. Lazy, get up. This is your show now; you are the only one of us here who knows the spell. Give it to the mare or it's over.”
“What a pain...”

----------------------------------------------

Nocturne groaned, feeling the hot blood run down her back. Her breathing was rather labored, and she was sure she had several cracked ribs from that attack. She coughed, spitting out a number of teeth from where her head hit the ground. This wasn't supposed to happen this way.

-------------------------------------------

“Just figuring that out now? Fool!”
“Ehh, least I got to see some death before I get locked away again.”
“Are you listening to me Teal? DO IT!”
“Fine...”

-------------------------------

Nocturne blinked in surprise as a spell drifted into her mind from out of nowhere. No, not nowhere… The books were aiding her again; they had as much to lose from this as she did. Celestia would surely find a way to destroy them this time if they were caught.

Nocturne slowly rose to her hooves, wincing and drawing the griffon god’s attention. By the stars, she hoped they were still as noble and stupid as they were in the past.

“Fine, you win... no more. I give... GAAAAAAK!!” Nocturne was cut off as a blast of lightning caught her in the chest, sending her tumbling back over herself to land on her back, a scream leaving her mouth again as she hit. The remains of one of her wings lay on the ground behind her, fully severed from her body.

“I said I would ask. I never stated I would accept your surrender,” Talon stated, moving towards the spasming alicorn. “As the God of the Griffon lands, it is my duty to judge you for your crimes, and you have been found guilty. The sentence is death, to be carried out immediately.”

The whisk of the air being cut drew his attention as a number of steel blades were sent towards him and knocked aside with a wing swipe to explode on the ground around him as his attention focused again on Scarlet. The mare cursed, flinging a number of daggers at him with her tail and good legs.

Nocturne winced. Her horn glowed brightly, a ray of sickly yellow energy firing from her horn. The griffon tried to leap out of the way but was caught in half of it.

Nocturne grinned, though that quickly faded as the griffon simply looked down at himself, standing there untouched.

“Was that supposed to do something?” Talon questioned, flicking a wing out to knock aside another flight of daggers.
The griffon’s eyes widened as the blades sliced through his wings, embedding in his chest and side. He managed a wide-eyed stare down at the blades sunk into his flesh before they explode.

**********************************************************

<“Personally, I thought that was a good one.”> The voice growled. <”What gave it away this time?”>

“She was trapped in the moon, not on it.” Jer'rahd muttered, looking around the void of black surrounding him. “Plus, Celestia was too nice to me. Considering she rushed out to see Twilight after Silver Claw attacked, she would probably have killed me in my sleep, not waited ‘til I woke up to talk shit.”

<“What a clever pony.”> The beast stated cackling at Jer'rahd's wince. <”Feel free to keep fighting me; it will just make me all that much more powerful when you finally succumb.”>

“I plan to die before that happens. I won't let you rampage.”

<”Like you will have a choice in that?”> The Beast chuckled, a set of six red glowing eyes forming in the darkness far above
Jer'rahd. <”How many times have you tried to end your life and failed? Your friendship is so strong that even if you tried, they would not let you. None of you are even aware of the game you have been brought into.”>

“Game? What game?”

<”The only game. Everyone is a pawn in it, save those like you and I, bearer of Loyalty. We may not be kings, but we can at least be knights. Fight me; struggle and thrash, little worm. Bring low our enemies so none may remain before us.”>

“That speech didn't work with me before. Why would it now?”

<”Because the world was not in such high stakes before, little pony. What will come shall make your master's fight with the sea witch look like a summer storm. When that happens, you will have no choice but to free me, or all you care for will burn.”>

****************************************************

Pinkie Pie's eyes went wide as the itch in her hoof suddenly stopped at the explosion. Her hair rapidly uncurled, as did all the clones’ of her’s as all of them stared in shock as the scorched and bloodied body of Fred fell to the ground.
Pinkie twitched, rushing back down into the tunnel to the mirror pool, shouting at the gathered pool clones.

“Fred! Fred! Fred won't get up, for Celestia's sake! They've killed Fred! They've killed Fred! Those lousy, stinking, yellow fairies! Those horrible atrocity-filled vermin! Those despicable animal warmongers! They've killed Fred! Those green slime! Those black hearted, short, bow-legged...” Pinkie Pie swore, looking into the half-full pond. She paused, looking at the clones around her from under the bangs of her straight hair.

“Get them.”

===============================================

“I tossed him out over there so he could sleep it off. Honestly, I am not sure how these wastrels keep finding my lair, but it is not like his is the first, screaming and carrying on before passing out in the sand and muttering and talking to himself in his sleep.” Seamore bemoaned as Starfall rushed over to the gray unicorn stretched out on the sandy river bank.

Bleu glanced back at Twilight as the unicorn stirred. The serpent peered over at the unicorn on Bleu's back as they stepped out into the morning light.

“I say, that really is Twilight Sparkle.”

“We said that it's her; not like she's done much good this time. How's Boss, Starfall?” Bleu shouted.

“Wet, unconscious, and angry,” the pegasus shouted back.

“Well, he's matched us in one of those, and the other’s normal, so let’s wake his sorry flank up,” Bleu grumbles looking up at the serpent. And the wide grin on his face. “What is it?”

“It seems I am finally bigger than you, Scale.”

“Oh, for buck’s sake...”

==============================

“Silver Claw, are you alive?” Nocturne called out with a curse, looking back at the remains of her wing laying on the ground where she had landed, the few tendons finally having pulled free.

“That fucker took my EYE!!” the dragon bellowed, ripping himself out of the trees. The dragon’s crimson scales were scorched black and cracked and shattered over most of his chest and torso. His left forearm hung limply at his side as he stomped out of the brush. looking down at the charged griffon corpse.

Scarlet hobbled over, her right leg looking much the same as Silver Claw's arm. Nocturne snorted in annoyance. At least they didn't lose a limb like she did.

-------------------------------------------------------

“Oh waaaaah, by the stars I have never met a bigger complainer than you. Even the moon goddess was less of a whiny bitch.”
“Ooooh shit, that fight was great. DO IT AGAIN!”
“Calm down, both of you. That is one of eight that needed to be dealt with. We are just getting started. Don't worry, dear; I am sure we can grow that back when the ceremony is preformed. Likely, the dragon’s eye, too.
“Not eight”
“Teal has a point. The love cursed pair are not an issue as they are. They are far too weak to be a threat at this juncture.”
“Two of them are locked away, as well. Not like that's ever stopped them before, though.”
“Hmm, that leaves three. Of course, they will cause the most problems. Though if we play this right, we can have all of them subdued or cleared before the time comes.”
“Waiting is a pain”

----------------------------------------------------

Nocturne groaned, her horn glowing softly as she used the tiny bit of healing magic she knew to close the gaping wounds on her back.

“So what now?” Scarlet asked.

“Same plan as before: find some place to stay out of sight until the others return.” Nocturne sighed, looking up as a cry of some sort sounded from a section of brush at the end of the clearing.

“What is that?”

“Looks like a hole in the ground,” Silver Claw snorted, his one eye going wide as a veritable flood of pink ponies rushed out of the hole, carrying rocks, sticks, or rather vicious looking party favors as they rushed towards the group, screaming something about Fred.

“What the buck?” Scarlet muttered before the tide of ponies swarmed over them.

================================================

"And into her own reflection she stared, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared, at the prospect of being doubly mared!" the group of flat haired pinkie pies stated, stepping towards the pool, prompting another group to step out of the pool and race upwards and out the hole towards the fray.

"And into her own reflection she stared, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared, at the prospect of being doubly mared!" Pinkie Pie shouted creating another group as tears ran down her face.

"And into her own reflection she stared, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared, at the prospect of being doubly mared!" the group shouted again, triggering the magic effect, none of them noticing the water getting lower with every batch of Pinkies coming out of it .

========================================

Scarlet yelped, doing her best to dodge the uncoordinated attacks of the gaggle of pink ponies. For every one her dagger hit and popped into a puddle of water, five more seemed to take its place. They seemed to be rushing from the trees now, some carrying real weapons or other objects from town.

Nocturne was firing off spells, destroying them just as fast, though she was clearly tiring, and even Silver Claw seemed to have trouble with the swarm of pink ponies.

A blast of fire cleared a line of them, though more rushed from the hole, pouring up from the depths like ants from a disturbed nest.

Nocturne cast a shield spell and hid inside the dome, though the constant pounding of the pink-hooved attackers was forming cracks in the magic, and it was taking all she had to simply remain conscious after all the blood she lost. Scarlet was faring much worse; as she hid in a tree, the Pinkie swarm was scrambling up the sides and piling atop of one another to get at her. Even Silver Claw was quickly overwhelmed. The rumbling echoes of explosions from the mass of cannons that were firing everything from pastries to rocks, while not hurting him unduly, were causing him issue as he did his best to protect his remaining eye from the flying debris.

“ENOUGH!” Silver Claw roared, firing a gout of flame at his feet and clearing a circle around him He rusheed towards Nocturne, scooping up the alicorn, shield and all. His tail whipped, popping another swath of Pie clones and turning them to puddles. Another blast cleared a path to Scarlet, who hopped out of the tree onto the dragon’s back, still launching daggers as best she could.

The dragon ignored the cannon shots and launched into the air carrying the two. Scarlet looked over at the hole, seeing no
more of the ponies coming out of it. Silver Claw cursed, as a number of the Pinkies were starting to follow them into the air, carried aloft by balloons or strange contraptions.

“The power of the Element of Laughter is much greater than your report, Scarlet,” Nocturne said with a wince.

“Which fits her perfectly, because if we hadn’t already gotten our flanks kicked, this shit would be a joke,” Scarlet snapped back.

“I suggest you do something, Nocturne, as I do not have the energy to play keep-away with these things all day.” Silver Claw snarled.

“Getting lazy on us, dragon?” Scarlet quipped.

“Unlike you, I have not had the chance to simply lounge around for the past two days,” Silver Claw snapped back, glancing down as Nocturne's horn glowed.

“Take us to the new location, Silver Claw. I will deal with this, but I will require sleep,” Nocturne muttered. “Fly high!”

A ball of white light left the alicorn's horn and fell downward as if a drop of water. The dark alicorn collapsed in the dragon’s claw, and Silver Claw's wings flapped franticly, sending his mass higher into the air.

====================================================

“NononoNONONO!!!!!” Pinkie Pie screamed out, her hooves slamming down, splashing muck and mud about as she tried to summon more clones from the soft sand at the bottom of the mirror pond. “That can't be it!! They're still out there!!!” Pinkie screamed out to the empty cavern.

==================================================

“Boss, wake the hell up already,” Bleu cursed, her wing slapping the crap out of the gray unicorn’s face.

“I’m awake...” Jer'rahd muttered.

“What?”

“I AM AWAKE!” he shouted as Bleu smacked him a few more times to be sure.

Jer'rahd growled, pushing himself to his hooves and looking around at the others, then up at the purple serpent, who was partially hiding behind a tree, having finally recognized the 'drunkard'.

“What's going on? What happened?” the gray unicorn demanded.

“Talon threw you into an underground river after Twilight was knocked out, and we all washed up in Seamore's house...” Starfall started.

“Excuse me, miss, but I go by Steven now... Steven Magnet.” the serpent pointed out. Starfall, Bleu, and Jer'rahd both glared at him, and he shut up.

“Anyway, we washed up here he had already taken you outside. Twilight woke up, screamed, and ran into Bleu and knocked herself out again...” Starfall continued.

“There was a snake,” Twilight muttered mostly to herself.

Starfall rolled her eyes and pressed on. “Anyway, we have no idea where we are in relation to the castle, nor do we know what happened to Talon.”

“The underwater river does fork in a number of locations before coming back to the surface.” Steven pointed out.

“Great, so we don't know if he's still down there or has made it out yet. I'm not going back into that water.” Jer'rahd shuddered.

“Well, I have heard you can call upon the sea ponies when you are in distress...” Steven began when a glare from all four of them sent him back behind the tree. “Just a suggestion... no need to look at me like that.”

“So where do we start, Boss?” Bleu asked .

A flash of brilliant white light erupted from above the trees in the distance, the glow seeming brighter than the sun and was rapidly followed by a roar louder than thunder. It lasted only a few seconds before flashing back out of existence, leaving only the echoes of the thunder behind reverberating off the cliffs around the river.

“Over there,” Jer'rahd responded.

=============================================================

Pinkie Pie staggered out of the cavern, her hooves crunching on the baked dry ground as she looked over the battlefield.

There was nothing left, save a few mangled contraptions and streamers. There were no clone bodies, and most of the trees were wilted. There was no fire or anything thrown about; it was just like a flash of heat that evaporated all the water and popped all the clones.

She trotted though the mess, looking down at the shattered crimson scales and bits of daggers dotting the landscape. A pile of black feathers still mostly attached to a severed wing lay pressed against a tree, though it was the mangled body of the griffon that drew her attention.

“Nooo... Fred... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything...” Pinkie whimpered. Her ears perked up at the sound of galloping and the flap of wings behind her.

She turned suddenly as a blue dragon landed in the clearing, along with a gray pegasus, two unicorns, and a sea serpent who pushed through the trees behind them.

“Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked, cautiously walking over to her, but Jer'rahd stopped her, walking up himself and tapping the sobbing pink pony on the head with the edge of the Waning Moon.

Twilight glared at him, though he didn’t seem to notice as he looked over Talon's corpse with a wince.

“Pinkie, what happened here?” Twilight began, but was suddenly glomped by the sobbing pony.

“They killed him... I tried to help, but they killed Fred...” Pinkie bawled.

“Who did? Who killed him?” Jer'rahd questioned.

“Judging from the scales and the daggers, I would say Scarlet and Silver Claw. Though if that wing is any indication, Nocturne was here, too.” Starfall commented, and Pinkie nodded.

“Silver Claw? Silver Claw is still alive!? SCALE, YOU BITCH! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT?” Steven screamed out, glaring down at the Bleu dragonling, who simply shrugged.

“Guard Business. Didn't think you'd still be pissed after all this time, anyway,” Bleu muttered.

“Like you're not still pissed about Platinum?” Seymore countered. “I bet someone brings her up in the wrong light, and you’re ready to murder them still.”

“What of it, snake...?” Bleu turned her head, looking up at the serpent, completely unimpressed with his anger. “It's not like you were ever any kind of fighter. He just helped kill a god. There's next to nothing you could do against him if you wanted revenge, anyway. Just accept that he's going to pay for everything he's done and leave it at that.”

The pair might have continued bickering if Pinkie Pie had not screamed out again, falling away from Twilight and grabbing her rear hoof.

“Pinkie, what...?” Twilight started to ask.”

“ITCHY HOOF! I STILL HAVE AN ITCHY HOOF! WHY WON'T IT STOP!?” the pink pony screamed.

“...you left me in the dark....”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...you left me in the dark....”

“So that's what I missed, huh? How exciting,” Rhede grumbled, looking out the window of the hospital room with his leg bound up and raised off the ground, wrapped in a light blue cast.

“Pretty much. We gathered up the scales, the dagger bits, and the wing to see if Sparkle could scry on them to find out anything we might have missed.” Starfall responded, idly wiping down one of her crystalline swords with a rag as the pair waited for Rhede's discharge paper work.

“All this shit in a day and a half... Jer tell Dusty?”

“Talon's daughter? Yeah; she took it about as well as expected. Blamed Jer'rahd for letting her father get killed yesterday; today it's a different story.”

“Hmmm?”

“She was supposed to go back with the body to take care of whatever business needs to be taken care of with the griffons when one of their leaders dies. Evidently, she's his only child hatched right now, so responsibility falls to her to take care of everything. An adviser is currently running that portion of the kingdom, though he was not meant to rule for long.”

“If she doesn't go back to claim the spot he left, it is likely one of the other griffon gods will make a play for the territory. She has the right of succession until a new god is born in that territory. What changed her mind?”

“Turns out last thing Talon said to her was that he was pleased she had not failed out of the training yet, or something like that, according to Jer'rahd. In any event, she's not leaving until she’s done with it. On top of all that, Jer'rahd's actually offered his aid if she needs it to secure her father’s land when she's done.”

“Bet he feels he owes Talon or Dusty something for the god’s death. Geez, for a pony with a death wish, he sure is doing his best to prolong his life.”

“Bleu figures he is trying to make sure everything is perfect for everyone before he dies. He's tried to get Bleu to take over a dean spot in that music school, and I swear, he and Bleu are feeding one of the soldiers information on me.”

“Information?”

“Never mind; just don't be surprised if he tries to patch up the issues with you and Velkorn sometime soon.”

“What issues? We don't have any issues.”

“Please, don't even try that with me, Pelt. She spent all the years we've known her just shy of trying to reverse mount you. Now she can't even look at you without a scowl.”

“Good, that means she is finally getting the hints I’ve been giving her.”

“This crap again?”

“Yes, this crap again. Jer's not the only one expecting to die young. I just don't plan to take myself out like he does. Anyway, can we get back to business, or do you want to poke at my love life some more? Don’t answer that. What about the troops we are training? With the way of things, Jer's got two more weeks of the basic before he either goes hardcore or leaves off. The group of them will be better for it no matter which he picks.”

“He's going the full two weeks, plus the advanced. This incident has proven that he can't be everywhere, and the crap with Miss Pie proves that even if he was, it would not be enough, so he plans to make sure that every pony can take care of themselves if one of us is not there.”

“That might delay our hunting them down.”

“You are injured, Pie's a mental wreck right now, and Sparkle's in a mood. Besides, with what Miss Pie described as having happened, those three will be out of commission for a long while.”

“That still leaves Claymore, Bloodtail, and Wind Razor running about. Anything else I should know about?”

“Yep, four other things,” Starfall quipped.

“Okay, spill it.” Rhede sighed.

“Celestia wants the lot of us to come to Canterlot as soon as we can.”

“I expected as much after all this.”

“Jer'rahd confirmed that there are four voices now when he hears the books, and Nocturne heard them as well.”

“We already knew that they had four, though I thought Jer and Luna didn't hear the voices ‘til after the ceremony.”

“Jer'rahd was confused by that as well. Anyway, we're getting a sixth party member, courtesy of Princess Luna.”

“That Mare-Do-Well again?”

“Yep.”

“Does she really think we don't know who she really is?” Rhede chuckled.

“Jer'rahd and Twilight don't seem to know.”

“Yeah, well, both of them are idiots. Sometimes I think I could just wear a pair of glasses and Jer wouldn't recognize me.”

“He's not that bad... You would need to put a little s-curl in your mane over your forehead as well to fool him.”

“Heh, I’ll keep that in mind. What's the last thing?”

“Canterlot was attacked last night.”

“What, AGAIN?”

====================================

“Ummm, excuse me, ... ummm. Miss Bleu...”

Bleu lifted her head, looking around curiously for the source of the really soft voice. A loud “yeep” as she moved made the dragonling even more curious, though the currently pony-sized blue dragon was still having issue finding the source.

The troops were preparing to head back to the training facility today, and due to Rhede being in the hospital still and Velkorn and Starfall making themselves scarce, Jer'rahd had asked her to gather some supplies from the town to bring back.

Not the brightest idea he had, though Bleu decided not to take advantage of it by ordering everything on Sugar Cube Corner’s menu and marking it as supplies. Boss was in a bad enough mood as it was, and crates full of cupcakes instead of grain and oat bars would not help.

She lifted her head up, looking around again, and finally spotted a pink tail poking out from under a few sacks of trail feed.

“Ummmm, hello?” Bleu questioned. “It's Fluttershy, right?”

“Oh yes, that’s right.” Fluttershy whispered. “Umm. would you mind helping me with a teensy tiny little thing... thatisifyoudon'tmindorarenottobusydoinganythingelseintheworldrightnowsoIdon'thavetodothis.”

“Ummmm...” Bleu blinked, tilting her head and wondering how the pony managed to hide under the grain sacks. “I guess I can... What was it you needed? If it's hiding lessons, just remember to tuck in your tail...”

“Oh no, that’s not it... Thank you, though,” Fluttersack responded. “It's just that Zecora seems to think you might be able to help me... ummm not be...”

“Not be...?”

“Errr, not be scared of dragons... At least, not as bad as I am...”

Bleu stared at the tail, confused.

“She wants me to help you not be scared of dragons...? Does this Zecora even know me?”

===============================================

“You should stay in the training outpost for a while, Sparkle. I can drill the troops and give you some training as well,” Jer'rahd stated, watching the purple unicorn go over some books.

“Yes, because your skills were so helpful last time,”Twilight snarked.

“Least I didn't get knocked out because I ran headlong into Bleu,”Jer'rahd growled, going on the defensive already.

“No, you just freaked out when you hit the water and cost us time we didn't have looking for you instead of Talon.”

“You know why I have issues with water, and I never told you to look for me. Besides, you were out cold until right before you found me, anyway.”

“And what exactly do you think you could teach me?”

“How to use that oversized belt buckle you've yet to even draw from your side, for one. Maybe not enough to make you a swordspony, but at least enough that you don't cut off your own legs, and maybe use some of the star metal's properties.”

“I don't need your help to learn that. I've read a number of books on sword play.”

“Books are no substitute for training. How many of your spells have you cast properly without practice?” Jer'rahd countered, looking over the book shelf.

“None of your concern,” Twilight muttered. “It is not as if you knowing how to use your sword has done anything constructive!”

“Swords are not supposed to be constructive. They either prevent a life from ending, or take one.” Jer'rahd exhaled loudly. “Stop trying to blame me for Talon's death, Sparkle. You are just as much at fault as I am...”

“Bull shit. I had no control over what happened!”

“You think I did? We lost a powerful ally and got nothing in return except some information that Rhede already figured out. Canterlot was attacked, the enemy has four very potent artifacts and are seeking the other two of the set, we have two elder gods running about somewhere, and who knows when they will show up again. Any advantage that we can get at this point, no matter how small, we need, because if this is war, then we are already losing it.”

Twilight lifted her head up from the book, glaring at the gray unicorn.

“I don't give a crap if you like me, Sparkle, but I am offering to train you in something that might let you live a little longer when everything finally comes to a head.”

“Good, because I don't like you. I am really starting to think it was a mistake to free you, as you have not managed to do anything you were supposed to. One of my friends is a complete wreck right now, and the griffon god that supported Princess Celestia the most is dead. The other gods might very well take this opportunity to try and rekindle old territory disputes. King Talon's death has far more consequences than just losing a powerful ally.”

“So we fix it.”

“How are we supposed to do that?”

“You're smart. You'll think of something.”

“THAT IS NOT A HUGE HELP, KAISUR!”

“I'm a warrior, not a diplomat. Give me a target and I will take it, destroy it, or defend it as need be. You claimed once to know all about us. You are doing a piss-poor job of proving that statement. We haven’t changed much since two weeks ago.”

“You were a rock two weeks ago,” Twilight snapped.

“No. Two weeks ago, I chose to save a nation rather than a mare I was in love with, and still am. Two weeks ago, my best friend was disowned from his family and fought his brothers for what he thought was the right choice. Two weeks ago, another friend was attacked by her own daughter, who, up ‘til that point, had been missing and thought dead. Two weeks ago, Bleu watched her grandmother die so that she could live. Two weeks ago, Velkorn gave up a kingdom to follow her friends and a stallion who had spurned her love since she knew him. Two weeks ago, we went through hell trying to save a friend and failed. Don't tell me we have not done anything, Sparkle.”

“Two weeks ago, my biggest concern was my mother harassing me about settling down to start a family like my brother,” Twilight muttered.

“And now you have had a taste of what we live instead of just reading about it or watching it from afar. It's not something that you can try and ignore or pretend it's all a dream now. You have a good picture of what could happen if those six succeed.” Jer'rahd grumbled as Twilight sighed, flipping closed the book she was reading.

“You may know about this era, and you may think you know about us, Sparkle, but the five of us know war. And war... War never changes.”

==============================================================

The fire crackled in the fireplace, partially lighting the study with a golden, flickering glow. Before the fireplace rested a pair of plush high-backed chairs facing the fire. Book cases, antique furnishings and various trophies, both hunting and academically unusual covered any free wall space that the room might have possessed. A single mahogany door was set into the wall across from the fireplace. The wall to the left of that door had a pair of glass-paneled double doors that opened out onto a small balcony that overlooked Canterlot. The nighttime view was stunning, though the occupant of the chair paid it no mind, staring instead into the magically fueled fire light. The soft glow of blue magic gripped a crystal bottle of wine, pouring the contents into a gilded wine glass on the table before it was set down and the glass raised instead.

A soft creak sounded in the otherwise quiet room as one of the balcony doors eased open.

“You're late,” stated the voice from the chair, unconcerned.

“Shit happens,” grumbled a shadowy form as it moved into the room, clearly hobbling.

“What happened?”

“We got our asses kicked,” Scarlet cursed, hobbling closer to the fireplace, her foreleg in a hastily set up sling, “but Lord Talon is dead.”

“Well, that's something, though Celestia is still alive. Your bomb did not even faze her. The entire city has gone on high alert since that explosion yesterday.”

“That bomb wasn't meant to kill her. It was meant to take out any Element Bearers that went to recover the artifacts.” Scarlet cursed, sitting down in the empty chair and panting softly at the effort to move.

“She was the only one there, aside from some guards, and she managed to save them, too. Brought the building down, I suppose.”

“Didn't you have some items stored there as well?”

“A great many nobles did; the treasury was more like a museum than a vault, anyway. Everything lost is easily replaceable if I cared to do so. Like the others, I plan to make a big fuss, then do nothing about it.”

“Then what is the problem?”

The figure rose from the chair, trotting towards Scarlet and looking her over, the fire behind him obscuring the unicorn’s features in shadow.

“I told you I wanted the element Bearers alive... the unicorns, at least. Sparkle would be useful for strengthening the family line, and Rarity is a perfect trophy mare. Both are renowned enough that my station would be elevated by association.”

“Ugh... you’re as bad as Claymore.”

“You mean the misogynistic? No, I simply have certain tastes and plans for the future. If you accomplish what you claim to be doing, I won't have need of either of them. But until you succeed in those goals, I wish to keep all my options open.” The figure regarded the injured mare. “So why have you come this time?”

“I am in need of a place to lay low for a time. With my injury, I do not trust any of the others I associate with to not attempt my removal, particularly Claymore and the zebra.”

“And you trust me enough not to do the same?”

Scarlet smirked. “If anything happens to me, you lose out big time. You could turn me over to the Guard and gain a bit of renown for it, but that wouldn't last long. What you want can only be gained by working with me, so I’m safer here than anywhere else right now.”

“And under their very noses, too. I hate how astute you are, given the situation, but you are correct. Your group's goals do coincide with my own agenda enough for us to work together. So long as Celestia is removed and I have a place in the new order, our agreement stands.”

“So glad you see things my way.”

“Do not misinterpret my agreement as an act of compliance with your goals. If I do not get what I want, I have no qualms turning on you, and while I have no doubt there are others more skilled than I intent on your end, I would have little trouble in destroying the lot of you if I chose. You know I am quite capable of making it happen, whether you achieve your fabled divinity or not.”

“I expected no less from you.” Scarlet smirked. “I always have had an eye for the ambitious.”

“Flattery will get you nothing with me; I have mares far more attractive than you praising me daily. The only thing you have that I care about is what your group intends. Now then, I suggest you pick an appropriate one of your disguises to use for when a doctor arrives. I suppose we can come up with some sort of cover story. Ditzy model fell down some stairs or something. I do normally tend to have a preference for the 'as stupid as they are pretty' type.”

“No, not this time.”

“Oh? I'm no doctor, but with your leg like that, you will not be doing much.”

“Oh, I want it treated, but you said once before that you had a doctor who could fix the burns with magic or what not, didn't you?”

“I do, though he does not come cheaply. Nor will it be a swift process.”

Scarlet nodded to her foreleg. “I will not be doing much for some time, anyway. So long as he can fix my leg as well, price is not a concern, as I can give you directions to another cache of the Order's.”

“Another one? The contents of that first one was more than Manehatten pays in taxes a year.”

“Don't get your hopes up. This one is not as big and is a bit harder to get to, but it is still simply sitting there for the taking. After a thousand years, I expected more of the safe houses to be found, but only a few have been.”

“So be it. I will make arrangements; you still need to change yourself to something else for a time so no one sees you with me. There are a number of posters with your likeness about.”

Scarlet smirked, closing a gold bracelet around her leg. Her coat rapidly flashed to white, her already lithe form seemingly accentuated by the color. Her mane and tail fluffed, curling themselves as they rapidly changed to a pale pink, with an even lighter pink stripe. Her cutie mark changed just as quickly as her coat, looking like a small grouping of fancy arrow heads of gold and bronze. An ivory horn sprouted from her temple to complete the illusion, though her foreleg was still clearly injured.

“Hmm, I did not expect that. Are you sure copying another mare is the best idea?” the stallion asked.

“Considering that there is no real Fleur de Lis, I think I will do fine.” Scarlet winced.

“I see. Might I compliment you on your lovely singing voice, then,” the stallion said with a grin.

“Just get the damned doctor.”

==========================================================

“Not sure how much more of this shit I can take,” Wind Razor snarled. Her forepaws pressed harder to the side of her head to drown out the screams and the yelling coming from the far side of the abandoned building.

[“We were lucky that he found this building. If we need to put up with his pet training as well, so be it. I do not wish to be wandering around in the dark in this weather.”] Bloodtail gestured to the gaping hole in the wall and the pouring rain outside that did nothing to drown out another of the mare’s cries, nor the slap of hoof against flesh that silenced it.

“Did you need to give him that damn potion? Better we just kill her and leave the body to rot than deal with all the complications toting a prisoner around has.”

[“It is a long trip, and she keeps him out of my mane. I am more than willing to mix something that deadens her magic if it means I do not have to listen to the bastard.”] Bloodtail muttered. [“Pity your kind has no way of using cork earplugs, though perhaps you should wrap a rag a few times around your head. That may deaden the mare enough for you to sleep.”]

“I'd rather wrap it around Claymore’s neck. Why the heck do we even keep him around?”

[“Nocturne believes he has his uses. I am slowly starting to feel the same. He is almost as good a tracker as you, and he is a well-trained fighter that is almost as strong as a dragon. You are skilled in combat, though you are a harrier type, while he is the type to take the brunt and continue to dish it out.”]

“A meat shield.”

[“If you wish to put it simply, yes.”] Bloodtail responded, poking the small fire.

“That doesn't make me like him any more.”

[“You are female. The hate of ones like him likely comes naturally. No matter; you asked what I knew about Nocturne's plans before?”]

“Pretty much. I get the gist of it, but I don't trust her.”

[“None of us do, though I am surprised you trust me to risk asking about her.”]

“I don't, but our personal goals are so far apart that we won't even get in each other’s way if we did decide to split. So if shit goes down that doesn't work for us, we can team up for a bit, then go our separate ways with no issue.”

[“Pragmatic.”]

“I'm a mercenary. It's in my nature.”

[“Valid point. Nocturne is rather hesitant to let anyone else see the books, even after all of us risked ourselves to recover them from Tartarus, then from Crystal Empire and the Changeling Hive. Thankfully, I managed to skim through them while she was unconscious and picked up a few things.”]

“Find anything exciting?” Wind Razor questioned, turning her head to start to preen her wings.

[“Quite a bit.”] Bloodtail responded, setting a kettle over the fire. [“The ceremony she speaks of exists, and there are several locations that it can be performed at for maximum benefit to us. The ritual can be performed anywhere, in truth, but the books indicate that a more favorable and more powerful result will need one of the sites.”]

“She had me scout out one of those in the badlands; just looks like some ruins. Crawling with trolls, too.”

[“Trolls are failed users of the ritual. Well, that is how they are created. The beasts can breed true once they are made.”]

“Wait? The ritual makes trolls?”

[“If one is not properly prepared, yes.”]

“How the fuck do we get properly prepared to become gods?”

[“The Elements of Harmony.”]

“That jewelry Scarlet brought back?”

[“Indeed; each book outlines how they perform the ceremony. Each also adds more to the complete picture for a proper ceremony.
The Gray Grimiore tells of the ritual sites. The Red Tome does not mention the sites, though it explains how others aside from the ritual caster can be granted godlike power as well. The Silver Script explains how to perform the ritual without the material components. And finally, the Teal Text explains that the Elements of Harmony are needed to prevent becoming a troll from the ritual rather than a god.”] Bloodtail pulled the tea kettle from the fire, filling a mug and dropping a small bag into it. [“So long as one has the Elements, any of these will make one a god, though all of them will make a stronger god. Luna and Kaisur, according to the book, knew about the ritual site, and Luna at least knew about the effects the ritual could have on others. They seemed to have lucked out on the fact they were Element Bearers. Nocturne wants all of the books so that she might use their power to the fullest and become a true god.”]

“So how the heck does some fancy jewelry stop trollification?”

[“It was not very clear, and I had limited time. Something about they act as filters for the amount of power being channeled and block that which would corrupt mortal, though it did reveal the location of the fifth book just as the others revealed the locations of the next one in line.”]

“Always questioned that. Why didn't we find a book that told the location of one we already found? And how the heck did something locked in the Crystal Empire for nearly two thousand years ago know where something was in a freaking changeling's horde?”

[“Silver Claw claims to have heard tales that the books are alive and will speak with those who utilize them.”]
“Sounds farfetched.”

[“And yet we have already seen stranger with what Kaisur turned into, and with Discordian powers. Magic seems to not care about what we find to be strange.”]

==================================================

“Ye want me tah do what now, yah pudgy lass?” Brier Rose shouts out pointing a hoof at Princess Celestia from the other end of the dining table.

Celestia winced, sending a loaf of bread zipping across the table to shove into the crystal pony’s mouth.

“The insults are bad enough; if you plan to join me for breakfast, you are going to at least pick whether you are going to eat or talk, not try and do both at once. Besides, a friend of mine was killed yesterday, and I am not in the mode for your antics, Rose.” Celestia tried her best not to smile as the crystal pony choked on the bread, flailing about until he finally managed to get it free.

“Yah invited me tah this little meal. And it's nearly dinner, not breakfast, yah lazy bint!” Rose snaps back.

“Well, it was a rather long day yesterday. I had far too much happening to properly sleep.”

“Heard about that. Heck, ah felt it, too. Not a bad bit of work, ye protecting tha guards, but that ain't gonna stop mai being ticked at yah fer all tha years yah left us in limbo.” Briar commented, taking a bite of the bread he was choked with and swallowing it. “So who da yah think did it? Ah figure one of tah ones yer looking fer right now?”

“That is indeed likely the case. That is also what I will need your help for.”

“Flattered that yah think ah'd be able tah track um down, but ah got nah clue about this new age yet, and ah ain't as young as ah used tah be.”

“You are barely in your mid-forties, so sorry if I do not believe that nonsense about you being too old. I had no intentions of sending you after them anyway; there is already a team in the process of doing that.”

“Then what the heck did yah need me fer? Finally planning on telling me who that mysterious descendant is that freaked yah tha buck out?”

“Indeed. I plan to send you to meet him— in the morning, in fact. You will be assisting him in the training of his Guard regiment and adding your own training to his. That should increase the skill of the recruits that are there even further... or kill them... one of those.”

Briar looked at Celestia skeptically. “Alright, whats tha catch lass? ‘Cause yah ain't hiding that grin very well.”

Once spotted, Celestia could not help but let her smile spread wider. “As much as I should not be enjoying this, there is no catch for you. You will be meeting Major Kaisur tomorrow. For the time being, I am placing you in the rank of Major. You will be answerable to the Guard Captains in that position, though I understand you already consider Shining Armor a Prince?”

“Nat a good one, but ah' was working on 'im afore ah left tha empire. He'll do ‘til we get some pony with some stones, or failing that, ‘til ah ken shape him up properly.” Briar leveled the half-eaten bread at Celestia. “So if'n we're both majors, who’s in charge of tha training?”

Celestia's grin grew wider. “I am sure you two will sort that out with no trouble.”

Briar narrowed his eyes, looking at the Princess as if wondering what she was trying to pull. “Alright, but ah got a condition for ye.”

Celestia's ears flattened. Oh, how she missed the days when she could tell a pony to do something and they fell over themselves bowing and scraping to do so. Granted, it was a nice change of pace to have someone to get into an argument with, particularly since Luna had become so docile as of late, but that was not the point now. “And what is that, Major Rose?”

The crystal pony grinned wide. “If'n ah'm gonna be training, ah need a hat.”

=================================================

The clack of the train cars along the track was the only sound she had heard for the last hour. Rarity was rather worried about that fact, though by the same token, it was understandable.

Rhede was sleeping off his medication in the bunk car, having not technically even been released from the hospital yet. That he could even walk considering what had happened to him was a surprise to her.

Starfall was hanging out a window near the back of the train being rather visibly sick. For a pegasus who could do what she did in the air, it was a wonder that she could be laid low by a simple train ride to Canterlot.

Bleu and Fluttershy were in another car speaking with some of the half-dragon troops that were also aboard the train. Jer'rahd let the whole group ride; he evidently planned to have the train stopped to let them out near the barracks. She was half-tempted to go and find that Lion Heart stallion and have a word with him. He would be the perfect model for her if she began making stallions’ clothing.

Big Mac was a dear, but there were only so many things that would go well with his red coat. Black fur, however, everything went with. It didn't hurt that he had the whole “tall, dark, and handsome” bit down pat, though the scales were a bit distracting. Perhaps she could come up with something to hide or take attention from them? Well, she would look into that later. She didn't mind them, but one had to consider the customer base. Half-dragons were rarely well received.

Pinkie Pie and Dusty were in the car with Lord Talon's body. It unnerved her to see her friend like this, though there was really nothing that she could think of to comfort the pink pony. Rarity was not even sure why Pinkie Pie was so distraught over someone she only met once dying.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Velkorn were in the same car as she was, though aside from a bit of small talk, it had been just the noise of the train’s movements the entire trip so far, although Applejack did look like she wanted to ask the zebra something.

Velkorn, however, seemed to be doing her best to not glare at Rainbow Dash, who was giving her best “I don't give a crap what you say” look back in response. Best not to bother them and accidentally start something.

Jer'rahd and Twilight had cleared a car near the back and were evidently doing some sort of training. He had offered the same sort of training to Rarity, but she had declined. She expected that anything the gray unicorn was going to teach had to do with building muscle. While having some clearly defined muscles was never a bad thing, Rarity was quite content with her delicate form. Twilight might be able to use a little more bulk, though; nothing but reading and spells clearly could not be good for her in the long run.

====================================================

“GAHHH!!!” Twilight screamed out, clutching her head as the Brilliant Dawn fell with a clatter to the floor of the train car.

“I told you it would hurt. It took me a few months of doing that to be able to stand it. Took me even longer just to be able to pick the stupid dagger up the first time,” Jer'rahd stated as Twilight whimpered. “On the plus side, you can already carry the blade about with ease, so there's no need to work on that. Now try it again.”

The purple unicorn cursed lightly, standing back up and forming a shield. She slowly lifted the Brilliant Dawn up again and steeled herself as she jabbed the blade into the shield with much the same result. The sword clanged to the ground again.
“Buck it! I cannot do this.”

“Take a break. You already are doing it for the most part, Sparkle, though it will take time. Are you instantly good with a spell the moment you learn it?”

Twilight exhaled deeply. “No, but...”

“Put it this way as well; you can hold a star metal blade with your magic—a weapon made out of a metal that negates or dulls magic around it—and still cast spells. There are only four spell wielders I have ever known who can do that with this metal: me, Princess Luna, you, and Cyan Sparkle. I am assuming you are descended from him?”

“That's what Celestia said. She has books of important family lines tucked away in the library. Not a direct line like Dash is to Starfall, but close enough. And there's six then.”

“Six?”

“Who can use a star metal weapon with magic. My brother had this sword before me and Princess Celestia helped the blue dragon goddess’s consort, Rahs, make this blade to counter yours. I am fairly certain she can wield it.”

“Your brother, I can believe, but until that mare shows me she can do more than imprison ponies and whine, I won't believe she can do anything combat-oriented.”

“What about when she went after Discord?”

“Not that I would call Princess Luna a liar, but I don't believe that happened the way she said.”

“Gahh! What is your problem with Princess Celestia? Everything you do seems to be designed to antagonize her or torment her.
Why?”

“You read my story. You tell me.”

“There is no clear information on that— just a gradual dislike that went into hatred. You started out revering her as much as Princess Luna.”

He trotted over to his bag and pulled out a new book, then tossed it to her with his magic. Twilight caught it and flipped it open. The only thing in the entire book was Lord Talon's name, his homeland of Winterfall Aerie, and the date of his death.

“What the heck is this?”

“You watched my story. You should have seen me fill out books like that before.”

Twilight considered remembering one of the books she found before Celestia sent her the scrying spell and the Waning Moon.

“You're making another list of those that died under your command?”

“I never stopped making the old one. I spent perhaps the last day before I was turned to stone filling out a list of all those of the Lunar Republic who died before I defected, or because of it. That alone filled a book.”

“What does this have to do with Celestia?”

“All those names, all those deaths could have easily been prevented if Celestia got off her flank and did something directly instead of delegating it to others. The First Dragon War, she let the enemy come to her in Canterlot and simply trapped him. The war of the north with the Griffons, if she had gone up there and dealt with it, no one would have died, including my father and Starfall's husband. The Bone Hound incursion, the war of the Zebra Lands, the Second Dragon War, even the War of Night. If she had actually led as she was supposed to instead of getting others to do it for her, there would not be a damned name in any of those lists I have made, let alone seven books’ worth, and that's just the ones lost under my command.”

“She could have been killed; star metal was running rampant back in that time.”

“A leader who is not willing to face death and the results of their own decisions has no right to allow others to do it for her. It is one of the reasons I lead from the front of every battle.”

“You didn't have a country to run that would allow you to get away to do something like that. What would Equestria have done if she
died?”

“Moved on. New gods would have been born if she failed, just like in every other race. If she is too damned scared to do what is needed to save her subjects on her own, then she should not be delegating them.”

“That is not a fair assumption of her and you know it.”

“You asked what my problem was with her, Sparkle, and I told you. Fair or not, that is my view of things. The only time I have ever seen her do anything was when we imprisoned Luna and when we fought in the garden, and even then, all she did was let ponies die while she tried to contain the escapees.”

“She is supposed to be the Goddess of Peace as well as the Sun.”

“And Luna is the Goddess of War. I am aware of this, Sparkle, but she strives for the impossible when everyone told her it could not be done and fails. That is the definition of stupidity to keep doing the same thing and expecting it to change. What was it that finally achieved peace, Sparkle? What fended off war and conflict for you corn-fed ponies for the past thousand years? It sure as buck was not skilled negotiation or a ‘can't we all just get along’ tree hugging crap. It was a war and a display of power that scared every other nation into actually listening to what she had to say. A false knowledge that she had the power to defeat the monsters that every nation feared and none could touch. They feared the power that beat Nightmare Moon and her generals, not her skills at politics,”

Jer'rahd ranted, glaring at Twilight, the red light in his eye flickering brightly. The light slowly faded as he collected himself. “Sorry.”
“I didn't expect that.”

“You asked why I treat her like shit, and there's your answer: because I think she deserves it.”

“I still say you are wrong.”

“When she proves it to me that she had a damned good reason for letting all those ponies die in her name, then I might stop, but not until then. That's enough of a rest; pick up the sword and let's start again.”

=======================================================

Spike looked up at the massive red dragon sprawled out on the cavern floor, cursing quite loudly to itself. “Bad time of it, I gather?” he quipped, looking up from the book on the table before him.

“I do not need your mindless prattle added to what I already endured,” Silver Claw growled.

Spike shrugged. “You look like you got in a fight and lost. Have a falling out with your friends?”

“It is none of your concern, whelp,” Silver Claw growled, pushing himself back up to a sitting position. Nocturne was in a secure location tending her own wounds, and he had come back here to rest and to keep an eye on the whelp’s progress. “I am more concerned with how far along in your studies you are.”

“I finished the language book yesterday. Sort of helpful, but so far, nothing I have read was written in draconic, so there was not much point of it.”

“Nothing...? All of it is written in draconic.” Silver Claw turned his head, looking down at the dragonling at the table with his one good eye, noting a large pile of pony-sized books next to him.

“Where did you get those?”

“I found a pile of them in a closet over next to the book shelves. I was looking for a book on who Cindervale traded with primarily and who they were allied with, and I stumbled across it and a few other books of interest.”

“Impossible. There were no closets or pony books here...” Silver Claw looked down at Spike before picking up one of the dragon books and flipping through the pages, his eye narrowing. The book was written in pony. He checked another one, then another.

They were all written in pony. NONE of them should have been in anything but draconic, and they were all in pony.

He stretched out, yanking a book from the shelf and looking it over. It was an old legend about how a pony god was able to turn anything he touched to gold—a classic fable on the perils of wishes, written in Draconic. He pushed aside the books on the table and set it before the small dragon, who looked up at him with a bit of annoyance and fear.

“Read this.”

Spike looked it over, flipping a page or two. “What does an old fable about Prince Midas have to do with anything?”
Silver Claw snatched the book back up to look. It was now written in pony. This was... interesting. He dropped the book to the side and looked over the books on the shelf, smiling slightly as he caught on to what was happening, though he needed to be sure.

“Whelpling, find me a book on the Love-Cursed Queen.”

“Who?”

“Queen Chrysalis.”

“Oh... I think I saw one around here, though why can't you get it yourself?”

“Humor me.”

“Fine.”

Spike trundled over to the bookshelf as Silver Claw watched him carefully. The small dragon moved around the staircase of books and yelped as he tripped over the corner of one of the tomes, sending the whole pile down on top of his head. Silver Claw winced and dug him out.

“Gah, first time that’s happened…” Spike cursed, holding a pony-sized book in one hand and rubbing his head with the other.

“What is that?”

“Huh?” Spike looked down at the book in his hand. “Queen Crystal, a biography...”

Spike opened it up and flipped through a few pages. “Hey, this is just like that book that Twilight found in the Crystal Empire... though a great deal more in depth... It's about Chrysalis before she became the changeling queen...”

Silver Claw smiled wide, his fangs being bared, making the little dragonling even more nervous.

“What... why are you smiling?”

“Wisp Wing... your ability is the same as hers... incredible. I was unaware I could be this fortunate.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing that should concern you, whelping, though suffice to say I have been proven correct in believing you were a god.”

“Well, that makes one of us.”

Silver Claw smiled. Wisp Wing was a god of information; it was said there was nothing written or drawn that she could not find and view, no matter where she was. There were no pony sized books in this library, and no tome in this place contained any information on the Love-Cursed Queen. She was considered part of pony history, not dragon, and there were certainly no books ever written about her that would be here.

“So here’s something I found out…” Spike stated, disrupting the larger dragon’s train of thought.

“What is that?”

“We could contact a few of the other races and get support for the rebuilding of the dragon empire without involving Canterlot at all.
The Diamond Dogs and several Griffon gods supported the Empire. Since its destruction, most of them have been on the down swing. A bit of negotiation could have some of the smaller factions supporting the rebuild as well, like the Harpies, the Minotaur, and the Rams. All of them suffered a great deal because of Cindervale's fall. Heck, I bet there’s even a few tribes of orcs running about that would be willing to help. With that much support, Equestria couldn't touch the rebuilding effort, and all of those races would benefit from the Dragon Empire’s return.”

Silver Claw raised a brow. This whelping was faster on the uptake that he was expecting. Still, it was not really a surprise, considering what god power he had.

“That is not a bad suggestion. The only issue is right now, there is no set guarantee it would work. Our race has become barbaric nomads. It would take a massive show of power to cow them into following a ruler enough to rebuild. It is not something either of us is currently capable of. Cindervale only existed because all of the dragon gods agreed it was the best for the race. The other gods that exist now would likely not even part with a single gem from their horde to help. When one fears nothing, one does not see the reason to join together to be stronger, not to mention the races that help us would think we owe them for a long time afterwards.”

“We would owe them, but we wouldn't need to obey them. And if the dragons did not fear anything, why do they still migrate? All it took to get them to do that was one dragonling not much older than me telling them to,” Spike retorted.

“Hmmm. Keep in mind, young one, that only happened after three of their gods had been killed and our race as a whole was being systematically wiped out by ponies. That is a greater fear than anything we could ever hope to achieve. To that end, it is small wonder they still run.”

=================================================================

The gathered troops stared dejectedly at Jer'rahd as he got off the train with them, along with Bleu. Most had hoped the situation and summons by the Princess would give them a day or so of rest while their instructors went to Canterlot.

They clearly did not know Jer'rahd very well.

Dusty also got off the train before it was sent along its way, though her expression was unreadable. It seemed as though Breezy had taken it upon himself to keep an eye on her, however.

“Alright, stow your gear and be back here in ten for today's training. Just because there's crap going down doesn't mean you are going to slack any,” Bleu shouted as Jer'rahd trotted over to the supply wagons and dug through the crates.

The guards scattered as the gray unicorn yanked a large box from the pile with his magic, floating it to the center of the field and ripping the top off. Bleu fluttered over and took a look inside the crate curiously.

“So this was the plan, Boss? Sorta clever... oh right, sorry… Anyway, you think they are worn out enough?” Bleu questioned, ignoring the glare the unicorn gave her.

“They got more rest than I wanted them to yesterday, but after all that's happened, they should be tired and emotionally worn as well.”

“Well some of them are, anyway. We gonna be alright ignoring Celestia's summons like this?”

“We have a job to do. If it's important, Rhede will fill us in,” Jer'rahd said.

“Actually, he vill not have to, since I am here to do dhat,” stated a voice standing right next to the pair.

Jer'rahd and Bleu leaped back away from the crate and the scarred zebra mare looking into the chess sets within, a rather large unlit cigar hanging from the corner of her mouth. She was dressed in a Royal Guard uniform, though it was devoid of any rank. Her dark, sandy-blond mane and tail were slicked back, leaving her piercing green eyes to look from the crate’s contents to the pair.

“Chess sets, ehh? Planing on teaching dhe basic points of strategy, I see. Too bad; I had doubts about you, though dhe Princess vas quite adamant,” the zebra stated looking at Bleu curiously. “Little one, how about helping me out vith a light, jah?”

Bleu stared at the mare curiously as she held out her cigar.“Errr I’m not a fire breather…”

“Really? Pity dhat; might have been fun having a portable lighter. Ah vell.”

“Who the heck are you?”

“Vhat? Feh, she said you had no respect for authority... Then again, I am in my sniper check uniform. Ah vell, it vill be forgiven just this once. I am Guard Captain Hospice Moskau. You vill call me ‘sir’.”

“What are you doing here?” Jer'rahd muttered getting a rather angry look from the zebra.

“Dhat is one. I am here to bring the new addition of the troops for you to train. Zhe zebra nation contingent has arrived. There vill be fifteen more to add to your ranks, four of dhem casters,” Hospice replied. “It has been a vhile since ve had any decent zebra casters, still much stigma vith them.”

“Bullshit. I already have enough crap going on without adding more rookies to this contingent.”

“Dhat is two. You are not being given a choice in dhis matter, Major, dhough ve are giving you a new instructor to help vid dhe work. Major Rose shall assist you.”

“Forget it. Like anyone that limp-hooved pasty pale pathetic pony princess provides will be able to show anyone how to dig a hole, let alone know which end of the sword is the pointy one. Take the sod back to Celestia and tell her where to stick it,” Jer'rahd snarled.

Neither Jer'rahd nor Bleu saw the zebra even move as Jer'rahd was suddenly slammed into the side of the cart he had gotten the crate from hard enough to splinter the wood. The mare had one hoof pressed against the unicorn’s chest. Her other hoof was hat his throat, sheathed in a metal covering with a steel blade at the end that was pressing into the pony’s skin. As far as they could tell, she had not been carrying any weapons at all a moment before.

“Dhat is dhree. Allow me to inform you of your situation: you may have been hot shit in dhe past, got away with a number of dhings, but you are in my house now, little pony, and you vill follow my orders. Not everyone in the Royal Guard is a soft pampered little priss. Dhe ones guarding dhe castle are nobles’ foals, coddled little dhings. Dhe Princess may not have a standing army, but dhere are some of us who still do dhe dirty work of removing monsters who overstep dhere bounds. Most of dhe ones you have in dis little exercise of yours could have gone to my personal division, but dhe Princess said to put dhem here so you can have your little 42nd again, so I did. You are vasting my time and yours vith dhis braggart bullshit. I am your superior officer, and so help me, if you forget dhat one more time, I vill end you faster dhan a fat pony ends a cupcake.”

Jer'rahd's eyes widened, but he grinned, baring fangs and pushing up off the cart with his hooves, an unusually crazed look in his eyes. The mare did not move the blade even after the point of it pierced Jer'rahd's neck. Both his eyes started to glow red.

“Go ahead and do it, then. Do everypony a favor and kill another monster... if you can manage it,” Jer'rahd growled, his blood running down the mare’s blade, neither of them so much as flinching from the locked gaze.

“BOSS! Calm the fuck down. HEEL!!” Bleu shouted.

Jer'rahd blinked again, the glow fading from his eyes as he pulled his head back, un-piercing his throat from the zebra's blade.

“What...? Right, sorry....”

“Jeez... Boss, what the buck was that?”

“Zhis little pony has a death vish and something in him dhat vants out quite badly.” Guard Captain Moskau flicked the blade, letting Jer'rahd’s blood splatter on the ground. “If it comes down to it, colt, I ken very much end you. Ve have been informed of your situation and ve are setting up countermeasures. Your group is allowed to head dhis because you know how to train ponies for var. My division knows monsters, however, Kaisur: Hydra, Leviathan, chimera, demon, and more. Do you really dhink dhat you stopped dhe entire garden from escaping on your own?”

“Does everyone know who the buck I am around here?” Jer'rahd growled, receiving another glare from the zebra.

“Only dhe important ones. And you vill address me as a superior officer, Kaisur.”

“You had a sword in my neck a moment ago, and you want me to call you ‘sir’?”

“To be honest, Boss, you did that yourself. She just didn't move. Sorta impressive and creepy on both sides of it,” Bleu muttered.

“Did you need a doctor dhen?”

Jer'rahd reached up, wiping away the blood on his throat with a hoof. The wound had already healed over. “No, he won't let me die that easily,” Jer'rahd grumbled. A light cough from Bleu made him glance up to the zebra again. “Errrr, sir.”

“Better, dhough you need to work on dhat. I have changed my mind, dhough. I vas going to let Nicker handle dhis, but I dhink I shall keep you under my division. You are crazy, suicidal, and disrespectfully violent; but dhen, we are never gonna survive unless ve get a little crazy.” Guard Captain Moskau grinned at that like it was some sort of inside joke. “Still, you have a job to do, and dhe training is needed. Dhankfully, Major Rose is also skilled in combat situations, dhough from my understanding, he is more of dhe guerrilla warrior type dhen the soldier type.”

“Guerrilla warrior tactics? What the heck is dhat? Errrr that?” Bleu asked, ducking behind the cart before the zebra thought she was making fun of her accent.

“AMBUSH AN’ SURPRISE TACTICS!” shouted a voice from behind them, before Jer'rahd was hit with something resembling a log and sent tumbling across the parade field to crash into a archery target.

“BULLSEYE!”

“Oh... I see,” Bleu commented as the troops all rushed up to see what the commotion was. Spotting Guard Captain Moskau, all of them suddenly snapped to attention. Bleu looked from them to the white crystalline pony who was watching the rubble Jer'rahd had created on impact.

Major Briar Rose grinned as he cracked his neck and stretched, standing upright on his rear legs, putting most of his weight on a massive wooden pole that was twice as tall as he was and at least a thick around as a barrel. He wore no armor or saddlebags, and his cutie mark was clearly visible as a dark spear across his flank. Not to say he was unclothed: a wide-brimmed brown fedora that matched Jer'rahd's instructor’s hat rested on his head with a rank pin of Major on it. Unlike Jer'rahd's hat, however, this one was clearly new and did not have any cuts in the brim.

The troops looked from him, then over to Jer'rahd as he stood up, flinging a pile of training equipment off of himself and adjusting his own hat, glaring at the crystal pony from under the brim.

“You hit me with a tree? That's how you greet ponies?” he snarled.

“Nope, just ye, lad. That bloated sack of whale meat sitting on tha throne said we should work out, which oh us is in charge of this place, considerin’ we're both tha same rank an’ all. I figure a good spar'd be tha best way.”

“You spar with a tree trunk?” Bleu questioned.

“Not preferably, but it's tha closest thing ta tha way mine spear is. Mai spear’s little shorter and not as thick as tha log, but tha logs lighter tah balance that out.”

“I am sick of being blindsided by all this crap. You wanna spar for who runs this, then let’s go,” Jer'rahd snarled. He grabbed a training sword from the rack he landed on and rushed the crystal pony.

The crystal pony grinned, shifting and guiding the log with his hooves rapidly slamming and lifting it up, trying to crush the gray unicorn as he came close. Jer'rahd bounced around, dodging the attacks or deflecting them with a shield to let the massive log hit the earth, kicking up clouds of dirt and dust.

Rose narrowed his eyes as the dust cloud built up enough to obscure his vision. He yankd the log back, rearing up on his back legs, the log yup right ready to smash Jer'rahd as he came out of the smoke.

“Ye can't hide in tha dust ferevea; ye canna dodge ferevea either, colt,” Rose quipped.

“Who's dodging, you geriatric old fart?” Jer'rahd snapped.

Rose looked up as the unicorn pony let go of the top of the log where he had been clinging and dropped down, smashing the wooden sword against the crystal pony’s back. He growled as the weapon shattered against the rock-like hide of the pony before he rolled away and grabs another sword with his magic.

“One for one.” Jer'rahd quipped.

Rose grinned wide, his eyes dancing in glee. Bleu slapped her forehead, recognizing the look as the same one Jer'rahd got when he was fighting.

“Oh crap... we are gonna be here all day,” the dragonling grumbled as the sparing pair readied to rush each other again.

“Hold my hat,” the two ponies stated at the same time, tossing their respective instructor hats to Bleu.

=================================================

“Might I inquire as to where Bleu and Kaisur are at the moment?” Celestia stated, looking down at the body laid out in the throne room with a bit of strain in her voice.

“They got off the train, along with the troops at the training grounds,” Rarity replied. “Bleu is supposed to fly him here when they are set up.”

“Ahh, I see. So I shall not be expecting them today. That is fine; I am not in a mood to deal with him right now, anyway.” Celestia lifted her head from the body of Lord Talon and looked around. “Where is Pinkie Pie?”

“Umm, she's out in the garden… she saw what happened to, ummm, Lord Talon here and is not exactly taking it very well,” Fluttershy piped in.

Celestia sighed, looking over the remaining Beasts of the Moon and the current Element Bearers who were present. Her gaze lifted, meeting Luna's eyes as her sister trotted into the room as well. This was likely as good as she was going to get for this information. She gestures to the Guards around the body with a sigh. “Take him to the Griffon embassy. Tell them we will provide them with an honor escort to return him back to his homeland. Please let me know their response.”

The guards nodded and lifted the litter holding the griffon god’s body and troted out of the throne room with it. The door closed behind them with a hollow, echoing thud. Celestia's horn glowed, masking the entire throne room in a ward of protection from spying. She sighed, looking at the ones gathered with a grim expression. Celestia hated to think it had come to this again after only a thousand years, but conflict seemed unavoidable. The six escapees—two of which were gods, and a group that could kill them, all with something against Equestria—and the changelings, on top of Sombra were a threat, and needed to be treated as such..

“I have called you here today because Canterlot has been attacked. Judging by your expressions, you have all heard this already,” the Princess of the Sun stated as she paced before the gathered group, her eyes running to Rhede as he attempted to sit without showing any pain, and to Velkorn, who looked both worried and angry at the earth pony.

“That is what the public knows, and that is all the public will know. The Guard Captains and your two groups, however, will know the truth: the Elements of Harmony have been stolen.”

The sounds of disbelief and shock from the five current bearers came as she expected, though the three former bearers did not seem to be as concerned. That was also expected. She did not, however, expect Luna to look so pissed by the revelation.

“Sister… you kept the artifacts in the least defended location in all of Canterlot—a place where they have been stolen from three times now. What exactly have thou been thinking all this time? At least the building is gone so you won't be tempted to do it again,” Luna snorted.

“The Order was unexpected, Discord unavoidable, and this recent theft is the first proper one we have had in seven thousand years, sister. I would say that the defenses are quite adequate. The Elements sat on a statue in the open in the forest for a thousand years with nopony so much as looking at them cross eyed. They are little more than jewelry to anyone other than their chosen wielders or someone they are a threat too. They cannot be destroyed, nor hidden forever. I could have left them on a table in the middle of Canterlot and the results would have been the same.”

“The escapees took them, however,” Rhede commented.

“That's what I don't get: what good would the Elements do against them? I mean there's no reason to target them specifically. A unicorn with a cockatrice spell is a bigger danger to them than all of us using the Elements,” Twilight stated.

“Maybe there just tryin' tah be cautious?”AJ commented.

“Princess, out of all of us, you had the most contact with the books. Can you shed any light on this?” Starfall commented, looking to Luna.

“I am afraid not. While I communicated with the books often as Nightmare Moon, they never stated anything about the Elements of Harmony. They did, however, wish me to find the other books; it was my plan once Canterlot fell. Perhaps they found out about how I was defeated with the Elements, and that is why they took them— to prevent such an event.”

“That is a reasonable assumption, sister, though I cannot shake the feeling there is more to it,” Celestia mused.

“Princess Celestia, did you still have Discord's Book of the Blue?” Rhede questioned. “There may still be something there.”

“No. That book was destroyed when the Red Tome and Gray Grimiore were sealed in Tartarus. It was the only one that could be destroyed of the three, and even that took two days in a super heated forge. Discord's book did not speak much about the books anyway; it was primarily idiotic rambling and a small bit about the Elements.”

“That book was what had the information on how to cure Luna. I think Discord wanted to use the Elements on himself for some
reason,” Rhede pointed out.

“Well, they were used on him. Twice, in fact, so if that's what he wanted…” Rarity piped in.

“If we still had the Elements, I would suggest waking him up to find out what he knows. That is not an option right now,” Starfall muttered.

“I would not consider it an option even if we did have the Elements,” Celestia snapped quickly before regaining her composure. “In any event, we have no idea what their next move might be, and as such, we are unable to make a move of our own.”

“Not entirely true, Princess,” Twilight said with a glimmer in her eyes as she looked back at the bag with the items recovered from the clearing that remained in the room. “We might not know what they are doing right now, but we can learn everything they have done up to this point.”

==========================================================

A battered blue unicorn lay on her side, tied to a dead tree by a length like a dog on a leash, her hooves bound up tight as well. Bloodtail, Wind Razor, and Claymore stood not far away on the hill, looking down on ruins half-reclaimed by the desert below them.

“So this is it, huh? A ghost town on the border is where the book's supposed to be?” Claymore grumbled as Bloodtail nods.

[“This is the location that the Silver Script gave, though this was supposed to be a thriving town.”]

“The book was lost in a dragon’s horde for who knows how long. The damn thing may not even be here anymore. There's a couple of buildings still relatively intact though; we should check those first,” Wind Razor observed.

“Sounds good. Let’s get this over with, get the damn thing, and get back before anything else happens. I've got a bad feeling.” Claymore muttered.

“You probably picked something up from that new toy of yours. Who knows where she's been?” Wind Razor snapped before taking off.

“No respect for her superiors...” Claymore growled, trotting down the hill towards the town with Bloodtail.

==================================================

“YOU CALL THAT A HIT, YOU WANNA-BE DOOR STOP?!” Jer'rahd shouted, dodging a blow from the massive training weapon of Briar Rose.

“IT COUNTED AS A HIT, YA WHINY BINT. AH DIDNA REALIZE YA WANTED ME TO TRY AND KILL YAH!”

Bleu and Guard Captain Moskau watched the battle with greatly-faded interest. The troops had already moved off to set up chess boards and start playing at Bleu's direction. A few of them protested the exercise as a waste of time.

“Chess is a game of strategy. If you can think several moves ahead of your opponents in a game, you can manage to do it on the battlefield. The rules of battle change, but the principle remains the same.” Bleu paused as the fighting pair thundered past, still hurling insults at each other. “Not everything in combat is about being stronger or more skilled than the enemy; a great deal of it is being smarter, too— countering moves they make with your own in order to win. This game helps build that mindset of thinking ahead.”

There were a few mutters of agreement, though still a few protests as the whole section of gathered troops dodged aside when the duelists rampaged through their midst again.

“Look, if you don't know how to play, the ones that do will show you, or you can just read the directions on the boxes. I want all of you to keep score, win or lose; I want the name of who you played against, as well. Then, I want you to find another partner to play in the next match. Every one of you needs to have played against everyone else by the end of the day. Even with the addition of the zebra troops, we have an odd number of participants, so the Guard Captain Moskau here will be filling in the odd spot.” The zebra mare's grin made a number of the troops flinch.

“Now here's the good part: The overall winner of this little tourny will get to sleep in and skip morning PT tomorrow. Sure, that puts an unfair advantage on the ones who know how to play, but that gives incentive for the rest of you to learn.” Bleu grinned wide, which caused the rest of the troops to flinch. “Just for the record, this is the PT after a day of rest, so suffice to say, it's not going to be pretty, especially considering whoever loses this little duel here is the one whose gonna be in charge when the training starts, and you know they are gonna be in a foul mood.”

Bleu finished with a grin as a cart exploded behind her, accompanied by more shouting from the two Majors.

================================================================

“You found anything yet?” Wind Razor asked.

“No,” Claymore snapped.

“How ‘bout you?”

[“Not a thing,”] Bloodtail replied. [“Have you found something, Claymore?”].

“I said I ain't found shit!” shouted the pissed-off earth pony.

Having looked over all the ruins and dug through a number of buildings, nothing of any importance—or even anything that was salvageable—was found aside from sand, ruined structures, and old bones.

[“I am not even sure what could have done this. The place only seems to have weathered a sand storm or two since no life was here. It has been perhaps two or three years tops if the weather patterns here are the same as the zebra lands this place borders.”]

Claymore crouched, looking down at a skeleton with a grumble and reached out a hoof, knocking some sand loose from it. He noted the claw and tooth marks in the dried-out bones. He considered a moment, then sighed.

“Trolls.”

“Hmm? Are you sure?” Wind Razor questioned, looking at the bones. “Could just be wild dogs or something that chewed on them.”

“I served at the wall for most of my life, bird. I fought against, and with, packs of trolls. I know the marks their teeth make on flesh and bone. If the structures were any more intact, there would likely be claw marks across certain places where they sharpened their claws or just marked their territory. Nasty brutish things, trolls. They're like the bastard offspring of Diamond Dogs and some sort of rock lizard that's mother was a goat.”

“Trolls? Why the heck would they have been here? I though they stayed in mountains and jungles, not deserts,” Wind Razor commented.

“Birdy, there's a type of troll for every damn terrain there is. The buckers are attracted to old places, too. If there’s ruins, there's trolls.”

[“There were no trolls in the ruins we were staying at.”] Bloodtail pointed out.

“No clue about that. Musta been something to do with the former owners,” Claymore grumbled. “Not even any troll signs.”

[“In either case, if there are trolls and ruins about here, it may be the location of the book.”] Bloodtail stated, looking about. [“The Silver Script had some information on trolls, though the connection was unclear.”]

Wind Razor looked at Bloodtail curiously, though a small smirk crosses her beak. No sense in letting that idiot know everything.
Claymore's ears perked up at the sound of a scream. “Shit.”

The other two looked at him as the earth pony galloped off back towards their camp. They look at each other and shrugged before starting to follow.

=================================================

“Ya sure about this, Twilight? This is kinda grisly...” Applejack asked, looking down at the severed wing, the bloody scales, and dagger shards resting on the low table before them.

“No; I'm not even sure it will work on anything other than the daggers,” Twilight responded, looking at Celestia. “I don't suppose you know, Princess? It is your spell.”

“I have never considered trying it on once-living things— only objects. Though it does work on locks of hair, so I suppose it should work... though those items were freely given.”

“Does something like that matter to the spell?” Rhede questioned.

“Normally, it should not, but I am unaware if there will be some sort of blocking spell around the group. So far, Nocturne has proven to be one step ahead of us, and I would not put it past her to be so shielded.”

“Better to start with the daggers, then, Twilight. Perhaps we can find out where she got them and go from there,” Starfall offered.

“That sounds like a plan. Alright, Princess, would you mind helping me in this?” Twilight asked. “We can speed this up with more ponies looking. Sorry, Rarity, but I am not sure I will have time to teach it to you.”

“I can do that, Twilight.” Celestia nods.

“Quite alright, darling. I simply hope you find something useful.” Rarity responded.

Luna frowned. “You did not plan to ask me, Sparkle?”

“No offense, Princess, but somepony needs to keep an eye on things if Princess Celestia is busy. From what I have found out, you seem to do better in times of conflict than your sister.”

“She does have a point, Lulu. Since you have returned, you have gotten more of a reaction from the noble houses with less effort than I do. There will likely be a great deal of information to sift though, and there is little time left to do it.” Celestia sighed, looking over the gathered ponies.

The Princess of the Sun flattened her ears and inhales deeply before speaking. “Here is what is going to happen: the day court duties will be added to the night court until Twilight and I have finished. Rhede, Starfall, and Velkorn, you will continue to aid Kaisur in what he is doing, along with assistance from Guard Captain Moskau and Major Rose. However, I have other tasks for you, too. Starfall, you will be aiding my sister in making sure the court runs smoothly. Do not think I forgot how well you and Rhede did while I was indisposed. Miss Rarity, if you would help the pair of them, they may need your knowledge of nobility and royalty of this era. Lulu is a fast learner, but the day court is not the same as the one held at night.” The white unicorn bowed and Starfall nodded.

“Velkorn, you and Rainbow Dash will accompany the Wonderbolts and a Royal Guard unit in returning Lord Talon's body to the griffon lands. I understand that you have acquaintances there, Dash, and Velkorn being a zebra may indeed ease some of the repercussions if she is to deliver the news. You must also inform them of his daughter’s decision to stay in such a way as it does not look as if we are holding her. We do not need a conflict with the griffons at this point. Give them any information they wish about the ones responsible, but leave out anything about who you are.”

[I do not tell you how to rule; do not tell me how to delegate. I may not be as skilled as Rhede, but I am in no way a novice,”] Velkorn snorted.

“Actually, you did tell me how to rule— for several months, in fact, after I was injured. Rhede, I am giving you full access to the royal libraries, including the restricted wings and the collections of any noble or personal individual you see fit. We need anything at all about the books, preferably any hints of rumors that may exist of anyone encountering them, no matter how miniscule. I also want you to do any research you can on the Elements themselves and make contacts to try and find them. “

“I'm not going to find anything here; I've already checked all the old books in Canterlot… even the ones in lockdown... Don't give me that look. I was your regent for a while; I had the authority. My best bet is to head to the Crystal Empire and see what they have there. According to Bleu, their library has a number of things she's never seen before, and she did just as much checking on things as I did. Also, I want to bring Miss Pie with me. She likely needs a vacation, and considering her actions in the Empire the last time, she is a local hero. With luck, that will cheer her up a bit. If we get the Elements back, we need a non-depressed Element of Laughter.”

“Fine. I will see to it that transport is made available to you. Fluttershy, your task is much the same, though more suited to your skills. I would like you to speak with your animal friends and see if they might have heard something about the ones we are looking for. They escapees spent a long time in the Everfree Forest; perhaps one of them might have seen something.”

“I... I'll do my best, Princess.”

“Applejack, I know it is close to being time for your harvest, so I have a different task for you that will keep you in Ponyville. “

“An’ what's that, Princess?” AJ asked.

“You need to be in the town as much as you can, working with the Mayor and the Guards stationed there. The citizens of Ponyville trust you. I have someone there now who will act as need be if there is a situation, but your presence will keep the townsfolk much calmer than someone I send.”

“Alright, who's this pony that you have there?”

“She will reveal herself if the need arises, but she prefers to remain hidden. I have no idea where she gets that from... likely her father.”

“Do what?”

“Never mind; Sunshine will be there if anything happens. If you need help with your harvest due to your brother’s injuries and the situation in town, have Kaisur bring his trainees down there to help. I will have a messenger on standby for you all in case you need to get a message back to me or we need to pass something on to you. We will all need to work as quickly as we can. We all know what we must do; Starfall, I trust you will inform Jer'rahd and Bleu that they should focus on the training over everything else for now.”

“Not a problem.” Starfall nodded.

“Then let us get started.”

===============================================================

“You cheated, you know.” Jer'rahd cursed, glaring up at the crystal pony.

“An’ how tha buck do thee consider this cheating?” Rose smirked looking down at the unicorn.

Jer'rahd cursed again, struggling to get out from underneath the rather large tree that Major Rose had kicked over atop of him while they were sparring. The unicorn pony was still flailing about trying to get out from under the fallen tree, but every time he tried to lift it with magic, Rose bounced up and down on it and disrupted any concentration Jer'rahd had gathered by repeatedly squishing him.

“You hit me with a tree.”

“All's fair in war.”

“This was a spar.”

“Same thing, not like ya canna take it lad. Thine is a rather tough one, had me on the ropes a few times. Bit of a monster thou are.”

“Says the pony who broke four training swords with his face.”

“Yah, well, us crystal ponies are a lil' tougher, anyway. Ah ken see the relation, though. Clearly one a’ tha brood.”

“What?”

“The pompous royal windbag dinna tell yah? Yer onea mine, somthin akin to a five greats grand kids down tha line. Tha dark sister went on about tha family line right down tah yer gran-ma being a Vermillion Rose. 'Lestia went a bit nuts bout then.”

“My grandmother’s name wasn't Vermillion. Her last name might have been Rose though, her first name was Thistle.”

“Yah sure about that, lad? Tha mad pony on tha throne seemed sure it was.”

“Positive. I used to have a picture with my family’s names on the back. I did a great deal of research on them as well, and I didn't find out anything about a Rose family.”

“Actually, Boss, rocky here's got the right of it,“ Bleu stated, trotting up with a low whistle at the oak tree still laying atop Jer'rahd.

“Damn, Boss, are you alright? That sucker looks heavy.”

“I am fairly sure my spine’s snapped a few times, but it's this lout who is making it hard to get out from under here,” Jer snarled.

“Bah, yah had a knife in yer throat and barely flinched. Quit yer bellyaching. S'why ah was able tah cut loose on ye.” Rose smirked.
“ Now whatcha talkin’ about, lizard?”

“Your grandparents moved to Ponyville after the war and changed their names to Kaisur. That translates to old Draconic as ‘guardian’ or ‘protector’, just as Silver Claw said. The pair of them were heroes of the war, and they were afraid if they remained well-known, the remnants of the dragon army would find them and kill them and their son, your father. Vermillion Rose was your grandmother’s real name.”

“So when did you plan to tell me this, Bleu?”

“I didn't. You said yourself it doesn't matter anymore who your family was. It only mattered who they were to you. I mean, I can tell you, but I doubt you will like it. In any case, if the Guard Captain is right, this chunk of mobile stone is your ancestor, or something like that.”

“So the daft bat wasn't fully gone outta her 'ead ehh? Good tah know.” Rose nodded. He hopped off the tree and kicked it with both rear hooves, rolling it off Jer'rahd and sending it crashing back into the forest. Jer'rahd stood up and shook himself loose of the dirt and dust he had accumulated in the fight. “Damnit colt; all that, and ye ain't got a scratch. If ah hadna just kicked thine flank across tha landscape, ah'd be a bit afraid o'yah.”

“Why not? About the only thing I’m afraid of is me. Why should you be any different?” Jer'rahd growled.

“Actually, Boss, you're afraid of yourself, what's inside you, deep water, losing your friends, Nightmare Moon, losing, sobriety (most days), your nightmares, sea ponies, you were afraid of rain for a while, raisins...”Bleu trailed off at the glare from Jer'rahd and the laughter from Rose.

“Ahhh, oh tha’s great! Most of it ah sorta understand though, but raisins? What tha’ heck is up with raisins?” Rose gasped out between bouts of laughter.

“That's a joke by Rhede. I'm not afraid of them, I just hate them.”

“Then why do you tend to dive for cover if Rhede throws any at you?” Bleu grins.

“Because when we were foals, he used to play this joke on me where he substituted the ones I had for lunch with rabbit pellets...” Jer'rahd's ears flattened as both Rose and Bleu lost it.

“THAT’S NOT FUNNY!”

======================================================

Trixie screamed again, trying desperately to conjure a spell, or at least get free of the ropes binding her. Her whole body hurt from what she had endured since the start of this ordeal. She was unable to think straight enough due to whatever foul tasting mix was constantly shoved down her throat to disrupt her spells. She was beaten, degraded, and raped every time the group stopped for the night, and forced to march at a ridiculous pace all day.

To make matters worse, she was now tied to a tree and surrounded by a group of brown and gray creatures that were all teeth, claws, and long ears. Tiny black eyes stared at her from disgusting mange-spotted brows and mats of hair. Claws as long as her horn dug up the ground as the creatures bounded around her, dodging her weak kicks. As they slowly moved closer, their odd barking noise sounded like laughter from something that didn't know what laughter was supposed to sound like, and clearly did not care to learn.

She flailed at the end of the tether, having barely managed to get her hooves free. She screamed out again as a filthy claw raked across her side, drawing blood and just missing her cutie mark.

She stumbled from the blow, reeling back as one lunged for her throat. She flinched reflexively, only to feel the hot splatter of blood cover her front. She trembled expecting her throat had just been ripped out, but a sickening squelch forced her to open her eyes as she realized she is not dead.

The crushed remains of the troll before her clung to a plank of steel like mud stuck to a farm horse's hooves, dribbling and gooey.

The end of the steel length was gripped in her captor’s teeth as he growled, yanking the blade back and smashing another troll to the side of the tree she was tethered to with another wet squelch. The remaining four trolls looked at each other and leaped at Claymore as one. They had barely gotten off the ground before the earth pony had knocked them out of it, wielding his massive sword as if it was a butter knife and not a two-pony-long hunk of cold iron in the vague shape of a sword.

As the trolls hit the ground, Claymore was among them, crushing a skull of one beneath his hooves and bisecting the other in a shower of gore and entrails. He let go of the end of the weapon and grinned at the remaining pair. The trolls met his gaze for a moment before scampering off howling.

“Wind Razor, follow them. They might have more clues about the damn book in the nest. Trolls collect shit,” Claymore shouted at the griffon who had been watching the fight. She blinked and took off winging after the creatures.

Bloodtail trotted up, looking at the bodies with disgust, then at the battered mare and Claymore as he moved closer to the blood soaked mare.

“Bucking Tartarus, I hate trolls.” Claymore grinned, looking down at Trixie. “Let that be a little lesson to you, mare: everything in this land wants to kill you, and my companions would prefer it if you died so they don't have to deal with you. I'm the only one who even wants to keep you safe, so you better start listening to me when I tell you to do something, or I just might change my mind on that.”
Trixie shuddered as Bloodtail sighed.

[“You are a disgusting piece of work, Claymore, though I cannot fault your effectiveness.”]

“seasons all the same”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“seasons all the same”

The sounds of fighting had subsided; she held her breath, daring not to breath. Her ears flattened to her head as she looked back to the others huddled in the darkness. None of them made a peep; even the youngest, barely three, only teetered on the verge of crying. The little griffon chick had steeled himself and was clearly holding fighting back his tears. The others were barely faring better— the black-coated unicorn colt watched as she moved away from them, his hoof stroking along the back of his pegasus sister, trying to calm her. All of them waited for a sound, any sound, to come from the floor above the crawl space where they hid.

The filly crawled away from the others, moving across the dirt towards a crack in the floor that shone a sliver of light in the middle of the crawlspace. A collective drawing of breath sounded from her friends as she moved closer to the light, though none moved to stop her. She paused at the crack, looking up into the candlelit room, trying to see what was going on above.

At first, she couldn't see anything due to her eyes adjusting the light. Then the room came into focus, although there was nothing to see from this angle; she could tell there were over turned chairs and a table lay on its side, blocking half of the room from her view.

She turned her head, trying to see the other way out of the crack, though that view was blocked by an object as well. Something fell from the crack and splattered on her eyes, causing her to wince, but she didn’t cry out. She reached up with a hoof and wiped her eye with her foreleg, glancing down to see the deep red smear across her white fur. Her eyes widened as she felt more warm drops of the liquid falling on to her head, trickling, then pouring into the crack.

She whimpered softly at the amount of blood despite herself. She covered her mouth quickly, listening intently, though the only noise seemed to be the steady drip of blood from the cracks falling to the dirt floor.

Then the wooden floor above her shattered, raining splinters down onto her, along with more blood. A body tumbled into the hole, coming to rest on the dirt, soaked with blood. It was a mare, golden-haired with a cutie mark of a sunflower; her head was nearly removed from her body and gaping wounds covered her still form. The filly’s eyes widened, recognizing the remains of her own mother.

The filly screamed out, and was quickly grabbed and yanked up through the hole into the bright lights by her mane by a black clawed hand.

She screamed out again, flailing as she was lifted up face-to-face with a black chitinous creature that once may have been a Diamond Dog. Black organic armor plates covered its form and numerous holes filled in its body, marking it as a Changeling. The creature hissed and grinned, staring at the filly with compound eyes.

She couldn’t help but scream again as she lashed out, striking the creature with her tiny hooves, smashing one of its eyes. The changeling screamed in pain and flung the filly across the room. She hit the floor with a cry and crashed against another body. She barely had time to register that is was the little griffon’s father before the changeling was on her, grabbing her and throwing her across the room again. She hit the wood floor hard and came to a stop at the hooves of a pair of pony changelings. The pair looked at her impassively, one a former unicorn and the other a former pegasus; neither of them reacted to her landing at their hooves, though they both stepped back from her as she struggled to rise. The filly looked about in a panic as the Diamond Dog roared on the far side of the room.

The room was strewn with the remnants of a Cutie-Ceañera party. A dozen or so changeling corpses littered the room. Scattered among them were the adults, her friends’ parents; they had been alive only thirty minutes ago when the attack had started. They hid their children, her friends, and tried to protect them... and now she had ruined their last stand; her curiosity had exposed the others.

She winced as the changeling she had struck lumbered up and grabbed her again, lifting her up by her throat and hissing at her as ichor dribbled from its ruptured eye. It squeezed around her neck as it reared back its other claw to strike her. The filly shut her eyes tight, expecting to see her parents again when the Diamond Dog suddenly screamed and dropped her.

She landed hard on her back, looking up as the changeling that held her clutched at its chest, the chitinous mass starting to smoke and char before flames burst from its chest and the entire beast erupted into a savage blaze, rapidly turning to ash.

Standing behind the smoldering remains of the dog was a mare clad in silver armor, her pale blue fur barely visible under the glimmering metal. The white glow around her horn brightened as the other changelings behind the filly screamed out as they were burned alive. Her purple and amber hair whipped in an unseen breeze, seeming more like a flowing river than a mane of hair. Great wings lay folded against the mare’s back and a group of Royal Guard soldiers rushed into the house, attacking the changelings the mare had not destroyed. The filly's ears perked, hearing a roar of battle cries from outside and the sounds of combat, though her gaze had not left the mare that saved her.

“Are you alright, little one?”

“Ye... yes... Princess Aviana...”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Two days after Lord Talon’s death]

Celestia woke with a start. She whipped her head, looking around her bed chambers before she slowly calmed down.

It had been a long time since she’d had nightmares. Not since Luna was imprisoned, in fact; thankfully, she’d had Baelit there to calm her down when she woke from them in that time. She glanced to her side at a snore and smirked, seeing the lavender unicorn curled up against her side. She chuckled lightly, wondering what it might take to wake Twilight up, though the unicorn’s presence was comfort enough.

The pair had worked for the last day studying the shards of daggers that were left, to no avail. Scarlet had not worn them since long before they were used to kill Talon, and she had been wearing the Mare-Do-Well costume when she acquired them, a disguise they already knew.

They were, however, shown a hidden storage area in Canterlot, though the guards that were sent to check it out reported that the place was empty. The guards were still searching the area and questioning the locals, though before she had retired for the night, nothing had come up.

Perhaps they would have better luck with Silver Claw's scales.

=============================================================

“Alright, you maggots, we're doing something different today,” shouted Jer'rahd, looking over the exhausted troops. “We are short a number of instructors, so this won't be as pretty as I like. However, Guard Captain Moskau shall be aiding us today as needed.”

Bleu chuckled at the zebra mare. The chess games had gone exactly as expected: the Guard Captain stomped the lot of the troops in her games, with the only two coming close to beating her being Lion Heart and, oddly enough, Tunnel Rat. Bleu was really unsure about what was up with that small Diamond Dog now— he was too smart for his own good.

Of course, since the Guard Captain won overall, she was excused from the morning PT, which was a good thing, since Boss had been ready to murder anyone who got out of line.

“Spell casters will meet by the edge of the forest for training with me; diamond dogs, griffons, any half-dragons with claws and wings, those that are not casters, will meet by the lake for training with Captain Bleu. The rest of you will be heading to the obstacle course for training with Major Rose and the Guard Captain. NOW MOVE!”

The troops rushed off as Jer'rahd gestured the group of trainers over. “Alright, here's the situation. I know we were going over basic combat again, but we need to speed this up a little. I want to do something different this time.”

“And vhat might dhat be, Major?” Moskau asked, bringing a small wince from the unicorn, as her tone seemed to threaten what would happen if he forgot her rank again.

“Rose, I want you to teach the earth ponies and the zebra the magic you use.”

“Really now, ah thought that was a taboo bit oh knowledge nowadays?” Rose grinned. “‘Side's, ah'm supposed tah be in charge, since ah won.”

“You have a problem with teaching that?”

“Nah, ah agree with yer plan fer now, colt.”

“It is taboo magic,” Moskau snapped. “Dhough dhis is your training, Kaisur, I expect you know how dhe Princess vill react?”

“Claymore uses the same magic; his daughter did, too. Make sure they know the limits as well, Rosy. We don't need them being caught unaware if they leave the ground somehow,” Bleu stated.

“Stop callin’ me that, thine impudent lizard.”

“But it's sooo cute. You look like quartz and your name’s Rose, so rosy quartz...”

“Enough! I'll deal with Celestia when the time comes. We need everything we have, and if I can have a collection of earth ponies using dragon magic at my back, I will listen to whatever ranting Celestia might spit out... sir.” Jer'rahd mutters the last part.

“Better, but keep trying, Kaisur. Fine, I suppose I shall train dhe ones who fail to master it in vepons, dhen,” Moskau stated with a small snort.

“Oh, no need fer that, lass.” Rose grinned, getting a glare from Moskau as she mouthed the word 'two'. “With tha way ah teach, not a one'a thems gonna fail ta learn something taday.”

============================================================

“Sonofa shit!” Claymore screamed as he smashed another troll to the ground with his fore hoof, then whirled his massive weapon down to impale the creature.

Wind Razor, on the other hand, was laughing. Her clawed gauntlets covered her forelegs and she darted around the pack of trolls, ripping out throats and spilling entrails with a fervor that went right into psychotic when coupled with the maniacal laughter that escaped her beak with every troll that fell.

Trixie stood on the second floor of a collapsed building with Bloodtail, cowering behind the zebra, though he was unsure if it was from the abundance of trolls or from the two maniacs he was forced to work with. He expected the latter.

“You just gonna stand there like a striped bag of shit, or are you going to do something, damnit?” Claymore shouted, sweeping his weapon and ending the twisted lives of at least four of the mottled creatures.

[“You seem to be doing just fine, Claymore. Besides, why would I wish to interrupt Wind Razor's fun? I did warn you to not stir up the nest.”]

“I TOLD YOU THAT, YOU BUCKING SOD!” Claymore screamed, lashing out with his back legs and punting a troll corpse at the zebra.

Bloodtail stepped aside and Trixie dived to the ground as the corpse impacted a stone wall behind them with a wet splat. Bloodtail chuckled, looking down at the battle from the second floor of the old ruined building at the center of what used to be a large town.
The trolls that had been after Claymore's pet had come here and vanished into the dark tunnels that ran under a number of buildings.

The group had followed the next day and waited on the outskirts of the ruins, scouting it for an additional day. Wind Razor had watched from the air and reported a number of trolls working on something in the center of the town, though it was half-hidden by a canopy of vines running across the tops of the buildings and a number of twisted trees that grew there.

Claymore had pointed out that, judging by the markers and a number of other things that Bloodtail mostly ignored, that it was a sizable colony of trolls. Bloodtail, however, was curious as to what the trolls were doing and as such, had pressed for investigation.
Once they reached the city’s center, however, both he and Wind Razor knew what the trolls were doing.

They were making a ritual circle.

It was incomplete, but both of them knew the design— the griffon from her scouting of places like this, and the zebra from what he found in the books.

It was at this realization that the trolls attacked.

Bloodtail and Trixie had retreated into a building, letting the battle maniacs handle the situation. Thankfully, the trolls seemed too intent on killing the pair below to bother with the two standing on the second floor of the ruined building. Bloodtail did not trust that would last long, however.

He glanced back at the sky blue mare and smirked, trotting over to her. She started to back away from him, but he lashed his fore hoof out and slapped her across the muzzle.

[“Don't move.”]

Bloodtail grinned as the unicorn’s eyes widened as she seemingly understood. While it was nice to finally find a pony that could speak zebra, he had no time for that. He looked over the bandaged wound the troll had caused her before nodding lightly and ripping away her bandages. The mare yelped in pain as the wound was reopened, blood oozing from the claw marks.

Bloodtail reached into his robes and pulled out a small bowl, pressing it under the wound and letting some blood flow into it from the quivering mare. After a moment, he moved away and dropped a few herbs into the bowl as well before mashing it all into a fine black paste.

The zebra trotted over to the corpse of the troll Claymore had thrown at him and threw back his hood, showing the tangled mat of dreads, the skull-like pattern the stripes on his face took, and a short black crystalline horn barely poking out of the mats of his mane. He gazed down at the corpse, dipping his hoof into the blooded bowl and drawing a sigil on the troll’s forehead.
The zebra grinned and started to chant in old zebra.

[“You who fought death and you who lost, know now your passing came at greater cost.
With this soul mark upon your head, return to life what once was dead.
Your soul is gone, your blood run cold; you are my puppet, so do as you are told.
The life you had was a mistake. I am now your master, and I bid you AWAKE!”]

Nothing happened for a moment. Then the creature slowly stirred, the sigil on its head flashing brightly, searing into the creature’s flesh as it groaned and stood upright, its head tilted at an unnatural angle where it had been snapped in the conflict. Sightless eyes looked to Bloodtail as Trixie backed away from the both of them.

[“Now then, my little puppet: go fetch me more bodies. I have work to do.”]

The troll corpse groaned and skittered off in a dead run to obey the zebra.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The filly stumbled a bit, yawning as she climbed out of bed, following the voices down the hall that awoke her from her slumber. She pushed open the door, trotting into the massive hall dark hallway lined with paintings and ornate armor that seemed to be wearable by unicorns and pegasi, primarily. She trotted closer to the sound of the voices, stopping at the double door to peer into the gap made by one of the doors being ajar.

Princess Avaiana sat on a large couch with three other ponies before her— two guards and a noble of some sort, judging by his lavish clothing.

“I have tried a number of places, Princess, and there is no community that will take them,” the crimson pony said.
“Why is that, constable? There are a number of towns that have taken refugees and orphans before,” Avaiana stated.

“To be honest, I am not sure, Princess.” The constable sighed, running a hoof through his bright orange hair. “For some reason, a rumor about these young ones has started. They are the only survivors from the largest mixed-race town, and they are thought to be cursed by your subjects. No one will willingly take them in for fear that the Changelings will be hunting them still. I am sure you can order someone to take them in, though.”

“No, forcing these children into a home that does not want them and fears them will be just as bad for them as if they had perished in Celestial River.” Aviana sighed. “If no one else will take them, then I shall.”

“Princess, while I do not doubt your generosity in this situation, do you really think it will be a good idea to let them stay here in the castle?”

“Perhaps. It is not as if we do not have enough servants to tend to them as well as to me. But in truth, it is not really my decision, now is it?” Avaiana smiled, looking to the door.

“What do you mean, Princess?” questioned the earth pony, following the amber alicorn's gaze.
The filly's eyes widened as the two focused on her staring through the gap in the door.

“So little Celestia, would you and your friends wish to stay here with me?”

----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Three days after Lord Talon's death]

Celestia sighed, woken again by a dream. She had barely gotten to sleep, and once again, a dream had waked her up. At least this one was not ripe with blood and fire as the last was.

Two nights in a row, she’d had a dream about her past after millennia of barely recalling them. Was it because she had been using the scrying spell so often with Twilight, or was it because she was beginning to doubt Aviana after everything that had been presented to her? In either case, the soft breathing of Twilight at her side was enough of a comfort for her to return to sleep rather quickly.

=========================================================

Jer'rahd looked up from overseeing the magic training to watch Bleu, clad in a brightly colored mask, chase after a group of griffons and diamond dogs, screaming something in another language. As the dragon ran by, one very angry looking griffon female was clinging to the rampaging dragon’s tail as if trying to get her to stop.

He sighed, slapping his hoof against his forehead and hoping she would actually manage to teach them something instead of just terrorizing the troops. At least Dusty was trying to look serious.

“Alright, now after that little distraction, I am sure that all of you are quite glad you are being trained by me today,” Jer'rahd stated.
There wass a somewhat muted chorus of “yes sir”s rises from the small group of unicorns and zebra unicorns.

“Alright, I am not exactly sure if this will work with the zebras or half-dragons, but everypony get into the groups like yesterday and work on what I showed you. I want some results today, ponies. If you focus enough, you should be able to see the magic plane as little more than a sea of stars. Don't try for control— you were all given team leaders for a reason; just focus on syncing up with them. Team leaders, make sure to remain grounded; with practice, you can keep one eye on the stars and the other on what is really before you. This is necessary when the time comes to actually use the gathered spell energy from this grouping.”

He trotted among them, pointing out a few things to some who were struggling, though most of the unicorns already knew how to share spells like this. He had split the zebras and the few casting half-dragons among the normal unicorns with no real issue. The zebras only had a bit of trouble adjusting; the race’s casters had been hunted for so long that they really did not have their own way of casting spells anymore. Getting them to sync properly with pony casters had been rather easy.

The only real problem was the half-dragons. There were only three, but none of them seemed to be able to join up with the others properly in a trifecta.

“Alright, hold up. You three, come over here, and you groups reform. Okay, I know dragons tend to have a differing magic than ponies, so you three try what I showed you with each other. It's not ideal, as you need to be able to join with any group as needed, but it'll do for now. Night Feather, you take lead in this.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright, anyone else think they have it yet?”

A few “yes sir”s sounded off, though one set of voices sounded like they were all three speaking at the same time. Jer'rahd smirked at that. “Alright, Team One, give it a shot, if you are ready. Aim for the range target.”

The leader of Group One nodded, firing off a bolt of energy that struck the straw dummy, knocking a chunk out of it. There were a few murmurs of approval from the others, but Jer'rahd shook his head.

“No, you clearly do not have it yet. That was weak; try harder to form a rapport with the others. Alright, team five.”

“Sir?Sir?Sir?” the pair of unicorns and one zebra questioned.

“Hit the target.”

The lead unicorn's horn flared brightly and a blast of power easily ten times that of team one's shot formed, blasting away from the group and striking the target. The resulting explosion disintegrated the training dummy as well as a good chunk of the ground underneath it and sent flaming splinters and earth flying everywhere. The blast wave flung most of the other targets aside and was only stopped from washing over the gathered troops by a large green shield that sprang up as soon as the bolt left the lead unicorn’s horn.

Jer'rahd trotted over to the trio, who had all pretty much collapsed after the expenditure of power.

“Good, you have the basics of the teamwork needed down. Now you need to work on control. That was the right idea, but too much power. Take a break for a bit, then get back to how you were. EVERYONE ELSE, DO WHAT THEY DID, WITH LESS BOOM AND COLLAPSING.”

“YES, SIR!”

==================================================

Applejack stared blankly as Mayor Mare continued into her second hour of the emergency planning meeting projection committee’s plans for planning an emergency planning meeting to plan for emergencies.

Another slide reel was being loaded into the projector to start yet another presentation on preparing a prevention presentation. The farm pony knew there was a reason she avoided politics.

“OKAYm THAT'S ENOUGH.” she shouted, slamming her hooves down on the table. “Ain't no wonder nothing gits done around here— all yer doing is having meetings without doing a durn thing!”

“Honestly, miss Applejack, that is how things are done in politics. Every angle needs to be covered with everyone who is even remotely involved,” Mayor Mare explained. “No offense, but I would not expect a farmer to understand it.”

“Ah don't need to understand that it's a huge waste ‘a time.”

There were a few murmurs among the other politically-minded ponies present before one decided toss her two bits in.

“Miss Applejack, the Princess may have asked you to try and help set this up, but you should leave it to the ponies who do this sort of thing for a living. Honestly, though, if you believe you can do better, then by all means,” one of the Mayor's aides pointed out, laughing a bit and getting a few chuckles from the others.

AJ twitched a bit and grabbed her hat, putting it back on her head and tilting it forward to hide her eyes, though a wide grin crossed her face as she only really heard the disdain and challenge from the other pony.

“Not a bad idea yah got there. Don't mind if ah do.”

======================================================

Rhede hobbled off the platform, looking around the train station with a low whistle at the crystalline structures of the city. This place was almost as big as Canterlot and twice as glittery. He glanced back as a straight-haired pink pony moved off the train behind him, doing little but look at the ground.

Pinkie Pie had not been a decent companion on the ride up here. He had tried talking with her and even tossed out a few of Bleu's more memorable jokes with little effect. To be honest, he was more used to dealing scheming or angry ponies than he was with depressed ones. The current state of this mare made some of Jer'rahd's moods look downright chipper.

He sighed, looking around and wondering who exactly the princess was going to have them meet here. He had yet to meet Shining Armor or the Princess Cadence, so he knew nothing about the pair save the former was Twilight's brother. Still, this was a rather impressive place. He had never seen anything quite like it.

“Excuse me, are you Rhederic Pelt?” questioned a voice.

Rhede glanced back to see a purple crystalline mare in a variation of Royal Guard armor. A small number of other crystal pony guards stood behind her, though they seemed more focused on Pinkie Pie than on Rhede.

“And you are...?”

“Captain Sandy Gale of the Crystal Empire Guard. If you are Rhederic Pelt, I would like to ask where Miss Pie is, as she was supposed to be accompanying you.”

“That's her there. She's had a bit of a bad time of things lately. And please call me Rhede.”

“As you say, Mr. Pelt. Please hold still a moment.”

Rhede blinked as the mare trotted up and tapped him on the shoulder with a short metal wand before doing the same thing to Pinkie Pie.

“Is that... is that star metal?” Rhede questioned.

“Guard business in that regard ,Mr. Pelt. Please point out your luggage and one of my unit will collect it, then please step into the cart and we will take you to meet the Princess.”

“Hmm, very business-like; Jer would love this place. Pass on that, miss; I would like very much to get started. If you want to take Miss Pie to the Princess, feel free. Just direct me towards the library; I don't have the time for any politics now.”

“My orders are to bring you and Miss Pie, Mr Pelt. While I am certain your task is important, my orders came from the Princess directly. You will come with us.”

“Oh? And if I don't?”

“I have no issue beating down an injured pony to complete my orders, Mr. Pelt. Get in the cart.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Celestia, please stop,” the orange unicorn mare muttered watching the young mare bite down harder on the blade's grip and rush at the armored pony again.

The Guard shifted his stance a little as he wass charged again. The white pony swung the weapon about and the guard sidestepped, tripping her and sending her sprawling across the floor.

The orange mare rushed over to check on her, glaring at the armored pony, though she wass shoved away by the young white mare.

“YOU WILL TAKE THAT BACK!” Celestia shouted.

“I will not. You are weak and have no place on a battlefield. You are more a liability than anything else,” the armored pony stated without any emotion.

“I will not listen to a waste of space that will not even help the Princess fight that which threatens to destroy everything!”

“I have my reasons, young one. You need not concern yourself with them, nor seek your death so soon after being pulled from its grasp,” Ruin commented, looking down at her.

“Ruin, just apologize already. She's supposed to be in my care, and I can't have her getting hurt for something as childish as this,” Saffron said, pushing a strand of lavender hair from out of her eyes.

“She does not view it as childish, and as such, I will honor her views by not considering it such either. If she wishes to fight me for her beliefs, then I will accept the challenge she offers.”

“She has not even been here a year, Ruin.” the orange unicorn waved her forehoof, gesturing to the small group gathered of a few unicorns and pegasi. “All you are doing is embarrassing her in front of everypony.”

“Get out of my way, Saffron. I don't care who this one thinks he is I am going to take him down,” Celestia snarled.

“This is the last attack I will allow you, mare. I have things that must be done, and even if I respect your drive, I cannot remain here to cater to them,” Ruin stated.

Celestia growled around her sword, charging the armored pony again, her small hooves clattering over the floor. Ruin braced as Saffron flinched. Both of the adults jerked in surprise as the steel blade held by the small white pony burst into flames.

Celestia leaped, lashing out with the weapon connecting solidly to the side of Ruins head, sending his helmet flying. Ruin reacted just as quickly, whipping his fore leg up and plowing it into the mare’s mid section at the height of her leap.

The white pony’s eyes widened as the sword’s flames winked out. The charred steel blade fell from her mouth as she collapsed with a crash to the ground.

Saffron rushed over to check on her, blocking out the filly’s view of the armored pony as he put his helm back on, a flash of a black and white striped mane all that she saw before her vision was blocked by Saffron. Celestia tried to rise, though the hit left her feeling numb.

“Saffron, tell Aviana that this one will need to start training soon. Her drive and anger will make her dangerous if she has no control.”

“I will let her know... though I already know what her answer will be: ‘I do not like the idea of children learning war.’”

“These children are all of the same mindset— even the youngest wants revenge for what was done to them. They already know war.
You saw what she did.” Ruin sighed. “And if desire for vengeance has allowed an earth pony to wield fire, against her very nature, then there is no telling what the others will be able to do.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Four days after Lord Talon's death]

Celestia opened her eyes briefly. Three nights in a row, she’d had the same style of dreams from her past. Honestly, she had forgotten how like Kaisur she really had been. Still, something was going on here that she was not happy about.
They had spent all day today on Silver Claw's scales. They would be spending several days on them as each told a different story and none of them really helped the current situation.

They did learn, however, that Silver Claw was not the mastermind of the first attack on Dullahan, nor was he behind the attack on the wall. He knew of them, but did not agree with them.

He was, however, behind the attack that nearly killed her and partially destroyed Canterlot. The combination of a size-changing spell and several chains and wires of star metal masked his presence and added to the disguise he wore. Like Jer'rahd and Twilight, it seemed star metal had no effect on his casting abilities. A worrying thought that a dragon would subject himself to that sort of torture for revenge, but par for the course for everything else.

She glanced over as Twilight rolled away from her side, flat on her back and tangled in the sheets. Celestia almost laughed at the ungainly position of her student, though she held back, afraid of waking her.

So long as she was having them, she needed to remember them. She knew them to be true with her past, though she had yet to figure out why she was having them now.

==================================================================

“Rainbow Dash, it has been some time since I have seen you.” The griffon matron smiled softly, looking down at the smaller pegasus.

“Hey Nanna... I really wish I could have made it out here at a better time. Last time I saw Gilda, we didn't exactly part on the best of notes.”

The elder griffon smiled, moving aside to let Dash into the small hut before closing the door and moving over to the table, and then sinking into a rather cushy futon.

“I gathered as much; my granddaughter was not in the best of moods for some time after she went to visit you. She never did make friends easily, or keep them well if she did. In fact, you are the only one who has come by since her death.”

Dash winced, drooping her head a bit before taking a seat on a stool on the other side of the table. “I was hoping she would mellow out a little. I guess not.”

“She was hot-headed, like everyone else in my family. Her brother is still out for blood.”

“So they still haven't found...” —Dash gulped— “her killer?”

“No, dear. Sky Crawler thinks it was one house, my daughter and her husband think it was another. There are no signs pointing to either house, and no one recognizes the griffon that had been following her, nor do they know where she went after the murder. And now the King has been killed as well. It has been quite the dark year for us here.” The elder griffon sighed, shifting in her chair.

“Yeah... I'm part of the group that came up here to bring his body back. I'm flying with the Wonderbolts and I can't even enjoy it.”

“Well, despite all that has happened, you are still welcome here, Rainbow. You were like family regardless. You did spend nearly all of your school’s summer breaks here after all.”

“Yeah, well, not like I had anywhere else to go, Nanna.”

“No need to say more. I am aware of your family’s situation. I also know how much it pains you. There is enough sorrow to go around now without bringing up more from the past. That reminds me, though: when we cleaned up Gilda's room, we found a number of old photos and medals from the speed camps you both went to.” The elder griffon turned, pulling out a small box, and set it on the table.

Dash hesitated a moment before reaching over and sliding the box closer with her hoof, flipping it open to look over it briefly with a small smile. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome, child. Those are more fitting to go to you than anyone else.”

Dash turned pulled open her saddle bag, and removed a stack of papers before trying to fit the box in her bag. The elder griffon leaned forward, adjusting her glasses, and picked up the top sheet.

“Dash, dear, what are these?”

“Oh... wanted posters. I was supposed to put those up once I left the palace; I figured I would come here first. Those are the six that killed Lord Talon and have generally been making a mess in Equestria. I doubt they left there to come all the way up here, but Princess Celestia wants everyone to know their faces.”

“I already know this face.”

“What? Which one?” Dash questioned, looking at the old griffoness.

The elder griffon narrowed her eyes, pointing a claw to the image of the griffon on the page. “The one named Wind Razor. This is the griffon that was following my granddaughter around before she was killed.”

==============================================================

“Alright, yah idjits, let's try this again. We already found out tha zebra's canna learn a thing ‘bout this magic, and the rest of you won't cause yer idiots,” shouted Briar Rose.

“We are trying, sir...”

“SHADDAP! When ah want tah hear yah yammer on, ah'll sure as crap ask fer it. An ah ken tell yah I DON’T!”
Rose trotted over to the log he had been using to spar with and kicked it into the air with a fore hoof. He reared back on his hind legs to guide the end down with a thunderous crash that sank the pole about four apples deep into the ground.

“OPEN YER EAR HOLES AND LISTEN, YA STUPID GITS! Unicorns pull their magic from tha stars or themselves or some such crap like that, same as pegasi get their magic from that sky, like tha griffons. S'how tha blighters can screw with clouds an’ weather and tha like. Earth ponies ain't got any of that shyt, crystal ponies are tha same way. We ken take more of a beating and tend tah be heartier than the other louts, but aside from being good at working tha land, we ain't got shit.”

Rose walked away from the pole, looking at the earth pony and half-dragon troops. “So why was it then that in tha olden days when pony fought pony that tha earth ponies survived versus magic and weather control? What did we have that managed tah keep the other two from enslaving us to tha point where we had our own nation?”

“Wasn't it due to food production?” one of the guards pointed out.

“Not saying that didn't hava part of it, a'hm sure, but what do yah expect that we threw, pies or somethin’ at all tha threats that lived on tha ground with us? Or at the pegasi and unicorns an’ that fended um off?”

“Errr, no.”

“Good, ye ken be taught. Now then, there's other critters in tha world that gets their magic from other places, like the earth: dragons. These giant lizards utilize a heck of a lot of magic that centers around tha earth and rock underneath our hooves. S'why if yah ever saw any dragon casters they were always on tha ground. Tha fliers used some magic, but that was mostly tha blues, that lot was closer to tha pegasi and griffons magic, anyway. In any case, there's a couple of tricks that earth ponies ken do that the dragons can.”

He trotted back to the log, rearing back and yanking the log out of the ground with his fore hooves. He tossed it forward to land with a crash on a number of the troops who couldn't get out of the way fast enough, pinning them to the ground.

“Now yah see how heavy that is, an’ how ah flip it around like a bleeding twig.” Rose grinned, looking at the others in the group.

“Like ah said yesterday when we first started dhis, if yah practice hard enough, and do xactly what ah say, ye'll be flinging stuff around like this in no time.”

Rose looked down at the trapped ponies. “Help dhem git out from under dhat; yah'll look like a buncha turtles on yer backs.”

---------------------------------------------------------------

“Please show me again,” the alicorn princess commanded.

The young mare nodded as the room rapidly grew a great deal hotter. A few of the servants running about glanced towards Princess Aviana and her charge at the wash of heat before quickly darting out of the room. A pair of them, a unicorn and a pegasus, ducked into cover but continued to watch.

The white pony’s pink mane began to smoke, flickering with flames among the hairs before it burst into blaze with a flash of light. Her mane and tale seemed to vanish into the smoke, replaced by a roaring inferno that fanned around the white mare. The single tree that adorned her flank changed as well, becoming black-charred, with the branches and limbs burning.

A number of tapestries around the room caught fire and some of the jewelry on the alicorn began to sag as the precious metals started to melt. The alicorn, however, seemed not to mind as she watched the earth pony before her harness the very fires of the world's heart as easily as a unicorn cast a light spell. Flames danced around the mare, the fire of her tail and mane beginning to swirl about her, lapping at the edges of the room and igniting what could be burned and charring the stone that the room was made of.

The stone floor at the mare’s hooves began to smoke and bubble as the marble turned molten. Despite all of the heat and flame dancing around her, the mare’s eyes remained cold. She seemed to have no joy in producing the magic; to her, this was simply a last test before she was allowed to do what she and her friends had wanted to do since she was a foal: fight and destroy the changelings.

“That is enough, Celestia. I have seen what I wished to,” Aviana stated, watching as the fires subside nearly instantly after she spoke. The white pony tugged on her hooves, pulling them from the molten stone that had pooled about them, and moved closer to the princess and more solid ground.

“I see your training has been quite effective, as has what your friends have done. Are you sure this is what you wish, though? You could leave it behind and live a normal life. I have enough soldiers.”

“No, Princess. We are all in agreement. We are willing to do whatever it takes to destroy the changelings and their master. We will not fail you,” the white earth pony stated, her eyes warming up under the alicorn's gaze and the faint praise.

“I do not expect you will, though I also do not want any of you to get hurt. You are my children, after all.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Five days after Lord Talon's death]

She was getting used to this, waking from dreams in a cold sweat even if they were not nightmares. Celestia remembered that event. She and her friends had spent close to fifteen years doing nothing but preparing for war. The only thing they had feared was that the changelings would be stopped before they had a chance to get their vengeance. While no other towns as large as theirs had fallen, the swarm still raided the scattered pony tribes along with any other race that they could. While the empires grew weaker, the changeling army’s ranks swelled with each raid.

It was these memories that gave her pause and cost her victory when Chrysalis attacked at Cadence's wedding. The nightmare of what had been done to her so long ago had rushed back in a moment when she felt the queen's power.

Celestia stretched out a bit, nuzzling Twilight's shoulder lightly. Her student seemed so small next to her like this. Granted, every pony seemed small next to her. Perils of being an alicorn princess, she supposed.

=====================================================

Rhede raised an eyebrow, looking at the massive table set out before him. There must have been enough food here to feed the entire city... or Bleu if she hadn't eaten in a while.

Crystal ponies darted about, setting things on the table, brightly colored dishes piled high with foods and delicacies that Rhede could not even begin to name. He considered if he should eat something or wait until the host arrived, as was proper. However, there was something odd about this. For the most part, most of the crystalline ponies were ignoring him; most of the food and all the attention was on Pinkie Pie. The pink pony, however, did not even seem to notice the amount of odd foods before her. Every new dish she ignored was rapidly taken away without even being offered to him.

He was ready to simply leave and head to the library. Unfortunately, there was one pony watching him. The guard that had been ordered to bring him here had yet to leave the door and her eyes were locked on him. If she wasn't a crystal pony, he could have considered she was acting like one of his exes, but he didn't have a crystal pony on his list.

He sighed, watching the parade and hoping the hostess would get here soon enough. Thankfully, he did not have long to wait. A rather loud fan fare erupted from behind his seat as a pair of flugelhorn players announced the Princess's arrival. The pink alicorn rushed in past them before they had finished halfway through the fan fare and nearly bowled over to Pinkie Pie, tackling the pink pony from her chair.

“Pinkie Pie, are you alright? I heard what happened. Can I get you anything? Cake, a song, anything like that?” Cadence blurted out clearly, trying to get a rise from the apathetic pony, or at least a chuckle at how over-the-top the situation was.

“No...” Pinkie muttered.

“She's been like that the entire train ride. Didn't even groan at any of my jokes or puns. I'm no Bleu, but the limerick about the stallion from Neightucket should have at least gotten a groan,” Rhede stated.

Cadence blinked, looking up at the red earth pony seated at the table and regarding him curiously. “I'm sorry, who are you?”

Rhede sighed, smacking his forehead into the tabletop.

========================================================

Claymore jabbed a corpse with the end of his sword, watching the undead troll twitch with each stab. Trixie was huddled in a corner out of the way behind some rocks, which was the smart thing to do in this situation. He actually wanted to join her hiding there himself.

Wind Razor was perched atop a pile of corpses, giggling to herself as she ripped them apart, evidently just delirious with amusement at the amount of carnage that had been wrought.

Bloodtail was not doing much better in the “creepy as shit” department. He was sitting among another pile of trolls after having the undead ones arrange them in some sort of weird pattern. The zebra practically danced about the circle of corpses, laughing and singing to himself and tracing lines and sigils in blood before taking a seat in the middle and adopting some weird yoga pose. The damn zebra had been like that for nearly an hour.

The five troll zombies he made, however, moved around the circle, glancing between the griffon and him as if debating on whether either was a meal or had any brains they could eat.

He used to have six, but one had taken the chance at trying for Trixie and was now a wiggling section of parts scattered around the open area of the park. The one he was currently poking, he was just trying to goad into doing something, as he was getting bored.

“Alright that's enough of this shit. Birdy, they are not gonna have anything worth a shit on them ‘cause they are bucking trolls! Get ahold of yourself and help me figure out what to do with the damned stripe here.” Claymore shouted. “And you wake the buck up!

We don't have time for you to take a nap or engage in necrophilia fetish acts or whatever the buck you are doing. Seriously, and you jackasses consider me the deviant of this group?”

The random shouting seemed to at least snap Wind Razor out of her bloodlust-induced hunt, though Bloodtail remained unresponsive.

“Shit. Alright, birdy, the caster is out in la-la land. Get yer shit straightened up and we'll head down and see what these tunnels have in them.”

[“I am not in la-la land, you ignorant peasant. My type of magic has some rather drastic drawbacks for its casting, particularly when used create unlife.”] Bloodtail stated, still unmoving. [“The husks that you have not yet gutted will tell me what I need to know of the troll tunnels when I have recovered enough to cast another spell.”]

“So bringing the dead back is draining, huh? Pfft, who would have thought that? Defying the very laws of existence couldn't be tiring.”

[“Do not speak as if you know anything about what I do, pony. There is no defying nature; the corpses’ nerves and brain stems will still be active for several hours after their death. It is easy enough to use a spell to stimulate this and give me control.”] Bloodtail's tone betrayed his anger, though he had yet to move anything other than his mouth.

“Like I give a crap about your reasoning. But if it's so damn easy, what’s with the fancy ritualistic bullshit?”

[“It is a calming exercise. My spells are not difficult, but they are very, very addictive. If I was unable to calm myself, I would have raised every corpse here, had them kill you, and then I would have raised you and gone on a rampage of devastation until I ran out of magic and passed out, at which point the zombies would have killed me and then collapsed on their own after a few days.”]

“Well, that's not worrying or depressing at all. Surely using a magic that could kill you and everyone anywhere near you is a great idea. What the buck kinda bullshit is that?” Claymore ranted.

“There's a larger entrance over here under this two story building. I mean, whenever you're done yelling and trying to bring more of them,” Wind Razor stated, ignoring the glare from Claymore.

“Why, thank you for that, yah blood soaked princess. Nice to know that when we get into a fight you'll be so into killing things that you forget what the hell you’re doing.” Claymore vented. “Damn alicorn paired me with psychopaths.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fire lapped over the corpses of the changelings as the white mare looked around at the ruins of the small town. Her companions moved about nearby, watching each other’s backs and taking out the stragglers as they found them.

It had been several years since the four of them had started hunting the changelings as part of the Princess's Royal Guard. Their former caretaker Saffron had joined them as well in the hunt. The unicorn mare had once been a solider, though she had given that up when she lost someone close to her due to the changelings. When Celestia and her friends were ready to destroy the them, she had joined in order to try and protect them still as she had when they were small.

Now, though, even their youngest was deadly. At only twelve, the griffon Cloud Ripper's kill count of changelings was only bested by Celestia's. It did not hurt matters that the chick had found out that he was a griffon god and gained the ability to call lightning and storms.

Blackhoof the unicorn and his sister, the pegasus Surprise, were in no way lacking in their abilities either, though the pair of them, along with Saffron, had opted to support their heavier hitters rather than try and outdo them. They primarily protected Celestia and Cloud Ripper from any changelings that the pair’s massive fire and lightning attacks missed.

Celestia's mane and tail ignited again at the crash of wood from inside a smoldering house. The door was quickly shoved open, collapsing to splinters from the damage it had taken in fending off the changelings trying to get in.

A number of crystal ponies stumbled out, along with a pegasus and a unicorn. Some of them simply looked around in awe that they had somehow survived, though most of them had their gaze fixated on the mare who seemed to be on fire in the center of their town with a mass of charred changeling corpses piled before her.

Celestia sighed, letting the fires die from around her form before turning to trot away as her friends approached after they were sure the town was clear. Her ears perked as the ones rescued offer their thanks in prayers to praise to the Goddess Aviana for their rescue, though they flattened back to her head hearing the praise also given to her as the Solar Flare.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Six days after Lord Talon's death]

Something was decidedly wrong with this, and she was starting to get a picture of what it was. Celestia yawned as she stretched a bit looking, down at Twilight's curled form.

She was beginning to recall the events she was dreaming of much easier on reflection, though there was something else, something that was not fitting properly, or meshing with her memories. She had an idea of what it was now, though she would need to be ready to deal with it tomorrow night.

They would be looking over the last of Silver Claw's scales today. Twilight was almost frantic with hope that she would find out where
Spike was, though Celestia rather hoped that they did not.

She had not attempted to send any letters to Spike simply due to the idea that Silver Claw might read them and know one of the dragonling’s abilities. Silver Claw knew of the sending flame, but he had only seen it in action once with Bleu and Kaisur. Perhaps he would not think that Spike would have that ability. Celestia had decided to put her trust in Rhede's idea that the dragonling was trying to spy on Silver Claw.

======================================================

Velkorn sighed, looking up at the great vaulted chambers of the griffon aerie. The lofty architecture was perfect for the races that could fly and move freely through the air, but those stuck on the ground were dwarfed by the massive structures that looked large enough to have their own storm systems. The group had been here for over a week, and she had been answering a number of questions, along with the ambassadors Celestia had sent along. It had not been pretty.

The Regent and the nobles had not taken King Talon's death very well at all, threatening everything from attacks to embargoes, and as predicted, accusing Equestria of killing him and holding his daughter prisoner.

They had cooled off rather quickly, however, with all the information that Velkorn and the others had been forthcoming with, even going so far as to allow Rainbow Dash to visit her friend’s family and post the wanted posters they had brought. Dash was clearly still being watched, so Velkorn had to hope the pegasus would mind her manners while here.

The last of the meetings had taken place this morning, and the envoy would be allowed to return to Equestria tomorrow. All in all, it was a bit of a surprise that things had gone so smoothly, though perhaps it was only due to Lord Talon's former support of Equestria and the policies he enacted. Thankfully, the ones currently in charge still seemed to agree with them.

Velkorn had been called personally to the chambers of the regent, an older griffoness whose golden feathers and fur were already touched by the silver of age, though her stature and form did not hint anything other than she was in her prime.

Regent Snowflurry had taken up the task of going through Lord Talon's effects and sorting everything out. Primary among these tasks was adding extra guards and tending on the last two eggs Lord Talon had sired, with the hopes one might hatch a new griffon god for the aerie.

The zebra paused before the door to the regent’s office, looking to the guards posted there. One of them reached back, knocking on the door with an armored wing tip to announce her presence. After a moment, a muted command in griffon came from inside and the Guard opened the door for her.

Velkorn nodded her thanks and trotted into the room, her eyes wide at the veritable mess that stretched out over it. Open books, scrolls, and various items and trinkets were piled high everywhere. In the middle of it all, looking over more papers, was the regent.

[“You wished to see me, Regent?”] Velkorn questioned.

[“I did, but not a matter of great importance. Well, not to you or I, perhaps, though to the one this concerns, I suppose it will be,”] Regent Snowflurry commented in flawless zebra. Velkorn was even a bit jealous that the griffon had better pronunciation on certain terms and enunciation that she did. There was quite a bit of change to the language she had not mastered yet since awakening from stone. Twilight's spell was not perfect.

[“What is it you wish?”]

[“As always, it comes back to the Lord's daughter. I have something here for her that I wish to see that she gets. I am aware that you are not a mail service, Miss Velkorn, but it is a rather... delicate package.”]

Velkorn blinked, slowly making her way to the desk as the griffon set a small chest on the table. [“What is it that is of such importance that you would trust to send it with an ambassador that only two days ago you cried to see hang?”]

The griffon had the decency to look at least somewhat sheepish about that. [“I did apologize for that already. I am not supposed to let my anger get the best of me in such matters. It is why I hold the position I do now. As for the matter of trust... Well, if one cannot trust an ambassador of Princess Celestia, particularly one of your high status, first queen of the Zebras, then who can one trust?”]

Velkorn flattened her ears at that, opening her mouth to protest, but the regent waved off the denial before it came. [“Please, do you really think that Equestria is the only nation with any sort of intelligence network? We knew of your return within days of it being known to Canterlot. We are also aware and wary of the others that awoke with you, particularly Starfall Silvertail. Princess Luna's return almost led to a conflict on its own, though after a number of meetings with Celestia, no action was taken, provided she was kept on a short leash. So far, it has gone exactly as Celestia said it would. The revival of you five, though... well, that is another matter that I have no time to bring up here. But if Celestia did not trust you, she would not have sent you along with the Bearer of Loyalty, but I digress. I will need you to deliver this to Dustinia Talon when you are able.”] The griffon tapped the top of the wooden box. I doubt Lord Talon would have wanted her to have them, but in this situation, particularly if she is training as you say, she will need them.”]

Velkorn reached out, lifting the catch of the box to look at the contents. Her eyes widened at what the simple box held. [“Does Celestia know about this?”]

[“Most likely not; I would like to keep it that way. Will you take it to Dustina?”]

[“I will, though I do not think something like this should fall into her claws unless she does pass what we are putting her through. These are very dangerous things to pass out to just anyone.”]

[“I agree. I will come for them myself if she does not complete the training to the standards being set. That she has lasted this long in it despite the hardship it has caused her is a surprise. I do hope that she might finally be growing up a little, in mind, if not form.”] The regent slid the box over, letting Velkorn tuck it into a saddle bag. [“Be sure you give my daughter my regards as well as the box...”]

===============================================

“So you are Rhede Pelt?” Cadence began, looking over the earth pony at the table. “Honestly, I have heard quite a bit about you. Princess Celestia said I should watch my flank around you.”

Rhede waved a fore hoof in the air dismissively. “You have less to fear from my wandering eye than you think, Princess. You are not really my type.”

“Not your type? What exactly do you mean by that?”

“You're married, as such, not my type.” Rhede smirked, glancing at Pinkie. “Even the epic tail chaser has to have some limits, you know.”

The pink pony did not seem to be into the joke at all, and Rhede sighed, leaning back in the chair, wincing as his leg shifts.

“I gather nothing has been able to cheer her up any?” Cadence sighed.

“Not since Lord Talon was killed.”

“Rather unexpected, given that he was with your friend. After all the nuisance he's made of himself, I expected he would be able to keep one griffon safe.”

“Not even Jer's infallible. They got separated and Talon was ambushed. Pinkie mentioned something about a beam hitting him before Scarlet finished him off. Before that hit him, he was kicking their asses across the landscape. I was hoping to check the library here and see if there's information on the books Canterlot lacks.”

“I have not even had a chance to browse the public library, though the library here at the castle is nearly as big. You have a great deal of work cut out for you if you plan to read all of them. I can assign some ponies to help, given your condition.”

“Thank you for that, Princess. A bit of help would be appreciated; however, the less ponies who know about the books’ existence, the better. I mostly need a few runners is all. I can do the research on my own.”

“As you wish. Why is Pinkie Pie here, though? She seems in no shape to aid you. Why did you have her brought along?”

“She's not, but she’s a local hero after bringing you that crystal heart. I was hoping someplace more cheerful than Canterlot might snap her out of it. I hate to foist her on you, but I have no idea what to do in this case.”

“I will see what I can do, Mr. Pelt. Captain Sandy Gale shall assist you in this regard, along with a few of her more trusted troops.”

“Great. Can you tell her to lighten up a bit first? Though speaking of that mare, where did she get the star metal? From my understanding, that stuff was gathered up as quickly and discreetly as possible and destroyed to the last bit of ore.”

Cadence smiled. “There are many things in the Empire that have been banned or removed from the current world. The material, however means nothing to the crystal ponies and I have been following my husband and Twilight's example on becoming resistant to its effects.” She reached up, tapping a small chain around her neck. “The changelings, however, are not immune. Even if they somehow do manage to learn how to copy the forms of crystal ponies, the star metal disrupts their abilities. As such, it is a greater benefit to us than a hindrance, so long as Princess Celestia doesn't look too closely at us.”

“Clever. I suppose I should get to work, then. Are you sure you will be alright with Pinkie Pie?” Rhede questioned, pushing himself to his hooves with a small wince.

“As you said, she is a local hero. Seeing her back to her former self is not even an inconvenience after what she’s done.” Princess Cadence nodded, looking to the pink pony.

===============================================================

“Princess, are you sure we should leave her alone like this?” Starfall muttered out of the corner of her mouth to the dark alicorn stretched out on a small sofa in a sitting room off to the side of the throne room.

Luna yawned softly, shifting on the couch. “‘Tis fine, Starfall. Miss Rarity worked out a good number of the complaints and cases that have been brought before us in the same manner that mine sister and I would. I daresay she is better at this than I am by a great deal. Letting her run things for a few hours shall not disrupt anything that cannot be fixed if she makes a mistake.”

Starfall glanced out the door at the mare seated before the thrones behind an ornate mahogany table piled high with paperwork, half charming, half weaseling everything she wanted from those who sought audience with the court of the night. Starfall was used to living at late hours such as this, though Rarity seemed just as comfortable. And she seemed far too much like Rhede with how easily she adapted to the position.

“Oh, why hello again, Mister Fancypants. I have heard about your mare friend’s terrible accident. I do hope Miss Fluer recovers quickly,” Rarity cooed.

“Thank you, Miss Rarity, though I will point out she is just a friend, not my special somepony,” Fancypants responded with a smile.

“Oh? You may wish to quell a few rumors then, you two do make a rather cute looking couple. Wow how can I help you today?” Rarity chuckles.

Starfall sighed ducking her head back in the sitting room.

“I think she might be overdoing it.”

“Perhaps, though speaking of overdoing things, how is it you are still going so strong? I know you have barely slept as well,” Luna questioned, remaining curled up on the couch.

“Ahh, that. Rarity introduced me to this strange drink. It's fairly bitter normally, but it's rather tasty when you put some cream and sugar in it. I've been bouncing around like a foal for a few days now.”

“Ah, yes... coffee. Tia banned that from my diet when not long after I returned, after I remained awake an entire month trying to catch up on all I missed. Though as for my current duty, I assure you I am still working.”

“Working on your beauty rest doesn't count, Princess,” Starfall stated, sighing as she noted the Princess had gone back to sleep.

Another greeting from Rarity distracted the pegasus again enough to leave the alicorn mare to her slumber.

“Lodestone, my dear, what brings you all the way to Canterlot?” Rarity cooed.

=========================================================

Claymore sighed, looking at the mess in the cave, a treasure trove of garbage and corpses. Half eaten mummified bodies, piles of gnawed bones, torn clothing, rotted books, foals toys, some rusted weapons, farm implements, and countless other unidentifiable items made up the horde in the center of the trolls’ lair.

The group had held off going into the tunnels for a few days after the battle in the ruins, partially to make sure that no more trolls popped up behind them, and partially cause the damn zebra was a lazy sod who still claimed he hadn't recovered yet. Bloodtail had asked the dead trolls if the book was in the cave and the trolls could not even understand the term 'book'. The zebra finally started using broader terms and the shambling corpses led them here when treasure was brought up.
Now there was this place, the veritable shit hole at the end of a sewer. His eyes narrowed as their dim light flickers.

“Wake the buck up, mare. Keep that light going or whatever’s in the dark down here will rip us all apart,” Claymore shouted.

Trixie whimpered a bit, though the glow of her horn shone brighter as she struggled to keep even that minor spell going. She was decidedly a strong one; Bloodtail assured him she should not have been able to cast anything for a week with the amount of that potion he gave her. Either the zebra had no idea what he was talking about, or the mare was that powerful. Judging by Bloodtail's reaction to her already being able to cast, he expected it was the latter.

Wind Razor was already digging through the pile and Bloodtail was poking about the edges, having his new minions do something before they fell apart. Claymore was not about to dig through troll treasure to find a damn book that might not even be here. ‘Bout time the other two put in some effort, anyway.

After a few moments, the griffon started rapidly clawing away at something, flinging the debris across the room as she started clearing out a fair sized space from atop of something. Bloodtail moved over to see what she had found, a confused look forming on his face.

“What did you find, the book?”

“Yeah, I think so, but...” Wind Razor replied, flinging more stuff off the top of it.
Claymore trotted up the side of the griffon-made crater in the pile of trash and waved the unicorn mare up with the light.

Looking down into the cleared-out area, there was a book— an amethyst-colored tome with no markings nor stains, looking like it was freshly printed and had not been buried under all this other crap for who knew how long. However, he understood why the zebra looked a little miffed.

The book itself was as long and wide as two ponies, and was at least three ponies thick. It was fatter than any book Claymore had ever seen, and that included dragon tomes.

“What the buck? How the crap is this a pamphlet?” Claymore yelled.

[“I think it is clear now that the names are just names.”]

“This book looks like it ate every other book in a library and then went back for seconds....” Wind Razor grumbled. “Now how the heck do we get it out of here?”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The green and gold insect-like pony screamed out as the whirl of rainbow-colored fire washed over her, driving her back along with the remains of her swarm, forcing them through a massive green glowing gate. Countless numbers of clawed spindly hands reach out, grasping and grabbing at the swarm and pulling it towards the opening as the flames slammed into them like waves crashing on the beach.

Celestia watched as the last of them was dragged or pushed inside, the power of the Elements of Harmony washing over her, her friends, and Princess Avian, who had joined them for this last push to destroy the changelings.

The Princess had brought the Elements with her in order for them to use the power to stop the Queen once and for all. Dozens of Guard ponies and warriors from other nations had gathered to aid with the push, though it was the six of them who finally drove the queen back into the gates.

When the magic's power finally waned, Celestia was left panting and breathless as the massive gates slammed shut, sealing the changelings in Tartarus. A massive cheer went up from the soldiers that came with them, pegasi took to the air and unicorns who still had the strength launched magical fireworks into the air, though most simply watched the Princess and her Royal Guard as they slowly recovered from using the Elements.

Princess Aviana recovered first, checking on the others before trotting up to the gate to speak with a skeletal pony that stood there.

She had called the figure the FerryMare, though the princess mentioned nothing else. That suited Celestia just fine. They had finally won... though now, she was unsure of what to do now. Looking back at her friends, it was quite clear that they had the same thoughts: what were warriors to do with no enemy to face?

Princess Avaiana trotted back over to the group, cupping something in her wings. She smiled softly, looking at the group, and then focusing on Celestia.

“My children, you have done well and saved many lives by ending the scourge here today. But for one of you, your work is not over just yet.”

She looked at Celestia directly, a smile crossing her face. “I have one more task of you, Celestia, if you will accept it, my daughter.”

“What is it you wish, Mother? Ask and it will be done,” Celestia stated.

“When the war first started, my sister was killed by the changelings’ queen and her powers were taken. The Ferrymare has returned her essence to me.”

The others glanced between the princess and Celestia, looking at the glow peeking out from the goddesses wings.

“Ponykind is strong enough that one goddess will not be enough to help shape and guide it. I ask you, Celestia, if you will accept this burden, this gift, and join me in tending the subjects of Equestria as their new goddess?”
Celestia blinked, looking at the glowing orb that was being offered to her on outstretched wings by her mentor, her mother, and her friend. She lifted her head with a small smile.

“I would be honored to, mother. But first, I need to have a rather angry word with my sister and my soon-to-be ex-favorite student.”
Celestial whirled, her pink hair flaring out into a multitude of colors and her horn and wings forming as her cutie mark turned back to her sun. She advanced toward a panicked pegasus and unicorn in the armor of the soldiers that came with them.

“Crap, she's onto us!” Luna, as the pegasus, shouted.

“ABORT MISSON! ABORT!” Twilight shouted as the pair faded out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia awoke with a start, quickly teleporting as the formerly-sleeping Twilight woke up flailing and fell off the bed. A pair of alicorns teleported back into Celestia's room a moment later.

The white pony princess glared at the alicorn she had brought with her, her magic twisting her dark sister’s ear as she pulled her along. A second, similar spell gripped Twilight's ear, dragging her from where she had hidden behind the bed.

Celestia glared down at the pair of them with a look that would have even given Jer'rahd pause. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” Celestia boomed, her voice cracking from using the Royal Canterlot voice for the first time in centuries.

