(Twilight Sparkles pov)

He did it. He actually did it. I always believed I would’ve been strong enough to stop him, but I wasn’t. Oh! I’m sorry, this must seem confusing, I’m really good at reading stories but not so much at telling them I guess.

Hi, my name is Twilight Sparkle. One of the four princesses of Equestria, the land of ponies. The other princesses are Princess Celestia, my mentor, her sister Princess Luna, and my old foalsitter, Princess Cadence.

“How close are we Twilight?” A soft voice with a southern drawl asks. An orange pony with a stensen hat and a red flannel shirt with a pair of dirty jeans asks; her eyes back to their oscar green after her magic was restored. That’s Applejack, one of my best friends. My other friends walked alongside me, a blue pony wearing a simple white tank-top, black shorts and boots, her colorful locks a pattern of a rainbow with a sleek tail to match, a visible tattoo of a multi-colored lightning bolt coming from a cloud to represent her cutie mark, grumbling that her wings aren’t working as we ran, she is Rainbow Dash.

Walking along my right side is a pink pony, with a large, poofy magenta mane with a matching tail. Pinkie Pie, the usually energetic optimist that never loses her smile couldn’t seem to even bring happiness, though I’m not surprised. Her once bright shirt and jacket are covered with soot, with her skirt and boots being subjected to the same fate. Fluttershy was no different. Her long, silky pink mane and tail were dragging against the dirt of the Everfree with her wings limp against her back, though the shy and kind pony didn’t seem to care as her focus was on walking straight and keeping the draconequus next to her, Discord, the former Spirit of Disharmony, who also seemed in a terrible mood. The feeling is mutual between us all.

Trailing a bit behind me is a white pony with a purple amethyst mane and tail, which were still somehow curled elegantly, her dress and stockings were covered in dust and dirt, to which she muttered complaints about; this is my friend Rarity, a unicorn. Walking beside her, looking up in worry at the white mare, a dragon child with purple scales and green spines running along his head and down his back, ending at his tail. He’s wearing a torn purple jacket with a green shirt underneath it and blue shorts. Practically my baby brother, though don’t tell anypony I said that, especially Spike.

We started running towards the cave containing the Tree of Harmony. “We are close, just around this corner.” I say to Applejack as we near a familiar path, taking the turn we could hear Tirek blast the ground around him, I pray that he doesn’t cause the blights to become more aggressive. Oh! Blights are the cousins to the timberwolves, though they take on a more pony shape to fool and attack trespassers in the deeper parts of the woods. Even worse, he might cause the treants to wake up, the oldest trees in the woods who have gain intelligence. That wouldn’t be good. . . .

Nevertheless, we turn a corner near a dried stump covered in hairy moss, the trees opening to reveal the small chasm in the clearing of the Everfree, a familiar alcove visible from the edge. “Finally!” Rainbow called out with her normal bravado, which put a small smile on my face. I nod with a determined look in my eyes, “Come on gang! We got a magic-sucking bad guy to beat!”

“Then a party to have!” Pinkie called out as she shot down the stairs, a small chuckle can’t help but escape a few of our mouths. We quickly follow our pink friend down the steps toward the strange and beautiful sight of the Tree of Harmony. A large crystalline tree with several leafless branches coming out, though five main branches almost like spokes are the main ones. All the main branches have a symbol at the end of them, of our cutie marks. An orange apple for Applejack, a purple diamond for Rarity, a teal balloon for Pinkie Pie, a pink butterfly for Fluttershy, and a red lightning bolt for Rainbow Dash. And at the center of the tree, a magenta colored star with six points, five of the points aligning with the spoke-like main branches, the last one pointing down, to a dodecahedron box, with six key holes that sat at the base of the tree. Five of the keyholes where already filled with a key similar to my friends cutie marks, only mine was absent. “Well,” The draconequus behind us began to announce, “Here we are.”

“Still awe inspiring as always, darlings…” Rarity comments as we enter, everypony moving to stand in front of their keyhole. I nod as I move over and touched the amulet Discord had given me to the chest, and in a flash of magic it turned into a key and inserted itself into the lock, the magic fading once it does. I was smiling at that when we heard and felt a huge thud; in the distance we could see Tirek rampaging across the forest, using his stolen magic to tear apart the ground.

