The Rise Of The Nightmare
Chapter 1: The Rise Of The Nightmare
It was a cold morning in Equestria when i awoke. I sat up from my cot and looked out the window. It was another of Celestia's beautiful sunrises, and it filled me with no joy. I sighed and arose from my bed as the images from my latest nightmare flooded back to me. Last night, i had a vision. It was of a mare, tall, with a sleek black coat. And she had a horn as well as wings. She talked to me, as if she was..... Calling to me. And when she opened her eyes, they were a bright turquoise blue with dagger slit pupils. It was not the first time i had a vision of a mare like this though.
"Who is she?..... What does she desire from me?....." I whispered to myself as i walked out into the morning. The year was 1010, and one week before the summer sun celebration. I trotted down the side of the road in the morning light towards the royal castle. I knew i didn't really want too, but i had a job to do as Celestia and Luna's advisor. I pushed open the gate to the everfree castle and was greeted by two guards i knew well.
"Good morning Stone. Glad to see you again." The right one said.
"Glad to see you too Storm. As well as you Ash." I said and nodded as i trotted past them. I came to the throne room door and opened it with my magic. I entered and was greeted from a smile from both their majesties.
"Good morning Stone Heart. We welcome you back to our castle." Celestia said and smiled.
"Always an honor princess's." I said and sighed.
"What is it Stone Heart?" Luna asked me.
"It's nothing. It's just that, i've been having these..... Visions lately. Im not sure weather to call them dreams or nightmares, but when i sleep, all i can see is a mare." I said and Celestia raised an eyebrow.
"And who is this mare?" She asked, enthusiasm in her voice.
"I do not know. She is tall and has a sleek black coat. As well as a horn and wings like you two and i share. As well as your brother. But every time she opens her eyes, i awake to the same sight. Turquoise dragon eyes." I said to them as their brother walked in. "Oh, good morning Sirius." I said and bowed to him.
"To you as well, Stone Heart." He said and nodded. He showed almost as little emotion as i did, but not quite.
"So tell us Stone Heart, how long have you been having these visions?" Luna asked me.
"About two weeks now. I fear it may be a warning to us though." I said and the sisters looked at one another.
"Why is that?" They both asked.
"Because. She speaks to me, as if she's calling out for help. She is asking me to..... Free her..... Free her from her prison. Whatever this means, it cannot mean anything good. I know not where this mare is locked away, or how she came to be there, but i will do what i can to keep her there." I said and looked out the window.
"Well we are glad to know that she is unable to cause harm. Wherever she may be." Celestia said and smiled at Luna. Luna was just looking off into space at the time. "Luna, what is it?" Celestia asked as Luna shook her head back to reality.
"Oh, its.... It's nothing." She said. "I'll be right back." She said and slowly trotted out of the room.
"One moment Princess." I said and bowed before walking into the room Luna went too. She was looking into a mirror, but i could not see what looked back at her. "Princess Luna, what is the matter?" I asked and she looked at me.
"Stone Heart..... Can you keep a secret for us?" She asked me.
"Of course your majesty. It would pain me not too." I said and smiled for the first time in weeks.
"Thank you." She said and motioned for me to come over.
"What is it princess-" I began but stopped with a gasp when i looked into the mirror. Luna and i were the only one standing in front of the mirror but in the reflection Luna was not there. I was there, but the only other i saw beside me was the mare from my dreams. "P-Princess Luna..... What is this?" I asked her.
"We do not know either. But whenever we look into a reflective surface, we see the mare from your dreams." She said to me as the black coated mare stared back at us. "But we do not know why....." She said and sighed.
"It is alright princess. Your secret is safe with me." I said and bowed.
"Thank you Stone Heart. It is good to know we have at least one other friend here." She said and i smiled.
"It is an honor to hear such a thing from you Luna." I said and she chuckled.
"Come on, we are sure Tia is worried by now." She said as we trotted back into the room. She went back up to her throne and i took a seat next to them both. After a few minutes or so, several people came into the room and conferenced with the princess's. After about two and a half hours of this one final man came into the room and bowed.
"Good day your majesties. My name is Bone Grinder. I have come to you this day with a question." He said and stood and faced them.