Both Luna and Twilight withered under the Goddess of the Sun's glare. “Well, umm, I asked Princess Luna about Jer'rahd's nightmares.” Twilight finally began.

“And I stated that his nightmares were beyond my control unless I was close to him, and even then, I could not stop them...” Luna continued trying not to look at Celestia.

“So I asked what she meant by ‘control’.”
“And I explained my ability to dream walk in those who were of impressionable age or that I was close to...”
“And I asked what it was like...”
“To which I responded that most times it was little more than what the pony had witnessed in the past being reviewed...”
“To which I asked how much control she could exert...”
“And I answered, ‘Enough to perhaps selectively view certain events in ponies’ memories that I had contact with’...”
“At which point I asked about you...”
“Which I responded I was blocked from using the ability on gods without consent or being the target of their dreams...”
“Then we started talking about spring boarding from one dreamer’s dream into another that was dreaming about the first dreamer...”

“GET TO THE POINT!” Celestia bellowed.

“Well, um, a long story short, she was showing me the ability in practice and we noticed you were dreaming about me, so we took a quick peek and Luna got embarrassed and pulled up another memory at random, and it was of you and Aviana and we decided to investigate for some answers about her.” Twilight blurted out.
Celestia glared at the pair with a scowl.

“Luna, your video game allotment and dessert for the next month are gone. You will also escort Miss Sparkle here to a guest bedroom on the far side of the castle, and best you pick a room over there yourself for a time to be far away from me.”
Luna and Twilight both winced.

“It is bad enough that you betrayed my trust enough to go poking around in my head, but that you doubt my word about what I say about Aviana... While I suspect perhaps her history is not as sterling as I once thought, I have yet to see definitive proof that she was responsible for anything that you and Kaisur accuse her of.”

Luna and Twilight look to one another. “You did not see it then, sister?” Luna stated, flinching under her sister’s glare.

“See what!?”

“When you sealed the changeling hordes with the Elements of Harmony, you also sealed Forge Scale away as well.”

“What? There was no dragon there.”

“‘Tis true, there were a number of things that we witnessed that only confirm what we have found about her. Most were as blatant as the nose on my face. How is it that you were unable to witness it? Forge Scale was even threatening you directly. As was Aviana when she found you had received Chrysalis's godhood over her.”

“There was none of that...” Celestia stated, reaching up to rub her hoof on her head. “Get out as you have been told.”

“But Princess...”

“I said out! We will discuss this tomorrow when I feel less like throwing you both into the dungeon for several hundred years.”
The pair looked to each other and simply vanished, teleporting away rather than waste time moving to the door.

Celestia flattened her ears to her head, looking at her bed and running back through her memories of the dreams and the reality that had happened. Nothing seemed changed, though it was not like Twilight or Luna to lie to get out of trouble. Well, not since they were foals, anyway. Was there something else going on? Perhaps it was not Luna and Twilight that had felt off about the dreams after all.

========================================================

“Are you sure you saw something?”

“Yes, a'hm sure ah saw something.”

“I dun see nutthin’.”

Scootaloo spun the Crusaders telescope, looking over the mountains in the distance again, only to have Apple Bloom grab the telescope and point it at a specific mountain again.

“It was that one, not the others. Keep watching that one!” she fussed.

“Seriously, are you sure you saw a red dragon land up there?” Sweetie Belle questioned skeptically.

“You doubting the word of an Apple!?”

“Nope, just you,” Scootaloo snarked.

“Big Mac an’ I were looking at tha family campsite when ah'm sure ah saw the dragon that attacked Ponyville fly up and land on that mountain. You ken see a little cave up there with tha telescope.”

“Looks more like a darker rock,” Scootaloo sighed.

“You sure it was him?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Sure, a'hm sure. He looked all banged up, too, prolly from that fightin’ he did with that griffon feller that was killed.”

“Well, I have yet to see anything but a couple of birds,” Scootaloo sighed. “It's too dark out there to even see the mountain, anyway... Wait.... What’s that?”

Scootaloo was shoved to the side by Apple Bloom who looked through the telescope. “It's a light on tha mountain.”

Apple Bloom was shoved aside by Sweetie Belle, who also looked. “It looks like a lantern of some kind to me.”

Sweetie Belle was shoved aside by Scootaloo. “I think I can make out someone holding it. It kinda looks like Spike.

A rapid episode of shoving happened before Apple Bloom managed to hold her position, keeping the other two at bay.

“Yah, I think that is Spike. Ah ken barely make him out, but how many little purple dragons do yah think there are?”

“What's he doing up there?” Sweetie Belle questioned.

“Dunno. Maybe he's stuck in that cave up there and he can't get down ‘cause he can't fly,” Scootaloo suggested.

“Ah bet we could find a way up there. After all, we trained as Cutie Mark Crusaders rock climbers, we should be sure tah make it,” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“That didn't go so well. Rarity yelled at us for trying to climb Tom.” Sweetie Belle mused.

“Yeah, well, if the rock climbing doesn't get us a cutie mark, rescuing a dragon should,” Scootaloo stated.

“I thought we were supposed to rescue a fair maiden from a dragon,” Sweetie Belle pondered.

“Yeah, well, in this instance, tha maidens are gonna rescue tha dragon,” Apple Bloom declared.

“Pffft, I’m no fair maiden,” Scootaloo scoffed. “I'll be the knight.”

“Whatever. Do ya'll know what this means?” Apple Boom asked.

The three of them looked at each other and grinned.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DRAGON RESCUERS, YAY!!”

“...my souls on fire...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...my souls on fire...”

In a time long before life as we know lived on this world, when the land was fresh and the first spirits walked the land granting life and death at their whim, there lived two siblings: a brother and a sister. The pair was created by a wandering spirit to serve as prophets of its will, and it granted them powers far surpassing that of their closest kin.

These creatures were the first alicorns.

The other ancient spirits saw what their brethren was doing and took delight in its cleverness. They, too, set out to create their own prophets so that they may speak with more ease to the life they had created in their own images.

This was the creation of the gods, the first immortal races crafted by the elder spirits of existence.

For uncounted eons, the two alicorns and the other created gods were the liaisons between the spirits and the mortal races they created to live in this world. Then, one day, all the spirits left this world, leaving their creations behind to fend for themselves.

The alicorns and the other gods did their best to keep their world together, but without the presence of the spirits, most of the races fell back into their more bestial calling. Despite the gods’ best efforts, civilization all but collapsed and the beginning of the first dark age came about.

The eldest of the alicorn siblings, Zacherle, an alicorn stallion so glowing white that his visage was at once all hues and none, first worked with the other gods and his sister in trying to restore the world to the way it was. In time, though, resentment grew in him for what he viewed as abandonment by those who created him. Once his resentment reached a peak, he abandoned his charges and the other gods to seek his own way.

His sister tried to reason with him, but to no avail. A madness of sorts eventually took hold in him. Zacherle began to believe that
the spirits had not left them for a malicious reason, but because they had achieved perfection with the creation of the gods and there was no longer a need to remain.

Zacherle gave up on trying to restore the world and instead sought a way to remake it, to make everything perfect, to make everything gods in his image. Being the first god created, he began to see himself as the greatest creation, a perfection that every creature should strive to achieve.

His sister, Bonnie, an alicorn mare of a darkness so black that light would not fall on her, could do nothing to stop him. Zacherle stirred up the mortals, creating conflict and war. These were new concepts to the world, and no god yet understood why one creature would wish to kill another.

However, the alicorn simply did this to weed out the weak so that the others could learn from his teachings. Zacherle used all his power to create a book, one that would teach those whom the spirits had not blessed the path to godhood. He poured his own essence into this creation. He was so set on his pride at being a perfect being that he did not notice when his creation took all of him, leaving nothing but a shattered husk behind.

The death of one of the first sent far more panic into the ranks of the gods and mortals than even the departure of the spirits did. The spirits may return; that a god passed as the mortals did was inconceivable.

Only Bonnie knew the truth: her brother was not dead; his essence and soul resided in his creation, the first book of Orbsah: The Gray Grimoire.

The last remaining alicorn could see what her brother had done, and what he had planned for the world was against everything the spirits had created them for. She also knew she could never hope to destroy the artifact that was her brother.

The spirits had granted her brother the power, though she had been granted the knowledge and the ability to foresee what was to come because of her brother’s actions. The spirits created them to be shepherds of the flocks of their creations. Her brother had given up his role of shepherd to become a wolf.

His foolish pride would unmake the world. Every creature that attained godhood from his actions would be a twisted thing, barely able to call itself a god, but filled with terrible power that could destroy everything that the spirits had created.

She consulted the other first gods about what she knew and found what she feared to be true: Zacherle was the first god; their powers could not match his, or even hers. After much deliberation, a course of action was decided upon.

The corruption from the first book of Orbsah was already being felt among the mortal races; conflicts and war erupted from those trying to claim its power. The gathered gods could not stop the corruption, but they could weaken it, and forge something that could fight it.

Bonnie and the five other gods — the god of dragons, the god of hounds, the god of wild, the god of the air, and the god of the sea — followed the path that the first god had taken. They shared their essence to weaken the power of the Gray Grimoire, and in doing so, gave their lives.

As a final act, each let loose their godhood so that the mortals might again give birth to a creature that could live to guide them in troubled times, thus paving the way for all the gods to follow them.
With their powers spent, all that remained of the gods was a token of the essence of who they were and what they represented.

Honesty.

Loyalty.

Compassion.

Generosity.

Laughter.

Magic.

The last of the six's essence formed into items that, when wielded by those who were the embodiment of these traits, could undo anything that the book could infect. Artifacts that could bring hope to the world and light its darkest hours.
The Elements of Harmony.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike blinked, looking at the book he had found and rubbing his eyes. He turned to the first few pages again and looked at the title and the first chapter.

History of the Books of Orbsah.
Chapter One: They could not take your pride.

He was not even sure where he found this one. He had just become curious about the Books Silver Claw kept talking about. He assumed they were the same ones that he had read about that made Luna become Nightmare Moon.

He looked back down at the book. This was only the first chapter; this was gonna be a long night again.

===============================================================

Applejack sighed as she wrote up another document before giving it to a runner and having the pegasus tell every member of the emergency crew she had recruited. So far, it had been rather easy.

She sent a letter to Celestia informing her of what she had planned, and the princess had given her apporoval to take full control of the emergency management. Mayor Mare would still be in charge of the day-to-day duties, but everything that involved evacuation, shelters, or other dangerous situations was under Applejack's control. Celestia even added a clause that in times of disagreement between the farm pony and the mayor, AJ would be considered to have seniority.

There was also a strongly-worded note to Applejack to not abuse the power that she had been granted, though AJ would be more than happy to give it up and just go back to farming. However, the Princess thought she could make this town safer, and she wasn't going to stop until it was.

Now she just had to figure out where she was going to get the bits from the budget to outfit some of the cellars in town into emergency shelters.

==================================================

The clack of wood resounded in the clearing, accompanying a yelp from Twilight. The wooden blade fell from her mouth and hit the ground with a dull thud. Jer'rahd buried his face in his hooves as Breezy looked embarrassed at knocking Twilight's weapon out of her grasp again.

“Umm, sorry about that... I was trying to go easy, miss...” Breezy started before Jer'rahd interrupted.

“Breezy, head back over to Captain Silvertail and join her training before she needs to head back to Canterlot. Seems I need to start with her from the ground up.” Jer'rahd sighed.

Yes, sir,” Breezy stated and zipped off before they could find anything else for him to do.

“Ow... that should have worked, in theory. How the heck do you still have teeth after blocking with a sword in your mouth?” Twilight grumbled.

“You build up a tolerance and muscles the more you use it. Honestly, I should have you just go hit a training dummy for a few hours, but what you said earlier has my attention, so we will take a break for a bit.”

Twilight grumbled. When she first came out here for sword training, she had not really been able to hold back spilling information on Aviana that she picked up from Celestia's dreams. After all, besides Celestia and maybe Forgescale, Jer'rahd had been screwed over by the old goddess more than anyone else.

Of course, that got his curiosity up, and now she was stuck relaying the information to him. Honestly, she did not want to give him another reason to hate the Princess more, but she was rather stuck now. She just hoped that Celestia would not be even angrier with her for telling him this. She decided to at least to tell him the first dream she and Luna had seen, and then gauge his reaction from that.

Jer'rahd listened intently, letting her tell the whole story before asking questions. “So you said Celestia saw something different. What did she see?” Jer'rahd asked.

“Well, Luna and I did talk a little about it, and as near as I can tell, in the first dream, everything was exactly the same, only it was not Aviana who saved the Princess, it was Saffron. Aviana was nowhere in sight, yet Celestia swears it was Aviana who saved her from the changeling Diamond Dog.”

“How many of these dreams did you go into?”

“Quite a few, and none of them seemed to make sense. I saw one version, and Luna saw two different versions overlapping one another. Celestia clearly saw the second version that I didn't see.”

“Hmmm, considering how long I have wondered about this sort of thing… I would ask you to tell me what you found out or witnessed.”

“Why, so you can have something else to taunt Celestia about?”

Jer'rahd stood up and stretched, lifting a training blade from a rack with his magic. “Actually, this time, my response is a little different. It sounds very much like someone screwed with Celestia's memories. I had someone screw with my mind a few times as well; it's not fun. If it turns out this code of non-aggression that Celestia follows was brought about through trickery, I want to know why. If she is the way she is now because of it, she's more a victim than a cause of everything that's happened.”

“Princess Luna said the almost same thing,” Twilight sighed as she picked up the training sword again.

============================================================

History of the Books of Orbsah.
Chapter Two,

..still just a rat in a cage...

The conflicts between the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony and the gods created by the Gray Grimoire continued for ages. The book could not fulfill its goals while the Elements existed, and like the book itself, there was no way to destroy them, so the conflict raged.

In time, tales of the book piqued the interest of a powerful Diamond Dog god who set out to acquire the tome. The creature was an outcast, despite being a god; he had been ousted by the other gods of his pack for abusing his power and his subjects. Rather than submit to the judgment of his peers, he slew all that came against him until the combined powers of the remaining Diamond Dog gods and the gods of other races joined forces to stop his reign of terror. Kay'cee fled rather than face destruction, but his sole purpose for acquiring the book was revenge on those who had tried to bring him to justice.

The Gray Grimoire recognized the potential of the god, and rather than simply empower the dog, it offered him a choice.

The task of spreading the ability to be a god was slow going with simply one book, and the Gray Grimoire was not discounting the theory that someday some a creature might find a way to seal it fully. It had already proven useless to try and copy itself as the words copied held no power on their own, and normal books could easily be destroyed. But it still knew the ritual that created it. It also had calculated that the power the first gods used to limit its power may not carry over to another book.

Kay'cee agreed, seeing this as a way to enact a revenge on those that dethroned him, and any generations that would exist after them. The ritual was carried out, just as it had been done eons before with the Gray Grimoire's creation, only this time, there was a flaw. The reduction of power that the first’s sacrifices had caused had altered the spell slightly, and in order to keep from losing the spell and Kay'cee, the Gray Grimoire was forced to sacrifice something of itself to ensure Kay'cee's transformation was complete.
The ritual finished successfully and the Red Tome came into existance.

Despite having two Books of Orbsah of equal power, they had both lost a small portion of their ability from the Grimoire's sacrifice. Now the book's fate was even further ensnared with the Elements of Harmony.

The books could no longer grant godhood to any that used them; now, only those who had wielded the Elements of Harmony could properly become a god.

Upon learning of this new limitation to their plans, both books raged to themselves for centuries.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhede tilted his head, looking at the book, a large grin crossing his face. He had nearly passed the book over in the Royal Library of the Crystal Empire, but something made him come back to it.

It turned out that everything in the library had been collected under King Sombra's rule and much of it was quite dark in nature and only useful to a unicorn or another caster. There were a number of history books and a few tomes specifically centered on the creation and maintenance of the Crystal Heart, something he set aside to give to Princess Cadence.
But this... well, only one word could be said about this find.

“Jackpot.”

==================================================

“Luna,” Celestia stated clearly and rather loudly.

At the sound of her sister’s voice, the half-dozing alicorn mare fell off of her chair and tried to leap out of it at the same time, resulting in a flailing panic of limbs and wings.

“I DID NOTHING!” Luna shouted before tripping over her own hooves and crashing into a heap.

Celestia blinked, looking down at her sister as Luna muttered curses she had heard Starfall utter at her embarrassing panic attack.
She glared towards the door as Starfall grinned sheepishly and ducked back out of the room.

“I understand I am not to be sleeping here, but given this room was supposed to be private, I would appreciate if you do not simply waltz in without some warning,” Luna grumbled.

“Then that makes two of us who have issues with privacy.”

Luna cursed to herself again, her ears flattening to her head. “If you are here to simply prove a lesson or continue to heap punishment on me for mine transgressions, sister, then be done with it already and get out. What was seen sheds more light on thy relationship with mine predecessor. I do not regret succumbing to my curiosity in this regard. There is decidedly something wrong with thy situation and relationship with that mare.”

“You still should have asked.”

“While it was not our intent to even look at first, we could not pass the opportunity. Would you have allowed it if you knew?”

“No.”

“Then mine statement still stands,” Luna said defiantly. “If not to heap more torment, what is your purpose then, sister? This is supposed to be thine and Sparkle's day of rest before you start on Nocturne's wing. Carrying both duties leaves me little time for sleep, and unless thou wishest the sun to wobble across the sky today, I would ask thee to let me get back to it.”

Celestia sighed and settled to sit down, ignoring Luna's glare. “I understand you are grouchy after being woken up...”

“Thy guest beds are like sleeping on gravel. The couch is of far more comfort, as is the floor...”

“...But that still does not explain why you are angry when you are the one at fault here. I did not wish you to read my dreams.”

“And I did not wish to fight a war against a creature that had a justifiable cause to hate us. The accusations that Forgescale made make more sense now. Every clue we have seen leads us to her being the cause of that dragon's anger against us. “

“There is no rock-solid proof against her...”

“There is much; you refuse to see it. Why do you defend a mare that seems to be the very root of all the problems Equestria has had?” Luna shouted standing up to glare at Celestia.

“I am not sure... why did I do my best to defend you when you were Nightmare Moon?” Celestia responded flatly.

Luna deflated some, though the anger remained. “Were it not for Aviana's actions bringing about the war, I never would have been tempted to become that…”

Celestia sighed. “An argument was not why I came here.”

“Then what is it you want?

“I would like to know what you saw, and why you and Twilight seem so confident that my memories are wrong.”

Luna sighed, settling back on the couch and rubbing her head. “Your dreams overlap the true memories. ‘Tis a sign that they have been tampered with. I know this as I did it to others as Nightmare Moon in order to get them to fight for me. The effect is the same as what I used, though stronger then what I managed. A spell of mine would not have lasted this long.”

“Then tell me what you saw.”

============================================================

Fluttershy sighed, thanking the squirrels again and glancing over to Big Mac ,who stood a good bit away in order not to startle the creatures, though where he could still keep an eye on the pale yellow pony. “Any luck?” he asked.

“No; aside from seeing them move back and forth through the forest, none of them bothered to listen to what they said or cared very much once they were out of sight. To be honest, I expected as much.”

“Mmmm,” Big Mac responded, looking around the forest as the pair started walking back to town.

“I guess now I head back and see if I can help Applejack or something. I feel so useless in this; I haven’t been able to do anything for anyone...”

Big Mac glanced down at the yellow mare, but refrained from commenting. Getting Fluttershy to say anything was hard enough; getting her to talk about her problems was almost as hard as getting Rainbow Dash to admit she was wrong, so he simply let her continue as they walked.

“I'm not a fighter, I can't cast spells, and I can't even really heal as well as ponies trained for it. I really don't know what I am supposed to do during all this. I want to help, but I don't even know what I could do that would help anyone.”

Big Mac shrugged, unsure of what to say. He mulled it over a bit as the pair walked along in silence before finally coming up with something. “Yer not useless, Fluttershy. Yah stopped a dragon by yerself, helped defeat Discord and Nightmare Moon, and ya even managed to save Twilight from a cockatrice. “

“Yes, but all of that was when the others were there... and I was the only one who could do anything...”

“So yah need tah lean a little more on yer friends at times. When they need yah, haven’t yah always been there for ‘em?”

“Well, except for all the times I ran away...”

“If’n ah remember, yah usually came back pretty quick, too. Every pony’s got fears; ain't nothing wrong with that.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

Big Mac sighed. “Y’ already know that. She's harder tah keep outta trouble than Apple Bloom.”

“I know what you mean. I don't know how you can stand it, though.”

“Not sure m'self. Ah just know that's tha way of things, an’ ah need tah accept it. Nothing's gonna change it,” Mac said. “All yah ken do is keep trying yer best and hope it's enough. Didn't ya say ya were gonna train with that dragoness Bleu at some point?”

“Oh my gosh, I forgot!” Fluttershy zipped off, leaving Mac at the edge of town. She zipped back, quickly hugging him with a small blush. “Thanks for listening. I do feel a bit better now. Okay, goodbye.” A moment later, the yellow mare was back again. “Oh, and thank you for escorting me today; I appreciate it.” She zipped off again.

Big Mac sighed, starting to understand why Fluttershy's pet bunny was so ornery trying to keep up with the yellow mare. “Eeeyup.”

=============================================

History of the Books of Orbsah.
Chapter Three,

Purposeless Sloth

The third book came about many decades later. After a long time of argument between themselves, the two books were found and bought back to a small tribe of zebra for study. The pair considered trying to convert the tribe, though they had no idea where the Elements of Harmony were at that point.

The decision was taken from them when the tribe was raided by a pack of Diamond Dog bandits and the books were taken to the bandit lord— a large blue dragon named Grim Fang. The creature had enslaved the pack of dogs and was using them as minions and slaves while it sat by doing little more than enjoying the fruits of others’ labor. Upon the discovery of the two Books of Osbsah, Grim Fang immediately set her minions to work in creating the ritual site needed to attain godhood.

It was the books that stopped her from proceeding with that goal. The Red Tome and Gray Grimoire, both realized this dragon could be the opportunity they were looking for, and they tried to convince the dragon to become a third book.

The dragon was not stupid and was leery of the plan, though she realized that while she would no longer have her form, she would be immortal and would no longer need to worry about keeping herself alive or creating more minions— a perfect existence to one who disliked any form of activity.

Utilizing the spell, Grim Fang became the Teal Text. Her ascension changed the limitations placed on the books. Now, instead of the spell simply failing on those who had not wielded the Elements, they would become monstrous versions of themselves, nearly immortal and mindless, following only instinct and the orders of the books.

The pack of bandit Diamond Dogs were the first to test the new god ritual, each of them excited to be granted godhood by their former master.

These were the first trolls.

------------------------------------------------------

Spike narrowed his eyes, looking over at the sleeping form of Silver Claw in the other room. So much for the purity of ancient dragons the large red one had been spouting when they first met. Still, it was unlikely that Silver Claw actually knew the origins of the books or what they really were. Granted, that was if this book was correct as well.

Oddly, it made him feel a bit better that his race could indeed be as fallible as he was led to believe ponies were. That meant there was no perfect race and that the wars could have been a mistake and not any sort of divine right as Silver Claw had said.

===================================================

The dull clack of the train along the tracks was starting to grate her nerves. Despite how soothing it had seemed at first, the noise was starting to make her head hurt. Sleep was not coming at this point; she might as well accept that fact. Despite all the others from the envoy already being asleep, it eluded her.

Rainbow Dash sighed, slipping out of her bed and trotting towards the back of the train, figuring a quick flight might tire her out enough to finally sleep. Making her way through the dining car, one light illuminated another figure still awake, writing something in a book.

Dash met the zebra's gaze as she passed when Velkorn looked up from her work. Their eyes locked briefly before the mare ignored the pegasus again. Rainbow Dash grumbled and moved past the zebra, pausing as Velkorn spoke. “While it is not my place to question why, I take you are stepping out to fly?”

“Err, yeah, for a bit, anyway. I can't sleep... Why are you still up?”

“I spent many a year awake during the night; to switch that up now does not seem right. “

“Oh... I see.”

The zebra looked up from the book at the young pegasus and sighed. “While I could mind my own business and ignore your passing through, it has come to my attention that something is bothering you.”

“I don't want to talk about it. Why are you zebras so nosy? Zecora tends to poke her nose into others’ business all the time. Well... she usually winds up helping out...”

“Considering what happens when you ponies let your minds and feelings stew, it is better that someone talk to you. If you feel you do not wish to say your piece, at least speak with Zecroa, though be warned, she is my great grand niece.”
Dash looked back at Velkorn curiously. “Wait, you and Zecora are related? How'd you figure that out?”

“I did nothing of the sort; she came to me with that report. I suppose you may want to know more. Have a seat; don't stand there blocking the door.”

Dash looked at the door, considering, and sighed, moving back over to slump down in the seat across from the zebra as she continued writing. “Yeah, like anyone else is gonna come through at this hour. What are you working on, anyway?”

“Some books of mine have been considered lost. I figured I would rewrite them, though they are outdated and might still be tossed.”

“You mean the medical books? If you think they won't be useful, why write them?” Dash questioned.

“Because even if it is only one page that is kept around, it means another cure or treatment when before there was not one around. The goal is to see what I can do to help others in pain. I never cared for the recognition or any sort of gain.”

“Heh, small wonder you were chosen to wield Kindness then.”

“Both you and Jer'rahd seem to have your minds set; the Elements are tools, not weapons to get.”

“Yeah, well, doesn't seem like he thinks I should 'get' any of it.”

“Jer'rahd has his mind set a certain way, though if his views are correct or not, no one can really say.”

“He still didn't have to yell at me like that,”Dash fumed.

“That, too, is really his way. If you hurt one he cares about, his first thoughts are to slay.”

“Geez, and AJ says I’m a hothead.”

Velkorn smirked, shrugging lightly. “I suppose now would be a good a point as any to ask you: what was it that made you and
Starfall have a falling out, too?”

“Do I have to answer that...?”

“No, you do not have to, but if one of us is made to understand, it is less stress on you.”

“It's no one’s business but mine!”

“I have no plans of forcing you to do what you don't want, though as angry as it makes you, it seems the feelings do haunt.”

“Gah, stupid rhyming nonsense... fine... but you don't tell anyone else, especially not Starfall. She's already tried to mother me, and I don't need her trying even harder.”

“That itself is easy to do. I will not tell a soul unless you wish me to. You look like you could borrow someone’s ear, just to listen, not pass on something far and near.”

“Yeah, probably,” Dash sighed, crossing her forelegs on the table and laying her head down on them.

Velkorn closed the book she was working on and looked at the pegasus curiously.

“Alright, I already told Twilight I was abandoned as a foal; said the same thing to Starfall, though that's not really all of it. My dad showed up a few times, trying to have some father-daughter time. He told me he and my mom were trying to work things out so that we could be a big happy family again. I guess he thought it was a nice lie to tell me. I don't doubt he cared for mom, but it was clear she didn't want me back from the way he talked. It was also clear that he loved her more than me, so he did whatever she wanted him to do. By my sixth birthday, they had moved out of Cloudsdale and went somewhere out west; I don't even care where it was, probably Las Pegasus or something. With no family nearby, the orphanage put me in their adoption program. I was adopted at least three times before I hit the age of ten. Every single pony who took me in said we could be a family, and every one of them got rid of me the moment I was any sort of trouble or burden on them.”
Velkorn's ears perked, but she didn’t say anything.

“Eventually, I got so sick of being lied to that I stopped caring and stopped trying to be good for whoever wanted to adopt me. No one bothered to try and take me in after that, and I was fine with it. It got worse after Fluttershy left. She was older than me by a couple of years, and when she turned eighteen, she left and came down to Ponyville. Evidently, something about the place attracted her. I always had issues making friends; any time I became friends with someone, they got adopted or came of age and left and I was alone again. I met Gilda not long after that in high school. She didn't have any family around, either; they sent her away to protect her from something or another going on at home. I never did get why, though griffons do tend to get violent when it comes to politics.”

Velkorn nodded lightly. “That was your friend who had died? You voice carries pain you cannot hide.”

“Yeah, that’s her. We were kinda the bad crowd. We didn't take crap from anyone and we were our own little gang of troublemakers. We spent a few summers with her family, though I always felt like an outsider there despite their attempts to make me feel at home.
After graduation, she left to serve in the griffon guard as was required of everyone that came of age, and I went looking for Fluttershy ‘cause I had nothing better to do once I left the orphanage. Found her in Ponyville and was introduced to AJ and Pinkie Pie. I eventually wound up sticking around, got a job as a weather controller, made more friends than I ever had before, and I guess I finally was happy. I even told Gilda off at one point for trying to get me to pick sides between her and my new friends... I didn't want to go back to only having her as a friend. Kinda regret her leavening like that now, considering I’ll never get another chance. Then all this crap happens and I meet Starfall. I mean, I thought she was awesome and we did some of the stuff Gilda and I used. Then she starts all the crap that my dad and all those other ponies started doing, treating me like I’m something and a family. I couldn't handle the idea that I was gonna be left alone again and, well I guess I probably reacted badly.”

“Starfall would not do that to you; she has her own abandonment issues, too.”

“You say that, but what's gonna happen when all this is over, when the bad guys are gone? No offense, but Princess Luna does not seem very close to forgiving any of you. Considering your leader seems set on that, I figure he'll want to go back to being a statue and that all of you would follow him again, including Starfall. If I started to care, I would be left alone again.”

Velkorn sighed. “I doubt at this point that is something that we would do. Jer'rahd, in fact, seeks not only to destroy the escapees, but end his own life, too.”

“What? Why the heck would he do that?”

“He fears most that which he has within. He knows killing himself is wrong, but letting the creature have a chance to escape would be a greater sin.”

“Pfft, he yells at me for leaving my friends and that's his plan? Hypocritical jackass.”

“He thinks his intents are noble in the end. On a subject change, however, did you find out who killed your friend?”

Dash blinked a moment, lifting her head up from her forelegs to meet the zebra's gaze, though she flinched a bit under the scrutiny.

“No; most of the family still thinks it was one of the other houses that did it.” Dash explained, staring at the ceiling.

================================================================

“No offense, miss, but you look like you need a nap and a doctor, not to be giving a lecture,” one of the trainees spoke up, receiving an annoyed glare from Twilight.

“I am fine. The Major just doesn't bother to hold back any punches in training...” Twilight sighed, not wanting to tell them that most of her bruises were self-inflicted. The book had said learning sword play would be easy. Of course, evidently, she had read the wrong book because Kaisur had recognized a number of dueling stances she had tried and nearly flipped his already short-tempered lid. Besides, she was not about to miss a chance to teach something.

“Alright, you have gone over the training, and most of you can actually merge your magic power now?” Twilight questioned.

“Well, most of us, miss. Turns out the half-dragons can't do it. Their casting is too different somehow.”

“I didn't expect they would. Most half-dragons draw their spells from the same source as full dragons. I don't know much about that sort of magic, though. I will see if I can send someone down here who knows both types to show them some things. Anyway, do you have any questions regarding this ability? I expect most of you already knew about it before from other training, but using it in combat is different from using it for the usual enchanting and such.”

“I do have a question, miss,” a zebra unicorn mare spoke up.

“Well, go ahead.”

“This is the first time I have experienced this, and it is a little unnerving to allow your power to be drawn out and used by another. It really doesn't feel quite right, like whoever is lead in these little exercises could just overlap you completely and take over. I mean, we were all so synced I couldn't tell which body was mine for a moment.”

“Dislocated body dissonance, or DBD, is not uncommon for first-timers. I wouldn't worry much about someone taking over, though. Unicorns and zebra's like you focus primarily on aura magic. Aura magic might overlap when the trifecta or coven ability is used, but they never mesh fully. You will always come back to yourself afterwards because the innate magic in your horn and body will act like a locator so that you will always remain yourself. The training is useless to others, though the small ritual you have to do before you can enter the magic realm prevents anyone who should not be in the realm from getting in. The half-dragons couldn't access it because their magic pulled too heavily from the draconic earth magic, so the joining ritual wouldn't happen.”

“Okay, so what would have happened if they didn’t bother with the ritual and just hopped right in? Major Kaisur said it could be skipped if one was pressed for time.”

“It can, but I would not recommend doing it with someone who you are not sure can normally access the magic plane. To be honest, it's not as if there’s very much that someone who was not supposed to be there could do, but at the same time, that overlapping you felt would not go well for a non-aura user. Okay, say somehow an earth pony follows this practice and gets into the magic realm...”

Twilight's eyes narrowed as there was a chuckle of laughs at the idea of an earth pony even using magic. Twilight coughed loudly and pointed across the field to the group of ponies that Major Rose was training who were all rushing across the field with boulders three times their size balanced on their heads.

The collective spell casters’ eyes widened as one of them tripped and the rock he was carrying rolled into and through one of the out buildings, pulping the wood and stone structure. The solider in question panicked, running after the loose boulder while Major Rose screamed at him.

“Earth ponies may not be able to use aura magic like us, but they have their own magic, and they can also learn some dragon magic. While it is a farfetched idea that one of them might see the magic realm, it is not impossible.” Twilight sighed. “It would, however, be a bad idea. Unlike unicorns, an earth pony would not have an anchor point like our horns, so if they joined a collective, they could very well get lost or taken over by someone skilled in aura magic. There was a legend of just that happening a long time ago. A lesser alicorn named Clopopatria. It's a pretty popular legend; I am sure at least some of you have heard it...”

=======================================================

History of the Books of Orbsah.
Chapter Four,

Tainted Love

The new ritual brought about by the newly-created Teal Text soon gave the Books something they had never experienced before: minions. Trolls were bestial at best and murderously homicidal at worst. Realizing that they would need something physical to keep the creatures in line, they enlisted the aid of one of the smartest of the trolls they created —which was not saying much— who was also the largest and most dangerous —which was saying a lot— and empowered him, creating the first troll god and cementing the creatures as their own unique race.

The Teal Text fell into a slumber, leaving the Red Tome and Gray Grimoire to plan. Using the trolls, the three books had themselves brought to prominent places around the world in order continue their goals. For a long time, this continued with the books at the core of some of the most disastrous points in early history. They were the cause of the rift between the pony empire's three races, and they were the ones who guided the earth ponies that would become zebras to the southern lands, among many other issues.

Time and time again, the Elements of Harmony were used to stop what they created, though more often than not, those who used the power of the artifacts fell under the sway of the books not long after besting their former minions.

In time, the books found that the powers the gods they created bore striking similarities to one another based on what Element of
Harmony they had used in the ritual.

Those blessed by Loyalty became The Enslaved Beast.

Those blessed by Laughter became Chaos

Those blessed by Generosity became The Green Eyed Monster.

Those blessed by Honesty became The Mask of Lies.

Those blessed by Compassion became The Succubus.

And those blessed by Magic became The Tyrant.

It was to one blessed by Compassion that the books found themselves all drawn too.

Coquette Clopopatria— she and her friends had stopped a giant creature that rose from the sea and tried to destroy anything it came across. It was not something the books created this time, however, though it was a monster nonetheless. Coquette was a lesser alicorn, born of the union of one of the pony gods and a mortal. While she was not a god, she was quite powerful and long-lived. She expressed a desire for the finer things in life and was quite often known to bed any and all who took her fancy until she tired of them. It was also rumored that she could even posses others and over write their will with her own. She had discovered the Teal Text and begun gathering what was needed for the ritual to become a full god when the other books fell into her hooves.

Realizing the potential of an alicorn, even one who was not a god, the books offered her a chance to become one of them. She refused, though, and the books, in turn, refused to grant her godhood.

For many years, this was of no consequence to the mare, until age started to catch up with her. Though much longer lived than a normal pony, Coquette was still a mortal. It was not long after her first gray hairs came that she came back to the books to accept the offer.

She became the Silver Script, and her existence is speculated to have brought great changes to the Books of Orbsah's power, though they have never been recorded or known to be used.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhede grumbled at the last line.

“Well, that was bucking helpful.”

“Sad it did not give pornographic descriptions of her conquests or even a number so you could check to see who was a bigger slut, sir?” Captain Sandy Gale quipped as she brought in another stack of books.

“Seriously, mare, were you a jilted lover of mine in another life?” Rhede sighed. “I haven’t even tried to flirt with you or anything, and you're giving me crap non-stop.

“Sorry, sir; you simply have the sort of face I wish to cave in with my hoof.”

“Crap. If we ever get Jer right in the head again, remind me to introduce you two. You're both violent nut jobs. I'm sure you'd hit it off fine.”

===============================================

Claymore sat on top of the large, amethyst-colored book, looking at the scrub land before them as they moved back towards Equestria.

Bloodtail rested on the other side of the book, still sleeping off the spell he had used. Wind Razor was scouting ahead somewhere, flying over the place. And Trixie... well, his new pet was working.

“Damn thing’s wobbling to the left, mare. Fix it!” Claymore shouted, leaning over the edge of the massive book to glare at the blue mare trudging along under the massive tome, her magic barely supporting its weight along with the two riders as she walked through the sand and grit. The unicorn mare whimpered through the bit and bridle shoved into her mouth gagging her. The leads for the bit were hooked to a pair of overfilled saddle bags with all their supplies. The leather lines were so tight that she had to keep her head lifted up straight in a somewhat haughty pose or pull the bare metal painfully back into her mouth. A few new lash marks crossed the mare’s back and flank, and at Claymore's complaint she quickly moved to try and balance the massive tome better before continuing her trudge.

Claymore snorted and settled back on the book, making an effort to wobble the massive thing to give the mare trouble.

[“I think before long you are going to kill her just in trying to break her,”] Bloodtail muttered from under his hood.

“Do you care?”

[“Not particularly, unless you expect me to carry this book.”]

“Then mind yer own business. This mare’s a rather strong one, an’ I wanna make sure she's broken in properly.”

=============================================

“This the place?” Jer'rahd asked, glancing back at Starfall, who nodded.

“This is where the merchant said he traded with the dragon that asked about Spike. Lodestone even drew us a map.” Starfall replied. Looking around the clearing, her eyes focused on the cave.

“You sure that it's a good idea to leave Sparkle and Rose teaching without supervision, boss?” Bleu asked sniffing the air. “There’s dragon scent here. Old, though.”

“The Guard Captain’s still around if they run into trouble. Besides, after what happened last time, I don't want Sparkle here in case we do run into something.” Jer'rahd stated, trotting towards the mouth of the cave.

Bleu and Starfall looked at each other and sighed before moving along after him.

“Hope we don't find any more rivers...” Bleu quipped.

========================================

“...After that, we were witness to you as a foal moving through the castle at night,” Luna concluded, rubbing her forehead as Celestia
stared at her.

“When the noble and Aviana were talking about what to do with my friends and I?”

“Yes and no,” Luna sighed. “Yes, they were talking about you, but no, it was not a noble. It was Andre.”

“Andre... I never met him until we paid a visit to Aqua. Even then, I was unaware he was the leviathan.”

“Quit correcting me, Tia. I saw both versions of this, and I know it was Andre due to what Kaisur said he saw when he fought the leviathan of Aqua's. You were clearly unaware that you met him earlier, and Aviana was attempting to foist you all off onto him. She played quite the vamp, too, but this must have been after Andre left her for Aqua, because he was not falling for it. He was the one that suggested she take you in, considering the size of the castle and the amount of servants Aviana had,” Luna said.

“Was any of what I saw correct, or are you simply going to tell me it was all wrong?” Celestia snapped.

“Oh no. You getting your flank handed to you by Ruin and setting the great hall on fire while showing Aviana what you could do happened exactly the way you saw it, as did your fights with the changelings and the name Solar Flare being earned.”

“I am impressed you were not more taken aback that an earth pony could command fire.”

“Twilight was, though why should I be surprised about that, keep in mind what I was able to do before I became a goddess, sister. You are rare, but not the only one who has defied their nature like that.”

Celestia sighed. “Valid point. Alright, what about the last part before I caught you and Twilight?”

===========================================================

Princess Cadence sipped her tea as Pinkie Pie dropped her head back onto the table after the long winded rant about what had happened.

To be perfectly honest, Cadence was a little surprised that something like that could upset somepony who bore the Element of Laughter. Wasn't the point of laughter to try and take the pain away from these situations, not succumb to them? Maybe she didn't see that. Well, one way to find out. Might be a good way to see if she was fit to explain this sort of thing to a foal. Thankfully, she had not started foal sitting Twilight until after the goldfish incident, though she had heard about it from Shining and couldn't help but wince.

“Pinkie, I have a question for you.”

“Mmmm?”

“How long do you think everyone will actually live?”

“What?”

“Everyone you know. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, everyone you are friends with, which, if Twilight is correct, is everyone in Ponyville.
With the exception of the Princesses, none of them are gods, and they won't live forever. What will you do when they die?”

Pinkie's eyes widened tears welling up in them and pouring down her cheek like a waterfall. The pink pony’s bottom lip quivered and Cadence made a note to let Shining deal with this when it came up with their foals.

“Pinkie, stop and listen a moment, please. Every pony is going to die at some point. That is the natural order of things. The average pony only has maybe a good eighty to ninety years on them, earth ponies maybe twenty or thirty years more, but that's it. Heck, even I am only likely to live to maybe a thousand, and that is only because I am an alicorn. Shining is not.”
Pinkie's eyes widened. “But then… that means you'll…”

“Yes, I will outlive my husband by a rather large number of years. And that is provided he doesn't get killed defending the empire.” Cadence took a sip of tea.

“But, but, but, if you knew you were only gonna be with him for so long, why did you marry him? I mean, he's gonna die, too...”

“Because I love him. I don't need another reason. Life is the longest thing any of us will ever experience. Why should we worry about an end we know will come and ignore all the joy and love we could be having between the start and the end? Why would I want to worry about the inevitable when I can enjoy what is going on right now and the time that we have together?”

Pinkie stared at the pink alicorn curiously, her ears perked with a somewhat serious and angry look on her face. Cadence though it a rather creepy look with Pinkie's hair straight like it was. “That's your advice? Live in the now?”

“Princess Celestia passed it onto me. It is an interesting philosophy and one that the longer-lived of our kind almost need to follow or risk going mad from grief. Yesterday is a fading memory, and tomorrow is open for any possibility. All you have is today. Make the most of it. I think she said it was from somepony named Confuseus, or something like that.”

“I can see it; I guess there really isn't any point at being depressed about it...”

Cadence smiled into her tea cup, believing that maybe she could handle this sort of discussion after all.

“So what does Confuseus say about an itchy hoof that keeps telling me someone else is going to die?” Pinkie questioned.

Cadence coughs, choking on her tea. “Wha-, what?”

====================================================

History of the Books of Orbsah.
Chapter Five,

...I want to make her mine...

The fifth book to join the ranks was not expected, nor was it invited. Star Charmer was a griffon lord of considerable political power during the time that the gods hid from the world, trying to guide their kind from afar. While the aftermath of the ponies’ venturing from the Frozen North to settle Equestria is the most widely spread tale of the gods’ return, the other races have their own tales.

Before the gods’ return, there were none higher than Star Charmer in the griffon empire. He had spent his life climbing the social ladder, outwitting or killing all that stood in his way until he was on top. When the gods returned, there was nothing he could do when they took back their rule. He could not harm or remove them; he could only grow more bitter as they wielded the power and status that had once been his.

While he did not know of the Books of Orbsah themselves, he knew of the failed attempts by the Gray Grimoire to make other books. He gathered all of these he could find, researching, studying, and testing them for years. He eventually pieced together a ritual from all the writings and his own study which should elevate him to godhood.

It did not.

The ritual turned Star Charmer into the Jade Scroll. The former griffon’s first encounter with the real Books of Orbsah was after he
was turned into one of them.

The sudden creation of another of their kind splintered the books’ power further. The books lost what little control they had over the gods they had made. The surge in power also made two aspects of the power they gave self-aware.

The essence of corrupted Loyalty and Compassion gained self awareness and the knowledge of both what they were and what they could do. The pair rebelled against their creators and fought against the books at every turn to try and free themselves. This internal struggle between the books and the very powers they granted caused a rift that the others have yet to forgive the Jade Litany for.

Despite the fact that the Books of Orbsah are stronger together, none of them wished to deal with the fifth book unless they had to. By the same token, the Jade Litany refused to deal with them hating the fact it is considered the least of the books.

It is believed that this book was carried away by the troll minions of the first four books and left high in the mountains in a place called the Shadow of Nox, where it could not interfere with the other books further.

=======================================================

“So they are not perfect,” Spike muttered, reaching up and rubbing his eyes. “Funny to think of books fighting among themselves, though.”

Silver Claw had left to get something to eat, and it was likely going to be a bad day for some creature out there, as the larger dragon had wanted meat. Spike picked up the lantern. He once again walked to the cave mouth, looking down at the lights of Ponyville with a sigh. He really needed to stop doing this, but every night, he couldn’t help but come out here and look back at the town.

The leathery flap of wings echoing over the mountain announced Silver Claw's return before the dragon even came into view. The large red beast had been healing, though his eye was still wrecked. He left nearly every night to check on Nocturne or to hunt. It seemed that fresh meat was more a help to healing dragons than the plethora of gems in the back of the cave.

There was quite a bit Silver Claw could teach him about dragons, something he had promised to do and thus far neglected to do.

Spike would need to fix that soon.

===================================================

“A waste of time,” Jer'rahd growled, trotting out of the cave. Blood ran down his armor and fur and splattered on the ground below him as he walked back into the sun. Bleu and Starfall followed out soon after, with Bleu munching on a couple of gems and Starfall just looking annoyed.

“It was not a waste of time, General. We probably just saved Ponyville a great deal of grief, and we found out he has not been here in at least a week.”

“Those Diamond dogs sure move quickly, invading a dragon’s lair only a few days after the dragon leaves,” —Bleu chuckled around a mouth full of gems— “and then making plans to raid the nearby town for work slaves for their mines.”

“Yes, and these dogs were civilians, for the most part. We could have simply run them off,” Starfall snapped.

“They shouldn't have jumped on our backs and tried to bridle us, then. Seriously, what sort of idiot jumps on the back of armed ponies and a dragon?” Jer growled.

“Well, the one who jumped on me did make a good yo-yo until he got dizzy and threw up,” Bleu commented.

“General, you killed six of them after bisecting the one that landed on you. They had surrendered and started to run after the first one died. You need to calm the buck down,” Starfall growled. “Not everything in this place needs to be solved by as much killing as you can get away with before you're called on it.”

“In their defense, the leaders only peed themselves a little before running,” Bleu quipped, “though I think one might have done a bit more that that... or he just stunk...”

“I am aware of that, Starfall...”

“Well, you don't act like it. I'm all for combat as much as the next war pony, but even I have my limits.”

“Unless it's griffons.”

“Dusty and your troops are still alive, aren’t they?” snarled Starfall. “It’s a new world, Jer'rahd. We need to accept that things have changed. Not everything that attacks us is going to try and kill us or even hurt us. Even if they had wanted to harm us, that crap back there was savage even for you. You're wearing more blood than you left in the cave.”

“Yeah, I mean the last battle fought was between ponies and buffalo, and it was fought with apple pies,” Bleu pointed out. “Crap, now I’m hungry again.”

Starfall trotted over to Jer'rahd, jabbing him in the chest with her hoof. “Listen here, you ass: despite your best attempts to try and force me away, I am still your friend, though the stars know why at this point. You continue with this mopey woe-is-me bullcrap, and
I will kick your flank from here to the Zebralands and back. And so help me, if you actually try and kill yourself like you've been hinting, I will stop you and then beat the holy snot out of you and charge tickets to the long line of other ponies who would want to do the same.”

“I call next!” Bleu shouted.

“I don't care what the heck you've got in your head. In case you didn't notice, Luna had something wrong with her, too, and she got over it. There's a cure of sorts for what the damn books do, it seems. Just pointing that out, in case you couldn't see it past your freaking self-pity,” Starfall growled.

“You have no right to say any of that, Silvertail,” Jer'rahd snarled.

“Don't like it? The come and make me take it back. Neither of us is injured, and I fought the same as you in those caves, so there's no handicap. So we going to do something, or do I get Sparkle to change your cutie mark to a chicken?”

Jer'rahd looked to say something, but he stopped, wiping some blood from his eyes, and chuckled lightly. “So how long have you been waiting to throw that back in my face now?” Jer questioned.

“Quite a while— a thousand years, at least. I can't argue it wasn't fairly good advice, though we would have one sixth less problems if you had let me kill her.”

“Yeah, well, hindsight is twenty-twenty. If I would have known that she could have gotten out, I would have let you.”

“Never understood that saying. I mean, I think I would look silly with eyes on my butt. Plus, while the food I eat looks good, I don't wanna see what it looks like coming out the other end. Though I do wonder if I could eat enough gems to get it to sparkle...”

“What?!” Starfall and Jer'ahd questioned, looking up at Bleu.

“Oh, NOW you pay attention to me.”

==========================================================

“...the six of you then activated the Elements of Harmony and pushed Chrysalis and her swarm back through the gate into Tartarus along with Sombra and Forgescale, who had been trying to talk with them.”

Celestia lowered her head a bit. “So what you saw was Forgescale trying to negotiate a peace, and Aviana playing on our anger to attack them first?”

“That is what I witnessed. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and then Aviana provoked a response from you. “

“Why would Forgescale even care about what happened to Sombra and Chrysalis?”

“Even if you disregard the book that Bleu brought back about the Love-Cursed ones, the dream gave the answer perfectly when Forgescale and Aviana argued about what to do.”

“Because Sombra is his son,” Celestia muttered.

“And Aviana's. All of this points to Aviana being a mare who would sacrifice her child, her friends, and anyone else she could to get what she wanted. Considering how your memories are tampered with, Tia, I would not put it past her to have done that as well,” Luna stated with another yawn.

“Then why would she make me promise to always find a peaceful solution before she retired? Why bother to continue to raise me, to show me how to be a proper goddess for my subjects?”

“Because she had no choice in the latter. The energy left the Ferrymare and went to you. Avaiana was furious that it did. We did not see any more than her raging when you became a god before you found us out, but she clearly wanted the power for herself.”

“It does not work like that. There will always be two...”

“Perhaps she expected it to be different with how things went. I am not even sure why the power went to you. Forgescale remained a god even in Tartarus. Twilight suggested the Ferrymare was the one who pulled the power from Chrysalis to give to you. Only she likely knows why.”

“The Ferrymare does not speak with us. There is no point in even going to the gates to ask her.”

“This is true.”

Celestia rose, moving towards the door. “I am still annoyed at you, sister, but this is bothering me. Feel free to go back to your nap; I will think on this to decide what to do.”

“That may be it, Tia...”

“What may be it?”

“The reason she wanted you to be a peaceful ruler. After all it seems she has done, and what you were, perhaps she was terrified you would find out and seek revenge on her?”

“Well, she need not worry about that. There is no point seeking revenge on the long dead,” Celestia sighed, stepping out the door.

=======================================================

History of the Books of Orbsah.
Chapter Six,
Just eat it...

The forced introduction of the Jade Litany to their ranks caused the other Books of Orbsah no end of trouble.

For a long time, they refused to make gods of those who bore Loyalty or Compassion for fear of not being able to control the power they provided. It was not lost on any of them that the Jade Litany’s introduction had created two brand new life forms made of magic, though there was no way to rework that power now into something that could aid them. However, they could minimize the damage.

The books again made it their mission to recruit another to their ranks, and in this age, there were plenty of options.

The Silver Script found its way into a library in the Zebralands owned by one of the zebra gods. Vollerei was a zebra god of considerable power, yet no desire to use it. In his time, he was considered one of the strongest, though no one was quite sure exactly what his powers entailed. It was said that he always wound up being at the right place at the right time for what was needed to be done, though that may have just been from his habits.

Vollerei was known as a scholar, though not the kind to teach or study any one subject. He was a hoarder of information. The library of Vollerei was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient zebra world. It was easily twice the size of Canterlot today, a stone tower that soared high enough into the sky that it could be seen from the griffon lands on a clear day. It was said that any book, any scroll, any scrap of parchment that was ever written resided there, either in its original form or a copy, and Vollerei had read them all. He did not just seek information; he devoured it and kept it close so that no others could have it.
Vollerei knew about the books of Orbsah, and had been hunting them, but his abilities had failed him up until the point he chanced upon the Silver Script. He immediately agreed to the deal offered and practically rewrote the entire spell for his transformation on his own.

When the ritual was performed, the library of Vollerei was consumed in magical fire. All of the words, all of the information that had been collected was added into the spell, and to Vollerei's new form as the Purple Pamphlet.

The power that came about from that surge changed the books to how they are in this age. The entity that had been created by Compassion was severed from her connection to the books. In the throes of anguish at being cut off so suddenly, the creature of magic known as Serenity tore a hole through the fabric of realities between the place she was created and the real world.

Realizing her error, she quickly set to work trying to repair the tear. This did not go unnoticed by the gods of the world, who quickly came to see what had happened. It was there that the gods of the world first encountered the gate and its guardian. Serenity realized her situation and the problem it would cause for these mortals. She decided that she would remain where she was of her own choice guarding the tear into what the world would come to call Tartarus.

The creature created from Loyalty and the books, however, was not so fortunate to escape as Serenity. Entropy was considered too powerful to simply be cast out, and was instead sealed tighter in his cage. The creature’s presence, however, still managed to escape when a strong Element Bearer was touched by the books. To counter this, the Purple Pamphlet locked its existence to The Tyrant, making the creature a bound pet to the one who had wielded Magic even if he did escape. While not ideal, the change was better that the alternative caused by the Jade Litany.

The other books also sought out possible converts, though with less fortune than the Silver Script. The Gray Grimoire and Red Tome were found and brought to the queen of the sea, a sea pony goddess named Aqua. This lead turned into a dead end as the goddess could not acquire the Elements. However, she did make use of the books’ power to change the former Bearer of Loyalty into an obedient, if monstrous, pet. The pony known as Andre was not strong enough to pull the beast fully from its bindings.

The Teal Text was also presented an opportunity, though the pony goddess and her love only wished to use the book so that he could be immortal and remain with her forever. Neither had any desire to become a seventh book.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhede's ears perked up as the door opened. He looked up from the book to the exasperated face of the Crystal Princess. He raised a brow, and the pink alicorn smirked and trotted over to him, her eyes looking over the massive stacks of books.

“Have you found what you are looking for yet, Mr. Pelt?” Cadence asked.

“I believe I have. Looks like I might even have a lead. Do you know of a place called the Shadow of Nox?” Rhede questioned.
Cadence shook her head, her eyes still running over the covers of all the books. “I'm afraid I do not. Auntie Celestia might, though.”

“Well, she was the next one I planned to ask.” Rhede chuckled, rubbing his eyes with a hoof. “How’s Pinkie?”

“Better. Still depressed, though she's at least laughing at the stories my husband is telling her about Twilight when she was younger. I really did not expect somepony chosen by the Element of Laughter to be so hard to cheer up.”

“Bleu is the same way, and she was the previous bearer. I am starting to think a pony or dragon has to be rather damaged to become a Bearer of Laughter.”

“That is not very nice.”

“Doesn't make it not true. Out of the six of us Bleu, probably has it worse than anyone in the group save Starfall. Jer had a lot of crap happen to him, true, but Bleu watched her sister die, was nearly evicted from Equestria, watched Jer die, had nearly all of her friends killed. She's been tortured, nearly eaten, helped in an attempt wipe out her entire race, and been forced to watch those she cares about suffer, she's also only about sixteen or seventeen. I don't know how she manages to still joke around as much as she does.”

“Because she can. Just like Pinkie, she can't sit by when someone else is hurting and she has to do her best to cheer them up. But when those who bring laughter suffer and feel pain, who do they have to turn to?” Cadence stated, tilting her head to look over the book Rhede was reading.

“Valid point.” Rhede grinned suddenly. “So on a different note, I have heard you have some sort of power of love, or something like that, right?”

“Something like that, yes.” Cadence looked skeptically at Rhede.

“Any chance you can do something about a certain stubborn unicorn, and a twice-as-stubborn Princess of the Night?”

Cadence blinked. “Auntie Luna? Someone likes Auntie Luna?”

“Last I knew, the feeling was mutual, though they are both being stubborn and giving some stupid reasons for not doing anything about it.”

“You will have to fill me in on this one; I have been out of the loop on what's going on in Canterlot for a while now. To be honest, I expected you to ask me something about you and that zebra friend of yours.”

“There is nothing going on there that you need to worry about,” Rhede snapped.

“Mmm hmm. I have heard otherwise, but do tell me what's going on with Auntie Luna first. Ever since I first met her and all her royal seriousness, I’ve been considering trying to set her up with someone.”

“I knew I was asking the right pony.” Rhede smiled and started to fill Cadence in on the drama between the Jer'rahd and Luna.

========================================================

“Know what we need? Some rope!” Sweetie Belle stated.

“For what?” Scootaloo questioned.

“All the heroes in movies always have rope.” Sweetie Belle responded.

“What?” Apple Bloom asked, confused.

“Yeah, these ponies always got a lot of rope strapped around ‘em in the movies, and they always end up using it,” Sweetie Belle pointed out, looking at her saddlebags.

“Oh, you've lost it, haven’t you?” Scootaloo muttered, rolling her eyes.

“I'm serious,” Sweetie Belle squeaked, getting annoyed.

“Ah am, too. That's stupid. Name one thing we're gonna need it for,” Apple Bloom said.

“Well, we are going to be climbing a mountain,” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Fine, get your dumb rope...” Scootaloo grumbled, slinging her saddle bags over her back and shifting it until she could freely flutter her wings.

The trio had been preparing for a few days for this trip with everything they thought they might need to rescue Spike. They had seen him a few more times at night, though they hadn't seen the big red dragon in a while. The plan was to get up there, grab Spike, and bring him back before the big dragon returned. At most, it would take a day.

There were, of course, a number of doubts about this mission, the chief among them being the red dragon himself. At first, they had tried to tell some of the adults what they had seen, but both Rarity and Applejack were so busy that they ran off the CMC before the trio could say anything. When even Twilight all but threw them out of the library rather than deal with what she called 'their antics', the trio decided that the only option left was their first choice: save Spike themselves.

“... to the edge, of the earth...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“... to the edge, of the earth...”

As the hounds’ baying faded in the distance, a dark bluish-green magic gripped the large double doors, pulling them open. A swirling vortex that seemed to be a mixture of all colors known and a multitude that could not even be described was revealed. The vortex stretched and shifted like taffy, lengths of it stretching out and forming hands to grasp at the air, grabbing in the direction of those standing before it.

Nocturne folded her wings, looking up at the gate to Tartarus. All her planning since the escape had been for this moment.

[“The bird is not going to be able to keep the guardian busy long. We need to get in and get out as fast as we can,”] Bloodtail said, darting towards the gate.

“No shit, stripes. Move yer ass, bitch; I ain't pulling ya out of another fire,” Claymore shouted, following the zebra.

“Buck you, Claymore,” Scarlet snarled as she darted ahead.

“That an offer? Sorry, I don't like ugly, scarred mares.”

“I'm going to kill you.”

Silver Claw looked at the gate as Bloodtail, Scarlet, and Claymore vanished into it, guided by the arms, then glanced down to
Nocturne. “I am not comfortable with this, mare. What reason would you have to keep the gate open for us to return?”

“What reason would I have to seal you inside? I would lose as much as you in failure,” Nocturne replied, her horn glowing brighter.

“Go now, before Bloodtail gets too far ahead. He knows the way.”

“I do not trust him, either.”

“Your father spent time in Tartarus. Do you not wish to see what torment molded him into the leader he was? Granted, you will be there for a much shorter time… unless you continue to linger here.”

Silver Claw snarled, but he moved into the gate after the others.

Ten minutes passed.

Twenty minutes passed.

Two hours passed and Wind Razor returned.

“Everything going as it should?” Wind Razor asked the dark alicorn.

“I cannot tell from this side, though the Ferrymare has yet to show herself. She is either distracted or the others are keeping her busy. Where is the dog?”

“There's a town nearly half a day’s walk from here. Well, shorter if you're flying or have legs like that mutt. I took off and left him within sight of it; that should keep him occupied a while. Not my best idea, but we should be gone by the time anyone arrives here to check on how he escaped,” Wind Razor explained, noting the strain in the alicorn’s voice. “How much longer can you hold out?”

“Perhaps another hour; they need to hurry,” Nocturne muttered.

“I am sure they are trying. It's not like our informant was very trustworthy. An undead pony that said it escaped Tartarus just happened to be in the garden? And it just happened to be willing to pass us information? Still sounds fishy.”

“It was a construct, not undead. Some one placed it there to tell us what we needed. We had no other leads any way. I knew they were in Tartarus, but not how to get to them. This was our best option to recover them. I do not trust the supposed lich was not lying, though I do trust it wanted to cause the Princesses trouble. That is enough for me,” Nocturne stated." And in the worst case we only lose those three."

"And this is why i refused to go in...." mutters Wind Razor.

Any further conversation between the two was cut off as a massive figure burst through the gate's vortex with a roar. The crimson dragon was covered in black insectoid figures and cradling a large pair of books in his arms. Claymore stood on the dragon’s back, swinging his massive weapon that somehow had become cracked and broken, knocking the black armored things off of Silver Claw.

The dragon landed hard, lashing out with his tail and crushing a swarm of them that had come out of the gate behind the pair. Claymore cursed, struggling to stay atop the dragon’s back and still fend off the swarming creatures clamoring onto the beasts back.

Scarlet and Bloodtail leaped through the gate not far behind them, being chased by emaciated bug-like creatures, several of them falling as Scarlet's blades drank deep of their lives.

[“CLOSE THE BUCKING GATE!”] screamed out Bloodtail as he tossed a vial of something into a bug pony’s face. The creature screamed as its head started to melt.

Nocturne's eyes widened as she let go of the spell that held the gate open. The doorway quickly started to close. Suddenly, another burst of energy gripped it— a dark green power shoved the gate open again, wide enough to powder the rock as the massive doors slammed into the stone wall set into the side of the gorge. More of the chitinous armored creatures poured from the gate as it opened wider.

A single large figure slowly stepped out of the gate, green mane billowing in some unseen storm from the gate behind it. A gnarled black horn jutted from the tangled mane atop the pony creature’s head. A black and green carapace covered the figure, with patches of mangy fur in some spots. Gossamer insect wings fluttered on the creature’s back as its hooves thudded lightly on the sandy ground before the gate. It lowered its head, looking at the dirt, then it lifted its face skyward, staring into cloudless sky. A grin split the creature’s face, drool falling from its fanged maw as it grinned, green eyes glowing brightly.

“Freedom...” Chrysalis hissed.

Scarlet leaped up, grabbing Silver Claw's tail as Bloodtail leaped onto the dragon’s back. “FLY, YOU FOOLS!” Scarlet shouted at Nocturne and Wind Razor as Silver Claw launched himself into the air.

The alicorn and griffon launched into the air soon after and take off after the dragon. Nocturne spared a glance back, seeing the changeling swarm starting to break and flee as a skeletal pony stepped out of the gate, looking after the ones departing.

The view was suddenly yanked from Nocturne to a close-up of the Ferrymare, who regarded the two watching the scene curiously.

>>[ “Do NoT tHiNk IlL oF mE. BalAnCe MuSt Be MaInTaInEd. YoU kNoW tHiS tO bE tRuE, gOdDeSs Of ThE sUn. EvEn If YoU dO nOt KnOw, YoU kNoW. alsO, tHaNk YoU fOr ReTuRnInG mY dOg, YoUnG oNe.”]<<

Celestia and Twilight both reared back at the voice, both falling back though the magic space and then tumbling backwards physically away from the severed wing of Nocturne laying on the table. As the pair watched, the wing itself crumbled, turning into an ash pile on the table. The alicorn and the unicorn stared at the remains of Nocturne's wing before looking at each other.

“Well... that was different,” Celestia sighed.

=========================================

[Current day, two months after the release of the Beasts of the Moon. Two Weeks after the death of Lord Talon.]

Rhede stepped off the carriage, shaking his injured leg out from the long ride. The injury was nearly healed, though every so often, a twinge of pain ran along it if he stepped wrong. Still, he had been working it as much as he could stand in order to get back into fighting shape. Even if Scarlet was injured, he had no doubt she would fare better than he would right now if the pair had to fight.
Pinkie Pie hopped off the chariot behind him, bouncing around and hopping to the front of the carriage to chat with the pegasi who had pulled the cart from the Crystal Empire. It was not like she had not been a chatterbox with them the whole way back to Canterlot.

While Rhede was glad she was back to normal, he was not glad to have been stuck with her while she was back to normal. Thankfully, the flight back was much quicker than a train ride would have been. He didn't think he could stand a day or two of travel to get back with her in this state.

Granted, the only reason for the chariot was that he had sent word to Princess Celestia that he had found something. He also mentioned the Shadow of Nox in the letter. There was no reply letter, though the chariot had arrived the next day, and after the pegasi guards were given a chance to rest, they were off again back to Canterlot.
He glanced back to Pinkie again, trotting over and tapping her on the shoulder. “Let's go, Miss Pie. The Princess is waiting on us.”

“Okey dokey loki! Bye guys! Thanks for the flight!” Pinkie spouted, bouncing off and leaving the two guards sighing in relief.

“Not to question it, Miss Pie, but I am curious as to what got you over your depression,” Rhede commented, not really expecting an answer.

“Pretty simple, really. I can't just sit by and let someone be sad. There's too much pain out there. Somepony needs to remind them that it's not the end, that there's still a lot of life and joy left in the world. With the way things are going now, we might need that more than anything else.”

Rhede looked at the party pony curiously at the sudden seriousness of her tone. Granted, that lasted all of thirty seconds before she started telling him about some of the stories Shining Armor had told her about Twilight trying to get ready for her first day at Celestia's school.

Rhede sighed, looking up at the castle as Pinkie Pie bounced along. He smirked, for once having a positive outlook on the situation.
They finally had a lead.

=============================================================

“One more time,” Jer'rahd instructed.

Twilight nodded, lifting training blade to her mouth and trying to focus. It had been three days since she and Celestia had seen the escape from Tartarus, and it was still fresh enough in her mind that she had to focus to ignore it

Peach Blossom looked between Jer'rahd and Twilight before slipping the training wing blades back on his main feathers. He stretched a bit, crossing his wings in front of himself in a ready stance.

“Begin,” Jer'rahd ordered.

Peach Blossom rushed forward, lashing out with a wing. Twilight jerked the sword in her mouth up, the hard thud of wood on wood bringing a wince to the purple unicorn at the solid connection. The pegasus didn’t pause, bringing his other weapon quickly into play, only to have it bounce off a hastily-raised purple shield.

Twilight tossed her head to the side quickly, her weapon scraping along the pegasus's. The back of the training weapon caught onto one of the loops that the pegasus' main feather ran through and yanked the training blade from Peach Blossom's wing.
Jer'rahd watched impassively as the pegasus leaped back away from Twilight, sliding his still-armed wing across his body to block the return swing from Twilight's sword as she pressed her attack. Twilight moved as she struck, making sure to keep herself between him and his lost weapon.

Twilight's horn flared, firing off a series of stun bolts at the pegasus. Peach Blossom hopped into the air over the blasts of magic, twisting in the air to dodge the bolts and land behind the purple unicorn, landing near his lost weapon.

Twilight narrowed her eyes and grabbed his fallen blade with her magic, jerking it off the ground suddenly and nearly striking Peach Blossom in the chin. She flung the weapon into the air and off into the lake on the far side of camp.

The pegasus kicked back up into that air, moving away from the unicorn, and landed lightly, immediately darting forward as Twilight cast more stun bolts. He slipped among the blasts and swung his remaining weapon, having it blocked by her blade again. However he didn’t bother halting his momentum and hit the purple unicorn in the chest with his forelegs, shoving the smaller pony back over her flank.

Twilight winced as her back hit the dirt. She kicked out hard with her rear legs, forcing Peach Blossom back a step to avoid getting kicked. She quickly rolled back onto her hooves, readying herself against another attack.

The pegasus hopped about, trying to land hits on the unicorn, the stallion using his greater speed to force Twilight to struggle to keep up.

Twilight winced as a blocked blow jarred her enough to drop her weapon from her mouth to gasp. Peach Blossom moved quickly to take advantage of the opening, only to have a stun blast from Twilight's horn strike his armed wing, numbing it. The unicorn smirked, her magic whipping the blade up from the ground to knock the remaining wing blade off the pegasus's numb wing.

She brought the blade around to strike the pegasus and end the match, only for Peach Blossom to duck under the blade and plow into her with his shoulder. The larger stallion shoved up his fore hooves, lifting the flailing Twilight in the air and flinging her over his back.

Twilight yelped, her magic catching herself in midair to stop from hitting the ground. She righted herself quickly, only to be nose to nose with Peach Blossom, who poked her forehead with her own weapon.

“That's point. Not bad, Captain, but you shouldn't have let yourself get disarmed so easily,” Jer'rahd stated.

“Sorry sir, the training blades are not fitted like my personal weapons are—makes it harder to hold onto.”

“Get used to any weapon you use. Your personal blades might not always be available. Join back up with the regular training after lunch; you’re free ‘til then. Dismissed.”

“Yes, Sir. Though, if you don't mind, I would rather join up with Captain Silvertail's training,” the pegasus said.

“Do what you want.”

“Yes, sir.” Peach Blossom shouted, darting off quickly before the Major could change his mind.

Jer'rahd looked at a very annoyed Twilight and couldn’t help but smirk. “Just because you disarm an opponent does not mean they are finished,” he said.

“I know that,” snapped Twilight. “I thought I had him with the spell.”

“Despite your loss, you have picked this up much faster than I thought you would, at least since your study with Celestia ended. You are by no means a sword pony just yet, but I can at least say you are no longer a beginner.”

“Yay.”

“Go get cleaned up and grab your sword. Ee need to get Bleu and Velkorn and head up to see what Celestia wants.”

“She might finally be sending us to question the Ferrymare.”

“Maybe. I am rather curious as to why she would just let them come in and take the books and free Chrysalis and the swarm. You said you didn't see any sign of any of this when you brought the dog back?”

“Not a bit. If I hadn’t seen what happened in the scry, I never would have known anything happened.” Twilight sighed. “It's like she made sure no one would know.”

“I have been meaning to ask, you said that Celestia sent a lost dog flier out? If she doesn't keep track of what happens in Tartarus, how did she know the Cerberus was missing?”

“Cerberus was reported to the guards when he first came into town. By the time word got back to her that he was loose, I was already on my way to bring him back. She sent the fliers out to all the guard posts and to me, not sure where he might have been.”

“Hmmm... Well, go get cleaned up. I’ll deal with putting everything away. We have a dragon to catch before she gets bored and leaves without us.”

=============================================

Fluttershy pranced around, her hooves nervously thudding on the ground as she tried to turn and watch in all directions at once. The forest was alive with the sounds of animals, though none of them were close enough to tell her anything. They were all keeping back away from what was in this small section of the forest.

She moved nervously, jumping at the sound of leaves falling onto the ground or the flap of a dragonfly’s wings. Her ears flattened to her head as she moved along the path, her head whipping about.

A sudden explosion of motion to her right caused her to jump back and shriek, nearly falling over herself to scramble away.

“BOOOGAH, BOOGAH, BOOGAH!!” Bleu shouted, leaping out of the bushes in her pony sized form while trying to make a scary face as a little white rabbit sitting atop her head tried to mimic the expression by holding his mouth wide open with his paws, tongue waggling.

The yellow pegasus cried out again, diving into a nearby bush as the two watched for a moment. Bleu sighed, looking up at the rabbit on her head, who simply shrugged. “Alright, so you win, fluffy tail. Jump scares are out... Though on the plus side, she doesn't faint any more. So there's that,” Bleu stated as Angel nodded sagely.

“I don't think I like this training...” Flutterbush muttered.

“You've been saying that all week. While nerves of steel you ain't got, when we first started anything, I did made you freak right out. Kinda funny at first, but it got old.” Bleu walked over and stuck her hand in the bush, rummaging around a moment until she smiled, grabbed Fluttershy, and pulled her out to set her back on the ground.

“I really don't think I am cut out for any of this,” the pegasus muttered.

“You've been saying that a lot, too. Look, it's pretty clear you're not afraid of me anymore, so at least that's a start. The whole scare tactics thing is trying to build up your nerves a little.” Bleu pointed to the rabbit on her head. “My hat here thinks that you have improved.”

Angel glared down at the dragon, thumping her on the head with a paw at being called a hat, though he nodded in response as Bleu ignored the thumps.

“Any improvement is a good thing, and I can probably keep helping you out. I mean, you met Seamore. Or Steven, or whatever he's calling himself now, with no trouble, and he's bigger than me.”

“Well, I mean, I met Steven before. We have tea sometimes if he's this far up river. He's one of Rarity's better customers.”

“Not sure I needed to know that, but okay. Still, it means you're improving.” Bleu nodded, nearly dislodging the rabbit on her head.

“Yes, but even if I don't run, I still can't do anything...” Fluttershy mutters

Angel slapped his forehead in annoyance and started shouting something. “What's that, boy? Timmy fell down the well? Bah, leave the bugger for a while. That'll learn him,” Bleu commented, being completely ignored by the bunny.

“I know, Angel, but that's not something that I do... No, Angel, but that's because it has to be done... but... fine, I see your point...” Fluttershy muttered, her ears flattening to her head.

“Soooo it wasn't about Timmy?” Bleu questioned, getting a thump from the rabbit.

“No, it's... Never mind; it's nothing.”

“OOOkay... well, we need to get going, anyway. I have to give a ride to everyone here in the training field up to Canterlot. As always, I'm the freaking taxi.”

“Umm, can I just take the train?”

“Nope, it's TRAINING!”

“Ummm, okay...”

==================================================

“Bugger where is that filly?” Applejack grumbled, poking her head into the clubhouse and not finding Apple Bloom.
Big Mac looked up at his sister as she came down from the tree house.

“Not up there, hmm?” Big Mac questioned.

“No, and it's a little worrying with everythin’ that's been going on that ah can't find her,” AJ grumbled.

“She jus’ got outta school a li’l while ago. Prob’ly with tha others causing some sorta trouble,” Big Mac commented.

“Still, ah want'd tah tell her ah was leaving fer a bit tah head tah Canterlot.”

“She'll pop up here fer dinner an’ ah'll let her know.”

“She wasn't here fer breakfast.”

“That's ‘cause she was over at Scootaloo's place last night. This ain't tha first time yah had tah run off.” Mac nodded.

“Yah, but with all that's going on, ah hate fer it tah be tha last time...”

“Yer still upset over that, huh? ‘Twas an accident, sis; they didna know it was gonna happen.”

“Still, I was mad at ‘em; never said goodbye when they left that last time. Ah don't want anything like that tah happen tah her. If something happens tah me...”

Applejack's head was suddenly jerked forward, her hat knocked off her head as the big red stallion cuffed her upside the back of the head.

“What tha buck'd ja do that fer!?”

“Yer gitting melodramatic. Ain't nothing gonna happen tah you cause you got enough sense tah know when to run. Yer gonna be in Canterlot, and yer gonna be with some of tha most dangerous ponies ah'v ever seen, and so is mah mare friend. So if you get worried about yerself, then ah get worried about yah both, an ah aint gonna worry ‘bout somethin’ ah can't do anything about. Yer jus going tah Canterlot. Ain't nothing gonna happen.”

“Fine, fine,” AJ grumbled, picking her hat back up and rubbing the back of her head. “Yah dun have tah be so rough about it.”

“Best git moving or ya'll miss tha train. Ask Rarity if she's seen ‘em, or even Dash since tha’ Scootaloo filly’s usually all over her.”

“Both of them are up in Canterlot, Mac. They likely wouldn't have seen anything.”

“Rarity's been back in town fer a couple a days now, and Dash came back yesterday fer a while afore both of them went back to Canterlot this morning. Twilight's been runnin’ all over, too.

“How'd ah miss them being back?”

“Yah had yer nose buried in all them papers. Wonder yah even saw tha day er night happened.”

“Alright, Mac. You win. I ain't gonna worry ‘bout it. What ah am gonna worry about is tha harvest. If this takes longer then need be fer me tah get back, you make sure you go git them ponies that's training tah help you out like Celestia said. That rose fellar knows about the order.”

“Ah should be able tah handle it myself ‘til you get back.”

“Don't make me use that ‘only one pony’ speech yah gave me last time, Big Mac. Ah won't hesitate tah make yah eat yer own words. Now them apples'll be ready in a few days; you git them tah help yah. Understand me?”
Big Mac sighed, staring at his sister, and chuckled.

“Eeeyup.”

======================================================

“Ah yes, I think this will do nicely, Princess. I made a few adjustments based on that little notebook you gave me, and the material should be even stronger and more resistant to damage when I’m finished. Once it's enchanted, small tears and even larger ones should mend on their own. A dress maker's dream and nightmare considering that I won't get any return business for repairs if I use the spell on all my clothes...” Rarity rambled.

Luna winced a little at being poked by a needle as Rarity refit her for the Mare-Do-Well costume. She had called Rarity back on Celestia's suggestion to make sure her costume was ready. She was not sure why, though. Tia had received a note from Rhede and regarded it with interest, though last night, she had burst from her room and erupted into a flurry of activity. Celestia had told her some of the situation, though Luna was sure that was not all of it.

“Ooh, sorry about that, Princess; I think I jabbed a little too hard. Are you alright?”

“I am fine, Miss Rarity. I doubt I am going to be done in by a poke with a needle.”

“Well, the outfit should be set and ready to go for you in no time, Princess. Um, though I do have to ask where are we going; Princess Celestia was quite adamant that all of us should be on this trip,” Rarity questioned.

“We will be going to the Badlands and a place that is within it called the Shadow of Nox.”

“While I have heard of the Badlands, what is the Shadow of Nox?”

“Nox is an old name I was given during the Discordian war. It means ‘Night’ in Griffon.”

“Sooooo we are going to your shadow?” Rarity questioned, looking down at the shadow Luna cast on the floor.
Luna chuckled. “Nothing quite that silly. The Shadow of Nox is a specific place in the Badlands: the exact spot that Tia, myself, and the Equestria forces cornered Discord for the first time after the hunt for him began. My sister cut loose with her powers and scorched the land so thoroughly that no life has been able to grow there since, except for the Shadow of Nox.”

“Why is that? Is it some holy place or something special to you?” Rarity questioned.

“No, nothing of the sort. When Tia cut loose, I was able to use my connection to the moon to shield some of our forces from her fires. This left a small section of land untouched by her flames. It is the only spot in the Badlands were life still flourishes— an oasis in the shadow I created with my shield. It is literally the Shadow of Nox.”

“Umm, what do you mean, err, some of your forces?”

“Only a hooffull of others out of an army of several hundred were spared when Celestia attacked Discord that first time. I was unused to my abilities and I could not protect any more.”

“Wait, so Princess Celestia...”

“... killed several hundred of her own soldiers, along with a number of small towns, camps, mines, and several species of animals and plants that did not exist anywhere else. She lost herself so deeply in her rage against Discord she did not even consider what she was doing until well after. The worst of it was the draconequus escaped and we needed to track him down again.”

“By the stars... Is that why she refuses to fight?”

“No, though I think that is why she made the promise she did. The changing of the coastline on Nightmare Night is my shame. And at least one of Tia's is the Badlands.”

============================================================

“Look... I'm sorry, alright? Don't make a big deal out of it or anything; I still don't want to be your kid or whatever the heck your plan was. I'm not a substitute, so don't try anything like that. I mean, if you wanna fly or train or whatever, that's fine, but none of that babying crap you did before,” Dash half-shouted as she flew along, trying not to look at the gray pegasus flying along with her over the train.

“Alright, I can accept that. It was a mistake of me to think like that, anyway. I kinda did need a kick in the head like that. You were a bit blunt, but I should be used to that dealing with Jer'rahd.” Starfall sighed, winging her way over the sunlit rails. She was going to fly along to Canterlot with Bleu, but Velkorn had pointed out she might need to have a word with Rainbow Dash, so she had waited for the train instead. Thankfully, Dash was flying over it, so a sickening ride had been avoided.

The pair was almost to Canterlot when Dash finally blurted out an apology that she seemed to be struggling with for a while.
Truthfully, Starfall knew the pale blue pegasus had made some valid points before, but she was just happy to have Rainbow Dash talking to her again.

“So what now, Dash?”

“Geez, not much else to do this close... Hey, how ‘bout you tell me what you can about these guys we're up against. I'd ask Twi, but, well... she tends to use the long-winded approach, and that gets boring,” Dash suggested.

“Really, Rhede is the one you should talk to. I only know a little bit about most of them, save Wind Razor.”

“Wind Razor... Yeah, well, tell me what you know about her,” Dash stated a little too forcefully.

========================================================

This was not the meeting with the Princess he had expected. Celestia had the entire group escorted to an old room that Jer'rahd had not seen in a long time and was certain had been converted into a guest bedroom...
Canterlot Castle's War Room.

The layout was exactly how he remembered it: books on treatises and other items that could be important covered one wall, and another wall was filled with the maps and flight plans of the weather pegasi and their griffon counterparts. The wall across from the door was covered in maps of geological features, civilian centers, and a few locations that required greater detail.

A massive table with a model of Equestria in the center of it was a familiar sight as well, although the enchanted map had a different layout that he recalled and it took up more of the table as well. It seemed that after the defeat of the Lunar Republic, Equestria expanded its borders a bit further. The biggest thing that amazed him was that for a room that Celestia disliked, it was very well kept.

He glanced up as Princess Luna trotted in, flanked by the costumed Mare-Do-Well pony that worked for her. He was a little upset about that; Celestia had stated Luna did not want any guard at all, and yet, she had this pony. He was sure she had her reasons, but he was curious to what they were.

He glanced over to the others, raising an eyebrow at the strange expressions Rhede, Starfall, and Bleu had at the sight of Luna's agent. He wondered about that as well; they had met her before.

His attention was brought back to the door as Celestia stormed in. She looked over the group, her eyes lingering a bit on Applejack and Rarity with what he thought seemed a bit of sadness, though that was gone just as quickly.

“I am sending all of you on a mission. You will be going to the Badlands in southern Equestria to attempt to recover one of the Books of Orbsah,” Celestia stated.

Jer'rahd glanced to Luna and her impassive expression. He turned his gaze back to Celestia, shaking his head. “We can deal with this on our own. There's no need for the...” Jer began.

“Did I stutter, Kaisur? You are all going— all of the current Element Bearers and the former. Luna will be sending her representative with you as well.” Celestia glared at Jer'rahd.

“I said there's no need to risk...”

“Shut the buck up, Kaisur. I am not in the mood to deal with your shit right now, and I will not hesitate to remove that offending tongue if you continue to waggle it myself. You will do as I say or else I will have you caged and thrown into the ocean where you can suffer and fail to drown until time itself ends.” Celestia shouted, her tone stunning everyone in the room, and the heat rising from her form set fire to a few of the maps behind her.

Pinkie Pie popped up suddenly, dressed as a fire mare, and sprayed the maps down before ducking away and popping back up where she was standing before.

“Princess?” Twilight questioned weakly.

“Things have happened and I have new information that not only confirms Rhede's report, but also shows how far behind these six we are. Rhede, tell them what you have found out and I shall add what I know.”

Rhede looked skeptically at the Princess of the Sun before glancing to Jer'rahd, who looked more shocked than angry at her.

“Alright, I’ll make it short. From what I found out, there are six books. They are called the Books of Orbsah— that's something even Discord didn't seem to know from the Book of Blue he wrote. They are sentient and were living creatures before they became books.
The sixth book is not part of the set, but is still connected to them. The information I found points to the book being sealed in a place called the Shadow of Nox.”

“Do you know if the information is correct?” Twilight questioned.

“My source has given me the same information, as well as a copy of the book Rhede found. Both books seem to have been written after the fall of Discord as the Shadow of Nox did not exist before that point. The land was called El Doerado before it was known as the Badlands. There are massive ruins there, built by an offshoot race of Elk who died out about ten thousand years before the War with Discord. Only one of these ruins lay in the place called the Shadow of Nox, so I am sending you all there to search for the Jade Scroll,” Celestia explained.

“Not to interrupt, but who wrote the book?” Starfall piped in.

“The signature at the end is the mark of one of my former students, the sixth to hold the title of Starswirl the Bearded.” Celestia commented.

“Wait, that mare I met at the Gala?” Rhede asked.

“No, she was the fifth to hold the name and was not one of my students. She was simply a powerful unicorn of the same line. The sixth Starswirl was her grandson, and he vanished perhaps forty years after the War of the Night. I do not recall him writing this book, so it must have been after his disappearance.”

“Ken yah trust this other source of info? It could be a trap. I mean. rather convenient fer two copies of the book to turn up at the same time,” AJ pointed out.

“The library in the Crystal Empire contains tomes and books that have not seen the light of day for thousands of years. There are books there that go back to the founding of the Empire itself before the ponies left the north to found Equestria,” Rhede stated, his eyes moving to Twilight and the obvious look of glee from that information.

“Until recently, I was leery of the source of information. I was unsure if they were going to take a side or try and remain neutral. After last night’s event, there is no longer any doubt about what side they have chosen, nor is there any doubt that we are running out of time. Nocturne's group has collected the fifth book and are either going to attempt the ritual to make them gods or try and collect the sixth book. In either case, we need to get the Jade Scroll ourselves before then. Even if they do not move to collect it, we may be able to learn a way to undo or stop them from the book itself. Between Twilight and Rhede, there should be no trouble deciphering the book. Between Rainbow Dash and Starfall, there should be no trouble getting that information back here. Bleu can easily transport all of you when need be, and the rest of you have your own set of skills or abilities that complement each other. I am aware that you all just arrived here, but there is a train ready at the station right now to take you as close to the Badlands as it can. I have taken the liberty of packing everything you should need, as well as some extra items of note. If you need to do anything else, you have one hour from this point to get ready. I am sorry that I cannot give you more time, but time is something we no longer have. Now go.”

=====================================================

Luna glanced to the others as they left, glancing to Mare-Do-Well standing next to her, then turned to watch her sister sit down hard once the others were gone.

“Can I take this thing off now, auntie? it kinda itches,” Sunshine asked from under the mask. “And these stupid fake wings are killing my back.”

“Yes, thank you for wearing it. Some of them thought they knew who was under the mask. This should help the disguise last a little bit longer.” Luna sighed.

The masked pony looks to Celestia. “What shall I do with the foals, mother? Do you wish me to bring them back to Ponyville?”

“No; though I do not like letting their families think they are dead, that cannot be avoided at this point. See if you can convince everyone they are simply missing. You may need to speak with the Apples directly in that regard. I am sure you can come up with something that works and still protects him, Sunshine.”

“I am rather shocked at your explosion at Kaisur, Tia. Even with his usual attitude, that is not like you to make threats,” Luna observed.

“It was not a threat, Luna, nor could it be helped. The others need to go to keep him grounded. He is slowly losing control. Guard
Captain Moskau reported that, though I saw it myself before. He will still do his best to protect those around him that he sees as innocents, even if that's only from himself. It is the best I can do for now. If we had the Elements still, we might be able to use them to at least deaden the beast's power as was done with Nightmare Moon, but that is not an option currently. Also, if Wind Razor is hunting Rainbow Dash, then she will likely also seek to kill all six of them—better if they left for a while.”

“I will do what I can, mother. Though, I feel a pull toward Ponyville that is far stronger than any other feeling I have had from my power. Something big is going to happen there, and soon.”

“Are you sure, Sunshine?” Celestia questioned.

“I am as sure of it as I was sure something was happening here. When the three of them arrived, I was proven right as usual.”

“No need to be smug about it,” Luna muttered. “Now hurry up and get out of that costume. I need to get ready.”

“Are you sure you are up for going with them. Luna?” Celestia questioned. “I would prefer that you remain here.”

“Nay; they will need my assistance for this. I am the only one who has had any contact with the books aside from Kaisur, and of the two of us, I am the only one who understands how they work. It is necessary for me to go.”

“As you wish, but be careful.” Celestia sighed. “Also, if anyone asks what happened to the land...”

“They already know,” Luna stated ignoring Celestia's wince. “We are not infallible, sister; this has been proven time and time again. These eleven have lived though and seen it from both of us. There is no sense trying to hide all we have done.”

“I did not want them to know.”

“And I did not wish my mistakes to be hidden, sister, yet you hid away anything related to my misdeeds and passed it off as an old mares’ tale. No one learns anything from what they consider a harmless story,” Luna snapped. “ We do not always get as we wish.”

Luna stormed out, leaving Celestia and the masked pony alone. The masked pony chuckled, taking off her hat and fiddling with the mask.

“Dare I ask what is so funny, Sunshine?” Celestia grumbled.

“She tries to hide it, but she does still feel for him.” Sunshine gasped as the mask was pulled free, her red crystal horn glittering. “I am sure the only reason she snapped at you like that is because you snapped at Kaisur.”

============================================================

Jer'rahd stood on the loading dock at Canterlot Station, looking over the supplies that were being sent with them, which included nearly a week’s worth of food and water, enough gear for a camping trip of several weeks, and what looked like mountain climbing gear. What worried him the most was the variety of weapons and armor sized for each member of the group.

Rhede trotted up behind him with Bleu resting on his back and Velkorn and Starfall not far behind them. “Heh, never thought I’d see Celestia cuss you out. Guess you finally pushed her over the edge, eh, Jer?” Rhede chuckled.

“Was a bit out of character for her, I would say, though you do have the personality to make most ponies snap, Boss,” Bleu added with a smirk.

“I did tell you to lay off the Princess, Jer'rahd.” Starfall quipped as Velkorn nods.

Jer'rahd glanced back at them, nodding to the ponies who were loading the train to continue their work before turning to them.

“Maybe I did press her too hard, though even in the middle of war, she never lost her temper. Something else is going on, considering I did not try to insult her this time. She’s got something else on her mind.”

“Princess Celestia's world is collapsing around her. She spent a thousand years forging a land that was peaceful and in not even three months, it is all ground up and destroyed before her. One can easily understand why she is upset. While this may not be your fault, it is easier to voice her ire with you as you are here, and you can take it.” The masked pony hopped down from a stack of crates, ignoring the glare of Jer'rahd and Rhede and the curious sniff Bleu sent in her direction.

“So what's your deal, then?” Starfall questioned, breaking the silence.

“Princess Luna wished me to accompany you on this trip. You lack any real magic support aside from Twilight. I am here to provide that; as the incident in the Hive showed, I am quite capable of taking care of myself and aiding you,” Mare-Do-Well stated.

“Not what I meant,” Starfall grumbled. “I mean the mask and the silly outfit.”

“Not everyone can show their face about as easily as you can. I have a life that could be… troubled, if my identity is exposed.”

“That include to us?” asked Bleu, “or are you going to take that ridiculous thing off once we get out of town?”

“That includes you and the others, yes. There is always the chance someone who is not supposed to see me does. And a secret can only be kept by a group when all but one is dead.”

“I don't trust someone who has to hide themselves from everyone,” Jer'rahd muttered, ignoring Rhede's flinch.

“That does not matter, Kaisur. Both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia have assigned me to your half of the group to aid you. You do not have a choice in the matter.” Mare -Do -Well snorted.

“So you say. I would rather have Princess Luna come with us despite the issues we have,” Jer stated, watching the masked pony's ears perk up a little. “I know I can trust her when the situation goes south. I don't know you enough for that. What are we supposed to call you, anyway? Yelling out Mare-Do-Whatever is a bit of a mouthful in a crisis situation.”

“I suppose so. For the duration of this mission then, call me Nox.”

======================================================

“Somthin’ don't feel right about this, Twilight.” AJ said as the group walked towards the train station.

The six ponies really had not had much to do in the hour they were given, aside from sending a few messages out to their families that they would be gone for a while. Applejack had been particularly leery of this, though she wouldn't say why. Fluttershy sent a letter to Big Mac to keep an eye on her animals. Dash had written to someone, too, though she wouldn't say who.

“I know what you mean, though the Princess has a great deal on her mind right now. Some of that is probably mine and Luna's fault, I expect. Still, I didn't expect her to lose her composure when Jer'rahd was not even trying to antagonize her.”

“Do you know why she would send us along? I mean, it sounds really dangerous...” Fluttershy whimpered.

“No idea. To be honest, if that Mare-Do-Well pony is going, we've seen she's quite skilled in magic, so there's not even a reason I should go along if she and Rhede are there.”

“I am sure she has her reasons, darling. She is a goddess, after all,” Rarity pointed out.

“Yeah, but after reading that book of Twilight's, we know more than any other pony how fallible the gods are, even Celestia and Luna,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Fallible, yes, but there's always a reason for it.” Twilight sighed.

“Maybe we're there as a safety measure so Jerry doesn't poof up and be a big old monster,” Pinkie chipped in.

“Seriously, sugar, like we'd be able to stop somethin’ like that.” AJ sighed.

“Just a thought. Ooh, a twitch!” Pinkie Pie yelled, yanking Rarity out of the way suddenly as a cart rushed past them, rolling down the street with two stallions chasing after it.

Twilight smiled at that. “She did say that they might need our talents, so the princess might be onto something after all.”

=====================================================

[Sunrise, the previous day.]

It wasn't so much the griffon's presence as it was the way she kept looking down on him like he was prey. He had never been more glad to see Silver Claw than when he finally arrived after being out hunting for a meal.

The griffon looked a little disappointed, though she seemed to have no trouble talking to the dragon with him there. “We got the last book. Nocturne wants to see you as soon as possible to go over the last details,” Wind Razor stated.

“Fine, I suppose I have recovered enough. Have you spoken with Scarlet yet?”

“She's in Canterlot somewhere. I left the notice in the dead drop; she'll get it before nightfall.” The griffon glanced back to Spike, who quickly ducked his head back to look over the book he was reading.

The griffon strutted over to the dragonling, looking over him curiously. “I suppose the tail could work.”

“What?” Spike questioned.

“Your tail, for a trophy. I heard you were the new Rainbow Dash at one point; I figure that makes you sort of a substitute target for my hunt...”

“Wind Razor... do not push your luck, or my temper. The young one is my guest; you can go after your prey without bothering him,” Silver Claw snarled.

“Yer lucky punk; been a while since I had a dragon trophy...”

“Wind Razor!”

“I'm going. Don't be late, dragon; I've been stuck with Claymore for over a week and I can't stand his whining anymore.”

“About that... I expect that you likely managed to cut some sort of deal with Bloodtail as well,” Silver Claw said.

“What are you talking about?” the griffon snapped back.

“Please, give me some credit here. As if everyone has not done their best to create some sort of alliance among the others to further their own ends. It is our very nature to try and survive.” Silver Claw waved his fore claw dismissively. “I honestly have no problem with your agreement, whatever it is, so long as you do not interfere with my goals. I might even be inclined to offer to join in.”

“Even if there was an agreement, what makes you think you would be included in it?”

“Because all I wish is to free my father and to be left alone, simple goals that everyone can agree with. As for the why, well, let me give you a little warning.”

“Is that a threat?”

“If it is, it is not from me.”

“What warning then?” Wind Razor questioned, her tail whipping.

“One of the books taught Nocturne how to remove or cancel the powers of a god— a ray of some kind. As it stands, even if we go through the ceremony, she will have a way to keep us in line and under her control. I would like you to tell that to Bloodtail when you are able.”

“So why bring this up? You could have used that to your advantage.”

“None of us trust the alicorn, but only a few of us can see far enough ahead to know she will be more trouble then she is worth after what she promised is delivered,” Silver Claw grumbles. “I would prefer to speak with him here in a place I know she cannot hear us.”

“And Claymore?”

“He is a tool to be used as needed. Despite his annoyances, his usefulness currently surpasses the desire to end him.”

“I'll let Bloodtail know. Still, you best get ready to deal with Nocturne again. I don't like playing messenger between everyone, so go talk to her yourself.”

“And I do not like being a taxi, but for now, we must cope with it.”

The griffon grumbled and headed out of the cave with a last look at Spike.

==============================================================

[Sundown, the previous day.]

“HAH, I told you we would need the rope!” Sweetie Belle beamed,swinging from the end of the rope.

“Oh, stuff it.” Scootaloo complained, flapping her wings and trying to make herself as light as possible as she wobbled, tied off in the middle of the rope.

“Both of y’all quit flapping yer gums and help me climb!” Apple Bloom fussed, tied off at the top of the rope and mostly carrying the other two up the cliff on her own.

The squabbling trio eventually pulled themselves onto a ledge on the mountain, and after a moment of rest and to check their flanks for mountaineering cutie marks, the three looked up at the cave they had been trying to reach.

“So is this it?” Scootaloo questioned, looking up at the large cave mouth.

“I think so.” Sweetie Belle stated, looking through a telescope at the town. “I think I can see the clubhouse from here.”

Apple Bloom grabbed the telescope and looked. “Yep, there's the farm, and tha school house. “

“This view’s amazing,” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Yeah, I know. I got to see it when Rainbow Dash took me flying that one time.” Scootaloo blinked as if just realizing something.

“Hey, enough with the view. We need to find Spike.”

“Yer right. Let's git in that cave, git Spike, and git outta here,” Apple Bloom stated.

=========================================================

Spike folded up the letter and stuck it inside the History of the Books of Orbsah tome and closed the cover. He had never sent a whole book before. However, this was something that needed to be seen by the Princess, so he had to try. Everything he had found out and everything he had heard was in that note. He still did not really trust Silver Claw, though if the dragon was honest about his goals, he could work with that.

He was about to breath flame on the book when he heard a group of voices at the mouth of the cave.

He blinked, quickly hiding the book under another stack of books expecting that Silver Claw had returned. The voices quickly got louder and much more like a familiar squabbling.

“No… it can't be. Not them, not here...” The dragonling stated to no one in particular before a trio of fillies trotted around the corner into the cave’s library

“SPIKE!” Apple Bloom shouted and the trio rushes over to tackle hug him.

“What the heck are you three doing here?” Spike gasped, buried under the three.

“We came here to rescue you!” Sweetie Belle chirped.

“Did you get bigger?” Scootaloo questioned, looking up at him as he managed to get out from under them.

“You have to get out of here. Silver Claw will be back soon and he can't find you here...”

“Nothing doing, Spike. We came to get you and we are not leaving without you.” Apple Bloom stubbornly stated.

“Yeah, Twilight and my sis are all sorts of worried about you,” Sweetie Belle squeaked out.

“Wha, Rarity's worried? ...No, seriously, I went with him on my own. Didn't somepony tell you that?”

“Nobody told us anything aside from you were gone. We saw your light on the mountain with our telescope and came to rescue you,” Scootaloo stated.

“No, you need to leave now... oh crap.” Spike looked up towards the cave's entrance as the leather flap of wings was heard, accompanied by a loud thud of Silver Claw's landing, and by some cursing in Zebra as well as the laugh of a griffon.

“I warned you that landing was difficult due to my injuries, Bloodtail,” Silver Claw growled.

[“I am not going to grab ahold of your filthy spine with my mouth!”] Bloodtail snapped.

“And that's why you got thrown off the dragon, HAH.” Wind Razor laughed.

Spike looked around in a panic before looking down at the less-than-worried trio before him. They clearly had no idea about what sort of situation they were in, especially Scootaloo if the griffon was hunting Rainbow Dash.

He didn't have any time to think about it for long. He quickly yanked the saddlebags from the trio, grabbed the book, and shoved it into Apple Bloom's forelegs. The three started to protest, yelping as their saddlebags were torn free.

“What was that? “Silver Claw states.

“If this doesn't work, I'm so sorry,” Spike muttered, looking at the trio.

“What'd yah do that fer, Spike? That hurt...” Apple Bloom startedto fuss, her eyes widening as Spike exhaled.

Silver Claw, Bloodtail, and Wind Razor stepped into the library just in time to see the little purple and green dragon unleash a gout of green flame that enveloped a trio of young ponies before him. The fillies barely had time to scream or react as their fur and flesh were charred away, rapidly turning to ash under the tremendous onslaught of fire from the purple dragonling's mouth.
The torrent of fire finally died out with nothing left of the trio by a smear of soot on the ground.

“What is going on here?” Silver Claw questioned, looking down at the dragonling, blinking in surprise as Spike glared back up at him, smoke drifting from his nostrils and green fire still licking about his fangs as he spoke.

“What the heck does it look like? This cave was found out by a bunch of nosy foals. If those three figured out where this place was, it won't be long before every one finds out.” Spike inhaled deeply, shuddering a little as he looked at the ash

“The orange one was Rainbow Dash's hanger on. The others must have been the rest of the trio that you were friends with,” Wind Razor observed.

“‘Friends with’ and ‘forced to foal sit because no pony else wanted to’ are two different things, bird.” Spike looked back up at Silver
Claw. “I agreed to help you rebuild the dragon empire; I did not agree to kill ponies for you.”

“Then why did you?” Silver Claw snorts.

“Because you were not here and I know how they are. If they got away, everyone would know we were up here. That would have slowed plans down considerably. I've already put a lot of work in figuring out how to restore the dragon nation. I went with you because I couldn't do that in Ponyville.”

[“The ponies will know soon if their young are missing and they could easily track them here. I doubt the fillies bothered to hide their tracks. Perhaps it is time you moved to one of your other caves,”] Bloodtail suggested.

“Too many books to move easily. Better if they found the foals’ gear somewhere else and think some wild animal got them,” Wind Razor chimed in. “Been meaning to head back to Ponyville, anyway. Get a few easy targets out of the way.”

“That town is a disaster waiting to happen to us. Far too much has gone on there.We should simply raze it and be finished with it,”
Silver Claw growled, looking down at Spike, who seemed sickened despite his anger. “I will speak with you later, young one. The first kill is always the hardest. Perhaps you should get some rest.”

“Yeah... rest...” Spike glanced again at the char marks and trotted back into the gem room, leaving the three staring after him.

========================================================

[The night before the meeting]

Celestia looked up at a knock on her sitting room’s door. She glanced down at her tea, briefly wondering if she would have time to enjoy it at all.

She and Twilight had finished their scry after seeing how Chrysalis escaped Tartarus. The lavender unicorn had gone back down to train with Kaisur for a time and she was left to her own devices. The messenger from Rhede had arrived earlier in the day, and she had sent a message back with a chariot wanting him to return so she could look over the book as well.

The knock sounded again and she sighed. “Come in.”

A cloaked figure stepped in the door, her red and white muzzle just visible under the hood. Celestia smiled, recognizing her immediately.

“Well, hello again, my dear Sunshine. I honestly don't know what to do with all these visits you have been giving me lately...” Celestia's smile faded as the cloaked pony set a large box of medical supplies on the table before her.

“I regret that this is not going to be a pleasant visit, Mother.”

“You know something?”

“I have had a feeling that I should be here and that I should bring a crate of medical supplies to treat shock and burns.” Sunshine stated.

“Burns? Are you sure you need to come here to me? You know fire does not affect me.”

“Nonetheless, the feeling is strongest here.”

“Well, unless Lulu blows up the kitchen again trying to cook, I doubt there will be any fire... oh dear.”

Celestia looked up as a small flicker of green flame spiraled off her horn, growing ever larger until two skeletal foals appear rapidly, growing back flesh, sinew, muscle, and fur. The pair’s voices were suddenly returned to them and the alicorn and the zebra were treated to a pair of otherworldly shrieks as the two fillies fell to the table, destroying Celestia's tea set and dropping into unconsciousness almost immediately. Celestia blinked, looking down at the book and a letter poking out of the cover addressed to her.

“Spike...?”

“Apple Bloom!?” Sunshine stated incredulously. “How...?”

Celestia was about to respond when another flare of her horn blasted a ball of green fire into the air, forming a third filly, this one simply materializing in the air instead of un-burning like the others. An orange-coated filly with a purple mane and tail and no cutie mark landed hard on the table, but kept her hooves under her. The green flame of the travel still flickered over her body, dancing along her tiny wingtips.

She lifted her head suddenly, eyes vacant as her small wings snapped open, green fire flaring out from the tips of each tiny feather, forming large wings of jade flame, the heat coming off of the filly setting several things on fire about the room. The filly burst into flames fully, the green fire running over her form but not burning her. The same could not be said about Celestia's table, nor the foal's companions.

Sunshine moved quickly, grabbing the unconscious pair from the burning table and yanking them outside the door to tend to them.

Celestia watched as the orange filly staggered, her fire suddenly going out just before she collapsed on the burning table top, untouched by the fire still licking over the wood.

There was a brief flash of light on her flank as a cutie mark formed: a green phoenix made of fire.

“So much for my tea,” Celestia mused.

“...all I long for...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...all I long for...”

“…And then he said, 'If this doesn't work, I'm so sorry,'” Sweetie Belle chirped through a mouthful of pancake drowning in syrup.

“An’ that's when he blew fire at us,” Apple Bloom concluded, munching on a bowl of cinnamon-soaked oats.
Celestia sat back, looking at the pair. Despite their chipper attitudes, both of them looked rough. They had slept nearly a full day since they had arrived and had woken up ravenous. The minor burns they had received from Scootaloo's fire were hidden under a few puffy bandages and were not likely enough to scar.

“So what happened to Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle questioned, looking up at the princess.

She smiled slightly at that. Neither of them was frightened of her or even cared she was a princess past asking a few hundred questions. It had taken some time to get them to calm down enough to tell her what happened, but they were more comfortable rambling on with her than anyone else she had met save Pinkie Pie or Bleu. It was almost a comfort dealing with her younger subjects, as they held none of the fear of royalty that her older subjects did. Still, this was perhaps the fourth or fifth time they had asked about their friend. She had distracted them before, but they were clearly worried. Perhaps she should at least tell them a little.

“She is still asleep. It seems she went through a little more than you two did with this ordeal. I will make sure that you two are the first to know when she wakes up,” Celestia stated. “What you girls did, while brave, was quite foolish. As Spike said, he went with Silver Claw willingly. We were not sure he was still on our side.”

“Pfft, it's Spike. No matter what happens, he's still our friend. We had ta try an’ git him back, ‘cause no pony else seemed tah be doing that,” Apple Bloom pointed out rather matter-of-factly.

Celestia could not help but chuckle at the filly’s surety of the situation.

“So… are we gonna go back to Ponyville anytime soon? Rarity's probably worried about me,” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Oh crud! You said we've been asleep all day, too. Granny's gonna tan my flank fer this,” Apple Bloom wailed.

Celestia was not happy about it, but if word got back to Silver Claw, Spike would be in far more trouble than the girls would be. “I am afraid I will need you to remain in the castle for a time. I wish to keep an eye on young Scootaloo, and with what happened, it would be best if you remained here for a little while,” Celestia responded. She was a little worried about their reactions to that, but Apple Bloom quickly brightened.

“Wait a minute… if Princess Celestia is vouching fer us, that means Granny can't say anything about me being missing.”

“Oh yeah, and mom and dad can't, either. Plus, Miss Cheerilee can't say we faked this to get out of class!” Sweetie Belle chimed in.

“An’ when Scootaloo gets up, we ken explore tha castle. We missed out on that at tha wedding.”

“Maybe get an explorer cutie mark.”

“YAY!”

Celestia blinked, listening to the pair ramble off what they could try while here and wondering what she had gotten herself into.

==================================================================

The room’s door swung open, although there seemed to be no one on the other side for a few moments. Then, the silhouette of a unicorn poked his head into the darkened room, looking about.

“Fluer?”

“Not at the moment. Honestly, I doubt I could play the air-headed bimbo for much longer, anyway,” Scarlet snorted from somewhere in the darkened room.

“Ahh I see. I take it that the information you have been waiting on was in the dead drop?” the stallion questioned.

“Yes. Although I’m still not quite back up to full, time is short.” The mare stepped out of the shadows. Her foreleg wasstill bound up, and her face and neck were also wrapped up like a mummy from the other surgery that had been done. “I would have enjoyed your hospitality a bit longer, but Nocturne wants me back.”

“I expected as much. Before you go, I do wish to point out I have been considering our little agreement.” Scarlet's eyes narrowed.

“Oh, don't give me that look. The deal is still on; I would simply like to expand on it a little.”

“How so?”

“Certainly while being a higher ranked noble would be delightful...”

“You want to try your hoof at being a god as well.”

“Who wouldn't? I have been aiding you and your group as best I can since you came to my attention; I would expect perhaps that shows I can be trusted with such things. ”

“While useful, you have yet to do anything that would make Nocturne consider you useful enough to make a god.”

“Ahh, I expected that, and here is where I change it.” The stallion chuckled as a golden glow floated over scroll, unfurling it before the red earth pony, who regarded it curiously.

“What's this? “

“A simple spell developed by Twilight Sparkle. She has a rather compulsive habit of documenting everything. This is the spell she developed to free the Five Beasts. It was simply sitting there in her library for my agents to find. Convenient for us, if I do say so myself.”

“Nocturne can do that on her own without this spell. That was a wasted effort.”

The scroll was yanked back and rerolled. “The spell is not for her; it is for me. While I cannot gather any sizable force of mercenaries without attracting notice, I can free a choice selection of ne’r-do-wells from the garden who can be easily convinced to aid you.”

“Not bad. It may be worth a few points in your favor.” Scarlet smirked.

“I also know that all of the Element Bearers have left and are on their way to the Badlands for some reason. That might be of more use to the others than to you, however. And then there is this, but I doubt it will count, since you asked me to have it made to your exact specifications.”

A small box drifted to the mare, settling down on the ground before her as she prepared the last of her gear to depart. She flipped open the lid curiously. A grin crossed her masked features.

“OOOh, if my head didn't hurt so much, I could kiss you.”

“While I am sure your beauty will be impressive once your wounds heal, I would prefer you instead put in a good word for me with your employer.”

“Oh, I will... After all, when it's all said and done, Nocturne’s going to be short a follower anyway.”

“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” The stallion chuckled.

======================================================

“Noooooo!”

The rainbow colored beams lanced down, swirling about her and obscuring her in light.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Nightmare Moon screamed as she was enveloped in wash of colored light. It was impossible; she had destroyed the Element of Magic. How had this unicorn brought it back? She should have tried harder to kill them; clearly the beasts, illusions, and even dropping them off a cliff had not been enough.

She braced for the pain she expected to come— the feeling of the painful crystallization of her flesh as had been done to Onyx
Scale, or the slow creep of stone up her flesh as she was turned into a statue like her generals.

There was a pang of regret at that line of thought, one that lingered as time seemed to slow in the middle of the vortex. Memories
flooded her mind.

She had seen them, seen them in the garden, sealed in stone. She was going to destroy them, smash the statues to rubble at their betrayal, but she couldn't. As mad as she was, she could not help but to look on them with sadness before her sister’s presence drew her to Ponyville.

They had followed her. No matter what, they believed in her, no matter what they lost, no matter what she did, until the end. In the end, even they couldn't abide by her actions, and yet they still tried to help her even though they knew she would try and destroy them.

And they followed her into imprisonment. Why, she didn't know. They could have had their lives back; they could have been hailed as the saviors of the War of Night, but they let themselves be forgotten to follow her. She knew they still lived like every other creature in that garden; they stood as if they expected it, as if they knew and wanted to be made statues.

Her friends had followed her, even after she turned on them. They had not betrayed her... she had betrayed them. Betrayed their honesty with her lies, their generosity with her greed, their compassion with her hate, their laughter with the tears she left in her wake. Betrayed and spited their loyalty to her.

They went to her sister to try and save her, not to turn on her. They braved the enemy stronghold themselves to seek one who could destroy them, for her...

Nightmare Moon collapsed, the armor cracking and falling away from her as the magic swirled about her, pulling at her fur drawing away the black coloration of her fur; the dark void of her mane and tail was drawn into the vortex.
She had never felt this small. Her sister and her friends had been trying to help even after all she had done to them.

The dark voice in the back of her head screamed out, the cry muting until it was barely a whisper, and she collapsed fully.

She could feel her sister freeing herself, as the last vestiges of Nightmare Moon's power trickled away. She could feel her coming closer, knew that a punishment, a reckoning for her actions was coming; all she could do was huddle there and whimper.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Luna jerked upright with a start, her hat flipping off her head to the floor as she whipped her head about, struggling to shrug off the dream. She paused, panting softly, her breath blowing out rapidly through the mask.

The clack of the train car was the only sound for a time, though she could hear loud voices from the next car. It sounded like singing —bad singing— along with a great deal of laughter, Bleu's near-musical tones, and the high-pitched giggling squeal of Pinkie Pie.

“Nightmare, I gather… Nox, was it?” stated a voice from inside the darkened sleeping car.
Luna's ears perked, her head turning to meet Rarity's gaze as the white unicorn lifted the hat and placed it back on her head.

“Something like that,” Nox muttered, glancing up to see Rarity sitting at the other end of the train car. “What's going on up there?”

“Well, somehow, Bleu and Pinkie managed to convince Rhede to sing a few songs with them.” Rarity shuddered. “Dreadful, really, for as delightful as Mister Pelt's voice is normally, he simply cannot hold anything that even remotely resembles a tune. I fully expect he would mess up trying to hum along somehow.”

“He does,” chuckles Nox lightly.

“I thought as much. Seriously, Princess, do you plan to continue this facade even now?” Rarity questioned as Luna cursed to herself at falling into the mare’s word play.

“It was supposed to fool everyone. How did you figure it out?” Luna asked with a sigh.

“Well, you did just confirm my suspicions now, though honestly, I have no clue how you even thought to fool me,” Rarity stated. “I fitted that costume for you specifically. The one who wore it at the castle was a little too short and a little broader than you are. The material sagged in places and was stretched tight in others where it shouldn't be. The fabric doesn't lie, Princess.”

“And here I expected Bleu would be the first to figure it out.”

“I still need to ask why, Princess. The first time was to hide from your sister, but why now?”

“Better to hide, I suppose. For all that has been done between us, at the very least, it would make everyone uncomfortable. At the worst, they may try to risk themselves to save me from something when they should not.”

“Honestly, I think you worry too much. As far as I can tell, most of them are already fine with you.”

“It is not the others I am worried about. He convinced them to follow him into stone to wait for me.”

“Actually, Jer'rahd did his best to deter them from joining him. You have quite the strong friendship with them, Princess. It is clear you care for them and you would all do anything for each other. The only thing that seems to get in the way is your and Jer'rahd's pride. This entire costumed venture could have been avoided if you simply forgave them. Though you think they should forgive you and it's this rather annoying catch-twenty-two that is driving me crazy!” Rarity shouted the last bit, tugging her mane with her hooves.

“Umm...”

“Far be it for me to try and tell a Princess what she should do, but you should just talk to him. Twilight mentioned you told her you became angry every time you saw him, yet here you are in the back of a train car traveling with him. Seems to be an excuse to me,” Rarity huffed. “I won't tell anypony who you are, but they are going to figure it out sooner or later. I expect Bleu may already know, and I am sure somehow Pinkie Pie does too. She probably has an itchy ear or something that tells her when royalty are around in disguise or something.”

“Wobbly nose, actually,” Pinkie Pie stated, popping up from under one of the pillows on a bed across from Rarity, with Bleu perched on her back pointing an accusing claw at Luna.

“Ah HA!” Bleu shouted.

“This I did not need,” Luna growled.

=======================================================

Celestia left the pair of foals with two guards she knew she could trust. Captain Peach Blossom and Captain Lion Heart had been pulled from training for this task.

The pair was less than thrilled with foal sitting duty until she explained the situation to them. She put a small glamour on the pair, changing their coloration to any pony who saw them and informed the pair they could tour the less populated areas of the castle.

Hopefully, the guards could keep them out of trouble. She watched as the four of them set off along with a cover story about watching some ambassador or another’s children. It wouldn't be the first time this happened, so it was believable enough.

Her hooves fell lightly on the stones as she trotted down the hall to check on Scootaloo. A sudden scream sent her galloping the rest of the way to fling open the door to the guest chamber.

The place was a veritable inferno: the bed, furniture, and nearly everything else in the room was burning with a green fire. Celestia winced, expecting for a bed or something to form at any moment and fall on her head. Thankfully, the green flame seemed to be normal fire, save its odd coloration.

In the middle of the room, the orange filly was rolling on the floor trying to put out her wings.

“Stopdropandroll, stopdropandroll! Gah, Miss Cheerilee lied! I’m still on fire!” Scootaloo shouted.

Celestia blinked, not able to stifle a chuckle fully at the filly’s flailing. She could recall she had set a room or two on fire herself in her sleep when she first gained her abilities, though by that point, she had known what she could do.

“Do calm down, Scootaloo. While you are on fire, is it burning you at all?” Celestia commented as she stepped into the room fully. Her magic doused the fires spread about the room and pulled open the windows to let the smoke filter out.

“Princess Celestia?! What? I mean no, but... What's going on? Where's Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo chimed, her mane and tail flickering with green sparks. Every shift of her wings changed the shape of the feathers of flame sprouting from them as if they were real wing feathers.

Celestia regarded the filly and could not help but have her smile widen by the fact this foal did not seem to fear her station, either.

“Your friends are safe. I am sure they are touring the castle right now with a pair of guard captains I borrowed from Major Kaisur's training group.” Celestia smiled.

=============================================

“No wait, don't!!” shouted Lion Heart, diving to try and catch a vase that Apple Bloom had knocked over, only to have it smash on his head.

Peach Blossom rushed after the pair, trying to keep up with the fillies who wanted to see everything they could at the castle immediately, and they didn't seem to be very concerned about what got in the way of the cutie mark crusade, or whatever they had yelled before taking off.

Lion Heart shook his head free of the pottery and glared after the pair.

“Next time the princess asks for a favor, we ask for a raise first...” grumbled Peach Blossom.

“Still better than Major Rose's training,” Lion Heart muttered, pushing himself to his hooves.

A loud explosion drew their attention as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom ran past going the other way.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen!” Sweetie Belle commented as they run past.

“Seriously, this place can't be up tah code,” Apple Bloom stated.

The two guards looked at each other, then at the smoke coming from the other room.

“I think I would prefer the Major's training,” Peach Blossom said.

================================================

“At least, I hope they are safe,” Celestia muttered. “At any rate, your friends told me what happened. I expect that it is the reason what happened to you came about. Not something one would consider as a discoverable talent.”

“What?” Scootaloo asked as Celestia moved closer and pointed to the filly's flank.

Scootaloo turned and looked back, her eyes widening as she saw the green phoenix on her flank. She turned, trying to see it better and wound up spinning around in a circle until she fell over dizzy, setting the carpet back on fire with her wings.

The new fire snapped her out of her excitement and sent the little pegasus running again in a panic, relighting everything in the room as she bounced around trying to put herself out.

Celestia slapped her face with her hoof, realizing this was going to be a long day.

==========================================================

Granny Smith sat up in bed, hearing Winona barking up a storm. She grumbled and rolled out of bed, muttering about AJ's dog, though she knew the pup didn't just bark for no reason.

She made her way downstairs, the steps creaking lightly as she made her way towards the kitchen. Her ears perked up as she heard Winona yelp in pain. She moved down the steps a little quicker, hearing the poor thing whimpering and growling.

“Damn mutt, shut the buck up already,” a voice hissed.

Granny’s eyes widened as she picked up a broom and pushed open the door to the kitchen. The back door was wide open, the lock busted, and a griffon stood in the middle of the kitchen rubbing her foreleg where Wino had bit her.

Granny grumbled, shoving the door all the way open and swinging the broom at the griffon.

“Blasted burglar! Git outta mah house!” Granny shouted around the broom handle.

The griffon winced as the straw broom walloped her on the head before she growled something that sounded like a swear in Griffon and grabbed the broom, yanking it —and Granny's teeth— from her mouth.

“I have had it with this crap! Dogs and geriatric old farts… this was supposed to be a damned hunt. Where's the pony called Applejack!?” Wind Razor growled, throwing the broom and teeth aside.

Granny narrowed her eyes. “I ain't telling you nuffing, yah over blown feather duster. Now git out!”

Wind Razor growled, glaring at the green earth pony. “If I can't claim my target’s lover, I’ll just take the rest of the family and come back!”

The griffon lunged at Granny, only to be stopped short as the door to the kitchen flew off its hinges and into the leaping griffon, knocking her back across the room and into the stove with a crash.

A large red earth pony stallion stepped through the doorway, pushing the old mare back behind him before cracking his fore hooves together as he glared down at the griffon.

“Eeenope.”

=====================================================

Applejack watched the zebra intently as she made a few motions, which the earth pony tried to mimic with some success.

Rhede glanced up from his book occasionally, getting a little annoyed at Twilight reading over his shoulder. The others were either in another train car catching up on sleep or outside of the train for a late flight.

Rhede glared and pulled the book away again, trying to shoo the curious unicorn away, though he would have had better luck trying to get Pinkie to calm down than stop Twilight from trying to read a book she had never seen before.

Twilight did pause a moment to watch AJ and Velkorn go through some sort of kata, or whatever it was called. Rhede sighed happy for some sort of relief from the book-crazy mare.

“AJ, I just thought of something,” Twilight said.

“Oh, an’ what’s that, sugar cube?” AJ asked with a small twinge of annoyance at having to split her concentration between Twilight and keeping her balance. Velkorn didn't seem to be affected by the distraction.

“Well, I saw the training Major Rose was doing with the dragon magic. It’s rather amazing what those other earth ponies could do with it. It's something that might help you out considerably as well in a fight, not to mention farm work.” Twilight stopped as AJ stumbled and crashed to the floor of the car. “Was it something I said?”

“Ah ain't gonna use no magic, doesn't matter what kind it is,” stated AJ. “‘Specially that kind.”

“Why not? Considering our situation, you should set your stubbornness aside, at least for a while. You don't even know the spell that was used...” Twilight blinked as AJ jumped back to her hooves, glaring at Twilight.

“Ah know real well what spell yer talking about, an’ ah know fer sure ah will not be using it,” AJ growled.

“Ah, so you're intolerant of it too, I gather?” Rhede muttered, closing the book.

“Intolerant? What?” Twilight questioned.

“Twilight, the dragon’s strength spell doesn't always work. That's why a number of the earth pony guards that Rose was teaching were pulled out of the training. Some, like me, simply can't utilize the ability. Then there’s the ones that draw a little too much from it. The latter are why the spell was banned back in the First Dragon War,” Rhede explained.

“So wait, what happens when you pull too much?” Twilight switched her gaze between the two.

“I'm curious how a non-military pony knew about it. I can understand Rose, since he was sealed before the dragon war, but how did some farmer find out about it?” Rhede asked.

AJ winced under the stare from the pair of them before she grumbled and mutters the rest. “Ma knew it from before she married Pa. Taught him as well with no problems; though all us Apples were plenty strong already, little extra wouldn’a hurt. Became a bit of a legend on how strong and tough tha Apples were. Everythin’ was fine fer a while ma and paw ran tha’ farm on their own with help of it. Problems came a bit later.”

“Hmmm? Later?” asked Rhede.

“Ma and Pa had no problems with it. After they passed, however, their eldest found tha spell in ma's diary, figured it could make things easier around tha farm. Didn’a quite work out that way...”

======================================================

Wind Razor cursed as she flung the door off herself and leaped at the red stallion, who simply let her come at him. He sidestepped suddenly, knocking the griffon away with a bat of his fore hoof before she even laid claws on him.

This repeated more times than she liked. She couldn't maneuver very well in the small kitchen, and there was no way to attack from the sides as long as the pony stood in the doorway.

“Gah, I know you. You're that damned stallion that was with the mare Claymore wanted. Scarlet supposedly killed you. How the buck did that bitch manage to even touch you?”

The stallion said nothing, though she did notice the green mare and the dog were safely behind him now. This was turning into a bust— best to just drop the crap and hope the shock gave her a shot.

She reached back and tossed the fillies’ bags to the side. One of the bags was sticky and smelled like some sort of jam. The jar must have broken when the door hit her. The thick, syrupy mess had soaked into one of the bags with a small apple on it. In the dark kitchen, it looked very much like blood.

Both the stallion’s gaze and the old mare's were drawn to the bags.

“Oh my gorsh, is that Apple Bloom's bag?!” Granny gasped.

Mac glared back at the griffon. “Where's mah lil sister?”

Wind Razor grinned, clicking her claws together and hoping the stallion would move from the door to attack now. “Guess.”

Granny looked from the bag up at Mac as his ears flattened to his head. She could hear his teeth crack as he gritted his jaw.
Mac reached up and unfastened his harness, letting it fall from his neck. The heavy yoke struck the kitchen floor and splintered the wood at the ponies’ hooves as it hit.

“Tha buck?” Wind Razor questions.

============================================

“Big Mac's a what?” Twilight questioned.

“They used to call them berserkers. During the First Dragon War, Ruin commanded a whole regiment of them.Ponies who could learn how to tap into the dragons power but couldn't control it once they did.It was always on. They couldn't function in proper society so they were almost all in the Guard. They were such feverish combatants that in battle, they would not stop until either they were all dead or the enemy was. Even in the worst parts of the war, Princess Luna was reluctant to use them as they openly sought death more often then not.The spell was banned before very long though it still popped up from time to time in old notes or such. With the spell banned, there never was a regiment of them in the second war, though from what Jer said there were plans for more to be trained in the Lunar Republic. For the most part, everyone was too scared to use them, as in the heat of anger they could turn on their own just as easily as the enemy. Only Ruin seemed to have any sway on them in that state.”

“Big Mac ain't a berserker. He's as calm and sweet a pony as yah ever met. His problem is if he gets worked up, he can't rightly control all that strength he's got. That spell caused more harm than good, and it's taken a lot of therapy and training tah get tah this point. Heck, we're still paying medical bills fer when he used to hurt himself doing something,” AJ explained.

“Should be fine unless something sets him off. Or he and a mare friend get a little too personal...” Rhede commented, getting a glare from AJ.

“Ain't nothing wrong with mah brother. Ah don't need you tellin’ me otherwise. His mare friend ain't complained yet. ‘Sides, he's still less violent at his worst than yer friend out there at his best!” AJ growled, gesturing to the next train car that held Jer'rahd.

“Okay... you got me there. Of course, Jer has a spirit of death and destruction inside him. Mac's just got a dragon’s rage to deal with,” Rhede sighed.

“Okay, this is definitely something I want to know more about,” Twilight said.

The pair looked at the purple unicorn, who had a scroll and pen out and was writing down everything the two of them hadsaid.

“Seriously?” Rhede growled.

“Ah shoulda known,” muttered AJ.

“What? It's not like Major Rose or Kaisur are telling me anything about this. It's another area of history that we don't know anything about, and it's a new spell.” Twilight commented.

“One you can't use because you're a unicorn. Anyway, considering he was attacked by Scarlet and Claymore and didn't break anything, I'm inclined to agree that he has control. I mean, if his marefriend was attacked and he didn't lose it, what would set him off?” Rhede muttered, noting the sheepish expression AJ suddenly had.

“Ah ‘spect family mostly, ‘specially Apple Bloom. He's been real protective of her since Ma and Pa died...”

====================================================

The wall of the Apple family farm house exploded, sending wood, plaster, pots, pans, the kitchen sink, and one very stunned griffon flying out across the farm yard. Most of the items, including the griffon, finally tumbled to a stop at the beginning of the apple orchard, though a few items went much farther.

Wind Razor rolled with the hit, wincing at every movement as she rose back to her paws. Her lungs felt on fire and a horseshoe-shaped spot on her chest was bleeding heavily where the pony's hoof had caught her and torn through the skin.

What the heck was going on here? Wasn't this the damned pony Scarlet had nearly killed? How could a damned farmer hit so hard?

She coughed, looking down at the flecks of blood on the ground. That one hit had to have broken her ribs, and judging by how difficult it was to breathe, it probably punctured a lung, too. What the hell was this pony?

The griffon’s eyes widened as she threw herself to the side. A refrigerator smashed into the ground where she had been standing and dug a furrow into the dirt before bouncing back into the air to crash into the trees behind her. A number of other loud thuds continued before a final loud splash some distance away marked the appliance’s watery resting place.

The crunch of wood and plaster brought her gaze back up to the hole in the side of the farm house as the stallion stepped out of it.

He snorted, and she was sure steam came out of the pony’s nostrils. His eyes were pure white, and he seemed to be frothing at the mouth like a rabid animal.

“Shiiiiiit...” cursed the griffon.

The green mare was behind him, shouting something that she couldn't make out. To be perfectly honest, she’d had enough of this place. Silver Claw's plan to raze the town was sounding better by the moment— to hell with the peripheral trophies.

The green pony was not given a second glance as the red one moved towards her. Wind Razor had had enough— she was gone.

The griffon kicked off the ground, her wings struggling as the motion shifted the broken bones of her ribs as she haphazardly climbed into the air like a drunken watermelon.

A roar from the pony on the ground drew her attention back down as the stallion appeared to be swinging something around his head on a chain. The griffon’s eyes widened as she realized it was a massive iron farm plow.

She panicked and flapped harder, trying to climb above the pony's throwing range as quickly as she could. She squawked loudly as the metal farm tool flew under her, a sharp pain running along her back as she flapped even harder, vanishing above the clouds.

A glance back once past the damp clouds showed her tail had been severed again.

She whimpered, trying to keep the adrenaline flowing until she made it back to Silver Claw's cave. After all this, the last thing she needed would be to black out mid-flight, though the new wounds were making that look like a possibility.

======================================================================

Granny Smith watched as Big Mac went off. There were very few things that frightened her anymore. Snakes and her eldest grandcolt in this state were about it. He wasn't a danger to the family, though anyone else might have a problem, especially if he didn't recognize them.

A few more farm implements joined the first in soaring after the griffon. As the first crashed back to the ground, the large stallion only stalled a little to catch his breath. The anger was still there, but there was no outlet. Given enough time, he would calm himself... Well, once he finished stomping the griffon's tail to paste, anyway. Still, so long as no one else showed up, he should be back to normal in a few moments.

“What is going on here?” questioned an unfamiliar voice.

Granny's eyes widened as she looked from Mac to a cloaked figure looking up at the damage to the farm house.

“Yah dang fool! Git outta here afore he sees yah.” Granny shouted.

The figure paused looking at Granny, then to Big Mac, who had taken note of the figure. The red stallion's eyes narrowed as several tons of thrown metal crash to the ground around him. Granny winced as her grandson rushes the cloaked figure.

The hooded pony seemed surprised, though a faint red glow shone from under the hood, lighting up a red striped muzzle. The spell surrounded Big Mac, lifting him into the air, though his momentum kept him going until he was floating above the figure, legs kicking as he struggled to reach the hooded pony. After a few moments, his struggling stopped though he remained panting heavily.

“Are you calmer now?” questioned the cloaked figure.

“Eenope.”

“Likely to rip my head off before I can explain anything?”

The exhausted pony considered a moment before responding. “Eenope.”

“Well, I suppose that will have to do. I did not expect any of you Apples would know a draconic spell, let alone use one. Now then, if everyone is alright, might I get an explanation on what happened here?”

The glow faded as Mac was lowered back to the ground, where he sat down hard.

Granny pushed open the screen door, wincing as it fell off the side of the house, and slowly made her way over to the pair. “Not ‘til yah state yer business. We had enough unexplained guests tonight,” Granny growled.

“Granny, git...”

“Shush, Mac. This one ain't any harm, or she'd not ah been polite this far,” Granny muttered. “Not like that dang griffon.”

“Wind Razor? Well, I suppose I should clarify my own actions before I ask anything. I am representing Princess Celestia in Ponyville currently. I would have been here sooner, but I was nearly in Ponyville chasing another feeling before I was guided here.”

“Granny, we ain't got time for this. Apple Bloom...”

“...is fine... despite what you may have heard or been told by the griffon,” the masked pony stated, drawing both the Apples’ attention.

“What? An’ how do you know that?” Granny questioned.

The figure sighed. “I do not agree with the Princess’s suggestion, even if I understand the why of it, particularly after what seems to have transpired here. Celestia wanted me to tell you Apple Bloom is missing. I expect Wind Razor wished to tell you she was dead.”

“Stop being all vague and crap an’ just tell me where my sister is!” Mac snorted, ignoring Granny's attempts to shush him.

“She is safe, though it is best for all parties involved if you consider her and her two friends to be missing.”

“Scoots and Sweetie? What tha hay did they git into this time?” Granny muttered.

“A rather delicate and dangerous situation, one they cannot simply apologize for and get out of. Until this matter is cleared up, they will remain as they are. If you have doubts to my word, please contact the Princess through Miss Sparkle when she returns. I would trust no one else with that knowledge. If anyone else asks, you are to say she is simply missing. You may tell them of the griffon’s visit. Given that I assume that is the remains of her tail and neither of you are hurt, she did not accomplish her goal. Bringing up that these criminals can be hurt, and badly, will do much to quell any panic that may arise from the foals’ disappearance.”

“That still ain't explaining anything. Ain't no reason fer us tah believe yah, either,” Granny stated.

“That is true, though for what it is worth, which would you rather believe? That the griffon was correct and she is dead or that someone who claims to be sent by the Princess says she is fine?”

The pair looked at each other before Big Mac nodded.

“An’ who are you, anyway?” Mac questioned.

“Someone who knows how special Apple Bloom is, though I regret the situation. If Miss Sparkle asks who told you to talk to her, tell her my name is Sunshine.”

================================================

Lion Heart flailed, trying to get out from underneath the tapestry. Peach Blossom was flying back and forth across the room trying to catch the fillies currently swinging on the chandelier claiming to be after their swashbuckling cutie marks.

The unicorn filly certainly had the voice for the pirate type. For such a small thing, her voice boomed through the main hall, bringing more attention to the guards’ ineptitude on dealing with the pair to the servants and other guards.

“YO HO FIDDLE DEE DEE...!!!” shouted Sweetie Belle as she dangled from the chandelier.

Lion Heart growled, wondering how he was supposed to look after an entire race of half-dragons when he couldn't handle two fillies.