I gathered my resolve and turned to my friends. “Together.. I think we have to do it together!” As one we moved and placed our hands on our key, pushing it in a bit before turning them to the right, unlocking the box. The top opened up and revealed a bright white light, out of the light a rainbow came out of it and hit the center gem of the tree. After the rainbow faded into the gem, multi-colored trails exited it, each trail color matching the gem it moved towards. When the trails connected with the gems, they flashed and glowed with magic. Just as they finished, pillars of light, matching the gems surrounded each of us according to the element we had held. I felt power, similar to when we channeled the Elements, fill me, I felt a tug and the world blurred around us as we... dissipated? I think that is the best word… Into pure magic somehow as we were pulled into the chest and swirled round as more magic filled us. As we spun out I felt something else come out.

The sound of a… yawn? Is heard. As we all stand in the alcove, the light faded away and standing where the box once was, a tall ponyoid creature stood, a black mane atop his….furless body? He had just pale white skin, with deep blue eyes that immediately sent a small shiver down my spine. He wore black, leathery clothing, a strange box attached to the back of his belt; his body lean, yet there was clearly signs of muscle across his form. But the strangest part of all, was our reactions, or more specifically, Discord’s. His color dropped, literally. He turned pale white and his eyes became pinpricks, and the immediate terror in his body spread like the plague. We all jumped back in slight fright, Fluttershy hiding behind Rainbow Dash who growled while getting into a stance, Applejack doing the same but the worry was clear. Spike hid behind Pinkie’s large tail, the aforementioned mare clearly frightened as well by the mysterious...stallion? The creature just looked around confused before the ground shook again, Tirek’s rampage continuing outside; which the creature didn’t even seem to care about. “Who are you all?” He asked in a strange accent I couldn’t quite pinpoint. The tone of the question is what surprised me the most, it wasn’t stern or dark, it was….gentle; and extremely confused.

“uh..um.. I am Twilight Sparkle.” I said hesitantly.

“Rainbow Dash.” The pegasus more growled than said as she stared at him, prepared to fight if needed.

“I'm Applejack.” she said simply, watching his moves.

“Rarity darling… and what are you wearing?” she was looking him over as she flipped her mane dramatically.

After a few attempts of Fluttershy saying her name but not saying it above a whisper I said it for her. “She's Fluttershy.”

“Hi, I’m Spike.” my little brother said simply.

“D-d-discord.” the lord of chaos stammered out, why was he so afraid?

“HII'MPINKIWHATISYOURNAME,IHAVENEVERSEENANYTHINGLIKEYOU?DOYOULIKEPARTIES?” Pinkie spat out at her rapid pace.

The man looks pleasantly surprised oddly, “Huh, usually I’m getting stabbed when I asked that, but I think this works fine! Hello Twilight, pleasure to meet you too Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and a darling to you Rarity; and this is called armor.” He nods to each pony he named, Applejack and I simply nod back, Rainbow deciding to scowl while Rarity blushes slightly and nods slowly at his answer. The stallion looks to Fluttershy and says softly, “Hi Fluttershy,” He also waves which causes Fluttershy to wave back a tiny bit, “And of course, nice to meet you too Spike and D-d-discord.” He stutters at the end to mimic Discord’s greeting. The ground shakes once more, causing everypony but the stallion in the middle to flinch and look out of the alcove, “And yes Pinkie Pie, I like parties.” He says with a simple nod to the mare, causing all of us to have a little look of shock before the ground shook again. “Excuse me Miss Twilight? Are tremors this common these days?”

I shake my head nervously, still unsure about him and our new forms. All the color on us is strange… anyway back to his question. “um no Mr…?”

“Oh I’m terribly sorry! How rude of me! I am Ozz.” The stallion, now identified as Ozz, says with a slight bow after playfully smacking his forehead.

