Arc

Prologue

Only one stood in the ashes of what used to be a graveyard, his greying fur matched the ashes almost identically, his mane and tail had not yet become as dull as his fur, but even they had began to fade. He stood unmoving, looking down at a large rock protruding from the ground.

He stared down at the flower on his own grave, a black rose, recently placed. On the grave beside his, it was labeled “Candy Corn” which another rose, identical to his lay, the petals lightly blew in the breeze.

It had been many years since the war, yet it felt like yesterday he was in his prime, fighting off Celestia and his father, going to war with Spitfire at his side, ultimately defeating the sun goddess’ prized army.

It felt like only yesterday that he saw his daughter for the first time.

Mirage carefully leaned down, gently picking up his flower and holding it in his hoof, he gingerly caressed one of the petals.

The old stallion wondered who was leaving these, he had been visiting Zephyr since his daughter had turned ten, letting her come with him to the town.

Mirage turned around to look for his daughter, who had gone off to explore the ancient town.

“And who might you be?” A pony asked, standing before the elderly stallion.

Mirage studied him, he was a younger stallion, probably in his late teens or early twenties.

“Nopony that you would know.” Mirage said to the unknown stallion. “Who are you?”

“Nopony you would know.” The stallion said, his eyes studying Mirage from head to hoof. “What are you doing near these graves?”

“Someone I know is buried here.” Mirage said, going to pass the red pony.

Just as Mirage went to pass the younger stallion, he was stopped.

The stallions light blue mane and tail swung at the sudden movement.

Wise and powerful violet eyes stared into an unpredictable blue. The unknown stallion noticed an abrupt spark in the older stallions eyes, like arcing electricity.

In fact, it was electricity.

“Mirage?” The stallion whispered, a powerful wave of nostalgia invading his senses.

Mirage raised an eyebrow, pushing the stallion back a few inches.

“How do you know my name, boy?”

“Y-you’re dead!” The stallion said, backing away. “I saw you die!”

“Maybe I am.”

“Phoenix, do a complete body scan.”

Mirage felt a rush of adrenaline inside of him, charging a powerful electrical bolt.

“Impossible...” The pony said.

Just as he took another step back, a bright light invaded his vision, an extremely forceful shockwave blew the stallion away from the older one.

“Wait!” He tried, just as another struck by his side, launching him into a crumbling building.

Another pony came from the next lightning bolt, diving from the sudden blast of purple electricity.

The stallion reacted quickly, ducking under as the white furred pony dove over him, surging with electricity.

Her cyan eyes burned with power, her cardinal red and royal blue hair wavered in the powerful wind. Her body let off electrical surges into the ground, but with less power than Mirage’s.

Cyber Burst stood with his mouth opened, he recognized this mare as well.

Rain Whisper.

He had seen when this mare was first born in Appaloosa during the Great Equestrian War. She was the offspring of a Elemental Pony, the Element of Electricity. Mirage.

Cyburst reacted just in time as a shining blue bolt of electricity blasted in his direction, making the ash fly up around it from the speed it traveled towards him.

Cyburst knew there was no talking his way out of this, he was going to have to fight no matter what he said.

He reached behind his back, pulling his prized sword, Silverbolt from it’s sheath.

“Cy, are you sure you are just going to fight?” Phoenix asked in his mind.

Cyburst thought. “I won’t kill her, just disable her until she calms down.

“And Mirage?”

Cyburst looked over the elderly stallion, his lightning had stopped, and he stared at his daughter with a knowing look, his body had run out of energy in those strong lightning

bolts before.

He returned his attention to Rain Whisper, who pulled out a sword of her own with her magic, one that was much straighter and slimmer than his own, it was made from conductive material, letting the mare’s electrical power wrap around it. Cyburst never relied on his magic to keep ahold of Silverbolt, but had used it to retrieve the blade numerous times.

“Be careful, Cy.” Phoenix said, “You may be experienced, but you haven’t been in much combat since Celestia.”

“Don’t worry, she won’t be a problem.”

Rain Whisper lunged at Cyburst, swinging her sword down on his, grinding them against each other. Cyburst was surprised by the amount of power the mare had, being so young.

Cyburst felt electricity begin to burn his hooves, and pushed the mare away, shaking the tingling feeling off.

The mare struck again, Cyburst parried and struck the mare across the face, knocking her down, which she quickly recovered from. She struck my blade with a bolt of lightning, throwing it from my hooves. I dodged another swipe from her sword, then rolled towards mine, picking it up quickly and turning back around to dodge another attack.

“You’re smart, I’ll give you that.” Cyburst said.

“Aww, thanks.” She said cutely, all electricity seemingly disappearing from her body and sword.

Just as she raised her blade again, her electricity came back on like it was powered by a switch. She struck down and I rolled away.

“But you can’t flatter your way out of this.” She said.

Cyburst swung for the first time with his sword, which the mare expertly blocked, the stallion swung again, the mare slid under it and swiped at his hooves, which he jumped over.

“I’m usually quite good at things like that.” Cyburst said, swinging again to test the mare’s reaction time.

Silverbolt was blocked again, the mare had noticed his technique just like he had noticed hers, and both seemed to never hit their mark.

Cyburst surprised her by charging and slashing sideways, catching her under her eye. Blood quickly seeped out, he slashed again and was blocked by the recovering mare, holding her hoof against her cheek.

“Didn’t expect that, did you?” He asked.

The mare took a breath, the world slowed around her, she felt the electricity arc off of her fur and sword, she studied the stallion fast, dashing at him at speeds high enough to break the sound barrier right then. She shot a wild lightning bolt and directed his attention, then she jumped up over him, dragging the tip of her blade over his spinal cord.

The world sped back up, Rain heard the pony shout in pain, watching him as he turned around and slashed blindly, getting blocked and dodged. Her blade once again met his skin across his side, leaving a much deeper gash than the last.

She made a horizontal cut across his back legs, dropping him down.

Rain Whisper charged up a spell quickly, the electrical lines in the area sparked to life for the first time in twenty years.

Cyburst saw the change and jammed Silverbolt into the ground, shrieking as electricity passed through his body and into his blade, making the electricity disappear into the ground.

As soon as he felt his body begin to regenerate he quickly whipped around and smashed his hoof into the mare’s throat, dropping her to the ground instantly. Next he brought his hoof down on her stomach, knocking the wind out of her and finally picked up the mare’s sword and slashed downwards at her forehead.

Rain Whisper braced for the cut, but it never came. When she looked up at the stallion, the blade was inches from her face, and he was heaving for his breath, he had lost all looks of aggression, but still looked determined.

“Now, let me explain.” He said, holding his hoof out to her.

She didn’t have much of a choice, he did practically have her life in his hooves. She took his hoof and got up, rubbing her neck and trying to regain her breath, they walked towards her father quickly.

Then the stallion explained. Most of which Rain Whisper did not understand, it had been before her time. Yet her father stood quietly, listening to what the stallion had to say. Mirage brought up many problems, but Cyber Burst quickly explained further.

My father was amazed, as was I.