"Ask what you wish sir. We are here to listen." Luna said and he inhaled.
"My family lives on the furthest outskirts of this kingdom and we rarely grow anything on our farm due to the lack of supplies. We are poor and starving out there and there is no one to help us. Please, spare us a small amount of supplies?" He said and bowed again. I could hear a slight tremble in his voice as he did so. I looked up at Celestia, who returned the glance to me.
"What do you think?" She whispered to me. I only looked at the man and back at her with a nod. She smiled and looked back at him as he stood. "Your request has been granted sir." She said to the man and his eyes lit up as he smiled and gasped.
"Thank you! Bless you your highness's! I cannot thank you enough! Thank you, thank you!" He said repeatedly.
"Guards, please escort this man-" Luna began but i stopped her.
"Not necessary your majesty. I will see him out." I said and smiled. I stood up and walked alongside the man out of the castle.
"Again i cannot thank you enough sir. My family would have never made it without your help. Thank you again." He said to me and bowed.
"It is no trouble sir. I am here to help the people of our kingdom as best i can. If there is ever anything i can do for you please do not hesitate to ask." I said and nodded to him.
"Thank you. Do you know when the supplies will arrive?" He asked me.
"By normal means a few days to a week. But, i digress, i can make it instant if you wish." I said and he gasped.
"R-Really? Thank you again! Thank you!" He said and bowed lower to me.
"Please, do not bow to me. I am not worthy of it. Now then, come on, i will send the supplies to your home immediately." I said and the supplies next to the gate glowed in my magic. After a moment they were warped away from the gate and to his farm. "Have a good day sir. And may Sirius watch over you." I said as he flew off. I sighed happily as i walked back into the castle and took my seat next to Celestia and Luna again.
"Did everything go alright?" Celestia asked me.
"Yes, everything went fine. The supplies are arriving now and he is on his way back home. Everything seems in order." I said and looked up at Celestia. She nodded and looked out the window again. The rest of the day went by like any normal day. Celestia or Luna would go attend some short business meeting or another and come back. Luna's student and my best friend, Starswirl, would drop by and say hello. The end of the day would arrive and Celestia, Luna and i would go to bed while Sirius stood awake through the night. As i slept i tried to divert my mind away from the thoughts of the previous night, but could not. This time, they came to me with a true warning.
"Soon Stone Heart..... The night..... Will last..... Forever....." The mare said before laughing and fading into the darkness. The memories from all my nightmare's returned at once that night. Or at least what seemed like that night. When i finally awoke i came to find it had been a week since i spoke with Bone Grinder. I galloped down the stairs from my room and into the throne room to find Celestia pacing back and forth. When she saw me she gasped and ran over to me.
"Stone Heart! Your awake!" She said, tears streaming down her face. "Your finally awake!" She said between sobs.
"Shh, calm down Celestia. Everything is alright now. What happened?" I asked as she sat up. She wiped her eyes with a hoof and looked at me before speaking.
"It's been a week since you last spoke to anyone. You just..... Went to sleep. And you wouldn't wake up. The doctor's tried everything but nothing worked." She said and began crying again slowly. I wrapped my forelegs around her and held her tightly.
"Shh..... It's alright. Im awake now, everything is fine." I whispered to her as she hugged me back. After a few minutes she was finally calmed down and we went and sat down at the thrones. "So, where is Luna?" I asked finally.
"I do not know. I have not seen her in a few days or so. I think she's been in her room looking for a way to help you." She said and my mind immediately began to panic. Thankfully, i showed no emotion i stood up.
"Here, let me go check on her." I said and trotted up the stairs. I soon came to Luna's bedroom door and knocked on it. "Princess Luna? Are you alright?" I asked and opened the door. I walked inside and the room was pitch black all around. I looked around the room but could see no light, save for a single candle on the desk. "Luna? Are you in here?" I asked as the door shut behind me. I spun around and saw nothing. Then i gasped and stepped back as a pair of bright, turquoise blue dragon eyes appeared by the door.
"Hello Stone Heart....." A female voice said. The eye's slowly mover around the room but never took their gaze off of me.
"Who are you? Why have you tormented me? Where is princess Luna?" I asked as a faint light shined through the room. It was moonlight, at nine in the morning.