“Nice to meet you Ozz, the tremors are being caused by Tirek.” I smiled at his behaviour, it helped a bit… though I could swear that I heard Rarity squee…

Though what I don’t suspect is his reaction, which almost made the cave feel… cold. His smile drops and his eyes darken from his scowl that wrinkles his smooth skin, “Tirek?” He asks slowly, as if asking if he heard what I said correctly. I gulp slightly in fear and respond.

“Y-yes, he escaped Tartarus and has stolen all of our magic except for what the tree just gave us.” I said, doing my best not to get too emotional. This answer only made the scowl of the man deepen as he looks out of the cave and towards the forest above, silently walking past us all and up the stairs of the chasm, his boots crunching loudly against the dirt floor, even drowning out the sound of the tremors oddly. “Ozz?” AJ, Flutters, and RD call out as we follow him.

He simply ignores our voices as he walks through the forest without care, like he owned the place, which made me start to question who this stallion really is, maybe he did own the forest. He did just came out of a box from the Tree of Harmony….

“How much magic has he taken?” He asks without so much as a glance towards us.

“well.. mine and the other three Princesses.” I said with a wince.

“As well as everypony else's, even Discord here, lord of Chaos and all..” RD called out, still glaring at him slightly.

He finally stopped and looked back at us, more specifically Discord, “How did you get that title?” He asks curiously, though the underlying threatening tone is noticed by us all, Discord included, causing Fluttershy to step in front of him in a protective stance instinctively.

“He’s good now!” she protested, making Ozz raise an eyebrow.

“He was bad once?”

He sighed. “I use chaos magic and in the past I was… carefree of the consequences of my actions.. do you know of the xenophobia of the races in the past?”

“All too well.” He turns back and begins walking again as the tremors intensify.

“My form and magic made me stand out… and if it wasn't for a strange yet beautiful creature I would have been a lot harsher.” He said softly looking at Flutters with a smile.

Ozz just hummed as the booming laugh of Tirek is heard. Ozz reached out to a nearby tree and ripping off a piece of bark without slowing his pace, “We’re getting close.”

“What are you going to do, shouldn't we use the power the Tree gave us?” I ask him, to which he just scoffs.

“And why would magic affect the magic-absorbing demon lord?” He asks back.

“Because it worked in the past?” I argued back, and he…. Laughes? Why is he laughing?!

“Trust me Twilight Sparkle, magic isn’t what stopped Tirek last time.”

“It was, Princess Celestia and Luna used the elements on him to banish him…” I realize something he said earlier, “And he is a centaur not a demon lord.”

Ozz stops and looks back at me, his eyebrow raised before they both rise up like he’s come to some realization, “Oh…. so this isn’t Tirek.”

“It is… he is named after his father.” I explain, I realized something, “You knew his father?” I asked carefully.

“I killed his father. Well, me and my wife.” His eyes widen and he gasps, “Aurora….” He says breathlessly, snapping his head forward towards the source of the tremors, breaking off into a full sprint.

“WHAT!” I call out as I sprint after him. “That was three thousand years ago!”

“THREE THOUSAND YEARS?!?! OH GODS!” He sprints faster, outpacing me with ease in a speed I’ve only seen in the strongest of earth ponies, and he didn’t even seem to be pushing himself!

“What is wrong?” I struggle to keep up, the girls keeping up with the strange magic we got, AJ was carrying Discord while Rarity got Spike.

He stops abruptly and turns, grabbing my shoulders and looking me in the eyes with his wide ones, “I’ve been away from my wife for three thousand years! I’m gonna kill a demon centaur today so I can find my wife! That’s what is wrong and that is what is happening!” He lets go and turns, going straight back into his sprint.

I pale a bit “Wouldn’t she be dead by now?” I said in disbelief, “And do you have to kill him?”

“Is he the son of the first Tirek?” He yells out in questioning, reaching low and grabbing at the forest floor, picking up dirt and twigs between his fingers.

“Yes, he came to steal the magic from us with his brother Scorpan in the past, only for Scorpan to help us instead and letting Starswirl the bearded and the princesses to seal him away.” I explain to him. “And why are you doing that?”

”You’ll see.”

Well that helps no pony at all….

