Knights Rising

I bolted upright. The sound of glass shattering made me look around. I was in the same room as before, but there were several ponies in the room as well. "You will not harm my friend or his love. I will not allow it!" shouted a zebra.

"I don't know who you are but you're stopping us from saving the Princess," Said Applejack as she ran towards him. He stood his ground and stamped a hoof on the crystal floor.

"Blockade," Commanded the Zebra and a wall of black crystals shot up between him and Applejack. The sound of her hitting the wall made me wince. A streak of rainbow colors blurred past. The Zebra was tackled by Rainbow dash. "Unhoof me mare! Do you know who I am?!

He bucked Dash off of him and sent her through the wall shattering it. On the other side stood Pinky a cannon ready. She pulled the rope to fire it and confetti shot out. A blast of magic appeared in the confetti and it hit the Crystal next to me. The crystal, Bolt was in there! The crystal took the blast and started to glow. I spotted another blast heading its way. I leapt in front of the blast. a loud crack filled the room as did a bright flash of light. Standing in front of me was an armored pony. It's armor glowing with a whirling sparks as it absorbed the blast of magic.

"Enough," Commanded the pony, Bolt. "Two weeks of rest, is that too much to ask for without someone almost hurting Princess Luna?"

"Who are you, bub?" demanded Dash jabbing at his breastplate with her hoof.

"I am the Knight of Princess Luna. The red flash that guards against the monsters in the night..." He said, his voice rough.

"Crimson Bolt... It can't be! You died, I saw your name on the wall its not possible!" shouted Twilight as her friends turned to her.

"Did ya just say Crimson B-bolt?" asked Applejack starting to shake.

"NO, NO, NO! You aren't Bolty! Bolty was kind and caring, not..." Pinky started.

"Enough, who is he? Why do you guys know him?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

"I know him because it's thanks to him that Applebloom and I are alive. He saved us when we were attacked by timberwolves. He lost his father that night." Applejack said looking at the black armored pony.

"Bolty was one of the first ponies I met when I came to Ponyville. He took me in and showed me around." Pinky said looking down.

"Bolt was the first Knight in a hundred years. I used to watch him and Shining Armor spare. Although, I never really knew him. When he disappeared Shining  took it hard. They had trained together or I should say that he helped train Shining, forming him into the captain of the guard. His father was a retired General, his mother was a talented healer. He was always different, but he stood up for those who couldn't. He disappeared like he often did, but he never came back. Then five years later one of the guards posted at the Hall of Knights watched as his name was carved into the wall along with the rest of the fallen Knights." Twilight shook as she looked at the armored pony.

Bolt stamped a hoof on the floor and a black scythe rose up as he grabbed hold of it the blade changed. It took on the form of a lightning bolt. Red lightning crackled inside the crystal blade. Tears welled in Twilight's eyes.  The doors slammed open and three ponies came in. Shining froze when he saw the scythe and Cadence stopped with him. The other one made my blood freeze, Night Jacks. He ran up to me and hugged me.

"Thank Celestia you're fine," he said. Bolt's eyes glanced at us and my heart fell. His eyes that had always been strong, focused and unyielding, now they were completely different. Though the eye slots in his helmet I saw the eyes of a pony that was beaten to the point he had been shattered. Sad, tormented, tired eyes looked back at me.

'Release me from the bond.' I heard his voice through the bond. It hurt even more hearing that, but I couldn't force him to stay when he didn't want to. I released him from the bond. He was engulfed in black sparks. As they disappeared standing there was a pony wearing an old worn cloak. Its hood hid his face. "Zamir, are you done?" he asked turning towards the zebra.

"Yes, Reaper I am." Zamir answered.

"Go get us some train tickets to Canterlot. We have work to tend to. I'll meet you there in about three hours." Bolt said and black sparks danced around his hooves as he sank into the crystal floor.

"Luna who was that?" Night Jacks asked.

"An old..." What could I say friend, knight, love, or should I lie to him.

"He was an old friend, one that left years ago. We thought that he had died a long time ago," Shining said before turning and walking away. I noticed although his steps were quite, cracks spider webbed from under his hooves. His eyes had darkened from their sky blue to midnight blue. Under his coat I could see the thick corded muscles were tense. Shining was his conrad and rival. He probably saw this as a challenge. For him it was a chance to speak to the dead. Cadence reached for him only to have him teleport. She stood there stunned then galloped off. I had caused all this with my order all those years ago. This, all of it was my fault.