"Luna? That weak, pathetic foal?" The woman asked as the light illuminated her figure. I gasped again at the sight of her. Tall, sleek black with a horn and wings. The mare from my nightmares. "I took her out of the picture for now. But that's not important now. All that's important is that i have you right where i want you." She said and grinned evilly.
"What do you want from me?" I asked and backed away.
"You are closer to Celestia than anyone but her brother..... With you, i could break her without even trying....." She said and chuckled. "Oh it would be so easy..... But where's the fun in that?" She asked and laughed as she sat back on her haunches. "Go back and tell Celestia, the real ruler of the night has arrived. Tell her that Nightmare sends her regards as well." She said before laughing maniacally and vanishing in a blue cloud of smoke that was her mane. I looked around for any sign of her but found none as i galloped from the room and back towards the throne room. I burst through the doors at full speed and kept running.
"Princess Celestia!" I shouted is i approached her.
"Calm down Stone Heart, what is the matter?" She asked me as i panted for breath.
"Luna..... She..... She's....." I began but couldn't finish the sentence.
"Stone Heart, what is it?" She asked and stepped towards me. She looked into my eyes and saw something i had never shown before. Pure fear.
"Luna..... She's become her....." I said to Celestia as she sat down to talk to me.
"Who?" She asked.
"Luna has become the mare from my nightmares..... Nightmare Moon has awakened from deep inside of her....." I said and looked down as Celestia's eyes shrank down to the size of pins. "She said to give you two messages from her." I said and looked up.
"A-And what are they?" She asked me.
"Nightmare sends her regards..... And she wanted me to tell you, the real ruler of the night has arrived." I said as we both looked out the window. The sun disappeared in that moment as the moon lifted into the sky.
"No..... This cannot be....." Celestia whispered.
"What are we to do princess? I know not what she will do to our kingdom, but i do not wish to find out....." I said to her as we walked in front of the window.
"I do not know Stone Heart.......... But i need you to do something for me." She said to me.
"By your will my princess, i live to serve." I said and bowed.
"I want you to contact that old friend of yours." She said as i stood.
"Starswirl?" I asked.
"No, your oldest friend." She said.
"Zeratul? What could you possibly want with him? No one has seen a trace of him in nearly a century!" I said.
"I know. But i have faith the you will be able to contact him. Please, i fear we may be unable to stop Nightmare alone." She said. I bowed again then stood and faced her.
"As you command princess Celestia. It will be done." I said and galloped off upstairs towards the castle tower. When i arrived i looked out over the nighttime kingdom. "I will find the answers i seek....." I whispered as my horn glowed, brighter and brighter. I flew into the air and a white wave of energy fired from my body all over Equestria. I landed and looked out again, this time using the tracking spell i launched. I found one powerful energy source in the mountains and immediately flew towards it. I landed at the mouth of a medium sized cave and looked into it.
"Who dares disturb my meditation here?" A voice called out.
"Zeratul? Is that you?" I called back.
"How do you know my name mortal?" The voice echoed back to me.
"I am no mortal old friend. It is me, Stone Heart." I called out only to receive silence in return. I waited for a moment or so before i heard the clopping of hoofsteps against rock coming towards me. They were slow and rhythmic, just like Zeratul always had been.
"En Taro Adun my old friend. What brings you to my home at this time?" He asked me.
"En Taro Adun, Zeratul. I seek your assistance." I said and bowed. It was, after all, tradition to bow in the presence of a Templar. No matter who they were, Dark or light.
"And what can i do that you cannot old friend?" He asked as i stood.
"Well, actually, Celestia seeks your help." I said and he growled.
"Celestia seeks help from ME? Does she not remember what her family did to my ancestors?" He asked angrily as a light appeared behind us. I turned around to face Celestia herself standing there.
"Yes..... I do remember Zeratul." She said and stepped forward as i bowed.
"Then why do you ask for MY help?" He asked angrily and peered down at her as he approached.
"Because, i fear that without you we cannot defeat this threat." She said.
"And what of your beloved sister, Luna? Can she not help in my place?" He asked and paced.