“Tell me Twilight, what happened to the first Tirek?” He asks suddenly, stopping completely without a bead of sweat on him, or any change of breath.

“After somepony named Megan freed the ponies, she used the Rainbow Rod to summon two beings who fought with him, one had impervious defence and the other had an overwhelming offence.” I said after some thought, recalling myths and lore from some of the older books in Princess Celestia’s personal library.

“And pray tell, do you know who these beings were?” It took me a minute but I recalled what he just said, he seemed too knowing, too ready to fight to just be a regular whatever he was….

“You?… but the other was the Ki-rin, a divine beast that has lived a long time and is very powerful, and many want to own it, as it is the only known one.” That made Ozz scowl in anger.

“Anyone who tries to own my wife,” He emphasizes, “Will cease existing on this earth.”

“You married a stag horse?” RD laughs, I frown at that. Ozz looks like he’s trying to murder her with his glare, which she pales at when she notices.

“You don’t know the woman I love.” He says in a dark tone, “And I’d recommend you don’t speak of her that way if you value your continued existence.” Everypony, myself included, paled with the rainbow mare at that.

“But even though she phrased it like that, the stories never say she can talk, or even that it was a she, so how did you marry her?” I asked nervously.

“You can ask her yourself after I kill Tirek.” He turns once again and begins walking as the sound of Tirek’s maniacal laughter is heard booming through the air.

“... good luck?” I asked as we got closer.

“Luck is pointless.” He said as he stepped through the trees, coming up on the edge of the forest, and a couple thousand feet away, the colossal form of Tirek. The centaur was easily two hundred feet tall, and nearly as wide as a small mountain, his horse half was black with fur, his upper half consisting of red, muscular skin. He had two giant horns coming from his head and a thick grey beard underneath his laughing face, black eyes riddled with joy as he laid destruction upon the land.

“Well… we will stand by just in case.” I said firmly, the girls nodding. Ozz just nods.

“Good, then I won’t have to worry about people in my way.” As he was about to step forward, he stops and looks back at us, “Do you any of you have a piece of his hair or something?”

“I do..” Discord walks up with a strand of his mane “I don’t know why but I felt compelled to take it earlier..”

For some reason, Ozz gets a wicked grin on his face, an almost sadist look in his eyes which causes some of us to flinch as he quickly snatches it from Discord’s hand, “Perfect.” He says in a sinister tone with a small chuckle, “Thank you Discord, you’ve just made my job a lot more easier.” He drops the bark and and pile of dirt, wiping his hands clean on his clothes which causes Rarity to gasp and huff but doesn’t say anything.

“Just tell your wife she won the bet.” Discord sighs.

“Um.. what are you doing?” I asked with a faint bit of worry which causes Ozz to hum slightly in thought.

“On a scale, of one to ten, how much pain has he caused this world and its people?” He asks calmly and clearly, a stark and noticeable contrast to his previous tones and attitude.

“Everyone is still alive but is unable to move… like at all.” Pinkie called out.

“I’d like a number.”

She hums, “Like seven or eight… if it keeps going, ponies are going to starve.” She explains with a sad tone as Ozz frowns.

“Then his punishment has been decided.” He turns back to the centaur, “Twilight, you said that the other being had an overwhelming offense yes?”

“Yes?” I asked as my eyes widen as I back up. The stallion smirks as he twists the strand of hair between his fingers and Tirek roars out in pain. We all look past Ozz to see Tirek holding his left arm, or what was his left arm, now twisted like a screw with bone sticking out in several directions, black blood pouring out of each wound as I gasp in shock and look back at Ozz. Where was his magic? I didn’t sense anything from him, he just moved the piece of hair, what is this? “That wasn’t magic…. What is that?”

“This,’ He starts blankly as he stares at Tirek, “is my power.” He twists the hair again as Tirek buckles in pain, his back hind legs bending out sideways, bone popping out once more as he screams in absolute agony.

“Um.. sir… can you not torture him?” Fluttershy said just barely loud enough to be heard.

