Slowly I walk down the stairs towards Trusty while the people around us are fleeing in the opposite direction. They seem to scream in panic but I can not hear them. The only thing that matters for me in this moment is Trusty.

There she stands on the stairs waiting for me. As I come closer to her her gaze wanders to me and she gives me a warm smile.

"Finally we are together again." Trusty says as I embrace her.

"Sorry, that I kept you waiting." I answer.

We both look to the left on the pillar that is coming loose.

"See you on the other side, Storming."

Trusty gives me a kiss while we both close our eyes in await of the death.

"Your time still hasn't come, Storming Bookshelf."

I open my eyes again and see that Trusty disappeared and that I am surrounded by a black emptiness. Confused I search for the source of the voice as suddenly princess Luna walks out of the shadow.

"Your highness ... was ... was that only a ... dream?" I ask her.

"Yes it was." She responds calmly with a warm smile on her face.

"No, no, no!" I shake my had wildly as I remember what happened. I give her a glare so full of hate, full of anger that she even flinches a little. "You ... you kept me alive?! HOW DARE YOU?!" I scream while I use my powers to create lighting swords of energy on the back of my hands.

The friendly expression on her face vanishes and is replaced by a serious frown. "Are you threatening a princess?"

"If this is only a dream it probably won't kill you."

"Do you really think you defeat me in my own realm?"

"I'm not planing to defeat you. For what you have taken from me I will dismember you PIECE FOR PIECE WITH MY BARE HANDS!"

I jump towards her but suddenly the hole scene vanishes. I blink with my eyes and find myself in a dark room. As I finally manage to keep them open I begin to examine it. It was very small with stone walls and only contains a small mirror on the wall and the cot I am currently lying at. My head hurts terrible but it doesn't keep me from standing up. I intended to go the prison bars but I get distracted from my picture in the mirror and move closer to it to examine my face.

The flames were gone and my eyes have changed from there coal black to there original purple. Well maybe it was somewhat darker than originally which was probably caused by the rests of Ichor in my blood.

The Ichor...

I turn my head and take a look on my back. Unbelieving of what I am seeing I turn my back to the mirror to get a better look at it.

"My wings..." I murmur to myself.

They were gone, only their holes in my coat remained ... next to the many, many other holes.

"Probably must have used all it to regenerate."

"Hey Clover, get the princess down here! He's awake." A voice suddenly brings me back from thoughts to the real world.

It was a guard standing behind the prison bars shouting to someone.

"That won't be necessary." I say before trying to teleport out of my cell which for my surprise doesn't work. out of curiousity I try to lay my hand on the bars but some kind of magical force field flickers up and stops me.

"Sorry, but the princess ordered precautions. You won't get out of there by your own."

"We'll see."

I form my swords and bash into the field but after some futile hits I begin to tumble and have to stop. To keep myself from falling I lean myself against one of the walls.

"You alright?" The guard asks.

"Yeah ... just a little dizzy." I answer panting heavily and walk back to my cot to sit down on it. "I think I rather wait for her."

Escaping or even fighting the princesses is probably not possible at this moment and with this low amount of power it seems like I'm not going anywhere soon. What I need is some kind of energy source I could harvest but while I study the room I can't find anything suitable. I don't even have windows, so sunlight is not an option. Maybe the guards?

I shake my head.

"No, they don't deserve something like that ... but maybe ... hm ... yeah that could work." I murmur to myself while I feel a sinister grin forming on my face.

*****************************************************************

"I know that this is very much I am asking you for, but you two are probably the only ones who can help him." Celestia says while we walk down the stairs to the old dungeon under the castle of Canterlot.

"I will try whatever I can pri... Celestia but I can't promise anything ... even if that means that he might ..." Twilight suddenly stops her words and turns her head to me. "What do you think, Fluttershy?" She asks me. "Are you alright? You have been very calm ... even ... even for your standards."

"Uhm ... I don't know ..." I stutter. "I really want to help him but I'm so afraid. What if we fail?"