"This is the problem, Luna has turned to a darker side and is the one who now holds the moon in the sky." She said and bowed to him. "I ask not as a princess, but as one who fears for both our worlds. Please, will you help us in our darkest hour?" She asked and looked up at him, a tear in her eye. Zeratul stepped back a few times and looked back at me. I nodded my head and smiled. He returned it and looked at Celestia.
"I accept your plea princess. I will help you in this hour, but know this. I do this not for you, but i do this for Shakuras" He said sternly. Celestia stood and faced him and wiped her eye with a smile.
"Thank you Zeratul. And please, forgive me for my families past." She said as we flew back to the castle. Zeratul sighed as we flew before looking at her.
"Celestia, i was never angry at you for what your family did. I was just a bit preturbed why you needed my help. Then my anger at your ancestors was directed at you for some reason i do not know. But let us put this behind us, and deal with the matter at hand." He said and smiled. She nodded as we landed on the balcony of the main hall and trotted inside. When we entered the room however, we were all shocked to find Nightmare standing in the room. She was glaring and grinning at us.
"Oh Celestia, how good to see you!" She said sarcastically. Celestia tried to take a step forward but i was already in front of her.
"Luna please, i know you are in there. I know you can hear me." I spoke to her but she laughed.
"That weak foal is gone Stone Heart. Why do you still try to contact her?" She asked angrily.
"Because, i know that she is still in there. I won't rest until i free her from you Nightmare. Luna is like a sister to me and i will stop at nothing to free her from your power. Because i may not show emotion..... But i never abandon family!" I said angrily and growled.
"So, you threaten me now?" She asked and paced around. I did not respond, only kept my glare on her. "Hm, fine. If you wish to free her then come fight me." She said and posed to strike. I sighed and my horn lit up.
"Forgive me Luna, for what i must do....." I said and charged her, my horn still glowing. She laughed and charged me in return as the glow became brighter. As soon as we were about to make contact i warped behind her, jumped into the air and blasted her back with my magic a few times.
"You weak foal! I will destroy you!" She shouted at me and fired her own magic. I fired back again and locked us in a battle of willpower. I pushed forward but she pushed back stronger. I cringed in pain as she came closer and closer to striking me.
"N-NO!!!" I shouted as i lost control and i was blasted into the air. Everything seemed to stop from there. I saw Celestia shouting my name and crying, but i could hear no words. Then, everything went black.
I awoke from what felt like hours later and looked around. The castle around me was gone, ruble. There was a forest all around the castle and i gasped.
"How long have i been out?" I asked myself as i got to my hooves. I walked out into the forest in the direction of light in the distance and began galloping. I ran through the woods, not knowing where i was, but i ran. I finally reached a clearing and looked up, then at my wings. They were badly injured, to weak to fly as well. "Where is this place?" I whispered and kept running. I reached the forest edge and saw a town in the distance. "Strange, these do not look like the houses we have back home....." I said and slowly trotted into town. I passed by ponies i had never seen before as they all looked at me with shock, disbelief and fear. I stopped cold when a pink pony with a curly mane jumped up in front of me.
"Hi there! My name's Pinkie Pie!" She said happily as i stepped back once.
"Uh, Greetings miss Pie. Can you by chance tell me where exactly i am?" I asked her calmly.
"Your in Ponyville!" She said and i looked around.
"Ponyville? I have never heard of a place by this name..... Miss Pie, what exactly is the year?" I asked her.
"Hmm, oh yeah! Its 2010." She said and i fell back on my haunches.
"..... 2010..... I have been asleep for a thousand years?!" I half shouted to myself. I stood up and looked around. "Miss Pie, do you know where princess Celestia is?" I asked her, hope flaring in my heart.
"Sure! She's in Canterlot, up there." She said and pointed a hoof at a city attached to the side of a mountain.
"Thank you miss Pie, i will be sure to return here soon." I said and galloped off in the city's direction. I stopped running and sighed quietly. "A thousand years..... Gone....." I whispered as my horn glowed and i warped to the main gate of the city.
"Halt, who goes there?" A guard asked me.
"My name is Stone Heart. I am princess Celestia's royal advisor." I said and they looked at each other with shock.
"Yes sir. Please, enjoy your stay in Canterlot." They said respectfully and opened the gate. I trotted into the city and through the street towards a castle ahead. I finally reached the main door and two more guards stopped me.
