Clashing of steel was heard, clanging in the early morning. Many ponies now gathered around the two warriors that faced off on each other with a will unmatched by any living or dead spirit. Their noise so loud to draw attention from the edges of the Everfree Forest.
Twilight had quickly gone out from her preparations for her small nap to see what the fuss was about. Some of her friends watched before she was even there.

"Send him packin', Orion!" A familiar farm voice hollered, the pony throwing an orange hoof in the air.

"Thou fight well," Orion commented as they slammed blades again, knocking loose dirt around them up,"but how many of thy memories do thee retain?"

The two knights slammed blades forward and slid back. The red invader shook his head and pointed low then gave a thumbs down. Such movements were needed for battling through different worlds as voices didn't get transferred often.

"At least thou has the honor to fade away as a noble warrior." Orion spoke sadly.

The two kept on edge, battling for endless minutes, one advancing, the other retreating.

"My bits are on the red one." A stall mare spoke.

"The flaming knight looks more skilled." A rich unicorn disagreed.

They were starting to make bets on who would win. Was this battle that interesting to the ponies?

"Let's end this..." Orion said and charged the honorable invader.

The invader swung with a well-timed swing, but it was for not as Orion caught it with his blade and slammed the sword to the ground. He raised the sentinel's shield and slammed it on the hilt of the blade, knocking the draconic greatsword from his opponent's hand. Orion the charged at him for three steps, knocking him to the ground.

"Any last requests?" Orion asked...respectfully.

The invader pointed to greatsword, taking off his helmet in the process. Orion understood and stabbed his blade into the ground, so deep so none of the ponies could attempt to pry it. He laid his shield next to the invader, trusting him. Orion turned his back and picked up the greatsword of his foe. When he laid eyes on the defeated knight yet again, he saw he had made no moves toward it. Orion stood atop him , holding the greatsword above his chest.

"I'll go hollow after this, but at least a friend will end this journey of mine. May I know your name before I depart?" The red being spome in a craggy, dry voice.

This was astonishing to Orion, nothing like this has ever been heard of.

"I'm Orion. May Artorias assist thee, may thou not go mad and hollow." Orion spoke with remorse.

He plunged the blade into the owner's chest, a pained scream erupted from him until he went still and faded with white soul clumps that floated into Orion's bosom. He felt the power of his soul and the souls he had gathered. Not only that, but he felt some other power. The dragon greatsword still stood in his hands, resonating with the power of the winged-beasts. Orion pulled it from the ground and lay it onto his shoulder, grabbed his shield, laid it onto his back, and pulled his greatsword from the ground with ease. As he was just about to leave, somepony spoke up.

"What's this?" A brown colored stallion held something up from the hole in the ground made by the fallen warrior's blade.

Orion looked back and saw a yellow and white illumination in the stallion's hand. It was a soul, the soul of a great hero, the soul of the invader. Orion ran over and snatched it from his hands, tucking it away in his pouch.

"Such a powerful soul shouldn't be held by one who doesn't need it, can't use it, and shouldn't be trusted with the power." Orion spoke and walked out of the crowd, toward's Rarity's boutique.

As he arrived at the boutique, there was one thing off about it. The whole building was torn up and broken in many areas and a white light that secreted fog stood where the front door was. Ponies were already gathered around it. Six friends of Orion caught up to him.

"Rarity!" Spike bellowed and ran toward the door. A rough grip lifted him up.

"No, a fire keeper mustn't die. I, Orion, must face this challenge alone." Orion spoke and set Spike down, sitting next to him and holding humanity out to the small dragon.

Within a few moments, Spike gained strength and Orion gained his humanity. The knight stood after.

"Watch my new blade of honor..." Orion said grimly and plunged the dragon greatsword into the ground.

The knight began organizing his weapons and gear, equiping fifteen poison throwing knives, five firebombs, two servings of golden pine resin, his estus flask, and a homeward bone. With his pack geared up, he approached the wall of white light and mist. Scanning the ground.

"Hurry up and save Rarity!" Rainbow shouted at him while the others were studying over the greatsword that was plugged into the ground.

"The smart undead always finds help, prepares, and scopes out the situation. If thou with to get thyself killed by the monster in there, fine." Orion spoke distastefully before touching the ground, a blinding yellow light sprouting from it.

A swordsman in a radiant yellow form rose with his arms in the air, facing the sun. Shortly after, the figure drew his weapon and stretched his limbs.

Orion quickly ran around the building, returning to the swordsman. The ponies were focusing on him and the figure now.

"Lava, small, but accompanied with fire and rapid tapping sounds." Orion spoke and took of his gauntlets, assuring he had two rings, the fire stoneplate ring and havel's ring present. He put his gauntlets back on after and changed to the black knight's shield.

"Let's go, Solaire." Orion spoke and approached the threshold of the battle, turning after,"If anything bursts free of here I want you all to run, wether it is I, Solaire, or the great beast here." Orion spoke in a deeo and loud voice before turning back to the light.

The two knight shook hands before entering together...

"Get away, monster!" A familiar unicorn said from the story above and threw a pair of scissors on the fire mutation.

Lava and crackling fire were around the room, Orion noted the major fires and the lava pits, but he knew his armor would protect him well. It was the legend's, Black Iron Tarkus' armor.

Orion nudged Solaire and pointed on the ground, signaling him to stay here. Orion himself, lifted his shield and prepped his sword for a stab or slash above his head. The knight the took charge at the demonic beast.

As the heat waves grew more scarce, Orion was able to make out the monster of fire and lava. Eight legs, hair on its back, red with lava veins, exoskeleton of rock. Orion knows this thing. He continued to charge, through small fires and jumping over lava pits. His armor supplying excellent coverage from the flames.