"Try better not to think about that too much, my little pony." Celestia says with a calming voice. "You are only trying to help. If you wouldn't he would probably kill himself immediately after we set him free. So every minute you keep him here is a win, okay?"

"Okay." Me and Twilight nod though I'm not really convinced by her words.

As we reach the end of the stairs we walk into a dark long stony corridor. The only light sources in it were some torches on its wall. As we go farther along it, it seems to become colder and colder with every step.

Suddenly Celestia stops and as she breaths out her breath becomes a visible fog in the cold air.

"It's not supposed to be this cold down here." She says.

A guard is running in our direction. "Your highness, the prisoner, he is casting some kind of spell!"

He gestures us to follow him and so we do. Coming closer to the prison cell I recognize ice on the ground and the walls and try carefully not slip and fall.

Arriving at it I see a strange creature in it. It was holding a glowing orb in its bird like hand before its chest while fog coming from all over the place streams into it.

"Hello, your highness." The creature says while its blue eyes over its wolf muzzle slowly turn coal black.

"Storming, what are you doing there?!" Princess Celestia asks angrily.

"Harvesting..."

Suddenly the orb disappears and the creature takes down its hand.

"My ... resurrection was rather exhausting. The thermal energy of this place must be enough for the moment ... though the life energy of your guards was also rather ... tempting." The creature said with a sinister grin on its face causing a shiver to run down my spine. "But now you're here tell me one thing ... WHY AM I STILL HERE?!" The creature punches with extreme force with its fist against the barrier causing the hole building to quake and some dust to fall of the ceiling.

"You are here because I won't allow my soldiers to help you committing suicide!"

"Then set me free and let me do it by myself!"

"I will, but first you have to listen to me. I want to give you an alternative."

The creature sceptically raises a brow. "I'm listening."

"I won't force you to stay alive, but if I shall set you free, you have to promise me, that you will give us time to show you, that you still can find happiness and a purpose in this world."

The creatures folds its arms, turns away from us and walks to wall on the opposite site of the cell.

"Two weeks." It says after some time. "I will give you two weeks to ..." It slowly turns back to us and gives us a mocking grin . "... convince me." Its face suddenly becomes serious again. "After that I will do whatever I desire."

"Well then let me introduce you to my two companions..."

"Oh I think I know them already." The creature points at Twilight with its index finger. "You are the wielder of the element of magic. Twi ... " His gaze wanders along the ceiling. "Twilight ... ehhhhh ..."

"I am Twilight Sparkle." She says friendly.

It faces her again and punches with its right fist in its left palm. "Sparkle! I had it on my tongue!" It shouts excited.

Now it points at me. "And you must be the wielder of the element of kindness ... " It is making a pause. "...ehhhh..."

I really want to give him a hint, but I don't dare to interrupt him.

"Her name is Fluttershy and yes, she is the wielder of the element of kindness." Princess Celestia says at some point.

The creature scratches the back of its head while looking to the ground murmuring to itself. "Fluttershy ... Fluttershy ... " It faces me again. "Okay ... I will try to remember that but I can't make any promises. I'm really bad with names."

"My little ponies that is Storming Bookshelf, former archmage of Polis and curator of me and my sister."

"And present prisoner of yours." Storming adds with frown on his face.

"Oh, of course." A greenish aura surrounds princess Celestia's horn and the prison door before it goes open.

Slowly Storming walks out of his cell, but before Celestia could say something he snips and disappears.
Me and Twilight look confused in each others faces before turning our heads to Celestia.

"Did he really trick us so easily?" Twilight asks.

"I'm afraid yes." Celestia answers with a sad face.

Suddenly Storming reappears next to us holding a cat in his arms and recognizes our surprised face. "What? I had to get Bunky." He pets the cat on its head. "Had to leave that little guy back in a village before my attack."

Twilight rolls with her eyes. "You could have said something."

"Oh ... yes ... I'm not used to have other ponies around me." He answers with a sheepish grin.

"Wait a moment." Princess Celestia says while she moves closer with her face to Bunky. "You aren't really telling me that this is ..."

"Yes he's still the same tomcat as you met him the last time."