"Who are you?" The left one asked. I gasped at the sight of him and smiled.
"Lightning? Is that you?" I asked and his eyes went wide.
"Stone Heart?! Oh thank Celestia your alright! What happened to you man? Where have you been? The last time we saw you Nightmare did something to you and you disappeared!" He said.
"Aah, now i understand. I thought i was asleep for a thousand years, but really she sent me forward in time..... But why?...." I said as he opened the gate for me.
"Head on in. Celestia is in the throne room right now, first door straight in front of you." He said and bowed as i trotted inside and up to the door. I reached in and sighed as i opened it with my magic.
"Good evening Princess Celestia. I have come home." I said as i stepped in. She was larger than before, with a rainbow colored mane that flowed like the wind. She looked at me with a confused expression before speaking.
"Im sorry, do i know you sir?" She asked me as i bowed.
"Celestia, it's me, Stone Heart!" I said and smiled as she gasped and ran down to me.
"Stone Heart! Oh thank goodness your alright!" She said and wrapped her hooves around me. I squeezed her in a hug in return with a smile on my face.
"It's alright now. Im home. Where is Luna?" I asked and she sighed as a tear fell from her face.
"Come with me....." She said and moved towards the window. We reached it and she pointed up at the moon.
"What about it? It's just the-....." I began but then stopped at the sight of a mare outline on the side. I fell to the floor and continued looking up at the sight. "No..... B-But how?...." I asked and looked at Celestia, my ears laid back.
"I could not beat her. Even with my brother and Zeratul at my side she was still more powerful than us. I was forced to use the only thing i knew could defeat her..... The last creation of my father before he disappeared....." She said and a tear fell from her eye.
"You..... You used the elements?" I asked, shocked. She only nodded and looked down in sorrow. "But Celestia, you knew you could not use the true power of the elements! You knew what would happen if you did use them even so!" I half shouted. She cringed away from me and i sighed. "Im sorry Celestia..... It's just that, i've been gone for so long i did not expect this to be the news i returned too." I said and she sat next to me.
"I know. I used the elements because i knew of the effects. It locked her away permanently. And so i set a timer on the lock, for a thousand years to go by, until she was freed." She said and i gasped.
"Why would you free her without the true bearers of the elements present?!" I asked.
"Because, Zeratul showed me the future. And in it, i saw the true bearers. They have come together even now, in Ponyville, and tonight is the night in which she shall return. My student, Twilight Sparkle, is the bearer of the element of Magic. She has grown up without friends or family other than me so i sent her to Ponyville to make friends. These friends i sent her to find, are the other elements. Applejack, the element of honesty. Rarity, the element of generosity. Fluttershy, the element of kindness. Rainbow Dash, the binder of all six, is the element of loyalty. Pinkie Pie, the element of laughter and Twilight, the element of magic. Everyone knows the legend of Nightmare Moon, but no one knows that i am the elder sister from that legend. To Twilight, i am simply her teacher and among her friends." She said to me.
"I understand princess. I will see to it that everything goes according to plan." I said before getting to my hooves and approaching the front door. I used my magic and placed a suit on myself as i put a hoof to the door. "Oh, and princess?" I said as she looked at me.
"Yes Stone Heart." She said.
"Good luck." I said and opened the door before warping back to Ponyville. I arrived in the center of the town square and looked around for anyone the princess mentioned. I saw Pinkie bouncing down the road as everyone waved to her. I galloped to her side and waved. "Hello again miss Pie." I said and she stopped and smiled at me.
"Well hey there! I never got your name earlier." She said.
"Oh, my apologies. My name is Stone Heart. Pleased to meet you. Say, do you know anyone by the names of Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy or Twilight?" I asked.
"Actually, i know all those people!" She said and i smiled.
"Wonderful! Would you mind introducing them to me?" I asked. I figured the only way to easily find them was for this pony to show me to them up front.
"Sure! Come on!" She said and started bouncing down the road again. I chuckled and trotted alongside her as we went. "SO, Stone Heart, you dont look like your from around here. Where are you from?" She asked me.
"Well, that's a bit difficult to explain Pinkie. I'll tell you later, but right now lets just focus on the task at hand." I said.