=========================================================

Celestia wondered how she had managed to deal with an entire nation when she could not even deal with one filly.

There was no way Sunshine had been this bad. Either that, or her memory was terrible. Frankly, with all that was going on, she was afraid it was the latter. At least back then, she had Baelit to help.

Once the fire situation had been settled, the questions started about her cutie mark. After answering what she could, she had asked Scootaloo to remain still for a time until she could study the pegasus a little to try and figure out the trigger for it herself.

A servant had brought some food for the little mare and Celestia had thought to take that time to look closer at Scootaloo's wings only to have the green flame go out when the filly started eating.

She made the mistake of mentioning they went out, which sent the filly into a panic. The panic reignited her wings, which started new fires, and the chaos accumulated with a bowl of oatmeal upturned on the Goddess of the Sun's head somehow.

As the glop dripped down her face, she recalled that Sunshine had actually done this once.

When Celestia went to clean up, she had come back to gleeful squees and more smoke. The Princess was not even aware there was anything in the room left to burn at this point.

Celestia ducked back into the room, only to have a small orange and purple filly careen off the side of her head and then flutter back into the air before crashing into a wall and fluttering the other way like a dazed moth.

The impacts did not even seem to faze Scootaloo as she was far too lost in the haphazard flight she was performing. The filly was giggling with glee at being airborne, all the while setting tapestries and the exposed wooden rafters on fire as she flitted about.

Celestia twitched, preparing the spell to douse the fires again.

==========================================================

Jer'rahd shifted, sliding his hooves under him and standing up. He could hear the steady drip of water over the clank of the chains binding him in place and feel the cold stone under his hooves. He knew what was to come. It was always what came— his mind was clearly running out of new nightmare material, but that didn't matter when the same things always worked to torment him.
Wait…

He never remembered what was coming until afterward. Why was this different? He waited for far longer than it should have taken for the water to wash over him to drown him in the depths. He exhaled deeply, opening his eyes.

A wall of dark water loomed before him. He jerked back as far as the chains would let him, his head whipping about franticly at the sight of the dark liquid.

He forced himself to calm down and survey the situation. Aside from the initial panic, there was no fear despite being surrounded by dark, oddly-flowing water that he knew was filled with unspeakable horrors— things that had constantly plagued his sleep for over a thousand years now.

Even while under the influence of Chrysalis, he had nightmares. Sometimes even Entropy would show up to torment him. It was unlikely the creature created the nightmares, though it was certain it thrived from the fear they caused him.

But this? He lifted a fore leg, watching the metal chains binding it shatter and fade into nothing as he pulled. A quick shake of his body dislodged the rest of the chains. He looked around at the walls of water about him, then down at the floor and the silvery light that was around him. He lifted his gaze upward and he smiled.

A silvery white orb hung in the sky far above him, the beam of light holding back the water all the way to the source of the beam.
The full moon shone down on him, its light keeping the nightmares at bay.

Jer'rahd's smile grew even wider; this only happened when she was near. She was the only one whose presence kept his nightmares at bay, even when she was one herself.

He sat back on his haunches, eyes fixed on the silvery moon far above, the smile not leaving his face.

========================================================

Nox sighed, adjusting her hat and traveling to the diner car of the train. The sunlight was already streaming in the windows and she cursed her sister with every beam that managed to find its way under her hat into her eyes.

Rarity had at least agreed to remain silent without issue. Getting Bleu and Pinkie to keep things to themselves required some sort of Pinkie Promise nonsense.

It had been a rather trying evening even getting that from the pair. She was quite worried about the agreement she was forced to make with the two of them as well. Making open ended deals never boded well.

She was not going to agree to anything of the sort, but Pinkie Pie was adamant about the deal being the only way the pair would keep quiet. They would stay quiet now for a favor to be given at a later time when they came up with something.

Luna had at least managed to make sure it was not something that would be harmful to her or anyone else or any sort of prank. They agreed though they both giggled disturbingly when she accepted the potentially ruinous deal.

Now all she wanted was a bit of breakfast and to get ready for the day ahead. The train should arrive at their drop-off point just before noon, and they would spend the rest of the day on hoof. It was caution that had decided on the slower route rather than just flying.

The Badlands were prone to sudden wind storms, and even if those could be avoided, the train made it less likely that they would be seen by one of the escapees. Flying chariots carrying this many supplies tended to attract attention, as did airships.

She slid the last door open, stepping into the dining car and right into the stares of Starfall, Applejack, Twilight, and Rhede.

Nox flattened her ears as the two ponies who had been chosen to bear the Element of Honesty bored their gaze into her like daggers. AJ had a large meal half-eaten before her and Starfall had a plate that looked picked at, though she was nursing some apple juice and still looked a little green. At least the pegaus was not violently ill like she normal was.

This was not going to be a pleasant trip. She ignored the pair, moving to collect her food, planning to head back to another car to eat when Applejack spoke up.

“So ah been meaning tah ask, whats yer deal?”

Nox sighed, having heard the same thing from the others already before they even got on the train. “What do you mean?”

“Tha costume, fer starters. Only ponies with somethin’ tah hide or a show tah go to’ll wear a git-up like that.”

“I have already stated I have something to hide,” Nox snapped back. “And that something is my identity. The costume is by no means going to affect my abilities.”

“It affects how we see you, or in this case, don't. You are hiding behind a mask and a false name. I can't say I have ever met a pony who's done that and did not have something nefarious in mind,” Starfall stated.

“Hey now, that sort of crap is what I do, you know!?” Rhede retorted.

“And every time you do it, you are about to kill someone or steal something.” Starfall glared back at Rhede.

“Ummm right, good point. Carry on,” Rhede muttered, mostly to himself.

“Keeping those things a secret from your teammates doesn't help much. Plus, yer kinda a last-moment addition to the team, and none of us know yah or have worked with yah before. Heck, we've done more with each other than we have you, so we got some understanding of what’s what there, but you? ‘Bout all we know is that yer an alicorn. Can't be that many of them that yah think hiding yerself will stop someone from knowing yah,” AJ pointed out

“There's actually exactly twenty three pegi-corns in the world— more, if you count Nocturne, snow ponies, river ponies, and sea ponies,” Twilight stated matter-of-factly.

Everyone looked at the librarian as she flipped a page on the book she was reading and took another spoonful of cereal, ignoring their questioning stares.

“It is my business who I am, Miss Applejack. I am here to aid you, not cause any issue,” Nox said.

“That's tha point: yer already causing issues with this masked pony nonsense. Ain't no pony ken trust yah when yah seem to have so much tah hide,” AJ pointed out. “Hiding who yah are like this is too much like lying fer my taste, could be anything under there.”

Before Nox could respond to that, Jer'rahd trotted in from the open door of the next car, carrying a rather large plate of food and softly humming to himself as he set it down on a table.

The entire car stared at the strangely chipper pony as he picked up a scone and started putting grape jelly on it.

Nox sighed. “I care not if you trust me due to the mask, just so long as you know that I am here to help you with this mission that the princess sent you on.”

“Oh don't worry, I trust you,” Jer'rahd said suddenly before taking a bite out of the scone.

Again, the entire car stared at the unicorn.

“Umm, Jer... you okay?” Rhede questioned.

“Mmhmm, great, in fact. Amazing what a good night’s sleep will do for a pony. Anyway Starfall, Applejack, keep in mind that Luna and Celestia put her on this team, so they trust her. I just said I trust her, and I’m lead of this party alongside Sparkle. Hey Sparkle, you trust Nox here?”

“Yeah, sure thing,” Twilight muttered flipping another page.

“So if both princesses and both your team leaders are alright with her then you two should be fine as well,” Jer'rahd stated, finishing off the scone. “These are really good. Who made them?”

“Ummm, Pinkie and Bleu are cooking...” Rhede replied, still staring at the smiling unicorn.

“Ahh, that explains it, then. Sparkle, we're going to get a bit of practice in after breakfast so there's still time to rest before the train stops.”

“Mhhhmmm,” muttered Twilight through another spoonful of cereal.

=========================================================

Nox closed the door behind her, stepping into the last car before yanking off her hat and throwing it down, having a mini fit that threatened to spill her food.

“What the buck is the point of the costume if everypony knows who I am ANYWAY!?” Luna cursed.

A white hoof lifted up from one of the bunks and spun around in the air.

“Darling, I told you that to begin with. Now be a dear and keep it down. I still need to get a bit more beauty sleep while I am still able,” Rarity commented.

=============================================================

Celestia sighed, looking at the filly before her snoring away. Scootaloo had finally exhausted herself right before dinner and nodded off at the table. Celestia had put her back in her room after fireproofing it with a few spells here and there.

Stepping away from filly for perhaps the first time that day, she moved into the throne room, blinking at the damage there.
Her jaw dropped at the sheer carnage that had seemed to have gone on inside. She had not seen damage this bad since Silver Claw had attacked the Gala.

The doors to the throne room opened and a pair of guards hobbled in, leaning on each other for support.

Lion Heart's armor was dented and painted bright red. His hair, mane, and tail were halfway done up, and each of his individual scales was painted a different color. He had a bit of tissue in his nose with some blood on it and one of his eyes was swollen shut.

Peach Blossom did not have any armor on at all and looked half drowned. One of his wings was bent at an odd angle, his fur was shaved in patches, one hoof was stuck in a can of plaid paint, and there was a steel bucket stuck on his head with an eye hole cut into it.

Celestia blinked, looking at the two in shock, but before she could ask anything, Peach blossom spoke up. “Princess, we would like to report that the Cutie Mark Crusaders did not receive a cutie mark for the following...” Peach Blossom muttered through the bucket.

“Base jumping, hole digging, structural integrity testing, runaway cart stopping, blue meth cooking, scale painting, interior design, crowd surfing, building inspection, catapult use, swashbuckling, piracy, tapestry swinging, hooficures, magic, anti-magic, elder god summoning, spelunking, castle exploring, cooking toast...” Lion Heart stated in a monotone voice.

“Free-form rock climbing, interpretive dance, phoenix riding, phoenix bathing, phoenix capturing after it escaped, firefighting, blacksmithing, armor repair, being a guard, curling, macramé, the Macarena, time travel, off-season Hearth’s Warming decorating, wild gazebo wrangling, moat diving, moat monster wrestling, moat monster veterinary assistance, moat monster catching when it escaped, the flop...” Peach Blossom continued.

“Rapier fighting, training dummy construction, training dummy breaking, brick laying, freeform flying, swiping snacks from the kitchen, playing Princess Luna's video games, sarcasm detection, being noble ponies, being ambassadors to the Diamond Dog representatives, knowing what an ambassador is, trying to start an international incident, annoying Prince Blueblood, the Carameldansen, listening to war stories, starting a fight between guards, cockfighting, being quiet, settling down, or not touching that,” Lion Heart finished.

“We do hope, however, that they will get their cutie marks in finally being asleep already. We also hope that you might get an extra cutie mark for giving ponies a raise who obviously deserve one,” Peach Blossom finished before they both collapsed.

“Yay,” Princess Celestia sighed.

========================================================

Bloodtail smirked. He had been wanting to do this from day one, but there was too much of a chance of it being found out. Now that they were so close to the end, it wouldn't matter if it was discovered or not.

He tapped the end of the glass with a hoof, letting the last drops of bluish fluid fall out of the bottle before dropping the vial in as well, listening to it fall before hearing it smash against the side of the well before striking the surface of the water.

He pulled his head back, looking around to make sure he wasn't spotted. There were several such wells in this town, as well as the river that ran along side of it. While he doubted the entire town used the wells for water, he was sure enough did for it to be a useful target. His ears perked up, hearing a bellow far in the distance and wondered briefly if that was related to what Wind Razor was off doing.

He simply shrugged, moving away from the well and darting off into the night. There was still so much left to do and the end was oh so very close.

“....a ghost in the fog....”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
by TDR

“....a ghost in the fog....”

“Seriously, how much further is it? I'm hot, tired, and my hooves are getting dusty!” Rarity whined.

The sun beat down on the group and the two wagons with them, which were being pulled by Jer'rahd and Applejack. Most of the others walked alongside the wagon loads of supplies. Rhede rode under protest due to Velkorn insisting he not strain his leg, and Bleu sat on the zebra's back, resting in case they needed a quick escape.

Rarity, on the other hoof, had sat herself in Applejack's cart and started whining for most of the trip.

Jer'rahd's ears remained flattened to his head as even Twilight looked ready to strangle her friend. At the very least, the high pitched drone the mare produced while complaining would keep any Diamond Dogs away, if any of the dogs even lived in this barren wasteland.

Starfall and Rainbow Dash were in the air, though they were sticking close to the group after a sudden dust storm earlier had nearly smashed them into one of the towering rock spires that jutted up from the brown and white sands.

The train had taken them to the Dodge City and they had traveled the rest of the way on hoof. While Appleloosa was closer to the Macintosh Hills, which acted as a natural wall between the Badlands and the rest of Equestria, one of the few known passes that could be taken from the ground was south of Dodge City. The other pass into the Badlands was on the other side of the mountain range near where Camp Geode had once been. The Shadow of Nox was closer to the northern pass, however.

Only the foolish or the desperate came here. On top of the sudden dust storms and lack of water, there were also tales of the entire land being cursed or haunted. And ponies, for some reason, tended to be a cowardly and rather superstitious lot in this day and age.

To be honest, Jer'rahd was starting to wish it was haunted— then there would be something to see aside from fire-blasted rock and lifeless dirt. The very ground crunched under his hooves with each step as if he was breaking through a thin layer of ice atop of fresh snow. In this case, though, it crunched due to it being glass. Because of this, everyone who was walking had put on at least the hoof coverings of the armor that was provided so as not to cut up their legs and hooves.

The ground was broken in a few places where other creatures had ventured into the place. Most of them soon turned and went the other way, though a number of the tracks ended in dunes of sand.

No one was really up to see what might be under the piles, and the baking heat even kept the more hyperactive members of the group subdued. Only the crunch of hooves, the creak of the wagons, and the whine of the white unicorn filled the air.

Nox was a few lengths ahead of the group, trying to get her bearings. She had been here before and knew the way to the shadow.

They had passed a number of ruins and steep rock formations, and Jer'rahd had eyed every single one of them, expecting some sort of ambush. This place was far too quiet for his liking.

[“So help me mare, if Celestia sent you along because she hoped your whining would make us go faster, I will have some very unpleasant things to say to her,”] Velkorn growled, getting a chuckle from the members of the group who spoke Zebra.

Which amounted to every pony but Rarity, Applejack, and Jer'rahd.

“What was that, dear? Rarity questioned, leaning over the cart AJ was pulling.

“She said put a sock in it before she finds one to put in it for you,” Bleu grumbled from Velkorn's back, fanning her wings to try and keep a breeze blowing over the pair of them.

“How rude,” Rarity pouted.

====================================================

Claymore raised a brow, looking at the others in the small group. Bloodtail appeared to be rather concerned as well.

They both knew about Silver Claw's eye, but to see the battered state of Wind Razor, the one-winged alicorn that was Nocturne, and the near-mummified state of Scarlet was a bit more of a shock, even with them knowing about the injuries. Claymore, however, couldn't help being a dick about it and laugh at the bandaged mare.

Nocturne clearly had not slept, and a broken chunk of dried bone still jutted from the scar where her wing had been. The mare's back spasmed with every shift of her intact wing, though she ignored the pair rather well. Four of the five books rested on a stone table before her, and the fifth, the Purple Pamphlet, against one wall of the room.

The abandoned Guard post was at the edge of White Tail Woods, the forest that had once been home to the Elk. The tower was little more than a crumbling ruin, though its location away from any sort of well traveled route gave them the privacy they needed to prepare for the ritual.

The site had been chosen, the Elements recovered, and everything was prepared for their ascent into godhood.
Bloodtail looked over the rest of the group briefly, considering what he had seen in the Purple Pamphlet while they had been returning. He knew there was a sixth book now, but there was no link or location to it that he could find. When he brought it up, Nocturne had told them that the Jade Scroll was unnecessary, and with its presence, the ritual would likely fail.

There was also mention of something called The Nameless, but only a single line that stated 'its creation could restore the books’
full power'. Considering how rife with riddles and conflicting statements the fat book had been, he was unsure why such a line stood out to him. Still, it was something to worry about later. For now, his goal was in reach.

The sole purpose of his infatuation with Velkorn was her bloodline. The Shadow Walkers had preformed rites of visions and prophecy to find the lines that would most likely produce gods. They had wanted to raise the gods to power and reclaim what was lost to them. Bloodtail had wanted something a bit more ambitious. There was a ritual he once had that could be used to transfer a soul from one body to another. He had intended to sire a god with Velkorn and then take over its body to become a god himself.
Now, however, there was no more need of that.

“I will use the Element of Loyalty,” Silver Claw stated suddenly as if daring anyone else to challenge his statement.

“I do not see how it matters who uses what,” Wind Razor grumbled, picking at the bandage on the end of her tail stump.

“It does not, though if an Element is more suited to you, then it is more likely to work than if it is not suited,” Nocturne said. “Considering your connection to your father, Loyalty does suit you. I will be using Magic.”

“Claymore should be Honesty, simply because he's too crude and ignorant to try subtlety or guile.” Scarlet smirked, throwing a necklace with an apple-shaped gem on it towards Claymore before digging a tiara with a star burst pattern from the box and tossing it to Nocturne.

Silver Claw looked down as he caught the lightning bolt-shaped gem on the end of the chain that Scarlet tossed to him, sniffing it lightly. This item was different than he remembered it being when Jer'rahd wore it, though the mark on it matched the pony who was the current bearer.

“I would like to keep these as well when all this is done. Though tacky, such powerful items might aid in negotiations with other nations while I work to restore the Dragon race to its former glory, or failing that, at least make decent trophies.” Silver Claw stated.

“The books say they cannot be destroyed, so hiding them will have to do,” Nocturne said.

[“Do what you like with them. So long as their chosen bearers do not get them back, I do not care.”] Bloodtail commented as he looked over the necklace with a butterfly on it.

“Jewelry’s not really my thing...” muttered Wind Razor, tilting her head to look at the shaped gem, finding it the most normal-looking one there.

“Laughter?” Nocturne questioned, looking at Scarlet as she put the chain connected to the balloon-shaped gem around her neck.

“Of course. Bloodtail seemed to care something about the dead and that toy of Claymore's, at least a little, and the bird is quite generous dishing out death.” Scarlet grinned, glaring at Claymore. “As for me, well, I always get the last laugh.”

“Ooooh, scary mummy mare with a balloon necklace... I better watch out,” stated Claymore.

=====================================================

Twilight stared at the area before her in awe and horror.

A swath of green grass and a few scattered flowering weeds lay like a narrow fan from a point barely a pony's length to a wall of rock less than an acre from the point. Pinkie briefly remarked how it looked like a big green piece of pie in the middle of the desert though even she realized the joke was weak and returned to silence quickly.

After two days of nothing but sand-blasted wasteland, the sight of such life was a welcome sight, though not what surrounded it. Nox stood at the point of the massive lawn, though she was not looking at the swath of life as the others were.

“The shadow of Nox,” Nox stated, turning her head to look away from the crater, perhaps little more than two leagues away, to Twilight.

Even in the fading light of the day, the crater glowed; the heat rose in waves from it like an open oven on a cold day. Starfall and Rainbow Dash couldn't fly near it for the heat that it put out, and even Bleu was uncomfortable.

“That is the pit that was created when Celestia attacked Discord for the first time. The heat from her attack scorched the entire land, and in that spot, it turned the rock and sand molten. Even after it cooled, it had burned so hot that the impurities of the soil were charred away, leaving a massive perfect bowl of black mirrored glass. The heat from the sun collects in it and alters the weather around the Badlands, pushing away most clouds and causing dust storms. This close to the cauldron, I have no idea how the shadow remains green,” Nox explained. “As far as I know, Celestia is the only one who has been in that inferno and come out unscathed.”

It was neither the bowl nor the green space that unnerved Twilight— it was the space between. Stone markers dotted the landscape, stretching between the grass and the crater, all seemingly randomly arranged. It was among these stones that Jer'rahd walked, scraping off sections of the stones and reading what was inscribed there.

Twilight glanced to Nox before trotting over to the somber unicorn. Jer'rahd glanced back looking down at one of the stones. “Graves. Etched with the names, the birth dates, and the life summaries of those buried here.” Jer'rahd commented. “Surviving family, notable achievements, nicknames. All of it in Old Canterlot and some of it so small that I can't even make them out. These graves have entire ponies’ life stories written on them.”

“There is no pony buried here. The fires did not even leave ash behind of their remains. These monuments are all that is left of the troops that went with her while chasing Discord. Celestia spent years putting them together after Discord was defeated. Each one is for one of those that followed her and that she killed in her anger.” Nox sighed.

“I've never heard of anything like this. I mean, there was little about the Equestrian Civil War, but we knew it happened, even if it was just an old mares’ tale. There is nothing about this in any of the books about the Discordian War, and some of those are very detailed,” Twilight muttered incredulously.

“And do you announce your shames to the world, or do you do your best to hide them?” Jer'rahd pointed out as Nox flinched. “She has the power to hide her mistakes to keep her image.”

“Princess Celestia wouldn't do that...” Twilight started, but she stopped, looking at the graves.

“I am afraid she did, Miss Sparkle, though she has done her best to repent. This act done in anger is likely why she accepted Aviana's request to always find a peaceful approach. She has always been ashamed of what she did to defeat Discord. In her long life, there are likely many things she is ashamed of. There are likely a number that even her sister does not know.” Nox explained.

“She knew we were going to find this out. That might explain some of her anger when we left,” Jer'rahd muttered.

“You are not planning to use this to harass her, are you?” Twilight grumbled, looking at Jer'rahd.

“I have no plans to, unless she has forgotten it.”

“She has not,” stated Nox.

“Then I have no reason to bring it up. I know better than anypony that even our gods make mistakes. So long as they remember them and don't repeat them, there is little more that can be asked. It doesn't matter if anyone else knows about them.”

“Would you have everyone forget your mistakes as well, until only you recall them?” Nox commented, a hint of anger in her voice.

“There are very few things I have done that I consider a mistake, and only two I would do anything to change. Everything else that I did had a purpose, one that lead up to the defeat of many major threats to Equestria. Despite what was done because of our actions, the land achieved peace for a thousand years.”

Twilight and Nox glanced to each other.

“Then what's with all the grief you have been giving the Princess about the guard getting weak?” Twilight questioned.

“Despite my complaints, Sparkle, I am greatly impressed that there has been peace long enough for the Guards to have gone soft.
There are foals out there who think wars are little more than old stories or games. How many generations came about that had no need to worry about an invasion, or even an attack?”

Both Twilight and the masked pony stared at Jer'rahd. The gray unicorn sighed and trotted towards the swath of green.

“Sorry, I’m getting melodramatic in my age...” Jer muttered.

Nox snorted. “Please, you're not even thirty yet. The thousand years does not count.”

“That was dangerously close to a compliment directed at Celestia as well. I can't wait to tell her,” Twilight chuckled.

“Make that three mistakes I would change...” Jer groaned.

“So about that, what are the mistakes you would change, anyway?” Twilight wondered aloud, ignoring Jer'rahd's snort of annoyance.

Jer'rahd stopped mid-step, as if debating telling the purple unicorn; a brief glance at Nox seemed to cement his resolve. “I wouldn’t have left Platinum alone on the stage, for starters, and I would not have let Princess Luna use the books. Those are the only two things I still regret.”

Nox's ears flattened as she stared after the unicorn while he continued back to the group along with Twilight.

“It never seems to be about what you would like personally, does it, Kaisur?” she muttered before following after the pair.

=====================================================

The cloaked figure looked down into the well, ignoring the stares and mutterings of the townsponies milling around her. Considering the state of things, she was somewhat surprised none of them had tried to do anything, or even called the guard. Granted, the reason for that was standing behind her.

“See anything yet?” Big Mac asked, peering over her shoulder at the well.

“No, but it is not always obvious why I am brought somewhere,” Sunshine replied.

“Still don't get this power of yers. What's tha point if yah can't figure it out what it means?”

“My abilities only tell me that I am needed somewhere when I can be of some sort of aid. If I cannot help or I cannot make it somewhere in time to do anything, I do not get any sort of warning.”

“Errrr.”

“Look, every god of every race is born with some innate power. Mine is one that places me in the right place at the right time to do something. It does not tell me what the problem is or how to react to the issue most of the time. All I get is an odd feeling and a feeling that I should be somewhere. Like right now, something is wrong with this well, but I do not know what.”

“If something’s wrong with this one, then it's wrong with all of ‘em. There's an underground aquifer that feeds all the wells from tha river. The reservoir's under a big chunk of Ponyville and a number of the taps in ponies houses are fed from it, too,” Big Mac explained watching as Sunshine hauled up a bucket of water, her cloak shifting and flashing the red stripes over white.

Mac was tired. He and Granny had come to town to report to the Guard post about what happened, and he personally had come to keep an eye on this strange zebra. Granny was at the post office writing a letter for a pegasus to deliver to Major Rose. Even if Mac went to bed now, it would be a day or so before he would be in any shape to start the harvest, let alone fix the kitchen. Given the situation, Granny was more than willing to take advantage of the offer Jer'rahd left to recruit the guards for the harvest. He was in no shape to protest and AJ wasn't here.

Sunshine filled a few bottles produced from under her cloak with well water, careful not to spill any of it on herself before tucking a few away and offering three to Big Mac.

“Do you know of a potion maker or alchemist in Ponyville that can examine these?” Sunshine questioned.

Mac pondered a moment, remembering how often Apple Bloom spoke of what her friend was making. “Only one ah ken think of is Zecora. She's out in the forest. Shouldn't be too hard to get ta her so long as yah avoid tha blue flowers along the path. Though I might luck out and find her in town.”

“Since you seem to know of her, take these to her and tell her that I suspect there is something wrong with them. I will have my own contacts have a look as well.”

Mac took the bottles, tucking them into a large saddlebag he wore. He was without his yoke for once, and that might be cause for some of the looks the pair were getting.

“I would suggest that the wells be closed until I can figure out what is going on.”

“That's not likely gonna happen. Lot of folks pull water from the wells. Lot of folks already drawn water before you got yer weird twitch and there's no sign any of ‘em were poisoned or anything,” Big Mac stated, holding a bottle in his hoof and looking over the clear fluid. “Ah don't see nothing wrong, either.”

“Poison is not the only way to taint a water supply, though you are correct: there may not be anything with the water itself. My abilities are being rather vague.” Sunshine glanced up at Big Mac, her face being flashed to him briefly. He blinked, getting a feeling of familiarity at the sight of her, though he couldn't say from where. “I am surprised you believe me when I say I have this strange sense.”

“Ah know Pinkie Pie. Least you ken sorta explain yer ability.”

============================================================

The ten ponies, zebra, and the dragonling looked up at the four story stone door in the front of the ruins.

Half of the six-pony-length-wide door was crystallized— blasted with unimaginable heat that had turned its surface partially to glass.
The other half of the door was simply cool, damp stone, which was odd, given the dry air of the Badlands should have sucked the moisture from it. The monolithic walls surrounding the door rose easily four stories and jutted out from the main body of the ruins, likely opening to a grand hall that led to the main part of the structure.

“So what now?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“Nox, Twilight, do either of you see any sort of enchantment on the door?” Rhede questioned, looking over the half-charred stone..

“Nothing as far as I can tell,” Twilight replied.

“I do not sense anything, either,” Nox added.

“Alright Jer, yank this bad boy open,” Rhede said with a smirk.

Jer'rahd glared at him. “While I appreciate that you think highly of my abilities, this door has to be several tons of rock. I can't levitate that much. Maybe if it was half this size, I could push it down...”

“Oh.”

“Bleu, grab a corner of the door. Sparkle, you and Nox pull on it as well. Maybe the four of us can...” Jer'rahd started.

“Not to stop the show of masochism and magical prowess here, but shouldn't we be able to just walk through the hole in the side of the building rather than fiddle with the door?” Rarity asked, drawing a few confused glances to the white unicorn who stood at the corner of the building pointing to something.

The small group moved over to see what she was pointing to, spotting a hole broken into the wall along the scorched side of the ruins.

“Well, that makes things easier,” Nox mutterd.

“Guess it's my turn then,” grumbled Rhede. “Give me a few moments.” He moved into the hole, checking out the surroundings.

“What the hay is he doing?” questioned Applejack.

“OOH, OOOH, I know! It's a fart!” Pinkie shouted, getting glares and a number of face hooves. Rhede could be heard falling over and cursing before ducking his head back out of the hole to glower at Pinkie.

“I am not farting...” Rhede growled, being drown out by Pinkie.

“I know how to do that! I can help fart too!” Pinkie bounced closer.

“Pinkie, I don't think...” Twilight began.

“How in the heck can she help someone fart? Add more beans to their diet?” Starfall griped.

“What beans? No, beans wouldn't help. Well, maybe a full can would, but only if you have to throw it at something to trigger it...” Pinkie replied, getting more strange looks.

“Pinkie what the hay are you talking about?” Applejack asked.

“What you need to properly Fart. Well, maybe some lock picks, too...” Pinkie responded.

“Lock picks?” Nox questioned, getting really confused.

“How else are you going to deal with the difficult ones?” Pinkie stateed surprised.

“Wait, wait, wait, what the hay do you think a fart is?” Rhede questioned, glancing back as Velkorn, Bleu, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash tried their best not to crack up laughing at all the talk of farts. Rarity simply looked ill.

“F.A.R.T. Find And Remove Traps, of course. Why, what did you think fart meant?” Pinkie said innocently as Dash finally lost it and fell over laughing.

“Pinkie, think about what you said.” Bleu sniggered.

Pinkie Pie tilted her head a moment, mulling it over before her ears perked up and her eyes widened.

“Oh, oooooh, OOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOHHHHH. That explains why the Mayor rejected my idea of renaming the town emergency group to the Fast Action Response Team.”

“What? That was yer idea?!” AJ sputtered, having been responsible for that particular veto.

“Just... just get in here and help me see if the place is trapped,” growled Rhede, ducking back inside.

“Okie doki!” Pinkie chirped as she bounced into the hole in the wall.

==========================================================

Philomena hissed at the two foals while doing her best to hide behind Celestia's head. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pretend not to notice the bird as the Princess of the Sun finished casting the spell to make the two fillies fireproof, at least for a while. They had managed not to destroy the palace further yesterday, and thankfully, except for her attempts to fly, Scootaloo was less destructive as well.

Two rather battered guards stood on either side of the fillies. Lion Heart would likely be fine if Scootaloo lost control, though she made sure to cast the fire resistance spell on him anyway and double up the spell on Peach Blossom... just in case.

The girls were rather excited to be seeing their friend again, even though it had only been three days and were bouncing about. Philomena was there so that Celestia could compare the bird to the foal’s new cutie mark. The phoenix was not thrilled about being near the crusaders again, however. The guards were there because the harsh negotiations the two had put forth to her had been awarded in a raise, though it also meant more work for them, including continued foal sitting duties.

To be honest, Celestia was still one more destroyed wall away from shipping the trio off to the Crystal Empire and letting Cadence deal with them. She had also decided that she would trace back their family lines to ensure they were not related to Discord somehow.

The pair had rushed into the room before the door had fully been opened, somehow managing to smack Celestia on the nose with the door even though it swung inward. The Princess of the Sun whipped her head, reaching a hoof up to rub her nose as the two fillies nearly tackled their orange friend.

“Scootaloo, you got your cutie mark!” shouted Apple Bloom.

“How did that happen? Did you go crusading without us?” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Yep and nope. I dunno how I got it, or even what it means, but check this out!” Scootaloo grinned, jumping up into the air and spreading her tiny wings. The feathers burst into green fire and spread wider as she madly flapped, taking off into the air. The other two fillies “ooooh”-ed as their friend took to the air.

Celestia regarded Scootaloo's wings. The green fire composed most of their makeup and actually made them larger than her own alicorn wings. If not for the fact they were on fire and only appeared when Scootaloo wanted, they would greatly dwarf the tiny pegasus. Twilight would likely call it some sort of body mass to wing length ratio or something like that.

The Princess’s observations stopped when Scootaloo collided with the ceiling and spiraled back to the ground with a crash, setting the carpet, Sweetie Belle's tail, and Apple Bloom's bow on fire.

The pair screamed and started running around in a panic even though the fire was not really burning them. However, the green flame was more than happy to set anything the panicking pair touched ablaze.

A sharp shove against her flank sent Celestia stumbling into the room. She glared back as Peach Blossom waved and Lion Heart closed the door.

“We'll wait out here, Princess, to ummm.. stand guard…” Lion Heart muttered softly with Phillomena sitting on his head and nodding in agreement.

“Cowards,” Celestia muttered, feeling her own mane start to catch fire as Apple Bloom crashed into her.

======================================================================

“...and in the master's chamber, they gathered for the feast... they stabbed it with their steely knives, but they just can't...” Bleu and Pinkie Pie sang together.

“Bleu, Miss Pie, that's enough,” Jer'rahd snapped.

It had been hours, and none of them had found anything— no traps, no book, nothing but empty rooms and dust. The group had returned to the main hall that led to what might have once been a throne room to try and plan the next course of action. Bleu and
Pinkie had gotten bored and started singing, which was fine at first, though their current song had been a bit unnerving, particularly since Jer'rahd actually knew it.

“Geez, boss, I didn't know you hated the Griffons that much,” Bleu grumbled.

“You two are singing loud enough to wake the dead. On top of that, the song is creepy,” Jer grumbled.

“And supposedly cursed. A lot of ponies say bad things happen when that song is played,” Twilight pointed, out flipping through the book she had been reading on the train. The other current Bearers flinched at the word “curse”, particularly since Twilight had said it.

“Cursed? Pffft, a song can't be cursed. It's not like I called Boss a clever pony or something... Bleu rambled, suddenly slamming her claws over her muzzle at what she said.

The other members of the five beasts, as well as Nox, were on their hooves and looking around in a panic at the words.
After a moment of nothing happening, Jer glared at Bleu.

“I didn't mean to say anything...” Bleu went silent again at a loud crack and the sound of shifting stone.

Jer'rahd winced as everyone else got to their hooves at the sound.

“Bleu, if we live through this, two weeks light rations, no dessert,” Jer snarled, bringing a wince from Bleu.

Bleu opened her mouth to respond when the stone floor they were all standing on fell away, dumping all of them into blackness.

=============================================================

The constant droning and buzzing of wings was driving him mad. Even, so he knew he could not leave. He could not bear to be more than a tail's length from his queen since he had rescued her.

Chrysalis, it seemed, felt the same way, and unless she was addressing her troops, she had remained as close to him as she could get.

Rebuilding the hive had been surprisingly easy. The changelings that were captured or destroyed in the raid on the hive in the volcano were simply the ones who had not yet been sent on assignment or had just returned from one. The majority of her forces were scattered across the world, infiltrating societies of all nations and farming what love they could. It had only taken one order from their Queen, and they had all returned to help rebuild the hive higher in the mountains in an old griffon aerie.

He had not been idle either; the drones had been sent out to collect a number of things for him, and now an army of black crystal golems and living shadows had joined the changeling forces.

Their combined forces were now twice what they had been in Hayseed Swamp. They were also much better prepared for combat than they had been. The love-cursed pair had an army ready to give their lives, or unlives, for their rulers, just as it had been centuries ago when their foe had been Aviana.

Sombra sighed as he considered the name. Pity that mare was dead, though revenge could still be taken on her protégée. Perhaps they could even free Forgescale somehow and recruit him to their cause. The dragon had more than enough hatred for that mare to go around.

The only issue that remained was where to direct the attack. It was the one argument he and his love had, though neither could bring themselves to put much effort into going against the other’s plans.

“I still say we should strike the Crystal Empire while it is weak, love. With that heart, we will not need large supply lines and we can use the Empire as the staging point to invade the rest of Equestria,” Sombra rambled off once again, starting the fires of the discussion.

“Canterlot must fall first. That is the source of far too many of our troubles. Removing the two princesses is something that must be done before we can proceed. I already have an agent there ready to free the captured drones to aid us in the fight,” Chrysalis replied.

“Canterlot falling will prevent them from aiding the Empire when we take it. And then I can take my time disposing of Cadence.”
Sombra frowned, not entirely thrilled with that story and how his love had nearly managed to marry another pony, despite what she could have gained from the marriage. He had a few plans for this “Shining Armor” as well when they met.

“It seems we cannot agree on a target,” Chrysalis noted with a grin as green flame suddenly ran over her form, “so how about we settle arguments the way we used to...”

Sombra narrowed his eyes, though a smile crossed his fanged maw at the light green mare now standing before him. Her teal mane spilled down her nearly perfect form. The only thing remaining of her changeling form was her green eyes and the cutie mark of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon on her flank.

“That is cheating... You know quite well I never win any of those 'contests'.” Sombra pointed out.

“I also know you never refused any of them, either,” Chrysalis stated from the form of Princess Crystal.

Sombra solidified from smoke fully, tossing his cloak aside and moving closer to kiss her lightly.

“Things have changed a little bit now, my love. I may finally be able to outlast you this time.”

“Really? Care to try and prove that?” The green pony trotted off, her flank shifting in a way that had Sombra's gaze tracking it until she entered her quarters.

Sombra grinned wider, glancing over to the changeling guards standing nearby who were pretending they had seen nothing.

“Inform the troops that we will be attacking Canterlot. I want all the information that can be gathered about the city and its defenses. Inform the contact there as well.” He grinned wide again, trotting towards the bedroom. “Oh, I know I will still lose, love, but I can assure you it will be a hard-won battle this time.”

==================================================

“Is every one alright down there?” Bleu shouted, flapping madly in the darkness as she looked around at Dash, Starfall, and Nox, who hovered somewhere in the middle of the pit, looking down into the darkness.

“Wheeee, that was fun! Can we do it again?” Pinkie Pie shouted from below.

“Three weeks, Bleu!” Jer'rahd shouted.

“Gahhh, what is that? Pelt, so help me if that is what I think it is poking my flank, I will geld you!” Rarity yelled.

“Seriously? I'm near the bottom of the pile. If I can reach all the way up there to poke you in the flank, I am waaaay more endowed than I thought,” Rhede snarled.

“Then what is... YEEEEEE!!” Rarity shrieked, lashing out with a hoof as she was prodded again.

“GAH! Ow, Rarity, that's my horn!” Twilight winced.

“Ooops, sorry, Twilight,” Rarity muttered.

“Twilight, git yer hoof outta my face!” Applejack grumbled.

“Ohh, um, I think that's my hoof, Applejack. Sorry...” Fluttershy muttered.

“Fergot yah ken fly again, didn't yah, sugar?” AJ sighed.

“Sorry,” whispered Fluttershy.

“Whoever is jumping upon my head had best stop now, or I will make you wish you were dead!” Velkorn grumbled.

“Oops! Sorry, Velky” Pinkie Pie giggled.

“Will all of you get the buck offa me already?!” shouted Jer'rahd from the bottom of the pile.

“Well at least they all seem fine,” Nox sighed.

“Fine as in no bodily injury, though I think they all need their heads checked,” Starfall added.

“Three weeks light rations....” Bleu whimpered.

===================================================

Cadence flipped though the book Rhede had found once again, her ears flat to her head as she reread it for the third time perhaps.
A light buzzing filled the room, causing her to look up as a small blue crystalline dragonfly fluttered into the room, landing lightly on the table before her, its compound eyes sparkling as it tilted his head regarding her.

Cadence smirked at the insect. The creatures were a semi-sentient species that lived in the empire long ago. The crystal
dragonflies had nearly been wiped out once by dragons who viewed them as delicacies. The smarter of the insects had come to the
Empire for help and the ruler of the time had given them aid, fearing that the dragons would come after his subjects next.

The conflict was not large enough to be considered a war and the dragons who survived were too ashamed at being beaten by their meals that they likely never spoke of it. Since that time, the crystal dragonflies had been living along with the crystal ponies and acting as messengers and scouts for the normally-earthbound ponies.

“Did you find him Moshi?” Cadence questioned.

The blue insect nodded, its buzzing sounding like a pair of wet crystals scraping together, though the voice produced was musical enough for the soft grinding to be ignored. “Yes, Princess. Your husband was getting his flank kicked again and is happy to be on his way.”

Cadence sighed, wondering what new injuries Shining would have this time. He was quite determined to prove himself to the Empire's Guards, though for the most part, they seemed to be trying to grind him into dust, all on the newly-promoted Major Rose's orders.

None of that was really a worry at this point. What worried her was the book on the crystal heart written by its creator, a former ruler of the empire named King Soloman, or as he was known now, King Sombra.

Their methods of its creation were only hinted at in the book, but the goal of the stone had clearly been to cure, or at least lessen the effects of, a curse that was laid upon him and his love, Queen Chrysalis, or Princess Crystal, as she was referred to in the book. The heart itself was created to both store and amplify love and hope. The problem was that it needed an entire city to give it power.

Sombra had ruled the empire before he was sealed in Tartarus and had started the Crystal Heart project then. When he escaped, he came back to the empire to retrieve what he had created, only to find the ponies of the empire had given up the tradition of the Crystal Fair. There was not enough power in the heart to light a candle, let alone feed an entire hive of changelings.

Sombra then enslaved the empire and subjected the ponies to grueling conditions and horrendous torture for the sole purpose of convincing them that Crystal Heart was their only salvation. He not only started the rumors, but he also did his best to make them think that the heart actually held power over him by hiding it in plain sight at the top of the tower as if he was tormenting the ground bound ponies with something they could never have.

He had one of his agents found the rebellion against him and eventually planned to let the forces against him capture the heart and hold a Crystal Fair to charge the heart, at which point he planned to fake his own destruction so that he could recover the heart after it was fully charged.

However, he had not planned that the rebels he was allowing to exist would seek help from others outside the empire. His plans were all but ruined by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's interference. Rather than lose all he had worked for once more,
Sombra brought the entire empire down with him so that the subjects he had trained to believe in the heart for would not find out otherwise.

Cadence sighed, rubbing her temples with her hooves while Moshi looked on with as worried an expression as a bug could give. If this book was true, then the surge of power that supposedly destroyed Sombra was exactly what the dark unicorn had wanted to happen. The heart's power was not going to keep him at bay. In fact, since it was fully charged, it was likely going to draw him back here sooner rather than later.

==================================================================

[“This has turned out better than I expected,”] Velkorn noted, looking over Rhede's leg.

The cavern they had fallen into was greatly different than the ruins above. While the building was dilapidated, it was still clearly well-built and properly constructed. The tunnel they were in now, however, was haphazardly dug, and judging by the claw marks and the scattered bones lying about, at least half of the group could easily tell what had dug the tunnels.

“Trolls.” Rhede winced as Velkorn prodded his leg. “How can you say it's going good when there's trolls?”

[“We made quite a bit of noise in our falling and not a one showed up. Also, as has been stated by Nox, the skeletons here are all troll. They may all be dead.”] Velkorn remarked.

“Possible; the book did say that the Jade Scroll was brought here by a number of troll servants of the Books of Orbsah.” Rhede glanced over at the alicorn as she studied a battered skull. “Guess they never got out again.”

“Everyone good?” Rainbow Dash questioned, gliding in to land near Twilight and Jer'rahd. “We found a door up ahead. There’s no other paths, just this long twisty tunnel and the door at the end.

“That must be it.” Twilight grinned and headed off down the corridor with the others rushing to keep up.

“Should I fart?” Pinkie Pie yelled after her.

Applejack grumbled at the comment, though Rhede piped in first.

“We didn't find anything topside, and trolls tend not to be smart enough to make traps.”

“What about dragons?” Bleu stated, suddenly bringing the group to a screeching halt as everyone looked at the little dragonling on Jer'rahd's back.

“There's a dragon?” Nox questioned.

“Smells like one. Something's not right with it, though. It smells like a dragon, some kind of precious metal corrosion and...” —Bleu sniffed the air again— “Old books or paper. The smell of the paper is stronger than the dragon scent, though.”

“Ummm, maybe it's gone? Like the trolls?” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Yeah, there's a problem with that theory. The troll bones have been there so long I can't even smell them, and we know they made this tunnel,” Bleu explained. “If the dragon was gone, it should be the same way.”
Jer'rahd shrugged and headed to the door again along with the waiting Starfall, followed by the rest of the group.

The door at the end of the hall was a massive circular disk of iron and stone. There seemed to be no recesses that it could slide into, nor any room in the tunnel to roll it out of the way. It was less like a door and more like a cap to seal what was behind it. The surface of the stone parts of the door were carved with sigils and filled with gold, silver, or a metal Rarity identified as electrum.

Rhede sighed and turned to get a few books out of his saddle bag. “Crap. It's old Draconic. I don't think I brought anything to translate that. I don't suppose you know it, Nox?”

“No, I never bothered to study it. I know a few words of it spoken, though mostly, they are insults,” Nox replied.

“First thing any pony learns in a new language are the dirty words,” Pinkie bubbled.

“You know it, Twilight?” Applejack questioned.

“Don't Dead, open inside,” Twilight muttered, trying to read the ruins.

“What?” questioned Rhede, looking at the purple unicorn.

“You are reading it the wrong way. That symbol doesn't mean ‘open’, and old Draconic doesn’t use conjunctions unless they are possessive. This is a warning. It reads, 'Open not lest you bring doom upon the world and sacrifice your very being. Let the dead remain as they lie,'” Jer'rahd read off loudly as the entire group save Bleu stared at him.

“You can read that?” Rhede shouted.

“Yes. It's not really that hard of a language to learn. I can't speak it, though, because I can't growl in the right way or dislocate my jaw properly, but I can read and likely understand it if it was spoken. I'm not fluent, but I’m not a noviceb eitherb” Jer'rahd explained.

“How...?” Starfall questioned.

“Remember when boss and I were looking up info on his name? Well, most of those books were in old Draconic and we sorta had to teach ourselves to understand them... Boss caught on better than I did. It was very boring...” Bleu explained.

Rhede slapped his face with a hoof. “So you will learn a nearly-forgotten dead language at the drop of a hat, but you won't learn zebra to speak with Velkorn?”

“Why would I need to? Velkorn speaks pony,”Jer'rahd stated matter-of-factly, ignoring that Starfall and Velkorn were doing their best
to keep Rhede from trying to strangle the gray unicorn.

=============================================================

Scarlet flattened her ears to her head, her eyes shutting tight as the light of the circle went from painful to blinding.

Nocturne screamed out what might have been words in a language, or simply gibberish; in either case, it was clearly not meant for mortal ears. Every syllable the alicorn spoke was like a crash of thunder that shook the stone dais they stood on. The mare's eyes and horn glowed white, energy leaping from them to dance over the runes in the circle and the five books floating around her.

The books were all open as they circled her, pages rapidly turning as if in some unseen hurricane. Everyone stood on the far side of the dais from the alicorn, not from any fear of the display, but to avoid getting brained by the massive purple book orbiting Nocturne.

Scarlet took a glance back at the others, wondering if something aside from the light show and the noise was supposed to be happening. Bloodtail seemed unfazed, but Silver Claw was lying down with his fore claws pressed over his ears to try and stifle the racket.

Wind Razor was also sitting down, though both her arms were covering her chest and the griffon’s expression was clearly one of pain. Nocturne had refused to heal the griffon, citing that she had wanted to ensure she had all her power for the ritual and the griffon had to simply suffer until it was done. At least Bloodtail had stopped the bleeding from her severed tail, though her ribs were still piercing her lung. If this didn't finish soon, she might succumb to her injuries.

Claymore, on the other hoof, was grinning like an idiot, evidently completely enjoying the show, though Scarlet did notice his hoof remained pressed against the Element of Honesty hanging from his neck. Scarlet could not help but to smirk at his well hidden fear of something going wrong.

Everything suddenly went quiet and pitch-black. Scarlet froze in place, her eyes searching through the sudden murk trying to see anything. Even the dragon right next to her was swallowed up in the blackness. She shrieked suddenly as a flash of light washed over everything, stinging her eyes and bathing her in a sudden rush of heat.

“Ooh, you are a clever and vicious one. I like you,” a voice cooed out of the light. Scarlet growled, trying to find the source of the voice through the stinging light. “Oh, no need to worry who I am; last you saw me, I was floating around that alicorn of yours. If you need to call me anything, call me the Gray Grimiore,” the voice stated.

Scarlet’s ears flattened to her head, wondering what this book wanted. “To simply ask you a question; rather a formality, really, considering that you willingly stood here to become a god. But one has to follow the rules, even if they are made up.”
Scarlet growled again, urging the voice to simply get on with it.

“Fine, fine, rather impatient of you, but I suppose you waited this long... Will you accept what we offer, Scarlet Masque, and all that this power of godhood entails?” Scarlet grinned and accepted.

“Ahh, delightful. The agreement is made, and I shall speak with the others so your duplicity is not noticed.”

Scarlet's smile widened as everything finally fell into place perfectly.

==================================================

Jer'rahd and Nox froze in place suddenly, both of them whipping around and staring at a point on the wall with their ears flat against their head and teeth gritted.

The others looked at the pair curiously, wondering what was going on.

“Ummm guys, what's...” Twilight started before Pinkie Pie jumped up next to them, staring at the same spot as hard as she could and growling at it.

“Don't worry guys. That mean ole rock won't... surpargh!!” Pinkie Pie yelped as Rainbow dragged her away from the other two.

“We are out of time,” Nox stated. “They have used the books.”

“Shit,” Rhede cursed. “So what do we do now?”

“We keep going, find the last book, and hope it has a way to stop the others. Otherwise, we go to war again,” Jer'rahd snarled.
“Luna, take out that door. we can't waste time finding another way in.”

Nox jerked her head back, glaring at the unicorn. “Thank you so much for blowing what little cover I had left, Kaisur,” Luna cursed, yanking off the mask and hat. “What happened to following the wishes of your superior? It was clear I didn't want to be known.”

“We no longer have time for these games, and I humored you long enough. You are limiting yourself while wearing that to try and hide who you are and you know as well as I do that we can't do that anymore. Besides, in case you forgot, you stripped me of rank and any sort of service in your guard, so I really have no reason to remain quiet on this. Also, I’m sure everyone already knew anyway,” Jer'rahd growled.

“Didn’t have any idea,” Applejack stated.
“News to me,” Dash added.
“I was surprised,” Fluttershy piped in.
“Well, that explains a few things, at least,” Twilight noted.
“While I might have suspected it was you, in truth, I really had no clue,” Velkorn said.
“I was told not to know!” Pinkie beamed.
Bleu simply pretended to be shocked at the revelation.

Jer'rahd ignored the glare from Luna and shook his head.

“Okay, some of them already knew.”

=============================================================

Sombra stood on the balcony of the new hive, staring out into the horizon. Chrysalis stood next to him, hissing lightly.
She had indeed won again in their little competition, though it had taken her far longer than she remembered. However, before she could recover from their 'game' enough to gloat, they both felt the books being used.

“That was them?” Sombra questioned.

“Indeed. It seems that the ones you saw have gathered more of them. This is a very powerful spell. There is no mistaking it.”

“I am still unsure how the Silver Script was in your pet's horde and you never noticed it.”

“It clearly did not want to be noticed, as it knew I would have dropped it in a volcano,” Chrysalis hissed. “I could say the same for your possession of the Teal Text.”

“At the time, it was needed as a lock to hold the empire in stasis. It seems our time table has moved up. We should go now before they attempt to claim what is ours.”

“I could not agree more. These new gods shall join the current ones in destruction if they try to stop us.” Chrysalis smirked, sending the silent command for all the forces to be ready to march on Canterlot.

=============================================================

Two of the dog's three heads had noticed her. The one she referred to as Bitey, however, was asleep.

The Cerberus lumbered over to her, lowering its head to be petted by the skeletal pony, though the Ferrymare had no time for the pup.

She could feel it in the distance: the books had been used again, and a seal was being broken that should not have been removed.

Perhaps she gave the mortals too much credit. She had not expected them to seek something so dangerous given that small message she sent. A light clattering was heard as the skeletal mare shivered.

Perhaps it was because they were backed into a wall, or so they thought; at least two of them would know that the books had been used, and one of them would know the perils of what they were doing. Even Entropy was not reckless enough to allow a try to recover their creator... was he? A better question was: washe strong enough to stop his current host?

[>“dO nOt Do AnY tHiNg FoOlIsH, nOw. I wAnT tO sEe HiM aGaIn.”<]

==============================================================

A small green alligator scuttled across the floor of a disaster of a room. The little beast leaped into the air to pounce on a green balloon, gumming the heck out of it as he tumbled into the base of a statue.

Gummy stopped, looking up at the statue and tilting his head to the side, letting the balloon bounce off. Something was odd. His reptile brain was screaming at him that the statue was dangerous and something was happening to it.

That flash of fear lasted a good two seconds before he turned and leapt at the balloon again, determined to kill his now-mortal enemy.

The statue simply sat there buried under party favors and socks.

=====================================================

Luna was pissed at him— that much was clear, though she hid it rather well. Granted, given how tight that costume was on her, he could not help but admire the way she stormed away from him in a huff.

He really shouldn't stare or somepony might confuse him for Rhede, but it had been a long time since he actually felt this good— three whole days without any nightmares or comments from Entropy. In fact, aside from what they had just felt, the whole trip had been going rather well.

He looked up as the stone door started to crack under Luna's magic. It would not be long before they would be inside and... What was that?

A high-pitched scream tore through his head and dropped him to his knees as the seal was torn from the stone wall. A blast of cold, dry air washed over the group and a number of them flinched at the smell of the stale air. None of them seemed to notice the
scream, unless they were all stricken deaf somehow.

>” YOU MUST RUN, LEAVE THIS PLACE NOW! DO NOT GO FURTHER!”< the voice roared.

Jer'rahd staggered back to his hooves, making it a few steps before crashing to the ground and clutching his head as the voice continued to scream.

The others rushed over to him as he struggled again to try and get back to his hooves, seeing his friends’ and the current Element Bearers’ lips move, but not hearing anything over the screaming.

>”TURN BACK, HOST! DO NOT PROGRESS FURTHER. FLEE WHILE YOU STILL HAVE A SEMBLANCE OF LIFE!”<
Jer'rahd winced, screaming out on his own as he pressed his hooves over his ears.

“SHUT THE BUCK UP, YOU JACK ASS! I CAN'T THINK!” the unicorn bellowed. The group collectively moved back as he opened his eyes, both of them flaring with red and green light. Black shadows flickered around his horn and hooves as Entropy screamed again, trying to gain control over him. Not from anger or rage as he usually did, but fear. The monster inside of him was afraid and that thought made Jer'rahd smile.

“>YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, FOOL! GET US OUT OF HERE NOW! I WILL BLOCK THE NIGHTMARES, STOP TRYING TO TAKE YOU OVER, BUT ONLY IF YOU LEAVE NOW!”<

It was pleading? Now he was interested in what was behind that door. The beast was trying very hard to gain control, though in its panicked state he was having a relatively easy time fighting it off, though the few full nights of rest he had gotten helped as well.

>”YOU WILL DOOM US BOTH, HOST! YOU MUST TURN BACK. HE IS THERE.”<

“Who is there?” Jer'rahd asked, getting a few stares and a couple of readied weapons from his group.

“>THE ONE WHO CAN UNMAKE US.<”

“Really? Something that can destroy you? Now I am even more interested...”

>“YOU ARE A FOOL, HOST, AND I WILL NOT SEE MYSELF DESTROYED JUST TO SATE YOUR DEATH WISH!”<

“Feel free to leave, then,” Jer'rahd snarled. An answering whine was all that echoed in his head.

He could feel the beast try and retreat to pull away from him, though it was stuck with him just as he was stuck with it. This was the first time that worked to his benefit, however. The glow in his eyes faded quickly and the black shadows flickered away into nonexistence as Entropy retreated as far to the back of his mind as it could.

“Kaisur... ...KAISUR!?” Princess Luna shouted, seemingly about to start using the Royal Canterlot voice.

“Please don't yell, Princess. I have enough of that going on in my head.” Jer'rahd winced.

“What is going on? You screamed, then started arguing with yourself...” Luna questioned, still clearly leery of him.

“Seems the beast is scared of what's in here.” Jer'rahd smirked.

“That thing in Boss is afraid?” muttered Bleu. “Now I am worried.”

“Actually, that fits with the book I found,” Rhede commented. “Supposedly, the Jade Scroll is what created the creatures called Entropy and Serenity. You claimed that thing called itself Entropy once before?”

“Yes,” Jer'rahd stated, shaking his head to clear it of the beast’s whimpering in the back of his mind.

“I've read up to that point. If my theory is correct, the Ferrymare is actually Serenity, though as to what the two of them really are, I have no clue,” Twilight stated. “Creatures born of magic itself...”

“That is not much of a concern at the moment. Kaisur, are you fit to continue?” Luna questioned, trying to hide the worry from her tone.

“Of course, Princess. I can't wait to meet whatever it is that has the beast whimpering like a scolded puppy.”

================================================

Silver Claw pushed himself up, whipping his head about to clear the strange voice from his head. It introduced itself as the Teal Text and seemed rather annoyed by having to ask if he wished to become a god.

The answer was obvious, though. After everything was over, he did not feel any different.

His gaze passed over the others, not seeing a change at all in Bloodtail. The zebra looked just as confused as he was, though the two of them were the only ones who seemed unchanged.

Wind Razor was grinning like a fool, watching her tail whip back and forth on the ground behind her. She also was breathing easier, her ribs and lungs evidently repaired. It took Silver Claw a moment before he realized that her tail had grown back, though the fur coloration and tuft were a bright red, her gold and white feathers had also changed to a red and black coloration though the rest of her fur remained the tawny brown it always had been.

Scarlet was unwrapping the bandages around her face and neck, her hoof shaking as she slowly revealed herself. Silver Claw raised a brow at the unblemished mare under the bindings. He knew she’d had some sort of surgery, though he did not think it would have healed that quickly. The mare had drawn one of her daggers to look at the reflection and was currently giggling. The noise was far more disturbing than the griffon's insane laughter.

Claymore had also been healed, though while the wounds left by Bleu were still there, they were faded to the point where they would not be noticed unless one looked for them.

Nocturne, however did not quite seem as happy with her situation. Her wing had grown back just as the griffon’s tail did, but it was not a pegasus wing. A white dragon wing emerged from her back, the scar where the wound had been not even visible.

“Well that was certainly interesting, and it at least seemed to work on you four,” Silver Claw grumbled.
Nocturne turned from her wing to look up at the dragon, her ears perking as she stared up at him.

“The books did what they were supposed to. Have you become so accustomed already to being myopic that you cannot tell you have been healed as well?” Nocturne grumbled.

The dragon reached his hand up gingerly, touching his wounded eye, watching as his claw draws closer to it though noticing an odd light the closer his hand got to his eye.

He reached over and yanked the massive blade off Claymore's back despite the pony’s protests, and held the blade up to his face to look at his reflection. His left eye was the normal green coloration; the right had been healed, but into an orb of pure crimson that softly glowed.

“Gah, I look like that idiot Kaisur,” snarled Silver Claw.

===========================================================

Twilight peeked around the corner into the dark hole that had been ripped into the wall. Her horn started to glows brightly, casting light over the room as the others moved cautiously through the opening. Luna’s and Rarity's horns also start to glow, lighting up the chamber.

The purple unicorn’s eyes widened at the sight before her. A smile started on her lips that seemed to encompass her whole face, much like one of Pinkie Pie's creepier grins. Rarity looked over as she heard something akin to a squee coming from the frozen unicorn.

“Remarkably dust-free for being sealed so long... Oh no… Applejack, a little help here, please,” Rarity called out, her magic grabbing Twilight’s tail before her friend ran off to her targets.

“Ah crap, ah fergot about that,” AJ stated and ran over, tackling Twilight and causing everyone else to stop and stare at the pair of them.

Rainbow Dash grumbled something about Twilight being an egghead as the rest of them looked over the dimly lit room, which was filled from the floor to as high into the air as their lights went with books and scrolls.

“Tia did say she had a serious reading problem...” Luna sighed, glancing at Twilight.

Jer'rahd face hoofed and stomped over to Twilight.

“Come on, Applejack, I just want to browse a little...” Twilight whined.

“We got stuff tah do, an’ ah know how ya get in a normal book store. ‘Sides, ah doubt any of these are good fer yer health,” AJ grumbled.

“Most of them seem to be in old Draconic... and judging by the claw writing, I would say they are all done by the same individual,” Rhede pointed, out flipping through a few of the books.

“Read them after we are done, Sparkle. We need to find the Jade Scroll,” Jer'rahd growled.

A deep chuckle filled the air, seeming to come from everywhere at once, and a voice boomed out, speaking something that sounded more like growls and snarls with a few words of unknown origin thrown into the mix.

“...what the heck does he want with our cheese?” Twilight questioned and was largely ignored.
“Seems the Jade Scroll found us first, and it's... amused...” Jer'rahd cursed and drew the Waning Moon. The weapon glowed bright blue as flames flickered about the blade. “I also doubt it's a book right now, either.”

“Indeed. Be quite glad you cannot see in the dark as I can.” Luna winced, her head tilted back and staring into the darkness above them.

A massive section of the stacked books was thrown aside, forcing the group to dodge about to avoid getting hit with the flying tomes. A massive claw slammed down onto the rock floor where they had been.

The light the two unicorns’ and the alicorn's horns gave showed the claws were cracked and pitted, seeming more like petrified bone. The fingers and the forearm also seemed wasted away, though the leg was tightly draped with vellum, indecipherable words and runes running the length of the paper as it wrapped up the massive claw that was large enough for the body that it belonged to to still be out of the glow of the lights.

“Found the dragon!” shouted Pinkie as Bleu yanked her out of the way of the tumbling books.

“Buck me, that thing’s arm is as big as a tree. How did it fit through that tunnel?” cursed Starfall.

Jer'rahd followed Luna's gaze, spotting two pinpricks of purple light far above them in the darkness. It barely took him a second to recognize them as the thing’s eyes.

“By the stars, it's bigger than Forgescale,” Luna muttered.

“Yes, well, exactly what is it?” shouted Rarity.

“A dracolich,” Luna growled. “An undead dragon. I’ve only heard myths...”

“It's gonna be all the way dead by the time I’m done with it,” snarled Jer'rahd as the creature roared something out again.

“What did it say?” Rhede yelled through a mouthful of daggers.

“Quake with fear?” Twilight responded as a sudden wash of purple light engulfed them all.

=====================================================

“So what is the game plan now?” Scarlet questioned, watching Claymore rather intently for some reason.

“I don't know about you, but I’m looking to get a bit of revenge on a certain little bitch.” Claymore said with a smirk.

“We do not have time for petty revenge. We need to deal with the threats we still have, such as the Princesses and the Beasts,” Nocturne replied, removing the Element of Magic from her head and dropping it to the side next to the stacked books.

“I'm talking about the damn dragon with the beasts, yah half-wing twit,” Claymore snarled, ignoring the alicorn’s glare. “I hear there's a school dedicated to that singer she was with. I trash that, and the damn dragon'll come running, and probably bring a few of the others with her.”

Bloodtail raised an eyebrow. [“I am always surprised when you have a decent plan, despite this not being the first time.”]

“Can it, stripes. Like I keep saying, I didn't make officer because I sucked cock. I'm good at what I do,” Claymore grumbled, pulling off his necklace and tossing it to the floor near the dragon's claw. “Not to mention if the red bitch over there's contact comes through, I’ll have a bit of an army backing me up as well.”

“He will. As soon as I contact him, his part in this will come to pass,” Scarlet stated, still staring at Claymore, though she seemed frustrated. She pulled off the necklace and threw it aside as well.

“Ponyville still needs to fall. With the amount of gods there and how often it has been central to the defeat of those who opposed Celestia's rule, it should be wiped out before anyone rises to stand against us,” Silver Claw growled.

“I'm good with that, though I’ve got a few ponies I need to gut as well as a hunt to finish. That should clear at least one of the Element bearers as well as Starfall.” Wind Razor grinned, looking over the new colorations of her wings. She idly pulled off the necklace, letting it fall to the ground with a clink of metal.

[“We should not have much issue with the populace with what I put into the water supply. I can feel my limits have been pushed far back beyond what they were, so I have a number of things I have always wished to try, not to mention what the books have shown me. Scarlet, tell your contact to keep his forces in Canterlot. I have Ponyville covered.”] Bloodtail muttered, yanking the element from his neck and dropping it to the floor.

“I have a few tasks I need to accomplish. I will bring the books to my cave; you should still be able to speak with them even that far away, and I will hide the Elements there as well before returning to help with Ponyville's destruction,” Silver Claw stated, pulling off his own necklace looking it over.

“Then we have our plan. Tomorrow, we destroy Ponyville while Claymore keeps Canterlot busy. Once the Beasts return, we split them up and destroy them. Though make no mistake about this: Mother is mine,” snapped Nocturne.

==================================================================

“Princess, we have found something.”

Celestia looked up from where she was sitting to the guard as he came in. The past few days of weariness were starting to show. Raising the sun and moon, running the country, and most importantly, trying to keep tabs of what she swore were the new children of Discord. It was all really starting to get to her. It did not help matters that she expected her student to have thousands of questions about the Badlands when she returned. Celestia was not looking forward to that talk.
The unicorn guard saluted again, though it was the small box that floated next to him that drew her attention and a bit of her ire.

“Found something? Found something where?” Celestia questioned, trying to recall where she had assigned the Lieutenant before her.

“In the rubble of the treasury, Princess,” the guard stated. “I brought it here as soon as I could.”

“To be honest, Lieutenant, there was nothing of any real value there that you should concern yourself over. I did give the orders that anything found was to be brought to the lower vaults to be sorted later.” Celestia yawned. “I did mean everything.”

“I am aware of that, Princess, and this item was going to be going to the vault as well, but one of the workers recognize it. She claimed she had seen it in Ponyville.”

Celestia looked at the guard, wondering what he thought was important enough to bring here. And something that had been in Ponyville? Aside from the Elements, the only things that had been in the treasury were piles of junk some nobles considered important, or at least too useless or bulky to store in their own vaults. She was tempted to send him away so she could head to bed a little early, but the look on the stallion’s face made her think he would not leave without her accepting the box.

Her magic floated the small chest from the guard and flipped the clasp open, facing away from her. She’d had too many surprises already. When no explosions happened, she brought the box over to look inside. The tiredness of the last few days vanished as she sat up suddenly, staring at the object in the box.

“Lieutenant... this was found in the rubble?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“I want that place scoured for anything else like this, and I want it done as quickly as possible. Bring in more workers, and gather the servants with shovels if need be. Work through the night. I want it done yesterday.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Also, the worker who pointed this out to you... did she say where she saw it in Ponyville?”

“Yes, Princess. She claimed she was at the party when Princess Luna returned and saw it with a pony named Applejack.”

“Put her in charge of the searchers, particularly if she has seen all of them. Also, ensure she gains a sizable bonus from this. “

“Yes, Princess.”

“And inform Guard Captain Nicker Fury that he should start the paperwork for your promotion as well for your forsight.”

“Of course, Princess.” He waited a moment more to see if she had anything else to add before saluting and running out the door to follow her orders with a grin on his face.

Celestia gasped softly as she pulled a golden chain from the box, looking over the amulet with the orange stone in the shape of an apple in the center. A wide smile crossed her lips as she admired the Element of Honesty.

“Finally, I get some good news for a change.”

“a slumber deeper than time...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
by TDR

“a slumber deeper than time...”

[One day before invasion. Thursday morning, Equestria Guard Training ground.]

“ALL RIGHT YAH MAGGOTS GIT YER FLANKS UP. TEN MINUTES THAT'S ALL AH'M GIVING YA LOT, ON THE FIELD IN TEN. WE GOT A ROAD TRIP!!” Briar Rose shouts storming through the training ground barracks.

Celestia's sun had not even done more than peek over the horizon yet as the crystal pony storms through the building pounding on doors or simply shoving them open to yell at the ones he knew would somehow sleep through his shouting in the hall.

Ponyville had once again come under attack, well at least part of it had. A message from the Apple family had arrived yesterday, though there was little point in leaving then as the situation seemed to have been dealt with.

Granny Smith had also requested the offered aid of the training Guards in helping with the crops this year. The request was written and scratched through a few times as if she was hesitant to ask for the help.

To be honest Rose was reluctant to give it as well as even if it was field work it would interrupt the training plans. Of course there was a standing order from Major Kaisur and Princess Celestia to go help if the request was made. While he could ignore the other Major's order, and didn't give two shits what Celestia said most of the time, Guard Captain Moskau had also signed off on the command and he wasn't going to tick that zebra off.

He supposed it was not a bad idea to move the troops to Sweet Apple Acres, particularly as much of a target the damn town seemed to be. The farm was close enough that it wouldn't take long to get to Ponyville from there if something happened.

Even so there were only sixty three trainees right now. Even with the addition of the zebra troops they had still lost about fifteen soldiers to injury and two of the top performers for some stupid mission of Celestia's. While he had no doubt at the skill he and Kaisur's group had hammered into these lunk's heads he was still not satisfied with the progress enough to let the training pause for long. Even so they were far better than any of the other so called Guards running around Equestria, except maybe Moskau's troops, but he had yet to see any of them, in action or otherwise.

It didn't help matters that most of the trainees were getting leery of Ponyville. That place was seemingly wrecked almost every week somehow or another even before the garden escape happened. It was like the whole place had a giant bulls eye on it. Buck, one of the trainee’s father had been killed there about two weeks ago. The whole damn place seemed cursed.

He looks to the door of Dusty's quarters a moment; he felt a little sorry for the griffoness, but not enough to let her sleep in. He lashes out with a hoof kicking the door open with a loud bang, noticing the chair that had been propped up as a barricade skitters across the floor. The old barracks had no locks though the chair was not any sort of deterrent against Rose's kick.

“IN TEN MINUTES AH WANT YOU ON THE, errrrk!” Rose shouts into the room blinking as the light from the door way falls on the griffon’s bed and who was in it. He turns a bit red around the muzzle at what he interrupted.

The pair in the room both stare at the crystal pony, the griffoness turning a bright shade of pink and the blue pony turning nearly purple.

Rose flattens his ears, well he supposed that was one way to deal with grief... or at least distract from it. Granted he didn't think Breezy had it in him to try for her like this, colt had more balls than he thought, or ever wanted to see on display like that.

“TWENTY MINUTES!!” Rose shouted as he left the pair closing the door behind him. “TWENTY MINUTES AH WANT YOU ALL ON THE FIELD!”

===========================================================

Darkness, again. He found he was getting far too used to this sort of thing. He could feel the ground under his hooves or whatever passed for the ground in this nightmare. It felt odd, solid, but somehow slick and spongy at the same time despite the fact his hooves didn't sink in at all.

There were others here too, he could hear them growling and milling about around him. His sword was at his side still so he was not worried about what might be after him this time. His eyes narrowed as the darkness suddenly pulled back from the world around him, leaving it in perpetual twilight though allowing him enough light to see.

He recognized the closest figure and several of the others. As his gaze swept the massive field of forms he recognized far too many of them. As the darkness fled further the numbers continued to grow surrounding him.

Jef'fray, Onyx Scale, Aqua, trolls, cockatrice's, the troll god, the dragon gods, the hatchlings, dragons of every hue, Andre, and countless soldiers from the Dragon, Diamond Dog, and Zebra Empires.

He knew them, and he knew what he had done to them. He knew what they wanted. And yet despite the immeasurable force brought before him, Jer'rahd could not help a large grin spreading over his face.

“Not sure what that damn dracolich did, but it looks like I get a good dream for once. I didn't get to enjoy killing some of you as much as I would have liked the first time!” the gray unicorn chuckles before roaring out and rushing the mob as his blade is drawn.

==========================================================

Rhede ran.

There was not anything else he could do at this point. The shadows chasing him were filled with harsh voices, the thud of hooves and claws, the beat of wings, and cries for his blood.

The swarm drew close behind him spurring him on faster. Some of those chasing him he recognized, assassination targets, nobles who ran The Order, the Elk, and a number of soldiers. There were others too that he did not know, but he was quite sure he had killed them.

One at a time, or even in small groups he might have prevailed, but against a mob of this size the best he could do was run.

========================================================

Luna coolly regarded the swarm before her. There was a near endless sea of bodies, both monstrous and of pony kind and everything in between. She saw Aqua, Onyx Scale. And countless soldiers of other factions as well as her own troops she had allowed to die.

Centuries of death and regret stood before her. All of them wishing to end her existence once and for all, and all she could do was stare at them.

“So you plan to fight them?” questions a voice near her.

“No. Most of them are undeserving in their death; I would not kill them again.” Luna shudders as the tide starts to surge towards her.

“Then you will sacrifice yourself for nothing?”

“Tis not a sacrifice, would be justice.”

“You are a fool. Dying here will accomplish nothing, nor will it alter what has happened. You can sense as well as I can that we are trapped in a spell and none of this is real. Yet you are willing to let it run its course and not even try to fight it? Pathetic.”

“I have my reasons.”

“You think this is a way to atone, to simply suffer in silence? Yes because that worked so well for you when Hooper died. How many centuries did you seclude yourself? Hide what emotions you should possess shove down all the feelings into a ball that you could shove aside and ignore.” the shadow beside Luna hisses.

The first of the dead swarm come within reach of the princess only to slam into a globe of flickering shadows that suddenly forms around her.

“Be gone pests, your betters are speaking!” the shadow snarls.

“Who... who are you?” questions Luna.

“Another of the ones you have killed, though I do not stay dead long. I cannot be killed, nor will I ever be truly gone.”

“You..... What do you want?”

“I want what I had, what you still have if you could get past your own foalish regrets.”

“I will not let you have control again.” Luna's eyes narrow as she recognizes the shadow finally.

“So you will fight then? Good. “

“I will be rid of you.”

“You cannot be rid of me, I am you. All the emotions you repressed, all the rage, all the pain, all the love. I am what you became when you could no longer push aside what you felt, when everything that you are, boiled back up to the surface and eroded what control you thought you had. We are both shadows of what we could be. Strong, confident, and fully able to get what we desire.”

“More Bloodshed? That is not something any part of me should desire. Yet it is what you brought.”

“You know as well as I do that bloodshed was never the goal. What Tia made in our absence was the goal; we simply tried to take the easy way to accomplish it. It nearly worked but you let me rule you instead of tempering your emotions and reining me in, thus we lost everything. If you continue as you are, repressing me, pushing me into the recesses of your mind and trying to forget, I will return far stronger. When I do it will take more than a few pretty stones to seal me away.”

“Why warn me? Why are you trying to be accepted rather than in control again?”

The shadow grins, white fangs gleaming in the darkness. “Because what I want does not want me. He wants you. The only way I can get what I wish is for you to stop fighting me so that we might be whole again.”

Luna blushes.” I... I have no idea what you are talking about!”

“Please, do you really think you can lie to a part of yourself? Particularly one that is made of all those pesky feelings you try to ignore? You have pushed everything down and away since your first friends died, you barely opened up for Hooper and his death made you try to hide me all the more. Rhede, Velkorn, Bleu, Starfall, and Jer'rahd opened that wound in you again and you struggled to keep it closed. When Tia was nearly killed you let it rip open fully and the books took that and gave me form. But you fear me now when I am you just the parts of you that you would prefer not to acknowledge exist.”

Luna swallows as the shadow leans closer. The cries and thrashing against the dark shield continue, echoing in the alicorns ears.

“So what will it be Luna? Will you finally accept me, or do you keep repressing me until I break loose once again?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“There is always a choice, it may not be the right choice, but there is one. We know that better than anyone else, except perhaps Tia.”

“This is true. So be it. I know not what brought about this discussion, but ...”

“But, you are finally accepting that you cannot hide yourself away. That you need not always be a rock. A soulless pony devoid of feeling. Well at least there is that, though if you are accepting this is the first and last time we shall converse.”

“If you are a part of me there is no need for us to speak.”

“Unless you plan to play coy for much longer....” the shadow grins. “I don't think that's much of a turn on after a thousand years...”

“Quiet you.”

“Seriously there are rocks that get more action than we do... ”

“Shut up.....”Luna flushes as the shadow fades laughing and swirling about her form, obscuring her from view as the gathered army rushes ponds against the shield forcing more cracks into its surface. The writhing masses pile over the dome striking with weapons, spells, claws, and hooves.

The pile of bodies explodes out ward suddenly, flinging the attackers everywhere and creating a massive empty space around the dark alicorn still standing in the center of the circle.

Her mane and tail whipped about, stars and constellations flowing in her within her waving hair. Pale blue armor covered her form seeming to exist more as show than to protect anything vital. An armored helm rests upon her head and a thick chest piece with a crescent moon pressed to her chest.

The alicorns eyes open flashing briefly from green slit pupils to the soft aqua of normal ponies’ eyes.
She regards the creatures gathered around her with a bored expression before a small smirk crosses her lips.

“To steal a line from Jer'rahd. Who is first?” Princess Luna states.

The response was a deafening roar.

=============================================

[Thursday afternoon, Badlands/Shadow of Nox]

The massive dracolich leans in close looking over the frozen figures before it. A low chuckle escapes its maw. The spell would keep them locked away in conflicts of their own mind until he released the spell. Everything from the mightiest god to the lowest insect would be attacking them right now thanks to the spell. If they were responsible for its death, be it directly or indirectly that lost soul would be hunting them.

The dracolich smirked; the warriors would likely be having a hard time of it. But still this prize was worth using a massive energy hog like 'quake with fear'.

There was a pony god touched by the books as well as in possession of one of the lost spells that controlled the celestial bodies. She was also a former bearer of the Element of Magic.

A unicorn that the books had also empowered who once bore loyalty and now was host to one of his own creations, Entropy.

The other eight were not as important; true they all had their own interesting abilities and had born or were the current bearers of the Elements of Harmony. But they paled in comparison to the other two. There was so much that he could learn by taking this group apart he was nearly giddy with excitement.

Wait.

Eight other bearers? Ten total. Alicorn, a dragon, a zebra, two pegasi, three unicorns, and two earth ponies? Where were the other two?

“LET FLUTTERSHY GO, YOU BASTARD!” screams a voice.

The skeletal creature looks up just as an orange pony falls from the darkness above him to lands on his snout. The earth pony whirls suddenly lashing out with her back hooves and striking the dragon between the eyes, shattering a portion of its skull and causing it to roar out in pain and stagger backwards. It flails, tumbling over the piles of books crashing back into darkness as the orange earth ponies hooves continue to smash against its skull.

Starfall grins at the hit the farm pony landed, not bad at all.

She was not sure why she and Apple Jack were not affected by the spell, but she had grabbed the farm pony and ducked off to hide as soon as she could.

Granted AJ had been rather insistent that they attack and force the dracolich to fix what it did. Something Starfall was all for doing.

The problem was that they could barely see anything very far away from the still glowing horns of their companions. Once the creature realized that the pair of them would be in trouble.

Of course Starfall had a pretty good idea of how to fix that. She was just going to have to listen to the grief Rhede and Twilight were going to give her. Despite the surprise attack and the blows that AJ was hammering the creature with she doubted they could beat it alone. Besides she had a descendant and a Princess to protect. That came first.

Starfall lands on the other side of the flailing dragon digging into her bag and pulling out a small box. She tugs a twig from the container as she bunched up some of the scrolls and old books making a nice kindling spot for the fire.

There was a lot that could burn here, though she doubted the Jade Scroll could be destroyed so easily as to just burn it. The cross breeze and warm wind she had felt while flying Apple Jack above the dragon told her there was likely another way out of here above her that the smoke was more likely to take as an escape route. All they would need to do then would be to get the others out of the room and back into the tunnel. Starfall flicks the match across her hoof blinking at the sudden flash of flame.

“NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!” the dragon screamed out in heavily accented pony, thundering towards the pegasus and her match. Starfall didn't see Apple Jack on the dragon’s snout any more, but the old skull was marked with horseshoe imprints and had a number of holes and cracks in it now.

“Good you speak pony! I'm only going to say this once! UNDO YOUR SPELL OR I SET THIS PLACE ABLAZE!” Starfall bellows back.

“YOU ARE BLUFFING YOU WOULD NOT RISK.....” the glowing purple points of light widen as the burning match lands atop the pile bundled kindling, the dry parchment catching on fire immediately.

“I don't bluff.” Starfall grins tearing off into the darkness , quickly lighting other small fires with the rest of her matches . A few small fires on the other side of the dragon showed AJ was doing the same.

The creature screams trying to stamp out doing little more than spreading the blaze to other piles and catching the velum wrapped around its own skeletal form ablaze.

“TIMBER!!!!” shouts Applejack lashing out with her hooves. The hard impact of the farm pony's attack against the rear leg of the skeletal creature fills the air with a resounding crack as the dried bone shatters knocking the dracolich's leg out from under it and toppling the beast it into the rapidly growing fire.

The creature screams out as it flails about burning its actions spreading the blaze even more.

“I think we need to clear out while we can.” Starfall states landing next to AJ who still is glaring daggers at the creature.” This is spreading far quicker than I thought.

“They ain't free of whatever hocus pocus this things got um under yet.” AJ states.

“I have an idea of how to wake them up, but we need to get them away from the fire before it gets to them. Thankfully we didn't make it very far in here. The smokes going up and out so we should be fine back in the tunnel.”

“Ain't gonna be fine if they dun wake up.”

“Look I'm the fastest flier there is. If my idea doesn't work, I can go up over the storms maybe and get Celestia. Pretty sure if they don't wake up on their own we can get the Princess to fix them.”

“Alright..... But ah ain't done kicking that thing in tha face.”

“I expect not.... though I do have to ask...”

“What?”

“ Just Fluttershy? Odd battle cry there. Especially since I though you and Dash were something....”Starfall grins noting the farm ponies look of horror.

“Errk... uh let’s get um out of here!” AJ mutters darts off towards the others.

===============================================================

[Thursday morning, Ponyville.]

Lion Heart yawns stretching his wings wide as he steps off the train at Ponyville station. Peach Blossom moves out right behind him practically bouncing with glee despite his armor.

The half dragon chuckles looking back at the pegasus. “Don't get too happy there . We are still on the job you know. The Princess wants us back as soon as possible after we collect the trio's school work for a few weeks and a couple of odds and ends from their homes.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Though how we are supposed to do that last part without letting their parents know they aren’t missing is beyond me. Didn't she send that agent of hers Sunshine, or what not, here to let them know already?” Peach Blossom smirks. “Besides you can't fool me I can see that grin you have at being away from those three finally, and it's just as big as mine.”

“Yes but keep in mind if we take too long the Princess will be stuck with them alone. She will not be happy.” Lion Heart shudders.

“True, I thought she was gonna kill us for that little stunt yesterday.”

“She might just yet, those foals are not going to stay hidden forever and when we are no longer needed to watch them she may come down on us like a ton of bricks. She seems fine for the moment, though I am sure she is still mad.”

“Aw crap......” Peach Blossom sighs. “Thanks for ruining my moment.”

“I would not worry too much. This assignment will likely take us all day and perhaps past when the last train runs back to Canterlot.” Lionheart grins baring his fangs.

“Well now I never considered you to be much of a slacker.” Peach Blossom chuckles hopping off the platform. “ Being the ruler of a small country and all.”

“A leader needs to know when to take advantage of a situation.” Lion Heart chuckles. “ I am sure you know that as much as I do with all the things you let the guards under you get away with.”

===============================================================

[Thursday morning, Everfree Forest]

“Big mac, what brings you to my tree, it must be important for you to be traveling in the Everfree.” Zecora rhymes, looking up from the small garden of herbs she was tending near her home.

“Eeeyup.”

Zecora tilts her head ears perking a little as Big Mac starts explaining what had been going on and produces the bottle Sunshine had given him the day before. Mac was unsure weither the zebra alchemist was more surprised at the events that had transpired or that Mac had talked for so long.

Zecora picks up one of the vials of water looking at it curiously. “If this was such a worry to bring it my way, why have you waited another full day?”

“Had a bit of a mishap, an ah overexerted maiself. Had tah stay at Caramel’s in town last night cause ah couldn't walk back tah tha farm. Left Granny in town too til them Guard ponies show up. Ain't safe at the farm no more.”

“Well I suppose that at least you got it to me, now I should get to work on this water and see what I can see.” Zecora mutters carrying the bottles into her home.

Big Mac looks around a moment before slowly following the zebra inside. He was rather surprised she wasn't more worried about Apple Bloom given how close the two of them were.

======================================================

[Thursday, Sunset, Badlands/Shadow of Nox]

Apple Jack flattens her ears to her head as the dragon continues to scream. Starfall had called it correctly and very little smoke made its way into the tunnel.

The fire had been burning at least an hour now and she was sure it was starting to get dark outside. So far there had not been any change in the group though Starfall had been waiting to see if they would snap out of it themselves when the dracolich died. Judging by the screams and thrashing that didn't seem likely any time soon.

The farm pony watches as the pegasus staggers trying to pull the Brilliant Dawn the rest of the way from Twilight's Scabbard. She staggers about her jaws clamped tight though the strain was clear as she fought with the weapon.

Starfall knew the weapons screwed up magic, so maybe they would be able to break this spell. Of course it was clearly easier to say it than do it with the fight the weapon seemed to be putting up.

AJ had half-jokingly suggested testing it on Rarity first, that way they wouldn't lose anyone important if something went wrong. Starfall however remembered the mares whining the whole trip and flat out agreed to it being a perfect idea. While trying to get to the unicorn Starfall stumbles a bit and manages to wallop Rarity upside the head with the blade flat, sending both ponies sprawling from the impact.

AJ winces as Rarity was bowled over. “Cripes I thought yah were jus gonna tap her!”

“If you think you can carry control this damned thing any better than be my guest.” Starfall yells back around the grip of the sword as she struggles back up to her hooves. A shriek draws their attention back to Rarity as she flips around on the dirt floor clawing franticly at the wall as if trying to get away from something.

GET THEM OFF! GET THEM OFF! AHHHHHHaaaapple Jack?” The white unicorn slowly seems to calm blinking as she looks from the farm pony to the gray pegasus rather confused. “Where.... what happened to them, all did you get them? Why am I so filthy? GAH is that soot? !!Is my hair frazzled?”

They both watch as the white unicorn throws herself backwards dramatically landing on a couch that neither of them had noticed before.

“Please tell me we didn't carry that thing all tha way here.” AJ face hoofs.

“Well at least we know it works. Okay who's next?” Starfall mutters rolling her eyes.

==============================================================

[ Thursday, early evening, Canterlot.]

Claymore paces in the ally, every so often glancing back at the mare huddled under a cloak behind him. The pale blue unicorn was doing her best to avoid his gaze so he wouldn't take out his annoyance on her again.

Truthfully however Claymore was far from annoyed, he was ecstatic. He had seen the music school earlier in the day and it was the perfect target. It was named after that show mare and everything, it even had a massive picture of her on the back wall. Trashing this place would be sure to bring that damn dragon running. He had everything planned already and he had been mulling it over for the last few hours making sure it would all work out right. He was going to mount that beasts head on a spike and parade it around like a banner.

Right now though he was simply waiting for Scarlet's contact to show up so he could get started. Attacking the school would distract a number of guards, though it shouldn't be enough to bring the Princess down after him. Particularly if Ponyville was under attack at the same time and the contact's forces caused enough problems elsewhere. A school would be low priority to everyone but Bleu Scale.

The light click of hooves on cobblestones drew his attention to a small group of ponies moving into the ally. He glances back as Trixie got to her hooves and backed against the far wall trembling. She was terrified of him now and all he had to do was tell her to hit something with a spell and she would do it to avoid making him mad. Perfectly trained in next to no time, more proof to him that all the supposedly strong mares were really weak. If you put pressure in the right place they would crack like an egg.

“Are you Claymore?” the lead figure questions.

Claymore tilts his head under his own hood, regarding the ponies before him. Some of them moved heavily and the one who spoke had a faint bulge under his hood marking him as a unicorn and the others as armored. Judging by the shape of some of their cloaks of the eight two were pegasi and three were unicorns.

“Who wants to know?” Claymore growls, annoyed that they knew his name, though that didn't matter anymore he supposed.

“A mutual 'friend' sent us to aid you while he ensures the garden party tonight goes off without a hitch. We have a warehouse rented near your target and another few dozen troops ready to follow your orders.”

“So Scarlet finally comes through for once.” Claymore smirks.” Lead on.”

=================================================

[Thursday, early evening, Badlands/Shadow of Nox.]

Pinkie Pie and Rhede were the next ones freed. Not because of any plan, but mostly because Starfall's jaw was starting to hurt and they were the closest ones.

Pinkie did much the same as Rarity had, flipping out about something being all over her. Rhede simply screamed a moment, blinked and then looked embarrassed.

Despite AJ fussing at the pegasus to free Fluttershy Starfall was tired of fighting the blade and slapped Twilight with the star metal weapon before spitting it out and rubbing her jaw.

“Damn that's annoying.” mutters Starfall.

“MISTER BUBBLES! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” screams Twilight falling to the ground sobbing.

“Uhhhhhh. Twilight … sugar?” AJ questions looking at the bawling purple unicorn.

“Wow, she really is broken up about that.” Pinkie points out.

“Broken up about what? What's going on?” Starfall questions.

“Well Shining Armor told me the story of Twilight's first pet. She had a gold fish named Mr. Bubbles that she over fed and he died. According to Shining she freaked out so bad their parents consider counseling for her. When he was telling the story it was funnier than seeing it in action.” Pinkie points out.

“A dead fish? What tha hay did that thing do to ya'll?” AJ questions looking at Rarity and Pinkie.

“Umm well, don't tell Flutters, but I got swarmed by all the mice and rats that I’ve fed Gummy.... he is an alligator after all.....” Pinkie admits.

“Ugh... I was swarmed by hordes of disgusting bugs and parasprites.... it was terrible.:: Rarity says whipping her hair a little bit to finish her clean up.

“Okay so a gator's meals, a bunch of bugs, and a goldfish?” Starfall grumbles. “What kinda spell was that?”

“ I saw everything I've ever killed or been responsible for killing.” shudders Rhede.” Seems the spell made you face everything that's ever died by your hoof....... oh shit...”

Rhede and Starfall both turn to look at Jer'rahd. Rhede rushes over yanking on Jer'rahd's weapon sheath so the Waning Moon would actually touch him.

After a moment or two the gray unicorn blinks and looks around curiously, his eyes narrowing at seeing Rhede.

“ Jer, are you alright?” Rhede questions.

The gray unicorn sighs shaking his head a little. As the awake group stares at him with worry.

“You couldn't have left me in there a bit longer? I almost managed to kill that damn orc again.” Jer'rahd complains.

====================================================

[Thursday afternoon, Silver Claw's cave.]

Spike raises a brow looking up at the massive dragon curiously. Most of his scales had been healed of damage, though the glowing eye was kind of freaking him out a little.

“Errr so I guess everything went well?” Spike questions setting the book he was reading aside as the dragon drops a massive purple book and a stack of smaller ones in the corner of the room.

“Perhaps. That has yet to be determined.” Silver Claw stretches a bit looking down at the dragonling. Even if he was a god now the purple whelp’s powers were still too useful to scare him off.

“Are those The books?”

“Yes, but they are not important now that they have been used. I have a question for you however.”

“Huh? “

The red dragon drops a claw full of jewelry on the table before the dragonling. Spike's eyes widen at the familiar sight of the Elements of Harmony.

“Wha.... how did you get these?”

“Scarlet has her uses. You know what they are I take?”

“How could I not. Considering how many times I dusted that case Twilight kept them in when she was studying them.” Spike picks up Element of Loyalty. “ Heck, I wore this one when Discord showed up.”

“And you are sure that this is them?”

“What are you talking about? I just said.......” Spike stops picking up another necklace looking it over then back to the Element of Loyalty. ”Huh that's odd.”

“What is it whelping.”

“The gem is the wrong color....” Spike blinks a moment lightly touching his tongue to the Element of Honesty and smacks his lips a moment. He then does the same to Loyalty and flinches dropping the necklaces, trying to wipe off his tongue with his claws.

Silver Claw raises a brow looking at the little dragon curiously.

“What in the world are you doing?!” the larger dragon begins as the purple dragon suddenly takes a bite out of the apple shaped gem.

“It's fake.” Spike states taking another small bite of the apple gem.” The Elements taste really nasty, I guess that's to prevent them from being eaten. This one’s way too sweet.”

“You tried to eat the artifacts before?” Silver Claw asks incredulously.

“Hey I was really hungry and they were right there looking like the most delicious gems ever. I had to at least take a lick..... couldn't get the taste from my mouth for a week.” Spike bemoans.

“Are all of them fake?”

“Dunno, Honesty definitely is, and Loyalty is the real deal, you can't fake that level of nastiness.”

Silver Claw sits back pondering before grabbing the teal book from the stack he brought in flipping through it.

Spike looks up at him curiously. “What's going on?”

“Test the other Elements if you would. I wish to know if Nocturne screwed up or if Scarlet might be playing something. In either case one of them has removed an ally of mine, despite his personality, his loss will cause issues for my plans. I will not sit by and be slighted without some form of repercussion. The alicorn mentioned the spell she used on the griffon came from this book and I intend to find it.”

==========================================================

The eruption of darkness that burst from her swirled and flailed flinging Jer'rahd and Rhede away from the Princess. The Waning Moon flew from the unicorn's grasp imbedding into a wall. The Mare do well costume she wore shreds and flies apart from the force of the power swirling about her. This of course caused Rarity to fall back onto her couch again at the garment's destruction.

The swirling vortex of darkness solidifies around the mare. Her mane and tail whipping in an unseen wind, the star coloration of them darkening and the stars within sparkling brighter.

The alicorn's coat was a glistening black, her cutiemark had altered colors as well, changing to lavender and silver. Pale blue armor clung to her form, rattling lightly as her wings spread wide, neck craning up as she stretched.

Jer'rahd curses yanking his sword out of the wall as the other Beast's drew their weapons. The mane six aside from Twilight all dove behind Rarity's couch.

“Nightmare Moon....” whispers Twilight.

“Huh? What?” Nightmare Moon questions blinking seeming a little dazed. Her eyes open wide as she looks over those around her a bit confused.

Green reptilian eyes regard everyone a moment before she looks down at herself and frowns.

“Oh no, not this again. Agreement or not I will not be using this form.” she complains, her horn glowing as the darkness swirls about her again clearing quickly to reveal Luna, though she was still clad in the same armor.

The gathered ponies blink in confusion as the Princess reverts to normal.

“Well then. I am glad to see all of you are alright. What have I missed, and what is burning?” Luna questions, her ears perking at the feeble cries and curses coming from down the tunnel.

“You know we really have not had a chance to ask yet.” Twilight states recovering from the sudden appearance of nightmare a little quicker than the others. She glances over at Starfall and then to AJ who was clinging to Fluttershy as the pegasus hid behind the earth pony.

“Well Apple Jack and I were unaffected by whatever that dragon cast and AJ here seemed dead set on taking the thing out herself so I helped a bit and … things might have gotten a bit out of hoof after that.” Starfall explains sheepishly.

The others of the mane six look at AJ a bit confused she wanted to fight.

“And the smoke?” Luna questions.

“Ummm yeah about that. I figured the book we are after would take some potent magic or something to destroy and we needed light, soooo I kinda set everything on fire.....”

“YOU WHAT!?”
“YOU WHAT!?”

Starfall winces as both Rhede and Twilight screamed at the same time, the pair rushing up to start fussing at her. At the very least no one else seemed concerned about the fire, including Luna.

“So AJ trying to upstage me huh?” Dash grumbles hovering around the farm pony who pulls her hat a bit lower.

“What tha heck you talking about.” AJ questions.

“Trying to take out a draco whatever it was before I get a shot in. Heh and here I thought I was the competitive one.” RBD chuckles ignoring Twilight yelling that it was called a Dracolich between breaths of chewing Starfall out.

“Ain't like that, ya'll got hit with that spell and every pony stopped movin. Ah didn't know what tah do really.”

Dash blinks looking at Fluttershy and nods. The pale pegasus had not freaked out like the others, though she had spent the last hour crying against Apple Jack.

“Ahhh, alright, I getcha now. I would have done the same.” Dash shrugs.

“Hmmm, it seems that the spell may have been a mind illusion, only those who could see the truth were immune to it. That would explain why neither bearer of the Element of Honesty was affected and why I was despite my wardings and powers.” Luna responds to no one in particular.

“So in this case Honesty was the best policy.” Bleu quips as Jer'rahd groans at the bad attempt at a pun.” Sounds more like a moral that anything else.”

“Seriously Bleu, with a crappy moral like that you would think we were in a story made for little foals.” Jer'rahd mutters.

Pinkie Pie looks at you then winks before turning back to those not reading the fan fic.

Rarity rubs her chin looking over at the trio of Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Apple Jack curiously.

“Why do I have a feeling that you three are hiding something?” Rarity questions.

Apple Jack flinches and covers her mouth, while Rainbow Dash whirls on Rarity looking flustered and Fluttershy turns red.

“What no … um nothing of any importance....... errr mind your own business.” Dash growls at Rarity

“Well her battle cry did seem to be something dealing with Fluttershy.” Starfall points out hoping to distract the pair yelling at her with something else. Though it unfortunately didn't work on either of them.

Rarity raises a brow as Apple jack slaps her hoof with her face. And Dash lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Great job there hayseed.....” Dash grumbles.

“Ah told you it was a bad idea.....” AJ mutters.

“I'm sorry.... I didn't want to cause any trouble with this....” Fluttershy mutters.

“It's fine sugar cube. Dash is just as much tah blame in this situation. I told you we shoulda told um from tha get go, they are our friends.” states glaring at Dash.

“Hey I wasn't the one who wanted to hide this from them, I just didn't want it to become public knowledge like it would if Rarity found out.” Dash shouts back.

“An her mouth is why ah agreed tah not say anything, not cause ah wanted it a secret.” Applejack snaps.

“Wait are you two insinuating that I, of all ponies am unable to keep a secret?” Rarity butts in sounding offended.

AJ, Dash and even Fluttershy glare at the white unicorn.

“Applebloom told us where Sweetiebelle got most of her stuff for that Gabby Gums nonsense in that paper. An anything that gits said tah yah tends tah wind up in every ponies ears sooner rather than later.” Apple Jack grumbles.

Starfall thanked the stars as both Rhede and Twilight had been distracted by Dashes shout. She took that moment to slip away and hide behind Jer'rahd.

“Wait what secret? What's going on?” Twilight questions.

“Oh for the love of, ken ah tell them now? Heck most of them prolly already know anyway.” AJ states looking at Fluttershy.

The shy pegasus slightly nods and Dash slaps her hoof to her forehead as AJ glares at her.

“AJ you can't.” Dash starts.

“Ah can, an ah am, yer reason fer telling me tah keep tha secret's stupid any way. Been saying that from the start.” AJ responds.

“So what's going on then?” Twilight questions.

“Despite what lil miss nosy britches here and the rest of tha town seem tah be sure of, me and Rainbow Dash ain't any sorta thing but friends. An Big Mac ain't a special some pony with Fluttershy. That's it.” AJ flatly states.

The Beasts and Luna blink confused, though Twilight seemed to have taken more interest in the situation now however, much to Starfall's relief.

“Wait, what about all the visits and the time you two spend together. That all had to mean something?” Rarity whines, clearly annoyed that her match making senses seemed to be skewed.

Pinkie Pie simply nods sagely. ”Called it!”

“I told you nothing was going on Rarity.” Twilight sighs.

“Not quite true.... “ Dash mutters trying to avoid the glare Apple Jack had been giving her.

“What?” Rarity's ears perk up as her eyes widen and start to sparkle.”Oooh, what is there then?”

“...Apple Jack and I are the ones seeing each other.“ whispers Fluttershy.

“I told you they were sooo cute!!” Pinkie shouts as Rarity's jaw drops.

AJ Blushes a bit. “Kept it quiet cause it's no ponies business but ours really. Kinda started way back when we went to evict that dragon an I went off to bring her back.... poor thing spent a week under mah bed after that dragon migration thing too.”

“I also was afraid of what any one would think of two mares being special some ponies....” Fluttershy mutters.

“That's still an issue in this age?“ Bleu ponders.

“Umm, why would any of us really care? I mean heck, I’m kinda in a relationship with Princess Celestia.” Twilight points out. “Why would you think that we would mind that you and Apple Jack are a couple?”

“What you ARE with Celestia? Damn you purple dragon, you had to be OW!” Rhede yelps as Velkorn belts him in the back of the head with her hoof, a deadpan expression on her face.

“Honestly Fluttershy all you had to do was say something and I would not have told anyone. I do know how to keep quiet. I mean I didn't tell anyone that Luna was Mare- do -Well. Not sure how Mr. Kaisur figured it out though.”

“So how did Dashie get involved in this?” Pinkie questions.

“Cause she's been using Fluttershy's house fer hookups with mah brother after Granny caught um a time too many.” grumbles AJ causing the cyan pegasus to blush and Rarity’s eyes to bulge.

“A braggart like you and you kept quiet that you and one of the most sought after stallions in Ponyville are a couple? How is that even possible? Why is that possible?” Rarity stammers.

“Tha idiot was worried about what might happen to her chances if the Wonderbolts found out she was dating an earth pony.” AJ states with an annoyed expression on her face.” Told yah it was stupid....”

“It's not stupid, there isn't a single Wonderbolt who isn't seeing or dating another pegasus. I didn't want that to be something that kept me from joining. The few who have tended to disappear from the roster as soon as who they are seeing comes out in the papers....”

“Actually there has yet to be anyone who has been kicked or denied from the team for anything aside from disorderly conduct. Most of the ones who have left, either married who they were seeing or could not fly as well due to carrying a foal. Spitfire even left for a while when she and Soarin's foal was born. They just hid it really well.” Luna points out suddenly causing Dash's jaw to drop. “ Oh, that's right... they hid the wedding fairly well too. Sometimes that is required for those who are famous.”

“So okay, let me see if I get this straight Fluttershy and Apple Jack are a couple and Big Mac and Rainbow Dash are a couple.” Twilight sighs. “Well at least we know why Dashie was ready to kill the Cutie Mark Crusaders after Hearts and Hooves day.”

The group continues to chatter on for a few moments, causing a certain gray unicorn to develop a twitch.

“OH FOR BUCKS SAKE! ”Jer’rahd explodes. “Who the buck cares about whose bedding who right now? There is a giant undead dragon in the next room, our enemies have become gods and we might have burned the very thing we came to find. Why in Tartarus is a pair of pegasi's love lives more important that what we came here to do!?!”

Bleu smirks. “ Ten minutes Boss. That's a new record.”

“True, it was fun watching him start to boil and try to keep it all in though.” Starfall smirks.

“While not the best way to stop this conversation. I think Kaisur is correct and we need to focus on the task at hoof. “ Luna responds as Jer'rahd stomps off down the tunnel towards the cavern throwing out curses left and right.

“Boss has been a little... off, for the last few days.” Bleu points out.

“Jer just needs to get laid.” Rhede grins glancing over at Luna. “Not so subtle hint there for yah Princess....OW!”

Velkorn glare's at Rhede as Luna flushes at the remark.

[“You have lost your speaking privileges for the rest of the day Pelt.”] Velkorn commands.

“Come on it was a jo...OW!!” Rhede yelps as Velkorn cuffs him again.

=============================================================

[ Thursday, just after sunset, Canterlot Royal Gardens]

A large group of cloaked ponies slip into the garden, the duck behind a hedge row before stopping. One of them pulls a collection of scrolls and a map from under his cloak, unfurling the map and passing out the scrolls. He gestures to one or two of the others at a time point to a spot on the map and muttering what their targets were. The ones he directs nod and dart off into the night until he is the only one left there.

He did not like the idea of risking himself to discovery, but this was too important to leave in the hands of the lesser ponies.

It was one thing to pay a few of the guards to look the other way, but if Princess Luna showed up here tonight the entire plan would fail. It was no secret she came out here almost nightly though he was currently hedging his bets that she had been part of that secret mission to the south. His spies had not been able to find out anything in particular, and the goddess of the night was supposedly in her quarters with some sort of illness.

He sighs, wondering exactly who would believe a god could even get sick.

It was doubtful Celestia would come here, as some how she had gotten herself saddled with three foals from some diplomat or another. Judging by the coloration’s and coats of the pair he had seen it was likely something to do with Saddle Arabia. That mare put up with far too much from that place for some reason. But then again Celestia bent over backwards for any ambassador looking to make peace with Equestria.

Of course that distraction had proven invaluable, he had managed to get a rather sizable number of Diamond Dog and Griffon mercenaries into strategic locations around Canterlot. Couple that with what Scarlet's group should be doing and it was quite the recipe for over throwing an annoying goddess.

Now he was here. In the royal Canterlot Gardens working to free a number of the more amiable monsters of history. Some were traitorous members of the Guard. A number were bandits or raiders who would be looking for some sort of payback against the crown and the guards. One was a particularly ornery green dragon that he was told spoke in a Prench accent and had a bone to pick with Hospice Moskau, where ever she was.

If things went perfectly there would be about two hundred monsters and beasts and half as many normal troops willing to follow his word for either revenge or coin. There were things in this garden far worse than a few cut throats and pirates however. Thankfully thou he had found enough information on the prisoners to avoid waking anything too bad.

As the night continued the first of the groups came back. One of his agents led a good two dozen ponies dressed in motley attire out of the garden. They all had their faces covered and each was marked with a blood red hoof print on their clothing.

The Red Hoof Raider's. A recent addition to the garden, one that was added only a few years before Luna returned.

Banditry by far was not enough to earn time in the garden. This motley group however had earned their place by the sheer volume of targets they hit while Equestria was recovering from the great floods. Entire towns were ransacked over night with rarely a survivor left. Mares and foals were taken and sold into slavery and the stallions killed. The Guards could never find them and the group likely would have remained free

If it had not been for the escape of a mare they had taken prisoner, they might have never been caught.

Rather than let them injure any of her Guards Celestia had gone herself and only called the Guards to move the statues. Judging by their history he knew revenge and coin went hoof and hoof and it would be easy to bribe them to work for him. Particularly since he knew the location of the mare who had escaped, she held a teaching job in Ponyville.

The Red Hoof's were only the first of a small wave of other bandits and murders, discordian cultists and a few Cult of the Moon members. A few of the ponies he sent off came back with a refusal from the ones they let out and a few didn't come back at all.

The only one left was the dragon and he wished to speak with that beast personally. Taking the last two groups of freed prisoners and his own servants the unicorn strode deeper into the garden's maze seeking a stone dragon near its center. The tasks of the night had wound up taking nearly all of it and in only a few hours the sun would rise.

He hurries along rounding a corner and running into another figure knocking both of them back onto their rumps.

The unicorn stallion looked up at who he had hit watching a flash of green flame wash over a changeling to form a face he knew very well. The figure had a massive army of changelings behind him, likely all the ones that had been captured in the hive raid.

The changeling was also in some sort of shock looking at the unicorn whose hood had fallen back.

Both the figures stare at each other for a short time while their respective forces look on rather confused.

“Blueblood.” snarls the changeling.

The white unicorn meets the changelings glare and tosses his blond mane out of his eyes.

“Fancypants.” the prince snarls in return.

“Well this is awkward.” Fancypants comments.

“Indeed it is.” Blueblood responds.” Well I suppose there’s nothing for it then.”

“KILL THEM ALL!” both of them shout at once before scrambling to get out of the way.

The two forces clash, marking the opening battle of what the survivors would call The War of Gods.

========================================================

[Thursday, early evening, Badlands/Shadow of Nox.]

Jer'rahd pulls a swath of cloth over his nose trotting through the chest high ash that now filled the cavern. He could hear Twilight nearly crying at the sight behind him, there was nothing left of the books that had filled the room save ash and a few bright fires burning along the walls of the cave, still providing light.

Starfall, Luna, and Rainbow Dash flew overhead looking for anything out of the ordinary, the rest of the group moved through the ash and soot looking for anything salvageable. With the exception of Rarity who was trying to clean her way through the gray snow.

Starfall was the first to spot it and the rest of the group rushed to where she landed. Bleu grew in size fanning her wings blowing the ash away in a billowing cloud and exposing the charred bones of the dracolich.

Something in the creature’s skull was glowing softly, the pulsating light barely noticeable with all the fire flickering around the rooms corners.

Jer'rahd moved closer to lift the skull up though as soon as his magic touched it the bone crumbled to dust revealing a green book slightly smaller than his hoof.

“What the heck? Is that it? It's tiny.” Starfall comments.

“So says the shrimp, good thing you have wings or you might drown in a rain puddle, tiny!” the book suddenly shouts.

“Ummm...” Twilight begins looking confused.

“Ummm, that's the best you can come up with? You just got stomped by a skeletal dragon and now a book is talking to you. You're a certain kinda dumb aren’t you? I think I’ll just call you Purple Smart. You'd like that wouldn't you girl? Shouldn't you be chewing on one of these bones with the other dogs?”

“Are you the Jade Scroll?” Luna asks.

“So what if I am princess Moon Butt.”

A purple glow lifts the tiny book up from the ground shaking loose the ash from it.

“We have come here seeking you, to stop the other Books of Orbsah.” Luna continues. “It has come to our attention that you have a rather poor relationship with the others of your kind and may be willing to see them stopped.”

“HA!! What the fuck do you think I have been doing for the last eon?”

“Clearly nothing if you have been stuck here while those others have been wreaking havoc.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “

“You know nothing stupid pony. The world would be teeming with cursed gods if not for my efforts.”

“I find that hard to believe.” Rhede snorts. “ The books brought about the changeling invasion, the war of night, possibly Discord, the fall of the Crystal Empire, the fall of Neighlantis, and our current situation as well as a great many others. If this is what your efforts have brought then you are doing a crappy job.”

“Pfft all those are your problems not mine. The more of you that die the better. “

“Excuse me?” Twilight questions rather worried now.

“I don't just want those rotted bundles of paper destroyed I want everything to burn. All of you, every race, and every life form. I want the world crushed to dust until there's nothing left. I convinced that stupid unicorn to make the spells to raise and lower the moon, it's a god like power. I expected some fool to get a hold of them and crash the sun or the moon into the ground. But nooooo he gave them to some damn noble griffon that took me centuries to corrupt. And even he didn't destroy anything fast enough!”

“You are speaking of Starswirl the Bearded, the first one who first moved the sun and moon.” Luna mutters. “ To think a normal pony wizard could create something of such power

“No shit Moon butt. But create them HAH. No that hack had power but not that much. He stole them.
He found two gods who already had those powers, killed them then tried to bind the spells to himself. It failed and he had to figure out who could control them before the world half froze or half burned. That was a year I really enjoyed for a while until the griffon got them. “

“Focus. We have a mission here.” Jer'rahd cuts in.” We need to find out if it knows a way to destroy the other books or stop the gods it creates.

“If there was a way to destroy them don't you think I would have done it by now?” snarls the book. “I even made you with the hopes you might eat them into nonexistence, but you got side tracked and bound to idiots like Moon butt here!”

“You didn't make me....” Jer'rahd states a little surprised at the venom coming from a book.

“Not you, you doddering buffoon. Entropy get your ass up and kill these idiots!”

Everyone looks to Jer'rahd as he blinks in confusion before lifting a hoof to scratch the back of his head.

“I don't think he's in right now.” Jer mutters.

“He's bucking there, I made you and that sorry excuse for a partner of yours. DO AS I SAY, KILL THEM!!”

They all look at Jer'rahd again, who waits a moment and simply shrugs.

“He's there, but he's not saying anything.... for once. It's rather calming I think we should keep this thing around a while.” Jer'rahd smirks poking the book with a hoof.

The book for its part seeing that it was being defied simply started screaming obscenities and curses.

Fluttershy faints at some of the language and all the others simply stared in awe at the number of things coming from the book in more languages than even Luna and Rhede knew existed.

Rhede however had heard enough.

“Bleu.”

“Hold on Pelt I gotta write some of this stuff down.” Bleu mutters.

“I don't think that is physically possible,” winces Pinkie Pie after a rather detailed description of something involving some ones plot and several other objects of questionable origins.

“Bleu send this book to princess Luna or Jer.”

“Huh?”

“You still have that letter sending ability right? Use it.” Rhede grumbles holding his ears swearing the book was getting louder.

“Well okay....”

Bleu puffs up looking at the book being held aloft by Princess Luna's magic, before exhaling a gout of green flame that strikes the book floating there rapidly turning it to ash. The dust swirls and moves through the air, reforming into a book above Jer'rahd's head that was screaming in pain. The book falls with a thud to the floor still screaming bloody murder.

Rhede trots over and kicks the book with his black hoof. “ Shut up already or I’ll have her do that again. We are pressed for time and I am sick of your attitude, you now know we can hurt you.”

The book sounds like it was panting though it stopped it's yelling.

“What the frak was that spell? “

“Message transportation, through dragon flame. Princess Celestia and some of her students made it about a thousand years ago.” Bleu states proudly. “ It also works on ponies and evidently books now too.”

“That type of flame shouldn't..... wait Celestia? The SOLAR FLARE Celestia?”

“She has not gone by that name in a very long time.” Luna responds, a worried expression coming to her face as the book starts to laugh.

“I can't believe it, that actually worked and hurt. Hehehe. Finally a side project starts to pay off.”

“A side project?” Twilight questions.

“You think a couple of spells and the coward hiding in the gray one there are the only things I’ve done to try and destroy everything? I've had millennium’s worth of time to screw with everything, I pointed the zebra to the first star metal and watched as their peoples nearly wiped themselves out.”

Velkorn's ears flatten.

“ I've whispered in leaders ears and turned a whole tribe of creatures into purists that kill their own supposedly tainted kind. I'm sure you know more about that then most Blackhoof.”

Rhede glowers at the book snorting in anger.

“You think the damn lizards could figure out how to control that draconequus's creations without my help?....”

Luna and Jer'rahd glance to each other then the book again as it continues to rant.

“Random pegasi who can fracture reality with their flying, earth ponies who can set the world a blaze with their anger, goddess's who want to be the one true god of the world... the right spell in the right place or the right word in the right ear can cause more damage than a thousand soldiers on the ground. But you fools are persistent, worse than roaches you won't just die quietly.”

“It doesn't make sense. Why would a book want to destroy everything anyway?” Twilight sighs.

“Why.... WHY??? THEY TOOK WHAT WAS MINE, THAT'S WHY! I had everything, EVERYTHING and all it took was one spell to ruin it all. I was turned into a fucking book and everyone else got to continue their lives as if nothing ever happened. I was cast aside forgotten, sealed away by those bound copies of used toilet paper and their minions and all the while the rest of the world got to enjoy life and live. Why should anyone else be allowed to be happy and alive when I can't be?”

“You did it to yourself griffon.” states Rhede.

“Fuck you pony! You don't know a damn thing, I was king of everything and then the damn gods came back and stripped me of my power just because they were gods. Do you know what it's like to lose everything because some cowards decide to come out of hiding at the wrong time?”

“No, but I also would not take out the anger for my mistake on everyone else.” Twilight sighs. “ Look do you know anything about the other books of Orbsah and the gods they create that might help us.”

“Why would I bother to help you?” snarls the book.

“Well for starters six new gods will die and the other books plans will be ruined.” Rarity suggests.

“And if you don't I’ll burn you a few more times.” huffs Bleu.

“Heh, like I give a crap about your threats when everything is said and done you will all be dead and the real end will begin.”

“Bleu, Rarity, keep an eye on the book, if it starts to cast anything you can see Rarity have Bleu burn it.” Luna states nodding her head for the others to follow her away from the tome.

The group moves away from the book and its guardians to the other side of the room. Luna sighs, her ears flattening to her head.

“Should we leave it alone with only two of us to watch it?” Starfall questions.

“I doubt it can do much without a body. The books were unable to cast spells on their own, otherwise the world would probably be over flowing with gods. “Luna states. “I think that dracolich was all the way dead as well. The book was just using its body to keep mobile. More like a skeletal shell than a dracolich. I am not sure how it did it, possibly tricked the dragon into merging with it.”

“I thought that as well Princess,” Twilight responds. “So then what's every one think?”

“A wasted effort.” Jer'rahd sighs. “ I doubt this thing has any information that is useful to us. We would have spent our time better looking for the ritual circles around Equestria and destroying them.”

“Tia spent several months on that and we only found three. We also found signs that trolls make the circles.” Luna responds. “There is no telling how many there really are.”

“I think we might be able to get some information out of it, maybe not what we want, but enough to be useful.” Twilight points out.

“I just want to know if it's lying or not about the elk. Because if it isn't I want to see if a volcano might destroy it...... or at least hurt it a lot.” Rhede growls.

“Calm yourself Rhede, I know it is a sore spot, but we need you with a much cooler head.” Velkorn responds resting a hoof on his shoulder.

“Still I don't get how it's so envious of everything that it wants to kill us all?” Rainbow Dash ponders.” It's kinda messed up.”

“Might not even be sane any more neither.” AJ points out.

“A lot of creatures lash out when they are in pain. This book seems like it is in a great deal of that.” Fluttershy mutters. “Still it can't really be forgiven for what it's done, it doesn't seem to have any remorse at all for its actions. It seems proud of them.”

“Yeah that things a real monster alright. I wanna know if that was all bullshit about the Rainboom. I don't like the idea that thing might have had something to do with it.” Starfall grumbles.

“ Not sure I like that either. What else do you think it might have done? Pinkie ponders.

“Okay. So if we take into account that it could be insane and is still telling the truth that still leaves us with less information than Rhede found in the Crystal Empire.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “ We need to get back to Canterlot. There's no telling what those six are going to do.”

“Agreed. Twilight and I will question it while the rest of you get some rest and we will head out in the morning.” Luna states.

“I think we should set up in the ruins above rather than here. No telling what else might show up down here or if the book has any more tricks.” Jer'rahd states. “ You two keep Bleu with you though let her sleep for the most part. She gets cranky easily without any sleep.

“Like her partner.” Luna states with a small smirk.

Jer'rahd pauses glancing up at the princess at the joke before offering a small smile of his own.

“Uh oh, now you found me out. I'm not really violent or angry I just need more naps.” Jer chuckles lightly. “Alright, Pinkie, Rhede, AJ, and , Fluttershy come with me and let’s get the camp set up. The throne room would work well and it's the most defend-able spot in the ruins. Starfall, Dash, and Velkorn you two watch the Princess and Sparkle here.”

“Sure you don't need another flier to help get everyone up the hole?” Rainbow Dash questions.

“I have Fluttershy if I need one.” Jer'rahd states, ignoring the pale yellow pegasus's faint protests. “Besides I just plan to just make stairs.”

“Have fun with that.” Twilight grumbles.

===============================================================

[Friday, predawn, location unknown]

Nocturne looks at the night sky. Dawn was still a number of hours away and the books had been talking nonstop in her head, passing on secrets and powers. Through them she knew what everyone else was doing before the coming battle was this how her mother kept tabs on her forces?

Silver Claw was resting and looking over the books while speaking with his captive. She didn't trust the dragon, but if Equestria fell she would abide by the agreement to leave the dragons alone... for a while. They would be rather potent allies against the other nations if they did not accept her rule.

Scarlet was acquiring ingredients to her preferred poison somehow managing to find a Cloud Serpent den nearby, even though the creatures were supposedly extinct. She knew what the mare had done during the ritual and found she really did not care. Still it was best to keep an eye on her, she was useful but also far too dangerous to be let off a short leash.

Wind Razor was currently setting something up in a ravine not far away. The griffon was also the only one of them who had been practicing with her new god powers. Shadow manipulation, it seemed she had a few skills she was practicing over and over again as if forcing herself to get them right in time for the battle.

Claymore was in position in Canterlot. He had already and had made contact with Scarlet's associates. The fool had no idea what he was in for and at the moment he didn't seem to care. Personally Nocturne almost would have preferred to use that new pet of his for this, but the earth pony had done his job well and the mare was barely more than a mindless thrall at this point. She was not sure what would happen to him, or if anything even would before the battle was over. So long as he kept at least one of the Beasts distracted everything would be fine.

Bloodtail was the one that most interested her right now. While he was not using the ability’s given to him by the books he was using the new well of energy that they had granted. His power however had already activated even if he was unaware of it. She could feel the compulsion flowing from him as he spoke though there was no compulsion for her to do anything. However he was currently making an army.

Bloodtail had found a mass grave from the days of the Lunar Republic by the ruined castle of Winnysor. It was filled with the bones of dozens of different creatures that had been enthralled or mindlessly loyal to the Republic. The joined nations wiped them out to a pony and dumped their bodies in a mass grave before razing the castle.

The zebra had found it not long after they had started using the old keep as their base. Even though the structure was lost to them due to Scarlet's explosives, Bloodtail was using his augmented magic to raise them. Tireless skeletal warriors and monsters of bone. Those that once served her mother now would serve her.

None of this mattered however if they could not deal with her mother and father as well as their friends and aunt Celestia. The books were practically demanding that the princesses be destroyed. They demanded the same of the love cursed royals, but no one knew where Sombra and Chrysalis were, not even the tomes.

Something worried her however. A nagging doubt in the back of her mind. The books of Orbsah had become insistent, demanding, and seemingly rushed as if something was going to happen and they wanted everything to be perfect for it.

Despite her ego, Nocturne doubted what they were waiting for was her conquest of Equestria. She sighs rising to her hooves

=====================================================

[Friday an hour before sunrise, Badlands/ Shadow of Nox]

“For the love of everything MAKE HER SHUT UP!” the book screamed out as it was brought up into the ruins.

Twilight glances back looking at Luna, Bleu, and a rather insulted looking Rarity.

“How rude. All I was doing was explaining how all that ash would make my hair all frizzy.” Rarity whines. “The heat can't be good for it either, though it will give me... “

“SHUT UP!! I thought being burned was bad , but no!! You left me with this wench. Don't you ponies have some sort of rules banning cruel and unusual punishment of prisoners?”

“That doesn't apply tah books or undead dragons.” AJ snorts rolling over annoyed at being woken up. The farm pony glances down a bit surprised that Fluttershy had curled up at her side while she was asleep. She smiles laying her head back down. No point hiding it anymore any way.

“If you want her to hush tell us what you know about the powers the books bestow.” Jer'rahd comments yawning. “Miss Rarity is not rude enough to interrupt while something is talking.”

“Screw you blondy!”

“Actually his mane is more of a fine amber color, I really think you should do something more with it....” Rarity begins.

“SHUT UP!”

“Did it tell you anything?” Jer'rahd questions looking over to Luna and Twilight.

“No, still we took turns sleeping in shifts while questioning it as well. I see you managed to get a rather nice camp set up while we were away.” Luna mutters looking over the room and the unpacked supplies. It almost looked like some pony actual lived there now.

“Ehh it's no Canterlot, but I’m sure it's better than sleeping on the ground.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Kaisur listen... “ Luna pauses, her ears flattening to her head as she seems to struggle a bit with something. ”I am sorry to say I have been increasingly difficult to deal with and I have not been treating any of you as you deserve.......”

“Hey, Jer get over here and read this.” Rhede shouts. “The damn books written in old draconic.”

“Unhand me you lout how'd you like it if some one pulled you open to look at your insides?” The book fusses.”

“Sorry, what was that Princess?” Jer'rahd responds looking back from Rhede.

“Nothing... we shall speak later, go see what he is talking about. I will try to catch a nap while I can.” Luna sighs.

“Of course Princess.” Jer'rahd responds and moves off to see what Rhede was rambling about.

He pauses looking back at Luna, wondering what she was going to say, before heading over to Twilight and Rhede.

Twilight curls up on a blanket in front of the book with a yawn.

“Get enough sleep Sparkle?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Enough, just woke up from a nap down there a little while ago. We took turns trying to get it to talk, I think I was the only one who tried to read it, but my old draconic is a little rusty.”

“Yeah mine's not much better.” Rhede grumbles “ But at least we know zebra.”

“Yet another reason for me not to learn it, everyone else I know speaks it.” Jer'rahd sits down flipping open the book with a hoof and looking over the pages ignoring the protests the book made. Twilight shifts a little closer looking over the book though she rested her head on her hooves and closes her eyes. Luna trots over as well settling down next to Jer'rahd before laying her head on her own forelegs.

Bleu grumbles climbing up onto Jer'rahd's back and stretching out before curling up as well. “ Jus wake me if it tries anything and I’ll roast it.”

“How can you be tired you slept nearly the whole time we were down there?” Twilight complains.

“I'm a lil dragon I need sleep.”

“You're closer to a teenager now Bleu.” Jer'rahd chuckles flipping through a few pages.” Not much here. There's a couple of morbid spells and a small comparison of Serenity and Entropy as well as a reference to something called Harmony and something else called the Nameless. Nothing about it however.

Hmm this might be interesting. There's some pages about the powers the books grant. Seems they are the same depending on what Element they are tied too.” Jer'rahd mutters, though only Rhede seemed to be paying attention now, he could see both Luna and Twilight's ears shift to focus on him.

“The books of Orbsah only give out six powers. This is because of how tied they are to the Element's of Harmony. It doesn't say why however. Might have to do with that book you found though Rhede. The powers are always the same even though they might show up differently or at different levels dependent on how close the Bearer was with their Element. I suppose that's why Andre was not as strong as I turned out to be. The Beast even mentioned I was a strong bearer of Loyalty.”

“Considering all you've done. I can believe it.” Luna mutters. “So what are the other powers?”

“Let's see. Loyalty creates that massive creature, the shape of it is different each time some one bonds with it, though it's sole purpose is physical destruction. Looks like if I hadn't attracted Entropy I would have had more control over it than I do. Must be why Andre was able to switch back and forth at will. Though I guess I wind up stronger when I lose control. Not really telling me anything I didn't know.” Jer'rahd states.

“What about Generosity?” questions Rhede.

Hmmm, here we go. Generosity allows the creation of shadowy minions and effects that do what you wish. The love cursed king Soloman is a prime example listed of that one.”

“Sombra” Twilight sighs.

“I beat him once!” Pinkie Pie chirps out of nowhere.

“Must have missed that.” mutters Jer'rahd. “ They also bring up Princess Crystal as well. I guess that's Chrysalis. Seems she had Honesty, that pretty much allows for any sort of disguise, looks like she also gets a number of powers based on the shape that was taken.”

“I used both of those powers as Nightmare Moon.” Luna remarks.

“I remember that, you might have used this one too. Compassion seems to be considered one of the more dangerous powers. Seems it allowed the control of the weak willed and the swaying of minds to serve the owner of the power. Sounds like Onyx scale to me.”

“There's no way he managed to get access to any of the element's though did he?” Rhede ponders.

“The Element's of harmony were missing for a time and they clearly were not in the ruins as they were supposed to be. It may well be the dragon had them all. That may have been how they appeared so quickly.” Luna ponders.

“He didn't have to have them for the power to work. Despite what every one thought was a failure the Elements chose you all. That's why even though you destroyed them as Nightmare, they still activated. They can't be destroyed or contained.” Twilight yawns out opening her eyes to everyone staring at her. “ What? I studied them, it's what I do... don't judge me....”

“Anyway, there's more in here about how to break a creatures will so that they can be controlled that way.” Jer looks at Luna as she shivers slightly at the remembrance of what Onyx scale did to her. “Moving on to Laughter...... oookay that's interesting.”

“Hmm?” Pinkie Pops up again looking over Jer'rahd's shoulder at the book. “Some one call?”

“No, now get off of me. Laughter supposedly can bend reality to suit the wielders will. It mentions an entire race of creatures created by this ability called draconequus. The power was so thorough that they even had their own god. The Storm King supposedly destroyed them all however.”

“That's what Discord is.” Pinkie Pie points out. “ He's called a draconequus. He's the god of them too.”

“How do you know..... never mind.” Twilight starts to ask then thinks better of it. “Something that powerful should have done what the book wants a few times over now.”

“Seems there’s a catch though.” Jer'rahd reads.

“It has to be funny!” Pinkie states. “Well at least funny to the one who's doing it not so much funny to the one who's targeted.”

Every one looks at the pink pony again in confusion, including the suddenly silent book.

“Err, yeah... what she said.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Pinkie? You can read old draconic?” Rhede questions.

“Nope” Pinkie beams suddenly rolling onto her back away from the group to start snoring.

“I don't see any of them deciding to be laughter. “ grumbles Luna.

“Scarlet would.” Rhede responds. “ And that worries me because she finds some rather dark things funny.”

“Oooh, black humor... never got into that.” Pinkie states before starting to snore again.

“So what about magic?” Twilight questions.

“ According to this Magic has access to all of the powers and then some. All of the other powers feed into it and thus all of their ability’s feed into it.”

“I still can to a minor degree. The books also increased my normal powers as well as granting me the abilities of the others. I think the only one I never used was laughter, because I did not consider anything funny enough to alter it.” Luna mutters.

“Good, maybe Nocturne won't find anything funny either.” Rhede responds.

“While interesting, this is still nothing of any use to us.” Jer'rahd growls ignoring the books continued ranting.“ So what now?”

“We return to Canterlot and prepare to for an invasion of some sort...... Bleu what's wrong?” Luna replies though is distracted by the little dragonling sitting up suddenly and flailing around enough to fall of Jer'rahd's back to the floor.

Bleu flails around before belching a gout of flame which causes the book to scream and wake everyone else before the fire forms into a scroll that falls to the ground .

“GAH I hate that, I am not a mail box!!” Bleu curses.

“Well you are blue and the post office boxes are blue... is your jaw hinged?” Pinkie bounces about the dragonling.

Luna unfurls the message, her eyes widening as she reads it.

“What's wrong Princess?” Rarity questions trying to fix her hair.

“ It is from Tia. Canterlot is under attack.” Luna sighs.

“AGAIN?!” curses Rainbow Dash

“the stars, the moon, they have all been blown out...”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“the stars, the moon, they have all been blown out...”

“I want a report, Nicker. What is going on in my city?!” Celestia commanded, moving into the war room with a number of guards in tow. The magical map on the table now displayed a model of Canterlot with the Royal Gardens and a number of areas around them in bright red. Small dots of blue light shifted on the map, showing Guard positions. Three unicorns with glowing horns altered the map as a series of crystal communications boxes buzzed with the latest updates.

The earth pony she addressed glanced back at the princess with his one good eye before dismissing the guards he was speaking with. The dark brown earth pony was heavily scarred; his mane was shaved off and his tail was cut shorter than a recruit in basic training. He wore black guard armor as if he was a member of the Night Guard instead of the pony in command of all branches of the guard. A single large scar ran over his left eye and was covered with a black eye patch bearing Canterlot's Royal Seal in gold.

“Nothing good, Princess. The first reports came in a couple of hours ago. There's a massive force of changelings headed toward Canterlot, along with a number of shadowy creatures and crystal golems in their ranks. A sizable portion of the force has broken off and is headed to the nearby settlements as well. The main focus of these secondary groups seems to be Ponyville, but they are also targeting a few of the outlying farming communities like Oattown, and Maripony. We also have reports of a number of escaped prisoners from the garden being spotted in the city— several different raiding groups and a few monsters, nothing big, but more than enough to cause us problems. I also just received word that the captured changelings that were in the garden have been released as well, though both forces seem to be fighting each other just as much as the guards— small favors, I suppose. We've already lost three blocks of territory in and around the Garden itself, and the wall between the castle and the garden has been breached in two places by attacks, though we are holding the line. To make matters worse, the new alarm system is malfunctioning and we are having a devil of a time trying to get ponies into shelters. There's a mess of ponies already in the street and more than a few panicked mobs have rushed the front gates.”

Celestia's eyes narrowed as another few messengers ran, in giving a report to the map unicorns.

“Sir, Princess, we have new reports of another group of forces moving in from the market district. We have identified one group as the Red Hoof Raiders. They were spotted in the residential district along with a pony matching the description of one of the most wanted,” the unicorn reported.

“Which one, and where are they going?” Celestia questioned.

“The report's description of the pony traveling with the Red Hoofs fits the earth pony known as Claymore. There are also a number of cloaked figures moving along with them that could not be identified. Their destination seems to be the fourth block of the residential district. Hold on, I have confirmation that the group has entered the Platinum Music School,” stated a unicorn on the other side of the table, his hoof holding the receiver to his ear as he listened to the reports over the crystal radio.

“Was anyone in the building?” Nicker questioned.

“Hold on, sir. Yes, there is a report that a number of younger students are fleeing the building and have been stopped by several of the Guard. There are supposedly at least thirty still being kept inside, mostly teachers and older students.”
Nicker looked back at Celestia just as a scroll vanished in a puff of green fire from her horn.

“Orders, Princess?” Nicker questioned.

“You know your job, Nicker; you don't need me to tell you everything you need to do. All available forces will be mobilized and placed under your command, including Moskau's monster hunters.”

“What of the 42nd training?” Nicker questioned.

“If possible, send a messenger to them as quickly as possible. Send another to Ponyville to warn them. If able, have the citizens all board the trains to Canterlot. If evacuation is not feasible, a shelter system has been set up in Ponyville and they are to seek shelter there if able. Also, find out why the warning system is off line... no, scratch that, there is no time. Sound the horns along the walls; there's bound to be enough ponies that remember that call to arms that can inform those that don't know,” Celestia ordered.

“Yes, Princess.”

Celestia turned, looking at the two guards that were following her around. “I do not need your protection. However, there are three fillies in the southern wing's guest quarters that I want you two to take to the castle’s shelter as soon as you can.”

“Princess, our orders are to protect you,” the unicorn guard stated.

“My little pony, if something comes for me that is strong enough to pose a threat to my well-being, then you two would simply be another pair of casualties I do not want. I plan to remain here at any rate, so even if necessary, I am already well-guarded. You can help those foals, so I suggest you get going.”

The pair looked to Nicker, who nodded before they rushed off.

“Of course they listen to you,” Celestia muttered.

“You're not the one who rips them a new one if they screw up,” Nicker commented. “Hate to say it, Princess, but this doesn't look good. We are not prepared to repel a force of this size even if we ignore the attackers already inside of the city.”