"Miau!"

Amused Celestia chuckles. "Of course ... with all you achieved an immortal cat is really no surprise."

After Storming sat down Bunky on the ground we walk together out of the dungeon.

"So, what now?" Storming asks after some time.

"Well we thought, that it might be better if you would come with us back to Ponyville and live there for some time with us." Twilight says.

"You could stay at my place until you find something for yourself. " Oh my ... was I too loud? "... if that is okay with you."

"Oh, thanks but I think that won't be necessary."

Suddenly he stops. As I look to him I see his eyes widened while he is searching desperately for something in his pockets.

"What are you searching?" Twilight asks.

"Something very important." Storming answers concerned.

Eventually he pulls out a violet crystal. He holds it before his body as it vanishes into dust.

"What was that?" Twilight asks.

"The control crystal." He says shocked while looking on his now empty hand. His frightened gaze wanders to us. "Have you seen my airship somewhere?"

*****************************************************************

"Which direction now?" Storming asks panting heavily as he sees that the corridor we are running along splits up in front of us.

"Left!" Princess Celestia shouts to him.

We fly as fast as we can along the violet carpet and white wall of the corridor but even with Storming now bound to the ground we are barely able to follow him.

Next to mine a flash of light attracts my attention, but as I look in its direction, I can't see anything that might have caused it and turn my face back to Storming before us, where I recognize Bunky sitting on his shoulder.

"Your cat is able to teleport itself?" Twilight shouts.

"Ehhh ... yes." Storming answers.

I can hear Twilight murmuring next to me. "You must be kidding me."

"And he is a tomcat!" Storming shouts back at her.

"Now could you finally slow down Storming?!" Celestia shouts to him. "It is still some time until the night. My sister probably isn't even awake by now."

"Oh I am very sure that she is already awake ... or that she has nightmares of me." Storming answers murmuring the last part.

"Why would you know that? What have you done?" She asks in a concerned tone.

"I might have said to her in my dream that I would ..." Stormings becomes quieter and quieter with every word until his voice is almost silent and gives the princess a sheepish grin. "... dismember her piece by piece with my bare hands."

"You have what?!" Celestia asks angrily.

Storming explained us that the crystal that vanished before was his connection to the airship he used to distract the princesses. Without it he wouldn't be able to track it down. Now he hoped that princess Luna might have seen where it was heading after it broke off the attack.

"But why do we have to run like that? What could be the worst to happen if we find it later?" Twilight asks to change the subject and defuse the situation.

"Three thing." Storming raises his left hand over his shoulder keeping it closed before he points out with his index finger. "First thing: It might be dangerous for the one who finds it. The Ichor is absolutely poisonous if you don't know how to use it." He adds his middle finger to his index finger. "Second thing: It could be a threat for hole Equestria. If someone manages to control the Ichor and/or the Zephyr he or she would become extremely powerful." He adds his ring finger. "Third thing: I need its power to activate a portal to my home!" He says before he takes his hand down again.

"Wait a moment. You managed to teleport from Ponyville to Crystal Empire, from there to Canterlot and even to the sun! Why would you need a portal?" Twilight asks him.

"A: The sun was a hole different thing. B: My home is very ... very ... very far away from here and C: Do I look as powerful as you as I was when we first met?" Storming says pointing with his thumb on his back.

We end up in a small round tower with almost endless wooden stairs attached to its stone walls. They had small windows in equal distance to each other all along the stairs spending the only but sufficient light in the room.

"Up there?" Storming asks pointing upstairs.

Celestia nods. "Yes, my sister should be up there in her chambers."

"Okay." He says as he slowly bends his knees like he was preparing for a jump.

Slowly a skeptical frown forms on princess Celestia's and Twilight's faces as they look to each other.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asks.

"Aiming." Storming says before he jumps upstairs. I follow him with my eyes and see him jumping again and again from one side to another of the tower while he keeps ascending the stairs. After he finally reaches the top of them and stops I look down to the others around me.

"Was that really necessary?" Twilight shouts irritated to the top.

"Ehhh ... no ... but it was at least faster than walking." Storming says in response.