"Okay Stone." She said with a smile. We kept going for a short while before we came to a library. "Twilight's gonna be staying here while she's in town. Im setting up a surprise party for her later tonight, all of our friends are gonna be there. You should come!" She said. I smiled and nodded.
"I would be glad to come. Thanks Pinkie, see you tonight." I said and waved before warping back to the castle. Celestia turned and faced me with a smile.
"So, what did you find out?" She asked me.
"Not much. I met Pinkie and she invited me to a party tonight in which Twilight and the others will attend as well. I accepted the invitation in order to further my assistance to you princess." I said and she nodded in approval.
"Well done Stone. Even after all this time you are still as knowledgeable as you were then." She said and i nodded.
"Thank you princess, that means so much coming from you. I need some rest, have a guard wake me around three p.m please. Thank you." I said and bowed before walking away and up the stairs. I reached a room with no one inside and laid down in the bed and fell asleep. This would be the first time i slept without seeing Nightmare there in a thousand years..... Or so i thought. As i slept, the images of Nightmare flowed through my mind, but she looked different somehow. She looked angrier and stronger than before.
"You couldn't defeat me then..... What makes you think you can defeat me now?.... The time shall soon come for you to test your might.........." She whispered and faded from my sight as i guard woke me up.
"Sir, Princess Celestia sent me to wake you up." He said and stepped back as i sat up and rubbed my eye.
"Thank you sir. Remind me to give you a promotion when i get back." I said and stood up.
"Yes sir!" He said and trotted out of the room. I chuckled to myself as i put my suit back on from before and trotted out of the room and downstairs into the throne room. Celestia was standing by the window overlooking the kingdom when i approached her.
"Good evening princess." I said and she jumped slightly. "My apologies." I said as she smiled at me.
"No, no. Its fine. I just wasn't expecting you that quickly. The silence was beginning to comfort me." She said and sighed.
"Do not worry princess, i will take care of this matter." I said and smiled as she looked at me.
"I believe in you Stone Heart. Go now, and keep an eye on my student and her friends." She said as i warped back into town. I had the suit on to cover my wings as to not cause a panic. I trotted through the streets looking for the library from earlier. I smiled and approached it then knocked on the door. Pinkie Pie opened it a moment later, looked around and pulled me inside.
"Glad you made it Stoney!" She said and smiled. The room was dark, and it was apparently a surprise party.
"I wouldn't miss it Pinkie." I said and walked towards the back of the room where there was a table set up. I may have been half asleep for a thousand years but my eyesight was still as sharp as it was then. I stopped and turned around silently as the door opened and i saw someone walk in.
"Why is it so dark in here? Where's the light switch?" The mare asked. The lights suddenly bust on in the room as everyone cheered.
"Surprise!" Everyone shouted in unison. I approached the mare as she and Pinkie walked to the table with the punch on it.
"Good evening miss." I said to her and smiled.
"Good evening. Who are you?" She asked me.
"My name is Stone Heart." I said to her.
"Hmm, nice to meet you. Do you live in town?" She asked me.
"Oh no, i live in Canterlot." I said and her eyes lit up.
"Really? Oh thank goodness! I thought i was alone down here." She said and then whispered into my ear. "I swear, all the ponies in this town are crazy." She whispered and stepped back.
"Hmm, i wouldn't understand why but alright." I said and nodded.
"So what brings you down here?" She asked.
"Well, Princess Celestia actually sent me to find you." I said and her jaw dropped.
"You know princess Celestia?!" She asked.
"Well i would hope so. Im her advisor after all." I said and smiled.
"Your..... Your her advisor?!" She asked shakily and bowed slightly.
"No need for the formalities Miss Sparkle. I have had quite enough of that for one lifetime." I said and shook my head as she stood up.
"B-But why are you down here? Shouldn't you be up there with her?" She asked me and i shook my head slowly. I looked at the door into what appeared to be the kitchen and motioned her to follow me. We walked into the kitchen together and i looked at her.
"Miss Sparkle. What do you know about immortality?" I asked her and she raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you ask that?" She asked as i sat down in a chair.
"Well, then tell me what you know about alicorns." I said and materialized a glass of water in front of myself and took a drink.