“No, it does not.”

=========================================================

“Quit moving!”

“You quit moving, and you're crushing my ear.”

“Well, you set my tail on fire!”

“It's still there, isn't it?”

“Both a’ ya'll hush,” snapped Apple Bloom. “Ah can't hear what they're saying.”

The other two looked up at the farm filly as she pressed her ear to a vent high on the wall, listening to Celestia and Nicker talk on the other side. The three of them were still not allowed to stay in the same room, though they were allowed to eat together provided the fire emergencies were kept to a minimum. The trio had followed the Princess after seeing her rush by their room during breakfast and found the castle a buzz of activity.

Scootaloo was trying her best to keep control of her new abilities, but accidents still happened. Thankfully, Celestia had kept the fireproof spell going on the other two fillies, so aside from some singed fur, there had been no real damage. At the moment,
Scootaloo was straining under the weight of Sweetie Belle on her back, with Apple Bloom standing on top of the little unicorn so she could listen at the vent to what Celestia was saying.

“Oh no,” Apple Bloom muttered.

“What is it?”

“Yeah, hurry up and tell us so I can get you two off my back.”

“They said somethin's attacking Ponyville!”

“What!?”

“Oh no, Rarity… and my parents!”

Scootaloo's legs finally gave out and all three fell down in a heap.

“What are we gonna do!?” squeaked Sweetie Belle.

“What can we do? We're stuck here!” Scootaloo grumbled.

“Hmmm. Ah know!” Apple Bloom beamed.

The other two fillies looked at each other, then to the smiling Apple Bloom as she darted off suddenly. The pair shrugged and raced down the hall after her as the pair of guards Celestia had ordered to watch them stepped out of the war room and rushed towards the fillies’ quarters in the other direction.

=============================================================

“It'll take us three days to get back to Canterlot from here. That's provided there's not a storm blocking us,” Rhede grumbled.

“I could try to fly us back, maybe go way over everything?” Bleu suggested.

“No good. You'd have to go high enough up that ice could start forming on your wings. Dash and I might be able to pull that off, but there's no way you could while carrying everyone,” Starfall replied, shooting down the suggestion.

“What about a teleport?” Rarity suggested.

“To move even this many ponies would require a degree of control and power I do not have. I was never very good at teleporting, anyway,” Luna sighed.

“No offense to you, Princess, but I was not directing that at you.” Rarity gestured to Twilight.

“What? Me? I can't do that!” Twilight stammered.

“Twilight, darling, you transported three times as many ponies as we have here, plus yourself, two magic-canceling swords, and a whole tree from the Everfree all the way to Canterlot and you put it all down in the royal throne room without a single thing being
transported appearing in a wall or getting lost in between,” Rarity replied.

“Yes, and then I spent the next week unconscious. I still have the burn mark from where my horn heated up from over-channeling.” Twilight sighed. “Besides, this is a lot farther than the outskirts of Ponyville.”

Luna tilted her head. “I would have no problem channeling that much power, Twilight, but I would need you to direct it.”

“What? Well, I guess, but what about the amount of power that would take? It won't do us any good if we get there and you collapse,” Twilight countered.

“I would not worry about that. Between the four of us, I am sure we can get everyone back to Canterlot with no trouble,” Luna assured her.

“I don't agree with this,” Jer'rahd stated suddenly. “Don't include me in this little gathering. Not like my tiny bit of power will be much help, anyway.”

“You sound kinda scared, there. Why, does the great and powerful Kaisur not want a couple of mares to see how small his magic is?” Rarity cooed, getting a glare from Jer'rahd that could melt rock.

“More along the lines of there is a spiritual manifestation of the beast who shows up in the magical space. There is a reason I brought Twilight in to show the trainees how to combine their power, when I normally could have done it myself,” snarled Jer'rahd.

“Actually, Kaisur, that was something I was counting on.” Luna smiled.

“What?” Twilight and Jer'rahd stammered.

==================================================================

The thud of a hoof against wood jerked the large stallion awake; he was on his hooves almost immediately. The knocking stopped as a sound like a pair of coconuts colliding against each other filled the small room as Big Mac's head smacked into a low beam.

The earth pony cursed, falling back onto the couch he erupted from. His sudden crashing weight collapsed the wicker couch into splinters, sending him tumbling to the floor with an even louder crash that shook the whole building.

Zecora sighed, sitting across the room sipping tea as she watched her cauldron boil. The zebra's ears perked up as the massive stallion invented a few new curse words and added some mixed in from both the griffon and zebra language.

“I must say that watching that was rather fun, though I am out a couch and I don't have another one,” Zecora chuckled.

“Ah'll pay for that.” Big Mac winced, slowly sitting up. “What happened?”

“You dozed off again, my friend. I question if this is becoming a trend.”

“Still tired after that griffon, ugh...” Mac rubbed his head, feeling a knot already forming as the knocking sounded again, “Not gonna git that?”

“No, I need to keep a close eye on the pot to complete this brew. Besides, I am quite sure that guard is here for you.”

Mac slowly got his hooves under him, ducking under the rafter and trying to make his way to the door. He slowly opened it and looked outside into the early morning. The sun had not come all the way up yet, though there was more than enough light to see and to cast long shadows over Zecora's small garden. He lifted his head, his back cracking as he was finally able to stand up straight.

“Woo, you have got to be Big Macintosh, then. Miss Smith was right, you can't be missed,” stated a voice.

Big Mac blinked, stifling his usual 'Eeyup' to try and find the source of the voice. A shadow dropped off one of the branches and then stepped out of the shadows, showing a small female pegasus half-dragon in Lunar Guard armor.

“You are Big Mac, right?”

“Eeyup.”

“I’m PFC Primrose. Major Rose and Miss Smith sent me to get you,” Private First Class Primrose stated with a salute.
“Somethin’ happen?” Big Mac asked with a yawn.

“That info's above my pay grade, though I was supposed to ask if a Miss Zecora had found anything out about the wells.”

“‘Tis indeed a hex more dire; if many are affected, we are from the pan and into the fire.” Zecora muttered around a vial as she trotted out behind Mac, tossing his saddle bags over his back and offering him the vial.

“What do you mean, miss?” Primrose questioned.

“The water was cursed with a potent charm spell. If most of the town drank the water, things will not go well.”

“Yah find a cure?” Mac questioned.

“Nothing fast-acting enough, I fear, and I do not have all the ingredients here. Ponyville General Hospital is where you need to go. They can make plenty more of this, that much I know.”

“Um, alright.” Primrose blinked, trying to follow the rhyme as Mac fixed his saddlebags and tucked the vial into one and started to trot off.

“Err wait, you should get into town, miss, and into one of the shelters. I think things are gonna start getting hectic soon,” the pegasus stated before darting off after the large earth stallion.

Zecora frowned as they left, looking down as a rat skeleton skittered over a root. The creature paused to sniff the air and look up at her with softly glowing red points of light in its eyes. The zebra crushed the undead with a hoof and flicked the powdered remains away. Her ears perked up, listening to the silence in the forest— no birds or insects about.

“‘Hectic’ is quite an understatement, my friend. If things go poorly, this may simply be the end.”

==============================================================

Rhede ground his teeth, glaring at Jer'rahd. Luna was pressed to one side of him and Twilight against the other. Rarity was pressed against Twilight's side, and all four of them were touching horns. It was maddening.

“Seriously, this AGAIN!?” Rhede shouted. “For a stallion who used to bitch that mares pay absolutely no attention to him, he practically gets buried in females far too often.”

Rhede staggered forward as Velkorn belted him in the back of the head with a hoof. [“He is not trying to have relations with them now, you idiot. They are working on getting us back to Canterlot as fast as they can. If you want to join them, grow a horn.”]

“I can grow a horn; it just makes the wrong kind of magic,” Rhede said with a sly grin, looking to Velkorn. The zebra blinked, blushing suddenly at the stare as she caught the innuendo. He was about to continue the flirt when a blue scaled tail belted him in the back of the head from the other side.

“Focus, Pelt. We need to be ready for this teleport,” Bleu stated, glancing over at the group of unicorns with a smirk. “I'm just glad to note that boss has better control of himself this time.”

===============================================================

“BY CELESTIA, YOU ARE ADORABLE!” Rarity squeed. The white unicorn nearly glowed against the dark backdrop of the star-filled void of the magic space. Her grin widened as she looked down at Jer'rahd, who was only a little smaller than Sweetie Belle compared to the white unicorn before him.

“Yes, thank you sooo much for that,” Jer'rahd growled.

“Oh, any time darling. I have got to ask Twilight if I can make a little bow for your hair...”

“I am not a Lettuce Patch Pony!” snapped Jer'rahd.

“Well, you are the proper size for one, though what is with the little necklaces you have draped all over you?” Rarity questioned.

“Necklaces? Aren’t these chains?” Jer'rahd questioned.

“Perhaps from your viewpoint,” Rarity beamed.

“FOOLS, I HAVE YOU NOW!” screamed a voice.

Jer'rahd and Rarity looked up to massive glowing green griffon towering over them, larger than Rarity by easily seven stories.

“This is new,” Jer'rahd muttered. “Who the heck are you?”

The griffon laughed. “I'm that book you sought to torment, fools. You made the mistake of coming here near me. That fool dragon fell to the same trick. Now you will share his fate!”

“Ewww, dried up and bony? No thank you, I will pass on that.” Rarity shuddered at the thought.

“Not like I am giving you a choice, mare!” the Jade Scroll screamed out.

“Actually, that trick won't work with us. You might have managed to take over a dragon, but this place is a natural spot for unicorns. Our horns anchors us to our bodies, so we will always be able to return to them, and anyone we don't want in won't be able to do so. Dragons don't have a focus like that, but for that matter, they don't often come here, either. How did you get a dragon here to take him over?”

“Who said that?” screamed the griffon.

“Look up, you idiot. We're standing on her hoof.” Jer'rahd sighed as the griffon looked up and into the face of Twilight Sparkle, or one eye, at least.

Twilight looked down at the trio on her hoof. She could barely see Jer'rahd and Rarity, and the griffon was little bigger than an ant on her hoof.

“So this is the power scale of magic between us, huh?” Twilight mused. “I thought the book would be bigger.”

“Indeed, though it does seem that Jer'rahd's power has increased a bit since the last time we were here. So have you, Miss Sparkle. And in such a short time, as well.”

Twilight blinked and looked up at Luna towering above her in the star filled void.

Luna smiled, looking down at Twilight. The unicorn was only a little bigger than the alicorn remembered Pipsqueak being. Still, considering the power Luna knew she possessed, it was impressive that Twilight was even this close in comparison.

>“Well, isn't this cute? It must be my birthday to have all of you here.”< snarled a voice.

Luna looked up and into the six eyes of the Beast as it stared down at her, just as large to her here as it was to her in the real world. Chains wrapped its form, clanking as it shifted, a grin spreading over its muzzle as it looked down at the two Elements of Magic and the others.

>“And look at the little book, too. If I knew how pathetic you really were, creator, I would have found you and crushed you a long time ago.”< The beast chuckled. >“In fact, I should end all of you now that you're here before me. It will save me the trouble of doing it later!”<

Luna looked down, seeing the chains running from Jer'rahd all the way up to the planet sized shape that was the beast. She considered a moment, and then shrugged, reaching up to wrap a hoof around the one that wrapped around the Beast’s muzzle.

“Entropy, sit,” Luna stated in an annoyed tone, yanking on the chain. The beast yelped as it was pulled down suddenly, crashing into a ground that didn't exist with enough force to knock everyone but Luna off their metaphysical hooves. Jer'rahd looked like he was yanked down at the same time as Entropy.

“I must say this is quite possibly the most madding thing I have ever witnessed.” Rarity stared up at the shapes that she assumed were the others towering over her as she clamored back up to her hooves.

“Princess, a little warning before you do that next time. That was very disturbing being pulled around like I was on a leash,” muttered Jer'rahd.

“Really? Not into that sort of thing then?” snarked Twilight.

Rarity gasped. “Did innocent little Twilight just use some innuendo?”

“She is in a relationship with my sister. That she is not as bad as Rhede yet is a wonder itself,” sighed Luna.

>“I will see your end, host!”< the creature growled.

“Blah blah blah, go chew on the griffon some while he's here. First thing's firs: I'm taking some of your power again,” Jer'rahd stated, feeling the creature’s eyes focus solely on him.

>“And what makes you think I will be giving you anything, host?”<

“Two bearers of the Element of Magic are here. If I recall correctly, you are forced to follow their commands,” Twilight pointed out.

>“HAH!”< the beasts chortled, shifting its gaze to Luna and Twilight again. >“I do not answer to you, Current Bearer. You had nothing to do with my binding to this insolent host.<

“BUT WE DID, AND YOU WILL OBEY US!” Luna bellowed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, causing everyone else, including the beast, to flinch.

“Volume, Princess!” Rarity whined.

“Don't start doing that again, marshmallow!” cried the griffon, pointing at Rarity and trying to cover his nonexistent ears from her whining.

“Can we get this over with already?” grumbled Jer'rahd, noting Twilight seemed to be trying to focus the spell.

======================================================

“This is bad,” Peach Blossom muttered.

“Really? Did you come up with that all by yourself?” Lion Heart snarled, glancing out the window as a mare ran past, screaming with a number of dazed-looking ponies stumbling along after her.

The pair had opted to stay the night and risk Celestia's wraith later. Lion Heart had been hoping that Rarity would be in and that perhaps they could go out for some tea, but the designer had not been home. Peach Blossom had simply been hoping to get a decent meal. Both had set out at first light and both had seen the city was a ghost town.

A few ponies were out, though none of them seemed to be very concerned with opening their shops or getting on with the day’s events. In fact, none of them even seemed to be concerned with anything at all. Mares, stallions, foals, and adults wandered aimlessly as if they were not all there in the head.

As the pair moved through the town, they were witness to what looked like a fight, but as they drew closer, a number of the dazed ponies were dragging a rather panicked looking stallion towards the town hall. One pulled the door open as another shoved the stallion inside. The pair had a brief glimpse of a number of other ponies in the building before the door was slammed shut and the dazed ponies went back to staring into space as they wandered the streets.

It was about that time that the crowd had noticed them.

After a quick chase, during which Peach Blossom couldn't help but hum a rather catchy tune he had heard, the two guards had
taken shelter in a candy store.

They had barely closed the door behind them when they were assaulted by a cream colored earth pony mare and a sea green unicorn mare. After a frantic conversation, and Peach Blossom being strangled to death by strawberry taffy, the guards managed to convince the shop’s owner and her friend they were not zombie ponies.

Neither Lyra nor Bon Bon knew what was going on, just that as soon as they opened shop, one of the regulars had come in and tried to drag Bon Bon away. The pony in question was currently sealed in a hard candy shell with only his head free and the dazed look still on his face.

“What the buck?” Lion Heart muttered, looking out into the street as a new group of figures moved around the corner of a building, staggering as they moved.

“Hmm?” Peach Blossom poked his head up over the edge of the windowsill to look, his eyes widening. “By Celestia's vanilla-scented plot, why are there a dozen of my grandmas walking down the street?”

“Your grandma? I see my sire,” Lion Heart grumbled.

“Are those uncle Owens?” Lyra gasped. “But he died in that fire on the farm. There was only one of him, too.”

“That's my aunt Gumdrop. She helped me set up this shop.” Bon Bon winced.

“Something is not right here,” Lion Heart commented.

“You’re telling me. My grandma never wore that hair style, not since she was a much younger mare. I saw a picture once; it looked silly,” Peach Blossom confirmed.

“That's not what I…”

“Hey... Aunt Gumdrop never had an apron that color pink,” Bon Bon pointed out.

“And I don't think Uncle Owen had a t-shirt that read ‘Han shot first’, either,” Lyra protested.

“What does that even mean?” Bon Bon questioned.

Lion Heart poked his head up, wondering what those three had been smoking when he wasn't looking, when he noticed the scales on his father were all red rather than black as they should be.

“Illusion. So it's not perfect. Still, this is a worrying level of spell,” Lion Heart muttered.

“Could be changelings. Never heard of them doing something like this, though,” Peach Blossom pointed out.

“No, it is decidedly a spell of some kind. All of us are seeing something different. Sounds like it is designed to show us someone we lost, or who we miss most.” Lion Heart sighed."To make us afraid and hesitant about fighting."

“Geez, I hope not. Uncle Owen was kinda a jerk, and even though my cousin is little more than a whiny farm colt, Uncle Owen would never come into town for some reason or another,” Lyra pointed out.

“Alright, here's the plan, then,” Peach Blossom stated. “Lion, you head back to Canterlot and let the Princess know about this. Stop by the training grounds if you can and see if Rose will bring them all down here to help. I'll stay here and try to get everyone into a shelter or something.”

“There's a new emergency shelter built under town hall,” Bon Bon pointed out.

“I doubt that would work since that's where they are herding the unaffected ponies,” Peach Blossom commented.

“The farms on the outskirts of town have shelters, too. I bet the Apple farm has enough space for a bunch of ponies, given how big their family is,” Bon Bon suggested.

“Good. You two get there and let the Apples know what’s going on. If they wind up being infected, try one of the other farms,” Peach Blossom responded.

“Wait, wait, wait. Why am I flying to Canterlot and you're staying here? You're the faster flier,” Lion Heart questioned, pointing at the pegasus.

“Yeah, well, you'll get there slower, but you shouldn't be worn out like I would be,” Peach Blossom replied.

“So you're admitting I have better stamina and can last longer,” Lion Heart commented, smirking as the two mares giggled.

Peach Blossom rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well I have to put in more effort than you with my bigger wings.” He ignored another giggle from Lyra and Bon Bon. “Now before this devolves into a full on penis waggling contest, let’s get moving while the street’s still clear.
Give the Princess my regards.” Peach Blossom grinned.

Lion Heart's eyes widened as he remembered why they were in town in the first place. He growled at the pegasus. “I think I hate you.”

“Just go.”

========================================================

Nocturne and Bloodtail strode the streets of Ponyville surrounded by an army of skeletons. Bloodtail had added another spell on top of the “animate dead” that made them appear as lost loved ones to any who saw them.

Nocturne had no one she cared about die, so all she saw were the skeletal ponies and beasts. Bloodtail seemed to revel in whatever it was he saw.

Silver Claw was on his way, though both he and Wind Razor had seen something from the air they wished to check out and were currently investigating that.

Scarlet was nowhere to be found, and even the books were having difficulty finding the mare. The best they could figure was that she was still in Ponyville.

Bloodtail, it seemed, had gone mad with power already.

The zebra had his hood pulled back. His red crystalline horn glowed brightly as he strode forward like a lost prince returning from conquest. A number of the townsponies noticed their approach; while more than a few ran off screaming, some tried to bow in whatever drunken stupor that held them.

Nocturne was both impressed and worried at the zebra's control over the villagers. She knew about the hex potion he had poured in the wells, though she had not expected it to work this well. She could easily see twenty or thirty ponies under its effects just at the edge of town and there were doubtless more scattered around Ponyville. It was also clear that quite a number of ponies had barricaded themselves in their houses and could be seen peeking out from between blinds and shutters.

Most of them would be dealt with in time, though a large number of ponies had tried for the shelter under the town hall at the first sign of trouble. Figuring that was as good a place as ant, Bloodtail had sent his thralls to bring any pony they captured to that building just so all the hostages would all be in one place.

Her gaze lifted from the streets to the sky, spotting the dark form of a pegasus zipping away from town, likely to go and warn Canterlot. She let it go, knowing if things were progressing as they should, Canterlot would be too busy to respond.

There was still much to do; once all the ponies who were unaffected by Bloodtail's spell were gathered up, she could cast her own spell and then prep them for battle against Canterlot. She could think of nothing that would demoralize her aunt and mother more than being forced to fight their own subjects.

===============================================================

“But you gotta take these letters. It's an emergency!” Apple Bloom whined at the pegasus.

“Sorry kid, but in case you didn't notice, there's a battle going on. I can't abandon my duties to run letters to your little colt friends,” the pegasus guard stated before darting off down the hall, leaving the three fillies alone in the mail room.

“Well, that was a bust,” Scootaloo sighed.

“At least we tried,” Sweetie Belle moped.

“No, there's got to be some way...” Apple Bloom started to say before a loud thud and the flap of wings drew their attention to a figure that had just crashed behind them.

A gray coated blond mare with amber eyes and bubbles for a cutie mark was pouring letters out of a bag into a bin, dumping more than a few on the mail room floor.

“Let's ask her. She doesn't seem like a guard,” Scootaloo pointed out.

“Hey miss, MISS!” Apple Bloom yelled, scampering over to the mail mare.

The pony looked up and the three foals skidded to a stop, returning her gaze, a little confused, as they were not sure which one of them the pegasus was staring at.

“Something wrong, girls?” the pegasus asked.

“We need somepony to take these letters as fast as you can. It's urgent!” Apple Bloom cried out, flailing her forelegs in the air as the other two nodded.

The pegasus took the three letters, looking them over curiously. “Wow, this is gonna take a while. These are going all over. It'll take a few days to deliver them.”

“Argggh, but we need them delivered naaaoo!. It's a crisis situation!” Apple Bloom flailed.

The mail pony looked towards the door, then to the three doing their best cute 'woe is us' expressions and sighed.

”Alright, I’ll see what I can do.” The mare smiled. “I know a stallion who can help me get these letters where they need to go so quick they'll be there yesterday. He'll complain, but if it will help out in the long run, he'll do it, Apple Bloom.”

The pegasus tucked the letters away and headed out the door, taking to the air as the three sighed in relief.

“Well, that turned out better than I thought it would.” Scootaloo smirked.

“I just hope she can get them there in time,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Wait, how did she know mai name?” Apple Bloom questioned, still wearing Celestia's disguise.

=========================================================

A brilliant flash of light filled the library, white light pouring out of the windows. A moment later, there were a few screams and the crash of a shelf collapsing, dumping books to the ground.

A number of the disguised skeletons looked to the library, as did many of the enthralled residents. The groups stared a moment, though when no more light or noises were forthcoming, they continued doing what they were ordered.

“What are we doing in Ponyville?” questioned Rhede, looking around from where he landed at the top of the stairs.

“Tactical decision, Rhede. We don't know if the throne room has already fallen, so we came here first,” Jer'rahd mumbled from under the fallen book case.

“Yeah, but the library?” Dash grumbled, pushing her way out from under a desk where she had wound up. “Why not an open field?”
Pinkie Pie popped out of one of the drawers suddenly and fell over onto Dash with a thud. “Woo, dizzy.”

“Sorry, it's one of the few places I can remember with the detail needed to cast the spell,” Twilight explained, pushing her way out from underneath the bookcase. The purple unicorn whipped her mane, her horn glowing, magic grabbing the case and lifting it back up against the wall to show Jer'rahd standing over Luna, where he had stopped the book case from falling on her.

“Your landing sucks, Sparkle,” Bleu muttered, trying to pull her head out of a wastebasket.

“Right, let's see you teleport twelve individuals of differing body types, two antimagic swords, and an unruly book three days’ travel from where you started and put everyone in a room half the size without having somepony end up in a wall or underground,” Twilight snapped.

“Bad time to point this out, sugar, but Rarity, Starfall, and Velkorn ain't here.” Applejack pointed out, helping Fluttershy out from under Twilight's bed.

Twilight's eyes widened, but the aforementioned trio burst into the front door of the library before the purple unicorn had a chance to say anything. Starfall slammed the door shut behind her as Velkon shoved the red couch Rarity had fainted on in front of the door.
Bleu blinked a moment, looking at the couch.

“Okay, why did we bring that back with us?”

“We didn't. Rarity has couches stashed all over Ponyville for fainting emergencies,” Pinkie Pie blurted out.

“What's wrong?” Luna questioned, moving away from Jer'rahd, a bit embarrassed that he had been standing over her.

“Loc...” Starfall muttered...
[“Baelit.”] stammered Velkorn.
“Snowball!!” Rarity whined.

The three of them blinked, looking to each other before throwing the couch out of the way and peeking back out the door.
The rest of the group crowded around the windows and the door, poking their heads out as well to see what the trio was talking about.

“Maw...” gasped Rhede.
“Hooper…”Luna stated with an intake of breath.
“Granny Pie,” Pinkie whispered.
“Pa...” Applejack shivered.
“Gilda!” Rainbow Dash blurted out.
“Mama...” whimpered Fluttershy.
“Sis...” stated Bleu, shivering.
“Mr. Bubbles!” Twilight bawled.

“What the buck are you all talking about? It's just some stupid looking orange dragon,” cursed Jer'rahd.
The group turned as one, looking at the annoyed gray unicorn.

“Clearly, what we are seeing is some kind of spell. Clearly, it is meant to bring up past loves who in our hearts still dwell,” Velkorn muttered.

“It may be a variation of the ‘want it, need it’ spell, though not one I've seen before. It is kinda silly seeing a pony-sized goldfish walking about on its flippers.” Twilight sighed, trying not to look at the single figure moving towards the library.

“The images are not quite right then,” Luna exhaled.

“True; Pa has his hat, an’ ah'm still wearing it,” Applejack stated, though not entirely convinced.

“A demoralizing tactic.” Starfall sighed. “Clever, and really dangerous to those who don't know what it is.”

“An orange dragon? Really, Kaisur?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “Something you're not telling us?”

“Shut up. That's what I see. If Velkorn's right, I should probably be seeing my grandfather, not some dragon I’ve never seen before.” Jer'rahd grumbled.

Rhede and Twilight winced at that statement. Bleu might have caught on as well, though she currently looked ready to spit fire.

“So this is just an illusion?” Bleu growled, lightning flickering along her spines, causing everyone to jump back from the pony-sized dragon. “HOW DARE THEY WEAR HER FACE!”

“Bleu, stop! Calm down!” Luna ordered. The dragonling glared over at the princess, the electricity fading, though she didn’t seem to calm any.

“Princess Luna is right: someone else made this spell, and considering what we found out from the Jade Scroll and what we already know, I can hazard a guess who did it,” Twilight muttered.

“Bloodtail,” whispered Fluttershy. “This is terrible. What are we going to do?”

“Where is that book, anyway?” Rhede questioned, looking over the room piled high with books scattered everywhere.

“Err, somewhere in this pile,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

“Great,” Rhede sighed.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems we have attracted a bit of attention.” Rarity pointed outside at an approaching horde of enthralled ponies, and what to her looked like a bunch of giant white cats. “There are a number of our own towns ponies with them too, though they don't look very well.”

“Bloodtail might have them enthralled if he's the one who wound up with Kindness.” Rhede pointed out.

“Alright, here's what we do…” Jer'rahd stated.
“Okay, I have a plan…” Twilight stated.

The two unicorns turned to glare at each other as the rest of the group glanced at them both.

“Arrrgh, fine, go ahead. You're the warrior,” Twilight sighed.

“Thank you. Bleu, I need you to head up to Canterlot after doing a sweep of the town. Celestia needs to know what's going on here.”

“Why don't we just send her a message?” Twilight questioned.

“Much the same reason we did not teleport to her: she may be in a situation where that sort of distraction could cause problems,” Luna replied. “The sending magic disrupts all other spells when it arrives. You have no idea how many tea cups Tia has broken when receiving one of your messages.”

“Akkk, I didn't know that!” Twilight yelped.

“Well, you haven’t been on the receiving end of that message spell like Princess Luna and I have. Granted, I received a small army last time,” Jer'rahd said with a grin.

“Alright; take Rarity with you, Bleu. She's known by enough ponies in Canterlot that you should be able to report directly to the Princess without being slowed down.”

“Take Fluttershy as well,” Starfall added, getting a few questioning looks and a death glare from Applejack.

“What the heck do you mean, ‘take Fluttershy’? Why can't she stay here?” Applejack shouted.

“Because you would be too easily distracted around her. I saw what you did to the dracolich, and even though it worked, that was reckless,” Starfall replied. “Besides, she'll be safer in Canterlot; there's far more guards there than here.”

“You ain't one tah talk about being reckless— none ah ya'll,” Applejack growled.

“That is true, but they are also soldiers, whereas you are a farmer. You may have some fighting skill, but not enough to protect both you and Fluttershy from what is likely here,” Luna tried to placate.

“They're right, Applejack; I'd just be in the way here,” Fluttershy said a little louder than normal. “I'll... I’ll go with Bleu.”

“Don't worry, Applejack darling. I will make sure she's fine,” Rarity stated, patting AJ on the shoulder.

“I gather there's a reason you want to send Bleu and not me, Major?” Starfall questioned.

“Or me,” Dash grumbled.

“Starfall, you need to get to the training camp as fast as you can and bring the trainees back here. They are a better position to help than anyone from Canterlot would be right now. Dash, I need you as an aerial scout here in town. You know the land better than Starfall and you're a smaller target than Bleu would be if she scouted with someone on her back,” Jer'rahd responded.

“I do know the lay of the land here, Kaisur,” Luna said coldly.

“Not as well as a local would. Besides, I need you and Sparkle to try and figure out what the heck is wrong with the civilians and see if you can find that damned book in this mess. Applejack and I will be keeping watch over you and Sparkle and dealing with those orange dragon things. Rhede, Velkorn, and Pinkie Pie should go about rounding up the dazed-looking civilians and putting them somewhere safe until we figure out what’s affecting them. Any objections, Sparkle?”

“Send Applejack with Rhede and Velkorn. Everyone may know Pinkie Pie, but the whole town trusts Applejack. That should make it easier to get anyone you find to listen to you. Also, I am not really thrilled that you are splitting us up like this in a unknown situation. We are in way over our heads here,” Twilight sighed.

“Nothing new there, then; you've been in over your head since you first heard about us. Still, that's a good idea. Pinkie Pie, you are with us, then.” Jer'rahd continued: “Rainbow Dash, try to keep a low profile in the air and keep each group informed of anything you see.”

“Hey, no need to single me out. I can keep outta sight if need be,” Dash snorted.

“Everypony, be careful. I expect that more than just Bloodtail is in town, and they have become gods now, so fighting them will be that much harder,” Luna warned. “If you see any of them, you are to find myself or Jer'rahd immediately. Out of all of us, we are the ones who have the best chance against them right now.”

“You have your orders. Move out.” Jer'rahd commanded.

=======================================================

Big Mac and the half-dragon guard Primrose dove behind a building as a number of the enthralled villagers shambled past. The pair had made it through town unnoticed thus far, something that the half-dragon was surprised about, given the size of the farm pony.

“How the heck are you managing to sneak around so well? I'm right next to you, and I can barely hear your hoof steps,” Primrose whispered.

“Got two sisters an’ Granny tah avoid at times,” Mac muttered.

“Why the heck would you need to avoid them? Miss Smith seems nice enough,” Primrose asked, ducking down behind some bushes and looking over the wide lawn around the hospital.

Her eyes narrowed as a number of the strange things that looked like her younger brother shambled past. She glanced back, seeing the big stallion flinch at the sight of them. He wouldn't say what he saw, though he did at least admit it was different from what she saw. The hospital looked untouched, though there were clearly a few desks and other things pushed up in front of the lower windows. The front door seemed fine, though there were a number of the enthralled ponies in front of it.

“That's none o’ yer business, miss,” Mac stated, moving behind a large tree. He paused, noticing something inside a hollow in the trunk. Digging a hoof into the hollow, he pulled out a bright red rubber ball.

“What the heck?” Primrose questioned.

“Pinkie Pie,” Mac said as if that answered everything. The large stallion hefted the ball, glancing at the townsponies in front of the hospital door, before flinging it off into the bushes far on the other side of them by the corner of the building. The drugged ponies all perked up at the sound and stumbled off towards the place the ball hit.

“Go,” ordered Mac, rushing out from behind the tree towards the front door with the half-dragon hot on his hooves. He didn’t slow down as he approached the door and simply barreled into it full force.

Primrose winced as the farm pony stumbled into the hospital lobby area, wood shattering on contact. The left side of the building’s double door entrance lay in splinters around him. The giant earth pony shook himself quickly, sending fragments of the door raining to the floor.

“B-Big Mac?” questioned a muffled voice from behind the reception counter.

He looked over as a number of nurses and doctors poked their heads up over the countertop, all armed with whatever they could grab, be it splints, an IV stand, and in the case of one small nurse, a mangled bed pan that already looked as if it had seen battle. Nurse Red Heart stood in the center, holding a bone saw in her teeth, likely the one who spoke.

“Eeeyup,” Mac stated, glancing back as the half-dragon flew in behind him. Turning about suddenly, her jaw seemed to unhinge, coupled with the sound not unlike a cat throwing up a hairball. Instead of a wet ball of matted fur, however, a blast of bright green liquid spewed from her mouth in a line, splattering over and rapidly melting three of what Mac saw as his mother, though the figured had his father’s cutie mark for some reason.

“Gah, by Celestia, that is disgusting. Takes forever to get the taste out of my mouth. Anyone have any bourbon or something?” Primrose hollered.

The nurses and doctors shook their heads quickly, but the little nurse pulls out a flask. “I've got scotch.”

“Good enough, gimmi gimmi gimmi.” The half dragon grinned happily, bouncing over as Big Mac shoved a couple of beds in front of the door, glancing down at the pool of acid and the melted bones still in the hissing puddle.

“What the heck is going on out there, Mac? We've had a number of patients coming claiming they've been attacked by other townsfolk. Then a couple hours ago, the hospital itself was attacked. We managed to fend them off and even knock a few out to lock in our psychiatric wing, but we have no idea what’s wrong with them,” Nurse Red Heart rambled.

“Magic,” Big Mac stated moving over to the counter and setting a vial of water on the table along with a small note.

“What's this?” one of the doctors asks.

“Something made up by that zebra out in the woods, Zecora or what not. Said it should cure them; she just didn't have enough of the ingredients to make a whole bunch. She sent Mac and me here to get you guys to make as much as you can and to make sure it works,” Primrose explained after draining the small nurse's flask.

Nurse Red Heart looked over the note curiously. “Alright, it's not like we have anything better to do. Doctor Bone Saw, do you think you can mix this?”

“Damnit nurse, I'm a doctor, not a bartender,” a brown maned older blue coated stallion in white coat stated, “but in this instance, I will see what I can do.”

Mac nodded, moving to a window to look outside and see how many others were still out there. He needed to get back to the farm and make sure Granny was alright, but he didn't want to leave the hospital to fend for themselves.

The stallion’s ears perked up at a high pitched noise. He lifted his eyes skyward just as the window exploded inwards and he was flung backwards to crash into a pile of beds, his yoke left spinning in midair where he had been a moment before.

“MAC!” the others shouted, rushing over to start pulling the beds off of him.

Yanking away a mattress, the group of doctors and nurses were surprised to see Big Mac flat on his back with a much smaller cyan colored and rainbow-maned pegasus hugging him. The moment she noticed the others looking at them, however, she zipped away from him and pretended nothing had happened.

“Err yeah... glad to see you're okay, Mac...” Rainbow Dash stammered.

===========================================================

“Down there, Bleu; that's my parents’ house. Thank you for allowing me to check up on them. I need to make sure that they take Sweetie Belle and head out of town as fast as they can,” Rarity said. “Try to avoid landing on the lawn proper. My father will have a fit if it's damaged.”

“Yeah, no problem. Just be quick; we need to get to Canterlot,” Bleu replied, landing lightly in the front yard of a split level home.

Bleu lifted her head, looking around. The rows of houses on either side of the path were exactly the same, save some landscaping and slight deviations in color. White picket fences guarded every yard; well-trimmed lawns and strange statues of little two legged things with big beards and pointy hats dotted the landscapes. There were also a number of strange pink plastic bird things and at least two bird baths that she could see, one of which had a small colt peeing into the middle of it.

Rarity hopped off the dragon’s back and headed towards a house with a large number of the fake pink birds in the yard. Bleu turned her head back to look at Fluttershy and the death grip she held on the dragon’s spine.

“Fluttershy, ease up. We landed,” Bleu sighed.

“Are we there yet? Did we make it?”

Bleu rolled her eyes. “Not yet. We stopped so Rarity can check on her parents and sister.”

“Oh, Mr. and Mrs Reighnolds? I haven’t seen them since last Hearth’s Warming,” Fluttershy said, slowly opening her eyes.

She looked about to say something else when a pair of ponies crashed through the picture window, landing on the lawn hard in front of Rarity.

Bleu blinked in surprise as both stallions quickly got to their hooves and started trading blows.

Both were older earth pony stallions. One was gray-coated with a brown mane and a white picket fence for a cutie mark. He wore a wide brimmed hat that hid his face in shadow. Every time Bleu thought she was going to get a glimpse of the pony, he turned his head or moved so she couldn't see his face.

The other stallion had an eggshell white coat and long brown hair with a bushy mustache on his muzzle. He wore a brightly-colored flower print shirt and had been wearing a straw hat when he landed, though he had lost it as he got up. His flank was marked with three footballs.

Rarity flattened her ears, watching the pair duel for a moment, then finally chose to speak when the mustached pony had a headlock around the other pony, holding the earth pony with one leg while pummeling him with the other.

“Daaaaddddy, stop fighting Mr. Wilson already,” she whined.

The mustached pony looks up. “Oh, hey, sweetie. Sorry, Mr. Wilson and I were just having a discussion about why he hasn't returned my weed eater. Say, is that a dragon behind you with your friend Fluttershy? Great to see her getting over her fears.”

“Again? Wait, are you and mother playing bridge with the neighbors?” Rarity asked with a pout. “You know the homeowners’ association still hasn't forgiven you for the damage from last time.”

“Well, I...”

“HiiiYAAA!”

Rarity's father glanced up as the cry came from inside the house, followed by an older pegasus mare flying out the window to crash into the group of bright pink bird things. A pink unicorn with two-tone purple hair poked her head out the window.

“That'll teach you to try and cheat me in cards, Blanche... Oh, hi, sweetie. What are you doing here?”
Rarity slapped her face with her hoof as Bleu's jaw dropped.

Fluttershy seemed mostly unsurprised by the scene as she glanced up at Bleu.

“Oh, um... errr, of interesting note, you really should see their house during Hearth's Warming. They really go all out,” the yellow pegasus muttered trying to change the subject away from her friend’s parents.

=====================================================

Jer'rahd growled, smashing another orange dragon's head under his hooves, the image fading until nothing but a pile of pulverized bones remained. He glanced back at Twilight and Luna as the alicorn smashed the last of the creatures against the wall of a building with her wing.

“This is not good,” Twilight muttered, still stressing over Rainbow Dash's first report.

They had found the book not long after everyone had left on their various missions. Dash had come back soon afterward to report that a massive army of what looked like Changelings was approaching the town from the southwest. There were also a few hundred Gildas and drugged ponies moving about town, a small number of shadowy creatures mixed in with them, and at least one big red dragon that was currently circling the approaching army.

There was no sign of any unaffected townsponies, though there seemed to be something going on at the town hall.

That was where they were headed now.

Pinkie Pie had been guiding them along the back streets and down seldom-used alleys that Twilight had not even known existed.

Even so, they still had to cross open areas from time to time. Even moving quickly, they were forced to stop and fight off or subdue roving bands of enthralled ponies or the dead things before they could continue. The ponies they subdued, they tucked inside buildings or quiet corners, informing Dash of their locations so Rhede's group could come pick them up.

The trip had been somewhat productive as well. They found a number of townsponies were unaffected, though they had shut themselves in their homes. Pinkie Pie had gotten a few to talk and a few others to help Applejack and the others to try and moved the captured mind-controlled ponies to a safer spot.

They had also found out the attacks had started that morning. Many of the locals had been acting strange all morning, and then all at once, they suddenly tried to beat down or drag off anyone around them who was not affected. The enthralled ponies had been kept at bay for a time, though before any pony could start to try to figure out what was going on, the dead ones showed up and panic reigned.

As the group paused in an ally within view of the town hall, they spotted another group that they had been hoping had not entered town yet.

A small force of changelings was currently battling a number of enthralled ponies and the skeleton creatures.

“The changelings are not trying to capture anyone this time. They are simply killing them,” Luna observed.

“We have to do something,” whimpered Pinkie. “Those ponies don't know what's going on; they're just stuck in a spell.”

“Great, we have to take them alive or they come back and fight against us, but they have no such qualms,” growled Jer'rahd.

“It's worse than that,” Twilight added. “Look.”

The group glanced to where she was pointing, towards the changelings and enthralled ponies that had already fallen.

Despite most of them having clearly fatal wounds, all of them were starting to stir again, slowly rising back up to their hooves.

“Delightful. It appears there are ponies in the building as well,” Luna noted. “Kaisur, I don't suppose you had a plan B?... Kaisur?”
Luna glanced around, not seeing Jer'rahd or Pinkie Pie. She looked to Twilight, who slapped her own face with a hoof.

“He didn't?” Luna grumbled, already knowing the answer.

“He did, and so did Pinkie,” Twilight sighed.

The resounding boom of Pinkie's party cannon filled the square and sent a group of changelings flying.

Jer'rahd was already among the group of risen ponies, the Waning Moon whirling about him and ripping them apart. He blocked a hoof strike with the blade, watching the animated corpse suddenly fall over like a puppet with its strings cut. He blinked, then tapped one of them with the blade flat, watching it collapse as well. He looked back at Twilight and shrugged before charging towards a group of still-living changelings.

“Star metal disrupts the magic that brings them back to life; okay, they are already dead. I’m just making sure they remain that
way, yeah, I can do this...” Twilight muttered to herself, rushing out into the crowd as well.

Luna blinked as she was left alone in the ally.

“My sister was right; Kaisur is indeed a bad influence on those around him.” Luna smirked, charging into the battle as well.

=============================================================

“Alright, I got it. I'll let the Princess and Twilight know all that. Dang, Zecora is good if she already has a cure made for this stuff,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Eeeyup,” Big Mac replied. “Be careful out there.”

“Hey, this is me, Mac.” Dash smirked.

“That's why ah said it.” Big Mac smiled at Dash's annoyed look.

“You're lucky I like you,” she huffed.

“Eeyup.”

“Not to break up the lovey-dovey stuff, but we have a situation here, and I need to get back to my squad to let them know. Also, the hospital needs protecting until I can get some of them back here.” Primrose snorted clearly annoyed at the pair.

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, let that Rose guy know that Jer'rahd and the Princess are probably at the town hall by now,” Dash said.

“You told me that already. Gah, never mind. I’m out of here,” Primrose grumbled, taking off and flying out the window Dash had come in.

“What's her problem?” Dash asked.

“Prolly me ‘n, you,” Mac commented. “Ah ‘spect she was flirtin’ at some point.”

Dash glanced around, seeing the hall clear before darting up and nuzzling into the big stallion. “Sorry, this one’s claimed. You be careful now, too. I think that griffon, Wind Razor or whatever, she seems to have it out for me and everyone I know. She already killed Gilda...”

“Eeyup, she said as much.”

“Wait, you met her? What happened!?” Dash sounded a bit panicked.

“What da yah think happened? Ah kicked her flank across tha farm an’ back again.” Mac smiled as Dash giggles a bit.

“Should have known. The Princess and Kaisur think she's a god now, though, so you need to watch out if she shows up again.”

“Eeyup, though yah better git going.”

“Yeah, yeah... I'll be back as quick as I can, Dash sighed, kicking off the ground and spiraling up into the air.
Mac watched her fly off before shoving a desk up against the window she had left from to keep changelings or anything else from coming in. He trotted back towards the doctors and nurses who were already rushing around trying to secure their patients and prepare for what they knew would be an influx of casualties.

He was trying his best not to worry about Dash, but seeing as she was out in the thick of it, he couldn't help it. He was worried about his sisters and Granny as well, but he knew none of them would take the same risks Dash would.

He wasn't sure what was going to happen now, but Princess Luna, his sister's friends, a whole group of specially trained guards, and the five most dangerous individuals he had ever even heard of were in town trying to protect it.

If that lot couldn't put a stop to this, no one could.

====================================================

Nocturne was not happy. Silver Claw had returned and brought with him the news that a changeling force was entering the city from the southwest. There was also a sizable contingent of guards moving towards town from one of the farms in the northwest. To top it off, at least two of the Beasts of the Moon and three of the current Element bearers had been spotted. There was local resistance at a hospital on the northeast side of the town and at the town hall where Bloodtail's minions were keeping the prisoners.

There had, however, been no sign of her mother or father. She knew they were here somewhere; she could feel them. She had been letting the others do all the work so she could conserve her energy for the fight with Luna. Despite knowing she was stronger than her mother, she was not one to take unnecessary risks. The sooner her parents were destroyed, the sooner she could focus on the changelings and Celestia.

Now, however, there was the issue of the already paltry force that had been created being decimated on two sides. The small number of shadow creatures she had created, along with the undead and the enthralled villagers, were enough to deal with the town, but not a trained attack force like the changelings and guards that were coming.

Silver Claw had taken to the air again to watch the advancing forces from above. He had not seen any sign of Scarlet, though Wind Razor had claimed she was going hunting before she vanished.

Bloodtail did not seem worried in the slightest about their situation. The zebra still had a rather amused grin on his muzzle as the pair stopped in the middle of the marketplace to wait for Silver Claw's return. Numerous bloodstains and piles of bones lay about the open air market, but no bodies.

Nocturne glanced down one of the streets, watching a small group of changelings and some of the thralls fighting. The changelings were quickly overwhelming the smaller group of Bloodtail's minions, although a few changelings were brought down as well.

After a moment or two, both the changelings and the fallen towns ponies staggered and clamored back to their hooves, all of them going after the still-living changelings.

She watched as one changed its hoof into a spear and drove it into another's chest. The second changeling was not even fazed and pressed forward further until its fanged maw tore out the throat of the first.

When the first changeling fell, its life blood running from it, the second changeling ignored it and moved to attack the others.
She raised an eyebrow, watching as the throatless changeling slowly rose back to its hooves and joined the attack on its former allies.

She looked at Bloodtail, the sickly red aura radiating around his horn, and the manic grin on his face. She was a bit disgusted with the display.

“Your doing, I assume?” Nocturne questioned.

[“Indeed. The spell itself is nearly self-perpetuating. Every death feeds its power. One zombie kills another creature and that zombie can last for much longer, remaining animated to find others to kill to extend its life further. The creature that was killed comes back and has time to go forth and kill another to continue itself. All I need to do is nudge control over them a bit and they do what I wish. The Changelings and the Guards can kill as much as they wish; every death swells the ranks of my army.”] Bloodtail chuckled.

“You mean my army, zebra,” Nocturne hissed.

[“I did not stutter, mare. You have done nothing but create a few useless puppets that have nearly been wiped out already, while I am doing the real work. I hardly think something as lazy as you is fit to call anything theirs, let alone lead. You yet have the luck that I have not turned my army on you. Do not push that luck,”] Bloodtail snarled. His growl changed to a cry of pain as a band of magic wrapped tightly around his throat, yanking him off his hooves and smashing him into, and through, a nearby store called Quills and Sofas. Nocturne's horn glowed, but she barely seemed to register the flailing zebra.

Bloodtail winced, rising to his hooves on the far side of the structure and shoving a sofa off his back. He had barely managed to get his hooves under him before he was again jolted and ripped back through an undamaged portion of the store, bursting out the other side in a shower of feathers to crash to the ground at the alicorn's forehooves.

The abused building groaned and quickly collapsed into a pile of rubble, sending quills and couch stuffing flying. Nocturne looked down at the Bloodtail. Her horn flared again, yanking him upright by his throat and bringing him to eye level.

“I believe you are developing a speech impediment, zebra. Sticking to your native tongue so long has clearly caused you issues with your speech. At least, that is how I chose to see it for now. Were I to see it otherwise, I would be pulling your limbs from their sockets, then letting them grow back so I could keep doing it until I grew bored and simply ended you,” Nocturne snarled. “I do not need you now. The bargain struck when I released you from the garden has been fulfilled on my end and I have gained what I wished. You still live because your future plans are not yet a threat to me and you have been useful. So long as you continue to remain so to me, I will allow some impudence, but I have my limits, zebra, and you have brought yourself close to them. You may continue to let your spell run free, but the moment I inform you to let them have their final rest, you will obey me. I have no desire to rule a land of the dead. Do not think to ever challenge me in words or deed again, zebra.”

[“Fine, mare. Have it your way.”] Bloodtail gasped, coughing, as he hung in the air struggling.

Nocturne dropped him, letting the zebra bounce off the ground before scrambling to his hooves with a number of curses. Bloodtail coughed, trying to catch his breath ang spitting up a bit of blood from where his ribs had punctured his lungs as he smashed through the building. They had healed already, but it hurt. The alicorn ignored him, looking up at Silver Claw as he landed.

“What now? Do you bring more bad news?” Nocturne asked.

“Do not raise your tone with me, mare, or I will leave and let you deal with this all yourself,” Silver Claw growled, though after glancing at Bloodtail, he didn’t press further. “The changelings are encountering the guards from the farm as we speak. That will hopefully keep them both off of us for a time. Wind Razor has found her prey and is currently waiting for an opportune time to strike.
Aside from drawing some of them off, she will not likely be aiding us anymore. I have found Scarlet; she is currently tracking Pelt and Velkorn. I have no idea where she is now, though. The conversion plans are a bit delayed by the number of ponies who have sealed themselves inside of their homes. I do not know what these houses are made of, but the enthralled ponies and the undead are taking too long to break in to rip them out. I have also discovered what is going on at the town hall. A large group of changeling forces is gathered there. Our forces have already fallen, though among the changelings are currently the pair you are after.”

“Good. We will wait here, then,” Nocturne stated, looking around the marketplace with renewed interest. “Silver Claw, I want you to set everything on fire. Torch the main roads as well, and only leave one open from where they are to me. I wish to cause any survivors to flee this way so they may be enthralled or killed, depending on their usefulness. That action should bring my parents towards us as well. I would rather fight them on my terms.”

“What about the ponies who won't be able to get out of the fire to make it here?” Silver Claw questioned.

“Then Bloodtail's magic will raise them and they will serve us regardless. Now go, do what you wished before and burn this place to the ground.”

============================================================

“FOR THE EMPIRE!” screamed out Briar Rose, slamming hard into a feline-like golem made of black crystal and shadows. The massive crystal spear he wielded smashed through the construct with seemingly little resistance. The crystal pony yanked hard on his weapon, ripping it out of the side of the shattered creature. He paused looking back at the rest of his troops as the giant fell, shattering into black shards behind him.

The soldiers under his command had arrived at Sweet Apple Acres yesterday. A tent city had been quickly set up and the soldiers had started to harvest the apple crop under the direction of the matriarch of the Apple family, Granny Smith. The elder mare had explained the encounter with the griffon Wind Razor in greater detail and had a number of the soldiers help in rebuilding the farm house’s main wall.

While he was not fond of the training regime being interrupted, he had come to like the elder mare and had developed a healthy respect for her grandchildren who managed the entire farm by themselves.

They had just started the second day of the harvest when a number of ponies acting strangely and at least three versions of his dead wife wandered into the farm. Before any of the soldiers could react, Granny Smith had laid out two of the enthralled ponies and had beaten one of the creatures that looked like his wife into dust with a frying pan.

Things had gone downhill from there.

After sending out scouts, it became clear there was trouble in Ponyville, and even worse, that a sizable force of changelings was en route towards the town. One scout reported a larger force of changelings on their way to Canterlot and he had sent two of the fastest fliers to inform the Princess.

He left six soldiers to guard the farm house after Granny offered to get everything set up as an emergency fallback point. The farm was on the edge of the forest and it would be easy enough to retreat there from the attackers with any civilians. The enthralled ponies were quickly secured and the main brunt of the force started marching double-time towards the town.

They had barely made it in sight of Ponyville when they were attacked by a swarm of changelings and a group of crystal golems that Rose recognized from his time as a rebel fighting Sombra in the empire.

The trainees were making rather short work of the changelings, but their weapons were doing nothing against the golems. Rose knew the things were designed to be resistant, if not immune, to standard weaponry and all but strongest attack spells. While a number of the unicorns could probably cast something to take them out, it would take time to cast that neither the changelings nor the golems would give.

His spear, however, was grown for the sole purpose of destroying Sombra and his creations. It was fed with his blood and would not break until he did. That would not be today.

There were seven golems left now. He had taken down three of them, and one of the earth ponies had gotten the idea to use one of the defeated golems’ legs as a weapon and had managed to take down two others with the makeshift weapon.

“Sir!” shouted a voice above him. Looking up, he spotted Sergeant Primrose as she dropped down with a crash in front of him. Rose stared at her as she panted, still ready to crush her with his weapon if she turned out to be a changeling.

“Report, Sergeant. Did you find your target?” Rose questioned.

“Yes sir; the zebra supposedly has a cure for the enthralled ponies and Granny Smith's grandson and I brought it to the hospital on the far side of town to be mass produced.” Primrose said between pants. “Also, the Element bearers and Major Kaisur and his group are in town, along with Princess Luna.”

Rose raised a brow at that, but Primrose held a hoof up as she finally caught her breath.

“There's more: the town is being set on fire by the dragon Silver Claw and most of the population is hiding inside their homes. There seems to be a pattern to it, like he's trying to herd the survivors somewhere.”

Rose turned, looking off towards the town still far down the road. He could see the smoke starting to fill the air and the glint of a red form moving in the sky between the plumes of ash. Every so often, a gout of white flame could be seen, fired from the dragon into the structures below.

“Damn. Primrose, get back to the farm and inform those there what's happening. I left Lieutenant Terracotta in charge, but Granny Smith is probably giving the orders. We'll push through here and try to get the civilians out and send them back that way.”

“Yes, sir.” Primrose took off, heading for the farm as Rose looked over the golems and the changelings that were still delaying them here.

The bugs had changed tactics and were currently supporting the golems, keeping close to them and lashing out at the guards trying to take them down. He could see at least one half-dragon was down and one of the pegasi had a broken wing, though he was still fighting. His eyes narrowed, not seeing any of the Diamond Dogs anywhere. Cowardly creatures; probably fled at the first sign of real combat.

He was about to rush another golem when a high pitched whine caught his attention and a figure burst from the clouds above, soaring across a field from their left and impacting, then bursting through the other side, of a hydra-shaped golem. The gray and purple blur continued on, cleaving an arm off a monkey-like golem before smashing into and toppling a third that resembled a griffon.

The purple-maned gray pegasus yanked a pair of blue crystal blades from the last golem she hit, riding the black crystal monster to the ground as it toppled, then hopped into the air again just before the golem hit and shattered.

The first golem slowly collapsed in on itself and an earth pony started to beat the second to dust with its own severed arm.

Starfall kicked off the third golem as it fell, landing lightly on the ground and trotting toward Rose as she sheathed her blue crystal blades. She paused, looking back at the fray.

“I've been looking for you, Major.” Starfall smirked. “Next time you leave the base, you should leave a note or something. I almost went to Canterlot before I remembered you were supposed to help out the Apples.”

“I'll keep that in mind, Captain,” Rose grumbled.

“Actually, I think it might be General again. I forgot to ask the Princess on that one. Anyway, doesn't matter. what's the situation here?” Starfall questioned, looking back at a massive crash as several of the still-standing golems suddenly vanished from sight. The ground shook violently and several Diamond dogs popped out of large holes dug into the road.

Tunnel Rat and the large female, Jynx, were barking orders at the others. The six diamond dogs vanished back into the ground and the holes rapidly filled, burying the trapped crystal golems and a number of the Changelings that fell in as well. A few of the trainees that had fallen into the pit suddenly popped back up again, covered in dirt and really confused.

“Well, shit. Guess they didn't run,” Rose muttered, looking at the last three golems and barely a hoof full of changelings.

“Let's finish this up and get into town,” Starfall said, taking to the air again.

======================================================

Silver Claw landed in front of the large building, examining it curiously. It was not the structure itself that held his interest, but the symbol that held a predominant spot over the building’s entrance and on a sign in the front yard of the structure.

It was similar to something he knew from the past, though this was much cleaner and a great deal brighter than what he remembered. Even so, it gave him pause for a moment.

“Best keep moving. Nothing fer yah here, dragon,” a voice drawled out with an odd accent that seemed fairly familiar, even if the era was not.

Looking up, a red stallion stood on top of the building with what seemed like a steel flag pole resting lightly across his back. The pony was larger than any other he had seen in this era, even among the soldiers he had fought. Next to him stood tiny pale blue mare gripping a saw of some sort with her teeth and staring murder at him. Strangely, he was more worried about the tiny mare than the stallion.

“What is this building?” he questioned, looking again to the symbol over the door.

“S' a hospital. Ah woulda clobbered ya already, but we dun’ need a fight here with all the injured we already got,” the red stallion stated.

“A hospital… Tell me, pony: do they treat any injured here, or just your kind?” Silver Claw snorted.

The smaller mare pulled the bone saw from her mouth, glaring down at the dragon. “Any race that's injured, we treat, so long as they behave. It's part of the oath, though I'm a little more relaxed on the ‘do no harm part’, if you get my meaning.”

“So this is the end result of the Queen’s Cross. Perhaps the zebra was not as mad as I had thought,” Silver Claw mumbled to himself, ignoring the thinly veiled threat.

“Yah gonna leave now, or do ah have tah come down there?” Mac asked.

“No need. Unlike the others, I at least will abide by the rules of war. I cannot say the same for the Changelings or my companion's creations. This is an honorless slaughter with no purpose. It is one thing to drive civilians out of a place by destroying it; it is yet another to force even their dead to against them. However, one must obey a commander’s orders, no matter how demented. I suggest you prepare what burn remedies you have as well. Despite what I was told, I will leave a way for those in town to flee here as well. I may be your enemy, but I am not without sympathy and a great distaste for the tactics that are being used.”
Mac raised a brow as the dragon started to lumber off.

“Yer Silver Claw, right?” the large stallion questioned.

“I am.”

“How's Spike?”

The dragon paused, looking back at the pony curiously. “He is well and was still safe when I left him. He will not be involved in this conflict, if that was what worries you.”

Silver Claw launched into the air with massive beats of his wings, pondering why a random pony would worry about Twilight's former slave. Perhaps more had changed in this era than he had thought.

==============================================================

“This has been one shitty week.” Peach Blossom cursed, slamming the butt of his spear into the face of a changeling and forcing it back out the window of the town hall.

Another explosion rocked the building as something slammed into the wall outside, cracking the wood ,followed by a loud series of screams from the sixty-eight ponies taking shelter in the basement.

Out of all of them, there were only four who were willing to help him defend the building: a brown earth pony Stallion named Caramel, a minor noble called Filthy or something like that, and the two mares he had met in the candy shop, Bon Bon and Lyra. Of the panicked ponies, there were three he wanted to slap. Every time he had tried to calm them, one of the mares went off in a panicked montage of horrors, which caused all the others to freak out. Lyra had called them the flower trio and added a number of remarks that, while scathing, were also quite creative.

So here he was, Captain of the Royal Guard, a pony on a fast track to promotion because of his recent heroics, perhaps even to Guard Captain one day,now stuck in a building under siege with a gaggle of useless ponies depending on him with only four untrained civilians as his backup while changelings and golem creatures tried to batter their way inside.

The pegasus cursed again as he slammed a hoof against a changeling that had managed to get inside, wondering why he had thought it was a good idea to sneak in here to try and get every one out.

His musings were cut short as a wall suddenly exploded inward, a body crashing to the ground and tumbling across the room to smack the far wall before stopping.

A large bipedal creature made of black crystal poked its head into the hole, looking around at the ponies inside the building. Its eyeless head turned to regard the five frozen ponies, the motion being accompanied by a sound like a rock being scraped over wet glass.

“Okay, note to self: those things pack a wallop,” mumbled the gray form against the wall before the pony got to his hooves and shook the debris out of his amber-colored hair. The unicorn grinned, baring gleaming white fangs as the golem focuses its attention back on him.

“Major Kaisur?” Peach Blossom gasped.

The unicorn glanced over at the pegasus and grinned wider.

“Oh, good to see you, Captain. I don't suppose you have any of the others here as backup? No? No matter; get out here and lend us a hoof. These crystal things are a pain in the flank to take down,” Jer'rahd said, then charged across the room and leaped out the hole, smashing bodily into the black crystal creature’s face and sending it tumbling over.

Peach Blossom looked out the hole as a pink earth pony blew a hole in the creature with a cannon that seemed to be firing confetti and baked goods, though the shot that punched through the crystal creature seemed to be a bright pink bowling ball with three balloons painted on it.

“STEEEERIKE!” screamed out Pinkie Pie, bringing the weapon around on another target.

“Why didn't I listen to my mother and become a used cart salespony?” Peach Blossom questioned, taking off out of the hole to join the fray leaving the other four to guard the ponies downstairs.

=================================================

Queen Chrysalis looked down at the small force of ponies that was destroying the scouting force changelings and her love's creations. It was just a small group, really; she could have buried them in drones, though that would take away from the larger force that was attacking Canterlot.

It was quite impressive: an entire unit lost, and they only had two casualties, neither of them fatal. A number of other drones and warriors filled the air around her, buzzing about as they guarded their queen.

“Give word that the rest of the secondary force should move into the town. The rest of you drive these soldiers towards the town with the remaining golems and crush them between the two forces. I will separate the leaders from the rest and deal with them personally.”

The drone in charge nodded and flew off towards the burning town. Chrysalis lifted her gaze towards Canterlot where her love was leading the main force, then back down at the group below her, taking note of the gray pegasus below. She was one of the ones who invaded her hive the last time, a friend of that unicorn she had captured.

The love-cursed goddess snarled, diving towards the group below, her eyes flaring with green light. Payback for that attack would be sweet indeed.

The drones and warriors about her hesitated a moment, then rushed down with her to aid their queen.

===========================================================

Twilight muttered under her breath, her magic yanking hard on the leg of one of the golems, pulling it out from under the black crystal creature and sending it tumbling to the ground with a crash. Jer'rahd was on top of the thing, crushing its head, before leaping off and tackling a changeling that had gotten too close to the princess.

Rainbow Dash had returned with news that Velkorn, AJ, and Rhede were on the other side of town near the market and had a collection of civilians they were taking to the hospital, after which, they would meet up at the town hall.

Silver Claw had been flying around setting the town on fire, though he had been giving the area of the town hall a wide berth. It was probably a smart idea for him, as Luna would have blasted him out of the air, or simply thrown Jer'rahd at him. Neither of those options would have been a good thing for the dragon.

The princess would have likely been flinging spells at him anyway if not for the sudden flood of panicked ponies rushing from the town hall and swarming around her begging for help.

Dash, Twilight, Jer'rahd, and one of the guards from the training group, Peach Blossom, had moved to circle the princess and the swarm of ponies, making sure no changelings or golems came too close.

Twilight winced, watching as Luna's demeanor grew darker as the ponies nearly trampled each other and her while pleading for aid.

“YOU WILL BE CALM!” Luna bellows in the Royal Canterlot Voice, causing all of the panicked ponies to drop down to their knees and bow. Peach Blossom quickly got back to his hooves, looking embarrassed, but even Twilight had felt the urge to prostrate herself from the force of Luna's voice.

The princess sighed, lowering her voice as she looked over the ponies around her. “We command you all to make haste to the Ponyville hospital at once. Take shelter there and help those present if you are able. Now go!”

The gathered ponies quickly rose and started galloping away through the streets, following their princess’s orders. Jer'rahd smacked a changeling aside and trotted over to Luna, looking up at Silver Claw as he circled to land on the other side of town.

“He could have strafed us several times, Princess, yet he didn't.”

“Most likely, Nocturne told him not to because she wishes to deal with us herself,” Luna sighed tossing her mane and smacking a changeling into one of the burning buildings. “I would not put it past him to have a plan of his own right now, either. He did not seem the type to follow even for the scant time I knew of him.”

Jer'rahd sighed, raising a shield suddenly and letting a black crystal golem shaped like a spider slam against it in futility.

“We are going to need to do something soon. There’s still ponies taking shelter in their houses. This fire’s spreading too quickly for them to remain safe by hiding in their homes. Dash said that my trainees were at Applejack's farm and there was a shelter there. The hospital also seems to be a safe bet, considering where it sits on the edge of town. We need to get help evacuating and making sure every pony goes to one of those places.”

Luna nodded, looking at the black crystal spider curiously. Her horn flared black suddenly and her eyes turned to reptilian slits as the magic gripped the creature. Jer'rahd stepped back away from her as the spider golem stopped striking the shield and simply stood there. The black coloration quickly faded from the golem and it changed to dark blue, though black shadows still played among its form.

“Princess?”

“Huzzah, it worked! General Kaisur, get Twilight Sparkle to help you warn the others. I shall deal with these meddlesome changelings.” Luna smiled as her eyes went back to normal. The alicorn flapped her wings, leaping over the green shield landing lightly on the spider’s back. The crystalline creature shifted before skittering off and pouncing on a bear-shaped golem, ripping it apart. Luna laughed, glaring down at the changelings nearby, her form flickering back to Nightmare Moon's coloration. “Look, Precious: plenty of bugs to eat.”

The changelings she stared at suddenly screamed and start running away with the spider-borne princess in hot pursuit.

“Well, that's new. Every time I think I have that mare figured out... I'm going to have to ask where she got this interest in spiders from. SPARKLE!” Jer'rahd bellowed, trotting over to the purple unicorn and the pile of spell-stunned changelings and enthralled ponies around her.

“What? I am a little busy...” Twilight yelled, looking past Jer'rahd as he ran up, blinking. “Is Princess Luna riding a giant crystal
spider?”

“Errr, yeah. Anyway, not the point. Do you have a spell to amplify your voice? Enough for the whole town to hear it?”

“Err, yeah, I guess. I know one, though it's designed to work with the Royal Canterlot Voice,” Twilight admitted.

“I don't suppose you know how to do that, too?” Jer'rahd muttered.

A group of changelings rushed past, being pursued by the spider golem with Princess Luna and Pinkie Pie waving her forehoovess in the air atop of it.

“Isn’t it just yelling really loud?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, pretty much. There's a command aura as well, but I suppose that doesn't matter. Just use it and let the townsfolk know to evacuate and go to either Applejack's farm or the hospital.”

“Won't that let Nocturne and the others hear that and know where everyone is going, too?”

The changelings ran by again being chased by the spider with Princess Luna, Pinkie Pie, and now Rainbow Dash, who was surfing on its head with just her back legs.

“Maybe, but that's if they know where either of those places are. We are going to head to the hospital as well, so if Nocturne does move towards it, we can catch her. If she heads towards the farm, the rest of my troops, along with Rose, will be able to hold her up, if not outright stop her. Dash should be able to see where they are going in advance, and even if she can't, Silver Claw should be easy to spot.”

“And what about the others?”

The changeling stampede ran past once more with the trio on the back, along with Peach Blossom, who was clinging to the back of the spider for dear life.

“Dash said Bloodtail and Silver Claw were the only others she saw. Best case scenario is that the other three are the ones attacking Canterlot.”

“That doesn't make any sense. Why isn't Nocturne in Canterlot?”

“Because she wants to kill Luna and me herself. Now go ahead and make the announcement. I'll go have a word with our spider riders and see if we can do something productive with our time.”

“Yeah,” Twilight muttered as she prepared to cast the spell and mulling over what she needed to say.

====================================================

“Well, this certainly isn't promising,” Rarity sighed, looking down over Bleu's shoulder as the dragon glided over Canterlot.
“Changelings to the left of me, ruffians to the right.”

“And here I am stuck in the middle with you,” Bleu muttered. “How’s Flutters doing?”

“Well, she is still clinging tenaciously to your spine, though she has at least finally opened her eyes,” Rarity replied.

“Alright, so we go to the castle, tell Celestia what's happening, get you two secured, and then I get back to Boss and hope he hasn't killed everything in sight yet. I still need to cut loose after seeing all those things pretending to be… sis…”

Bleu braked hard in the air, causing Rarity to nearly tumble off the dragon’s back. Fluttershy cried out, tumbling off Bleu's back, though she somehow remembered that she could fly before falling too far.

“Bleu, what did I tell you about sudden stops... Oh my. Is that the music school?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah.”

The giant glass music sheet that made up the front of the building had been smashed and various instruments had been thrown outside to lie in rubble before the building. A small number of Guards circled the building, ducking magical fire from unicorns hidden inside the building.

None of that was what had Bleu's attention, however. What had forced her to stop was the large painting of Platinum that had been placed on the roof so someone in the air could see it. The image was defaced, with various vulgar graffiti and crude drawings of ponies doing things to the posing unicorn.

Bleu growled, causing Rarity to yelp as the electricity danced along her spines briefly.

“Fluttershy, take Rarity to the Princess. I've got some things to kill,” Bleu snarled, flicking the white unicorn from her back into the pegasus's grasp before roaring and diving at the building, her scales crackling with energy.

======================================================

Twilight's ears flattened as she looked dejectedly at the flames consuming Ponyville. She remembered the first time Princess Celestia sent her here. How angry and betrayed she had felt at being forced to leave Canterlot, how she thought her mentor was simply trying to distract her with something menial so she would stop bothering her about an old mares’ tale.

The source of that mares’ tale was currently astride a giant blue crystal spider swirling with shadow magic. Alongside of her was the first pony she had met in this place, Pinkie Pie. Meeting the party pony and her other friends living here had not been so bad, though Twilight could still recall how she had hated this place. But now watching it burn like this actually hurt.

All of her friends had been through a great deal since they first met. For that matter, so had this town. Ursa minors, parasprites, Discord, a rampaging Spike, a love-addled Big Mac and Cherrilee, and, of course, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a long list of disasters that the town recovered from. That was not even counting what it had gone through before she was born.

Twilight smiled. She shouldn't feel bad; they would survive and the town would be rebuilt as well.

The fires had kept the Changelings away, giving them time to start pulling ponies out of buildings. Luna had loaded up the crystal spider with the injured and the enthralled and was on route to the hospital with Jer'rahd. Twilight suspected the pair was going to go after Nocturne as soon as the injured were secure, though both of them claimed they would come back here.

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Peach Blossom remained with her to try and rescue anyone else they found.

The small group had helped a number of ponies out of the burning buildings, though Pinkie Pie had been far from her usual self, pausing often to stare down at her hoof with a look of panic that was quickly building on her face.

“Pinkie Pie... What's wrong?” Twilight questioned, trotting up to her friend as the pink pony looked around rapidly.

“The itchy hoof. It's back, Twilight... Who are we missing? Someone we know has got to be in danger.... OH NO! THE CAKES! I FORGOT THE CAKES!” Pinkie yelped, charging off down the street towards Sugar Cube Corner. Twilight glanced back at the others before running off after the pink pony with Rainbow Dash and Peach Blossom flying along after them.

Sugar Cube Corner, like most of the buildings in the square, was on fire. That fact did not even slow the pink earth pony down.

Rushing towards the building, she burst in the front door, smashing it open and running into the smoke-filled building. Twilight and the two pegasi rushed in after her as Pinkie looked around before rushing into the kitchen.

Twilight's ears perked, hearing a sound of pounding on wood. Rushing into the kitchen, she watched as Pinkie shoved a fallen pot rack out of the way and yanked open the cellar door, showing a haggard-looking Mr. Cake and revealing the sound of two bawling foals from the basement, along with the softer tones of a mare trying to calm her children.

“Pinkie?” Mr. Cake coughed from the smoke.

“Mr. Cake! Are the twins alright? Is Mrs. Cake alright?” Pinkie paused as the stallion coughed again. “Are you alright?”

“We're fine. We managed to get into the basement before the attack began, but we were trapped...” Mr. Cake replied, stumbling back down the stairs to guide his wife and foals up.

Peach Blossom and Dash moved to help get them outside as Pinkie Pie started searching around franticly again.

“Pinkie Pie, we have the Cakes. What are you looking for...?”

“Gummy! Where's Gummy? my hoof is still all itchy and it's getting worse!” Pinkie shouted, blinking as Twilight lifted up her tail, showing a small green reptile with its jaws clamped firmly about it.

“This Gummy? He attacked as soon as I walked in the door. Just like always,” Twilight deadpaned.

“Gummy! Wait, if the Cakes are safe and Gummy's safe then why is my hoof... ARRRRGH, I FORGOT ABOUT HIM!” Pinkie hollered, dashing back out into the burning hallway and up the stairs. “Get Gummy out of here, Twilight. I'll be right out!”

“Pinkie, wait!” Twilight rushed after her friend, skidding to a stop as the stairwell collapsed in a gout of ash and flame. “GAAAHH!”

“Twilight, are you okay?” Pinkie's voice called from upstairs.

“Pinkie, the shop is collapsing! You need to get out of here. Head to a window— I'll tell Dash to get you from there.”

“I need to save him first; I’ll be quick and out of here in a moment. Get Gummy out of here; the smoke can't be good for him.”

Twilight looked at the little gator on her tail, whose expression had yet to change. She briefly wondered if the lizard would notice if he was on fire. A section of wall collapsing startled her from her thoughts and she rushed out the front door to the street, coughing heavily.

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash yelled, looking up as the front of the store collapsed in flames behind the unicorn. “Where’s Pinkie!?”

“She went upstairs, said she forgot someone,” Twilight coughed, looking at the. Cakes. “Did you have someone else who was living here?”

“No, just Pinkie and Gummy. I don't know who else she was talking about,” Mrs. Cake sputtered still trying to calm her children.
“So help me, if it's Sir Turnip or Rocky again...” Dash growled.

“I'll fly up and check on her...” Peach Blossom said, crashing back to the ground as a black blur of shadow knocked him out of the air. The shadowy form shifted mid-flight, arcing up to smash through the upstairs window into the shop. “What the buck was that?”

Twilight's response was cut off by a high pitched scream that suddenly ended coming from the shop. A moment later, the black form burst out of the window, again landing on an exposed beam and knocking the weather mane aside.

Red and black feathered wings spread wide as the shadowy form solidified into a griffon. The griffon looked down at the three ponies below her, spotting Rainbow Dash, her grin widening.

Wind Razor chuckled as she lifted her foreleg, showing a massive clump of pink fluffy hair that was gripped by a blood-covered claw.
“Another target down, prey. Pity I couldn't get your mate, but I can collect her later,” Wind Razor chuckled taking off into the air as the roof of Sugar Cube Corner finally collapsed, the whole structure crumbling to the ground in a gout of fire and smoke.

Rainbow Dash screamed, launching herself off the ground after the griffon as Wind Razor flew towards the Everfree Forest, cackling madly.

Twilight shuddered, her eyes wide as she stared at the fire, not even noticing Peach Blossom take off after Dash or Rhede, Velkorn, and Applejack running up to her and the Cakes. Tears filled her eyes as she looked on with disbelief at the wreckage.

“PINKIE!!!”

“...so I stayed in the darkness with you.”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...so I stayed in the darkness with you.”

A shadowy figure stood atop a half-burned house, watching the scene below with a mixture of amusement and pity.

A purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, was using her magic to rip apart a burning shop, sending wreckage and ash everywhere, trying to find her friend who had been inside the collapsed building. A red stallion, a zebra, and the orange earth pony Applejack stood nearby, none of them sure of what to do in this instance. A pair of earth ponies and their foals had already been sent off towards the hospital along with a small green alligator.

The shadowy figure sidestepped as a burning chunk of wood zipped past, tossed by the anguished unicorn.

The bearer of the Element of Magic stopped suddenly, rushing forward as she tossed another section of collapsed structure aside.

The figure could see clearly what she had found: the pink body was nearly burnt to a crisp; the only thing that could even identify the charred body was the three-balloon cutie mark that remained on an unburned section of the mares pink flank.

The figure watched as Applejack pulled her now-screaming friend out of the still-burning pile of rubble. The red stallion and the zebra moved forward, working on pulling the body the rest of the way out of the rubble. With a last glance at the corpse, a salvaged tarp was draped over the body of Pinkie Pie and the group was forced to move on before more changelings showed up.
The shadowy figure tilted his head, pondering. On one hand, he considered this tragic;, on the other hand, he thought it justice of a sort for what was done in the past.

“You seriously don't believe that, do you?” stated a voice from his left.

“He better; that's how it is. They would have destroyed you if given the chance.” stated a voice from his right.

“Please, tell another lie. You provoked them into doing what they did. You wanted it, planned on it, not once, but twice,” the left
voice said.

“You didn't need to. Your first plan would have worked eventually, anyway,” the right voice snarled.

“After how many failures? It was what created this problem to begin with. It made the creature who did all this.”

“They were not forced to go there; they went of their own free will looking for an easy win. It was not our fault; we owe them nothing.”

“Do you really believe that? Do you think this should have happened? This is not what was supposed to happen. This is exactly what happened the first time, and we didn't want that either. Why should we accept it now?” the voice on the left pleaded.

“Because it didn't matter then after what happened, and it still doesn't matter now. This is not our problem. They would not wish our aid, anyway.” the right voice snapped.

“It is our concern and you know why it is our concern. Do not think that our no longer being trapped excludes us from what is to come,” the left voice retorted. “To be honest, if we had remained as we were, we likely would be destroyed as well.”

“She is not our concern; she has not been for centuries. Let the upstart burnanator deal with her this time. It's her fault we were in this mess. She never listened; none of them did except him. And in the end, he suffered because he tried to help us,” the right voice responded.

“We can stop this. We can make it right,” the left muttered.

“Nothing we do can stop this. Better to let the chaos happen and simply revel in it,” the right said.

“You really don't believe that, do you? After what happened here? Is this how it should have gone? Can you tell yourself that with no remorse?” the left replied.

The silent shadowy figure in the middle held up his left hand, showing a pure white sock puppet dressed like an angel with googly eyes. He then held up his right hand with a dark red sock puppet dressed like a devil, also with googly eyes.
The shadowy figure frowned, looking around the burning town. This much chaos, and he had little desire to join in.

“What would be the proper thing to do in this instance? Hmmmmm. Ah yes, that will do nicely,” the figure mused.

He snapped his fingers, catching a cello as it appeared out of thin air. Another finger snap, and a flopping yellow fin tuna appears.

He drew the still-wet fish across the cello strings like a bow and adjusted the tuning on the fish and the cello, both while still wearing the sock puppets. Satisfied, the figure set the end of the cello on his chin like a fiddle, drawing the fish across the strings to produce a number of soft, clear notes as he began to play.

And thus, Discord fiddled while Ponyville burned.

========================================================

“Do you hear a cello?” Luna questioned, looking around at the burning buildings.

The fire had spread quickly, turning most of the town into a raging inferno. A few buildings somehow had escaped the fire’s wraith, but those structures were few and far between and as the pair drew closer to the market, they had become all but nonexistent.

“No, but this is the area where we saw Silver Claw land. Stay alert, Princess,” Jer'rahd replied, wishing that the situation was different.

Despite that regret, he could barely hide a soft smile that he was again at the Princess’s side in battle. Not as a soldier serving his princess, nor as a General given orders, but as a friend. He was unsure if she felt the same way, and he had no plans to comment on it until she forgave him for turning on her in the past, but the feeling was still one he had missed.

That feeling did not cause him to be any less leery of the princess. The way she had shifted nearly effortlessly between Nightmare Moon and her normal self worried him. Even though the change had resulted in a giant black crystal spider being under her control enough for it to be left alone as a guard for the hospital, it still worried him that she had changed to do it.

He did not wish to doubt her again, but he could not help be concerned.

Despite his concern about Luna, when the buildings on either side of the road they were trotting down exploded, collapsing the remains of both structures down over the road on top of them, he was not surprised.

As the ash and smoke cleared from the explosion, the debris covered the roadway save a small tunnel formed of three shields that kept the rubble off the gray unicorn and dark alicorn.

Jer'rahd glanced up at Luna, a little surprised that she had not even flinched from the explosion. The Princess glanced down at him with a small smirk.

“I see my trust is not misplaced that you have my back once again Kaisur,” Luna observed. “Now will you do the same in regards to the control I have over my darkness?”

Jer'rahd flinched at that. “We really need to find a way to establish trust that doesn't involve some life-threatening situation.”

Various stalls and wagons were set up around the open air market place, some overturned, and a few burning, many with the wares already set up, signs that the day had started normally, anyway, and a number of bodies.

The pair walked out of the magically-formed tunnel into the market district. Jer'rahd released his hold on his spell, letting the rubble collapse behind them as the pair stared across the market square to the three figures in the middle of the stone cul-de-sac.

A large red dragon loomed over the other two, his ashen white claws clenching and digging into the cobblestone ground as he watched the pair.

A dreadlocked zebra stallion in a black cloak with the hood pulled back stood next to him, seemingly bored with the two that had shown up.

And a black alicorn mare with one white wing and a flowing mane and tail of sandy blond hair. The alicorn sneerd at the pair, taunting them as they approached.

“Nice of you to finally join us. It has been a long time since I have seen you, mother and father. Do be sweet parents and die already so the next generation can take over,” Nocturne sneered.

“Did we have a plan?” muttered Jer'rahd to Luna.

“Yes: we do violent things to them that my sister would complain about,” Luna stated flatly.

“Ahh. Our usual, then.”

==========================================================

Bleu shrank down to her pony size as she smashed into the front of the building, landing on and ripping apart a unicorn who was on the second floor dressed in a cloak. She did not even pause after eviscerating the stallion before she was on the next figure, the dragon's fangs closing on the mare's neck and tearing out her throat before tossing the still squirming body back out the smashed window.

Bleu scanned the floor she was on, noting a number of armed ponies with red horseshoe marks on their armor milling about, yet keeping away from her. She was on the second floor of the school on one of the walkways around the main hall that led to the rooms. The entrance to the building was one floor down.

She moved to the edge, spitting the glob of bloodied throat meat from her mouth as she looked over the railing into the big open area in the middle of the three-story building.

Against the back wall of the ground floor, she could see a group of ponies that were huddled against the wall near the staircase. A blue glowing shield globe surrounded them with numerous metal wires running through it. The wires were spread out like a spider web around the stairs, stretching up to tie to the banisters of the second and third floor. The other end of the wires was connected to the trapped ponies around their necks, middles or legs.

There were a number of foals in the bubble, many of them crying, though some of the adults were trying to quiet them. Several cloaked ponies stood around the bubble and one sat huddled in a corner near the bubble as if trying not to be noticed.

The current Dean, Octavia, was also behind the shield, though unlike the others she looked like she had been beaten; she hung limp, a pair of wires wrapped around her forehooves holding her up, though the one eye that was not swollen shut was giving a death glare that Jer'rahd could have taken lessons from at the stallion standing in the middle of the room.

The large brown stallion with a massive sword stood in the center of the main hall, looking up at Bleu with a wide grin. He gleefully lifted something to his mouth and bit the head off the small black doll with a few silver strands of hair left on it before spitting the head away and dropping the toy, stomping on it, his eyes not turning from Bleu's.

“Nice of you to finally join me, you filthy lizard bitch. I've been waiting for a long time to get you back for scarring my face,” Claymore growled, gripping his blade in his mouth as Bleu roared, leaping off the second floor at him.

===============================================

Fluttershy struggled to remain aloft, finally managing to land on the roof of the building, panting heavily as she set Rarity down and collapsed in a heap.

“Fluttershy, dear, I thought you said you were working out,” Rarity questioned, a little worried.

The yellow pegasus nodded. “I have been, but you're really heavy... eeep!” Fluttershy slapped her hooves over her mouth as she looked up to Rarity, who had developed a twitch under her eye.

“I think it would be better if I didn't hear that.”

“I didn't mean it like that...”

“I heard nothing,” Rarity snorted.

“Hey, what the buck are you two doing up here?”

The pair blinked, looking over as a group of stallions dressed in light armor and masks trotted towards them, moving to trap the pair on the corner of the roof. There were two pegasi and a unicorn, with the remaining five being earth ponies. All of them bore a single crimson horseshoe print on their armor somewhere and all of them were armed with swords and daggers.

“Ummm, we were, looking for the bathroom?” Rarity replied with a chuckle.

“Yeah right,” commented one of the pegasi as the pair glided around in the air behind them to make sure Fluttershy didn't try to go anywhere.

“They don't look like Royal Guard; prolly a couple that slipped by the ones downstairs,” one of the unicorns muttered.

“Well, Claymore hasn't been screaming for them to be found yet, so I guess he hasn't noticed. Guess that means none'll miss um
for a while,” noted a teal earth pony.

The others chuckled at the implication of that.

“Heh, I call first on the white on then. Been a while since I've had unicorn,” one of the earth ponies bragged.

Rarity's eyes widened, then quickly narrowed. “Now see here: if you think for a moment that we are going to do anything with you filthy beasts, you... AHHH!”

Rarity hopped back as the earth pony drew his sword and lashed out at her.

“We have the weapons, mare. We say what we are going to do, so settle down and enjoy it, or next time, it'll be your face that gets cut.”

Rarity blinked, glancing down at a sizable lock of her mane laying on the roof. Her eyes shifted to her hair, seeing the great gash where it had been unevenly cut.

Her eye twitch returned as her ears flattened to her head, eyes narrowing as she glared at the earth pony, her teeth grinding.

“Oh. It. Is. ON!”

=================================================

Twilight stumbled over some books in the library, only dimly aware of how she got there. Applejack and Rhede seemed to be arguing, with Velkorn trying to placate the pair.

Twilight barely even heard them as she moved into the library, staring at the mess and slowly starting to try and clean it up as her mind reeled.

She was dimly aware of the door shutting behind her and the sound of things being piled in front of it as it was barricaded. She could no longer hear the others’ voices, though she didn't care.

She had practically watched one of her friends die in front of her. She had let Pinkie go alone upstairs. She could have teleported; she could have put up a shield or fired some spell at the griffon, but she didn't. She couldn't do anything— all her magic, all her training, and she had just sat there and watched it happen.

Now Rainbow Dash had run off, chasing the griffon, and she had not even tried to stop her, either. Had she just let another friend go off to die?

Was this what Jer'rahd and the others felt? Was this what war was like for them, watching everyone they cared about be killed around them? How did they keep going?

==================================================

“Ah don't like this. We can't just leave her here!” AJ shouted at Rhede as the trio moved away from the library.

“Do you have a better idea? It's not like we can take her with us in that condition.” Rhede snapped. “She’s a liability like this. There's nothing near the library that could catch it on fire and even if there was, Spike mentioned before there were fireproof wards in place on the building. She'll be fine.”

“Do you even know what's wrong with her, or are yah making this up ‘cause yah dun wanna deal with it,” AJ retorted.

“She is in a medical state called shock. Half the time, in this state, it is a wonder one can walk,” Velkorn pointed out. “The cure for such condition follows neither reason nor rime; the only effective cure that I know of is simply time.”

“This don't feel right leaving her like this,” AJ griped. “One of us should stay with her.”

“And do what? Get depressed and be unable to do anything? There's still a lot of ponies left to save. Moping about over just one of them isn't going to help any of them. I thought you managed to see that and it's why you're not freaking out like she is,” Rhede grumbled.

“Ah been through enough tah be able tah put off mah grief until later when somethin’ needs tah be done.”

“Well, at least one of you is liable to be useful, then,”Rhede snarled.

“Yah practice being a dick, or is it a natural state fer yah?”

“At least I'm not whining about having to leave some pony behind for their own good.”

“Must be easy tah do that when ya dun’ got a friend affected by it,” AJ growled.

“No, I've just had to keep going while one of them was dying!”

“BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE BUCK UP NOW! THIS INFIGHTING IS NOT SOMETHING I WILL ALLOW!” Velkorn bellowed suddenly, rearing up to wallop both of the earth ponies in the back of the head, knocking the pair of them to the ground.

“Pelt, you are not helping your case. Applejack, we cannot stall, as this battle has now become a race. First blood has been struck, and it is ours that fell. Will you two simply allow others to die as well?” Velkorn snarled at the pair. “Right at this moment, there is only one thing we can do: continue our mission and hope Twilight pulls through.”

The two earth ponies glared at the zebra and then each other as they got back on their hooves and turned to continue down the road.

“She didn't have to hit us,” Rhede grumbled.

“Ah know, right?” AJ replied.

===========================================================

Starfall dived out of the way as a green beam of energy vaporized the ground she had been standing on. Shouts and fighting could be heard from further up the road as a new herd of golems rushed towards the guards.

Starfall cursed, her words nearly mimicked by the older crystal pony from the other side of the bubbling crater in the road.
The insectile alicorn landed heavily between the two ponies and the rest of their forces, her horn flaring with a sickly green light.

“Who's dhis nutter?” Rose cursed, yelping and diving aside as the alicorn fired another blast that blew a crater in the road, raining rock and dirt down over the pair.

“Guess you missed the party last time, old timer. This is the Changeling queen,” Starfall chuckled, bouncing about as whips of green energy flew from the alicorn, destroying the road and the remains of golems that had already been killed.

“Queen? Ah didna vote for her,” Rose snarled, charging around to one side of the alicorn.

“You don't vote for Queens,” Starfall sighed, launching into the air and angling herself to the other side.

“Well, 'ow dha heck did she become Queen then?” Rose snapped, changing direction suddenly and slamming into the side of Chrysalis, impaling her with his spear just as Starfall landed on her back, driving both her blades deep into the Changling Queen.

Green blood spurted out of the wounds as Chrysalis stiffened.

“I dunno; maybe some sea pony lobbed a scimitar at her or something,” Starfall mused.

“Was that the best you two can do. or must I suffer more of your witless banter?” Chrysalis growls.

“You've got a spear through you and a pair of swords in yer back,” snapped Rose. “I'd say that's pretty good.”

“‘Tis but a scratch.”

“What?” Starfall questioned.

“I've had worse,” Chrysalis growled her horn glowing.

“You lie!” Rose shouted, yanking his spear free and leaping aside as Starfall took to the air again. The area around the changeling queen exploded in a blast of green fire.

Rose bounced around a moment, trying to put out a fire that started on his crystalline tail before glaring back at the now-unharmed Changling Queen floating in the center of a small crater.

“Oh yeah, she's supposed to be a god or something,” Starfall sighed.

“Great, crystal weapons are designed ta deal with Sombra, not crazy bug mares,” Rose cursed.

================================================================

“Colonel, report. What is the situation with the school, over?” the crystal radio crackled in the unicorn’s ear as he held a pair of binoculars up to his eyes with his magic.

“Unsure at the moment, Command. Some rather odd things have happened. Over,” the Colonel reported.

“Tell us what you can. We need some good news. Over,” the voice on the com chirped.

“Moments ago, a large blue dragon appeared and dove into the front window of the school. A body and what appeared to be parts of a second body were ejected from the place the dragon went in. The attackers on the first and third floor, however, are still active, though less accurate or often. We believe the dragon is causing a distraction enough inside to hold their attention, though not fully,” the unicorn reported. “At this moment, we are still unable to advance the small unit we have forward further. Over.”

The radio gave static for a moment. “Acknowledged, Colonel. Princess Celestia believes the dragon to be part of Major Kaisur's group, Captain Bleu Scale. It is now believed that the attack on the school was specifically implemented to target her. You have orders from the Princess herself to aid the dragon however she needs in this instance. Over.”

One of the earth pony guards near the Colonel slapped him on the back and pointed to the roof of the building.

“Command, we have another situation. A yellow pegasus with a pink mane and a white unicorn with a purple mane have just landed on the roof of the structure. Neither are in armor, nor do they appear to be carrying anything other than small saddle bags. Are they from another team? Advise, over.”

Again, there was a pause with static as the unicorn in control relayed this to Nicker, and evidently now, the Princess directly.

“Colonel, the Princess has identified the pair as two of the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony. your orders have now changed: you to are to retrieve and protect that pair at all costs. Do you understand? This is now a priority zero mission; reinforcements are en route now. Have your team move to secure them immediately. Over.”

The Colonel blinked, watching as a number of ponies suddenly flew off the roof of the building, flailing wildly, before impacting the ground with dull thuds. A white unicorn mare trotted to the corner of the building, tossing her mane and glaring down at the ground and the bodies far below. Another figure rose up behind the mare with an ax, swinging the weapon at the mare. She ducked below the attack, slipping inside the swing and slamming her hoof into the stallion’s jaw, the force of the blow lifting him up on his back legs. The white unicorn spun around him and slammed her rear hoof into his back, sending the stallion off the edge of the roof as well. She seemed to snort in annoyance, then moved back away from the edge of the roof out of sight.

The unicorn guard raised an eyebrow in confusion, watching another pair of ponies wearing the garb of the red hoof go flying off the top of the building. A second later, a pegasus tried to flee, taking off into the air, but a moment later, the body of an earth pony gripped in magic soared up from the rooftop, slamming into the retreating pegasus stallion and knocking him from the air.

“Command, it appears the white unicorn just took out a number of the enemy combatants while we awaited your orders. Are you sure they need to be protected? Over.”

“Orders stand, Colonel. The Princess has, however, passed on that if there is something wrong with the white unicorn's mane or tail, you are under no circumstances to mention it. Over.”

“Noted, we are moving in now. Over.”

The Colonel lifted a hoof, signaling the dozen guards he had to be ready to charge. A loud hum filled the air and a massive wave of blue energy appearsed over the building, slowly forming to envelop the three story structure in a shimmering blue shield globe.

“Well, shit.” the Colonel spat out before tapping the com open again with a hoof. “Command, we have a problem.”

==========================================================

Jer'rahd and Luna dived to the sides as a blast of magic ripped up the stone street where they had been a moment ago. A second blast bounced off a green glowing shield and struck the front of a building, melting it into slag and splinters.

“Well, looks like someone is not happy to see us,” chuckled Luna as she launched a series of dark blue missiles that Nocturne barely managed to scramble out of the way of.

“True, though this is a bad spot for us to be fighting. Neither of us tends to think about collateral damage.” Jer'rahd grinned, flinging the Waning Moon through the air at Silver Claw. The dragon jerked to the side to avoid the magically-propelled whirling blade, but was still nicked in the arm, losing a few scales. The pair dived behind an overturned cart as he fired a blast of white flame at them.

“Still, though: three against one? This is not any sort of fair fight,” Luna commented.

“Should we wait for them to get a couple more, then?” Jer'rahd quipped.

“Such useless bravado, father. Did you forget so soon that I nearly crushed both you and mother last time we fought, and I am a god now? You are no match for my power!” Nocturne taunted. Another blast of her magic destroyed Jer'rahd's cover, though the attack didn’t penetrate his shield.

“Last time we fought, you ran away like a chicken because I nearly lopped your head off while I was a rock,” Jer'rahd taunted back, drawing their attention to him by poking his head up over another cart. “And the time before that, Luna had used most of her magic and I was in unfamiliar armor wielding an unfamiliar weapon. Since that point, we've trained and gotten stronger while you pretended to be a lawn decoration. I don't think you have the advantage you think you have. I mean, heck, even Silver Claw there only did as well as he did ‘cause no one was expecting it.”

“There is much to say about the element of surprise” growled the dragon.

“Indeed,” stated Luna, suddenly appearing in the middle of Silver Claw, Bloodtail, and Nocturne, a wide grin on her face. “Surprise!”
Jer'rahd ducked down behind the cart as a globe of darkness formed around Luna, rushing outwards and blasting the trio into the air.

The trio rocketed away from the force of the explosion ,only to slam hard into a group of green glowing panels that formed in the air, stopping their flight path abruptly. The shields quickly vanished, dumping the three of them onto the stone streets below.

“Power is no substitute for training,” Luna muttered.

“And training is no substitute for cheating,” hissed Nocturne, her horn glowing and launching a sickly yellow ray at Luna.

=========================================================

Wind Razor laughed, dodging the cyan pegasus's clumsy attacks like they were nothing.

The ineffective strikes coupled with the griffon’s laughing only served to infuriate Rainbow Dash further. She kept pushing herself harder, her attacks nearly blurring as she lashed out at the griffon with hoof and wing, only to have her blows fail to land every time.

Trying to hit this griffon was like punching smoke.

Every time she thought that she had connected with the griffon, Wind Razor slipped away, moving further from town towards Ghastly Gorge. Dash barely registered the location, solely focused on taking down the griffon that killed her friends.

Peach Blossom cursed, barely able to keep up with the pair. He flew closer to the ground, pausing occasionally to make a mark on a tree or a rock with his spear, hoping someone was planning to follow them.

Watching Dash and Wind Razor, he was fairly certain if the pegasus couldn't hit the griffon, there was no way he could. The cyan mare was practically blurring as she struck at the griffon. Half the time, he didn't even see that she attacked at all until she drew back a hoof or a wing from a miss. Then again, it wasn't as if the bird was fighting back; she seemed solely focused on taunting and dodging the attacks.

When he did spot her score a hit, he noticed the impact point turned into black smoke, then quickly reformed without any damage done. The griffon was likely not counterattacking because she had to focus on whatever was allowing her to turn to smoke. Either that, or she was leading them somewhere.

He slashed his spear over the ground making a rather large crescent shaped mark. During scout training he had been taught that the crescent moon was used while tracking as it was an old symbol of the hunt. It was used as such due to the moon always chasing the sun.

A circle with several lines radiating from it was used to mark a clear trail. The symbol of the sun was used because its light allowed one to see a clear path.

In this case Peach Blossom was glad the marks meant what they did. It was much simpler to draw a crescent than it would be to draw the sun.

He sighed as the pair fighting in the air moved further away. He launched himself after trying to stay out of sight of the griffon, though stealth had never been his thing.

===========================================================

Bloodtail cursed, picking himself up off the ground and coughing heavily. A splatter of blood escaped his lips, sending crimson drops across the ground before him as he pushed himself back up to his hooves. He had been thrown around far more than he liked today.

While he could feel the cracked ribs from his impact with the shield wall starting to heal, the burns and pain from the blast the Princess had used showed no signs of repair. He knew only three things could kill gods: star metal, high powered magic, and other gods. The group of them was facing a duo with access to all three.

Nocturne screeched something and fired a sickly yellow ray at Luna, only for the Princess to vanish from that spot and reappear again next to Nocturne. The Goddess of War's hoof impacted into the dark alicorn’s side with enough force to make him wince as the mare was sent tumbling across the marketplace to slam into another of Kaisur's green shields.

The zebra cursed, clearly recognizing how outmatched they really were. He looked up at Silver Claw, hoping the dragon recognized this as well. However, the beast was focused on an overturned cart on the far side of the market.

Bloodtail thought him addled until the hum of a weapon gripped in green magic tore through the air from behind the cart.

The dragon threw himself to the side, nearly crushing the zebra a blast of flame left his maw and destroyed the cart, forcing the pony behind it to find new cover.

Silver Claw pushed himself back up to his claws, glancing down at the zebra with a low growl.

[“Best you depart, zebra. Your spells have little use in direct combat, and the curse you have over the town is far too important for you to fall here and lose it,”] the dragon growled.

[“Why are you bothering to speak to me in my own tongue? And why would you have me flee? This does not seem to be of benefit to you.”]

[“Kaisur doesn't speak zebra. As for not being a benefit, I meant what we spoke of before, Bloodtail, and I see no better time to take
advantage of that than right now. I suggest you get a good distance away as well. The fight with Kaisur may get a bit… messy.”]

[“It is your funeral, then. But I shall not pass up a chance for my hide to remain intact. This was never my fight to begin with.”]
Bloodtail darted off as Silver Claw turned, letting out another blast of fire to flush Kaisur from his cover.

He heard a scream of anger from Nocturne, though he did not stick around to find out if it was from his leaving or not. Darting between the burning buildings, he moved through the town, only slowing his gallop to a stop on the outskirts by the river’s edge. It was high time he returned to the zebra lands to begin his own plans. Let these fools deal with their own problems.

“Well, hello there, little zebra. Just the stallion I've been looking for,” cooed a voice.

Bloodtail whipped his head around, searching for the voice, finally looking up at a tree by the river bank and the lounging red mare who rested there.

The zebra stifled a flinch at the mare's far-too-wide grin, and Scarlet slipped off the branch, landing lightly on the ground under the tree.

[“Dare I ask what you want?”]

“Ahh, you may, but I was going to tell you anyway. I have found someone I reaaaaaally want to kill. He happens to be running along with a couple of mares, one of which I think you would be quite interested in.”

Bloodtail smirked, easily putting together who Scarlet was speaking of. [“So finally, someone has found Velkorn for me. And what is it you want for this information?”]

“A few of your minions to keep the mares busy while I finish off Pelt. After that, you can do what you want.” Scarlet cackled, clearly enjoying the feeling of making the zebra nervous.

Bloodtail considered the options. The mare was clearly becoming quickly unhinged, likely as a result of her decision to use Laughter to attain godhood. If she was not careful, she likely could wind up as mad as Discord was supposed to be. Still, if he could get to Velkorn… Well, he had what he needed to bind her to him once again, and if Scarlet killed Pelt, there would be no one around to stop him from making the mare his.

[“Where are they?”] Bloodtail questioned. It seemed the trip home could wait a bit.

================================================================

Celestia glared down at the glowing map of Canterlot as if her stare alone could remove the red colorations that dotted the map. Her ears flattened to her head as the massive baying of horns was heard again. The old alarm system had to be pulled out of storage to be used, and the horns had just started to sound, the deep reverberation felt even in the heart of the castle. The warning might come a little late for far too many, but it would alert those who had not already been informed of the danger.

Celestia grumbled, watching as the ponies in the war room darted about, shouting orders and running messages.

Twilight and her sister had returned, but they had not sent a message. She assumed they had come back to Canterlot after reports of Bleu, Rarity and Fluttershy had come in, but somehow, she doubted that now. If Luna and Kaisur were here, then they would have been seen already. Those two had as much ability to remain unnoticed in a battle as a dragon with allergies in a field of flowers.

Likely, they were in Ponyville with the others. Bleu had probably been sent to deliver a message and been lured off by Claymore's trap.

“Sir, we have checked their quarters, and the entire unit is gone,” a pegasus stallion shouted as he darted in the door, panting.
Nicker glanced over at him, a surprised look on his face. “What do you mean it's gone?”

“The Six sixty sixth monster hunters are gone, sir. No one has seen hide nor hair of Guard Captain Moskau, either. The only information we have is a note posted in their barracks that today was supposed to be some sort of joint training day with another unit. We don't know which one, though, sir.”

“Of all the times for that lunatic to go drill her forces in the woods,” snarled Nicker.

Celestia smiled, remembering the request from Moskau. “Well, at least Ponyville will have some extra protection, then.”

“Princess?” Nicker questioned.

“Guard Captain Moskau was given permission to bring her unit for joint training with the 42nd today. I assumed she might still be in Canterlot, though knowing her, she likely left late yesterday just to march her troops a little more. Still, this does present a problem for us here with the brunt of the Changeling force at our gates.”

“There is also the report from Captain Lion Heart about there being enthralled ponies and undead of some sort in Ponyville,” Nicker sighed

“I am aware of that, and I also have an agent there who will likely be working on the cure as we speak. I have reason to believe that my sister and Kaisur are there as well with most of their friends. If anyone can aid that town, it will be them. For now, we need to worry about us. Corporal,” Celestia stated, turning to the pegasus who brought the latest news, “I want you to go down to the west armory and find a chest that is marked with my sister's seal. It should be near the front and likely one of the few things there not coated in dust. It should be filled with what appears to be a pile of bones. Bring me that chest.”

“Yes, Princess.” The guard rushed off as Celestia looked down at the map, taking note that there was more red on the map that anything else.

“Princess, what are you planning to do?” Nicker questioned.

“Something I should have done a long time ago, Guard Captain. I am getting involved.”

============================================================

“Well, this has not been my best day,” Briar Rose snorted, looking at the broken haft of his massive spear.

“Whine, whine, whine,” Starfall grumbled. “By Celestia's fanciful tail, you are worse than Rarity.”

“I have no idea what that means, but I am gathering it was an insult,” Rose stated before diving for cover again as the Changeling Queen slammed into the ground where the pair had been moments before.

“Will you two just shut up and die already!” Chrysalis screamed out, the area around her being showered with green balls of fire that danced and chased after the dodging pair.

Starfall took to the air, glancing down as the balls of green fire followed her. She grinned, spinning in the air and dive bombing the other group on the road.

The 42nd was holding its own surprisingly well. A large number of the golems lay broken and shattered or buried by the Diamond dogs. The dogs did not have time to dig any more traps, as their time was now spent pulling out the wounded. A number of them were in bad shape and there were at least three dead now, with a fourth of the sixty three trainees down. Of the rest, nearly all of them were wounded somehow, though every able body was still fighting as well as a few that should not have even been conscious.

Changeling bodies and golem parts littered the ground around them, though Chrysalis’s forces did not seem to stop coming.

The battle had turned into a war of attrition; the constant swarm of attackers was clearly wearing on the troops. Starfall knew they would hold out to the last, but in the end, that would not help anyone.

The pegasus dodged between the legs of a black crystal golem that resembled an ant, letting the balls of energy strike the creature and destroy it as the queen screamed in annoyance.

That cry quickly turned to one of pain as a black and white form darted across the road in a blur of motion, creating a long gash along Chrysalis’s side that ran foul with the green ichor of her blood.

Guard Captain Moskau slid to a stop on the other side of the changeling queen, flicking blood off her hoof daggers as she regarded the changeling and the wound that was not closing on her side.

“Excellent; I suspected dhis vould vork, but one ken never be sure.” Moskau chuckled, wiping the green blood off her dagger onto her cloak.

Starfall's eyes widened, recognizing the metal of zebra's daggers.

“Where the buck did you get star metal? Celestia said all of it was destroyed!”

“I do not hunt monsters vith out dhe proper gear,” Moskau chuckled.

“You think that will stop me?” Chrysalis shrieked. “One old mare with a new toy?”

“Old? Talk about dhe pot calling dhe kettle black. And as if I vould come alone.” Moskau smirks as a large number of figures started appearing around the road as hoods were yanked back and zebra stealth cloaks removed. At least a hundred forms of all mixes of ponies, with a number of griffons as well, stood silently around the battlefield, unmoving, their eyes locked on the zebra mare.

“VE CAME HERE FOR A JOINT TRAINING CONTEST, COMRADES. LET US NOT LET THE 42ND OUTDO US IN KILLS! Moskau shouted. The newly-arrived soldiers all screamed out, and as one, rushed the battle from all sides.

“Well, color me smitten,” Rose whistled. “Not like I plan tah let yah outdo me, though.”

“Hah, as if you could vin. Dhis is only haff my unit.” Moskau chuckled.

“We're still a training unit, and we're kicking flank. Imagine if these idiots were fully trained,” Rose taunted.
Starfall landed, looking back at the newly-joined battle with a smirk before leveling her blades, ready to deal with Chrysalis again.

“Well, that was good timing, I will admit, Sir.” Starfall grinned, her ear perking as Moskau moved between the changeling queen and Starfall. “What?”

“Leave her to us. You have some dhing more pressing to deal vith,” Moskau stated as Chrysalis dodged an attack from Rose. “Take your troops into town and vork to rescue dhe civilians still dhere. Most seem to be gathering by dhe hospital, but dhere are likely still some in houses. Ve are still fresh for battle; your ponies need a break. Go now. Dhat is an order.”
Starfall blinked, looking back at the flaming town, and snarled. “You know I'm supposed to be a General, right?”

“Neither Princess has informed me of dhis, so until dhat time, I still outrank you. Now go! Ve have no time to argue.”

“Fine. 42ND, FALL BACK FROM COMBAT! MOVE TOWARDS THE TOWN TO AID IN EVACUATION! LEAVE THE ROCKS AND BUGS TO THESE GUYS!” Starfall bellowed, leaving Rose and Moskau to deal with the raging queen.

=========================================================

“Are ya sure this is tha right way?” Applejack questioned as the trio moved deeper into the woods.
Rhede nodded, pointing to a crescent-shaped slash on a tree trunk before them. “That's a tracking mark. The Captain has been leaving them since he took off after Dash.”

AJ grumbleed to herself. “How tha heck do yah know it's not an old mark or some critter didn't leave it?”

“The point where the drawing starts is the direction the tracker is going. The symbol itself matches the moon's phases so you can tell at a glance how old the mark is. In a month’s time, a light scarring like this will be healed over on most trees and will be gone if it's in the ground. If nothing else, I'm the best tracker in the group, and I was the one who drilled this into the trainees like Peach Blossom. This is the right way. I just hope it remains clear along the ground. None of us are fliers, and something... SHIT!”
Rhede slid to a stop, looking down over the edge of a sheer cliff.

“Crap, we come right up ta Ghastly Gorge,” Applejack cursed. “I dunno what part, though. This thing runs nearly tah tha sea, and it branches out all over tha place.”

Rhede looked at the distance between the two cliff edges, his ears flattening. He knew he couldn't make that jump. Velkorn might be able to, but it was not certain enough for him to let her risk it. The worst part was he could see another mark on a tree on the other side of the cliff.

“We need to cross it somehow, but I am out of ideas, so what do we do now?” Velkorn grumbled.

===============================================================

Nocturne laughed, but the cackling was cut off suddenly as she realized Luna was gone.

“MOVE!” Silver Claw shouted, knocking Nocturne aside with his tail as Luna slammed down in the spot the alicorn had been standing with both hooves, splintering the cobblestone street and sending a rain of pebbles into the air.

Silver Claw lashed out at the Princess, only to be flung aside as a large wagon full of gemstones, wrapped in a green glow, smashed into him, sending him tumbling away from the Princess.

Jer'rahd trotted up next to Luna, glancing down at the crater in the road.

“Well, I am certainly glad you never tried to kill me.” Jer'rahd smirked.

“In case you forgot Kaisur, I did, as Nightmare Moon,” Luna sighed.

“If you had been trying, I would not have recovered from that blast you hit me with in the garden. So no, I still don't think you tried to
kill me.” The gray unicorn chuckled.

“Is this the time to be discussing this?”

“You brought it up.”

“Fine... tell me, Kaisur, during all the time that we have had, did you ever figure out how to properly dance?”

Jer'rahd glanced up at her a moment before his grin widened and he looked back at the two struggling to get up before them.

“Nothing close to as interesting as your dance, but I have my own style that may be compatible.”

“I certainly hope you cannot mimic my style; it was created to be used by Valkyrie, pegasi mares, to be precise.” Luna chuckled lightly at the brief image of Jer'rahd trying to perform that particular set of training. “So what is the style you use called, then?”

“Still working on the name, but I think I'll call it ‘why use a mallet when you have a sledgehammer’?”

“Not very poetic. It also sounds more like something Pelt would consider some sort of pick up line or sex move.”

“It's a work in progress. Besides, not like you complained about my technique.”

“You recall wrong, then. I stated you have worthwhile stamina, but your imagination was a bit lacking.”

“Remind me to ask Rhede for pointers then,” Jer'rahd quipped.

“That might be too much imagination.” Luna frowned, sticking out her tongue.

“Is there anything worse than listening to your parents flirt and talk about fucking in front of you?” snarled Nocturne, cursing as she stood back up to her hooves.

“I would say getting your flank kicked by them is a good start to it being worse.” Silver Claw snapped back, lashing out at the pair with his tail, only to have both of them dodge out of the way.

The dragon launched into the air, lifting his tail up suddenly to avoid a slash from the unicorn’s weapon. Nocturne lunged at Luna, lashing out with her hooves and wings in a series of feints and attacks that mimicked the bare hoof style Luna had shown.

Luna was taken back a moment, and a few strikes managed to get past her guard, though not with enough force to do any damage.

Before the Princess could launch a counterattack, a gray form plowed into the side of the dark alicorn, sending Nocturne tumbling across the cobblestones to crash into another cart with Jer'rahd continuing the charge after her.

“Switch partners! It's not like I can fly,” Jer'rahd shouted.

Luna grinned, looking up at the flying Silver Claw before taking to the air herself, launching towards the dragon.
This was far more fun than it should be.

==========================================================

Starfall flew over the town, directing the 42nd in the rescue efforts. Moskau had informed her that the hospital was where the townsponies were gathering. Sweet Apple Acres was the other gathering point, but with the changeling force between the farm and the town, that shelter was all but impossible to get to.

From the air, she could see the fight going on in the market district, though judging by how it seemed to be going, Jer'rahd and the Princess had that under control. She was going to offer her aid to them anyway when Dusty flew up to her.

“Captain, there's a situation,” the griffon reported, glancing to the Ponyville Library as Breezy stepped out onto the tree building's balcony, pointing to the south.

“What is it?”

“Twilight Sparkle is in the library below and seems to be suffering from shock. All we could get out of her was that Pinkie Pie has been killed by Wind Razor.” Dusty swallowed a bit, watching Starfall's expression darken. “She told us that Rainbow Dash and Captain Peach Blossom have gone off in pursuit.”

“SHE DID WHAT!?” Starfall panicked. “Which way?”

“South. If one of ours is with her, he might have set up tracking markers as well.” Breezy stated flapping up to the pair. “Miss Sparkle also mentioned she thinks Miss Applejack, Captain Pelt, and Captain Velkorn were following after them as well.”

“What are we waiting for? Let's get after them,” Dusty shouted, but Starfall growls shaking her head.

“No, you two stay here, keep the evacuation going. We can't risk taking any more ponies away from this. I'll go myself. That's an order.”

“Yes sir,” the pair stated, watching Starfall rush off to the south.

Breezy glanced to the griffon, his sky blue ears perking up a little.

“I'm rather surprised at you, Dusty. I figured you would ignore the order to go after Wind Razor,” Breezy remarked.

“I don't want the griffon. I want the alicorn or the earth pony mare.” Dusty looked over at the battle in the market. “But I'm not stupid enough to get involved in that fight.”

“Nocturne or Scarlet. Still, you're showing a great deal of control.” Breezy smirked at the glare he received. “Keep in mind, though: no matter what, I got your back whatever you decide to do.”

“You only have my back because you want to watch my flank.” Dusty smirked.

“Well, if you didn't want me to do that, you would stop wiggling it in my direction.” Breezy chuckled.

Any retort Dusty might have presented was cut off by a scream for help from below and both guards dropped from the sky to find the source.

=======================================================

Rainbow Dash screamed out as her hoof finally connected solidly with the beak of the griffon, visibly cracking it and sending the griffon spiraling to the ground to impact bodily with the dirt and rock.

Dash pants a moment growling. “That’s for Pinkie Pie... AND SO IS THIS!”

The cyan pegasus blasted full speed towards the ground and the prone griffon there. Her wings strained as she put on more speed. The air around her started to buckle before her hooves as she angled towards her target, the pressure of the air building before her to make the impact more explosive when she hit.

The griffon’s eyes snapped open and a grin crossed her rapidly healing beak as she whipped her claws up suddenly, a black shadow forming rapidly into a crystal spike bursting from the ground to slam into the charging pegasus just as the air before her breaks.

A sound like a thunderclap echoed across the gorge as the crystal shattered along with the air around Rainbow Dash. A wave of black energy radiated out from the impact point rather than the normal rainbow hued one.

Wind Razor grimaced as the shattered crystal was blown back at her. She quickly turnws to smoke avoiding most of the damage of the explosion.

The cyan pegasus was not so lucky.

Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground a few yards away, a bloodied mess, her wings and body sliced to ribbons by the explosion of crystals. The pegasus panted heavily, struggling to get up, her body pierced by thousands of shards of black rock.
Wind Razor grinned, flying up out of the crater with a laugh and cracking her neck. “Not bad, kid. Yer granny Silvertail never even managed to lay a hoof on me. I almost feel bad in finishing you off now.”

The griffon smirked and grabbed Dash by her multicolored mane and lifted her head up, pulling a blade from her belt.

“Don't worry; I’ll hang yer scalp right next to your little friend. That way, you can always be togethERKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!” Wind
Razor yelped as a blow hammered into her side, knocking her away from the fallen pegasus.

The griffon snarled and rolled with the blow, a massive gash across the side of her head rapidly healing as she looked up from Dash, glaring at the stallion standing between her and her prey.

The white pegasus shifted to stand on his rear hooves, wings wide as he leveled his spear at the griffon, glaring at the bird from under the edge of his guard helm as he stood over Dash.

“You will have her over my dead body, criminal scum,” Peach Blossom growled.

“That's my favorite way to have things,” chuckled Wind Razor.

=======================================================

Starfall tore across the sky, her eyes scanning the ground for the marks. She wanted to go faster, she wanted to fly at top speed, but she knew if she went too much faster, she would probably lose the trail.

As it was, she nearly missed Rhede, Velkorn, and AJ standing at the edge of a cliff. There was a rope across the chasm, and Rhede looked like he was about to attempt to cross it. She cursed lightly, changing course to land hand near them.

“Which way did she go, Pelt?” Starfall shouted a bit louder than she meant though the panic was easily heard in her voice.
Rhede dropped off the rope, glancing into the woods, and pointed to the marker across the chasm. “This is as far as we've gotten.

The next marker is...”

A resounding boom cut him off as a black wave of energy arced across the sky before fading into nothing.

“Never mind. I think I found them,” Starfall cursed, launching back into the air.

“SILVERTAIL!” Rhede shouted, causing the pegasus to involuntarily pause to glare down at him.

Rhede opened his saddle back, yanking a sheathed dagger from it and flinging the blade into the air at Starfall. The pegasus caught the blade, curiously pulling it open a bit. Her eyes widened at the glimmer of star metal.

“Pelt, where do you ponies all keep finding this stuff?” Starfall growled.

“Never mind that. Just remember: rescue first, kill second, you understand me?” Pelt shouted. “Get her and get back to us as quick as you can.”

“Right, thanks Pelt,” Starfall replied, taking off again towards the explosion.

=======================================================

Rhede sighed, looking to Applejack as she yanked her rope free and re-coiled it. “Head back to town as quickly as you can, make sure Sparkle is alright,” Rhede mutters to her, speaking low.

“What? What tha hay are you gonna do?” Applejack questioned.

Rhede didn’t respond, but he moved suddenly, shoving the orange earth pony to the ground as a dagger sliced through the air pinning AJ's hat to the tree she had tied the rope around.

Applejack cursed as Rhede scrambled back to his hooves, moving next to Velkorn as both of them shifted to ready stances.

“You must have lost your touch, Scarlet. You're making enough noise for them to hear you in Canterlot,” Rhede hissed.

“Not my fault, Pelt. This blasted zebra doesn't understand the concept of stealth at all.” Scarlet grinned, stepping out of the treeline flanked by a dozen enthralled towns ponies and a dreadlocked zebra.

Velkorn stepped back, her eyes widening at the sight of Bloodtail. She flattened her ears to her head, barely repressing a shudder of fear.

[“Greetings, my queen. Have you missed me?”] the zebra stallion smirked.

==========================================================

The Goddess of the Sun looked down at the open chest, a small shiver running along her form as she stared at what it contained.

It was not the object itself that worried her, but what it would mean when she put it on. Centuries had passed without her being more than a diplomatic leader. Only on rare occasions had her hoof been forced enough that she needed to get physically involved.
She had not seen real combat since Discord had been defeated so long ago.

Certainly, there had been other fights. Forgescale's capture, the battle to retake the Crystal Empire, the fight with Nightmare Moon, and more recently, the short duel against Chrysalis.

She counted all but one of those a loss, and given what came after Forgescale's defeat, she could probably count that as such too. Each of those battles simply reinforced what her mentor had asked of her after Discord was defeated.

“Seek all options for peace. Do not allow your rage to bring you back to war,” Celestia muttered.

It had been sound advice from Aviana, something she had tried very hard to live up to. She thought she had succeeded with it a number of times, but conflict always returned.

The enchantment on the objects in the case was a potent one, something forged by her sister in a time of need. The binding to the enchantment was easily changed, however.

Celestia sighed. A thousand years ago, she and a group of Luna's closest friends tried to purge the corruption of the books from her sister. They had failed and Celestia was forced to use a sizable portion of her power to banish her sister. Luna's friends had given up their own freedom, given up the chance to make amends with their deed, to be seen as something other than Nightmare Moon's Generals. They could have been heroes rather than the feared Five Beasts of the Moon.

They had chosen instead to follow Luna into imprisonment, hoping that in the future their friend would forgive them for betraying her.

All the heroic praise, all the respect for stopping the threat of Luna was instead lavished on her. Small conflicts were quickly resolved just from her presence; wars were avoided simply because of her say. She had wielded the fame of that victory like a sword, forcing the diplomatic swing of the world to move as she wished. In less than a decade, old rivalries and conflicts that had plagued the peace of the lands was all but gone. No one had known war for nearly a thousand years.

It only happened because none of the other gods wished to test her. They recalled what Luna and her Generals had done, and had no wish to go against the one who stopped them all at once.

She was feared and respected for something she did not earn nor deserve. Despite the peace that it brought the world, she hated using her fame, hated wielding it like a sword, no, like a scythe, cutting away the weeds so the plants, her peace, could grow.

Celestia smiled at the analogy; farming— something she had not done in some time. It made things easier to think of the problems like weeds that needed to be removed. Her horn glowed briefly, lifting the objects from the chest and staring face to face with the fanged skull helm.

“One has to be careful not to cut the crop when one weeds, but you cannot fear the act of cutting or the weeds will kill the crop.”

“Princess?” Nicker questioned, watching as Celestia pulled the bone helm over her head, the skeletal armor rapidly forming around her like a suit of plate-mail.

Celestia inhaled, stretching a bit as the armor settled around her. It was clearly meant for a smaller pony, and there were parts of of her body that were exposed that she was not entirely comfortable with, but this was likely the only thing there was that might even come close to fitting her. Besides, the visage this skeletal armor gave her alone would be worth its weak points. She exhaled as the enchantment finished, the guards around her certain that a bit of fire left the Goddess’s lips.

“Nicker, ready the Guard. I am taking my city back,” Celestia stated, her voice seeming to echo from under the fanged helm.

“Yes, Princess.” Nicker saluted and rushed off to rally the forces.

Celestia turned, heading out of the war room towards the front gate, a group of guards flanking her on either side, but staying out of her path.

Events had shown her that why she sought peace may have been wrong. Kaisur had shown her that fear could stop just as many conflicts as talk. Twilight had shown her that the reasons didn't matter as much as the results. Luna had shown her that following one path to the exclusion of all others was folly, be it a path of war or a path of peace.

The front gates opened to the courtyard and all available troops in the castle stood there, snapping to attention and saluting, their armor and weapons glistening in the sun. The castle would be left undefended for a bit, but there was nothing in its walls worthy of the lives that would be lost if she did not act.

She glanced down at the Element of Honesty where she had let it rest around her neck, wondering if it was the cause of the sudden clarity she was experiencing.

Today, Celestia was willing to try things her sister’s way.

“Tempest tossed silence.”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“Tempest tossed silence.”

Rarity sighs looking up at the shield over them then down at Fluttershy as her friend tried to hide under the defaced painting on the roof.

“Well now that that bit of unpleasantness is out of the way.” Rarity states lashing out with a rear hoof and knocking out a still squirming bandit. The white unicorn mare lifts one of the bandits swords up looking at herself in the reflection of the blade. “How dreadful, split ends and my hair is so unbalanced right now.”

Fluttershy slowly crawls from under the painting as Rarity pulls a pair of scissors from her saddle bag along with a brush and some hair spray, before setting to work fixing her mane. The pale pegasus looks over the forms of the few bandits that Rarity had not thrown from the roof wincing lightly at the how bad Rarity had beat them up.

Even if they woke up any time soon it was not likely any of them would be walking any where, and she was certain at least two of them would never father any children. Though that might be for the best, it would be hard to find a proper daycare that could cater to the strange hours they would have to work as bandits.

“Um Rarity?”

“Yes dear?”

“Is this really the time to be fixing your mane?”

“Darling we are about to confront one of the big baddies here. No sense not looking your best when you lay the smack down as they say.”

“Where did you learn to fight like that?”

“You have met my parents, have you not?” Rarity sighs. “Do you really think my father would let his little girls grow up without being able to defend themselves?”

“No... I suppose Burt wouldn't but..... I didn't know he knew fighting like that. I thought all he did was bar fights and boxing.”

“Yes well, mother did help teach us. I even won a few competitions when younger, now I just practice to keep in shape. Sweetiebelle did just place second in her first ladder match a little while ago though. Father is a little less strict with her training it seems.”

“Um okay.”

A few more snips and Rarity tosses the sword away tucking her scissors away and tossing her head a bit, While her mane seemed a bit shorter, though besides that Fluttershy really couldn't see much a difference.

“How do I look?”

“Umm nice?”

“Why thank you, shall we head down stairs and see if Bleu has finished up yet?” Rarity beams trotting towards the door to the stairs.

=========================================================

This was bad. He had planned for things if a wrong turn was taken or he was betrayed ,but he did not expect things to reach this level.

Fancy Pants, or the changeling leader, he really was not sure what sort of term he could use now, was one of the surprises. Still no one would believe the bug and since Blue Blood had made it back to the castle first he could inform the guard who Fancy Pants really was and nothing the bug said would be believed.

He could not count that as a victory however. The number of prisoners he had freed and mercenaries he hired was dwarfed by the number of changelings attacking, even the dragon he turned loose was taken out, by a single Royal Guard of all things.

Granted that guard was a half dragon, Tigerhead or some such boring name like that, who was also supposed to represent the half dragons as a whole. Really it didn't matter, it was not if the creatures were a proper race any way, just some subset that came about through ponies with horrible taste in partners.

Still the loss of the dragon was a massive upset and one that he would make that Guard pay for later if he survived, still his options were becoming more and more limited now.

If Scarlet somehow delivered, which at the moment he doubted she would, activating his fail safe would cost him nothing. If the Guards were victorious he could use this as a way to raise his standing among the nobles, at least a little.

Of course if the changelings won, no plan he had would matter. That last bit was the clincher.

He trots rapidly through the castle ignoring the servants and the Guards rushing about. The horns along the ramparts sounded again, his ears flatten at the droning call. He had completely forgotten about those accursed things, if he had remembered he would have had them destroyed along with the normal alarm system.

Glancing around to ensure that no one was watching he pushed a lamp holder mounted to the wall up and to the left. A cool breeze from behind him flutters a tapestry hanging on the wall as a door opens behind it.

He looks around again before pulling the tapestry, one depicting a flight of dragon flies over a crystalline castle, and slips behind it into the secret tunnel.

His ears perk as he heads downward into the chambers under the castle, the door closing behind him with a soft creak as he descends.

Lights from ahead force him to quicken his pace as he crosses a landing over looking a wide open area in the abandoned crystal mine.

Nearly three hundred figures moved among the camps below. Griffons, Ponies, Minotaurs,Rams, Donkeys,Mules,a few half dragons, and a majority of Diamond Dogs milled about.

It had cost him a small fortune to keep these mercenaries here and in secret. He spent a large swath of his families fortune in hiring the small groups that would attack and loot Canterlot. Most of them were disgruntled former guards, bandits and thugs.

The ones he had down here were different. They were better trained and better armed. His own personal body guards along with those he hired out from under the noses of several other nobles and caravan trains. This group was ex guard, hunters,failed Wonderbolts, even a few bouncers from nightclubs that had caught his attention.

It was sad that he had to keep this lot as a back up plan, though there were far too many in this group that would have turned him in if they knew what the other group had done. So they had been moved to become his back up plan. He had hoped he would not have to use them, if the primary plan had worked out he simply would have sealed them all in the caves and forgotten them. Now he had a use for them.

He moved down into the camp headed for the tent of the pony he left in charge here. Many of them had heard the horns even this deep under the castle and were gearing up ready to go. Many of this group had considered him paranoid before , but were more than willing to take his bits. Now as he trotted past they watched him with a bit of fear and some awe that he had been right to gather them.

Blueblood smiles, he might just yet make it out of this situation favorably.

=========================================================

This was not the battle that Bleu wanted.

Her common sense was screaming at her to get out and come back with a plan of some sort, or at the very least some help.

The rest of her could only feel the boiling rage that the pony before hers visage brought. The one who gave Dullahan to the dragons, who showed them where, and when, the best place to attack was. The one who held most of the responsibility for Platinum being killed.

And now after all this time he had come back to try and kill her again.

The school was in ruins, the glass cases housing the artifacts of famous musicians had been smashed, the objects within burned or desecrated. The front window was smashed the sign with her sisters name had been destroyed, the memorial plaque that hung by the front doors was a battered and twisted lump of bronze. The few classrooms she could see lay in ruins, and a massive pile of music sheets lay in a crater in the marble floor burning along with a number of instruments.

The target of her ire stood before her just out of reach.

The earth pony had dodged aside from her first attack moving before a shield that took up a section of wall at the base of the stairs. Behind that shield was approximately a dozen foals and half as many adults, including the current Dean of the school Octavia. The gray earth pony looked as if she had seen better days, she was covered with bruises and cuts and her left eye had swollen shut from a massive bump on her head though the earth pony still stood, glaring at Claymore with just as much venom as Bleu was. What looks like piano wires were wrapped around each of the prisoners and stretched out of the shield attached to banisters and pillars in the air above her to the second and third floors. The wires would carry any electricity she fired right into the hostages if she even came close to one of those wires. To make matters worse despite how big the hall was to ponies to a full sized dragon it would have been constricting so she was forced to remain in her pony sized form.

Claymore kept his back to the shield and the ponies trapped within it. There was at least a dozen other ponies around, some in cloaks and hoods, others in what looked like salvaged armor and gear adorned with a red horseshoe. She could take out a few of the cloaked figures maybe even the one that kept the shield up to allow the hostages to run though Claymore would take advantage of that and she couldn't get all of the guards, there were enough of them that they could easily get to the hostages before she could stop them.

Claymore was rambling on about something and Bleu was not paying the slightest bit of attention to what he was saying as she tried to work out a plan. Something Claymore eventually caught onto.

“For bucks sake, you stupid lizard, I go to all the trouble of luring you here and you can't even bother to listen to the rant I had prepared?” Claymore shouts exasperated.

“Oh I am sure it was quite lovely full of 'rue the days' and 'fear mes' but lets face it, I've heard all that crap before from any number of creatures that are now little more than notches on a belt, so can we hurry to the part where I squish you? “ Bleu growls getting a laugh from Claymore.

“Fine then, I figured a chatterbox like you would be all for a running conversation.” Claymore kicks out a foreleg knocking the point of his blade out of the tile floor. The massive thing falls across his back and he shifts his shoulder moving the handle to where he could grab it . He shifts a little under it and smirks. “Trixie put a shield around the building, I’d rather take my time to enjoy this.

One of the cloaked figures yelped at her name being called and tried to push herself back further against the wall though the blue glow from her horn was readily apparent. Bleu made a note of her, likely also the one who made the shield that kept the prisoners.

Bleu turns her head back to Claymore cursing as she didn't see him, she quickly launches herself to the side barley dodging the massive blade as it came down destroying the tile floor and the ground under it where she had been standing. She flaps her wings hard flying backwards towards the entrance to dodge a return swing of the blade as well, ignoring the rocks and pebbles flung at her by the quickly hefted blade as they bounced off her scales.

Her eyes widen as the stones suddenly start to hiss, She launches herself straight up into the air as the rocks that struck her burst into small blobs of fire that pop and sputter like mini volcanoes for a heartbeat before going dormant.

“That's a dragon spell..... How many of those damn things did Silver Claw teach you?” snarls Bleu.

“Enough... it also helped I sat in on a couple of sessions he had with his little apprentice. Don't think this is gonna be easy this time bitch. You don't have Kaisur and a whole damned army backing you up anymore.” Claymore chuckles jerking his head to snap the massive blade and flick clear the gobs of molten rock that were clinging to it.

“Heh you think I came alone?” Bleu chuckles as Claymore flinches at that his gaze shifting about a little clearly worried about who she brought.

“Hey Claymore.” shouts a cloaked figure from above as she shoves a pair of ponies down the stairs with a jab of her spear. Six others followed behind the mare along with the white unicorn and the yellow pegasus.

Rarity chuckles waving to Bleu sheepishly..

“Caught them sneaking around upstairs. Want me to throw them in the cage?” the cloaked figure questions.

“HAH, this is your back up? The fashion bitch and that little mouse from Ponyville.” Claymore grins.” you saved me the trouble of hunting them down later any way, the contact wants the white one and I was after the yellow one. Buck maybe if I leave you alive long enough you'll present me with Kaisur's head too.”

It was only for a moment, though in that slight distraction Bleu was already on Claymore again claws ripping into his side as he tried to dive out of the way. Claymore chuckled slashing out with his blade forcing Bleu back. He grins wide as the claw marks rapidly close up along his flank.

“Well now, like I said in my speech I hope your ready to fight a god.”

“You won't be the first one I’ve killed.” snarls Bleu rushing the earth pony once more.

=====================================================

Silver Claw spits out a glob of blood watching as one of his teeth bounced on the stone. It had been a mistake to try and fight the Princess of the Night in the air, he should have realized that when she had mentioned a Valkyrie fighting style. Legends of the all female tribe of pegasi had lasted even to this day. It was said when they took to the air you went to ground, period. Still something was bugging him, as he crouched in the crater where he landed. When he looked up at Luna still floating above him he realized what it was.

“You and Kaisur trained together didn't you? You actually developed a style to compliment one another.” Silver Claw growls.

“We did expect to fight anything, so after you were sealed we all trained together extensively. It became even more important after we split from Canterlot. You have read the history, why is this a revelation?” Luna comments curiously.

“The book we had was incomplete and it seems the book my apprentice gave us left a number of details out as well.” Silver Claw chuckles. He shifts in the crater watching Luna for an opening or any sort of spell, though she seemed content to be crushing him with her bare hooves and simply waiting until he came out of his hole..

Both of them were distracted as Nocturne flew past sideways, slamming into a stone wall with Jer'rahd in hot pursuit.

“You've got another thing coming if you think I’m letting you go out like that young lady!” Jer'rahd hollers plowing into Nocturne as she tries to pull herself from the wall, driving them both into the building and collapsing it on top of them both.

“Kaisur can you please try to take this more seriously?” Luna shouts.

Nocturne explodes out of the rubble launching into the air only to find herself face to face with Luna's hoof and was immediately sent soaring back into the ground.

“Hey if she wants to keep calling me her father I am going to make sure she gets the disaplineing she clearly never got growing up.” Jer'rahd shouts climbing out of the rubble.