"Grhhh!" Twilight grunts while glaring angrily at him forcing me and princess Celestia to giggle.

"Come my little pony." Celestia says laying her right wing on Twilight's back. "Let him do it his own way."

Twilight sighs. "Okay." She says before we follow Storming to the top of the tower.

As we reach it Storming awaits us already leaning with his back against the wooden balustrade of the little platform in front of the door to princess Luna's chambers. Startled I look down the stairs. The balustrade follows them down to the ground.

"How could you jump so easily with the balustrade in the way?" I ask him.

Storming stops leaning against it and turns in our direction before he reaches out with his right hand to it.

"Phase shift." His hand just goes through it. He moves repeatedly up and down but everytime it just goes through.

"And what did prevent you from walking to my sister?" Princess Celestia asks with a mocking grin on her face.

Storming puts his hand down again. "Ehhh ... I think it might be a bit ... safer if you would go in there first." He says nervously.

Princess Celestia rolls her eyes before she walks to the door and knocks on it.

"Come in." A voice answers from the other side.

Celestia opens the door and walks in shortly followed first by Twilight and then me. On the floor of the room we enter lies a maroon carpet. The place itself isn't as big as I have imagined but this makes it somehow cozy I find and it seems like it offers everything a princess could need in her private time. On its right stands a big luxuriant bed next to a window in the dark stone wall while a bit left to it a giant bookshelf begins which stretches to the other side of the room where a little seating area, containing corner bench and two chairs around a small table, is installed next to a glass door to a balcony between two windows.. On the opposite wall to the bookshelf stands another line of bookshelves which stretches to the door we went through to enter the room. Next to it on the right side is another door but it is closed preventing me from seeing what lies behind it.

As I study the the palatial looking room I get the feeling that something is missing ... or better someone.

"Where are you, my sister?" Celestia asks.

"Here!" A voice answers before suddenly the closed door opens revealing princess Luna in the bathroom. "What is it that you come to me so early?" She asks as she enters room.

A warm smile forms across her face as she notices me and Twilight. "Oh hello, my little ponies, what brings you to me?"

Me and Twilight bow for her. "Greetings princess Luna." We both say.

"Good morning your highness." A male voice adds shortly followed by the vanishing of princess Luna's smile.

I turn around and see Storming behind me entering the room.

"Why did you bring him here?" Princess Luna asks her sister while she keeps her eyes at Storming. "Do you want to continue what you have started, Storming?"

Storming clears his throat. "Your highness though I like a challenging fight, I am here to ask for your help."

Celestia stares at him. "And?"

Storming sighs and rolls with his eyes. "And I hereby sincerely apologize for threatening you." He says with monotone voice.

"Well though we aren't exactly convinced by the genuineness of your words we are willing to accept your apology." Princess Luna says. "So how can we help you?"

"Have you seen where my airship was heading after the fight?" Storming asks before he walks over to princess Luna.

As they both walk together with princess Celestia to the balcony to discuss the expected position of his airship, Bunky hops of Storming's shoulder and teleports away mid air. I search for him in the room and find him strolling along the top of bookshelves in front of us. As he reaches their end he looks down to Luna's bed before teleporting down to it to lie down on it.

Suddenly Twilight's voice attracts my intention. "Is it just me or does Storming's tail look exactly like Luna's?" She whispers into my ear.

Confused I turn my face to Twilight. "I ... I don't know."

Out of curiosity and probably because we don't have anything better to do at the moment, we sneak closer to them to get a better look and indeed they look very similar. Storming's tail has exactly the same form and color of Luna's, it almost even looks like they are blowing in the wind synchronous. The only difference I can tell is that instead of the night sky on Luna's tail, his was most of the time just black with a lightning between some clouds from time to time looking like a thunderstorm in the night.

"Yes, it really does look like princess Luna's." I say to Twilight.

Suddenly princess Luna turns around. "Have I heard my name?"

Oh my ... was I too loud?"

Me and Twilight look in each others faces as we got caught.

