The six rushed down a hallway, on their way back to the throne room. Moments ago Daybreak had read up about a “tower of Canterlot” in the Chronicle, a room not on the schematics, and they'd taken off in a gallop.

In retrospect, it wasn't much of a plan, but it was all they had...

Aboard the Wellspring, in a not-so-important storage room, the last of a group of six ponies arrived. Daybreak checked outside the room once more, finding nopony in the halls. He closed the door, leaving the six of them quite alive. He looked through his comrades, surprised to find only-“Where are Sharp and Broad?”

Blueblood shrugged. “They didn't see the point in this. They agree with the Commander, they're gonna put everything into one final stand.”

“They're insane. Why isn't fleeing to Space an option? The colony on-”

Blueblood was shaking his head. “The Wellspring was pushed out before it was finished. They never got around to installing the necessities for space travel. Life support, FTL engines, both missing. Besides, we never heard back from any ships that did try leaving the planet. Unspoken theory is the Wraith stopped them.”

The unspoken opinion was that was probably correct. The unspoken suggestion was that Daybreak get to the point, something he didn't waste time in doing so.

“I found something. Well, I found it a while back, but it was a last resort kinda thing. There might be something that can stop the Wraith.”

Storm rolled her eyes. “Forgive me if I refrain from jumping for joy.”

Swift shot up a hoof. “I'll do it.”

Terra's glare sent his hoof down.

Daybreak sighed. “Guys, I know, but what options have we got at this point? I keep reading about something, something ancient, something I'm pretty sure is still around, and I know where to find it. The Wraith hasn't got it yet, and there's a pathway open right to our destination.”

Daybreak presented an orb, which floated to the center of the room, projecting a map, showing a path to a destination not yet covered in darkness. Pressing on their interest, Daybreak continued.

“Best case scenario. The Wellspring makes its stand, and by some miracle, it beats the Wraith. We come back empty hoofed but nopony cares. Worst, and most likely case, The Wellspring falls, and we buy ourselves a few more hours chasing a possibility. The place is Canterlot Castle. I have a theory why the Wraith didn't take it.” That got their interest, it was subtle, but he could tell. “It couldn't. The Castle holds ancient magic, crafted by the best mages of many eras, the kinds that haven't been cast in eons. The magic protects the castle, It wont hold forever, but it'll hold a while. It could very well soon be the last stronghold we have.”

Silence fell, the five of them pondering this information. Daybreak was only really focused on convincing one. If he was convinced, the others would follow suit. The group had learned to defer to one another's expertise on occasion. This was such a time when it could work in his favour...

Finally, Blueblood spoke. “Fine, I'm in.”

One by one, everypony else agreed. Daybreak smiled, slightly.

“Meet me at bay four an hour before dawn. We'll move out then. I'll have everything ready.”

The doors of the throne room burst open, the six galloping to the end of the hall. Daybreak's horn flared into life. “That painting, there's a spell on it,” his horn shown brighter. “I just to-gotcha!” The painting began to glow, briefly, so bright that all detail was lost. When the light cleared the painting was gone, but the visage remained, the painting had become the wall. The six arrived, Daybreak swiftly finding something in the wall, a small hole...

“Gimmie a boost.”

Terra Belle quickly offered herself as a platform, along with Swift, the pair raising on him their backs. Swift grunted loudly.

“Geez, Daybreak you need to go on a diet.”

“I remind you that I know a bowl-voiding spell, now shut up and keep still.” Daybreak gazed closely at the hole, his magic creeping into it. “Designed for an Alicorn's horn. Not stopping me!” He stuck his horn inside, his glow lost as his concentration deepened. “Dammit, what's it take to hack this-GOTCHA!”

He pulled out his horn, a crack appearing in the wall. A door the six hadn't noticed began to open. The six gathered around the opening chamber, being the first in eons to witness the inside of the Tower of Canterlot.

The Tower of Canterlot contained...junk.

It reminded Daybreak of a museum...where all the exhibits were kept in a single, too-small room. The items were, well they were junk. If Daybreak didn't know better, and hey, maybe he didn't, this room was a glorified storage closet, save for one thing.

There was a box. Sitting there, alone, in the middle of the chamber. He rushed towards it, opening it with a flash of his horn.

“What?”

Scrolls, nothing but scrolls. Daybreak pulled one out, unrolling it.

Dear Princess Celestia,
I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings. But when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.

He let it go, grabbing another.