“You are mad..... both of you. Stark raving!” screams Nocturne yanking herself up from the new crater.

“Been a long time since I’ve been able to cut loose. I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but I’m having fun stomping the crap outta you two.” chuckles Jer'rahd his red eye flaring brightly. “ Hey does this mean I can count Silver Claw as your colt friend, always wanted to intimidate my daughters dates.”

“Kaisur I wish you would give that up. This one is clearly no child of mine. If she was I would have already lost as I wouldn't harm my own child.” Luna glares at the other alicorn. “ She is simply a construct of a mad god, not even worth pity or hate. Simply something to be destroyed before the damage it causes spreads. Like a semi sentient fungus that infects crops.”

“GRAHHHHHHHHHH!!” Nocturne screams launching herself at Luna.

“I suppose I have had enough of this.” Silver Claw mutters as the alicorns collide in the air.

He turns his head firing a blast of flame at Jer'rahd, forcing the pony to raise his shield to block the white fire. At the same time he stretches out his hand towards the two alicorns. A sickly yellow ray leaps from his out stretched fore claw, striking the pair dueling in the air enveloping them both.

“LUNA” shouts Jer'rahd. The Waning Moon tears through the air slicing deep into Silver Claws outstretched arm, sending blood and scales flying as it cuts to the dragon's bone. The crimson lizard screams out, yanking his arm back.

Nocturne screams out again, though this time it's directed at Silver Claw. “ TRAITOR!!! HOW DARE YOU!”

“My goals were never yours Nocturne. Though look on the bright side while not a god, at least you are the only alicorn.” Silver Claw chuckles. Climbing out of the crater with a wince as he tries not to put weight on his arm.

Jer'rahd looks up again seeing dark blue figure floating in the sky. A short platinum blue mane and tail graced a form that while built as lithely, was only half the size of Luna, though still bigger than Starfall. She had no horn though her wings remained spread wide, keeping her in the air. The strangest thing however was her cutie mark was no longer a crescent moon, but now it looked to be a weapon not unlike the Waning Moon.

“Luna?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“Well.” Luna sighs.” This was unexpected.”

========================================================

The spear blade rips through the griffons wing showering the rocky soil with blood and torn feathers, Wind Razor barely seems to feel the pain as she presses her attack on the Guard.

The stallions armor was shredded and his weapon full of nicks from her claws, though so far she had been unable to land more than a couple of glancing blows.

If she had not become a god the stallion would have likely killed her a few times already. She had underestimated him from the start thinking this one was the same as the Royal Guards up in Canterlot, soft and weak. After one wing had been lost and regrown and both her heart and belly pierced by that steel spear of his she was certain he was one of the new 42nd.

“You're good colt, but you unfortunately peaked my interest a little too much. I figure once I finish this little hunt I might start a new one.” Wind Razor smirks. “Using your tail as a starter.”

“Is that supposed to scare me?” Peach Blossom chuckles his eyes locked on the griffon as another wound he landed on her closes. Nothing he did seemed to phase her for long and he was sure he pierced her heart with at least one shot. She had been down for a few moments after that hit, long enough for him to make sure Rainbow Dash was still breathing and bandage a few of her wounds before the fight started again.

“Face it pony you already gutted me, stabbed me though the heat and I’m just a bit bloody for it, meanwhile all I’ve done it land a couple of scratches on you and you can barely keep that spear up.” Wind Razor cackles. “By Tartarus, i haven’t even started to use my new powers yet and you're already about to drop. You think you can hold me off forever colt?”

“I don't need to hold you off forever. Just long enough.” Peach Blossom grins.

“Long enough for what? We are in the middle of no where fool, if you expect a rescue they may want to hurry...... what are you doing?” Wind Razor questions as the pony suddenly dives to the ground covering Dash though keeping his spear up and pointed at Wind Razor, the but of it jammed against the ground.

Wind Razor turns her head hearing a high pitched whine just as a gray hoof connects with her throat snapping her neck at a unnatural angle and flinging her forward to impale herself on the guards spear, The shaft of the weapon snaps as the blade catches on her spine, though she still continues forward from the impact of the blow across the rocky surface and into the gorge. A loud roar is heard as a massive eel like creature bursts from a hole in the ground snapping the falling griffon out of the air and yanking itself back into its hole with it's meal.

“Well that was anti climatic.” grumbles Starfall landing a bit away before rushing over to Dash to check on her in a panic all but throwing Peach Blossom off the pegasus.

“Sir, I doubt that it's over, I landed a number of shots that should have killed her and she kept healing from them.” Peach Blossom curses tossing his broken weapon aside as he gets up.

“What happened to her?” mutters Starfall yanking her saddle bags off and digging out her own first aid kit to start trying to treat Dash.

“She was like that when I arrived, evidently the griffon has some sort of shadow power, she had a number of black crystals piercing her form, but we need to focus on....”

“Do you have any more gauze? I need to make sure her wings set properly...”

“Sir.....”

“....and a splint for her leg, give me that broken spear there....”

“Sir!”

“... what about ointment, or something to prevent infection....

“DAMN IT SILVERTAIL!” Peach Blossom stomps over and grabs Starfall by the ears, turning her head to the chasm. The eel was back out of it's cave and flailing wildly, silently screaming in pain.

With a last few shudders it falls, hanging limply out of the cave. After a moment a metal covered claw bursts out of it's side followed by a second. The claws grip the edges of the hole and yank apart ripping the gash larger in the side of the eel. Blood pours from the wound running down the body of the creature, falling towards the bottom of the chasm like rain. A red gore soaked griffon climbs out of the tear clawing her way up onto the beasts back before flicking her wings to clear them of blood. She glances down at the spear in her chest gripping the haft and ripping it free with a pained roar before flinging it aside and glaring at the three ponies on the other side of the chasm.

“That hurt.” Wind Razor growls.

Starfall blinks, then looks up at Peach Blossom. “ Why didn't you point that out to me sooner?”

Peach Blossom slaps his face with a hoof. “ You deal with her and I’ll get Dash somewhere safe, then I’ll come back to help you.”

“Right, hurry up then.” Starfall mutters stepping back from Dash before launching herself into the air drawing her blades.

=========================================================

The swarm rushes down the street, galloping and flying down the main street of Canterlot, some of the wave branches off down side allies and smashing into the buildings after the ponies hiding there. If those found did not fight back they were cocooned and left in the partially destroyed buildings to be gathered later.

If they resisted, well a large number of the changelings were meat eaters.

Small Dragons, Chimera, Ponies, Griffons, Diamond Dogs,Ram, Minotaur, and countless other races even including a single massive hydra rush along the streets, smashing through the town with their goal being the front gate of the castle.

Small groups of ponies fled before them, the changelings did not press their speed any, knowing that when they reached the gates they could take the ones ahead of them easily as the gate would be closed against the swarm.

The charging wave of black and green crested the rise that brought the front gate into sight. The castle drawbridge was down and the gate wide open. A number of Guards stood by the gate though they seemed more concerned with the ponies running ahead of the swarm and the few faster members of the black wave that had rushed ahead. All of them stared wide eyed at the black flood of chitinous flesh that was racing towards the castle.

On the road just before the draw bridge however was a sight that made a few of the smarter changelings pause and a hoof full turn and go another way, though the main brunt of the swarm was still focused on conquest.

At first glance the figure seemed to be an off white unicorn though as the leading edge of the swarm drew closer it was clear the figure was white and wearing what looked like the skull and bones of a much larger creature. Glowing white eyes glared at the swarm from under the helm, her massive multi colored mane and tail whipped as if trapped in a unseen tornado. The figure snaps her wings open with the sound of a thunderclap.

“THIS WILL BE YOUR ONLY WARNING. LEAVE MY KINGDOM OR BE DESTROYED. WE SHALL NOT WARN YOU AGAIN. THOU SHALT NOT PASS!”

The resounding boom of the voice made a few of the Diamond Dog changelings flinch and the swarm as a whole stall and slow, though howls of battle from multiple throats filled the air, the sound echoing louder than even the royal Canterlot voice had achieved.

“So be it.” Celestia states offering a glance back at the gate as the last of the ponies fleeing the swarm ran across the threshold. The gate slammed shut and the guards at the top of the wall dove for cover.

The Princess of the sun turned her gaze to the creatures rushing towards her in a giant wave. They were almost atop her when the leading edge drew up short, some were trampled though the sudden stop before reaching the Princess caused the entire rush to cease.

The mass of changelings lifted their heads in the air as one, looking into the sky at the tsunami of flames that rose and spread from the alicorn on the drawbridge.

Only a few managed to scream before the wave of fire crashed over them.

==========================================================

Bleu roars in pain, leaping away and leaving a splatter of blood and a large number of her chest scales behind her. The blow had not been deep, but it had not so much cut her as impacted, then torn the flesh away from the point of contact.

Claymore was laughing around the blade griped in his mouth, his blade smashing through pillars and walls and anything else Bleu tried to put between her and the rampaging earth pony. She had landed a few blows herself, though all of them had healed in a matter of moments, Claymore laughing at them as if they were nothing. Those few hits had cost her too, Claymore wielded a weapon three times his size like a swashbuckler with a rapier, the sheer mass of it barely seeming to register to him as he changed the momentum of the blade on the fly, ignoring momentum completely. She could see his neck and back muscles clearly straining from swinging it, though he had yet to even break a sweat.

She had planed to do the same thing she had done to his daughter, lift him off the ground so he lost connection with the earth and thus the dragon magic he was tapping into. It seemed however he was a bit more skilled than his daughter and she could not even get close enough to try.

Maybe she could take out a leg, she wasn’t sure how long it would take for one to grow back as she had never seen the Boss do anything along those lines. Maybe that would give her an opening she needed and she could try to rescue the others while he recovered.

Time for something sneaky.

“Seriously, this is your best? I thought you were supposed to be a feared bitch. One of those deadly Beasts of the Moon things. Riding too much on Kaisur's coattails it seems.” Claymore mocks. “ I mean fer buck's sake, you can't fight like a real dragon either, you're using a pathetic mishmash of dragon and guard training. Clearly you're too used to just using brute force to get what you want done. I suppose that means you're closer to the dragons of this age in ability, stupid and slow.”

Bleu growls launching herself forward at him. Claymore grins whipping the sword at Bleu's head only to find she was no longer there. His eyes drop watching the tiny dragonling scurry across the floor under the blade swing having shrunk down to a smaller size.

Bleu slips past the stomping of his forelegs moving under his belly. She rapidly changes to full size her jaws widening to rip open the earth ponies belly and chest with a single bite. Her fangs crackle with electricity as her maw slams shut.

Her jaws close on air.

Bleu stood at full size, stretched up two stories in the air eyes wide as she looks at the earth pony who seemed to momentarily float over the top of her muzzle.

Claymore had jumped into the air and bounced off the piano wires to get high enough to avoid the entire attack, and he still had his sword.

The earth pony whirls in midair, His whole body being used to bring the mass of his blade around. The weapon slams into Bleu's shoulder with enough force to send her crashing through the wall and the classrooms of the first and second floor and out of the side of the building in a cacophony of cursing rock, splintering wood, and shattering glass. Her flight comes to an abrupt pause as her body slams into the shield, her left wing being crushed under her own body weight as she slams against the unyielding surface.

One of the cloaked figures screams out falling to her knees as the shield cracks, but doesn't break.

Bleu shudders looking down at the cut running from her elbow to the base of her neck, the impact flaying scale, flesh and leaving a deep gash in the now exposed bone. She whimpers barely holding on to conciseness.

Claymore lands with a heavy thud flicking the blood from his blade almost as an after thought as he looks through the hole he made in the side of the building with interest. He glances to Trixie as she whimpers noting she still kept the shield up despite the impact.

“Hmm guess I hit her too hard. Oh well.” Claymore grins trotting among the wreckage towards the dragon. “Guess I should end this now. Don't feel too bad, I spent years on the wall killing things ten times nastier than you. This was never a fair fight to begin with.”

===================================================

Sparks flew as blue crystal struck steel, flakes of both the metal and crystalline weapons flaking off from the force of the blows the pair where exchanging. A shimmer of dust from the weapons drifts about the whirling forms of the combatants like glitter giving the whole fight a surreal quality.

Peach Blossom watched from the treeline as the griffon and pegasus whirled about each other in the air the clank of steel and the chime of crystal punctuated by curses and grunts of effort.

The pair had met in the air over the canyon rushing to meet each other and trading verbal insults and taunts even before their weapons had connected for the first time.

The pegasus stallion was struggling just to follow their mad battle. The pair had not broken away from each other for more than a second since they first started. He had moved Dash to the treeline at the edge of the canyon and patched her up as best he could, she was still bleeding but none of the wounds seemed life threatening for now, at least judging by his limited medical skill.

Occasionally feathers or tufts of gray or purple fur would be cut loose, drifting down from where they fought like snow along with the motes of weapon dust. The stallion was sure that there was blood raining down too, though the pair moved to quickly for him to identify which had been wounded.

The battle slowed briefly as the griffon darted forward changing into a cloud of black smoke, though she turned back to normal just as quickly as the crystal blades struck the dark mist as if it was still her flesh sending a splatter of blood and a hoof full of feathers flying from the griffons neck.

Wind Razor fell back a moment before solidifying, her wound quickly healing. She lets out a cry like a roar and rushed forward to return to the rapid battle.

Peach Blossom shakes his head looking up at the conflict not liking the odds.

He considered heading back to town to try and find Major Kaisur, but he was reluctant to leave Starfall alone, particularly since he had no idea how to get the Major back here quickly enough to be a help. Rainbow Dash had yet to wake and was still breathing raggedly so it might not be best to move her haphazardly by trying to carry her. There was also the chance he might spot an opening that he could exploit to help take down the griffon.

Peach Blossom sighs not entirely certain how he would be able to do that with his weapon shattered. He glanced down at the wounded cyan pegasus, a small trickle of an idea crossed his mind as he looked Dash over. It wasn’t much , but it was better than doing nothing.

=========================================================

The trees around the gorge rustled slightly as they passed, though no other noise came from the trees until the clang of daggers striking each other in mid air and falling to the ground broke the silence. The Red and black blurs of the pair of earth pony assassins darted among the tall branches attacking and counter attacking as each strive to get a better position to try and take out the other.

Their expressions betrayed their opinions on the duel however, Rhede was panicked, Scarlet was amused. The pair moved faster than Apple Jack could easily follow.

Granted she was not trying very hard to keep watch on them at the moment. She had already lost sight of Velkorn and she had her own distractions anyway.

Carrot top swung a hoof at the farm pony forcing her to bring her hoof up to block, though before she could counter attack, the carrot farmer had bounded away and Feather Duster the Filthy's maid had fired a burst of magic at her.

Apple Jack dove under the attack and rolled to the side to avoid a kick from Thunderlane.

She scrambled back to her hooves looking at the seven ponies that were milling around her. There had been eleven though she had managed to even the odds a little. Two foals, Rumble and Button were tied to a tree with her lasso, they had been the first that she needed to get out of the way so they didn't get hurt. The enthralled pair of colts still struggled to get free and attack her however. Button's mom was currently pinned under a tree that AJ had bucked over, she was hoping to get a few more though the others had been quick enough to avoid it. The overly muscled Snowflake had been taken out with a lucky hoof shot to his face, big pony like that had a glass jaw, AJ would have been amused by that if she wasn't fighting for her life.

Still there were seven left and AJ was getting her flank stomped by them. She couldn't see Velkorn and only briefly heard a curse or a clank of daggers from Rhede and Scarlet, so it was probably better to focus on what was in front of her, Namely, Thunderlane, Feather Duster, Carrot Top, some musician stallion that played at the last Nightmare Night, and three others whose names eluded her at the moment.

“Welp.... guess I jus need tah get serious then.” Apple Jack smirks looking at the hypnotized ponies and angling her hat down lower over her eyes.

===============================================================

Part of Starfall could not help but relish this fight. It was a battle she had been seeking for years, a chance to finally avenge Loc.

Another part of Starfall was terrified of this fight. That part remembered how easily she had lost to the griffon in the past. That part of her worried what would happen if she fell, if she lost now. There would be no massive spell coming to save her this time, no rescue, no friends to pull her out of the fire at the last moment.

Just the pegasus and the griffon.

She had been hit a few times, and although the light armor she wore took the brunt of the damage she could feel the trickle of blood running down her chest from a strike that went deeper. Wind Razor on the other hoof should have been dead. The crystal blades cut though the griffon no matter if she was solid or that odd smoke form she now used. Every strike however had quickly healed and the bird seemed to realize that and was not even trying to defend herself now. She was simply attacking.

Fortunately the griffons armor and claw guards were not protected the same as she seemed to be. The armor was in ribbons and one of the metal gauntlets had been sundered by Starfall's sword forcing her to use her slightly less effective claws.

Unfortunately Wind Razor had picked up a trick or two and not long after her weapon had been shattered a new one of black crystal had been formed around her claw. It was that black claw that had scored the deepest cut on Starfall and easily cut through her light armor.

Starfall struggled to redouble her efforts thinking at the very least to move the fight far enough away from Dash and Peach Blossom so they could escape.

Wind Razor seemed to have other ideas.

Starfall turned suddenly doing a quick barrel roll over the griffon to get on the other side of her. She deflects a claw slash with the blue crystal blade on her wing, shifting the other wing blade to be gripped in her mouth. Starfall flips over an over extended claw attack. She lashes out with the blade gripped in her teeth and was shocked when it connected.

A shower of blood splattered over the pegasus as the griffons wing is severed spiraling away from the birds back. Starfall's momentum continues carrying her along with the hard swing. Her eyes widen as she spots the griffons grin and realizes Wind Razor sacrificed the wing so Starfall would give her an opening.

“Gotcha.”Wind Razor chuckles as she starts to fall.

Before Starfall could react the griffon's claw grabbed her foreleg, black crystal piercing her armor and sinking into her flesh as all of the griffons weight was suddenly yanking her down.

She lashed out striking the bird with her hooves unable to bring her wing blades to bare as she struggled to keep airborne. She tossed her head, attacking with the blade gripped in her teeth only to hand Wind Razor's other claw grab it and yank it towards her along with the pegasus's head. The griffon yanked on her leg at the same time pulling herself closer to the pegasus face. She lunges forward suddenly her forehead smashing hard into Starfall's muzzle rocking the gray pegasus' head back and knocking her sword free.

Starfall gasps seeing spots, her wings going limp in the moment of disorientation, speeding the pairs decent.

Wind Razor grins using her remaining wing to spin the pair around in the air right before impact so Starfall's was the first body to hit the ground.

=================================================

“What the buck did you do?” snarls Jer'rahd rushing the dragon.

“I raised my chances to win of course.” Silver Claw chuckles launching into the air again though not fast enough that he didn't feel the touch of the Waning Moon carving another few chunks out of his tail. The red dragon winces looking down as the gray pony continues to follow him into the air forming a ramp of green shield panels that he gallops up. That part of the books seemed to be accurate in that the unicorn could not create his shields and move his sword at the same time with his magic. Still it wouldn't be healthy to let him get close. Silver Claw back peddles in the air though a cry from Luna distracts Jer'rahd from his target.

The Princess was darting around in the air, with a speed close to what he had seen Starfall achieve, with a cluster of spirally blue bolts of energy trailing after her leaving long tracers of light. Nocturne stood bellow adding to the swarm of magic missiles as the alicorn raged. A veritable airborne circus of colors and and energy filled the air swirling about in a a chaotic dance of trails and power showering the whole area and all those in it with bolts of destructive energy.

“Poor mare throws a tantrum when things do not go her way. Little better than a child despite her protests to the contrary.” Silver Claw sighs, lifting his arm and swatting away the glowing balls away the magic exploding against his arm though he barely seemed to register the impacts.

The ones after Jer'rahd slammed into a hastily raised shield with just as much effectiveness as they had against the dragon. Another shield was quickly raised protecting Luna from another series of missiles. The ground and buildings around the market explode into splinters and kick dust and spoke into the air obscuring the ground from the impacts.

Nocturne takes to the air chasing Luna firing further bursts of magic at the rolling and diving Princess. Luna dodges them easily and zips past Jer'rahd's position in the air calling out to him as she passes, Nocturne in hot pursuit.

“Deal with Silver Claw, I have this one Kaisur.”

She glares at him stopping any protests he could have made with the look before she rolls over another blast of magic and dives into the clouds of smoke below with the ravening alicorn on her hooves.

“I'm not seeing how taking out an ally raises your chance to win, even if you did get Luna, I can still rip you apart myself.” Jer'rahd growls.

Silver Slaw seems amused by this as he watched Jer'rahd moves closer.

“I am not surprised you don't get it. With your situation, I suppose you wouldn't. Nocturne used the Element of Magic as did Luna when she activated the books. You and I were in possession of Loyalty. I assume you know what that means I have access to now.”

“The Beast.”

“Well a version of it, not nearly as potent as the one in you considering the creature that was created by the merger of the books power and Loyalty resides in you. Though my power is still staggering compared to others.”

“If you know what you have is weaker, why is that even a factor in this?”

“Because a corrupted Bearer of Magic controls the monster their corrupted Bearer of Loyalty turns into. But I just took both Magic bearer's out of the equation.”

Jer'rahd flinches catching on.

“That means your free of Nocturne's control and Luna wouldn't be able to stop me if I changed.”

“Exactly and since there's nothing to fight for control within me. I have no qualms about changing and ending you.” Silver Claw grins flying higher as Jer'rahd gallops across his shields trying to catch the dragon before it was too late.

=========================================================

“ DO SOMETHING DAMN IT!” screams out Rhede, kicking off a tree and somersaulting though the air, a trio of blades launching from his tail to knock the same number of daggers from the air, flung at him by another red pony bouncing among the trees.

“Oh, but I am? Scarlet laughs.” What, do you think I’m not trying hard enough to kill you? You always were the impatient pupil Pelt. Wanting to know everything immediately.”

Rhede for the most part ignored her taunts, he couldn't lose focus on the fight or she would have gut him in a heartbeat, though his attention kept shifting to Velkorn.

The zebra mare was backed all the way to the edge of the chasm, her eyes wide in panic, ears flat and her head whipping about looking for some way out.

Bloodtail however was calmly moving towards her shifting his approach so that she had to move closer to him to get away and in the freaked out state Velkorn was in she wouldn't go any where if it meant getting closer. It was likely only her sense of self preservation that kept her from diving over the cliff, or trying to jump the wide gorge.

This was something he had worried about despite Velkorn's assurances she would be fine. He knew they would need to deal with Bloodtail at some point and even before he had tried to brainwash her Velkorn had been scared of him, afterward she had acted much like Jer did towards deep water.

She had tried to hide it ,but she shuddered every time the zebra's name was even mentioned. When she first saw him here she had froze in place only breaking out of the shock when Rhede shoved her out of the way of one of the enthralled ponies attacks.

Rhede thought he knew fear, he was afraid of his former teacher Scarlet, He was afraid for his family, and he was terrified of that vision he received from the Elements where his cowardice cost ponies their lives. He was even more afraid the vision would mean he was going to let some one he cared about die.

But he didn't understand a fear that would make a pony simply freeze in place, or run away screaming for no reason. It had no rhyme or reason, Bloodtail was not a physical zebra, Velkorn should have been able to simply slap the shit out of him and be done with it, as it was she was backed against a cliff wall and seeming to be considering whether jumping into a canyon was a viable option or not.

“Aww what's the matter Pelt, worried about your little mare friend? And here I thought I was enough for you.”Scarlet chuckles from some where in the trees. “You found me beautiful once.”

“Honey, you got reeeeeeeal ugly.”Rhede growls diving to the side as a dozen daggers imbed into the tree he was standing on.

Scarlet cackles at he avoids her attack and Rhede flicks a couple of daggers from his tail towards the sound, not really expecting them to hit.

He scrambles off the ground, up into the tree using a springy branch as a catapult to launch himself into another tree hoping for a better vantage point to target the mare.

A resounding crack catches his attention and Apple Jack lays out a dark coated pegasus stallion though she takes a hit from another of the enthralled ponies in the process. The farm pony had lost her hat though she was still holding her own well enough against the remaining six, though it was clear she was taking a few blows she could have avoided while pulling her punches to prevent from really hurting the enthralled ponies.

The sound of chanting drew his attention back to Velkorn, as he fought back the panic that nearly gave Scarlet a chance to embed a dagger in his throat.

“Now now Pelt, as I said you better pay attention to me.” Scarlet states simply appearing before him and lashing out with her hooves. Rhede drops from the tree landing lightly and darting away into the bushes as the sky rained daggers on the spot he landed.

He knew that chant, knew that spell, he had spent several years trying to break it.

He darted around a tree seeing Velkorn still at the edge of the cliff, frozen in place, a cloud of blue powder drifting in the air around her head, the color staining her muzzle. Bloodtail was less than a pony's length from her, chanting the same spell he had been the last time Rhede saw him in the Zebra capitol.

Velkorn's eyes were glazed, her body trembling still recoiling in fear though it was clearly not obeying her any more.

“Well isn't this a predicament you have yourself in Pelt.” Scarlet whispers in Rhede's ear.

He dives aside as the mare laughs bouncing after him like her legs were made of springs. He flings another group of daggers at the mare watching as the blades collided in mid air with her own thrown weapons.

He shifts his gaze from the mad mare back to Velkorn and Bloodtail his ears flattening to his head. He couldn't let the spell be finished, nor could he turn his back on Scarlet unless he wanted a dagger in it. Of course he would encounter these psycho’s after Starfall had passed by and with no other fliers around. They were easily a twenty minute run from the edge of town and unless some one was on their heels following the markers they were not likely to get any back up in time.

He drops from the tree, his tail whipping sending his last three throwing daggers from the brace hidden in the hair towards Scarlet. The mare dodged again though her movement gave him the second he needed.

Rhede takes off running towards the two zebras hearing the earth pony mare's laughter behind him at the choice he made.

He didn't consider it much of a choice. Certainly he had spurn her, turned her away and did his best to drive her towards another stallion, but it was for her best interest, he couldn't let anything happen to Velkorn.

He rushes on expecting at any moment to feel a blade in his back from the cackling mad mare in the trees. He presses on kicking a fallen throwing dagger from the ground into the air catching the weapon in his mouth.

[“ …. and with the last cry of the Mourning Dove....”] Bloodtail chants in ancient zebraic pausing briefly as the thunder of hooves reaches his ears

The zebra stallions eyes widen as he sees Rhede though the larger pony was already on top of him before he could react. The massive red earth pony slams bodily into the much smaller zebra, the blade gripped in his teeth burying deeply into the side of the deadlocked stallions head as the force of the charge lifts Bloodtail into the air. The zebra screams as he flails his form spiraling away from the pair and over the lip of the cliff edge into the gorge.

Rhede spits out the foul taste of blood from his mouth looking at the blue powdered face of Velkorn. This was the second time he had seen this scene and the second time he had stopped it at this point. Unlike how it had been long ago, he knew what to do this time.

[“ And with the last cry of the Mourning Dove, chose freely your life and whom you will love.”] Rhede responds completing the spell.

Velkorn blinks coughing hard and dipping her head wiping the powder from her face as she gags on the powder.

[“Rhede.. What? What happened to... Bloodtail ...”]

“It's okay I stopped him, you should be fine for now. Get Apple Jack and get out of here, find Jer and Luna as fast as you can, I doubt the fall killed him and Scarlet is still here too.”

[“Fine.. what about... by the stars.....”] Velkorn's eyes widen as she looks at him.

“Yeah I don't think I will be going any where. Sorry, but this is why I refused you... I knew this was gonna happen... pity … you almost convinced me too.” Rhede chuckles leaning forward and touching his nose lightly to hers before falling to the ground with a crash and the clatter of metal.

Velkorn stares down at Rhede, his entire left side and back was filled with enough daggers to make him look like a steel porcupine. Blood and green gray icor covered the blades pooling rapidly around his fallen form turning the dirt to crimson mud.

=====================================================

Luna whipped and darted among the burning buildings, dodging the magic blasts from Nocturne by a feathers thickness. Her lungs burned and her wings ached at the strain she was putting them under, not that she had gotten lazy but having a gods resilience it was nearly impossible to push the limits of endurance.

Nocturne was keeping up quite well, despite the wild blasts of magic she was flinging she had yet to be shaken loose from Luna's tail.

Honestly though this is what the Princess had wanted. While her normal magics were inaccessible at the moment, this was not the first time she had been depowered, denied access to her casting abilities, it was one of the reasons she had kept practicing her physical skills, just in case. And in a town filled with clouds of smoke, a pegasus's abilities could be just as deadly as a unicorn's magic.

She darted through the billowing smoke of Ponyville her pegasi magic starting to drag the dark clouds of soot along in her wake. Nocturne, still hot on Luna's hooves, was forced to fly in the growing dense cloud of ash, while Luna had slightly cleaner air to breath. The dark pegasus finally found what she was looking for in a small area of houses that had yet to be touched by flame. Most of the doors hung open the ponies clearly having fled. A perfect spot to end this with out any pony else getting hurt.

The smoke trailed behind her as she burst into the clear area, inhaling deeply of the fresh air before dropping down to the ground. Her momentum carried her as her hooves touched the dirt sending her sliding across the back yard of one of the buildings. Luna twists letting her momentum carry her sliding form around to face back the way she had come from. As she comes to a stop between a swing set and a small herb garden she charges forward back towards Nocturne as she bursts out of the choking cloud . and skidding over the cobble stones and she twisted letting her momentum spin her about to face Nocturne.

The alicorn wheezed coughing from the smoke she had inhaled following the princess through the town, her eyes watered as she cursed her horn flaring though she was unable to see a target as she tried to blink the ash from her eyes.

“I am going to destroy you mother!” screamed Nocturne.

“I doubt that very much.” states Luna softly, barely a wings breath from the hacking alicorn's face.

===============================================================

“So this is what it looks like from the other side..... I feel kinda sick now.” Jer'rahd mutters.

Silver Claw had called upon the beasts power while he hovered in the air and for a moment it appeared as if nothing happened. Moments later with a the sound of splitting stone a crack formed across the dragons chest, some of his thick scales starting to flake off the surprised dragon. The cracks continued spider webbing across his form at a alarming rate.

Bits of the red dragon seemed to fall away, dropping to the ground or being pulled inside of itself leaving gaping black holes in the cracking form of the dragon. After several seconds of this Silver Claw looked like a porcelain figure that had been broken and hastily glued back together by foals trying to avoid punishment.

Seconds later the massive dragon shattered like an eggshell revealing a mass of feathers and fur that seemed to flicker across every hue imaginable and some Jer'rahd could not name. The form slowly unfurled like a baby chick hatching free of it's egg. The things multi colored wings spread wide until it seemed at least half of the town was in the shade of its feathered wings.

A pair of reptilian fore claws,appearing to be made of steel slammed into the ground on either side of the market place,the massive points gracing them digging furrows in the earth, ripping up cobble stone and building foundation with equal ease. The body of it was not unlike a griffons though it's fur was black and rather than a Leonid tail there was a massive spiked dragons length, covered in glistening black and red scales, that smashed through a row of buildings as it whipped back and forth.

The creature raised it's vaguely draconic feather covered head, six curled horns pushing up from its temples and forehead, giving the odd impression of a crown of bone that swept back over its head with a subtle upward curl. A massive ship sized beak gaped open, rows upon rows of teeth filled it not unlike a sharks.

Two rows of three eyes each opened above that beak, the solid red and faintly glowing orbs staring down at the small gray unicorn standing on the green glowing shield below it.

Jer'rahd sighs looking up at the creature shivering a bit in spite of himself.

“I think I need a bigger sword.”

==============================================================

Twilight Sparkle twitched slightly as the last book was slid into place. The main room had finally been cleaned up from the teleport from the Badlands. She looked at the clock on the wall idly expecting that weeks had gone by while she distracted herself.

It had only been a little over an hour since Pinkie's death.

Twilight trembled trying to push that thought as far back in her mind as she could, she had been a weeping mess until those guards had shown up. When they left she had started to clean up, trying to distance herself, to blank her thoughts, though it wasn't helping, she was practically on auto pilot at this point and was rather surprised she had accomplished this. Perhaps not stopping to read every other book while putting them away had helped speed things up.

Twilight sniffled back the tears and slowly moved to the door to the side room to see if there was something she could do there. She knew she should try to help out, there were still ponies who needed it, but she couldn't. She had tried to help everyone by freeing the others from stone, she had tried to help Celestia understand that perhaps her memories were not right, she had tried to help everyone and now the world was burning around them and one of her best friends was dead. Better if she stayed in the library and never left again.

She had barely opened the door when she screamed, leaping away from the room as a series of loud pops fill the air splattering her with strands of something and sweet scented smoke.

Back peddling furiously she crashes into the book case she had just put back up, knocking it to the floor again and nearly crushing herself. She lay there a moment panting , though nothing else continued the attack.

Pulling herself free she looks up to see a brightly colored streamer of ribbon dangling from her horn, a quick shake of her head dislodged a shower of confetti from her mane.

She moves back to the door slowly pushing it open again to find the entire room was covered in party favors, balloons, and more decorations than she had seen since Gummy's after birthday, birthday party. A massive banner across the room read ' Victory Party.'

Twilight blinks trotting into the room in a daze, there were numerous bottled drinks set on the tables along with a large number of covered deserts and a number of games set up and ready to play all around the room.

Twilight's mouth drops as she looks around at the preset party. Pinkie Pie had only been out of sight for a few seconds when they got back, how had she managed to set this up so quickly? Twilight moves over wiping a hoof over the table.

It was covered in dust.

She looks over the room again at the balloons and the banners noting the thin layer of dust on everything. Most of the balloons were drooping though a single pink one remained floating in the air defiantly as if the other sagging balloons would not keep it down.

This had to have been set up before they left for the Badlands. Pinkie Pie had been so sure they would be back that she prepped a party for them when they returned.

Her last party.

Twilight whimpers, tears welling up in her eyes again as she sat down hard collapsing to the floor as she bawled. She was unsure of how long she cried, but the faint sounds of cello music caught her attention. She slowly lifts her head ears perking curiously. The music was faint, she didn't recognize the tune ,nor could she identify the source but she didn't really care at this point. She lifts her head looking up at the pink balloon floating defiantly tied to the chair as she wipes her eyes.

“I can remember everything,
But I can't tell if this is true or dream.
Deep down and side I feel to scream,
this terrible feeling stops me.”

Twilight slowly rises to her hooves reaching up to lightly touch the still floating balloon watching it bounce away lightly from her touch.

“All of my friends trusted me,
to guide down a path they couldn't see.
I've failed those who relied on me,
nothing is left but pain now...”

She turns slowly making her way back out into the main room with a last longing look at the room before closing the door behind her.

“Hold back tears from your pointless death,
Princess please help me......”

Twilight whimpers the last slowly making her way up the stairs to her bedroom, the cello music gets a little louder, seemingly coming from outside. At this point the music while sad almost seemed inviting, calling her closer. She pushes open the door from her room and trots out onto the balcony not seeing any one around playing, though the performer seemed close. Her gaze shifts over the burning town, thankfully the flames did not seem to be coming towards the library.

“Standing here it is much too real,
loss of a friend and how I feel.
But I can't look forward to reveal
without you how will we live?”

“I can't predict what I'll see,
will others stay or will they leave me?
Better if I had just let things be,
than a have a friends life cut from me.”

Twilight looks up to the sun over head squinting from the harsh light that filtered through the smoke.

“Hold back tears from your pointless death,
Princess please help me......”

Twilight closes her eyes feeling the light beat down on her face, the smoke of the choking fire nearly blotting out her teachers sun.

“No more laughter, none of your fun
Oh stars, help me
Hold my tears from your pointless death
Princess please help me.”

A massive roar shakes the building knocking Twilight off her hooves. She winces as she hits scrambling back up to her hooves to look around,wiping the tears from her eyes and looking for the source of the roar. The source was not that difficult to determine, a massive griffon like creature stood towering over the city it's wings spreading wide casting a shadow over everything.

Twilight shudders at the sight, knowing what it was even if it looked different. This was the power of corrupted Loyalty. This was the beast. But it didn't look like the form Jer'rahd took, that must mean....

Anger filled the purple unicorn at the sight of one of those responsible for all this, the fear that such a creature produced burned away in a heart beat.

The mysterious cello music seemed to pick up on this change of emotion, suddenly becoming faster and more frantic.

Twilight vanishes from the balcony with a light pop, reappearing on the ground in a dead run, the Brilliant Dawn bouncing against her side as she galloped towards the market.

“Regret imprisoning me.
All that I see
All of the horror.
To those that live.
On those who died.
Tortured, in pain.
All for just mere power!”

The purple unicorn gallops through the town her mane and tail flowing behind beginning starting to flicker and spark as her eyes turn red. Her lavender fur coloration bleeds away, leaving her pure white. Her mane and tail spark brightly and burst into flames that fan out behind her as she runs towards the towering creature.

The cello builds to a frantic pace still somehow staying around the galloping mare.

“Monsters have taken my friends!
Taken my town!
Taken my laughter!
Taken my life!
Taken my peace!
Taken my soul!
Left me with naught but rage!”

Jer'rahd looks back hearing the singing and the strange cello music. His eyes narrow as a white unicorn teleports into the center of the market directly under the changed Silver Claw.

The mare had no cutie mark and seemed to be on fire. She opens her eyes and a flare of darkness begins flowing from them like tears. Her red eyes contract to pinpricks, the whites turning bright green as the fire of her mane and tail suddenly change into a roaring black inferno of flame.

“Sparkle!?” questions Jer'rahd his eyes widening as he spots the Brilliant Dawn on the mare's side.

Twilight screams out in rage. A massive burst of black and white energy exploding from her horn rushing out ward and quickly enveloping her, the creature, and the gray unicorn.

“...the good, and the evil....”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...the good, and the evil....”

Black masses of creatures swarmed the city covering it like a dark tide. A multitude of creatures captured and turned into changelings by what ever perverse power their queen possessed. Creations of shadow and golems of all sizes made of black crystal surged along with the chittering mass descending on Canterlot like locusts on a field.

Buildings crumbled under the onslaught of golems and massive monstrosities of chitinous plate, claw, and fang. Aberrant creatures of darkness slipped among the inscetile warriors, slipping into cracks and gaps to enter buildings seeking those trying to hide.

A yellow unicorn filly scampered down an ally darting among garbage and rubble from a collapsed building. A cackling baying sounds behind her at the mouth of the ally a group of Diamond dog Changelings rush into the ally after her , their claws clacking loudly on the stone as they pursued.

The filly rounds and corner sparing a glance back to her pursuers before colliding with a wall and being knocked on her rump. She stares up at the stone wall and looks around the rest of the ally seeing no other way out. She whimpers ducking behind a trash can curing her red tail around her self tying to hide.

The three former Diamond Dogs step around the turn in the ally jaws slavering a foul icor as they scan the dead end sniffing the air lightly, quickly zeroing in on the filly. The largest one moves forward grabbing the trashcan the filly hid behind and flinging it out of the way.

“No point running pony. You are ours now.” hisses the changeling reaching to grab the filly in a massive claw.

The unicorn screams, dropping to her belly with her fore legs covering her face expecting to feel their claws.

All she felt was a wash of heat as the sickly scent of burning meat filled the air.

She slowly opens her eyes looking about,seeing no sign of the changelings aside from a black scorch mark on the ground, inky black smoke rising from the seared cobblestone.

The sound of wing beats drew her attention upwards to a massive figure that lands lightly in the ally before her. Pure white wings folded slowly against the figures back, a towering white spiral horn sprouted from the figures head, wreathed in a billowing mane that seemed to be made of a mixture of pink, blue and white fire. The ponies hooves steamed as they melted into the rock she stood on. A skeletal carapace of some sort of monstrous creature covered her form, the armor glowing bright orange as waves of heat emanated from it.

The figure looks down at the filly curiously the grimace of anger that was seen on the figures face quickly softening.

“Be at ease little one. You are safe now.” the towering mare placates.

“Ppp ...Princess Celestia?” whispers the filly as the armored figure nods.

A blue pegasus stallion in a Wonderbolt flight suit lands lightly next to the Princess.

“Bring her up to the chariot with the others, we have no time to dawdle.” Celestia commands launching herself into the air again.

The stallion moves over to the filly helping her up before picking her up in his fore hooves and launching into the air as well.

“So what's your name little Miss?” the blue maned Wonderbolt questions flapping his wings hard to climb higher in the air towards a large chariot with two other Wonderbolts hitched to it.

“Gl...Glimmering Posy.”

“Well Miss Posy, my name's Soarin. Don't worry we'll have you to the castle soon enough, just hold on tight til I get you to a wagon. You know, I've got a daughter about your age.”

As Soarin clears the rooftops Posy tunes out his constant chatter looking around at the sight of Canterlot.

Parts of the city were burning and the air was filled with pegasi and flying chariots, everything from normal transport chariots to the noble carts used by the rich filled the air loaded down with ponies, mules and several other creatures.

Soarin flies her over to a massive gilded chariot that she recognized as the Princess Celestia's personal carriage, she could see the strange dark curved form of Princess Luna's chariot flying off in the distance as well. All of the chariots were loaded with ponies, some injured others not. The Wonderbolt lands on the edge of the Royal chariot setting her down before taking off with a small nod to the filly as he heads back towards the ground to save some one else.

Posy looks around seeing the sky filled with armored pegasi, the blue and yellow costumes of the Wonderbolts, and strange purple and silver armored ponies with reptilian features that she knew little about though she had heard they were Princess Luna's Night Guard. Blasts of magic from the chariots and the air support from the fliers not attached to a chariot kept the changelings that could fly at bay. That coupled with the fire of the Goddess of the Sun kept most of the changelings on the ground for the moment.

The Princess flew in the center of it all, the sunlight shown over her form the bright rays seeming to glimmer over every feather and hair of her form, dancing and swirling around her in a vortex of heat that occasionally sparked into to flame vaporizing something that thought to attack, or some unseen target still on the ground. From time to time she would drop out of the sky to the ground followed by a guard or Wonderbolt. She would then rise again, the ponies that followed her to the ground bringing up another survivor or a injured pony to bring to the chariots. Though more often than not all she returned with was a grim expression.

The filly whimpered at all this watching the black swarm of creatures advance behind the chariots, a quiver running through her form as she could barely grasp what was happening.

“POSY!” some one shouts behind her. The filly turns looking up into the tear stained face of a light pink unicorn mare.

“MOMMY!!” the filly screams leaping up and wrapping her legs around the mares neck.

=========================================

Soarin smiles softly watching the filly and her mothers reunion before looking around at the other chariots in the air.

There were not many reunions like that going on, most of the ponies they had rescued were dejected or weeping, many in shock from the attack. The longer this went on the less ponies they would find to rescue.

He had trained with the Guard at first like every one else on his team. They had all shown they were skilled enough to join the elite Monster Hunting Division, and any that made the Wonderbolts had shown they were the top tier of even that fearsome organization. He had seen a lot in his life, things that would make most ponies piss themselves. But this.... this was beyond anything he had ever expected to see.

A number of the ponies they had rescued needed to be cut out of pods, some of them already starting to show signs of being converted to changelings. There were an even greater number that had been left for dead and were in bad shape. They got lucky a few times and found ponies hiding out or holding their own, a number of them had fled already and made their way towards the castle. Canterlot Castle was large, but it could not hold the entire population of the city for long. If the Changelings trapped them and laid siege Food and water would be a problem in a matter of days. Still death might be a better alternative then what these creatures had planned for those they caught.

Soarin looks out over the city not seeing an end to the black tide that was swarming from the south. Some of them had already made it to the castle walls. Blasts of magic and spears rained down on the attackers keeping them at bay as the strange air convoy drew closer to the relative safety of the castle walls.

Still there were parts of the city that were still free of the changelings. The market and noble districts were on the north side so thus far none of them had been attacked by changelings, though there were rumors of another force causing havoc in the city already.

A streak of fire on the far side of the convoy plowing into some air born changelings and sending the burning bodies falling to the ground was a clear marker for Spitfire's presence. He knew she would have rather been with the rest of Moskau's unit training with that 42nd group. He would have loved that as well but training for a show had exempted them from going, still he would rather that he and spitfire were nearer to Ponyville and the family they had there.

A sudden flash of light distracts him from his musings and he looks back to it's source his eyes widening.

A massive column of white light and black lightning launches into the sky from the ground at the base of the mountain soaring up into the air before being obscured by the blinding light of the sun.

The beams lasts for a few moments before fading out. Looking down off the side of the mountain he could see it's source far bellow.

Ponyville.

========================================================

Celestia stares at the flash of light her eyes narrowing under the armor. She recognized the power, could feel what was mixed in with it, and knew who had done it.

Twilight Sparkle had some how managed to blend corrupted shadow magic and wild light magic into something new and unbelievable. Two types of magic that were often used to block or cancel each other out being blended together? Simply incredible.

She knew her student was gifted, but this? The light magic Twilight was using was the same wild magic that Celestia had learned in her past before she was a Princess. Something Twilight had only seen used when she and Luna trespassed in her dreams. The shadow magic was something Celestia had learned after fighting Sombra the first time, something she had only shown Twilight once before sending her to the Crystal Empire. Yet it seemed that those small tastes of magic were learned and adapted into something like this?

Celestia sighs hoping her student was alright, but not being able to spare the time to seek her despite an immense desire to go to Ponyville immediately. Duty came first....

The Princess of the Sun's gaze again turns to the ground in a search for any more lost subjects. A red glowing light and a soft hum draw her attention to her own chest, or more accurately the Element of Honesty that was now floating of it's own accord on the chain about her neck.

The Princess blinks in surprise yelping as the amulet flashes brightly and vanishes from around her neck a few motes of unknown energy floating in the spot it had been before vanishing completely.

“Wha..... What just happened?”Celestia gasps.

=============================================================

Chrysalis screams out, the dark green energy arcing from her horn and blasting the area around her tearing apart the ground and leaving smoking black craters where ever the arcs of energy struck. Unfortunately her attackers did not have the decency to be destroyed by any of the blasts.

The changeling queen bled from a number of superficial wounds, while none of them were deep enough to do any lasting damage they all burned like nothing she had experienced before.

Her love had informed her what the metal was that could do this sort of thing, she had seen the effects it had on her swarm first hoof as well. Because of this the swarm was avoiding the usual tactics of shape shifting as a single touch of this metal was enough to take them out while changed. This star metal was a dangerous thing. Thankfully it seemed rare and only one of her opponents had access to it, though that seemed enough. If the zebra managed to strike her horn with one of those blades there was a chance she would lose her ability to cast spells for a time and right now that was all that was keeping these two at bay.

The zebra was a formidable foe, Captain of the monster hunting division of the guard. A rather no nonsense mare that was clearly born in the wrong era, peace didn't seem to suit her. Chrysalis was certain that this was the pony that had found out about the plot against Canterlot during the wedding and informed the Princesses. Not that it had mattered at that point, but that the zebra had even found out was worrying and as show of the mare's information gathering skills.

Chrysalis suddenly kicks off the ground launching into the air as massive chunk of black crystal smashes into the spot she had been standing. She glares at the attacker a blast from her horn shattering the crystal golem arm and sending him bounding back.

And then there was this pony. Major Briar Rose. Her love had told her how this was the pony that lead the resistance against him in the Empire and was damn good at what he did. He was also the one who went to Celestia and Luna for help and Ruined Solomon's plans. He acted stupid and violent, but he was already figured out that since the black crystal was made by another god it should be able to hurt her.

Chrysalis was not sure entirely if that was correct, but she saw no reason to let him test it.

Both of them were far more troublesome that she had anticipated. Thankfully Moskau's troops were not having as good a time of it as their leaders nor the group that was fighting before them and Chrysalis was more than happy to blast a few of the cloaked figures who got too close.

Still she had wasted too much time here, she needed to rejoin the main force. The city seemed to be self destructing nicely even without her direct involvement. If she had more time she could have finished this pair as well as the rest of the force, but her time was up here. A massive blast of light from behind the group in Ponyville gave her the distraction she needed.

She flew higher into the sky with a last massive blast of magic that ripped apart the the entire road sending her attackers diving for cover and ripping through the ranks of the cloaked Guard. She took out a number of her own drones as well ,but it was easy enough to make more, Changelings bred true on their own and could be converted from any living race. Making more was not a issue.

The remainder of the swarm in town heeded her unspoken call and took to the air rising from the battle and the town soaring off towards Canterlot following after her. The number of her drones was barely half what she had brought to bear on this hamlet , but given the charred mess of the town this place and it's heroes would not likely be any aid to Canterlot.

==========================================================

Rose watched the bug queen fly off with an annoyed sigh.

“Ah doubt that was a win, she's headed ta Canterlot, we need tah git moving.” Rose mutters.

“You need to gather your troops and continue rescue operations in dhe town.” Moskau states watching the light pillar fade.

“Pffft fergit that. The fights up dhere and judging from tha shape yer crews in, mine has a better chance at doing some damage.”

“Dhere is a chain of command Major. You are under me in it.”

“Yah, well that's not tha sorta under you I'd like tah be.” chuckles Rose .” Besides, I always did have a problem listening tah orders, even from pretty mares.”

Moskau narrows her eyes.

“Are you hitting on me, a superior officer in dhe middle of a battle, while arguing about dhe chain of command?”

Rose considers a moment rubbing his hoof against his chin.

“Yep. Yah wanna hit a bar Friday?”

“Vhat? Of course not.... of all dhe stupid ideas.” Moskau snaps indignantly moving away from the pony towards the group of her soldiers still fighting a few remaining golems.

Rose shrugs lightly starting to follow when the zebra pauses and looks back at him.

“Dhe bars vill likely still be closed Friday for dhe clean up, not to mention all dhe paper vork dhat will need to be done. Ve go out drinking in two veeks.”

Rose blinks, then grins still planning to gather his group to take to Canterlot despite this. “ Yes Ma'am.”

“You vill call me sir, Major......Dhat is two.......”

=====================================================

Discord floated lazily around the Ponyville library pausing occasionally to take a bite out of the massive cello he still carried, the inside of it oozing white and gold cream like you would find in a candy egg.

“Such anger and hostility, who would have thought that little book worm had it in her.” Discord mutters finishing off the cello before unscrewing the head of the sword fish and tossing it aside with a crash. He pulls a crazy straw from the air putting it in a opening in the fishes top sucking out all the coloration of it in one gulp like a bottle of soda before tossing the rest of the swordfish aside. The fish hits a wall shattering like a glass bottle the shards fluttering away as multi colored moths.

“Ahh, here you are. I've been looking for you.” Discord chuckles picking up a small green book off the ground and thwacking it with a finger. “Oh stop pretending to be a real book, I know what you are.”

“What the hell do you want freak?” screams back the Jade Scroll. “I was enjoying the murdering and destruction going on. Don't you have some one else to bother?”

“As a matter of fact I do. A fat friend of yours has a spell I want and I need to know where it is.”

“What you mean Purple? That jackass ain't no friend of mine.”

“Really? You should be nice and buddy buddy, after all friendship is magic. Now where is it?”

“Why the heck should I tell you anything? You're a failed experiment gone rogue.”

“Three reasons” states Discord holding up four fingers. “ First because I know you and I know you would love to piss off the other books, which me finding them would do.”

“Point”

“Two, you know I am much better at this rampant chaos nonsense than the six the books are currently running with. Seriously they are killing more than they are corrupting. Where's the fun in that?”

“That's not a good point.”

“Third, if you don't tell me I'll eat a bunch of taco's and use you as toilet paper.”

“That is disgusting...... You didn't even need the other reasons, the first was enough.”

“I have a fifth.”

“What happened to the fourth?”

The room darkens and Discord seems to turn even more demonic as lighting,fire and darkness swirl about him, his head swelling to fill the books vision completely.

“YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FOURTH REASON.” Discord states his voice reverberating with enough force to blow out the few intact windows remaining in the library and rattle the tree building to the root foundation.

“Ummmm, right okay, whats the fifth?”

“I'm not going to tell you...you'll have to guess.” the draconequus chuckles reverting to normal.” Now then. Where are the other Books of Orbsah?”

=======================================================

Rarity exhales deeply her eyes closing as she focuses, going over the situation in her mind.

Cons; She was currently being held by the enemy behind a very potent shield spell. Fluttershy was cowering behind her and not likely to be helpful. Bleu was currently getting her tail beaten worse than anything she had seen before. The other prisoners were children or older pony teachers the few that might have been able to fight had tried and were battered much the same as Octavia now was. They were surrounded by bad guys, all of whom were well armed and knew she had taken out a few members of their group already so they were keeping a close eye on her. The prisoners all were tied some how with piano wires that stretched random distances into the air through the shield to attach to railings or hanging fixtures. The effect was such that if Bleu tried to use her breath weapon she would hit one or more wires and hurt the hostages too. At this rate Fluttershy was likely going to wind up being bred by the mad stallion beating up the dragon and it had been hinted she was being saved for someone else. Not exactly anything to look forward too with that line of thought. There was also the shield that was up over the whole building that would keep any help from arriving.

Pros; neither she nor Fluttershy were hurt, Bleu was also still alive judging by the dragon's pained cry and Claymore following her through the hole in the wall she had made. Most of the bandits watching the group were more interested in either the fight between Bleu and Claymore or the strange beam of light they had seen outside than prisoners trapped behind a shield. She also thought she knew who the pony was who was holding the shield up, and judging by the mares cowering when Claymore paid attention to her it was not a mutual arrangement.

Though the best thing was her hair still looked fabulous.

Well that and she had an idea.

“Fluttershy be a dear and make sure every one is ready to leave at a moments notice, see if you can untie some of the wires as well, particularly from the foals.” Rarity whispers.

“Umm alright I can do that.. wha... what are you going to do?” Fluttershy mutters.

“Oh nothing dear, I just plan to have a nice little chat with some pony I think I know. Perhaps I can show her what I have learned from the Canterlot elite as well.”

“The nobles? I thought you said they were all rude, arrogant, and insulting.”

“Exactly, now hop to it, we both have some work to do.” Rarity smiles trotting to the other side of the enclosure and closer to the hooded figure that was huddled on the other side of the shield between the magic wall and the real stone one.

Rarity sighs looking down at the gray cloaked figure seeing the platinum coloration of her tail and the faint blue glow of her horn under the low hood. Time to see if she had been correct.

“Hello Trixie.” Rarity utters, the tone cold enough that it could have frosted glass.

The hooded figure winces at the name huddling tighter against the wall, though that was all the answer Rarity needed.

Rarity holds her dark expression as the hooded mare slowly looks up at her, showing the battered visage under the hood. Rarity was sure now what happened, and it simply made her despise Claymore even more. She instantly felt pity for Trixie, but unfortunately this was the only idea she had, with luck Trixie was not too far gone for it to work.

“Pathetic..... I shouldn't be surprised however, a weak magician like you. No surprise a common earth pony is able to keep you under control. I suppose it was your destiny to wind up being some fools lackey with as sad of an excuse as you are. “ Rarity glares down at the huddled mess of a pony. “ Honestly with all the boasting and bragging you have done both times you have crawled from under your rock to come to Ponyville, I am surprised it took this long for some one to prove you the charlatan you are.”

The other prisoners look at Rarity curiously and with a bit of annoyance that she was wasting time insulting some one. They wisely remained silent as Fluttershy worked to try and undo their bonds as Rarity's ranting plethora of insults continued on unabated, a few of the bandits looked on with interest but didn't stop the tirade, in fact a few of them seemed to be taking notes.

“..... I am so glad you kept leaving after your return bouts of stupid. After all if Twilight had wanted to keep a half wit hedge witch like you around, it would have just made her look worse from simply associating with you. Expect my little sister is more skilled than you and she is only eight and has a tendency to burn orange juice while cooking breakfast. You are a sham and this nonsense proves it.”

“No....” whimpers Trixie.

“What was that? Did the Ponyville Villain of the week utter something?” Rarity smirks slightly digging at that little bit of resistance.” Honestly perhaps you should change your name. The Great and Powerful Trixie does not suit some pathetic mess like you. Perhaps it would be better if you changed it to the Meek and Underwhelming Trixie? That seems more fitting for a show mare of your lack of quality.”

Rarity could clearly see the mare shaking, see her tears running down her muzzle, but it was the clenched teeth that Rarity was glad to see. Trixie's hooves scraped as she stood up shaking. Rarity saw too outcomes to this. The first was less favorably getting blasted to bits, though at least she wouldn't end up as some fools trophy mare.

No she couldn't think like that, she was far to pretty to die.

“Oh, and another thing, that out fit of yours, stars and moons on a cape and a hat that looks like you got it from a discount costume shop? Horribly tacky.”

“It's not...... my mother made that..... “

“Don't like what I'm saying? Then do something about it.” growls Rarity.

Rarity hops back as Trixie screams out the cloak's hood shredding as her horn flares up suddenly her eyes glowing a bright white. Whips of energy lash out around the building severing piano wires tied to the captives and lashing into the gathered bandits and other hooded figures. The lights whip about the room bouncing off walls and the floors flinging bandits about like dolls slamming them through or into whatever solid objects happened to be nearby. The energy crackles and flails about the unicorn fading as the shield around the captives and the larger one outside wink out of existence

Trixie stands in the middle of a blackened sunburst on the floor her horn still glowing as she pants heavily staggering slightly and falling only to have Rarity catch her .

“Hmm.” Rarity states very glad that the second thing she had predicted was what would happen.
“Fought off abuse and control, took out the guards and freed the prisoners in one angst and rage filled burst of magic. Perhaps you are good after all.”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Trixie mutters before passing out against Rarity's side..

===============================================================

Scarlet cackles, slowly advancing on the shocked zebra and the pincushion of a red pony, this was far too easy. She wished all her targets went down with so little effort on her part, though she doubted she would ever have to worry about a killing a mark again unless she wanted to. Still it was nothing short of amusing to watch one pony sacrifice themselves for another, particularly since they were both going to die anyway.

She pauses momentarily wondering if she should leave the zebra for when ever Bloodtail pulled him self out of the chasm or just kill her and be done with it. Honestly the latter was looking to be the best simply because she hated loose ends. First the zebra and then the other earth pony and everything would be nice and tidy on her end and if Blueblood kept his end of the bargain ,well everything would be perfect.

Scarlet smirked advancing slowly, reveling in the shocked look on the zebra's face, when a brilliant flash of light catches her attention. A massive pillar of white energy with black lightning darting around it blasts up into the sky in the distance rising higher into the sky than than the assassin could see without being blinded by the sun over head.

Judging from the direction and distance it seemed to have come from the town, what the buck were Nocturne and Silver Claw doing? Not that it mattered at this point if the town was destroyed but if they were failing against Luna and Kaisur then there would be trouble later.

She stifled a small giggle as the energy fades, she was having trouble calming down, everything just seemed far too amusing to her. It had to be a side effect from that damn amulet. She should have taken one of the other ones and let this non sense one go to some one else. Still, being able to magically form as many weapons as she wanted with a thought was a nice ability, one that she was sure Pelt didn't appreciate now. She briefly wondered what else she could do before turning back to the zebra.

“Well I suppose I should simply end this then and get back to town. Pity it was fun.” Scarlet chuckles staring at the stricken zebra her hoof drawing back, a collection of multiple types of daggers popping into existence and floating at the end of her hoof.

A light tap on her shoulder causes her to turn her head in time to see a pair of orange hooves just as they impact her face. She flies backwards her newly made daggers dropping to the ground as her sailing form smashes into and through a pine tree, the thick trunk splintering and collapsing atop her prone form. As it fell.

Applejack drops back to all four hooves wiping her rear hooves in the dirt to clean off the blood from the impact with Scarlet's face. Her eyes narrow under the beaten hat on her head, she was covered in bruises and looked fairly roughed up, but she was clearly still in better shape than the ones she had fought.

“An that's fer mah brother!” AJ spits out glaring.

======================================================

Claymore blinks looking up at the massive pillar of light that erupted in the distance briefly before filing it away as not his problem and stepping through the hole in the wall.

The dragon was trapped between the shield and a pile of rubble, she was still awake though he was not sure how. He could see her wing bent at a bad angle, clearly broken, possibly even shattered. Her left arm was useless, the scale and flesh along it split open all the way to the bone and there was a thick puddle of blood at her side. He was surprised she hadn't bled out yet, particularly since she was still about the size of a pony and couldn't have as much blood in her that he saw pooled on the ground.

“Well this was fun though I've got another couple of mares to break in, think I'll keep that gray earth mare too, quite feisty, I'll have a complete set with that. Unicorn, pegasus and earth pony. Good start of a collection, have to break in a zebra and a griffon at some point too.”

“What no dragoness? You speciest.” Bleu growls getting a chuckle from the earth pony before the flat of his blade impacts the side of her head sending her skittering along the shield smearing blood across the glowing wall. She hits the ground couching out a few teeth along with more blood.

“Now now, none of your talking bullshit, you need to learn for once in your life to shut up. Even if it is the last part of your life. Never found you lizards attractive any way. Yah know what though, just to show you I'm a sport I'll let you have your last little words. Make it a fine speech , can't promise you I'll remember it , or let you finish but hey least I'm trying.” chuckles Claymore resting his weapon on his back with a grin.

“Yeah well I got three words for yah.”Bleu mutters.

“Oh and whats that?”

“No Piano wires.”

“Ehh?”

The blast of lightning from Bleu surprises Claymore, though he reacts faster than Bleu expected slamming his blade in the ground before him and moving back as the lightning strikes and dissipates on the steel weapon not even reaching the pony who hid behind it.

“See it's this sort of shit that makes me regret trying to be nice.” Claymore snarls drawing his blade from the ground.

A violent scream from inside stops him for a moment from finishing the dragon off, his eyes widen as a massive blast of energy sails through the hole in the wall slamming into him and flinging him back against the shield. Claymore bounces off the magic wall only to be struck again by the spell and sent smashing to the ground and into the wall of the building. The wall partially collapses burying the earth pony in bricks and mortar.

Bleu winces looking up as other blasts of energy fling a number of bodies from the building. She pushes her self to her rear legs leaning heavily on the shield for support.

“What the hay? Mutters Bleu yelping loudly as the shield fades and sends her back to the ground landing on her injured shoulder.

“GRAAAAAH!!” screams Claymore throwing the rubble off of himself and yanking his blade from the ground. He notices immediately the lack of a shield and turns, ignoring the dragon rushing inside through the hole his chest singed. “TRXIE! WHAT THE BUCK ARE YOU DOING!?”

==================================================

Starfall exhales looking around curiously and not seeing anything. No gorge, no griffon, no earth, nothing but a sea of endless stars.

“What the buck is all this?” mutters the pegasus turning about with a flap of her wings but not seeming to be flying or standing on any sort of ground, she was simply floating.

“Seems we meet again, Wannabe Bearer of Honesty.” comments a familiar voice, Starfall turns around again seeing a stallion standing on nothing and slowly advancing towards her.

The black coated stallion strides towards her, some how managing to convey a swagger in his movements, his mane and tail matching his dark coat and blending him in with the starry background. His bright lavender eyes and the strange purple plant cutie mark that adorned his flank was the only coloration that he had on him.

“Do I know you..... you do look familiar?” Starfall questions.

“We met once, when I said the test for worthiness of Honesty was shit.” the stallion sighs.”Surprised you even recall that much. My name is Nightshade. I was Luna's first bearer of Honesty.”

“Yeah I remembered you now, you were full of shit. I failed that and still wound up being the Bearer of Honesty. I remember that vision wasn't a lie either, it was fairly spot on showing what was going to happen. So what happened here any way, am I dead or something?” Starfall grumbles.

“Why does everyone ask that?” mutters Nightshade. “ No your not dead just unconscious.”

“So what do you want then? Here to bitch about how you were right that I wasn't worthy?” Starfall snaps.” A beyond the grave I told you so?”

“Seriously? Your still dwelling on that?”

“Considering you are supposed to be my predecessor and you still talk like I'm not worthy of the honor of Bearing that stupid trinket, yeah I kinda do. Particularly with you standing right there. I rather wish you had been right that thing brought me nothing but trouble.”

“Mare as far as I know there hasn't been a damn Bearer of Honesty worthy of it since the Element came into existence. Now shut up, I am breaking a large number of rules by talking to you like this and I am not doing it for my own damn health. The things I do for that damned mare.”

“Who Luna?”

“No, Imbrium... seriously, I have a hard time saying no to that mare.” Nightshade grins.” Heh, she's so intent in watching over Luna she won't choose whether to go on to another place or be reincarnated. If she doesn't, neither will I. Any way not the point. Let's make this simple, you are currently the only thing that can stop Equestria from getting royally bucked right now. The current Bearer of Loyalty has to survive and make it to Canterlot as soon as possible. If you fail she dies, none of the others are in that situation.”

“Yeah well I'm trying here....”

“It's not enough. So Imbrium decided to send me to help you, well give you something to help you. For now you are again the Bearer of Honesty, but as soon as this is over you will give it back to Apple Jack, understand?”

“Heh, not a problem, like I said she can have it. If it works the same way it did in the past I think I'm fine”

“It doesn't, not exactly, it's tuned to Apple Jack now, but you can still use it like you did.”

Starfall grins. “What about the other Elements?”

“They will return when the time is right. It's not as if a simple theft could keep them from their chosen bearers when they are needed.”

“Guess I should get going. Since I'm not dead, at least tell Loc I miss him.”

“Tell him yourself, he's reincarnated already.”

“What?! Where!?”

“Not my place to say. Bye now!”

======================================================

Wind Razor lashes out with a claw shattering the remains of the spear and gouging chunks out of the Guard's breastplate.

The damn stallion was clever, she had to give him that, she hated clever. She had just started to let her wing regrow and was about to finish off Starfall when a massive beam of light lit up the sky and drew her attention to the massive pillar of light .

The Guard chose that moment to attack with the remains of his weapon and a number of black crystals lashed to the end with vines. The make shift weapon had not cut deep, but it had cut, and the wounds were not healing as they should. It's wasn't star metal, but it was something she herself had made and a god's power could kill another god.

The pony seemed rather annoyed the weapon had not done more damage, though he had been even more worried when she went on the defensive.

The Guard stumbles back from the blow blood oozing from the rents in his armor, she had not cut him deep enough for any real damage though the panicked look on his face was enough to show he hadn't expected even that deep of a wound

Wind Razor growls leaping at the staggered pony to finish him off so he wouldn't interrupt further when she was pulled up short by her tail and yanked back hard enough to send her stumbling back to the ground.

Wind Razor rolls to her paws yanking her tail free and whirling about, expecting Starfall had woken up though she was surprised at the ponies look.

The light Guard flight suit she had been wearing was gone. In it's place was a gold and bronze heavy suit of steel armor that covered her fully including her wings. Her hooves were encased in thick coverings covered with filigree depicting trees and various apples. A massive red crystal shaped like an apple sat in the middle of her chest glimmering brightly in the light. Her face was exposed though a pair of brass goggles rested over her eyes the red lens glimmering like the gem. The pegasus waists no time drawing the pair of blue crystal blades from their scabbards , her metal covered wings not making a sound as they moved.

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” Wind Razor growls.

“I am!” peach Blossom spouts as he clamors back to his hooves on the other side of the griffon.

“I don't care if you are impressed or not.” Starfall mutters. “You're going to die here.”

========================================================

Luna rolls in the air, one hoof lightly touching the ground as a pivot point as she uses her momentum to swing her wing about clubbing Nocturne in the face sending the alicorn stumbling to the side. She lets herself follow the force of the spin planting her rear hooves to the ground and rearing up to bring both of her hooves down on Nocturnes back smashing the joint of her wings and slicing a pair of crescent shaped gashes in the dark mares back. The alicorn drops to her knees with a cry of pain though a flash of her magic teleports her a short distance away out of range of another strike by the Princess.

The strain was slowly getting to Luna, she had not cut loose like this since they first sealed Discord. Still she could not help relish the burn in her muscles and lungs, remembering a time before she ascended, where she could push herself to her limits of her form and feel the joy of surpassing them. As a goddess she could do no such thing, her limits were so high that trying to push them could be disastrous to every one around her not to mention hazardous to herself as well. Not since the time in the Darklands had she manage to wear herself out, but that was only magically, she was never exhausted physically.

Now here again she could feel the burn, feel the strain and heat of her body as she fought for her life against an alicorn that wished her dead. An alicorn that was showing the signs of strain far more than she was.

They were both tired, but neither would admit it.

Nocturne had started avoiding physically countering and was avoiding using any of the larger spells in favor of smaller ones when able. Luna had ceased some of her flashier moves and simply started trying to smash the other mare with brute force and speed.

Neither of them so much as blinked as the massive explosion of magic that happened nearby. Nocturne felt the power more than Luna did, but she couldn't let her eyes leave the pegasus for a moment.

Luna darted in again dodging around the sudden blast of fire magic Nocturne lobbed at her,she briefly heard it impact one of the buildings behind her and explode though her focus was on the other mare. A hastily raised shield brought the Princess to a stop, but only long enough to whirl about on her fore hooves and slam both her rear limbs into the magical barrier. Nocturne winces as her shield cracks under the blow though barely holds. Luna trembles a little herself feeling the impact against that barrier all the way to her teeth.

There were no taunts or rants now, just the flash of magic and the impact of hooves or wings on flesh or barrier.

As the pillar of light starts to fade the stalemate was finally broken.

Luna rushes in at the alicorn while her shield was down expecting the barrier to raise up. Nocturne's horn glows the shield flickering into existence for a brief second before fizzling out leaving Nocturne exposed , her eyes wide.

The goddess of War barely paused closing the distance til she was barely a pony length from the alicorn. Nocturne lashes out with her hooves at the charging pegasus only to find the mare was not there. The flap of wings causes her gaze to turn upward just as the full weight of the Princess of the Night slams down onto her head, a resounding crack echoing through the culdasac as Nocturnes horn splints under the blow bringing a scream from the alicorn as she was driven into the cobblestones.

Luna pauses a moment panting hard taking a step back before kicking Nocturne partial upright her fore hooves nearly blurring as she slams them repeatedly into the mare's limp form her wings lifted to keep the Princesses balance as the alicorns body was slammed back against a stone wall and kept there from the force of the blows tearing into her fur, shattering bone and ripping skin.

Luna stops again staggering backwards panting hard as Nocturne falls from the crater in the wall to the ground with a thud. The dark mare still breathing, though raggedly.

“Mommy.... mommy, daddy.... help, get up and help.... please ..... ahhhhhh waaaaaahhha” cries a faint voice wracked with coughing.

Luna's ears perk looking around her eyes wide seeing the wreckage of where Nocturne's last spell impacted. One of the homes was not only on fire but the top floor was partially rubble from the spells impact. The voice seemed to be coming from the currently uncollapsed section.

She glances back at Nocturne then at the whimpering voice as the coughing gets worse.

There was not a choice here.

Luna takes off again her wings straining as she flies up and into the hole landing lightly on a section of floor that was still relatively intact . She ducks her head coughing from the smoke and makes her way towards the back of the room. She pauses briefly seeing a leg sticking out from the rubble, a tan limb thick enough to belong to an earth pony, likely a stallion though the rest of the body was buried under the rubble. She touches it lightly, not feeling a pulse. The coughing and bawling grows louder as she moves further into the house spying a small form huddled against the neck of another figure half buried in the rubble, a cream earth pony mare. Several spars of wood pierced the mares body and the floor was soaked with her blood already, she was clearly gone, though it was the little spotted foal that brought a soft whimper to her own lips.

Pipsqueek's face was a mess of tears, snot, and splatters from his mother as he kept trying to wake her up.

“Please get up mommy...please.”gasps the colt between sobs.

Luna winces moving closer and scooping up the foal with her wings ignoring his screams of protest and his struggles to get back to the dead mare. She moves quickly back to the hole as the building creaks and groans the rest of it starting to collapse. Luna leaps off landing heavily on the cobblestones the foal on her back sobbing into her mane. She folds her wings covering the colt looking up as the building collapses.

She coughs clearing her lungs of smoke, Luna glances over to where she had left her opponent, only to find Nocturne was gone.

============================================================

Blood dripped from his muzzle,dribbling from his nose, oozing from the corners of his eyes, and trickling from his lips. He was sure he had bitten his tongue at some point but with the pain in his head he couldn't feel it. His head felt like it was on fire and he kept having to blink away blood. Not that there was much to see, less than a apples length from his nose was nothing but blinding white light barely held behind a cracked green shield.

He poured more power into the shields as the white and black flare of energy continued, a massive ring of green glowing panels surrounded the blast area in a great cone channeling the power that was released upward and shielding the town itself from the raw power that was pouring out of the unicorn in the middle.

Jer'rahd had never felt anything like it and would like very much to never feel anything like it again against him. Several buildings around the market were reduced to dust when one of his shields failed for a heartbeat. They were all failing and every time they did he had another shield up just behind it to pick up the slack.

He was barely standing now, simply pouring more and more magic into keeping the shields up and preventing the town and who ever might be left in it from being vaporized, this much power would likely wipe out everything for leagues.

The screams of the massive beast trapped inside the column of power had stopped some time ago though he could still see flickers of the things massive bulk inside. One of the gargantuan wings had been severed by the initial blast of energy and now lay crushing a building on the other side of the market.

Jer'rahd curses as he drops to his knees panting her horn glowing almost as brightly as the energy blast, though the green light around it flickers occasionally from the strain and his rapidly depleting magic pool. It was only will power, stubbornness, and the knowledge that Luna and his friends might still be in the city that allowed him to keep his shields up at this point.

The light of the column slowly begins to fade and the pressure against his shields lessens until the pillar winks out. A purple unicorn mare stands in the center of the new crater, the Brilliant Darn stuck in the ground next to her it's scabbard burned away.

The mare sits back hard on her rump, streamers of smoke billowing from her mane, her horn glows brightly though it slowly fades to it's normal coloration. Her sides heaved as she lifts her head slightly staring up at the scorched skeletal remains of a massive griffon like creature that towered above her in the crater.

Jer'rahd lets his shields drop collapsing to the ground panting hard. He growls slowly pushing himself up to his hooves again staggering forward and tumbling down into the crater with a series of curses and gasps of pain. He lay in a heap a moment feeling his body start to repair itself a little and pushes himself back upright staggering towards the mare trying to shake the spots from his vision. As he approaches her he sloshes through some gathering water the rivers ground water beginning already to start to fill the crater.

His hooves thud heavily through the water as he approaches her, Twilight slowly turns her head, her eyes blank and unfocused as she watches him approach.

The stallion stands there looking down at Twilight struggling to catch his breath still, he finally snorts clearing some blood from his nostrils before rearing up and belting her across the face with a hoof, sending her sprawling into the muddy water.

Twilight yelps as she scrambles back upright to her hooves splashing water and mud every where as she moves away from him.

“What'd you do that for!?” screams out Twilight rubbing her face as Jer'rahd sits down hard seemingly worn out from just hitting her.

“What the buck do you mean what did I do that for? You bucking deserve worse than that I assure you. That's the best I can do right now after all that shit.”

“For what!?”

“Do you even know what the crap you just did?”

“I took out one of the bastards that was responsible for Pinkie's death.”

“Pinkie's dead?” Jer'rahd blinks surprised.

“Yes.” Twilight sighs.

The stallion rubs his head with a hoof wincing as he touches his burned temples.”While that is indeed bad news does it merit taking out the entire town and the rest of your friends along with one of the targets?”

“I..... I didn't think it would do that much.... I wasn't even sure the spell would work at all. I was just mad.... I needed to do something...”

“Yes, well warn me next time... Better still, don't let there be a next time.” he looks down to the pooling water before lowering his head submerging his horn and his forehead in the cold water. A faint hiss of steam is heard as his horn pushes into the mud and a shudder runs along his spine. He pulls his head back with a gasp shaking his head about and slinging water and mud.

Twilight picks up Brilliant Dawn and teleports both herself and Jer'rahd out of the crater.

“What the buck Sparkle!?” Jer'rahd yelps as he crashes to the ground after the teleport ,unable to remain upright.

“What now?”

“How the heck are you still casting? I can barely keep from passing out and I didn't let loose nearly as much power as you did.”

“I dunno, I mean I'm tired, but I'm not really tired, I know I put out a great deal of power but I don't feel it really. I don't even feel angry or sad any more... just numb.”

“Urgh. Sounds like some kind of shock.” Jer'rahd garbles. “So you fueled a spell with rage and grief, not the first time I've seen that happen. First time I've had to stop it though. Not pleasant.”

Twilight sits down staring up at the massive skeleton in the pit as the water slowly fills it.

“So tell me something Jer'rahd.” Twilight mutters. “ Does it ever get easier?”

“Does what get easier?”

“The killing.”

“Faster than you can imagine.”

Twilight looks up at the charred remains of Silver Claw and sits down hard laying down and covering her face with her forelegs.

“I.... I feel sick.....”

“Good. “

“What?”

“Hold onto that.” Jer'rahd says flatly. “ That disgust you have right now for taking a life, hang onto that keep it close, make sure it's one of the first thoughts in your mind if you ever are in a situation where you need to kill again. Make sure you never lose it, killing should not be easy, it's the last thing that will ever happen to someone. You're not the type that should ever get used to killing. None of you are in this age, if I could have prevented you all from participating in this I would have. For what it's worth, I'm sorry to hear about Pinkie,but I have a feeling she's not going to be the only one we lose before this is said and done. We're not even sure what's going on in Canterlot right now.”

“You suck at speeches. That doesn't make me feel any better.”

“I keep telling Luna and Celestia that and they keep making me give them.”Jer'rahd sighs.

Jer'rahd's ears perk and Twilight turns her head looking around as a strange noise fills the air.

“What the buck is that?” questions Jer'rahd, his gaze drawn to the massive severed wing laying atop a building.

Twilight flinches as the wing jerks, twitching, and writhing, a section of it bubbling and swelling like a rapidly filling cyst..

“Yep definitely don't like seeing this from the other side.” mutters Jer'rahd as the swollen bubble of flesh on the wing bursts open like a lanced boil, blood and gore gushing from the popped section of flesh as the rest of the massive wing starts to shrivel away into dust, leaving a bright red scaled form barely pushing itself upright from the rended flesh.

Silver Claw drags himself up further, wiping the gore from his face as the remains of the wing disintegrate around him. His wings hang weakly at his side and his head remains low as if he couldn't muster the strength to lift it. He glares at Twilight and Jer'rahd and the unicorn pushes himself back up to his hooves as well.

“What in Tartarus ARE you mare!?” bellows the dragon vomiting out a mess of blood and gore.

=============================================================

“HEEEEEEEEEEREEE'S JOHNNY!” Discord shouts popping back into reality above a stack of books. He lands heavily on the table crushing the wood and driving the stack of tomes to the floor.

“GAHHHH”
“Get the heck off me!”
“Who in Tartarus are you?”
“ what a pain.”
“Delightful both the mad god and the idiot in the same place.”

“You know I can hear you assholes right?” shouts the Jade Scroll wrapped up in Discord's tail.

“As can I, You all should be friendly with each other.... it's not like any one else will be. “ Discord chuckles. “Now kiss and make up.”

The draconequus laughs slapping the front of the jade Scroll and the Silver Script together while making smooching noises.

“Disgusting.” the Jade Scroll spits out.

“I don't even know you and I already hate you.“ snaps the Silver Script.

Discord tosses both books across the room to bounce off the wall and land in kiddie pool of lime jello.

“Really now? Ole monochromatic there didn't tell you all about lil' ole me?” discord gestures to the Gray Grimoire. “Bit of an oversight on his part I would say. Well no matter.... Hey is this Forgy's kids place? Nice digs.... isn't that little rug rat of Twilight's supposed to be here some where? Spiiiiiiike oh Spiky kins!? It's your uncle Discord..... olly olly oxenfree?” Where is that boy?”

“Cease your gibbering fool, the whelp has left.” Gray Grimiore curses as Discord lifts it from the mess on the floor.

“Aww, pity that, I wanted to say hi. No matter I have a goal here and you are not part of it.” The draconequus tosses the book aside letting it land in a toilet which quickly flushes and spins the book around in the water along with some things that were decidedly NOT Baby Ruths.

“There you are. “ Discord grins stomping on the Red Tome and Teal Text as he makes his way to the massive purple book propped against the wall yanking the large volume open.

“Rude, could you not have asked permission first.” howls the Purple Pamphlet.” What are you even looking for.”

“Just a spell I saw last time I had my claws on you, honestly I am quite surprised to see you all together. Though considering what's going on I suppose I really am not.” Discord mutters.” Ahh here we are.”

“What … That spell? Why would you want...... wait..... something is wrong here, you are not acting correctly.... by the stars. Are you .... lucid?” the Purple Pamphlet questions. “ How is that even possible? The spell that created corrupted Laughter should result in permanent madness.”

“Two blasts from the Element's of Harmony in a rather short time, by a gods standards any way , cleared my sinus's right up. Just as I planned.... well okay the stone thing was not JUST as planned, but it worked.”

“It's made you weaker.” the Gray Grimoire states seemingly ignoring it's dip in the toilet. “ You are a not going to be able to deal with Nameless like this with just a spell. This is all exactly as she planned, even I am impressed with that level of foresight.”

“Nameless? Who is that supposed to be? Wait do you mean ….? Oh this is going to be good.”Discord cackles much to the unease of the books.” well never mind that I have what I want now and hanging out with you old fogies has give me a bit of a headache.”

The draconequus snaps his fingers and and several sections of the cave collapse in on themselves sealing the dragons nest off from the outside with a massive rumble of rock and dust.

“Cruder than I like, but I don't have the time to deal with you all right now, there's so much going on out there that I simply must keep up with it all. Now you kiddies play nice, and we'll have a long talk when I get back....” Discord's face darkens. “.... with some hot irons and fire...... Toodles!”

Discord vanishes from the cavern leaving six very confused and annoyed books behind.

“I will never understand what he's thinking, if anything” sighs the Red Tome.

==============================================================

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!” screams out Starfall her hooves barely touching the ground as she runs slamming bodily into the griffon, sending them both over the edge of the cliff.

Peach Blossom winces hearing the clash of metal and the chime of crystal as the pair went over the edge. He rushes to the cliff looking over only to see the pair flying along the bottom of the gorge, Wind Razor seeming to be running away though Starfall was on her tail already, the bloody chunks of several more of the land eels were still falling to the bottom of the gorge. Peach Blossom was unsure if the new bodies were created by Wind Razor or Starfall, but it seemed the other eels were wise enough to remain hidden after three of their number were ripped open.

The pegasus stallion sighs watching the pair fly out of site along the bottom of the chasm. He obviously was not going to be much use here. He wasn't sure where that armor came from, but it clearly was holding up better than the steel plate he was wearing. He glances down at his armor sighing and pulling off the ruined chest plate wondering it he could do anything with it. A slight whimper caught his attention and he turns looking back towards the treeline seeing a mummified cyan pegasus propping herself up against a tree trying to get back on her hooves.

He sighs trotting over to her, wincing at the wounds that reopened on the mare.

“Geez sit back down. You're in no condition to do shit.” Peach Blossom sighs.

“I've been hurt worse... I've got no time to be laying around that bastard that killed Pinkie and Gilda is still alive.... I've got to stop her......” Dash curses stumbling forward.

Peach Blossom grumbles moving closer and poking the mummified pegasus in the shoulder with a hoof. Dash screams out, falling over with a whimper at the sudden flash of pain through her wound.

“Yeah, you'll do real well against a griffon who took a spear to the heart and still kept trying to kill me.” Peach Blossom rolls his eyes.

“I can't let her get away.....” mutters Dash.

“I doubt she's going to get away. Captain Silvertail is currently fighting her in some weird armor that just showed up.”

“Armor?”

“Yeah kinda formed around her and there's this big apple shaped gem on the breast plate.”

“That sounds like that armor the Element's of Harmony gave them... but the Apple that's AJ's thing why ….. Ugrrrgh of all the times for Twilight not to be here to explain stuff.”

“Well we can always go back to town, you need to get to a hospital any way.”

“No.... I need to see this.... I need to know she's not gonna hurt any one else I care about...... Why the heck did you follow me any way?” Dash questions. “ Not that I'm complaining now, but....”

“Would you believe I was trying to impress a mare?”

“Hey now, I've got a colt friend....”

“Not you.....” Peach Blossom sighs blushing a bit. “ Never mind from what I heard from the Major she's probably not interested any way....”

“Won't know til yah ask.” Dash chuckles wincing again.

======================================================

“Hold fast Apple Jack, you must cease your attack.” Velkorn states.

“What fer, I got her on the ropes....” AJ mutters glaring at the red mare as she stands back up shaking off dirt and broken bark from her back.

Scarlet mumbles something, blinks confused, and then reaches a hoof up and with a hard shove pops her jaw back into place to heal properly.

“I will need you to tend to Rhede, for the moment he is not yet dead.”

“Ain't that your thing? Yer the medic.”

“You won't be able to beat this one, a simple surprise hit doesn't mean you have won.” Velkorn rises to her hooves, trotting over to Apple Jack. Her eyes are locked on Scarlet as the earth pony opens and closes her mouth making sure her jaw was working again.

“Errrr you sure about this?” AJ questions as the zebra slips off her medical bags tossing them over the farm ponies back. AJ staggers a bit under the unexpected weight of the bags and looks at Velkorn surprised.“What tha heck yah got in these things?”

“Trust me it will all be fine, besides after what she has done this bitch is mine.”

“Oh delightful, I am sooo scared of the little doctor. I know all about you. Even in the middle of war and when your own life was on the line you wouldn't kill a damn thing. It's against that doctors code of yours do no harm and that bullshit.” Scarlet glowers whipping her tail and sending a group of daggers flying at the zebra.” Taunt and posture all you like, you won't do shit and I'll rip you apart.”

Velkorn rears back onto her hind legs, her fore hooves striking out and knocking the blades from the air. Apple Jack darts off headed towards Rhede wincing as she sees the extent of the damage on the stallion.

“It is true... I follow quite a number of codes and rules, no killing, meditative rhyme, and things others most would consider for fools.” Velkorn responds sounding a little strained in her speech.

The zebra mare cracks her neck glancing over to AJ and Rhede. A small shiver runs along her spine as she spies the pouch Bloodtail had pulled his powder from laying on the ground near them. She then glared back at Scarlet, her eyes narrowing.

“I think for just this once. Just for you. I am not going to follow any of my personal codes.”

==================================================================

The dirt crackles as it flash burns to glass, weeds and plants lining the edge of the road leading to a side entrance of the castle wilting from the excessive heat as a lance of fire bursts from Celestia's horn, screaming though the air towards a group of black skinned changelings.

A sudden wall of darkness flows up from the ground intercepting the blast of fire and reducing it to nothing but a brief flash and a puff of smoke and wind as the magics cancel each other out.

Celestia's eyes widen as a figure steps out of the smoke, red cloak billowing in the after shock of the spells collision. Glowing green and red eyes turn looking up at the Princess, a smirk crossing the gray stallions fanged face.

“So, the Solar Flare returns finally. I was quite upset she didn't come out to play last time we met.”

Celestia frowns glaring down at the figure before her, hooves shifting on the stone walk.

“Sombra.”

“The one and only.” the Love Cursed King chuckles.

The stallion grins looking past the Princess and to the southern wall of the keep behind her. A number of chariots were still pulling in refugees from the city into the castle. The changelings were leaving them alone letting all of their enemies gather in one place.

The swarm had started to mass around the castle leaving the rest of the city relatively untouched. The motion cut off any of the Guard patrols outside of the castle from aid or retreat, leaving them to fend for themselves against the changelings and what ever other forces were out there.

The last real bastion of resistance for the swarm was the castle and the fiery Princess standing outside of it at the castles weakest point, the east gate.

Sombra had planed this well, a large number of his golems carried changeling pods with ponies trapped inside of them, scattered among the rank and file of the changelings. Celestia couldn't indiscriminately lash out without risking frying her own subjects. Sombra had bet on her reluctance to do so and it had been proven correct. She had been forced back along with the rest of her Guard to the walls of the castle.

“I beat you once Sombra, I can do it again.”

“No... no you didn't, your magic was useless against mine, just as my spells have no real power against yours. The first time it was the Element's that sealed me not your fire, and the last time your sister beat me while you distracted me. And it is plain to see she is not here now. You are out numbered and surrounded. There are no more reinforcements, No last moment heroics to save you this time, you do not even have the Element's of Harmony any more. My Queen is on her way here now and she defeated you in single combat already, despite that fancy armor of yours do you really think you are a match for both of us?”

“Can we do it now?”
“Seriously they're in real trouble.”
“My sister says this is supposed to happen, it's called building drama.”
“I told you three I would allow you to do this if you behaved and they can hear us you know.”

Sombra and Celestia as well as most of the horde pause looking around trying to figure out where the quartet of booming voices were coming from.

“Oh right, that whole voice amplification thing you did on us.”
“Oooh can you cast this on us for the next school talent show?”
“Oh come on. Do we really want to hear you squeak your way through a song at this volume?”
“Alright fine the surprise is mostly gone any way. And I will see what I can do about the spell.”

Both forces look up at a sudden flash of green fire at the top of one of the wall's towers.

A orange filly with a purple mane and bright green burning wings hops up onto the towers rampart flanked by a small white unicorn filly on one side, and a yellow and red maned earth pony filly on the other side. All three leapt into the air shouting at the top of their lungs, the sound amplified by the magic likely heard as far away as Manehatten.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CAVERLY GO!!!”

“What......” Sombra states staring at them as confused as Celestia was.

Another form leaps up and pulls the three of them back down off the towers edge before looking over her self. The tall pink crystalline mare with a long spiraled horn snaps her pink wings open wide, her horn flashes brightly briefly blinding those who watched her.

The brief flash is greeted by dozens of answering flashes as teleportation spells flash into life depositing small squads of heavily armed crystal ponies at various points around the changelings and shadow creatures. The crystal ponies waist no time laying into the surprised changeling s cutting a swath of destruction towards the front gate in order to regroup.

“Cadence?” Celestia questions.

“YOU AGAIN?!! Have you not done enough!? I will destroy you !!” screams Sombra turning into smoke and rushing up at the crystal Princess and the fillies Black lightning crackling around his smoky form.

Another flash of light appears before the Love Cursed King and a white and blue blur slams into the charging half dragon throwing him back to the ground with a crash. The form vanishes again with a flash of light and a soft pop appearing before Sombra.

A white crystalline unicorn with a blue mane and tail dressed in Royal Guard armor stands before the Love Cursed King, a light blue crystalline sword leveled at Sombra as the half dragon pushes back up to his hooves with a snarl.

“You will not touch my wife.” Shining Armor commands.

===============================================

The scream of released steam pierces the air cutting through the frenzied buzz of the swarm.

A number of the changelings gathered at the west gate of the castle pause their siege against the walls looking back trying to identify the source with no luck.

Word had come around of something going on at the south gate though no order on what to do aside attack the western gate had been passed along.

The shrill scream sounds again along with an explosion of dust and debris as something smashes into a building behind the swarm gathered at the gates.

A larger number cease the assault as another explosion sounds along with the screech of metal on rock and a sound like thunder echos across the city, echoing off the walls. A building at the edge of the field that lay between the city proper and the castle explodes as a series of massive brown and gray forms stampeded though the remains of the building, chains hitched to the bulky forms drawn taught pulling something through the structure.

A heart beat after the dozen figures emerge from the dust of the ruined building a massive cylinder of steel and iron bursts through the structure at the end of the chains hitched to the figures. A plum of white smoke and a shrill cry of escaping steam scream from the top of the train engine as dozen buffalo braves rush into the back side of the swarm, stampeding ramshackle through the black chitinous ranks.

A much smaller orange buffalo cow stands firm on the cowcatcher of the train yanking free the chains that held the charging braves to the engine. She leaps onto the back of one of the massive buffalo as they are freed from the engine, spreading out and moving away as the iron horse plows into the belly of a changing hydra shoving the creature back and smashing it between the loosened engine and the stone wall of the castle.

The entire length of train cars shifts from the impact sliding sideways and smashing many other changelings before the ten cars finally come to a stop some how still upright. Several of the doors slide open as the dust starts to settle, though no one exits.

A changeling griffon leaps up onto the edge of the car, clamoring into the car to see what was inside.

The there's a loud crack of chitinous shell shattering and the echo of hoof striking flesh as the griffon is flung back out to crash to the ground before the milling changelings that had dodged the train.

A cream earth pony with sandy blond hair and a brown leather vest steps out of the train car, a western rancher hat perched low over his face.

A small smirk crosses the stallions face as he lifts his hat up, staring down the swarm with piercing green eyes, the smirk not leaving his muzzle.

“Howdy.” Braeburn greets as the rest of the Appaloozans and the Apple family flood out of the train along with the rest of the buffalo herd.

======================================================

“YESSSS THEY MADE IT, An they brought that Buffalo too!”Applebloom cheers leaping up into the air nearly falling off the tower only to be caught by Cadence's magic and pulled back to safety.

“You sent a letter to your cousin Braeburn and Appleloosa?” Sweetiebelle questions.

“Yup, ah didn't think they'd believe me though.” Apple Bloom smiles looking down at the battle, the changelings still had the numerical advantage though that was dwindling quickly under the mad rush of the buffalo and the rough and tumble frontier ponies. “Ah figured as tough as they are on the frontier they could handle some bugs, ah didn't think they'd bring tha buffalo. DID you see tha train!!?”

“Aunt Celestia is going to have a nightmare in repair bills after this” sighs Cadence.” How many letters did you send out girls?”

“Three. Wait.. If you wrote the Apple's and I wrote Princess Cadence, who did you write to Scootaloo?” Sweetiebelle questions.

“Errrr well I really couldn't think of any one cool to write too exactly, but I know we needed help and I remember what he did when Big Mac and Fluttershy were attacked....”Scootaloo mutters sheepishly her burning wings dimming.

“Huh who is that?” Applebloom questions.

“Angel Bunny.” Scootalloo mutters.

“Fluttershy's pet? You're kidding?” Sweetiebelle stares. “You're not kidding. Can he even read?”

“I think so, I was hoping maybe he'd show up with some bears or something and help out like he did before when he ran off that Claymore guy.” Scootaloo sighs.”Okay so it was a dumb idea.”

“Yeah it was. Seriously what are a couple of bears gonna do in all this?” Applebloom teases before a massive roar shakes the castle.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me.” sighs Cadence looking to the east.

A massive form seeming composed of the very star filled night itself smashes down the outer wall of the city as if it was a foals sand castle and roars again. Another section of the wall is beaten away and a gargantuan spiked turtle creature clamors over the rubble, bellowing out in a voice more terrifying that the bear's. Swarms of small furry creatures, foxes, wolves, squirrels, and other fluffy creatures rush through the opening in the walls, the sky darkening with massive flocks of birds, cockatrices, and maticores. The collection of beasts crashes like a furry tidal wave over the changelings on the eastern side of the castle

The huge form of the Ursa Major growls sweeping it's claw down sending changelings and shadow constructs flying. The massive turtle lives up to it's name of Tank and thunders through the city towards the castle crushing golems and massive hydra in it's jaws at it rampages.

Sitting atop the massive star bears head, wearing a combat helmet and brandishing a butter knife like a cavaliers rapier was a very small, and very angry, white rabbit.

Scootaloo squees and bounces around atop the tower her green fire wings fanning wildly as she bounces around at the sight of the towering animals. Applebloom stares in disbelief at the scene and Sweetiebelle simply slaps her face with a hoof.

“Well this was unexpected. I think I might have seen everything at this point...” Cadence starts to say when another cry sounds from the castle courtyard at the south gates on the inside of the walls.

“OPEN THE GATE! ALL FORCES, CHARGE!!! DEFEND THE CASTLE!” bellows a voice from massive of soldiers that seemed to pour from the castle.

The small, group of Royal Guards on the rampart turn looking back at them in surprise though they open the gate enough to let the charge of soldiers rush out to join the crystal ponies in combat.

Cadence's eye twitches, noting that all of them were wearing the colors, or flying the flag, of her cousin.

Prince Blue Blood pauses again to bellow out orders before charging out the gate himself, his horn firing off a number of golden blasts of energy knocking some of the changelings away as he runs towards Princess Celestia.

“Alright now I have seen everything. BlueBlood being useful?”Cadence sighs shaking her head. “well I suppose that's it then.”

The Crystal Princess watches a small number of citizens and most of the remaining healthy Royal Guard rush out along with Blue Blood's mercenaries, the remaining Guards closing the gate behind them.

The Princess lifts her head her horn shining brightly, The burst of power fans out spreading from her spot on the tower and rushing out across the castle and the court yard. The wall of expanding energy passing harmlessly over the Guard and the refugees, though a small number of each was slammed into by the wall and flung out of the castle off of the mountain , their disguises fading as they were forcefully ejected from the castle.

Princess Cadence smirks slightly exhaling a little. She could keep this up for some time, though she was still worn out from aiding in all the teleports from the Empire. Thankfully a large number of unicorn researchers had been there investigating the library when the letter arrived, though two of them were more interested in possible grand foals. With their help the majority of the former rebel forces, now full time Imperial Guard were able to make it to Canterlot.

Still only time would tell if it was enough at this point.

=================================================================

“Aunty Celestia! I bring news, GAAH, back foul parasite,”Blueblood curses, blasting a Changeling who got to close, only to be forced to duck as Celestia roasted a much larger number of Changelings that had moved closer to the Prince.

“I am a little busy at the moment nephew.” Celestia mutters. This entire situation had gotten far beyond sane. A train full of buffalo, a Ursa Major and a Tank, all she needed now was that beast inside of Kaisur, and a flight of dragons or griffons to show up and it would be a proper madhouse. “ RESCUE THE ONES IN THE PODS, BRING THEM TO THE GATES IF YOU CAN!”

“I am aware of that Auntie, but I have found a changeling in your court that you should know about.”

“Does it matter at this point?”

“It may if he takes his disguise again, better you are told now and expect it. I doubt we have any one listening in now.” Blueblood mutters ears flattening at the din of combat. “ Lord Fancy Pants is a changeling. He was the one who freed the captured changelings in the garden.”

Celestia glances down at her nephew. A little concerned if one of her more trusted court advisers was a changeling. Though at this point it no longer surprised her for something to come out of the blue like this.” How do you know that?”

“I ran into him in the garden this morning just after he had freed them.”

“Why were you in the garden?”

“Errrr , taking a morning walk.....” BlueBlood mutters seeming to sweat a little.

“I have known you since you were in diapers nephew, you do not take morning walks. Why were you there ?” Celestia's eyes narrow, more than just changelings had been freed from the garden and she could not place why a changeling would free the prisoners, so there had to be some one else.

Blueblood looks ready to say something and sighs his ears flattening. “ Oh fine... I could never get anything past you any way... I have a new proposal to pass and I heard Auntie Luna raises and lowers the moon from a pedestal in the gardens... since she's turned down my requests for an audience for the last few months I thought I would try to drop in and talk to her there. I never found her, but I found Fancypants.”

The Princess's gaze softens, though she still seemed annoyed. At least this was something she could see her egotistical nephew doing.”Did you see any one else in the garden?”

“Not really, I ran back here as soon as I saw them. I had planed to get my mercenaries and deal with it when, well... all this happened.”

“Yes, about your mercenaries....” Celestia sighs looking around spotting Sombra and Shining still fighting. Sombra had formed some wicked looking black crystalline sword and the pair were going at it with enough force that other combatants had moved away to leave a large circle around the pair. She had heard Shining was training with the rebel fighters that had opposed Sombra in the past but it seemed he had progressed rather far in a short time to be able to hold his own against the half dragon.

“Look auntie is this really the place to talk politics?” Blueblood chuckles his horn glowing to take down another changeling.

“No, it is not, though I will see for myself. “Celestia sighs looking around.” NICKER TAKE COMMAND HERE, SEND SOME FORCES TO THE GARDEN WHEN YOU ARE ABLE, I AM GOING THERE MYSELF TO ENSURE THE NORTH IS DEFENDED.”

“YES PRINCESS!” shouts the brown coated Guard Captain as he smashes a large changeling on the head with a massive ax.

“We will talk later about this nephew” Celestia states taking to the air and rising up over the shield dome headed to the garden on the other side of the Castle.

“That went better than I expected.” mutters Blueblood, falling back and slipping away to hide.

=============================================================

Scarlet was terrified, it was not a feeling she could recall experiencing before, scared perhaps, spooked of course, but never terrified. There was a uneasy silence in this fight. Velkorn had not said a word since it started and had closed the distance on Scarlet in an eye blink.

It was not a natural fear either, she could not tell why she was experiencing it, but she couldn't bring herself to meet the zebra's gaze. She flung daggers at the approaching mare but they were all batted away as if they were falling leaves from a tree.

The Zebra finally attacked, moving faster than she could keep up with. She had expected to feel a number of blows as Velkorn danced around her dodging counter strikes and dagger slashes as if Scarlet was standing still.

The most Scarlet had felt so far was the light touch of the mares hooves on her skin with very little pressure from the points of impact.

Scarlet grins thinking perhaps the mare was taunting her, though as serious as Velkorn seemed Scarlet doubted she was teasing. Perhaps being a god was offing more resistance to attacks than she expected, though the look on the zebra's face did not show any sign of a failed attack, or any emotion at all.

The striped medic bounces out of the way of a barrage of daggers. Scarlet opens her mouth to taunt the mare, though it was at that point the artery in her neck ruptured with enough force for the blood to puncture her skin in a crimson spray. Scarlet winces at the sudden stab of pain staggering back as her body quickly heals the wound. She glares at Velkorn noticing the zebra was muttering to herself, keeping time.

“Six seconds until the effect shows itself. Three seconds to heal.” Velkorn states.

“What the buck are you babbling about?” Scarlet growls stumbling suddenly as another point the zebra touched twinges causing her legs to buckle under her suddenly sending her to the ground.

“I have treated all manner of creatures, including gods. I am simply testing your resistance and healing before I get started taking you apart. You are still just an earth pony, that has not changed.” the zebra monotones slamming a hoof down suddenly on the back of the fallen ponies neck with enough force to sever the earth ponies spine at the base of her neck.

Scarlet gags at the immense pain from the first blow then nothing for the multiple other hits she was receiving. She quickly lost count of how many impacts were landed on her before the zebra stops.

Velkorn steps back as Scarlet feels her spine repair, she leaps to her hooves flinging a brace of daggers at the zebra ,who bats them away with barely any effort.

'Heh trying to torture me for what I did to that toy you drool over. Not much good if I can't feel it.”

Velkorn simply stares at the earth pony.” Three seconds to heal, six for the effect to show, two, one.”

Scarlet's muscles suddenly seize in a violent spasm, the forceful jerking of her muscles snapping bones, ripping tendons, and cracking her ribs as it flails about in a uncontrollable manner sending her flopping to the ground. Her skin tears in some places at the violence of the spasms, her insides being shifted and crushed around organs as her body moves of it's own accord, her jaw even clenching shut with enough force to shatter her teeth inside her jaw.

Velkorn approaches again looking down at the flailing mare with no expression on her face as the seizures begin to subside and Scarlet's body begins to rapidly heal. Her hoof once more comes down slamming into the back of Scarlet's neck severing her spine just as the spasms come to a full stop.

“Three seconds.” mutters the zebra starting to strike the earth pony's body again as Scarlet screams.

==============================================

Apple Jack flinches at the scream from the mare on the other side of the clearing, doing her best to ignore what the zebra was doing and work to pull the daggers from Rhede. The stallion was still breathing. but the amount of damage that had been done to him made her wince.

There was not single apples length of skin along his side and flank that did not have a dagger imbedded into it. Even so she was surprised that most of the wounds were shallow, piercing the muscle and the scant bit of fat the stallion had, but none were deep enough to hit anything vital though a number of them did sink deep enough to stick into the bone. Pulling those out made her flinch more that Scarlet's screams as she could feel the grinding of metal and bone against her teeth as she pulled them out.

AJ sighs dumping open Velkorn's bags pulling out gauze and bandages while looking for some other items. It wasn't the wounds that were gonna kill him. Every one of the daggers was covered in some strange sap like stuff, and his fur and flesh was starting to turn black around the wounds, the dark spots slowly spreading out from the wounds, his whole side now matched the color of his leg.

It was the same thing she had seen used on Big Mac, though on a much larger scale.

Apple Jack winces watching the necrosis start to set in from the Wind Serpent's poison before dumping out the other saddle bag and looking to see if Velkorn had any of the ingredients for the cure.

================================================

Jer'rahd rises to his hooves teeth clenched around his sword as Silver Claw stumbles and crashes to the ground panting hard a moment before trying to scramble to his claws again with a curse.

“Hurts like nothing you've felt before doesn't it.” Jer'rahd growls around the Waning Moon's grip staggering closer to the flailing dragon his red eye glowing brightly, anger allowing him to push past his desire to curl up in a corner and sleep for a year. “First time changing back is always the worst. I don't even want to know how you managed to survive that attack.”

“There was enough of the creature left for me to reform from it. The beast is quite powerful, pity you never read the books to learn how to use your ability's properly. A Bearer of corrupted loyalty is much more than a mindless engine of destruction.” Silver Claw mutters scraping his claws over the ground seeming to trace something.

“Yeah that worked out real well for you I see.” Jer'rahd stops noting the tracing.

“What's he doing?” Twilight questions moving up behind Jer'rahd. She had the Brilliant Dawn gripped in her magic floating next to her, but she still seemed hesitant, clearly relieved she had not really killed any one despite her anger. Though she still remained seemingly detracted from the situation.

“I cannot die here, I have my own mission. Good bye peasants.” Silver Claw growls slamming a claw into the circle he drew.

Jer'rahd tries to raise a shield ready for an attack though the spell fizzles, but no attack comes, instead Silver Claw seems to vanish, sucked into the earth in a eye blink

“What the buck?” Jer questions.

Twilight darts over as Jer'rahd sits down again panting. The purple unicorn looks over the remains of the runes with great interest.

“This is amazing , I've never seen a earth magic teleport before, I wasn't even sure they could be done. I guess if there was a massive amount of power recently nearby the charge would still be in the earth and it could be siphoned by an experienced caster. Though I suppose that might only work with a lightning strike or some kind of magical blast, though where would he get...” Twilight looks over at the crater she made. “ Oh right...”

“So he teleported, great. Any clues where?”

“Not from this, no.” Twilight sighs.

“He most likely went to free his father. That always appeared to be his end goal.” Luna states trotting back into the remains of the market. Her wings fold tight across her back and a soft sobbing is heard from under them.

“Princess? Good to see you're alive.” Jer'rahd winces struggling to get up again.

“I hope that is some one else's blood Kaisur. What happened here?” Luna mutters.

“Wait? Princess Luna? What happened, why are you a pegasus?” Twilight questions her ears perking at the sobs.

“I was always a pegasus, just with a few extra abilities that have currently been removed.”

“ Fraid the bloods mostly mine. Are you alright Princess? Nocturne dealt with I assume?” Jer chuckles wiping the blood from his eyes.

“No. I flew to an area I thought cleared of ponies to fight her, it was not clear and this little ones home was destroyed and his parents killed. Nocturne escaped while I rescued him. I will bring him to the hospital and find Nocturne before she hurts any one else. Twilight, …... Kai.... Jer'rahd, can you make it to Canterlot from here?” Luna corrects herself, her ears flattening a little as she turns her gaze from the bloodied unicorn.” Silver Claw is likely going to the garden to free his father. He needs to be stopped before Forgescale is released.”

“As you wish Princess.”

“Luna.”

“What?”

“Just ….. just call me Luna Jer'rahd.”

“As you wish then. Luna.”Jer'rahd winces as he stands up his horn sparking a little as he picks up his sword tucking it into the scabbard before his magic fails again. “ Sparkle, think you can teleport us there?”

“What? Oh, maybe … I dunno … I mean I'm not completely worn out, but I'm no where near as fresh as I was last time I teleported all the way there.”

“It took both myself and my sister to trap Forgescale last time. I do not know when, or even if, I will return to normal. You need to stop him before he wakes his father or we will have far more problems than what we already have.”

“I'll try Luna.” Twilight mutters.

“Hey she said I could call her Luna not you.” chuckles Jer'rahd getting an eye roll from both of them.

“I will join you when I have dealt with Nocturne.” Luna states.

“Okay, I'm set, I think I can get us to the pedestal where you were in stone.” Twilight responds.

“Good luck Luna.” Jer'rahd responds as Twilight's horn glows brightly enveloping the pair of them in light before there's a pop and the light and pair of ponies vanish.

==============================================================

Wind Razor dodges through the forest zipping among the trees and taking the thickest path trying to get ahead of the mare chasing her. This was insane, she lost count of how many times Starfall had landed a killing blow on her and even with her crystal claws she couldn't so much as chip the gold paint on the mares armor, even the leather parts of it seemed to turn aside her attacks.

The pegasus had been relentless in her attacks as well forcing the griffon back from the very start. Wind Razor needed some room to breathe and after slamming bodily into the mare and stunning her for a second or two she had taken off into the forest, flying low and hoping that her better maneuverability in the air would keep the pegasus off her back long enough for the griffon to come up with something else. Dodging around all these trees was not unlike how she had gotten the drop on the mare back in Canterlot, tight flying was not Starfall's strong suit.

The first explosion and crack of splintering wood behind her told a different story.

Hazarding a glance back Wind Razor could see the mare still hot on her tail smashing through the massive wooden trees as if they were already paper. A rainbow trail of light was beginning to form behind her the thick tree trunks not even slowing her down.

Wind Razor had barely a moment to gasp before Starfall plowed into her shoving the griffon though a few more trees before she spiraled up into the air gripping tight on Wind Razor's wings and forcing the bird high into the air before her.

Wind Razor squirms to get free feeling the air start to turn fridged, frost rapidly forming on her fur as the pair kept climbing bursting through layers and layers of clouds. The curve of the world visible as the darkness of space approaches and the air almost seems non existent.

Wind Razor panics her wings frozen solid as she started to choke from lack of air her body fighting to recover itself as she suffocated.

Starfall finally lets the griffon loose and Wind Razor whirls on the pegasus only to have a sword blade shoved into her chest. Wind Razor gags looking down and blinking at the crystalline blade piercing her. The pegasus wraps her fore legs around the blade growling in the griffons face the steam of the mares breath billowing out of the armors helm.

“I said once before that I was going to kill you and I was going to make it hurt.” Starfall snarls. “ Here's where I prove I was given the right Element.”

Starfall's second blade impales into the griffons chest driven forward by her wings. The mare wraps her forelegs around the swords grips flicking her armored wings out and turning the pair over at the edge of space before another hard flap sent them back towards the earth.

Wind Razor spreads her wings trying to slow the decent though the weight of the pegasus as well as the force Starfall was creating by flying downward made her efforts useless. She attempts to turn to smoke though the crystal blade buried in her chest prevented the ability from working. Wind Razor glances back seeing a mountain peak and the ground rushing up to meet them as she the pegasus pours on even more speed. The griffon lashes out claws striking at the armored pony with little effect. The air around them erupts into a massive display of light and color the horrendous boom not even heard as they pair plummet towards the ground leaving a rapidly expanding ring of rainbow colored light in the air behind them.

The pair impact the mountain top with Wind Razor's back the first thing to hit. The ground crumbles at the impact giving way to the force of the blow and turning the peak of the mountain to rubble as the pair continues to plow thought it.

Starfall does not slow down adjusting her flight only enough to drag the griffon against the side of the mountain. Wind Razor screams as her wings as shears off her back being ripped apart by the rocks and dirt of the mountain side. Starfall pours on more speed leaving a trail of blood and body parts streaking down the side of the mountain towards the base. The pair finally impact with the ground with a massive explosion of dirt rocks and brightly colored smoke that billows up into a mushroom cloud.

===============================================================

Nocturne curses tumbling over a fallen changeling corpse as she moves through the smoke filled streets of Ponyville. She glances up into sky ducking into a small ally as a pair of half dragon Guards fly over head. Sparing a glance back to the sky she stumbles along her whole body aching.

Luna had done a number on her, her left eye was swollen shut, she was sure one, if not both her wings were broken, she had lost some teeth and it was most likely that several of her ribs were either cracked or broken judging by her difficulty breathing. Her forehead burned around her horn from the over abundance of magic she had cast and the new crack running along it's length, she doubted she could cast anything better than a light spell at this point.

She couldn't fly, she couldn't teleport and after that beating she had taken she was lucky she could walk.

She cursed Silver Claw again, that spell would keep her power sealed for at least a day, but once she got out of this city she would bide her time and come back to destroy everything She would rain fire from the sky far above any repercussion and let death take everything for leagues. She should have done that to start with, perhaps she should find the god who could call meteors and take their power first... yes that would be a better plan. It may take some time ,but it would lull them all into a false sense of security.

Nocturne pauses looking up at a wall and the wanted posted plastered all over it. The sign above the door listed this place as the post office's delivery entrance, but it was her own wanted poster that drew her attention.

“Two hundred bits? That's it?” Nocturne growls. She looks at the posters for the rest of the group seeing that Silver Claw's was three thousand bits, Scarlet's was seven thousand, and even Claymore's was two thousand.

She snarls turning to move on down a side ally, planing to smash the bounty commission first when the Post Office door bursts open and four figures step out, three ponies and a small griffon.

The earth pony and a young unicorn were dressed in Postal worker uniforms though the pegasus and the griffon wore the armor of Luna's Night Guard, each bearing a patch with Luna's symbol and a trainee patch with the logo of the 42nd in it. All four of them looked at the alicorn with wide eyes, then to the poster on the wall behind her, then back to the alicorn before the griffon gets a rather vicious smile.

“That her?” Breezy questions shooing the other two ponies towards the hospital.

“Yes.” Dusty grins reaching back and yanking open her saddlebag and pulling out a box.

“Looks like the Princess did a number on her, hasn't vaporized us yet so likely burned out.” Breezy states zipping over into the ally as Nocturne tries to bolt his hoof connecting with the alicorns chest knocking her back into the street though not enough to damage her further.

“Hey now be careful this ones mine.” Dusty grins flipping open the box and pulling out a pair of griffon claw gauntlets pulling them on quickly and tightening the straps.

“Like a carton of eggs.” Breezy chuckles making sure the alicorn couldn't run. ”We can spare five, love. Make them count.”

Every time Nocturne tried to move the pegasus was there to shove her back. She tried to cast a spell though the pony seemed to recognize the attempt and slapped her horn with the butt of his spear disrupting what little focus she had and sending her to her knees as as her horn is cracked further.

“Hey I said be careful.” snaps Dusty.

“Then hurry the buck up before she manages something.”

Dusty clenches her talons, the gauntlet's claws scraping together as she smirks. Nocturne's eyes widen recognizing the material the griffon's weapons were made of.

Star metal.

“Who the buck are you idiots.” snarls the alicorn backing away from the pair her rump pressing to the wall with the wanted posters.

“Me? No one special... this one over here though... well, I'll let her introduce herself.” Breezy smirks stepping away from the griffoness. “ She's been practicing.”

Dusty glares at the alicorn advancing on her, the star metal claws clacking against the cobble stones.

“My name is Dustina Devilin Talon. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

“Slowly!” quips Breezy.

Nightmare Night Holiday Special

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight...... sorta.
By TDR

Nightmare Night Holiday Special

“Why are we doing this again?” Jer'rahd grumbled, moving out of the way as a number of ponies in outlandish costumes rushed past him, carrying some sort of giant pumpkin made of wood. “HOW are we doing this again?”

“It's a random distraction from everything else that's going on right now in our canon story, mostly,” Bleu responded, looking over a bit of paper and humming to herself in time with a gaudily-dressed alicorn stallion tuning a guitar.

“Yeah, I get that part... Okay, no I don't. I'm not even sure how we got here or where 'here' is,” Jer'rahd grumbled.

“It's one of those things that you kinda get used to when you know Pinkie Pie,” Twilight explained, grumbling as Rarity helped her with some make up. “There really is no better way to explain it.”

"This is true, Jer'rahd darling; we even have a clause in our insurance coverage to deal with random acts of Pie.” Rarity sighed. “The monthly cost is outrageous, but it has paid for itself several times over already.”

“Yes, but Pinkie Pie is supposed to be dead, not directing some stage show with Discord.” Jer'rahd snaps.

“It's Pinkie Pie... best not to question it,” Applejack grumbled, trying to fit her hat on top of the skeleton mask she wore.

“Even worse when Discord's involved.”

“They both promised no one was going to be hurt and we could go back to what we were doing after this without any lasting repercussions from what happens here.” Fluttershy pointed out, flying past with sizable number of live bats hanging from her forelegs.

“What does that even mean?” Jer'rahd sighed.

“It means that this chapter has nothing to do with the continuity of the story.” Rhede pointed out as he took a bite from a caramel apple and waved the confectionery in the direction of his friend. “Not sure how she did it, but I was dying a little bit ago, and I'm not even bleeding now. I'm not in any rush to get back to that, thank you very much, Jer, so stop trying to rush it..”

“Yeah, okay, fine. Not even going to try to figure out the rest of it… but this is a Nightmare Night event. We all know what went on during that time, and now there's a celebration for it?”

“The event has changed rather significantly thanks to Rhede's brothers and my sister; it's a celebration of fear still, but not any real fear; something more along the lines of an enjoyable startlement than real terror. It is more a foals' holiday than anything else” Luna stated, stepping out of a changing room and adjusting her Nightmare Moon armor, looking rather uncomfortable. “I do not recall this armor being so tight before.”

Jer'rahd blushed, watching Luna fidget in the armor and trying to ignore the way it clung to her form. “Errr, it looks fine on you, Princess. Are you sure you are alright with this sort of thing?”

“I am. Nightmare Night was quite an enjoyable experience last time I participated. Though it seems I will have a more direct hoof in the festivities,” Luna responded with a smile.

“Yeah, Mr. Grumpyhead, Nightmare Night is fun!” Pinkie shouted, popping out of a crate.

The crate floated into the air and Discord popped out of the bottom of it . “This is delightful-- a whole holiday devoted giving out candy and dressing up. I truly need a holiday for myself based around chaos,” Discord shouted, slipping out of the box and pulling Pinkie free of the top part of the box, then setting her down on the ground.

“You have one. It's called Black Friday,” Rarity muttered.

“Ahh yes... busiest shopping day of the year... I do so enjoy that,” Discord reminisced. “Little old ladies beating each other up with the hottest toys of the season.”

“Enough. Why are you having us do this again? I get the reason for the event and that everyone else seems to be enjoying it. But why are we the ones here doing this? We were in the middle of something rather pressing,” Jer'rahd snaps.

“Well, to be perfectly honest, it was the author's idea. Best to humor him before he does something worse with your canon,” Pinkie sighed, rolling her eyes and gesturing behind the gray unicorn. “Not like he hasn't proven he's willing to kill a couple of us already.”

Jer'rahd glances back, seeing a small black rabbit with glasses sitting on a crate eating candy corn and watching the goings on.

“What?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“SHOW TIME IN FIVE! PLACES, PONIES!” Starfall shouted as she glided in, half-hidden in a cloak with Rainbow Dash dressed as a ghost looping around her.

“Alright, we have Octavia, Pontera, and both versions of the Platinum Swan here. Seriously, while I guess it's kinda cute, I'm not sure I like having a band named after me.” Platinum sighed, rubbing her hoof though her hair as she trotted in dressed as a director.

“Wait! What ? How... when?” Jer'rahd stuttered, staring at the silver-haired mare who grinned and waved sheepishly at him.

“Hello MCFLY!! God of Chaos here, author over there. You really think a guest appearance by some dead ponies is hard for us?”

“I give up,” Jer'rahd sighed.

“Good. It's about time. Now hurry up and get into costume and let's get this party started!” Pinkie giggled.

==================================================================

A massive crowd murmurered and milled about the front of a huge darkened stage. The gathering was much larger than any amphitheater should ever have had seating for. Changelings, Dragons, Diamond Dogs, and Griffons rubbed shoulders with ponies, Royal Guard past and present, as well as Harpies, zebras, and any pony that had ever been in the 42nd. Half-Dragons and Buffalo towered over many of the rest, and pegasi and unicorns floated in the air to get a better look at things.
A few arguments happened here and there, but the atmosphere was oddly calm, with none of the gathered races seeming to want to fight. Whether it was due to Discord's magic or the author being too lazy to type out a massive brawl remained to be seen.

Princess Celestia sat in the back atop the statue of Forge Scale along with her old companions, the current villains, and a number of other ponies and creatures, all of them pointedly trying to ignore Chrysalis and Sombra making out behind the dragon statue.

A sudden guitar riff followed by the rhythmic beat of drums and a piano silenced the crowd as a flock of bats erupted from the darkened stage, flowing over the crowd like a living wave before scattering into the night.
Pinkie Pie appeared in the middle of the stage with a pop of pink smoke. The pink earth pony was dressed like the grim reaper, her scythe having a microphone on the end, and face done up in a skeletal visage, though her trademark pink poofy hair was unchanged. A number of other figures playing instruments and dressed in rather simplistic costumes came into view behind her as the music built and the lights come up a bit.

“Colts and fillies of every age,
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?”

Pinkie sings as her shadow slips from her stretching and elongating into Discord dressed as a jester.

“Come with us and you will see,
this our town on Nightmare's eve.”

The CMC popped up from behind a large wooden pumpkin cutout dressed as pumpkins themselves, Scootaloo's costume already burning with a green fire as they sang.

“This is Nightmare Night, this is Nightmare Night,”

Scootaloo and the others screamed and ran off, trying to put Scootaloo out. Rarity, Trixie, and Twilight floated in on brooms and, in Rarity's case, a vacuum cleaner, dressed up as witch ponies to finish the chorus.

“Pumpkins scream in the dead of night...”

Ghost Dash zipped across the stage, trailed by Soarin, Spitfire, and Derpy, also dressed as ghosts.

“This is Nightmare's eve, everypony make a scene,
Trick or treat 'til the neighbors gonna die of fright.”

Derpy spiraled out of control after getting tangled in her costume and crashed into the others, sending them crashing to the ground behind a massive black cat figure as Applejack, Granny Smith and Big Mac trotted out from behind a grave stone.

“It's our town, every pony scream,
in this town on Nightmare's eve.”

A section of the stage lit up, showing a bedroom with Pipsqueak laying on top of the bed. The foal hopped up and looeds down as a coal black pony leg slid out from the darkness under the bed. A rather horrific singing voice came from the darkness under the bed, forcing Pipsqueak, and much of the audience, to cover their ears.

“I am the one hiding under your bed,
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red.”

Rhede's eyes flashed crimson as he offered a fanged grin, and the spotlight changed to focus on a rickety-looking stair case. A black and white striped tentacle with a fanged maw at the end slipped out between the slats of the stairs.

“I am the one hiding under your stair
hooves like snakes and spiders in my hair!”

Velkorn's grinning face appeared under the stairs briefly before a massive black crystalline spider burst through the stairwell wearing a large striped zebra wig. It waved briefly before skittering off stage.

“This is Nightmare Night, This is Nightmare Night”

Rainbow Dash and the other ghosts chimed in, trying to extricate themselves from Derpy.
Platinum, Fox, and Wolf, dressed as a scarecrow, an actual fox and a sheep, popped up from behind the drummer.

“Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night!
In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the darkness's song!”

Maw Pelt popped up dressed as a clown.

“In this town ,don't we love it now?
Every pony's waiting for the next surprise.”

Pinkie Pie cartwheeled past, running into Discord, who popped into multiple smaller versions of himself that sang.

“Round that corner colt, hiding in the trash can
somethings waiting now to pounce and how you'll...”

Witch Rarity, Trixie, and Twilight leaped out of a cauldron with a shower of sparks.

“SCREAM!, this is Nightmare's eve
Purple, blue, and black between.”

Fluttershy popped up in a hockey mask and a bloody machete behind the unicorn trio, sending them scrambling away in a panic.

“Aren't you scared?
Well that's just fine!”

Pinkie Pie appeared in a puff of smoke before the cauldron and blade-wielding yellow pegasus..

“Say it once, say it twice,
Take a chance and roll the dice.”

The pink reaper pony threw something towards the crowd: a pair of dice that turned into eyeballs before spinning around in the air over the crowd's heads and rolling up Discord's body to pop back into his empty eye sockets.

“Every pony SCREAM, every pony SCREAM!”

The pegasi ghosts took to the air again, though one was flying upside down.

“In this town on Nightmare's eve!”

The spotlight illuminated Bleu, who was dressed as, of all things, a mime.

“I am the clown with a tear-away face...”

The dragon reached up, grabbing at her face. The white coloration changed to bright crimson suddenly, making it look like she tore her own face off.

“Here in a flash and gone without a trace!”

Bleu shrank suddenly, dropping into a much smaller hole in the floor.
Starfall soared over the heads of the crowd dressed as a massive bat with glowing white eyes.

“I am the 'who' when you call 'who's there?'
I am the wind blowing through your hair!”

The pegasus sang as she buzzed the crowd with a gust of wind.
The lights panned up to the back of the stage, and a single gray unicorn dressed in skeletal armor, one eye glowing bright red in the dark socket of the bone helm.

“I am the shadow on the moon at night...”

The lights brightened and Jer'rahd's shadow distended, stretching back to tower massively over the stage like a gargantuan creature all its own. Six points of crimson light began glowing like eyes on the massive shadowy form.

“Filling your dreams to the brim with fright...”

The CMC popped up again, with Scootaloo now being carried in a iron cauldron between the others, her green glowing wings making the pot glow eerily.

“This is Nightmare Night, This is Nightmare Night!
Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night!
Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night!"

Pinkie Pie and Discord shuffled past the trio.

“Fun and candy everywhere ,
though life's no fun without a good scare!”

The witch unicorns returned with the addition of Maw Pelt, the Apples, and Platinum.

“That's our job , but we're not mean
In our town on Nightmare's eve. “

The pegasi ghosts chimed in.

“In this town”

Fluttershy popped up again, swinging the machete and causing the others to run as she leered at the crowd from behind the mask

“Don't we love it now?
Every pony's waiting for the next surprise!”

The whole group suddenly joined in as the stage went dark.

“Nightmare Moon might catch you in the back
and scream like a banshee.
Make you jump out of your skin!”

A high pitched wail built from behind the crowd as a massive shadowy form of fangs and glowing eyes soared over the crowd. The whole group continued singing as the full moon began quickly rising over the back of the stage, showing the silhouette of the dark alicorn.

“This is Nightmare eve, every pony scream!
Won't you please make way for the ruler of the night.
Our Prin~cess is queen of pumpkin patch
Every pony hail to the Nightmare queen now! "

The full moon glowed brightly as Nightmare Moon stepped out of the shadows before it, looking down over the crowd.

“This is Nightmare Night, This is Nightmare Night!
Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night!
Nightmare Night! Nightmare Night!"

The CMC popped up again, Scootaloo's wings setting another set of decorations on fire. The burning ghost cutout was quickly put out with a bucket of water by Applejack as the three bounced around, singing as loud as they could.

“In this town, we call home
Every Pony hail to the nightmare's song!"

The stage flashed brightly as the entire cast of the musical number screamed out in unison, bolstered by the addition of the Royal Canterlot Voice from Luna, Discord, Bleu, and Pinkie Pie, most of the stage beginning to collapse around them from the reverberations.

“LA LA LA, LALALA LA LA, LALALA LA LA, LALALA LA LA EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

Everyone on stage screamed out as the stage collapsed, sending a plume of dust and orange and black decorations into the air. The music thrummed out a few more beats before dying off.

As the audience cheered massively, Jer'rahd shoved his way out of the rubble with a curse. He whipped his head around, dislodging a lantern with Luna's silhouette on it and glared at the little black rabbit who was clapping his paws together in amusement.

“My weirdness quota has been filled for a while. Can we go back to the regular story now? At least that sorta makes sense,” the unicorn snarled.

The Dark Rabbit considered a moment before nodding and turning to look at the reader.

“Happy Nightmare Night, everyone.”

“a sea without a shore”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“a sea without a shore..”

The tumult roar of a sonic rain boom echoed along the canyon and through the trees before slowly fading away like the massive ring of color over head. AppleJack looked over Rhede, wondering if the magic that was released would have any effect on him, she had seen the rain boom do some rather impressive things in the past. She bites her lip noting the spread of the black marks in his flesh had yet to cease.

A snap of a dry branch and the glimpse of a scarlet form from the corner of her eye sent AppleJack to her hooves in a instant, standing protectively over Rhede readying her self against an attack. She blinks easing from her stance as she got a better look at who came from the trees.

Velkorn could have easily been mistaken for a zebra god at that point. Her black and white coat was now black and an almost terracotta red mix of dried blood and bodily fluids. AJ stared, not entirely sure what to say considering the zebra had only been gone ten minutes. How had she gotten to be this much of a mess?

“Velkorn ya'll alright?”the orange farm pony asks pensively. “ Ah'd ask what happened tah Scarlet, but ah have a feeling ain't none of that yer blood. Ah sorta wish it was paint and yer trying tah impersonate my brother though.”

“There may still be a white spot or two on the back of my head, but as for Scarlet, I doubt she is dead.” Velkorn sighs. “ Gods are quite hard to kill, this tends to be the norm, but it will take her approximately two hours to heal herself now, particularly with her own limbs piercing her form.....”

“Ah'll take yer word for that.” AppleJack looks down at Rhede. “ Did tha best ah could with him, his wounds ain't too bad ,but he's been poisoned like Mac was. I couldn’t find any of the stuff you need fer a cure in yer bags either.”

“This was something I knew to be true, but for it I do not know what to do. I do not have anything I would need, it would take a few hours to even collect the flax seed.”

“So what now?”

Velkorn doesn't respond as she simply sits down hard next to Rhede running a hoof over his mane.

====================================================================

“That bucking zebra, I’m gonna show her what a slow death really is.”

Scarlet groans softly, slowly lifting her head looking about the woods only to find it was gone.

The earth pony mare blinks in surprise looking about the vast expanse of what seemed to be stars. She flails as she tires to stand, floating about in the either trying to find purchase to stand or walk normally.

She sighs as she fails to do much more then send herself spinning around a little, after a few tries she manages to right herself , but her sense o unease at this place only seemed to have grown. Something felt off about this place, something felt like it was missing.

The mare's ears perk up hearing voices arguing, she shifts her gaze around trying to figure out the source, though she sees nothing.

“This is unacceptable.” spouts an angry female voice.

“Not our problem, you took too long getting ready and we lost her. This ones the secondary candidate.” mutters a tired sounding male voice.

“I wanted the alicorn.” snarls the female voice again.

“Yeah well, she's a head on a stick right now, so unless you wanna show up already dead, yah need to let that one go.” complains a voice that Scarlet was sure she had heard before.

“Not enough of the ones that would be problems have been removed. Now Discord is even back, that beast will give me no end of trouble.” states the angry female.

“He is weak, the only threats that truly remain are the Love cursed pair, the sun Princess and the current corrupted Loyalty.” mutters another male voice.

Scarlet looks up as the pattern of stars shifts near her. Her eyes strain trying to make out the shape before realizing all she was viewing was a massive hoof, the limb of the creature stretching up and beyond her perception.

“There is also Forgescale himself if his son manages to wake him. That dragon will likely be trouble too.” states another female voice that Scarlet was sure was the same as the Silver Script.

“this is all a pain, can we just get this all over with?” mutters a tired sounding voice that grates like a dragons.

“It is almost done Teal, be patient. This is the perfect time for what is needed, if you do not take this opportunity another may never arrive that will be this perfect. “ states the voice that had been trying to placate the angry one.

“I still have some issue with this. Particularly with this one nearby, I do not trust him at all.” comments the one that sounded like the Silver Script.

“If I had known this was your end game I wouldn't have tried so hard to screw you over.” snaps a weedy sounding voice.

“Well there is that at least Jade. Though there is still the issue of we have no reason to trust you in this.”
comments the angry female.

“No you don't, and I get why I wouldn't be any where near the first to try this out ,but why the heck are you first in line?You're even newer to this than I am.” whines the one called Jade.

“Because she planed most of this, right down to your interference Jade. She set up a good many things to gain this chance and she is the only one of us prepared to do anything about it, despite her current protests.” mutters the first male voice.” We can do this without you if need be, though it will be easier with your cooperation Jade, do we have that?”

“Like I said Gray, had I known this was the end game you could have gotten my help a great deal earlier. This is what I’ve been trying to do for years now on my own. So as long as you don't try and screw me over, I’m in.” Jade states.

“Good. It seems the newest godling has decided to join us as well. Do what you need to and get started.” Gray states.

“Unacceptable, the least that you could have done is find me a unicorn, a lowly earth pony? I might as well deal with a zebra.” snaps the angry mare.

“I take offense to that mare. Keep in mind it was my knowledge and the actions of another zebra against this earth pony that gave you the opportunity to do anything at all. Do you understand how hard it is to get a earth pony into this place.” growls another refined male voice.

“Purple has a point. Besides she is a Cursed Laughter, the madness will stick with her, but the power will stay with the body. You can shape the form as you like with that.” responds the Silver Script.

“Fine then, but I will not endure the pain of a change, she can return to her body for that .”

“Easily done.” comments Gray.

==============================================================

Claymore was pissed, while this was a normal state for him lately there was an actual reason this time. Everything was falling apart around him, when this should have been the height of his victory. He was finally going to pay back that dragon for what she did to his face and then grab a couple more mares for his own amusement. A god should have a decent harem after all.

Now it seemed Trixie had not been as broken in as he thought and with the shield down this place would be swarming with Guards any moment. His issue with the dragon could wait until he salvaged this situation or at least managed a hostage or two.

He pauses on one of the ruined rooms the dragon's body had punched a hole though running a hoof over his chest where the blast of magic had hit him. There wasn't any pain as he had come to expect after the ritual, but it was very itchy.