"Do not fret, Rarity! " Orion yelled as he was almost upon the witch spider,"Solaire and I will slay Quelaag."

The witch spun around to face the knight and was just about to spray him with lava before he slid under he whole body, punching her underside with his shield, causing her some minor troubles. Orion stood behind her and gripped his blazing greatsword with two hands, he knew this would be ineffective, but he had to slam her back some, to the now charging Solaire. Orion swung hard at the witch.

Quelaag was sent stumbling forward after each smack to her abdomen. After seven swings she had fallen and Orion slammed his blade into her once more, Quelaag soared above the ground, headed to Solaire. Solaire was about to slash when he was met with lava flowing over him and death. Solaire was vanquished, the message was clearly delivered into Orion's head by an unknown way.

"Damn, should have known thou would give a difficult skirmish!" Orion cursed to the air,"Rarity, I need your help!" The knight yelled and secured his shield for any attack.

Quelaag jumped and zoomed to Orion, her fury sword delivering a stab that sent him skidding back. Orion let his shield down, his arm was numb by the vicious attack. Quelaag began swinging her sword at him, but the seasoned knight, adapted to carrying such heavy armor, watched her movements closely and prepared. He ducked the first attack, then sidestepped the next.

"Rarity, find some way to send Twilight a message. Shoot it out one of the holes in the roof and toward the other side of the white light!" Orion shouted to the unicorn mare.

The knight had slipped up and was sent slamming into a wooden wall, planks and wood pieces falling off the wall. The ponies were sure to have heard his armor slam and the wood snap. Orion quickly cllected himself from the floor and held up his greatsword, barely catching Quelaags blade.

"Hhhnnnnrrrgggh!" Orion's grunt of pain and desperation turned into rage that refueled him,"The Dark won't claim this world! Never will I, Orion, the grandmaster of greatswords, allow this deed to be done!" Orion yelled in the witch's face and spat before grabbing her blade.

The enranged knight ignored the pain, his adrenaline fueling him. Orion pulled the blade toward him with enough force to collapse a building. Quelaag stumbled to the ground, her spider legs splayed around her.

"Perish, foul witch!" Orion hailed to no one.

Orion chopped Quelaag's hand and picked the fury sword up in the hand that held the shield as well. He swung it and sliced off one of her spider legs then slapped the greatsword into her spider head with such force, a giant would be sent to the moon. Quelaag was sent into the opposite wall and busted through it, tumbling through the dirt.

Orion ran out after head and sent his greatsword into the spider's head, the huge blade flew through the air and plunged into its target and into the ground. Orion ckntinued running and jumped onto the spider's head.

"And never return, you damned witch!" Orion shouted and plunged the fury sword into her chest.

The knight stepped off the dead body and reclaimed his blade and sheathed it onto his back. Orion then collected the dragon greatsword and sheathed it on a leather holding strap on his left shoulder. He then went back into the boutique, now through the front door that held no white light.

A great energy flowed through him and a soul appeared in his right hand. Orion quickly absorbed it, feeling the immense power flow through him. Orion was bloated with souls.

Orion saw the lava cool and become stone, the fire burned out, and the intense heat vanished with Quelaag's body. The knight walked to where Rarity is standing up on the second floor that was mostly destroyed.

"Jump down, I'll catch thou." Orion spoke.

Rarity jumped without question and was safely caught in Orion's strong arms. Orion let her out of his grip and she immediately galloped back to her friends. The knight hung around a little longer and collected his weapons, placing them back in their leather and chain straps on his back. Orion joined his friends outside the boutique.

As the adrenaline left his body, Orion found himself huffing and puffing for air and a burning sensation in his chest. He noticed there was a great gash in his armor and blood was flowing out of his chest.

"Are you, alright, my undead?" A motherly voice soothed his still battle ready mind.

"I will be fine..." Orion looked up and saw Celestia staring back at him with a smile.

The knight drank from his flask and his wounds were closing fast after he took two gulps of the life invigorating liqiud.

"I believe we have much to discuss, yet again." Celestia said.

Orion walked to Spike and sat down yet again. The young dragon expecting him.

Orion took out his repairbox and souls began to form into repair powder as he used the machine, he started to repair all his gear, making sure his armor was fixed properly. He then put the box away and leaned close to Spike and handed him obscene amounts of souls. Without knowing a thing, Spime converted the souls to power and gave it to Orion. Vitality and endurance swelled in the knight. Orion stood and stretched his limbs.

"My hero!" Rarity squealed and wrapped her hooves tight around him.

"Just doing my job as the chosen undead." Orion spoke calmly, with obvious fatigue stil in him and his tone.

"We must head to the library, my sister is waiting there for us." Celestia spoke and the group was off to the library.

Orion though on the way, not talking aloud.

'Just like they always said, it really is a journey...without rest...'

Author's Note

Wasn't this great to write. I got the urge to write all of a sudden and I did....at eleven at night...so now at five in the morning, I finished, this will be uploaded the minute Celestia raises her sun up.I pulled an all-nighter and feel fine...how enjoyful. Props to the people over at Sonic Radioboom, music kept me awake and focused.

Hope you enjoyed this long chapter. I believe my writing skills and vocabulary have expandsd so much since I first joined the site.

Speaking of, July thirteenth or fourteenth will be my one year anniversary. I joined the site at either right before midnight or early morning. And thanks to Bio who got me onto this site of great fics.

Again, it is even more obvious of what is happening to Equestria.

Leave me some comments, nothing better than some good ole' comments. Lemme know what was your favorite part, or what area I wrlte best.