Dear Princess Celestia,
Winter Wrap Up was one of the most special things I've ever been a part of here in Ponyville. It helped me to learn that we all have hidden talents, and if we're patient and diligent we're sure to find them. And as always, with good friendship and teamwork, ponies can accomplish anything.

“What is this?”

Another scroll...

Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned something amazing! Everypony everywhere has a special magical connection with her friends, maybe even before she's met them. If you're feeling lonely and you're still searching for your true friends, just look up in the sky. Who knows, maybe you and your future best friends are all looking at the same rainbow.

Junk. Junk. Nothing but junk! His horn flared, both it and the chronicle wrapped in a gold inferno.

“WHERE!” The two fires became one. “ARE!” The book opened, it's pages flipping. “THE!” The book hit the floor, the only thing brighter than the magic was the fire in Daybreak's eyes as he gazed down at it “ELEMENTS!?”

“Daybreak, you're yelling at a-”

“SHUT UP! This book is giving me what I want NOW!”

The pages turned faster, and faster, the flow of magic between book and horn following suit.

They stopped. The magic, and page, fell still. “The Elements...” The chronicle slowly closed. “They're not...here. During Twilight Sparkle's tenure as bearer, the Elements abandoned physical form. They have existed as energy since, in the ether.” His shoulder's slumped, as he fell on his plot, gazing at the floor. “I'm sorry, everypony.”

Daybreak felt a hoof gently land on his shoulder. He looked up into the face of a smiling Storm.

“Hey, wasn't like anypony else had any ideas.”

Another hoof found his other shoulder, Swift was grinning. “Besides, If you hadn't convinced me to go, Autumn might have insisted on making my last meal.”

Pearl smiled, slightly. “If it weren't for you we'd have been taken with the Wellspring.”

Terra nodded. “You kept us going, no matter what.”

“We fought to the very end.” All eyes turned to Blueblood. “Very few things are more noble.” He smiled, though doing so seemed to be leaving a bad taste in his mouth. “As much I loathe to admit it, I'm glad that if I'm going out with anyone, it's you all.”

Daybreak smiled. “Thanks, you guys. I just wish I had better news for you. Instead, it's just a matter of when-”

Darkness.

Daybreak's horn became a beacon in the darkness, as he rose to his hooves. “Here it comes.”

At the other side of the room part of the ceiling turned to black, as the Wraith descended from the darkness, it's form finding floor, which was quickly fading, along with the walls, every instant of time upon the walls slowly turning black. Daybreak stomped the floor beneath him. “This is it, everypony! Our last stand!” His friends took places alongside him, on floor, or in midair. He smiled, this was it. “FOR EQUESTRIA!”

They charged, with everything they had left to give, as around them, the world turned to black. Their visions grew darker, and darker, and-

Brighter.

The floor beneath them was no more, but they were not bound to such a fate. They stopped, all around them, a seemingly empty universe.

Almost.

The six ponies looked around, finding themselves in the heart of a rainbow.

Daybreak smiled. “The Elements of Harmony.”

“Are we worthy?”

Swift's question was met with a small frown. “Maybe. Maybe the Elements are just don't wanna give up everything without a fight.” The Rainbow began to expand. “Now let's see what they got!”

The Wraith moved forward. Had it make a sound, it might have roared. Had it emotion, it might be fury, but all there was, was a silent phantom moving towards the Rainbow.

The rainbow rushed forth, growing larger to meet the blight upon reality.

It was swallowed, rushed over like a form beneath a wave, a form that held still, unmoving, unmoveable. The rainbow began to dim, growing darker.

Darkness. The wave was turning black, the Wraith revealing itself once more, unharmed and unfazed.

“No!” Daybreak's horn flared. “Dammit, no! It's not ending like this! We've come too far for it to end like this! This is your end, you monster!” Daybreak suddenly started to glow, the rainbow seeming to come from him.

“You're taken our families!” Pearl followed.

“Friends!” As did Storm.

“Homes!” As did Swift.

“Country!” As did Blueblood.

“You're not taking anything else!” And finally, Terra. The six ponies began growing brighter, until they were hidden from view. For the first time since revealing itself in this world, the Wraith was made to pause. It watched on, as something it could not see took place.

The light finally grey dimmer, revealing the same six ponies. The same, but they were different. Such details meant nothing to the Wraith. Their eyes were closed, their bodies not quite as they were before, but that didn't matter. There was only one thing that still did. Daybreak's eyes opened, his mane like a raging fire.

“In time, darkness always comes, to extend its reach over all things, but as long as friendship remains, a fire will always burn, to light the way for the world.” His eyes turned white. “Behold the eternal flame!” The other five opened their own eyes, each glowing white.