"Well, i know that only princess Celestia is an alicorn." She said.
"Good. Now, have you realized that Celestia doesn't look older no matter how long she goes for?" I asked her.
"Wait..... Your not saying she's....." Twilight began.
"Yes, i am. Im not her advisor from this day and age. I dont live in Canterlot, i lived in the Everfree forest a thousand years ago today." I said and her jaw dropped.
"But how is that possible?! Your not immortal!" She said. I chuckled and took my suit off and expanded my wings.
"Actually, i am. My name is Stone Heart, i am Princess Celestia's royal advisor for a thousand years. And i know about this "Mare in the moon" You've been studying." I said and approached her.
"W-What do you mean? How do you know about that?" She asked me.
"Because i was alive when that legend was born. Nightmare Moon sent me through time when i tried to stand up to her. Celestia was there at my side as well." I said.
"Wait, your saying the elder sister from the legend is.......... Princess Celestia?" She asked me.
"Precisely. And, i have something you'll want to know about Nightmare." I said and she nodded.
"Alright, what is it?" She asked.
"You know about Celestia's brother Sirius right?" I asked her and she nodded. "Good, good. Now, do you know about her sister?" I asked and she raised and eyebrow.
"Sister? What sister?" She asked me.
"Princess Celestia had a sister a thousand years ago..... She became Nightmare Moon." I said and her jaw dropped.
"Amazing..... But how?" She asked me.
"This i do not know. I went to sleep one night and didn't wake up for a week. But when i woke up and went to check on her sister, Luna was her name, the room was black around me and Nightmare was the only one there." I said and sighed.
"Do you think the legend is true?" She asked me.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" I asked her.
"The legend. That Nightmare will come back." She said and i nodded.
"Without a doubt. I have been sent by princess Celestia to find, and aid, the elements of harmony." I said and put my suit back on.
"What do you mean? Are they here in town?" She asked me.
"You could say that miss Sparkle. Wait, do you not know?" I asked her.
"Know what?" She asked as it registered in my mind. She knew nothing about herself being the holder of the element of magic so i would leave it like that until the time was right.
"Nothing, its not important. What is important is that you try to make friends here as the princess asked you to." I said and she grunted.
"But everypony in this town is crazy!" She half shouted and i shushed her.
"No, their not. Your just not used to the behavior of normal townspeople compared to your everyday home in Canterlot." I said.
"How do you know so much about me?" She asked me.
"I know far more than even you do miss Sparkle. But please, try to make friends before the night is over alright? For Celestia's sake." I said and smiled as we walked into the main room again.
"Alright, i guess i can try if its for her sake." Twilight said as a group of about five mares approached us.
"So how are you taking to the party dear?" The one with a sleek white coat asked.
"Its alright Rarity." Twilight replied.
"Who's your friend?" The rainbow maned one asked and pointed a hoof at me.
"My name is Stone Heart. I am princess Celestia's advisor and a close friend of Twilight's." I said and their jaws dropped.
"Twilight, you know princess Celestia?" Rarity asked.
"Yes, i do know her. She practically raised me as her student after all." Twilight said.
"You..... Your her student?!" The five asked in unison, causing Twilight to sigh.
"Yes, i am. But back to introductions. Stone, this is Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie." Twilight said and pointed at each of the five as she said their names off.
"Oh yes, i've already met Pinkie Pie. Quite the ecstatic pony. Pinkie, do you eat sugar?" I asked her and she laughed.
"Oh no, all my energy is natural!" She said and my jaw dropped.
"What about coffee?" I asked her.
"Nope!" She replied and i just shook my head slowly.
"Never in my entire lifetime have i met anyone as hyper as you Pinkie. And that says something." I said.
"And why is that?" Rarity asked me.
"Well i've been around for a while. That, and Pinkie is probably the most hyper pony in the kingdom." I said and Rainbow raised and eyebrow.
"How long exactly?" She asked me.
"Well, im not really sure if i should tell you that much but....." I stopped and looked at Twilight, who just shrugged. I sighed and turned back to the five in front of us. "Im an immortal." I said, plain and simple. Without hesitation all of their jaws dropped again.
"Your..... Immortal?" Applejack asked to reassure my answer.