He presses his hoof harder into his fur trying to briefly sooth the annoyance when what sounds like a rip of fabric reaches his ears and a foul scent wafts into his nostrils at the same time.

He lowers his gaze lifting the hoof he was using to scratch with, a large clump of his hair and skin dangled from the end of his hoof. Claymore's eyes widen as he looks down seeing a patch of rough gray leathery skin where the chunk had torn free. He swears tossing the lump of fur aside and storming into the main hall, Trixie would be paying double if she was responsible for that magic attack as well.

He storms into the main hall his gaze taking in the problems. The shield that held the hostages was gone, they were all free of the wire and currently exiting the front doors of the building in a rush. All of the bandits he had left to watch them were down, likely victims of that magical burst that hit him. A number of them were staggering back to their hooves, though likely not in time to do anything. Trixie was with the hostages, out cold and draped over the back of the gray earth pony mare who had caused so much ruckus when they first got here.

He snarls starting to charge after the fleeing ponies when a blast of magic slams into the side of his head sending him stumbling. He whips his head about seeing a white unicorn at the top of the stairs, her horn glowing as she readies another blast of magic, behind her a yellow pegasus cowered.

“Give it up you foul oaf, you've already lost.” Rarity's voice booms. The mare prances a bit and smirks as she whispers to the pegasus.” Ooh I’ve always wanted to say something like that.”

“Um Rarity, not to ruin your mood, but he looks mad, maybe you should have hit him with something stronger?” Fluttershy points out as Claymore roars, charging up the stairs shrugging off a second blast from the white unicorn.

“Oh dear, that was one of my best... perhaps running would be proper.” Rarity admits running away, and further up the stairs to the second floor, Fluttershy flying rapidly along behind her.

Claymore charges after the pair knocking a bandit over the railing to land with a sickening crunch on the floor below.

Rarity dodges another few bandits climbing to their hooves ignoring the screams as the ponies were destroyed by the mad earth pony behind them in his pursuit as she scrambles up the stairs to the third floor..

Rarity glances back seeing Fluttershy floating in the middle of the open room up by the ceiling, Claymore however was ignoring the pegasus and was baring down on Rarity.

“Rarity look out!” shouts Fluttershy rather quietly.

The unicorn yelps skidding to a stop as she nearly gallops out of the broken third story window. She turns to run the other way only for Claymore to be right before her bringing his sword around. Rarity screams raising a shield as quickly as she can.

The massive blade slams into the glowing magical barrier, warping the edge of the shield before shattering it. Rarity screams as her shield breaks, the cry cut off as the blade connects with her chest, while the force of the blow was greatly reduced by the shield, it was still enough for the dull blade to slam into her chest and fling her out though one of the shattered third story windows.

“Rarity!” screams Fluttershy.

“You Asshole!” shouts a cloaked figure as he manages to make it up the stairs in time to watch Rarity be flung out the window. “ We had a deal, our lord wanted that mare alive!”

Claymore roars turning around suddenly and driving his massive blade through the cloaked ponies head and then through his back and stomach, spilling the stallions guts on the floor and pinning his head to his now exposed spine.

“I DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHAT YOU WANT!” bellows Claymore. “This is about ME! And no pony fucks with me!”

=====================================================

Luna frowns at the small gathering of Guards, nurses, and Big Mac staring at her. She had come into the hospital to bring Pipsqueek to safety before heading out to hunt Nocturne again. Her first mistake it seems had been ordering a pair of confused 42nd trainees to accompany her as she searched for Nocturne. She completely forgot she did not look like she normally did.

“Think she hit her head?” a nurse questions.

“Might be a changeling who didn't get the story right.” responds a Guard. “ I' mean even the cutie mark is different, very close, but still not the same. The aside from the blade instead of the moon there’s a slight tinge of coloration difference.”

“How would you know that?” questions another Guard.

“Well when you've had throne room duty as much as I have, you can either count tiles or watch the royal flanks all day. And I already know there's fifty three thousand two hundred and sixty six tiles on the floor.”

“Perv.”mutters a nurse.

“Eeeyup” replies Big Mac.

Luna slaps her face with a hoof, making a mental note to change the positioning of the guards in the throne room, or at the very least stop holding audiences with her subjects while standing. “I do not have time for this, Nocturne is still out there and she needs to be stopped.”

“No one is doubting that miss, however you should probably calm down and take a rest, let one of the doctors have a look at you...” a nurse placates.

“I AM NOT ADDLED!!”Luna growls,” Fine I shall hunt for Nocturne myself.”

“Some one mention Nocturne?” a voice calls out as a griffon and a pegasus pony saunter in to the waiting room of the hospital. The griffoness had a wide grin on her beak and the stallion was humming something that sounded like 'we are the champions' to himself, a rather bloody sack dangled from the griffons side as her blood coated gauntlets clicked on the floor tile.

Luna looks back at the pair curiously.

“So do you think we can collect the bounty, even as Guards?” Breezy questions.

“Heck no. I'm not turning this in. I'm having this thing stuffed and mounted and I’m putting it on my wall at home.” Dusty states.

“You really want to see that mare's mug for the rest of your life?” Breezy mutters.

“I can make it wear silly hats every day.....”Dusty Cackles.

“Okay now that is creepy” mutters Breezy.

“Bah don't tell me you didn't consider it.”Dusty snaps as Breezy shrugs.

“Let me see.” Luna states snatching the bag from the griffoness despite her protests, and tearing it open to look in, her eyes narrowing though she lets out a sigh tossing the bag back to the aggravated griffon.

“What's the big idea lady, we worked hard for that!” Breezy complains.

“It is one less thing for me to worry about. Now then, no you cannot collect the reward, as members of the Guard it is your duty to stop the criminals, not bounty hunt. No you may not keep the head as a trophy as no matter how foul the enemy, it is not allowed. Now that that is out of the way, I need you two to track down General Silvertail, Major Rose, General Pelt, General Velkorn, Miss Applejack, Miss Pie, and Miss Dash, make sure they know what has happened with Nocturne. Also inform them that General Kaisur and Miss Sparkle have already gone to Canterlot and that they should follow when able. Tell Major Rose to secure the town and send any he can spare to Canterlot.”

“Wait, wait wait, who the buck do you think you are?” Dusty questions. “ And when did the Major make General? Is that even a rank anymore?”

“She thinks she's Princess Luna.”Nurse Redheart sighs.

“Eeeyup” Big Mac confirms.

“You're a little short to be a Princess.” Breezy points out.

Luna twitches grabbing the griffon and the pegasus with her wings and yanking their faces to hers as she snarls her eyes flashing as green cat like slits briefly as she speaks..

“Listen here you two, we have had a rather bad day as it is, and your insistence on being thick is only making the situation worse. If you do not do as you are ordered immediately, we shall ensure, with all our considerable power, that the next years of thine life are spent wishing you were back in the advanced training under General Kaisur and Major Rose. We will personally ensure that you are subjected to the training that General Kaisur, yes General, I know this as I promoted him to that rank myself, and myself created for ourselves and mine sister if she should choose to get off her rump. The General's insistence of making you two his special friends shall be doubled and you shall rue the day you ever though about thinking about becoming a Guard. Now we shall not repeat ourselves again. You will find those ponies. You WILL tell them to go to Canterlot, and you WILL make sure that Major Rose hears this order. Are We clear?”

The pair seem to be sweating profusely staring into the angry pegasus's eyes.

“Ummm sure.....” Breezy mutters.

“No problem.” grumbles Dusty. “But how would we get any one there half the troops are ground bound?”

Luna curses a bit at that consideration letting the pair go.

“Couple of ambulance flying chariots in the shed out back. Dash pulls up from time to time when there's an emergency and they need some speed tah get some where.” Big Mac comments. “ Should hold a dozen or so apiece. Not much, but yah ken have yer pegasus fly and pull floating unicorns. Might get a couple score there like that.”

“There you are, now use that. Now go before I get mad again.” Luna grumbles trying to return to proper speech after her outburst.

The pair rush out the door just as quickly as they came in and Luna sighs.

“Thank you Big Macintosh. “

“Eeeyup.”

“I need to be going, would you do me a favor Nurse?” Luna states fanning her wings a little.

“Errr I guess. What is it.” Nurse Red Heart questions wondering if there was any tranquilizer she could get to fast enough if the pegasus turned mean again.

“The colt I brought in. Ensure he is well cared for, his parents...... well they will not be coming for him.....” Luna winces.

The nurse sighs looking back at the double door leading deeper into the hospital.” He's not the only one. I'll do what I can.”

“I can ask no more.” Luna mutters trotting out the door to begin the flight to Canterlot.

======================================================

Celestia lands heavily on top of a pedestal, muttering lightly to herself about the added weight she felt being the armor and not the extra desserts from the kitchens.

For a place that seemed to be the start of most of the troubles the garden, it was rather quiet. The smell of smoke and charred flesh however hung heavily in the air. She looked over the gardens spotting a few smoking black chard bushes and a number of spots that seemed to be on fire. Following the spots of destruction with her eyes she spotted a few bodies of what appeared to be changelings. She didn't think her own power would have been enough to send them all the way out here, let alone burn things on this side of the castle.

A loud roar draws her attention to movement at the edge of one of the gardens multiple interior borders and she hops off the pedestal opting to gallop rather that sluggishly fly over there again. She did not have to go far, running into the large clearing that contained the statue of Forgescale, she came across a battle.

A large red dragon was currently being swarmed by changelings, Celestia recognized the beast as Silver Claw, though how had he gotten here?The last reports had him in Ponyville. Even if he had flown in while the attack was going on a bright red dragon was not something that should have been missed.

A number of changelings that milled around the dragon finally notice her and turn charging at the armored alicorn. The Princess largely ignores them pondering Silver Claw's arrival and why he had not tried to wake his father yet. The changelings leap for her only to be met with a arc of flame as her horn lightly glows turning the attackers into ash before they even reach her. She narrows her eyes amping up her power and turning the short arc into a massive wave that blackens the grass and crashes down atop the dragon and the changelings.

There were a few rapidly cut off screams as some of the changelings managed to dive out of the way , only getting singed or injured by the magical fire. Celestia sighs as the fire begins to flicker, glad at least one such problem was dealt with.

Her eyes widen as Silver Claw rises up from the flames,shaking off the ash of the changelings that had been covering him.

“Do you think you can burn a fire dragon pony? You are a fool!” Silver Claw snarls his maw snapping open and a blast of white fire bursting forth setting the very ground ablaze and smashing into the armored princess like a tidal wave. The bushes and decorations nearby burst into flames from the sheer heat produced by the dragon's breath weapon.

Silver Claw snorts snapping his jaw shut, at least one of his problems was now dealt with, of course he still had no idea how to free his father, the unicorns aura magic was not something he could preform.

The clack of bone against bone draws his attention to the shimmering heat and smoke left in the wake of his attack. A white mare covered in skeletal armor stands unphased in the middle of the path of flame glaring at him, her armor glows orange from the heat though it seems undamaged as well.

Celestia chuckles. “ You think your paltry flame can harm the Goddess of the Sun? Now who is the fool Silver Claw?”

The dragon roars lunging at the Princess only for a massive bolt of lavender energy to fly from the edge of the charred field knocking the dragon out of the air sending him crashing to the ground.

“I will not allow you to touch Princess Celestia.” states a very tired, but determined looking Twilight Sparkle.

“You again? Is there no end to the interruptions stopping me from freeing my father?!” Silver Claw bellows suddenly, staggering forward and screaming out as a spray of blood erupts from his back between his wings. The dragon spins his claws reaching back trying to grab what hit him. Celestia blinks watching the massive dragon flail, the gray form of a unicorn planted between the beasts wings, teeth gripped tight on a star metal blade embedded in the dragons back.

Silver Claw whips his tail up striking the pony , though not before the unicorns hooves shatter a number of scales on the dragons back . The gray pony sails through the air teeth still gripped tight on the Waning Moon, he braces himself for impact only to be caught by a glow of golden magic and turned to be set lightly on his hooves by Celestia.

“I think perhaps this is the first time I have actually been glad to see you are well Kaisur...... That IS some one elses blood covering you right?” Celestia questions.

“Why do ponies keep asking me that?” Jer'rahd growls looking over to Celestia, curiously regarding the armor.

“I needed to borrow this for a while, I do hope you don't mind.” the Princess mutters trying to ignore Twilight staring at her as well.

“Looks a, umm, little tight Princess.” mutters Twilight a bit red in the face.

“Looks better on Luna.” grumbles Jer'rahd before he turns and rushes at Silver Claw again.

================================================================

Rarity whimpers, her chest and head hurting far too much for much more than that. She couldn't ever recall having been hit that hard, nor having her magic broken since she became an adult.

Rarity whimpers again feeling the wind blowing through her mane and the stinging pain where the blade had connected against her chest. She felt particularly lightheaded, that coupled with the pain made her certain she was not dead at least.

She feels herself starting to descend, her eyes opening a little to see the ground start to rush up towards her, the blow having flung her from the window and nearly clear of the music schools front lawn. Unfortunately that meant she was likely to land on a cobble stone road, she shuts her eyes tightly briefly trying to focus on a spell though not even able to draw on her magic after the shock of her spell shattering. If she survived the impact, this was going to hurt, a lot.

She flinched as she hit, the air rushing from her pained lungs, body tensing up. She expected a rather large amount of pain from the hit, though aside from having the breath knocked out of her she didn't seem to be in any... well, any more pain at any rate. She was certain she might have a few cracked ribs and was certain one of her forelegs was broken...wait why did she feel like she was rising?

Her ears perk hearing the faint flap of wings and she opens her eyes once again, the ground was no closer than it had been, in fact it seemed to be getting further away now. She blinks noting a gray foreleg under her and she could feel another under her lower back, she turned her head looking up and into the draconic face of a familiar, and exotic handsome, if you were into the scales thing, Lunar Guard.

“Are you alright Miss Rarity?” Lion Heart questions.

“Wha?” Rarity stammers, wincing again as she opened her eyes too quickly.

“Should I take that as a yes or no?” the half dragon chuckles. “ Princess Celestia told us to make sure none of you got hurt. I doubt she will be happy to see you did get injured.”

“Really?” Rarity frowns a bit at the rather sad lack of romance or drama in that bit of fact. Still should couldn't complain about the rescue, she did wish there had been a little more to it than just orders however, the was no dramatic flair to that. Perhaps she could play up the fight with Claymore a little bit.

“Besides...” Lion Heart continues and Rarity notices that his black scales turned slightly red, from what she assumed might be a blush. “You did say you wanted me to come by so you could fit me for a suit. I couldn't let anything happen to you before that ,could I?”

Rarity pouts a bit then laughs a little wincing as it hurt her chest. “ You are terrible at flirting aren’t you?”

The blush on his scales deepens and the unicorns smirk widens, this might be a salvageable dramatic rescue after all.

“Well I haven't exactly had a chance to practice that sort of thing between trying to run Gallopagos and Guard training.” Lion Heart mutters. “Hold on now, I'll get you to the medics and go back for your friend.”

“Well, I suppose I will just have to help you practice then when you come for that suit.” Rarity smiles.

===============================================================

Claymore glares down at the yellow pegasus before him curiously. Blood and gore dripped from his blade as a number of the bandits came after him when he killed the cloaked pony. Their various parts lay scattered across the third floor. He was moving down to the second floor to take care of a couple of the unconscious ones there when the yellow mare moved in front of him.

He blinks lightly tilting his head as she stared at him, wondering what the heck she was trying to do. The glare she was giving was quite intense, though aside from confusing him there didn't seem to be anything too it. Did she think if she glared hard enough she could be a cockatrice? Least she wasn't dangerous, might as well make the stupid bint one of his hostages. Even if they didn't negotiate for her release, he could have a last bit of fun before having to fight off the guards and what ever else was thrown at him. If only he didn't itch so bad.

“What the buck are you doing mare?” Claymore finally questions sighing and shoving the pegasus out of his way with a hoof wondering if she had gone mad.

“It.. it didn't work?” Fluttershy stammers staggering to the side from the shove. She winces as Claymore crushes the unconscious pony with his sword before turning back to her.

“What didn't work? What the heck were you trying to do?”

“But it always works.... unless......” Fluttershy turns her head ears flattening to it as she looks at the earth pony as if seeing him for the first time.” You don't feel bad for anything you are doing, do you? Not a single regret for all this killing?”

“No. Why should I?” Claymore laughs. “Most of these bastards deserve it and the ones that don't still do for annoying me.”

“I see. I suppose there is no choice then.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep talking to yourself I have a dragon to finish off.” Claymore mutters almost having for got the reason he even came here, he must have been addled by that blast he was forgetting the important stuff.

“Mister Claymore, let me tell you a story.”

“What?” he stops looking back at the pegasus though she ignores the confused stare and starts talking any way.

“A long time ago I left Cloudsdale to come live in Ponyville. A year or so after I started working with animals an epidemic hit the Everfree Forest, infecting hundreds of the critters that lived there. It caused the animals infected with it to lash out and attack any thing that came close to it, not for food or territory but just because it was there. If an animal some how survived such an attack, it too became infected. Vets worked tirelessly for a cure, but they could not find one, the best they could do was a vaccine that prevented the uninfected from getting it. But that still left a lot of animals infected that had to be dealt with.”

“Right, yeah yeah, tragic stuff, get to the point mare I am getting bored here.”Claymore snaps.

“The animals infected Mister Claymore turned on everyone, friends, mate's, even their children. It's how I came across Angel Bunny after his mother..... The animal's had no regard for their own safety and simply destroyed anything they came near. Much the same as you do Mister Claymore.”

“Ehhh?”

“The sickness was called rabies Mister Claymore.” Fluttershy shivers remembering that, tears already in her eyes. “ We found there was only thing that we could grant the infected, those of us who were willing did what we could to end the suffering. You are the same, a rabid beast Mister Claymore. There is only one sort of Kindness I can give you to end the suffering.”

==============================================

Wind Razor stirs, wincing as she feels her bones start to knit from where the impact with the ground shattered them. She shifts trying to move her self up right gasping in pain. She opens her eyes looking down, a fair sized rock had smashed into her lower legs pinning them against a larger slab of stone that her back was against.

She grumbled trying to move her claws to push t away only to feel a sharp pain in her fore claws and her wings as she tried to move them. She looks up seeing a blue crystalline blade driven thigh her fore arm and left wing pinning them to the rock she was against. Turning her head she saw her right arm and wing were the same way.

She curses attempting to turn to smoke to get away only for the magic to fail due to the crystalline blades piercing her.

“Oh good. You are finally awake.” states a tired sounding voice. “ I was hoping I hadn't finished you off with that. I'm not any where near done with you yet bird.”

Wind Razor snaps her head up seeing Starfall, still clad in the golden armor, standing on the other side of the rock trapping her rear legs.

“What the buck are you trying to do here mare?” snaps Wind Razor struggling against the weapons pinning her.

“Killing you painfully.” Starfall climbs onto the rock trapping the griffons legs. “ This. this is for Loc.”

The pegasus lashes out, slamming into the griffons face and chest, armored hooves ripping gouges out of Wind Razor's flesh, shattering her beak and rupturing an eye. The attack continues relentlessly until the griffon blacks out.

Wind Razor wakes spitting out the taste of blood in her mouth whipping her head about her body healed though she was still pinned to the rock with the armored pegasus before her.

“Three minutes huh? Good, that means I don't have to wait long. This is for Wisp Wind, my brother.” Starfall states without a hint of emotion.

Another serious of savage blows tears the griffon apart and sends her back into darkness.

Wind Razor recovers and wakes lifting her head.

“For my father.” another rain of blows follows until blackness takes her.

The griffon wakes.

“For my Mother.” a flurry of hooves til blackness.

Wind Razor stirs.

“For Starshine, my little sister.” the sound of iron shod hooves impacting flesh until darkness.

Wind Razor wakes.

“For my sisters mare friend, Stormsong, I really didn't like her, but that's not the point now.” another series of blows and blackness.

“By Celestia, what the heck are you doing?” states another voice as Wind Razor wakes.

“For Cloud Dancer. You never managed to lay a claw on her, but you tried.” states Starfall laying into the trapped griffon again.

Wind Razor wakes.

“Seriously you need to stop her!”

“Considering the situation Miss, I see no reason to do so.” states a male voice. Wind Razor lifts her head spotting the Guard that gave her so much trouble standing off to the side with a bandaged cyan pegasus next to him.

“And this is just for me.” Starfall snarls slamming her hooves hard into the griffon crushing ribs and collar bone, fracturing the griffons skull and tearing ligaments and muscle.

The griffon stirs again.

“Seriously just stop.” a mare that looked more like a mummy shouts struggling against the guard.

“She killed your friends too. Do you not want revenge?” Starfall mutters.

“Yes, but... not like this , I couldn't do this.”

“That's why I am doing it. I can do it. This is for Gilda.” Starfall responds glancing back to the trapped griffon before her hooves strike flesh again sending the pained griffon into darkness.

Wind Razor wakes.

“I can't say I have ever seen this much blood.”mutters Peach Blossom.

“Just stop already.” whimpers Dash.

“This is for Pinkie Pie.” Starfall responds again laying into the prone griffon, feathers fur and gore soaking the armored pegasus.

Wind Razor Blacks out again waking to see the back of a bandaged pony trying to push back the armored Starfall.

“Enough.... I get that your mad, but this is torture.... “

“This is what she did to me and my daughter. This is justice, payback. She never managed to physically hurt us but she took away everything we had. This is the only way I know to make her pay for that.”

“This is still wrong. Just …. please stop already.....”

“Why?”

“I don't want to see any one else suffer because of this... there's been enough of that......” Dash whimpers .

“You think this is enough … I am not even getting started. “ Wind Razor growls. “ This shit is your best and I’m still standing. Sooner of later I’ll get out of here and I’ll be on you like a fly on stink all over again. I don't care if I have to wait for this damn rock to erode away to dust, I will find you and any family you have and rip you a fucking part. I will have my damn trophy and there's not a damn thing you can do about it! So come on keep hitting me not like that means a damn thing any way, I'll come back, I’ll always be back.”

“This is what you are trying to protect here Rainbow. “ Starfall sighs. “ This scum doesn't deserve any mercy or pity.”

“Doesn't mean your not suppose to give it... or at least try. How is what you are doing now better than what she did, she made other suffer and now you're trying to make her suffer... She doesn't even care....”

Starfall looks to the laughing griffon then down at Dash lifting a hoof and looking at the blood soaked armor. She sighs again letting the armor slip from her form and back into the amulet of Honesty about her neck. She reaches down running a hoof though the cyan pegasus's mane with a sigh.

“Alright. You're a better pony than I am Rainbow.” Starfall turns trotting over to Peach Blossom and pulls her saddle bag from his back.

“You alright Captain?”Starfall questions looking at the slashes across his chest and the blood in his fur.

“I've had worse.” Peach Blossom Chuckles. “ Not many, but I’ve had them.”

Starfall nods pulling something out of the bag with her wings moving back over to the struggling griffon with a last look at Dash.

“I suppose it is time to end this. But only because you asked Rainbow, I could have gone on for a couple days.” she lifts the sheathed dagger up with a wing drawing the weapon before the griffon, watching the birds eyes go wide at the sight of the blade.

“And finally. This is for Rainbow Dash.” Starfall states slamming the star metal dagger into Wind Razor's chest.

=============================================================

An explosion of green flame erupts around the massive form of the tank. The giant creature screams out in pain before it's lifted bodily into the air and flung back over the walls of Canterlot to tumble down the mountain side, leaving a spiraling trail of green flame behind it.

Cadence winces looking down at the crowd scanning for shining Armor. It didn't take her long to spot her husband, the unicorn, and every other defender of Canterlot had seen what happened to the tank, though Shining was glaring up at the laughing form of Sombra as the half dragon floated away on a a swirling mass of black smoke.

“Seem's my love is in a bad mood. I am sure she has some choice words to say to you and your wife colt. Have fun with that, I have a Princess to destroy.” Sombra smirks soaring off over the shield dome towards the garden.

Cadence looks up to where the flame had come from seeing a multitude of dark spots in the air rushing towards her shield with a much larger form in the middle flickering green flame.

Chrysalis glares down at the field of battle and screams out launching bolts of energy down on the defenders as the rest of her swarm dives down to attack

“Oh Fuc.....” the pink Princess starts then glances down at the three fillies around her. “Fuzzy chicken......”

===================================

Apple Jack grits her teeth looking down at the crying zebra and the mess that was Rhede Pelt. This was a bad situation and she had no clue what to do at this point, the only one who did was a mess right now and Apple Jack was having a hard time even getting her to say anything.

“Look we gotta do something we can't jus let him die here.” AJ shouts pacing.

“Even if we knew where to find what we need, there are only the two of us, we do not have the speed.” Velkorn mutters.

“At least it'd be something, we ain't gonna be sitting around waitin fer him tah die!” the earth pony snarls.

“Then go do what you think would be best, I will stay with him until he goes to his final rest.” The zebra mutters brushing a hoof along Rhede's neck flinching lightly at the earth ponies labored wheezing.

Apple Jack was about to grab the zebra and shake the fool out of her when something cold and wet hit her nose. The farm pony winces and whips her head reaching a hoof up to rub her nose. She growls ready to start fussing at Velkorn again when something drifts across her field of vision and strikes her nose with a cold wet plop once again.

The farm pony snorts wiping off her nose looking to the side and watching something else drift by and land on the ground. She lifts her head up as she spots another then another, before she raises her head staring skyward.

“Velkorn..... “

“I have said I am not going anywhere Apple Jack, just leave, I will find my own way back.”

“Shut up a moment and look up.” A J snaps.

Velkorn slowly lifts her head, eyes narrowing as she notes the bits of white floating through the sky drifting down from a massive collection of gray clouds far above them. Velkorn winces as the bit of broken sword metal around her neck tugs into her fur brushing along her skin feeling like an ice cube.

“It ain't supposed tah snow for another coupla months, we jus had the harvest. What tha heck is going on?” Apple Jack questions.

A loud piercing whinny causes both of them to whip around to look back at the clearing.

The massive form of a gaunt snow white stallion larger than even Big Mac stood in the center of the clearing, a light dusting of snow covering the green grass where he stood. Another series of high pitched cries fills the air as at least two dozen more of the gaunt creatures emerge from the clouds galloping out of the sky to touch down in the clearing, flurries of snow descending with them to settle over the trees and grass.

The first one that landed approaches the pair, glancing to Apple Jack though focusing on Velkon.

The Windigo bows it's head to the zebra and the others that landed follow suit before it speaks.

>>”Greetings Queen of the Zebra's. It has been many summers since our last meeting. We have felt you pain and we have come to offer you our aid.”<<

======================

A white hot breath of flame burst from the dragons maw impacting an even hotter arc of fire lashed from an white alicorn in bone armor. The spell and breath weapon collided in mid air causing an explosion of flame that scorched the air and sent sparks and burning cinders around the garden like rain.

Celestia narrows her eyes lashing out with another lance of flame disintegrating a changeling that was sneaking up on her student while she made sure the dragon's breath weapon did connect with the pony who was fighting the beast.

Jer'rahd and Twilight both looked exhausted yet neither said anything about it, nor seemed to give the slightest inclination they were even tired.

Over a dozen new statues of changelings lay scattered about Twilight as her horn glowed brightly blasting the bug creatures every time there was a clear shot. Celestia knew that some of the more lethal spells would use less energy than the stone gaze spell, her student knew of them she was sure, but twilight showed no desire to use them.

Kaisur had lept right back into close combat with the dragon though he kept his sword gripped between his teeth rather than wield it with magic. He continued attacking with sword swings and hoof strikes leaving silver Claw's forearms and body covered with cracked scales and bleeding gashes. None of the wounds were life threatening, but the gray unicorn seemed more focused on avoiding attacks than landing anything heavier.

Celestia had quickly taken note of how he was fighting and that he did not raise a shield of any kind and opted to counter the dragons own flame with her own to protect him. She suspected that blood and the burnt fur around his horn had something to do with it, both were signs of magical burn out, though she had no idea what could have caused it.

A loud roar in the distance gave Celestia pause as the cry reverberated across the city before it faded into the distance. It sounded like the tank, though she knew not what could cause a beast like that pain enough for it to cry out like that.

Her gaze was off the combatants for only a heartbeat , though that seemed to have been enough as a scream of pain and rage snapped her attention back to the fight between the dragon and the pony.

It was raining blood.

A thick spray of crimson liquid and red scales spurted from a rent across Silver Claw's chest, the wound was deep enough that some of the dragons ribs were visible, and the slash ran from the dragons belly all the way up to it's neck. The dragon tumbled back falling over his own tail and crashing to the ground from the force of the blow a fine red mist filling the air.

Kaisur lands heavily back on the ground from where he jumped though he staggers barely managing to remain upright. Both warriors it seemed had taken that cry as distraction enough to attempt a killing blow, it seemed only speed had kept Kaisur from being the one felled ,though he was not unscathed.

The gray pony's left side was awash with blood, exposed muscle was clearly visible where his flesh had been skinned off from the dragons claws. The wound was no more than n apple wide but it ran from Kaisur's shoulder all the way down to his cutie mark. The shield with the knight's chess piece in the center was no longer on his body, but rested on a section of flesh that had been flenced from him and remained connected by little more than a bloody strip of skin in his hind leg. The flap of skin was long enough to lay partially on the ground hanging off the bloody unicorns side.

For the unicorns credit he had not cried out though Celestia could see the strain on his jaw as he bit down harder on the blade. The dragon twitched still and the pony started forward towards him dragging the strip of skin along the ground as he moved to finish off the beast.

“Well now seems I have interrupted something rather spectacular here. While I noticed something before, my love did consider you something special there colt. I have seen ponies collapse from a quarter of what you seem to have been through. Of course I am also intrigued by your little mare friend there as well.” A calm baritone voice interjects.”Might I assume that the blast of power that was displayed earlier was from you? The energy you are displaying is remarkably similar.”

“Sombra!” snaps Celestia.

“Ah buck, not you again.” grumbles Jer'rahd. “I can only handle one rogue god at a time.... Take a number or something while I finish off this sack of shit.”

Sombra chuckles as the smoke condenses atop the stone form of Forgescale. “Unfortunately I cannot really do that. Interestingly enough that 'sack of shit ' as you call him is a relative of mine. A half brother as it were.”

“For crying out loud is every thing in this era related somehow?”Jer'rahd curses. “How bad did Rhede buck up the bloodlines?”

“What?” Sombra questions taken aback a little by the response. “It seems I am missing something here.”

“Not important.” mutters Twilight. “Though your claim makes sense considering all that I have read. Though it seems your mother did quite a number on you and your wife.”

“Ahh, educated as well. Tis nice to see that not all history has been buried.” Sombra chuckles.

“I know the situation you are in and I might be able to help you finish that cure you are looking for. But you have to stop this attack.” Twilight pleads.” Hasn't there been enough done?”

“Ahh and the truth of it comes out. I like you mare, but this cannot be stopped. Solar Flare and Canterlot must fall, as must the Crystal Empire and it's usurpers. Too many wrongs have been done for there to ever be any sort of peace between us. At least while Celestia lives. Perhaps if Flare was no longer the ruler we may have come to an agreement, but there is too much bad blood now. Besides I doubt she would allow my father his freedom.”

“Lies..... my father would never consort with a lesser creature to produce the likes of you.” wheezes Silver Claw.

“And ponies say I won't die.” grumbles Jer'rahd his gaze shifting between Sombra and the fallen dragon as if debating which to go for.

“Believe what you like brother, I am unsure what sort of noble purist bullshit he filled your head with , but if he himself truly believed that then she caused him far more harm than she ever did me. If able brother, I suggest you leave, I offer the same to the attempted diplomat and the warrior here. I respect both of your convictions and give you this once chance to depart. Stay and I will see you ended like the rest who rule here.” Sombra states.

“As if I would do that.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“I will not leave the Princess.” Twilight responds.

“As if I will let you destroy anything else here Sombra.” Celestia growls.

“I refuse to accept THIS!” screams out Silver Claw sitting bolt upright his chest wound leaking flame as he fires a blast of white fire at Jer'rahd.

The unicorn dives out of the way crying out as he yanks open his wound further, the dragon wastes little time lashing out with his claw, a sickly yellow ray launching from it and striking Sombra. The half dragon turns to smoke in a instant though as the ray strikes him he solidifies and falls tumbling off the back of the stone dragon.

Jer'rahd rights himself rushing the dragon but not before the beast fires a second ray at Celestia.

Twilight cries out diving in front of the blast, though it passes through her with no effect and strikes the Goddess of the Sun.

The dragon coughs up a gout of fire mixed with blood falling back again before Jer'rahd even reaches him, though a wide grin crosses his fanged maw as he drops.

“Now be good little mortals and kill each other off....” Silver Claw rasps with his last breath.

=================================================

The snap of bone and the pop of flesh fill the forest as the mass of body parts formally known as Scarlet, writhes and squirms on the ground showering the area with blood ,an excess shed fur and bits of meat. Reality warps and shapes around the wretched form, birds and squirrels nearby are snatched from the trees by unseen tendrils and pulled towards the writhing mass, small bodies being pulped and ground to mash before being pulled into the writhing body and added to it's mass.

Through it all the mind of Scarlet was trapped in the body, experiencing the shift. Her vocal cords had been magically seized leaving her to silently endure the insane amounts of pain that was going through her form during this baleful polymorph of her body.

A set of equine legs finally fully forms under the mass that Scarlet is barely coherent of as they flail no where near under any of her control, the limbs struggling to run in several directions at once, though doing little more than sending the writhing form tumbling down an embankment to splash at the edge of a small lily choked pond.

The magic keeping Scarlet silent also prevented her from blacking out or going mad from the pain, forcing her to endure the anguish. Held fast in the grip of the specter that had forced her back here to suffer this torment.

Eventually the pain subsides and tormented pony managed to push herself up to her hooves, chest heaving as drops of sweat and blood fell from her form. She glances down watching as her black fur slowly brightens turning to a pale sky blue, her formerly red mane growing longer and becoming a mix of lavender and amber.

A stab of pain runs along her forehead traveling down her spine to her back and spreading out from the middle of her spine. She manages a noise, little more than a croak as her head drops as the new pain subsides, her vision blurred some as she lifts her head. Her gaze meets a unfamiliar face in the stillness of the pond. Lavender eyes stare back at her from where her green ones once where. A pale blue horn emerges from the center of her much narrower and slender head. The flutter of wings sounds as she staggers back from the pond her head turning to to see a massive pair of blue feathered wings spreading from her back, though before her worn mind can comprehend what was happening she was yanked out of her body again and back into the strange void of stars.

“That will do. She is a rather strong one, her mind is still mostly whole.” explains the Gray Grimiore.

“That matters little to me. I have what I need now. We simply need to wait for the conclusion of the battle or at least until an opportune time.” the angry female responds.

“The Sun Goddess, and the Love Cursed King have been depowered, One of the cursed Loyalty’s is no more, the other is badly injured. The Moon Goddess has yet to regain her power. Of the new cursed ones there is only the zebra still alive.” mentions the Silver Script. “Now would be the time to strike. ”

“No, not yet, Discord and Crystal are still unaccounted for. Solomon is not weak even without being a god. I would be proud of that if he was not such a problem to me. He can still be an issue. The Element's of Harmony have gone missing as well, and I do not know what to make of the Windigo's presence.” mentions the angry female.

“They owed the former Element of Compassion a boon, likely it will be wasted on saving the life of the earth pony she desires. They are not a factor here.” replies the Gray Grimiore. “ But you are correct about the others. A little more caution will not hinder the plans.”

“And the Elements of Harmony themselves?” the angry mare questions.

“They are where they need to be, quit freaking asking about them and get yourself ready, I’m tired of this sneaky crap.” snaps the Red Tome.

“Are you sure of what you said earlier Jade?”

“Not one hundred percent, but there appears to be a bit of a cool down time on them, I noticed it when Nightmare Moon returned and they were used, and I noticed it again when they were used against Discord. Back to back uses of the full power of the Elements of Harmony is not possible.” the Jade Scroll states. “ Not unlike how we are limited in the number of subjects we can alter by how many of us there are.”

“I still do not trust you.” The Silver Script responds.

“Nor do I.” interrupts the angry female. “ But I know that statement is truth from my own research into them.”

“So what do you want to do with the mare's spirit?” questions the Purple Pamphlet.

“I don't care, if you have a use for her then she is yours, I have what I want now.” the angry female dismisses.

“Good.”

Scarlet looks up as one of the massive shapes that had towered above her in this place seems to contract shrinking enough to form what appears to be a lavender hued spectral zebra. The zebra regards the earth pony mare curiously with glowing amethyst eyes. The translucent form of the zebra still towered over her by several stories ,but at least she could make it out at this size.

“My apologies, I needed to adjust myself so that I might have contact with you. You are a interesting one little assassin. You hold a wealth of information in your head that I would like to have.”

“What the buck are you things?” Scarlet snaps.

“Irrelevant.”

“What the hell do you want with me? What's going on?”

“The others want nothing more to do with you and the second part of that question is also irrelevant.”

“Then what do you want with me.”

“Information.”

“What, you want secrets or something? I can tell you what I know so long as that gets me out of here.”

“You do not have any information that is worth the price of an escape from this place. Most of what you know is trivialities of an group that was eliminated a thousand years ago. None of it is important.”

“Then what the heck do you want?”

“Everything.”

“You just said.....”

“Indeed, what you know is not valuable, but you likely know things I do not, even if it is little more than what color your former leaders undergarments were. It is something I do not know and there for I want it.”

“If it's not going to get me out of here I’m not telling you anything.”

“Ahh I see, you believe because I am talking to you that you have something to barter with. No no, this is merely a formality to ensure that I know how you would act in this situation. I have always been a glutton for knowledge, any kind of it I could, anything I did not know I needed to know no matter how small. But to be honest, I have no need to speak with you anymore to get what I want. I was merely curious to know your reaction.”

“Then what....” Scarlet pales, her ears flatten to her head as the giant zebra grins. It's mouth stretching far to wide for it's face and showing a set of teeth that would be more fitting on a shark. She tries to run in this void of stars ,though her legs do little more than flail. The spectral zebra cranes it's head down jaws closing over the spirit of the earth pony, snapping closed with a sickening crunch.

========================================================

Rhede sighs to himself floating listlessly in a black void spotted with stars.

“So this is being dead huh? Kinda boring.” the earth pony sighs looking around again hoping to see something different.

“Well no legions of hot mares running about ready to be mounted by me so this clearly isn't paradise.

He looks the other way in the void.

“On the other side of the coin, no fire and brimstone or big burly stallions looking to mount me, so this clearly isn't any sort of punishment or hell for my crimes.”

“RHEDRIC PELT!” shouts a familiar voice.

Rhede whirls about rather haphazardly, winding up staring into the face of a older, angry looking little earth pony mare. The large earth pony yelps flailing as he tries to get away from the much smaller pony

“MAW?!?! WHAT THE BUCK.... by the stars this is hell.....” Rhede mutters the last.

“WHAT WAS THAT COLT?!” Maw hollers her voice booming louder than he ever recalled the Royal Canterlot voice sounding

“Gah, nothing, nothing, umm yeah. Hey Maw, hehe long time no see.... sooooo, how yah doing?” Rhede chuckles sheepishly.

“I'm dead you idiot, how tha buck yah think I’m doing?” Maw glowers.

“Ummm, not so good then?” Rhede mutters.

“Pfffft, shows what you know. Paw's here too ,jus like he was when ah first married him, non stop for days ah tell yah, that stallion is a beast. Ah ken look like ah was when we first married too, gets him all going, can't keep his hooves off mah flank at all.

“Ow, ugh, alright Maw, waaaaay too much information there, do stop please.”Rhede whimpers rubbing his fore head as his mother cackles . “Alright so what now, do I just find some light to go into or something?”

“Pfft, nah, what yer gonna do is tell that Apple mare you've been hanging out with she needs tah get her flank tah Canterlot. The manure is about tah hit the fan.”

“Yeah right, I’ll get on that as soon as I magically recover from several gallons of rare venom being pumped into my blood stream by a psychopathic trained assassin.” Rhede snarks. “ Velkorn couldn't even cure this nonsense, I hope she had the sense to get the heck out of there before Scarlet came after her at least.”

“Yep, yer still the same idiot I raised, not sure where I went wrong with you, at least Fox had the common sense tah marry the two mares he brought home. Kinda a odd ceremony, an ah spent more time trying tah stop the girls family from nicking the good silverware than enjoying the festivities, but it worked out. He had both them mares fat with foal in a matter of months. Even Wolf did better'n you an that zebra are doing. Where's my grandbabbies Rhedric?”

“After all this time that's what you have to say to me? No yelling at me for what I did, no complaints about getting turned into a statue? You want to know why Velkorn and I haven't hooked up yet?” Rhede stares in disbelief then laughs. “Well nice that somethings haven’t changed.”

“I know you boy and I was starting to know her. You feel jus as strongly bout that mare as she does bout you, other wise you wouldn't even be tryin tah push her away. Yah'd just hit it and quit it as it were.”

“Please stop trying to use slang Fox came up with. Not that it matters, I’m dead now so it's a moot point. This was what I saw in that vision, I died and left everyone else behind in a worse situation because I was gone.”

“Remind me tah track down tha one who showed you that and kick his flank, it's a big after life, but it ain't big enough ah can''t find some pony ah wanna have words with. Yah stopped that rapist from gitting her and you dropping did a number on her an she did a number of that assassin. Course that demented mare ain't any one's issue no more, ain't even anything left fer me to thrash right proper fer what she did tah Jer'rahd.. But yah still need tah tell AppleJack tah get ta Canterlot.”

“Maw I know that poison and I know Velkorn doesn't have enough a cure made, besides with this much poison it would take a lot more than the cure she knows how to make to deal with this much poison.”

“Pffft really? Think ah'm fibbing? Tell yah what colt, I'll make a bet with yah on that.”

“You bet? Hah,... fine Maw, when I win you won't mention you and Paw's …. exploits around me … ever.....”

“I ken agree tah that. An if ah win you marry that zebra mare. An get me a coupla granbabbies.”

“Hah, this is a sure bet sadly. Probably the first I ever won against you...... wait..... you don't make bets..... You always said gambling was for fools.”

“Not quite, ah said only fools gamble when they don't know that they're gonna win.”

“So, wait......ahh crap.” Rhede blinks as the stars seems to fade around him his mothers face fading along with them.

“One last thing for yah Rhedric.” Maw smiles softly. “ Ah ain't proud of all yah done, but ah ain't disappointed in yah neither.”

“Best I could hope for I suppose.”Rhede chuckles. “Love yah Maw. See you again, though hopefully not anytime soon.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“Git that cloud ready fer another strike like she said, everyone else git clear.” shouts AppleJack.

Rhede could feel hooves shoving into his chest with timed compresses, a pair of lips press to his suddenly exhaling warm air into his mouth and forcing him to turn his head coughing violently,the motion sending a wash of pain through his body that made even his fur hurt.

“Oh buck...... that better have been a mare kissing me or there's gonna be issues. “Rhede gasps coughing heavily really wishing he could go back to where he was where there was much less pain.

“By Celestia...... ah didna think that was gonna work. “ Apple Jack states her voice quaking.

[“Don't move Rhede, try to remain still.”] Velkorn stammers. [“I did not think we were in time, your heart had stopped.”]

“Do I still need to hold onto this Thundercloud?” Starfall questions.

“Best keep it around a bit in case he relapses. Still wanna know where ya'll Windigo got all this stuff so quickly.” Apple Jack responds.

>>” Wind Serpents were native to our lands, watching over our children we readily found how to purge their venom. When we arrived, we saw the markings of the serpents sting and some of us scattered to gather what was needed. We were unsure the aquatic serpent was truly of dragon blood as he claimed but he was willing to allow us some of his blood so long as we treated his wounds from his conflict with the strange bug creatures. The rest was all in the forest caretakers home.”<<

“Damn it Maw. “ mutters Rhede. “ That's cheating.”

“What did he say?” comments Rainbow Dash.

“Never mind... Apple Jack you need to get to Canterlot, like now.” Rhede mutters through grit teeth.

“What... Why?” AJ questions.

“Maw said so. I don't plan to argue with her....” Rhede grumbles.

“Maw? Yah mean yer mom? Isn't she dead?” Dash questions.

“Makes sense to me, seems our little group makes it a habit of seeing dead ponies.” Starfall sighs. “I was told to make sure Rainbow Dash makes it there as well.”

“I suppose I could carry Miss Apple Jack if Captain Silvertail is willing to carry Miss Dash.” Peach Blossom points out.

“No offense there, but ah ain't a fan of being carried no where least of which all tha way up tah Canterlot.” Apple Jack snorts.

>>” Might we suggest this device be used to convey you all to the Summer lands capitol?”<<

Rhede opens one eye hearing the crunch of wood and metal as a large enclosed flying chariot with a large red cross painted on the side of it's white walls is nearly dropped into the clearing.

“A hospital chariot?” Rainbow Dash gasps. “ How did you get one of those?”

===============================================

The little mare screams into the clouded sky as Big Mac, Nurse Redheart, Dusty, and Breezy stare in the direction the ambulance chariot had gone in the falling snow. The trio looks to the clouded sky then down to the thick path of snow and frost covering the ground with wagon tracks and hoof prints in it.

“Was that a Windigo?” Breezy finally questions still ignoring the small nurses ranting.

“Eeeeyup” states Big Mac.

“Did it just steal one of the hospitals chariots?”questions Dusty.

“Eeeeyup” states Big Mac.

“This is still not the weirdest thing we have seen today.” grumbles Nurse Redheart glancing to the main building as a black crystalline spider skitters along the wall..

“Eeenope.” states Big Mac.

=============================================

>>”We believe this is a situation where that is a question best not asked.”<< the Windigo responds looking a little sheepish.

“Alright then... some one help me into that thing and lets get going.” Rhede mutters finally managing to concentrate enough to reduce the pain to a dull roar.

[“You should not be going any where.”] Velkorn grumbles. [“You are in no state to travel right now, what happens if your heart stops again?”]

[“I suppose I will have to wake up to a pretty mare kissing me again, almost enough for me to hope it happens.”] Rhede snarks watching Velkorn's face turn red.

“What the heck did they say?” Apple Jack questions and both she and Dash look to Starfall.

The pegasus mare simply rubs her temples with her hooves as Peach Blossom coughs lightly pretending he didn't hear though secretly taking notes in his mind.

“Nothing of importance I assure you.” the pegasus stallion responds moving to position himself to help Rhede up. “ If you are going to get moving you best do so now. I'll head into town and try to find the others. If you two are needed then they likely will be as well.”

“We already sent Rarity, Bleu, and Fluttershy to Canterlot. Pinkie Pie is well..... Twilight, Luna and Jer'rahd are the only ones left that we need.” Starfall states.

“We cannot leave here just yet, Scarlet and Bloodtail are still alive I bet.” Velkorn chimes in helping Rhede up, pressing lightly against his bandaged side.

>>” The apprentice and the destroyer have both gone already to Canterlot. We have seen the Night ruler of ponies already making her way towards the city. We have seen no sign of the assassin, and we were warned away from the dead speaker by the child of the sun.”<<

“I have no idea what that means for the most part, but I like the sound of some of it. Everyone into the cart!” Starfall shouts.

========================================================

“Mare I still don't know what you are on about, but I think you really need to shut up and get out of my way now.” Claymore snarls shoving a hoof out to push the pale yellow pegasus away.

Fluttershy steps out of the way with out letting the stallion touch her though she moves back in front of him again blocking his progress down the steps..

“I am sorry about this Mister Claymore.”

“I SAID MOVE!” the earth pony screams around his sword grip, swinging the bloody blade at the mare with the flat, looking to knock her aside, this was one of the ones he wanted after all.

Claymores eyes widen as the pegasus flits above the blade swing with a flap of her wings, dodging the attack completely.

“I.. I can't promise this won't hurt a little.” Fluttershy says a great deal of sadness in her voice.

“STOP BEING SO DAMN CREEPY!” he lashes out again not bothering to try and simply knock her aside this time. His sword smashes through a display case shattering the stone pedestal and sending the broken glass splintering to the ground. His blade drags across the tile floor carving a rent in the stone as he readies himself,confused on how he missed again.

Bleu stumbles into the building sporting a large bandage made out of a ruined curtain, that at least for the moment was staunching the blood flow from her shoulder.

She glances up seeing the wide arc of Claymore's sword swinging over the edge of the second floor railing sending rubble down to the ground below. The dragonling sighs moving as quickly as she can to the stairs and up towards the fight wondering who the damned earth pony was attacking now.

Claymore roars again his blade ripping apart the railing and the ground around him as he swings wildly trying to destroy the mare and those unnerving eyes. He stops suddenly, panting and looking around the cloud of dust not seeing any sign of the yellow mare.

“What the buck?” Claymore mutters turning his gaze to follow along the blade gripped in his mouth as he hears hooves clack against the metal.

His eyes turn upwards watching the yellow pegasus trot down the flat of his blade and place both her hooves on either side of his head.

“I am sorry.”

There is was a sudden snap as her wings jerk outward with a gust of air and a sharp pain along his back before the mare releases his head and floats back up into the air.

“What the buck was that supposed to be!?” Claymore begins, though the words don't escape his mouth. His gaze lowers from the flying mare and he notices that he can see his tail and his back fully. He also can see the troupe of Royal Guard's flying towards the window. Though why was he staring at his own back..... oh....

Claymore's blade drops from his numb lips as the realization that the small petite pegasus had just snapped his neck with barely an effort dawns on him. However he didn't have much time to ponder this before his forelegs give out and he topples forward, body tumbling over the edge of the second floor balcony and plummeting like a rag doll past the broken railing to strike the ruined tile floor below with a sickening thud.

Bleu stumbles up to the second floor in time to watch Claymore's body fall. She blinks in surprise continuing to move closer to the yellow pegasus that was looking over the edge down at the earth ponies body tears running down her face.

“I'm sorry …..” Fluttershy mutters sniffling loudly.

Bleu blinks then growls, stomping as best she can towards the pegasus, shock replaced by anger at the site of the tears.

“STOP THAT NOW! Don't you bucking dare cry for that scum!” Bleu snarls surprising the timid pegasus. “You will not cry for that monster.”

“I'm sorry I ….” Fluttershy blinks as Bleu hugs her with her good arm.

“If your gonna cry, cry for those who suffered cause of him, cry for the ones he killed and tortured. Who lost their loved ones because of him” Bleu mutters softly. “ But never, ever, shed a tear for that one. Ever.”

The yellow pegasus whimpers sniffling a moment before starting to bawl again blowing her nose suddenly in the edge of the curtain bandage wrapped around the dragonling.

“Ewww....” complains Bleu.

===============================================

Shining Armor winces as his shield begins to crack under the changeling queens magic onslaught. Several of the other Crystal Guard had attacked her and opened rather vicious wounds on her, but all of them healed far too quickly and the attackers had barely gotten away from her counterattacks with their lives.

He had moved up to deal with her himself, realizing they couldn’t hurt her, but at the very least he could keep her occupied until Princess Celestia came back.

That plan crashed and burned faster than a Wonderbolt trainee on their first day at the academy, as Chrysalis suddenly stops her attack on his shield, goes wide eyed, and flys off like a shot towards the gardens

Shining curses as the Changeling Queen flees, but was unable to try and stop her due to the number of changelings more than willing to take their queens place in attacking him.

=======================================================

“PRINCESS!? ARE YOU ALRIGHT! “ Twilight shouts rushing towards Celestia skidding to a halt at the sight before her.

The tall white form of the princess remained, though her hair was no longer wavily flowing and was a relatively uniform shade of pink with a number of white streaks in it. Her horn was gone, as were her massive wings. The bone armor she had worn was falling off of her, no longer supported by her magic. And her cutie mark was no longer of the sun, but what appeared to be an oak tree with it's leaves in a fall coloration bright enough to look like it was ablaze.

“Oh dear.” mutters Celestia.

“An earth pony? “Jer'rahd questions. “I figured you would be a pegasus like Princess Luna being sisters after all.”

“There are plenty of cases of siblings not being the same race Kaisur. Though in truth we are not really related. Valkyrie tend to consider any mare they fight wing tip to wingtip with as sisters.” Celestia mentions as she pulls off some of the armor that was hanging from her. “ It has been a long time since I have been like this however.”

“Always wondered why you flew about like a drunken Diamond Dog. At least this explains it.”Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Charming as always Kaisur. Remind me to give Lulu a hard time for actually liking you.”

“Oh good I was worried she actually didn't like me for a while there.”

“Why the buck are you two so calm about this? The Princess... BOTH Princesses, are depowered in the middle of a war, ponies are dying, and every things on fire!” Twilight hyperventilates her voice rapidly rising in pitch... “ I mean how are you even going to raise and lower the sun and moon like this?”

Jer'rahd shrugs. “Two reasons. One Princess Luna seemed more annoyed than upset by the loss of her power so either she knows it's temporary or it's not something that is a real issue. And two if you think to much on the death and destruction, it'll distract you from what you have to do.”

“What the buck is left to do, aside from fight off the entire changeling race and the stars know what else with two depowered Princesses on our side against eight other gods?” Twilight rants.

“There's only one god against us right now.” Jer'rahd states.

“What?”

“Silver Claw is dead, Sombra was hit with the same ray as Celestia and is likely depowered and I am sure the others are already out of the way.” Jer'rahd states staring at the sky.

“How the heck could you even know that?”

“I trust my friends to take care of what needs to be done. Besides shouldn't you be asking your Princess why she's so calm?”

Twilight blinks whipping around to Celestia who simply shrugs.

“As base as he is, he does have a point. We cannot worry about things we cannot change, we can only adapt to them and survive in this situation. “ Celestia smiles. “ Besides, I can still feel the sun and even without my horn I know I can cause it to rise and set. I expect Lulu felt the same about her moon. Though to be honest with how everything seems to work out when dealing with Kaisur, I fully expected some one to attack while we were talking.”

“Looks like she ran into the Wonderbolts before she got to us.” mutters Jer'rahd still staring at the sky as a green blast of flame meets a bright orange arc of fire and several trails of smoke and lightning. He looks back at the strip of flesh hanging from his side and winces. “ Sparkle lend me a hoof for a moment.”

Twilight sputters prancing a bit as she looks between the Princess and the wounded unicorn. “What?!? what is it?”

“Mind putting that flap of skin back into place and maybe magicking up some bandages or something to stop the bleeding. I need to remain on my hooves a little longer and bleeding out is not the way to do it.”

“I am surprised you have not done that yet. There is easily a few gallons of blood on the ground.” Celestia sighs watching Twilight scramble about trying to find bandages.

“It won't let me die this easily. It can't stop the wounds from a god, but it can keep me from bleeding to death it seems.” grumbles Jer'rahd wincing as Twilight's magic gingerly pushes the flap of skin back into place rapidly wrapping the magically crafted bandages around the unicorns middle.

Three pairs of pony ears perk as a scream from the other side of the massive dragon statue is heard and a incredibly pissed off half dragon unicorn scrambles back up to the top of the statue.

“How dare that beast strike me.” snarls Sombra. “One of my own kin, half blood or not, could not the fool see I was attempting to help him?”

“I'm more than willing to hit you a few times too.” shouts Jer'rahd.” I think I’m related to you some how if you're Aviana's kid. Hey Celestia, how many generations back are the Bluebloods connected to this ones mother?”

“From you, I would expect about three hundred generations or more. I never kept track to be honest.” Celestia shrugs.

“You dare threaten me? After I offered you mercy?” Sombra growls.

“You trussed me up like a Hearts and Hooves day present for your lady friend to munch on. Yer damned right I’m gonna threaten you! And I plan to do a heck of a lot more than just threaten. Back me up Sparkle we can finish this here and now with this ones death.” Jer'rahd snarls

“What about Chrysalis?” Twilight questions as a pillar of flame erupts from the earth pony standing behind her. A scream in the air draws the purple unicorn's attention to as smoldering black mare plummeting from the sky to smash into the ground with enough force to make a sizable crater in the scorched soil.

Chrysalis crawls out of the crater, her diaphanous wings burnt to nubs though rapidly regrowing as she stares down her attacker. A pair of Wonderbolts follow after the falling changeling though they bank off seeing the source of the flames that took her down.

Twilight looks back to see the white form of Celestia wreathed in flames returning the stare of the changeling queen,

“Leave her to me, my faithful student. This is not the first time I have faced the head of the swarm without my alicorn magic. Truthfully after my last attempt at dealing with her magically, this way is a better bet.”

“No, this is not how this is going to happen fools.” Sombra snarls. “We will not be sticking around to play into your grand delusions of fighting us.”

Chrysalis looks rather surprised to see Sombra and kicks off the ground buzzing up to land next to him her horn flaring ready to deflect any spells thrown at him.

“Are you well love?” she mutters.

“I will be much better my queen once we leave this place, I do not trust our luck against these three, even in the state they are in.”mutters Sombra.

“Retreating? Smart move, the first you've made today.“ taunts Celestia.

“No, just departing this particular skirmish. After all....” Sombra grins. “ There is another with a more just claim on your head Solar Flare and I would not deny one I already owe so much to of such a pleasure.”

“Who are you...... no.... DON'T YOU DARE SOMBRA!” Celestia shouts.

“Too late.” Sombra 's horn glows brightly enveloping himself and the section of stone statue he stood on. As the magical burst fades Chrysalis scoops him up and takes to the air.

Twilight and Jer'rahd stare after them a moment confused though Celestia's gaze remains on the massive stone form of Forgescale. She shivers softly as a blast of heart radiates from the statue, several flakes of stone splintering and falling from the beasts flank revealing hot red scales underneath.

Both Jer'rahd and Twilight flinch at the heat, backing away from the statue as the heat even forces the Princess back a few steps. More and more of the statue crumbles away as cracks spiderweb through the stone. The cracks run up to the head where a sudden shower of rock and dust erupts around the dragon's face as a massive wagon sized eye opens. The glowing orange eyeball seems a portal to another world of hellfire and blistering death.

The rest of the stone shatters and tumbles to the ground like dust being brushed off an ancient chandelier. The gargantuan crimson form rises from the crumbling prison, it's body towering into the sky as it lifts on it's hind legs, wings stretching out wide enough to blot out the sun. Molten rock seemed to ooze from under the creatures scales dripping to the ground with a crackling hiss as what ever plants had not been blackened by the fires of Silver Claw and Celestia now met their end.

Jer'rahd shudders despite himself, the dragon was easily as large as the creature that Silver Claw had become. Forgescale opens his mouth with a roar that sounded more like an avalanche, or a erupting volcano. He flaps his wings once, the down draft knocking the three ponies off their hooves, sending them tumbling across the garden as a number of statues were blown off their pedestals.

The dragon snarls turning to look at the glowing dome of magic over the castle and opens his maw again.

Celestia shrieks grabbing Twilight by the tail and shoving Jer'rahd ahead of her as she dives into the crater left by Chrysalis earlier as the dragon exhales.

The flame erupting from the beats mouth was not a describable coloration, if not for the waves of heat that were seen one would be unsure if the dragon had even breathed anything at all.

The effect however was clearly visible. There was a barren path leading from the dragon straight to the castle void of anything, no shrubs, no statues, or walls, nothing but the wavering after effects of heat and a multitude of fires burning at the edges of the path.

Cadence's shield thankfully was still intact, another bright red shield had sprung up around it, though that shield had a massive hole punched through it. The glimmering red shield shatters and fades away revealing a cracked and spider webbed pink shield still standing around the castle though even the castle wall on the other side of Cadence's shield was blackened and partially melted.

“Shit.” curses Celestia poking her head out of the hole.

=========================================================

A trail of snow flows behind the ice covered hospital chariot as a pair of Windigo draw the cart though the sky at speeds that impressed even the two pegasus poking their heads out the wagon's window.

“Alright I have got to figure out how they are going this fast... and running too.” Dash states excitedly watching the ground blur far below them as the cart is pulled towards Canterlot. “ This flight takes about twenty minutes at top speed and we're almost there now.”

“I knew the Windigo were fast ,but this is incredible” Starfall responds.

Dash bites her lip looking down at the ground , her body covered in a fresh set of bandages that Velkorn had taken care of before they left.

“Look …. any way thanks for all that back there.” Dash mutters.

“What?”

“The whole rescue thing and actually listening to me when I told you to stop. I dunno why I did it, I wanted to see her hurt bad for what she did to Gilda and Pinkie , but …. I couldn't watch that.”

“It's fine. I would be more worried if you could handle that sort of thing.” Starfall sighs. “ Princess Celestia made this a very peaceful era. Not perfect, but better than when I came from. It was a lot harsher then. And I was never that nice of a pony to begin with.”

“I don't think so.... you try at least. Unlike that ass you work with.”

“Jer'rahd's been through a lot as well....”

“I know, I read the book.... Look before we get there and do whatever these dead ponies seem to want us to do, I just....”

Starfall glances back from the approaching Canterlot to Dash. “Hmmm.”

“Gah don't look too much into this, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have some pony to actually consider family..... Just... never mind....”

Starfall blinks and smiles slightly.

“Well if you want... “

“Yeah sure... just don't go all soft on me again …....”

“I won't.” Starfall's grin widens noting the cyan pegasus sigh of relief. “ So when do I get to meet this stallion friend of yours? I want to meet him before I’m supposed to give you away at the wedding. See if he's worth any sort of grand foals.....”

“GAH! Don't even joke about that!” Dash shouts perhaps about to say more when a horrendous roar fills the air and the towering form of a burning dragon comes into view.

“Can we not catch a break EVER?!” shouts Starfall.

==========================================================

“Are you gonna be alright?' the Guard questions looking at the freshly bandaged dragon.

“Yeah, for now, I've had worse, though Velky is gonna kill me.” Bleu chuckles.”Go deal with the other injured, I’ll live.”

The guard nods rushing off to take care of some of the other wounded hostages. Fluttershy had found rarity and was fretting over her friend, Bleu was actually wondering if she should be scared of the mare or not after what she saw.

The situation didn't look very good. There were very few changelings in this part of the city, but a number of bandits and a few other monsters that were freed from the garden still wandered about. The small contingent of Royal Guard there was enough to discourage any attacks from the roving bands, though a few monsters needed to be dealt with, something Lion Heart proved more than capable of doing. Still there was an army between the castle and the small group, despite the orders to bring Rarity and Fluttershy to the castle there was not much a chance of that happening right now.

Bleu sighs hanging her head a bit. She had shrunk to her smallest size to allow the medic to work on her shoulder and put a splint on her wing though the pain of that wasn't bothering her. She closes her eyes rolling the damaged head of a small stuffed pony about in her fingers not even sure where the rest of it went.

Everything she had brought, all that she had saved had been at the school. She had seen the remains of the glass case, seen what had been done to all the posters and relics of Platinum's life. Even seeing Claymore dead did little to cheer her up at this point, everything she had saved from her sister was gone, and there was no way she would find it all again a thousand years later. It was hard enough finding all she had when Platinum had only been gone a few years.

Still, at least the students were alive, the new generation of musicians could write epic ballads about the events here, if they managed to survive this invasion any way.

The light clack of hooves and a pained whimper caught her attention as a pony sank down beside her looking at the ruins of the school.

Octavia was more bandages than pony, though the mare still carried herself with an air of class that she would be hard pressed to hide no matter what she looked like.

“It seems perhaps this was a ill fated time to open the school.” Octavia sighs. “I perhaps should have waited another week as Vinyl suggested. Here I thought she was simply being lazy again.”

“Not a total loss, I was thinking you can have the students write a song about this. Epic ballad would be a interesting homework assignment for the first week.” Bleu smirks.

“I doubt they will be of the mindset for school work after this.”

“You'd be surprised. Always good to have something else to focus on aside from the bad. Been thinking about it myself, though I can't think of any good matches for, 'the yellow pony showed the villain his own ass.' “Bleu smirks.

“You do seem rather distracted still...” Octavia responds finally notices the doll head Bleu was cradling.“Ahh, I see the issue now. I am sorry.....”

“Don't worry about it. I know you swore to protect them with your life but, heh.. looks like you tried any way. I doubt any of us expected this idiot to show up here. I don't hold you to anything or expect anything....”

“Um, no no, Miss Bleu that is not it.”

“Huh?”

“I apologize for not telling you before, though in my defense I was a bit tied up.” Octavia smiles as Bleu stifles a bit of a chuckle at the pun. “ That is a reproduction.”

“A what?”

“A fake, a copy. All the artifacts that were in the school display cases are copies. Well except for the giant painting, though you did not seem worried about that any way.” Octavia chuckles. “Did you really think I would keep priceless musical artifacts out in the open, protected by little more than a pane glass? The real relics, including what you granted the school, are locked away in a vault.”

Bleu's response was cut off by a massive roar as a fiery dragon rose up near the castle.

“Annnnnd that's our cue to get going,” Bleu mutters.

====================================================

[“So how bad off am I?”] Rhede mutters trying not to shift as the cart sails though the air. More to the point he tries not to shiver as cold air blew in the window the two pegasi had their heads sticking out of. Not that he could complain about the view they gave him though.

[“Quite bad. But you will live. The Windigo's powder had much the same effect on you as it did Celestia. It strengthened your earth pony inherent resistance to poison and as such the remedy seems to be working. You are not out of the woods yet and your heart stopped for several seconds. I managed to revive you thankfully.”] Velkorn lists constantly checking his bandages and basicly fretting.

[“So what now then?”]

[“Hopefully the hospital in Canterlot has some space available, though depending on the scale of the attack we might need to put you else where. If not for the dead telling us to bring the current Element bearers to Canterlot I would have had you taken to Ponyville General.”]

[“Not what I meant.”]

[“Then what did you mean?”]

[“I meant, just..... us.”]

[“Us?”]

[“Yeah.”]

[“I was unaware there was an 'us' Rhede.”]

[“Considering how long I’ve been trying to push you away that's not much of a surprise.”]

[“I was enchanted Rhede, none of that pushing really would have worked any way.”]

[“Yeah, I suppose not. But the magic shouldn't have been strong enough to keep you chasing after me for that long. “]

[“It was clearly more potent than you thought.”]

[“So it seems, so what about now? Still feeling it?”]

[“No, There is something, but it may have something to do with what you did in stopping Bloodtail this time. The verse you spoke in ancient zebra. It was flawless. Even with your grasp of languages you have an accent. It was gone for that phrase.”]

[“I made a mistake once, got into something I shouldn't have and screwed up and someone important suffered for it. I practiced a great deal, hammering out what I should have said in that situation like mantra for a long time. Never expected it to become something other than a bit of penance.”]

[“I see. Still, with how you are, it is a surprise that you did not take advantage of the situation, I doubt I would have minded at the time.”]

[“Every pony misunderstands how I am. I only go for willing mare's, ones in their right minds. That's why I never bed drunk, drugged,..... or enthralled mares. One of my few principles I haven’t broken yet.”]

[“So it would seem. And if I did that sort of thing now?”]

[“Heh, I’d be surprised to say the least. I figured chasing after me so long would leave a bad taste in your mouth. ”]

[“That does not answer the question.”]

[“Considering, how difficult it's been saying no for this long, I would accept. Not like there are any political ramifications to hide behind anymore either.”]

[“You are rather for the coming with all this. A far cry from your normal demeanor.”]

[“Yeah well hiding things tends to get me in trouble most of the time, besides I died for a little there. Tends to change ones take on reality seeing an angel... oh and Maw too.....”] Rhede chuckles wincing a little. [“Still surprised after all I have put you though we are even having this conversation. I figured you would hate me by this point.”]

[“I had a great deal of time to think while I was a statue. Much of the situation made me angry and I still am, but I also had time to consider your perspective on things as well. You are still a good stallion Rhede, despite your flaws and perversions, and attitude.... well, it is a rather long list of flaws. Still, considering what we have been through and what we have done the idea is not without merit. It does not hurt that you are still charming and attractive as well.”]

[“Uh oh, flattery. Why do I get the feeling I am being led into something.”]

[“You are.”] Velkorn grins slightly.[“I think it might be nice to be the one pursued for once.”]

[“Oh really? Think you can hold up against the charm of Rhede Pelt?”]

[“You mean put up with the charm of Rhede Pelt. Jer'rahd has more charm to him than you do.”]

[“Ouch, you sure know how to hurt a pony.”]

[“You have no idea.”]

[“I have a really good idea actually. Seems I will have my work cut out for me then.”]

[“Perhaps not quite as much as you think.”]

“Could ya'll two speak plain pony. Ah can't get mah head around this gobbldy gook ya'll're speaking.” Apple Jack states annoyed as she stares at the pair, sitting further back in the cart.

======================

Pain.

There was nothing but pain.

Everything hurt.

Things with names that could not be thought of, hurt.

Everything hurt, everything felt wrong.

That damn yellow pony.

It was not, to be like this.

Everything hurt, everything, itchy, hurt.......

The body of Claymore twitches, the corpse piled outside of the building with the other bandits by the Royal Guard and left to rot. There were more important things to worry about than a bunch of dead enemies.

The roar of the dragon had drawn every ponys attention to the castle. No one saw one of the corpses rise and twist, skin tearing and sloughing off the body exposing the gray flesh underneath. The neck snaps back around mouth open and panting, baring jagged teeth. It's head dips tearing at the skin of it's legs scratching and biting with enough forces to rip free the limb's flesh, tearing free the hooves and exposing ragged claws.

The creature stares at the mass of ponies and the dragon across the lawn snarling softly and scuttling off, kicking free of the last remains of what it was.

Only one pair of eyes saw the new troll run off. A pair of eyes that memorized the patchwork nature of the creature, saw the four white lines across it's face that were the remnants of an old scar given to it by a small blue dragon.

The pair of lavender eyes narrowed as they watched the creature scamper off into the ruins, heading for one of the breaches in the outer wall. The sky blue unicorn glances back to the others then watches the troll run out of sight before laying her head back down on her hooves to rest.

===============================================================

“I think shit is not vulgar enough of a word to describe this situation Celestia.”snarls Jer'rahd.”Might I suggest using fucked, or conjoining a few words to make up new phrases like,' Demented hamster fucker'. Might I also suggest that you get your fat ass off of me, you weigh a bucking ton!”

The pony princess moves off of the unicorn though she doesn't respond to his remarks as the three climb out of the crater looking up at the dragon.

“Princess what are we going to do?” Twilight shudders.

A few streaks of fire and smoke cross the sky whipping about the dragons face. The beast roars swatting at the Wonderbolts harassing it ineffectively.

“He doesn't seem like he is all there.” Jer'rahd mutters watching the dragon flail about after the pegasi like some clueless beast. “He's acting like he doesn't even know what he's doing. I thought he was supposed to be a brilliant war leader or something?”

“He may have lost his mind. He has been in stone a long time. He could have been awake since he was captured.” Celestia states.

“Can you do anything?” Twilight questions.

“It took both my sister and myself at full power to seal him before. I am no where near full power right now.”

“ You said you can still feel the sun. Nothing has changed there.” Twilight points out.

“This is true.... “ Celestia closes her eyes a moment. “ I still feel the connection to the sun ,but I cannot tap into it very well without a horn.”

“Cadence's shield won't stand up to another attack like that , and I don't know how long the Wonderbolts can keep him busy.” Twilight panics trying to think.

“Damn this is gonna suck.” Jer'rahd mutters.“Alright then. Sparkle I don't suppose you can work yourself up to a frothing rage again?”

“What? No, I mean, maybe, I don't know... I still don't know how I did that before... even then it was a mix of Celestia's light and Sombra's darkness.... He's a fire dragon so that may not even hurt him much any way. I mean Silver Claw lived through it.”

“Damn. Fine then … plan B.” Jer'rahd grumbles his horn glowing a little weakly lifting the Waning Moon and sticking it into the ground at Twilight's hooves. “ Make sure Luna gets that.”

Twilight and Celestia both look at the sword then to the battered unicorn in front of them.

“What are you planning Kaisur?” Celestia questions.

“Star metal will still work on him if any one can get though the heat around him enough to attack.”

“We know that Jer'rahd, but what are you going to do?” Twilight questions shifting nervously as the gray unicorn smirks.

“I'm going to pick a fight. No matter who loses the winner should be torn up enough that you can finish them off before they destroy anything else.”

“ Wait, are you? Kaisur you cannot do that.” Celesta states. “I will not allow it.”

“You're not my Princess, Celestia. And it's not like there's a better plan unless you want all the ponies inside that castle to die when the dragon notices it again. Sparkle, take care of Bleu and the others for me, and you better damn well make sure you are ready to take out who ever wins this fight, that's an order.” Jer'rahd glances back, glaring at the pair of them, his red eye glowing brightly before he turns galloping off towards the dragon.

==========================================================

<”I am against this host.”>

“Not like I am giving you a choice.”

<”Fine then. Give your last command and I shall be free of you. Cursed Magic shall not recover fast enough for her to stop me.”>

“Protect Canterlot and everyone whose supposed to be in it.”

<” Wise wording, but that will only get you so far with me host.”>

“Shut up and do it.”

=====================================================

The thing that rose up behind the dragon out of the garden was as tall as the great wyrm god that towered over the castle walls. At first it seemed a large dragon as well, but as the whirling shadows cleared from it's form the belief that it was another dragon was quickly dispelled. It was longer than the Tank that had been flung from the city, from the tip of its wide muzzle to the barbs on the end of its massive spined tail. Like the Tank, a large carapace covered its back with jagged spikes protruding from it at random intervals. Its legs were very much like those of a dragons though thicker, more muscular, and tipped with wicked claws that were as long as a griffon. More spiked barbs ran along its joints, throat and underside offering protection against any who though to attack 'soft spots'. A large pair horns rose from the top of its head , curving sharply forward and resting just over the creatures eyes. It hung its head low, nose almost touching the ground, the reptilian nostrils flaring and kicking up dust with every breath. The creatures skin seemed to writhe and twist like it was composed of shadows that barely stayed together enough to hold a solid form. The colors of it shifted between a midnight blue, dark gray, a deep shade of purple, and black. It all seemed to blend together and slowly shift along the creatures skin so that no part of it seemed to stay the same coloration long.

Forgescale turned to meet this new threat as the rest of the city fell silent at the monsters appearance. Waves of fear gripped every living thing that could see the creature and more than a few combatants turned and fled from it. The creature paid them no mind as it's maw parted and it screamed at the dragon god.

The sound echoed across the city. It's bellow from atop the mountain was heard nearly across the entirety of Equestria. The cry sounded like a siren mixed in with whistle of a train and the death wails of a score of accident victims merged with the howling of a timber wolf in the dead of night accompanied by baying hounds on a trail.

The cry would haunt the nightmares of the survivors for years, the cry caused soulless crystal constructs to flinch, the cry made many lose hope in anything good in the world, the cry made a mad dragon god pause and take a step away.

The Beast was on Forgescale before the echos of it's cry had faded from the land.

“..light at the end of the world..”

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“.. light at the end of the world..”

The pair of ponies shivered violently, huddled together in the darkness, though their shaking had nothing to do with the cold air that had suddenly blown into Canterlot. The young colt looked up at the grate above him, the drain not letting in enough light to see properly, but it was unable to keep out the chilling sounds.

The small pegasus colt hugs his sister tighter, glad she had stopped crying, though he could still feel her choking sobs against his chest as she struggled to remain silent. Just above them on the streets hooves thundered, spells blasted, and armies fought. The noise in the storm drain was deafening, but it had been the best spot he could find to hide when the black creatures had first shown up. The Guard had rushed to counter the creatures, and judging by the sounds they still fought. Battle cries and shrieks of pain cut though the thunder of hooves and clack of claws on the streets above.

Their father would be up there some where, dressed in his armor, fighting for them. He had no idea where their mother was, she had gone to the shops first thing that morning and had not returned before everything happened.

The colt hugged his sister close listening to the steady drip of liquid falling into the storm drain with greater and greater frequency. He was glad his sister was not looking, though he couldn't help but stare as the puddle of blood under the grate rapidly grew. He offered a prayer to Celestia and Luna and any other god that might be listening as he shut his eyes from the sight.

====================================================

“PRESS FORWARD! KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE SHIELD!” screams out a unicorn Guard, his horn trailing wisps of arcane energy as his small group fought back against the changelings advance.

The dark green stallion grits his teeth firing another blast of energy that knocks a changeling from the air. A pair of earth ponies with spears rush in to finish off the fallen foe, icor spurting into the air before they move on, bringing their weapons around to meet another attack.

They had not trained for this. There was no amount of training in the world that would prepare for a full scale invasion on your home. Even so he wished there had been more combat training then protocol training. It seemed rather silly now to even think that rules for dealing with a Princess’s tea party meant anything at all.

Granted there was the option for more training if they wanted their life expectancy all but halved. The monster hunter division was always looking for recruits, though the high injury and death rates from some of their missions kept all but the most foolhardy or skilled from joining their ranks. It was rare that any pony with a family joined that group. There was the training for something called the 42nd recently, though most of those had been pulled from the Guards that fought to destroy the changeling hive in the south, all hoof picked as well. Of course no pony knew what exactly that group was training for, it could have been worse than the 666th. No pony expected this though, at worst the Royal Guard expected to do a bit of police work and run off a trespasser or over zealous paparazzi. Not fend off an invasion.

Even after the first invasion security had only been tightened a little, with no advanced training in anything other how to spot a changeling.

Greentail snorted reaching up to push a strand of his off white mane back under his helmet, he could spot a damn changeling pretty easily right now even without that training.

Despite everything, being outnumbered, being under trained and unprepared,the line did not falter. No Guards left their post, when the alarms finally sounded all of them reported in, several bringing their families along as well, remembering from what training they had what the alarm horns sounding meant.

These Guards were the lucky ones. The ones who knew where their loved ones were, safe under the shield behind them. They fought with the strength of a mother bear protecting her cubs, but that was weak compared to the other Guards.

Far too many fought on not knowing the fate of their loved ones. Not knowing if they had managed to get away from the attacking forces or were trapped in a cocoon or dead somewhere in the city. These ponies knew the only way to find out for certain was to beat back the changelings and the crystal golems so they could find out. And they were not about to let anything stop them from doing so. They fought with a savagery seen only in dragons of the current age, lashing out to take back what was theirs. But despite the drive that caused these ponies to fight, they were still outdone.

There was a much smaller collection of Guards who actually knew the fate of their loved ones, their friends. They had seen the bodies or had been told of them from those who had been on the Princess’s evacuation route. These ponies were perhaps the worse of the lot, they had nothing left to fight for, nothing left to protect. No one could fault them if they simply gave up and let death bring them back to those lost.

None of them did.

They had no reason to hold back, they had no reason to go on and yet no reason to stop. These ponies no longer feared death as it was the only way they could see those they lost again. These ponies fell far too often in the surge of battle, not caring enough about their own lives to stop attacking. The changelings standing against these sorrowful souls were given no quarter, no chance to breath as they were set upon ponies seeming to possess the rage of a storm. Despite the number of them succumbing to their wounds the devastation these ponies wrought in the changeling ranks allowed those not overcome with their grief to press the fight back, gaining ground against the attackers.

Though it all another group formed, pulled from the ranks of all three types. It was small at first but as the battle continued the numbers grew. Ponies that adapted and changed with the flow of combat, survived and killed against the tide of the swarm. Ponies who if they so chose could likely trace their bloodlines back to the dark days of the Dragon wars and War of Night.

These were ponies who blood was set boiling by the conflict, who were feeling more alive with the clash of steel and the spray of blood then any other time in their lives. Ones that burned with a fire that had long been dormant in Equestria. Souls of warriors reborn in the heat of conflict.

When the dragon and the beast appeared these ponies barely noticed, the roar of the creature was heard and dismissed almost as readily among them as they pressed the advantage and the sudden intimidation the creatures cry heralded.

Mercenaries who cared only for coin ran, changelings and small animals ran, civilians who could run, ran.

The Royal Guard stood fast and fought on.

==================================================

Pony Joe was having a bad day.

It started out fairly well. The morning rush came and went with out incident, or any dumb mares spilling coffee on their own laps and threatening to sue. Seriously how did she even manage to pour coffee onto herself like that. The cups even warned the coffee was hot.

Anyway, it started out well enough, then everything changed when the fire nation attacked, or well, who ever it was that was attacking attacked. There was a bunch of fire so he did assume that was what happened.

A large number of ponies had run by the shop screaming while being chased by monstrous bug creatures and some strange shadow things.

He paid it no mind at first, honestly he had seen stranger things on the late shift, though it did seem like there would not be any more customers for a while. He thought it might be a good idea to help himself to a donut or two.

It was while he was finishing off a chocolate glazed and about to start on a triple cream curler that he designed himself, and was not any sort of ripoff of the that griffons eclairs, despite what the bird said, that some one entered the store.

Pony Joe swallowed the last of his doughnut to greet the new comer though as he looked up he found himself staring straight into the eyes of black pony covered in chitinous plate with large bug eyes and very sharp looking fangs.

He yelped stumbling back as the bug pony lept onto the counter hissing at him. Panicking he grabbed the first thing he could and flung it at the creature. Which happened to be his triple cream curler. The pastry struck the bug square in the face and sent it tumbling off the counter top with a surprised yelp.

The earth pony scrambled back up to his hooves grabbing a broom ready to beat the tar out of the thing if it got back up. There was a noise from the other side of the counter and the bug pony popped back up suddenly licking cream off it's muzzle, a rather puzzled and strangely pleasant expression on it's face.

Pony Joe stared at the creature as it finished licking the cream off it's face before looking around and finding the smashed pastry on the floor near where it landed and devouring the thing in moments.
Once it finished it looked back up at Pony Joe and opened it's mouth showing far more sharp teeth than the earth pony was comfortable with. The creature points a hoof at it's mouth with a slight grunt as if expecting something.

Pony Joe blinks glancing back at his stock before grabbing basic glazed donut and tossing it to the creature.

The Changeling snaps the donut out of the air falling back over munching on it happily. The stallion stares confused at the bug creature looking up as the door chime goes off and another black bug pony steps into the store. It spots him and immediately launches itself at the donut maker with a hiss, only to be tackled out of the air by the first one.

Pony Joe winces as the two start hissing and carrying on in some sort of language before the first pops up with the second one in a headlock and points at the donuts.

Joe takes a chocolate glazed and a powdered sugar setting them in front of the pair of struggling changelings. The first grabs the powdered donut shoving it into the seconds mouth before all but leaping on the chocolate glazed.

The first one nearly chokes on the sugar covered pastry though after a moment or two it also licks it's lips and starts asking for another just as the door chimes again.

To make a long story short, his shop was now filled with these bug creatures all of them demanding donuts or what ever else he could offer. Pony Joe thanked Celestia he kept such a large stock on hoof for the rushes he got in the morning or he might have been out by now.

As he reaches for another donut to pass off to a fanged maw he can't help but let his eyes travel up to an ad banner he had recently put up over the counter. It was an older picture from an ad he ran a few years ago featuring a pretty little yellow pegasus model in a bakers outfit holding up a donut. The caption at the bottom read, 'Pony Joe donuts, made with love.”

==============================================================

“DAMNIT GUARD GET ON YOUR HOOVES! THIS IS NO TIME FOR A NAP!” someone shouts in his ear, causing Shining Armor to flinch and groan slowly trying to push himself back up right as his brain tried to rearrange itself in his head.

The memories suddenly flood back about the massive dragon attacking the shield and his own attempt to stop the blast. He winces gingerly touching his horn before he snaps his head up to look at the castle, a sigh of relief escaping him as the pink shield, while cracked, still stands.

His gaze turns slight however seeing a massive creature of some kind and the large dragon fighting and flailing about near the other side of the shield.

A slap on his back knocks him out of the shock of what he was seeing and he turns meeting the annoyed face of Guard Captain Nicker Fury.

“Bout time you woke up. Thought you mighta scrambled your brains with that last one.” Nicker grins.

“Gah, what is going on what did I miss …. most importantly what is that thing?” he points at the monster trying to gnaw the dragons arm off.

“Dunno, don't care, it's keeping the dragon that attacked the castle busy so fer now I’m inclined to hope it's on our side. If it isn't well.... let's hope Moskau gets back here and knows how to deal with it or one of the Princesses can take a stab at the thing. Best we can do is take out as many of these bugs as we can.”

“Gah.. right sir..” Shining grumbles gingerly picking up his crystalline sword with his magic trying to work through the headache. He turns looking up at the tower far above him spotting the pink flutter of wings there. He smiles at that, scooping up his helmet with a hoof and turning to meet the enemy.

==========================================================

A spray of icorus blood bursts out of the hoof shaped indentation in the changelings face, it's wings seize up and it falls. The other changelings hiss and rush the dark form among them, only to be sent to the ground from the impact of hoof or wing. The dark pegasus mare growls lightly looking up at the towering form of Forgescale. Jer'rahd and Twilight must have been too late to stop Silver Claw, or had the dragon beaten them? No, even with as bad as Jer'rahd looked he would not have lost to Silver Claw... but then how....

Luna winces as another roar echos across the land, one that sends a shiver along her spine. She snaps her gaze back to Canterlot and the towering beast that lunged at the massive dragon. Despite the situation she could not help but smile that Jer'rahd still lived. That smiled faded in realization that if the unicorn was willing to let loose the beast then something must have happened to Tia.

Luna narrows her eyes snapping her wing back suddenly and smashing in the face of a changeling that had been trying to sneak up behind her. She sighs as the bug creature falls before surging forward in the air, winging towards the fighting monstrosities. Twilight had to be in the garden somewhere and she would know what was happening.

==============================================================

“What the buck is that?!?” Dash shouts staring at the two massive forms fighting in the center of the city.

“Damn it, Jer'rahd.” Starfall shouts ducking her head back inside the ambulance. “Rhede, Velkorn, Jer'rahd's turned into that monster again, he's fighting some massive dragon near the castle.”

“Shit.” curses Rhede. “The Windigo said that he and Twilight went to Canterlot, do you see her any where? What about Celestia or Luna?”

“No, there's a shield around the castle, so that might be Celestia.” Starfall mutters.

A Windigo gallops up poking it's head in the window before Starfall.

> > Queen of the Zebra's, we regret we cannot bring you to the city with the Firelord present. There is only so much of the summer lands that we can deal with and if his attention were turned to us we would likely be destroyed utterly.<<

“You have done more than enough for me, you can go with the debt paid, though you never owed me a fee.” Velkorn sighs.

>>” As you say. “<< the Windigo pauses pulling it's head out of the window. .>> “ If you survive this day Queen of the Zebra's, we would welcome you again if you came to the Winterlands.”<<

“I will see what I can do.” Velkorn smiles. “Starfall I suppose the rest is up to you.”

“What? Oh right the cart, I got this. Dash keep an eye out for either the Princesses or Twilight.” Starfall moves though the wagon, pushing open the back doors pausing briefly before pulling a necklace from around her neck and offering it to Applejack. “Before I forget again, this is yours.”

Applejack blinks looking at the amulet and the red crystal apple in the middle. “Is this....?”

“Yep, We have one of them at least and that's a start.” Starfall smirks hopping out of the back of the cart and flying to the front taking the Windigo's place pulling the wagon. Once she's settled the Windigo fly off as the cart lurches forward from the wing power of the pegasus warrior.

“Alright Dash tell Starfall to head towards the garden, Firelord was one of the titles Forgescale went by, at least if that draconic history book was correct. Looks like Silver Claw managed to free his father, we should start there.” Rhede groans out his eyes still shut tight.

“Got it! “ Dash states sticking her head out the window to shout the information to Starfall.

“Everything’s coming to a head,” Velkorn mutters “Here is hoping no other pony is dead.”

================================================

A cloaked figure looks up from one of the shattered walls around Canterlot, it had taken far too long to get to this place and now this was happening. Still the task remained, and it was perhaps of even greater urgency now.

The figure scrambled over the rocks clambering across the ground with it's sights set on the garden. If Forgescale was awake, then something must of happened in the gardens. The ones it was looking for had a higher chance of being there than any where else right now.

That was the logical destination, and hopefully the conclusion of this task.

==================================================

Discord winces glancing back over his shoulder at a figure behind him. His usual telltale smirk was no where to be seen. The forest around them seemed to loom over the pair, some of the trees and bushed twisted and turned as if they had been through a fierce wind.

“While I knew that was going to work, I really did not expect all the screaming. I think my ears are bleeding from that. So how do you feel?”

The figure behind the draconequus says nothing though Discord nods as if it did respond.

“Well I expected as much, considering what you just went through, I can fully understand how you feel. Well not really, it's not like I have ever heard of any one doing that sort of thing with an earth pony before, but still seems it worked.” Discord shrugs.

The figure says nothing though discord's ears perk and a small smile crosses his face.

“While it is nice of you to be so forgiving, I didn't do this as an apology. Despite all you have done to me still felt I owed you something, even considering how long it's been since I’ve seen you.”

The figure seems to say nothing though Discord laughs.

“Oh no, Celestia is by no means included in this. Honestly I don't care what happens to her. Never liked the girl, I do remember when she tried to kill me..... twice.... oh sure I laughed and laughed, except I wasn't laughing.....”

Discord pauses his rant and sighs.

“You are correct we really should get out of these woods and to Canterlot, seems a rather big show is going on and I do so love to show up fashionably late. I am sure you are all set for your own big reveal as well. Even my appearance will get less of a reaction than yours. Well at least to the ones who recognize you any way.”

Discord sighs snapping his fingers. though nothing happens and he looks at his hand in annoyance.

“Hmmm, seems I spent a little too much magic today... give me a few moments and I'll be good to go...Oh it's alright, I’m fine, just finally showing my age after all, stone facials are murder on the complexion.” He looks back down at his hand that was glowing gold. “Ahh there we go fully charged and ready to go.... just call me Bruce Leroy cause I got the glow, hehehhee”

Discord snaps his fingers and both he and the figure he was speaking with vanish.

=========================================================

“FASTER MINION MUSH!!” Bleu shouts bouncing on top of Lion Hearts back between his wings. The half dragon was getting more and more annoyed at the little dragon as he galloped, though he was doing his best not to say anything to the damn lizard that might offend the white mare in the cart he was pulling.

Unfortunately he was quite sure that Captain Bleu knew this was why he was relatively silent and she was doing her best to get him to snap.

Fluttershy, and Rarity rode in the small cart that he pulled behind, a group of five other guards galloped or flew around the wagon as he pulled it, and of course Bleu was hopping on his back.

The medic had stated it would be a bad idea for Rarity or Bleu to walk or fly with their injuries so a cart was the only way to go. The commander of the small group of Guards had not wanted to let them leave until he was sure everything was secure, though between Rarity;s charm, his own logic, and Bleu's madness and thinly veiled threats they managed to acquire a ground bound cart and a small escort. Once set the rag tag group was off to find out what was going on at the castle and more importantly the Royal Gardens.

Bleu had recognized both the creature, and the dragon that appeared, she had also pointed out that likely some one was in the Garden where Forgescale had been imprisoned, considering Twilight and Luna had been with Jer'rahd they were the most likely to be the ones they found there.

Lion Heart had decided to take the back roads towards the castle expecting the main roads would be clogged with changelings and the strange golems and shadow creatures, the back roads likely would not be as bad, though doubtlessly not clear.

This had proven true so far as the few stragglers they found were easily taken down by their Guard escort before they got any where near the charging cart.

That changed as they rounded a bend and came within sight of the hedge wall surrounding the garden.
Easily a score of changelings and a number of shadow golems milled around on the street, most of them staring up at the dueling giants towering above them.

“Crap.” Lion Heart curses shifting to slow down and turn around when Bleu yanked on his ear.

“No you don't, keep going full speed ahead.” Lion Heart couldn't see the dragon, but he knew she was grinning.

“That is too much to go through Captain” the half dragon grumbles.

“What, don't want to impress the pretty mare in the cart with your skill?”

“What?”

“Oh please she's been staring at your flank the whole ride and you've nearly been drooling over her.”Bleu chuckles noting the sudden red tinge to Lion Hearts scales. “ Don't worry I’m old hat at getting ponies together.”

“And how many have you successfully gotten together?” grumbles Lion Heart.

“Well if your two hook up, that'll be one.”

“You are not helping your case.”

“Shut up and charge.” Bleu shouts grabbing onto the half dragons mane as he speeds up rushing towards the changelings. “ Hang on to your flanks back there! This is gonna get bumpy! You Guards get up here in front of the cart, pegasi guard the rear!”

The Royal Guards move into position as the dragon ordered, though they didn't seem thrilled either. The thunder of hooves and the rattle of the cart charging them did not go unnoticed by the changelings and a number of them turned, hissing at the approaching ponies. Bleu seemed to be laughing, though Lion Heart was not liking this one bit, and judging by the screams from behind him in the cart the mares were not too thrilled either.

“Now a little trick I learned from Starfall!” Bleu laughs standing up on the half dragons back with her tail wrapping around his torso to keep steady. “ PLOW THE ROAD!”

The dragonling's uninjured fore claw presses on his head pushing it down as she opens her maw wide letting loose with a blue ark of electricity that sizzles across the road ahead of them smashing into the Changeling lines and electrocuting the first one hit before jumping spasticly around to any others even close to the first one struck and spreading out like a wave from there .

Lion Heart growls bracing him self as he plows into the first blasted changeling toppling the still standing corpse and trampling or smashing aside the ones gathered behind. The guards flanking him swung weapons knocking aside any the blast missed leaving a relatively clear trail for the cart he was pulling.

One of the golems reacted and swung at the cart as it was passing only to be engulfed in a mass of green flame from the small dragonling. The golem burnt up to ash in a eye blink and the ash was whisked away suddenly.

Lion Heart curses and closes his eyes as he smashes into and through the hedge wall landing on a pebble strewn path that lead further into the garden. He slams his hooves down to brake, twisting his body to face down the path, letting the cart continue it's momentum behind him, the steel shod wheels kicking up sparks as they skidded over the pebbles. A sudden yank by the half dragon pulls the cart forward suddenly ending the slide and brings the cart back up to galloping speed in moments.

“Woot, pony cart drifting!!! “ Bleu shouts as the other Guards scramble to avoid getting run over and move back up along side the cart.

“YOU ARE A MAD DRAGON DO YOU KNOW THAT!” shouts Rarity from the cart.

“I was just following orders Miss.” winces Lion Heart.

“I wasn't yelling at you! I was yelling at the one on your back!” shouts Rarity again.

“Then I decidedly agree with you Miss.” Lion Heart responds while Bleu cackles on his back as the strange convoy rushes closer to it's goal.

==============================================

Far above the group just entering the gardens a gout of green flame suddenly bursts into being and drops a black crystal golem that looked like a minotaur from the air.

The construct falls and lands heavily on top of a strange spiked land mass.

The golem has a brief moment to try and figure out where it is before a large crimson claw lashes out slamming and clawing at the head of the gigantic beast it landed atop of. The golem was turned to dust under the might of that strike though the beast only growls and shrugs off the blow.

Far below a small blue dragon was the only witness to the golems destruction, though her laughter at the plan coming together was short lived as she realized no one else around her saw it happen.

===========================================

A mountain lion cries out as it drops, brought down under a hail of claws and pounding hooves by the changelings.

A horde of squirrels explodes into splatters of chum as a snake shaped crystal golem slams its body down atop them.

Almost half of the animal force fled when the Beast first roared, and no amount of gesturing by the angry white rabbit was getting them to come back. The tank was still down, though it was alive,Chrysalis’s attack ensured it was not likely to make it back to the fight.

Still hordes of other animals fought on. There was not a creature in the Everfree forest that did not know of Fluttershy, and when the angry white rabbit asked for help on her behalf. Near the entire forest answered. Still there was only so much most animals could do in a fight, that is not to say they were ineffective however.

A number of larger birds bombard the changelings with rocks. A group of hawks and owls swoop down on the swarm to peck out their eyes and claw up faces. One particularly large barn owl flits around a golem, the massive harpy shaped creature swinging wildly at the annoying bird taking out a number of it's own companions as it tries to destroy the owl.

A flight of Phoenixes led by Philomena roast waves of the bug creatures leaving a chard path through their ranks much the same as her mistress did.

A massive alligator bursts out of the castle moat and drags a changeling screaming into the still water, while a much smaller alligator chomps toothlessly on a rather annoyed looking changelings leg.

A turtle with an odd helicopter device on it's back flies around erraticly slamming into the bug ponies heads like a mad pinball.

A tiger flinches and slowly backs away from a small white Persian cat sitting atop a rather sizable pile of bloody changelings, licking her paws clean.

A pack of wild dogs trounces though the swarm biting and snapping at the carapaces hides while a bounding border collie leaps about the creatures backs grabbing at ears and trying to alter the flow of the swarm like they were cattle.

The massive Ursa Major rears up slamming it's claws down on a massive changeling hydra, the creatures heads lashing out at the star bear as it's claws rip the changeling apart. One of the chitinous hydra heads strikes near the white rabbit perched on the ursa's head flinging the bunny from his perch to fall and rather roughly in the rubble of a cart that had been carrying bolts of cloth

A number of the changelings had seen the bunny directing the attack and quickly moved to surround the the fallen rabbit as it struggles to free itself from the tattered cloth in the cart.

Angel Bunny scrambles to his paws as he clamors out of the cart, a number of strips of cloth tangled about his form as he looks around for his helmet. He lifts his gaze as changelings move towards him. The rabbit narrows his eyes brandishing his butter knife like a sword. The changelings pounce on the rabbit fangs bared looking to remove the leader of this attack force.

There were several bright flashes of light and a little white rabbit lands on the other side of the still leaping attackers, a strip of red cloth covers over the lower part of his face, the ends trailing off whipping in the breeze like an oversized scarf. The little bunny stands up straight and makes the motion as if he was sheathing his butter knife as the leaping changelings all collapse behind him.

==========================================

A changeling chimera lands atop a struggling Appiloozan dropping it's head quickly, jaws snapping shut and yanking back upward stained with blood.

A number of mercenaries attack a golem that had already smeared several of their companions across the ground, many of their bodies joining their companions as the golem strikes back.

The bodies of several armor Royal Guards lay in pools of their own blood surrounded on all sides by the twisted bodies of changelings, the ground as far as any one could see was a wash of blood and gore.

Far above it all three fillies looked out over the top of the ramparts in horror, finally seeing the price of that which they cheered on not long before.

=========================================

Bloodtail groaned giving a last lurch as he ripped his body free from the jagged rock he had been impaled upon. He stumbling across dirt soaked with his blood, to lean against the the sheer wall at the bottom of the canyon.

He curses heavily as he feels his body heal, a number of small rocks and shards of stone falling out of the wounds as they close up. He turns his gaze upward at the line of light far above and redoubles his swearing, going so far as to use words in languages other than zebra.

[“Damn that Pelt, I had her. Why couldn't that stupid mare keep the fool occupied for a moment more?”] Bloodtail grumbles his eyes looking over the sheer walls of the bottom of the chasm. A glance behind him shows nothing but piled and jagged rocks covered in his blood and the end of the canyon blocking his path, ahead of him was little more than uneven ground that might lead out or to another dead end. In any event he was not likely to get back to Velkorn in time to finish the ritual, or even make Pelt pay if Scarlet was still up there.

His ears perked as the light clack of hooves on stone echos along the canyon. After a moment a cloaked figure appears stepping though the shadows as it slowly approaches him stopping a number of paces away, golden eyes regarding the zebra from under the thick hood it wore.

Bloodtail's eyes widen, not from the figures appearance, he had expected some pony sooner or later, but from only now realizing how long the shadows were in the bottom of the canyon. It was nearing sunset, how long had he been unconscious?

[“Several hours.”]

[“What? “] Bloodtail demands, snapping his attention back to the figure before him judging by the voice he could tell that it was a mare, but beyond that, and that she spoke zebra with no determinable accent he knew nothing.

[“You have clearly just noticed the approaching darkness. I am informing you that you have been down here for several hours. Both Velkorn and Rhede Pelt have left for Canterlot some time ago. There is no need for you rush anywhere anymore.”] the mare states as she sits down regarding the pool of dried blood surrounding the rocks behind the zebra with some apparent interest. Bloodtail's eyes run down to her exposed legs noting the stripes his eyes narrowing again.

[“Who are you?” ]

[“Just a potion maker. Who I am is not as important as to what you are.”]

[“ Oh? What I am?”]

[“Indeed, what you are.”]

[“And just what might that be?”] the zebra stallion snaps.

[“ A dismal failure. A pathetic creature that tried to be a monster and only wound up being a nuisance at best.”]

[“Such insults from a lesser creature. How dare you! You know nothing!”]

[“I know Bloodtail is not your birth name. I know you killed any one who did know your birth name as you falsely believed your true name held power. I know you are the seventh son of a seventh son, which also means nothing despite your belief that it does. I know you fled the Shadow Walkers when they found out your plan to become a god at the cost of a zebra godlings life. That would have failed as well. I know of the shaman you spoke to, the one who told you of a bloodline that would bear the next god. I know you made yourself invaluable to the warlord Zal'Torack, knowing that his bloodline would be the one to bear the god. After his first child was born a normal zebra you took interest in his sister Velkorn, assuming she would be the one to bear the godling. I know you hid when the Equestrians came and snuck back into the city after it fell. I know you used old magic on the mare and I know you failed to make her yours due to the interference of Rhede Pelt.”]

Bloodtail's eyes widen as the mare lists everything off.

[“ I know that because of your spell Velkorn chose to follow Pelt rather than rule justly. She left a corruptible council in her place and when she returned and killed a zebra god and destroyed the last colony of Shadow Walkers she was regarded as a exile rather than a hero. If not for your spell the zebra empire could have been much more than it was and the zebra civil war never needed to have taken place. The zebra empire could have stepped in and possibly prevented the Equestrian civil war and the death it caused.”]

[“Who the buck are you mare. You should not know any of that. That history was purposefully lost.”]

[“None of this is secret information. All of it is in plain view for any willing to ask the spirits about it. I also know that you have been spying on me.”] The zebra mare flicks her foreleg and a skeletal mouse crashes into a rock at Bloodtail's hooves, twitching a few times before remaining still.

[“You are the zebra from the forest. The one the locals call Zecora.”]

[“I see even you have heard of me.”]

[“Anyone who figures out a cure to one of my hexs in a matter of hours is deserving of my attention. That does not explain why you are here.”]

[“In truth it does. You have hurt a great many today, but that is a small number compared to those that you have hurt in the past. I am here to ensure you do not harm any others.”]

Bloodtail growls darting forward suddenly his red crystal horn glowing and yanking a bag of powder from under his cloak, slinging the contents wide and splattering the cloaked mare across her muzzle and hood, the white and green powder drifting like a cloud down from the covered mare as she blinks in surprise.

[“I do not have time for this. Lead me to the exit mare, I seriously doubt that even if you drank any of your damned cure before hoof, it would be enough to block the effects of a concentrated hex.”]

Zecora stands there a moment then chuckles softly pushing back her hood and licking the powder off her muzzle, much to Bloodtail's shock.

[“A interesting mix you have here, Nirnroot is it? If I had known you used such a simple herb I would have had a cure in moments, not hours. I thought you would have used something more potent like Poison Joke or the like. Seems I over estimated you. You really are a failure.”]

[“How...?”]

Zecora pulls off her cloak using it to wipe her face before she shakes it out, clearing it of the dust before tucking it into her saddlebag.

[“Interesting story about that. You see once Velkorn was no longer a queen her brothers son Baelit became ruler of the zebras. With the help of Princess Celestia he made sure that the same equality and balance among the tribes that existed in Equestria took hold in the zebra lands. The age of warlords ended, as did the age of the untouchables and the zebra gods. Celestia and Baelit married and he sired a daughter. It was this daughter who the shaman saw, she was the zebra god fated to be born of that bloodline. Born of Baelit, not Velkorn. Since that child’s birth there have been no other zebra gods born anywhere. The old habits of untouchables faded into obscurity over a thousand years the very point of the segregation forgotten with no gods that needed to be put to death. With that cultural hurdle overcome, even the zebra unicorns like yourself became much more accepted into society. It has been a golden age for our race.”]

Zecora smirks slightly as she ruffles her Mohawk getting more of the powder from it.

[“The god never sought to rule or even come to power as her mother taught her better than that. So she wandered about the lands offering aid where she could and ending threats to her race before they can harm the golden age that her father and mother brought about.”]

[“You.... you are speaking of yourself...”]

Zecora smiles a bit wider, a faint flow of red coming from her Mohawk, the stripes on her nose slowly start to turn crimson as the dye she kept her stripes colored with was removed the illusion of her amber colored crystal horn being part of her hair vanishing as well like a ripple on a still pond.

[“You are clever, but still a failure. If you had run off and hidden as soon as you were freed or even after you became a god, no one would have found you until you tried something. But you simply had to make another play for my aunt despite it all. You poisoned my mothers subjects and put a village though a hell that it should not have suffered. I know you Bloodtail and you would do the same to the zebra race if given the chance. I go by the name Zecora now, but have been known by many names over the last thousand years, my family however knows me as Sunshine. Tis a silly name I know, but my mother loves it, so I do not argue much.”]

Bloodtail frowns thinking of what else he might have to deal with this. This was far too much far too quickly.

[“What do you care of the zebras then since you do not rule them? You do not even live in the Zebra lands, you hide out among ponies!”]

[“One does not have to rule ones subjects to care for them. That is something you would have never learned, corrupted Compassion or no. Just because I do not rule them as my mother does her subjects down not mean I do not care for them or that I will not protect them from threats.”]

Zecora's eyes glow amber her amber crystal horn glowing brightly as she stares at the zebra stallion before her.

[“Now allow me to show you how a proper god deals with threats to those she cares for.”]

Bloodtail did not even manage to open his mouth to scream as the lance of light enveloped him. The bright beam radiated from the zebra goddess horn for several breaths before fading.

Sunshine shakes her head exhaling heavily, not used to expending any sort of power like that. She trots over to the pile of ash that was all that remained of Bloodtail the necromancer. A single shoot of a blue plant pokes up from the ash slowly spreading it's red lined petals towards the sky and the disapproving face of the zebra goddess.

[“ Zebraland's Poison Joke. I should not have expected one so foul to grow anything else.”]

========================================

The dragon's claws drug across the beasts flesh, digging furrows that would cause a plow envy in the monsters flesh. The Beast barely notices as it's jaws clamp shut on the dragons shoulder, the myriad of teeth filling it's maw digging deep into Forgescale's flesh.

The dragon roars in pain, lowering it's head, maw opening as the heat and flames of it's breath trickle across the Beast's back. The monster shoves a clawed hand up suddenly grabbing the dragon by the jaw and forcing it's head upwards just as it releases the super heated blast of it's breath weapon. The atomic wash of heat sears the scales and clawed digits of the beasts hand, bubbling the flesh and blackening scales simply by being close to the source.

Far above them the wave of heat dissipates clouds and ignites the gasses in the upper atmosphere for a brief, but chaotic display of multicolored flames that fan out like an aurora.

Those watching from leagues away stare in wonder at the lights going off over Canterlot, though none could identify what exactly was happening.

The Beast turns suddenly yanking the massive dragon away from the shield wall, throwing Forgescale back towards the garden and thundering along after him, both creatures vanish as they cross the gardens thresh hold only to appear a few moments later flicking between existence and non as the fight continues in the Canterlot Royal Gardens..

==============================================

Twilight stares as the dueling monstrosities seem to flicker in and out of existence like a slow moving film reel.

“Princess, what … what's going on?” Twilight stammers.

“The gardens are larger on the inside then they look from outside. It is due to the multiple layers Luna and I made to hold all of the prisoners. I do not know if Kaisur is in control enough to know that, but so long as they remain in the gardens there will be room for them to fight with out destroying the city.” Celestia responds.

A loud flap of wings draws the pair's attention upwards as a dark pegasus glides down and lands before them her gaze on the fight between the dragon and Jer'rahd rather than the pair of ponies near her.

“I do not believe he is in any sort of control, likely this is just a fortuitous event. We do not get those often.” Luna states with a sigh.

“Sorry Princess, we stopped Silver Claw but Sombra woke him up anyway.”Twilight states sheepishly.

“Lulu? Well it has been a long time since I have seen you like that.” Celestia chuckles softly.

Luna looks puzzled a moment before putting a few things together. “Tia? Is that you? What happened?”

“I could ask the same of you, though I believe I may know already. With both of us like this we have a problem.” Celestia sighs.

“GANGWAY!!!!” shouts a voice as a cart erupts though a bush and ramps up the pile of stone changelings sailing into the air and spinning like a broken ride at the Pinkie Pie Fun Faire. The two riders shriek as they are thrown free of the cart, the yellow one remembering her wings in enough time to also catch a small blue bundle of scales that was flung off the pullers back.
The half dragon pony in the harness shakes free and manages to twist enough so that a white unicorn lands heavily atop of him before they both crash into a bush on the other side of the stunned trio standing there.

The cart flips a few more times tumbling down the path, before slamming into a changeling that poked it's head into the garden to see what the shouting was about.

Fluttershy hovers in the air holding a giggling Bleu.

“Oh by Luna's fluffy tail, THAT WAS GREAT!!” Bleu gasps, nearly chokes on her own laughter “ DO IT AGAIN!”

Lion heart and Rarity both growl from the bush as they struggle to extricate themselves from each other, though clearly not with any real speed.

“Blast it dragon if you make a grab for my flank one more time I swear to Celestia I will skin you and give to Miss Rarity to make a hat!” Lion Heart curses.

“Not enough there to make a hat. Perhaps a nice little vest for my cat.” growls Rarity.

Luna, Twilight and Celestia all blink as the three start arguing.

“Did we miss something?” Twilight mutters.

“ I am not sure I wish to know what we missed.” Luna responds.

“Well that's three of them any way.” Celestia sighs glancing up at another flap of wings as a large hospital cart glides in making a much more gentile landing in the ash on the ground. Starfall shrugs out of the harness as Applejack and Rainbow Dash emerge from the back.

“Twilight, there yah are. We need tah find the Princess. Something weird's going on.”Applejack shouts running up to her friend.

Twilight slaps her face with her hoof as Forgescale and the beast briefly appear in the air behind them still locked in a duel before fading away. “ Really AJ? Something weird.... yah think!?!?”

“She does have a point there AJ, though this still isn't as strange as dead ponies telling live ponies that we need to get to Canterlot.” Dash states hobbling over.

“Rainbow! You're alright....sort of.” Twilight smiles as Rarity and Fluttershy walk up leaving the rather manic Bleu behind to continue laughing at Lion Heart.

“Well we did not have any ghosts telling us to be here, but we did have a rather insistent Guard tell us that Celesta wished us to come to the castle. “ Rarity points out looking at the the dome around the castle. “ I am not sure how we shall get there though with that shield up.”

Twilight looks over the bandages on Rarity with a wince. “No need, this … well this is Celestia here.” Twilight points out to the white earth pony beside her.

“Hello again.” Celestia chirps, slightly distracted watching the half dragon behind the small group try to strangle Bleu to say much more.

“What?!?” the four of them shout at once.

“Long story and we are kinda pressed for time here. Or well we actually have a bunch of time, because I have no idea what to do right now.” Twilight sighs.

Luna grumbles going off to break up the fight between Lion Heart and Bleu as Celestia finally notices the amulet Applejack wore.

“The Element of Honesty? Applejack where did you get this?” Celestia questions.

“Huh? Oh Starfall gave it to me. Dunno where she got it though.” AJ looks back to see Starfall and Velkorn trying to pull Bleu away from Lion Heart who was currently hogtied in bandages with Bleu slapping his flank with her tail. The other guards that came with the cart were keeping themselves away from the fight and trying to avoid eye contact with Lion Heart as they snickered. Luna mutters to herself and tries to untie the bound Guard.

“Then all we have to do is find Pinkie Pie and get the other Element's and we can stop both of them from fighting right?” Fluttershy points out her voice trailing off as she notices the rather depressed looks of Twilight, AJ, and Rainbow Dash.

“What's wrong girls? Don't tell me the other Elements were destroyed or something like that.” Rarity pipes in looking a bit worried at the expressions.

It was Dash that broke the uncomfortable silence.

“Pinkie Pie's dead. Wind Razor killed her.” Dash manages to spit out, her ears drooping.

Celestia, and Rarity stare in disbelief as Fluttershy breaks down bawling.

“Is this true Twilight.” Celestia stammers.

“Yes Princess......” Twilight mutters.

“What's going on?” Bleu questions as Starfall trots up the little dragon perched on her back. Velkorn moves up a little slower with Luna helping her move Rhede up with the rest of them.

Rarity and Celestia wince at the sight of Rhede though the earth pony still managed a smirk despite his condition.

“Finally sandwiched between a pair of pretty mares and I hurt too much to enjoy it.” Rhede chuckles.

“We were being told about Pinkie Pie.” Celestia comments noting All of them but Bleu and Luna flinch at the statement.

“Wait what about fluff butt? What happened? “ Bleu questions the smirk leaving her face as Starfall explains.

“It wouldn't have mattered any way as we have no idea where the other element's are.” Twilight points out.

“They appeared to us randomly before, so as long as they were needed.” Luna responds her ears flattening as Starfall finishes explaining, though Bleu seemed to be taking it harder.

“Damn this sucks. Two groups of bearers and we are short one in both cases.” Rhede curses.

“Can't we just use Bleu or something ,or let Dash and the older bearer's give it a shot?” AJ questions.

“I doubt it would work. Unless there is a certain connection the Elements will not work. The last time we attempted a mix and match situation it failed.” Celestia sighs looking up to the fight that was fluctuating in and out of existence behind them. “If Lulu's powers return quickly enough perhaps we can stop Kaisur if he wins.”

“Pffft boss won't to lose to some damn dragon.” Bleu snorts halfheartedly. “Right?”

“Forgescale is not some dragon. He is strong enough that it took both myself and Celestia to stop him last time we faced him. That act left us drained for several weeks.” Luna points out.

“Doesn't help that if that book and Sombra are correct he was the same dragon imprisoned with the love cursed pair in Tartarus, who then clawed his way out of it dragging Sombra behind him.”Twilight sighs rubbing her temples with her hooves.”

“It is also quite possible his imprisonment has driven him mad.” Celestia mutters watching a spray of blood arch out of the garden coating the side of the pink shield, though she could not tell which giant combatant was injured.

“He was also once the Bearer of Honesty and one of the many trysts that Aviana had.” states a voice from no where ”He also has a lousy poker face and snores like a steam train and such a temper on him. Also absolutely no sense of humor, not a funny bone in his entire body.... though he did put on some weight since the last time I saw him, perhaps he found one. I wonder who he ripped it from.”

The group blinks looking at each other as if trying to figure out who spoke. It was Celestia who finally found the source of the voice, mostly due to the speaker dancing Gangnam style atop of her head.

“Discord!” Celestia snarls her mane starting to catch fire.

The draconequus taking note of what happened flipped off of the irate princesses head with a somersault and triple half gainer and lands lightly on the ground on the other side of the group making sure that every one else was between him and Celestia.

“In the flesh yet again.....” Discord grins as a explosion of confetti and balloons erupts around him along with a massive glowing 'Welcome back Discord!' banner.

===========================================================

Peach Blossom glides down to the hospital noting all the 42nd and 666th milling about setting up fortifications. The rest of the town was a wreck, at least sixty percent of it was burned or destroyed at this point.

He was looking for Major Rose first and foremost, and it was not difficult to find the stallion as he seemed to be having an argument with Breezy and Dusty in front of a gazebo on the hospital lawn.

“I don't care what her eyes looked like, this is a training unit, unless Princess Luna herself comes down here and tells me to send this lot to Canterlot I am keeping them here to make sure this town is secure.” Rose bellows.

Peach Blossom winces a little gliding in before the Major and snapping a salute.

“Wondered what happened to you Captain. Good to see you're not dead. You have something to report?” Major Rose states.

“Yes sir. A number of things sir.” Peach Blossom exhales, this was going to take a moment. “I have confirmation that the wanted criminal Wind Razor has been terminated. There are also two unconfirmed reports of the criminals Nocturne and Bloodtail also being terminated. Major Kaisur and Miss Sparkle are in pursuit of the one known as Silver Claw and have gone to Canterlot. I can also confirm that Captains Silvertail, Pelt, and Velkorn are making their way to Canterlot as well along with the current Element bearers of Honesty and Loyalty. Captain's Scale and Lion Heart have also went to Canterlot earlier with the Bearer's of Compassion and Generosity. There is also a unconfirmed report that Princess Luna is making her way to Canterlot as well. The unconfirmed reports are from the race know as Windigo, which have come to aid Captain Velkorn due to an old debt they owed her. They likely will not fight, but they are not here to hinder us. Unfortunately I can also personally confirm that the Bearer of Laughter was one of the casualties of Ponyville.”

Rose perks his ears at the sudden glut of information before turning to look back Breezy and Dusty. The latter of which was idly toying with a rather bloody looking sack.

“Nocturne is confirmed terminated, and we think we can confirm the Princess's departure as well as Major Kaisur's and Miss Sparkles.” Rose grumbles. “ What of one known as Scarlet?”

“The Windigo simply stated she was beyond our reach now. In any event Captain Silvertail has informed me to gather as many troops as I can and move towards Canterlot.”

Rose slaps his face with a hoof as both Breezy and Dusty grin.

“Look, it is not as if we are even that big of a group. Not even a hundred Ponies is not gonna make or break a battle, we can be better used here to help get everything back in order.” Rose grumbles. “Besides Bloodtail and Scarlet are both unconfirmed and we know they were in town, there's still zombie ponies and what ever those dead things are running around.”

“Ve can deal with them Major.” Guard Captain Moskau states trotting up to the arguing group. “Gather vhat you need and move. Dhere are four flying vaggons here dhat you can take up to Canterlot. Most of you ponies are already veterans of the dhe hive raid, dhat is why dhe were chosen for dhe training. Dhey held dhere own here against a superior force with only four debilitating injuries and one dead. Even one of your troops is worth five of dhose who have not taken dhe training. Tis vith no small vound to my pride dhat ah vould say dhey could best my troops. Keeping varriors some vhere for clean up is not good planning.”

The zebra and the the crystal pony stare at each other for a moment though the stallion flinches a little as the mare mouths the word 'three'.

“Fine. You two get the wagons, Captain alert the troops, fly over to Sweet apple Acres and check up on the ones still there, get me a tally of how many civilians are still there and try and get them all to come into town with the Guard now that the roads clear. I want everyone here and not spread out,hopefully Miss Smith won't be stubborn” Rose glares at Moskau. “ Looks like we get to show Celestia what we've worked towards.”

“Vhy do ah have dhe feeling dhat helping Celestia is dhe main reason you vere against going?” Moskau chuckles.

Peach Blossom chuckles ready to leave when a large red stallion trots up to him. He blinks looking up at the pony who adjusts a strand of wheat in his mouth.

“Er can I help you....?”

“Yah said the Element of Loyalty was on her way tah Canterlot right?” Big Mac questions.

“Yes, she's with the other group.”

“She alright?”

“She was injured in the fight with Wind Razor, but none of the wounds were life threatening.”

Big Mac nods. “Ahm, going with yah.”

“No, there's bound to be enough problems with out having to watch out for a civilian.” Peach Blossom states his eyes widening as the large pony casually swings his fore leg around and strikes the side of the gazebo with it knocking the stone and wood structure off it's foundation and sending it crashing to splinters a full pony length away from where it once stood.

“Ah said ahm going.”

“Right then..... “

======================================================

“What the heck do you want.” growls Twilight glaring up at the draconequus.

“Oh silly little twilight Sparkle. What do I always want? “ Discord grins.

“The spread of chaos,annoying everyone, and rampant destruction” snarls Celestia.

Discord waves his hands in the air with a shrug. “Well to be honest I was going to say punch and Pie, but that works too.” Discord turns staring at Celestia curiously. “Hmm you look different... did you do something with your hair? Maybe get your hooves done? It has been a very very long time since I saw you like this Celestia. I must say the retro look is not in vogue at all.”

Bleu shakes her head, though a small grin remains on her muzzle as she glances back at Starfall. “And you thought I was nuts.”

“Who is this guy?” questions Starfall.

Discord pops up in front of Starfall tying a purple balloon to her mane and a green one to Bleu's tail.
“What's this? We have new ponies in your little herd Twilight, how nice. Still doing that whole making friends business I see” Discord blinks noting Bleu and Velkorn. “Well I was half right any way.”

“Discord we do not have time for this right now. Why are you here?” Luna states glaring daggers at the floating creature though she moves between Celestia and Discord noting her sister starting to gnash her teeth. The Princess of the Night jabs a hoof towards the draconequus only to have Discord tie a purple balloon around her hoof. A number of other Discords pop up rapidly tying a single balloon to every one in various places on their bodies though for Rarity he wraps it firmly around her muzzle.

“Why am I here?” Discord strokes his beard. “ Let me tell you why I am here, nice look for you Luna very moe, though you act to much like a tsundra for it to work properly, I suppose sempai might like that though.” Discord rambles suddenly wearing a Japanese school girl outfit, while still holding a red and blue balloon. “Hmm, seems I have to many, ah well.“ he ties the balloons around his own horns as the uniform vanishes.

Celestia yanks the yellow balloon off her ear only to find the string is some how attached to her hoof now.

“As I was saying I am here because of all this.” he makes a sweeping gesture showing all the carnage and havoc plying out behind him. “Never in my wildest dreams... even those involving frosting, did I expect this grand of a scale of mayhem. Truly this is a glorious day. “

“If that's all ya want then get outta here an watch it from somewhere else. Now git or else.” AJ snorts.

“Really?Or else what?And what if I don't want to? What are you going to do turn me to stone? Hit me with the magic of friendship? Sick ole sun butt over there on me like some attack dog..... A fitting description by the way.” Discord taps his chin in thought. “I know there’s another name for that,but I just can't put my talon on it, I think it rhymes with stitch.....”

“Discord... um not to be a bother but since you still have your powers and all could you at least try to save the ponies here.” Fluttershy questions trying to undo the pink balloon from her wing.

“Yeah, after all the trouble you caused you owe every pony at least that.” Rainbow Dash shouts.

“Owe......what I owe?” most of the group blinks as the Draconian voice deepens into almost a snarl. “ What I owe you......?”

Dash takes a step back as Discord whirls around his eyes glowing with a brilliant blue light. All of the balloons pop save the pair tied to his horns, covering every one with confetti and streamers, save Rarity who was doused with green paint.

“WHAT I OWE ALL YOU LITTLE PONIES IS A SWIFT AND HORRIBLE DEATH FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME!”Discord stops suddenly as the red balloon tied to his horn bounces against his face, and smooths his hair back his voice calming . “I owe you nothing, least of all Princess sun butt over there. I hope Forgy steps on you and makes you a Princess pancake. Because of you damned ponies everything I worked for is gone, Forgy and I both suffered due to your kind. While I chose to simply torment you all he chose a slightly... more drastic route.” Discord sighs pointing back at the massive battle behind him.

“You know Forgescale?” Twilight questions suddenly, a few pieces starting to fit together in her mind. “You mentioned things about him earlier too.”

“Know him? Of course I know him. We were friends once, while never close, after all fighting over one mare tends to drive a wedge, we managed not to kill each other long enough to use the Elements of Harmony and stop an ancient evil, yada, yada, yada, long boring story Sparkle, I'll tell you when you're older, there are some adult themes in it.”Discord states waggling his eyebrows.

“Wait you wielded an Element? How? When?” Celestia stammers some what derailed.” You have to be lying.”

“I don't think he is.” Rhede points out. “Though if anything I would say he may have once been Laughter.”

“Ding Ding Ding, give the pony a cigar!” Discord pops up next to Rhede dressed like a side show barker and shoves a massive cigar in his mouth quickly lighting it and vanishing just as the cigar explodes covering Rhede's face with soot.

“Wait. We found two of the books in your castle. You used them did you not?” Luna points out.

Discord stops bouncing about looking over at Luna, though not angry this time, his face held a more dejected look for a second or two.”Well I had them used ON me if that is your indication. Like I said long story.”

A movie theater seat appears and Discord plops down into it pulling a pair of 3-D glasses and a massive tub of popcorn from nowhere. “ At any rate I am here to see how you all deal with this nonsense. It should be quite the show.”

“Great a heckler.” Bleu rolls her eyes though stifles a chuckle watching Rarity have a minor meltdown about the paint.

“I don't know what you are expecting to see, even if we had the Elements we can't do anything.”Twilight sighs.”Even if you don't owe us anything can you still try to save some ponies? “

Discord flips his glasses up and kicks back in the chair, the balloons bobbing in the air above him still tied to his horns.

“No.”

“Why not? There won't be any pony left for you to play with if Chrysalis and Forgescale kill every one. Isn’t that enough to get you motivated?” Twilight shouts getting a little frantic.

“In this case no. Everything that is going wrong here stems from one source. And I will not go against that source despite all the hardship and heart break it caused me. They all want revenge on her and they can't have it, so they are going for the next best thing, her minion. To be honest Forgy might even stop his rampage if he gets to rip the throat out of the mare who imprisoned him. Isn't that right right sun butt?” Discord questions looking oddly serious.

“I imprisoned him as well, would he not also need me to do that same?” Luna questions looking back at Celestia.

“Not the in the statue moony. In Tartarus. Of course it doesn't matter, he's gone mad.. trust me I can tell. Even that wouldn't stop him, looks like you big friend there might though... Ahh that's who I brought the extra balloon for. I knew there was another one of you.” Discord smirks untying a balloon and letting it float away the red one still on a horn though it had drifted down and was bopping him in the face again as he let the other go.

“Great, so now what?” Dash growls.

“Well Celestia and I can try to do like Jer'rahd says and just blast the winner, though if it's Forge scale I don't think we will do very well.” Twilight sighs.

“That would work, I do not think the creature is immune to fire, though Forgescale is.” Celestia responds.

“How depressing, and a boring tactic too, listen to the suicidal one, feh. “Oh, 'I have a monster in me, please end my suffering'. Seriously that colt could write a song for Linkin Park at this rate. All he needs is some eyeshadow and skinny jeans. You lot are no fun at all..”

The whole group glares at him save Rarity who was franticly trying to scrub off the green paint with some extra bandages.

“Ah well, small minds and so forth. I suppose I need to get to the meat and potatoes of it.” Discord smirks as a pile of french fries crashes down on Dash. Starfall barely seems to move though Discord floats up and away avoiding the two sword blades that sliced through the spot he was standing and lands lightly on Twilight's head.. ”Ooh some ponies testy. Relax she's fine aside from being in bad need of ketchup.”

“Now what is it Discord?” Twilight grumbles as the draconequus hops off her head.

“Now keep in mind I am not doing this for any of you, least of all you Celestia. I still don't owe any of you anything and I think you are all jerks.” Discord rants.

“You don't even know use to say that.” growls Rhede.

Discord appears in front of him. “ Oh you are too right, where are my manners. I'm Discord, God of Chaos and you are..?”

“Rhe.....”

“I DON'T CARE!” Discord shouts throwing his arms in the air, the limbs spin away from his body for a moment before floating back down and attaching to the wrong sides. “There is however one of you I do feel I owe, not the little dragon there despite how she laughed at my jokes.”

“What are ya talking about now?” AJ snaps.

“My dear hayseed did it ever cross any of your feeble little minds what happened to me the last time you turned me into a statue?”

“Didn't tha Guards take yah back ta the garden?”AJ responds.

“Well if they had found me they might have. But no, a group of you back woods yokel types drug me off into the woods and were going to smash me with a hammer. Wouldn't have done any good mind you though it would have been uncomfortable. Of course they were stopped and I was rescued by a delightful little mare, which I do feel some overwhelming desire to help.” Discord suddenly pops a thermometer in his mouth and places a ice pack on his head. “ I seriously hope that is not catching.”

“Who would save you after what you did to Ponyville?” Dash questions.

Discord grins catching the red balloon tied to his horn and pulls it down in front of him with a wide grin. “My only regret is that this will help you all as well, but beggars can't be choosers and she has been quite insistent to rejoin you all.”

Discord pops the balloon with a claw and explosion of confetti fills the air showing every one around with streamers and bits of paper. A pink form somersaults out of the exploding balloon flipping a few times and landing on her back hooves with a flourish as if she was striking a ballerina pose.

“DATA!!!” shouts Pinkie Pie.

“You really didn't think I would let the bearer of my favorite Element die, did you?” Discord grins looking at the stunned faces.

"Light at the end of the world" part 2

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“...light at the end of the world..”
Part 2

Pinkie Pie stood there a moment more in her 'tada' pose before she dropped back onto all hooves tilting her head to look over the shocked faces and slack jaws of all of those present.

“Well gee guys, don't every pony greet me all at oncOMMMPH!!!” Pinkie starts to say before blurs of yellow, cyan, and purple slam into her sending the mass of ponies tumbling across the ground.

The pink party pony winced, buried under Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy the two pegasi blubbering a bit in her fur while Twilight was going off on a rapid fire questionnaire session that she was mostly answering herself, though she kept bringing up divergent realities and other boring subjects. Pinkie smiles offering a glance up at Discord who simply shrugs but a smile crossed his muzzle.

She squirms enough to finally slip free of Fluttershy and Dash's 'death grip' hugs panting hard. “AIIIR!!” huff huff.”

“How is this even possible?” Celestia states. “You should not have the power to bring back the dead, no god is that powerful.”

“Really did you ever think she might not be dead? Perhaps Sparkle and Rainbow simply saw something they weren’t supposed to? It was a very trying time for them after all.” Discord explains dressed in odd black tights with long scraggly black hair and a wide brim fedora on his head. He seems to realize the costume was off at some point and changed to a more traditional undertaker costume.

“Miss pie was indeed quite dead, Wind Razor took her scalp and part of her head.” Velkorn states glaring up at the draconequus. “Is this some kind of trick?” Dash questions looking at Pinkie Pie as she fluffs out a portion of her mane that seemed to be missing.

“No trick... well okay maybe it is sort of a trick, though that is the real Pinkie Pie and she is back among the living. “Discord sighs exasperated. “What's the matter? Don't you little ponies trust me?”

“Nope.” AJ states.
“No.” Twilight comments.
“Of course not.” Luna retort.
“No chance of that.” Rarity grumbles still trying to get the paint out of her mane.
“Yeah right, like that would happen.” Dash blurts out.
“Not in the slightest.” Celestia growls.
“I don't even know you and no.” Starfall interjects.
“I vote no.” Bleu chimes in.
“Not to be rude, but no not really.” Fluttershy whispers
“Trust the god of Chaos? No.” Rhede replies.
“Going by the others say so, I would have to say no.” Velkorn rhymes.
“Nopers!” chirps Pinkie giggling.

“You don't count.” Discord frowns and leans over poking Pinkie in the nose causing the pink pony to dissolve into a fit of giggles at the nose boop. “Not that it matters, I don't have to explain the how or why of anything I do. It's Chaos it doesn't need 'splaining! Besides the havoc that bit of info would cause is a bit much even for me. I do have some limits.

“I somehow doubt that you would want to avoid any kind of chaos or destruction.” Celestia states only to have Discord thump her nose with a talon.

“And I somehow don't care what you think. Considering all you seem to think when it comes to me is the worst, even when it is untrue. ESPECIALLY when it is untrue.” Discord glances over as Twilight prods a giggling Pinkie with the flat of the Brilliant Dawn's blade.

Luna smiles slightly though the roar of the beasts behind them changes that just as quickly. “ While I do not profess to understand your motives Discord, it is clear that we do not have the time to force the information out of you. There are more pressing matters.

“Really, maybe he's not so bad.” Fluttershy pipes in still hugging Pinkie.

“Nope he's a total jerk until you get to know him. “Pinkie explains slipping free of Fluttershy and stretching a bit, bouncing around only to be re-tackled in a hug by Dash.

“That's like saying he's an ass but you get used to it.” mutters Starfall.

“Not tah continue ta rain on tha parade, but now that we are all here we need tah try and find out where tha Elements are and see if we ken stop this mess.” AJ blurts out.

“Oh is that all you are waiting on?” Discord shrugs. “Honestly I thought he would be here by now... the poor boy must have gotten lost.”

“What? Who are you talking about?”Bleu questions.

“You'll see.” Discord smirks zipping over to the green splattered Rarity, picking her up off the ground with a grin. “Here this should help.”

“What!? Unhand me you ruffian!!” shouts Rarity yelping loudly as Discord squeezes her.

“Odd I thought she would squeak.” Discord states shoving Rarity into Lion heart as the half dragon rushed forward, sending them both tumbling backwards into a vat of lime jello that suddenly appeared.” Ahh well seems it worked any way, three, two , one.”

“RARITY!!” shouts a gravely voice, it's owner suddenly bursting through a hedge, tumbling across the ground. The figure jumped up to his feet, the large cloak that might have once been a curtain billowing out behind him in a rather dramatic fashion, or it would have been dramatic if the edge of the curtain hadn't snagged on the bush and sent the figure crashing to the ground choking on the curtain.

“Honestly the poor boy has no luck at all.” Discord sighs.

Twilight blinks as the figure sits up rubbing his head.“Spike!?”

At first glance it did not seem to be the case. This dragon was much bigger than Spike, with larger, sharper spines on his head and back, even the small spade on his tail had gained a bit of an edge. The pony sized purple and green drake untangles himself from his curtain cloak and chuckles sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.” Hehe, ummm hey Twilight. Long time no see.” Spike states his grin a great deal more fanged.

“I see you finally learned that size change spell huh?”Bleu mutters. “ Yah know I could have taught you that... you didn't need to go and run off to join Silver Claw.”

“Yeah well you weren’t an evil dragon bent on destroying everything, I figured you needed a guy on the inside soGAHHHH!” Spike falls back to the ground again being tackled by Twilight. The spell collapsing around him reducing him back to the little roly poly dragonling he was when everyone last saw him.

“And you don't have much control over it.” Bleu sighs.