The Rainbow rushed forth once more, crashing into the Wraith like an almighty wave. The Wraith was pushed back, briefly, digging in upon nothing. For the first time, the world so close to the Wraith saw the light, the darkness parting, just enough, to reveal the full shadow of the beast. What it was now, was the Wraith, what it was once... No, this was never a pony.

This was once a wolf.

A befitting visage. In the end, the Wraith truly was a monster.

The six rushed forth, as the Wraith too rushed to meet them. Daybreak met the beast, claw to hoof, pushing against one another, as around them ponies moved to restrain the beast. The Wraith snapped its jaws, failing to take Daybreak's face before Blueblood and Terra grasped its neck, Pearl, Swift and Storm restraining the rest of the phantom that had once been impossible to approach. The base of Daybreak's hooves started to turn red, seeping where the Wraith's claws held him.

It broke Daybreak's skin.

Daybreak's skin broke it.

From the tips of its claws, cracks began to from, made, it seemed, from rainbow, the cracks spread, from it's claws, from its neck, from anywhere the new Element bearers touched it. Cracks of light were making way across the wolf phantom.

“We are Equestria's revenge.” Daybreak pushed harder. “You hear me? We are revenge!” The cracks grew larger, spreading faster. “For everything you've taken, we're taking everything from you!” The cracks reached where its eyes should be, darkness seeping from it. For the first time, Daybreak felt like it was truly looking at him. “We'll break you apart, and cast every piece into oblivion!”

The Wraith struggled, its silent howls piercing the absent air. The six ponies found themselves thrown off the beast, as it unleashed a wave of black. In one instant, they, the rainbow, and the cracks upon the Wraith's form were gone. There was nothing but darkness. The Wraith could not even see itself, were it to try. The Wraith stood still in the darkness, alone, with nothing to perceive or be perceived by. All that remained, was-Light.

From out of the darkness came light. The Rainbow illuminated everything once more. The six ponies were still there, still glowing with the power, the cracks returning to the Wraith with absolute vengeance. The leader of the Wraith's enemies looked upon the cracking phantom one last time.

“This is friendship's light. Darkness will never prevail against it. Now fade away.”

The cracks grew deeper, the light shining from inside the Wraith. The creature roared, silently, as finally, the blight shattered into light.

Light, that faded away.

All that was left, was them, the rainbow, and the darkness.

“It's over,” Daybreak smiled. “Equestria is avenged.“

Blueblood sighed. “What now?”

“The end. This is how Equestria-the world, ends.” Daybreak smiled, solemnly. “Let's make sure it's not forgotten.”

The six nodded, reaching out, holding hooves in a circle, the Rainbow Power forming a sphere around it, growing brighter and bright, and brighter-

It exploded, in a flash of ancient power, the Elements burst forth, like a supernova. In one second, it was spread far further than where their world had been, in the next, it was further than could easily be grasped by most minds, in just a few more it was well and truly on its way to delivering Equestria's final message.

Around him, Daybreak saw his alli-his friends making their final acts. Blueblood moved into a sitting position, he forehooves meeting, he would face the end in meditation. Storm spread her new wings, with rainbows on them now? A second glance at his friends showed they all had rainbows upon them in one way or another. A glance in a mirror would show the same of him. Storm was content to strike her finish pose, her final trick at an end. Swift was-dancing, that was dancing...nope, Daybreak wasn't gonna ask. He was not filling his final moment with the answer as to why Swift was dancing. Swift was good at it at least. Terra was humming something, something he'd heard her sing before, a song she held close to her. He'd never asked why. Pearl's vision was focused downward, her gaze pensive. From what Daybreak understood, she had a few goodbyes to make.

This was it, this was how it ended...

Daybreak looked down, at where, just a short while ago, his planet had existed. In the end, they could not save it, but Equestria had taken the Wraith with it. What was the Wraith? Where had it come from? What were its motives? Heh, unanswered questions, so many. Daybreak smiled, for all the bad, the end was not truly so bitter. Equestria was lost, but they'd stopped the Wraith here. They were ponies out there, colonies on other worlds. Equinity would survive, they would never again know the Wraith. Not them, nor any other creature that called this universe home. Heh, saviours of an entire universe, Daybreak could depart easy with that. He glanced out, their last act still visible, in all directions. His eyes slowly closed, letting one last visage fill his mind. Equestria's lost legacy, travelling across the endless dark.

We were here.

Author's Note

Author's Notes:
Happy New Year!

Hope you enjoyed the fic.