"Thats right. Im over a millennia old even now." I said and chuckled.
"And how long is that?" Dash asked.
"About a thousand years or so. I was about twenty seven years old when i was sent here." I said.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked me.
"Oh, right. I think that much would best be discussed in private between you and i Twilight." I said.
"But why?" She asked. I leaned over and whispered into her ear.
"It has to do with Nightmare." I whispered and backed away again. She looked at me and nodded then looked back at the others.
"So, how are you girls enjoying the party?" Twilight asked them.
"Its great! Almost everypony in town is here." Dash said and looked around.
"I can see that. You obviously know your way around a good party Pinkie." I said and smiled at her.
"What, you mean you knew about this party?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, me and Pinkie were discussing it earlier when i came to town and she invited me. Never before have i been to a party quite like this one." I said and looked around at everypony.
"I see. So when did you come to town?" Twilight asked.
"Earlier this morning. I woke up, wandered around for a while and came here on complete accident. I met Pinkie Pie shortly after and talked with her for a while and asked her if she knew where Celestia was. She told me and-" I began but i was cut off by Rarity's voice.
"How could you not know where the princess was?" She asked me, half sounding shocked and confused.
"Because..... Im not from this time period." I said and they each raised and eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" Dash asked.
"..... Come with me." I said and walked back into the kitchen. They each looked at each other and followed me in as i turned around and shut the door. "Watch." I said and took off my suit jacket and let my wings free. I flapped them a few times as they all looked at me with mixed emotions of shock, awe and surprise.
"How do you have wings and a horn?" Dash asked as she examined my wings.
"Because, i was Celestia's advisor a thousand years ago when a legend was born." I said and sighed.
"Which legend?" Rarity asked as Twilight walked in.
"The legend of Nightmare Moon." She said and we all looked at her.
"Twilight, dear, you dont really believe in that do you? I mean come on, its just a ponytale!" Rarity said and i chuckled.
"Whats funny?" Applejack asked.
"That is the legend i speak of. When i was her advisor, i fell asleep one night and did not awaken for a week. When i did awaken i came to find that princess Celestia's sister, princess Luna, was gone. I entered her room and looked around at the darkness that had consumed it, only to find a tall black mare with both wings and a horn standing there. Her worst feature..... Her eyes. A thick turquoise color with dagger slit pupils, like a dragons. and the whites of her eyes were a sky blue color as well. And when she looked into my eyes, i felt as if she was gazing into my very soul." I said and shivered as the group exchanged glances.
"Then what happened?" Dash asked and i sighed.
"I went and told Celestia about what i found, then sought help from the oldest pony on the planet. I believe him to be dead now, but he was alive then. His name, was Prelate Zeratul. He was an old friend of mine and he came to our aid when we needed it the most. But when we returned to our castle in the everfree area, Nightmare awaited us. I attacked her, and fought without mercy. But it was all in vain. I was defeated, and cast adrift upon the waves of time itself. I passed out then, and when i awoke, i found myself a thousand years in the future from my time. I stood and walked through the forest, untouched the whole way, until i came across your town. And here we are, a living legend among you all now seeking to find that which gives us life..... The elements of harmony." I said and Twilight stepped forward.
"Do you know where they are?" She asked me and i nodded.
"Yes, i do. But i cannot reach them. When the darkness arises the day and night shall arc..... But to light the way, all you need is a spark....." I said and closed my eyes with a sigh.
"What do you mean, the day and night shall arc?" Twilight asked.
"When Nightmare Moon returns, the moon shall rise. But without the elements of harmony it shall never fall again. The only way to reveal the five elements is to find them and unite them as one." I said.
"But i thought there were six elements?" Twilight asked.
"There are, but Celestia could not unite them under the true power. Only the true bearers of the elements can bring forth the final element. The elements of harmony stand before me now. Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness and Laughter." I said and pointed a hoof at each of the bearers as i said them.
"You mean that we..... Were the ones who are supposed to stop Nightmare?" Twilight asked.
"Yes..... You are the only hope for our world. Should you fail here, the night will never end and all hope shall be lost." I said and began fading into the darkness slowly. "Find the elements before the dawn, and bring forth the spark to unite them all!" I said and faded away.