"Ehm ... it's nothing ..." Twilight says quietly. "... we just saw your tail next to Storming's and ... were a bit suprised."

Suddenly Storming covers his tail with his hands and turns his back away from us while princess Celestia and Luna keep their skeptical gaze on it.

"Storming ..." Princess Celestia begins. "... is there any particular reason for that?"

"Ehhh..." Storming's looks wanders to the ground while he nervously fidgets around with his index fingers. "... it might be caused by one of the ingredients of my ... immortality potion ..." He says with a sheepish grin on his face becoming quieter and quieter with every word.

"Uh-huh? And that ingredient is what?" Celestia asks.

Storming gives out a heavy sigh and moves his head into the back. "Okay." He looks forward to us again while me and Twilight walk at the balcony to the rest of the group. "Let me explain what it takes to become immortal without turning into an alicorn." Storming holds his hand before his chest with its palm to the top. A black aura forms around his horn followed by a picture showing multiple flowers and herbs appearing over his hand. "Like all mighty potions it needed some rare plants of course."

"I don't recognize any of these." Twilight says.

"Yeah they are all extinct by now." Storming says. "But the main ingredients were something more special. To give its user immortality it needed parts of three different immortal creatures."

I already expect something bad and by the looks in the faces of the rest of the group, I am not the only one.

The picture changes to a giant brown wolf standing in a forest.

"The first I found was Tiberius the guardian of Greenwood. You don't have to know this place. It was destroyed long ago." Storming makes a pause and looks in our faces. "What? It wasn't me? I wasn't even close to kill him. I got lucky that I survived my encounter with him. The best I could do was to punch him one of his teeth out, grab it and run for my live."

The picture over his hand vanishes and is replaced by an giant skeleton of a bird like creature. "The second one was way more easier because its owner was already long dead ago. A hand from the Allmother - mother of all griffins."

Suddenly the picture vanishes completely and Storming takes his hand down.

"And third one ... ehhh ... you know ... as mage and alchemist you tend to ... collect everything that looks like it could be useful one day." Storming looks into Twilight's face. "Isn't that right, wielder of the element of magic?"

"Ehh ... yes, yes ... I have indeed a big collection of magical ingredients I found over the time, too." Twilight says.

"Well then tell me, in all the time you spent along the princess, did it never occur to you that parts of her might become in handy?"

Suddenly Twilight becomes absolute silent while her face turns almost crimson.

"Twilight?" Celestia asks concerned.

"What? Alicorns are a miracle. Everything of them filled with magic. You never know if you might use some of it one day!" Twilight argues.

"Exactly." Storming says.

"But how?" Princess Luna asks.

"Do you really want to know how I collected parts of your body?" Storming eyes widens excited. "Wait that remembers me of an old story." Storming says pointing wildly with his index around. "I once met a merchant that claimed to sell alicorn parts. He got absolutely everything you could imagine in his store but the best was ... " Storming began to chuckle. "... he sold alicorn ... excrements!"

"Is it what I think it is?" Twilight asks.

"Eyup ... he was offering alicorn poop." Storming breaks out in loud loughter. "And the ponies were actually buying it!" Storming continues between his laughter. "As it turned out he was actually selling cow pats mixed with glowing paint!" He almost collapses with laughter and had to hold his stomach with his hand. "Me and Myrrah were laughing for days! Hahahahahaha!"

"Who?" Celestia asks trying to ignore the disgusting facts about her people.

"Myrrah, my ..." Suddenly his laughing stops and serious expression forms across his face. "... no one." He says with his face turned to the side avoiding eye contact.

We all exchange concerned gazes.

"O...okay." Celestia finally says. "And why did you use parts of her?"

"Oh your highness, jealousy really doesn't suit your kind, don't you think?" Storming says in a mocking tone. "But there a very simple reason for that." He holds his index finger before himself. "I just tend more to dark colors."

We all roll with our eyes.

"Well enough of the talk." Storming announces suddenly. "I need to find an airship."

Author's Note

Sorry that it took so long and that there isn't much happening in this chapter. I try to get some more action into the next one or at least the one after that.