“Spike You're alright! What happened? What are you doing here? Are you hurt? Did Silver Claw force you into this? Was Rhede right for once?” Twilight blurts out as Spike rubs his nose and Rhede glares indignantly at her.

“Well I wasn't hurt until you tackled me. Geez I’ll explain later, I don't think we have time now.. look.” Spike shouts pointing upward at the fighting monstrosities.

======================================================

Behind them the massive form of a red dragon was flung out of the gardens stacked realms, smashing hard to the ground and sliding across the landscape away from the castle,destroying several of the large mansions around the garden before sliding to a stop. A massive shadow temporarily blots out the sun as the beast leaps from the garden landing heavily on the prone form of Forgescale.

The Beast was covered in wounds and it's blood steamed as it fell to the ground, burning the ground like acid, many of it's spines were broken or cracked, and it's right side was a mess of blackened flesh and oozing blisters where the dragon managed to connect with a breath attack.

Forgescale was much worse. His wings were in tatters and one of his fore legs looked as if it had been torn or been bitten off at the elbow joint. A large number of gaping wounds covered his body and it looked as if his guts were only one blow from spilling out of his torn belly.

Despite all of this the dragon was struggling to rise even with the Beast on top of it still ripping through his scales like paper. The dragon raises his head only for a clawed and burnt hand to slam it back down to the ground, smashing it though a three story building, sending debris and blood flying. The creature slams it's claws down a few more times on the dragons head staring down at the still form of the dragon panting heavily. It tilts hits head back opening its maw and letting loose with the unearthly roar again.

==========================================================

“That is not a good thing.” Luna mutters looking back at Spike as he yanks on his cape freeing it from the bush. “ Tia try and get everyone into the castle. I expect the Beast shall be coming after me before long. I will lead it away from Canterlot.”

“ What? Luna no. We will find some other way.” Celestia responds.

“Good then find it fast, until then I shall do what I have said.” Luna sighs looking back at the others briefly before taking off into the air.

“Starfall! Go with her make sure nothing happens.” Celestia commands.

“Right.” Starfall mutters glancing to Dash before taking off after Luna.

“Look we don't have time, but every ponies here. So this worked out better than I even thought.” Spike states pulling a box free of the cloak. “You have to stop him, I read up on that creature and I think I know what he is.”

“We have been trying to think of a way Spike...” Twilight begins looking down at the box as Spike pulls it open.” Are those......?”

“I think you might need these then. Your book said Jer'rahd went though the same ritual as Nightmare Moon and when you used them on her she turned back to normal.” Spike states reaching in the box and pulling out a claw full of familiar jewelry.

“The Elements!” Twilight gasps, drawing everyone elses attention as her magic lifts the jewelry from her assistants claws.

“I don't have Honesty though, the one Silver Claw had was a fake.” Spike explains.

“Got that covered already sugar.” AJ smiles taping the gem on her neck with a hoof. “Been a strange day.”

“Okay, seriously if this works and Boss gets fixed I am marrying that dragon.” states Bleu staring at Spike.

“Isn't he a little young for you Bleu?” responds Rhede.

“That just means he's more mailable and I can shape him into what I want.” cackles Bleu.

“Not that I can say much, this is true, though you have been spending far to much time with Rhede, Bleu.” Velkorn grumbles.

“I think I need an adult.” mutters Spike.

“I'm an adult.”states Bleu

“No you're not!” shouts Spike. “ You're only four years older than me.”

“Plus a thousand!” Bleu corrects.

“That doesn't count” protests Spike

“And on that note I will bid you adue... while I enjoy the company I have no desire to become a lawn ornament once more when you fire these things up. Time to take a rather looooong vacation away from here.” Discord announces suddenly dressed in big sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt with a massive straw hat.

“Bye bye then, come back and visit.” shouts Pinkie.

Discord blinks. “Do... you you actually mean that?”

“Duh, when your not screwing with my friends you're fun, I mean chocolate rain? Classic!” Pinkie bounces happily.

“Hmm well I might be persuaded to come back every now and again, if only because I will miss Celestia's cute little scowl.”Discord grins pinching Celestia's cheek and poofing away as a whip of flame lashes at him. ”Any way do me a favor and keep sun butt over there angry for me.... trust me it will help in the long run, toodles!”

Discord waves popping out of existence though only Pinkie Pie waves back.

Twilight's horn glows as she passes out the Element's to her friends. A sharp gasp from Spike and the Guards with them, draws her attention upward and into the looming scarred face of the beast approaching them rapidly.

The creature looks over the group though it's focus changes as a dark pegasus whips across it's gaze drawing it's attention away from the ponies in the Garden.

“You need to hurry Twilight.” states Celestia, as the monstrous creature lunges after the Princess of the Night.

==========================================================

Massive claws tear up the dirt, creating massive furrows in the earth as the Beast pursued the fleeing pegasus.. Dark steaming blood fell from it's wounds covering the ground behind it in what could almost be considered a river of deep red. The damage it had taken while fighting the dragon was not healing, but still the creature seemed oblivious to the pain.

The Beast was excited. It was so close to finally being free. There was only one more thing that needed to be done, one more death before it could break away and find her. It ignored it's hosts roaring in it's mind focusing all it's attention on the little speck that flew around it.

The Princess of the Moon needed to be destroyed before she regained her power.

The creature lunges ,jaws snapping closed on the spot the mare had been , the crash of teeth in the air like a thunderclap as it's jaw slammed shut. The force sending the dark mare into a tail spin before a gray mare flew up and helped the Princess right herself.

A flash of green caught it's attention as it could feel it's host doing something, A flash of metal lashed towards it's eyes and it snapped them shut in time to feel the scrape of the Waning Moon against the thick skin of it's eyelid.

It whips its head to the side headbutting the blade away with the motion. It was unsure how it's host was controlling the weapon, but there was not enough force in the blows to get through it's armored form.

It turns it's head spotting the Princess again and rushing towards her in a half gallop half lope. Luna's eyes widened at the sudden surge of speed the monster showed. The pegasus shot upward barely missing a claw swipe from the monster.

A hint of bright blue floating near it's muzzle drew the creatures attention from the mare for a moment. It glanced down seeing a small blue object with a smiley face on it floating at the end of it's muzzle. It stared in confusion feeling it's host even a little confused by the sudden appearance of what he called a 'balloon'.

The Beast takes a involuntary step back as the blue party balloon explodes into a shower of confetti and streamers large enough to cover his entire head in bright colorful paper and glitter.

===========================================================

Twilight and the others didn't hear the explosion of confetti, nor did they hear the cry from the creature as it tried to claw away the party streamers. All around the purple unicorn her friends slowly rose into the air as the Element's of Harmony began to glow.

Applejack's orange stone glitters brightly, the light expanding before the energy races off leaving a brightly colored stream of power trailing around the floating earth pony and the rest of the group.

Fluttershy's pink stone brightens with a warm light, before that power too emerges from the stone and joins the trail swirling about the small group.

Pinkie Pie's blue stone flashes to life, the energy bursting from it spiraling away, twisting and dancing around the other two as it joins the other trails of light.

Rarity's lavender stone springs to life, the shimmering energy washing over her form at first instead of joining the others. Her cut mane flashes brightly, regrowing as the the dirt and grim she had gathered from her trip was washed away along with her injuries, the bandages falling away from her form as the light leaves her joining the others.

Rainbow Dash's stone flares brilliantly the bandages all but bursting from her form her wounds rapidly healing, small shards of black crystal falling from the wounds as the closed clattering to the ground under her. Her wings spread wide as the last of the bandages were thrown free before the red light streaks off to race along with the others.

Twilight opens her eyes, glowing white orbs looking up at the beast as she's lifted in the air, a brilliant white light enveloping her as the paths of light wrap around the group tighter obscuring them from view before bursting into a massive rainbow of light, the brilliant radiance of light soars into the air beginning to swirl about the Beast.

The creature roars snapping and clawing at the strands of light as they encircle it to virtually no effect. A massive claw reaches out in a last attempt to crush Luna, though the Moon Princess simply stares as the claw is wrapped in the growing nimbus of swirling lights.

“So this is what it looked like.” mutters Luna.

===================================================

Jer'rahd opens his eyes.

“So what happened colt? And don't yah lie tah me. Ah'll know.” states a voice.

Jer'rahd looks up seeing a short mare standing above him. Staring angrily down at him. He blinks in surprise, Maw Pelt? A quick look around showed Ponyville, his Ponyville from when he was a young colt. A tall red colt stood a bit behind Maw trying his best to look disinterested though there was worry on his face he could not hid very well even with the long black hair half covering half of it. Rhede? What was going on here?

He was about to ask when he could hear himself speaking, though the voice did not seem familiar, it was much higher pitched, cracking slightly as if it was just starting to break into adulthood.

“There's nothing......” said the voice of a much younger Jer'rahd, though the voice cuts off at the look he was getting.

Maw glares disproving at the colt and Jer'rahd looks back at the ally he had lived in for several days after his grandfather had died and the house had been taken.

“Don't lie colt, it ain't gonna protect nor help yah in life. Tell me what happened honestly and ah'll help yah out if ah can. Keep lying and it'll be a cold winter fer yah here.” Maw states in a tone that caused him to flinch.

Jer'rahd remembered this. Rhede told Maw he had been missing from school for a while and the pair had come to find out what happened. After his grandfather died, the old stallion's body had not even been cold before his mothers family rushed in and took the house he had grown up in. He had never been sure of what the plan had been or even the reason, but they manipulated the small government the town had to deny that Jer'rahd even existed and quickly liquidated what little assets his family had had citing unpaid bills and the like. This had left a ten year old colt with no where to go and nothing to his name, and the Blue Bloods had not even cared, since they didn't care and had more than a little say in the town no one else cared either. Until Maw found out.

He had told her what happened and she had made space in her home for him, even finding a place in the family graveyard for his grandparents and parents. Because he had been honest with her he found a home.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd blinks as the light fades away and he's some where else. He tries to look around as he did before, but he was unable to move his head.

The place was a rather vibrant forest, trees seemingly made of crystal and flickering with all the colors he knew and a number he could not identify. He felt a breeze blow over his form and heard the chiming of the leaves as they were rustled. Having covered the length and breadth of the land as a soldier, he was sure there was no place like this in Equestria.

The head he was in swivels around at a sound and looks down at a small figure sitting on a rock near a massive midnight blue scaled claw. It took Jer'rahd a moment to realize the claw was actually his and the figure was a Diamond Dog, though unlike any he had ever seem before.

The creature's fur was chestnut brown and was perfectly groomed over it's tall lithe form. It's head was shaped more like a timber wolf's and a long bushy tail. Wagged lightly behind it over the rock it sat on. A gray blue mane of hair fell from the Diamond Dog's head bound up in a number of thick braids that fell to the middle of it's back.

The Diamond dog looks up, it's ears perking towards what Jer'rahd could only assume was the face of what ever he was in right now.

“So what are you doing all alone by yourself out here?” The dog questions receiving only a grunt in response.“Not much of a talker huh? Ah well that's fine, can't hear the trees with too much talking. Beautiful sound. There's no place any where like this forest, I know I’ve been about every where.”

“What do you want?” a voice rumbles and Jer'rahd realizes it's coming from who ever he was seeing this from.

“What makes you think I want anything?”questions the dog.

“No one comes near me unless they want something. They are all to terrified.” rumbles the voice again.

“Ahh, well I’m not going to lie and say you do not scare the flea's off of me, but at the same token I doubt the Spirits would make someone who was going to rip apart someone trying to be friendly.”

“No......... I suppose not.”

“I've seen you around and I honestly have been trying to meet up with you at some point, though this is the first time I’ve been able.”

“Why?”

“Well you looked rather lonely out here, you do not even seem to hang around with those you are shepherding. “

“I frighten them as well, it is easier if I watch them from afar and come in when need be to fix things, it allows them to remain less panicked. My charges value strength above much else and they are all wary of what I possess.”

“Huh, well I believe no one should be forced to be on their own, so if you don't mind I figure I might stick around and keep you company.”

The creature blinks looking at the little dog it's head tilting in confusion.

“Why?”

“Why not? Like I said I Don't think any one is meant to be alone. Other wise why would the Spirits have made so many of us? Ah yes well where are my manners.” the Diamond Dog hops up and bows to the creature towering over it. “ The Spirits named me Forth, Forth Ryght. Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>”GET OUT OF MY HEAD HOST!”<< bellows the voice of the beast as the image flickers away.

“LIKE I HAVE A BUCKING CHOICE!” shouts back Jer'rahd into the empty field of gray and red.

---------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd flinches at a sudden scream, relaxing a little as it turned into a fit of giggles and a bit more screaming.

“Boss HALP!” Bleu yells. Jer'rahd opens his eyes seeing a tiny stampede of foals thunder towards him carrying a small blue dragon on their backs, who while clearly wanting to stop, seemed to be enjoying herself and was trying too hard to hide a smile at her situation.

“You're doing fine Bleu.” Starfall calls from nearby as the fillies and colts thunder past again. He shifts his gaze around noting the over the top decorations covering everything. Rhede was standing near the refreshment table talking to Velkorn who was happily watching the children rush around with Bleu.

Starfall was laughing with her sister, making the last few minute preparations for the meal that was to go along with with Cloud Dancer's cutie-ceana party. Even the grumpy mare that was dating Starfall's sister seemed to have a smile on her face watching the foals thunder around in fits of excitement and laughter.

Jer'rahd glances to his side at the sound of a small chuckle, noting one of the rare smiles on Princess Luna's face.

--------------------------------------------------

A cold wet sensation along with a splorch of impact greeted Jer'rahd as the new vision took over.

The cackle of a female drew what Jer'rahd now figured was the Beasts attention to the side. A large griffon crouched on the edge of a stream scooping up a claw full of mud. A number of smaller griffons were scattering around to hiding spots or simply taking to the air flying away from the massive creature.

The large female griffon was of a pure white and gold coloration. A large grin remained on her beak. She along with the other griffons that had been around were splattered with mud, though unlike the others she was still mostly clean.

The Beast growls lightly feeling the cool wet earth slide down his cheek. The large griffon grinned wider lobbing the second ball of muck that splattered over the creatures chest. The head tilts down showing a almost crystalline blue scaled chest dripping with splattered mud.

The Beast looks up again at the cackling griffon a low growl escapes the Beast and it glares down as the bird points and laughs slowly scooping scooping a massive claw full of wet earth. A quick flick of it are was rewarded with a surprised squawk as the griffon was buried in the huge ball of mud and sent plunging into the river.

“Not as funny now is it?” the Beast questions forcing a small laugh, only to have the griffon burrow out of the pile laughing hysterically and all but soaked in runny dirt.

“Of course not, it's absolutely hilarious now, here I thought my game was going to end when you showed up and every one ran off, but now? Now I have some one that can actually hit me! Have at thee lizard!” the griffon cackles flinging another gob of mud at the disbelieving Beast.

“Are you mad?”

“Perhaps, or perhaps my reality is simply different than yours. “ the griffon grins, flying up and landing on the Beasts nose shaking hard and showering the creatures head with mud. “ After all you cannot tell me you did not enjoy throwing that a little. We have a whole world here, what's the point of being so stoic and angry while in it? You seemed far too lost in your own thoughts moseying along the river, scaring off my friends... I figured you might want in the game, no sense being bored. Since you flung mud rather than fire I suppose I guessed right yes?”

Jer'rahd blinks noting the beast also had trouble keeping up with the rapid fire explanation from the griffon.

“Who are you?” the Beast rumbles.

“Ahhh the real question, the Spirits call me Mirth, though I haven’t the foggiest as to why.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

>>”A FOALS PARTY? WHAT ARE YOU TORMENTING ME WITH HOST?”<<

“Like that's a valid question from a monster having a mud fight with a griffon” Jer'rahd snaps as the world flashes to a gray plain with a red sky briefly before changing again.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd woke with a start a a sudden scream that pierced his ears, as his body protested the sudden motion in the hardest way it could. He pushed past the agony only to have a new wave strike him as he tumbles off the cot to crash on to the floor with a small whimper.

He rests on the ground a moment catching his breath and waiting for the waves of pain to subside, he lifts his head slightly turning to look at the cot he had fallen off of and the multitude of other cots occupying the large tent he was in.

All around him were ponies in various stages of injury, wrapped in bandages and foul smelling medicines, most still slumbered though a few had woken from the scream as well. The screaming was coming from a mare on the cot next to him. Her entire side was wrapped in bandages, the white linen darkened in numerous spots with blood.

He slowly pushed his way to his hooves and realized his vision was impaired. Reaching a hoof up he found his left eye was covered in bandages.

Jer'rahd recognized this place, he had no control over what he was doing again though once more he was watching the world through his own eyes. He recognized every pony he saw though knew his younger self could only identify a few of them.

Velkorn's medical tent during the zebra war. A place where she brought any one she found who was hurt, regardless of which side of the lines they fought on. The mare on the bed before him was the one who ultimately led to the death of her brother. The zebra should be showing up at any point.

“She has been through much pain, she is over the worst of it, all that is left for her is gain.”

His younger self whirls nearly falling over again as Velkorn comes into view all but ignoring his younger self’s protests as she goes to treat a pony who would under any other circumstances try and kill her. Velkorn was known as the Specter of Life in this war. Her compassion in helping any who were injured ensured that a number of ponies that might normally have died survived the war to make it home.

Wait.. Compassion, Honesty, Laughter..... Jer'rahd ignored the scene as it faded thinking he knew what was happening now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The beast simply stared down at the figure below him.

Clear aqua colored eyes looked back up at the visions point of view. The zebra's white coat shone brighter that even Celestia's and the red stripes marking her were like the red color of the sky at sunset. A delicately spiraled horn made of reddish orange crystal rose from her forehead framed by a wavy mane the color of a ripe red apple.

Jer'rahd could feel the Beast in the vision try its best not to move or make a sound as the zebra mare looked over the blue claw and the small gash ruining along the side of it where the Beast had cut him self ripping a particularly sharp gem stone from the ground for a meal.

“You need not worry yourself. The wound will heal on it's own.” the beast mutters the words partially catching in his throat.

Jer'rahd was rather surprised. He could feel what the Beast was experiencing and he knew that feeling rather well having been the victim of it more times than he cared to recall. That this reaction was coming from a monster however.....

“That does not mean that it does not cause pain. No one should suffer from that when it can easily be stopped.” the zebra states her horn glowing softly, a flash of warmth filled the Beast's claw. The Beast remained transfixed as the mare's horn ceases glowing.

“There is that not much better?” she questions.

“Ummm... yes... thank you....who are you...?” the Beast stammers.

“The Spirits have named me Grace.” the zebra states looking up at the Beast seeming to transfix him with her eyes. “ And what is your name, dragon lord?”

“I am Troth.....” responds the Beast.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The field of gray appears again and Jer'rahd can feels the Beast's presence though it remains silent.

“Troth huh? Where the buck did you get Entropy?” Jer'rahd questions.

>>”The name was never important host, just the meaning. Whether I like this or not you are seeing it and I am stuck watching your pathetic life.”<<

“It's the Element's of Harmony.”

>>”I am aware.”<<

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Guards that survived the first attack quickly turned and rallied against the rush of enemy troops pushing though the holes in the keeps wall.

Jer'rahd rushed towards the stage as cries of battle went up along with the screams of the dying. The pegasi on the roof had largely been untouched by the initial attack and dove down into the troll and half dragon ranks trying to fend them off.

This would be the start of the war. All of these ponies would fight and die here, trying to stop an invasion that came out of nowhere. Fighting and dying to protect those they cared for, and those they would never even meet. Giving up their lives to protect others selfless sacrifice, true Generosity.

Despite the counter attack, the fear that was coming off the massive green dragon in waves as it sat on the castle wall made the fight that much harder when all you wanted to do was run and hide it was nearly impossible to stand and fight. He felt it himself, and he could not blame those that were falling back, but he had a reason to press forward.

The silver haired mare stood on the stage looking up at the dragon her eyes filled with fear, black coat showered with dust from where the wall collapsed near her. She needed to run, needed to get out of there, she needed to flee.

His eyes widened as she did nothing of the sort, she felt the fear, saw what effect it was having and knew she could stop it, lessen the effect to where the Guards might stand a chance. She knew what it would likely cost her to remain where she was, to bring the attention of the monsters and the dragon to herself, yet she did it as it might help others to survive.

“A falling star,
Fell from your heart.
And landed in my eyes........”

Jer'rahd, watching though his own eyes shivered as Platinum started to sing for the last time.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The crash of waves against the shore only seems to add to the Beasts frustration.

Jer'rahd experienced a moment of panic as the vision drops down into the waves searching among what appeared to be some sort of reef. Fish and other creatures scatter before the snout of the massive dragon as it wades through the water clamoring over rocks and digging up the sandy bottom.

Troth surfaces for a breath, much to Jer'rahd's relief and lifts his massive palm up showing a tiny shell in the center of it. The Beasts eyes narrow looking at the tiny clam a growl escaping his throat. His eyes focus on his massive claws as he ponder how to open the tiny thing with out crushing it.

“What are you doing? Besides scaring all the fish I mean.” speaks a voice from below him.

The Beast tilts its head down eyes focusing on a strange creature lifted half out of the water.

The creature had a lithe equine form with long flippers like a seal, as opposed to forelegs. It had no ears though a long set of striped fins seem to replace them along the side of it's head. A series of diaphanous fins trail along it;s spine shifting slightly as it used them to remain upright on the surface. It's copper and white patterned scales seem to shimmer as it's teal eyes look up at the dragon from under a wavy mass of sea foam green hair.

Jer'rahd flinches despite himself at the sight of the seapony though the Beast in the image seemed to have no such fear, though there was a hint of embarrassment.

“I... I am looking for a pearl.....”

“A pearl?” the seapony questions raising a brow.

Jer'rahd could feel the dragon flush. “ Grace... likes pearls.....”

The seapony blinks again though he grins wide as well. “Seems the rumors are true then. Well then I guess I need to help you out a bit.”

“I do not need any help....”

“Says the great big dragon holding a scallop. Pearls don't come from those. Just stay put, this will only take a moment.”

The beast opens his mouth to protest but with a flick of a brilliant scaled tale the seapony was gone. Troph stares down at the tiny thing in his hand and sighs dropping the scallop back into the water.

It did not take long before the creature resurfaced again, a light white glow surrounding the primary spine on the top of his head, the glow also lifting a polished blue colored pearl out of the water. The orb was easily twice the side of the scallop Troph had found. The Beast gingerly reaches out for it stopping as he looked down at the seapony.

“What do you want for this?”

“Nothing.” states the sea pony.

“What?”

“Seriously, are you questioning my Generosity? Do you think I would put a price on this when I know what you are going to do with it, heh. Just take it and give it to her. I might also suggest speaking with Bonnie, she or her brother might be able to teach you a spell that can make your size a bit more... manageable.”

“I have already considered that.” Troph states taking the pearl gingerly wrapping it in his own magic. “ Thank you Munificence.”

“You are most welcome Troph, after all, what are friends for right?”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Not such a pathetic life now is it monster? Considering your view of Generosity is a damn rock from the water and mine is those giving their lives for others.” Jer'rahd snarls.

The Beast simply growls.

“Thought so.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------

He'd seen death,faced down monsters and nightmares most ponies would have had their hearts stop from, and yet he was more frightened of this situation than any other he had ever been in.

He squinted as the bright lights came on, focused on him, he heard the mummer of those around him as his eyes slowly adjusted. A few shouts of encouragement broke the mutter filled background noise though he was not even aware of what was said. The ponies around him parted before him leaving a path to the polished wooden floor in the middle of them before the stage. He could feel every eye in the place either on him or on the mare who moved onto the wooden floor before him.

The lights played off the white dress Luna wore reflecting the shimmering lights, creating a faint glow around her her form and setting off the numerous small gemstones in her mane and tail. Jer'rahd swallows hard shifting his dress uniform, never comfortable with all the medals and awards. He didn't believe he deserved half of them and didn't care about the other half. Right now though those thoughts only flickered through his mind, his primary focus was on the mare before him.

The beat of the music starts up and Jer'rahd barely notices at first until the Princess shifts her stance moving a little closer.

The first dance, okay hoof placement, check, shift left, step, go,... Jer'rahd curses himself. Trying to follow the lessons and pay attention to the Princess was not working. He exhales, releasing a long breath and simply lets his body move though the steps drilled into him by the small dragon.

He had been told by Celestia that Luna always refused to dance, turned down any pony brave enough to ask her to the floor. She didn't this time, not when he asked.

“Fly Me To The Moon
Let Me Play Among The Stars
Let Me See What Spring Is Like
On A-Jupiter And Mars
In Other Words, Hold My hoof
In Other Words, Darling, Kiss Me”

He could still feel every ponies eyes on them as they moved with the song, close, but not quite touching though Jer'rahd felt he would some how soil the dress she wore simply by being this close. He swallows glancing up at her noting the red flush to the Princesses cheeks as they moved closer her cheek lightly brushing his as they continued the dance.

“Fill My Heart With Song
And Let Me Sing For Ever More
You Are All I Long For
All I Worship And Adore
In Other Words, Please Be True
In Other Words, I Love You”

He looked up meeting Luna's eyes finding himself staring, his body going through the motions of the dance though his mind was trapped gazing into her eyes.

“Fill My Heart With Song
And Let Me Sing For Ever More
You Are All I Long For
All I Worship And Adore
In Other Words, Please Be True
In Other Words, I Love You”

He tenses a little nearly missing a step though he recovers without anyone seeming to notice he could feel her breath against his neck as they pressed closer.

“Only you....
only yoooou
Fill My Heart With Song
And Let Me Sing For Ever More
You Are All I Long For
All I Worship And Adore
In Other Words, Please Be True
In Other Words, I Love You

In Other Words, I Love You”

The music slowly died off though neither he nor Luna's gaze left each others, nor did they pull apart for what seemed like forever, the magic of that moment lingering on..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Troph looked up at the zebra mare. He had surprised her several times tonight, the first was when he arrived.

He had paid a visit to Bonnie as Munificence had suggested and the alicorn indeed had a spell to fit exactly what was needed. It took some time, but he was able to change how the spell worked in order to use it with his own magic. When he had entered the clearing he was scarcely a claw length larger than she was, he had worried she would think he was one of his charges and depart, though Grace had recognized him immediately.

The second time was now. The dragons he watched over and many of the ponykin had started giving gifts to one another to show their love. Some had gone so far as to form permanent bonds, taking a mate forever with such gifts, if the one proposed to as such accepted.

He had taken this to heart after he found the pearl, using his own magics to smelt a necklace and setting for the pearl out of a soft mineral called gold that had a delightful luster when forged and polished.

He was aware there was a chance of her refusal, they had known one another for countless seasons though this was the first time he acted on what he had been feeling.

He had lowered himself before asking her and making the offering, something about that seemed right. Though he could not meet her gaze as she looked over him and his offering. He had been alive for longer than time even existed, the third of the gods the Spirits had created to shepard their creations and for the first time he actually felt fear. Fear of what might happen if she refused, even more so if she accepted.

His thoughts were given pause as he felt her hoof rest lightly on his arm pushing the box with the pearl to the side. He flinched reflexively looking up to meet her eyes for the first time seeing the tears in them and the soft smile on her face.

“I do.” whispered Grace leaning foreword to kiss him.

No words had yet been created to describe the feeling.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The plain of gray and red greeted Jer'rahd, though a large dark blue form stood next to him now. It was no where near as tall as the beast though it was unlike any dragon he had ever seen. It was bulky and muscular, it's flesh and scales seemed made of finely cut from blue rock rather than flesh. The dragon simply sighed softly.

>” You see what I have lost and what I am trying to reclaim. You still would fight me in this?”< Troph questions.

“You know why I am fighting and yet you still want to destroy everything to be free?”

>”You cannot imagine how long I have waited to be free, to find her again.”<

“I think I have a better idea than anyone else alive right now what it's like to lose what you love and be trapped.”

>”Perhaps. Though the Elements are not done with us yet, though I feel you have simply been pulled along for the ride.”<

“Still not sure why we are seeing these.”

>”They are showing us their nature, calming the rage in order to bring harmony to the world again. How each of them have impacted our lives so we can consider what would happen without them, if we gave in to what darkness held us.”<

“Then they should have showed me Loyalty first then. If we see what I think we are going to see it's just going to depress me further.”

>”I agree. Loyalty cost me dearly as well.”<

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd presses the Waning Moon harder against the white unicorns throat, the blade not yet drawing blood from the pony under his hoof's neck, though with luck he would not need to.

“So what now? Going to finish us off demon?” Cyan Sparkle spits out from under the blade.

“No, encountering you all was never part of the plan. Besides, regardless of what you may think we don't kill family. We are only here for Celestia.” Jer'rahd states the green glow of his magic keeping the blade firm against the colts neck.

“And you have her now, Demon of Dullahan.” an angry voice states from the rear of the chamber.

Jer'rahd smiles baring his fangs at the voice hearing the colt curse beneath him.

His gaze lifts meeting the fiery glare of the Goddess of the Sun. Golden armor covered her form, a glowing mirror of the silvery armor Nightmare Moon wore. Fire crackled around her form and for the first time Jer'rahd thought perhaps she was seriously prepared to fight.

“Velkorn tend the colt here, make sure I didn't break something important. Looks like we have the Princess in check. “ Jer'rahd states moving away from the fallen unicorn dropping the bloodied bone helm to the side and approaching Celestia.

The Princess stood on the raised dais that held the twin thrones of Equestria, one for the day, and one for the night. Some how the gilded things had avoided being damaged during the fight though the heat radiating from Celestia might melt them if she remained there too long.

Rhede whistles muttering something about how the Princesses flank looked in the gold armor but he ignored that, his attention focused soly on the Goddess of the Sun. This was it, the last chance to do something. His actions today would be of betrayal, the very thought of it made him ill, but what choice was there?

“You should know Kaisur.” Celestia snarls. “Just because you put the Princess in check, does not mean it is check mate.”

“And you should know Celestia, that after finding out you cheat to win, I have no qualms about doing the same.” Jer'rahd responds..

He watched her flinch, she knew about the Beast, she had to, that must be what she expected as well. Still this was the point of no return. Did he go through with his first plan, or the one that would mire him further in the feeling that made him sick.

Love or Duty.

Luna, or all those he once swore to protect when he joined the Guard. What would his father think? His grandfather? Which would they choose if placed in this situation. Ponies would die from either choice. He would have his love with one choice, and likely loose her with his betrayal with the other choice, yet Equestria would be whole again.

In the end Loyalty won over love, if he could save her it wouldn't matter if she hated him.

The armor granted by the element of Loyalty slid back off his form fading into the necklace, leaving him in a simple officers uniform. The Waning Moon was quickly sheathed as Celestia takes a step back at the sudden blur of motion. She might have been ready to fight, or perhaps ready to give herself up to end the war with her sister. Neither mattered now.

The Sun Goddesses eyes widen further as Jer'rahd sinks down to kneel, his horn nearly touching the ground. He could almost see the confused expressions on every ones faces, well perhaps Rhede was smirking, if he had figured it out. In any event he hoped this choice was enough to save Luna.

“Princess Celestia of Equestria. We the General's of the Lunar Republic have come seeking your aid in stopping Nightmare Moon.” Jer'rahd announces..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“.... Zacherle plans to use this power to create other gods, perversions of that which the Spirits have entrusted us to hold dear.” the black alicorn mare states her white eyes glancing to the others in the group with a small sigh. If not for those spots of light one would think they were staring into a void when they looked to the mare. “His madness has deluded him into thinking he is a perfect creature, and it is his duty to make others like him. He truly believes that is why the Spirits left us, because they saw they could do no better.”

“And this spell you spoke of, are you sure there is no other way?” questions a white and copper striped sea pony. The creature floated in a globe half full of water at the edge of the gathering. Munificence looked rather ill at what he had been hearing though all of them knew that the first alicorn had not taken the departure of the creators well.

“I have considered all possibilities, including simply letting him do as he wishes. There is no favorable outcome save this one, and even it has it's tragedy. My brother's spell is too strong to be destroyed, yet it needs to be stopped.” the alicorn mare responds, her ears flattening to her head. “Zacherle's soul is bound to that tome, and the spell it is writing in itself will go off before the end of the night.”

“This is true.” the Diamond Dog, Forth, points out. “We studied the spells and the enchantment itself trying to find a weakness, there is nothing that any of us can exploit. We can't even stop the writing. By this time tomorrow everything in the world will either be a twisted god of some kind, or some sort of monster depending on what that mad stallion's idea of 'worthy' is..or was.”

“Lovely.” Mirth sighs.”So even with all our power we can't stop this? I don't think this is much of a joke.” the griffon grumbles ruffling her feathers.

“I wish it was a joke. I wish I had known his plans before. If I had noticed what he was doing instead of trying to tend to the ponies, maybe I could have stopped this.” Bonnie whimpers, the alicorn's dark wings drooping.

“No one is blaming you Bonnie. You took up Zacherle's duties as well as you own to allow him time to recover from the loss of the Spirits. Being the first we all knew he took it the hardest. No one could have foreseen this.” Grace states, the zebra's voice sending a shudder along Troph's spine.

“I still do not like what you have proposed. It means all but our deaths....” the first dragon looks down at the zebra mare next to him. It had barely seemed an eye blink since they had wed. They had supported each other though the turbulence that came about of the creator Spirits leaving the world, and now just as it seemed things may be alright, Bonnie's brother had given in to the darkness that had been plaguing him.

“I know. I am sorry. The only thing I can see to counter his ritual is the ritual to be preformed again, though this time to create something that can counter what he is doing. Something that can restore the balance his work is undoing.” Hope turns her eyes from the group.” I am sorry..... “

Troph looks down at Grace as she lightly nuzzles against his side. He shifts his gaze to the other first gods, the shepherds of the races the spirits created, they were meant to watch over their kind, to guide them, and shape them into creatures that lived in peace with one another. Something the first was seeking to destroy, he was not guiding his race, he was going to change it to remold it in his image. The First's actions had already begun the first conflicts of the age, the chance to become a god had sown greed in creatures that otherwise never felt it before and before his transformation into a book, he had invented a new concept for the world. War.

Creatures killing other creatures for greed and because their god said so was unfathomable before this last few years. Now however, it was all some of his younger charges knew.

He was created to guide his race, it was what was charged him by his creators, his duty, yet....

His time with Grace had seemed as a single breath, though he knew it longer than that. Many mortal lifetimes they had been together, but he thought it not enough, was it greed that made him wish for more?

“We have prepared everything we can for the creation of the artifacts. We just need something from each of you as a foci for the spell.” Forth states a soft glow forming around his claw, lifting a table from the stone ground between them. Six indentations rest in the table, one already holding a polished ruby, likely placed by Forth himself. The red stone pulsates lightly, as if beating with it's own heart.

“A Heart Stone. Fitting I suppose for the God of the Hounds and earth.” Forth smirks. “Though I suppose just a rock would work for me, I felt this needed a bit of flair.”

A single half of a rose colored scallop shell floats forward resting in a indentation before him. Munificence rubs a fin against his forehead.

“If I had more time perhaps I could give something akin to Forth's gem there though I am not sure anything else could be more fitting than a sea shell for the God of the Sea hmm?” Munificence sighs.” Did you really need all of us to do this? I am sure I could cover for these two if need be.” the seapony states gesturing to the dragon and the zebra.

“If there was another way I would do so instantly. Even we will be too little in time. After this first casting others who are worthy will need to find and use the artifacts we create to stop what my brother has done.” Bonnie states tears running down her muzzle as she looks at the others.

A loud yelp breaks the tension as the griffon rubs his wing laying a large pinion feather on the table in the indentation before him.

“Well that hurt a little more than I liked.” Mirth chuckles.”Enough with the tears, we got this. Feather from the God of the Air. Works well enough.”

A light clack of metal on the table draws Troph's attention to a pearl set in a gold chain being placed on the table. He blinks looking to Grace as she smiles softly.

“The second most precious thing to me. I hope it shall do as something from the God of the Wilds.” Grace whispers.

“Yeah well considering his fat ass won't fit on the table it should be fine.” Mirth chuckles gesturing at the dragon.

The dragon god looks down at the zebra closing his eyes and inhaling deeply turning towards the table and breathing out a thin line of white flame. The fire stops over the indentation building and rolling in place flickering with a life of it's own.

“Almost thought you would refuse there Troph.” Forth states looking up at the dragon.

“It would not bode well for me to let my friends and love sacrifice themselves without me. Despite what I will be losing.” Troph glances down to Grace.”I have a duty. The breath of the first dragon, Granted from the God of Dragons.”

“Thank you all.... I am sorry...” Bonnie mutters again, the indentation before her having filled with her tears. The liquid swirling and sparkling as the table lit up brightly.

Lines of light swirl from the table lighting up the stone they group stood on forming a massive circle of light that surrounds them. The energy flares as Troph leans down kissing his love for a last time, remaining in contact with her as their bodies were torn away to join the dance of lights that soon colored the world with a deafening shock wave and an explosion of multiple colors.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd stares into nothing, the gray and red of the place doing little to ease the impact of what he had just seen. The Cobalt blue dragon sits beside him, towering over him, staring off into the blank field of gray and red that surrounded them as well.

“.......You are the elements.” Jer'rahd mutters.

>”Was.”<

“What?”

>”I am no longer part of them, they seem to work fine without my presence. At some point I was torn free, she was torn free. I do not know why or how, but I was quickly rebound and sealed in this place, made to obey the wielder of Magic as my power was still tapped into to fuel those whose Loyalty was corrupted. I have no concept of the time I spent here. When you killed the other corrupted Loyalty the surge of power opened the door for me and I took it. I will be free.”<

“She became Compassion right? Do you really think she would want you to kill everything just to go looking for her?”

>”YOU DO NOT KNOW HER HOST!!!”< the dragon roars finally turning to look down at Jer'rahd.

“No, but I know two other bearers of Compassion and I can't see them wanting some one they cared for ripping the world apart to find them.”

>”You asked for my power host, and I gave it to you. It is time I get what I want.”<

“And that would be what, kill every one that even might think of sealing you back up? That's a lot of death.”

>”Then what would you have me do? Give up?”<

“No, considering what I saw, no. Just.... calm down for a while, stop trying to force your way out. I'll see if some one might know something, Celestia, might know something, buck even Sparkle or Rhede might have found something out.”

>And I should trust you? This is one of the few chances I will have to be free without being commanded. Why should I pass it up?”<

“You said yourself once you were using me because I was one of the strongest bearer's of Loyalty you had felt , right?”

<”You would have not beaten the Leviathan otherwise.”<

“Right, not sure how that means anything, but I’ll go with it. You stand down with out fighting me and I figure I would be obligated to find a way to pay you back for beating down the dragon and saving Canterlot.”

The dragon raises a brow staring at the pony.

>”You would feel obligated to something you have used as a tool?”<

“Actually I thought you a monster and I would very much have liked to never to deal with you again.”Jer'rahd shrugs. “I still don't like it, but after seeing what you went through and with what I saw of my own past, I feel calmer than I have in a long time. I can't promise I’ll find anything, but I will try. It would be better than fighting me the whole time, and I would be more than happy to get you out of my head.”

Troph considers staring back into the void.

>”So be it host. Though I expect results of some kind in your lifetime.”<

“Provided I survive the day you mean?”

>”Yes, that could be a problem with what they are doing.”<

“What who is doing.... HEY!!”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The plane of red and gray fades to white,as the cobalt blue form of Troph vanishes.

Jer'rahd curses as a white light surrounds causing him to squint from the brightness. Wind whips against his form as she floats in a sea of white the hum of power surrounding him.

The light around him slowly fades as shadows dances around the edges of his vision the white barrier that surrounded him giving way to the fire blackened earth and dirt rushing rapidly up to meet him.

“Well shit.....” Jer'rahd mutters as he impacts the ground, the area around him exploding with a mass of color and swirling shadows.

================================================================

Six indistinct forms float in the void of stars, their gaze fell on different things but they all spoke to a form hidden in the middle of their circle.

“The way is nearly clear, both the cursed Loyalty and the old god are done. The Element's have been used as well.” A silver form states.

“Don't let us down. I'm sick of waiting around for others to break shit. I want to do it myself again.” a red form mutters.

“Remember what the agreement was, so long as you fulfill your end we will continue to support you. Betray us and we shall make sure your end is not quick.” a gray glow threatens

“that'd be a pain,”comments a teal glow.

“Do keep in mind the Love Cursed ones are still there, though the King is currently weakened, the Queen is still a threat.” A purple glow points out.

“Heh it doesn't matter the outcome now, this is gonna be good.” cackles a green form.

“Your threats are falling on deaf ears Gray. I have prepared for far to long for this moment, and I will ensure that it is mine. You will need to be patient however, until everything is under control I will not be able to fulfill my end.” the indistinct figure in their midst says.

“Do not think my threats idle Nameless.” the gray form growls.

“Yes, because you did so well with Jade.” the figure responds.

“Both of you shut up and just go mare. I am tired of this place.” snaps the red glow.

“Not yet Red. There is one more thing I am waiting on to happen.”the figure smirks.

=========================================================

The six ponies slowly sink back to the ground, the nimbus of light fading from their forms as the Element's darken and return to being just jewelry. Celestia moves over to Twilight, and both Spike and Lion Heart rush over to aid Rarity, the dragon and half dragon glaring at one another.

The glowing cocoon of light vanishes from around the beast as well, leaving Rhede, Velkorn and Bleu to watch a gray form fall from the sky. Despite their wounds both Bleu and Rhede ran towards the figure with Velkorn doing her best to make sure Rhede didn't collapse.

“Oh dear... that was far more strenuous than when we faced Nightmare Moon that first time.” Rarity whines.

“Well he was a lot bigger than she was.” Apple Jack responds.

“WAAAAAAAAAAY bigger!” Pinkie explains to no one in particular spreading her hooves as wide as she could.

“I guess it worked, wow.... how the heck do I feel better and worse at the same time?” Complains Rainbow Dash.

“Are you alright , my student?” Celestia questions as Twilight clamors to her hooves.

“I'm fine Princess... just tired. Come on. I think we need to go after them to make sure Jer'rahd and Luna are alright.” Twilight states starting to move towards the crater.

======================================================

Luna and Starfall were already pulling the still form of Jer'rahd from the small crater his fall had created. The Moon Goddess set him down on a rare patch of unburnt grass next to the hole, glancing up as the others arrived.

Velkorn crouches, next to him, checking him over, wincing at the rather nasty gash along his side. Twilight's bandage had come undone and the strip of flesh was dangling from his side again.

[“He is breathing, but he is losing a great deal of blood.”] Velkorn mutters looking to the others wishing she had her bags.

“Boss? Boss? BOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!” shouts Bleu rather dramaticly, though it did get the attention of the other group as they trotted up.

Jer'rahd winces at the yell, then groans, his eyes remaining closed though he flinches as Velkorn looks over his wound.

“Jer? You alright?. That you or is that thing still running the show? Say something dammit!” Rhede orders.

“.... my momma said mai daddies name was Rhede Pelt.” the gray unicorn mutters.

“What!?” Rhede questions, staring at the the unicorn as his friend finally smirks and starts to laugh.

“I told you I would remember that Rhede, did I not say that was the greatest thing ever HAHAHA....”Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Wait.... you mean what those foals said from ….. HOW THE BUCK DO YOU EVEN REMEMBER THAT NOW, YOU ASS.”Rhede growls as Starfall and Bleu start to laugh. Velkorn and Luna didn't laugh, but they couldn't hide their smiles. “Here I was all worried about you and shit and you had to make a freaking joke about it!”

“I can't help it it just HAHAHAHA, oh ow, crap I feel as bad as you look Rhede. What the buck happened to you any way? Did we win?” Jer'rahd groans as he pushes himself shakily to his hooves ignoring Velkorn's protests as usual.

“Not yet, The threat from Forgescale and the other gods has ended, but the changelings are still attacking the Castle.” Luna responds.” Are you well Jer'rahd. I do not recall you being this... mirthful.”

“I'm fine... I feel better than I have in a while actually. Okay... give me a few moments and we'll go kick all their asses..... “ Jer'rahd mutters. “Soon as I can see straight.”

Velkorn moves over pushing up his eyelids with a hoof and growling lightly.

[“You are going no where, you are showing signs of a concussion.”] the zebra mutters.

“What did she say?” Jer'rahd questions bringing another laugh from Bleu.

“She said you're not going any where Boss.”

“Well why didn't she say that in pony?”

“Not like you have ever listened to anything I have said, you would argue and do what you wanted, even if I pronounced you dead.” snaps Velkorn.

“If I recall correctly he did just that, twice.” Starfall chuckles.

Velkorn curses to herself about foolish patients though a smile remained on her lips. As the main group trot up to them. Jer'rahd blinks at the pink pony bouncing along with them and sits down suddenly..

“Okay maybe, there might be something wrong with me. Shouldn't you be dead?” mutters Jer'rahd earning him a slap in the back of the head from Bleu.

“I got better!” beams Pinkie. “ What was so funny over here? I heard laughing tellmetellmetellme!!”

“Later Pinkie.” Bleu states watching the pink mare deflate a little.

“You alright Kaisur.” Celestia questions.

“Been better, been worse too. Do we have a plan?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Considering the shape most of us are in I am not sure there is much we can do.” Twilight sighs. “When we beat Discord if anything we were a bit hyper after wards. I feel like I ran a marathon and a half.”

“You kidding I feel great!” states Dash flapping her wings and rising into the air a little before drifting back down yawning. “Okay maybe I could use a little nap.”

“Has anything else happened while I was … well you know?” Jer'rahd questions looking over at Spike who was glaring daggers at Lion Heart for some reason.

“Well Discord showed up with me, then Spike showed up with the Elements, then we put them on and things got all glowy, and then there was a lot of pretty lights, and then we ran over here and started talking to you, and then you asked 'Has anything else happened while I was.. well you know?' and then I started to tell you, and then Applejack stuck her hoof in my mommmmmph.” Pinkie rambles on until AJ pushes her hoof against the rambling mares mouth.

“We git it Pinkie....” AJ sighs. “Alright quick recap then from everyone so we all git caught up tah speed.”

“The changelings still surround the castle, Chrysalis still has her power, and Sombra is with her though he is depowered. “ Luna sighs. “ Most of mine and my sisters powers are gone as well. We have told the Guards in Ponyville to make their way here though there is no telling when they may arrive, nor how much aid they can offer. On the positive side Nocturne is no more.”

“I'm out of this for a while. I'm lucky I’m even awake at this point, I usually pass out for a few days after changing like that. On the plus side Silver Claw and Forgescale are both done. I do have something to speak to Celestia and Sparkle about provided we live through this.” Jer'rahd mutters looking up into the sky, noticing something.

“The Element's of Harmony need a bit of time to recharge too.” Twilight states. “ A few hours at least. I'm wiped out from all the casting I've been doing too.”

“I'm torn all tah crap and back, but Claymore's dead. I can offer my services as a lightning turret, but I’m not gonna be flying or fighting anything like this.” Bleu points out gesturing to her wounds with her good arm.

“The Windigo said Scarlet was out of our reach and Bloodtail was being dealt with.” Rhede sighs. “ I'm in no shape to do anything. Velkorn has access to the medical supplies in the ambulance however and can treat any one who may need it. We also have a hoof full of Guards here including Captain Lion Heart. They can probably help Velkorn tend the injured and keep most of the changelings off of her.”

“I still have access to some of my powers, as well as my contact with the sun. I expect Luna can still control her moon as well, though without a horn we cannot draw on their full power. I did however manage to get a large portion of the cities inhabitants into the castle before the attack began in earnest. The Royal Guard are not alone in defending the castle either. Blue Blood had a number of mercenaries hidden away for some reason that are fighting for us, The Crystal Empire has teleported a sizable force of it's Imperial Guard to aid us, Guard Captain Shining Armor and Princess Cadence have also come. There are also a large group of ponies from the frontier town of Appleooza along with a number of Buffalo. “Celestia explains though she looks a bit hesitant for a moment before she sighs looking to Fluttershy. “ It seems that you pet bunny brought a sizable force of forest animals as well Fluttershy, including a Tank and a Ursa Major.”

“Angel brought Mr. Gamora and Teddy?... why would they all come here I told them to stay home...... Oh dear.....”Fluttershy whimpers a bit her ears drooping as the implications of the animals presence in a fight sinks in.” We have to stop this.”

“Wind Razors dead too, so we can count that a win, Peach Blossom went to rally who he could from Ponyville, so if they didn't believe the Princess with how she looks they should believe him.” Starfall mentions as she notices Jer'rahd looking skyward and turns her gaze up as well.

“So what now? There's still a swarm of changelings attacking. I can offer a few things, but I didn't learn any combat spells or abilities from Silver Claw.” Spike grumbles.

“General what are you staring at?” Luna questions looking into the clear sky.

“Absolutely nothing. The bugs have wings why are they not attacking from the air? Jer'rahd questions.

“Mostly due to my flash frying any of them that took to wing during the evacuation they are far too clumsy and easy targets when air born.” Celestia states.” There are also the Wonderbolts, they are a member of Hospice Moskau's troop of monster hunters. They may not be as combat trained as you or your troops Jer'rahd but.....”

“NOTHINGS FASTER OR MORE SKILLED IN THE AIR THAN A WONDERBOLT!!” Dash shouts suddenly, almost giddy.

“Ummm, what she said.” Celestia sighs.

“You know what I'm thinking Starfall?” Jer'rahd questions.

“Yes and it won't be pretty,well okay, it will be really pretty, but if they are as skilled as Rainbow Dash says then this will be very interesting. “Starfall chuckles with a rather malevolent smile. “Rainbow, Captain Lion Heart, are you up for some flying?”

“Of course!” Dash yells.

“Flying, or that crashing thing we did at the hive?” Lion Heart grumbles.

“I shall assist you in this.” Luna states stretching out her wings.

“Are you sure you can keep up Princess?” Rainbow Dash taunts earning scowl from Luna.

“In case it is not readily apparent Rainbow Dash I am not a unicorn.” Luna retorts, drawing a look of confusion from several of them.

“Ummm, well yeah I guess.” Dash mutters. “ What does that have to do with anything.”

“She was the Bearer of Magic, “Twilight points out. ”Twice even, I haven't had time to consider it, but how does a pegasus become the bearer of the Element of Magic? I sort of understand Princess Celestia and her fire magic, but what is it you did to be considered for the Element of Magic?”

Luna smiles softly looking to Celestia.

“Think you can do it now Lulu?” Celestia questions.

“Considering I am back to normal, I do not see why not.” Luna explains.

“What tha hay are you two talking about?” Dash grumbles.

“Rather curious myself.” mutters Starfall.

“There was a particular reason I took a interest in you Starfall.”Celestia smiles.

“Yeah cause I was the first pony to do the rain boom. I know that.” Starfall comments though her comment trails off as Luna grins wider.

“First recorded pony.” Celestia pipes in. “When I first considered you as a bearer of a Element I had you pegged for Magic Starfall, not Honesty. It was the same reason I chose Luna to bear Magic so long ago.“

“Wait. Princess Luna did a Rainboom ?” Jer'rahd questions. “We could have used that any number of times, why hide it?”

“I was too big.” Luna states getting confused looks until she points to Rainbow Dash and Starfall, both of the pegasi were smaller than any other pony in the group, and in her current state Luna was the same size as Dash. “Once I became an alicorn and my body type changed I lost the ability. I theorized it was due to my size that I could not push past the barrier. Now, well provided I remember how, it should be no trouble.”

Starfall curses to herself about being small, though Dash simply stares, her eyes getting wider as the implications of it all hit her.

“I think you broke Dashie Princess.” Pinkie points out waving a hoof in front of the pegasus's face.

“THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!” Dash screams suddenly.

=======================================================

“Think this will work?” Rhede mutters, looking up into the sky towards the rapidly rising moon and the fading daylight that hid the pegasi's climb.

“It's not gonna win everything, but it will thin the changelings numbers a bit and probably be a massive boost to moral.” Jer'rahd sighs. “That's the way it used to work anyway.”

“A little more than that actually.” Twilight points out as the smaller group watches the others fly higher into the sky along with the gathered Wonderbolts. “The rain boom will actually boost and recharge a unicorn's magic, in some cases overcharge it. Even a normal pony will receive a surge of energy just from witnessing it. I have been studying it as best I can, but pinning Dash down long enough to get a good reading is near impossible. With your sun setting Princess there will be no chance of any pony missing this either.”

“Not to mention it's our first offensive attack.” Bleu pipes in.

“Yeah, that's true. They threw an army at us, we threw one right back, they threw a dragon at us we counter with a monster, now we're throwing this at um, let's see um counter three Rain booms.” AJ chuckles.

“The problem here is we have no idea what it will do to Sombra and Chrysalis.” Celestia responds.” They and the changelings for the most part used to be ponies.”

“It knocks them flat on their flanks and makes up stare off into space!” Pinkie imparts as she franticly waves at the group of fliers as they climb higher. Now little more than dots in the darkening sky.
“Least that's what it did for the hive.”

“Even if it does recharge Chrysalis and Sombra they will be facing off against against an enemy that should be fully restored magically. It might even bring back the Princesses powers.” Twilight states mentally calculating the odds of that.

“Well it will be something I suppose. Will they be alright?” Rarity questions.

“Worried about them or worried about one in particular?” Bleu questions snidely, getting a small flush from Rarity and a scowl from Spike.

“Look's like they are starting the decent.” AJ points out, her other hoof firmly holding her hat to her head. “ Hang on tah something cause this is gonna be big.”

================================================================

“Alright ponies, you have your targets, once the first barriers broken team A banks towards the sunset after Rainbow Dash, Team B banks away from it with me, team C heads towards the moon with Princess Luna.” Starfall yells back letting the ponies behind her relay the message back. ”Once you reach the same height as the shield you will split off from your team and aim for your specific target once. The impact will be cushioned by the air you are pushing before you, don't let up your speed until you hit or the impact will be lessened, there will be some shock to your legs from the impact ,but so long as you land properly there will be no issue.”

The air had gotten cold and thing, Starfall could feel frost forming on her wing tips. She knew she could do this from a much lower altitude and she was sure Dash and maybe even Luna could as well, but the others needed as much room as they could get.

Rainbow Dash flew along side of her, with Luna on the other side. Twenty one Wonderbolts and a hoof full of Royal Guards also followed behind the pair as they climbed, Dash had listed off every member of the Wonderbolt's flight team by name, though Starfall only remembered a few, including the two lead members of the team Soarin and Spitfire.

They had not been willing to cooperate at first until Dash went completely fan filly over them and started making the pair of flight leaders uncomfortably certain about who she really was. A little bit of talking and the Wonderbolts were following them ready to do something most of them had never even seen. Luna did not try to explain herself though as it was a bit unbelievable that the small mare was the Princess of the Night. Starfall was just a little miffed that the Princess was half her normal size and yet still bigger than she was.

“Alright ponies, lets do this!” Starfall shouts folding her wings against her back and rolling backwards in the air starting her fall along with Dash and Luna. Thirty two other pegasi and a half dragon did the same.

=========================================================

For generations to come, a story would be told all over Equestria and across the borderlands of the nation. Old Ponies would tell their grand foals of the event around a roaring fire.

It all began with a pillar of white light that rivaled the sun for it's brightness that climbed higher than the great Manterhorn itself and vanished into the sky. After that great blasts of flame shot into the sky around the capitol of Canterlot. Then the heavens themselves seemed to explode as a aurora like what lay in the frozen north briefly danced over the mountain.

By this point a number of ponies who were able had started to make their way towards the city, either out of curiosity or simply worry.

It was then that the rainbow of light appeared, a brilliant white light that seemed to glow from the cities center itself, though it faded quickly.
Some thought celebration, others thought another invasion, none knew the real truth until later.

As Celestia's sun hid at the edge of the horizon and Princess Luna's night, the greatest series of events came. The first of which was the speed in which Princess Luna's moon climbed into the sky. The sun had not even fully set and the silver orb was at the peak of it's climb into the night.

A thick trail of rainbow colored light formed under the silvery orb falling towards the silhouette of the Maneterhorn, still visible against the sunset colored sky. Like tears falling from the moon they fell, the light split into three columns continued down, twining around each other as they neared the peak of the Maneterhorn, then, they exploded.

Three disks of rainbow colored light erupted from the three streaks of color. Three brilliant rainbow disks burst from those points and expanded out rapidly , the falling lights growing brighter and continuing downward.

The disks of light expanded over the mountain where the three rings met a blinding light that shown like the sun itself illuminated the lands as if the sun it self had risen back to it's noon height instead of the Moon.

Ponies in Manehatten watched the lights with awe, Los Pegasus slowed to a standstill as the light from over the mountain made even the sunset over the ocean seem pale and dull.

Then under the great disks several more explosions and small rings of light formed, smaller than the first three though breathtaking in their own right, the entire underside of the three great rings was filled with smaller rings and more trails of rainbow light fell from these smaller rings chasing the first three towards the mountain top.

There was a gasp of air drawn from across Equestria. Creatures as far north as the Griffon Kingdoms and as far south as the Zebra lands drew a collective breath as the trails reached the top of the mountain.

Then once again the sky was awash with light as clouds of rainbows burst skyward from the tip of the Maneterhorn. It was if the great peak had been a sleeping volcano all this time, and had some how erupted in reverse with a unknown, yet beautifully brilliant magic.

As all of Equestria watched, the sound of thunder rolled across the land, followed by a series of smaller thunder peals before the tall mountain slowly went dark again as the rings of the Rainbooms faded.

==========================================================

The view from the battle field was entirely different than that of those far away. They had been fighting the changelings in the growing darkness. This was causing more issues than any were willing to admit , as the bugs seemed unhindered by the darkness.

The defenders were pushed back to the wall as the Changelings sought to push their new advantage.

Then the sky lit up.

The fading russet light of the sunset was replaced by a brilliant wash of colors that illuminated the war torn city. Changelings hissed squinting and trying to cover their eyes from the sudden burst of light.

The Guards however did not retaliate while the changelings struggled, all of their eyes were turned skyward, the growing disks of rainbow colored light reflecting in their eyes. The thunderous trio of sonic booms snapped them all back into reality as a series of subsequent smaller explosions in the air rocked the very foundations of Canterlot itself.

The screaming whine of the lines of light descending was quickly drowned out as as the three lead streamers of light, split into multiple parts, each streaking to the ground to impact with thunderous explosions of multicolored mushroom clouds that ran in a chain of explosions across the battle field.

The impacts threw rock, dirt and changelings high into the air, creating craters in the landscape surround the castle, and knocking flat or simply blowing apart great swaths of the enemy lines.

The brilliant white light in the center of the main rings washed over the defenders around the castle. Bathing those present in it's warmth, rejuvenating tired forms, recharging spent mana pools, and blending into the shield covering the castle repairing the cracks and damage done to it by the dragon, reenforcing it's might.

As the sound died down and the changelings recovered from the impacts they found themselves facing a fresh army, one that seemed to not have been locked in a battle with them all day. A recharged force that was now twice as determined to rid their city of it's infestation.

Thus the the tides turned again in favor of the defenders of Canterlot.

=======================================================

Jer'rahd, Twilight, and Rarity and a few of the guards stood motionless looking up at the expanding clouds of multicolored lights. All of them could feel the warm rush of energy filling them. The others in the group clearly felt that too as the waves of light washed over them, but the unicorns felt it a little deeper as their mana pools were filled.

Jer'rahd grins glancing to the other two, stopping to stare at Twilight as her horn practically sparked with multi colored lights.

“I do not think I will ever get tired of seeing Rainbow Dash do that, but this... there are no words.”Rarity states in awe.

“Yes I know....” Fluttershy mummers.

“Well it was pretty and all but I still feel like crap.”mutters Rhede.

“Whine whine whine, moan moan moan, have you yet to realize you are finally standing on your own?” Velkorn mutters.

“WEEEEE!! do it again!!” giggles Pinkie.

“Not bad for a spur of the moment plan ehh?” Applejack chuckles.”Not bad at all Jer.”

Jer'rahd raises an eyebrow. “Sounds kinda strange to hear some one other than Rhede calling me that.”

“Ehh.” Applejack shrugs.”Seems tah fit, since ah've started tah know yah better.”

“I suppose.” Jer'rahd mutters noting that out of all of them Celestia seemed to be having issues, the fire of her mane and tail surged dancing around her form . Her ears were laid back against her head and the waves of heat pouring off of her had forced most of the ponies near her back.

“You alright Celestia?” Jer'rahd questions stepping back as the Princesses eyes snap open her eyes pure white pools of fire.

“I am fine, excuse me for not complimenting your brilliant plan. Yes ,yes we get it, Kaisur's a clever pony, we do not have time to dawdle, this advantage will not last if we do not....... Celestia growls her words trailing off as the light fades a bit from her eyes as she notices the looks of horror crossing the others faces.” ….. What is it, what's wrong?”

“Do you know what you just said!?!? You jinxed us .”Bleu screams out falling backwards onto a familiar red couch that Pinkie suddenly put behind the dragonling, much to Rarity's annoyance. “ YOU'VE DOOMED US ALL!!”

“What?” Celestia blinks.

“You called Jer clever. Never do that, it's horrible luck.” Rhede sighs looking around as if waiting for the sky to fall.

Celestia glares seeing even Twilight cringing. “Seriously? You all believe there is something to that? We are already in dire straits I doubt simply sarcasticly complimenting Kaisur is going to make things worse!”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

“It is time.”
“Damn that was pretty, enough lollygagging GO BREAK SHIT!”
“This should be fun.”
“wake me when it's over.”
“This should be most informative.”
“It's gonna be bad ass is what it's gonna be.”

“I ascend.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jer'rahd's ears perk as he whips his head around looking for the voices.

“Did any of you hear that?” Jer'rahd questions.

Any responses to the question were quickly cut off as the mountain itself began to move.

=========================================================

Not long after the last of the Rain booms faded the ponies and other creatures of Equestria began to wonder if that was all that was going to happen or if there was more.

They did not have long to wait.

A massive aura of white erupts from the peak of the mountain, the energy dancing across the the top of the Maneterhorn before suddenly flashing to an even brighter light that envelops the mountain and the city of Canterlot.

The light fades though a snap that echoed across the land followed as the thunder from the Rain booms had. The top of the mountain along with the city it self rose slowly, lifting into the air. The mass of city and land lifting up high enough that the silhouette of it was back dropped against the silvery moon. The chunk of mountain removed bared open the crystal mines in the mountain baring insides like a cracked geode. The crystal's within catching the fading sunlight and the bright moon light causing the underside of the floating mass and the hole it was torn from to sparkle brilliantly.

Every creature that existed in Equestria heard the voice, even those that could not see the mountain.. A vibrant mare's tone that sent a shiver along every one's spines echoed in their head along with the image of the speaker.

A pale blue alicorn with long wavy amber hair that fluttered in a unseen wind. A cutie mark that seemed to be a open book made of white and purple crystal adorned her flank. The mare's bright green eyes seemed to pierce into every one who met them, the very thought of the mare seemed to instill an urge to bow their heads on all who saw her.

“GREETINGS MY SUBJECTS. YOUR PROPER RULER HAS RETURNED. KNEEL BEFORE YOUR LORD.”

Across Canterlot and much of the surrounding lands every creature stopped and dipped their heads in a bow.

=========================================================

At the top of the Maneterhorn, In the Canterlot Royal Gardens there was only one pony who had not dipped her head. The others of her group, even the stubborn gray unicorn had all felt themselves forced into a bow.

The white earth pony stared up at the blue alicorn above her, her eyes igniting again with a inner fire as her teeth ground together, wisps of flame tracing along her mane and tail as she utters a name as if it was both a blessing and a curse.

“Aviana.”

“Light at the end of the world” Finale

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“Light at the end of the world”
Finale

The great wyrm opened his eyes, glowing green orbs staring into a sea of darkness scattered with countless stars. The beast lifts it's head slowly blinking in surprise at the lack of pain he was feeling, his mind churned with this thought, clear of the haze of rage for the first time in centuries.

“Well, bout time you got here. Guess you decided to hang around a little longer than I thought you would.” chuckles a voice.

The dragon sighs lifting a claw to his head and rubbing his temple.

“Countless years have passed in a haze and when I can finally think straight the first voice I get to hear he is yours? I must have been horribly cruel to puppies in a previous life, Discord.” the dragon growls.

“You are lucky you are hearing my voice at all Forgy. I'm the only one left.” Discord responds floating through the void to poke the red dragon's nose with a claw.

Forgescale disregards the draconequus words his gaze shifting over the void around them.”What sort of place is this Discord, where am I?”

A sigh from the draconequus draws Forgescale's attention back to Discord. His eyes narrow as he doesn't see the usual jovial expression on the creatures face, but rather a look of sadness he had only seen once before.

“This is the gateway Forgey. I really shouldn't be the one telling you this, but you're dead.” Discord states flatly.

“What?” the dragon questions.” How?!”

“Your son woke you up and your adopted great grandson killed you.” speaks another voice from behind the dragon. Forgescale whips his head around to look down at at the sky blue earth pony trotting up to him. The stallion's black and red mane was pulled back into a short braid. A silver spear wrapped by a green serpent adorned his flank. “By the same token, that great grandson of yours also killed me.”

“Andree?” Forgescale questions.

“He also was responsible for my end, though he had the help of the current Princess of the Night.” A sultry voice states as a golden form of a sea pony swims up into view circling around the earth pony and landing lightly to curl atop his back. Her turquoise fins fold along her form as she looks down at the earth pony with a small smile then up to the dragon. “It has been a long time Forgescale.”

“Aqua. Seems this is to be a bit of a reunion of sorts.” the dragon chuckles.

“Yes, a reunion of those that have been greatly mistreated by one they called friend, and in your case, lover.” another voice comments.” Forgescale smiles looking down as a zebra stallion seems to fade into being before him trotting though the void as if it was solid ground.

“Ruin.... let me guess did my adoptive great grand child kill you as well?” Forgescale sighs.

“No, one of your real children did, the one named Silver Claw.” Ruin states though he smirks a little. “I do not blame you for that however. You always did tend to teach your children to be aggressive.”

“Tis necessary for a dragon to be vicious.” Forgescale chuckles his gaze turning to Discord who simply floats there staring at them all. “ You are unusually quiet Discord. Normally by this point you would have made an inappropriate joke or some such.”

“I am finding my sense of humor lacking for once as I watch the gathering of my dead friends while the mare I was hopelessly in love with still sits with the living and looks to dominate them to her will.” Discord responds. “I spent so much time in stone due to her actions I was not there to help any of you. I started all this.... I told her about the book. I didn't think she would do all this to get it.”

“Discord we fell under the books charm as well. We cannot blame you for the same.” Aqua comments.

“I wasn't around to help Forgy because I was looking for them for her, I wasn't around to help you, Ruin, or Andree because she manipulated me then sent ponies to kill me. “Discord mopes. “I am terrible at this. And now.... now, the best I can do is sit here and talk to the dead because even after everything she's done, I can't bring myself to hurt her.”

“Considering how you reacted when she wed me I can indeed imagine it Discord.” Forgescale mutters. “The blame does not lie with you, but with her. Her thirst for power drove her and resulted in our ends. Not you. I loved her as well and she turned on me as readily as a stranger.”

“I agree. While I can point a hoof or two at Forgescale's insane child rearing tactics for some issues we have had, there is no fault to be had by you Discord.” Aqua replies.

“To be honest finding those books helped Aqua and I stay together as long as we did, I'd say that part wasn't bad, at least til the corruption set in any way, then it got weird.” Andree points out.

“I thought you liked weird.” mummers Aqua giggling.

“Shush you....”

“None of us blame you Discord, just her. Unfortunately our ire will never find her as she has given herself over and she will never reach this place as we have.” Ruin sighs. “You are still alive Discord. I suggest you stop dwelling on what you think you did wrong and live. None of us blame you for being manipulated by her. She fooled us all. Besides I know what you did this day. That was a surprising act from you my friend.”

“If she had not been there, this would have been much worse Aviana could have taken control of Corrupted Loyalty, with the books backing her she has the power. This day has already become far too depressing for it to have gotten worse.” Discord sighs.

“Why are all the bearer's of Laughter an emotional mess?” Forgescale sighs.

“Why are all the Honesty's hard headed idiots?” Aqua chuckles.

“Personally I am curious why all the ones who bear Generosity tend to be either promiscuous or down right slutty.” Forgescale growls back. Andree bares his teeth about to say something back when he's cut off by Ruin.

“.....And the Loyalty’s are always ready for a fight leaving those of us who hold Compassion to smooth everything over.” sighs Ruin.

Discord chuckles watching them all. “To think I missed this banter. Now I know I am screwed up in the head.”

“Still Discord. You need to go back,to see what other aid you can offer.” Forgescale mutters. “Anything to spite her at this point.”

“Fraid I’m tapped out. I'm surprised I was able to make it here before you left. I didn't expect everyone else to come and meet you. I guess this is our last good bye.” Discord sighs rubbing his eyes with his arm.

“No, just a small farewell for now. You still have a chance we didn't Discord. You are free of their influence and have a chance to be rid of her. You can start fresh. You had best take it.” Aqua points out slowly fading out of view.

“Really weird seeing you serious. Try to get back to normal fast or you might disrupt the fabric of everything.” Andree chuckles fading out of view.

“What you have done will cost you more than you think it will Discord. “ Ruin explains with a small smile.” But in the end, I expect you will find it was well worth what you gave up and what you still will.”

Forgescale and Discord watch as Ruin fades before the dragon speaks.

“I am sorry that it turned out as it did. I did not expect that she would chose me over you.”

“It's fine Forgy, turns out that was for the best anyway. Mare's a total bitch.”

“If you say so. I sense my son Sombra still lives, though nothing of the others. At least my line still continues, at least until Aviana finds him.”

“Silver Claw is dead, though you do have a whelp that might wind up doing great things if he's pushed properly. He is a god, so that has to account for something.”

“I felt that one, saw him before the darkness took me. He will be a strong one in time. I must ask however, what is the name of the grand whelp of Krisis?”

“The adopted son, the one who betrayed you to Equestria? You actually care?” Discord asks.

“He turned on me because he found love with a pony. Considering my past to find fault in that would by hypocritical of me.”

“I see. The ponies name is Jer'rahd Kaisur. He bore the Element Loyalty for Princess Luna.”

“Gods shield, hmmm? It never ceases to amaze me how ponies some how manage to name their foals for what they are destined.” Forgescale sighs. “I suppose I should go. I regret there is not any more time Discord. I would like to hear what has happened in my slumber.”

“Next time I meet you, I'll make sure to have a massive tale to spin for you.”Smirks the draconequus . “ Just so you know Forgey.... I never blamed you for her choosing you.”

“Thank you, but I will have you know, I still blame you for the noodle incident.”the great dragon smirks before fading away.

Discord remains there chuckling softly at the last line of his friend though the laugh is cut off as he seems to choke on it, curling up into a ball in the void.

And in the empty field of stars. Discord wept.

===========================================================

A small group of changelings patrol along the edge of the castle grounds looking for stragglers. The pony forces had been pushed back to the base of the shield, the changelings had suffered heavy losses, but they had more bodies available for the conflict and their numbers were wearing on the defenders. The patrol was out as rear guard and searching for any of the defenders who had been separated in the conflict.

The creak of wood and the flap of wings causes one of them to look up just as an ambulance cart crashes down, slamming the small group of bugs to the ground ,crushing them under the carts weight. Three more flying ambulances land less dramaticly, the wheels barely touching the ground before the doors burst open releasing groups of armed and armored ponies another group of pegasi and half dragons glide in behind the carts landing and checking over gear as they work to secure the perimeter.

A large red stallion drops down off the roof of the lead cart looking at the small half dragon pegasus mare that had been pulling the wagon with a wary expression.

“Bit much there Miss Primrose.” Mac comments.

“Pffft says you, that's four more points to my tally. YOU HEAR THAT MOON GEM, I'M FOUR POINTS UP ON YOU NOW, HA!”

A male half dragon who had been pulling another of the carts snorts in annoyance as he slips off his harness.

Major Rose steps out of the back of one of the carts looking up towards Peach Blossom as the pegasus slips free of his harness. The 42nd quickly moves into formation before Major Rose though Peach Blossom and Big Mac stand away from the rest, ears perked, their gazes turned sky ward as Rose starts barking orders.

“Is that?” Peach Blossom questions.

“Eeeyup.” Mac states shifting his stance wider, bracing himself.

“EVERY PONY BRACE FOR IMPACT!” shouts Peach Blossom as the thunder of three rain booms explode over their heads lighting the land with color.

The entire force looks up as the secondary bursts of light fill the sky, the streamers of light falling to smash hard into the ground across the battlefield, throwing multicolored blasts of smoke into the air, the shock wave decimating the Changeling ranks.

Peach Blossom stares in awe though as soon as the clouds begin to fade both he and Big Mac were off like shots from a cannon. Each had seen where a certain pegasus had landed and they were eager to get there before any Changelings did.

==================================================

Spitfire coughs pushing herself up out of the crater with a small wince. That had been intense, her wings were shaking and she couldn't feel her hooves, but damn.... She glances down at the tatters that remained of her uniform smirking slightly betting her Soarin would love to see how much flank she was exposing here, maybe she could convince him to help her get out of it later if they both survived any way.

A cheer from above her brings her gaze up to the top of the tower on the other side of the softly pulsating pink shield she had landed next to. A small orange filly with green wings of flame emerging from her back was bouncing happily atop the embrasure. “MOM! MOM, UP HERE!” the filly shouts.

Thoughts of sexy time with her husband were shoved aside as Spitfire flew up level with the top of the balcony. The mare blinks watching the orange pegasus filly dance around with a white unicorn filly and a yellow earth pony filly holding onto her tail to keep her from falling off the edge of the tower.
She took brief notice of the pink alicorn behind the trio her horn glowing brightly as she concentrated on the shield.

“Scootaloo? What are you doing here?” Spitfire gasps.

“Long story mom, but that was awesome, wasn't that awesome, seriously now you see why I think Rainbow Dash is awesome, you've got to show me how to do that!” Scootaloo continues to ramble on to the shocked Spitfire. The pegasus mare looks up at the alicorn who simply shrugs.

“Scoots, why aren’t you in Ponyville with your aunt? What is going on with your wings and...... is that a cutiemark?” Spitfire smiles slightly. “We are going to have a long talk after this is all over, now you stay right there I need to go make sure your father didn't brain himself or get distracted by a pie again.”

“Errrr... yes mom. I think dad landed over there.” the filly points to another crater.

Spitfire smirks knowing that's where Soarin was assigned to land. Her daughter had good eyes.

“Wait what is that?” Scootaloo gasps tumbling back onto her friends as the castle and all of Canterlot began to shake.

Spitfire looks around seeing everything shaking before she was blinded by a bright light and the image of a blue alicorn fills her mind.

===============================================

“Come on now, this is no time for sleeping.”Peach Blossom chuckles helping Starfall up.

“Ugh I think I hit a little harder than I expected. Thanks Captain, did the rest of the 42nd make it?”Starfall sighs staggering a bit to lean rather heavily against the stallion for a moment.

“Yeah they're here. So's one of the Apples. Big pony, rather insistent he be allowed to come.” Peach Blossom comments seeming a bit upset as Starfall steps away from him stretching her wings.

“Huh, wonder why he came. Any way we need to get back to the..... what's that ?” Starfall questions as the ground begins to shake.

========================================================

Big Mac smirks as Dash grips tighter around his neck. It had been a bit of a pain getting here, while most of the changelings were knocked prone, there were still enough left that he had to plow through them or slip around.

Rainbow had recovered by the time he got there though she quickly feigned injury just so she would have an excuse to be carried out of the crater. Then again, intentionally missing out on a fight? Maybe there really was something wrong with her.

Granted he liked to think it might be because she wanted to be rescued by a knight in shining armor or some such. No matter how much she might deny that. Mac could tell she was faking being hurt, she was not a very good actor, though she did seem exhausted. It was alright though, he might not have been Guard trained like the soldiers running around but he had been in enough fights to have have no trouble avoiding or beating the tar out of with a couple of boom dazed changelings.

“So why are you here?” Dash mutters.

“Came tah see if yah needed help... glad I did.”Mac chuckles knocking aside a changeling with a fore hoof sending the creature tumbling across the ground into his fellows. The 42nd was already moving around him as he headed back to the carts, cutting down anything they could get to.

“It's all under control, I didn't need help...... but thanks anyway.” Dash mutters hugging him a bit tighter.” Feel like I could sleep til Hearths Warming.”

He was almost back to the wagons to the wagons when the ground began to shake.

==============================================================

[Current time]

Jer'rahd whips his head up from the ground, his ears plastered flat to his head and a loud growl escaped his throat.”WHAT THE BUCK WAS THAT!?“ he glares at Celestia. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN AVIANA!?”

“That is Aviana.” Celestia states coldly. “That was compulsion magic, it was not something I recall her practicing. Her specialty was always ice and wind.”

“Jer'rahd you said you heard voices? Was it the books again?” Twilight questions whipping her head to clear out the image of the blue unicorn. It seemed the compulsion was short lived but she could not help but look up and glare at the floating alicorn.

“I don't know. They were all talking about it being time and then one said that they ascend and then all this happened.”

“Books and Compulsion magic... might be something from the corrupted Compassion.” Rhede groans not yet having been able to get up from where he had suddenly bowed. He tried again struggling to get up before finally giving up and simply laying all the way down in the dirt letting Velkorn look him over again as he pants softly.

“Great. What's next.” AJ mutters as a ear piercing shriek fills the air.

A wave of green fire fills the sky cascading towards the blue alicorn, smashing against a hastily raised shield and falling like a waterfall onto the dome over the castle. The pink shield flickers from the green energy falling onto it, though Cadence's shield holds.

Aviana turns her head tot he source of the blast as a black and green form lifts up from the ground, hole filled wings carrying the bug like mare aloft to the same level as the blue alicorn.

“This is the worst. THING! EVER!” Rarity shouts.

“Geez , drama much?” Bleu comments as Pinkie giggles.

“Really Bleu, you of all of us should know how bad this is.“ Rarity snaps back. “Or did you forget what happened the last time two dietys went all out in a brawl?”

“Nightmare Night.” Twilight mutters. “The whole coastline of Equestria was changed from a single battle.”

“What? Nah it can't be that bad, can it?” Pinkie questions. “Can it?”

“Well that depends on whether or not Chrysalis and Aviana were powered up by the rain booms and if they are willing to kill each other....” Twilight states trailing off.

“If the book I read was right then Aviana is the reason Chrysalis is the way she is.” Spike chimes in.

“And Aviana is also responsible for sealing her away in Tartarus.” Rhede interjects trying not to move as Velkorn rushes back to the ambulance for more supplies.

“So yeah.... ” Applejack sighs “......This is gonna be bad.”

==============================================================

High over Canterlot a pair of goddess glare at one another from either side of a shimmering white shield spell.

“It has been a while Crystal. I trust my son and you are doing well?” Aviana comments as the last of the green flames fade as they flicker, falling away from the glowing white shield.

“The only thing I want to hear from you are you death wails... little sister......”snarls Chrysalis, her horn flaring slamming another ball of green fire again Aviana's shield. The blue alicorn remains unimpressed.

“I have the full backing of Orbsah, Crystal. Do you think that a creature that only has the power of one book can deal with a being who holds the energy of all six? Do you really think you can even touch me with my own power?” Aviana trails off as the Changeling Queen grins wide, her fangs bared.

“You have no idea do you. You are still the same egotistical little brat you always were. Looking down on everyone else because you think you have the upper hoof.” Chrysalis snarls the magical billowing around her horn changing to a solid black. Aviana's eyes widen as a second blast of magic shatters her shield forcing her to dodge out of the way of the lance of black energy.

Chrysalis smirks.” It has been a very long time little sister and I have been through a great deal of pain and suffering due to you. I have my own power, I don't need to draw from the books to destroy you. “the Changeling Queen cackles. “Not only will I have my revenge, but how many mares have the chance to relish killing their mother in laws?”

Aviana narrows her eyes glaring at the mare before her. “Congratulations Crystal. You have my full attention now.”

============================================

“Velkorn! You and Fluttershy take the wagon and the Guards we have here, go try and tend what wounded you can find, but stay away from the fighting. Sparkle I need you to stay here and do what you can to deflect anything they throw this way. Block it if you can or redirect it into the changelings or at least a uninhabited sector of the city, keep the attacks away from the shield around the castle as best you can.” Jer'rahd bellows his magic gripping the Waning Moon and floating it at his side.” Rhede, Bleu, you two stay here, Applejack, Spike you two keep watch over them and any other injured that Velkorn brings back over here. Celestia.... CELESTIA!”

Jer'rahd glares at the Princess of the Sun as the ambulance cart rumbles away. The mare doesn't seem to notice his shouts, her gaze locked on the two forms engaged in a spell duel in the air above them.

“Dammit. Sparkle see if you can figure out what's wrong with her and get her to start burning some changelings again. Do not let her attack those two. With luck they will finish each other off or at least weaken each other so we can do it for them. Rarity, come with me I need a bit of magical back up and you don't seem to be doing anything else.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Umm alright. I'll do what I can.” states Twilight.

“Who put you in charge?” Rarity grumbles.

“Princess Luna ah figure, an ah think Celestia made him an officer too.” points out Applejack smirking. ”Side's it's not like yer coming up with anything.”

“Oooh, ooh, what about me!?” Pinkie shouts bouncing around the angry looking unicorn. “ What do you want me to do.”

Jer'rahd blinks looking at the pink mare. “Errr, well, do what ever it is you do, so long as it helps us... I guess.”

“Yuss siarh.” Pinky salutes with both fore hooves then happily bounces away.

Jer'rahd blinks as Rarity gets a rather worried expression on her face.

“What did I just do?” Jer'rahd questions.

“I assure you it may be best if you do not think too much on that.” Rarity sighs keeping up with the stallion as he runs off towards the gardens exit.” What did you need me for any way, while I am fully recharged as it were my magic is not focused for combat.”

“I need to relay the information we have to those in charge on the field. I met Guard Captain Moskau once so I know her, though I cannot recall what Guard Captain Armor looks like and I have never met this Blueblood pony or Princess Cadence. I expect you know most of them and can point them out so I can convey the information.”

“Oh I suppose that will work, though most of them should be by the castle walls, why are we going this way?” Rarity questions glancing over her shoulder at the pink dome around the castle they were heading away from.

“Princess Luna landed over here and I need a good view of things to try and cover the battle field from any stray shots with my shields. Sparkle's good but she can't stop everything, I need to get into a position to deflect things she can't. If we find Guard Captain Armor, Rose said he is good with shields as well and we can get him to cover the other half of the battle field. If we find Princess Luna she should be able to help us search for him.”

“Do you really think it will be that bad?” Rarity responds, though before Jer'rahd could answer his attention was taken by a large object falling from the sky. A panel of green blinks to life over head as the object strikes it and bounces off to hit the ground and crash into a gardeners shed.

Jer'rahd winces and stumbles as his shield shatters from the impact, the green shards swirling around like a tornado as they are pulled after the black orb and swallowed by it.

Rarity watches with mute horror as the shed and the ground around the fallen sphere starts to draw up as it's pulled, slurped up like noodles by the black ball until the small orb is floating over a hole ripped out of the very earth. After a moment the black orb fades and a solid chunk of compressed crystal falls back down into the hole. A chunk of dirt and rock the size of a wagon now compressed to the size of a foal's marble.

“Still want to know how bad?” Jer'rahd mutters shaking his head to clear out the headache.

“Question withdrawn.” responds Rarity.

============================================

Fire, lightning and acid rain down on the combatants. Guards triumphantly strike down changeling warriors only for a stray shot from the furry of magic above them to wipe them out of existence.

The changelings were faring little better, but driven by their queens rage they pressed on meeting the refreshed defenders with new savagery. Despite this a number of the bug creatures were starting to try and withdraw, falling back away from the castle and the dueling goddesses.

Perhaps they might have continued to flee the city if they had not been stopped.

Some of them encountered the 42nd as they moved to flank secure the main road to begin an assault against the rear of the enemy ranks. Some found their way blocked by fires, they or their goddess, had started. Then others encountered Sombra, the Love Cursed King did not allow the attempted deserters a word in defense before his magic obliterated them.

The actions of their King showed the few changelings with a mind of their own exactly what the situation here was. They only had two options presented to them.

Win or die.

===================================================

A changeling flew out of the crater impacting one of his fellows, sending both crashing into a large black carapaced hydra sending it reeling back as Rarity and Jer'rahd arrived at the crater.

The white unicorn winced as the gray stallion rushed head long at the hydra dodging about the lashing heads and severing several of them as a dark blue pegasus launches out of the crater, her hooves striking out to crush another of the beasts skulls.

“Glad to see you are alright Princess.” Jer'rahd grins.

“While it has been some time since I have preformed that, I am happy to note I recalled how to do it properly without breaking my neck.” Luna comments dodging out of the way of the hydra's snapping jaws. ”While I expect you did come to check on me, I doubt that is the only reason General.”

“The mare fighting the queen up there is Aviana.” Jer'rahd responds, his blade splitting one of the heads snouts in a shower of gore.

“Truly? How has my sister taken it?” Luna questions zipping around a pair of heads letting the beast tie it's own neck into a knot.

“She seems like she's in shock. Kinda surprised you are not as well.” Jer'rahd states lashing out with a rear hoof and smashing a changeling in the face who was sneaking up on him.

“I only met her once personally when I was granted my station and that was only briefly. The rest of the time I only saw her from afar and never with any great detail. Though her voice remains unchanged, I should have recognized that commanding tone.” Luna retorts watching the wounded hydra stumble back wards and fall into the crater Luna had made when she landed. “ Tia was much closer to her than I.”

“Noted. Have you seen Starfall, or Dash?” Jer'rahd questions his shield forming in the air over them again deflecting a massive ball of fire and sending the deadly spell crashing into a group of changelings nearby. He rubs his horn lightly at the effort with a hoof, though he said nothing.

“No though perhaps we need to find Rainbow Dash first and see if the Element's can be used again to stop this.” Luna states.”Wait, was Rarity not with you as well?”

Jer'rahd blinks then curses looking around for the mare.” Crap she was right behind me when we got.... here?”

Luna and Jer'rahd both stare at the white unicorn standing in a small circle of changelings. The mare held a mirror in front of her face as she re fluffs her hair seeming to take no notice off all the unconscious groaning forms of the bug creatures laying about her.

“Ummm.” Jer'rahd starts to question.

“Are you two finished? Honestly Jer'rahd what sort of gentle colt are you that you would leave a lady alone like that to fend for herself. I suppose you did come from a different time and all, but this is inexcusable. I find it hard to believe that you managed to attract as many mares as you did with such an attitude.” Rarity rants as she tucks her mirror and brush away. “There, much better, I suppose schooling you on the proper way to be a gentleman will need to wait, shall we go find Rainbow and the others you wished to speak with now?”

Jer'rahd flattens his ears as Luna snickers.

===============================================================

Braeburn spits out of the corner of his mouth in annoyance. There was no end to these things and the thrill of a brawl was nearly gone now, replaced by sore muscles and a number of pangs of guilt at the sight of some of his kin and other townsfolk's injuries, or worse still, bodies.

When that mail mare had delivered the letter from Applebloom yesterday, he had though it a joke, not a funny one mind you, but still nothing more than another attempt for her to get a cutie mark. Of course then he got to talking with that brown stallion that had showed up with the gray pegasus. Claimed to be a doctor or something, at any rate he was much more convincing that they should all head this way. Some how got the buffalo to come along as well.

Wasn't sure where the pair went after that though one of the foals said they both ducked into a blue outhouse of some kind that vanished. Braeburn had seen some strange things in his life though a vanishing outhouse was a new one.

Still, after arriving here and experiencing all this, he was almost glad he came.

“Appleloosains helping tah decide tha fate of Equestria.” Braeburn grins, smashing his hoof into a changeling's face. “Won't that be something tah tell visitors?”

==============================================================

Celestia stared up at the fighting pair in the sky. Fire and lightning arced across through the air bouncing off shields and destroying sections of the city and the surrounding landscape. Her ears perk at a rumble like thunder that echos between the sound of the spells. She glances behind her ears flattening to her head as she gallops off suddenly ignoring her her students protests.

She comes to a halt before a massive pillar, her hooves kicking up dirt as she slides to a stop. Chunks of marble were missing from the towering edifice were spells and fighting had crumbled it's formerly smooth surface. She only briefly glanced at the damage before making her way up the nearly hidden path along it's side to the top of the dais where Nightmare Moon had been banished long ago.

The view from here was not much better than from the ground. She could see the expanse of layered space that made up the Canterlot Royal Garden and the devastation that the battling titans had caused, but that was not what she was seeking.

Her gaze scanned across the new horizon of her city, the edges ragged with juts of stone and crystal. Another loud rumble filled the air and she watched as a portion of the Canterlot skyline shifted and then vanished.

She stared at the spot, the silvery moon providing just enough light for her to watch another building tumble away into the darkness.

The realization of what was happening hit her like a bucket of ice water.

Aviana was losing her grip on the floating island. If she continued to fight Chrysalis all of Canterlot would fall. The top of the mountain would tumble down the Maneterhorn and destroy the city atop it as well as anything in it's way. The falling buildings and rocks would already likely be causing panic to those living in the mountains shadow. But if the whole floating mountain top fell it would crush anything near the base. Celestia glances to the moon calculating the direction before wincing. Of course the floating mass of rock and city would be on the Ponyville side of the mountain, that town was a magnet for disasters.

Flame suddenly ringed Celestia spreading out and flowing away from her like a mini molten rain boom as she fought to control her anger again. Everything she had worked for and believed was being ripped away from her this day and she was nearing her limits of calm.

Celestia's ears perk up, the flame dissipating as she hears her students voice. She looks down as Twilight clamors past debris heading for the path leading to the top of the dais. .

Celestia bites her lip and closes her eyes. She could feel the flame, the rage wishing to be loosened , to char and burn the enemies that were before her eyes, but she held back there would be too many ponies harmed if she cut loose with the power she suspected she would need to destroy the pair of waring goddesses in the sky.

She knew the rage that screamed at her , that anger was the same that had cost the lives of nearly all that followed her after Discord.

She could feel the sun's heat even with it set, could feel it feeding her power wanting to be let free, it was taking all of her control just to keep herself from lashing out, and she could feel that fading.

A body pressing to her side snapped her out of the struggle,she glances down seeing the lavender form of her student pressing against her. The cold snap of what would happen to Twilight if she lost control made holding back the rage she felt that much easier, though the flame of rage was still there.

“Princess are you alright?” Twilight questions.

“I am alright, Twilight.” Celestia sighs.” I am just a little... angry....”

“But you ran off when Aviana showed up and came out here and then there was that weird fire burst around you .....” Twilight rambles, her voice cut off as Celestia leans down pressing her lips lightly to to her students.

“I am fine, it is nothing I have not held back for centuries, a little longer will not matter. Though we need to move quickly to end this, the city is falling apart the longer those two fight.” Celestia replies.

Twilight blinks looking over what she could see of the city and the large swath of land that was held airborne. Her eyes widen as she watched another set of buildings fall off the edge the mass of land seeming to get smaller and smaller as the duel continued.

Celestia sighs wondering what she could do at this point, her magic was limited as her flames could only blind and burn. If she still had her powers fully lifting this slab of rock would have been no trouble at all, moving the sun would make holding a city next to nothing. While she could feel the sun, she could not tap into it's power in any way that might be constructive without a horn. She was quite certain Luna would not be able to do much either.

“So what are we going to do?” Twilight mutters.

“I suppose we should try to evacuate as many as we can from the Castle, though I have no idea where we could send them.” Celestia responds looking up at the duel again.

==========================================================

“So what brought you back kid? Finally figure out Silver Claw was an ass?” Rhede questions looking up at Spike.

“I already knew that, but he had his moments. He wanted to rebuild the Dragon Empire.” Spike sighs.

“Well that wouldn't have gone over well. Glad that got nixed.” Rhede grumbles.

“No... no it isn't.”

“What?”

“No, it isn't nixed, I’m going to do it. I'm gonna rebuild the dragon empire and make it work this time.” Spike states.

“Kid are you sure that's a good idea the Empire was a blight on the land.”

“Because it's leaders chose it to be, it existed in peace for centuries before Forgescale came to power. Besides dragons now a days are wild and savage, organizing them might curb a great deal of that mentality.”

“Nice thought , but you would need to be insanely powerful and or a god to make that work.” Rhede sighs.

“Yeah well, Silver Claw showed me I’m at least half of that already. The power I just need to learn. I can't always rely on Twilight to save me. And I certainly don't need the abuse everyone's been giving me. I need to be something else other than that dragon that Pines over rarity or the comedy relief of the group.”

“I'd like to hear this whole story when we have the time kid, might be able to give you a few pointers in regards to ambassadorial stuff.”

“Hey thanks... errr sorry about what he did to your leg.”

“Don't worry I really don't even feel my leg at the moment.” Rhede grins sheepishly.

“I don't think that's a good thing.” Spike mutters.

“Probably not, but go get Bleu and Applejack. I have an idea.”

============================================================

Sombra growls, his focus not even on the battle raging around him , but the one that was taking place in the sky. He knew the limits of his love's power and he thought he knew what his mother was capable of. From what he was seeing however Crystal was showing far more power than she should have been able to supply at this point, either that of Aviana was all bluster, which did not feel right to him.

His eyes narrow as he considers a way to aid his queen. Nothing he could create nor any of the swarm would be able to get close to the pair, his power was severely limited after what that dragon had done. But he was not powerless, he would need time though to prepare something, though it seemed time was something he did not have a decent supply of.

“SOMBRA!”

The love cursed king winces dropping his gaze to the armored white unicorn before him. The stallions' blue crystal sword was aimed towards his face and the half dragon ruler snarls in response. Shining Armor had found him at the worst possible time.

“Begone pest, I do not have time for you.”snaps Sombra, his horn flaring, the magic quickly gathering a number of broken golem shards and forming them into a large black crystal scorpion between him and his challenger.

The scorpion hisses lashing out with it's tail and smashing it into the ground in the spot where Shining had been standing a moment before. The white unicorn curses looking up at the golem and back to the half dragon.

The whistle of something whirling through the air causes Sombra's ears to perk up. A spinning duel blade wrapped in a green glow spins across the battle field severing the scorpion’s tail sending the chunk of spiked crystal tumbling towards the love Cursed King forcing him to dive aside or be crushed with his own creation. The tailless scorpion whirls on the new attacker it's claws clicking and gnashing.

A unarmored gray unicorn trots through the throng of battle knocking aside changelings standing in his way with an ease born of a thousand battles. A white unicorn moves along just behind him and a dark blue pegasus glides through the air over him smashing aside any changeling who thought to fly with in her reach.

“Looks like you have time now!” shouts Shining, launching himself at Sombra , giving the half dragon a split second to form a red crystalline scythe to block the unicorns sword strike.

The gray unicorn notes the pair and grins rushing past them towards the crystalline scorpion plowing into it bodily with enough force to send the construct tottering backwards.

Sombra lashes out with his weapon forcing Shining Armor back. “You are making a mistake in stopping me here fools!”

“The only one who made a mistake was you when you decided to attack mine kingdom nave.” the dark pegasus growls landing hard on a changeling that was moving up to strike Shining from behind. “Even considering the situation we will ask this ,but only once. Surrender now. “ Princess Luna orders.

“You have no idea what your interference is going to cost you!” Sombra shouts glancing up to the airborne battle.

“Actually we have a fairly good idea of what will happen, but at the moment we simply need to take care of what we can do.” Rarity comments as she uses a diamond dog changeling as a spring board to land on the back of a griffon, driving the avian changeling's head into the ground.

Shining lunges forward again, his blade meeting Sombra's and sending sparks of magic flying as the two crystal blades ground against each other. “Personally I’m just here to remove one of the heads of the snake so the rest of the body dies.” Shining growls over his blade, his horn flaring as he forces the dark unicorn back with a blast of magic.

“That's my line!” shouts another voice as a massive swath of changelings around the combatants gets flung into the air. A massive white crystalline pillar that vaguely resembled a spear whisks across the field again clearing a large portion of the field around Sombra of changelings.

A grinning white crystal pony with flaming red mane and beard steps forward flinging the massive weapon over his back with no clear effort. Now dun think yer gonna start dhis lil partah without me nao.”

“Rose, Kaisur, Shining, and Luna I presume... and who ever you are mare.” Sombra grumbles causing Rarity to huff in annoyance. “ This many of you coming to deal with me. I should feel honored, though you should have sent The Solar Flare, she might have stood a chance against me.”

An explosion of light erupts from Sombra's horn forcing Shining back.

“This will use more power than I would like, but my time is precious. I built your precious empire in a day Crystal Knight. What do you think I can do with the acres of untouched crystal that fills this mountain!?” Sombra bellows at Shining, the ground around them beginning to rumble. Shards of multicolored crystals burst up through the ground, yanked towards Sombra like iron fillings towards a magnet.

Whole sections of the ground suddenly open up as the crystal supports holding the rock and dirt give way opening massive sink holes across the city that drop buildings as well as luckless ponies and changelings through likely to be dumped out of the other side of the floating island to fall to their deaths on the mountain side far below.

The crystals gather around the glowing alicorn melting and merging until they formed a creature almost as large as Forgescale. The glowing red crystal stone dragon growls the construct booming with Sombra's voice, even though the half dragon was barely seen sealed in the dragon's chest.

“NOW DIE!” Sombra bellows.

“Well crap.” Rose spits out, though the pony had a smirk on his face still.

“This changes nothing.” mutters Shining still looking nervous at the sudden change . He glances over at Jer'rahd as the unicorn trots up a grin on his fanged face.

“Princess, can you and Rarity find the Wonderbolts have them start rescue duties before any more of our ponies fall through? Might be time to start an evacuation as well.” Jer'rahd mutters glancing over at Rose. “Let Sparkle and crew know if you can.”

“Can you deal with this General?” Luna questions.

“Heh, just another damn dragon. I figure between the three of us we can have it done in ten seconds flat.” Jer'rahd grins.

“Ego colt, watch the ego.” Rose grumbles. “ I'd say a full thirty seconds just to be sure we get it all.”

“You two are nuts.” grumbles Shining, though he readies his sword.

“As you say General. I expect you to win.” Luna smiles.

“”I'm not going to lose anything until you forgive me Princess. You can count on that.”Jer'rahd states rushing towards the towering crystal dragon the Waning Moon whirling over his head.

“Does he do this sort of thing often? “ mutters Rarity as the two move away from the conflict.

“A little to often for my tastes, but it is usually spectacular to witness what a motivated pony can do. Come we have things of our own to do.” Luna responds taking to the air. “ I will find the Wonderbolts then return to inform Miss Sparkle and Tia, you inform Princess Cadence and see if you can find Velkorn to pass on the evacuation order.”

=========================================================

Four changelings poke their heads around a scorched hedge looking into the Garden clearing nervously. A sizable number of other changelings lay strewn about, either dead or wishing they were, including a whimpering one under a rather large cart that looked like it had been driven into him.

Something in here had been laying waste to any Changeling foolish enough to show up here. The four were about to turn and head the other way when a fifth larger changeling barked something at them forcing the four to scurry into the fire blasted clearing.

Looking over the clearing the only thing they could find aside from the chard forms of changelings and various statues of the same, was a heavily bandaged red earth pony near a small crater. The quartet spread out moving closer to investigate though aside from the unconscious red pony there did not seem to be anything else in the clearing. The leader grumbles moving up to look over the earth pony/

A loud yelp sounds and is quickly quieted. The others look up from their investigations noticing the changeling who had gone near the crater was missing.

The ponies body hadn’t moved and nothing else seemed to have changed in the blackened field. Another yelp and a second changeling vanishes. The remaining two back up moving closer to the leader and the earth ponies body trying to watch over each others backs as they prance around nervously.

The sound of move meant causes the three of them to whirl about to see the red stallion sitting up before them with a rather wide smile on his face.

“Hello.” Rhede greets as Applejack bursts from the ground behind them and smacks the two surprised changelings heads together with a sound not unlike colliding coconuts. The leader whirls to face the pony only to have a purple claw close over his muzzle and yanking him backwards and slamming him into the ground.

Rhede chuckles as Spike dusts off his claws watching Applejack tie up the remaining Changelings. Bleu pops her head out of the ground and the tunnel Spike had dug offering a rope up to the pony sized purple dragon allowing him to haul up the other two they had caught.

“A tunneling dragon who would have thought it.” Bleu grins.

“I was always a fast digger, guess I’m even faster when I’m bigger.” Spike mutters, looking over at AJ. “Why are we taking them alive again, digging around here is not easy.”

“But it's so much fun watching you work. “Bleu chimes watching Spike flinch.

“Tell you what, I’ll try my hoof at digging and you can be the bait next time.” Rhede grumbles. “We're taking them alive because if the book is true then they are likely as much victims as we are. No sense killing them if we don't have to.”

“Trying tah get yer karma points up fer all you've done in tha past?” AJ questions.

“I don't see you recommending killing them.” Rhede sighs.

“True, but ah ain't tha solider here.” AJ responds.

“So long as those ropes hold them, there should be no problem.” Rhede nods.

“Heh, just ask Spike there, nothing gets out of my hog tying.” AJ beams.

“Ooooh kinky.” Bleu singsongs.

Spike growls though Applejack turns as red as her cutiemark.

“Hey, what goes on in mah bed room ain't no business of yours...... aw crap....”Applejack sputters, before realizing what she said as Bleu starts to laugh.”Ah walked intah that one.....”

“By Celestia will you get your mind out of the gutter?” Rhede grumbles at Bleu before slapping his face with a hoof.”Did I seriously just say that?”

“This conversation officially never happened now.” Spike states pushing the two bound up changelings into the crater before jumping back down into the hole he had dug.

Applejack ignores Bleu's laughter as the little dragon clamors into the hole as well.

“Hey Rhede.” AJ states looking over the injured earth pony as if she wanted to ask something.

“Hmm what is it?”

“Yah said yer mom talked to yah right? I mean earlier when yah died fer a bit....”

“Yeah she did... gave me a bit too much information on things too.” Rhede winces recalling that particular part of the conversation.

“She still mad at yah fer all that yah did?”

“Probably some, but I don't think she is holding any of it against me. I have been trying to set things right, key word there, trying. Guess I won't really know for sure til I see her again, when ever that will be. Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering. Yah managed tah help out a number of times with every pony here, yah seem rather intent on trying to do tha right thing no matter what now. Like yer actively looking for forgiveness or something.”

“What, you mean from Luna, that's mostly Jer, not something I would turn down mind you , but I offer no apologies for most of what I have done in my life. Everything had a reason, even if that reason was revenge. There was always a reason.” Rhede sighs looking up at the midair battle of goddesses. “If I seem concerned with how everything is now it's mostly due to none of you ponies deserving to suffer for things we didn't finish in the past.”

“Ain't no ones fault but Discord's that lot got woken up. Ye been doing yer best. Can't say ah approve of any of yer methods mind you , but ah can't argue they work most times.”

“Heh, thanks I suppose.”

Applejack exhales brushing some dirt off her hat.

“If yah want, ah'm sure ah ken talk Granny intah letting yah intah the family. Yah ken change yer name like yer maw did all them years ago, figure yah might have done enough tah at least be let back intah tha Apple family.” AJ spouts suddenly. “Ain't a sure thing mind yah.”

Rhede blinks looking up at the orange pony in surprise though he smiles and shakes his head. “Thank you, but no. I screwed up the name to start with so I am going to do my best to make sure it gets fixed. I'll be keeping the name Pelt.”

“Ah ken accept that, though the offer stands.” AJ smiles.

“Might still crash some family reunions for the food though, provided we make it though this.”

“We'll make it just fine.” Applejack states matter of factly.

“Oh how are you so sure of that?”

“Ah ain't, but ah am the Element of Honesty. An ah don't think tha universe is gonna make a liar outta me. So cause ah said it, it's gotta be true.”

Rhede chuckles. “ I really hope it works like that.”

==============================================================

A good dozen changelings skulk into a small culdasac surrounded by town houses. One of them had seen a strange figure run into the ally and in light of all the goings on they were not taking any chances at only sending a few.

Strangely this area of the city seemed untouched by fire or spell. The unit leader of the small force thought that odd but they had all seen the bright pink earth pony run down this way before vanishing. The group had rushed down the ally way into this strange place.

There was something off about the buildings here, they were too bright, too colorful, even by the gaudy nature of most pony houses these were their own special style. They all looked like they were colored with crayons rather than normal house paint.

Before they changelings had a chance to investigate further a pink earth pony with a dark red headband and sunglasses bursts out of no where in front of them pointing at the group with a dramaticly quivering hoof. As she stands up on her rear legs.

The group of bug ponies blink trying to figure out what this one's deal was.

“Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I’m hear to ask you one question and one question only. EXPLOSIONS?” Pinkie all but screams at them.

The changelings stare in confusion at this strange pony as she flicks her tail pulling a string that had been tied to it.

The rows of houses in the culdasac suddenly fall over, crayon drawings on cardboard cut outs tumble away revealing a sizable collection of brightly colored cylinders behind them, all pointed at the changelings massed in the center.

The pink pony yanks on another string and the group of party cannons around the dead end street fire at once in bright explosions of cream, chocolate, and dough.

The changelings scream out as they were assaulted with eggs, milk, and clouds of flour.

When the smoke clears a giant pink frosted cupcake stands in the middle of the street with a number of unconscious changelings entombed within it. A few of them only had a leg or tail sticking out of the frosted treat though the leaders head was at free and sticking out of the top of the cup cake.. He hissed softly as the pink pony came up dipping her hoof into the frosting and tasting it.

“Hmm needs more cream and less changeling.” Pinkie states smacking her lips.

The lead changeling tries to wiggle free before the pink pony bounces a rather large cherry off his head knocking him out with the cupcake topper.

===========================================================

“So when did you get here?” Jer'rahd questions diving to the side as a red crystalline claw rips into the ground where he had been standing. “Shining watch the sky for errant spells we got your back.”

“Me or tha rookie? “ Rose shouts back his massive spear slamming into the side of the golem splintering the red crystal but causing little more than superficial damage. “Suckers a bit tougher than tha black ones.”

“Heck either one of you, I knew you were on your way, but when did the colt find out about this? Last I heard the Crystal Empire was a good few days travel north by train.” Jer'rahd questions a glowing green panel forming over his head blocking another strike from the dragon golem. “Got heah right before tha light show started. Kinda surprised Kaisur wid all yer talk, ah figured you'd have all this under control by now. Ah'd planed to stay in Ponyville a bit more.” Rose snorts hoping back to clear the area around Shining of Changelings as the unicorn's shield blocks a blast of lightning from above. The white pony winces from the feed back but manages to smash the flat of his blade into the face of a Changeling Rose missed.

“We had some issues with a much larger dragon and a giant monster. That got sorted out quick enough though.” Jer'rahd chuckles darting to the front of the golem lashing the Waning Moon at the golems face forcing it back a step. “ What about you colt?”

“Is this really the time to be asking about that sort of thing?” Shining questions, a few bolts of energy leaping from his horn and bouncing off the dragons rock hide.

“Yah make a good point colt. Maybe we should start talkin bout when you and tha Crystal Princess are gonna produce and heir for tha empire.” Rose shouts back blocking a lash of the creatures tail with his spear though the force of the blow sent him back a good dozen paces.

“How about not. How are you two even concentrating on this? We are in a fight for our lives here and you two are talking like you are at a cafe somewhere.” Shining grumbles forming a shield to block a second strike from the tail from reaching Rose.

“Probably because this is a pretty normal event for me. I really can't even recall the number of times I’ve fought dragons or some giant creature or another. Only thing different this time is there's a pony inside it, and it's made of crystal. That's a new one for me, but not new enough to be a problem.” Jer'rahd chuckles hacking a gash out of the golems leg.

“Not too different a day fer me either. Ah spent far to long fighting this idiot when he first took over the Empire. A crystal dragon's pretty routine. Now that crystal octopus ah fought once, that was strange. Knew a rather strange mare who wanted tah keep it as a pet rather than kill it.” Rose laughs rushing back towards the dragon. “Give it time colt and you'll find this sorta thing is no big deal any more..”

“Two gods fighting in the air, an army attacking the capitol, and the leader of the opposing faction is encased in a red crystal dragon that's trying to kill us. How is this NOT a big deal!?” Shining snaps.

“Well when you put it like that I suppose it is a bit odd that I’m fighting some one I'm related too and with someone I’m related to.” Jer'rahd grumbles his shield deflecting a errant bolt of green fire from the battle above into a pack of changelings nearby.

“Wait yer related tah this yahoo? Short, dark and moody?” Rose yells.” Exactly how screwed up is yer family line?”

“Yeah I’m curious now too.” Shining yells moving to the other side of the dragon to flank it with Rose.

“Well for starters this crystalline idiot spewing crap over here is supposed to be my great, some ungodly number, grandfather on my grandmothers side if what Princess Luna said was correct.” Jer'rahd states.

“Yeah I can see the resemblance, you're both nuts.” Shining snaps forming a shield to block a flechette blast of crystal shards from the dragons maw.

“Shut up colt.” grumbles Rose as Jer'rahd laughs.

“Any way Sombra here is the son of the blue alicorn in the sky there and according to Celestia, that mare is the progenitor of the Blueblood line too. I'm a decedent of that line too.” Jer'rahd rambles off .

“Oh crap, you're a Blueblood?” Shining grumbles his crystalline sword lopping off a claw as the golem takes a swipe at him. “And here I thought I might actually start to like you.”

“Colt's got some cheek to him.” Rose cackles.

“Distantly, on my mothers side, disowned a long while back at that.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“So you're, part crystal pony, part dragon, and part unicorn.” Rose smirks as his spear pierces the dragons hide narrowly missing the pony within the golem. “Quite the mutt you are.”

“Part earth pony as well from my fathers side. Buck, for all I know I’m part freaking griffon and sea pony in there some where too.” Jer'rahd states, ducking under a bite attack from the dragon.” Any way back to the topic at hoof, how did you get here so fast colt?”

“We got a letter yesterday from one of the fillies that was a flower bearer at our wedding. Miss Rarity's little sister. We thought it was a joke at first though the mail mare who delivered it was quite insistent that it was real. The Doctor with her was very convincing as well so we set up a plan using the unicorn mages who were sent to research the Empire's library to teleport a small force here to investigate at the very least.“ Shining explains a shield forming around Jer'rahd as another blast of crystal breath weapon was sent his way. “Cadence decided to come along in case it was nothing and smooth over any issues that might happen with an armed force suddenly appearing in the middle of Canterlot. And well, you know the rest.”

“A Doctor convinced you? Doctor who?” Rose yells.

“No idea, never seen him before but he seemed to know a lot about what was going on. I plan to track him down after this and find out.” Shining shouts back. “Provided we live through this.”

“Colt calm down , like I said this is nothing new.......shit.” Jer'rahd begins as the dragon changes directions suddenly from Shining to the gray unicorn smashing a red crystalline claw down atop of the pony. A spray of blood bursts out from between the claws as the impact creates a crater were Jer'rahd had been standing. The green glow holding the Waning moon aloft fades and the blade clatters to the ground nearby.

“KAISUR!” Rose shouts.
“Oh shit!” Shining swears.

Sombra starts to laugh inside the golem. “Do not worry fools you will be joining him in the after life soon enough. I shall enjoy crushing you all utterly and dominating this land.... what the Buck?”

The dragons limb begins to crack and crumble before shattering with enough force to fling the massive crystal golem backwards.

Jer'rahd climbs out of the claw print looking like nothing more than a zombie. His gray fur was pierced with red crystals and the white of his own bones, his skull was distended and horn shattered, one of his back legs was held on by little more than a strip of muscle the leg bone splintered to powder.

As the three of them watch the wounds begin to heal rapidly the bones snapping back into place and reshaping into their proper structure. The rips in his flesh mend save a long swath across his side that had been bandaged before he was hit, the flesh now flopping free again and bleeding profusely.

His ribs cracked and reformed pulling back into his side as his horn seemed to regrow from nothing. The red crystals embedded in his flesh fall out of his skin tumbling to the ground around him. He shakes himself violently sending a cloud of dirt and a shower of blood around the area he stood. He spits bloody saliva striking the ground along with a number of shattered teeth as he glares up at the stunned Sombra.

“So you are a godling, and that damned dragon stole my power. This has gotten far more than bothersome.” Sombra snarls taking another step back away from the unicorn.

“That hurt asshole! I'm done playing with you!” Jer'rahd yells rushing at the back peddling dragon.

“What. The. Buck......?” Shining states staring in confusion.

“This has officially gone beyond my pay grade.” mutters Rose.

“I'm married to a Princess and this is over MY pay grade.” responds Shining.

=============================================================

“I'm getting too old for this shit.” Starfall curses yanking her blade from another changeling and spinning to face another that was lunging at her.

“Really Captain? Cause you look pretty good for your age then.” Peach Blossom comments. The pegasus had gotten another spear from some where and was currently laying into the changelings that rushed and swarmed around them.

Starfall blinks not sure whether to snap at him or blush from the compliment though she opted instead to partially ignore it and focus on the fighting.

“I want to know where all these damn things are coming from, there were not this many in the entire hive we wiped out.” Starfall growls.

“Can't say for certain but I think there are multiple hives around the world. If Chrysalis is the queen of all of them I can see how she could yank them all here.” Peach Blossom responds stomping on another changeling to make sure it stayed down. “Only a few of them seem to know how to fight though, if Sombra and Chrysalis are from another time like you are then likely they trained some of them as well. Those might be the squad leaders.”

“Well aren’t you a wealth of exposition.” Starfall sighs lashing out with a wing and catching a changeling in the throat sending the creature coughing to the ground where her hooves finished it.

“I am a never ending fountain of exposition..... though yeah that's all I got.” Peach Blossom chuckles.” Maybe if I had some more time I could make a chart or something.”

Starfall glances up at another roar spotting the gargantuan crystalline dragon. She kicks off the ground into the air as the ground starts to rumble, the area she was standing dropping out from under her hooves. Peach Blossom and a hoof full of changelings manage to take to the air though others fall with the chunk of earth. The pair quickly take out the few changelings that managed to save themselves and glance over the battle field at several other sink holes that appeared.

“Okay seriously? What is this crap, I’ve been in four wars and it has never been this insane. Multiple dueling gods, a floating mountain top, a invasion, super rain booms, a never ending swarm of enemies, gods being depowered, massive dragons, crystal creatures, and a swarm of things that seem to have forgotten they can change forms. This. Is. NUTS!” Starfall shouts.

“Yeah it does seem like it's the end of some really long story and the tale spinner is just throwing everything they have into it.” Peach Blossom states.

Both of them blink as a pink earth pony floats up between them with a bunch of balloons tied around her waist.

“Pinkie Pie?” Starfall states incredulously.

The pink pony jabs a hoof into Peach Blossom's mouth with a growl.

“Hey now stop that, the 4th wall breaking's my shtick!!” Pinkie shouts at the confused pegasus before reaching up and popping the balloons dropping back into the fray below as Peach Blossom coughs around a mouthful of cake.

“What.... ah by Celestia's mane this is foul, it tastes like that green goop the Changelings make” Peach Blossom gags staring down at where the pink pony vanished back into the fight.

“How do you know what that tastes like?” Starfall questions.

“We don't talk about the events of the Royal wedding.” mutters Peach Blossom sheepishly.

“Ah well. That's still not the strangest thing I have seen.” Starfall mutters.

“Dare I ask what the strangest thing you have seen is? Cause that was up there for me.”

“A tiny blue dragon devouring a cake as big as a cart in one bite. “ Starfall states matter of factly before diving back down into the battle.

“Ummm....okay...” Peach Blossom blinks considering it a brief moment before diving after her.

===============================================================

There were no words exchanged now, though the Changeling Queen punctuated her every attack with a scream of rage as the wild blasts of black and green magic ripped apart Aviana's shield, forcing the mare to draw more power from her surroundings and the books themselves.

Chrysalis was not bothering with a shield, but she had changed her form to a smaller and lighter body and was flying circles around the alicorn as she attacked.

Aviana's expression remained impassive, but she was starting to grow angry at the mares constant attacks, as well as how powerful she seemed to be. There was something very wrong with how much energy Crystal was using, even if she had some how become a god to these changelings her power should be waning with the more of the bugs that died. There was no way rage alone was fueling her when before she required love. That she could even become a god spontaneously without aid of the books baffled Aviana. She had spent millennium searching for paths to godhood and the only way a new race gained a god is if was large enough and bred true, even then it was not a certain thing as shown by the Harpies and Half Dragons.

Something else was going on here she was sure of it. Perhaps she was changed in Tartarus?

------------------------------------------------------------

“I have no idea, during our time there we never saw her, just endless fire.” the Gray Grimiore comments.
“It wasn't fun.” snarls the Red Tome.
“sounds dull, I might like it.” the Teal text bemoans.
“What do changelings feed on any way?” the Silver Script questions.
“Emotion, Primarily love and hope if my studies are correct.” the Purple Pamphlet states.

----------------------------------------------------

This made even less sense then,hate, rage, fear, and pain were all that normally covered a battle field, even if all the changelings and Soloman were directing their love to her, she should not be pulling this much power.

Aviana curses lightly snapping her wings forward and bringing forth a blizzard of ice and snow in the air around her battering the flying form of Crystal only for the changeling queen to change again to the form of a white dragon, letting the ice and snow slide of her new hide like a light rain.

Aviana dodges the counter attack of a breath weapon and the follow up claw swipes, snarling as more of the floating island crumbled.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“ I got it. I had wondered what that damn mare was doing. Seems now I know.” the Jade Scroll mutters.
“What are you talking about?” the Gray Grimiore snaps.
“I am curious as well. I do not like not knowing something.” The Purple Pamphlet states.
“Serenity let Chrysalis out when Red and Gray were retrieved. I felt that even in the badlands. I wondered why, but now I know. That stupid aberrant is feeding her.”the Jade Scroll snaps. “Crystal is feeding off that thing that escaped from Compassion.”
“Is that possible?”Gray questions.
“Seems it. Those two are enigmas even to me.” Jade responds.
“Ah, I sense the link now. It is tenuous at best and should be easy to sever.” the Gray Grimiore states. “ It seems you might be useful after all Jade.”

--------------------------------------------------

“I suggest you idiots hurry before there is no more castle left for me to rule from.” Aviana snarls.

===============================================================

A low growl from three heads draws the cloaked figure from her meditation.

“iT sEeMs ThAt I hAvE bEeN dIsCoVeReD.” the cloaked figure sighs standing up. The skeletal mare lifts her head as Cerberus flattens his ears, all three heads looking in a different direction. The underbrush surrounding the clearing before the gate of Tartarus shakes, loud howls and cries filling the air, rapidly growing louder as more and more mass.

“I aM sOrRy CrYsTaL, bUt YoU aRe On YoUr OwN nOw.” the ferry mare sighs, a orange glow growing brighter in the empty eye sockets of her skull.” I hOpE tHaT wAs EnOuGh.”

The cries reach a climax as the trees and underbrush around the gate explode with swarms of trolls that rush towards the pair before the gate.

=====================================================

Chrysalis flattens her ears, she whips her head down looking t the battle field her eyes wide. Her love had been filling her with power though for it to suddenly stop was he ….?

Her eyes linger on the crystalline dragon, confused that Soloman was still alive, was it not his love that had fueled her?

Unfortunately the brief distraction had been expected by Aviana, and she took full advantage of it. The blue alicorn wasted no time unleashing a built up spell.

A beam of colorless light burst from the alicorns horn, the air searing around the scorching ray as it had done with Forgescale's breath. The Changeling Queen whipped her head back to Aviana managing to raise a sudden shield to deflect the beam only for the fire to punch through her protection as if it was not there engulfing the queen in colorless fire.

Chrysalis screams as her flesh was seared, her body flung from the air leaving a trail of smoke as she fell, her wings and hair burnt off, skin blistering.

Another scream echos the queens from the ground. A dark half dragon unicorn vanishes from inside the red crystalline dragon he had created, the golem collapsing to rubble as his magic leaves it.

Sombra pops into existence below the falling Changeling Queen, his magic catching her slowing her fall.

Aviana narrows her eyes at the rescue, her horn glowing once more before launching a second blast to finish off the Changeling Queen and her rescuer. Sombra pulls Chrysalis close looking over her wounds and casting all the healing spells he knew, not even paying attention to Aviana.

The super heated blast smashes into the pair, the ground and the changelings around the area turned to slag as the blast erupts into a massive fireball that rivaled the rain nukes for intensity.

“THUS SHALL BE THE FATE OF ALL WHO OPPOSE MY RULE....... WHAT?!” Aviana bellows into everyone’s mind though her gaze is locked on the blast crater as the fire ball dissipates.

Sombra and Chrysalis remain on a undestroyed section of land, with molten rock and smoke all around them. Surrounding the pair was a red spell shield, covered in cracks and beginning to splinter. The magic slowly crumbles and breaks with the sound of shattering glass causing Sombra to finally look up from Chrysalis.

The Love Cursed King stares across the battlefield to Shining Armor as the magic from the white unicorn’s horn fades and the pony stumbles breathing heavily returning the stare.

“That's gonna come back and bite ya in the ass colt.” Rose mutters.

“I'll deal with it then.””Shining mutters watching as Sombra wraps Chrysalis in his magic and scrambles atop a changeling maticore. Urging the beast to dive into one of the sink holes and the open air below the floating island. A small force of changelings follow suit as the hole fills itself up with red crystals behind them.

“I hope you are up for it colt. As much as he talks about honor he doesn't seem much one for returning a favor. Though I suppose we have other issues now anyway.” Jer'rahd mutters looking up at the angry Aviana.

===========================================================

Twilight winces watching the duel come to it's conclusion. Luna had returned and the princesses were working to try and plan an evacuation along with Spitfire and another Wonderbolt whose name Twilight couldn't remember. Celestia had somehow managed to rescue most of the cities inhabitants during the invasion, so trying to evacuate that many ponies again was not going to be easy even if Aviana permitted it. Twilight still stood on the dais that the Five Beasts of the Moon once occupied, looking over the wreckage of the city.

She shifts her gaze around the Canterlot Royal Gardens noting the paths the dragons fire took and the ruts in the earth caused by the dueling giants. She could see Applejack, Spike, Rhede, and Bleu trying to secure a changeling they were attempting to capture for some reason. Out side the Garden Princess Cadence's glowing shield still held fast over the castle, though there was no way that would last if Aviana decided she wanted it down. She could see several pegasi in the air along with hordes of changelings that were now trying to flee with their leaders. The remaining Guard were still working to drive off those that still had some fight in them. She could see the m ambulance cart being pulled by a Guard dart around the battle field while Fluttershy and Velkorn tried to tend the wounded.

Far above it all a goddess waited, simply floating there as if she was expecting something else to happen. Just when the suspense was almost to much Aviana bellowed into every ponies minds again.

“MY SUBJECTS, FOR CENTURIES YOU HAVE SUFFERED UNDER THE RULE OF LESSER CREATURES CLAIMING TO BE THE GODS OF YOUR LANDS. FOR FAR TOO LONG THE WAR AND CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RACES HAS GONE ON WITHOUT A HOOF LIFTED BY THESE CREATURES. I AM HERE TO UNIT ALL RACES UNDER MY BANNER, TO BRING A NEW AGE OF PEACE AND UNITY TO THE LAND. ALL I ASK FROM YOU FOR THIS TO BECOME A REALITY AND A NEW GOLDEN AGE, IS THAT YOU SWEAR FEALTY TO ME AND AID ME IN DESTROYING THESE FALSE GODS.” Aviana bellows filling every ones mind with Pictures of Luna, Celestia, Discord, and a large number of other faces from other races. Twilight winces recognizing the faces of Spike, Jer'rahd and all the Element bearers in the mix as well.

“That is not good.” Twilight mutters taking off the crown of Magic staring at the golden crown. She could feel the power slowly building in it some how, but there was no where near the amount of power that she could normally feel from the Elements. Her friends could try to use them again , but she was not sure what might happen.

A loud crash draws her attention behind her as another sink hole opens swallowing a large section of the garden. She briefly wondered what that would look like from outside the dimensional folds of the garden, when a stray thought runs across her mind.

She looks up at Aviana again studying the mare intently, noting a few marks and a bit of a strained look in her eyes. It seems the fight had taken more out of the blue alicorn than she had first thought. The floating island was still falling apart, though if Aviana was trying to use intimidation or awe to cow every pony then she would be doing her best to hide her strain.

She looks down at the crown again considering, she had been recharged by the rain boom, but by the same token there was no way she could deal with a god in one on one magical combat. Aviana and Chrysalis both had been slinging spells that Twilight could not even identify, let alone know how to counter or cast. She briefly considered something along the lines of what she had and her friends had done the last time she was over powered, back when Trixie had shown up. But this was not a civil spell duel, this would be life or death she couldn't risk her friends in something like that, could she.

“Gah, this is so ridiculous I actually wish Discord was here so I could question him about Aviana. But nooooooo, he has to vanish right when we could actually use him after making some comment about keeping Celestia angry.......” Twilight blinks staring at the crown and the reflection of the full moon in the shiny gold. She turns her head looking up at the silvery white orb, her eyes widening, sparkling in the light. All that she had learned from her studies into the past and on all of the magic she had learned recently was coming to mind, swirling into a plan just crazy enough to work. She looks down at the two Princesses talking, she needed a distraction so she could explain this, something to keep Aviana occupied for a few precious moments while she worked everything out.

“HEY YOU, WORDY BITCH! YOU WANT ME, HERE I AM!” bellows Jer'rahd from the other side of the battle field, his voice being magically amplified somehow.

“Thank the stars for the predictability of that one. “mutters Twilight watching Aviana's attention turn to focus on the voice.

Twilight blinks out of existence appearing between the two Goddesses her attention focused on Luna.

“Twilight what....? Celestia begins though the purple unicorn ignores her.

“Celestia I need you to go somewhere else for a while, I need to speak with your sister alone.” Twilight snaps trying to put an edge to her words that might make Celestia angry, though her teacher seemed more confused than anything else.

The Purple unicorn sighs as Celestia moves away, she was not cut out for this sort of thing, she needed Jer'rahd or Rose …..”Miss Spitfire I need you to find Major Rose, he's a blue crystal pony with a very large spear made of white crystal.”

Spitfire looks over to Luna who nods.” Alright I’ll see what I can do Miss Sparkle, you want him brought back here I gather?”

“Yes, also tell him he needs to do his best to annoy Princess Celestia when he gets here, make her mad.” Twilight responds getting a strange look from Spitfire.

“Alright, not gonna ask why, but okay, let's go Fleetfoot. We'll start up the evacuation as well, some of those mercs might know a way out from under the castle if they hid there for a while.” Spitfire states taking to the air the smaller pegasus following suit.

“Twilight are you going to tell me what thine are doing? Why art..are you trying to make Tia mad?” Luna questions glancing off to the side towards the battlefield as Jer'rahd continues to rant at the blue alicorn above him.

”Princess Luna, I have a plan. I need to borrow your moon.” Twilight states.

======================================================

In a history of doing really dumb things, Jer'rahd figured this might be the dumbest. He knew absolutely nothing about the goddess he was taunting, his head still rang from all the spells he had deflected of hers and they had not even been directed at him. He was sore from the battle, he still had a strip of flesh hanging off of his side and was bleeding profusely from the wound he received from Silver Claw. If not for that damned ritual he would have been dead by now even if Sombra hadn't clobbered him.

Now here he was antagonizing a goddess who could very easily kill him in an eye blink.

Yeah, not his brightest idea.

“You know every time something crappy happens in my life. Every time some dark secret comes to light that screws with me, your name has always come up. We've never even met before and you kept screwing me over. Now you want me turned in for your new order or what ever the heck it is you are doing?” Jer'rahd shouts, his voice still magically amplified by Shining Armors spell. “I'm sick and tired of all this shit, every time I turn around some new fight starts and I’m stuck in the middle of it, we beat down the dragons, the griffons attacked, we beat down the griffons, the dogs attacked, we beat down the dogs, the zebras attacked, we beat them, and the dragons attacked again. Then when we beat the dragons our own race turns on itself. That finally gets straightened out, then Discord screws up things again. Once that gets fixed some idiotic prisoners attack, they finally get killed off and we have to deal with the changelings, they get beat and now you're here. You see a freaking pattern yet?”

The blue alicorn raises an eyebrow staring down at the pony on the battle field. The changelings were fleeing for the most part, the loss of their leaders threw them into confusion not unlike what had happened with the Half Dragons once Onyx Scale was killed. Noticing that he told Rose and Shining to just drive them off or try and capture the ones who surrender instead of killing them. Likely they had passed that on, though whether the order would be followed was any ones guess.

He was going to join in the rout when the command and the images flashed across his mind. Aviana wanted him and a number of others to be turned in, likely to be executed before they regained strength. Judging by the looks on every ponies faces around him they had seen it too. He needed to buy time, give Luna and the others a chance to get out of here, in their state they likely wouldn't be able to deal with this, well maybe Celestia could with that fire she was flinging around, but Aviana was flinging around way too much attack magic, with out their horns it was doubtful either Princess could compete and Sparkle didn't know any real attack spells, he had taught her a few things, but that was mostly sword play.

“WHO ARE YOU TO SPEAK TO ME THIS WAY WORM?” Aviana demands, the voice echoing in his head.

Jer'rahd grins, his magic bringing the Waning Moon up before him, the blade tip pointing at the floating alicorn as he takes a deep breath.

“ I am; The Demon of Dullahan, the Monster of Manehatten, Hero of the Zebralands War, Son of the warrior Amano Kaisur and the mage Nevan BlueBlood, Grandson of Vermillion Rose and Spartan Kaisur heroes of the first dragon War, Black Sheep of the Blueblood line, adoptive son of the Pelt family founders of Ponyville, God Slayer, The Noble's Bane, Consort of Nightmares, Leader of the Five Beasts of the Moon, Major of the Royal Guard, Death Destroyer of Worlds, Head of the 42nd Legion of the Equestrian Guard, bearer of the Element of Loyalty, host of Corrupted Loyalty the beast known as Troph, annoyer of Celestia, and blue ribbon winner of the first, second, and third, Sibete Empyrean Tavern's ale drinking contests.”

Jer'rahd grins after rambling all that off, the battle field had gone quiet enough that you could hear a pin drop as everyone tried to process that glut of titles.

“I am General Jer'rahd Kaisur of Princess Luna's Royal Guard and you will stand down and surrender at once!” Jer'rahd bellows.

================================================

“He is an idiot.” Luna swears under her breath.

“Yeah, but he's your idiot.” Bleu sighs helping Applejack and Spike carry Rhede over to the base of the pillar.

Luna blushes and Rhede chuckles a little.”What did you need me for Princess? I'm not in the shape to move around this much.”

“I would like to know if you know anything about the powers of the sun and the moon my sister and I possess.” Luna responds.

“Odd choice of questions, though I’m afraid I don't know much. The books I have read on the subject only speak of them to state that Starfall the bearded created them so that the unicorns would not have to use so much power to raise and lower the sun and moon. Evidently it was a big problem back in his time, of course once he made the powers he gave them to a griffon god who eventually abused them and was taken out by the bearers of the Elements.”

“That doesn't help, was there anything on how the powers were given?” Twilight questions.

“No, I don't recall anything about that, just that Starswirl gave them to the Griffon god and when he was defeated the Element bearers got them.”

“So it is something that can just be given.” Luna questions.

“How did you and Celestia get them Princess? Twilight ponders.

“We turned the Children of Discord who were using them to stone and the powers simply came to us.” Luna states.

“So what happened when you were on the moon?” Applejack points out.

“I know this one, Celestia raised and lowered the moon like she did during the war, the power didn't transfer.“ Spike chimes in, though he seemed partially distracted by what Jer'rahd was yelling.

“HAH, he remembered that one, he should have used lead hoof , I gave him that title when I was teaching him to dance” Bleu chuckles.

“So you would have to turn me to stone?” Luna states flatly.

“I didn't know that... arrrgh there goes that plan.” Twilight curses.

“Nay, we shall do it the way you say Twilight Sparkle. A small time in stone shall not be detrimental to me provided your plan works, it may even add fuel to the fire.” Luna responds glancing over to Celestia.

“What ? You think it will work then?” Twilight gasps, though Rhede flattens his ears, paying more attention to the pair than the dragons and Applejack were.

“I do. I have only seen my sister in this state once before while in the badlands. She is holding herself back for now, but if any pony can end this....... Tis a pity Major Rose has not been found yet however. I am sure two or three minutes with him would have her in a fervor unmatched. Shall we start then?”

“I don't like it.” Rhede mutters. “But I got nothing else.”

“Alright, um I can do that Princess.” Twilight mutters her horn starting to glow.

“Aim for the near side Sparkle, the sun will be brightest there.” Luna sighs her ears perking suddenly. “Hold thine spell a moment Sparkle.”

Twilight blinks, her horn brightening a little as the spell was paused.

“Wait, what spell, Princess what are you doing?” Spike questions looking between the pair.

“TIA!” Luna bellows across the garden. The white earth pony turns looking back at the the small group as Luna tries to hide a small grin. “We are the ones who ate your last mint and chocolate cookie of thinness, we did thou a favor in truth, for thine posterior has grown most corpulent as of late!”

The group looks from Luna over to Celestia slowly the Sun Goddess stares at Luna a moment before her ears flatten and her mane catches fire.

“Ahh there we go, cast your spell Twilight Sparkle and strike the match.” Luna sighs closing her eyes as Twilight's horn flashes a glow washing over the Princess rapidly turning her to stone as Celestia watched.