“I can’t not.” He replies with no emotion, Tirek trying to heal himself with magic but can’t as he horns begin to bend slowly out of shape, the pain too much to bear to cast any spells.

“Well… can you get him to return the magic he stole?” AJ asks worried about her family.

“It will return. Promise.” The centaur then turns to us, but not of his own will clearly. He crawls forward, his broken back legs forcing him to crawl, reaching us quickly as he notices Ozz and pales in absolute terror.

“That is a look I didn’t think he could make.” Rarity commented.

“Hello boy,” Ozz taunts, “Remember me?”

“Impossible….” His usually deep and billowing voice is shaky and dry from the fear and screaming, “You were dead….” Ozz just clicks his tongue and shrugs.

“I think I’d know personally. Release their magic, and I’ll let you live. Don’t, I’ll just force you to before killing you brutally, I’m sure you know what I did to daddy Tirek.” He has such an innocent smile plastered on his face, it’s…. disturbing.

“He seems to be enjoying this..” I whisper to RD.

“Yeah..” was her only response.

“I… I will not kneel!” He used all of his strength to try and hit Ozz, my heart sinking as I watch his fist fly forward only to stop inches from Ozz, who seemed unnerved by the action.

“Then death it is.” The hand curls back as his claws open and pierce into his stomach, blood immediately bursting from his mouth as he stares at his own hand impaled into his stomach.

Tirek tries to speak but is interrupted as the hand is ripped from his stomach and a burst of magical energy escapes the wound, flying into the sky and separating into thousands of thin magical strands, multiple flying down, hitting me and Discord along the process, a sudden surge of energy filling my body as my magic is restored and Tirek shrinks, showing his disheveled and small form. His body frail and beard white and long, cheeks hollow but the wounds remain and he stares in fear at Ozz.

I felt a call as for a moment the magic from the tree resonated and we helped spread the magic back, for a moment we were spread through Equestria, seeing everyone safe. “Ozz, the magic is back!” I tell him in relief after coming back to my body.

“I could tell, there was a big beam in the sky.” He says with a finger pointing up to the sky.

“I know that!” I said with exasperation.

“She means that everypony is already back up and moving!” Pinkie cheered.

Ozz’s lips pull up in a soft smile as he looks back at Tirek with a frown returning, unceremoniously twisting the hair harshly, causing Tirek’s head to twist sideways with a sickening crack as his spine is snapped and his body immediately falls to the floor, lifeless.

“Thank you for the hair Discord.”

“Well, your welcome?” He said hesitantly as we saw a rainbow leave the cave, the box from earlier the source as it heads towards Ponyville. “We should go see what that is…”

Ozz just shrugs and puts his hand out towards the direction of where the rainbow went, “Lead the way.”

I nod. “Is it okay to teleport with you?”

He puts his hand up as he seems to realize something, “Actually, if it’s alright with you all, I’d like to see my wife again.”

“How are you going to find her?” I asked, eager to know more. Ozz smiles and puts his hand out.

“Please don’t bombard her, I imagine she’s been very lonely.” He sighs and looks out towards the horizon, whispering softly, “Ni fen ra.”

I felt the build up of magic as, out of nowhere, a stag like creature came running over and tackling Ozz, who eagerly accepted the tackle, hugging and the nuzzling the creature. The Ki-rin’s mane was a deep black, like space but with streaks of gold running through it, her scales where a soft golden color, the light bouncing off of her makes it seem like she was glowing, she has a serpentine like build but still had hair on it and around her hooves, accenting her sleek body. Lastly, to
my surprise, she had a long sleek horn coming from her head that curved back, pointing behind her. “That’s her sir?”

Ozz doesn’t respond as he holds the ki-rin, tears flowing down his cheeks as he holds her head and rubs her, pressing his forehead against hers and softly murmuring something I can’t quite hear. There’s a chorus of “Awww…’ behind me, myself included, as we all watch this beautiful reunion. “So cute…” I mutter.

(Ozz pov)

“I know, I know,” I whisper gently to the ki-rin, not caring about the tears flowing down my eyes, “I’m sorry I took so long.” My heart was so overjoyed, she was back; my wife, my love. My Aurora.