===========================================================

Aviana stares at the unicorn below her. The stallion looked as if he had seen better days, his light gray fur was smeared with blood, there was a massive gash along his side that ran from his shoulder to his cutiemark and a strip of flesh dangled from it. Blood flowed from the wound dripping thickly on the ground below him though he barely seemed to notice. His two colored eyes glared at her, full of anger with no fear at her presence, though she could sense the creature behind them was equally angered. It was his mane color that held her attention. The amber coloration was a perfect match for the flowing mane and tail that graced her own form, his rant informed her of why.

“You are one of my descendants then?” Aviana states, her lips unmoving though her voice was heard clearly by every one in Canterlot. “To think my line would have survived this long, let alone to have ascended again.”

Jer'rahd says nothing glaring up at the alicorn, Aviana cocks an ear as if listening to something, Jer'rahd could hear the mutter of the books, though for once it was not loud enough for him to hear.

“A lesser god, with a fair history. You could have been useful. Pity your loyalty lies with the false god. Perhaps if I destroy her you will serve.”

“Like Tartarus I’m going to let you even try!”Jer'rahd snarls wincing a little as Aviana laughs.

“As if you could stop me. No, what you are doing is stalling so that the others that need to be destroyed will have a chance to escape. There is no need for an evacuation. If you are loyal to the true god of these lands you have nothing to fear.” Aviana states.

“Still preaching that crap? No pony is going to fall for that drivel, Celestia kept the peace for a thousand years on her own until a couple idiots screwed it up. You showing up and making demands is not going to endear you to any pony.” Jer'rahd shouts back.

“As if they will have a choice.” Aviana whispers only in his mind. Jer'rahd's eyes widen as the alicorns horn glows brightly.

“You speak of lies, but all of Equestria knows that none of this started until you were freed. I have stopped the Changelings in their tracks and you and the false god of night have done nothing but bring pain and suffering since your return. Look around at the state of this city, at the state of the lands. This was a peaceful place built on fear of the rulers power, though that ended the moment you were freed from the prison of the garden. The changeling queen took you specificly, a griffon god died while with you causing a international incident with the griffon lands, you return and start training an army. You and those you associate with are harbingers of destruction. And like the changeling threat, I will remove you as well.”

“Damn wordy bitch aren’t you?” Jer'rahd growls as a beam of white light erupts from the mares horn lancing down at him. A series of green shields burst into being between Jer'rahd and the alicorn.

The gray unicorn winces as several of them shatter under the impact of the blast, though enough hold that he barely feels more than a cold breeze from the effects of the blast.

Jer'rahd lets the shields drop as the alicorn stops casting, a great sheet of ice crashing to the ground in front of him as he glares up at the blue mare.

“If that was your best, then you are in for a world of trouble.” Jer'rahd growls.

Aviana looks shocked and some what taken aback that he managed to stop her attack, though Jer'rahd could hear the voices whispering to her, the grim expression on her face causing Jer'rahd to smile, he knew that look, Celestia had it often enough when he pissed her off.

“It seems I have underestimated you. That shall not happen again.” Aviana states as the air around her seems to swirl and shift slightly.

Jer'rahd's eyes widen as he feels the growing power of the spell the mare was creating. He launches the Waning Moon upward at the mare only to have the blade blocked by a shield with no apparent effect on Aviana. His horn glows brighter as he lashes the magical bane weapon against the shield the mare has lifted, the blade glancing off the energy with out even scratching it.

“How the buck?” Jer'rahd growls.

“Do you think you are the only pony to study and train with Starmetal? I have had access to train with it since the founding of Equestria. Your weapon holds no threat for me.”

The mares horn grows brighter, the glow suddenly winking out as she whips her head to the side looking towards the garden.

Jer'rahd's eyes widen as well, along with every other unicorn on the floating island.

A single silvery moon beam stretches down from the large white orb focusing on something in the garden, the power brought with it felt on par with the spell Aviana had been building.

“What is this?!” the blue alicorn curses.

“Seems they aren’t going to run. Guess I was a good distraction.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

================================================

Twilight was not sure what she expected to happen. She supposed if she had time to ponder what would happen if she took control of the moon from a depowered Princess Luna in the middle of a changeling invasion, and the attempted overthrow of Celestia by a long forgotten goddess empowered by a series of evil books while the previous Element bearers of Harmony around , and after one of her friends died and came back all because she listened to Discord not once, but twice she would have to say.....

Okay there was no way she would have come up with anything after that many variables were thrown into the mix.

The silvery white light that fell on her was warm, she wasn't sure how or even if a transfer of control of the moon would happen, but this felt strangely nice. Luna was a statue before her though every other pony around her was frozen as well, Celestia was in mid gallop towards her, her face a mix of panic and anger. Rhede and Applejack stared at her in shock and Bleu and spike both were still distracted by Jer'rahd's ranting. She lifted her head up to the alicorn in the sky watching the mare slowly start to turn her head towards Twilight.

So they were not frozen, she was just moving fast. She didn't feel any different, maybe it didn't work, or it took time?

Suddenly her vision blurred and the world under her was yanked backwards. She screamed out watching the world receded away from her at a frighting pace until she could see the large globe of the world laid out under her.

She barely felt the soft dirt under her hooves as she stared in awe at the planet floating before her.

“A unicorn this time? Well I suppose considering all things, that is not entirely bad.”

Twilight whips her head around her eyes widening as she looks over the lunar surface.

“Rather awe inspiring view isn't it. Sadly after a few million years even the majesty of our home grows lack luster.”

Twilight blinks looking around before finally spotting the speaker.

The gray unicorn stood in the moon dust not far from her staring up at the glowing planet. His white mane and tail were long, though they were some what wild as if the stallion only spent enough time grooming to ensure that they wouldn’t knot or tangle, but couldn't be bothered to style it. His long beard was the same way, though it was the same dark gray as his coat. He wore an old hat and a rather ratty blue cloak, the hat was ringed with small golden bells and a pattern of the night sky covered both the cloak and the hat. His golden eyes danced and swirled as he looked up at the planet, his gaze finally dropping to meet Twilight's.

“You.... you're Starswirl the Bearded!” Twilight stammers. “The father of the amniomorphic spell...”

“Oh, well I am glad that some pony finally remembers me, Usually the ones I talk to tend to recall my successors.” Starswirl chuckles. “I had nothing to do with the cheese cake spell. Though I rather wish I did, come to think of it now. I could use a good cheesecake.”

“What, what are you doing here?”

“Hmm, oh, I'm not.... well I am, but not really.”

Twilight blinks, starting to go cross eyed at figuring out that statement when the stallions chuckle snaps them back straight.

“Ahh, don't think on that too hard. Consider me an echo if nothing else. You are aware that every spell you cast leaves a small trace of you behind with it?”

“Um yes that's why magic is rarely used for crimes as it's easy for a trained unicorn to identify who cast a particular spell.”

“Yes now consider what would happen if you created a spell so massive, it allowed a single individual to do what before took three score of highly trained unicorns to do. All with out the burn out that normally happened after only one or two castings from the group.”

“The spells that allow the control of the sun and the moon? With a spell like that the... oh I see.”

“Yes, the bit of you that is left behind in the casting would be rather large, thus here I am. If you gained control of the sun, there I am as well though likely much less civil given the temperature. But enough of that. Why are you here?”

Twilight blinks at the sudden question.

“I umm, I needed more power to try and stop a evil goddess from taking over Canterlot.”

“Hmm, alright. Take what you need then.”Starswirl shrugs.

“Wait that's it? No moral choice or test of character I just get the power?”

“You would not have made it this far if you were not worthy of it. I simply asked because I was curious. The spell is designed that once something happens to the current bearer of the power that the closest and most worthy will receive the power. Granted there are far too many loopholes in that that I did not consider. The current host can give it to any they wish at a whim, and chaos can steal the power through certain means, but I suppose I was looking more for ease of use than tight security.”

“Wait Luna could have given the magic to me with out being turned to stone?” Twilight mutters.

“Oh certainly, you just needed to have touched horns and she could have willed it to you. Wait... Luna? Luna Fantasma?”

“I don't know the Princesses last name actually.”

“Dark furred, rather angry, pegasus mare?”

“Umm yes....”

“Hmm I suppose horns would be out of the question at that point then. I was always told that was too personal any way.”

“No offense, but you don't really seem shocked about the conflict going on, shouldn't you be .. a little more motivated?”

“Not really. Conflicts happen all the time. Violent over throws, sneaky assassinations, end of the world scenarios. Getting worked up over it is rather pointless when I cannot really do anything about it. I am just an echo after all.”

“Errr, I guess, so what now?”

“Well that's up to you to be honest. While I don't mind the company I suppose you need to refocus on what's going on in the land of the living as it were.”

“But how do I get back? I don't even know how I got here?”

“Oh is that all, Just refocus on yourself as if you were preparing to cast something, I had to explain it last time as how you start to fly. That took a while.” Starswirl chuckles.

“Alright here we go.” Twilight mutters starting to focus and with a last look the moon was gone.

================================================

Celestia rushed forward, watching as her student turned her sister to stone,a million thoughts rant through her mind passing over the whys and the hows. Had a changeling taken over for Twilight? Was she under control of the books? Was this some insane plan on the part of her students?

The beam of moon light drew her up short as Twilight's horn began to grow brighter, her eyes snapping open and pure silvery light filled them casting a glow to rival the moon light pouring down from above.

A flare of magic from above drew the Princesses attention towards Aviana and the massive spell hurtling down at the garden. There were the fading remnants of a number of green shields as well as the shattered remains of several red ones. The spell was clearly potent enough to punch through both Kaisur and Shining Armor's magic.

She turned the flames around her form flaring up wildly as she quickly tried to figure out how to stop the massive spell herself, when suddenly the spell was gone.

Celestia blinks looking up at Aviana only to find she was gone as well. The Sun Goddess turns to look at Twilight who was staring at her.

“Please come back to me when you are done Princess.” Twilight whispers.

Her student smiles softly then everything else around Celestia was gone.

===============================================

Jer'rahd rubs his head staggering as he struggles to remain standing. His eyes scan the battle field and the sky over Canterlot looking for any sign of the mare or the spell that she had thrown.

The flap of wings drew his attention to the pair of pegasi landing nearby. He glanced back at Starfall and Peach Blossom not noting the expression on the mares face until a hoof smacked heavily into the back of his head sending him tumbling forward.

“What the buck was that for Silvertail!?” Jer'rahd shouts his voice still magically amplified.

Starfall flattens her ears.

“Because you did something stupid.” Starfall states.

“Brave....” mutters Peach Blossom.

“But stupid.” snaps Starfall again. “Besides Bleu won the third year, that's when she got banned from participating.”

“Like there was anything else to do? I expected some ponies to try and get away not every one stand around with their jaws open wide enough to drag the ground.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Can you turn that off Major?” mutters Peach Blossom rubbing his ears.

“I don't care why you did it, I was told I needed to smack you next time you did something stupid or suicidal.”

“Bleu doesn't out rank you.” sighs Jer'rahd.

“Princess Luna does.” Starfall smirks.

“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but if Aviana is gone who is holding up the top of the mountain?” Peach Blossom questions.

The two veterans look at each other then glare at the pegasus who takes a few steps back as the ground starts to rumble.

“Oh come on some one was going to ask that sooner or later!” Peach Blossom pleads.

The ground begins to crack and splinter as the floating island begin to tip forward, debris and bodies beginning to slide as the edge of the island drops down, tilting the land mass.

“Oh buck.” swears Starfall

Jer'rahd curses as his horn glows a number of green shields forming along the ground catching a group of sliding ponies before they tumble down the side of the listing island. The last of the magic holding it up fades and every one still on the floating island feels their stomach suddenly try to escape through their throat as gravity takes hold and the island suddenly drops.

===============================================

Applejack curses diving forward and catching Luna's statue as it starts to topple. Rhede curses snapping his teeth on Spike's tail as the dragonling digs his claws into the ground to stop himself from sliding.

Rarity screams out though Lion Heart catches her holding her up off the falling landmass.

Twilight grits her teeth starting to sweat as her horn's glow increases, white silvery light swirling and wrapping around her purple magic as she pulls more power her own magic wrapping around the falling island her body straining as she poured her magic and the moons into holding the island up.

She was only partially successful.

The island rights itself and the decent slows, though it still falls.

Twilight screams out her body glowing with a silvery light. Long trailing whips of purple and silver arcane energy flow from her horn dancing over her form and trailing up from her back like massive gossamer wings.

“We're still dropping!!” Bleu screams out.

Every pony on the island was flung to the ground as the bottom of the floating land mass strikes the top of the broken Maneterhorn and nearly tips over again.

Twilight screams out managing to keep the island level though the huge mass of rock continues down starting an avalanche of dust and stone that cascades down the mountain side towards Ponyville with the massive formerly floating island right behind it.

====================================================

“Get every one into the castle! Find Shining and any other unicorn who can still caste make sure they bolster that shield as best they can!” Jer'rahd bellows his voice echoing across the city.

>”Let me free host.”<

“Peach Blossom grab as many fliers as you can and start evacuation, send the fastest to tell the ponies in the town below to run.” Jer'rahd screams out ignoring the voice.

>”I can assist in this host. Let me free.”<

“Starfall get to the garden find out what's going on and get back here.....”

>”JER'RAHD KAISUR!”<

Jer'rahd flinches, staggering as the Beast screams in his head. Starfall winces as he staggers moving over to help him stay upright.

“What the buck do you want?”snarls Jer'rahd.

“What? “ questions Starfall.

“Not you.” mutters Jer'rahd.

>”You are in dire straights here host. If you let me free, I can help.”<

“Why the buck should I pay any attention to you. I may have agreed to help you, but that doesn't mean I am just going to cut you lose. My guess is you are planning to cut your losses and run.”

>”No.”<

“Then why...?”

>”Because I will be able to do more than you can, you are barely able to stand, and even injured as I am ,I will be of more help..... besides.... I felt her. She was here, some of her power was here, she fought against the blue one. That mare reeked of the Corruption of the books. If Grace was aiding you, then I shall as well.”<

“Fine then, what did you have planned?”

>“Get me to the edge.”<

“Fine, but so help me if you try and run....”

>“You are offering to help me find my Grace host. The least I can do is try and ensure that you survive to fulfill that agreement.”<

“Starfall change of plan. Get me to the edge.” Jer'rahd snarls

“What?! I just listened to you hold a conversation with yourself, heck with that spell going the entire city heard the conversation. I need to get you to Velkorn, I think you hit your head a bit too hard.” Starfall mutters.

“Silvertail I have a massive creature trapped inside me, both Luna and I have spoken to sentient books and nearly all of us hold regular conversations with the dead. How is me talking to myself odd?”

“Good point. I hope you lost some weight since last time.” Starfall mutters trying to grab Jer'rahd around the waist and lift him in the air.

“If it helps I've been bleeding profusely for most of the day, that had to be some sort weight loss program.” Jer'rahd grumbles as Starfall wobbly flies him towards the leading edge of the falling island.

================================================================

Those along the edges of Equestria were likely too far away to witness the spectacle of the falling mountain top. Though for the ones close enough to witness the floating islands fall and the silvery glow holding the city together, it would be another in a long list of things tales they would recall about this day to their grand foals.

Though they were soon to find, that the night still held more things in store for them.

=================================================================

Aviana lifts her shaking off the disorientation that came with the forced teleport. She cranes her head up looking to the blue orb that floated in the sky far above her head. She could see the world turning before her, could make out the shape of the nations and landmasses of the world, the bright sun was in clear view next to it bathing the dust covered land she stood on in it's light.

She lowers her gaze looking over the gray surface she stood on, the lingering trace of magic flowing towards Canterlot felt even here.

The mare snaps her wings shut, glaring at the world.

“An impressive display of power, but simply teleporting me to the moon is futile, it shall not take me long to simply return to the world. You are a stupid mare Twilight Sparkle if you think this would even slow me down.” Aviana curses.

“Actually, she is a beautiful, caring mare who is highly intelligent.” states a white earth pony as she trotted towards the blue alicorn. “She may need to work on her aim a little, but to be capable of this moments after obtaining power? She is a very gifted student.”

Aviana stares at the white earth pony, the glowing white mare was as tall as she was and returned the stare with a look that would have made lesser gods flee in terror, Aviana merely flinched.

“I was wondering when I would be seeing you again.” Aviana states.

“Hello mother.... “ Celestia responds.

==============================================

“This is a bad idea!” Starfall yells looking down at the cascade of rock tearing down the side of the mountain below the pair. The tumbling stone and debris looking like nothing more than a blender of stone before the sliding island.

“Yes it is, but when has that ever stopped me! Go back and find Luna and the others make sure they get off of the rock if this doesn't work.” Jer'rahd states slipping free of the pegasus and falling towards the grinding boulders, shadows flickering around him.

Starfall watches wincing as he vanishes into the cloud of dust and rocks.

A moment later a gargantuan claw bursts out of the dust cloud slamming into the side of the sliding island, claws the size of a buildings dig into the rock wall. Starfall back peddles in the air her eyes wide at the Cobalt blue scaled claw. The claw alone was nearly as large as the Beast had been, the coloration was different as well, what had the Elements done? A second claw bursts from the cloud slamming into the rock, the leathery snap of wings was heard as a massive pair of dark blue scaled draconic wings bursts from the cloud of rock and debris pushed before the falling land mass. Starfall stares in awe as the wingspan stretched from onside of the falling city to the other.

The wings unfurl wide and a immense growl emerges from the dust. The rock under the claws begins to crack and splinter, a massive spined tail lashes out at the front of the cloud. The down beat of the wings billowing the dust and rock away from the form.

A cobalt blue dragon is briefly revealed, the creature dwarfing Forgescale as the dragon had dwarfed ponies. The dragon's muscles strain as it's rear claws dig in to the side of the mountain. It's wings lash furiously fanning the avalanche of dirt and rock away from its form as it shoves against the falling island.

Starfall gasps as the land mass was visibly slowed by the great beasts power, though it was still sliding and pushing the dragon along before it like a pony trying to stop a cart from sliding down a icy hill.

A green glow of magic draws the pegasus's gaze away from the dragon as hundreds of green panels of magic spring to life before the descending land mass shattering and reforming in a vain effort to slow it further.

Starfall looks back to the dragon only to have the creatures gaze focus on her, two rows of three eyes each stare back at her five glowing red red eyes and one glowing green look at her before the creatures attention focuses on the island again.

Starfall swallows hard and takes off to try and speed up the evacuation. This was way above her pay grade.

=========================================================

Rarity winces looking around at the panic going on around her. She bites her lips seeing pegasi grabbing ponies and carts laden with the injured and dying rushing towards the castle. Lion Heart stood nearby barking orders to the Guards and the ponies trying to evacuate trying to keep some semblance of order.

The pink bubble shield was formed like a rainbow now, she lost count of how many spell shields had gone up around the first to aid in protecting those within from the inevitable stop at the end of the ride. She shivers looking across the remains of the city and to the ground that was rapidly coming towards them at the base of the mountain. At the rate this was going even if the castle survived they were going to plow right through Ponyville and crash into the Everfree forest, perhaps not even stopping there.

The land mass suddenly lurched and a loud growl could be heard from the leading edge of the island.

>” Interesting. He did it on his own. I suppose if he can so can we.”<

Rarity blinks looking around, though no one was close enough that they could have said something in that sort of hushed tone.

>”Ah you can hear me. Good. That will make things easier.”<

Rarity's ears flatten, the voice sounded sweet, if a bit sultry, it was enough to send a shiver along her spine though she worried she might be going mad.

>”Perhaps, though that could be from the company you keep, not me, but I digress. Do you wish to help?”<

“That was quite possibly the most foolish question I have yet to be asked in my life.” Rarity scoffs, then pauses to ponder some of her encounters with nobility. “Third most foolish. Though I am not in the habit of trusting strange voices from no where. That does not end well.”

>“Fair enough, though I do not have time to explain everything just know that this might save your family in the town below and your sister who is in the castle before you.”<

Rarity winces looking up at the glowing shield. “That will be for nothing if what you want in exchange for the help is worse.”

Lion Heart glances back his ears perking as he notices the unicorn evidently arguing with herself.

>” Oh, no no no. Do not misunderstand me. This is not a deal, Nothing will change for you after this. I am simply asking permission to use you so I can offer my power to aid in this endeavor. Once this is over you might be a bit tired but there is not deal that you will have to honor. ”<

“That sounds a little too good to be true.” Rarity mutters still wondering where the voice was coming from.

>”Not too good to be true, just very generous of me. Something you are quite familiar with my bearer.”<

Rarity blinks looking down to the jewelry resting on her neck, the purple diamond in the center of the gold necklace pulsing softly.

>”So then. Shall we try to save everyone?”<

=======================================================

>”Ah hello.”<

Applejack jumps whirling around.

“Did you say something?” she questions Rhede.

“Hmm? Not since you told me to shut up already with my complaining.” Rhede grumbles.

“I didn't say anything “ Spike points out then gestures to Bleu who was doing her best to make sure the statue of Luna was some how comfortable.

>”Oh no, it was not any of them. No, not her either, look down please.”<

Applejack tears her gaze away from the silvery glowing form of Twilight and looks down to see the orange gemstone on her necklace pulsing softly .

“What the hay?”

>” I need to make this quick, I will need to take control of you in order to use my power to try and help everyone. I am limited at the moment though with all that has happened I feel that it is a good time to offer my aid. The corruption is weakening as they put more power into the seventh. We can act now though as I said, time is limited.”<

“What in the hay are you talking about?” AJ grumbles.

“I didn't say anything “ Spike shouts.

“Not you, this bit of jewelry here's talking tah me.” Applejack mutters.

“Ehh why not.” Rhede mutters. “That's likely the most tame thing that's happened today.”

>”Will you allow me to help?”<

“Ah reckon so long as this ain't some kinda trick...”

>”I assure you Bearer, it is not. I do not lie.”<

====================================================

Pinkie stares down at the unconscious bloated swarm of changelings passed out in Pony Joe's shop with a small bit of awe.

The brown unicorn in question was just putting up another fresh tray of donuts and was starting to wipe down the counter as Pinkie came in seemingly taking no notice of the rumbling of the island sliding down the mountain.

She stared at Joe and he stared back, She looked at the changelings and he shrugged. Pinkie Pie narrows her eyes and points at the shop pony.

“I knew you were a super spy!”

>”Hey pink pony wanna save every one?”<

“Okay!” Pinkie chirps.

>”Oh .. well that was easy! Lets do this!”<

=========================================================

“Why?” Celestia asks simply looking at the blue alicorn.

“Why what? You will need to be a bit more specific in your query child.” Aviana smirks.

“Why are you doing this? You gave up your godhood after we defeated Discord. Why would you need to leave only to come back and demand it again?”

“I needed time to prepare child, it was simple as that. As much as I adored the devotion of my subjects I knew there would always be problems and that only one supreme god would be able to solve them. You found that yourself when you achieved peace for a thousand years on your own at the cost of your corrupted sister. With her gone peace was relatively easy to achieve by flaunting power wasn't it? That is a small taste of what can be done child.”

“That peace came at far to high a price. It was only achieved after far too many deaths and a great show of force.”

“Force is needed to keep those in line who prefer to follow the wrong paths.”

“You say that as if you believe yours is the only path any should follow.”

“It is, and I shall ensure all follow it.”

Celestia sighs her ears flattening. “If you thought force was needed, why did you make me agree to only seek peace, never to fight or seek conflict?”

“To be honest mare after you killed your own followers, you were more than ready to come up with that on your own. I simply edged you along that path in the hopes that a vain quest for peace would either cause you to give up your position, or be killed off before I would need to do so myself. I do harbor some feelings for you. I had hoped I would not need to be the one to end you.”

“So you manipulated me.”

“You are guilty of the same with others. How is what I did any different?”

“My manipulations were to save lives, not kill off potential challenges. Is that why you sent me after Discord? Was he actually telling the truth when he said he did nothing to you?” Celestia snarls.

“Does it matter? He served his purpose. Just as the others did.“

“And your sister? You really would turn your sister into a monster simply so you would be the sole ruler?”

“She turned herself into the monster child, I simply had to clean up the mess she left. Something it seems I must do again as sealing her away was not enough. I could not kill her just as you could not kill your own sister. Sealing her away was the only option I had, I sealed my son as well, do you not think that hurt?”

“Considering the party you threw after they were sealed, and your attempt to kill them earlier this very day, no I do not think it did hurt.”

Aviana chuckles. “You have grown a bit child, you used to think everything I said was written in stone.”

“I have seen far too many die because I tried to follow your word. I lost those I cared for do to your manipulation, I have seen the shadow you cast over my little ponies lives long after you vanished.”

“Well you will at least not need to see any more die then my child. Goodbye.” Aviana's horn flashes brightly,a glowing circle flashing into existence on the ground around Celestia. The mare's eyes widen as the moon beneath her hooves erupts in a volcanic explosion of fire and rock.

“Rest now child, I will ensure that your idiotic student follows you soon.” Aviana sighs looking back at the planet.

“My student is brilliant, Aviana. Far more so than you are.” Celestia states.

Aviana whips her head back around as Celestia steps out of the billowing pillar of flame, molten rock sliding off her pure white fur.

The white ponies pink mane and tail burst into a inferno as her eyes glow a bright orange.

“She sent you here, not to banish you, but so that I would not have to fear for my little ponies when I confronted you.”

Aviana steps back as Celestia's coat turns a soft gold coloration, bright wings of flame emerge from her back setting the air around her ablaze. A small flicker of white fire forms on her forehead spiraling upward like a reverse tornado to become a swirling horn made of white flame.

“She would at the very least know that a fire spell would mean nothing to the Goddess of the Sun.”Celestia snarls sparks flicking from her gnashing teeth.

Aviana narrows her eyes the light around them getting brighter. The blue mare turns suddenly looking back at the earth only for the entire sky to be taken up by the glowing red hot ball of the sun.

“Now then, 'mother', let me show you what centuries of repressed anger looks like.”

=========================================================

As the lands watched to see what this strangest night might still hold for them, the dawn came.

The first light of morning brightened the sky’s heralding a new day, the sky was awash with the brilliant coloration of a red dawn.

Those ponies who had time pieces or could see a clock tower were able to inform their fellows that it was only a little before eight pm.

Even if the time was not given it did not take long before most noticed something else. The sun was rising from the west where it had set, and the red glow was not from the clouds changing the color of the sky.

A bright red orb rose in place of the sun, golden and white flares and arcs of flame dance across it's surface. The sun rose rapidly, and in a matter of moments it had taken a position behind the moon creating a blood red halo around the moon.

The silvery orb still glowed it's pure light, though it was ringed with fire, lashes of flame could be seen arching out from behind the moon, some of these tongues of flame played over the Lunar surface setting the silver orb ablaze with color as the dust melted on it's surface turning to mirrored glass.

The solar eclipse dominated the sky, the fire flickering over the surface making those watching think the moon might very well be consumed by the angry sun.

Then as suddenly as it began the sun pulled away from the moon, bringing light to the world again as it moved across the sky, it's glow returning to the golden hue as it settled across the sky to set once more in the west.

The silvery orb of the moon seemed to shine a little brighter, brilliant lines of reflected light crossed it's surface shining like diamonds reflecting the world below it creating lines of silvery blue across the surface.

All of the lines led to a single spot barely visible from the land, on the edge of the moon. A pillar of white flame flickered on the edge of the moon burning brightly.

=============================================================

Those in Canterlot did not have the time to watch the show as their city fell.

Pegasi flew every where carrying ponies to floating chariots.

In the garden a purple unicorn screamed out her horn flickering madly as she struggled to maintain a hold on the crashing island, the bellow of a monster momentarily drown out the thunder of the avalanche as it's muscles strained trying to hold back the sliding land mass.

Applejack bites her lip looking at Twilight.

Rarity flattens her ears looking at the castle where her sister was.

Pinkie Pie stood outside the doughnut shop tapping a hoof in boredom.

“Alright.”says Applejack.
“I agree.”says Rarity.
“COME ON ALREADY!” whines Pinkie Pie.

The three Elements of Harmony glow brightly, the light growing and swirling around the three mares growing brighter until suddenly they flashed out of existence.

=======================================================

The light around Applejack grows forcing Spike and Rhede to shield their eyes. Bleu notices the flash and turns in time to see a towering form standing before the others.

>”This has been a while”< mutters a strange looking Diamond Dog standing where Applejack had once been. The wolf like canine stretched and popped his neck, towering over the ponies standing around him by easily another two pony lengths.

The dog blinks, lavender eyes looking over those staring up at him as he smirks slightly baring his teeth in a sheepish chuckle. It reaches up pulling a fine strand of gray blue hair from its face tucking it behind a pointed ear.

>”Yeah sorry about that, my names Forth, I would chat a bit, but there does not seem to be time for that.”< the Diamond Dog's voice held a soft timber that would be more at home with a noble pony, rather than the usual harsh voices of the Diamond Dog.

The creature hopped into the air, flipping around to face downward and dove into the ground like it was water. Rhede,Spike, and Bleu watched as the hole closed up behind the beast as if it had never been there.

“This is above my pay grade.” mutters Rhede.

“You get paid?” Bleu questions.

==================================================

The air around Rarity swirled and flared with light, rain started and faded in the growing fog cloud that surrounded where the element of Generosity had been. A number of Guards paused to watch as the clouds broke and a strange form floated there. Lion Heart stares up at the creature that floated where Rarity had been his eyes wide

The head and neck of the creature were that of a effeminate stallion. Where his ears should have been were white scaled fins. It's forelegs were replaced by long gossamer like fins and a row of flowing spines with nearly transparent webbing between the tines ran down the creatures back. It had no rear legs and instead a long serpentine tail ran from it's torso and ended in a delicate fluked tail. The creatures white scales glimmered silver in the light of the moon and coppery stripes crossed it's form not unlike a zebras, or a tigers.

The creature opened it's eyes, the soft glowing teal orbs taking in it's surroundings. The serpentine form of the creature stretched upward as it let out a soft groan at the exertion, as if it had been cramped up for a long time.

Lion Heart shifted,leveling his spear as he looked up at the creature that was easily as tall from head fin to tail fin as the castle wall.

The creature glanced down at Lion Heart curiously, leaning down to inspect him, making a soft humming sound as it circled around the half dragon.

“Hmm I can see why she's interested, don't worry there little one, the Bearer of Generosity is fine, though there is much to do and no time to do it. I wounder if Grace and Troth's children would have looked like you. Adorable. Ahh well, no time to dawdle.”

One of the creatures head fins glows softly causing a swirl of misty clouds to solidify around it, launching it into the air like it was shot from a cannon, it's sea foam green hair and diaphanous fins flowing out behind it.

The Guards ponies blinked watching it soar off as the small area where it had been was showered with rain.

“What the buck was that?” questions Lion Heart under his breath.

=======================================================================

Pony Joe looked curiously out the front of his door seeing the bright glow that had come from just around the corner. He shifted a tray with his magic fully expecting he might need to feed another few changelings into submission, or at least silence an annoying pink pony.

“Pinkie Pie?” Joe questions a tray piled high with doughnuts floating over his head. He looked both ways down the road in front of his shop not seeing anything. He reached up with a hoof scratching his chin when a rather large chocolate crumb bounced off his nose.

He slowly lifted his head up to be face to beak with the largest most vibrant golden griffon he had ever seen. The creature was the size of a dragon and the gold and white plumage and fur was such that it would have made even the most fashionable griffoness he had seen look like a well used feather duster.

The griffon notes she's being stared at and tosses another doughnut into her beak gulping it down before grinning.

>”Hello, I know I have something to be doing, but I wanted to try these, they are very good though I suppose I should go now.”<

Joe blinked as the creatures tongue suddenly snaked out from its beak giving him a rather long lick from the front of his shirt up to his hat.

>”Hmm you taste like strawberries and powdered sugar!”<

The unicorn blinks as the massive griffon drops down from where she had been hanging off the front of his shop. The creature hunches up and launches herself into the air with barely a gust of wind being felt from what should have been a massive down draft from her wings

Joe reaches up with his hoof wiping the drool from his face, his magic gripping and wringing out the saliva from his hat. He looks for the griffoness in the sky though she was already long gone.

He sighs looking at the empty tray he carried and heads back into the shop wondering if he could bill the Princesses for all this.

=======================================================

Celestia stares down at the smoking hole in the face of the moon and the chard form in the center of it. The sun remained close to the lunar surface, it's heat turning huge swathes of the moon dust into sheets of glass.

The white earth pony glares down at the twitching form, molten trails of plasma arc off the surface of her sun twining and joining with the Goddess's mane and tail as she stood over the crater containing the chard form. The mares white coat did not even seem to exist as anything but pure light at the moment and only the thought of what might happen if the moon was destroyed kept the Princess from simply smashing the molten orb of fire against the blackened figure in the crater.

If she got back up however, repercussions be damned.

The twitching form suddenly crumbles a bit, the chard flesh of Aviana's flank collapsing in on itself with a shower of ash and dust. The rest of the body quickly follows crumbling to little more than a pile of cinders.

Celestia frowns the flame spiraling from her fore head growing brighter as a flare from the sun arcs down to swirl about it.

The dust billows away from the heat leaving something that seemed little more than a rectangular chunk of crystal. The Mare of the Sun regards it curiously.

“A Crystal Chronicle? This is what you have become Aviana? You caused so much suffering and pain, and all of it to become one of the books?” Celestia questions, tongues of flame lifting the crystal book into the air flicking ash from it.

“You would not understand, I am beyond immortal like this, nothing can destroy me and I am ageless. Even gods can be killed or die of their own violation. You think you have won? You will not last forever Celestia, and when you are gone I will succeed where I failed this day.”

Celestia regards the book curiously the flame licking over the pages making no mark on the books surface.

“It seems you are correct,” Celestia sighs. “I cannot harm you directly, however. A book exists to be read, and that I can stop.”

The tongues of flame flick the crystalline book back to the moons surface and into a puddle of the molten glass on the lunar surface.

Aviana laughs at the gesture though the laugh quickly ceases as the book sinks deeper into the rolling surface of the strange Lunar sea of glass. Celestia stares down at the book, pouring on more heat, turning the glass and rock beneath it molten letting the book drift down deeper towards the moons core, her ears flattening as the book screams.

“Well now seems I am a bit late to the party.” states a voice with a forced chuckle. “Might be for the best though. You are rather grumpy when you're in a bad mood.”

Celestia whirls only to find her self face to face with a furnace blast shield with a stick covered in melting marshmallows in front of her.

“Mind turning around again? There still one marshmallow that might be edible on there. You flank is the perfect place for roasting them sun butt.” Discord chuckles from behind the massive iron door.

“DISCORD!?” Celestia growls.” What are you doing here?”

“Mostly wishing I had some SPF ten million sunblock, though I have at least three other reasons.” The draconequus states as a bit of marshmallow goo drips from the stick landing on the angry ponies muzzle turning instantly to ash.

“You're here to retrieve the book she became aren’t you?”

“Buzzzzt wrong answer, but I see you are not in the mood for game shows so I will get right to the point, though I doubt you believe that. I was here to speak a few words with the source of most of my problems.... and no not you don't flatter yourself sun butt, it's not you.”

“ You brought those on yourself from what you did.”

Discord tosses aside the blast shield staring at Celestia with a strangely serious expression.

“Maybe towards the end, but then again I had as much success fighting the books corruption as your sister did, and I don't see you threatening her every time you turn around. And if it's about me supposedly raping Aviana? After all this do you still believe that?” Discord glares forcing Celestia to take a step back, his usual visage of cheerfulness or even apathy was gone replaced with a look of quiet despair that he was doing a poor job at hiding.

“I do not know what to believe in that regard any more.” Celestia grumbles looking at the slag pit where the book could still be heard screaming curses. “I am at least willing to listen this time.”

“The story takes too long to tell fully, but lets just say I brought her the first book and she used her whiles to convince me to let her try out the ritual on me. I foolishly agreed and was driven mad by the result. What little bit of sanity I had left in me forced me to steal back the book and try to figure a way to reverse it. Because of that she sent you after me, and well ,you know the rest.” Discord shrugs.

“Why would she do that?”

“She wanted to test the limits , she also likely wanted a loyal pet monster like Andree, but she got a mad god instead. Any way it's probably for the best that she did become a book. If she had died there are several very angry individuals who would not have nice things to do to her when she made it to the other side.”

Celestia sighs watching her sun slowly move away from the lunar surface.

“So why are you here then?”

“Ehh, I’m bored, besides I wanted to see the look on your face when you realize your young protegee banished you to the moon.”

Celestia glowers.“I am not banished Discord I can get back any time.”

“Really? And how will the little Solar Flare earth pony do that hmmm? Shoot a rocket of fire out her but and soar like a graceful anvil back down to Equestria?”

Celestia blinks looking at the smirking Draqounuss then to the planet above them before cursing lightly.

Discord adopts a shocked expression. “Why Princess, such language and from you no less. The scandal will be horrific.”

“I may not be able to teleport back Discord, but do not think I will not hesitate to burn you for your mockery.”

“Ahh yes there’s the Celestia I knew and really didn't miss. Though considering all I have done already this day, I doubt either of us is in the mood or in any condition to continue to fight. Besides I am willing to offer you a lift, I fully expect they might need you back down there soon.” Discord smirks snapping his fingers, suddenly becoming hitched to a golden chariot not unlike Celestia's own, though rather than the symbol of the sun there was a leering Rainbow Dash face on the wheels and a row of scepters with a dopey looking mockery of Twilight's head on them as a buckboard.

Celestia raises an eyebrow.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I have my reasons.”

“I don't trust you.”

“Good. Though if you want to wait until your powers come back.... which should be by the end of the week, be my guest.”

Celestia growls though she slowly steps onto the cart eyeing the gilded scepters with a bit of annoyance.

“Fine then, though if you try anything...”

“Your mouth is moving but all I hear is 'angry...grrrr.'. Oh wait a moment I almost forgot.”

Discord pulls a small box from somewhere. The box reads Apple Jacks in red lettering and has a picture of Big Mac in a sailor suit. The draconequus rips the top off dumping some sort of golden popcorn mix in his mouth chewing it a few times before spitting out a little blue package of paper. He swallows the popcorn tearing the paper open and pulling out a small plastic card with his picture on it and the words 'Flying License' printed on it.

“Oh goody, just what I wanted too. The fuzz can't touch me now.”

“Wait did you just get a flying license, as a priiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeee!!” Celestia screams out as the chariot rockets off into space, spiraling around madly as Discord zooms off towards Equestria, leaving a trail of fire, screams, and boisterous laughter.

==================================================

Troth's wings beat furiously, muscles straining under his scales that he could not recall having used in eons. Still it was not enough the rock and dirt gave way far too readily under his rear claws and his wings were not enough to do more than slow the falling land mass. It also did not help that there was a perilously large griffon seated on his nose, it's feathers tickling his snout.

Wait.....

Troth's six eyes widen and cross focusing on the beast perched on it's nose. The griffon waves a fore claw at him before leaping off his nose into the air, the griffons wings spread wide, the gusts from the birds massive wings swirling in small eddies in the dust and dirt billowing around them. The eddies grew larger forming cyclones that swept up the loose rocks and billowing dust blowing them all away from the dragon and more importantly the town below them

“Mirth?” the cobalt dragon mutters.

The sliding land mass crackles and bursts as shards of multicolored crystal and rocks stab out of the island digging into the side of the mountain dragging though the rock and dirt like anchors. When one shatters, another replaces it. The rock under his claws seems to solidify further no longer giving way under the dragons pushing. The dragon was briefly given a glimpse of a large Diamond Dog as one of the crystals shattered. The beast appeared briefly before filling the gap with another massive spire of stone.

“Forth?“ the great dragon blinks, the sudden blast of cold water along his back forcing him to grit his teeth as he glares back over his shoulder.

A river flowed through the air, the water spiraling and sliding about like a serpent, several other masses of water rose and flowed behind the first all of them rushing forward to crash against the rock with the force of a tsunami, the snakes of water pushing hard against the landmass, while in the center of them all a sea pony danced.

“Munificence....?” Troth gasps a small smirk slowly crossing his face, turning into a massive fanged grin as he dug his claws in deeper shoving against the falling city, flame licking across his muzzle with every breath as the great wyrm starts to laugh.

========================================================

Twilight noticed none of this. She saw only darkness.

The darkness however also saw her.

The unicorn was only dimly aware of her surroundings, she felt the surge of power as Jer'rahd transformed and she could feel several other bursts of power as the others were engulfed in light as well, though she didn't see Applejack's light right before her.

She felt hot, she felt sick, and she wanted badly to vomit and collapse in a heap. The flood of raw magic coursing through her horn was searing the flesh around it and feeling as it it was charring her skull, she could feel the blood trickle down her snout as her flesh blistered and popped. She also knew she could not quit, she was keeping the island stable and doing her best to lift it, but the strain was costing her.

That was when she saw the mare.

Everything else was a blur of lights and colors, but the mare was a black spot, a void in the world that should not be there.

The dark pony approached, towering over her, taller than even Celestia the mare regarded her with a sad look.

“I am sorry.”

Twilight couldn't respond and she was not sure she even heard the voice so much as felt it.

“My failure to stop him has lead to your suffering. I am truly sorry Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight winces gritting her teeth feeling the strain on her magic lessen a little as if some other force was trying to stop the island from falling.

“Who...”gasps the purple unicorn, failing to form a full question, though the mare seems to understand.

“When we first met I told you I have many names, though you could call me Harmony. With the others awakening even temporarily I suppose I should return to my first name. I am Bonnie.” the black mare explains.

“We gave ourselves to stop my brother and yet we still required our charges to serve as vessels for the power we offered to combat against him. Far too many have suffered for our failure, for my failure to stop him. I cannot do much, but for all the Bearer's of our power have done for the balance of the world, I can at least do this for you.”

Twilight starts to ask another question though the mares horn lightly touches her own before she can.

The purple unicorn screams as power floods her form, the surge greater than anything she had experienced even making the rush she felt from the moon seem as weak as a firefly's glow against the sun.

There was no pain involved with this surge, nothing but a cool flood of energy washing through her form.

==============================================================

Rhede, Bleu and Spike turn in horror as the silver glow that had been coming from Twilight flickers out and the mare staggers.

Before any of them can react the unicorn screams out thrusting her head into the air as black energy swirls and flows around her body the glow surrounding the island shifting from silver to a black darker than the night sky itself.

=========================================================

Troth winces as the island briefly becomes heavier, nearly toppling him backwards from the sudden force, just as suddenly the weight was lifted and the falling slab of mountain slowed coming to a stop.

The great dragon blinked, his tail slowing in it's whipping and lowering only for a loud crunch to greet him.

The great cobalt beast looks back over his shoulder taking note of his tail buried in the top of a building in the center of town, his rear claws barely a pony length from the edge of the town itself.
A sudden wet smack on the back of his head causes the dragon to growl and turn to glare at the floating form of the sea pony.

“And that was for?” Troth growls.

“Sorry, seems that was my hosts shop you just crushed with your tail. She suggested a bit more than a slap, but I supposed that would have to do..” Munificence shrugs.

“Oh wow, that was awesome! Wasn't that awesome? I think that was awesome.” Mirth giggles flying around the dragons head in spiraling loops. “At least my host says it was awesome, I don't even know what awesome means but that sounds like a word that's fun to use I mean come on say it out loud … awwwwwwessoooommmme.”

“Why are you here? How are you here, is the better question?” Troth responds partially ignoring the griffons antics though a smirk crosses his face.

“The same way you are, though we didn't need to find a corrupted host to do it.” states a Diamond Dog burrowing out of the rock in front of the dragon. “The grounds shored up so it won't be going any where else. You can let go of the mountain now.” Forth states with a smirk as Troth holds out a clawed hand for the Diamond dog to climb onto.

“Bonnie found a way, though we are still connected to the Elements themselves. I do doubt we could pull this off again any time soon.” Munificence sighs. “We also do not have very long until our time here is spent.”

Mirth glides down landing on the ground as Munificence descends as well towards the great dragon. Forth hops off Troth's hand and stretches a little his tail starting to turn to dust.

“Well that was fun, though it seems our time is up, you should return as well Troph, your host is at his limit as it is.” Munificence states watching with a sigh as his fins start to turn to mist.

“After all this time, our reunion is to be this brief?” Troth sighs.

“We are rather lucky we even get this. Though I wouldn't worry to much there Troth.”Forth states. “ Time stretches forever onward. We will likely meet again many times. Perhaps not as we are, but we will.”

“I still think this is too short, for our sacrifices can we not at least remain in each others company rather than the prisons of our own making?”

“Says the dragon who has had way too many chances to come out and play.” Munificence chuckles.

“Under another's control. I would not call that playing.”

Troph blinks as a clawed hand pats him on the head, Mirth grins taking hold of one of his horns and guiding his head around to look out over village below him.

“Open your eyes and look. This was never about us. It was always about them. All the races have fought argued and killed one another but look at the land now. Look at it. Despite the flaws Griffons, Ponies, Diamond Dogs, Zebras, Sea ponies and even a few of the stubborn beasts you watch over are living in relative peace with each other. Even at times when they fought, when wars ripped the races apart there were those that sought common ground even in the worst of it. Do you think that would have happened if we had not stopped Zacherle? Everything will work out because we gave our charges the chance for it to happen. We still have a purpose so long as there are those who are willing to fight as we did. So cheer up already, mopey doesn't suit you. Angry, lovestruck and dopey maybe, but not morose.”

The three of them stare at the griffon who remains floating upside down over the dragons head, her wings slowly dissolving.

“As long as I have known you, that is the most sense you have ever had in one of your monologues.” Munificence gasps.

“Hey, I can't always be silly.” The griffoness shrugs drifting back down to the ground. “Besides I got to eat a doughnut … they are gooooooooooooooooooooood!”

Munificence slowly floats down landing next to her as Forth drops down next to him.

“Pity we didn't get to see Bonnie again though.” Forth states wistfully.

“Yes, I fully expected you to clumsily flirt with her again if we did. Quite entertaining.” Munificence chuckles.

“Hey it worked for Troth.” Forth grumbles.

“I wasn't as bad as you, she was here by the way, I could feel her presence as well. Likely she is the reason the island stopped.” Troth sighs noting the shadowy mist dancing over his scales as his connection begins to fade.

“Seems that's it. At least for this time.” Forth sighs.

“Hey hey hey hey hey heya Troth hey hey hey hey hey.” Mirth sing songs until the dragon looks down at her. She smiles looking up at him and waves“Hi.”

“Hello Mirth.”Troph chuckles.

“Hey, hey, hey, guess what.”

“Dare I ask what?”

“Ferry Mare.”

“What?”

“That wasn't for you, you blue lump, that was for the little used to be a dragon kid in your head, find the Ferry Mare.” Mirth smirks.

“What are you...” Troph blinks watching as the griffon fades away leaving a very bewildered looking pink earth pony who suddenly falls over in a heap.

The dragon looks over to the others watching as the silvery sea pony turns to a glimmering cloud of mist and a white unicorn collapses onto a red couch that had not been there a moment before. Forth offers a last wave as he turns to ash, a orange earth pony staggering away panting before falling hard on her rump.

“Ugh.. ah feel like I did tha whole harvest myself again.” Applejack mutters struggling to remain upright.

The dragon grins a little as it's six eyes close, the shadowy ash billowing out as the massive form fades and a gray unicorn is left standing in the massive claw print left by the dragon.

“Well.... at least I am on the ground this time.” Jer'rahd mutters before collapsing.

Applejack watches him fall, looking up to see a number of ponies from Ponyville slowly making their way towards the edge of the fallen mountain. AJ weakly raises a hoof as she sees Nurse Redheart catching the ponies attention before she falls over on her side.

“Ah need a nap....”

=============================================================

“We stopped? We're not falling any more? “Bleu yells looking up from where she was holding the statue of Luna steady.

The black aura fades from around Twilight, steam coming up from her horn as she staggers forward tripping over her own hooves before toppling over, to be caught by Spike in his larger form before she hits the ground. Spike gently lays her down looking over her a moment his tail whipping in panic.

“How is she? “Rhede mutters struggling to stand to move closer. Bleu mutters moving over to help the earth pony upright.

“ I don't know... her horns and forehead are burning up though. It's like she's burned out, but I’ve never seen it like this before.” Spike explains.

“Alright, we need to get her to a medic or find Velkorn, Bleu see if you can find a Guard or something to help us out.” Rhede sighs looking down at the collapsed unicorn.

“No need. Starfall's back.” Bleu states as the gray pegasus lands next to them.

“What happened to Sparkle? Where are the Princesses and Applejack?” Starfall questions.

“Spike thinks Twilight's suffering burn out, Luna's that statue behind me, and Applejack turned into a Diamond Dog and burrowed off some where. And Celestia was banished to the moon I think.” Bleu reports ignoring Starfall's confused expression.” You know where Velky is?”

“Yeah she was bringing everyone she could back to the castle. She and Fluttershy are more than likely going to set up shop there to start treating ponies. Peach Blossom is looking for a intact cart so we can bring you and Rhede there. I suppose Twilight too. Why is the Princess a statue?”

“Long story, we'll wait here for the ride, you and Spike are still in decent shape, you need to get out there and do what you can.” Rhede responds.

“I'm staying with Twilight.” Spike states.

“I get the loyalty kid, but if you really want to rebuild the dragon empire you need to gain support, offering aid here to the best of your abilities will be a nice start.” Rhede mutters. “Let Jer know what's going on if you see him, he won't be happy about the Princess, but he'll cope.”

“Considering what he was doing when I last saw him I'm more hoping he's not buried under a mountain.” grumbles Starfall.

“What?” Bleu questions.

“Long story, Starfall states deadpan as Rhede rolls his eyes.

==================================================================
***************************************************************************
==================================================================

[Two weeks later.]

Twilight sits up with a start, a wince, and a whimper before slowly lowering her head back down on the pillow.

Sunlight was streaming from some where, somehow managing to shine directly into her eyes. She gingerly lifts a hoof blocking the light and opens one eye. The plain white room and small beeping of a vitality device told her that she was back in the hospital.

Twilight slowly sat up opening both her eyes with a pained effort to look around. The small room had three other beds crammed into it, all three of which looked like they were occupied at some point, though aside from her there was no one else present. She sat up a little more, immediately regretting it though stubbornly refusing to lay back down until she could figure out what was going on.

The door creaks open to the sound of voices, two of them arguing with each other while the third eggs them on.

“Honestly can you not keep your things in one pile at least, I understand you have a large family that brings you gifts, but I cannot abide by the amount of food that some how makes it onto my bed.”

“Don't forget about the pie you sat on.”

“Ain't mai fault you can't watch where yer sitting, if it weren’t fer the crowded conditions here ah wouldn't even be sharing tha room with yah. Side's yah snore like a train engine. So ah should be tha one complaining.”

“Oh I do not !!”

“You do and there's this cute little whistle at the end of it that sounds like a chipmunk sneeze. Oh look Twilight's up.”

“That is absurd, a lady does not snore.”

“Guess you ain't a lady then... Wait what was that Pinkie?”

Twilight smiles slightly as the pink pony points a hoof between the arguing pair towards her and bounces over to the purple unicorns bed and hugging her friend lightly.

“You should lay back down, I don't think you should be up yet.” Pinkie states as Rarity rushes over and Applejack darts back outside to get a doctor.

“I'm alright.”Twilight mutters receiving a glare from both of her friend before she sighs and lays back down with a wince. “Why are you three here, did you get hurt?”

“I was possessed by a dead griffon god. Kinda knocked me right out for a couple of days.” Pinkie states. “ They decided to keep up here a bit longer for observation and we kinda faked still being out of it so we could stay nearby you for when you woke up. You've been out cold for about two weeks, even Jer'rahd's woke up before you and he was a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig dragon thingy twice in one day.“

Twilight looks at Rarity who shrugs. “Honestly are you surprised at anything that happens to us any more darling?”

“No I suppose not. So what happened ….. did we win?What happened to the others, where's Princess Celestia? Is Princess Luna alright...ow.....” Twilight questions wincing as her horn twinges forcing her to bite back her excitement.

“Calm down dear, I suppose you can say we did win, though.......” Rarity sighs. “ A great many ponies were either killed in the conflict or during the invasion. I am not sure it really counts as a win just to have driven them back.”

Pinkie glares at Rarity as Twilight slumps a little at the news.

“We did win. We didn't ask to be attacked and if we hadn't have driven them back everyone would be changeling food or whatever that Aviana pony wanted. Any pony who can make me bow just by yelling at me in my own head is not a good pony.”

“So she's gone?” Twilight asks.” The Princess beat her?”

“Yep, Dissy brought her back from the moon not long after you fainted. She and Luna have been hard at work trying to get everything back to normal.... well as normal as it can get now that Canterlot is in Ponyville.” Pinkie mutters.

“Princess Luna is alright too?” Twilight smiles a little.”” Wait Canterlot is in Ponyville?”

“Yeah, Dissy fixed her up too before he left again. Canterlot's well, slightly above Ponyville I guess. The whole mountain side slide down until it nearly ran into Ponyville and now what's left of Canterlot is only like a hop skip and a jump away from Ponyville, it's like a uptown downtown thing... only with more rocks.” Pinkie bubbles.

“Yes well while I am rather ecstatic to be that much closer to the fashion centers of Canterlot, well what remains of them anyway, there is still a great deal of rebuilding and I am unsure if my insurance covers random acts of long dead gods.” Rarity sighs thinking about her ruined shop.”Spared the fire to be tail slapped out of existence... the horror.....”

“What about Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?” Twilight questions starting to struggle to keep her eyes open. And my brother and ….”

“ Dashie just kinda passed out after the Rain boom but Big Mac found her and kept her safe, guess nearly getting killed, using the elements and then doing a super rain boom wore her out big time. Fluttershy's running around tending to the injured still along with Velkorn. Mostly she's working on the animals that got hurt, she's got a few vets helping her. Shining and Cadence went back to the Crystal Empire to start tracking Sombra and Chrysalis, though they sent an envoy to help us rebuild and left a bunch of their Guards here to help in our defense while Celestia gets everything in order.” Pinkie lists off still going though Rarity holds up a hoof to her lips pointing that Twilight had dozed off.

“Well how rude I still had a lot of things to say...” Pinkie Pouts.

“You can tell her later Darling. We will have plenty of time.” Rarity sighs as AJ finally returns with a doctor.

===================================================================

“Boss not to call you stupid, but you're stupid.” Bleu grumbles picking at the bandage on her arm only to have Velkorn slap her claw away from it with a hoof.

“If you keep picking at it, it will never heal, now just ignore the itching and finish your meal.” Velkorn orders glaring at the little dragon who looks away and starts pushing the hospital mush around on her plate again.

“Seriously Velky ,I’m a dragon we don't eat alfalfa.” Bleu grumbles.

“I have to agree with Bleu, Jer. That thing in you has been nothing but trouble, not sure I like the idea of figuring out a way to let it loose permanently.” Rhede states with a sigh.

“We made an agreement. Troth actually went a little beyond what was required of him to try to help so I should at the very least see if there's a way I can give him what he wants.” Jer'rahd mutters laying on his back trying hard to not think about the insane amount of stitches that were holding his skin in place on his side so he could heal normally. “ Besides it will give me something to do while healing that Velkorn won't try and kill me for.” The gray unicorn sighs lifting the edge of the ice pack on his head with a hoof looking at the zebra mare as she fusses over the dragonling.

“Still say it's a bad idea, but hey, not like it's the first we've had, heck we had a whole slew of them at once during that battle.” Rhede grins looking over at Starfall who sat by the window of the room watching the ponies and pegasi rush about outside.” Go ahead and tell him Starfall I know he wants to know and I don't want him getting moody.”

“I would rather not until he is better. Besides Rose is already making up the list, he doesn't need to do anything.” Starfall sighs.

“On a scale of Dullahan to Cutie Cena party whats the damage?” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“War of the North.” Starfall sighs.

“Ugh, better than I thought, but not likely something any of these ponies have ever seen.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“They had a flood about ten years ago that killed around a hundred or so, that was the worst disaster they had seen in a thousand years.... well until this. The property damage from the invasion alone dwarfs the flood's and the cost of life is easily seven or eight times that. The biggest issue is there are a great many still missing. The collapse of Canterlot, the fires and the Changelings capturing ponies is making a proper tally rather difficult. Right now they are being counted among the fallen until we find out otherwise. Ponyville got off rather light by comparison with only a few dozen dead though there are very few who did not suffer any kind of injury, only a few structures left intact as well.” Starfall continues.

“So we have our work cut out for us.” Bleu quips.

“Pretty much, at least when I can stand on my own again. We'll have to check in with the Princess and Celestia to see what they want us to do. I expect going after Chrysalis and Sombra is going to be the top priority.” Jer'rahd responds.

“No, that is actually the last thing on our list General. The first is to restore order and rebuild.” states Luna as she slowly pushes open the door. The alicorn goddess flaps her wings once folding them against her large form the dark spiraled horn again emerging from her waving mane and tail.

Starfall and Velkorn start to bow and the others make the effort to at least attempt it, though Luna waves it off.

“After everything we have been through do you really expect that any of you need to bow before me.” Luna sighs.

“Hard to tell where we stand really Princess.” Rhede points out. “You've been everything from spiteful to angry to buddy buddy with us since we woke up.”

“Yes... I am sorry about that. I have had some … difficulty with my emotional state for some time now.” Luna sighs.

“What, been that time of month since we've been back?” Bleu questions with a chuckle. Jer'rahd groans and Rhede and Starfall face hoof while Luna simply stares. Velkorn breaks the silence by cuffing the dragonling in the back of the head.

“She means the Nightmare Bleu.” Jer'rahd sighs.” I'm gathering Sparkle and the Elements didn't fully destroy it?”

“No more than it destroyed the Beast within you. But I digress.” Luna sighs. “ My sister and I have need of you still so I would prefer if you did not do anything stupid like attempt to return to stone.”

“Didn't plan on it.” Rhede grumbles.
“Likewise.” Bleu mutters.
“Yeah like I need more Parasprites using me as a nest.” snarks Starfall.
“And miss Rhede actually try and woo me? That is something I cannot wait to see.”
“Thought about it, but I’ve got some other business to take care of first...... wait what was that Velkorn?” Jer'rahd starts lifting the ice pack again.

“Never you mind,” Rhede growls as Velkorn laughs.

“Oh..... I apologize for the assumption.“ Luna mutters. “It's just that.. well....”

“Don't worry, I woulda made the same assumption Princess. “Jer'rahd sighs. “I'm still thinking about it. Starfall's got a relative here, Velkorn has a thousand years of medical knowledge to catch up on, Bleu's got a schools she can run, and Rhede well,I’m sure he'd find some mare that he's not related to eventually....”

“Gee thanks Jer....”

“So what's an old solider supposed to do in peace time? Take up knitting?” Jer'rahd sighs. “I think Ruin had the right of it. Stay out of the way until needed.”

“That is not going to happen General...... Jer'rahd.” Luna sighs. “This conflict has shown that our Guard are in sore need of training and after seeing how those you and Major Rose trained fared in the conflict, we wish for any who wish to join the Guard to under take your training regime. There will be plenty for a as you put it' old solider to do.'”

“....... I need a hat.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“What the heck is it with you and that damned hat Boss?” Bleu sighs.

Luna chuckles as Rhede, Starfall, and Jer'rahd shudder at the memory of their time training with the pony with that hat.

“I take that means you will do it?” Luna questions moving closer to Jer'rahd's bed curiously looking over the scar on his side.

“Of course Princess. “ Jer'rahd sighs. “Guess I will be around a bit.”

“Quite a long time if I am correct in another assumption.” Luna's smile fades and her ears flatten to her head. “ There is something else however…. for all of you... I do not blame you for what you needed to do. I forgive you all for what happened a thousand years ago, though you needed not have waited for my forgiveness as you have no need of it. I am not worthy of granting you five forgiveness. It is I who should be asking for your forgiveness.” Luna states .

“We betrayed you when we should have stood with you. “ Jer'rahd states. “That isn't something I can forgive of myself Princess. I don't understand how you can.”

“Despite what I have said to you before, there is nothing to forgive, though I am also truly sorry about my outburst after the events in the Garden Jer'rahd. I should not have reacted that way.”

“It's alright Princess... I never liked those medals any way.” Jer'rahd half smirks showing a fang. “I don't blame you for that reaction.”

“As I do not blame you for your attempt to stop me as Nightmare Moon. Do you understand now?” Luna mutters leaning down a bit over the side of Jer'rahd's bed looking down at him as he lifts the ice pack off his face. “So are we even now, can we go back to being friends ?”

“Of course Luna” Jer'rahd smiles watching as Luna does the same, the mare lingering over him.

“NOW KISS!” Bleu shouts causing both of them to jump and turn away from each other with a flush.

“I need to go speak with Twilight about regaining control of my moon... if you will excuse me.” Luna mutters hastily darting out the door.

Rhede and Starfall glare at the cackling dragonling as Velkorn slaps her upside the back of the head again.

“The best is yet to come.” Epilogue 1

View Online

Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR

“The best is yet to come.”
Epilogue 1

[Two years after what would be known as the War of the Gods.]
[New Canterlot]

A mummer of excitement filled the air as throngs of ponies and other creatures dressed in their best clothing milled around the newly rebuild throne room. Decorations hung every where, garlands of blue and lavender flowers with bright green vines covered in leaves, streamers and other items of a celebratory nature. A host of the Royal Guard and the newly formed 42nd, now referred to as the EDF officially, or Equestrian Defense Force, stood around the room both as guests and as security for the event. No pony wanted a repeat of the last wedding held here, and with Chrysalis and Sombra on the loose still, it was on the fore front of everyone’s minds. Except perhaps the pair of stallions standing before the alter at the end of the aisle.

The first was a tall red earth pony with a flowing black mane and tail that reached nearly to the floor. He wore a Guard dress uniform, with a small number of medals sewn onto it though it had no patch to denote either rank or unit. While it only covered the front of his body it was easy to see one of his hooves and part of his fore leg that was visible was completely black. One side of his body from his neck to his flank was covered in lines of white scars surrounded by blackened fur. Those that did not know him most might consider him an odd half zebra with the coloration he now had. His blue eyes shifted over the crowd before glancing to the stallion next to him with a small smirk.

The other pony with him was a gray unicorn with with and amber colored tail and mane that looked like they had only been brushed for the first time right before he came in. He too wore a Guard dress uniform though it was hard to tell for sure with the over abundance of medals that covered the front of it. A few spots were empty, as if the pony had slowly been removing them, though he still felt the front of his uniform could have doubled as a shield. His two tone green and red eyes looked over the crowd as if searching for any sort of trouble with the ponies, griffons, zebras, and other races filling the room.

“Honestly Rhede I have no idea, why you are doing this. You never had any interest in wearing a Guard uniform before.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Not true, I always said mares love a stallion in uniform.” Rhede chuckles. “I expected you to be a little more jittery than this though Jer. Especially given what's going on.”

“Not jittery at all, just annoyed I have to wear this thing. You know Celestia created ten new medals just to stick on this uniform. Big heavy ones, each denoting a hundred years of service.” Jer'rahd mutters.

“I see you managed to lose at least four of them.”

“They were too heavy, fell off somewhere,” chuckles Jer'rahd. “ I only worry some pony might break a hoof if they kick one.”

“Sure they did. Where's Bleu at... I figured she would be all over this.” Rhede sighs.

“She was asked to be a brides maid same as the others, she wasn't about to turn down the chance to wear a pretty dress. Or flirt with Spike. Seems she wasn't kidding about him.”

“Yeah he's gonna have his claws full dealing with her, whether he ever returns her interest or not. So then..... You and Luna planing to have any foals?” Rhede chuckles as Jer flinches a bit.

“In light of everything else, no. Neither of us is comfortable with the idea of the corruption we're infected being passed on. Of course that's not to say there aren't any little ones. She adopted nearly all the orphans of the battle, Celestia had to talk her down though we are keeping four. Celestia was less than thrilled at first though after meeting Pipsqueek she kinda melted. Seems cute does work on her.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“Seems to work on you too. Particularly since I’ve heard you started to train the colt like your grandfather trained you.”

“I'm doing that with any of them that are interested, Pip's just feverent about it. Orange isn't interested and wants to be a doctor and the Lily's are not in any shape still to do much of anything. Pip however remembers what happened all to clearly, he's got a drive to make sure it doesn't happen to any pony else and I am simply helping him in that. He's got a long way to go before I do more than teach him the basics though. Carries around the training sword everywhere though.”

“Heh sounds sorta cute. Luna has him as the ring Bearer right?”

“Yes. Though we had a heck of a time getting him to turn over his sword.” Jer chuckles glaring at the door. “How long is this gonna take? I feel like I’ve been standing here for an hour.”

“Old solider like you? Should be used to it.”

“Shut up ….”Jer'rahd smirks. “You are just not gonna drop that old solider comment are you?”

“Depends you gonna drop the 'My Momma said Rhede Pelt was my daddy.” shtick?”

“Never.”

“Okay then.” Rhede chuckles.

Both ponies as well as all of those in attendance suddenly turn as the doors to the throne room open and strains of music begin to play.

A pony sized purple dragon with green spines, dressed in a tux steps though the door, with a shimmering blue dragoness in a purple dress clinging to the crock of his arm.

Spike didn't look bad, though he did look as if he would rather be any where else aside from with the dragoness he was with. His eyes shifted over the crowd as if looking for some one else and given what he had heard Jer'rahd expected he was looking for Rarity. Bleu would have to break him of that infatuation if she wanted a chance with him, granted Jer'rahd wasn't even sure if she was really serious about her interest or was just amused by how flustered the younger drake got when she teased.

Bleu on the other hand looked like a disco ball given form. The dress was a simple lavender coloration though her scales shimmered between several coloration’s of blue creating a dazzling effect. That had a great many in the audience staring in awe.

Jer'rahd rolls his eyes as the pair approach and he hisses under his breath at the pony sized dragoness.

“You're not supposed to try and outdo the bride Bleu.”

“Trust me, I could be made of diamonds and I wouldn't outdo her boss.” Bleu chuckles moving off to the side.

“You owe me for this Pelt. “ Spike grumbles practically being dragged by Bleu.

“You didn't protest half this much when I asked.” Rhede chuckles. As the little dragon moves to stand next to him and Jer'rahd while Bleu moves to the other side of the alter.

The light sound of hooves draws their attention back up to the front as the next set of ponies steps out of the door.

Jer'rahd raises a brow rather surprised to see Applejack without her hat, he was a little more surprised to see her wearing a lavender dress. A flush of red colored the mare's cheeks as she trotted down the aisle.

Fluttershy moved gracefully along side of Applejack, though at the same time she seemed to be doing her best to also try to hide behind Applejack. Unlike her mare friend, Fluttershy was actually in a tux not unlike the one Spike wore, with a single violet tucked into the lapel.

Jer'rahd glances at Rhede who shrugs. “Wouldn't have had a even number of bridesmaids and groom colts if one of them didn't wear a tux. I figured AJ would wear it but Fluttershy insisted. Looks good on her any way.”

Jer'rahd and Spike both roll their eyes at the explanation though as soon as the pair reach the alter Fluttershy darts behind Spike and hides there.

“You okay?” Rhede asks.

“Umm yes.....”

“You used to model Fluttershy, how does walking down a carpet freak you out?” Spike questions.

“This is a wedding and I was walking with Applejack and.....” Fluttershy said more but most of it came out as little more than muffled squeaks as her face turned brighter red.

“Oookay.” Jer'rahd states turning back to the front a wide grin crossing his muzzle at the sight that greeted him.

If ponies could tell at a glance that Jer'rahd hated wearing his dress uniform, ponies several leagues away would know what Starfall thought about the dress she was wearing with out even seeing her. She gave no real out word appearance of hating it, though her purple eyes burned with a hatred that could not be expressed in words. The aura around her silenced most of those chatting in the crowd to the point you could hear a pin drop.

To be honest The little gray pegasus didn't look to bad. The lavender dress matched the color of her mane and tail even discounting the blue gray stripe that ran though her hair.

Peach Blossom walked beside her in his dress military uniform though he gave the mare a few paces of space. Jer'rahd grins glad to see the colt wasn't stupid.

“Never thought I would see the day. Starfall in a dress? When was the last time that happened? That first Gala we went to? I don't remember you hating it so much then.” Rhede remarks snidely.

“Screw you Pelt.” Starfall mutters.

“Don't hate it too much Starfall, we have a bunch of friends and likely a few more weddings yet to come. “ Bleu snorts in amusement.

“So help me, next time Peach Blossom is wearing the dress.” Starfall snarls.

“I'll be fine with that if it means you don't act like you're gonna kill me if i try and compliment you on it.” Peach Blossom states, darting behind Rhede as Starfall glares at him.

“Look on the bright side Captain. At least she said there will be a next time.” Jer'rahd chuckles looking back up towards the end of the isle as the heavy thud of hooves on carpet fills the air.

Big Mac trots down the aisle with the determination of a farm stallion plowing a field. He had no swagger in his step but his motions and the way he carried himself along was not far off that of a Guards pony. Still, Jer'rahd could swear the stallions tux had enough material to make three suits for a normal pony.

Rainbow Dash on the other hoof was dwarfed by the stallion, she looked almost as upset as Starfall to be wearing the lavender dress. At the very least she didn't seem ready to murder some pony about it.

Rhede glances over to the bride's maids area smirking a little as he hears Starfall squee at the sight of Dash in the dress.

“Seems Spike's not the only one who has to worry, Starfall's probably already making plans.” Rhede chuckles.

“Trust me you don't want to know,” Peach Blossom sighs.

“You're the one who wanted to date her.” Jer'rahd smirks.

“Yeah well she's fine as long as Rainbow Dash doesn't get brought up.” Peach Blossom sighs. “That Wonderbolt's kid is less of a fan filly about Dash than Starfall.”

As soon as the words left his mouth the aforementioned filly, along with Apple Bloom and Sweetiebelle skip down the aisle throwing flowers, and in Scootaloo's case small sparks of green flame from her wing tips. Thankfully she had learned enough control not to set everything on fire, but at the same time that control seemed a bit strained when she was excited. Thankfully Granny Smith had prepared for this and hobbled along behind them on the carpet, spraying a few spots of char with a seltzer bottle before they caught fire fully.

The trio bounce along moving over with the brides maids as they reach the end of the isle. Granny smith simply nods and moves back to her spot with the crowd and sits down.

A much smaller patchwork colored colt emerges from the door dressed in what could have almost been a tux for a doll. He ignores a number of d'awws and marches with a form mimicking military precision. A lavender pillow with a silver ring in the middle of it is balanced perfectly on his head as he trots forward. Rhede raises an eyebrow looking at Jer'rahd who sighs.

“I didn't teach him that,“ Jer'rahd mutters.

Pipsqueek moves forward stopping by the other ponies stopping directly before Jer'rahd and saluting with the wrong hoof.

“Ring delivered and mission accomplished sir..” Pipsqueek states.

“Please stop calling me that. Call me Jer'rhad at the very least.” the gray unicorn sighs.

“As you say sir.” the small pony states again moving back by Spike.

Jer'rahd glares at Rhede who does his best not to snicker.

“Oh wow, he's just like you at that age... perfect.” Rhede chuckles.

“Stuff it Pelt.” Jer'rahd grumbles his ears perking as the music changes.

Jer'rahd looks up a wide smile crossing his face as he sees the tall form of the Princess of the Night emerge from the door. Luna's mane and tail were without their usual glow, she had changed them to the simple platinum blue that he rather liked though they were done up in a rather impressive style that looked more like something that Rarity would wear. It was a rather awe inspiring look for her, Jer'rahd couldn’t help to stare, something she evidently noticed as her cheeks flushed slightly.

The princess continues slowly down the isle, the lavender bridesmaid dress swishing lightly around her. Her horn glows holding the end of the massive train of the wedding gown of the figure before her.

Velkorn wore a dress that could have blinded Celestia, Bleu was quite correct that what she had done earlier was nothing compared to the bride. The trains and lace covering the mare both hid her form and showed it off with every step she took. Velkorn blushed a little under the wavy design her mane had been styled into and she clutched the violet bouquet closer to her chest as she approached. Half of the gown seemed to carry itself buoyed by the Princesses magic and whatever strange powers the white unicorn dress maker possessed.

Jer'rahd smirks glancing over at Rhede and lifting a hoof up to push his friends jaw back up off the floor.

“Never thought I would see the day where you of all ponies get tied down to one mare. Guess the days of Rhede the casanova are finally over.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

Rhede grins his eyes not leaving Velkorn. “Heh, took an exceptional mare, for that.”

Jer'rahd glances behind him as Celestia steps forward. To preside over the wedding. Jer'rahd shakes his head and moves away from Rhede off to the side as Velkorn steps up next to the red earth pony her hooves encased in silver slippers that seemed to shine with their own light.. He spares a glance to Luna who offers a smile that he returns. He glances over to the crowd at a series of cheers that are suddenly muffled as Twilight and Rarity struggle to silence the exuberant Pinkie.

Celestia coughs lightly for silence and gaining every ones attention before she starts the ceremony.

============================================================

[ Three years after the War of the Gods.]
[ Deep in the Everfree Forest ]

The raccoon screamed and thrashed as the fanged maw clamped down on it ripping it apart a limb at a time. When the animal finally went silent and stopped thrashing the creature tormenting it smacked it a few more times with a ragged claw to be sure and then ignored it, swallowing the little bit of meat it had peeled from the creature.

It's ears perk a little hearing several smaller members of it's kind fall on the corpse behind it as it walks away, devouring it messily, though it did not care. There was something lingering at the edge of it's mind, pulling it in a direction that it did not wish to go. Voices in it's head that wanted it to make the slobbering things that trailed behind build something.

Far back in it's mind it knew what was going on and was pissed off about it. That anger was the only part of that portion of it's mind that made it through. Anger, rage, hate, those emotions defined it now.

The large scared troll looked back at the smaller fellows that were eating it's last kill, the lesser trolls quickly took note of his attention and scattered out of sight. They knew from first claw experience that staying in the gnarled creatures view for long often made one of them his playthings for a time. Still trolls were attracted to power, and the scared one was the strongest many of them had ever seen.

The mottled gray and brown creature turns away again, his claws digging into the earth, twisted hairless form, looking clumsy as it moved with it's odd gait, but having surprising agility and speed.

Granted that agility was useless when taken by surprise.

A explosion of thunder sent the great troll flying forward, skidding across the ground, claws ripping up the soil and rock as it tried to right itself and stop it's forward momentum. It's back was scorched the patched fur of it's rear limbs flash burned off from the bolt of blue lightning that struck. It's scared face furrowed as it looked at the chard remains of it's followers, several of their body parts still raining from the sky as the after effects of the bolt echoed across the forest. It turned it's gaze skyward seeing the clear sky above it with not a cloud in sight, confused.

“Finally I have found you.” states a voice, with a soft chuckle that was devoid of humor, from the treeline.

The troll whirls, though it never completes it's turn before magic grips it, flinging it though the air and smashing it hard through several smaller trees before pinning it to a large, troll blood splattered, oak with the sound of splintering wood and bone..

A pale blue mare with a white mane and tail steps out from behind a tree. A purple star pointed hat covered in yellow and silver stars rested atop her head and a gaudy cloak of the same make covered her back, a bulge on either side hinting at a pair of saddle bags underneath The unicorn glares at the troll from under the brim of her hat, lavender eyes burning brightly.

“It took me nearly a year to recover from what you did to me. The physical pain was nothing, the conditioning and abuse was the worst to break. The nightmares, those took even longer to shake free of.”

The mare growls pulling the troll away from the tree ,yanking him through another series of smaller trees and smashing him into a large rock before pinning him back to the bloodied oak.

”Ponies I once considered my enemies helped me, they asked nothing and helped me because I needed it. My greatest rival even offered up her home and her job in Ponyville so I would not have to travel while I recovered. Do you have any idea what that feels like? Any idea what it's like for some one you hated to do that sort of thing for you? I found that the hardest thing of all to deal with.”

Trixie growls moving closer to the pinned troll the creature flailing,bloodied and broken limbs taking too long to heal from the violent attack, it drags it's claws against the tree trying to get away from the magic holding it.

“I would have turned her down flat, taken my chances of having a break down on the road somewhere rather than feel indebted to that mare.” Trixie turns around slowly her cloak flipping up a little as she moves away from the troll.” But you took that from me too. The ability to even live on my own any more. I was forced to over came my problems with her, because I had to.”

Trixie sighs laughing softly a lance of light shooting from her horn and dissolving a troll that was trying to sneak up on her. She did not even pay the pile of ash any mind, or even glance at it as she passed, her focus on the troll against the tree.

“It took me far too long to find you and I am not even sure you are still in there any more Claymore. Though I pray to the stars that there is a small piece of you left behind in this beastly thing. Some small part that can hear me and understand what I am saying before I remove it's taint from this world for good.”

Trixie pauses looking back at her cloak. The cloth moving on it's own. The edge of it is lifted by tiny hooves, and a white unicorn foal with light a light blue mane pokes it's head out of Trixie's saddle bag looking around with a small yawn.

Trixie sighs looking back at the little foal with a soft smile which the tiny pony returns. The mare looks back up at the troll and the foal whimpers hiding partially under the edge of the cloak peering up at the monster it just noticed with big brown eyes.

The troll stares down at the mare and the foal, dark brown eyes narrowing.

“Meet your son Claymore. His name is Trevor. Trevor say hello to daddy.” Trixie states with enough venom to kill a wind serpent.

The foal says nothing sinking a little deeper into the saddlebag until only his horn and eyes are visible tiny ears flat against his head.

“Now say good bye.” Trixie snarls turning to focus on the troll fully.

“Bye bye.” Trevor chimes dropping back fully into the saddle bag.

Trixie's eyes flare white as her horn flashes brightly. The energy gripping the troll begins to constrict snapping bone and rending tendon and flesh to powder as the large troll is slowly compacted with the force of the unicorns magic. No blood falls, no flesh tears free, it all simply grows smaller and smaller and more compact until it what was once a cart sized troll is little more than a the size of a foals marble. Trixie sneers at it and the compacted wad of flesh and bone bursts into flame burning away like a candle wick until nothing remained, not even ash.

Trixie stares at the spot for a good while feeling Trevor poke his head back out of the saddlebag. She exhales a long breath before her horn's glow fades and deflates a little her ears flattening to her head.

“That was far less satisfying than Trixie thought it would be. What is Trixie supposed to do now?”

“Cuppyca?” Trevor calls out waving a tiny hoof out of the bag.

Trixie blinks looking back at the foal and smiling slightly.

“Yes, well that is better than anything I was coming up with. Let's go see if your auntie Pinkie Pie has some made.”

“Pinny pi!” Trevor gurgles gleefully as the pair turn away from the blood splattered section of forest heading back towards Ponyville.

===================================================================

[Six months after the War of the Gods]
[ Blue Blood Estate]

Prince Blueblood sighs looking over the damage to his home again with a small curse. This was not how it was supposed to be.

His manor was in squalor, half collapsed, with the lawn and many of the outbuildings torn up and burned by the conflict. He was expected to live in this filth as well, since all the hotels that were undamaged were made available for the peasants who had lost the hovels they lived in.

He supposed he could have easily diverted some of the workers repairing the city to work solely on his manor, though given the state of things that would be a bad idea. With the state the city was in even the Princesses were refusing to have their home repaired until their subjects were safe and secure, if he or any other nobles did otherwise their already tenuous standing would likely be lost to a mob of angry ruffians or even severed by the Princesses themselves.

It was no secret that Luna did not like the noble houses. Only a fool or one sure of themselves would even seek an audience with her. Celestia was little better as of late, though it was no small surprise given all of what had happened he considered. She was easy to manipulate before even in her own court, but now she did not even bother to listen. Things were done her way. Period. If the nobles did not like it and did not have a better suggestion they needed to suck it up.

Most would do just that particularly when Blueblood let the rumor slip that they were still looking for changeling infiltrators, and arguing over the rebuilding would likely make the Guards consider investigation. While the Royal Guard was uniformly considered window dressing for the court before, after the battle the Guards that remained were nothing of the sort. And the two units hunting changelings in the city, the Guard from the Crystal Empire and the 42nd answered to no one but the Princesses and had proven themselves not only unbribeable, but utterly ruthless in their search.

Blueblood was spared the attention's of this lot simply because Celestia knew he started the rumor, and despite her dislike from his actions, the mercenaries had been a unexpected boon, and the castle may not have held with out them.

He was officially reprimanded for disobeying her of course, but it was mostly show as she had other things to do besides yell at someone who's actions, though illegal, helped.

Thankfully she had not put together the real reason he hired them and was content to let the survivors remain on his payroll to aid the guards. He created a list as well of certain servants of his who had gone missing on the night of the conflict, heavily implicating them as changelings and forcing some of the other blame off onto Fancypants.

At the moment all of his subordinates who knew what had been done were either dead, or 'missing' Something he had made sure of, just as he made sure the changeling that was found really was Fancypants.

The former nobles property was raided and damning evidence was found by the Guards. Something else that made him look good in the eyes of Celestia and the Royal Court. Failure had turned out to advance him almost as much as success. Little had gone according to plan, but none the less, it all worked out for him. Granted he was not entirely convinced Scarlet was gone until he saw the body himself. Despite others claims she was dead he fully expected her to show up again.

He trotted back towards one of the outbuildings that was marginally intact. Not the best place to stay, but the small three story building had belonged to his former head servant. The 'missing' stallion would never use it again so he made due as best he could.

“Excuse me. Are you Blueblood?”

Blueblood sighs wishing at the very least he could get some pony to repair the wall, or even the gate around his home. News ponies had been wandering in and out like his home was an all night diner for months now. And the gall of even needing to ask who he was... wait , why would a news pony be here without knowing who he was?

Blueblood turns looking back at the unicorn stallion behind him. The gray pony looked as if he had seen better days and a rather large bandage was covering his side. A ragged amber blond mane grew wild on his head and one red and one green eye stared at him from under that mop.

Blueblood was about to yell for the Guards expecting the hobo esk looking pony to attempt to mug him when he took note of the slightly curved double blade hanging from the ponies side marked with the patch of Luna's Royal Guard sewn onto it. He decided for discretion in this instance, the last thing he needed was for a over worked Guard to raise a fuss about him. Still something about this pony unnerved him greatly and he had to suppress a desire to try and be any where else as fast as possible.

“Errr, yes, I am, is there something I can.... help you with?”

“Nothing directly, just rather wanted to meet a member of the family who actually had a pair enough to do something right for a change.” the pony shrugs.

“Umm excuse me?”

“Hmm, oh right introductions. I'm still getting used to ponies not knowing me and running the other way. My name is Jer'rahd Kaisur, I suppose I’m one of your distant ancestors or something. Not sure on the actual linage this far along however.”

Blueblood blinks processing all the information he was being given. Of course he knew who Kaisur was, there was not a soul from here to Vanhoover who had not heard the rant with the absurd list of titles behind it. This pony had shouted at the goddess who wrecked Canterlot and actually sought to fight her, he was being called a hero by some and a mad stallion by others. It was also well known that he was one of the group along with the Element Bearers who saved the city as well, the details were a bit sketchy in that regard, but both Princesses confirmed it. His name was also at the top of the list involving a not so secret Guard training program that began a while back that produced the now feared but respected 42nd. Still what would he want? Oh, of course.... family member.

“I am sorry, but I doubt I can spare any funds for you, most of my money is going into the restoration of the city, perhaps the Princess might be able to help one of your statue....”

“What? Oh no, I should have guessed you would assume that though. Trust me bits are not an issue.” Jer'rahd interrupts.

Blue blood stares for a heartbeat, completely thrown off track. “Err then what exactly did you want?”

“I don't want anything from you. I'm just rather surprised that it took more than a thousand years for another family member not to be a worthless sack of shit. Keep doing things like this and I might start to think your side of my family might deserve at least half the praise they think they should get.”

“That is a rather back hooved compliment.”

“You don't know what your ancestors did to me, If your acting like this then I might not need to make good on my plan to wipe out the Blueblood line to a foal.”

Blue blood was about to chuckle, with the rather dark joke when he noticed the serious expression on the pony and his blood ran cold.

“Err yes well, glad to have eased your mind on that. I hate to cut this short... but ...”

“That's fine, I should probably get back to the hospital anyway before my doctor has a fit. Celestia seems to think I should reforge bonds with the family I have that's still around. Don't worry though I prefer to stay away from the bickering nobles get to. Still, let me know if you need help with something, might be the least I can do for showing me that even complete scum might turn out a decent pony every so often.” Jer'rahd smirks baring a set of fangs that made Blueblood even more skittish.

“Yes. Thank you, I shall keep that in mind, though I am doubtful I will need assistance from you. I am sure your skills will be much better used with the Guard. “ Blueblood stammers. “Good day, I hope you recover soon then.”

The gray unicorn nods heading back down the path towards the gate and Blue Blood couldn't help breath a massive sigh of relief and had to stop himself from galloping away to the house.

That creature was terrifying. He had heard rumors, even before the battle, but to meet him directly. That pony was a monster that should be destroyed as soon as possible, not allowed to run free, and definitely not allowed to train new Guards. Still there was no way to do anything about him, both the Princesses considered him one of the heroes of the battle and every pony in Equestria knew his face thanks to that damned blue alicorn.

Blueblood grumbles trotting back towards the house, eager to get some where safe. He had just trotted up to his door, his horn starting to glow to open it when the door was flung open. A pair of black clad hooves reached out and yanked him bodily inside, smashing him roughly against a wall a blade pressing to his neck as his face was ground into the wood paneling.

“Bout time you got back, for a uninjured pony you are slow as a shit after a cheese bender.” a rough voice growls behind him. “ About as useful too.”

Blueblood winces his horn starting to glow as he prepared a teleport spell to get away though the blade leaves his neck and smacks his horn sending a shooting pain through his head as the spell is nullified before it even begins, barely a heartbeat later the blade is pressed back to his throat as he whimpers.

“None of that now. Just stand there and listen colt, this won't take long.” the voice states running the flat of the blade against the unicorns neck. “We know what you did. We know who you were working with.”

Blue blood swallows.” What are you GAH!!!” the unicorn cries out as his horn is slapped with the blade flat again, the feed back burrowing into his head. He couldn't even think about magic without pain, what the buck was this pony hitting him with?

“We said listen. Not talk. One. We know all about the deal you made with Scarlett. Turning into a god doesn't remove the scars you had before, so we tracked down the doctor who could have fixed a mares face. Easy enough to do, though some one had made sure he had an accident. Still the good doctor was kind enough to leave a paper trail. Your account paid for a reconstructive surgery on a burn victim matching Scarlet's description. Two. Fancypants was more than willing to come clean on what happened in the garden. Imagine our surprise to find you were there personally with a number of prisoners who were freed that night. Don't bother trying to deny it or say something silly like the information won't hold up in court. Or that Fancypants is dead. Do you really think this would make it to court or we don't have ways of making even the dead spill their guts? Of course not, you would simply wake up one day and find all of your holdings liquidated and your family line branded traitors to Equestria. And once you watch everything you know and care for brought down to ruins around you. Then, and only then would we kill you. And no pony would care or shed a single tear for the loss, hell, they might even give us a medal, we don't have many of those.”

Blueblood trembles his eyes wide in the near darkness of the room. The small house was boarded up as even though it had not received much damage many of the windows had been shattered by the rain boom and needed to be covered with boards. The room was nearly pitch black and the only thing he could see of his attacker was the hilt of a ragged dagger of some odd dark metal and the black fur of his foreleg.

“You are in luck however little pony, that we still find you useful. Keep your wits about you and don't press you luck and you might live long enough to see old age. The current infrastructure does not need another blow to it, revealing your actions would send a number of ripples that we would prefer to avoid right now. We would suggest doubling up on your charitable donations for a time however. Make no mistake, we will be watching you, and if you slip up or try anything even close to this again, they will never find ALL of your body.”

Blueblood yelps as his head is slammed into the wall driving his horn into the wood. The blade leaves his neck and he falls back to the floor with a wince his horn quickly lighting his horn up, despite the pain, to show nothing more than an empty room.

=============================================================
[
Six months after the War of the Gods]
[ Outside of the Blue Blood Estate]

“I don't like this Rhede.” Jer'rahd states walking down the road seemingly talking to himself.

A shadow nearby smiles and chuckles lightly.

“You keep saying that Jer, I think I get the point.” Rhede laughs.

“I never did like this cloak and dagger crap you pull, you should have let me just kill him and be done with it. Simpler and cleaner in the long run”

The shadow moves and Rhede steps out of it, stretching lightly as if working out a few kinks.

“If you killed him we might never know how many were in on the conspiracy. Right now he's off guard and probably looking to find a scape goat to pin things on. We keep an eye on him and see who he meets with then track them. Simple crap. Honestly I think you are more upset with having to play nice with him.”

“I coulda ripped his throat out six times during that conversation and made the world a better place each time.”

“Yep, that's why you're mad. If it makes you feel any better you made him wanna soil himself. We could take him out, but then the majority of the control of the family goes to the next eldest male. Blueblood had enough accidents happen to his family that he's the only male of direct linage left. Well except you of course. You want to be in charge of the Bluebloods?”

“Only if I could foist that nobility crap to some pony else at the earliest convenience.”

“Which you couldn't do. So , there yah go, another reason to keep him alive, one that benefits you directly too. “ Rhede laughs at Jer'rahd's grumbling. “Here's another benefit, the work out you would have gotten killing him would be enough to piss Velkorn and Luna off at both of us. They only let you out because I promised not to let you do anything strenuous.”

“Killing a limp hooved noble is relaxing entertainment, not a strenuous activity.” Jer'rahd growls.

“Jeez, violent, no wonder your blood pressure always reads high Jer.”

================================================

[ Four years after the War of the Gods]
[ The Gates of Tartarus]

“Are you sure about this Sparkle, this is rather close to New Canterlot for a portal to a nether realm.” Jer'rahd grumbles pushing past some shrubbery.

“Twilight's memory is quite clear, the gate is close we are quite near.” Zecora states glancing back at the strange group that was following her.

Zecora trotted ahead of the group with Jer'rahd right behind her clearing a path through some of the underbrush with his blade. Princess Luna followed him with both Twilight and Princess Celestia bringing up the rear. Bleu and Starfall were back at base camp along with a rather sizable contingent of Guards from both the Crystal empire and the 42nd, all of them were on standby waiting for a signal from the advance force in case something went wrong.

None of the ponies approaching the gate were quite sure what the Ferry Mare would do, both Twilight and Celestia had seen that she allowed the release of Chrysalis, Jer'rahd claimed that she had something to do with the battle though neither he nor the Beast could say what that had been for certain. Jer'rahd however could sense Troth's excitement, neither of them knew what Mirth had meant when she said to find the Ferry Mare, though this was the first chance they had to find out.

Jer'rahd was a little confused about Zecora's presence here, though both Luna and Celestia insisted she come despite even the zebra's protests, claiming they wanting to cover all options in case something went wrong.

Granted with the sheer amount of power, both magical and physical that was with in this small group, if the Ferry Mare was a threat, she wouldn't be for long.

Zecora pushed past a last row of bushes before freezing in place, Jer'rahd side steps and moves up beside her weapon at the ready with Luna flanking him on the other side of the zebra. Jer'rahd lowers his weapon with a light whistle as Twilight and Celestia trot up beside them to look over the clearing before the rock crevasse that housed the door to Tartarus.

Graves filled the field before the gate.

Most were little more than stone blocks, devoid of a name or even a rest in peace, though a great many more had names as well as what seemed to be a date of birth and two dates for death. Twilight crouches down looking over one of them curiously.

“What language is this?” It seems familiar, but I don't recognize it.” Twilight mutters.

“This one is different. It looks, more like claw marks, but it's in a stylized pattern.” Jer'rahd responds.” Troth says it's Harpy though he doesn't know it.”

“These are all new stones, something horrid happened here, I can feel that in my bones.” grumbles Zecora.

“Jer'rahd. This one is in ancient dragon, you can still read that, correct?” Luna questions.

Jer'rahd moves over to the stone the Princess indicated running his gaze over it curiously as the others crowded around him.

“Rest with the stars, Steelwing the Jadetail. Hatched 1217 4A , Died 1801 4A, laid to rest 11409 4A” Jer'rahd reads aloud.

“Rather long gap between died and laid to rest.” Celestia mutters. “Though i am not sure what 4A even means.”

“It Is ThE fOuRtH aGe. ThErE aRe MaNy WaYs OnE cAn Be CoNcIdErEd DeAd, RuLeR oF pOnIeS.” a haunting voice states. The click of bones faintly heard as a cloaked figure trots towards them from among the graves.” tRuSt Me WhEn I sAy It Is A hOrRiFiC tHiNg To DiE bUt nOt Be DeAd.”

**************************************************************************

Discord pops onto the screen with Pinkie Pie swinging from his neck and a little black rabbit sitting on his head.

“We interrupt this part of the fanfic to inform you that the author has decided to be a lazy little SOB...”Discord begins, ignoring the rabbit kicking him on the head.”... and as such he shall not be typing out the Ferrymare's unusual speech pattern for the remainder of this scene, because as he put it ' this is way to damn much work for this overly talky bit.' end quote.”

“Yep so if the change of speech throws you off just blame the rabbit.” Pinkie chirps in ignoring the mentioned rabbit glaring at her.

“We now return you to our regularly scheduled fanfic, already in progress!” Discord chimes yanking the fic to the next page and back to the scene in the graveyard.

*****************************************************************************

Jer'rahd and Luna both dart to the sides suddenly, the pair of them having the cloaked figure flanked and both were ready to strike before the Ferry Mare even finished her statement.

Twilight and Celestia on the other hoof managed to avoid tripping over each other as they both moved for the same cover at once.

Zecora simply blinks remaining where she was, rather annoyed at the groups antics.

>“Oh do relax, if I had wanted to do anything to you I would have already done it. I expected you quite some time ago, of course that was assuming you survived.”< the Ferry Mare states. >”Do not damage the graves, they took me far too long to dig and carve on my own.”<

“I would think Cerberus would be well suited to helping you dig.” Celestia states, annoyed at the figures tone of indifference to the situation.

>“His grave took me even longer to dig. There were more trolls than we could properly deal with.”< The Ferry mare responds back trotting away from them. >“Come now, leave the dead their rest.”<

“While this is a slightly distasteful question I fear, exactly who or what, else is buried here?” Zecora questions following along. Both Luna and Jer'rahd move along as well though the pair both take a position between the mare and the others, the flickers of a green and blue still lighting their horns and Jer'rahds sheathed blade.

>“Trolls and a few changelings. Creatures who succumbed to the darkness of Orbsah or the Love Cursed Queen's power without even realizing it. I can see their names and their stories as easily as my own hooves..or what is left of them. Though some had neither and were likely born into the cursed existence that they were removed from.”< The Ferry mare states finally stopping by a glowing portal set back into the rocks. >“Go ahead and ask your questions Pony Princess. You will not like my answers and they will not change anything regardless.”<

Celestia frowns her mane sparking a little, though the pressure of Twilight's hoof against her side calms her a little. “Why did you allow the escaped Prisoners to enter Tartarus and retrieve the books?”

>“Because I knew that the Seventh's location would be revealed if all the books were brought together again. I was the one who made sure that Nocturne knew of the books location and even how to use them and avoid returning to a statue when she woke in the garden.”<

“Why would you do that?” Twilight asks.

>“The Seventh needed to be stopped, but she would not reveal herself until conditions were favorable for her. I sought to make them favorable enough for her to appear, so that she could be removed. The Love Cursed Queen was part of that, she was meant to destroy the Seventh. All the rage and hate that she held for that one made her a perfect weapon.”<

“That was a risky plan, foolish even.” Luna growls. “ The queen turned her attention onto us rather than Avaiana. She could have destroyed or enslaved everyone.”

>“A fitting punishment for those of same creation as the one who started this. Yours is a weak race, destined to be over come by things stronger than yourself or crowd yourself around power. Even your strongest are shadows dependent on others. Of course it is not as if I had not given your kind aid as well. If not for my actions you would not even be a goddess mare.”<

“You were the reason I became a god of the ponies? Why?” Celestia states her eyes narrowing in disbelief.

>”You were an apex predator, pony. The only prey that was above you was the one you needed to kill, a corpulent slug, tainted by the books even then. I gave you the power and watched as you kowtowed in subservience to what you should have destroyed. Had I known you were that weak you would have never gained anything from me. At the very least you showed again why I thought you a predator when you finally did what you were supposed to and removed the seventh. Quite the display.”<

“Do you even care about the lives that your plan cost, how many suffered because of what you did?” Twilight snaps.

>”Do you care about what I have lost? What I had to give up to ensure that you had a chance to be born and live long enough to complain to me?”<

“I find it hard to believe you are supposed to represent the Element of Kindness.” Jer'rahd growls.

The Ferry Mare turns as if seeing him for the first time though the skeletal face under the hood seems to pull back in a grin.

>”I was never Kindness, how that became my Element I shall never know. I was the Wild, pony. Primal nature at it's fullest, the savagery of the land, the circle of life, the uncaring wilderness. Kindness Compassion? I may have showed these to some then , but that was not what I was. Only the strongest survive the wild, pony. You have proven yourselves to be the strongest this time, but that means nothing if you cannot keep that strength when something tests it.”<

The Ferry Mare's glowing eyes narrow, as she looks from Jer'rahd then back to Luna.

“But that is something you should not know. You are tainted, less than most, but I can sense it, what did the books tell you pony? Did they want you to destroy me? Did they tell you that it could happen? I can no more be destroyed than they can. I cannot even find a final rest to be with those I have lost. All I have left is the conflict with Orbsah. Most of my power remains with the trinkets forged, but as you have seen, I am not powerless.”<

Jer'rahd blinks tilting his head a little his ears shifting as if he's listening to something else.

“That makes sense, so we need to get the other Bearers, no? Well what then?....... will that work?” Jer'rahd mutters to himself. “Alright I’ll try that, though I am not sure if I can pronounce it right. What? Fine, you do it then.”

The Ferry Mare gives him a curious glance though before she can say anything Jer'rahd closes his eyes a few shadows dancing around his neck as he states something that sounded half like a growl and partially like the chirping of crickets cranked up to painful decibels. He pauses suddenly coughing and rubbing his throat in pain, the skeletal mare simple staring at him, her bone jaw agape.

“Ow, damn that hurt.....” Jer'rahd coughs. “Damn dragon, I didn't think you were gonna rip open my own throat for that.”

“Kaisur what was that supposed to be?” Celestia fusses glaring at the gray unicorn.

“Jer'rahd are you alright?” Luna questions looking past the Ferry Mare to the coughing pony.

“I'm fine.... I’ll explain it in a moment... gah... feels like I swallowed a broken shot glass.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

>“Troth.....”<

“What?” Twilight states yelping as the Ferry Mare rushes forward suddenly her cloak barely having time to flap from the sudden rush.

Jer'rahd manages to lift his head though he was unable to form a shield or draw his blade before the skeletal pony was on him. His eyes widen as her face pressed to his, one skeletal foreleg wrapped around the back of his neck holding him to her with a unexpected strength.

Everyone stood in shock for a heartbeat as Jer'rahd starts to flail. Zecora was not sure what was going on as the mare's back was to her blocking Jer'rahd from view.

Luna however, growls loudly and flattened her ears to her head leaping into the air and diving at the mare. Just before she hit, the skeletal pony lept away from Jer'rahd sending the stallion tumbling to the ground and allowing Luna to slam into the ground between them smashing the stone ground to rubble. Dark blue light flares around her horn as the ground turns to dust from the impact of her landing fully, the motes of rock swirling up around her as her horn grows brighter.

“BACK AWAY FROM HIM HARLOT!”Luna snarls.

Zecora dives to the side a soft red glow flicking in her hair as she tries to remain hidden and prepare a spell. Celestia and Twilight's horn's also flare up as the Ferry Mare chuckles, watching Luna spread out her wing to try and obscure Jer'rahd from view.

“Kaisur are you alright?” Celestia shouts debating on what to cast, or if she should just burn the skeletal mare where she stood.

“ah kabn't fee my wips.”Jer'rahd mutters.

“What?” Twilight questions.

“He said he cannot feel his lips, this trollop stole a kiss most foul” Luna rants.

>”I could accuse you of the same Pony goddess. What he has was mine first, and we are married unlike you and his host.”<

Twilight slaps a hoof to her face as Zecora groans in annoyance at a small chuckle from Celestia.

“Geez..... and I thought Applejack was overly protective of Fluttershy. She's got nothing on you Princess.” Twilight snarks.

Luna blushes, though she remains standing protectively over Jer'rahd until he gets back on his hooves.

“Well that had unexpected results. Troth's all bubbly now too and I feel like I kissed an ice cube. I am vaguely creeped out by both of those things.”

“Explanations would be nice, though I do not need to know more about kissing ice.” Zecora states.

>”The host spoke Troth's pet name for me in a long dead language. Once I looked directly at the host I could sense Troth past the radiant auras of you all to his.”< the Ferry Mare visibly shivers at the thought. >”After so long apart being this close I could not restrain.....What is the meaning of this? How is it even possible?”<

“Oh good so you are Grace. Well that takes care of most of my agreement.” Jer'rahd grumbles. “ Now the hard part.”

The skeletal mare stares at him as he explains.

=============================================================

[One month after the War of the Gods]
[Canterlot Hospital]

Jer'rahd watches as Luna sets up a small table next to his bed, placing a rather impressive chess board of of sapphire and onyx atop of it. The figures were of the same material though rather simply carved. Jer'rahd lifts up a black knight gently in his hoof, looking it over before glancing back to Luna.

“What's all this?”

“Considering as long as we have known each other, we have never played. Velkorn is still adimate that you do not move until your side heals up fully, and neither you nor Twilight have full access to your magic just yet either. This is about all that you are allowed to do.” Luna responds.

“I'm fine. Really.....”

“So you say, though it is a grievous wound dealt by a god, tis not something that can be ignored. Besides any pony with eyes can tell that it is not healing properly.” Luna responds.

“So it's gonna scar... no surprise there. Don't suppose you find that sort of thing attractive?” Jer'rahd smirks.

“Perhaps.” Luna chuckles. ” But it will need to heal first before I can decide if I like the look or not, so until then you stay here and rest.”

“Great, Rhede gets poisoned and Bleu nearly gets cut in half and they are up running about already. I get a oversized paper cut and I'm still bedridden.” Jer'rahd sighs shifting a single piece on the board starting the game.

“Neither Bleu nor Rhede are doing anything physical, we all know you would go right back into training the moment you were allowed to move.” Luna shifts a piece settling down to play.

“I can't recall the last time I played... You don't cheat like Celestia do you?” Jer'rahd questions shifting uncomfortably as Luna glares at him before moving another piece.” I'll take that as a no.”

“Celestia does not play the game properly, she uses it as a tool and while I cannot fault her for that, it defeats any enjoyment one can derive from it.” Luna states over the click of another move.

“I can understand that.” Jer'rahd clicks another move taking note of how serious Luna seems to be taking this game.

After a time he briefly wondered if he should throw the game, let her have a win, with all that had happened she might need it. The longer the game progressed the less he was willing to give up. She was good, and he was starting to enjoy the counters and set ups she was preforming If he intentionally lost she would know. Trust the Princess not to be an amateur. Still how intent she was taking this worried him a little. They played in silence for a time with only the click of the pieces on the board and the

“Check.” Luna states seeming to be a little hesitant about the statement. Jer'rahd sighs moving a bishop into position that removed the check, but would sacrifice the bishop, still if she took it....

Luna traces her eyes over the board moving a knight to take the bishop.

Jer'rahd smiles slightly moving his other bishop half way across the board to the path opened by the knight's move. “Check.”

Luna blinks then smiles softly. “For a moment there I thought you were going to give up and let me win.”

“I was.”

“Don't. Do not even consider doing that Jer'rahd. Play this to win as if your future depended on it, because it does.”

“The board going to blow up if I lose?”

Luna blinks turning her head a little. “That came out a little more serious than I intended.”

Jer'rahd raises a brow at the tone of the Princess as she moves her Princess from check by shifting a pawn forward. Something else was wrong here and he wanted to know what, he doubted he would get an answer however while there was still a game.

The room again lapsed into silence save for the click of the pieces, Jer'rahd was forced to move them by hoof or mouth as his head still hurt when he tried to cast after he burnt out. He was not sure how long these pieces had been in storage but he could taste the wax they had been sealed in.

“Check” Luna states prompting another sacrifice by Jer'rahd. Although he lost his Prince the move lost Luna both her Rooks and placed her Princess in check again.

“Check.” Jer'rahd utters, still worried about Luna's command. Was there something about the game itself?

“I will have my knight returned.” Luna orders moving a pawn to the end of the board. Jer'rahd chuckles replacing the onyx knight and moving the transformed pawn.

“I'll have my Prince back, and check.” Jer'rahd retorts sliding the sapphire pawn into the last square on the board.

Luna frowns moving her Princess from it's starting point.

The game continued with more pieces leaving the table until only a hoof full were left on either side.

Luna had her Princess, both knights and two pawns remaining. Jer'rahd had his Princess, a Bishop a Rook, a Knight, and a single Pawn.

He looked over the board taking note of a few strategy’s he could take though most of those would end in a draw.

“Play to win hmm? Well all or nothing I suppose.” he mutters moving his Princess.

Luna narrowed her eyes seeming to be trying to consider what he was doing though she made her next few moves following a strategy that Jer'rahd recognized. He sacrificed his bishop, though took one of her knights, He gave up his rook in order to get his pawn into a position to move to the end of the board. Luna was forced to change up her strategy each time he moved his Princess across the board, with the pieces she still had it would be easy for her to pin his princess and put him in check mate. So long as he kept it moving she would have to readjust. With this many pieces left, the game would often end as a stalemate as neither would have enough left to put the Princess in Checkmate. Luna however rarely moved her princess unless she had too, that kept the figure on the back line. He smirks slightly moving his princess to the third line leaving it staring across a single grid square at her princess.

Luna narrows her eyes finally seeing what he was doing and sent her knight to try and place his king in check. She would have him in two moves. Though it was over now as he pushed his pawn into the last square on the board.

“Make it a prince. And check mate.”

Luna flattens her ears looking over the board in annoyance. The new prince would force her to move her Princess though if she moved left or right she was still in the Prince's line of attack and if she moved forward away from the end of the board Jer'rahd's Princess would have her. Luna opens her mouth to say something though bites her tongue a little before uttering it.

“You did tell me to play to win.”

“That I did. Though I shall refrain from what I was going to say to avoid another disaster.” Luna nods a smile starting to cross her face.

“Want to tell me what this is all about? You wanted to play for fun then got all serious.”

“I have a reason for that.” Luna states flatly beginning to replace all the pieces on the board.

“Well do tell Princess, cause it's bugging me.”

Luna smirks looking at him, before leaning over and kissing him deeply.

“You defeated a Valkyrie in combat of her choosing.” Luna smirks.” I'll let you figure out what that means. For now I need to depart to attended to things.”

Luna gathers smiles heading to the door stopping briefly to glance back at the stunned unicorn.

“Please do not allow Bleu to eat any of those pieces.”

===========================================================

[Five days after the war of the gods.]
[Ruins of Canterlot]

The ground buckles and tears, cobblestone being pulled up from the earth as a whole mass. The dirt and dust fell about the dark alicorn like rain though her eyes remained focused, her horn glowing brightly as she lifted the massive slab of ground.

A zebra and a yellow pegasus were in the hole before she had even fully ripped the top off the street. The still forms of a filly and a colt lay in the storm water drain huddled about one another. Even with the crack of rock and the sounds ponies and Guards across the streets she could hear the soft whimpering. A small rat stood on a chunk of rock looking down into the hole then up at the alicorn as she flung aside the street dropping down into the storm water drain herself while Velkorn checked over the two small ponies.

[“They are alive, but barely, malnourished and dehydrated as well as suffering from exposure, but they are alive.”] Velkorn mutters pulling the cloak from her back and wrapping the pair in it as Luna gently lifts them out of the hole wrapped in the cloak.

“GET THEM TO THE HOSPITAL AT ONCE.” Luna declares placing the pair onto a gurney in the back of a flying chariot. The pegasus puller hesitates long enough for Velkorn to climb aboard as well before taking off into the air.

Luna watches them leave glancing to the rat then to a hundred or so other small animals bouncing around the ruins of the city.

“Five days later and we are still finding ponies alive in the rubble.” Luna sighs. “Astounding.”

“I... I am sorry I didn't think to ask before Princess we might have saved others if I asked when we first started searching.” Fluttershy mutters.

“Nay, that they were willing to help yet again is a boon I shall not question.” Luna sighs. “Have they said anything else?”

Fluttershy looks around at the animals gathering about her. Several other rats squeak a few things, a Squirrel and a couple of birds start chirping.

“Umm the mice found a few bodies and a couple of changeling pods in the basement of that building over there.” Fluttershy reports.

“And the birds?”

“They hear noises from a warehouse a block over, though they aren’t sure about what is making it.”

Luna nods and a pair of Wonderbolt's who had been standing nearby salute the Princess and fly off to relay the information to the rescue teams.

“And the fox, what does he say?” Luna questions.

Fluttershy looks at the fox who was making all sorts of noises and bouncing around on his back legs .

“Oh I don't repeat what Mr. Fox says.... he has Tourettes.”

Angel Bunny tugs on Fluttershy's leg pointing to a rather large sewer rat that was trying to get the pegasus's attention. Fluttershy leans closer listening to the chittering her eyes widening. “Oh my goodness, where is it? Of course thank you.”

“What is it?”

“Mr. Rat says there's a changeling nest in the sewers in front of the library and there's evidently a sizable swarm in there.” Fluttershy reports. “Though most of them seem hurt.”

Luna narrows her eyes. “GUARDS! TO ME.”

======================================================

[ Two months after the War of the Gods.]
[ New Canterlot construction site]

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia look down out Luna's bedchambers at the top of a crumbling tower held up by scaffolding in what remained of Canterlot Castle. The placement offered them a perfect view of the rebuilding process in both Canterlot and Ponyville.

The floating island had come to rest partially looming over the smaller town and one of the first things Celestia had done was make sure the fallen mountain top was not going to topple onto the recovering city below.

A group of Pony and Diamond Dog engineers had inspected the foundations only to find the island itself was locked into place, some how bonded to the very bed rock in a way that one of them likened to cloth being stitched together. While none of them had ever seen anything like it, all of them agreed that the fallen city was not going anywhere.

Once that was out of the way Celestia and Luna both had ordered the rebuilding processes to start with private homes and emergency services, completely refusing any work to be done on the castle until every other ponies home was repaired.

At the suggestion of Twilight and Rhede a massive staircase was carved into the rock leading from Canterlot down to Ponyville. A great stone arch was raised over the bottom of the stair well, carved with the names of all the Ponies and others who lost their lives in the conflict so they would not be forgotten and that they would be there to watch over those that remained.

There was also talk about joining the town and the city into one and calling it New Canterlot. This was an idea that was growing in popularity, and the few protests against it, or for rebuilding at the top of the Maneterhorn again, were rather weak and easily drowned out by those in favor.

Still even a short two months after it's fall ,the city was starting to return to normal.

“Have you heard from Cadence and Shining yet sister?” Luna states breaking the silence between the two.

“No, not since Shining requested Major Rose and several others return to the Empire to begin training the Guard there in case of an attack by Sombra and Chrysalis. Have Kaisur and his ponies found anything yet?”

“We have found a few things, though they were mostly due to Fluttershy's animals and the actions of General Starfall, and Captain's Lion Heart and Peach Blossom. Jer'rahd has not been allowed to leave the hospital yet. Something he is quite unhappy about. The wounds he received from Silver Claw are mostly healed though Velkorn won't let him leave until the stitches are removed.” Luna smirks.” She denies it, but I suspect she is stalling at their removal. Since she is the only expert of divine medicine there is, all the other doctors are deferring to her in this instance.”

“It would serve him right.” Celestia smirks. “What was found?”

“A nest of changelings in one of the storm drains that avoided destruction under Canterlot. There were about forty some changelings and eighteen pods. We rescued the ponies in the pods and they should make a full recovery though it was the hive itself that was of interest.”

“How so?”

“Most of the Changelings were injured, the few that were unhurt were either trying to treat the others or defend them from us. Velkorn likened it to a primitive field hospital, she took control of it almost immediately and is using it to study changeling medicine. The whole area is surrounded by Crystal Pony Guards and we have a number of the star metal rods on hoof to test for any trying to escape. So far though they have been content to remain as they are.”

“I suppose they are out of Chrysalis’s control here. Still we cannot keep them down there.” Celestia sighs.

“Your student is working on that. She has spent much of her time there as well citing something about a final project.” Luna mutters.” Do you have any idea what that is about?”

“She wishes to graduate from being my student.”Celestia ,mutters with practiced annoyance and humor at her students mindset. “She claims it would not feel right to continue our relationship as it is, so she plans to do all in her power to prove her self worthy of being my consort.”

Luna stares quizzically at her sister. “ Has she been speaking with Jer'rahd? That sounds like the rubbish he would spout.”

“Most likely. How are the two of you getting along now Lulu?”

“He beat me in chess.”

Celestia rolls her eyes. “I am starting to believe you are simply trying to find an excuse to not like him. Not that I believe that statement in the slightest.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I believe you let him win.”

“I would do no such thing.”

“So you expect me to believe a Princess of War who has not lost a chess game in over six thousand years suddenly loses to a pony she has a crush on?”

“Ummmm.”

“ Well go a head and ride him as soon as he's better this sexual tension between the two of you is driving me nuts.”

“ I we.... gah … it is not like...... fine.....Still, I plan to take it rather slow.” Luna grumbles blushing brightly.

“Is that wise?”

“Rhede and Twilight have both brought up that he is likely as immortal as you or I now since his encounter with the books. They theorize it is the same with Sombra, and Andree, that was how they did not age and their life spans seemed unending.”

“Not sure if I wish to consider him a god.”

“I am not sure he wishes to consider it either, or if he has, the implications have not sunk in yet.”

“That he will outlive everyone he knows? Considering how close and protective he is of his friends I do not think that will sit well with him at all.”

“No, but when it happens I will still be here for him.” Luna sighs. “Both of us will need each other when those days come.”

“Those days are a long way off yet Lulu. There is no point on dwelling on them now, there are other things for you to dwell on.”

“Yes, I suppose you are correct sister. Left to wander my mind still seeks the darkest path. What else is there to discuss?”

“Your adoption of a host of little ponies for starters.” Celestia smirks her eyes narrowing as Luna flinches.

“Tis our fault they lost what lives they had. I could not in good conscience leave them in the care of some pony who did not feel truly responsible for them.”

“Luna there are places that could find homes for them, some of them might even have relatives alive in other cities.”

“Nay I checked that. Between those captured by the changelings ,and those killed there were a sizable number who were made orphans. Most are in a nursery I had built in the castle, the youngest of them will be gifted to a worthy family once everything is settled. We shall only be watching them a short time before they go on.”

“But.....?”

Luna rolls her eyes. “But there are four of them who will not be going any where for some time if ever I have adopted them personally in order to care for them. The eldest, Orange Danish is in the hospital with severe burns from the fires in Ponyville. She will thankfully recover fully in time, but she will be scarred for life. She has but three more years of schooling before she would be of age to choose her own life. I shall ensure that she is granted that opportunity with no more hardship. She has already spoken of her interest in the medical profession. With no family to aid her it would be unlikely she could pay for the schooling needed. And considering her cutie mark appears to be more set in baking she would be void of most grants.”

“But you will be seeing that she does have it payed for. Alright I can accept that, for the most part. What of the others?”

“Brushstroke Lily is only seven and his sister Berry Ice Lily is four, the pair were found in a sewer drain in Canterlot half starved and weak from exposure. Both of their parents bodies have been recovered and the pair has no other family that we can find. They are physically recovering but both are suffering from rather horrific nightmares that even I am barely able to lessen, it may be some time before they are able to overcome the shock of what they have been through.”

“Again something that is fitting as I doubt any other pony but you can visit dreams. So what of the small colt currently digging through your dresser, he is the fourth?” Celestia questions wryly.

“Tis Pipsqueek, he is only six and likely the one who is dealing with his situation the best, though I am......” Luna flattens her ears turning around to see the brown and white blank flank of a small colt sticking out of the bottom drawer of her dresser, his little back legs kicking furiously.

“Pipsqueek? The colt who claimed you best Princess during Nightmare Night. Well I suppose I understand why you are interested in him.” Celestia smiles. “Seems to be the adventurous type.”

“Pipsqueek, what are you doing?” Luna questions more curious than angry at the foal digging in her sock drawer.

The small pony lifts his head out of the drawer, a green cookie box in his mouth.

“Ah smefled chocolate.” Pipsqueek states around the cookie box. “Ah wasn't near a kichem so ah had tof check it out. An ah foumd coofies”

Luna chuckles at the colts logic, though a flash of heat from behind her caused her to slowly turn to see the tips of Celestia's mane and tail flickering with fire.

“Pray tell dear Lulu, are those my mint thins the little colt has there, found in your drawer?”

“Ummmm.” Luna states backing away a bit as Pipsqueek pulls open the box happily munching on the cookies inside.

“Yes, now that I recall, didn't you also say something about my posterior before sister?” Celestia grins with no joy in the smile.

“Eeeep.” Luna squeeks darting off suddenly with Celestia racing along right behind her.

Pipsqueek looks up at the suddenly empty room and tilts his head a little.

“Croiky wonder where they got off to in sucha hurry, nevah a dull moment around heah.”

===============================================================

[One year after the War of the Gods]
[New Canterlot / Ponyville suburbs.]

“Come now it won't be that bad.” Rarity laughs nearly prancing along with Lion Heart in tow.

“I was threatened with a slow painful death by your little sister.” Lion Heart sighs. “I had to knock General Kaisur down a rank on my terror scale after speaking with that filly.”

“Oh now it wasn't that bad, Sweetie is just being a little over protective of me, she is a darling. Besides you did say you were willing to face any danger for me .” Rarity coos batting her eyelashes at the half dragon who blushes a little at the attention.

“I expected to face down dragons, trolls, or nameless horrors from the depths. Not terrifying little fillies with stares that burn into your very soul.”

“Pfffft you are exaggerating surely, besides we have been dating for a few months now, my parents were bound to want to meet you at some point.” Rarity chimes heading towards the front door. She pauses a moment considering something. “Now you won't have to worry about my mother she already loves you just from my talking about you. I do expect a bit of issue from my father.”

“He's defensive of his little girl. I can understand that.” Lion Heart mutters still not wanting to have the talk with his mare friends father. If he was a more traditional sort Lion Heart's being a half dragon would already put a damper on things.

“Oh no, for the most part daddies a push over except for two things.”

Lion Heart's ears perk at this glad Rarity was planning to give him a survival tip for the ensuing conversation.

“First off, although he is pro military it would be best if you did not talk politics with him, he tends to get heated and argumentative over certain things and I don't know what could rile him at any given time. Steer it away to hoof ball or something like that.”

“Alright, sounds easy enough.”

“Secondly if you see him wearing his luchador mask, duck.”

“Right luchador mask.... wait what?”

Rarity glances back as the door opens ducking suddenly, a burly pony in a brightly colored mask and matching tights flies out of the door plowing into Lion heart and sending them both rolling back into the lawn.

Rarity stands up with a sigh as her mother comes to the door.

“Well I did warn him.”

“Ooh, he's a cute one too... Let the boys play dear, come on in and tell me more about him.” Rarity's mother giggles shouting over the anguished cries of the half dragon Guard. “Dinner's in thirty minutes love, be sure to leave time to wash up.”

Rarity side steps as Sweetiebelle rushes past throwing herself into the fray with her own brightly colored mask.

“TACOBELLE HAS ENTERED THE FRAY!!!” the filly screams.

==============================================================

Zecora and Twilight stared at the situation with slightly differing levels of disbelief and annoyance. Granted much of this was due to Celestia barely containing the her laughter and still having to hide her face in her wings to badly mask her constant fits of giggling.

Jer'rahd was clearly unsure of what he should be feeling at this point.

Luna and the Ferry Mare however were glaring each other down on either side of him as he was trying to work through what the next step was. It didn't help matters that Troth was doing his best to try and get out with Grace so close and shadows were flickering around him.

At the very least after a long discussion something had been put on the table, though Luna was currently arguing over it.

“He is not going into Tartarus with you.” the Moon Princess snaps.

“That will be the only place I will be able to remove Troth from him.” the Ferry Mare snaps back

“Doubtless you would simply keep him there. I care not your reasons for what is done you should be treated as a criminal not given what you wish.”

“I have no desire for the host just who resides in him, you can have him back as soon as I’m done with him.”

“Do I get a say in this?” Jer'rahd mutters.

“No,” Grace, Luna and Troth state at the same time.

Jer'rahd rolls his eyes as Celestia finally fails to contain herself and collapses into a fit of giggling.

“We are not accomplishing anything this way, if you do not try this at least the Beast is here to stay.” Zecora chimes in.

“This might be a good way to take care of two problems at once. It will remove the Beast, errr Troth , from Jer'rahd and at the same time at least be something of a repayment for all the Element's have done for us, no matter how small it seemed to be. “Twilight sighs.” Also it will hopefully keep the Ferry Mare, err Grace here from letting anything else out of Tartarus.”

“As I said before Crystal was released to combat the seventh. Something she did well enough considering you are all still alive. I did not free Soloman or the dragon. They found their own way out. Tartarus is not a solely separate place from Equestria. There is also more than one way in and out, this is simply the most stable.” The Ferry mare explains though her glowing eye's do not leave Jer'rahd despite Luna moving between the two again.

“Fine then, though if he is going in so am I.” Luna states her ears flat against her head her wing tightening around the unicorn who really didn't seem to mind it despite his attempts at protest.

“Hahaahaha oh this is too much hehehehe” Celestia giggles.

Luna blushes glaring at her sister while Twilight and Zecora try to ignore the Sun Princess.

“That is acceptable, though I will warn you that time is not stable on the other side, years could pass here and only seconds there, or even flow backwards or not at all.” the Ferry Mare states.

“So it's like how the Darklands were. “ Jer'rahd muses.

“If that is what you called the land that sunk into the sea. The mad one found the opening there and expanded it far wider than it should have been able to be opened. Many things fell through into this world from that hole.” the Ferry Mare responded.

“Princess you need to stay here any way. You need to take care of Pip, Orange and the Lilys.” Jer'rahd states causing Luna to wince.

“And what of our friends, would you leave them as well?”

“They have their own lives now at least. I will try to hurry back.” Jer'rahd smiles.

“Not to interrupt you two, but if it helps you worry less, I can accompany you.” Zecora states.

Celestia finally snaps out of her giggling to look at the zebra.” I am not sure I like that idea.”

Zecora shrugs. “ I came along with you due to a nudge, this is a middling solution since neither side here will budge.”

“Zecora are you sure about that? I mean if the time is strange you might grow old and die over there before you can make it back.”Twilight states.

Celestia sighs and Zecora chuckle. “She was bound to find out sooner or later any way mother.” Zecora states plainly causing Twilight to blink in confusion.

“I would have preferred later Sunshine.” Celestia grumbles.

Jer'rahd and Twilight both stare at the pair confused, though Luna offers a small smirk.

Zecora lets her disguise fade, her black stripes turning red and the crystalline horn emerging from her Mohawk. “I do not think I will have to worry about old age claiming me Twilight.”

Twilight's jaw drops though Jer'rahd stares at the zebra and then to Celestia.

“Question. Does Velkorn know about this?” Jer'rahd queries.

“No and I would prefer if you did not tell her. I do not wish to cause any sort of issue between us.” Zecora states.

“Fair enough, question two, who's the father?”

Celestia rolls her eyes at the bluntness of the question though Twilight answers instead.

“It was Baelit..... she's the Sunshine from the scry...........”Twilight gapes putting everything together in her head.

“Baelit? Velkorn's Nephew?”Jer'rahd blinks then he adopts an expression that could only be called an evil grin. “Does Rhede know?”

“Ummm I don't think so ,why would that matter?” Celestia states noting Luna was developing the same sort of grin. It was rather disturbing.

“You can't say anything to him until I get back Princess . I have GOT to see the look on his face.” Jer'rahd chuckles looking up at Luna.

“Then you had best hurry back, as it will be difficult not to see his reaction to his ''student of love' surpassing him.” Luna giggles.

“Alright I am a walking skeleton and these two are creeping me out a little.” The Ferry Mare points out. “I do not care who comes with him, but I want to go now.”

Once every pony settled down further and a great deal more discussion the trio walk though the gate leaving Luna, Celestia, and Twilight staring after it.

“So then shall we place a guard here or just return to check on it?” Celestia sighs.

“If not for my duties I would stay personally. He waited for me, how would I not do the same?” Luna states running a hoof over the sheathed Waning Moon she held.

“Seriously you two need to hurry up and have some foals already. I want some one to be calling me auntie other than Blueblood.” Celestia sighs

“Pipsqueek already calls you auntie. Tough if you are going to bring that up when are you and Twilight expecting? I should like to see you raise a foal instead of simply hearing about what messes Sunshine made second hoof. Though which of you would carry the foal and who would be the father this time?

“Magic does make a great many things possible in that regard Lulu.” Celestia almost purrs hugging Twilight closer with a wing.

“I am not comfortable with the direction of this conversation.” Twilight interjects her eye twitching a little.

Before any of them could say anything further the gate flared to life again and a massive blue draconic head pokes out of the gate staring down at the trio with six eyes.

The three of them stop and stare up at the dragon though only Luna seems to recognize the creature.”Thou are the beast Troth? Where are the others?”

A small flicker in the gate appears under him and a pair of figures step out. A red stripped zebra mare wearing a very wide brimmed straw hat and a mass of beads and flower garlands about her neck. Her mane and tail were both braided up with more brightly colored crystal beads and she wore an oversized pair of sun glasses on her face. A coconut with a bendy straw floated near by gripped in her red magic

The gray unicorn next to her by contrast looked more like a pack mule. He had on a bright flower print shirt and had a smaller version of the straw hat on his head though one of his eyes was covered by an eye patch. Across his back and sides was a horde of bags and boxes that were strapped to him. He trotted a few steps in with a growl glaring over at the zebra, before turning his gaze up to the dragon.

“Where's Grace? And why the heck did you stop half way through?”

“She errr, is holding onto my tail. Still in Tahiti.” Troth rumbles his scales turning a bit purple.

“Riiiiiight tail.... like I’m gonna believe that after listening to you two go at it like rabbits for the last six months.” Zecora chuckles “ Oh they haven't moved yet. It seems she was right about the time situation. How long has it been mother?”

Celestia blinks.” About a minute and a half....”

“A little over eight months from this side. Also I now know that is definitely your daughter. She's just as good at pissing me off as you are Celestia.” Jer'rahd growls stomping away from the gate and shrugging out of the piled stuff on his back grumbling as Zecora laughs.

“That was quite enjoyable Tell Grace I would love to visit again.” Zecora states waving to the blushing dragon as he nods and vanishes back into the gate.

Luna rises moving over to Jer'rahd who looks up at her with a smile, fangs still clearly apparent. “ So what happened?”

“Grace spent a few months working on a way to remove Troth from the cursed power the books gave me. She figured out a way that I still don't under stand, and well you saw the result.” Jer'rahd sighs.

“Are you.... are you mortal again?” Luna questions trying to not to sound nervous about it, though she completely ignores Zecora going into details behind her about Tahiti being a magical place.

“No, even with Troth gone I’m still stuck with the books curse. Still have a monster inside of me , but I have more control of it now that Troth's not trying to break free. ”Jer'rahd smirks.” You won't get rid of me that easily Princess.”

“I wasn't trying to.” Luna smiles.

================================================================

“..... If there are any here who have issue with why these two should not be wed......”

As Celestia reaches these words there was a rather loud flurry of movement from around the throne room as nearly all the members of the 42nd readied weapons. Jer'rahd grins wide unfastening the clasp of the Waning Moon as Bleu, Luna, and Starfall menacingly loom behind him.

“...... It would be in your best interest to hold your peace.......” Celestia continues rolling her eyes at the display. After a moment of nothing, not even a nervous cough, the guards relax, though the four standing around the couple to be wed continue to watch over the crowd suspiciously.

“.... you may now kiss the bride.” Celestia finishes as Rhede and Velkorn lean close, lips meeting to a roar of cheers and shouting from the gathered crowd.

Jer'rahd looks out over the guests, quite a gathering of ambassadors and other contacts Rhede and Velkorn had made in the short time after the war filled the seats. A massive number of Apple family members also packed the throne room, many of whom were more then interested to find out what their family line was before it became Apple. A host of Guards and a sizable number of cadets that Rhede hoof picked himself for his own personal training stood along the walls with the 42nd . And a sizable number of doctors and nurses sat on on Velkorn's side of the room, as did Zecora. Still it was a full house for the wedding.

The reception after wards was more of a Apple Family reunion than anything else, quite a number of Apples wanted to talk to Rhede about the family history, or other tidbits about the founders of the family. One or two of the older more hidebound members of the family wanted to try and complain about him marrying a zebra, Rhede took most of the jabs in stride until one lobbed a insult at Velkorn directly. Suffice to say none of the others continued on that vein and the one who had would only be able to eat only applesauce for a while.

Jer'rahd smiles watching the crowd and the strange peace that seemed to fall over everything. Twilight, Celestia, and Bleu were talking about something by the alter, Spike, Rarity and Lion Heart were talking about something off to themselves too, though the dragonling didn't seem to be taking it well.

Pip and the other foals Luna had adopted were playing with the trio of filly’s that were referred to in hushed whispers as the Cutie mark Crusaders. He wasn't sure on the reasoning for that, but he did note that Granny smith was keeping an eye on the orange pegasus with a fire extinguisher close at hoof. Pip was fine though Luna knew he still occasional cried himself to sleep . The Lily's had recovered though the little filly had not spoken a word since she got out of the hospital. Orange was recovered enough to start working on finishing her normal school to begin on her medical training, something Velkorn offered to help with much to the young mare's delight.

Pinkie Pie was doing something.... she seemed to be talking to a bunch of the the Guards on duty then rapidly changing her fur and mane and tail coloration as she bounced about. Jer'rahd rolls his eyes wondering if Bleu taught her that.

Fluttershy and Applejack were off to the side talking quietly and Velkorn and Zecora were chatting with a collection of doctors and a few of the Apples.

Dash was trying to hide behind Big Mac, her face red with embarrassment as Starfall chatted with the big stallion, who looked as if he would like to be any where else, Peach Blossom had the same look as he stood close by.

Jer'rahd sighs contently, blinking as a cup was floated in front of him and a tall dark alicorn moved up next to him pressing lightly against his side. He smiles taking the cup from Luna before sipping it, relishing the taste of the drink even though he was likely going to be unaffected with this small amount of booze.

“So does this count as a happy ending?” Luna questions.

“More or less, we still have to deal with the remaining changelings, the books have gone missing, and it will be a while yet before everything could be considered normal. But yeah this is a good start to a happy ending I think.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

“I am surprised Discord has not come to crash the party. It seems like something he would do.”

“Sparkle said Pinkie convinced him other wise. He's supposed to be on his best behavior so he doesn't get turned to stone again.” Jer'rahd states.

“I do not wish to know how. “ Luna smiles glancing over as a crowd of mares and one blue dragon ling gather to catch the bouquet.

“Not going to try for it?”

“No. It is a silly tradition, supposedly who ever catches it will be the next to be wed. if that were true, Rarity would be wed by this point several times over. I have heard she makes a habit of catching them.”

Jer'rahd glances over to see the aforementioned mare who was seemingly prepping herself for a battle, not some tradition. Lion Heart looked a little wary at this.

“Any word from Dusty?”

“Celestia has been keeping more in touch with the diplomatic situations, but last I heard Lieutenant Dusty had taken over her fathers position until such a time as a new griffon god is born and is old enough to hold court in the aerie.”

“Breezy requested a diplomatic transfer up that way as well, I also received a request for him from a ambassador. Seems those two hit it off pretty well.”

“She is going to cause a incident.”

“From her file it wouldn't be the first time. I still had a heck of a time getting Nocturne's head from her, she wanted to put it on her wall.”

There was a scream as Velkorn threw the bouquet into the air and a even louder scream as a blast of green fire erupted from the crowd incinerating the flowers in the air.

“She did not.” Luna states as Jer'rahd starts to laugh.

“She did.”

After a moment a trail of green ash whirls over Luna's head and a bouquet of flowers materialized dropping down to get stuck on Luna's horn. The unamused alicorn turns slowly to glare at the little blue dragonling who grins wide puffing out a bit of smoke.

“BULLSEYE!” shouts Bleu.

“Yeah this could be a happy ending.” Jer'rahd chuckles.

Stories in Stone, Memories of Twilight

by TDR

No dawn, no day.

At the End of Days

"Only the weak are not lonely"

“the schemes of the dreamers”

“Can there be beauty in life? “

“The moment to live......”

“.. and the moment to die...”

“... the moment to fight ...”

“... the moment 'two' fight ...”

“Everybody, needs somebody...”

“..tears he left behind long ago...”

“.... and now it's left me blind...”

“Fill my heart with song...”

“... secret, where no one can find ...”

“Now my disbelief, lay smashed at my hooves... “

“...you left me in the dark....”

“seasons all the same”

“...my souls on fire...”

“... to the edge, of the earth...”

“...all I long for...”

“....a ghost in the fog....”

“a slumber deeper than time...”

“the stars, the moon, they have all been blown out...”

“...so I stayed in the darkness with you.”

“Tempest tossed silence.”

“...the good, and the evil....”

Nightmare Night Holiday Special

“a sea without a shore”

“..light at the end of the world..”

"Light at the end of the world" part 2

“Light at the end of the world” Finale

“The best is yet to come.” Epilogue 1

“The best is yet to come.” Epilogue 2