‘It has been so long…. Three thousand years wandering the world.’ Her telepathic voice stated in his mind, sounding sweet as honey, though very very emotional at the moment.

I rub her neck and snout, “I’m here, I’m back, I won’t leave you again my love, I promise.” I let out a shaky breath as I smile deeply, her presence exactly what I needed.

‘No more challenging demon king's?’ She more states than asks. I just nod against her scales.

“Right now, all I care about is you. I love you.” I knew how much she yearned to hear me say that again.

She nuzzles me. ‘And I you, my beloved.’ her ‘voice’ full of warmth.

“Um… are you talking to yourself?” The blue one asks as she moves closer, causing me to glare at her softly, mentally telling her to back off. To which she thankfully understands and backs off, though I don’t care about her reaction or apology as I focus on my wife again.

“Aurora, I’m still so sorry for leaving you for so long….”

‘You didn’t know it would take so long… and you needed to heal.’ she says fiercely, not wanting me to take any blame. I understand and just nod, not wanting to argue, only wanting her.

“Can I see my girl?” I ask softly.

She hesitated, ‘It has been a long time…. I refused to take up my human form until you came back…’ I stop her with a small pat on the side of her snout.

“It’s fine, take all the time you need, I’ll always love you anyway.”

She nods and gets off of me reluctantly and sits down, ‘As you wish.’ She said quoting an old movie from home, making me chuckle. She closes her eyes and focuses.

“Gods I miss Princess Bride…..” I say in a whisper, the others not able to hear so they don’t question me.

“Um.. Mr. Ozz… are you talking with her?” The yellow pegasus named Fluttershy asks, she seemed nice. I nod but don’t say anything more. She fidgets, “I can normally understand animals but I couldn’t understand her at all.. Not to be rude to her!” she quickly back tracked.

I just smile softly at the shy girl, reminding me so much of an old friend from home, “That’s because she is far from normal. She can choose who understands her, and right now, it’s just me.” I explain simply, not elaborating further.

“That is really neat!” Her eyes sparkled, I could see the purple Alicorn writing down notes.

There was the sound of a heavy impact as the blue one from earlier goes flying past me with the pink one in her grasp. ‘Not in my face!’ My wife growled, making me scowl as I step in front of her and place my hand on her snout.

“What. Did. You. Do.” I demand coldly, causing both mares to flinch.

“I just wanted to throw her a party!” The pink one said, her mane deflated somehow? I brush it off and leave it for later, my irritation getting in the way of my confusion.

“Leave her alone.” I demand simply as I turn back to Aurora, “Are you okay?” I ask softly, any anger immediately leaving when I talk with her.

‘I was just startled… most don’t get that close.’ She sighs before smiling softly. ‘Kiss my horn?’

I smile softly, leaning forward before gently pecking her smooth horn. She shivers once before grinning. ‘I knew that was what I did..’ Her form wavered and changed, becoming human. She appeared to be around 22 years old and was physically very fit. She is shorter than me at 5”9’ tall. Her skin was sun kissed yet smooth as silk, her hair is still a raven black but now with white, gold, and purple highlights. Her lovely breasts are a D cup with an ass to match, giving her an hourglass figure. She is wearing a simple golden kimono with flowers designed into it. Just like how she was before I went to sleep. Ignoring the gasps from everyone else, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in, pressing my lips longingly against hers. She returned the kiss with equal vigor. “So long..” she said after the kiss, her voice having a slight accent that wasn’t there before.

I smile and hold her close, feeling her warmth as I smell her fresh scent, sighing happily, “I love you so much.”

She smiles and simply shows me her wedding ring, one that we made out of titanium. “Never took it off my love.” I smile and kiss her hand, bringing it up to cup my cheek as I cup hers, my own ring brushing against her perfect skin.

“We have a lot of vows to renew.” I say with a small chuckle as I press my forehead against hers, closing my eyes softly to just enjoy her touch.

Author's Note

Thank you for reading this story!

I, Aurora, wish you well and please comment and ask questions!

Ozz, my co-author, wishes that you enjoyed the story!